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Christine Choi
Oct 24, 2009, 3:06:38 AM10/24/09
to English 101 online section #3226, Fall 2009
LACC Fall 2009
English 101
Christine Choi
The social analysis of profligacy in US
At this time of years, it is inevitable to sense the economic
meltdown in US. Most of people are currently familiar with the
bursting of the housing bubble, over expenditure on national security,
and Wall Street’s malfeasance and etc. are one of the reasons for this
chaos. However, people started to realize that the average Americans
also shared the fault of economic crisis by spending too much for too
long. Number of studies point out that country’s expectations
exceeded its ability to satisfy the level of expenditure of American
citizens. Andrew J. Bacevich, a professor of international relations
at Boston University, former director of its Center for International
Relations, opened up his concern towards profligacy culture in US
which was shaped by the own historical background. Since the economic
crisis continues without any immediate solution, Bacevich’s argument
has to be considered with discretion, which can act as a guide to an
actual solution.
Bacevich’s argument was well explained and narrated down on his
recent book, The Limits of Power: The End of American Exceptionalism.
According to Bacevich, the economic ascendancy of the US, world order
and the fundamental strength derived from victory in the context of
European and Japanese destruction after the WWII (Bacevich, 2008).
Throughout the 1950s the US achieved a standard of living that became
the “envy of the world,” but that began to shift in the late Vietnam
War period. From here he moves on to economic decline and the two
different political campaigns of Carter and Reagan. Regan’s victory
introduced a period of spending unsupported by fundamental economic
strength. Trends since then have only continued and debt has
supplemented earning power in American life. At that point, Americans
faced a choice: “curb their appetites and learn to live within their
means, or deploy . . . United States power in hopes of obliging others
to accommodate” them. Eventually, the bills from this profligacy
eventually came due.
One of the authors from the New York Times, Philip Bowring also
pointed out that profligacy is America’s one of the serious problems.
He argues that there is a direct connection between easy credit in the
US, which can encourage consumption, Wall Street irresponsibility,
consumer excess, unsustainable trade imbalances, the return of global
inflation and the worldwide asset price boom can be the reason behind
today’s economic hardship in US (Bowring, 2008). Another article from
New York Times, “Is Freedom Just Another Word for Many Things to Buy?”
opened its article by stating that American people were persuaded by
the society that having more choices means having more freedom
(Schwartz & Markus & Snibbe, 2006). The authors also stated that
“Americans are increasingly bewildered – not liberated – by the sheer
volume of choices they must make in a day” and which can be leaded to
increase in consumption rate (Schwartz & Markus & Snibbe, 2006). Now,
the government tries to focus on saving general expenditure of people
and energy and are started to enforced by creating different
Congressional Bills such as “Accelerated Retirement of Inefficient
Vehicles Act of 2009,” “Sound Management of America’s Resources and
Technologies for Energy Act of 2009,” “Clean Renewable Energy and
Economic Development Act,” and etc (111th Congress Senate Bills,
2009).
However, Robert Reich, an American politician, academic writer, and
political commentator who once served as the 22nd US Secretary of
Labor under President Bill Clinton, presented his different opinion.
He said the real reason behind the high debt rate is not because of
the overconsumption, but the high living expenses due to inflation
which entrapped middle-class citizens to have large debt (Reich,
2008). He also suggested a solution to this problem; “the way to make
sure Americans don’t live beyond their means is to give them back the
means” (Reich, 2008).
There are number of different studies hoping to find the solution for
today’s economic crisis. In a Book “The Limits of Power” tells
readers how historical pathways led Americans to overspend their money
and brought forth irreversibly large amount of debt. Many other
authors supported Bacevich’s argument by stating Americans interpret
the meaning of freedom as having many choices which led people to
consume more. Also on top of that Wall Street malfeasance and housing
bubbles, and etc. made the economy worse. In the other hand, Robert
Reich opposed above argument by stating that the reason behind the
debt is not because of the over consumption, but the high living
expenses and unsecure economic situations. Even though there are
different perspectives about economic problems in US, it is evident
that Americans spent too much until the public debt reached to 7
trillion dollars (Bacevich, 2008). That is the reasons why government
putting in more effort by passing Congressional Bills and enforce
them. There are many different voices and thoughts towards the
current economic meltdown, but there’s something in common to every
articles and researches and that is the hope and wish to find better
solution to keep this nation firm and overcome this economic
crisis.
References
111th Congress Senate Bills. "WAIS Document Retrieval." GPO Acess: US
Government Printing Office. 5 Mar. 2009. 15 Oct. 2009 <http://
frwebgate5.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/TEXTgate.cgi?
WAISdocID=57919653886+0+1+0&WAISaction=retrieve>.
Bacevich, Andrew. The Limits of Power: The End of American
Exceptionalism. New York: Holt Paperbacks, 2009.
Bowring, Philip. "Bowring: Profligacy is America's problem - The New
York Times." The New York Times - Breaking News, World News &
Multimedia. 23 Jan. 2008. 15 Oct. 2009 <http://www.nytimes.com/
2008/01/23/opinion/23iht-edbowring.1.9435972.html>.
Reich, Robert . "Robert Reich's Blog: Post-Meltdown Mythologies (I):
Americans Have Been Living Beyond Their Means." Robert Reich's Blog.
14 Oct. 2008. 15 Oct. 2009 <http://robertreich.blogspot.com/2008/10/
post-meltdown-mythologies-i-americans.html>.
Schwartz, Barry, Hazel Rose Markus, and Alana Conner Snibbe. "Is
Freedom Just Another Word for Many Things to Buy? - New York Times."
The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. 26 Feb.
2006. 15 Oct. 2009 <http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/26/magazine/
26wwln_essay.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=is%20freedom%20just%20another%20word
%20for%20many%20things%20to%20buy?&st=cse>.
English 101
Christine Choi
The social analysis of profligacy in US
At this time of years, it is inevitable to sense the economic
meltdown in US. Most of people are currently familiar with the
bursting of the housing bubble, over expenditure on national security,
and Wall Street’s malfeasance and etc. are one of the reasons for this
chaos. However, people started to realize that the average Americans
also shared the fault of economic crisis by spending too much for too
long. Number of studies point out that country’s expectations
exceeded its ability to satisfy the level of expenditure of American
citizens. Andrew J. Bacevich, a professor of international relations
at Boston University, former director of its Center for International
Relations, opened up his concern towards profligacy culture in US
which was shaped by the own historical background. Since the economic
crisis continues without any immediate solution, Bacevich’s argument
has to be considered with discretion, which can act as a guide to an
actual solution.
Bacevich’s argument was well explained and narrated down on his
recent book, The Limits of Power: The End of American Exceptionalism.
According to Bacevich, the economic ascendancy of the US, world order
and the fundamental strength derived from victory in the context of
European and Japanese destruction after the WWII (Bacevich, 2008).
Throughout the 1950s the US achieved a standard of living that became
the “envy of the world,” but that began to shift in the late Vietnam
War period. From here he moves on to economic decline and the two
different political campaigns of Carter and Reagan. Regan’s victory
introduced a period of spending unsupported by fundamental economic
strength. Trends since then have only continued and debt has
supplemented earning power in American life. At that point, Americans
faced a choice: “curb their appetites and learn to live within their
means, or deploy . . . United States power in hopes of obliging others
to accommodate” them. Eventually, the bills from this profligacy
eventually came due.
One of the authors from the New York Times, Philip Bowring also
pointed out that profligacy is America’s one of the serious problems.
He argues that there is a direct connection between easy credit in the
US, which can encourage consumption, Wall Street irresponsibility,
consumer excess, unsustainable trade imbalances, the return of global
inflation and the worldwide asset price boom can be the reason behind
today’s economic hardship in US (Bowring, 2008). Another article from
New York Times, “Is Freedom Just Another Word for Many Things to Buy?”
opened its article by stating that American people were persuaded by
the society that having more choices means having more freedom
(Schwartz & Markus & Snibbe, 2006). The authors also stated that
“Americans are increasingly bewildered – not liberated – by the sheer
volume of choices they must make in a day” and which can be leaded to
increase in consumption rate (Schwartz & Markus & Snibbe, 2006). Now,
the government tries to focus on saving general expenditure of people
and energy and are started to enforced by creating different
Congressional Bills such as “Accelerated Retirement of Inefficient
Vehicles Act of 2009,” “Sound Management of America’s Resources and
Technologies for Energy Act of 2009,” “Clean Renewable Energy and
Economic Development Act,” and etc (111th Congress Senate Bills,
2009).
However, Robert Reich, an American politician, academic writer, and
political commentator who once served as the 22nd US Secretary of
Labor under President Bill Clinton, presented his different opinion.
He said the real reason behind the high debt rate is not because of
the overconsumption, but the high living expenses due to inflation
which entrapped middle-class citizens to have large debt (Reich,
2008). He also suggested a solution to this problem; “the way to make
sure Americans don’t live beyond their means is to give them back the
means” (Reich, 2008).
There are number of different studies hoping to find the solution for
today’s economic crisis. In a Book “The Limits of Power” tells
readers how historical pathways led Americans to overspend their money
and brought forth irreversibly large amount of debt. Many other
authors supported Bacevich’s argument by stating Americans interpret
the meaning of freedom as having many choices which led people to
consume more. Also on top of that Wall Street malfeasance and housing
bubbles, and etc. made the economy worse. In the other hand, Robert
Reich opposed above argument by stating that the reason behind the
debt is not because of the over consumption, but the high living
expenses and unsecure economic situations. Even though there are
different perspectives about economic problems in US, it is evident
that Americans spent too much until the public debt reached to 7
trillion dollars (Bacevich, 2008). That is the reasons why government
putting in more effort by passing Congressional Bills and enforce
them. There are many different voices and thoughts towards the
current economic meltdown, but there’s something in common to every
articles and researches and that is the hope and wish to find better
solution to keep this nation firm and overcome this economic
crisis.
References
111th Congress Senate Bills. "WAIS Document Retrieval." GPO Acess: US
Government Printing Office. 5 Mar. 2009. 15 Oct. 2009 <http://
frwebgate5.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/TEXTgate.cgi?
WAISdocID=57919653886+0+1+0&WAISaction=retrieve>.
Bacevich, Andrew. The Limits of Power: The End of American
Exceptionalism. New York: Holt Paperbacks, 2009.
Bowring, Philip. "Bowring: Profligacy is America's problem - The New
York Times." The New York Times - Breaking News, World News &
Multimedia. 23 Jan. 2008. 15 Oct. 2009 <http://www.nytimes.com/
2008/01/23/opinion/23iht-edbowring.1.9435972.html>.
Reich, Robert . "Robert Reich's Blog: Post-Meltdown Mythologies (I):
Americans Have Been Living Beyond Their Means." Robert Reich's Blog.
14 Oct. 2008. 15 Oct. 2009 <http://robertreich.blogspot.com/2008/10/
post-meltdown-mythologies-i-americans.html>.
Schwartz, Barry, Hazel Rose Markus, and Alana Conner Snibbe. "Is
Freedom Just Another Word for Many Things to Buy? - New York Times."
The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. 26 Feb.
2006. 15 Oct. 2009 <http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/26/magazine/
26wwln_essay.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=is%20freedom%20just%20another%20word
%20for%20many%20things%20to%20buy?&st=cse>.
Christine Choi
Oct 24, 2009, 3:08:18 AM10/24/09
to English 101 online section #3226, Fall 2009
Anna S
Oct 24, 2009, 5:06:03 AM10/24/09
to English 101 online section #3226, Fall 2009
Anna Sondall
Sec. 3226
U.S. Deficit: The Drowning of America
Andrew Bacevich's 2009 The Limits of Power: The End of American
Exceptionalism gives an accurate description of the fall of the
American empire. The U.S. deficit is at an all time high. America owes
money to many countries. Instead of paying off this debt, the U.S is
only further investing in only further depressing the dollar.
President Obama has created a stimulus package that the U.S. has only
been able to pay out because it has been borrowed. The War on Terror
is just another example of money going towards something that the U.S.
can not afford. As Bacevich states, “rather than insisting that the
world accommodate the United States, Americans need to reassert
control over their own destiny”. American needs to get their spending
in control in order to insure the future success of America.
The U.S. debt has been increasing at a rapid rate. According to the
U.S. National Debt Clock, as of 24 October 2009, the U.S. National
debt has reached eleven trillion, nine hundred and one billion, nine
hundred and thirty million, three hundred and ninety-one thousand, two
hundred and forty-four dollars and eleven cents. Translated to U.S.
population, each citizens share would be thirty-eight thousand, seven
hundred and forty-eight dollars and sixty-six cents. How exactly does
Obama plan to get the U.S. out of debt? By making more thats how. In
the February 26, 2009 article, Calmes states “ President Obama
proposed a ten-year budget....to invest trillions of dollars...in
reshaping the nation's priorities”. It doesn't make sense to spend
more money when the U.S. does not have it in the first place. You
have to spend money to make money but, to get out of debt you have to
budget and pay your bills! America as a whole has to be on board.
Every American owns this debt. Though Americans don't want to spend
more of their money they have to bite the bullet before it destroys
them. In this case, raising taxes could be part of the solution.
President Obama has toyed with the idea but, as Calmes states, “none
of the new taxes and other sources of revenue...would take effect
until the economy recovers”. In the mean time, Obama, just plans to
keep borrowing. The bill H.CON.RES.85 was passed on April 4, 2009
“setting forth the congressional budget for the U.S. Government for
fiscal year 2010 and including the appropriate budgetary levels for
fiscal years 2009 and 2011 through 2014”. Hopefully this budget will
reflect the saving that the U.S. needs to be making. Unfortunately,
“hope” is all that America is clinging on to these days.
President Obama has created a huge stimulus package to help America
get out of debt. This stimulus package is suppose to give money back
to Americans and stimulate the economy. In Fox's January 9, 2009
article Will Obama's Stimulus Package Work?, Fox states that “American
consumers have turned suddenly frugal, they're more likely to save any
extra cash they get than spend it. This may be the right thing for
most people to do, but it won't stimulate the economy”. If people
have the common sense that they should then they should most
definitely use the extra money to pay off their bills and what is left
they should save! Fox goes on to say, “if consumers do spend money on
televisions and cars and such, much of the impact will leak out
overseas to pay for imports”. If Americans do choose not to spend the
money responsibly then the money is going to leave anyway. The money
will head back overseas. This will not help the U.S. if all the money
meant to help is all exported just like everything else.
Obama never wanted this war. In the beginning he wanted to assist
America in getting out of the war. Now Obama has got America into even
more debt by investing in the War on Terror. As Allen and Burns state,
“Obama announced the deployment of more than 4,000 additional troops,
hundreds of civilian specialists and increased foreign aid to
Afghanistan and Pakistan”. The increasing debt from America and the
amount of lost lives seem to be the least of Obama's worries. Allen
and Burns go on to state that Obama “acknowledged that his decision
could try the limits of Americans' patience- particularly the new
investments in civilian nation-building”. Obama knows that this is not
what Americans want, but he is willing to risk that.
In conclusion, Andrew Bacevich has the right idea. He says that
America needs to step up to the plate and take responsibility for our
financial downfalls. It is Americas fault and Americas fault only that
the debt is in the shape it is. If the U.S. wants to see a turn around
then it is the Americans that need to make that happen. This problem
of over spending can stop, but it must start here, now. Americans need
to let their President know that the constant borrowing to pay off
Americans debts will not get America where it needs or should be. The
stimulus package is only a temporary solution to an expanding problem.
Obama should stick to his original plan to bring American troops home,
ending the unnecessary spending in Iraq. American has a difficult road
ahead, but with some common sense and strong will American can and
will prevail.
Allen, Mike. Burns, Alexander. 26 Mar, 2009. Obama's War- New Troops,
New Plan. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/20538.html
Bacevich, Andrew. 2009. The Limits of Power: The End of American
Exceptionalism.
Calmes, Jackie. 26 Feb. 2009. Obama Plans Major Shifts in Spending.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/27/us/politics/27web-budget.html?_r=1&ref=business
Fox, Justin. 9 Jan. 2009. Will Obama's Stimulus Package Work? http://www.
time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1870575,00.html
Spratt, John M. 2 April 2009. H.CON.RES.85
U.S. National Debt Clock. 24 Oct. 2009. http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/
Sec. 3226
U.S. Deficit: The Drowning of America
Andrew Bacevich's 2009 The Limits of Power: The End of American
Exceptionalism gives an accurate description of the fall of the
American empire. The U.S. deficit is at an all time high. America owes
money to many countries. Instead of paying off this debt, the U.S is
only further investing in only further depressing the dollar.
President Obama has created a stimulus package that the U.S. has only
been able to pay out because it has been borrowed. The War on Terror
is just another example of money going towards something that the U.S.
can not afford. As Bacevich states, “rather than insisting that the
world accommodate the United States, Americans need to reassert
control over their own destiny”. American needs to get their spending
in control in order to insure the future success of America.
