United States of Entropy

[INDY500]

First, what this is and isn't.
This isn't to say these negative trends don't precede President Obama, most do, often by decades, Nor do I assume that the election of Mitt Romney was the solution to all our problems. Nor frankly am I enamored with the current Republican leadership. This is to say that President Obama has failed to provide the leadership this country needs and in fact over and over provides the wrong answers and prescriptions for our problems. Sadly the election of Barack Obama will only prolong and deepen what I see as our national entropy.

After the 2012 election I, like many conservatives, had to go micro for a while and concern myself only with work, church, friends and family. It was simply too sad to realize that the last chance to change course had come and gone and now my generation (born in the 60's and early 70's) was to be the first generation to pass on to our children a less prosperous America. One with less economic opportunity and optimism for the future.

Instead we pass on an America where the values that turned a normal people into a great country are now openly mocked and belittled; faith in God above all else, individual initiative, a strong work ethic, personal responsibility, thrift, pride in the goodness of the country and our unique role in the preservation of liberty (American exceptionalism) and a belief in limited government. Some of us had even hoped to pass on an America where the words of MLK rang true and our children would be the first generation not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. We aren't even on the right course for that now... sigh.

Besides the objective economic numbers I'll get to shortly (and I realize all older generations say this and it's subjective to a great degree), but we truly live in a time of societal entropy as well; a growing government crowds out the civil society (non-profits, private charities) that once defined this country, the most stabilizing factor in civilization, the family, is now in upheaval and too often dysfunctional, the culture is rotting (violence, the base and profane glorified) -- and I'm no bluenose trust me -- modern art sees no inherent beauty in man, academics is in decline, dependency is increasing and there is growing pessimism and unhealthy narcissism in the country.

If your 're still with me and think this is tough to read it's even tougher for me to write. And now let's document some numbers (which I looked up!!):

Avg. retail price/gallon gas in U.S. (regular all formulations)
Beg. of 1st Term
$1.85
Beg. of 2nd Term
$3.32
% change
79.5%

Consumer Price Index (all urban consumers)
Beg. of 1st Term
211.1
Beg. of 2nd Term
229.6
% change
8.8%

Unemployment rate, civilian labor force, seasonally adj. (current = Dec '12)
Beg. of 1st Term
7.8%
Beg. of 2nd Term
7.8%
% change
0.0%

Unemployment rate, alt. measure of underutilization (U-6), seas. adj. (current = Dec '12)
Beg. of 1st Term
14.2%
Beg. of 2nd Term
14.4%
% change
1.4%

Unemployment rate, blacks, seasonally adj. (current = Dec '12)
Beg. of 1st Term
12.7%
Beg. of 2nd Term
14.0%
% change
10.2%

Civilian labor force participation rate, seasonally adj. (current = Dec '12)
Beg. of 1st Term
65.7%
Beg. of 2nd Term
63.6%
% change
-3.2%

Number of federal employees, seasonally adj. (current = Dec '12 prelim.)
Beg. of 1st Term
2,790,000
Beg. of 2nd Term
2,794,000
% change
0.1%

Real median household income, in 2011 adj. dollars (2008 vs 2011)
Beg. of 1st Term
$52,546
Beg. of 2nd Term
$50,054
% change
-4.7%

Number of food stamp (SNAP) recipients (current = Oct '12)
Beg. of 1st Term
32,204,859
Beg. of 2nd Term
47,525,329
% change
47.6%

Number of unemployment benefit recipients (current = 1/5/13)
Beg. of 1st Term
7,770,779
Beg. of 2nd Term
5,659,482
% change
-27.2%

Poverty rate, individuals (2008 vs 2011)
Beg. of 1st Term
13.2%
Beg. of 2nd Term
15.0%
% change
13.6%

Disabled workers in current-payment status, SSDI (Jan '09 vs. Dec '12)
Beg. of 1st Term
7,442,377
Beg. of 2nd Term
8,827,795
% change
18.6%

U.S. rank in Economic Freedom World Rankings
Beg. of 1st Term
6
Beg. of 2nd Term
10

U.S. money supply, M2, in billions, not seasonally adj. (current = Dec '12)
Beg. of 1st Term
$8,249.3
Beg. of 2nd Term
$10,475.6
% change
27.0%

