Things are going great for me right now. So what's with the sense of dread?

[smoogatz]

Seriously, we're doing great, my wife and I. I've got a novel coming out in a week (it may already be in a bookstore near you), we've got good jobs, good health insurance, money in the bank, we're renovating a great old house and have been on-time and under-budget every step of the way (a miracle, I know), we've got a smart, healthy kid and just got the good amnio news on the one in utero. We live in a great neighborhood in a nice midwestern town—minimal crime, a five minute walk from our jobs, cool, progressive neighbors, lots of young families around. If this had been me ten years ago, I wouldn't have had a worry in the world. Now, though, I lie awake at night. And I worry. And I wonder what kind of world my kids will grow up in. Here's the list of scary shit that's got me grinding my teeth:

1.Climate change. It represents the single most serious threat to civilization right now, it's happening faster than anyone predicted, and no one in the public eye is really talking about how to slow it down except Al Gore. Certainly no one in government at the moment appears to be interested in leading on this issue. It's clear that the developed west has to take the lead, and radical change is required; meanwhile, the Republicans are still in denial, and the Democrats (Gore excepted) are talking about steps that might have meant something in 1980, but are now clearly insufficient. The whole business makes me feel desperate.

2.The threat of regional war in the middle east. I don't see the current Democratic leadership doing anything to put a stop to it. Right now, I'd put the odds of war with Iran at about 5:3 in favor. The odds that we'll still be militarily entangled in the middle east by the time my kid's 18? 3:1. The odds that we'll have a military draft in the next ten years: 2:1. The odds that we'll have another major terrorist attack in the U.S. in the next three years? If you ask me, it's 1:1. All of this because of oil, the burning of which is what's got us into so much trouble on the climate change front.

3.Economic collapse. We haven't seen the end of the sub-prime mortgage debacle yet, though the worst initial shocks seem to have been taken in stride, more or less, by the markets and the banking system. Certainly here in the midwest, things are not that bad: the real estate market's a lot slower than it was a year ago, say, but we're not seeing the waves of repossessions they're having in SoCal, Vegas and other formerly high-priced, highly speculative bubble markets. We have a high-powered connection in the SoCal/Utah/etc. market who says he and his peers saw the whole thing coming five years ago, and have been positioning themselves to buy when the market hits bottom. We're not there yet, he says, but we're getting close. No, what worries me is debt, the death of the American manufacturing economy, and America as the emerging Chinese market-state (read: economic colony). If the Chinese own a large portion of our debt (and they do), that gives them a great deal of leverage over our trade and monetary policy, among other things. If they decide to pull the plug on U.S. bonds, watch interest rates sky-rocket, the stock market collapse and the U.S. economy grind to a halt. It could happen at any moment; all that would be required is the perception in China that the U.S. government is no longer a good bet. Keep buying that Chinese crap, folks--it's the only reason they're still holding our bonds.

4.The new American authoritarianism (if you're not doing anything wrong, you'll have nothing to worry about). If Bush has granted himself the powers of a dictator (he has) and the Congress prefers to look the other way (they do), then it sure looks to me as though we're living in an undeclared, unacknowledged dictatorship. The true test will be the '08 elections and the transfer of power in '09. Given the Republicans' willingness to engage in blatant election fraud and Bush's recent executive orders granting him complete control of all levels of government in the event of a broadly defined "emergency," I'd say the odds of a Democrat actually assuming the presidency in '09 are something like 1:3. the Bush family has been hoping to install a fascist dictator in power in this country since 1933. This may be their last, best chance.

5.The looting of the public treasury, leading the country to bankruptcy. The slow demise of public education. The slow demise of the middle class. The health-care crisis. The looming pension disaster. Bird flu. The honeybees.

Two things I'm not worried about (I'm not a total loon):

1.Al Qaeda trying to convert us all to Islam.
2.Immigration.

So, what to do? Take a Xanax and go back to sleep? Support the timid half-measures and go-along-get-along "solutions" of the current Dem front-runners? Stock up on bottled water? Write impassioned letters to Al Gore, begging him to run?

Hey, now. That I can do.

Dear President Gore...

[redqueen]

1. Or just support Kucinich...

Is Gore anti-NAFTA now?

[smoogatz]

7. Who cares about NAFTA?

If NAFTA's such a big deal, how come all the merchandise at Target isn't made in Mexico?

And frankly, I don't feel the appropriate sense of alarm coming from Kucinich on climate change, and I don't see Kucinich's conservation-only/Works Green Administration(?!) approach doing much to solve the problem. If he doesn't support Gore's plan to switch from income tax to carbon tax, he doesn't get it. aparently he doesn't get it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ls7beTVd8ow

[redqueen]

9. Sorry, that's right... you said China... so I should have said WTO.

What was Gore's attitude about admitting China to the WTO?

