Our Democracy Must Walk the Walk

We Americans sure enjoy a good whine. Fifteen years ago our government joined the World Trade Organization, for the purpose of helping U.S. manufacturers find the cheapest labor in the world. We have lost millions of jobs, but we don't vote out of office the Free Trade politicians that caused it and we certainly don't boycott corporations like Wal-Mart and Nike for demanding cheap foreign goods.
For nearly seven years we have waged unnecessary and horrific war in Iraq. As that imperial quest for plunder winds down we look longingly at Afghanistan as a likely venue for keeping the war machine in the black. Yet we don't vote out of office the politicians who sacrificed our brave soldiers and we absolutely positively wouldn't think of punishing the oil companies by trying to wean ourselves off gasoline.
When we aren't scrounging for work or getting blown up we are worrying about our lack of affordable health care. The unbridled greed of medical insurance companies is destroying our economy and our quality of life. Yet it appears that health care reform legislation will result in a boon to the insurance industry, leaving the American people stuck with the tab. Why? Given our track record, why not? We aren't likely to turn out any anti-health care reform politicians in 2010 and they know it.
Instead of holding our government responsible for lost jobs, war profiteering, and runaway health care cost, most of us blame Hispanics, terrorists and socialized medicine for our lot in life. Times are often so bad that we have to laugh to keep from crying, but whining never helps and it won't allow us to be the change we wish to see in the world.