Age of Consumerism: Avarice, Wealth, & the Jones'

The United States is suffering through one of the greatest economic downturns in its history.The “Great Recession,” as it been called, has put Americans into a deep funk. Signs of portents had percolated for years that a great economic downfall was amassing . The exporting of jobs began in the mid-1980s with manufacturing,and later the importation of cheaper steel took jobs away from the America’s Rustbelt states, such as Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Maryland. The transfer of wealth from the Middle Class to the top two percent cemented the betrayal of the American Dream.

Prior to the financial crash in early 2000, the technology boom of the 1990s began to crater and the psychological impact of September 11, 2001 shook Americans to their core. The United States was headed to war with Afghanistan and Iraq. While Americans were encouraged to buy their way out of the emotional trepidations, political machinations in Washington spent trillions of dollars on the machinery of war; set up unfunded mandates, such as No Child Left Behind, and passed the Medicare Part-D, and cut an unprecedented amount of taxes out of the federal budget.

Critics of Medicare Part-D point out, although that cost for the program has been significantly less than projected, its average cost for the next decade will exceed that of inflation at proximately 10 percent per year (see Ezra Klein, of the Washington Post, articles 1 & 2). Defenders of Medicare Part-D, on the other hand, assert that the market base competition is actually curtailing the cost of prescription drug costs (see James Capretta article of The Heritage Institute) and shows why this model will work for containing health care cost.

Along side these events, financial decisions were being made by United States Congress, and President Bill Clinton in 1999 by the reversing of the Glass--Steagle Act, which prevented banks selling securities and financial mechanisms, such as derivatives (see Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act). According to Bergen Jersey Foreclosures website, democratic Senator Byron Dorgan proposed an amendment that would have barred the banks and credit unions from using the financial mechanisms of derivatives.

The anger that followed the 2008 financial crisis that sent Americans into a conniption fit manifested itself into the form of self-flagellation and curious form of euphoric hope.The disparate emotions were the results of the 2008 presidential election. On the one hand, the citizenry of the country was in an euphoric state with the election of President Obama; and on the other hand, the eclectic levels of frustration of a political system that resulted in an overabundance of crony capitalism, and self-involvement led to disillusionment of the entitled consumer by the fall of the financial markets.

The Age of Consumerism: the keeping up with the Jones, the Smiths, and the Von Trapp families left the average American believing that they could have it all. All Americans had to do was put it on credit. For over thirty-years, the economic model was to spend beyond one’s means. To have what one wants, when one wants it. Americans need for instant gratification and sense of entitlement for ownership drove the economy.

The need for instant gratification created a culture of impatience, indulgence, and political polarization. The financial collapse of 2008 ensued, in part, because of the attitudes of the financial firms, regulators and congress. For instance, Alan Greenspan monetary policies mindset during his tenure allowed for the Age of Consumerism be engulfed by avarice of the culture. Greenspan’s policies, therefore, of low interest rates on short-term loans and bonds sprinted the economy forward and created a false sense of security, which catalyzed into the formation of co-dependency of entitlements and fiscal irresponsibility. These policies also ingratiated themselves with this false confidence and led eventually to the bailouts for the “too big to fail” banks and securities firms.

Alan Greenspan admitted that mistakes in his monetary policies for the United States were made and yet he said in October 2011, U. S. News and World Report, “We all misjudged the risks involved. Everybody missed it—academia, the Federal Reserve, all the regulators,” in an article that, in part, accounted for the inaccurate forecasting of 2008. The article author’s, Steve Beck, further asserts that the predicting of market forces accurately is and was a precarious venture at best.

Nevertheless, despite the precarious nature of predicting market forces and the resulting financial crisis of 2008, it was foreseeable that economic boom of the real estate market and other financial mechanisms were headed for a bust. History itself had been an indicator of boom and bust cycles of capitalism. Ancillary of these factors, those with a living memory (or the foresight to adhere to historical trends) of the last real estate bust with savings and loans debacle of the 1980s had positioned themselves accordingly.

