The United States faces the daunting task of making sure that all of it's people are adequately taken care of.  In other words, to make sure that all of it's inhabitants have what they need to survive.  Unfortunately however, the current political climate is so divisive and derisive, that it makes it difficult for the voices of most Americans to be heard...in fact, one of the most important issues facing America let alone most of the developed and "developing world", is income inequity.  Over the last several decades, too many Americans have lost ground economically.  What once was the middle class is being decimated by a Congress that is unwilling and too far removed from it's constituents to listen to what their concerns are.  Most Americans live from paycheck to paycheck, and a sudden illness or accident still has the potential to wipe most families out economically.  Congresses' unwillngness to vote to raise the minimum wage while voting in pay raises for themselves is both a national, as well as international disgrace.  A nation that prides itself on it's claim of democracy has a government entity in power (Congress, the Senate) that cares very little about ordinary Americans that barely can keep mind and body together.  That's because too many people are not earning enough to barely keep a roof over their heads or to pay for their expenses.

While right wing Republicans preach about so called family values, their policies undermine American families.  They have continuously blocked pay raises for ordinary Americans.  They spear headed and encouraged the sequester which over time will lay off government workers and will cut the salaries of many as well that are not laid off.  They were willing to take the nation to the brink of disaster a little over a yr. ago or so with the debt ceiling debacle, and they have demonstrated through their failed candidate for President in 2012 Mitt Romney, that they have nothing but contempt for Americans that don't bring home six figure salaries and don't belong to country clubs!  Their policies allow millionaires and corporations to exploit workers both here in America and overseas.  They blocked healthcare reform because they tried to paint it as socialism, while in reality, many American corporations participate in a type of socialism themselves by receiving money from the government for their business ventures (corporate welfare).

While America's wealthy enjoy their untold millions, millions of Americans are teetering over the abyss.  Income inequity is not something that this nation can afford. A nation such as America cannot and should not become a nation where the majority of it's citizens are poor.  The growing gap between rich and poor has grown much wider, and if greedy politicans continue to have their way, it will grow even wider.  While the President continues to push for the comprehensive and innovative JOBS bill, Republicans continue to block it and any other measure that will help this nation accomplish a full recovery from the economic disaster that took place under their watch!  Americans should be furious about this, but it appears as if some people in this country are asleep and don't want to wake up to the fact that by re-electing wealthy politicians to power that don't care about their interests could spell disaster not only for them but for thousands and or millions of Americans that have yet to be born.  If the wealthy continue to roll back the clock on worker's rights, it will be much harder for instance to get or job, or even to keep a job.  Your qualifications won't matter.  Wealthy politicians can and have rolled back regulations that once protected the American worker...not so anymore!  Deregulation makes it easy for American corporations to disengage from their home country only to exploit workers overseas.  The good news however is that workers overseas are getting wise to this exploitation and are beginning (by taking small steps) to fight back. 

Wake up America and stop being lulled into a false sense of security!  Income inequity and or the growth of it in America spells the end of America!  When the wealthy and the powerful own everything and consolidate they're power, the ordinary people don't have a chance.  History proves this.   The wealthy and the powerful are methodically attempting to deprive you of your Constitutional rights as Americans.  One of those major rights that they are attempting to control is your power to vote.  Witness all of the long lines in different parts of the nation during the 2012 elections, and the difficulty that many U.S. citizens encountered, trying not only to register to vote, but some faced problems even on election day trying to get into polling places just to cast their vote!  Republican lead state legislative bodies passed laws that in various states, targeted mostly poor and minority groups.  This is what happens in any society where the rich and the powerful walk around with the government in their hip pockets, and the sad truth of the matter is, that all too many Americans are tolerating this fact by shrugging their shoulders and saying, "well there's nothng I can do about it, it's always been that way."    That's the problem.  Our elected officials are not the only ones at fault.  We the people are also responsible for the mess that exists today because we don't pay enough attention to the people that we elect to public office.  We see the smoke and special effects, but we won't look behind the curtain like Dorothy and the others did in the Wizard of Oz.  Just because a politician spouts off that he is pro family, does not make him pro family at all.  Not when his or her policies fail to enhance and or protect the lives of Americans.  The failure for instanc on the part of the GOP legislatures to vote yes on background checks for gun sales speaks volumes.  They have proven that they are demagogues whose only reason for occupying the Senate and the House of Representatives, is to stand on a soap box to justify their ideals.  They are not in Washington to represent the people that put them there.  They are using their elected office to further their own personal agendas, not that of the American people.  This is where we have failed as Americans.  We have allowed  career politicians just that....to become career politicians.  Now understand, I don't have a problem with career politicians that have been in office for two decades or more if they are about the people's business.  One good example of this would be the late Senator  Ted Kennedy, of whom worked tirelessly on behalf of the poor, elderly, minorities, and the disabled.  Throughout his stellar career in the Senate, he always championed legislation to help America's poor and working classes.  This was his life's work.  The same cannot be said for the likes of Senator Mitch McConnell who is  a disgrace to the state of Ky.  He himself has been in the Senate for over thirty years, but has done very little to nothing to improve the lot for the people of Ky.  Ky. still has one of the highest poverty and teen pregnancy rates in the nation, yet there are Kentuckians that continue to re-elect this do nothing, mean spirited man to public office.  They are not benefiting from his tenure in office, at least the state on the whole is not.  With people like this in office representing Ky. the state will continue to be known as one of the most economically challenged states in the Union.  A truly unenvialbe position.