Price of gold, London (per troy oz.)
Beg. of 1st Term
$835.00
Beg. of 2nd Term
$1,688.00
$853.00
% change
102.2%

National debt, in billions
Beg. of 1st Term
$10,627
Beg. of 2nd Term
$16,433
% change
54.6%

Federal expenditures, in billions, current $ (4 yrs ended FY '08 vs 4 yrs ended FY '12)
Beg. of 1st Term
$11,945
Beg. of 2nd Term
$14,515
% change
21.5%

(S&P) federal gov credit rating
Beg. of 1st Term
AAA
Beg. of 2nd Term
AA+

Dow Jones
Beg. of 1st Term
8,281
Beg. of 2nd Term
13,650
% change
64.8%

GDP real growth rate
2012 2.2%
2011 1.7%
2010 2.8%
2009 -2.6%
2008 1.1%
2007 2%
2006 3.2%
2005 3.2%
2004 4.4%
2003 3.1%
2002 2.5%
2001 0.3%

Am I wrong, will these trends start to reverse? What will the country look like in 2016?

 

[Rachel D.]

I think a lot of people feel the same way. Someone was just telling me the other day that it seems like we're going backwards. We have all this technology and knowledge to make life better, but something just isn't right. It's almost like we're self-destructing, and no one seems to care.

 

[Jive Turkey]

Your country is a fucking mess, but I think you give to much credit to your President for the pulling of the strings.
I'd also say you're defining yourself too much by your country

 

[Irvine511]

I can't hear for all the sanctimony and holier-than-thou rhetoric.

What are we saying? That the country is indeed in a slow but consistent recovery from the worst economic disaster sincere Great Depression? Because that's what all those numbers say to me.

As for "a fucking mess" ... Nah. We're doing just fine by nearly all measures, and we've wisely avoided the austerity trap some argued for in here that has crippled Europe. We're a better society than we've ever been, the world is objectively a better place than its ever been (more food, more medicine, less war, more access to information).

Things are far from perfect. And there are good things we've lost along the way.

But never for a second do I actually wish I lived in any era other than the present.

 

[Jive Turkey]

I meant socially your country is a fucking mess

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

I just got through a blizzard, can't worry about all that. Sorry.

Life sucks then you die.

 

[INDY500]

I think a lot of people feel the same way. Someone was just telling me the other day that it seems like we're going backwards. We have all this technology and knowledge to make life better, but something just isn't right.

Notice what word is missing, wisdom. Not much value put on it today.

It's almost like we're self-destructing, and no one seems to care.

I'll generalize here but to me we now seem hellbent on tearing down institutions and our cultural identity in the name of change (which some mistakenly believe is always progressive) rather than working to reform institutions with specific goals for the purpose of preserving and improving them. Change and reform not being synonymous.

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[Pearl]

Instead we pass on an America where the values that turned a normal people into a great country are now openly mocked and belittled; faith in God above all else, individual initiative, a strong work ethic, personal responsibility, thrift, pride in the goodness of the country and our unique role in the preservation of liberty (American exceptionalism) and a belief in limited government. Some of us had even hoped to pass on an America where the words of MLK rang true and our children would be the first generation not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. We aren't even on the right course for that now... sigh.


Besides the objective economic numbers I'll get to shortly (and I realize all older generations say this and it's subjective to a great degree), but we truly live in a time of societal entropy as well; a growing government crowds out the civil society (non-profits, private charities) that once defined this country, the most stabilizing factor in civilization, the family, is now in upheaval and too often dysfunctional, the culture is rotting (violence, the base and profane glorified) -- and I'm no bluenose trust me -- modern art sees no inherent beauty in man, academics is in decline, dependency is increasing and there is growing pessimism and unhealthy narcissism in the country.

Some of what you've mentioned is happening in other countries too, not just in America, or they are nothing new.

Faith in God is mocked in Europe, Canada, Australia and other industrialized places.

I'm not quite sure what you mean by individual initiative, so please explain.

There are plenty with a strong work ethic in this country. I suspect you are looking at a small group of people being lazy and thinking this is the future of the entire country.

Personal responsibility has always been a human problem. In the past, people blamed the devil or someone else for their problems. Nowadays, it's our parents' fault or a co-worker or whoever. It isn't good to not be responsible for yourself, but it is not easy. I think it takes a lot of self-respect and strength to have full personal responsibility. Also, this is a problem everywhere in the world; there's not one society that is free from dishonesty.