[smoogatz]

13. I don't have a problem with China as a member of the WTO.

What's put our tit in the wringer is our runaway national debt coupled with the collapse of the American manufacturing economy. Gore was Vice President through eight years of peace and prosperity, and was part of the first administration in modern history to produce a surplus and actually begin paying down the debt that China is now helping to finance. I think the reasons for the collapse of U.S. manufacturing are manifold and complex, and the process has been underway since the '70s. When was the last time you bought an American car? Or anything made in America?

[redqueen]

16. Manufacturing you say? You mean an industry which was severely impacted

by both NAFTA and China's admission into the WTO? But no... you're blaming it all on vagaries going back 30 years, while the way I see it is the process was put on the fast track by these free trade deals.

*sigh*

I don't give Clinton/Gore credit for ALL the prosperity. The tech bubble did a lot. Bubble-up economics resulting from making the tax laws A TINY BIT more fair did as well. Welfare Reform was not.

Also, Gore wouldn't end the drug war. How much money is lost in that boondoggle...

I wonder if he's for single-payer healthcare, or would keep some profits in there for old time's sake.

[smoogatz]

19. I still don't hear you talking about Kucinich on climate change.

The Works Green Administration? What the fuck is that about?

[redqueen]

20. If you care, you can read about it.

http://www.dennis4president.com/go/issues/a-sustainable-future/

As for environmental concerns... which agreement is it that forces other countries to look into privatizing water resources?

Has gore even talked about the push for the privatization of water resources?

[smoogatz]

21. I watched his little video, thanks.

You do keep changing the subject, don't you? Where's Dennis on the carbon tax?

[redqueen]

22. I don't see the carbon tax as the panacea you do.

Also, that link doesn't go to a video.

[smoogatz]

23. Of course you don't--Kucinich doesn't support it.

The link works fine for me. Just Google "kucinich climate change"--it's the first hit. And it's not exactly comforting.

The carbon tax is no panacea, by the way. It's a radical change in the tax structure designed to reconfigure the energy economy. It's ingenious, but you'd have to understand climate, tax policy and the energy economy in order to see how the parts fit together. Conservation's great, but we need structural change in order to promote the development of alternative energy technologies. I don't see Kucinich talking about that.

[redqueen]

24. Not because he doesn't support it.

The link goes to his issues page, the one that deals with the environment. What are you talking about googling?

The difference between Gore's and Kucinich's approach to climate change is in the process... they're both very concerned with the environment.

What I don't understand is how you can make that your only issue to care about, and ignore the areas where Gore falls short. But that's fine... just so long as you're going into the idea of supporting Gore with open eyes. He has no desire to end the drug war, or provide a single-payer (sane) solution to the healthcare crisis... if that's not so important to you, and you have 100% faith that his solution to the environmental crisis not only will succeed, but will also make up for or balance out his shortcomings, then that's fine. I just wanted to make sure you were aware of the fact that, as it seems to me, there is so much missing from what Gore offers... and some of that missing stuff, imo, is critically important.

Peace.

[smoogatz]

25. Healthcare's important

But I'm not sure about single payer. I think we should have universal healthcare, but it should come in the form of universal public health insurance, with the option to opt out or add-on. I don't think doctors should become government employees.

I was referring to my link, posted above. Here it is again: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ls7beTVd8ow

[redqueen]

26. Oh I see... thanks for reposting that.

on edit: nevermind... I see it's a video by Kucnich and not one that explains how the carbon tax is the ONLY way to solve the environmental crisis.

As for single-payer care... a quick correction: single-payer care does not mean doctors will become government employees. Keeping profit in the picture for healthcare is insane. There is NO defense for the idea, other than a desire to maintain the status quo.

[smoogatz]

30. Oy. First, the carbon tax provides powerful incentives to conserve:

the less you use, the less you pay (and the reverse, of course). Remember, the carbon tax would replace the payroll tax--poof! Ponder that for a minute: no more payroll tax. Drive a Prius and add some insulation to your ceiling and you can control your own tax bill, and do something great for the planet. Switch to geothermal/solar and bike to work, you pay no carbon tax AND no payroll tax. See how it works?

Second, it creates a powerful and straightforward market incentive for the development of carbon-neutral energy technologies. People will want to reduce their carbon footprints, so there'll be much greater demand for alternative technologies. As demand rises, supply will increase and prices will come down. New technologies will be developed, because you'll have a ready-made market for stuff that works. It's an extremely effective way to prime the development-to-market process.

