I don’t know about you, but sometimes (especially on cold, rainy days) I get the distinct feeling that this country is crumbling around us.  I know it is an inevitability that all empires come to an end eventually, but personally, I would rather not have to live through it (or make my children do so).  People say that every generation has their doomsayers and things will be fine, but I would like to give my list of the top five factors that I think contribute to the approaching demise of our great country.   

5. Apathetic voting participation - Sure, there are experts that say it is fine to have only 20 to 30 percent of Americans voting in local elections; this is just an indication that most people are happy with the way things are going.  However, with such small minorities making such important decisions it is easier for interest groups to have their way to the detriment of the public good.  This is a public bad.  And I know people are “just too busy” to educate themselves on the issues and vote, but they don’t seem too busy to discuss at work or vote for the next American Idol…

4. “Politics as Usual” - Our political system is broken, most people would acknowledge that the power is no longer in the hands of the people but instead held by powerful interest groups and lobbyists.  Too many politicians are bought and paid for, and too few people vote in elections to get an independent, populist candidate elected.  This may change someday, however.  One positive in my mind is the traction Ron Paul is getting across the political spectrum.  Perhaps it is not yet time for a candidate that doesn’t do the typical money dance to win, but his success may be a harbinger of change to come. 

3. The Media - Of course at least half the reason “politics as usual” continues to reign despite its ineffectiveness is the way the media play their games.  And for those of you who insist the media is unbiased, take a closer look.  One simple example, the American-Statesman ran an article on the front page of their metro section a few weeks ago about a new coalition of progressive, environmental, anti-development groups to put pressure on City Hall.  This is fine, something that should certainly be covered, but the headline for the continuation of the article inside the section read “JOIN: Interest Group to Fight for Change at City Hall”.  Nowhere in the article was there a discussion of joining the effort, only a description of the group’s interests.  There were any number of other “connection” words the headline writer could have chosen, but “JOIN” neither made any sense nor seemed unbiased in the least.  What is wrong with our media today?  Do they not realize they are driving us into the ground?

2. Public education system - On either side of the argument over our public schools you find the wrong problems being addressed.  Some people insist that if we paid teachers better, and threw more money at schools, we could have the high-achieving marks we desire.  Others say we spend too much money on schools already and no studies link improvement with dollars spent.  But everyone is missing the point - kids just don’t want to learn anymore.  No “pie in the sky” talk about someday, if you work hard enough and study, you too can be a middle manager of some company earning enough to pay the interest on your bills but never get ahead will get these kids to pick up a book.  As long as it isn’t “cool” to do well in school, and peer pressure is so ridiculously powerful that kids feel like walking around shooting their classmates, then we aren’t going to have high-achieving classes.  I don’t care how much we pay our teachers, unless Snoop Dog or Jay-Z tells kids to quit being stupid and start studying, very little is going to get better.

1. Low interest rates -  Sure, the Fed lowering interest rates is good for the economy because it encourages businesses to invest and create jobs and whatnot.  That’s good.  But low interest rates also encourages consumers to spend, and borrow, and spend what they borrow.  Using low interest rates to avoid a recession is really only borrowing against time; all that debt people rack up, even low interest debt, comes due someday.  Meanwhile someone (he or she that has money) gets richer and those that borrow diminish their net worth.  Also, this cheap borrowing power encourages consumerism as religion, and it is really no surprise that we as a population are so deep in debt.  Go to the mall on a Sunday - people look like they are in their church worshipping what truly makes them happiest - the almighty cash register.  But this purchase of things cannot and will not ever completely fill that void inside these people, so they are compelled to continue to want, and spend, and bury themselves deeper into debt.  So many lost souls to this dangerous trap, and it is ruining our country, rotting it from the inside out.

Well, this has been a fun-filled time, hasn’t it?  Tune in next time when we discuss the best ways to end it all, or perhaps the worst moments of my life, something as uplifting as this topic.  But in all seriousness, if we don’t think about these problems and consider ways to address them, then we are complicit in the destruction of our country.  And I love this place too much to let that happen without a fight.  Join me, lets start doing something about this right now.  Let me know if you have any thoughts, I am always open to criticism (and praise!).  Until next time…