Pope's humility needed in U.S.
As people around the world acknowledge and even celebrate the humble nature of the new Pope, we have to wonder if there is hope that he could bring his immense power and influence to bear on the greed that has infested the United States of America.
As democracy, freedom, and equality evolved in the U.S. from the 18th century through much of the 20th century, sometime in the later quarter or so of the last century things began to change in the U.S. While prior to about 1980 the culture, economics, and political face of the U.S. showed great support for the middle class and for those who were less privileged. From FDR to LBJ efforts were made to extend helping hands to the poor and underserved in the U.S. It was considered right and proper to help those less fortunate and strenghten the heart of American democracy, the middle class. Both FDR and LBJ established programs to help in this regard. But the extreme right-wing and the most greedy in this country dragged their feet in support of a social democracy. Slowly a plutocracy developed. Amazingly, helping the poor and strengthening the middle class became something to be criticized. And much of the platforms of Presidents Reagan, Bush I, Nixon, and Bush II showed more and more that the richest of Americans plotted to take even more out of the American economy for themselves and gut programs for the poor and middle class. If they failed in the attempts to estabish a plutocracy, they dug in their heels and threw their greed-money at furthering their right-wing causes.
Money not only bought influence and unequal taxes in favor of the richest Americans and corporations, it made war a profit machine. And American military might, which fueled and filled war corporations, exerted itself pro-actively worldwide. American supported wars were necessary to save the world, and to hell with the poor. The middle class was at first taken along on the ride to riches. But the middle class was fooled and they became lackies for the greed machine. It became "cool" to be pro-rich. It became stylish to support benefits for the rich. Corporations needed tax breaks and non-negotiated contracts with the government. Government was considered bad, except when it filled the coffers of the rich. The only entitlements supported by the right-wing were those that made their way through the Pentagon and onto war production for the military-industrial corporations. Though a Republican president, Eisenhower, had warned of this, he was ignored and Ronald Reagan became the main stooge to carry out the sinister acts and developments. The right-wing was gaining ground, gaining a foothold that provided them with government supported, corporate welfare. More and more wealthy individuals and greed corporations did not pay any taxes. The very critics of government hand-outs [e.g. Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson] themselves had received government largesse through contracts and non-contracts.
Money-making endeavors create immense wealth for the war-greed-plutocracy. Invade a Caribbean island, invade Iraq, send troops to Lebanon, send troops to Somalia, trade with hated Iran in order to support the Contras who are invading the democratically-elected government of Nicaragua, hold people at Gitmo where they have no rights or protection of the U.S. Constitution, support dictators, and all of these actions, mostly illegal, fill the bottomless greed of the right-wing plutocracy. And we wonder why people and nations do not trust us, or even hate us. Anything and everything for greed. Greed is good.
From an evolving democratic state, the U.S. became more and more a plutocracy. And there was no end to the search for more millions and billions of dollars. Not only were favorable government contracts not enough for right-wing corporations and businesses, an immense puzzle of loopholes were used by these people to get out of paying taxes. More and more millionaires and billionaires pay NO taxes.
Out of this degrading of the middle class and insensitivity to the poor has come a right-wing movement that has untold millions to support its political aims.
Voila! A new Pope is selected in the Sistine Chapel. An Argentinian cardinal who has a history of living a humble lifestyle and giving attention to the poor. Pope Francis, America needs you. Come and witness to the American people about celebrating service to the underserved. The people's voice and needs are being ignored more and more in America. And we need a new leadership voice more and more. Because the right-wing in America only knows more and more for themselves.
