A Generation in Gathering Gloom

A strong sense of deprivation is eating at the heart of America. The belief that the present generation will always be more fortunate than the previous is being eroded by a pall of gloom that persists within the realities of their current environment. Americans are discovering to their dismay that the promise of a better life through hard work is insufficient, that forces beyond their knowledge and control can, and have, corrupted their dreams, and continues to rob them of their birthright to a prosperous future.

Americans feel a shortness of breath, an emptiness sunk deep into the bottom of their gut - like a nine inch diameter hole at the center of their chest that makes breathing agonizing - when they scan the horizon for a sign of life in the economy. This year alone, two to three million homes are threatened by foreclosure; and this is not confined, as generally believed, to the underprivileged class. The once throbbing communities of scenic porches, lawns, spacious rooms, and chimneys are no longer homes but boarded up properties left to the elements to decay, or for vandals to destroy. The entire community is a reflection of inner city disintegration and economic decline.

A generation of workers who find their lives facing the burden of higher medical costs, plus the certainty of additional taxes to support the social security of the retiring bigger generation, in addition to their own. A generation who has to contend with rising fuel prices that seem to have no ceiling, which affects the price of anything they use. An emerging workforce that is less educated and even less prone to solid work that would cripple its competitiveness in a highly demanding global market. An infrastructure that is collapsing from neglect which has become inadequate to even meet current capacity. And saddest of all, an education system that cannot be trusted to satisfy the learning needed to give a minimum degree of reliance on the next generation - a generation full of itself but too young to know the depth of its flaws.

The economic anguish gripping the country cannot possibly morph into optimism even if there are those who claim that the cycle will correct itself. Many are unconvinced that the recession and slump will roll itself over and return the bounty they so deserve. They cringe at the personal debt they are saddled with and realize there is hardly any relief as the government itself is overburdened by excessive spending. They know China holds the major portion of America's public debt and are aware of the continuing dollar decline that reflects the weakness of the economy. The ability of America to remain a superpower in this century is a growing concern, and its military strength may logically be surpassed by those who benefit from the power shift from West to East. In the back of their minds, as they come to grips with the hardships they face, they know America is a nation in trouble.

In a year that is expected to trigger renewed vigor because of the forthcoming Presidential elections, Americans are reining in their enthusiasm. Both presumptive nominees of the two major parties express hope and change, but disagree on the direction. The politicians and leaders are disunited and sectors of American society are pulling in opposite and conflicting paths. Old wounds on racism are being reopened, and questions about America's ability to unite and forge a common objective are in serious doubt. As the elections draw closer, speeches about hope and change by both candidates cannot seem to take root in the confused mind of the electorate. The messages are incomplete, perhaps change is not enough, and America may be ripe for a revolution.

Haaaarrrrwwwwwwk...Twoooooooph...Ting!