The aforementioned contributory factors of the past decade and the generational shift in savings rate attributed to the political and economic betrayal of America ethos. The betrayal of America therefore has become ingrained allowing for the furtherance of a generational institutions to become bloated and overly bureaucratic with ineffective regulations and philosophies. It is time for Americans to take back responsibility of the American Dream; stunt the growth of our own and politicians avarice; and, hold accountable our own disillusionment of consumerism.

The Post-Modern Christmas World

In recent days I have seen several post on Facebook on the Christ in Christ-mas, the topic being that, Merry Christmas moniker should be the sole greeting and departure term during the holiday season. Happy Holidays not being true to Christ and the Christmas spirit. Somehow, these posts seem to believe that because one does not say "Merry Christmas" that it is an affront to Christ and Christianity. The celebration of Christ's birth is somehow diminished.

Some of these post go even further, in that, they challenge the readers to get behind saying Merry Christmas or delete them from their Facebook if they are offended. The ridiculousness of these posts in their variations is that they fail to recognize this country's great compact "Freedom of Speech." This freedom is grounded in the foundation of our country's, the United States, greatest founding document -- the U. S. Constitution.

It is the Constitution that makes this country 'the beacon on the hill' for the rest of the planet.Its ability to codify the rule of law and allow for the relative ease to transfer power from interest group to interest group despite religious, ethnic, and demographic differences. The U. S. Constitution is also the document that takes the most abuse from misinterpretation and created fallacies from various interest groups.

It is the veneration of the United States Constitution that has allowed interest groups and ideologues alike the ability to spin their ideals varying forms of truth. The freedom of speech which endures within the country sets us apart from any other country and yet this freedom also allows for the citizenry to be offended despite the cries for censorship.

Tied in also with this relationship of freedom of speech is the rule of law that freedom of religion be separate from the state. This capability to separate the institutions of religion and government has allowed for the stability of our country and its endurance. For an individual or group able to speak freely without the pressure of the majority or the state has allowed for different beliefs (be them religious or rational outliers) to be co-opted, adopted, or rejected without full oppression and acrimony of standing institutions. Moreover, in these founding principalities is the dexterity of truth so out of the many we are one nation (E Pluribus Unum).

One nation with many differences is allowed to not only make itself disparate in its beliefs in Christ but is allowed to disbelief in his existence. And, if a person chooses not to say Merry Christmas that is okay too. And, if you are one of those (and you know who you are) by someone simply saying Happy Holidays -- my suggestion to you is to get over yourself -- because it may not be about you, Christ, or anything else determined offensive -- it simply may be a way of celebrating all the 'high holidays' that come at the end of the year between Thanksgiving, Hannukah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa. Each of these holidays comes with the certification of human agency. Each provided with a narrative so their followers can be swept away in the ethos and mythos of the holidays' origin. And, in the end help provide one more variation of the human narrative--in structure, form, and function.

And, if you are offended by my lack of being offended -- I am sure this too shall pass in a post-modern Christmas world...

Betrayal of the American Promise

Apparently, the republicans and the democrats on the Super Committee are not serious in reducing the deficit. Nor are they apparently serious about keeping the "American Promise" to future generations.

The promise that each successive generation will do better than the last. The promise that America's meritocracy elevates the individual and enshrines the community for the betterment of its citizenry but also illuminates the world with hope.

Unfortunately, the polarization of the two party system in American politics has created dysfunction that may imperil future generations' dreams.

In past generations of American politics, the political parties understood the necessities of pragmatism. Pragmatism ruled the day and despite the ardor of argument and contentiousness and controversial viewpoints common sense eventuated into reality regardless of political and corporate interests.

In 2011, corporate interests rules the day instead of the pragmatic visions of equality and the betterment of future generations. Case and point, the decision by the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) in regards to Citizen United v Federal Elections Commission (183 page ruling here) opened the floodgates of overt corruption and successfully subverting the definition of "person."

When the US Supreme Court codified that "corporations" were the same as a "living person"; and, that corporations were held as sentient beings and therefore are entitled to the full protections of individual citizens in terms of free speech, it set into motion the political paralysis that this country is faced with today. Not to rehash the slippery slope of arguments and precedent that led SCOTUS to the Citizen United decision, but the illusion that corporations are sentient beings was flawed and counter-intuitive to reality.