Third, as more and more people reduce their carbon footprints, a greater and greater burden falls on those who continue to waste fossile fuels. Goodbye McMansions! Goodbye, Hummers! That's the part that really warms the cockles of my cockles.

Don't get me wrong--the carbon tax is only the centerpiece. We're talking lots of direct government incentives for new tech, lots of help for the poor and those on fixed incomes to upgrade their homes/transportation, etc. I just don't hear anything that well thought out coming from Kucinich; Dennis's whole Works Green Administration/universal service deal just sounds like a giant circle-jerk to me. We need to radically change the way we do things in this country, or we're screwed.

Okay, go ahead and squirt more ink now. What should we talk about--Al's electricity bill?

[redqueen]

32. No thanks.

:hi:

[smoogatz]

29. Dupe/mis-posted

[superkia]

52. Ding ding, round over guys.

I think instead of going back and forth and making sure neither of you vote for the other candidate. Keep in mind, if Gore doesn't run, Kucinich is the only guy standing up and speaking out against the corruptness in Washington and the attack on the constitution. So, if your candidate doesn't get in, just give Kucinich a thought, the guy is standing up for our rights as Americans and for some reason that hasn't been a big issue for other candidates. Without our basic rights and the constitution, it doesn't matter what we think of global warming, health care or trade. We wont have a choice if the government continues its course and election one of the typical politicians that wont even speak out about our rights, would just continue the path.

Just consider Dennis Kucinich if your candidate doesn't run, I think he at least deserves that?

[warren pease]

44. Pardon the interruption, but...

There seems to be some misunderstanding about who works for whom re single-payer. Docs, hospitals, clinics and other health care facilities remain intact; they just go non-profit and they're paid by money from the federal govt. attained via a specific tax, such as the social security levy, the money from which remains in a separate fund rather than being absorbed into the general fund (which is how SS used to be until St. Reagan began pilfering from it to make his deficits look less catastrophic). They aren't government employees per se; they're simply paid via the medical fund rather than by private insurers. And unlike the current system, the govt. has no say in medical decisions. These are solely between doctor and patient, and are not subject to the scrutiny of an army of actuaries whose jobs are to determine whether the projected cost to settle the occasional wrongful death lawsuit instigated by denial of coverage for a given condition is cheaper or more expensive than the total cost of paying for treatment of that same condition for a given percentage of all the company's subscribers.

Single-payer, universal-access is defined by the following attributes:

One nation, one payer.

Everybody in, nobody out.

No exclusion for pre-existing conditions.

No bills from the doctor.

No bills from the hospital.

No deductibles.

No co-pays.

No in network.

No out of network.

No corporate profits.

No threat of bankruptcy from health bills.


In my opinion, to get to single-payer, we need to separate the idea of health care from the idea of health insurance.

Health care is what happens when patients and health care professionals – doctors, nurses, technicians, pathology lab staff, and so on -- interact to successfully diagnose and treat a medical condition or injury.

Health insurance is the protection money you have to pay the middle man to enable this transaction while keeping you out of bankruptcy court. Why would you want to give some parasite who does absolutely nothing to provide health care a single damn penny?

The relationship of health care to insurance is manufactured out of thin air by the US’ obsession with applying market-based, privatized solutions to nationalized, systemic problems. If we're to join the civilized world any time soon, that linkage must disappear in favor of a system that treats health care as a basic human right rather than a privilege to be auctioned off to the highest bidder.

If you want further info, I'm happy to recommend my very own articles on the subject here: http://tinyurl.com/24lxmd


and here: http://tinyurl.com/yqa5pr


and here: http://tinyurl.com/2e2sfy


Also, you might look here: http://www.pnhp.org/

...for a thorough discussion of single-payer from any angle you choose -- cost/benefits, practicality, granular details, political viability, for-profit vs non-profit models, comparisons of the US privatized model vs single-payer systems elsewhere, and the basic moral question of whether health care is a right or a privilege.

Finally, if it's stats you want, here's a link to the World Health Organization's massive study, completed and published in 2000, comparing some 191 countries along various key indicators of how well their health care systems are performing, such as average life span, average disease-free life span, average birth weight, infant mortality rate, access to necessary health care services, cost of those services and so forth: http://tinyurl.com/jdqla

Hint: The US didn't do too well.


Lots more info on single-payer is available. PM me if you want additional links.


wp

[il_lilac]

49. thanks for the synopsis

find myself fumbling when I try to explain single-payer. People are scared to death of it, and the concept is so simple really.

