Is the American Experiment Over?

I'm scared. In fact, I'm terrified. There are those, like my dad, who say I'm over reacting. That our nation, the United States of America, is just going through some hard times--we will surely recover. My husband has put into words his thoughts on the matter, which I believe is definitely worth the read.

Every day I read about the threats our country's making, the deals they're striking, just to try and arrest the whistle-blower, Edward Snowden. I hope you all have been following these developments, because I think that this is a great example of how far we have fallen. One note in particular: China is asking the US to reconsider it's treatment of human rights activists--for the second time. Anyone remember Bradley Manning?

I remember Obama's first campaign. I remember watching a speech he made while sitting in high school. He promised transperancy, promised a health care system that would include everyone at no cost to Mr. and Mrs. Taxpayer.

Ha.

By next year, my husband and I will be scrambling to come up with the $500 fee (each) we will have to pay to get out of paying for full health care coverage. That $1000 will be cheaper than paying for the health care itself. More than anything, I'm scared that I won't be able to find a job. Or that my employer, a tiny carriage company, won't be able to keep me on. The idea of health care for everyone is definitely appealing, and I am all for it. Until it starts forcing company owners to stop hiring--even Walmart said they would stop employing people permanently just to get out of paying for health benefits.  The prospect of being homeless is something I've had to face a few times in the last year, and I know there will be more of that to come in the future, especially if the job market gets any more competitive. I wonder if anyone running our country has ever felt that way.

And now we hear about the US spying not only in our backyards (and our computers), but all over the world, and that in order to be safe, we must sacrifice our liberties. Ben Franklin disagrees; "They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." The US is alienating its own citizens, and the allies we have left in the world.

I don't want this to be an Obama hate-blog, because as much as I dislike him, he isn't the one to start it. But he sure isn't finishing it. What scares me is this: not being able to defend myself if, like Thomas Jefferson suggested, people decide it is time to 'water the tree of liberty.' What really scares me though, is if we, the people, decide that we'd rather just go back to watching Jersey Shore.