Helpless bystander

In my life so far, I have witnessed events knowing full well that they are going to be huge disasters. As a software specialist, I remember a company I worked for foolishly spending millions of dollars in developing their own version of a personal computer while IBM PCs were selling like hot cakes in the market (we toiled on that project for two years before it got abandoned). Another company I worked for gave up on an innovative software solution in favor of a clumsy old legacy system which did not serve them well. I knew that the arrogant and shallow George Bush Jr. was a disaster to this country the very first time I heard him speak. I had no doubt that the invasion of Iraq was a huge mistake as it required a dictator like Saddam Hussein to keep the various religious factions in check in that country. The list goes on.

Now, here is a list of disasters in the making I see in the current times. I am noting them here as an ‘I told you so’.

1. Unless the Government spends billions of dollars for economic stimulus, U.S. is economy is going to plummet into another cycle of economic recession which can be as bad as the Great Depression in the 30’s. To worry about the deficit spending at a time U.S. dollar is still the strongest currency in the world with inflation under check, is asinine to me. Federal Government loaning money to the states to overcome their budget shortfalls, giving a tax cut to the middle class (while removing the Bush tax cut for the rich), are steps which are so obvious to me that I do not understand why they are not taken!

2. The occupation of Afghanistan is a disaster like the Viet Nam war. There is no way Afghanis will accept the American military as their saviors, and reject Taliban. The sooner we negotiate with Taliban and get out with some face saving claims the better it is for everyone including the Afghanis.

3. The war on drugs is a losing battle. People who need drugs will find a way to get it whatever the cost and risk may be. Drugs should be legalized in this country with measures for protecting it from the young, and helping the ones who are addicted to it (as it is for alcohol).This will stop the drug wars that is going on in Mexico which is close to bringing the country to total anarchy, and also will reduce the cost of law enforcement and keeping a huge number of people in jails (how about that as deficit reduction measure?)

4. Since it takes millions of dollars to run for election, this country is run by people who are puppets of big business or are immensely wealthy. The needs of the middle class and the poor are being neglected as a result. Soon there will be a big chasm between the haves and have not’s, a condition ripe for a revolution.