#3 THE BOILING OF THE AMERICAN FROG POPULATION

For a long time I have wondered when a critical mass of Americans would wake up, realize how badly they are being treated by the current business model, and start fighting back.

The economic situation is actually much worse than most people seem to appreciate (if the research is to be believed) but, since the media don’t seem to join the dots, the full import of what is happening – and has been happening for decades – doesn’t seem to hit home seemingly regardless of the provocation. After all, if the Great Recession, and the egregious behavior of the financial sector don’t get you fired up, you cannot but wonder what will. It was an economic tsunami whose principle perpetrators were bailed out by the American taxpayer – with virtually none of the principles being punished. And what is more, those very same people and organizations are still being supported by the Federal Reserve to the tune of $85 billion a month.

It’s a classic case of boiling a frog. If the water is heated slowly, the frog won’t notice and leap out of the pot, but will stay there until cooked. Similarly, most Americans have seen little improvement in their real earning power for a staggering 40 years – but haven’t protested. In addition:

• Unions have been near crushed by aggressive and frequently illegal corporate tactics.
• Defined pensions are going the way of the dodo.
• Working conditions have deteriorated.
• Labor’s share of GDP is being eroded.
• Earning power of most Americans is in decline.
• Corporate profits, as a share of GDP, are on the rise.
• Corporate welfare is on the rise.
• The rich are getting ever richer.
• Job security has become a thing of the past.
• Medical and educational costs have gone through the roof.
• Government at federal, state, and local level has largely been coopted by moneyed interests.
• The Republican Party is quite blatantly showing itself to be the party of the 1%.
• The Democratic Party seems to be incapable of articulating the issues – let alone doing alone doing anything about tit.

The above list could be a great deal longer, but if what I’ve written doesn’t give you pause, I’m plain out of ideas.

Actually, I lie. I do have a few ideas, but I think I’ll keep quiet about them for the moment.  We thriller writers like to surprise you.