[Romulox]

28. What a profoundly ignorant statement...

"When was the last time you bought an American car? Or anything made in America?"

[smoogatz]

31. It's a question, not a statement.

Now who's ignorant?

[Romulox]

33. It was a *rhetorical* question...that is, an assertion masquerading as a question...

Some wordsmith, you.

[Name removed]

34. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[A HERETIC I AM]

42. ......

:spray: :rofl:

Sic em' Smoogatz. Get em'. Bite em' onna leg! Sic em'


Too funny.

Great post.

BTW...congrats on your present state of affairs. May your fortunes always be upward trending!

[truedelphi]

8. Yep If everyone who feels in their hearts that Kucinich is the best

Would vote for him - he'd win!!

The MSM knows this - and that is why they even keep him out of the discussion

[OwnedByFerrets]

2. Just think of those who are NOT

doing great and how huge their sense of dread. Most of us are one small catastrophe away from disaster.

[smoogatz]

14. I know, and my heart goes out to those less fortunate.

I was self-employed and uninsured for fifteen years (and struggling with a nasty cardiac arrhythmia the whole time). It sucked--and that was before everything went in the hopper.

[cascadiance]

53. Glad OP is doing OK. Things haven't been great for me lately...

In addition to dreading all of the issues we collectively keep worrying about here at a national level which don't seem to be getting resolved in a positive way:

1) BOTH of my cats have in the past few months been costing me a bundle with health problems (radioactive iodine treatment for hyperthyrodism in one and an operation to remove a severely cancerous intestinal tumor for the other) which have set me back $6-7k. They are *the rest* of my family in my house here. I'm guessing at least one of them won't survive past getting Bushco out of office!

2) Job situation has been getting a bit crazy lately with job security, a lot of departures and problems with our stock, etc.

3) I probably want to move someplace else anyway so that I can afford a house at some point in my lifetime (the recent various big bills are making that more impossible here).

4) KLSD is likely going to be shut down here in San Diego

5) Just about every progressive cause we've tried to fight for here in San Diego has been a losing cause lately.

6) Every day I wonder if Al Gore will get in the race hopefully to give us a vision of a corporate influence free future!

7) A friend of mine just escaped with her life out of an apartment fire in Florida. I'd like to help her more since she's lost just about everything, but can't given my financial and other situations here.

8) My sister works at Countrywide and has been stressed out about having to lay off a bunch of people last week.

I don't know, but it's been pretty stressful lately here, so pardon while I feel even more doom and gloom... I'd like to help more with the national issues, but I feel a bit distracted at the moment, and not by "entertainment" as the corporate wankers want to do with the rest of us.

[OwnedByFerrets]

64. Did you hear about

a recent medical report that said that this is caused by the fire retardant chemicals in the carpet?
I wish I could give you a link, but it was heard on Thom Hartman. You might google it and see if you can find out more.

"1) BOTH of my cats have in the past few months been costing me a bundle with health problems (radioactive iodine treatment for hyperthyrodism in one and an operation to remove a severely cancerous intestinal tumor for the other) which have set me back $6-7k. They are *the rest* of my family in my house here. I'm guessing at least one of them won't survive past getting Bushco out of office!"

[cascadiance]

66. Yes, and have talked to my vets about it too...

The problem is it's still too early to isolate what household items have really the "culprit content" that may have this stuff. I think it was for hyperthyroidism, which is what the other cat has. That cat has more hairballs, and I think tries to chew on certain things like toilet paper and other paper she finds around the house. I'm meaning to study the various paper products out there to see which might have some form of fire retardant in it. When I moved into the house in 2001 too, there was new carpeting that had a lot of loose carpet fluff on it which might have had those problems initially. Over the years with vacuuming, etc. this might have gone down, but perhaps that affected the cat that licks more stuff, etc. that gave it hyperthyroidism.

Not sure about the cancer in my other cat and whether that has anything to do with flame retardants at all. He's been overweight, and for the last year or so I was giving him Science Diet R/D prescription diet food to bring his weight down, which at one point was giving him a lot of problems sneezing, breathing, etc. In reading up now about post cancer diets for cats, I note that what is recommended is low carbohydrate food, since carbohydrates "stimulate" and feed cancer cells. I looked at the R/D carbohydrate content, and it seemed pretty damn high in carb content (like 2-3 times as much as many other foods I've looked at). I'm wondering if that food might have contributed to his getting a more advanced cancer condition this last year too. I've now switched to Innova lo-cal canned cat food for him. I might switch to something else soon if I can find something that's well rated as a low-carb canned food that I can also get at Petco on a coupon I just got to keep costs down. I want to try to hold back the cancer as long as I can... Chemo isn't going to help really in this case, except drain my wallet more.

