The United States Has a Very Serious Problem

[Metal Fingers]

Please, watch this, this guy speaks the truth on soo many levels and is addressing issues that need to be faced front on. This is definitely worth 13 minutes of your time.

[Krato]

amazing speech.

[ThabisoMhlaba]

I don't know whats more sad. The fact that anyone aware of the social structure in America and the way the government has been working already knows this. Or that this speech will probably not reach as many people as it should, and many who see it will be convinced that this is just "big talk about nothing from a liberal who has no heart."

[OmenSpirits]

"The truth has no place in politics."

[Flashback]

It was a decent speech, but redundant (not that's a bad thing). My Economic Professor told me the same thing, four years ago, and several other economist throughout the years.

The weak point in the speech was the china manufacturing part.

[Raoul Duke]

It's not like I disagree with this guy. I'm just saying this is old news. Obama said he'd kill the bush tax cuts already, but he's not going to. Just like gitmo, just like the two wars, just like the patriot act or any number of things bush did. Obama said he was going to reverse them, but it's just not happening. Even the most important people on Obama's staff are left over from the Bush administration.

[s.ketch]

Obama, as it turns out, is a dud.

He had all the game in the world when he was running. Took me out to a nice dinner, fed me all the things I like to eat. I decided I was going to give him my Vote. I had never voted before, it was my first time. I was happy to be partaking in one of life's few firsts. I briefly got to know him before the big night. After winning me over we went back to my place to get down to business. All the other people in the house looked at me funny and rolled their eyes. I didn't care, I had what would surely be one of the greatest nights ever.

He immediately took control and didn't waste time, something I admired. But then he made a bad move. It felt funny. I didn't care, I trusted he had the mojo. Especially after he told me he had something very big in store for my "...broken insurance and healthcare industry, if you know what I mean." And after a wink and a smile he got to work for seemed like forever though it didn't really satisfy. Don't get me wrong, it felt okay for a little while. But it just didn't get me off. But alas, that was all foreplay.

Now it was time for the moment I had been waiting for, finally the president would fulfill my expectations. He said he would repeal this and pull that out of that, etc. I was so excited for what was to come. Obama went on talking about what he was about to do and how it would make my world a better place. He likes to talk and I like to listen. But the mood was dying. I was second guessing my decision, was he the right one? Of course, I told myself. He's a big change from the previous guys I've been with. He is worthy.

In a last ditch effort to get things hot and heavy again, I reached for the goodies. He grabbed my hand and told me that maybe this isn't the right time for taking care of business. That he keeps thinking about the other people in the house and he wants to get to know them before anything happens. He tells me that all this was just a framework for our next date and that we may not take it to the next level until 2015 or later.

We both got dressed, I walked him downstairs and showed him out. I stayed up the rest of the night eating cookie dough and watching rom-coms. It's kind of an empty feeling when something like this doesn't work out. Even though theres a chance it could still take off, you kinda know in the back of your mind that it won't. You start to wonder if any president will have what it takes to get things done. The future is unknown and unassuring. You try your best not to be jaded and to give the next guy you meet a proper chance. IDK though, maybe Obama will still pull through. Maybe I should text him. No, that would seem desperate. If anything we can just be friends.

This is pretty much how I feel about Obama thus far.

[Maledict]

Bernie Sanders for President.

[squidmonk3j]

There are social democrats in the US?

[Elwell]

There are social democrats in the US?

Just Bernie.

Sanders is a self-described democratic socialist, and has praised European social democracy. He is the first person elected to the U.S. Senate to identify as a socialist. Sanders caucuses with the Democratic Party and is counted as a Democrat for the purposes of committee assignments, but because he does not belong to a formal political party, he appears as an independent on the ballot.

[TASmith]

The biggest problem with Obama is we should've elected 500 of him. From the executive branch, he's enacted a number of orders you'd probably like, but haven't heard of.

But, congress is set up so minorities are strong - it's protecting the minority from the majority, that's what the US is all about. So the Republicans stood united against everything he wanted, and killed all his dreams. And now he's the dud....

[ThabisoMhlaba]

The biggest problem with Obama is we should've elected 500 of him. From the executive branch, he's enacted a number of orders you'd probably like, but haven't heard of.

