The USA is the world’s superpower in many respects. We have a huge economy, significant military strength, world-class universities, large numbers of Nobel Prize winning scientists, leading healthcare technologies and discoveries, and powerful international businesses like Apple and Microsoft not to mention fast food and financial giants around the globe.
We also
happen to be a democracy that takes human rights seriously.
No. I do not wear rose-colored glasses.
America has some weaknesses too. It’s those
weaknesses that might make a difference in 2022 and beyond.
Is the US being tested?
As I write,
Russia has amassed troops on their border with Ukraine. Stock markets
are tumbling. President Biden has threatened sanctions. We are sending troops
and weapons. It looks like we are on the brink of war. (e.g., CNN)
Earlier today,
we learn the world’s second most powerful nation sent 39 warplanes toward
Taiwan, which split from China during the 1949 Civil War. Yesterday, the
US sent two carrier strike groups to the China Sea. (eg., see CBS)
Last year,
the US withdrew from Afghanistan after a long war between 2001-2021. The
Taliban are now in charge of the country. What did we accomplish? Did the Taliban takeover and withdrawal show weakness to our enemies?
In 2021, cyberattacks,
including ransomware, surged 151% according to Firstpost.
These threats are serious on a national, regional, and local level. Our
personal identities may be in jeopardy. Are we doing enough to keep us safe?
Are our home troubles making
us too vulnerable?
It’s no
secret that the 2020 US election caused an incredible uproar. Despite a thin majority of leaders
supporting Biden, a considerable number of Americans believe the election was
stolen and the anniversary of the January 6 riot at the Capitol reminded us of
the extent to which people feel free to protest. We must promote secure elections and cease undermining the hard-working vote counters. Criticism needs to be aimed at improvements rather than tearing down our fellow citizens.
The
worldwide pandemic has clearly impacted so many nations. In the US, the government has increased
our debt to unimaginable levels to support individuals and businesses. Unfortunately,
a great deal of our debt is owned by China ($1.05 trillion recently and $1.3
trillion held by Japan). Stop the financial bleed.
As I read world
news and consider US news, some nations appear better than others when it comes
to respect for human rights and processes designed to promote justice
and fairness. We read stories of corruption and the killing, or excessive use
of force, by government authorities. A focus in recent years has been on the horrible
shooting of Black Americans. Recently, it’s been a bad weekend for police
killed in the line of duty. The struggle for fairness will never end because it is a struggle against human nature. We must all be vigilant to ensure fairness in all interactions.
With all these troubles, it’s not surprising to see the US financial markets cratering in recent days.
Our internal troubles have weakened
our sense of being “united” and feeling safe.
Democracy
is a messy form of government compared to autocracies. It takes people of good
will and a genuine concern for balancing individual rights and the rights of
others in a rights-based democratic society. Democracy is the best form of government in my view
but the freedoms we enjoy require constant effort.
Meanwhile,
real military powers challenge our resolve so soon after leaving Afghanistan
and as we attempt to restore health and regain financial strength.
So, What?
I’m certainly not privy to intelligence services but there are some things we can do. My belief is that healthy individuals and healthy families are the foundation of a healthy and strong nation.
As we take steps to promote our own wellbeing
and the wellbeing of our close friends and families,
we are creating a strong nation.
About healthy living--
Am I doing what I can to stay healthy and free from deadly or debilitating illnesses for my sake and those I love?
Am I taking time to build physical strength and endurance?
Am I increasing my ability to learn more and think wisely about matters affecting my life and the lives of the people I love.
Am I careful with my finances to live within my means?
Am I building financial strength for my future and family?
Am I taking time to nurture my spiritual / mental wellbeing?
Am I sharing excess resources with others to strengthen their lives?
Some More Ideas
Vote and
contact congress to reign in massive spending bills. We have an election later in the
year. We need a strong military, an improved infrastructure with strong cybersecurity
and we need healthy and well-educated citizens. But we also need financial
strength. Extreme budget cutting and extreme spending on social programs ruin
us in different ways. (WP Regarding
massive debt)
Vote and
contact congress to be careful in their attacks on Big Tech. Big Tech companies employ millions
and their research can help us in an age of cyberattacks. Thoughtless weakening
of Big Tech can make us more vulnerable. I’m not advocating monopolies or
giving a green light to Big Business to exploit us. I’m just saying that we
need Big Tech. (Example
Business Insider)
Strike a
balance in educating our citizens. If you give money to higher education or vote for free college
education. Consider the products being sold. So many people have been sold on
getting a college education that may have more to do with school marketing of
prestige, false hopes, and the pursuit of imaginary dreams than meeting
students’ needs. For some, a college degree is the key to a better life. For
others, it is a financial burden they never needed to do what they are doing. Perhaps
we can encourage career counseling and promote talking with others to develop
realistic educational and career plans. (Example
from Forbes)
Consider
immigration when voting and contacting congress. We have so many unfilled jobs today. In the
past, our doors were open to higher levels of immigration. When our own
citizens cannot meet the demand and we want to keep jobs in the US, immigration
is one option to meet the need for “Designed in America” and “Made in the USA.”
We need more immigrants to fill our job openings and help shoulder our debt
burden through the taxes they pay. (See
e.g., Vox)
Consider
relationships with allies when voting. A strong nation cannot stand alone when other
nations form threatening alliances. The US has the strongest military. We have
spent so many lives and treasure in the past century. Verbal attacks on our
allies is bad policy.
Consider
our health. A
healthy nation is built one by one. Each of us contributes or subtracts from
our nation’s health. All around us people are sick, out of work, and dying. Every
sick person who gets care takes from our healthcare system and increases the
cost for all of us. It’s good to be skeptical of medical advice yet isn’t it
better to decide on healthy living based on the available data rather than
trusting pundits or political leaders? We have some of the world’s best scientists
and medical treatments. Sure experts can be wrong. But more of us are better
off now than when I was a boy—thanks to medical science.
And
while I’m at it, health includes mental health. The pandemic has taken a toll on mental
wellbeing. We cannot ignore those common ailments of depression and anxiety. A
health nations requires mentally healthy people (See
e.g., The Lancet)
May we all
make wise decisions in 2022.
A related book: Living Well
Available on Amazon
Note.
I write
about psychology and culture, including religion and spirituality. Disclosure- my history can influence my opinions: I am an immigrant whose parents left school at age 14 and were welcomed into
this country performing low pay, low-skilled jobs. Dad loaded trucks and my mother
cleaned houses. I do have a PhD, which was required for licensure. The degree
wasn’t expensive because most of my work was at state universities, which
included paid positions.
and see my books on AMAZON or GOOGLE
STORE
Also,
consider connecting with me on FACEBOOK Geoff W. Sutton
TWITTER @Geoff.W.Sutton
You can read many published articles at no charge:
Academia Geoff W Sutton ResearchGate
Geoffrey
W Sutton
No comments:
Post a Comment