[OwnedByFerrets]

72. I am glad that you were already aware......

of this issue, and I am so sorry for your problems. I can sympathize. We had a poodle that was our problem child. Before she passed at age 13 last year, we had spent over 8000 on her. And thank good ness we were able to do so. We are not so fortunate now, so we only "hope" for small emergencies, rather than the big ones. Our bichon just had bladder stone surgery that cost 900 to repair. It seems it never ends. But, they are our children.

[callous taoboy]

67. I love cats but can no longer afford being a pet owner. Sucks n/t

[smoogatz]

69. Sorry things aren't going better.

San Diego's great, but isn't it kind of a bastion of conservatism? Sort of an extension of the Orange County thing? Wait around awhile: house prices will come down a lot more, but rents in many markets are already going up. the trick for home buyers going forward will be getting a decent rate on a mortgage. Lock 'em in while you can. Maybe you can get a deal on a repo (though one worries about the karma a little).

Tell your sister to watch out; a friend of ours was given the job of laying people off at the major corporation she'd worked for for fifteen years. When she'd finally worked her way through the list, they laid her off. This is apparently distressingly common.

Sorry about the cats. We just paid about $400 for freaking dental work on ours. For that kind of money, I expect little kitty veneers at minimum.

[cascadiance]

73. Yes, its always been a bit more conservative than my tastes

I moved down here after the dotcom bomb fallout, when housing prices were getting just too crazy up in the Bay Area, and the papers listed San Diego and Sacramento as being the biggest targets of the exodus then. I figured that perhaps San Diego would be a bit cheaper and hopefully might get more progressives as many of us "immigrants" came in here. Wrong! It didn't get any more progressive around here, and the housing market jumped higher than about any place in the nation in recent years, just as I was starting to recover from the bay area and wanting to get in. Fortunately I didn't take the plunge when it was too inflated.

One reason I moved down here was to be closer to my aging folks, who were already living down here. Fortunately I currently work close by to their house (closer than my house), but that's likely to change soon. Our company's looking to move offices here soon, and my Mom's looking at moving soon too (and likely up to L.A. close to my sister, as my dad is now in a home and the house she's in is too expensive. She's also very frustrated with how right wing this area is and a lot of her friends either passing away or moving away. So I'm losing a lot of reasons to stay here. If I move someplace, I want to go someplace where I feel comfortable about settling down in with the culture, business climate and proximity to family, that will hopefully have a lower cost housing market, and one that if I'm in it for the long haul, I won't lose my shirt like I might with a short term house purchase here in San Diego. Thinking about places in Oregon now...

[Locrian]

3. I get the same nagging feeling...

Decent job - house almost paid off. Money in the bank, great kid, wife, etc. But the same feeling of impending doom. I look at the next (hopefully) 40 years of life and my kids life and wonder what hell the world will look like?

[villager]

4. On another subject -- you're a writer, and you have *good* health insurance?

I'm published myself, but as a freelancer, have yet to manage the "good" insurance trick...

You just ponying up for it?

And yes -- lotsa blessings in my life, too. And some of the same "greatest hits" as you, in the worries dept...

[truedelphi]

6. Yes all of us writers would love to hear how you managed good health insurance as a writer

Husband and I are now part of the Writer's Union.

But insurance for both of us through that organization would be
at LEAST $ 1600 a month. (At least they will see that we are insured.
being in our fifties and having previous medical issues, most insurers will deny us.))

[smoogatz]

10. The wife and I both teach

creative writing/lit at the local U. It wasn't easy, both of us getting tenure-line gigs at the same school.

[truedelphi]

27. Glad you could make that happen. And it does amaze me

That for many people, this time in their lives would be awesome and pleasurable if not for the tramp tramp tramp of the feet in the nights
of bad dreams.

I guess that has been true for many throughout history. Many People in Europe in 1937 no doubt felt good about things but THEN...

[classof56]

5. I relate to everything you have articulated so well.

Today especially for some reason (6th anniversary of 911) I have had this sick feeling something awful is about to descend upon us. Wish like crazy the election had not been stolen from Gore. What a different world this would be!

One way I deal with my sense of dread is through writing. I have a WIP novel, am taking an online writing course, and spent time this weekend rewriting (sound familiar?) the final chapter. Just a few more scenes to "tweak" and I'll be one step closer to my goal, one of the few things I can feel good about these days. So I commend and congratulate you on your published novel (was it your first?), knowing the rather daunting process that awaits those of us who would join your ranks. Would you mind telling me the title? I frequent book stores and would love to see it on the shelves--and of course buy the book!