But, congress is set up so minorities are strong - it's protecting the minority from the majority, that's what the US is all about. So the Republicans stood united against everything he wanted, and killed all his dreams. And now he's the dud....

Yeah basically its become the sort of deal where Obama has tried a lot of things, but Republicans are just doing everything they can to stop him. Even if its something that makes total sense and would benefit the country. The problem for Obama is that he isn't as good as Bush was when it comes to pushing things through without consent of congress, OR just buying people off to get votes.

[tarc]

Sharing is power.

[Flashback]

The problem with the Democrats are always very quiet about their accomplishments or their desires. They don't take action when we should, and when they do take action it's always too little to late, they are way too humble, and they don't take risks.

Republicans, on the other hand, are the exact opposite, they are well organize, they have a clear agenda and they are try to accomplish what they want. They are not humble, they like to take risks, and they like to shout their accomplishment very loudly.

[TASmith]

Mostly, the Dem's are divided. According to the NY Times, the current deal they're considering is to extend the cuts a couple more years, while providing extra spending on job creation... So, hello larger national debt.

[ThabisoMhlaba]

Mostly, the Dem's are divided. According to the NY Times, the current deal they're considering is to extend the cuts a couple more years, while providing extra spending on job creation... So, hello larger national debt.

Yeah the big issue here is there's a basic flawed logical string.

If you want to pay off a debt, You need to get money, not spend it. So you should get that money from the people who are
1. The ones causing the debt IMO.
2. The least effected by any sort of tax increase. (I'm sorry that you'll only be making 298 million this year instead of 300 million)
3. Have too much say in the government, to not have any accountability.

[Pigeonkill]

Good speech.

In terms of investing in a solid retirement, buying stock in greedy companies is kind of the way to go. Even Michael Moore owns Halliburton and other bank companies which he shunned.

AIG and Goldman Sachs all bounced back like nothing and held the US economy hostage if it wasn't bailed out. By threatening bankruptcy they made more profit. There's no real penalty to causing economic terrorism and destroying thousands of jobs and small companies...as long as they just bribe the right person : /

[FrozZT]

The problem with the Democrats are always very quiet about their accomplishments or their desires. They don't take action when we should, and when they do take action it's always too little to late, they are way too humble, and they don't take risks.

Republicans, on the other hand, are the exact opposite, they are well organize, they have a clear agenda and they are try to accomplish what they want. They are not humble, they like to take risks, and they like to shout their accomplishment very loudly.

I believe the problem is that the powerstructure is corrupt. Red or blue is just colors of the same team in such a structure. It's a perfect tool to keep the true power distracted. Divide and conquer is the name of that game. The true power lies in the hands of the people, the masses. We go to work, we fight wars, we chose what products to buy, we keep things rolling and when we stop, everything stops! But as long as we keep fighting for the red team or the blue team, we can't see things for what they are and unite to do something about it. Bernie Sanders is a cool dude don't get me wrong, but he is one man and as a politician he can only work within the frames of the playing field. He does make a difference, but he can't do it himself.

I think if there is to be a change the first problem to face is ignorance and missinformation. Like tarc said, "sharing is power". Internet is a precious tool in that aspect that needs to be protected and utilised at all costs.

Some of my friends have felt threatend by ideas I have. It threatens their identity and their lifestyle and I feel it's therefore they confront me and fight it instead of keeping an open mind. We need to try to losen our guard and be open to learn new things. Winning sometimes is to realise you're wrong and gaining new understanding. We need to show love to people and not hate. We need to use reason before trusting what is said on TV. As artists we have a lot of tools to inspire, move people in various directions, it is important that we stay true to our hearts and not let ourselves be corrupted. I think a good example to be brought up is Picasso's Guernica that was covered up by the Bush administration at the UN during the talks on the invasion of Iraq. I think thats pretty cool that they have such fear for a piece of art.

By all means trust in democracy, but when there is no democracy you need to realise it and trust in yourself and the power that you hold. Voting is not enough to make a change for the people.

[Hyskoa]

And nothing will change.
Nothing significant anyway.

[FrozZT]

And nothing will change.
Nothing significant anyway.

If you chose to believe that, that is what you will be enforcing. If you realise that you can make a change then you might try to make that change and together with enough people sharing the same mindset you can succeed in doing so. At least that's my belief.

