In March of 1964, President Johnson declared a "War on Poverty". Poverty has won the war.
I had always wanted to write this blog in a light hearted and humurous way but there are so many things here in America that are too, too sad and they make me very angry. I wish I could make people smile and have a little laugh at the wonderful differences between Americans and not just Australians but everyone else around the world because America does so many things so much better than everyone else.
But they also manage to convince themselves that they are just not worthy of their amazing success. They also believe some who tell them that everyone else around the world does pretty much everything better than they do.
To begin with today, let's talk about poverty. In a country where just about anything is possible tens of millions of people live in the most squalid and unimagineable poverty. Not far from where I live many people, sadly mostlly people of colour, live in and accept intolerable levels of deprivation. They live in houses that are falling apart. Most do not have a meaningful job if they have any job at all. Most do not have a decent education. Many have a criminal record. They live in neighbourhoods infested with drugs and the most appalling violence. Health outcomes and life expectancy for people of colour are unacceptable by any standard. Obesity and morbid obesity in African/American and Hispanic communities have become pandemic. The figures from the US government's Centre of Disease Control in Atlanta bear witness to this appalling condition.
The major causes of death for these deprived communities are gun violence, AIDS and obesity. Ban guns all you like but those people who kill with guns now are already barred by law from having a gun. The answer from many in the Democratic Party is to ban everyone else from having a gun. It doesn't make much sense but then many in the Democratic party rarely make much sense these days. As for Republicans they are not much better either.
America continues to throw money at these problems with little thought for the short or long term outcomes.
I wish I could be light-hearted and make you smile but when you meet a man on the street who is starving and cannot feed himself I cannot make a joke.
Yes the war on poverty is lost. The war on drugs is also lost and while we could decriminalize many drug offences we cannot ignore the deprivation of so many of our brothers and sisters who cannot shelter and feed themselves.
Is the answer more government spending. That is what has got us here in the first place.
President Johnson started the theft of the nation's wealth back in the 60's and politicians on both sides have allowed it to go on for far too long. It hasn't done any good and in fact has made it so much worse.
It is time for government ot get out of the way and be more of a servant than the one in charge.