The U.S. debt has been increasing at a rapid rate. According to the
U.S. National Debt Clock, as of 24 October 2009, the U.S. National
debt has reached eleven trillion, nine hundred and one billion, nine
hundred and thirty million, three hundred and ninety-one thousand, two
hundred and forty-four dollars and eleven cents. Translated to U.S.
population, each citizens share would be thirty-eight thousand, seven
hundred and forty-eight dollars and sixty-six cents. How exactly does
Obama plan to get the U.S. out of debt? By making more thats how. In
the February 26, 2009 article, Calmes states “ President Obama
proposed a ten-year budget....to invest trillions of dollars...in
reshaping the nation's priorities”. It doesn't make sense to spend
more money when the U.S. does not have it in the first place. You
have to spend money to make money but, to get out of debt you have to
budget and pay your bills! America as a whole has to be on board.
Every American owns this debt. Though Americans don't want to spend
more of their money they have to bite the bullet before it destroys
them. In this case, raising taxes could be part of the solution.
President Obama has toyed with the idea but, as Calmes states, “none
of the new taxes and other sources of revenue...would take effect
until the economy recovers”. In the mean time, Obama, just plans to
keep borrowing. The bill H.CON.RES.85 was passed on April 4, 2009
“setting forth the congressional budget for the U.S. Government for
fiscal year 2010 and including the appropriate budgetary levels for
fiscal years 2009 and 2011 through 2014”. Hopefully this budget will
reflect the saving that the U.S. needs to be making. Unfortunately,
“hope” is all that America is clinging on to these days.
President Obama has created a huge stimulus package to help America
get out of debt. This stimulus package is suppose to give money back
to Americans and stimulate the economy. In Fox's January 9, 2009
article Will Obama's Stimulus Package Work?, Fox states that “American
consumers have turned suddenly frugal, they're more likely to save any
extra cash they get than spend it. This may be the right thing for
most people to do, but it won't stimulate the economy”. If people
have the common sense that they should then they should most
definitely use the extra money to pay off their bills and what is left
they should save! Fox goes on to say, “if consumers do spend money on
televisions and cars and such, much of the impact will leak out
overseas to pay for imports”. If Americans do choose not to spend the
money responsibly then the money is going to leave anyway. The money
will head back overseas. This will not help the U.S. if all the money
meant to help is all exported just like everything else.
Obama never wanted this war. In the beginning he wanted to assist
America in getting out of the war. Now Obama has got America into even
more debt by investing in the War on Terror. As Allen and Burns state,
“Obama announced the deployment of more than 4,000 additional troops,
hundreds of civilian specialists and increased foreign aid to
Afghanistan and Pakistan”. The increasing debt from America and the
amount of lost lives seem to be the least of Obama's worries. Allen
and Burns go on to state that Obama “acknowledged that his decision
could try the limits of Americans' patience- particularly the new
investments in civilian nation-building”. Obama knows that this is not
what Americans want, but he is willing to risk that.
In conclusion, Andrew Bacevich has the right idea. He says that
America needs to step up to the plate and take responsibility for our
financial downfalls. It is Americas fault and Americas fault only that
the debt is in the shape it is. If the U.S. wants to see a turn around
then it is the Americans that need to make that happen. This problem
of over spending can stop, but it must start here, now. Americans need
to let their President know that the constant borrowing to pay off
Americans debts will not get America where it needs or should be. The
stimulus package is only a temporary solution to an expanding problem.
Obama should stick to his original plan to bring American troops home,
ending the unnecessary spending in Iraq. American has a difficult road
ahead, but with some common sense and strong will American can and
will prevail.
Allen, Mike. Burns, Alexander. 26 Mar, 2009. Obama's War- New Troops,
New Plan. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/20538.html
Bacevich, Andrew. 2009. The Limits of Power: The End of American
Exceptionalism.
Calmes, Jackie. 26 Feb. 2009. Obama Plans Major Shifts in Spending.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/27/us/politics/27web-budget.html?_r=1&ref=business
Fox, Justin. 9 Jan. 2009. Will Obama's Stimulus Package Work? http://www.
time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1870575,00.html
Spratt, John M. 2 April 2009. H.CON.RES.85
U.S. National Debt Clock. 24 Oct. 2009. http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/
sewon k
Oct 24, 2009, 6:57:26 AM10/24/09
to English 101 online section #3226, Fall 2009
sewon k
LACC Fall 2009
ENG 101
The Debt Is Major Problem of America
Debt is major problems of America. American is seriously misunderstood
about meaning of debt. Debt is money has to be paid back; however
America government and American seem doesn’t care no matter how much
they owed money and would not avoid debt. A first problem is
American’s credit card debt. Second is a foreclosure problem. Final is
America‘s public debt. Those problems are interlocking relation; a
vicious circle. Andrew j. Bacevich calls these problems in his book
the limits of power that crisis of profligacy.
Government data today showed that the household savings rate rose to
6.9 percent in May, the highest since December 1993, as personal
spending increased less than incomes. The rate in April 2008 was zero
[2]. The average family today carries $8,000 in credit card debt
according to the American Bankers' Association. According to a recent
USA Today article about debt, 59% of Baby Boomers have having to
problems. Since cold war is over, America has solo super country in
the world. Dollar is standard currency in world wide. Government
encouraged their citizens to spend. “Reagan added to America’s civic
religion two crucial beliefs: credit has no limits and the bills will
never come due. These wrong ideas led to American in debt problems.
American spends money which ever they would get. When you pay cash,
you can "feel" the money leaving you. This is not true with credit
cards. Flipping a credit card up on a counter registers nothing
emotionally. If you use credit cards instead of cash you will spend
12-18% more. This is money you could have saved[3] in order to
protect American from senseless usage, 110th Congress 2nd session made
S.3252 about protect credit card user. It is saying To amend the
Consumer Credit Protection Act, to ban abusive credit practices,
enhance consumer disclosures, protect underage consumers, and for
other purposes.[4]
Second problem is foreclosure problem. Every media and scholar agrees
that major reason of American and global financial crisis is subprime.
By booming housing market, many American live a profligate lifestyle.
In order to buy house, American had to have money on a loan which they
cannot affordable monthly payment. Sub-prime mortgages carry a much
higher risk of default by the borrower than other kinds of mortgage
lending. As a result, foreclosure activity hits record high Record, Up
23 Percent From Q3 2008 accounting to RealtyTrac®[4] and many
financial company closed. Furthermore, whole world had to suffering
global recession. If American have a curb their appetites we might not
facing global problems however “American, even wartime, refusing to
curb their appetites [page 11]. American fundamental is getting weaker
by this time. Spent more money than they earned with big house
purchase, and American still spend for what they want with credit
card. They keep buying with bad credit and up loan company or bank
rend money with high interest rate even though they are not qualified;
a vicious circle.
Final problem is national debt. Public debt is over 11.4 trillion
dollars. It is same as 39,000 dollar per citizen. Since 9/11, American
government holds two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. According to
Christian Science monitor by 2010, it will be more than 600 billion
dollars will be expensed by Iraq base itself.[5] Final bill could
reach at least $2 trillion.[page 65]. Trade imbalance nearly
quadrupled [page 55] oil imports increased and dependency of foreign
oil. Billions dollars were used to recovery economy and heal coma
market since Bush administration. According to New York Times
government became biggest investor in United States which means
government have to try to control as big stock holder at Wall Street.
Government had to bail out the wall street at the same time government
had to control Well Street too. Well Street has debt with government.
Pursuit of happiness and freedom degenerated into profligacy. If each
American curb on their appetites of profligacy, American’s economy
fundamental would be much stronger then now. If most of American has
strong fundamental, national public debt is not a today’s bad news. If
American control its arrogant. We might not have any end wars. In
conclusion, I repeat that if a person has debt. I would not say that
person is pure freedom but slavery. Proverbs 22:7, "The rich rule over
the poor, and the borrower is slave of the lender" (NRSV). If you're
in debt, then you're a slave because you do not have the pure freedom.
in order to have Pure freedom is not from profligacy however form
temperance and patient heart.
1.Bacevich, Andrew. The Limits of Power: The End of American
3. http://www.daveramsey.com/the_truth_about/credit_card_debt3
www.realtytrac.com
4.http://frwebgate3.access.gpo.gov/cgibin/TEXTgate.cgi?
WAISdocID=38062018838+1+1+0&WAISaction=retrieve
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0519/p01s03-usmi.html
LACC Fall 2009
ENG 101
The Debt Is Major Problem of America
Debt is major problems of America. American is seriously misunderstood
about meaning of debt. Debt is money has to be paid back; however
America government and American seem doesn’t care no matter how much
they owed money and would not avoid debt. A first problem is
American’s credit card debt. Second is a foreclosure problem. Final is
America‘s public debt. Those problems are interlocking relation; a
vicious circle. Andrew j. Bacevich calls these problems in his book
the limits of power that crisis of profligacy.
Government data today showed that the household savings rate rose to
6.9 percent in May, the highest since December 1993, as personal
spending increased less than incomes. The rate in April 2008 was zero
[2]. The average family today carries $8,000 in credit card debt
according to the American Bankers' Association. According to a recent
USA Today article about debt, 59% of Baby Boomers have having to
problems. Since cold war is over, America has solo super country in
the world. Dollar is standard currency in world wide. Government
encouraged their citizens to spend. “Reagan added to America’s civic
religion two crucial beliefs: credit has no limits and the bills will
never come due. These wrong ideas led to American in debt problems.
American spends money which ever they would get. When you pay cash,
you can "feel" the money leaving you. This is not true with credit
cards. Flipping a credit card up on a counter registers nothing
emotionally. If you use credit cards instead of cash you will spend
12-18% more. This is money you could have saved[3] in order to
protect American from senseless usage, 110th Congress 2nd session made
S.3252 about protect credit card user. It is saying To amend the
Consumer Credit Protection Act, to ban abusive credit practices,
enhance consumer disclosures, protect underage consumers, and for
other purposes.[4]
Second problem is foreclosure problem. Every media and scholar agrees
that major reason of American and global financial crisis is subprime.
By booming housing market, many American live a profligate lifestyle.
In order to buy house, American had to have money on a loan which they
cannot affordable monthly payment. Sub-prime mortgages carry a much
higher risk of default by the borrower than other kinds of mortgage
lending. As a result, foreclosure activity hits record high Record, Up
23 Percent From Q3 2008 accounting to RealtyTrac®[4] and many
financial company closed. Furthermore, whole world had to suffering
global recession. If American have a curb their appetites we might not
facing global problems however “American, even wartime, refusing to
curb their appetites [page 11]. American fundamental is getting weaker
by this time. Spent more money than they earned with big house
purchase, and American still spend for what they want with credit
card. They keep buying with bad credit and up loan company or bank
rend money with high interest rate even though they are not qualified;
a vicious circle.
Final problem is national debt. Public debt is over 11.4 trillion
dollars. It is same as 39,000 dollar per citizen. Since 9/11, American
government holds two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. According to
Christian Science monitor by 2010, it will be more than 600 billion
dollars will be expensed by Iraq base itself.[5] Final bill could
reach at least $2 trillion.[page 65]. Trade imbalance nearly
quadrupled [page 55] oil imports increased and dependency of foreign
oil. Billions dollars were used to recovery economy and heal coma
market since Bush administration. According to New York Times
government became biggest investor in United States which means
government have to try to control as big stock holder at Wall Street.
Government had to bail out the wall street at the same time government
had to control Well Street too. Well Street has debt with government.
Pursuit of happiness and freedom degenerated into profligacy. If each
American curb on their appetites of profligacy, American’s economy
fundamental would be much stronger then now. If most of American has
strong fundamental, national public debt is not a today’s bad news. If
American control its arrogant. We might not have any end wars. In
conclusion, I repeat that if a person has debt. I would not say that
person is pure freedom but slavery. Proverbs 22:7, "The rich rule over
the poor, and the borrower is slave of the lender" (NRSV). If you're
in debt, then you're a slave because you do not have the pure freedom.
in order to have Pure freedom is not from profligacy however form
temperance and patient heart.
1.Bacevich, Andrew. The Limits of Power: The End of American
Exceptionalism. New York: Holt Paperbacks, 2009.
2.[http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601]
3. http://www.daveramsey.com/the_truth_about/credit_card_debt3
www.realtytrac.com
4.http://frwebgate3.access.gpo.gov/cgibin/TEXTgate.cgi?
WAISdocID=38062018838+1+1+0&WAISaction=retrieve
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0519/p01s03-usmi.html
Joey Anne
Oct 24, 2009, 2:46:33 PM10/24/09
to English 101 online section #3226, Fall 2009
Joey Anne Pangilinan
English 101
LACC Fall 2009
The Corrupt American Political Culture
By definition, political culture can be defined by the citizen’ and
constituents’ perception of political legitimacy and how they
rationalize what is to be expected of the United States government. In
this case, political culture pays an important role because it
represents and defines the moral value of a society as a whole. Andrew
Bacevich in Limits of Powers states that the “Jeffersonian trinity
summarizes our common inheritance, defines our aspirations, and
provides the touchstone for our influence abroad… ‘Whoever dies with
the most toys wins’; ‘Shop till you drop’; ‘If it feels good, do it.’”
This means that our American society has become naturally selfish and
has only become concerned with matters that concern themselves.
Overall, it appears some Americans have been looking to get more for
their buck, to have the most and win. This idea of survival of the
fittest comes most into play as American’s are fueled by the
unawareness, or scandals that are magnified by the media; some
American’s have forgotten to generate their own personal opinions and
have only become concerned with surviving to be the best.
“A Failure of Leadership in a Flawed Political Culture” by Dan Balz
in the Washington Post, discusses a failing immigration reform
congressional bill. Balz argues that the failed bill will fall on the
shoulders of the political system of those “incapable of finding ways
to resolve the nation’s big challenges.” Balz’s argument explains the
government is lacking the leadership the country looks up to them for.
Balz also quotes Senator Mel Martinez for stating that “The United
States Senate…[has] failed the American people,” because both parties,
Republican and Democrat, were unable to come to a decision that
benefitted the citizens. Because of this, Balz also argues that the
“Washington politicians…[preferred] to engage in political combat
aimed at getting partisan advantage first.” Balz argues that
politicians are primarily concerned with personal advantage above all
other matters. Balz is a perfect example for the selfishness within
our society as he blames the government for the failure of the
immigration reform bill, a disadvantageous step away from progress for
the American society. While Americans like Balz, who take part by
voting for their Representatives, criticize the Senate for lacking the
leadership for immigration reform that do not support their needs; the
senators are looking for partisan benefits before addressing the
nations challenges. This selfishness mirrors Bacevich’s argument on
the crisis of profligacy of obtaining more, “to acquire, to consume,
to indulge…” Aside from a failing bill, here are other cases where the
media plays a role in influencing political culture.
David Brooks in “The Quiet Revolution” of the New York Times
addresses the criticism President Obama has recently been facing for
the lack of change that has been promised at the prime of his
nomination. Brooks recognizes SNL, Saturday Night Live, as a late-
night sketch comedy and variety show that publicly “teased President
Obama for delivering great speeches but not actually bringing change.”
Brooks defends President Obama against this form of media as he
reports of President Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan
creating a $4.3 billion fund for Race to the Top. Race to the Top is
aimed to improve our nation’s educational system, and the $4.3 billion
as leverage, as well as an award to those few states who “aggressively
embraced reform”, Brooks states. This case is an example of the media
playing a role in influencing Americans and the change Americans are
immediately expecting. Some of these Americans are selfishly expecting
the best of the future without a singly ounce of timely patience.
Aside from the media playing a role to magnify the government’s
faults, the media may also be used to enhance and destroy a
reputation.
The Baltimore Case was one of the most scandalous cases that emerged
out of the late eighties. Daniel J. Kevles in “Reflections on the
Baltimore Case” analyzed the case and why it was such importance.
According to Kevles, Margot O’Toole, a young scientist, worked with
Thereza Imanishi-Kari, a cellular immunologist at MIT. O’Toole claimed
that a paper written by Imanishi-Kari and five other co-authors,
including David Baltimore, a Noble laureate and from which the case
name derives, lacked raw data that did not support the paper’s central
claim. Somewhere along the lines of investigating this claim fell into
the hands of Congressman John Dingell. Although Imanishi-Kari was
already cleared of fraud, Dingell saw to reopen the investigation to
enhance his reputation. In 1991, “Balitmore was forced to resign the
presidency of Rockefeller University for having defended Imanishi-
Kari,” as his reputation was being threatened. While Imanishi-Kari was
exonerated on all charges, and “Baltimore was widely recognized for
the courage he had shown—and for the costs he had borne—in resolutely
defending [Imanishia-Kari} for a decade.” Kevles suggests that the
significance of the case would not be important if it hadn’t
“resonated with broader concerns in American life.” Kevles makes a
good point that reflects Bacevich’s initial idea of American’s wanting
to have more for their buck. This claim of scientific fraud fell so
closely with American life, American’s felt cheated as the tax they
pay fund such projects which fueled the media into influencing the
citizen’s perceptive of the situation. Selfish in both cases of
Dingell and the media seeking attention, lives, like Imanishi-Kari and
Baltimore, were ruined.
Bacevich claims “the ethic of self-gratification has firmly
entrenched itself as the defining feature of the American way of
life.” Bacevich subtly claims that American’s have become more and
more selfish in the way that they’ve began to define political
culture. There is no solution, states Bacevich, as authors like Balz,
Brooks, and Kevles examples this idea of self-gratification, but to
“simply…acknowledge it.” In this sense, Balz recognizes American’s
blaming the United States Senate for being incapable of solving
important matters, and Brooks recognizing American’s blaming President
Obama for slow change, and Kevles recognizing America as gullible
enough to follow the scandals of the media for their own sake,
Bacevich’s idea of self-gratification defining political culture is
accurate enough.
