Let’s just say it: There are two classes in the United States. There is a 99% (Us) and a 1%, but they’re not the entrepreneurs, corporate CEOs, or even the greedy, self-serving stock market suits on Wall Street. “They” know exactly what they’re doing. They are Republicans and Democrats, men and women, Christians, Jews, and Atheists, Gay, straight, (and some just plain strange), all united under the American flag in a fraud against the American public that is beyond unconscionable. They are Congress.

To “serve” in the United States Congress is to gain membership in the most exclusive club around: not only will you enjoy the perks of the Capitol fitness center, free parking, and your own private staff, you’ll receive the best health care choices available, a generous salary (whether you do your job or not), and fun stock tips from friends in high places (Of course since you’re voting on legislation that may affect the stock market, you’ve already got a leg up on the rest the population anyway—wink wink!) As part of your very exclusive membership, no need to worry about pesky performance reviews from your boss; you’ll be able to vote yourself a raise anytime you like – all part of the fun! And if for some reason you don’t get re-elected, no worries – you’ll still receive that nice pension you have coming, so go ahead and buy that house in the Caymans, you deserve it, Mr. and Mrs. Career Politician! READ MORE »

   With the Presidential race gearing up for a protracted 2012 battle to win the White House, candidates everywhere are talking about “the American Dream”: how we lost it, and what they would do to get it back. But what is it, exactly? Is it the same dream today as it was in American Dreams past? How important is the concept of an, “American Dream” to the identity of what it means to be American, or, like Elvis, the hoola-hoop and home ownership,  is the American Dream just a faded memory of yester-year?

The idea of the great American Dream finds its roots in the hopes and aspirations of European explorers who dreamed of developing the untamed New World. The British Pilgrims had an image of the American Dream when they believed that establishing a life where individuals could worship freely was intrinsically rooted in breaking ties with the old world and establishing a new one. During the Great Depression, people actually wrote about “The American Dream,” codifying the concept as part of our American identity.

The American Dream has always been equated with freedom and material prosperity, two concepts that surged in pockets of society during decades like the 1950s and 1980s and according to critics has been retreating ever since. A Wikipedia definition includes the following caution about the American Dream: READ MORE »

Some of America’s top innovators and CEOs speak out on why jobs are leaving in droves and how to get them back

   As of October, 14 million Americans are unemployed. The Labor Department reports that new unemployment applications are averaging over 400,000 per week and the percentage of Americans out of work has been over 9% for every single month but two since May of 2009. In August, zero net jobs were created.

As the unemployment numbers indicate, many Americans are acquiescing to the hand-out of big-government entitlements while others, in the interest of self-preservation, are seeking work outside of the United States.

 The 2009 World Development Report finds that “Eight million Americans change states every year, migrating to reduce distance to economic opportunity.” Two years later, people are increasingly willing to migrate not only across states but globally, causing a loss of workers in American service, labor, technology and manufacturing sectors. Also lost to overseas employment are talented innovators whose ideas will instead be developed for companies in Singapore, Japan, Malaysia, China, and Europe. READ MORE »