People (persons) are biologically alive entities; people are ephemeral; and, limited in function and form. Thus, free speech for the individual is the only characteristic that can be eternal and transfixed into the currents of time.

Corporations, on the other hand, can survive beyond their creators and override an individual's (or individuals') speech and rewrite the individual's free speech. The corporations self-interest usurps the people individually and communally by its influence and can affect and effect a communities' traditions as well as the communities' self-interest writ-large (see pizza as a vegetable example).

Although corporations influences on the political process preceded the ruling of Citizens United decision, the entombing the nature of a corporation as a person put the American Promise in jeopardy and set the stage for policy and political betrayal by American institutions, government, and our leaders.

Now, our leaders are telling the American public that the Deficit Supercommittee, which was created during the manufactured debt-ceiling crisis in the summer, that pragmatism, policy compromise, and fiscal responsibility are not possible. Each of the political parties are blaming the other for their dysfunction and the lack of results (see this Sunday's Meet The Press show as an example).

Is it any wonder then, that the public from both end of the political spectrum, the Tea Party and Occupy movement, and those in the middle are so angry? The middle class, college students, people of color and even the elite are in danger of America's falling into a dystopian failure.

A world where fear and dehumanization of the person becomes transformed by the Frankenstein's nature of the corporation. A world where our political leaders betrays the needs of the people and places the country's future generations into despair and the American Promise into a pine box....

Herman Cain--A Perspective

In a recent conversation with a conservative friend about Herman Cain, he stated that race, as an issue, would not be a factor. His rationalization is, of course, flawed. For the example, the fact that the media will not use race as a way to divert and parse out differences is simply naive. Case and point in the recent accusations of sexual harassment of women by Cain, Charles Krauthammer, a Fox News analyst and conservative columnist, asked Herman Cain if race was behind the controversy (video).

CAIN: I believe the answer is yes, but we do not have any evidence to support it. But because I am unconventional candidate running an unconventional campaign and achieving some unexpected unconventional results in terms of my, the poll, we believe that, yes, there are some people who are Democrats, liberals, who do not want to see me win the nomination. And there could be some people on the right who don't want to see me because I'm not the, quote/unquote, "establishment candidate." No evidence.

Essentially, race is will be a factor, whether it is rooted in conservative or liberal speak. To think that race will not be some part of American politics in the near future is to ignore the political polarization that drives corporate and popular interests in this country. Moreover, within the context of this polarization is how the narrative exceedingly defined, for the most part, by the conservative model--and which factor of the wing wishes to attach its brand of populism.

The assertion by the conservatives that this is a “liberal” driven story in order to usurp Cain’s only creates further dissension within populace of independent and moderate voters in the electorate. For instance, on the October 31, 2011 broadcast of Hannity on Fox.. The host, Sean Hannity himself along with Anne Coulter put forward that the allegation that Herman Cain was part of “High-Tech lynching” (video). Anne Coulter states that racism is the driving force behind the Poltico.com (article) against Herman Cain, she says

COULTER: People who don't like Obamacare is, oh, you must be racist. No, I think we are upset because he is wrecking the country. Maybe that figures in to it, we are against socialized healthcare. And this is why liberals detest, detest, detest, conservative blacks. I mean, they harang blacks and tell them, you can't be Republican, you can't be Republican, it is so hard for a black to be a Republican. And then when we don't have that many Republicans or blacks showing up at a Republican event, oh, you have no blacks there. Well, maybe if you want haranguing them so much.In any event, this is now the second time a conservative black has had outrageous and what appear to be --

The rhetoric speak by which Anne Coulter pontificates makes a salient point of why race is a factor within American body politic. It also baseless generalities, in which, liberalism and racism has been defined and is also why the republican establishment has problem attracting other black Americans to the party. This attack mode rhetoric demonstrates to black Americans that the insufferable hypocrisy put on by the party of Lincoln since the Southern Strategy of 1968 left blacks abandoned and unwanted. Therefore, the loyalty to which black Americans have to the democratic party was due to necessity and that it was democratic presidents, which have achieved the culmination of social justice for people of color. Yet, the inequity remains in the economic houses of black Americans. Poverty levels, despite the progress and achievements, remain largely disparate. In access to healthcare, jobs, and education -- black Americans are at the bottom of employment, education, and monies access.