♥

[Hyskoa]

If you chose to believe that, that is what you will be enforcing. If you realise that you can make a change then you might try to make that change and together with enough people sharing the same mindset you can succeed in doing so. At least that's my belief.

♥

1) I'm not American.
2) It would take bloody conflicts over many years to change the way everything works.
3) Most people like to live, as long as the pressure of the overlords doesn't get too big.
4) For most people, that breaking point is very far away.

= Not gonna happen, nooo not gonna happen. Ha ha

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVFS0E-00II#t=01m35s

[karma militia]

This is nothing new. A large class gap is an inevitable conclusion of a capitalistic mentality. While capitalism might seem to reflect 'nature', it encourages sociopathic behavior. Meaning survival of the fittest becomes survival of the selfish. History has taught us [through the evolutionary existence of 'humanity'] that this approach is not sustainable.

It's nice to hear a republican say it though.

[FrozZT]

1) I'm not American.

Doesn't matter. What ability do Americans have to make a change that you and me don't? Vote? That is a very tiny part of what we have the power to do, you could even argue that the ability to vote is not even available in America since the democracy is corrupted anyway. We can chose to invest in greedy companies, or not to invest in them, we can buy products from good companies or bad companies. As a consumer you have a lot of power. We can chose to obey or to disobey, we can chose to protest, we can inform or missinform, we can do everything if we believe we can.

2) It would take bloody conflicts over many years to change the way everything works.

It would take even more bloody conflict to keep it as it is, the economy in the US relies alot on the arms industry and there is no reason to believe that the war on terrorism is over anytime soon. We have all the tools to make the changes happend, but we need to generate a different mindset in enough people.

3) Most people like to live, as long as the pressure of the overlords doesn't get too big.

This is true, some people are comfortable. But most of all i think people are scared and they feel like they have no power to make a change and therefore accepts their situation. In accepting their situation they need to fight to protect that lifestyle, if they don't they will live the torment of knowing it's only a false bubble that supports what is done wrong to them. Our ability to do something to make a change is now, in the future things might look different, if enough people realise this and see the value of your freedom then people might get off their asses.

4) For most people, that breaking point is very far away.

Everyone doesn't have to reach their brakingpoint. If 10 people reach that point then they could show 100 people what they believe in and inspire them. Your ability again as an artist is bigger than many's to inspire.

= Not gonna happen, nooo not gonna happen. Ha ha

It's totally fine if you believe this, but you should realise that you support the current powerstructure in doing so especially in argueing it. This is because it promotes a mindset that nothing can be done, with that mindset nothing will be done.

You do have the power to make a change, what you chose to use it for is up to you! ♥

[Hyskoa]

Doesn't matter. What ability do Americans have to make a change that you and me don't? Vote? That is a very tiny part of what we have the power to do, you could even argue that the ability to vote is not even available in America since the democracy is corrupted anyway. We can chose to invest in greedy companies, or not to invest in them, we can buy products from good companies or bad companies. As a consumer you have a lot of power. We can chose to obey or to disobey, we can chose to protest, we can inform or missinform, we can do everything if we believe we can.

The individual has no power. And trying to combine a group to change everything would require reason. America doesn't have this anymore.

It would take even more bloody conflict to keep it as it is, the economy in the US relies alot on the arms industry and there is no reason to believe that the war on terrorism is over anytime soon. We have all the tools to make the changes happend, but we need to generate a different mindset in enough people.

Yes, but that bloody conflict is in another country. Which they won't ever care about. As is human nature.

This is true, some people are comfortable. But most of all i think people are scared and they feel like they have no power to make a change and therefore accepts their situation. In accepting their situation they need to fight to protect that lifestyle, if they don't they will live the torment of knowing it's only a false bubble that supports what is done wrong to them. Our ability to do something to make a change is now, in the future things might look different, if enough people realise this and see the value of your freedom then people might get off their asses.

Realism tells me they won't. They haven't quite suffered enough yet.

Everyone doesn't have to reach their brakingpoint. If 10 people reach that point then they could show 100 people what they believe in and inspire them. Your ability again as an artist is bigger than many's to inspire.

