We could do a lot better.

I think these are perilous times. For America. For the world. And I blame it on an everybody-for-himself mentality. The notion of survival of the fittest. In America, we revere individual freedom. The right to choose the way we live. As individuals. Unfortunately, that often means at the expense of others. And it often comes down to who has the most money. And the most power. Those are the people that get their way. Because they form the power structure. They are the real deciders. Unless, of course, the masses get downright tired of being oppressed and exploited and manipulated. The main problem is the gap between the rich and the poor. The haves and the have-nots. The 'haves' and the rich don't seem too inclined to spread the wealth and to make life better for the poor and middle classes. They tell us that in America, at least, everyone has the chance to become rich. Yes, if they learn how to play the game. The game of making money and ascending to power. Then one can share in the riches and the power. And if one chooses not to do that -- well, that's just too bad. I get the feeling that many of us would rather just settle for the basic necessities of life. Such as good health care, a good education, leisure time, a basic survival income regardless of circumstances. And yes, if that means redistributing the wealth, so be it. Let's aim for the common good. For the good of society as a whole. Oh, we Americans say that's what we've been doing. Right from the beginning of our nation. But it ain't so. Look at our history. Look at how we've subjugated people. Denied them their basic civil and human rights. We still do it today. Maybe to a lesser extent than we used to. But we still have a long way to go. And we'll never have a perfect society. But we could do a lot better. --Jim Broede