The American Dream: Will It Be Too Late?
Stan Grimes
June 10, 2009
On a gray day in November of 2008 Americans went to their polling districts and cast a vote. It was a vote for change. Change from what? You might ask. What kind of change did we need? After all, things hadnīt changed much in fifty years. Most people were working, most were living as usual from payday to pay day. Who needs change?
I think many Republicans and Democrats got it wrong. The citizens of this country wanted a different kind of change. Sure, more money would be great, better access to health care, lower premiums, safety from terrorism, and keeping our homes all those things would be great.
But, the bigger point here is difficult for politicians to understand. Americans want to live in a safe country where our children and grandchildren can play in their neighborhoods without fear of being shot, molested, or bullied to the point of emotional damage. Americans do want a life with more "empathy" in court systems, more "empathy" by banks, and more "empathy" by our politicians. You see, life isnīt just all about who wins. Itīs also about who had the guts to run the race.
People are sick of partisanship vs. bipartisanship, conservatives vs. liberals, pro life vs. pro choice, gay vs. straight, black vs. white, and all the other conflicted ideological fights.
The average woman and man want to raise their children, retire, buy a camper, and drive off into the sunset holding hands in love with the world in which they live. Politicians donīt get it. Wall Street executives donīt get it. Life is not money.
Life is breathing, loving, and caring about your loved ones. Itīs simple really. The Constitution of our country spells it out quite simply. Politicians are hell bent on getting reelected. Why? Greed. Sure, theyīll tell you anything you want to hear like, "I want six more years to help build highways in my state." Or, perhaps weīve all heard, "Thereīs so much more to do to keep our country safe." Weīve heard it all you see. The U.S.A. is over two hundred years and every politician has said the same thing ever since politics were created.
There is nothing "new" under the sun. Radical leaders have come and gone through the centuries and a thousand years from now when I am but dust on someoneīs fireplace, the same arguments, the same fanaticism will be a part of whatever culture is left standing between the drying oceans of this earth.
President Obama, a young man (in my eyes) carries a dream of change, but the dream is only that, a dream. You see, politicians have dug deeply their foxhole of belief systems and will not leave them for real change. Americans no doubt will receive a dime of change out of the million possibilities for change. Itīs unfortunate really. Why do I say that? My personal belief is that this very well could be our last chance to get it right, to fulfill that dream of driving off into the sunset with the one we love and experience the raw feelings of freedom.
I think many Republicans and Democrats got it wrong. The citizens of this country wanted a different kind of change. Sure, more money would be great, better access to health care, lower premiums, safety from terrorism, and keeping our homes all those things would be great.
But, the bigger point here is difficult for politicians to understand. Americans want to live in a safe country where our children and grandchildren can play in their neighborhoods without fear of being shot, molested, or bullied to the point of emotional damage. Americans do want a life with more "empathy" in court systems, more "empathy" by banks, and more "empathy" by our politicians. You see, life isnīt just all about who wins. Itīs also about who had the guts to run the race.
People are sick of partisanship vs. bipartisanship, conservatives vs. liberals, pro life vs. pro choice, gay vs. straight, black vs. white, and all the other conflicted ideological fights.
The average woman and man want to raise their children, retire, buy a camper, and drive off into the sunset holding hands in love with the world in which they live. Politicians donīt get it. Wall Street executives donīt get it. Life is not money.
Life is breathing, loving, and caring about your loved ones. Itīs simple really. The Constitution of our country spells it out quite simply. Politicians are hell bent on getting reelected. Why? Greed. Sure, theyīll tell you anything you want to hear like, "I want six more years to help build highways in my state." Or, perhaps weīve all heard, "Thereīs so much more to do to keep our country safe." Weīve heard it all you see. The U.S.A. is over two hundred years and every politician has said the same thing ever since politics were created.
There is nothing "new" under the sun. Radical leaders have come and gone through the centuries and a thousand years from now when I am but dust on someoneīs fireplace, the same arguments, the same fanaticism will be a part of whatever culture is left standing between the drying oceans of this earth.
President Obama, a young man (in my eyes) carries a dream of change, but the dream is only that, a dream. You see, politicians have dug deeply their foxhole of belief systems and will not leave them for real change. Americans no doubt will receive a dime of change out of the million possibilities for change. Itīs unfortunate really. Why do I say that? My personal belief is that this very well could be our last chance to get it right, to fulfill that dream of driving off into the sunset with the one we love and experience the raw feelings of freedom.