In a recent Pew Research Center (July 2011) report, the financial crisis and generational opportunities are furthering the disparity of economic opportunities and wealth generation. The positioning of the party on this access and fairness to the average Joe has been perverted by the last century and beyond neoliberal economic model; which in simple terms is define as cutting-taxes, cutting-governmental spending, and cutting-regulations. This model also believes in the deconstruction of social programs and the middle-class by way of the elimination of unions, social security, and medicare.

The aforementioned programs allowed for people of color and the economically disadvantaged to close the gap in wealth generation and opportunities. These programs have been co-opted into the American Mythos and how they have been disintegrated by the neoliberalism model of capitalism in the last 30 years. The stories that make up ideological believe in the American Dream is often reveal in our “deep narrative” as Robert Wuthnow puts forth in tasking of the ruggedness of individualism of the American spirit. Yet, the inequities and disparities as seen by the people of color, blacks in particular, see themselves as outsiders (or more specifically “the other”) until recently.

This feeling of being “the other” returns to me to my initial point of why race will be part of the near future landscape despite the declaration of “we have arrived.” The main color in politics is green and while there is profit in creating separateness and yet a belief that “we are one” out of the many, the American Dream cannot be fully realized and the disambiguated unification of hope cannot be seized. American blacks are not “brainwashed” by democrats as asserted by Herman Cain in his CNN appearance The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer (video), when Cain stated that,

Because many African-Americans have been brainwashed into not being open-minded, not even considering a conservative point of view. I have received some of that same vitriol simply because I am running for the Republican nomination as a conservative.... So it's just brainwashing and people not being open-minded, pure and simple.

He was wrong, of course, because most black Americans are opened to conservative point of view. An example of this openness to conservatism could be seen in the exit polling conducted by Edison/Mitofsky for the national media outlets ABC/AP/CNN/CBS/FOX News/NBC news of California’s Proposition 8 (which eliminated same sex marriage from the California’s constitution) majority of blacks voted for it, 75 to 25, which were primarily women; while Latinos men (54 to 46) and women (52 to 48) seem to be evenly divided. In general, according to Pew Research Center, black Americans are more religious and more conservative on social issues than the average American. Herman Cain’s assertion is simply wrong.

The issue with Herman Cain, in this writer’s view, is that black-Americans see him as a fraud; and, they see his candidacy as a show piece for the party--which only reinforces their belief--that the republican party is inauthentic. Cain’s continual gaffes beyond the sexual harassment issues shows his incompetence. For instance, his flubs on China (CBS; PBS) Libya (full interview), and flawed 999 tax plan as seen by conservatives (read here) only demonstrates to black American he is nowhere near ready for prime time.

Additionally, the republican party’s hard-core principal that individualism above the community cements black Americans credence that to access the body politic of the party requires one to do gymnastics if one is viewed as the “other” to gain acceptance.. Herman Cain’s minstrel show antics and apparent incompetence on the issues has only confirmed black Americans opinion in that belief. Thus, to think that race will not be an issue if Herman Cain was to be nominated is simply naive and provide false hope to the idea of equity, when socioeconomically black Americans are so far below the horizon.

The Contemplation of Paradise

Watching the political discourse in the country for the past three years, it has been apparent that the next civil evolution for democratic developed nation-states, such as the United States, was and is at a critical precipice. The United States, for instance, has been in many civil turmoil, which hit critical mass in the 1960s. In 2008, the financial crisis ripped away the American vision, the band-aide that kept the merry race of consumerism was torn away and revealed that the "beautiful symphony" of home ownership and financial security was a farce.

