Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Dream on, America!

There is a belief that USA is "an entrepreneurial society where anyone -- anyone, damn it! -- could and should become rich". How prevalent this belief is was made clear to me in a recent jury experience I had, where the jurors, most hardworking simple people, took the side of the business owner in a claim for compensating a disabled worker. This optimism, that one can become rich one day, is the "opium of the masses" in USA. The truth is that most of the people here live paycheck to pay check, carrying heavy debts in mortgage and credit cards. A snowflake in hell has a better chance than they ever becoming a successful business entrepreneur in their lives! Instead, they are one small step away from bankruptcy and homelessness due to a job loss or disability to work (A recent study found that one out of four of the homeless people is an army veteran). There are no adequate protective services by the government to take care of people who suddenly find themselves in this situation. Nobody wants their precious tax money spent on such ‘social services’ by the Government. That will be 'socialism' -- which means communism, Josef Stalin etc., and encouraging the ‘have-not’s. Everyone keeps on dreaming of the day when they also become rich. Dream on, America!