In America, we are not promised prosperity, but we are promised equal opportunity. When children are homeless, malnourished, nurtured in a sociopathical environment and under-educated they do not have equal opportunities. We have fallen into the same mold as Europe, an inter-generational aristocracy. That is a recipe for instability, because the lifestyles of the rich and famous are broadcast on television and movies. Ninety-five percent of America lives on 5 percent of our wealth. Far too many of our young people are without hope and millions are spending their lives behind bars, wasting their intellectual capital.
Why are we not attacking problems at their roots, attacking poverty, homelessness and lack of education. Speaking of education, didn”t we build the state university system to educate all of our children, not just the wealthy? This looks to be the first year ever that students pay more than the state. If one wants to get a master”s degree, more and more are looking out-of-state. What happened to “no child left behind?” Classrooms are growing again, teachers are stuck buying their own supplies and parents are paying for their children to play sports. Does this sound right to you?
Taxes are meant to keep up infrastructure and services, and education is a necessary service.
The Supreme Court has happily handed our government over to the rich and corporations, with the overruling of McCain/Feingold, we will see unlimited donations to candidates and political special interests. America worships on the altar of greed, thinking that “he who has the most toys, wins.” Crime and overcrowded courts aren”t all relative to income; part of the problem is an ill-conceived War on drugs. The only industrialized country with a true drug problem. Drugs, like liquor during prohibition, finances criminal gangs.
Dave Gebhard
Lakeport