References:
Andrew Bacevich. 2008. Limits of Power: The End of American
Exceptionalism. New York: Holt Paperback. October 2009. <http://
books.google.com/books?id=hBXBqjGOkvgC&pg=PA15&lpg=PA15&dq=bacevich
+jeffersonian+trinity+limits+of
+power&source=bl&ots=aMVmX1IFr7&sig=RlzCFI4RtBCExdcTWbIpS7dixeM&hl=en&ei=f0jjStdWkPSxA_rLtLUD&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CBgQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=&f=false>
Dan Balz. 2007. Washington Post. October 2009. <http://
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/07/AR2007060702536.html>
Daniel Brooks. 2009. New York Times. October 2009. <http://
www.nytimes.com/2009/10/23/opinion/23brooks.html?_r=1>
Daniel J. Kevles. 1998. Scientific Fraud and Misconduct in American
Political Culture: Reflections on the Baltimore Case. October 2009.
<http://74.125.155.132/search?q=cache:SkaqlxuOdb4J:pr.caltech.edu/
periodicals/EandS/articles/Kevles%2520Feature.pdf+kelves+reflection
+baltimore+case+feature&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us>
English 101
LACC Fall 2009
The Corrupt American Political Culture
By definition, political culture can be defined by the citizen’ and
constituents’ perception of political legitimacy and how they
rationalize what is to be expected of the United States government. In
this case, political culture pays an important role because it
represents and defines the moral value of a society as a whole. Andrew
Bacevich in Limits of Powers states that the “Jeffersonian trinity
summarizes our common inheritance, defines our aspirations, and
provides the touchstone for our influence abroad… ‘Whoever dies with
the most toys wins’; ‘Shop till you drop’; ‘If it feels good, do it.’”
This means that our American society has become naturally selfish and
has only become concerned with matters that concern themselves.
Overall, it appears some Americans have been looking to get more for
their buck, to have the most and win. This idea of survival of the
fittest comes most into play as American’s are fueled by the
unawareness, or scandals that are magnified by the media; some
American’s have forgotten to generate their own personal opinions and
have only become concerned with surviving to be the best.
“A Failure of Leadership in a Flawed Political Culture” by Dan Balz
in the Washington Post, discusses a failing immigration reform
congressional bill. Balz argues that the failed bill will fall on the
shoulders of the political system of those “incapable of finding ways
to resolve the nation’s big challenges.” Balz’s argument explains the
government is lacking the leadership the country looks up to them for.
Balz also quotes Senator Mel Martinez for stating that “The United
States Senate…[has] failed the American people,” because both parties,
Republican and Democrat, were unable to come to a decision that
benefitted the citizens. Because of this, Balz also argues that the
“Washington politicians…[preferred] to engage in political combat
aimed at getting partisan advantage first.” Balz argues that
politicians are primarily concerned with personal advantage above all
other matters. Balz is a perfect example for the selfishness within
our society as he blames the government for the failure of the
immigration reform bill, a disadvantageous step away from progress for
the American society. While Americans like Balz, who take part by
voting for their Representatives, criticize the Senate for lacking the
leadership for immigration reform that do not support their needs; the
senators are looking for partisan benefits before addressing the
nations challenges. This selfishness mirrors Bacevich’s argument on
the crisis of profligacy of obtaining more, “to acquire, to consume,
to indulge…” Aside from a failing bill, here are other cases where the
media plays a role in influencing political culture.
David Brooks in “The Quiet Revolution” of the New York Times
addresses the criticism President Obama has recently been facing for
the lack of change that has been promised at the prime of his
nomination. Brooks recognizes SNL, Saturday Night Live, as a late-
night sketch comedy and variety show that publicly “teased President
Obama for delivering great speeches but not actually bringing change.”
Brooks defends President Obama against this form of media as he
reports of President Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan
creating a $4.3 billion fund for Race to the Top. Race to the Top is
aimed to improve our nation’s educational system, and the $4.3 billion
as leverage, as well as an award to those few states who “aggressively
embraced reform”, Brooks states. This case is an example of the media
playing a role in influencing Americans and the change Americans are
immediately expecting. Some of these Americans are selfishly expecting
the best of the future without a singly ounce of timely patience.
Aside from the media playing a role to magnify the government’s
faults, the media may also be used to enhance and destroy a
reputation.
The Baltimore Case was one of the most scandalous cases that emerged
out of the late eighties. Daniel J. Kevles in “Reflections on the
Baltimore Case” analyzed the case and why it was such importance.
According to Kevles, Margot O’Toole, a young scientist, worked with
Thereza Imanishi-Kari, a cellular immunologist at MIT. O’Toole claimed
that a paper written by Imanishi-Kari and five other co-authors,
including David Baltimore, a Noble laureate and from which the case
name derives, lacked raw data that did not support the paper’s central
claim. Somewhere along the lines of investigating this claim fell into
the hands of Congressman John Dingell. Although Imanishi-Kari was
already cleared of fraud, Dingell saw to reopen the investigation to
enhance his reputation. In 1991, “Balitmore was forced to resign the
presidency of Rockefeller University for having defended Imanishi-
Kari,” as his reputation was being threatened. While Imanishi-Kari was
exonerated on all charges, and “Baltimore was widely recognized for
the courage he had shown—and for the costs he had borne—in resolutely
defending [Imanishia-Kari} for a decade.” Kevles suggests that the
significance of the case would not be important if it hadn’t
“resonated with broader concerns in American life.” Kevles makes a
good point that reflects Bacevich’s initial idea of American’s wanting
to have more for their buck. This claim of scientific fraud fell so
closely with American life, American’s felt cheated as the tax they
pay fund such projects which fueled the media into influencing the
citizen’s perceptive of the situation. Selfish in both cases of
Dingell and the media seeking attention, lives, like Imanishi-Kari and
Baltimore, were ruined.
Bacevich claims “the ethic of self-gratification has firmly
entrenched itself as the defining feature of the American way of
life.” Bacevich subtly claims that American’s have become more and
more selfish in the way that they’ve began to define political
culture. There is no solution, states Bacevich, as authors like Balz,
Brooks, and Kevles examples this idea of self-gratification, but to
“simply…acknowledge it.” In this sense, Balz recognizes American’s
blaming the United States Senate for being incapable of solving
important matters, and Brooks recognizing American’s blaming President
Obama for slow change, and Kevles recognizing America as gullible
enough to follow the scandals of the media for their own sake,
Bacevich’s idea of self-gratification defining political culture is
accurate enough.
References:
Andrew Bacevich. 2008. Limits of Power: The End of American
Exceptionalism. New York: Holt Paperback. October 2009. <http://
books.google.com/books?id=hBXBqjGOkvgC&pg=PA15&lpg=PA15&dq=bacevich
+jeffersonian+trinity+limits+of
+power&source=bl&ots=aMVmX1IFr7&sig=RlzCFI4RtBCExdcTWbIpS7dixeM&hl=en&ei=f0jjStdWkPSxA_rLtLUD&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CBgQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=&f=false>
Dan Balz. 2007. Washington Post. October 2009. <http://
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/07/AR2007060702536.html>
Daniel Brooks. 2009. New York Times. October 2009. <http://
www.nytimes.com/2009/10/23/opinion/23brooks.html?_r=1>
Daniel J. Kevles. 1998. Scientific Fraud and Misconduct in American
Political Culture: Reflections on the Baltimore Case. October 2009.
<http://74.125.155.132/search?q=cache:SkaqlxuOdb4J:pr.caltech.edu/
periodicals/EandS/articles/Kevles%2520Feature.pdf+kelves+reflection
+baltimore+case+feature&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us>
Karey
Oct 24, 2009, 5:56:29 PM10/24/09
to English 101 online section #3226, Fall 2009
Karey De Leon
English 101
Professor O'Connel
LACC Fall 2009
Greedy Little Bastards: Consumerism and the “Great” Credit-Card Crisis
“Neither a borrower nor a lender be;
For loan oft loses both itself and friend,
And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.”
William Shakespeare (Hamlet, Act I, s. iii)
For decades, the Unites States consumer has been cajoled by credit
card companies into spending beyond her means with promises of love,
companionship, happiness and prosperity: “Hot cocoa - $2.99, ice
skates- $34.26, gloves- $5.62; Spending a Wednesday afternoon with
your daughter, Priceless.” Credit card companies have invested
billions of dollars in advertising alone, with the sole purpose of
luring the consumer into spending. This “luring” or so-called
“predatory lending practices” has not required any significant arm-
twisting, however. We are a nation of consumers who insist on instant
gratification and who greedily strive to look, smell and live
wealthier than the Joneses- what Bacevich refers to as “profligacy.”
Consumers have gotten themselves into such a heap of trouble that the
government is now forced to step in with an array of tax-payer-funded
“bail-outs.” Yet, many argue that government intervention is actually
the proliferation of politician pocket-lining. In other words, the
credit card companies, consumers and the government are in a triune
greed-based relationship which is at the root of the United States’
current economic demise.
As Bacevich argues, “The restless search for a buck and the ruthless
elimination of anyone- or anything-standing in the way of doing so
have long been central to the American character.” (Bacevich, 2009, p.
17) Nowhere is this more evident than in American consumerism.
Americans are so caught up in the culture of instant gratification and
the overwhelming desire to appear to have more than their next door
neighbors, that they are willing to “fake it ‘til they make it.”
Enter: credit cards. Credit cards enable the American consumer to
spend well beyond their means. Like the “Wimpy” character in the old
Popeye cartoons, American consumers are willing to pay for tomorrow
what they can have today.
As of 2006, there were nearly 1.5 billion credit cards in
circulation. Between 2000 and 2006, even as Americans’ monetary take-
home pay was relatively stagnant and their savings non-existent,
credit-card borrowing rose by about thirty per cent. (Surowiecki,
2009) Even now, as inflation increases costs, salaries remain
stagnant, job loss increases and Americans have less to spend, credit
card spending is all the more enticing. Thus, using credit cards has
become a promising option for many to maintain their lifestyles.
Indeed, overall U.S. credit card debt grew by 435% from 2002 to 2007,
from $211 billion to approximately $915 billion. (Schechter, 2008)
Consumers’ willingness to spend beyond their means has proven very
profitable for credit-card companies. Indeed, credit cards comprise
about 14 percent of all consumer loans. (Rexrode, 2008) Between 2003
and 2008, credit card companies’ profits jumped forty-five per cent.
(Surowiecki, 2009). Credit card companies have built an entire
industry on the new consumer. In 2007 alone, 5.2 billion offers for
new cards were routinely mailed. (Surowiecki, 2009).
Yet, while excessive borrowing has increased companies’ profits, it
also increased their risks. In the U.S. alone, there are more than
$850 billion in unpaid credit card balances. That number is fast
approaching $1 trillion, roughly the same amount as in the subprime
market. (Schechter, 2008)
Once the economic slowdown began, companies quickly discovered that
their defaulted accounts rose to almost 7.5 per cent in December 2008,
an increase of forty per cent from December 2007. As unemployment
continues to rise, the number of people who are unable to pay their
bills will grow. (Surowiecki, 2009) Now, credit-card companies are
doing everything in their power to lower their risks, including,
increasing interest rates, shutting down accounts and shrinking credit
lines.
As the consumers cry, “Uncle!” the government had stepped in. Senator
Christopher Dodd has authored the Credit Card Accountability
Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009. The most significant
aspect of the Act is that is amends the Truth in Lending Act to
require advance notice of any increase in a credit card annual
percentage rate. However, it does not prevent credit card companies
from increasing interest rates altogether. Seemingly, the government
called into question both the American consumers’ irresponsible rate
of spending, as well as the credit card companies’ predatory
practices. Indeed, when President Obama signed the Act, he warned,
“We're not going to give people a free pass, and we expect consumers
to live within their means and pay what they owe, but we also expect
financial institutions to act with the same sense of responsibility
that the American people aspire to in their own lives,” (Travers and
Wolf, 2009)
Driving home Bacevich’s point that the actions of the legislative
branch are ill-informed and influenced by a desire to benefit itself
(Bacevich, 2009, p. 69), critics argue that those who are now
purportedly fixing the credit crisis may have actually been the ones
who benefitted most from its creation. In his recent documentary film
Capitalism: A Love Story, film-maker Michael Moore criticizes Senator
Christopher Dodd and other government officials for benefiting from
exclusive financial programs. Moore criticizes Dodd in particular for
predatory lending practices concerning which Moore argues he turned a
blind-eye while he was Chair of the Senate Banking Committee.
References
Dodd, Sen. Christopher, 2009, February 11. S:414: Credit Card
Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009: A bill to
Moore, Michael, 2009, Capitalism: A Love Story
Rexrode, Christina, 2008, October 28. Are credit cards the next
collapse? The Huffington Post.
Schechter, Danny, 2008, June 25. House of Cards: You thought the
housing crisis was bad? You ain’t seen nothing yet. Los Angeles City
Beat
Surowiecki, James, 2009, March 16. House Of Cards. The New Yorker
Travers, Karen and Wolf, Z. Byron, 2009, May 22. Obama Signs Credit
Card Bill, Says Consumers and Lenders Need to Act More Responsibly.
ABC News
English 101
Professor O'Connel
LACC Fall 2009
Greedy Little Bastards: Consumerism and the “Great” Credit-Card Crisis
“Neither a borrower nor a lender be;
For loan oft loses both itself and friend,
And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.”
William Shakespeare (Hamlet, Act I, s. iii)
For decades, the Unites States consumer has been cajoled by credit
card companies into spending beyond her means with promises of love,
companionship, happiness and prosperity: “Hot cocoa - $2.99, ice
skates- $34.26, gloves- $5.62; Spending a Wednesday afternoon with
your daughter, Priceless.” Credit card companies have invested
billions of dollars in advertising alone, with the sole purpose of
luring the consumer into spending. This “luring” or so-called
“predatory lending practices” has not required any significant arm-
twisting, however. We are a nation of consumers who insist on instant
gratification and who greedily strive to look, smell and live
wealthier than the Joneses- what Bacevich refers to as “profligacy.”
Consumers have gotten themselves into such a heap of trouble that the
government is now forced to step in with an array of tax-payer-funded
“bail-outs.” Yet, many argue that government intervention is actually
the proliferation of politician pocket-lining. In other words, the
credit card companies, consumers and the government are in a triune
greed-based relationship which is at the root of the United States’
current economic demise.
As Bacevich argues, “The restless search for a buck and the ruthless
elimination of anyone- or anything-standing in the way of doing so
have long been central to the American character.” (Bacevich, 2009, p.
17) Nowhere is this more evident than in American consumerism.
Americans are so caught up in the culture of instant gratification and
the overwhelming desire to appear to have more than their next door
neighbors, that they are willing to “fake it ‘til they make it.”
Enter: credit cards. Credit cards enable the American consumer to
spend well beyond their means. Like the “Wimpy” character in the old
Popeye cartoons, American consumers are willing to pay for tomorrow
what they can have today.
As of 2006, there were nearly 1.5 billion credit cards in
circulation. Between 2000 and 2006, even as Americans’ monetary take-
home pay was relatively stagnant and their savings non-existent,
credit-card borrowing rose by about thirty per cent. (Surowiecki,
2009) Even now, as inflation increases costs, salaries remain
stagnant, job loss increases and Americans have less to spend, credit
card spending is all the more enticing. Thus, using credit cards has
become a promising option for many to maintain their lifestyles.
Indeed, overall U.S. credit card debt grew by 435% from 2002 to 2007,
from $211 billion to approximately $915 billion. (Schechter, 2008)
Consumers’ willingness to spend beyond their means has proven very
profitable for credit-card companies. Indeed, credit cards comprise
about 14 percent of all consumer loans. (Rexrode, 2008) Between 2003
and 2008, credit card companies’ profits jumped forty-five per cent.
(Surowiecki, 2009). Credit card companies have built an entire
industry on the new consumer. In 2007 alone, 5.2 billion offers for
new cards were routinely mailed. (Surowiecki, 2009).
Yet, while excessive borrowing has increased companies’ profits, it
also increased their risks. In the U.S. alone, there are more than
$850 billion in unpaid credit card balances. That number is fast
approaching $1 trillion, roughly the same amount as in the subprime
market. (Schechter, 2008)
Once the economic slowdown began, companies quickly discovered that
their defaulted accounts rose to almost 7.5 per cent in December 2008,
an increase of forty per cent from December 2007. As unemployment
continues to rise, the number of people who are unable to pay their
bills will grow. (Surowiecki, 2009) Now, credit-card companies are
doing everything in their power to lower their risks, including,
increasing interest rates, shutting down accounts and shrinking credit
lines.
As the consumers cry, “Uncle!” the government had stepped in. Senator
Christopher Dodd has authored the Credit Card Accountability
Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009. The most significant
aspect of the Act is that is amends the Truth in Lending Act to
require advance notice of any increase in a credit card annual
percentage rate. However, it does not prevent credit card companies
from increasing interest rates altogether. Seemingly, the government
called into question both the American consumers’ irresponsible rate
of spending, as well as the credit card companies’ predatory
practices. Indeed, when President Obama signed the Act, he warned,
“We're not going to give people a free pass, and we expect consumers
to live within their means and pay what they owe, but we also expect
financial institutions to act with the same sense of responsibility
that the American people aspire to in their own lives,” (Travers and
Wolf, 2009)
Driving home Bacevich’s point that the actions of the legislative
branch are ill-informed and influenced by a desire to benefit itself
(Bacevich, 2009, p. 69), critics argue that those who are now
purportedly fixing the credit crisis may have actually been the ones
who benefitted most from its creation. In his recent documentary film
Capitalism: A Love Story, film-maker Michael Moore criticizes Senator
Christopher Dodd and other government officials for benefiting from
exclusive financial programs. Moore criticizes Dodd in particular for
predatory lending practices concerning which Moore argues he turned a
blind-eye while he was Chair of the Senate Banking Committee.
