Working diligently to achieve third world status.

The traditional roll of the leaders of enlightened nations has been to improve the lives of the citizens, and the standing of their nation. With that in mind, the actions of our current administration, and the zombies in the House and Senate who follow their instructions, are perplexing. For some reason, our leaders are working in another direction.

When you think of a third world nation certain traits come to mind. Poverty is always one of the realities of life mentioned. We will also find a huge division in wealth with a very small middle class, limited educational opportunities, corrupt and unresponsive government, and a highly dependent economy.

Right now it sure looks like moving this nation into the third world is the goal of Bush and friends. We now have huge deficits and an enormous amount of debt, but no tax cut is a bad tax cut. The end result will be, with time, unsustainable. This will end up forcing huge cuts to government programs, or huge tax increases or both. The collapse in Argentina is an example of what we can look forward to.

Economic changes are putting new and profound pressure on the middle class. The class of well paying middle class jobs have been shrinking for decades. In addition, the level of compensation for jobs can be greatly out of wack, with top executives earning 400+ times what the average worker earns. We are at risk of becoming a nation of 2 social classes, the ultra rich, and dirt poor.

But it is more that the mountain of debt we are building that threatens our nation. Another thing associated with a third world nation is a government this is adept at deceiving it citizens. There is no doubt that the Bush administration is expert at this. They have developed a media echo chamber that is so effective that no spin is ignored. Aside from the large and very docile talk radio world, they have fake reporters, disingenuous TV host and in a pinch, editorial writers who are bought and paid for.

One other trait is a lack of education and development in scientific areas. This weeks news shows us yet another success in the Bush third world plan. South Korea has made another huge advance in the area of stem cell research. They are starting to run with what they are learning, our scientist are still being kept in their crib, trying to learn how to sit up. What was the reaction of the Bush administration? He condemned S. Korea's efforts, and vowed to veto a bill on this subject.

Stem cells are not the limit of Bush's hatred of science. Bush's administration has obstructed efforts in environmental science, bio ethics, and health. The desires of big industry or the religious right movement where given greater consideration that the scientific fact, according to a report requested by Rep. Henry Waxman.

At times I have felt that some on the right would live to roll the clock back to the 1880s or 90s, When robber barons were right, and domestic staff was easy to find. Now I see it is not only the economic, and social policy of the late 19th century that they love but also the level of scientific advancement, and personal liberty.