According to stats, at least one in six American's now live in poverty, and this is not good news.  The type of economic violence is disgraceful for a nation that prides itself on the myth that if you work hard enough, you can get an even break and live the American dream.  This doesn't seem to be the case at this point.  Deregulation and antiquated attitudes and practices among American businesses that harken back to the torturous sweatshops of the 19th and early 20th centuries, place modern American's at risk for continuous exploitation.  By making qualifications for jobs more complicated, even using a person's credit as criteria for hiring decisions....corporations are helping to create a new underclass in America.  A class of people of whom find getting good paying jobs and establishing careers hard to acquire due to bad credit reports and other questionable hirng practices by these corporations.  It used to be the case that as long as you qualified for a job, you were usually hired. Now, college grads are driving pizza delivery vehicles to make a living instead of beginning entry level work at fortune 500 companies.  While the pool of qualified workers grows, the window of economic stability becomes smaller.  Income inequality i...e.. the growth of it, is a threat not only to the democratic process but to national security.  Again, it is not a surprise that the rich and the powerful often manipulate the system for their ends...and this of course is nothing new. America is no different.  If Americans continue with a "do nothing" attitude toward our own plight, we will lose big time. When the Imperial Roman Empire collapsed, there were signs everywhere but the people didn't want to see them.  As long as they were provided with breads and circuses...they were too occupied with entertainment, yes work and survival to pay much heed to the fact the Roman civilization was eeking away. Granted that most Americans are also distracted by work, and even petty things that help to obscure the big picture.  Without representatives that care about the American people, more and more people will find it difficult to fnd descent paying jobs, more and more people will never own a home, and some Americans will lose out on being able to attend college.  Food and fuel prices will continue to climb, and some people even in our own nation will wind up starving.  Starving, in America?  Yes.  Just look at the recent proposals for cutting such programs as Food stamps.  Some of the projected cuts will throw thousands of the nation's children off the food stamp rolls.  Childcare assistance is also dwindling when it comes to government funding for the program.  When times are tough, the well to do decide to cut a gaping hole through an already frayed safety net. 

Remember, if the rich and the powerful have their way and continue to block progressive measures by the President that would help Americans get a foot hold on economic stability, your school age children may never get to go to college.  Even if they do, they will be worse off than you economically if those in power do not exercise the moral courage to do the right thing. The biggest issue facing this nation is, economic apartheid...economic inequality, economic violence.  Without a job, there is little  access to needed resources such as groceries, and shelter, the American dream becomes a lie.  Americans become the losers.

Americans need to also rethink it's attitudes on capitalism in general.  The current system only rewards a select few...how about rewarding everybody that works with a livable wage and benefits?  How about workers co- owning the place where they work...with an equal stake in it as well as the owners?   This makes sense because there would be low absenteeism, better production and a happier work force. Why American CEOs are unable to see this is mind boggling.

To close, it is vital that American politicians and businesses as well as the American people rethink current practices and attitudes when it comes to economic franchisement.  American's need to stop voting against their own interests and vote for those that haven't been born yet.  If not,the unborn will suffer for the consequences of a generation of Americans that lacked the moral courage and the where with all, to make sure that the power to govern themselves was placed back into their hands, and not that of big business and crooked politicians.  We have no excuses to stand on the side lines and shrug our shoulders and condemn our children to a future where they will have to struggle for every crumb that makes it to their table.  The worst case scenario is a future of which people will compete for resources.  If you've ever seen and read Soylent Green, than you know what I mean.  Our laziness politically, economically, and otherwise will create a nightmare world for our decendants.  I'm not saying that their world will look like Soylent Green, but it will be a close facsimile thereof!   When the people do not hold the rich and powerful accountable for their actions, than the people can't be surprised when those same people commit atrocious acts and pass backward legislation that violates the basic rights of the people.  The people, all of us have got to make ourselves aware of legislation that pushes people into the poor house and makes our economic lives miserable.  The people need to vote for candidates that are for the people, and the people must run for office ourselves.  If you can't run for public office, become an activist to change things on the ground level.  Activate for fair wages and working conditions.  Activate for worker's rights and for worker ownership of businesses along with owners. Start your own business.  Activate for strenghthening and improving health care reform.  Activate and lobby Congress to pass a comprehensive and progressive JOBS bill that will put millions back to work and also help to rebuild the nation's infrastucture.  Activate, Activate, Activate!  and stop sitting on the sidelines shrugging your shoulders.  Don't wait to lose your job, your house, your car, or lose everything to creditors due to not being able to pay your bills to become active in changing an already corrupt system that thrives on income inequality.   Remember, income inequality often means, not being able to see a Dr. because you have no insurance or money to do so.  INcome inequality (economic violence) means, losing your house to foreclosure.  Income inequality means, not being able to find someone to watch your children while you work, because you can't afford daycare.  Income inequality means, missing a meal, or two because you can't afford food. Income inequality means that you can't go to school because you can't afford it.  Income inequality means that you don't have enough money to pay your bills.  Income inequality means that you lose your car to repossession due to not being able to pay.  Economic violence and inequality means having creditors rob you of what little you have through lawsuits to collect on unpaid debts.  Economic violence and inequality means living on the street due to lack of money to resolve the issues of food and shelter.  Economic violence and inequality are creditors and debt collectors ringing your phone and sending threatening letters to make you pay a bill that you cannot afford to pay.  Economic violence is needing a new pair of shoes because they are worn out and not being able to get them because you have no money.  Economic violence is getting your much needed utilities turned off because you can't pay.   Economic violence, is working at a job barely making enough to pay bills or to purchase food, clothing and medicines.   All of what has been mentioned are forms of economic violence...apartheid.