References
Dodd, Sen. Christopher, 2009, February 11. S:414: Credit Card
Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009: A bill to
amend the Consumer Credit Protection Act, to ban abusive credit
practices, enhance consumer disclosures, protect underage consumers,
and for other purposes. U.S. Senate
practices, enhance consumer disclosures, protect underage consumers,
Moore, Michael, 2009, Capitalism: A Love Story
Rexrode, Christina, 2008, October 28. Are credit cards the next
collapse? The Huffington Post.
Schechter, Danny, 2008, June 25. House of Cards: You thought the
housing crisis was bad? You ain’t seen nothing yet. Los Angeles City
Beat
Surowiecki, James, 2009, March 16. House Of Cards. The New Yorker
Travers, Karen and Wolf, Z. Byron, 2009, May 22. Obama Signs Credit
Card Bill, Says Consumers and Lenders Need to Act More Responsibly.
ABC News
Joey Anne
Oct 24, 2009, 7:08:33 PM10/24/09
to English 101 online section #3226, Fall 2009
Joey Anne Pangilinan
Mama has always said that she has been tremendously blessed with the
beauty that mirrors the Gods. With silky blond hair, curvaceous lips,
eyes like the color of the ocean, and a well-endowed bosom, Bridget
Norrington is used to being flattered. Flattery is most common amongst
her family of three beautiful women, and they have been trained from
birth to beguile and flirt and please, with only one all but handsome
brother. Her mother’s sister, Margaret, was an Honourable, lucky
enough to have married an earl. They’ve taken pride in their relation
to her, but the time is ripe for her sisters and her to be courted by
the best of the best of bachelors to finally make a name for their
family so that they may finally take, what they thought was, their
rightful place in 1920’s England.
“The Gods have not forgotten us,” Mama has always said. “We will be
amongst the wealthy and dine in luxury when just one of my daughters
catches the right eye and seals the bond in holy matrimony.”
So here she was now, in Vienna watching the most boring of all operas
her mother forced her into watching, convinced Bridget’s slashed
sapphire velvet sleeves will catch the eye of a suitable bachelor. And
sure enough, just outside of her family box was a stag dressed
impressively in his finest, waiting for her to draw the curtains.
“Enchanted,” he said bowing down. She took the time to study him, and
from the rich way his golden blond hair slicked back and his matching
moustache curled at its’ end, she knew this was the one. Not bad
looking either, she thought.
“The pleasure is mine,” she said offering her hand.
He smiled as he took it. “I should like to know your name.”
“Bridget Norrington, kind sir. And your name, may I inquire?”
He smiled smugly. “Lord. That would be Lord Gregory Tremayne.”
Oh a Lord! Mama would be so proud, Bridget thought.
“And may I interest you to dine with me this evening, my dear?” he
said. She smiled in answer and took hold of the crook of his arm.
On the drive to the restaurant, Lord Gregory Tremayne, she would
never be able to get used to saying his name, kept vague to enlighten
her of his lineage. She must love me for me and not of my title,
Gregory thought. Little did he know, Bridget Norrington was raised
selfish to believe there was no such thing as love for one another,
but love for luxury and wealth. Of course it wouldn’t matter to Mama
if he were tolerable or not, but rather the title and money bound to
his name. She thought to herself she would first see to it if this man
were tolerable enough, despite my mother’s wishes, if she were to
convince him to marry her. After all, it is one’s duty to feed our
souls with our natural passions, for the aim in life is self-
development, she thought.
The dinner was fairly tolerable; he spoke mostly of his likes and
dislikes, and occasionally asked her of her own likes and dislikes.
She smiled at him flirtatiously, and laughed at his dim-witted jokes,
and was sure to keep him interested until the end of the night when he
directed his driver to take her to her family’s vacationing home in
Vienna. Departing with a single kiss on the cheek, she left him at the
front door. She will be the death of me, thought Gregory, as he walked
back to his waiting car. Once inside, Bridget shared all the events of
her day with her mother. They squealed with joy and laughter, and
ordered Adam, her repulsive older brother, to look into the name of
the man she dined with that evening. The next morning, as efficient as
he is, Adam came wide eyed with The Heyfold Herald in one hand to
report that Lord Gregory Tremayne, an only child, is the heir to his
recently deceased father’s, Duke of Heyfold, many estates. Lord
Gregory Tremayne was promised £300 million if he married within the
year.
For the next month, she has been secretly impatient waiting for a
marriage proposal while Lord Gregory Tremayne sought first to court
her into taking a liking to him, when she surely was already in love,
or rather with his money and her future title. I believe it in the way
that she says my name, the way her eyes glitter, that she loves me,
Gregory thought. And on the second week of the second month of their
courting, the Norrington’s prayers were answered when Gregory slipped
an engagement ring the size of her fist on her slim finger and
promised her a life even Aunt Margaret an Honourable would appear
diminutive. She accepted gracefully, quick to prepare for her wedding,
to take place within the week, to her future title.
On the day of their marriage, she played the role of an immaculate
bride and devoted wife until their bond was sealed with a gentle, yet
promising, kiss, which pronounced her Duchess. And on the night of the
wedding, where she promised to honor her vows and promised her body,
they made love. Throughout the night, and when they made love, Gregory
thought to tell her of his father’s many debts and that would
inevitably fall them into bankruptcy, but he so steadily believed in
the love in her eyes that she will stand by him even at their darkest
of hours. He felt it unnecessary to mention the massive overdue debts
and payments his father has left unfinished, borrowing from other
noblemen to keep from being ruined.
It was only the next morning, where she decided to take her place in
a first-class train cart trip to Paris, France to splurge on a
shopping spree. Pinpointing her new husband in his study piled under
stacks of official papers, that she request him to open accounts at
the finest of stores. Though he smiled, she knew he was troubled, and
as his smile failed to reach his eyes, there was nothing she cared
more about than to face luxury head on in Paris, France. While she was
already imagining the first-class trip and the joy of purchasing
without a care of costs, that he told her. She slumped into the
closest chair, feeling cheated and betrayed by her so-called beloved.
Duke Gregory Tremayne, who swore his love for her, felt it unnecessary
to mention his father’s debts because they were his responsibility and
not his wife’s. Bridget then learned that the promised £300 million at
the first signature of marriage was largely decreased to a mere £37
thousand. Hardly enough to secure a promising future, she thought.
Now six months into the marriage now, and she has not faced the
luxury of wealth, but the diminishing of it. Though her shared title
with her deceiving husband, to anyone’s ear, is still quite
impressive, their bank accounts were not. She has yet to tell her
mother that there is no money, and there will be no grand balls, or
dining with noblemen. She felt she has been tricked into a marriage
only to come out with nothing to show for it. A waste of my beauty my
mother would think, she thought.
“But it is our initial love for each other that will prevail above all
things for what we created together,” Gregory would repeat with
earnest eyes as his hand reached out to her swelling belly. But I do
not love you, she would counter in her thoughts, I never did, there is
no such thing as love.
It didn’t take long before The Heyfold Herald was hinting headlining
titles such as “Is Duke of Heyfold Nearly Ruined?” or “Duchess Finds
Herself Bearing and Bankrupt” that she began feeling sorry for herself
and her declining reputation, that she sought comfort elsewhere. And
after the birth of their twin son and daughter, that Duke Gregory
Tremayne had learned of her many affairs with the men of the staff
household that he finally realized she did not love him but for the
money and reputation of him that she learned from the Heyfold Herald
the night he sought to court her that she expected—nay, knew the
wealth would be shared with her. And in turn, Duke Gregory Tremayne,
like his selfishly cynic wife, felt cheated into a marriage on false
pretenses. He cursed himself into believing there was such thing as
love with a beautiful woman, like Bridget Norrington, and swore to
raise his son and daughter without the influence of greed and
selfishness, and without a care for the reputation produced by the
media, that so clearly was embedded into their young mother.
In the final years of their life and marriage, he was able to make
profit off of some of his father’s estates and gain back his wealth
through careful decisions. And when his selfish wife came crawling
back to him, promising devotion and love, he allowed her the shopping
spree she so desperately wanted and fed her all the money she could
have ever wanted so long as she play no part in raising their
children. Objecting at first as she is their mother, Bridget gave in
at the first offer of a bottomless account under her own name. Since
then Duke Gregory Tremayne and his wife, Bridget Norrington, slept in
separate quarters.
LACC Fall 2009
English 101
False Pretenses: A Narrative of Deceit for Personal Gain
English 101
Mama has always said that she has been tremendously blessed with the
beauty that mirrors the Gods. With silky blond hair, curvaceous lips,
eyes like the color of the ocean, and a well-endowed bosom, Bridget
Norrington is used to being flattered. Flattery is most common amongst
her family of three beautiful women, and they have been trained from
birth to beguile and flirt and please, with only one all but handsome
brother. Her mother’s sister, Margaret, was an Honourable, lucky
enough to have married an earl. They’ve taken pride in their relation
to her, but the time is ripe for her sisters and her to be courted by
the best of the best of bachelors to finally make a name for their
family so that they may finally take, what they thought was, their
rightful place in 1920’s England.
“The Gods have not forgotten us,” Mama has always said. “We will be
amongst the wealthy and dine in luxury when just one of my daughters
catches the right eye and seals the bond in holy matrimony.”
So here she was now, in Vienna watching the most boring of all operas
her mother forced her into watching, convinced Bridget’s slashed
sapphire velvet sleeves will catch the eye of a suitable bachelor. And
sure enough, just outside of her family box was a stag dressed
impressively in his finest, waiting for her to draw the curtains.
“Enchanted,” he said bowing down. She took the time to study him, and
from the rich way his golden blond hair slicked back and his matching
moustache curled at its’ end, she knew this was the one. Not bad
looking either, she thought.
“The pleasure is mine,” she said offering her hand.
He smiled as he took it. “I should like to know your name.”
“Bridget Norrington, kind sir. And your name, may I inquire?”
He smiled smugly. “Lord. That would be Lord Gregory Tremayne.”
Oh a Lord! Mama would be so proud, Bridget thought.
“And may I interest you to dine with me this evening, my dear?” he
said. She smiled in answer and took hold of the crook of his arm.
On the drive to the restaurant, Lord Gregory Tremayne, she would
never be able to get used to saying his name, kept vague to enlighten
her of his lineage. She must love me for me and not of my title,
Gregory thought. Little did he know, Bridget Norrington was raised
selfish to believe there was no such thing as love for one another,
but love for luxury and wealth. Of course it wouldn’t matter to Mama
if he were tolerable or not, but rather the title and money bound to
his name. She thought to herself she would first see to it if this man
were tolerable enough, despite my mother’s wishes, if she were to
convince him to marry her. After all, it is one’s duty to feed our
souls with our natural passions, for the aim in life is self-
development, she thought.
The dinner was fairly tolerable; he spoke mostly of his likes and
dislikes, and occasionally asked her of her own likes and dislikes.
She smiled at him flirtatiously, and laughed at his dim-witted jokes,
and was sure to keep him interested until the end of the night when he
directed his driver to take her to her family’s vacationing home in
Vienna. Departing with a single kiss on the cheek, she left him at the
front door. She will be the death of me, thought Gregory, as he walked
back to his waiting car. Once inside, Bridget shared all the events of
her day with her mother. They squealed with joy and laughter, and
ordered Adam, her repulsive older brother, to look into the name of
the man she dined with that evening. The next morning, as efficient as
he is, Adam came wide eyed with The Heyfold Herald in one hand to
report that Lord Gregory Tremayne, an only child, is the heir to his
recently deceased father’s, Duke of Heyfold, many estates. Lord
Gregory Tremayne was promised £300 million if he married within the
year.
For the next month, she has been secretly impatient waiting for a
marriage proposal while Lord Gregory Tremayne sought first to court
her into taking a liking to him, when she surely was already in love,
or rather with his money and her future title. I believe it in the way
that she says my name, the way her eyes glitter, that she loves me,
Gregory thought. And on the second week of the second month of their
courting, the Norrington’s prayers were answered when Gregory slipped
an engagement ring the size of her fist on her slim finger and
promised her a life even Aunt Margaret an Honourable would appear
diminutive. She accepted gracefully, quick to prepare for her wedding,
to take place within the week, to her future title.
On the day of their marriage, she played the role of an immaculate
bride and devoted wife until their bond was sealed with a gentle, yet
promising, kiss, which pronounced her Duchess. And on the night of the
wedding, where she promised to honor her vows and promised her body,
they made love. Throughout the night, and when they made love, Gregory
thought to tell her of his father’s many debts and that would
inevitably fall them into bankruptcy, but he so steadily believed in
the love in her eyes that she will stand by him even at their darkest
of hours. He felt it unnecessary to mention the massive overdue debts
and payments his father has left unfinished, borrowing from other
noblemen to keep from being ruined.
It was only the next morning, where she decided to take her place in
a first-class train cart trip to Paris, France to splurge on a
shopping spree. Pinpointing her new husband in his study piled under
stacks of official papers, that she request him to open accounts at
the finest of stores. Though he smiled, she knew he was troubled, and
as his smile failed to reach his eyes, there was nothing she cared
more about than to face luxury head on in Paris, France. While she was
already imagining the first-class trip and the joy of purchasing
without a care of costs, that he told her. She slumped into the
closest chair, feeling cheated and betrayed by her so-called beloved.
Duke Gregory Tremayne, who swore his love for her, felt it unnecessary
to mention his father’s debts because they were his responsibility and
not his wife’s. Bridget then learned that the promised £300 million at
the first signature of marriage was largely decreased to a mere £37
thousand. Hardly enough to secure a promising future, she thought.
Now six months into the marriage now, and she has not faced the
luxury of wealth, but the diminishing of it. Though her shared title
with her deceiving husband, to anyone’s ear, is still quite
impressive, their bank accounts were not. She has yet to tell her
mother that there is no money, and there will be no grand balls, or
dining with noblemen. She felt she has been tricked into a marriage
only to come out with nothing to show for it. A waste of my beauty my
mother would think, she thought.
“But it is our initial love for each other that will prevail above all
things for what we created together,” Gregory would repeat with
earnest eyes as his hand reached out to her swelling belly. But I do
not love you, she would counter in her thoughts, I never did, there is
no such thing as love.
It didn’t take long before The Heyfold Herald was hinting headlining
titles such as “Is Duke of Heyfold Nearly Ruined?” or “Duchess Finds
Herself Bearing and Bankrupt” that she began feeling sorry for herself
and her declining reputation, that she sought comfort elsewhere. And
after the birth of their twin son and daughter, that Duke Gregory
Tremayne had learned of her many affairs with the men of the staff
household that he finally realized she did not love him but for the
money and reputation of him that she learned from the Heyfold Herald
the night he sought to court her that she expected—nay, knew the
wealth would be shared with her. And in turn, Duke Gregory Tremayne,
like his selfishly cynic wife, felt cheated into a marriage on false
pretenses. He cursed himself into believing there was such thing as
love with a beautiful woman, like Bridget Norrington, and swore to
raise his son and daughter without the influence of greed and
selfishness, and without a care for the reputation produced by the
media, that so clearly was embedded into their young mother.
In the final years of their life and marriage, he was able to make
profit off of some of his father’s estates and gain back his wealth
through careful decisions. And when his selfish wife came crawling
back to him, promising devotion and love, he allowed her the shopping
spree she so desperately wanted and fed her all the money she could
have ever wanted so long as she play no part in raising their
children. Objecting at first as she is their mother, Bridget gave in
at the first offer of a bottomless account under her own name. Since
then Duke Gregory Tremayne and his wife, Bridget Norrington, slept in
separate quarters.
Caroline D
Oct 24, 2009, 10:29:41 PM10/24/09
to English 101 online section #3226, Fall 2009
There is no doubt in my mind that America is in a crisis. We are
suffering a crash in the economy for a while now. The average American
household with more than $8,000 in credit card debt and growing,
making it to consider what has led to the current American economic
state. Surprising thing about this statistic isn’t that its so widely
known. Rather, its that the statistic paints a picture that’s just
plain wrong. In his 2009 book, The Limits of Power, Andrew Bacevich
traces back the American citizen's spending habits to Ronald Reagan,
who the author says is guilty of instilling in Americans the belief
“Credit has no limits, and the bills will never come due.” The
economic downturn has made the unemployment rate turn into the
millions, yet us the consumers continue to fall prey to marketing ads
of the latest trends making them are lifestyle necessities. What we do
so that we may have these necessities when there is money in the bank
at the time of purchase is we put it on credit, telling our self that
we will pay it off later. Many consider credit cards very helpful but
others take an evil advantage to shop without limits and create a big
debt in their credit history then there are those like me that will
not get a credit card because if you can pay for it in cash then it
not to be bought at that time but maybe at a later one. The Unites
States government has attempted to propose solutions towards recovery
from reckless citizen spending and abusive credit card company
practices, such as seen in the recently signed Credit Card Act of 2009
(H.R.627), which has the potential of limiting the amount of credit
extended towards consumers dependent upon factors of ability to pay,
while also demanding fair practices from the credit card companies
that will enable consumers to pay off their debt within reasonable
guidelines.