Examples of this inspiration being
help to poor countries. They're still dying by the bucketloads over there.
Inspiration to topple regimes, ahmadinejad, N Korea, China disagree.
Inspiration to change the financial system. The banks are having a good laugh.
Inspiration to change anything without massive deaths and a combined force, well.
Maybe in a 100 years, right now, nothing will happen as the shit hasn't hit the fan enough yet.

It's totally fine if you believe this, but you should realise that you support the current powerstructure in doing so especially in argueing it. This is because it promotes a mindset that nothing can be done, with that mindset nothing will be done.

No, something can be done, it's just going to require more than people are willing to give. And this is a realistic assesment. It's nice you have an ideology, but those fall apart in the real world faster than a house of cards made out of grease.

You do have the power to make a change, what you chose to use it for is up to you!

Well, I did make a change, I removed the heart symbol and the smiley face at the end of your sentence to allow myself the illusion that I'm not talking to a 13 year old schoolgirl.

Greets.

[Kamber Parrk]

It was a decent speech, but redundant (not that's a bad thing). My Economic Professor told me the same thing, four years ago, and several other economist throughout the years.

The weak point in the speech was the china manufacturing part.

I'd have to disagree. China's a huge problem!

The outsourcing of production (to countries like China) has had a negative affect on the quality of jobs available to working class Americans. (Try to buy a good pair of American made shoes in America-- it's pretty hard to do!)

China holds a huge amount of American debt. And, here we are, planning to fire up the printing presses to pay off the Chinese with inflated, devalued currency.

As well, there's the huge trade deficit with China.

I'd be willing to pay more for shoes if it gives more Americans jobs that allow them to obtain quality health insurance and send their kids to school.

As it stands, a lot of the consumer goods we buy here in the States are getting pretty crappy for the money you pay for them-- and I doubt the money saved by the corporations that produce them is going into the pockets of the Chinese laborers that produce them, allowing them an American blue-collar lifestyle of say the 50s or 60s.

[Craig D]

(Try to buy a good pair of American made shoes in America-- it's pretty hard to do!)
.

and that is one of the big problems. You probably can buy those shoes but they would be very expensive.

As one big example, Wal Mart has led to the death of many American jobs, by focusing on selling the cheapest crap that will fall apart in a few years. People shop there in droves and kill off local business and jobs and hurt the domestic producers.
However, look at the number of people who complain about job losses and yet do most of their shopping at Wal Mart because it's "cheaper." When you end up replacing your goods every few years because they fall apart you end up paying more overall. And maybe you can't even buy at Wal Mart then because you lost your job to an overseas sweat shop, in business because of your own choices.

/rant
and when I say "you" I'm not talking about anyone in particular, just in general.

[Flashback]

The problem with your argument is that the American consumer already made the choice of choosing outsource labor rather then home-made.

Secondly, the benefits of poorer countries, sure, they will not be paid like 50's American worker, but it still better then being unemployed or conscripted; moreover, you also need to realized the alternatives could be much worse.

Third, if the United State and other industrialized countries stop and removes all the jobs from poorer countries, what effect is this have on those countries?

Fourth, if the poor people in the United States could not pay for products from the United States because prices of these items would be pretty pricey.
I'm sure you could pay of items made is the U.S.A, but not everyone has that luxury.

The United States is a service country now, it is no longer a manufacturing country. Service as in designing, inventing, and marketing stuff and consultant work.

[Pigeonkill]

The outsourcing of production (to countries like China) has had a negative affect on the quality of jobs available to working class Americans. (Try to buy a good pair of American made shoes in America-- it's pretty hard to do!)

There's neat video of someone trying to convince Nike Chairman Phil Knight to have some shoes produced in USA instead of Indonesia. The labor there for creating shoes is around 40 cents an hour...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOI0V4kRCIQ


.

[Raoul Duke]

I'm alway suprised to see people living on the other side of the globe knowing more about american politics than average americans and we are completely unaware of the politics of any other contries. I can't even remember who we have running iraq and afghanistan anymore.

[karma militia]

So just to recap, the problems are technological unemployment and planned obsolescence, both being natural derivatives of our capitalistic society. Maybe China isn't the problem hmm?

If you interested in this kind of thing, Peter Joseph puts out some very interesting and well defined concepts.