In 2009 and 2010, civil blow back: the Tea Party, the obfuscation of politics, the polarization of the electorate, and the crisis of uncertainty led to the American Dream falling into disrepute. The dream of home ownership spiraled into uncontrollable descent. The psychology mores of fellowship and camaraderie sunken into the depths of despair. The collective majority and citizenry has lost confidence in what paradise, the American Dream, meant to them--home ownership.

In 2011, the farce that was the American Dream has continued to fall. Housing sales for the year are static and housing starts are to continue to decline. The foreseeable future in returning to the Golden of Age of consumerism was far off and crumbling. The belief of having what one wants, when one wants it, and that everyone can have the dream of home ownership fell into tumultuous water. Anger and fear ruled the hearts of the people. The economy of inevitability could no longer be dressed up.

Now, in 2011, the year has seen another civil uprising. This year, like 2009 and 2010, people are speaking. Instead of the usual anger and frustration reverberating in the starkness of fear, the riled makeup of the people has been founded in the continue failure of the United States government to protect the disenfranchised citizenry; the very young, aspiring college students, women, elderly, and minorities. Meanwhile. businesses and the financial institutions demoralize citizenry's hope in their quest and idolatrous relationship for money.

The Occupy Wall Street movement is a response to this demoralization and idolatry. Business and government have fostered angst. The expectations and long forgotten paradise of the City on the Hill have resulted in betrayals. The expectations of paradise and the expectations that our leaders will be there for us and that the system of markets and freedom would and will guide us to the happily ever after of our consumable dreams have been dissembled.

The contemplation of paradise had to be redressed. The Occupy movement is another symptom of the downfall of the American happiness to be swallowed inequity. Shattered dreams crumble into devastation. Yet, in all this devastation, demoralization,and the angst of helplessness, and the betrayal of expectations. I do see a seed of hope with the prattling of the talking heads and the chattering of the Cheshire Cat smiling politicians, and even with the extremes of the left and right body politic, I find myself in a place of ineffable and inexplicable hope. The energy of the people speak to me. The ground swell of the Occupy (and even the Tea Party) signals to me that Americans are ready to take back their dreams--and reclaim them. The contemplation of paradise in these tumultuous times are rising within the cleansing flames of the emotional phoenix of the people demanding that the "promise" be restored.

The Meeting of Liberty Right and Liberty Left

Tonight, I met for the first time, long time acquaintance via the Internet -- Warner Todd Huston - the conservative blogger. I met Warner a number of years ago online at a community called BlogExplosion, which gave people the ability to market their blogs by "surfing." Warner and I would often have discussions online about a particular political of event the day, such as Iraq or Afghanistan, or debate a particular policy point.

Our discussions would be passionate, not polarizing. I am libertarian democrat, which I define as socially left and a believer in the celebration of liberty for all consenting adults. And, I firmly believe in fiscal conservatism, in which, the social contract allows for the "true balance" and "pragmatic" approach in paying for new and old governmental programs alike. Warner, on the other hand, is an old school conservative. He is not Tea Party conservative. He is a man that is fair minded and willing to listen to other perspectives. This also means he understands that compromise may be necessary to foster consensus and that compromise is not a four letter word.

I am a pragmatic centrist. I see fanaticism (on either side of the aisle) as a death knell to liberty and hindering the civil evolution and justice of America's promise. Warner sees the need for the conservation of American principles and that the cultural mores of traditionalism are grounded in the principality of capital markets and small government. The largesse of government binds us and hinders liberty and the freedom of individualism. We both believe that the radicalization of politics is omnipresent and that the effect of American political discourse is at critical. Thus, our discussions over the years have been sometimes contentious, sometimes antithetical of pragmatism, yet Warner and I found ways to respect each other viewpoints.

Tonight, my meeting of Warner confirmed for me that we as Americans are, in principal, closer together in our values than apart. While the meeting tonight was not -- "My Dinner with Andre" -- it was definitely conversational. The ability to have a full dialog with opposing viewpoints was refreshing. We discussed Occupy Wall Street, the Tea Party, and the GOP Presidential hopefuls, and, of course, the radicalization of politics in brief.