Bacevich states “The ethic of self-gratification has firmly
entrenched itself as the
defining feature of the American way of life.” It’s true that there is
a pressure to accumulate material goods in order to achieve a high
social class ranking. But Buying the newest, biggest, and best, has
become an all-consuming need in itself. Billions of dollars are used
annually on product advertising, with the primary objective of
convincing consumers that they “need” the goods being sold rather then
a want. In Susan Josephson article What Advertising Does to Us she
says “advertising is structured to cause us to imitate and want what
we see. It stimulates desire and asks us to act. This makes
advertising potentially more dangerous than any other art form. If
there is any art that is capable of killing America's soul, it is
advertising.” With all of the advertising that there like on
billboards as we drive to work or school, on the walls of stores when
we shop, in magazines and newspapers, on television, and on the
products we use. We even get them in our mail and lets not forget junk
emails. With all the temptation to buy everything we see we resort to
using credit card. It is necessary to consider that if working hard
enough to earn the money required to purchase whatever desired lavish
product were enough of a simple means to an end, consumerism may not
be such a grand-scale problem. Unfortunately, consumers possess the
tenacity for buying beyond their means, rationalizing that the product
is essential in fulfilling their lives. MasterCard/ Visa card
representatives “recruit” eager, young college students with the
assurance the only way to build good credit is to possess a credit
card. Lost along the way is the tiny fine print that supposedly
spells out every regulation, condition, limitation, penalty, etc.,
that accompanies the credit card which few consumers read, and even
fewer comprehend. Credit card companies have preyed upon consumer
ignorance by ballooning attractively low introductory rates to
unconscionably high rates, leaving consumers drowning in rapidly
soaring bad credit card debt. This new law strives to fulfill
President Obama promise, said at his May 14, 2009, at town hall
meeting in Rio Rancho, “…all forms and statements that credit card
companies send out have to be in plain language, in plain sight. No
more fine print, no more confusing terms, no more hiding the truth.
We're going to require clarity and transparency from now on.” this law
will require these companies to adhere to fair practices towards
consumers, so that Individuals will then be provided a better
opportunity at achieving debt reduction and elimination.
Going far back into the history of Americans, the concept of having
more is better, it has been embedded in the American culture,
persuading citizens and presidents alike, that possessions, power,
money, etc., is the road to happiness. But on the other hand the money
has run out, but still the driving desire to consume and possess the
bigger better things has not subsided along the way. Government must
act in the better interest of Main Street rather than Wall Street, and
fulfill their obligation of representing the American citizens. These
changes will lead the American nation on a course towards a better
quality of life. It’s like President Obama said in his speech “Let's
make the tough choices now, so that we've got a better future for
America.” With the tough choice of holding back on the things we want
rather then need the future for Americans with credit card debt will
be better.
References
Bacevich, A. (2009) The limits of power.
Remarks by President Obama at Rio Rancho Town Hall Meeting, May 14,
2009
http://www.enewspf.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7554:remarks-by-president-obama-at-rio-rancho-town-hall-meeting-may-14-2009&catid=88888983:latest-national-news&Itemid=88889930
Susan Josephson, September 1996, What Advertising Does to Us
http://www.worldandihomeschool.com/public_articles/1996/september/wis15446.asp
Open Congress
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h627/show
suffering a crash in the economy for a while now. The average American
household with more than $8,000 in credit card debt and growing,
making it to consider what has led to the current American economic
state. Surprising thing about this statistic isn’t that its so widely
known. Rather, its that the statistic paints a picture that’s just
plain wrong. In his 2009 book, The Limits of Power, Andrew Bacevich
traces back the American citizen's spending habits to Ronald Reagan,
who the author says is guilty of instilling in Americans the belief
“Credit has no limits, and the bills will never come due.” The
economic downturn has made the unemployment rate turn into the
millions, yet us the consumers continue to fall prey to marketing ads
of the latest trends making them are lifestyle necessities. What we do
so that we may have these necessities when there is money in the bank
at the time of purchase is we put it on credit, telling our self that
we will pay it off later. Many consider credit cards very helpful but
others take an evil advantage to shop without limits and create a big
debt in their credit history then there are those like me that will
not get a credit card because if you can pay for it in cash then it
not to be bought at that time but maybe at a later one. The Unites
States government has attempted to propose solutions towards recovery
from reckless citizen spending and abusive credit card company
practices, such as seen in the recently signed Credit Card Act of 2009
(H.R.627), which has the potential of limiting the amount of credit
extended towards consumers dependent upon factors of ability to pay,
while also demanding fair practices from the credit card companies
that will enable consumers to pay off their debt within reasonable
guidelines.
Bacevich states “The ethic of self-gratification has firmly
entrenched itself as the
defining feature of the American way of life.” It’s true that there is
a pressure to accumulate material goods in order to achieve a high
social class ranking. But Buying the newest, biggest, and best, has
become an all-consuming need in itself. Billions of dollars are used
annually on product advertising, with the primary objective of
convincing consumers that they “need” the goods being sold rather then
a want. In Susan Josephson article What Advertising Does to Us she
says “advertising is structured to cause us to imitate and want what
we see. It stimulates desire and asks us to act. This makes
advertising potentially more dangerous than any other art form. If
there is any art that is capable of killing America's soul, it is
advertising.” With all of the advertising that there like on
billboards as we drive to work or school, on the walls of stores when
we shop, in magazines and newspapers, on television, and on the
products we use. We even get them in our mail and lets not forget junk
emails. With all the temptation to buy everything we see we resort to
using credit card. It is necessary to consider that if working hard
enough to earn the money required to purchase whatever desired lavish
product were enough of a simple means to an end, consumerism may not
be such a grand-scale problem. Unfortunately, consumers possess the
tenacity for buying beyond their means, rationalizing that the product
is essential in fulfilling their lives. MasterCard/ Visa card
representatives “recruit” eager, young college students with the
assurance the only way to build good credit is to possess a credit
card. Lost along the way is the tiny fine print that supposedly
spells out every regulation, condition, limitation, penalty, etc.,
that accompanies the credit card which few consumers read, and even
fewer comprehend. Credit card companies have preyed upon consumer
ignorance by ballooning attractively low introductory rates to
unconscionably high rates, leaving consumers drowning in rapidly
soaring bad credit card debt. This new law strives to fulfill
President Obama promise, said at his May 14, 2009, at town hall
meeting in Rio Rancho, “…all forms and statements that credit card
companies send out have to be in plain language, in plain sight. No
more fine print, no more confusing terms, no more hiding the truth.
We're going to require clarity and transparency from now on.” this law
will require these companies to adhere to fair practices towards
consumers, so that Individuals will then be provided a better
opportunity at achieving debt reduction and elimination.
Going far back into the history of Americans, the concept of having
more is better, it has been embedded in the American culture,
persuading citizens and presidents alike, that possessions, power,
money, etc., is the road to happiness. But on the other hand the money
has run out, but still the driving desire to consume and possess the
bigger better things has not subsided along the way. Government must
act in the better interest of Main Street rather than Wall Street, and
fulfill their obligation of representing the American citizens. These
changes will lead the American nation on a course towards a better
quality of life. It’s like President Obama said in his speech “Let's
make the tough choices now, so that we've got a better future for
America.” With the tough choice of holding back on the things we want
rather then need the future for Americans with credit card debt will
be better.
References
Bacevich, A. (2009) The limits of power.
Remarks by President Obama at Rio Rancho Town Hall Meeting, May 14,
2009
http://www.enewspf.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7554:remarks-by-president-obama-at-rio-rancho-town-hall-meeting-may-14-2009&catid=88888983:latest-national-news&Itemid=88889930
Susan Josephson, September 1996, What Advertising Does to Us
http://www.worldandihomeschool.com/public_articles/1996/september/wis15446.asp
Open Congress
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h627/show
Joe G
Oct 24, 2009, 11:21:27 PM10/24/09
to English 101 online section #3226, Fall 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
Joe Omar Gonzales
English 101, Section 3226
Professor, O’Connell
LACC, Essay 2 ½ due
America’s Broken, Corporate Greed and Corruption
The United States of America’s government once had a system to ensure
the best interests of the people. Interestingly, every single
government regulatory department is now run by the corporations it is
supposed to be regulating. Take a look at the FDA (Food and Drug
Administration), USDA (United States Department of Agriculture), the
FTC, FCC, and the SEC to name a few. And, all other government
entities, you will find Board rooms and other rooms full of
politicians, bureaucrats and lobbyist who unreservedly abandon the
“People” while prioritizing the financial needs of influential and by
the end of our last President George W. Bush and his corrupt and
greedy Administration, the U.S. became “top heavy”. As Andrew J.
Bacevich argues in his book “The Limits of Power”; “The Jeffersonian
trinity summarizes our common inheritance, defines our aspirations and
provides the touchstone for our influenced abroad.” (p15). “From
expansion came abundance”, “Documents drafted in Philadelphia promised
liberty. Making well on these promises refused a political economy
that facilitated the creation of wealth on an enormous scale”. Every
American I have talked too, basically in a nutshell are fearful of our
government. Because of the overwhelmingly slant towards enriching the
corporations, our policies on national defense, health care, finances
and agricultural come to the expense of the people. Corporations
gained power, greed and influence over our government and the people,
because of “Campaign Finances”. It is extravagant the amount of
lobbyists who work for fortune 500 companies. Lobbyists spend their
time in and out of Washington, leaving Congressmen/women with money,
luxurious gifts and vacations fit for a Queen. Unfortunately it is
Wall Street (fortune 500 co.) who controls Congress today. In the
Senate of the United States, 110th Congress (2nd session) November
19th 2008 introduced by Mr. Sanders, Mrs. Lincoln and Mrs. Boxer,
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing
and Urban Affairs. A bill, to limit the amount of compensation for
employees and executives of financial institutions assisted and the
Troubled Asset Relief Program and for other purposes. Also, known as
the “Stop Greed on Wall Street Act”. This is an amendment to the TARP
bill and will put limits on Compensation. There is also the House of
Representatives, 111th Congress (1st session) March 17, 2009,
introduced by Mr. Conyers and 7 co-authors; which was referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary. This bill would authorize the U.S.
Attorney General after discussion with the Secretary of the Treasury
to limit or recover excessive compensation paid or payable by entities
that have received Federal financial assistance on or after September
1, 2008. Also, known as “End Government Reimbursement of Excessive
Executive Disbursements (end GREED) act”. This bill is extreme as it
will establish a uniform law on bankruptcy; authorize U.S. Attorney
General after consultation with Secretary of the Treasury. Recovery
of Excessive Compensation, Review of Contracts, Payments and Civil
action for Fraudulent Transfer. It will also give U.S. Attorney
General Authorization to issue subpoena. Within these two bills will
be more checks and balances. But the bigger question is will they
work? There are so many ways for fortune 500 companies to do creative
accounting, moving money around, and finding ways of playing the
game. According to AFSCME “We Make America Happen” 38th International
Convention, July 28 – August 1, 2008, the Chief Executive Officer
(CEO) of a Standard & Poor’s 500 company received on average $14.2
million in total compensation, which is nearly 400 times the pay of
the average U.S. worker according to “The Corporate Library”, a
corporate governance research firm. Average family incomes are only
15 percent higher today than they were three decades ago. Countrywide
CEO Angelo Mozila, Citigroup Chuck Prince and Merrill Lynch’s Ken
Lewis were rewarded with hundreds of millions of dollars in payoffs
and golden parachutes. A “Golden Parachute Plan” is a term that
Corporate Human Resources uses for its top Executive Officers, Board
of Directors, CEO, CFO etc., it is another form of “Benefits”, long
story short, it will pay for everything (medical, dental, vision) that
the normal benefit plan will not cover (it picks up the tab), it
usually includes cosmetic surgery, 100 pairs of prescription glasses
(bi-focal, tri-focal contact lenses, over the counter medications
etc., including but not limited to car insurance, life insurance and
this includes spouses and their children, including children in
college no matter what age. It will give them stock options, bonuses,
stocks/shares, Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOP), may include 100%
match of 401(k) no matter the amount and whatever else they throw into
Golden Parachute Plan. In an article by Warren Buffet (2009)
published in his New York Times article “The Green Back Effect”, “the
United States economy is now out of the emergency room and seems to be
on a slow path to recovery”, “after actions taken by both the bush and
Obama administrations kept the financial system from a complete
collapse into a severe depression.” Buffet believes that the bills
passed to help the financial crisis may be temporary, but have long
term effects that we have to deal with now or America will collapse.
As Basevich states “the foreign policy implications of our present day
penchant for consumption and self indulgence are almost entirely
negative”. (p16). It is imperative that America live within its means
and if we can come up with some alternative energy solutions. Also,
make health care affordable for all Americans, and putting caps on
CEO’s and Executive salaries will also help. I believe what Basevich
says about “Educating America”, this will be key to any and all
children; they should all get the same education. Public School
students deserve a private school education. It may be hard to change
America the Greedy and help the Needy, but I believe in America, can
and will do better, all good things in life take time.
References:
Andrew Bacevich 2008. Limits of Power: The End of American
Exceptionalsim. New York: Hold Paperback. October 2009.
http://www.afscme.org/members/24430.cfm
NewsTarget.com/Truth Publishing, June 22, 2007. Straight to The Source
http://www.thomas.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c111:2:/temp/~mdbsrdLEyf::
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi/gin/query/C?c110:/temp/~c110CWXXIs
Buffet, W. 2009, August 31. The Green Back Effect. New York Times.
Joe Omar Gonzales
English 101, Section 3226
Professor, O’Connell
LACC, Essay 2 ½ due
America’s Broken, Corporate Greed and Corruption
The United States of America’s government once had a system to ensure
the best interests of the people. Interestingly, every single
government regulatory department is now run by the corporations it is
supposed to be regulating. Take a look at the FDA (Food and Drug
Administration), USDA (United States Department of Agriculture), the
FTC, FCC, and the SEC to name a few. And, all other government
entities, you will find Board rooms and other rooms full of
politicians, bureaucrats and lobbyist who unreservedly abandon the
“People” while prioritizing the financial needs of influential and by
the end of our last President George W. Bush and his corrupt and
greedy Administration, the U.S. became “top heavy”. As Andrew J.
Bacevich argues in his book “The Limits of Power”; “The Jeffersonian
trinity summarizes our common inheritance, defines our aspirations and
provides the touchstone for our influenced abroad.” (p15). “From
expansion came abundance”, “Documents drafted in Philadelphia promised
liberty. Making well on these promises refused a political economy
that facilitated the creation of wealth on an enormous scale”. Every
American I have talked too, basically in a nutshell are fearful of our
government. Because of the overwhelmingly slant towards enriching the
corporations, our policies on national defense, health care, finances
and agricultural come to the expense of the people. Corporations
gained power, greed and influence over our government and the people,
because of “Campaign Finances”. It is extravagant the amount of
lobbyists who work for fortune 500 companies. Lobbyists spend their
time in and out of Washington, leaving Congressmen/women with money,
luxurious gifts and vacations fit for a Queen. Unfortunately it is
Wall Street (fortune 500 co.) who controls Congress today. In the
Senate of the United States, 110th Congress (2nd session) November
19th 2008 introduced by Mr. Sanders, Mrs. Lincoln and Mrs. Boxer,
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing
and Urban Affairs. A bill, to limit the amount of compensation for
employees and executives of financial institutions assisted and the
Troubled Asset Relief Program and for other purposes. Also, known as
the “Stop Greed on Wall Street Act”. This is an amendment to the TARP
bill and will put limits on Compensation. There is also the House of
Representatives, 111th Congress (1st session) March 17, 2009,
introduced by Mr. Conyers and 7 co-authors; which was referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary. This bill would authorize the U.S.
Attorney General after discussion with the Secretary of the Treasury
to limit or recover excessive compensation paid or payable by entities
that have received Federal financial assistance on or after September
1, 2008. Also, known as “End Government Reimbursement of Excessive
Executive Disbursements (end GREED) act”. This bill is extreme as it
will establish a uniform law on bankruptcy; authorize U.S. Attorney
General after consultation with Secretary of the Treasury. Recovery
of Excessive Compensation, Review of Contracts, Payments and Civil
action for Fraudulent Transfer. It will also give U.S. Attorney
General Authorization to issue subpoena. Within these two bills will
be more checks and balances. But the bigger question is will they
work? There are so many ways for fortune 500 companies to do creative
accounting, moving money around, and finding ways of playing the
game. According to AFSCME “We Make America Happen” 38th International
Convention, July 28 – August 1, 2008, the Chief Executive Officer
(CEO) of a Standard & Poor’s 500 company received on average $14.2
million in total compensation, which is nearly 400 times the pay of
the average U.S. worker according to “The Corporate Library”, a
corporate governance research firm. Average family incomes are only
15 percent higher today than they were three decades ago. Countrywide
CEO Angelo Mozila, Citigroup Chuck Prince and Merrill Lynch’s Ken
Lewis were rewarded with hundreds of millions of dollars in payoffs
and golden parachutes. A “Golden Parachute Plan” is a term that
Corporate Human Resources uses for its top Executive Officers, Board
of Directors, CEO, CFO etc., it is another form of “Benefits”, long
story short, it will pay for everything (medical, dental, vision) that
the normal benefit plan will not cover (it picks up the tab), it
usually includes cosmetic surgery, 100 pairs of prescription glasses
(bi-focal, tri-focal contact lenses, over the counter medications
etc., including but not limited to car insurance, life insurance and
this includes spouses and their children, including children in
college no matter what age. It will give them stock options, bonuses,
stocks/shares, Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOP), may include 100%
match of 401(k) no matter the amount and whatever else they throw into
Golden Parachute Plan. In an article by Warren Buffet (2009)
published in his New York Times article “The Green Back Effect”, “the
United States economy is now out of the emergency room and seems to be
on a slow path to recovery”, “after actions taken by both the bush and
Obama administrations kept the financial system from a complete
collapse into a severe depression.” Buffet believes that the bills
passed to help the financial crisis may be temporary, but have long
term effects that we have to deal with now or America will collapse.
