What we got

In USA, the economic and political situation is very bad.  And the government is hard at work spreading it.  Listen to Raed Jarrar and Yanar Mohammed on Democracy Now! today about Iraq at the end of the US military campaign.

What we got is everyone after money.  The government dishonest and at best in battle with corporations as well as immigrants and transients.  The problem is not, as some theorists will argue, with the particular political or economic organization.  No matter the attempt at organization, when society is run without proper respect there will not be good progress.  A lack of respect exists between businesses and consumers, governments and populaces, and between governments, businesses and all the other combinations as well.

A sign of how rich we are is how cheap it is to live.  Instead it is believed we are rich because the enormous potential of consumption available to a minority of the people of the world, while the majority struggle to afford to live.  This will continue so long as money and self-advancement remain a priority over mutual respect and community.  Can others feel this the way I do?  How superficial the economic problems are when what keeps basic needs expensive is our beliefs and our reliance on markets to run a fair society?  A simple, global reorganization of priorities is all that is required for the people of Earth to live harmoniously.  There are clearly enough resources and the knowledge to efficiently use those resources for everyone on Earth to live well. 

There are simple sacrifices and service activities everyone can do to facilitate this change.  In the US the only people to blame for excessive consumption are ourselves.  I believe it starts with reducing driving, meat consumption, and waste and beginning volunteering time teaching or helping those in need in ones community and many other possibilities, many of which are specific to personal circumstance.  While individually small in scope these things are far more important than supporting political campaigns, which really have a very limited relevance in the overall scope of society.