Obama-land

President George Bush’s last national address to the nation was met with lukewarm compliance. In the proceeding days the media had been relentless about his record of service in ways fueling the breakdown of America’s financial system. The case has been made, proven with the election of America’s first African-American President, that Bush failed. We cannot beat that dead horse anymore, but I’m sure the media will keep on trying. What is interesting is the social class that is most highly involved is staying mum. The Country Club of Wall Street, Washington DC, and upper class America has not been spoken for in the war on Bush. That is because he was their man. Possibly without even knowing it Bush came into power to be played by elitist America. When you are born with a silver spoon in your mouth, there is no easy way to become a liberal. Certainly without diligent study of the late Andrew Carnegie one merely would continue their entire life living in the bubble of economic security until now. All of the tangible mechanisms of making money it seems have been misplaced. There can be no more bluffing in the poker game of America’s economy. America must return to prosperity, but no one really seems to know how. Green industries, clean power, and expansion of infrastructure all have been proposed as tinder for re-igniting the economy. A brief survey of America’s industrial history could be enlightening. Carnegie made steel and later sold his company to J.P. Morgan. Henry Ford made automobiles, but ironically his industry is near bankruptcy. John D. Rockefeller produced oil. What happened? The magical trinity of steel, cars, and gas suddenly became extinct. Threats of Global Warming and depleting the earth of her natural resources became urgent. Almost overnight the dynasty fell almost as if being beckoned by Mother Nature herself. “Come to Butthead.” This is not all new. There was staunch resistance to Eisenhower’s proposed interstate highway system cutting through picturesque downtown areas to reach the Pacific Ocean. One faction opposed the polluting of cities with carbon emissions and noise. Systematically that was overrun and the automobile became the graven image of America. Everyone it seems needed an automobile. Without them there would be no Geico, no American Graffiti, and no revenues from traffic violations. It cannot be denied that America’s economy has become reliant upon automobiles, but what now? Is America, in a modern Progressive Era, suddenly going to attempt to do the right thing? Millions think so, but the future seems shady. With the examples of the sixteenth through nineteenth amendments to the United States Constitution what remains to be done? Could it be the legalization of drugs and prostitution? Could it go an opposite direction and instead of emancipating the rights of slaves and women attempt to regulate the industries and corporations that so drastically have gone awry? With shouts of Socialism still echoing in the air after Barack Obama’s election, regulation that prudently was enacted to safeguard such a failure of America’s financial markets still must remain the enemy of upper class America. Have they changed their minds? Has the fat lady sung? Have the Country Club’s of Wall Street and Washington, DC finally become contrite? With their fortunes, pensions, and future wealth in jeopardy there is no choice. America herself has become bankrupt with George W. Bush at the helm, and like Poseidon’s captain he never knew what hit him. Wealthy Americans have been living off trust funds, interest, and investments for decades, but now the gigue is up, or is the gigue really up? The question that remains to be answered is, “Where is all that money?” While they may not be making money on their money for a long while, one faction of America still is in the money. Any governmental attempt to redistribute their wealth again will be met with resistance. That is why attempts to reform America’s health care system are met with such tenacious resistance. The upper class in America, the student counsel, the cheerleaders, and the jocks that are the shining examples of the virtues of Capitalism still need a way to create their vast wealth. Any attempt to change that status quo will demand a national revolt, one that has begun with the election of Barack Obama to the United States Presidency. It is unfortunate that classism has to exist at all, but it is a postulate of Western Civilization. Although freedom of religion most often is cited as the reason for the American Revolution, was not it really a desire for financial opportunity and personal wealth? America would not have been built had it not been for European-born entrepreneurs who migrated to a future “land of plenty.” It is interesting the Puritans most often are used as examples of native America instead of the opportunists who immograted here to seek their fortunes. Classism as it directly relates to American slavery will remain a main tenant of the American soul, and it has to be addressed in any economic recovery of the economy. This has been an ongoing issue in national politics with George W. Bush, and it will remain with Barack Obama. It is certain the bell curve will modulate attempting to move its apex to the middle class. Does this mean the wealth in America will be redistributed? How can that happen when the motto of the Republican party always has been, “Get what you can, put it in a can, and sit on the can?” True conservatives prefer moderation in spending unlike the vain and narcissistic CEO’s of this decade. Somewhere there are wise Republicans sitting on their fortunes, and they are running the world. How Barack Obama mediates between these fortunate few and middle and lower class America will be the key to economic success in America. Will it yield, “Yessah massah, may I bring you a mint julep,” or will it fuel a new era of Civil Rights and Progression? Like the late Martin Luther King and John F. Kennedy, Barack Obama seems to strike a chord in the hearts of many Americans of Caucasian and ethnic blood. It seems this battle has been fought before. It will be up to the United States Secret Service to ensure Obama’s chances are not cut short. While he is riding into office on a Lincolnian train of optimism and with the down home demeanor of Johnny Carson, no one can forget the security of America rests in his security.