Okay Obama has released his birth certificate….Phase 2 of birtherism will be the argument that he is not a natural born citizen as his father was from Kenya and was not a US citizen at the time of his birth However, the courts have been clear on this issue going back to the 1700’s and they will have no success.
While some feel Obama was smart to release his birth certificate now, perhaps elevating the unelectable Donald Trump and causing chaos among Republicans, I think having the birthers around helped Obama in a way,it also caused chaos and allowed the nuttier candidates like Trump and Michelle Bachmann ,who have no chance of being elected, to be the main draw while the “serious” Republican candidates such as Mitt Romney or Tim Pawlenty or Mitch Daniels were handcuffed by this side show.
At any event, America now faces a choice about its future.
A talking point of Bill Clinton’s when he first ran for president was his desire to purse a “third way” when it came to governance. That was defined as neither the stereotypical tax and spend liberalism nor the trickle down tax cuts for the wealthy of the Republican party which led to the 90’s recession and Clinton’s eventual victory.
The third way was yet another way to describe the American dream post WWII-high wage jobs in sufficient number coupled with the ability to own your own home and put your kids through college. Copious consumption and the lifestyle to maintain it. An expanded social network was not needed as the economy provided for most.
However, now with the American financial structure exposed as being built on hot air and those high wage jobs largely gone overseas the third way seems an impossibility. I wrote about the US financial picture back in 2008 http://rgdinmalaysia.xanga.com/676023432/the-bail-out-plan-is-rubbish/
There are now two choices for America going forward
a.) Adopt a system like many European nations and Canada have – Government health care and better federally financed education as well as a stronger social safety net in general . Higher taxes especially for the wealthiest members of society.
b.) Keep heading down the current path to a third world America where the society’s wealth is concentrated in the hands of a very small group while everyone else is poor and don’t have access to healthcare or quality education – America as a banana Republic!
a.) obviously seems the more humane option, the most good for the most people, but with many in America (especially in the red states) prepared to vote against their self interests conditioned to respond against anything branded with the word socialist no matter how timid or lukewarm like Pavlov’s salivating dogs it’s going to be a long struggle .
With the large population of baby boomers starting to retire and the lack of extended families like are found in Asia to cope with this as well as stagnant employment, it’s a struggle, a fight, this nation must have if it is to remain a nation.
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