As Basevich states “the foreign policy implications of our present day
penchant for consumption and self indulgence are almost entirely
negative”. (p16). It is imperative that America live within its means
and if we can come up with some alternative energy solutions. Also,
make health care affordable for all Americans, and putting caps on
CEO’s and Executive salaries will also help. I believe what Basevich
says about “Educating America”, this will be key to any and all
children; they should all get the same education. Public School
students deserve a private school education. It may be hard to change
America the Greedy and help the Needy, but I believe in America, can
and will do better, all good things in life take time.
References:
Andrew Bacevich 2008. Limits of Power: The End of American
Exceptionalsim. New York: Hold Paperback. October 2009.
http://www.afscme.org/members/24430.cfm
NewsTarget.com/Truth Publishing, June 22, 2007. Straight to The Source
http://www.thomas.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c111:2:/temp/~mdbsrdLEyf::
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi/gin/query/C?c110:/temp/~c110CWXXIs
Buffet, W. 2009, August 31. The Green Back Effect. New York Times.
Joe G
Oct 25, 2009, 12:31:26 AM10/25/09
to English 101 online section #3226, Fall 2009
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Joe Omar Gonzales
English 101, Section 3226
Professor, O’Connell
Essay 2 ½ short story
My Brother Andrew
My brother loves Money and when he has it he loves to impress his so
called friends, but as he has aged, he has learned many valuable
lessons, from those who took advantage of him. When I arrived at
mom’s house, the house was full of Mexican, El Salvadorians and
Guatemalan people, my mom loves her (well use too) Latino friends.
The music was loud and everyone was speaking Spanish. I only dropped
by to find my brother Andrew, as I am the older brother of eleven
siblings, and Andrew is the one that I worry about. You see he is HIV
+, and has been for about 20 years (not sure how he got it), he was
after all in horrific car accident, he was a passenger in a car lost
in Pomona on a dark street don’t know too many details. The car he
was riding in was hit so hard and when the cops arrived Andrew was a
bloody mess. They didn’t think he would pull through, he had five
blood transfusions, he was told he would never walk again. He had
surgery on his left leg from top to bottom, there are screws and pins
and some type of long (maybe titanic plates), and he had five blood
transfusions. I didn’t go see him in the hospital till the next day,
wasn’t sure what to expect. When I saw him his leg was lifted in
traction, hew was unrecognizable, they had not had time to wash or
clean all the blood from his face and body, he had no front teeth and
he had bandages everywhere. Andrew is very vain and loves money,
clothes and thought his party friends were real friends. The hospital
was a bit creepy, large rooms, quiet, old and even the people who
worked there were strange. I only new how hospitals looked from where
I lived and grew up like the Huntington Memorial in Pasadena, (didn’t
realize that Pasadena was beautiful, with big homes, landscape and
trees), the real world is different. The Huntington Memorial is clean
and sweet with beautiful landscape, orderly and the employees are kind
and helpful. And I lived and worked by Cedars Sinai in West Hollywood
and Cedars is like the crème de la crème of hospitals, nothing but the
best. Interesting how and where you live will affect you in many
ways. After six months of grueling intense physical therapy, Andrew
pushed himself harder than most people; you see he was a dancer and
flamboyant to boot in High School about 1976. I stayed with my dad
and Andrew after I got out of the Navy in 1975, the Vietnam War was
over and no one gave a shit about us anyway so who cares, threw away
my uniform (it meant nothing, maybe someone would spat on you). I was
usually loaded, high on pot, LSD and or drunk (LSD was a big deal in
the early 70’s and in the U.S. Navy), from about 1972-1984 (except I
stopped taking LSD, did it from 72’-78). I never drank or used drugs
until the Navy. I went from beer to pot, then to LSD and when I got
out cocaine, so I was an alcoholic and still consider myself alcoholic
except I don’t drink or use today, our whole family was alcoholic, mom
and dad too. I feel guilty to this day because I asked my brother
Andrew if he as gay and he said “no” (but he is), but why would I ask
my young brother such a question when he wasn’t even 18 years old
yet? Anyway Andrew can walk and dance today, he is a survivor, and he
still loves money and loves to spend it on his so called friends, he
loves to buy silk ties for work, he works hard, but where does his
money go? Why does Andrew try to keep up with the Joneses, is it
because Americans always want more?
Joe Omar Gonzales
English 101, Section 3226
Professor, O’Connell
My Brother Andrew
My brother loves Money and when he has it he loves to impress his so
called friends, but as he has aged, he has learned many valuable
lessons, from those who took advantage of him. When I arrived at
mom’s house, the house was full of Mexican, El Salvadorians and
Guatemalan people, my mom loves her (well use too) Latino friends.
The music was loud and everyone was speaking Spanish. I only dropped
by to find my brother Andrew, as I am the older brother of eleven
siblings, and Andrew is the one that I worry about. You see he is HIV
+, and has been for about 20 years (not sure how he got it), he was
after all in horrific car accident, he was a passenger in a car lost
in Pomona on a dark street don’t know too many details. The car he
was riding in was hit so hard and when the cops arrived Andrew was a
bloody mess. They didn’t think he would pull through, he had five
blood transfusions, he was told he would never walk again. He had
surgery on his left leg from top to bottom, there are screws and pins
and some type of long (maybe titanic plates), and he had five blood
transfusions. I didn’t go see him in the hospital till the next day,
wasn’t sure what to expect. When I saw him his leg was lifted in
traction, hew was unrecognizable, they had not had time to wash or
clean all the blood from his face and body, he had no front teeth and
he had bandages everywhere. Andrew is very vain and loves money,
clothes and thought his party friends were real friends. The hospital
was a bit creepy, large rooms, quiet, old and even the people who
worked there were strange. I only new how hospitals looked from where
I lived and grew up like the Huntington Memorial in Pasadena, (didn’t
realize that Pasadena was beautiful, with big homes, landscape and
trees), the real world is different. The Huntington Memorial is clean
and sweet with beautiful landscape, orderly and the employees are kind
and helpful. And I lived and worked by Cedars Sinai in West Hollywood
and Cedars is like the crème de la crème of hospitals, nothing but the
best. Interesting how and where you live will affect you in many
ways. After six months of grueling intense physical therapy, Andrew
pushed himself harder than most people; you see he was a dancer and
flamboyant to boot in High School about 1976. I stayed with my dad
and Andrew after I got out of the Navy in 1975, the Vietnam War was
over and no one gave a shit about us anyway so who cares, threw away
my uniform (it meant nothing, maybe someone would spat on you). I was
usually loaded, high on pot, LSD and or drunk (LSD was a big deal in
the early 70’s and in the U.S. Navy), from about 1972-1984 (except I
stopped taking LSD, did it from 72’-78). I never drank or used drugs
until the Navy. I went from beer to pot, then to LSD and when I got
out cocaine, so I was an alcoholic and still consider myself alcoholic
except I don’t drink or use today, our whole family was alcoholic, mom
and dad too. I feel guilty to this day because I asked my brother
Andrew if he as gay and he said “no” (but he is), but why would I ask
my young brother such a question when he wasn’t even 18 years old
yet? Anyway Andrew can walk and dance today, he is a survivor, and he
still loves money and loves to spend it on his so called friends, he
loves to buy silk ties for work, he works hard, but where does his
money go? Why does Andrew try to keep up with the Joneses, is it
because Americans always want more?
NATALYA D
Oct 25, 2009, 2:44:13 AM10/25/09
to English 101 online section #3226, Fall 2009
Natalya Dverina
Crisis of Politics
Looking at the political situation in the world, the United States is
experiencing a political crisis according to Andrew Bacevich (2009).
In his book The Limits of Power, he covers in detail the factors that
led to crisis the U.S. is facing. According to Bacevich (2009) and
other analysts, abuses of power by the Executive Branch of the U.S.
government, misguided foreign policy, and misjudgment of the political
and tactical situation by the George W. Bush Administration are the
most prominent factors leading to the current political crisis. In
order to contain the crisis, the U.S. needs to reassess its status as
a global superpower and adjust its foreign policy to a more affordable
one politically and financially.
As Andrew Bacevich (2009) states in The Limits of Power, The United
States transformed itself into a superpower after the end of World War
II (p. 67). By 1960, the Executive Branch already had significantly
more power than before the World War II resulting in “imperial
presidency” as Bacevich (2009) called it (p. 68). The Cold War and the
military buildup that immediately followed was the direct result of
the extended presidential powers as well as overinflated threat
assessment of the Soviet Union, states Bacevich (2009) (p. 110). The
pattern of exaggerated threats was used many times by former
administrations to justify actions, such as wars, increased military
spending, even denial of civic rights – anything in the name of
national security (Bacevich 2009, p. 110-118). Another major reasoning
behind national security decisions was the idea that in order for
America to be safe, freedom, democracy and the American way of life
must “prevail everywhere” (Bacevich, 2009, p. 78). With increased
presidential power, the accountability to Congress or any other part
of the government became much more relaxed, which permitted the U.S.
presidents to defer for counsel on strategy or policy to so-called
Wise Men – presidential advisors not accountable to anybody but the
president (Bacevich, 2009, p. 102). Because the Wise Men are not an
official part of the government, they are formulating policy while not
being bound by the guidelines of the Congress or the interests of the
people of the United States. While they may or may not have the
country’s best interest in mind, their actions are totally
uncontrollable by anyone other than the President of the United States
thus violating the system of checks and balances. The George W. Bush
Administration is the culmination of this legacy in the sense that it
failed most miserably by inflicting the death of over 4,000 American
soldiers and adding one trillion dollars to the budget deficit without
accomplishing the major goals that it claimed to achieve (US House,
2009). The Vietnam War was more costly in human lives, but having
learned the lessons of Vietnam, it is unforgivable to repeat the same
exact mistake. Moreover, because of these reckless and misguided
decisions, the U.S. troops are currently deployed in Afghanistan for
an indeterminate period of time. The legality of actions by the Bush
administration is still being questioned. Programs such as warrantless
wiretapping and extraordinary rendition are clearly overstepping the
U.S. and international law. The United States Senate (2007) issued a
resolution condemning the actions of George W. Bush and Alberto R.
Gonzales, Attorney General of the United States as:
(1) undermining the rule of law and the separation of powers;
(2) disregarding statutes, treaties ratified by the United States, and
the Constitution; and
(3) repeatedly misleading the American people.
The reasoning behind attacking Iraq was the fact that it allegedly
had weapons of mass destruction (Bacevich, 2009, p. 116). One of the
Wise Men, Paul Wolfowitz, was the mastermind behind attacking Iraq
(Bacevich, 209, p. 117). His vision was that by removing Saddam
Hussein’s regime and establishing a democratic government the process
of “transformation” of the other Islamic states will begin, even
though Iraq was a secular state (Bacevich, 2009, p. 117). Iraq was
weak enough, so there was no major difficulty in defeating the Iraqi
military force. However, the weapons of mass destruction could not be
located, which made the seemingly solid justification for attacking
Iraq completely baseless. The US House of Representatives (2009)
issued a resolution which condemns the Bush/Cheney Administration for
deceiving the U.S. Congress and the American people regarding the
weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and ties to Al-Qaeda. The
resolution also condemns bypassing of the system of checks and
infringing on civil liberties by “claiming the power to declare any
person an `enemy combatant,' blatantly ignoring the Geneva Convention
protections that the U.S. helped create, ratify…” (US House, 2009).
The resolution also urges the current president to immediately start
working on reversing the actions of the Bush Administration and
preventing them from happening in the future (US House, 2009). The
situation in Afghanistan was not getting as much attention until
recently, but with the pullout of the troops from Iraq, the U.S. can
concentrate on resolving the situation in Afghanistan. However, in
order to succeed, the U.S. needs to set more realistic targets. The
main goal of the U.S. in Afghanistan is to establish a self-sustaining
government and leave the country with a minimal contingent of troops.
To achieve this goal, the attainable and sufficient targets in
Afghanistan are training the local security forces to maintain the
countries security as well as establishing relationships with
neighboring countries (Innocent, 2009). Additionally, Innocent (2009)
suggests focusing on drug eradication policy that targets primarily
cartels that are affiliated with insurgents and not target the “poor
local farmers” because it further alienates the farmers (Innocent,
2009).
The fact that NATO forces are fighting side by side with American
troops, helps the U.S. not only strategically, but it also helps by
improving the image of the U.S. as a world power collaborating with
other countries in achieving a goal of fighting world terrorism.
However, the United States must revisit its foreign policy and abandon
the idea of being the world’s only superpower tasked with spreading
democracy and defending of freedom. According to the article by
Christopher Preble (2009), Americans rank “’Promoting and defending
human rights in other countries’; and ‘Protecting weaker nations
against foreign aggression’; 12th and 13th, respectively.” Democracy
promotion was the last on the poll with 17 percent (Preble, 2009). The
way the United States is perceived in the world, especially in the
Islamic countries, is extremely important for global trade and
security (Preble, 2009). Being a global superpower is simply no longer
feasible for the United States. Great Britain, a leading global power
at the time, writes Leon Hadar, went through a similar transition
after the end of World War II (Hadar, 2009). Even though the situation
is completely different, the similarities between the two countries
are obvious. Just as Britain at the time, the U.S. is having
difficulties dictating the foreign policy to Iran, trade problems with
China, and abandoning the missile shield in Poland – all signs of
diminishing military and economic strength (Hadar, 2009).
The failures and blatant disregard for human rights of the Bush
Administration have struck a serious blow to the credibility of the
United States as a global superpower. As a result, the balance of
powers in the world has changed so that the U.S. is no longer a global
superpower. The longer the U.S. acts as one, the more damage will be
done to its economy and credibility. It is imperative that the United
States reassess its standing in the world and reemerges as another
country with capacity and strength to make the world a better place.
English 101
Professor O’Connel
10/24/09
Professor O’Connel
Crisis of Politics
Looking at the political situation in the world, the United States is
experiencing a political crisis according to Andrew Bacevich (2009).
In his book The Limits of Power, he covers in detail the factors that
led to crisis the U.S. is facing. According to Bacevich (2009) and
other analysts, abuses of power by the Executive Branch of the U.S.
government, misguided foreign policy, and misjudgment of the political
and tactical situation by the George W. Bush Administration are the
most prominent factors leading to the current political crisis. In
order to contain the crisis, the U.S. needs to reassess its status as
a global superpower and adjust its foreign policy to a more affordable
one politically and financially.
As Andrew Bacevich (2009) states in The Limits of Power, The United
States transformed itself into a superpower after the end of World War
II (p. 67). By 1960, the Executive Branch already had significantly
more power than before the World War II resulting in “imperial
presidency” as Bacevich (2009) called it (p. 68). The Cold War and the
military buildup that immediately followed was the direct result of
the extended presidential powers as well as overinflated threat
assessment of the Soviet Union, states Bacevich (2009) (p. 110). The
pattern of exaggerated threats was used many times by former
administrations to justify actions, such as wars, increased military
spending, even denial of civic rights – anything in the name of
national security (Bacevich 2009, p. 110-118). Another major reasoning
behind national security decisions was the idea that in order for
America to be safe, freedom, democracy and the American way of life
must “prevail everywhere” (Bacevich, 2009, p. 78). With increased
presidential power, the accountability to Congress or any other part
of the government became much more relaxed, which permitted the U.S.
presidents to defer for counsel on strategy or policy to so-called
Wise Men – presidential advisors not accountable to anybody but the
president (Bacevich, 2009, p. 102). Because the Wise Men are not an
official part of the government, they are formulating policy while not
being bound by the guidelines of the Congress or the interests of the
people of the United States. While they may or may not have the
country’s best interest in mind, their actions are totally
uncontrollable by anyone other than the President of the United States
thus violating the system of checks and balances. The George W. Bush
Administration is the culmination of this legacy in the sense that it
failed most miserably by inflicting the death of over 4,000 American
soldiers and adding one trillion dollars to the budget deficit without
accomplishing the major goals that it claimed to achieve (US House,
2009). The Vietnam War was more costly in human lives, but having
learned the lessons of Vietnam, it is unforgivable to repeat the same
exact mistake. Moreover, because of these reckless and misguided
decisions, the U.S. troops are currently deployed in Afghanistan for
an indeterminate period of time. The legality of actions by the Bush
administration is still being questioned. Programs such as warrantless
wiretapping and extraordinary rendition are clearly overstepping the
U.S. and international law. The United States Senate (2007) issued a
resolution condemning the actions of George W. Bush and Alberto R.
