Being Number One
I recently got in an
argument (quite by accident because I really don’t like to do that) about
whether or not this country was still number one. You hear that all the time.
But are we really? Things seem to be slipping quite a bit as far as I can tell.
And the response I get when I point that out is usually, “Yes, but the rest of
the world is even worse.” Well, that may be true in a general sort of way,
although, I hear Tahiti is nice this time of the year…and all the rest of the
year as well. And trust me, I’ve already been told to just leave and go live
there then. And I would if I could afford the trip and talk my wife into it.
Not likely though. So I will just continue to sit here on the sidelines and
watch if you don’t mind. Don’t worry. I’m too old at this point to do anything
about it anyway. But I pointed out that we’re really only number one in the amount
of money we set aside for our military budget – which is more than all the
other industrialized countries combined – and we’re number one in WMD’s. At
least so far, and as far as we know. We’re not even close to being number one
in a lot of other categories. At least in the positive ones…we are number one
in the number of people behind bars. But when I stand back and try to see the
world objectively, what I discover is not only shocking but very sad. I see a
so-called super power that is already showing signs of aging with a completely
compromised government who has been bought and paid for. No longer are they
anywhere near to representing “We the People”. Special interest and mostly big
bankers have them completely under their thumbs. While they bicker like little
children in a sandbox, the barbarians are not only knocking at the gates but
pouring in from all sides. It didn’t take Rome long to fall once that started. The
worse situation is the whole Petro Dollar fiasco. Our whole economic system is
based on Oil. We browbeat and bribed OPEC into agreeing to only sell their oil
to the rest of the world using dollars. That is the only thing propping up our
economy as we speak. But in the last two decades there was a disturbing trend
of countries trying to break away from American dominance and influence, and
some of those brave souls starting peddling their oil to foreign countries and
excepting other currencies or gold for their goods. If that trend had been
allowed to continue, it would mean the utter devaluation of the dollar and the
complete collapse of our economic system. Saddam was the first. He paid with
his life. The Taliban were next. They had better hiding places so they’re still
ducking predator drone missiles. Then Kaddafi had the nerve to start a gold
standard to be used exclusively in Africa and was encouraging those countries
to leave their dollars and join him. He paid with his life. Now we have Syria
and Iran, two neighbors with the same ideas in their heads. Iran is already
excepting gold for its oil. The U.S. will not let that stand. The problem is
their best friends and customers are China, Russia and India. All of whom warn
against any overt action against those two countries. So we’re busy conducting
war by proxy. At least so far. It’s a dangerous game we play. Currently, it
seems we only have two viable choices: fall into ruin and become a third rate
country or start WWIII. Not very good choices for anybody concerned. But are these the only two
choices? Not really. We could go cold turkey and give up our oil addiction.
Yes, it would mean a major upheaval and necessary overhaul of everything we do.
But we and the world would be better off because of it. Are there alternatives
to our oil dependency? Of course there are – most of them have been suppressed by
Big Oil. A tick sucking on a dog is not going to go away just because you ask
it to. But hey, if changing our bad habits and leaving the rest of the world in
peace means we have to slip down a notch or two from that coveted number one position
on the totem pole for a time, then I could live with that. But for those that insist that
we are still number one and have to remain there by any and all means and by keeping the status quo…well I hope you enjoy what’s
coming. And, hey, those rose colored glasses look good on you. No thanks, I don’t
really like cool aide.
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