10 Reasons for Americans to be Optimistic

08Jun11

That’s right I said the “O” word, the other O word. Coming form an accomplished doom sayer I can understand your shock yet that should say something in itself.

See, what ya’ll must understand is that change, especially positive change is often messy. Smelly and messy. The masses often have to be dragged kicking and screaming because change is often uncomfortable. And yes, you are those kicking and screaming masses. Let me color you a picture, There are big entities and concepts. Whale sized institutions of thought and economic customs. Be it blue blood oligarchic ideals or oil, insurance, financial companies whatever influential powers that be.

They are washing up on the shore. Sure making lots of noise but with time their racket will fade, they will swell and eventually burst all over in a stinky mess and we will have to live though it. We just fail to see what good is coming from it and that’s understandable when standing there covered in whale guts but let me try to ease your mind.

Gas Prices: They are not going to drop. With the unrest going on in the Middle East and a warming market for alternative fuels the beginning of the end is in view. OPEC at one point might panic and drop prices a bit rather than lose U.S market share but with China and India sucking up more oil daily, it’s doubtful.

This is GOOD. Yes, already all that annoying insanely wasteful plastic packaging is beginning to be phased out in favor of biodegradable packaging which really should have been done about 30 years ago. There is no question that we have to get away from oil the sooner the better therefore high prices that slowly forces everyone to be more conservative is far better than a sudden shut off or massive price raise. Buy a bicycle fat ass.

Change in International Role: One of the most important changes made by the B.O.B, which was totally over looked by most Americans to busy drowning in their self pity was to change our place in international politics. We are now much more likely to hold everyone including our allies accountable for their actions which were a major critique against the U.S. Secondly we have handed off responsibility to others or at the very least share responsibility with the world community.

Huge gestures which have done much to repair our credibility which could not get any lower than what it was when he was sworn in. This will in the long run cost tax payers less money and make us a little less of a target of yahoos.

Federal Health Care: This is how is may play out. The white house has a Federal Option in hand. Employers are going to feign panic and drop their insurance policies and cry poverty due to BOB’s new rules. Thing is, the insurance many of these employers offer suck and that’s amongst a 37th ranked health care system. They will drop them. The government will then step in and offer a plan that will cost less than what was coming out their paycheck. The government can do this because they (which are really you the tax payer) give money to the health care industry for research. Therefore they have leverage to demand lower prices. This way one doesn’t have to pay for the research through taxes and then pay out the ass for the results.

Will everything be initially available? The cutting edge stuff? Probably not, but don’t act like you could afford it anyway because if you could you’d have some fancy private personal insurance wouldn’t you? Where this gets interesting is that employers have been trading shit healthcare as a perk instead of paying people fair wages. I am guessing if these employers start trying to attack the government the government is going to come back with a study suggesting proper pay scales for every industry taking in consideration the median cost of living and inflation. Yes of course these studies would not include the top 1% who hold the over 30% of the nations wealth. Heck I wouldn’t count the top 5% if it was me. It will become clear that many of these employers were getting away with murder with what they were paying their workers.

Even if that’s not the case they will no longer have to deal with the insurance burden and employees won’t be forced to work at places in fear of losing their health insurance. Everyone wins in the long run, except for the crummiest of insurance providers and scumbag employers.

Expiring Patents: No matter how the health care crap works out similar to the last few years the list of  expiring patents of pharmaceutical big sellers continue to roll on this year and next.  Hello generics and a substantial financial relief to those using them.

Understanding of Taxes: Now one of the countries problem is many basically are incapable of logical thought. For instance, no where in history has a nation got into a war and not raised taxes, let alone cut taxes, let alone cut taxes while in TWO WARS. Absolutely the most irresponsible, idiotic, shoot yourself in the foot cluster fuck attempted by an industrial nation since Hitler’s march into Russia.