Gonzales, Attorney General of the United States as:
(1) undermining the rule of law and the separation of powers;
(2) disregarding statutes, treaties ratified by the United States, and
the Constitution; and
(3) repeatedly misleading the American people.
The reasoning behind attacking Iraq was the fact that it allegedly
had weapons of mass destruction (Bacevich, 2009, p. 116). One of the
Wise Men, Paul Wolfowitz, was the mastermind behind attacking Iraq
(Bacevich, 209, p. 117). His vision was that by removing Saddam
Hussein’s regime and establishing a democratic government the process
of “transformation” of the other Islamic states will begin, even
though Iraq was a secular state (Bacevich, 2009, p. 117). Iraq was
weak enough, so there was no major difficulty in defeating the Iraqi
military force. However, the weapons of mass destruction could not be
located, which made the seemingly solid justification for attacking
Iraq completely baseless. The US House of Representatives (2009)
issued a resolution which condemns the Bush/Cheney Administration for
deceiving the U.S. Congress and the American people regarding the
weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and ties to Al-Qaeda. The
resolution also condemns bypassing of the system of checks and
infringing on civil liberties by “claiming the power to declare any
person an `enemy combatant,' blatantly ignoring the Geneva Convention
protections that the U.S. helped create, ratify…” (US House, 2009).
The resolution also urges the current president to immediately start
working on reversing the actions of the Bush Administration and
preventing them from happening in the future (US House, 2009). The
situation in Afghanistan was not getting as much attention until
recently, but with the pullout of the troops from Iraq, the U.S. can
concentrate on resolving the situation in Afghanistan. However, in
order to succeed, the U.S. needs to set more realistic targets. The
main goal of the U.S. in Afghanistan is to establish a self-sustaining
government and leave the country with a minimal contingent of troops.
To achieve this goal, the attainable and sufficient targets in
Afghanistan are training the local security forces to maintain the
countries security as well as establishing relationships with
neighboring countries (Innocent, 2009). Additionally, Innocent (2009)
suggests focusing on drug eradication policy that targets primarily
cartels that are affiliated with insurgents and not target the “poor
local farmers” because it further alienates the farmers (Innocent,
2009).
The fact that NATO forces are fighting side by side with American
troops, helps the U.S. not only strategically, but it also helps by
improving the image of the U.S. as a world power collaborating with
other countries in achieving a goal of fighting world terrorism.
However, the United States must revisit its foreign policy and abandon
the idea of being the world’s only superpower tasked with spreading
democracy and defending of freedom. According to the article by
Christopher Preble (2009), Americans rank “’Promoting and defending
human rights in other countries’; and ‘Protecting weaker nations
against foreign aggression’; 12th and 13th, respectively.” Democracy
promotion was the last on the poll with 17 percent (Preble, 2009). The
way the United States is perceived in the world, especially in the
Islamic countries, is extremely important for global trade and
security (Preble, 2009). Being a global superpower is simply no longer
feasible for the United States. Great Britain, a leading global power
at the time, writes Leon Hadar, went through a similar transition
after the end of World War II (Hadar, 2009). Even though the situation
is completely different, the similarities between the two countries
are obvious. Just as Britain at the time, the U.S. is having
difficulties dictating the foreign policy to Iran, trade problems with
China, and abandoning the missile shield in Poland – all signs of
diminishing military and economic strength (Hadar, 2009).
The failures and blatant disregard for human rights of the Bush
Administration have struck a serious blow to the credibility of the
United States as a global superpower. As a result, the balance of
powers in the world has changed so that the U.S. is no longer a global
superpower. The longer the U.S. acts as one, the more damage will be
done to its economy and credibility. It is imperative that the United
States reassess its standing in the world and reemerges as another
country with capacity and strength to make the world a better place.
NATALYA D
Oct 25, 2009, 2:49:11 AM10/25/09
to English 101 online section #3226, Fall 2009
References:
Axe, D., Innocent, M., & Reich, J. (2009, October 6). Defining Victory
to Win a War. Retrieved October 24, 2009, from http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=10612
Bacevich, A., (2009). The Limits of Power: the End of American
Exceptionalism. City: Holt Paperbacks.
Hadar, L. H. (2009, September 29). It's the Balance of Power, Stupid!
Retrieved October 24, 2009, from
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/leon-t-hadar/its-the-balance-of-power_b_302469.html
Innocent, M., & Carpenter, T. G. (2009, September 14). Escaping the
"Graveyard of Empires": A Strategy to Exit Afghanistan. Retrieved
October 24, 2009, from http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=10533
Preble, C. (2009, October 16). U.S. Standing in the World. Retrieved
October 24, 2009, from http://blog.psaonline.org/2009/10/16/u-s-standing-in-the-world/
US House (2009, May 7). Expressing the sense of the House of
Representatives (Publication No. H. RES. 417). Washington, DC: U.S.
Government Printing Office. Retrieved October 24, 2009 from
http://frwebgate3.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/TEXTgate.cgi?WAISdocID=43920228054+0+1+0&WAISaction=retrieve
US Senate (2007, August 3). Censuring the President and the Attorney
General (Publication No. S. RES. 303). Washington, DC: U.S. Government
Printing Office. Retrieved October 24, 2009 from
http://frwebgate6.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/TEXTgate.cgi?WAISdocID=436315416515+0+1+0&WAISaction=retrieve.
Axe, D., Innocent, M., & Reich, J. (2009, October 6). Defining Victory
to Win a War. Retrieved October 24, 2009, from http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=10612
Bacevich, A., (2009). The Limits of Power: the End of American
Exceptionalism. City: Holt Paperbacks.
Hadar, L. H. (2009, September 29). It's the Balance of Power, Stupid!
Retrieved October 24, 2009, from
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/leon-t-hadar/its-the-balance-of-power_b_302469.html
Innocent, M., & Carpenter, T. G. (2009, September 14). Escaping the
"Graveyard of Empires": A Strategy to Exit Afghanistan. Retrieved
October 24, 2009, from http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=10533
Preble, C. (2009, October 16). U.S. Standing in the World. Retrieved
October 24, 2009, from http://blog.psaonline.org/2009/10/16/u-s-standing-in-the-world/
US House (2009, May 7). Expressing the sense of the House of
Representatives (Publication No. H. RES. 417). Washington, DC: U.S.
Government Printing Office. Retrieved October 24, 2009 from
http://frwebgate3.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/TEXTgate.cgi?WAISdocID=43920228054+0+1+0&WAISaction=retrieve
US Senate (2007, August 3). Censuring the President and the Attorney
General (Publication No. S. RES. 303). Washington, DC: U.S. Government
Printing Office. Retrieved October 24, 2009 from
http://frwebgate6.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/TEXTgate.cgi?WAISdocID=436315416515+0+1+0&WAISaction=retrieve.
Hong C
Oct 25, 2009, 2:55:57 AM10/25/09
to English 101 online section #3226, Fall 2009
Democracy or Monopoly: the choices of the US political system
More than two centuries ago,by writing in the constitution, the
Framers defined the government system of United States as
"representative democracy" and hoping people are being well
represented by the politicians. After two hundred more years
developing , do the politicians in contemporary represent people as
the Framers expected? Unfortunately, the answer is negative. Hitting
by so many cases of politicians' lapses, corruptions and scandals,
Americans have been disappointed by the politicians who should
represent them. A survey in Rasmussen Reports showed, "there are 73%
of adults nationwide trust the judgment of the American people more
than that of America’s political leaders.(February, 27)" Many citizens
have disapproved the political system by refusing to vote ( Field,
2009). In his book Limit of the Power, Becevich analyzed this
phenomenon as politicians incapability that was caused by a incumbent
party permanently controlling the government and the money corrosion;
moreover, he considered that Americans have confronted a political
crisis (2009). With same consideration, many bills have come to the
congress. The Fair Election Now Act has sought to reform the financing
of House elections to create a healthy root for the political system
(Durbin,2009). The public's calling of democracy has spread all over
the country. Becevich is correct, the politicians are not working as
they suppose to do, and American couldn't endure any politicians
destruction no more; thus, the US should clean up the political system
and stand still on its democracy root.
One party monopoly power would initially against the spirit of
democracy and was avoid by the Framers of the US. But the high rate of
reelection of the congress has indicted that the US has become a one-
party state, “with the legislative branch permanently controlled by an
Incumbents' Party"(Becevich, 2009.p.69).Becevich insisted that because
of the lack of competition, the politicians tended to become rigid and
unwilling to accept change; therefore, when the Party depended on a
few advisers, most of them unable to deal with new situations and may
cause their misguide or destruction. His belief has proved by other
evidences. Recently the Rasmussen Reports' report 73% Trust judgment
of people more than politicians has showed that, more than half of
Americans don't trust the politicians, and "voters believe that no
matter how bad things are, Congress can always make them worse."(2009)
The democracy system has become a monopoly system that used by some
politicians to ensure their own benefits, and Americans' rights has
been disregarded.
Money would erode democracy system and cause the politicians to serve
a few contributors. As a necessity for political activities,money has
been vitally linked to politic. On one hand, politician need funds to
spend on their campaigns and the amount of the funds has increased to
a remarkable number; thus, the election become a game that only the
wealthy people afford which dangers to democratic politics because the
winner are often the biggest spenders, not necessarily the best
candidates( Field, 2009). On the other hand, most of the money come
from the special- interest groups, such as financial organizations,
energy company, utility company, etc. Becevich noticed an interlocking
of corporate , political, and military directorate which would
conducts to misguide the government policies and collapse the
political system. "In the sense of taking bribes or kickbacks, a
subtler form of corruption pervades both the Senate and the House of
Representatives(2009.p.70)", he observed. Many cases of corruption
and scandal had followed the politicians and damaged the political
democracy.Furthermore, the purpose of the special -interest groups is
to influence the legislators to gain more profit; gradually,the
politicians who accepts the funds would become a puppet of them and
would be impossible to care about the people.
Confronting with the political crisis, should Americans choose
democracy or monopoly. Becevich's suggestion was that Americans should
to fight for their rights because their democracy has been hijacked by
the monopoly power (2009)." Americans can no longer afford to
underwrite a government that does not work(p.122)”, he urged.
Certainly, Americans want the democracy back, but they would like a
healthy system serve them. The Fair Election Now Act, 2009 are
designed for the purpose of reforming financial election(Durbin). If
this bill was passed , the federal candidates would run their
campaigns without relying on large contributors and focus on serving
people in their needs; therefore a healthy root of the political
system would build up and Americans would enjoy the democracy system
as the Framers expected.
Becevich's analysis are knowledgeable and useful. Americans should
learn from his book and alert from his prediction. Democracy system
was found in the US and favored by Americans. Although it is
endangered by some politicians who are incompetence and self-
indulgent, or by undertable trade and money chasing, Americans would
fight for it and reform it. Politicians are responsible for
representing people, so any ignorance and careless would terminate
their power.
More than two centuries ago,by writing in the constitution, the
Framers defined the government system of United States as
"representative democracy" and hoping people are being well
represented by the politicians. After two hundred more years
developing , do the politicians in contemporary represent people as
the Framers expected? Unfortunately, the answer is negative. Hitting
by so many cases of politicians' lapses, corruptions and scandals,
Americans have been disappointed by the politicians who should
represent them. A survey in Rasmussen Reports showed, "there are 73%
of adults nationwide trust the judgment of the American people more
than that of America’s political leaders.(February, 27)" Many citizens
have disapproved the political system by refusing to vote ( Field,
2009). In his book Limit of the Power, Becevich analyzed this
phenomenon as politicians incapability that was caused by a incumbent
party permanently controlling the government and the money corrosion;
moreover, he considered that Americans have confronted a political
crisis (2009). With same consideration, many bills have come to the
congress. The Fair Election Now Act has sought to reform the financing
of House elections to create a healthy root for the political system
(Durbin,2009). The public's calling of democracy has spread all over
the country. Becevich is correct, the politicians are not working as
they suppose to do, and American couldn't endure any politicians
destruction no more; thus, the US should clean up the political system
and stand still on its democracy root.
One party monopoly power would initially against the spirit of
democracy and was avoid by the Framers of the US. But the high rate of
reelection of the congress has indicted that the US has become a one-
party state, “with the legislative branch permanently controlled by an
Incumbents' Party"(Becevich, 2009.p.69).Becevich insisted that because
of the lack of competition, the politicians tended to become rigid and
unwilling to accept change; therefore, when the Party depended on a
few advisers, most of them unable to deal with new situations and may
cause their misguide or destruction. His belief has proved by other
evidences. Recently the Rasmussen Reports' report 73% Trust judgment
of people more than politicians has showed that, more than half of
Americans don't trust the politicians, and "voters believe that no
matter how bad things are, Congress can always make them worse."(2009)
The democracy system has become a monopoly system that used by some
politicians to ensure their own benefits, and Americans' rights has
been disregarded.
Money would erode democracy system and cause the politicians to serve
a few contributors. As a necessity for political activities,money has
been vitally linked to politic. On one hand, politician need funds to
spend on their campaigns and the amount of the funds has increased to
a remarkable number; thus, the election become a game that only the
wealthy people afford which dangers to democratic politics because the
winner are often the biggest spenders, not necessarily the best
candidates( Field, 2009). On the other hand, most of the money come
from the special- interest groups, such as financial organizations,
energy company, utility company, etc. Becevich noticed an interlocking
of corporate , political, and military directorate which would
conducts to misguide the government policies and collapse the
political system. "In the sense of taking bribes or kickbacks, a
subtler form of corruption pervades both the Senate and the House of
Representatives(2009.p.70)", he observed. Many cases of corruption
and scandal had followed the politicians and damaged the political
democracy.Furthermore, the purpose of the special -interest groups is
to influence the legislators to gain more profit; gradually,the
politicians who accepts the funds would become a puppet of them and
would be impossible to care about the people.
Confronting with the political crisis, should Americans choose
democracy or monopoly. Becevich's suggestion was that Americans should
to fight for their rights because their democracy has been hijacked by
the monopoly power (2009)." Americans can no longer afford to
underwrite a government that does not work(p.122)”, he urged.
Certainly, Americans want the democracy back, but they would like a
healthy system serve them. The Fair Election Now Act, 2009 are
designed for the purpose of reforming financial election(Durbin). If
this bill was passed , the federal candidates would run their
campaigns without relying on large contributors and focus on serving
people in their needs; therefore a healthy root of the political
system would build up and Americans would enjoy the democracy system
as the Framers expected.
Becevich's analysis are knowledgeable and useful. Americans should
learn from his book and alert from his prediction. Democracy system
was found in the US and favored by Americans. Although it is
endangered by some politicians who are incompetence and self-
indulgent, or by undertable trade and money chasing, Americans would
fight for it and reform it. Politicians are responsible for
representing people, so any ignorance and careless would terminate
their power.
Hong C
Oct 25, 2009, 3:12:59 AM10/25/09
to English 101 online section #3226, Fall 2009
References
Rasmussen Reports 2009.February, 27.73% Trust Judgment of People More
Than Politicians
http://www.rasmussenreports.com
Bacevich, A. 2009. The limits of power. New York: Holt.
Field, M. 2009. California government and politics today. New York:
Pearson Longman
Durbin, Sen. D. 2009, April 22. The Fair Election Now Act to reform
finacing of House elections.US senate
Rasmussen Reports 2009.February, 27.73% Trust Judgment of People More
Than Politicians
http://www.rasmussenreports.com
Bacevich, A. 2009. The limits of power. New York: Holt.
Field, M. 2009. California government and politics today. New York:
Pearson Longman
Durbin, Sen. D. 2009, April 22. The Fair Election Now Act to reform
finacing of House elections.US senate
Hong C
Oct 30, 2009, 2:49:07 PM10/30/09
to English 101 online section #3226, Fall 2009
Democracy or monopoly: the choices of the US political system
(Revised)
More than two centuries ago,by writing in the constitution, the
Framers defined the government system of the United States as
Americans have disappointed to the politicians . A survey in Rasmussen
Reports showed, most Americans distrust political leaders.
(2009,February, 27 )".Described by Wayne's Campaign ‘08: most
expensive ever, many politicians were greed and selfishness, they were
spending billions dollar on their elections to seek self - promotion,
in despite of the country was suffering a serious recession (2008).
this phenomenon as politicians incapability that was caused by an
confronted to a political crisis (2009). With same consideration, many
democracy system from public has spread all over the country. Becevich
US should reform the political system and stand still on its democracy
root.
One party monopoly power could initially against the spirit of
democracy and cause political uncompetitive. The high rate of
the health care system, to the deficient response on Hurricane
Katrina , then to the reckless war of Afghanistan and Iraq, many
lapses of both domestic policy and foreign policy that frequently
occurred in several presidencies have proved his argument. Recently
serving people inappropriately. As a necessity for political
growing , the amount of the funds for an election has increased to a
remarkable number; for example, in 2008, as much as $5.3 billion had
been spent on the elections of both White House and Congress. The
amount of the spending has reached the size of some economic stimulus
packages by which nationwide clean water and drinking water
infrastructure could be improved, or 500 thousands small business
could be saved (Wayne,2008). The election has become a game which has
played only by the wealthy people that has impaired the democratic
which would misguide the government and destruct the political system.
the political system and damaged the democracy. Furthermore, the
themselves and would be impossible to care about the people.
