True Progressive America, Forever a Pipe Dream

       How has the jewel of Democracy, the envy of most every other country in the world arrive at the point it is today? For one thing, income inequality has never been as prevalent as it is at this current juncture, and not what our founding fathers envisioned 240 plus years ago. The middle class, which from the late 1940's through the late 1990's were the backbone of a true successful democracy is steadily being eliminated. There was a time without a college degree or much of an education at all, one could still financially provide for at the very least, a wife and two children on a modest salary as a blue collar worker. In contrast, as the current economical divide stands that scenario is becoming nearly impossible to sustain. The price of living continues to skyrocket, especially in states like New York, New Jersey and California while wages have failed to keep up with inflation. A fifteen dollar an hour federal minimum wage would be a start, but I have my doubts even common sense policies such as that could make it passed certain conservative pols. 

   An unnecessary war started by the George W. Bush admistration shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks wound up causing immense damage to the US economy. According to the National bureau of labor statistics the unemployment rate was at 5 percent in early 2007, but as the recession took hold of the economy by 2009 the jobless rate rose to over 10 percent. Millions of homes went into foreclosure and the stock markets daily horror show became a stark reminder that the corporate banks and the nations leadership completely failed their populace.

    Barack Obama's landslide presidential victory in 2008 was seen as a much needed beacon of hope by many in the left wing faction of the democratic party. He made memorable speeches about changing the system that had failed so many of its citizens. Progressives, middle class, rich, poor, black and white were delirious with excitement with not only the first african american president but also one we truly believed was going to make a change for the better. How disappointed many of us would soon become.  One of Obama's first order of business as we all know was to bail out the same corporate bank giants that helped spur the recession in the first place. Even though the economy did soon recover many leftist, including myself already felt slighted by his decision to pacify wall street banks. In Obama's defense, some of his semi progressive policies were blocked by republican senators, and most of all obstructionist expert, Mitch Mcconnell. 

  Overall, the eight years of the Obama presidency was a total failure when it came to making any true changes to the status quo in Washington. The ACA was seemingly a bill passed to help the underprivileged receive affordable medicare, after some ugly problems initially, over 20 million americans do currently get their insurance through Obamacare. Consequently, far left pols like Ocasio Cortes and Bernie Sanders have preached that the ACA falls alarmingly short of accomplishing the healthcare debacle this country still faces. They, and many other far left senators and representatives believe it's time for Medicare for all, while conservative counterparts have tried to overturn the ACA for being to liberal. Both factions have failed and Obamacare still remains.  

   Enough about the below average two term presidency of Barack Obama that sadly helped give us the four years of the madness of Donald Trump. I want to look toward the future of our country. Will it continue being the ultra capitalist, one percenter paradise it currently is? Early signs from Joe Biden, as surprising as it sounds has made promises of the progressive type. His 1.9 trillion dollar stimulus package, along with his idea for helping 11 million undocumented immigrants eventually having a path to citizenship has caused some unexpected optimism from the left wing. But as we know from Bill Clinton, then years later with Obama, talking about progressive ideals and putting them into action is whole other herculean task. America is ruled by billionaires, hedge fund managers, silicon valley techs and a few corporate behemoths. Whether or not these Warren Buffett, Jeff Bezos types vote Democratic and are such wonderful philanthropist doesn't mean they'd ever be willing to spread the wealth they worked just so damned hard for with the mass population. . Politically there are a few diamonds in the rough, AOC, Pramila Jayapal, Ilhan Omar, Ed Markey and of course Bernie Sanders. Obviously, at Bernie's advanced age his time in the political arena is growing shorter by the day. The Squad, as they've been dubbed may be our only hope for a future where income equality becomes a reality, wars and militarism becomes a thing of the past and our nation becomes more environmentally conscious before there's not much of planet left to try and fix. I'm a democratic socialist and dream of an American utopia where everyone works together for the common good. But I'm a realist and realize the words socialism and America will never go together. So in closing, a True Progressive America, well folks it may always be forever a pipe dream.