Best.

[smoogatz]

17. Good luck with the book!

Glad to hear the work is coming along so well. I'm dragging a bit on my new one; hence the lengthy DU post. I'll PM that title to you, if that's okay.

[tom_paine]

11. You know, when we were Free Citizens of the Old American Republic

there was special something, a pride that one oculd hold one's head high. We were members of a very small club throughout human history, and it was great,

Was it perfect? No. All nations perform their atrocities. We performed fewer than most and id more good with our other energies than most, and to me that is pretty great in and of itself, human history taken into consideration.

Now, what are we? The Chinese. The Russians. We're every unfree, tyrannized people that have ever lived since the dawn of humanity. Not a very select club. Sure we are materially more wealthy than they, individually, for a moment, and most people mitake that material wealth for freedom.

It isn't now nor has it ever been. Material affluence makes achievement and keeping of freedom easier. Regulated "FDR" Free Market capitalism IS probably the most fertile soil for freedom to thrive and flourish. So, while material affluence can buy a great deal of personal freedom, neither can it be confused with national freedom, which many do confuse.

For those hwo are ignorant of these distinctions, the joy of temproary and blissful ignorance is the short-term reward and the long-term doom, in all likelihood, of the Old American Republic.

[Warpy]

12. Do you want to go through life like the goofy guy in the Enzyte ad?

I'm afraid that will take some serious drugs or a lobotomy.

If you weren't worried about all this stuff, you'd be a Republic.

I don't know whether it's better to see what's coming and try to prepare for it, or to have an ugly surprise down the line and go with the flow.

I've always tended to be a pessimist, open to pleasant surprises. I've never understood optimists, always being crushed by adversities.

I do know that it wasn't any easier looking at kids during the Cold War and wondering how soon their lives would be destroyed by a flash of light and blast of unimaginable heat.

The only thing to do right now is the best you can.

[Javaman]

15. Just close your eyes and think of England. nt

[smoogatz]

18. I've been thinking of Canada, actually.

It seems to help.

[riverdeep]

35. Really great post

I'm not doing so well myself, but these concerns weigh on me more than anything in my personal life. My personal situation I can and will improve. This stuff is having the sword of Damocles over you.

We are the canaries in the coal mine. I look around and see my compatriots contently chewing their cud, and think 'These people have no idea, reality is going to hit them so hard'. I'm sure it was like that for the Romans, the Mayans, the Easter Islanders, any civilization that ended probably had people saying 'ah, look, the path we're on is not working and here's what we need to do to improve'. They were probably answered the same way we're being answered, some version of 'do you know how much this will cost?!?' Every civilization thinks it can't happen to them. The difference now is, it's not just one civilization, but the entire globe that will go down or stay afloat.

Still, most days I manage pretty well, because whatever will happen will happen and we are only responsible for what we can do.

[smoogatz]

36. Thanks.

Sorry things aren't so great on the personal front. I know what it's like to struggle.

Easter Island is a great metaphor for the current situation, I think. We're cutting down all the trees, but it's okay because we're building some big-ass stone heads.

[Nay]

37. Gosh, Smoogatz, were you in our living room last night? Mr. Nay

and I had this very same discussion -- our feeling of dread, our fear for our children and grandchild, the knowledge that our government, rather than being a collection of people who try to do the right thing, is composed of pillagers gleefully ripping everyone off. . . we need intelligent and forward=looking leaders, and we've got only blank-eyed hyenas.

Between the economy, the war, the environment, and peak oil, well, hell, in "The Perfect Storm" it only took three big storms coming together to sink the boat. We have at least ten storms coming together all at one time.

And we're like you guys -- we're in good shape, house almost paid off, good jobs, good insurance, etc., and we feel like things are soon going to be going over the cliff. Frankly, if we didn't have such good jobs, we'd be in Canada already -- I'm a Canadian citizen, and we can go any time. But we have only a few years left until we can retire, and leaving now would blow that all to hell. So, what to do?

[blues90]

38. The only real problem I have with you OP is

As one who has fallen into poverty I find your post a bit over the top . You can say you are doing well without all the detail added . It sounds like boasting then you voice your concerns or worries .

I have a sister like this . I call it luck since many have worked very hard all their lives and due to importing and outsourcing of jobs they went right down the drain .

Perhaps you may not see it that way at all .

[smoogatz]

39. Sorry if it felt that way.

Not boasting at all, and really our circumstances are quite modest compared to many; we're safely middle-class, nothing more, andno illusions to the contrary.

Sorry about your difficult circumstances: I struggled for a long time, and much/most of our current situation is due to pure good luck, though we've also worked very hard to get where we are.