Upfront was Herman Cain, which I described as a wolf in sheep clothing - a RINO - that is placating the base. Warner saw Herman Cain as a candidate that is not ready for prime time (and I agree). He expressed his concern over Herman Cain's temperament after meeting and observing Mr. Cain on several occasions. Furthermore, setting aside sexual harassment accusation (which we felt was an opposition Republican candidate doing instead of the MSM or a "left-wing democratic conspiracy") against Mr. Cain, it is quite apparent that Cain's organizational and knowledge skills are limited. We both agreed that Cain is not ready for being President (may be the Department of Transportation).

Meanwhile, though each was not discussed in full, the GOP field seems to be imploding in some fashion. Rick Perry was discussed more and how the hope of him (Perry) became deflated soon after he join the race.and another candidate that is not ready for prime time. Leaving me with the impression that Warner was still searching for a candidate that could truly challenge President Barack Obama in 2012. We had in the past online discussions his dislike of Mitt Romney and other candidates in the field.

Our other in depth discussion was Occupy Wall Street movement and the Tea Party. We both agreed that each movement is founded in the frustration with our political system. The discussion set aside the extreme examples of reporting of each group. Admittedly, the Occupy movement has more clashes with authorities and thereby discrediting the movement. Yet, n Denver, the Occupy Denver movement, for the most part, has been tame with a few exceptions and embodies some of the principles (link here) and eight rules of the Occupy Wall Street. The main difference between the Tea Party and Occupy "movement" is that, Occupy movement is organic, in that, it is still its infancy, while the Tea Party over the same amount of time had been infiltrated by corporate money, such as Freedomworks and Americans for Prosperity. This infiltration has been called by the media as "Astroturf" money.

The Occupy Wall Street movement has not fully utilized the "interests group" yet, in part, because the money interest sees the Occupiers as rudderless and leaderless. My fascination with the Occupy movement, as a cultural anthropologist, is to see how the eventual shape of the movement will evolve -- if at all. One of the questions I proposed to Warner was, will the Democratic National Committee (DNC), President Obama grass roots organization, and other left-leaning interests take advantage of the energy of the Occupy movement?

The final topics of our discussion was our perspective state parties (Colorado and Illinois) both republican and democratic, each discussing the flaws and corruption (more in Warner's home state of Illinois than in Colorado). We both agree that for the citizenry, the Tea Party, and Occupy movement need to be involve on the local level to affect change in policy not just emote fiery rhetoric and react in hapless platitudes. The true change in policy begins in the city councils around the country and if we, as a nation, are to correct the direction of this country. then it will require more involvement by the citizenry not just the extremists. Thus, the meeting of the liberty right and the liberty left was concluded -- and we both found that our long acquaintance online had been founded in respect and that we had more in common than differences....

My Response to John Mariotti of Forbes:Where are your solutions?

On August 28, 2011 -- John Mariotti, of Forbes, wrote in his column titles, Obama's Legacy: A Failed Recovery & Double-Dip Recession, in his conclusion that

... Whatever happens, this failed recovery and impending recession belong to President Barack Obama. His condescending explanations of why “we Americans” don’t get it, how “this will take a long time,” this recovery, and his “class warfare” about “millionaires and billionaires” versus the “common folk” are all wearing thin...

And, with this I begin my response to Mr. Mariotti -- as I pointed out to a friend of mine that these criticism have been pointed out by numerous commentators and critics for months and have been stated before and provided no constructive solutions of how to resolve to the problem of the economy--and then I provided my ideas to the debate. Their response,

.... It's not a journalist's job to pose solutions, just to deliver the facts. I respectfully disagree with many of your suggestions, and they don't belong in a critique of Obama's term...

Really? When this, journalist, John Marriott poses as an expert in the "Strategies & Solutions" section of the Forbes online, one better bring more than just punditry and criticism that has been used repeatedly by the talking head critics of the far-right and Fox News propaganda machine. Especially, if this journalist and according to Forbes online, "is an internationally known executive and an award-winning author" that does "keynote speeches, serves on corporate boards and is a consultant/advisor to companies." Therefore, this journalist, of sorts, is furthering the angst, fear, and doubt of recovery that Americans have been feeling since the fall of 2008 markets. In the words of Buddha,

....There is nothing more dreadful than the habit of doubt. Doubt separates people. It is a poison that disintegrates friendships and breaks up pleasant relations. It is a thorn that irritates and hurts; it is a sword that kills....

