AMERICA IS FAR FROM DEAD

AMERICA IS FAR FROM DEAD

By Domenick J. Maglio PhD. Traditional Realist

Many nation’s malcontents and pundits are rooting for the demise of capitalism. The Arab Spring, the riots in Europe and its offshoot, Occupy Wall Street, are all angry with their national governments’ corrupt leadership and international corporate greed. The crucial issue for this turmoil is not capitalism but the insidious marriage between the power elites of government and that of the corporate world.

The leader of the free world, America, has received the brunt of the criticism nationally and internationally for the current economic downturn. We have played power politics to foster international and internal stability. Our support of certain dictatorships and international corporations over freedom seeking young people as in Iran and small businesses has rightfully been questioned. We need to reevaluate our foreign policy and allow the free market to work.

Governments worldwide and international corporations have entered into unholy alliances, which are contrary to capitalism. These corporations have funneled money to government representatives to receive special legislative favors that give them an unfair competitive advantage. The revolving door between government and nearly monopolistic corporations has resulted in what is called today “crony capitalism” and in the past was fascism.

In the United States both political parties have used the power of the executive branch to pursue policies to grow government’s power disregarding the Constitution and the people’s will. We are rightfully losing trust in our institutions.

Our leaders and culture have been corrupted by the notion that “it is all about money.” We have lost our moral bearing, the social backbone of our society. Our nation is indeed in a poor place in the economic and moral cycle, although we definitely can rebound.

There are plenty of things that are wrong but there are more things right about the U.S. History shows us that living is difficult in whatever period of time one examines. Somehow America has muddled along from the beginning making the necessary changes to put us on a steady course. During crisis after crisis, the Revolution, the War of 1812, the Civil War, WWI and WWII, the great depression, the Cuban Missile Crisis, assassinations of the 1960s, Carter’s Iran hostage crisis, 9/11 and this Great Recession many people have thought the USA’s end is near.

At those frightening moments Americans have thought about all we have to lose. September 11, like other major crises in our history united us all. We forgot about our differences and remembered what makes us an exceptional nation. These realizations of what we have to lose are similar to what families and friends feel at a funeral. The death of a person brings a flood of all the things we will never again experience with the person. The shortcomings are overlooked or forgotten, all the goodness flashes in front of the mourner. This brings on the regrets of not telling the individual when he was alive how much he was appreciated for his being and actions.

Today our appreciation for all we have in the United States is almost non-existent. We have a tremendous amount to lose if we turn our backs on our moral principles and our capitalistic roots that have allowed our nation to prosper.

Before we topple our entire system because some corrupt businessmen and politicians are exploiting it, we must realize all the advantages of living in the United States we would lose. Our free market has allowed people from all over the world the opportunity to keep the wealth they earned through their own efforts . The possibility of obtaining the American dream has made us a beacon to the world.

Americans have a responsibility to openly criticize their leaders and nation whenever the will of the people is not being represented by the government. Freedom of speech is a unique and essential element that makes us great. However, citizens do not have the right to resort to violence nor blatant deception. A significant majority of our citizens do not believe that the end justifies the means.

Many people in the past counted America as a society close to death. Our weaknesses have caused other nations to misjudge our internal strength. The only thing these attacks on our homeland have done is wake up a sleeping giant.

Anarchy and chaos do not lead to improvement but to destruction. No civilization, culture or person has ever been perfect. Man, by his nature is imperfect.

Creating a better world is much harder to accomplish than tearing down the old one.

United States citizens reject the road of redistributing wealth. Socialism, even in the milder form of European Democratic Socialism, is unsustainable. The combining of big government and corporations- crony capitalism/fascism – also will fail as the corruption is uncovered.

Americans need to insist on the free market where there is a level playing field to insure there is no favoritism of bailouts or picking winners and losers. Fair competitive capitalism needs to be the ideal not crony capitalism. This reestablishment of capitalism not arbitrary redistributing of wealth would resolve the major objections of both Occupy Wall Street and the Tea Party to the present shenanigans of Wall Street and big government joining together.

It will take most of us to improve our country and benefit all of us. By being more fiscally sound, morally prudent and doing our civic duty we will improve the nation one person at a time

The return to a more moral and less intrusive government will unite America. It will revitalize our economy and citizens. We will enter an era of strength and prosperity. The rest of the world of nations will follow our lead.

Dr. Maglio is the author of Invasion Within and Essential Parenting. He is a psychotherapist and the owner/director of Wider Horizons School.

Visit: www.drmaglio.com.

