by Cody Hodge

Created on: May 31, 2008   Last Updated: March 04, 2010

Why is the economy of America going downhill right now? Quite simply it can said that our own stupidity is to blame. In our capitalist society, everything is a business, and the bottom line is, well, the bottom line. Corporations were more concerned about finding cheap labor than they were with keeping the economy of the US strong.

This however, was merely the first step in the decline of the US economy. As more and more jobs left for India, China, and other economies who were growing, and could supply labor cheaper, fewer jobs were left to be had in America. As these traditional manufacturing jobs left the country and were replaced by service and other high tech sector jobs, an entire generation of American workers were left displaced.

So more and more Americans are unemployed, or at the very least working for less money than they had before. I can show you plenty of jobs that pay less than 10 dollars and hour, which is not nearly enough to sustain a family. However, again we are to blame in this, as I cannot tell you how many people I see driving in cars that they cannot afford.

An old co-worker of mine worked as a claims agent as a second job, and he told me stories all the time about people who are paying 500 dollars or more a month for a car, and fail to make any of the payments. Thousands of people are also being thrown out of their houses for not making mortgage payments, mostly because the mortgage they got was out of their price range.

It could be said though, that working Americans should be able to enjoy the benefits of the American way. I say that is true, that the basic things that we need, such as food, shelter, transportation and health care should be more affordable. I say that the health care system needs to be revamped so that Americans can be healthier and more productive. I say that broccoli should not cost 2 dollars a pound, and milk should not be over three dollars a gallon.

Gasoline should also be cheaper, and the companies in this country who make billions every year in profits should be forced to give back some of that money to continue the development of a strong America. Your credit score shouldn't be the only basis as to whether or not you can get a loan for a home, and housing should be more affordable so that everyone can have a place to call their own. The American dream should be allowed to live on in this country.

So yes, all of us have a small part of the burden in this downward economy. As citizens of this country, we need to learn to live within our means, we need to save, we need to buy cars and houses that we can afford. Self-reliance is the greatest asset that we have as Americans. However, our government needs to meet us halfway, it needs to give us access to affordable health care, it needs to make sure that our food and energy prices are stable.

Our government needs to give the same loans that it did to Countrywide to help out ordinary citizens through this housing crisis. Living in a democratic, capitalist society is what made America a super power, but as the world changes so can we. Stop giving our jobs to India, stop allowing Canada to become our health care provider. Make us stronger here so we can in turn make the rest of the world stronger.

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