True, not too many people are frugal with their money, but that's a long standing problem throughout the world.

There are plenty of progressives who are proud of America. Just because people have different political beliefs than you does not mean they all hate this country and want to destroy it.

I think families have always been dysfunctional. Husbands and wives got married too young and since divorce was taboo, stayed together for miserable decades. Doesn't sound like a stable home to me. I do agree that families need to be strengthened, but that comes down to personal responsibility and the need to look ahead into the future and accept the changes - gender equality, same-sex parenting, etc. - as human evolution, rather than looking back at the good old days which weren't really so great.

Culture may be rotting, but that has more to do with Hollywood and record companies trying to shock audiences for the sake of money. I think the average movie watcher of music listener just accepts what entertainment says and doesn't question the semantics.

Academics is in decline in many ways. On one hand, you have students who can barely read their grade level. On the other, you have students being taught creationism as a legitimate fact, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, and the fact that the U.S. is the only industrialized country debating evolution.

Narcissism is a worldwide problem, not just an American issue.

INDY, I think you see our country as the super great, unique, utopia-like place, when it really never was. Yes, it is great that a simple country developed into a huge economic and political superpower, but we've always had our flaws. But you seem to think America and its people are unlike other countries and other people in the world. We're all human.

The problems that you've mentioned are not unique to the United States; everyone is going through them. Europe is having a worse economic situation than we are, technology is changing our world in ways we were never prepared for, the same with new ways of seeing society. The world is in the middle of a huge revolution, there's no stopping that.

The sum it all up, instead of looking back on the past and trying to go back to those days, we need to look forward and fix what needs to be fixed and accept what cannot be.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

But never for a second do I actually wish I lived in any era other than the present.

Neither do I. I agree about the sanctimony stuff too. Oh well

I don't ever actually wish I lived in a different country either. Just some place warmer, with no snow.

 

[Irvine511]

I meant socially your country is a fucking mess

How so?

Examples.

 

[Pearl]

Notice what word is missing, wisdom. Not much value put on it today.

Wisdom is broad term. Which one do you mean? Events, social, emotional...?

 

[Irvine511]

Notice what word is missing, wisdom. Not much value put on it today.

What does this even mean?

I generalize here but to me we now seem hellbent on tearing down institutions and our cultural identity in the name of change (which some mistakenly believe is always progressive) rather than working to reform institutions with specific goals for the purpose of preserving and improving them. Change and reform not being synonymous.

Thanks for your thoughts.

This too. It's utterly meaningless. What are you talking about, Hugh Hewitt?

 

[INDY500]

But never for a second do I actually wish I lived in any era other than the present.

Will future generations be able to say that? That's my point.

I too can list good things. The longer life expectancies (though that too may be coming to an end at least in America), the recently discovered energy right beneath us, medical miracles, and the outstanding young adults I know are out there (some I have had the pleasure of precepting in my clinic) that will not be afforded the luxury of kicking the can down the road and will hopefully begin to reverse much of this and return us to the tradition of leaving a better country to our children.

I can't hear for all the sanctimony and holier-than-thou rhetoric.

Either you don't know what those terms mean or that is simply always your knee-jerk response to a judgemental statement. Since I put the blame for most of this squarely on my generation how am I being "holier-than-thou"? Because I am noticing what's happening?

 

[LemonMelon]

What does this even mean?

Look it up.

 

[Pearl]

The longer life expectancies (though that too may be coming to an end at least in America),

Whoa, where did you hear that? That sounds outrageous.

 

[LemonMelon]

Life Expectancy Plunges For White High School Dropouts In U.S.

Well duh

 

[Jive Turkey]

How so?

Examples.

I don't think I'm alone in the outsider's perspective that America is a bickering us-against-them nation. Granted, you're not at war with one another, so credit where credit is due.
You've also let way too much money work its way into your political process; to the point that nobody is really sure who's running the joint anymore.
You've also got a highest percentage of the population behind bars than other other country on the planet.

 

[Pearl]

Life Expectancy Plunges For White High School Dropouts In U.S.

