What Is America's Greatest Current Challenge

1. 60

   TTanglewoodposted 13 years ago

   
   It is interesting that in a time of increased risk of a double dip recession, our politicians have gone on recess without fixing the problems we all currently face.
   
   What is the single most important issue you want Congress to focus on when they re-convene?

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2. 61

   knolyourselfposted 13 years ago

   It doesn't matter they are irrelevant.

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      TTanglewoodposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      How so?

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         Eaglekiwiposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         As the various states bicker and slip deeper into debt ,I notice they are prone to want to pull away from supporting their President.
         That makes a  nation weak in my opinion.

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3. 74

   Eaglekiwiposted 13 years ago

   Staying united.

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4. 61

   knolyourselfposted 13 years ago

   "In the succeeding half century the military/security complex became ever more powerful. The main power rival was Wall Street, which controls finance and money and is skilled at advancing its interests through economic policy arguments. With the financial deregulation that began during the Clinton presidency, Wall Street became all powerful. Wall Street controls the Treasury and the Federal Reserve, and the levers of money are more powerful than the levers of armaments. Moreover, Wall Street is better at intrigue than the CIA.
   The behind the scenes fight for power is between these two powerful interest groups. America’s hegemony over the world is financial, not military. The military/security complex’s attempt to catch up is endangering the dollar and US financial hegemony."

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   1. 60

      TTanglewoodposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I agree that Wall Street- Big Business in general- has become a major force in our politics.  I personally would love to see point when we removed them from the equation.
      
      That said, it is more a pipe dream to expect that those who are suppose to represent us would actually put the best interests of the general population above their own ambitions.
      
      But, the question is more to find out what we as citizens consider to be the real issues.  Is it the concept of the federal debt?  Is it the war on terrorism? Is it financial regulation?  Is it job creation?
      
      Even though I believe many politicians are beholden to their corporate sponsors, they still have to throw the peasants a bone from time to time...don't they?

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5. 60

   Alourouaposted 13 years ago

   Private Bankers are the world's greatest challenge.

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6. 61

   knolyourselfposted 13 years ago

   "As the financial sector has over-extended and must shrink, Wall Street is determined to have access to public funds to manage the process and determined to maintain its relative power by forcing shrinkage in its competitor’s network. That means closing down the expensive wars in order to free up funds for entitlement privatization and to keep the dollar’s role as reserve currency. Wall Street realizes that if the dollar goes, its power goes with it. ...
   Wall Street opened the game with a debt downgrade, implying more are to come unless action is taken. The new Pentagon chief replied that any cuts to the military budget would be a “doomsday mechanism” that “would do real damage to our security, our troops and their families and our military’s ability to protect the nation.”"

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   1. 60

      TTanglewoodposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Yeah, that made me laugh when he said that.  We spend approximately 50% of the worldwide total on defense.  This means we spend as much on our defense as the rest of the world combined.
      
      What is interesting is that number 2 on the list is China - at nearly 10% of what we spend.  I believe there is significant room to trim the defense budget and still effectively manage our security. 
      
      Corporate welfare at its best.

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7. 61

   knolyourselfposted 13 years ago

   "Will Americans be so afraid of terrorists that they will give up their entitlements? Will false flag terrorist events be perpetrated in order to elevate this fear? Will Wall Street provoke crises that are perceived as a greater threat?". US tax
   dollar - entitlements or military spending - who do you think will win?

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   Sherlock221bposted 13 years ago

   America's biggest challenge is the same one facing all Western nations - the economy.

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9. 94

   wildernessposted 13 years ago

   Our biggest challenge is finding and electing honest politicians that will act in the best interests of the country instead of their own.

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   1. 60

      TTanglewoodposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Is that what we really want?

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      1. 60

         Moderndayslaveposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Maybe we need to get rid of the politicians and directly vote  like on American Idol .Corporate lobbying and backroom deals would be a thing of the past.

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         1. 94

            wildernessposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            You can say this after millions of Americans based their presidential vote solely on the amount of melanin in the skin?

