We suck as a country

America is not the greatest country in the world. America isn't even in the top ten, we used to be, but now we pretty much suck.

Am I saying this as some sort of un-patriotic America hater? No, I am saying this as a real patriot, not someone suffering under the illusion of blind nationalism but someone who can look at our country with both of my eyes wide open and see what we are. We used to have much to be proud of, mainly our people, now I am afraid we don't even have that and without our people to take pride in we don't have much left, and so that's why I am willing to say, without any hesitation, that America sucks.

This is not a partisan or ideological statement. President Obama is a terrible president, plain and simple. I hope he gets a strong challenge in the next Democratic primary so that he has no chance of getting re-elected. Our country can't afford a second Obama term if it is anything like the first one has been so far. I also can't find a single Republican politician who I think deserves the oxygen they are using, so don't think this is about Democrat vs. Republican, both parties are killing our country.

This is also not about some strange populist beliefs that revolve around the falsehoods of the free-market or hypocritical statements about getting government out of our lives. No, the people screaming at the tea bagger protests, the birthers, the brain dead supporters of Sarah Palin are a big part of the problem and I in no way support what they are doing.

This is about greed and laziness. I have only anecdotal evidence to go on, but this has to be the greediest country in the world. We only care about ourselves, and I don't mean ourselves = our country, no ourselves means each of us as individuals. We all want health care reform if it means we, as individuals, can get cheaper, better, health care. But if it means paying even a tiny bit more in taxes, if it means spending 1 more minute waiting to see a doctor (and from everything I have seen it is actually easier to get in to see a doctor in France, England, and Canada than it is here, but you people are willing to believe the baseless claims you hear from the people who are ripping you off for health care now without ever researching them), or God forbid if some of our tax money might mean health care for those gays, or those immigrants, or those poor people, What! I might have to go to the same building for health care as poor people?!?!? Well screw that. The health, no, the lives of children, the elderly, the poor, the middle class, our next door neighbors, none of that matters if it inconveniences us at all. Yes, America sucks.

But it isn't just greed, it is the fact that we aren't the hard working, enterprising people we like to see ourselves as, no we are a bunch of lazy slobs who aren't willing to do anything more than we absolutely have to. Sure, we work hard at work because we have no choice. But will we do anything outside of work to help make our nation better? No, not a chance. In the late 60's/ early 70's people were out in the streets every day working for civil rights, women's rights, fighting to stop an unjust war. Well people we are currently involved in 2 unjust, unpopular wars and where are the huge protests? We have people dying every day in this country from lack of health care and where are the huge crowds marching on Washington (sure, there have been some smaller protests fighting for the insurance companies and organized by the insurance companies, and composed, to a large extent, or insurance company employees, but other than that pretty much nothing. We have massive unemployment and yet our government is giving money to banks and Wall Street firms so they can keep paying out huge bonuses to people who in no way deserve them and yet the most energetic thing we can do is send an angry email or call a talk radio show.

All of you, me included, are why this country sucks, and I think we deserve what we are getting, I think it is funny how many people claim that we live in a Christian nation when an officially atheist nation like Cuba takes care of its people in a way more in line with Christ's teachings.
So what do we do now? Give up? I think the argument can be made that we already have. Can we bring our country back? Greed, laziness, and the corporations that have taken over our government are mighty powerful enemies to fight. Can you start thinking for yourself? Are you willing to put in the work and take the risks needed to make America great again? Are you willing to stop supporting corporations like Wal-Mart that have forced other companies to move their manufacturing overseas by paying .10 more per roll for toilet paper?

I don't think you are, I don't know that I am. I have been to more funerals than I want to this year and now I feel we should be holding one for our nation. I wonder who will do the eulogy?