[blues90]

41. Perhaps I should have said nothing

Usually I don't post in topics like this at all . Something in the wording just stood out to me as it may others .

So many people my age 58 and older have put in 40 years of hard work to get something out of life if not just basic security . Then to watch it all vanish because of jobs being sent to China and India and all over the globe for cheaper labor when the cost of these items has still remained high , there is no savings for the consumer compaired to the cost to make these products , this is an illusion .

This is what allowed these corporations to gain the power they have over the people now . The old time employees are the people who made it possible for these corps to even expand in the first place and these employees are tossed to the side as so much garbage . This is what makes this at will clause such a tool for employers , now they abuse this without a care that they have destroyed many peoples lifes .

Now it's impossible to avoid Chinese products and this was by design .

If america is no longer trusted or a leader or even has an economy that benefits those that live and work in america then what is america after all .

I don't support a global economy , not as it's designed . Here we are supporting a communist country that was in support of north Vietnam where 58,000 young american lost their lives for nothing and we were told the communists are coming to get us . Our own government was even then lying to us as they still are . So to hell with China and their products , they now have Mexican jobs as well all because of liars and self important bigwigs .

I worked many years for an american auto company dealership in their service dept and never thought I would see the day when that fell apart all because of their cheap lowest bidder contracts from over seas . Now it's the truckers facing their jobs going down the drain , who's next , is there anything left to send away ?

[smoogatz]

48. It's fine--I'm not offended.

In retrospect I can see how the post might have sounded self-congratulatory in a way, though that's certainly not how I meant it. What I meant was, a guy in my circumstances ought to be feeling like he's got it made; instead, because of the crazy ratfuckers who are running the country and the planet into the ground, I don't feel any sense of security (or self-congratulation) at all. I should be sleeping like a baby--instead I'm waking up, full of anxiety and dread. And I don't think I'm the only one in that situation.

I agree with everything you've posted here, except that I think economic globalization was inevitable, and like all big shifts in the economic paradigm there were bound to be winners and losers. I think the grotesque mistake we've made in this country, though, was in letting go of our manufacturing base much too easily; instead of finding increases in productivity and other economies in order to stay competitive we abandoned ship and sold the means of production (literally in many cases) off to China. We've become an economic colony--forced to consume Chinese goods, or else--and it's going to get a hell of a lot worse unless something's done to reverse the process.

Sorry things are tough for you right now. I wish I could say I felt confident that things would get better soon, but that would obviously be untrue. I think the corporatists have got us by the shorts, and it's going to be a hell of a fight getting out from under them.

[blues90]

54. I understand you were not gloating

I was just in a mood because so much is wrong and i see no solutions . I don't begrudge anyone having success and even with that as you said you still have no security .

I feel the main problem with a global economy is greed on many levels , we could have lived without the box stores who are the main reason people bought into this idea of a cheap product . This was one of the biggest con jobs known to man . It's not like Henry Ford even though he was a slime , when he made it possible for most to be able to afford his product and it was made by americans with the promotion of american jobs .

Now that these manufacturing jobs are gone they will not come back . It's not over with , I know that , the loss of jobs that is .

[Locrian]

45. understand

I understand what you are saying (and hope I didnt come across as boasting either in my post). I think the point is that even persons who (by luck or whatever) appear to have it all, we are all feeling that we are in a car going 100 mph toward a cliff and there is nothing we can do about it. We try to protest, write, call, educate, demonstrate, but it feels like the momentum and the geni is out of the box.

I've felt this way many times recently. Looking back at how naive I was 20 years ago and knowing that a lot of this started earlier than that. It feels like standing in front of a 40 foot wave and just looking up at the top bearing down on you.

[riverdeep]

40. I don't think that was the point at all

It was more like, 'there are concerns that can't be escaped, for ethical people, by upward mobility.'

The aristocrats and galley crew all went down in the Titanic.

[blues90]

46. I understand that .

All I was saying is even being in a position where life is going well for some is now not even in the minds of many . Many are just concerned about a roof over their head and food just to get through each day while knowing their chances of ever getting back on their feet are slim to none .

I'm sure everyone here knows this and this is what stood out to me in the OP .

[Arugula Latte]

43. I feel Dread as well.

It's a sick, claustrophobic, anxious feeling. I wake up in the morning and immediately think: "Something is very wrong. What is it?" And then it floods me: Iraq, Bushco, creeping fascism, climate change, and, on a personal note, financial worries (I just think about how my parents were soooo much better off than I am at this age; they had plenty of investments and money piling up in the bank ... I am not nearly there ... I worry about college for my kids and retirement, as well as a major crisis wiping us out ... :( )

[applegrove]

47. Nail on head!

[lonestarnot]

50. smoogatz, you no stugatz!

