Many times in these days, I have heard the word “bitter” referred to when describing the mood of people across this United States of America. Perhaps there is merit to the mood.
Allow me this example: In one column, write your income of three years ago, two years ago, and this present year. In the column opposite your income, write the prices of gasoline three years ago, two years ago, and now. Do the same with your power bills, your grocery bills, clothing, and rent payments.
Having done this, you will find that the price of everything has escalated much more than your earning power. The percentages of income vs. expenditure lay heavily in the expenditure per item column, does it not?
Make no mistake, regardless of the government of the United States of America, your elected representative government tells you, there is inflation in this nation that is not reported or acknowledged.
“Bitterness” takes a definition that I believe best reflects the mood of the people of this nation. Our representatives, whether it be in Washington DC, or Sacramento, or any other capitol have perpetuated a magnificent lie and asks us to believe that all is well.
Recently the oil companies of the United States of America faced congressional hearings to determine whether we, the people, were being taken advantage of and of these hearings, nothing occurred. The oil companies defended their right to profit funds that are measured not in the millions, but the billions at the expense of each and every American.
Is this a right that is guaranteed under the laws of our land? Is this “free enterprise?”
We have mortgage meltdowns and foreclosures occurring daily; we have the falling value of the dollar against other currencies worldwide; we have a recession that is not only nationally, but worldwide and the candidates for the highest office of this country state unequivocally that there is no “bitterness” in the mood of the people.
Just where have these candidates been for the past few years? Let me broaden this: Where have the politicians, both Democratic and Republican been for the past few years? I will state this, they sure haven”t been visiting in foreclosed properties or shopping at their local grocery stores or swiping their ATM cards at gasoline dispensing pumps in rural or metropolitan America.
Our elected and appointed government is elitist; it must be because it refuses to acknowledge that there is bitterness and dismay rampant in the mood of the people of this nation. Perhaps all in service of government should read the Constitution and Bill of Rights that framed the foundation for this nation.
They might acknowledge that these documents were created to give the citizen the right of self determination, the right of being taxed but proportionally represented in how this taxation is utilized and expended by our government. Seemingly the political arena of this nation has forgotten that this very lack representation perpetuated a document framed by many and signed by 56 citizens ranging in age from the youngest, Edward Rutledge, 28, to Benjamin Franklin, 70. This document was the Declaration of Independence.
One should ask, is this the time for another such declaration? Perhaps it is because many Americans are firm in their belief that government has failed to represent their wishes across this nation. Ugly thoughts for an ugly era, are they not?
Sherman D. Baker III
Kelseyville