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               Moderndayslaveposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               Considering we have been sold out to the highest bidder and the choice we had,I'll take my chances

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                  Eaglekiwiposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                  Could always learn to speak Chinese

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                     TTanglewoodposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                     We actually owe most of that money to ourselves.  42.2% of that total is owned by US individuals and institutions.
                     
                     Only 7.5% is owned by China, who is the greatest foreign holder of US debt.
                     
                     We can keep speaking English for the time being.

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                        Moderndayslaveposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                        I like chinese food,why not?

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               TTanglewoodposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               I will point out that it went both ways.  Millions DIDN'T vote for him also based on the color of his skin.

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10. 78

    Ms Deeposted 13 years ago

    Good question. I'm coming to think it is a lack of seriousness by Washington D.C. about reforming things like our entitlement system and tax codes.

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    1. 60

       TTanglewoodposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Fair enough.
       
       If you were about to retire, would you wait longer in order to help the deficit?  Would you be willing to defer or accept less benefits?

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          Ms Deeposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          I would if we could afford it. It would depend on what other reforms come along with this and their impact, like changing the tax code or not.

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             TTanglewoodposted 13 years agoin reply to this

             I'm referring to you specifically.  The tax code changes would likely only affect you if you make over 150K.  Short of that amount, most of the proposed changes would be nominal...especially if you are surviving on Social Security.
             
             But right there you see the issue we face as a nation.  Everyone wants something to be done, but even those with a conservative mindset are hesitant to give up "entitlements" if it will affect their quality of life.

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11. 61

    Ron Montgomeryposted 13 years ago

    Illegal immigrants from Mexico who persecute Christians, take our jobs, drive up the deficit and then have the audacity to refuse saying the pledge of allegiance when they attend our public schools which of course they don't pay for...
    
    Oh, and those "1/2 gallons" of ice cream that are actually just 56 oz.

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       livelongerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Don't forget that they're trying to institute shariah law!

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          Ron Montgomeryposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          That's what's primarily responsible for the whole ice cream crisis.

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             livelongerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

             I thought that was cooked up by the evil cabal of abortionists, heterophobic gay marriage activists, and Kenyan madrassa principals?

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             1. 61

                Ron Montgomeryposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                No, you're thinking of the 14 oz. "pound" of coffee beans crisis.

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12. 61

    princess gposted 13 years ago

    The economy

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13. 73

    crazyhorsesghostposted 13 years ago

    I would like to see them bring all the textile jobs they allowed to be sent over seas be brought back to America. Do you know that there are cities all over the American south that look like ghost towns since the American textile jobs were lost.
    
    I would like to see them do something about the 15.000 plus homeless people living on the streets of New Orleans and what about the other 300.000 former citizens of New Orleans that can't come home because they have no where to come home to.
    
    I would like to see them put America first and to hell with the problems of the rest of the world. America has serious problems they need to take care of. We need to feed our own hungry and house our homeless before we worry about people in other countries. Americans need to be for America first and we need to demand this of our politicians both Republican and Democrat. I think we need to have strict term limits and do away with lobbyists in Washington D.C. Then we might have real change that would really bring the America with the dream come back.

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    1. 60

       TTanglewoodposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Term limits I believe is a great start to fixing the problem.  At least the goal would be to get something accomplished during the time in office. 
       
       Lobbyists are likely here to stay, but we do need to reform how we run - specifically finance- our elections.  The winner shouldn't be the guy who spent the most money.
       
       I agree that the economy, namely jobs should be the primary focus.  I don't believe that textile jobs will be coming back anytime soon, but there are new industries that can be developed here at home.  Its ironic that China is currently also leading the world in the development of new green technologies.  That is not a typo- China.

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14. 61

    lostdogrwdposted 13 years ago

    to united as brother and sister as one/ Don't care if you don't like someone. just respect them. to take this country back from the sociopath that killing this country. state have to take charge by the people to build gas refinery, and take over healthcare and get people to go to credit union and out of the banks. state have to start printing THERE own money or in co-op with other state to keep the new money here. a tariff on anything in your state that not made here to keep the people working to keep the economy moving. and after the people get ALL THE CROOKS OUT OF congress, have the Feds to look after US safety and a small over see they still run by state. this country will be lost until we the people come together to save ourselves.

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