:applause: :thumbsup:

[RandomKoolzip]

51. Shit - I'm doing TERRIBLY and I STILL think about all that stuff when I try to go to

sleep at night - thinka how *I* feel! :scared:

[BlueEyedSon]

55. You forgot Peak Oil

[smoogatz]

61. Did you hear about the vast natural gas reserves just discovered in China?

Where there's gas, most likely there's oil. They just haven't hit it yet.

[Bushwick Bill]

62. Um...

Flow rate is everything. Even if you have hundreds of millions of potential barrels in the ground (doubtful), how quickly can you get it up and running and how much can you get out of the ground at any one time? This is why oil shale and tar sands will not save us. Further, discoveries have been in decline for decades, and the big fields just aren't out there.
http://www.peakoil.com/sample/

Three of the four largest oil fields are confirmed to be in decline the last few years, and evidence is mounting that number one, Ghawar, is on the ropes and production therefore can't increase in Saudi Arabia. That means global peak is imminent. The days of sticking a straw in the ground and getting cheap, easy crude are going bye-bye.


And whaddyaknow, oil hit an intraday record today.

Don't get me wrong, climate change scares the shit out of me and will affect your kids. Peak oil is going to affect you. Heck, it is what the war on terror is all about. Please watch this video sometime.
http://globalpublicmedia.com/lectures/461
Here is more to consider.
http://www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net/
http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0413-28.htm

[smoogatz]

63. You may be right.

Although I don't see peak oil as the calamity that some people do. Rising oil prices will provide incentives for development of alternative sources, and if they're carbon neutral that's a good thing. The sooner we get off the oil tit, the better.

[Ilsa]

56. Your top three are mine as well, perhaps a different order, and

maybe climate change catapulting our economic and self-sufficiency woes into a more predominant position. I worry that the climate change and resulting economic problems will bring us more hunger and starvation for those who have never gone hungry.

I hear Costa Rica is pretty nice, but there's that darn problem about oceans rising.

[nam78_two]

57. K&R.nt

[Hissyspit]

58. "President Giuliani"

"President Thompson" ?

[InkAddict]

59. Now you've gone and done it.....

I won't get any sleep tonight either! Nukes over the Midwest...Nationwide USAF stand-down in two days...True/not true; true/not true - fall chrysanthemums sure have a lot of petals....

[smoogatz]

60. Holy shit.

Time to double up on the Xanax.

[callous taoboy]

65. You and my brother should talk:

I'm a teacher and I'm barely hanging on. My brother, on the other hand, was an airline
pilot who was able to retire early and grabbed his pension before the airline went
into chap. 11. He invested his money in companies such as Haliburton and is doing
very well (don't know how he sleeps at night). He lives modestly, his wife works (also
a teacher), kids are healthy... but he is right with you on climate change, peak oil and
all of the rest you mentioned. He will be pulling all of his money out of the market soon
in order to buy land and start farming. He's talking about an armed compound because he
thinks it is going to get extremely ugly quickly. He is a strange fellow in that he has
voted for bush twice, yet he still (depending on the weather, it seems) can surprise
me with expressions of his former hippy self. He also convinced my republican dad
to help me out on buying my house so that I have a great fixed mortgage set-up. That
saved me from living in totally abysmal conditions.

Myself, I have lousy health coverage- For the past two years I have dropped back to the
next level to save money, I live very frugally, yet I have very little in the bank.

[4_TN_TITANS]

68. I'm in the same boat...

with all the reasons to merrily dunk my head in the Kool-aid and have no worries. But, I keep an eye on all those looming disasters. Many people have no idea how many serious issues are tinkering on the precipice.

[BlackVelvet04]

70. I suggest that maybe the problem isn't

politics but your health. Seriously, lying awake at night worrying about shit isn't healthy and it's completely counter productive. Long term anxiety needs to be treated.

I found that taking magnesium lowered my anxiety levels and helped me sleep.

Peace and wishes for less anxiety and more sleep for you.

[smoogatz]

71. Thanks!

You may very well be right. I'll try the magnesium thing. And here's to all of us sleeping a little better come 2009.

[BlackVelvet04]

74. I found myself angry all the time and decided it was time

to do something about it. I started taking some supplements that help calm me and help me sleep. I painted my office a soothing shade of green, put my fountain in the office, got a salt rock candle (just because I like they way they look) and I light incense whenever I'm in here. It helps to keep me calm. Worry will kill ya!