Well duh

If this is what INDY means, then it is nothing to get upset over. What he said earlier made it sound like the U.S. was going to be like Russia after the end of the Soviet Union, where the life expectancy plummeted to age 55 in 2000.

 

[Irvine511]

I suppose I'm envious that some essentials like healthcare, housing, and education were comparatively cheaper for my parents than for me.

I'm envious that my non-college educated grandparents were able to find good work at good wages with good benefits and a security that let them stay with a single company for 35 years. They were part of a mid-century middle class that is, indeed, vanishing as more money flows to the top tier of society.

I can feel envious of that.

However, I don't think my parents and grandparents have/had better values, though I think they got by with a lot less. I also think they were less pressured, and competed on a much more relaxed playing field as women were kept under lock and key ad the rest of the world had been shattered by the 2nd World War (or was still in the comparative stone ages).

 

[Jive Turkey]

Politics kind of bores me, so correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it kind of counter intuitive to long for the days of Reagan and lament the decline of the middle class?

 

[INDY500]

Life Expectancy Plunges For White High School Dropouts In U.S.

Well duh

Stop proving my point by insisting on being such a dimwit.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/17/health/17obese.html?_r=0

By PAM BELLUCK
Published: March 17, 2005

For the first time in two centuries, the current generation of children in America may have shorter life expectancies than their parents, according to a new report, which contends that the rapid rise in childhood obesity, if left unchecked, could shorten life spans by as much as five years.

The report, to be published Thursday in The New England Journal of Medicine, says the prevalence and severity of obesity is so great, especially in children, that the associated diseases and complications - Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, kidney failure, cancer - are likely to strike people at younger and younger ages.

"Obesity is such that this generation of children could be the first basically in the history of the United States to live less healthful and shorter lives than their parents," said Dr. David S. Ludwig, director of the obesity program at Children's Hospital Boston, and one of the authors of the report.

 

[Irvine511]

I don't think I'm alone in the outsider's perspective that America is a bickering us-against-them nation. Granted, you're not at war with one another, so credit where credit is due.
You've also let way too much money work its way into your political process; to the point that nobody is really sure who's running the joint anymore.
You've also got a highest percentage of the population behind bars than other other country on the planet.

Indeed, there are problems when you are 310m diverse people stretched across a vast continent. Agreed about the prisons, and our comparative violence (though crime has dropped dramatically since the Clinton years), and our messy politics. I would have also said health are, but thankfully universal coverage is on the way.

So, yes, we got problems. But I think "a fucking mess" is the maple leaf sewed on every suitcase an item of clothing talking.

 

[Jive Turkey]

So, yes, we got problems. But I think "a fucking mess" is the maple leaf sewed on every suitcase an item of clothing talking.

hahaha. I'm one of the least patriotic people going (I'm happy to live here, but it certainly doesn't define me). But point taken

 

[Pearl]

Stop proving my point by insisting on being such a dimwit.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/17/health/17obese.html?_r=0

OK, but this has more to do with lack of exercise and healthy meals than the decline of American values. This is not related to the economoy or progressive values.

 

[Jive Turkey]

Stop proving my point by insisting on being such a dimwit.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/17/health/17obese.html?_r=0

Oh, I forgot too add:

Way too many fat people

 

[LemonMelon]

OK, but this has more to do with lack of exercise and healthy meals than the decline of American values. This is not related to the economoy or progressive values.

The example I gave actually related to the job market and the original post. Pretty good for a dimwit.

Yeah, there are a lot of fat people in America. There have been for a long time, no reason to blame that solely on the current administration.

 

[Jive Turkey]

no reason to blame that solely on the current administration.

You Obama shills have such short memories

CNN - President Obama: "A Krispy Kreme in every cafeteria in the nation"

 

[BonosSaint]

I just got through a blizzard, can't worry about all that. Sorry.

Life sucks then you die.

No more snow!!!!

I don't ever actually wish I lived in a different country either. Just some place warmer, with no snow.

 

[LJT]

You (as the OP) sound like one of the Roman writers from the final century of the Western Empire, or most of the folk who thought the world was going to end in 1000AD which was surprisingly a lot of people. Society is far from getting worse and could still get better in how we treat people. Last days of empire and all that yada yada.

 

[Kieran McConville]

Last days of republic, more like. If only there were a strong leader in the provinces who could take charge, a first citizen of some kind.