In July of 2003 the New York Times published an op-ed article by Joe Wilson entitled ‘What I Didn't Find in Africa’. The current state of affairs in the United States warrants an introspective analysis with a similar title; ‘What I Didn't Find in the United States of America’.
What I didn't find in the United States of America during a time of weather devastation, continued unemployment, increasing gas prices and record profits for oil companies, a growing gap between rich and poor, and continued loss of life and treasure abroad, is any intelligent discourse on how to address or prevent any of these serious issues.
What I didn’t find is any serious discussion on the relationship between global warming and the tornadoes which tore through the South or the extreme temperature swings which continue to be felt in the North and Midwest.
What I didn’t find is any public or private policies or efforts to add jobs. During the 2010 election we heard rallying cries of “jobs, jobs, jobs”, but now all we hear about is Planned Parenthood, eliminating Medicare, and stripping public employees of their rights to collectively bargain.
What I didn’t find is any public outcry over the increasing price of gas while oil companies record ever-growing profits and also receive Federal subsidies. At a time when so many feel the deficit is an issue wouldn’t the elimination of subsidies to already profiting companies make sense? Shouldn’t companies who profit from the public pay taxes which benefit the public?
What I didn’t find is any intelligent analysis of why there is a growing gap between rich and poor. How can a country which achieved its economic heights from the expansion of its middle-class not notice that the increasing cost of education and having tax policies which favor the wealthy are shrinking the middle-class and causing economic decline?
What I didn’t find is any demand from the public that the war in Afghanistan be ended, all of the troops in Iraq be brought home, and the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay be closed. We continue to lose Americans in Afghanistan while our enemy and objectives remain undefined. Again, while so many feel the deficit is an issue wouldn’t the elimination of costly foreign invasions and occupations help reduce our deficit?
What I did find in the United States of America was birth certificate nonsense, incredible media attention for a reality game show host, and non-stop coverage of a foreign wedding.
In the United States our leaders are often blamed for our problems and are expected, right or wrong, to fix them. Perhaps our leaders would find solutions to our problems more pressing if we found our problems important enough to discuss.