Loading ...Ayn Rand once wrote, “Money is the barometer of a society’s virtue. When you see that trading is done, not by consent, but by compulsion–when you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing–when you see that money is flowing to those who deal, not in goods, but in favors–when you see that men get richer by graft and by pull than by work, and your laws don’t protect you against them, but protect them against you–when you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrifice–you may know that your society is doomed.”
In the last few years, there should of been some leaders in the US who should have gone to jail for committing crimes against a very large number of people. These leaders who I shall not mention by name were for the most part executives in financial companies, politicians or both. They miss used their power for personal gain at the cost of society. Yet, none of the authorities or politicians who did not directly participate in the crimes had the backbone to punish these individuals.
But these leaders alone should not be held exclusively accountable for these large crimes. Millions of Americans participated on the fraudulent lending industry that nearly destroyed the global monitory system. Realtors pumped home prices up and assisted home buyers in committing fraud. Home buyers eagerly signed no doc liar loans at higher rates because they themselves knew that this was the only way they would “qualify” for a mortgage. Underwriters looked the other way as they sold the debt to others. Rating agencies and Wall Street investment bankers worked together to slice, dice, re-package, re-rate and re-sell these junk debts as credit default obligations.
I’ll be the first to admit that I was a harsh critic of US foreign policy under the Bush administration. The continuous mingling and aggressive behavior towards other countries political leaders was a policy that I did not support. I have always felt that a countries’ society had to change from within, but sometimes, the human cost is just too high for that. When foreign or domestic leaders clearly pose a threat to the people they rule, removing them before they become more powerful and influential is required. Saddam Hussein fell in that category.
So we should ask ourselves, is the US society doomed? Will we require a foreign or domestic power to correct our errors? If you understand doomed as changing and becoming different, I will agree. If you understand doomed as destroyed by foreign or domestic forces, I will disagree. The US and its people might not be perfect, but we are currently a good society. Most of the people who make up this wonderful country are honest, hardworking, productive, considerate, loyal, just, fair, and lawful. As a whole, we are still the most virtuous country in the world. But we have to protect the old laws of the land that is being dismantled by our current leaders. I should not be afraid to mention names of people who committed crimes for fear of retaliation. The Constitution and in particular, the Bill Of Rights is what make the United States of America the great country that it is. I urge today’s leaders to protect the freedoms we were given by our founding fathers. In return, these documents will protect our great society.
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