Confronting with the political crisis, should Americans choose
democracy or monopoly. Becevich's suggestion was that Americans should
to fight for their rights because their democracy has been hijacked by
the monopoly power (2009)." Americans can no longer afford to
underwrite a government that does not work(p.122)”, he urged.
Certainly, Americans want the democracy back, but they would like a
healthy system to serve them. The Fair Election Now Act, 2009 are
designed for the purpose of reforming financial election (Durbin). If
serving people in their needs. Evidences has showed that the states
have used clean funds on its election which has limited the private
funds and the amount of the funds could spend have worked more
efficiently than the state haven't ; also, more people include
minorities could be represented because they are the supporter for the
politicians. Only when the politicians work for the people as much
purely as the democracy system designed, enjoying their rights and
pursue their happiness become a possibility for the Americans.
Becevich's analysis is knowledgeable and useful; even though sometime
he is limited in his history perspective. Considering of many complex
debates, he is able to find a truth of the incompetence political
system which is caused by an one party power permanently controls the
government. Under the protection of this power , the politicians
become self- preservation and self-promoting . Because they have cared
about themselves more than serve people, the democracy system has been
corroded. People distrust them, but People's tolerance give them more
excuses for their indulgence.To be conscious of the situation,
Americans should learn from Becevich's book and alert by his
prediction. Politicians are responsible for representing people; thus,
any ignorance and careless could terminate their power. Democracy
system was found in the US and favored by Americans, so people should
fight for it and protect it from any damages.Although it take time and
much effort to make a change, the clean election could be a good start
to reform the ill political system.
References
Rasmussen Reports 2009.February, 27.73% Trust Judgment of People More
Than Politicians
http://www.rasmussenreports.com
Wayne, L. 2008, october ,24.Campaign ‘08: Most Expensive Ever
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/24/campaign-08-most-expensive-ever/
Bacevich, A. 2009. The limits of power. New York: Holt.
Field, M. 2009. California government and politics today. New York:
Pearson Longman
Durbin, Sen. D. 2009, April 22. The Fair Election Now Ac: to reform
financing of House elections.US senate
(Revised)
More than two centuries ago,by writing in the constitution, the
"representative democracy" and hoping people are being well
represented by the politicians. After two hundred more years
developing , do the politicians in contemporary represent people as
the Framers expected? Unfortunately, the answer is negative. Hitting
by so many cases of politicians' lapse, corruption and scandal,
represented by the politicians. After two hundred more years
developing , do the politicians in contemporary represent people as
the Framers expected? Unfortunately, the answer is negative. Hitting
Americans have disappointed to the politicians . A survey in Rasmussen
Reports showed, most Americans distrust political leaders.
(2009,February, 27 )".Described by Wayne's Campaign ‘08: most
expensive ever, many politicians were greed and selfishness, they were
spending billions dollar on their elections to seek self - promotion,
in despite of the country was suffering a serious recession (2008).
Many citizens have disapproved the political system by refusing to
vote ( Field,2009). In his book Limit of the Power, Becevich analyzed
this phenomenon as politicians incapability that was caused by an
incumbent party permanently controlling the government and the money
corrosion; simultaneously, he considered that the United States have
confronted to a political crisis (2009). With same consideration, many
bills have come to the congress. The Fair Election Now Act has sought
to reform the financing of House elections to create a healthy root
for the political system (Durbin,2009). The calling of a health
to reform the financing of House elections to create a healthy root
democracy system from public has spread all over the country. Becevich
is correct, the politicians are not working as they suppose to do, and
American couldn't endure any political destruction no more; thus, the
US should reform the political system and stand still on its democracy
root.
One party monopoly power could initially against the spirit of
democracy and cause political uncompetitive. The high rate of
reelection of the congress has indicted that the US has become a "one-
party state, with the legislative branch permanently controlled by an
incumbents' Party"(Becevich, 2009.p.69).Becevich insisted that because
party state, with the legislative branch permanently controlled by an
of the lack of competition, the politicians tended to become rigid and
unwilling to accept change; moreover, when the Party only depended on
a few advisers, most of them unable to deal with new situations and
may cause them misguide or collapse. From the inefficient reform of
the health care system, to the deficient response on Hurricane
Katrina , then to the reckless war of Afghanistan and Iraq, many
lapses of both domestic policy and foreign policy that frequently
occurred in several presidencies have proved his argument. Recently
the Rasmussen Reports' report 73% Trust judgment of people more than
politicians also showed that, more than half of Americans don't trust
the politicians, and "voters believe that no matter how bad things
are, Congress can always make them worse."(2009) The democracy system
has become a monopoly system which is used by some politicians to
are, Congress can always make them worse."(2009) The democracy system
ensure their own benefits, and Americans' rights has been disregarded.
Money could erode the democracy system and cause the politicians
serving people inappropriately. As a necessity for political
activities,money has been vitally linked to politic. On one hand,
politician need funds to support their campaigns. By many years rapid
growing , the amount of the funds for an election has increased to a
remarkable number; for example, in 2008, as much as $5.3 billion had
been spent on the elections of both White House and Congress. The
amount of the spending has reached the size of some economic stimulus
packages by which nationwide clean water and drinking water
infrastructure could be improved, or 500 thousands small business
could be saved (Wayne,2008). The election has become a game which has
played only by the wealthy people that has impaired the democratic
politics because the winner are often the biggest spenders, not
necessarily the best candidates( Field, 2009). On the other hand, most
of the money come from the special- interest groups, such as financial
organizations, energy company, utility company, etc. Becevich noticed
an interlocking of corporates , political, and military directorate
necessarily the best candidates( Field, 2009). On the other hand, most
of the money come from the special- interest groups, such as financial
organizations, energy company, utility company, etc. Becevich noticed
which would misguide the government and destruct the political system.
"In the sense of taking bribes or kickbacks, a subtler form of
corruption pervades both the Senate and the House of Representatives
(2009.p.70)", he observed. The corruption and scandal had contaminated
corruption pervades both the Senate and the House of Representatives
the political system and damaged the democracy. Furthermore, the
politicians who accepts the funds would become a puppet of the
special- interest groups whose goal is to make best profit for
themselves and would be impossible to care about the people.
Confronting with the political crisis, should Americans choose
democracy or monopoly. Becevich's suggestion was that Americans should
to fight for their rights because their democracy has been hijacked by
the monopoly power (2009)." Americans can no longer afford to
underwrite a government that does not work(p.122)”, he urged.
Certainly, Americans want the democracy back, but they would like a
designed for the purpose of reforming financial election (Durbin). If
this bill was passed , the federal candidates would run their
campaigns without relying on large contributors and would focus on
serving people in their needs. Evidences has showed that the states
have used clean funds on its election which has limited the private
funds and the amount of the funds could spend have worked more
efficiently than the state haven't ; also, more people include
minorities could be represented because they are the supporter for the
politicians. Only when the politicians work for the people as much
purely as the democracy system designed, enjoying their rights and
pursue their happiness become a possibility for the Americans.
Becevich's analysis is knowledgeable and useful; even though sometime
he is limited in his history perspective. Considering of many complex
debates, he is able to find a truth of the incompetence political
system which is caused by an one party power permanently controls the
government. Under the protection of this power , the politicians
become self- preservation and self-promoting . Because they have cared
about themselves more than serve people, the democracy system has been
corroded. People distrust them, but People's tolerance give them more
excuses for their indulgence.To be conscious of the situation,
Americans should learn from Becevich's book and alert by his
prediction. Politicians are responsible for representing people; thus,
any ignorance and careless could terminate their power. Democracy
system was found in the US and favored by Americans, so people should
fight for it and protect it from any damages.Although it take time and
much effort to make a change, the clean election could be a good start
to reform the ill political system.
References
Rasmussen Reports 2009.February, 27.73% Trust Judgment of People More
Than Politicians
http://www.rasmussenreports.com
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/24/campaign-08-most-expensive-ever/
Bacevich, A. 2009. The limits of power. New York: Holt.
Field, M. 2009. California government and politics today. New York:
Pearson Longman
financing of House elections.US senate
Hong C
Oct 30, 2009, 8:27:40 PM10/30/09
to English 101 online section #3226, Fall 2009
Fictional Story
A Battle for Democracy
" We are going to shopping today! ", Mom gives an announcement.
The boys are jumping from their chairs and shouting around in the
dinning room, "wow ! wow ! go shopping today !"
" See how happy they are, no blame to the president, he encourages
everybody to go shopping; though，we have a war going" Mom says while
she is putting two pieces bread into the toast.
Amy turns her face to her Mom,"We haven't gone shopping for months,
mom".
Amy knows the reason: they are struggling for the house mortgage after
her Mom lost her part time job. The office her Mom worked for was
closed last summer; since then, Mom couldn't find job anywhere. Many
offices are closing and there are people laying off every month in the
city. "Thanks god, Dad is still working; though, he is not satisfied
with his job"，Amy is thinking.
" I know, we need to do some shopping, your Dad need a new pair shoe.
He walks a lots since he goes to his office by bus, and your and your
brothers need new jackets and pants, they are growing so fast", Mom
puts some fried onion into the dishes and calls the boys to have
breakfast.
Amy is helping her Mom serve the dishes, " where are we going to?"
"Big Buy, it has a clearance sale." Mom answered.
"Clearance sale? It's not a holiday yet" Amy questions.
Mom whispers to Amy," Cristine called me last night. She told me that
the City has made a final decision to close the Big Buy."
Cristine is Mom's best friend. Her husband works for the city, so she
has always gotten some information earlier.
"Why? the City makes all kinds of stupid decisions, they close our
parks, education centers, then now is the market" Amy yelled. She has
planted to find a job in Big Buy for a while. She will be sixteen this
year and she wants to help her family although she knows Mom and Dad
wouldn't let her do it. But she could convince them that having a job
would be good experience for her and wouldn't conflict with her class.
Mom is shaking her head, " City needs money, they will let a big
company take over the Big Buy, so City can make more tax."
“Making money for who? For us? We are getting poor everyday.I can tell
they do it just for themselves. Mom, you see the politicians have the
bigger house, new cars, and their kids go to expensive schools". Amy
is getting angry, but she has to control her temple because she
doesn't want make Mom mad. She remembers a conversation between her
Mom and Dad at one night she hears inadvertently.
That's hot night, Amy was awaking long after the time the kids suppose
to asleep. She could hear a talking from her parent room because the
two rooms were next to each other and the windows of both rooms were
widely opened. She knew Dad was just home because Dad often had worked
over time since last year.
" You don't believe that how much money they have donated to the
election. 500 million dollars! It is outrages! The company has always
complained that it has no money for employees' health care, but it has
money for buying the politicians ", Dad was raging.
”Why does the company do that?" Mom wondering
"Because the politicians can help it make more profit," Dad explained
and his voice was getting soft." The companies only donate money to
someone can be useful, politicians can change the laws to benefit the
company. The big companies can easily take over small business under
their protection," Dad paused, " so big become bigger, rich become
richer."
Mom lowered her voice and asked," do you want a job in the City, I can
ask Cristine to help. You know her husband has just gotten a
promotion.”
"No, no,“ Dad immediately refused. From his voice, Amy could tell that
Dad was very dislike this idea.
" Every politician lies, I won't want become one of them. I don't want
become a puppet of a Party, they set up rules for none of them but
people. Their job is make money for themselves, so they keep
themselves be reelected.You see how many politicians have been changed
for over years. Rarely, right."
"It's right, I only remember one," Mom continued, " He inadvertently
broadcast his sex comments over the microphone during a legislative
meeting. Many people said if the video is not spread by the internet,
he wouldn't be caught.‘
“I believe that, even someone's corruption is discovered by the
public, he or she can easily get away because there is a protecting
power for him or her. There is no democracy in the politics," Dad
insisted.
"So this country will be monopoly?" Mom was very concerned.
"It wouldn't be so bad if we fight for it," Dad was getting exciting
"Fight with a strong power? If lost...?" Mom doubted it.
Dad's voice was elevated," We will have a battle we can not lost. We
must fight for ourselves! Fight for our children! Right now, there
are many proposals for the purpose of changing the election method;
especially for changing of the fund raising. If these proposals could
been passed, the political system could be cleaned up, and we could
have our democracy back; then we won't suffer the monopoly, and our
children will enjoy their beautiful liberty..."
Amy didn't hear rest conversation because she fell asleep with a dream
of beautiful liberty.
“Amy， will you go with us?" Mom asks.
"Of course, Mom, I'll go with you." Amy answers. Amy understands that
Dad is working for their rights with other people and a big change
will come; same time, she and her family need to work together to pass
through the tough time. In the future, Amy wants to learn more about
the politics and democracy system because Dad has told her that to win
a battle she must knows her enemy.
A Battle for Democracy
" We are going to shopping today! ", Mom gives an announcement.
The boys are jumping from their chairs and shouting around in the
dinning room, "wow ! wow ! go shopping today !"
" See how happy they are, no blame to the president, he encourages
everybody to go shopping; though，we have a war going" Mom says while
she is putting two pieces bread into the toast.
Amy turns her face to her Mom,"We haven't gone shopping for months,
mom".
Amy knows the reason: they are struggling for the house mortgage after
her Mom lost her part time job. The office her Mom worked for was
closed last summer; since then, Mom couldn't find job anywhere. Many
offices are closing and there are people laying off every month in the
city. "Thanks god, Dad is still working; though, he is not satisfied
with his job"，Amy is thinking.
" I know, we need to do some shopping, your Dad need a new pair shoe.
He walks a lots since he goes to his office by bus, and your and your
brothers need new jackets and pants, they are growing so fast", Mom
puts some fried onion into the dishes and calls the boys to have
breakfast.
Amy is helping her Mom serve the dishes, " where are we going to?"
"Big Buy, it has a clearance sale." Mom answered.
"Clearance sale? It's not a holiday yet" Amy questions.
Mom whispers to Amy," Cristine called me last night. She told me that
the City has made a final decision to close the Big Buy."
Cristine is Mom's best friend. Her husband works for the city, so she
has always gotten some information earlier.
"Why? the City makes all kinds of stupid decisions, they close our
parks, education centers, then now is the market" Amy yelled. She has
planted to find a job in Big Buy for a while. She will be sixteen this
year and she wants to help her family although she knows Mom and Dad
wouldn't let her do it. But she could convince them that having a job
would be good experience for her and wouldn't conflict with her class.
Mom is shaking her head, " City needs money, they will let a big
company take over the Big Buy, so City can make more tax."
“Making money for who? For us? We are getting poor everyday.I can tell
they do it just for themselves. Mom, you see the politicians have the
bigger house, new cars, and their kids go to expensive schools". Amy
is getting angry, but she has to control her temple because she
doesn't want make Mom mad. She remembers a conversation between her
Mom and Dad at one night she hears inadvertently.
That's hot night, Amy was awaking long after the time the kids suppose
to asleep. She could hear a talking from her parent room because the
two rooms were next to each other and the windows of both rooms were
widely opened. She knew Dad was just home because Dad often had worked
over time since last year.
" You don't believe that how much money they have donated to the
election. 500 million dollars! It is outrages! The company has always
complained that it has no money for employees' health care, but it has
money for buying the politicians ", Dad was raging.
”Why does the company do that?" Mom wondering
"Because the politicians can help it make more profit," Dad explained
and his voice was getting soft." The companies only donate money to
someone can be useful, politicians can change the laws to benefit the
company. The big companies can easily take over small business under
their protection," Dad paused, " so big become bigger, rich become
richer."
Mom lowered her voice and asked," do you want a job in the City, I can
ask Cristine to help. You know her husband has just gotten a
promotion.”
"No, no,“ Dad immediately refused. From his voice, Amy could tell that
Dad was very dislike this idea.
" Every politician lies, I won't want become one of them. I don't want
become a puppet of a Party, they set up rules for none of them but
people. Their job is make money for themselves, so they keep
themselves be reelected.You see how many politicians have been changed
for over years. Rarely, right."
"It's right, I only remember one," Mom continued, " He inadvertently
broadcast his sex comments over the microphone during a legislative
meeting. Many people said if the video is not spread by the internet,
he wouldn't be caught.‘
“I believe that, even someone's corruption is discovered by the
public, he or she can easily get away because there is a protecting
power for him or her. There is no democracy in the politics," Dad
insisted.
"So this country will be monopoly?" Mom was very concerned.
"It wouldn't be so bad if we fight for it," Dad was getting exciting
"Fight with a strong power? If lost...?" Mom doubted it.
Dad's voice was elevated," We will have a battle we can not lost. We
must fight for ourselves! Fight for our children! Right now, there
are many proposals for the purpose of changing the election method;
especially for changing of the fund raising. If these proposals could
been passed, the political system could be cleaned up, and we could
have our democracy back; then we won't suffer the monopoly, and our
children will enjoy their beautiful liberty..."
Amy didn't hear rest conversation because she fell asleep with a dream
of beautiful liberty.
“Amy， will you go with us?" Mom asks.
"Of course, Mom, I'll go with you." Amy answers. Amy understands that
Dad is working for their rights with other people and a big change
will come; same time, she and her family need to work together to pass
through the tough time. In the future, Amy wants to learn more about
the politics and democracy system because Dad has told her that to win
a battle she must knows her enemy.
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