Our debt is due primarily to the wars and the tax cuts. What the average person has to understand is

A. We pay shit in taxes compared to most industrialized countries.

B. Our infrastructure, education system, healthcare system, ranks below them. C. It’s not your money being taken away.

Think of it as paying for the road you use. The schools that keep the kids from running rabid, the criminals from getting at you, the terrorists from bombing your living room, the west Nile, the aids, and whatever ignorant and irrational fear that festers in you lacking brain.

You say you don’t want to pay for immigrants or lazy people but when it comes down to it, you really don’t want to pay your troops or roads or anything for that matter. There is so much stuff that benefits you on a daily basis that is paid for by tax dollars and the average American seems not to notice. You want to hoot and holler about being an American, then pay your damn taxes and shut up, otherwise you’re just a one way, unpatriotic, dead beat leach and we don’t need you.

Now that natural disasters have torn the hell out of many red states, Which is horrible and not meaning to sound callous but hopefully many around the country might begin to understand why we pay taxes. It’s going to take tax money to help people out. Most of which are coming from traditional blue states might I add.

Now that your leg is broke you might not be so high and mighty about not having a choice not to have health care. Maybe now that you’re job and your house is gone one might take into consideration that welfare, disability and unemployment isn’t for lazy people, sometime shit just happens. Maybe as we come together to get through it all you will learn what makes a successful nation of free people. Not egocentric self righteousness but a duty towards generosity, though it’s not even that it’s paying your dues plain and simple.

Intolerance for Religious Extremism: Between Israel’s behavior over the last few years, Islamic fundamentalist and Christian groups like the evangelicals and tea baggers it should be safe to say the tail end of this generation and the next are going to be very moderate in their religious beliefs. This gives less for the crooked political entities to grab hold of. It’s hard to divide people on issues they just don’t really care that much about anymore.

End of the Middle East Theocracies: With the rise of new governments in the mid east comes the possibility of new trade opportunities. The Heritage Foundation won’t get the chance to get the CIA to throw in another dictator. Even if the GOP gets into office it won’t happen this time, these were civilian revolts and besides the world knows these tricks. No, instead new regimes without sanctions should give enough for the capitalist to have a respectable amount of fun with.

A stable middle east is something both the U.S and European economies could use. Those new government are going to need investment and boy do we need something.

China isn’t going to do shit: They are not going to surpass the U.S for any meaningful length of time. First and foremost they are tied to the U.S. financially. They are doing a lot of business in Africa right now but that could backfire, it is Africa after all. They are having as much fun in dealing with North Korea, Pakistan and India as we are.

Where we differ is that, we’re going through changes that we have gone through before. They are going through changes, a full scale industrial revolution in a quarter of the time we did it and it’s an iron fisted communist regime at the wheel. Too much, too fast. Their environmental issues are going to rot them from the inside while their growing middle class is going to get more and more crazy thoughts. They are one rebellion or dam break away from chaos.

Where there is necessity there is innovation:  We’re talking about a country that used to serve opium in their cough syrup and cocaine in their pop.   Tried to block seat belts, had discrimination laws and threw indians into reservations.

This is nothing, the financial system will be reformed as it was during FDR”S era.  The artificial sugars and other poisons will be phased out of our foods, Gays will get their weddings, and we will come to terms with our Mexican brothers,  but before all that, there will be a rush of gadgets and gizmos designed to be environmentally friendly, digitally liquid, and healthy and affordable.  Why?  Because that is the need and that is what is being demanded.   With that comes industry, trade and jobs.

Success by default: Geography will make us again. The world is heading toward an increasing trend in food shortages. Water levels are rising, civil unrest and natural disasters are at least are at their usual intervals. Few are having an easy time and fewer have our resources. Heck we aren’t all that poor it’s just that the wealthy had created a system that funneled much of it to them. Push comes to shove we can take it. Unlike island states which may soon find themselves under water.

We won’t have refugees pouring into our borders and hopefully will be less vulnerable to epidemic. Put it this way. You think our gas prices are bad? They as well as many of our other issues are not even a problem compared to the rest of the world.

 

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