Sunday, August 24, 2008

How did THAT happen?

"Patriotism is the virtue of the vicious"
Oscar Wilde

Don't get me wrong...
I am in no way a perpetual Bear, more likely I am a perpetual compulsive Bull who, during many years of successful and may be even many more years of "not-so-successful" trading learned to be REALISTIC. (it helps a lot that I came to United States from the country where "propaganda" was substitute for economy, it helps not to wear "pink glasses" all the time, but to soberly see reality)
[this is as much as this post has anything to do with the stock market - even if it had anything to do with it till this point - you better stop reading now]

Yes, America is still one of the greatest countries in the world and No, is has not been "the greatest" for a long time now.

Yes, America gave refuge to countless immigrants from all around the world, BUT in recent years if you look at official statistics, you will be unpleasantly surprised that "demographic" of this, once world wide Exodus, totally changed in a recent years, countries which fueled economic expansion of America by providing educated and willing labor force are now buying America and, once poverty stricken citizens of those countries, now "coming to America" as tourists, buying all they see (and, you...yes - YOU, stop diluting yourself attempting to attribute that phenomena to the "weak dollar" and definitely stop been HAPPY about "retail sales numbers") and, when asked: "Would you like to stay in USA?" - these, once anxious potential immigrants just impolitely laugh right into your blinders covered face.

We don't have manufacturing economy since 70th, those who say otherwise use the same numbered companies over and over again and that argument has really sour taste for a long time now. More realistic and, in a way, "economically patriotic" of us stopped paying attention to "Made in America" label - we are tired of trying to figure out - was it a paper printed in America or a lead in that toy came from US? And it does not matter that "that thing" is "cheaper" than similar one REALLY made in America, we are at the point we don't have money for either.

We continue losing "intellectual economy" due to the, first, "economically viable" hiring of H1 Visa holders instead of Citizens of this country or New Citizens who came here to STAY (and not to just make a handful of money and then go back to the home country and be a "King") and NO, there was NO shortage in "that" field, whatever that field was they got H1's for.
It worsened with Internet revolution and outsourcing is the name of the game for a long time now - Brazil, Russia, China, India - you name the country - any country but America, makes money on American business (and just turn TV off when yet another "Pimp" will tell you that "this is good for America and Americans" and "the only illegal immigration that poses problem for Americans is from Mexico")

We became afraid, tired and afraid - how and when did that happen?

Afraid of getting sick and not being able to answer "How are you going to pay?" question through the maze of pain and blood.

Afraid of losing our jobs and viewing "12 hours expected workday" as the only way to keep it.

Afraid of spending more time with our children at expense of carrier and then afraid of phone calls from school - it just might be that "Your kid was caught at the school yard selling drugs" call - how could that happen - we worked so hard to keep them away from that.

Afraid of getting older (in spite of being forced to watch "Ridiculously Happy Faced Viagra/Rogain/Prozak stuffed Baby Boomers" on financial companies commercials) - "Pink Haired Old Ladies" have not been anywhere in sight for many years, instead we spending our time in supermarkets waiting in register line for "That old fella to finish counting his pennies".
We don't even read that Social Security Statement anymore: "You might expect to receive $2,900 per month when you retire in yet another 20 years, it will pay for as much as $290 today and we still do not guarantee that you WILL get it". We hope that Social Security will miraculously change one day and delightfully afraid of proposals "Here is a part of what is left from your money, we were unable to handle it properly, take it and lose the rest in the Stock Market" - average American is sure to have better intellectual ability and time resources to beat the stock market than huge financial companies popping out of business at the ridiculously growing rate.

When did we became afraid of caring, how did it happen that it became exclusive business of "non for profit" milky schemes and our "four legged friends" are our best and ONLY friends?

When and why did we reach that threshold between "work to live" as oppose to "live to work"? How is that possible in prosperous society that election campaign targets people "who have more and more difficult time SURVIVING" and that class of people includes now once quite satisfied middle class?

And why do we still indulge ourselves caring for Warren Buffet's billions he managed to keep?

Yes, Americans (as people) are one of the the greatest nations of the world, its unmatched optimism helped to build what America as a country may still be proud of, but the sooner we will accept that with advent of Global Economy there will be NO "THE GREATEST COUNTRY", the sooner "THEY" will stop attempts to diverge OUR attention to "new external enemy" and, instead, will start looking at "enemy within". When and IF that happen then we will start regaining what we as a nation were once proud of.

I do not like politics and politicians, I have never been a member of ANY official party (Socialist, Republican, Communist, Democratic or Woo-Doo), I hate to waste my time and place on my site on what might be viewed as political point of view, but I am gradually losing hope that the country I've come to love for the 20 years since I denounced citizenship to my home country will ever start listening to its own citizens again and, the only "political party" I am proud to be a member of, party of "Common Sense and Decency", forever lost its battle...

[author is not responsible for content below]



P.S. Now...serious question: Where did the "dollar menu" go? Will it come back with resurrection of $3 bill?

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