The Problem with America: It's People . . .

The people of America have no clue what they want. You can easily decipher this from the headlines and news stories that show the teeter totter of American opinion of our President, his administration's policy and efforts and our stance on societal issues. Perhaps all that can be concluded is that we are a nation of uncertainty. Our passion for individualism sometimes falls victim to our collective aspirations, and vice versa.

For example, not more than a year ago, we sat appalled at the actions and decision making taken by high level executives who, while begging the American public for taxpayer funded bailout assistance, flew costly corporate jets to hearings with Congress, held lavish retreats at plush resorts and paid themselves millions of dollars in bonuses for a job not-so-well done. We wanted them ran up the pole and shunned for their inconsiderate and greedy behavior. Turn the clock forward and the POTUS' Pay Czar begins to take proactive action to limit the executive compensation packages that are based on presence and not performance and the American People call for revolution as the Government is overstepping their boundaries, meddling in private capital markets. We don't know where we stand and thus we don't stand for much at all.

Consider the recently discovered fraud in the tax credit for housing purchases (which found that several four year old's took out home loans last year according to their taxes . . . . right, go back and read that again). The American people, many of which who bit off more than they could chew regarding their home loans, called for the Government to step in to assist the victims of the mortgage debacle. The Government offered assistance by laying out tax credits to encourage continued lending and purchasing. What occurred? Lenders slowed the distribution of credit to the point that the process moved like molasses. And the American people. The people who were afraid that rampant foreclosure would drive their home prices down. Those people who begged the Government to step in and protect their investments. Those are the same people who took advantage of Government implemented assistance by having Fluffy the family cat claim an $8,000 tax credit and receive a $10,000 check in the mail (I wonder how Fluffy signed for that?). And after doing so, those same people gathered at town hall meetings clamoring that the Government through health care reform would be able to check their account balances in their private checking account. Are we this scared or just plain stupid?

Socially, We The People exclaim inclusiveness. Yet we define inclusiveness based on those who think like us, talk like us, walk like us, act like us, eat like us, live like us and make love like us. A measure sits on Obama's desk asking that a hate-crimes law with regards to crimes against persons based on their sexual orientation be ratified. The American people who's Constitution asserts that "all men are created equal " have balked at the notion that "all men" may include gay men or gay women. Their claims: that conservative speech against abortion and homosexuality will be stifled. CNN reports that 77,000 hate crimes were reported last year. 77,000. And the American People's concern is the ability for conservatives and religious groups to run anti-abortion ads? How minuscule does that measure up to the 77,000 who were victims of said crime? Is their rebuttal exemplary of the inclusiveness that they say exists in the fabric of our nation? Or is that garment something that is torn and tattered by the truth and reality that our nation is much more divided than we ever could imagine?

The problem with America. It's people. A people born of a desire to be free of tyranny yet willing to ostracize at will. A people committed to lending a helping hand but only to those who's ideology, values and party affiliation match the hand that is being lent. The problem with America. It's people. A people who have yet to commit to their nation's founding documents which have become more mission statement than binding vision and commitment to the people which it governs.