Rant !

A key lie:
      America = independence     but elsewhere, no

I love independence. And I'm independent -- more than most people. I've lived decades in America, and decades outside. Around the world are plenty of independent thinkers & independent people, often happy, settled in nice places; Americans believing otherwise are wrong.

That's not to say independence is everywhere -- it ain't. And independence is not everywhere in America. Far too many folk are unemployed, homeless or bedraggled. Lots of Americans must kiss ass for job & health insurance.

Of course where taxpaying citizens view public servants as parasites, chronic bad attitude is a real problem (especially in cops). Most workers have insufficient vacation time. Stress is everywhere. Too many Americans are deeply in debt, living under threat of losing their home. Nearly 25 million US households might have their Homeowners Association dictating the color of their door or the frequency they must cut their grass - is that independence?

The US Government's run amok with surveillance, defense spending and overseas adventurism. Major growth industries are creepy "Homeland Security" and prisons. There's too little justice.

US politicians are a sorry lot. Americans electing hope & change got shafted.     (to be continued)...