The country made super highways for these cars; let trains languish in order to force huge trucks on us to transport the oranges from Israel all the way to Las Vegas. States and counties made roads so that we could live in the suburbs, because, after all, in America everyone has to have a car, right? We live where we prefer to live, even if it means a three hour commute by private car. We bought the idea that we all needed to be free to go where we wanted at any time we wanted, live where we chose, do what we damn well please. That is Democracy, right?
Americans who travel to western Europe are often surprised to find countries as modern as we are where it is not necessary to own a car. Public transportation goes to the smallest hamlet. Bicycle paths are everywhere. There are wonderful trains that zoom quietly at 130 miles per hour. Free health care for everyone. Schools are free, even school lunches. Universities are free, even text books. Countries without the death sentence, where few, if any, are thrown away in prisons for the rest of their lives. And, most surprising, they too have elections, refrigerators, all the gadgets and gimmicks we have, but also six weeks paid vacation a year, and a thirty-five hour work week. Yes, they pay more taxes, but they get their money’s worth in services. Of course they do not have the largest army and air force in the world because they see no need to control the rest of the world.
Most other countries have a multitude of political parties because a free world has a multitude of shades of gray -- even colors, from green to red.
We are stuck in a two party system although both parties contain groups of very different thinking, thoughtful people. Maybe a country of three hundred million people has outgrown two, and should have three hundred parties to reflect the thinking and the needs of many different population groups. Every decision Congress makes then would require a coalition of parties, rather than “advice” from high-paid lobbyists. But, I am told, democracy means a two party system. Really?
We were urged to believe, and we bought the idea, that it is good to reduce taxes for rich people because wealth “trickles down.” Oh yeah? We accepted the idea that health services should never be centralized, that would be socialism, and socialism is bad, bad, bad -- although few of us know what socialism means. So, instead of having one payer, we accept that it is better to have many insurance companies. Many insurance companies are supposed to keep the price down because they compete with each other. But they have to make a profit; how can it be economical when it adds to the cost of health care?
We tacitly agree -- it is assumed we agree -- that capitalism, which in America is called Free Market, is not only good for us, but the only way to go. The market, we are told, will even things out. Competition takes care of scoundrels who charge too much, and see to it that everybody gets their share. Are you sure about that? How come then, these last years have seen stagnant income for everybody, but a very few who earn a billion or more bucks a year buying and selling imaginary value?
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