CAN THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF 9/11 REIGNITE OUR FREE MARKET?

CAN THE 10^TH ANNIVERSARY OF 9/11 REIGNITE OUR FREE MARKET?

By Domenick J. Maglio PhD Traditional Realist

This is the 10^th anniversary of the terrorist attack on America. People are remembering the way we felt when this attack occurred. It brought us all together to appreciate what we have and to realize how fortunate we are to live in The United States of America.

Our nation was built on the hard work and lives of many who fought so we can have our freedom. However, the United States is not for everyone. It is for the rugged competitor who values freedom above all else. Unless a person comes from a wealthy family, he has to work to survive and prosper. The USA safety net is intentionally small and fragile. Citizens are expected to use their energy, creativity and effort to labor up the economic ladder. They are supposed to make their wealth through their own effort not to take the wealth of others through accepting public assistance.

America is and has been the land of opportunity for people who are willing to start at the bottom and work their way up. The choices in the USA are many but each comes with consequences. Accepting government assistance, except for the truly impaired, is seen by most as an admission of laziness. A person temporarily unemployed has the personal and civic responsibility to take a lesser position until he finds a better job or creates one. His work record sends a strong message to future employers that the person is a motivated worker.

A person with a spotty or no work record ends up sending up a red flag. An individual on the dole loses his motivation to show his worth in the free market. The decision to accept government handouts undermines a person’s resolve to remain outside the seductive clutches of government “largesse.

Freedom loving people want nothing with strings attached. They are willing to work in exchange for a salary and a chance to prove and improve themselves. Some may be exploited but sooner or later they understand another job or business opportunity will materialize to prove that he has the perseverance to be a success.

This courageous climb to the top in the free market is negatively called the "rat race". It is competitive and difficult although there are great rewards at the end. The higher one goes, the greater the risks but the bigger the prize.

Anyone in America with courage and initiative can choose the journey. At this point in time government meddling in the free market is growing but it is still far less than most developed nations. There are licenses and educational restrictions to limit joining in the adventure but as of now, the motivated and creative people find a way to get around bureaucratic red tape.

America is at a crossroads. The past several administrations have been enlarging the power of the federal government at the expense of the people's freedom. The proponents of big government are offering citizens more governmental services and even redistributive money. Citizen’s only requirement is to remain passive as the federal government dismantles our Bill of Rights, Constitution and our economic solvency.

The recipients of unearned government handouts usually are unaware once they start this process they are at the mercy of the bureaucratic decisions and lose all power to control their destiny. They become victims surrendering their freedom for entitlements that dwindle in value as more join their ranks. Too many Americans are willing to sell their souls for supposedly “free” health care. These people are unwittingly accepting government telling them what they can eat, drink, smoke, drive and what jobs to take in order to remain in the good graces of the big hand of government.

Fortunately there are many aware patriotic citizens who understand we are being stripped of our rights and freedoms. They want to keep their spiritual and economic freedom and are fighting to keep government out of our lives and pockets. They are uniting to choke off the money gushing into the "beast"-Washington, DC. It is a peaceful but powerful insurrection to stop the centralizing of federal power.

The saving of America would be accomplished by breaking the federal government's chaining of the entrepreneurial spirit. Self-reliant entrepreneurs have made America an economic dynamo. Government must stay out of the way of small business for us to continue to prosper.

The choice for us has never been clearer. It is up to all Americans to decide if they want a nation that controls all the choices and actions of its citizens, a nanny state, or one that allows citizens to determine their own destiny, a free market state. Rejection of government's seductive promises (lies) will keep the USA functioning at the highest socio economic level the world has ever witnessed.

Our nation cannot endure a civil war where half our citizens are productively working while the other half is given government payoffs to vote for the ruling political party. This is a failed formula that results in bankruptcy that tears apart every fiber of society that binds us together and leads us down a path of decline.

Our tenth anniversary of 9/11 can act as an historical, galvanizing event like the end of the Civil War to bring all Americans together revitalizing our nation. Abraham Lincoln in his Gettysburg Address stated:"...this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom in that government of the people, by the people shall not perish from the earth."

At this juncture all citizens should be inspired to non-violently fend off government’s intrusion into every aspect of our daily lives. Being victorious in the struggle to preserve our economic opportunities and freedoms will pay generous dividends to all American citizens and will be a beacon to the rest of the world.

Dr. Maglio is the author of Invasion Within and Essential Parenting. He is a psychotherapist and the owner/director of Wider Horizons School.

Visit: www.drmaglio.com.