In your estimation, who/what is responsible for the disintegration of America?

Question

You know what I think.

http://www.greenpeace.org/raw/image_full/international/photosvideos/photos/george-bush-leads-the-us-towar.jpg

Answer 1

I agree with ♥plus futé que toi♥ - lobbyists. Of course, easily corruptible politicians don't help the situation.

It all stems from greed, whether it's campaign donations, 527's, K Street, or $500/plate fundraisers. Don't blame only Bush for "the disintegration of America". Many others have had their hands in the money trough as well, from both parties. But no one does a cash grab better than a Republicant.

Answer 2

Excellent answer plus!

But there's more to it as well IMHO. First, let me say that I think "disintegration" is too strong a word. Decline, splintering, a few other ones seem more appropriate to me - because disintegration implies that there is no hope, and I don't agree with that statement.

Some other causes:

The Media - "Film at Eleven" media coverage of very complex issues, turning them into "environment for dummies" or "economic policy for dummies". Some neo-conservatives accuse the media of being biased toward liberal positions, but they're really biased toward ratings and money - the same folks bring you "Wingo", "Teen People", and "Fear Factor". Add the Greek Chorus of right wing talkmasters and you shouldn't be surprised when most Americans don't really understand many of the issues (whether or not they're liberal or conservative). They just don't have the time to go beyond the front page, the evening news, and the AM radio dial.

I'd also add the disproportionate power and wealth of multi-national corporations. If you've read "Catch 22" think of Milo Minderbinder's M&M Enterprises, which owned everything from the bombs to the targets being bombed, also the original discoverer of "outsourcing"! True, multinationalism can be a force for peace in some cases - but the profits to be had from energy and war are too tempting to resist some times, and their ownership of media, energy, defense, and other industries contributes to the growing gap between rich and poor in this country and throughout the world and to the "see no evil" attitude toward the environment.

Finally, I will add organized religion to the list. I don't care whether it's Christian Conservatives, Muslim Radicals, or Irish Catholics and Protestants. There seems to be a revival of attitudes from the Middle Ages that only those of your faith are of any concern - others are "non-persons". It's easy to see how this is a slippery slope to hatred and violence.

But the reason I think "disintegration" is too strong a term is that I still think Americans are, in general, a lot smarter and fair-minded than our politicians and media types may think. Give us the information and we'll generally do the right thing eventually. Look at general attitudes toward racism, the environment, equal rights for gays and lesbians, and many other things. We may not be making progress as fast as some would like, but progress it is.

Answer 3

Politics

Answer 4

I didn't realize that America has disintegrated in to a 3rd world country. Your attitude and hatred for the current administration has blinded you from accepting reality. America is the world's lone superpower and I don't see her breaking up.

What I do see is the liberals and their goons in the drive by media constantly criticizing, dissenting, playing race cards, playing class warfare cards, and basically using every issue in America as a tool to attack the administration and DIVIDE America. All I see on TV is the Administration doing the right thing and then liberal politicians and the DBM attacking the policy, criticizing the administration, calling for resignations, and DIVIDING Americans to regain their power.

If this nation falls apart it will because of liberal socialists filled with white guilt like yourself. Somehow you sick liberals have TWISTED American privileges and rights such as voting and driving into charity items. Now people expect to be GIVEN a driver's license INSTEAD of studying and earning the license - NOT to mention NOW the damn driving test can be given in a foreign language

Answer 5

DF, it's not that I'm trying to defeat your seeming, most high, human spiritedness, but, if you will study the very small window on the human condition, that is the written word...I'm sure that you will soon realize that...every heralded civilization was built-up by men desiring to provide the ultimate existance for their family group: physical partner and spawn; but every fell eventually, due to the estrogen powered, emotionally unrestrained, right-brain thinking of women...Beware brother....I would be willing to commiserate with your obvious intellectual ability, off site....MeSighAh...CanU ?

Answer 6

Homophobics, Racists, sexists, people who don’t think of the less fortunate, people who try to stifle science, People who do not care about the environment, people who are gullible enough to accept what the media and the government tell them without questioning it or thinking twice about it, people who use religion as an excuse to oppress others, people who think that imperialism and national superiority is the “new vogue”, people who are too arrogant to recognize the error of their ways, people who don’t realize that we are all human and prone to make mistakes and people who see all this and still do or say nothing about it.

Answer 7

I don't think America is disintegrating...you are being to pessimistic. We may be going through tough times, but we've been through worse...
The Great Depression, WWI and WWII, racial intolerance and riots, etc....
We'll be just fine.

Answer 8

The desire for materialistic things. Money. We need to return to love of our land, the natural world, and care for mom earth. Lets all be pagans again!!

Answer 9

The peoples apathy

Answer 10

The right wing spin machine is responsible for fostering, among the masses, the ILLUSION of disintegration.