This may seem like a contradiction based upon comments of doom and gloom in earlier posts, but America with all her faults, missed opportunities, and wrong directions is still and will always be (as far as I am concerned), a land of opportunity that provides comfort to everyone with her hope, faith, and beliefs. America, not other parts of the world, is the country to which immigrants want to come and it is because of this tolerance and need for immigrants and cultural diversity that America will always remain strong.
Each morning, I awake (out of habit) at 5am, and my first task after emptying my bladder and sometimes before is to follow our three cats into the kitchen and give them a treat. But, even if I did not give them a treat they would still be anxious to see me. So, my day regardless starts on a positive note and like Nelson Mandela says; “no one is born with hate;” therefore, acquiring our feelings of negativity is something that we, as Americans, do on our own. What a curious thought to have so early in the morning.
After feeding the cats, I usually pour myself a cup of cold coffee (the coffee was made the night before so I do not have to wait for it to brew) and put it into the microwave to “zap” for a minute; then, I either drink it black or add some cappuccino mix. Once this ritual is complete, I sit down on the couch and with my composition notebook and pen in hand I flip the pages to a blank page, record the date and start to write down my thoughts, which today started with an increase in jobs of 2.5% (reported on CBS last night) and then I write down the word debt. Since one is positive and one is negative, I am puzzled for a minute as to which direction should I head. I decide on the positive, which brings me back to the title of this posting.
While America has a high level of unemployment with another high level of the underemployed, and a group of protesters all over the country upset with the lack of jobs and corporate greed in this country, America is still “rocking.” Record levels of people are attending the first weekend of new movie releases. The World Series of Baseball is generating so much sales tax revenue that anticipated layoffs are being postponed. Professional footballs, as well as College stadiums are full of spectators. Rush hour traffic jams are still being reported on the early morning news shows. Restaurant parking lots are full of cars as are the parking lots of residential shopping malls.
An hour away from where we live in the valley of East Tennessee is a tourist attraction of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg that when visited a week ago was literally jammed with cars from all parts of the US. My wife and I had to park our car in the last parking area for Dollywood and take the bus to the park. If these two cities are full, then motels and surrounding hotels are full.
Students are attending Colleges and Universities at record levels even though tuitions at most schools has increased and even though there have been reports that student loans may be the next bubble to burst. So, if students are attending then teachers are on the payrolls teaching and while they may or may not be earning the top salaries they once were, they are still employed and helping to build America’s future.
Buses, airplanes, trucks, and trains are still moving passengers and freight across America, and this past summer, when my wife and I went to Myrtle Beach, SC for our two annual vacations, the area was packed with people who had the same idea on their minds. Not only was the beach area packed (as it usually is) but so were the shops, restaurants, parks, and children’s areas.
Doctors and Dentists offices are always full when I have an appointment as is the Vet’s office whenever we have to take 1 of our cats which happened recently when the Siamese cat, Piper contracted an eye infection. Construction teams are working on new buildings in our driving area as well; so, with all this traffic moving around, one could also draw the conclusion that gasoline sales are up or holding steady.
Yet there are obviously parts of our economy that are not doing very well and more than normal layoffs have occurred; but with all that down turn in the economy, what I have seen is a healthy America holding a light that is still burning brightly. And, just as I and my family had the belief, hope, faith, and emotional fortitude that I would make it through my cancer and heart disease with flying colors, so too must Americans believe about their country.
3 comments:
Let me start with, get yourself a coffee pot that has a timer :-)
As for the full parking lots and waiting rooms, think about this. People in this country are still in denial. They are still taking expensive vacations, putting them on credit cards. If you check attendance records you will most likely find that attendance is down.
People arent going to the dentist like they used to, waiting till they have a problem. Doctoring the same.
So from my perspective what we think we are seeing, may not be reality
I spent last night at Chang's a famous franchise chinese restaurant for my granddaughter's 12th birthday and not only was it packed but on the way out 20 people were waiting on table vibrators for their turn to eat. Granted. This was in Winter Park an upscale college town near Orlando. But we were all amazed and amazed that Chang had dropped their prices to everything now under $20 bucks with two sides. No price change on drinks and liquor.
Americans are still living on credit cards and in debt but there are many Americans that are not. In fact, 80% of Americans are fully employed earning solid wages and salaries in this country.
America's restaurants may lower prices or they may cut back on serving size or they may do both in order to attract customers; but, that is the free market enterprise system at work.
Can you imagine restaurants offering large serving sizes and keeping the prices the same because they live in a country where the Government guarantees the price of the meal regardless of supply and demand?
The record industry gave way to 8 tracks, then cassettes, and now CD's and there is no telling where the future is going; but again, if those companies making records did not change with the times, they are no longer in business today. And, that happened without Government intervention into the marketplace.
High unemployment keeps prices down and inflation grows at a slow rate which is good for the economy.
High unemployment results over time in the formation of new businesses. Clark Howard on CNN yesterday reported that two guys formed an online eye glass business that is extremely cheaper than in brick and mortar stores.
America's light does burn bright and with America's cowboy, "independent," I don't want your money, I will do it myself attitude, she will rise stronger from this recession - just like she did after the Great Depression.
Darwin showed us in nature that only the strong survive. I believe that is true for the human race and especially true for Americans.
Remember old blue eyes and I did it my way.... He had no help from anyone else which to me is what my way means.
BTW - the reason why we only work 40 hours in this country was because the Government intervened into the marketplace because of such a high level of unemployment and said that workers could only work 40 each week and if they worked more, they had to be paid overtime or time and a half. That reduced the work week down to 40 from 60 and put millions of workers to work because businesses did not want to pay for overtime.
Could that possibly happen again? If so, prepare yourself for a reduction in wages and benefits when the work week is reduced from 40 to 30 to put our unemployed back to work.
Post a Comment