In other words (as I wax in poetics), with doubts comes fear, making one small and inhabit the places of darkness within our spirits. Fear and doubts are the mind killers*, which destroys rationality and openness. Only through hope and certainty can expansion of the universe be born in the worlds of possibilities and exist beyond the realms of conflagration and polarization.

The rehashing of President Obama's faults and placing blame for his inabilty to get economy going by Mariotti's habitation of fear with his prognostication of a double-dip recession separates and destroys relationships with the 'other' political party. Any potential cooperation that might make a difference in changing the economy's outcome by having the 'adult conservation' with those that might want create jobs is subverted. Mariotti's criticism may be valid in general terms, but it continues the space of negativity and denies the opportunity of rational discussion. Playing on the fears of the American public leaves not only angst but destroys civility and the ability to create compromise during times of crisis. As Mariotti says,

... This kind of rhetoric won't solve America's problem ...

The bitter truth is that the president of the United States has limited ability to affect the economy, but the president's leadership and certainty are the guideposts in which country's economy can falter or thrive.

With that stated, John Mariotti's lack of vision and inability to provide constructive criticism and provide possible "solutions" or "strategies" is disingenuous. My friend's assertion that Mariotti's column was merely statement of facts and critiques of President Obama's term, again may be valid, but not in the "strategies & solutions" of the Forbes online section--he is an advisor -- Yes? Advise. Provide alternatives and possibilities. And, this is where I, Mariotti, and Facebook counterpart disagree. To put out possible solutions and strategies provides opportunities to bring not only resolution but a possible starting point to compromise so that United States can move forward and prosper along with its citizens. For instance, as Mariotti relayed the job facts about unemployment, he could have also provided possible solutions and strategy to help create jobs, such as the continuation of the payroll deduction rate, but also reduce the employer side of the contribution. Move Federal dollars to infrastructure projects. There are numerous bridges, highways, and new roads that need to be updated and built. Additionally, the United States' electrical grid needs to be reworked and updated along with delivery of fuel distribution system of pipelines.

In the late 1980s Ronald Reagan and Tip O'Neil were able to come together and rework social security and it is time again to do so. The "entitlement programs" are guarantees that make this country great. Pragmatic decisions need to be made. The Paul Ryan's Budget Plan is too extreme and recreates the tragedies of the early and mid 20th century for our seniors and the poor. And, although the sentiment of the far left is understandable of not wanting to change any plans to medicare and social security it is not realistic. Specifically, their should be some means testing for the plans and up of the age requirements from 67 to 70 for social security and 65 to 67 for medicare. Additionally, the money that has been borrowed from social security needs to be paid back.

In terms of taxes, the tax code needs to be reformed. End corporate loopholes, such as subsidies to corporate farm, oil companies, corn, and reinstate the top tax code of 39 percent. In exchange, the top corporate rate should be lowered to 25 percent and corporate entities that do light manufacturing, such as electronics, shampoos, lotions, etc. corporate should be lower to 22 percent. In the short term, the payroll reduction tax holiday should be continued and should be extended to the employer not just the employees. The ending of corporate loopholes by 2012 and returning of 39 percent should be slated for the end of 2011, while the reduction corporate tax code could be back dated for 2011 and payroll deduction holiday to 2015.

In terms of regulation, they should be streamlined and duplicative policies removed. The EPA is a protective agency and is needed. The new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

that protects the general public needs to get up to speed and running as soon as possible.

The Pentagon has suggested many programs to be cut and the reduction of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are part of the necessary austerity measures. However, the reduction of troops can also be expedited in non-hostile areas such as Germany--and reduction of our role in NATO should be considered. Most of the military technical and troop support comes from the United States and it is time that the nations of Europe and beyond contribute heavier in their spending in support of NATO.

These are few of my suggestions and are a starting point for discussions, what are yours?