American Me?

A Political Commentary on being an American by Dennis Matranga

This is the book for everyone who is tired of the same old…same old…in Washington and ALL government entities; politics as usual.  Read this exciting and controversial book and learn what is really going on and how you can change it.  Written by an Everyday American for Everyday Americans.

 American Me?  The one book that will offend everyone; white, black, brown, yellow, green, red or blue.    Are you part of the problem, or part of the solution?  American Me?  Says what’s on the minds of millions, and though it is not “Politically Correct,” someone had to say it; are you an “American”?  Do you really want to be an “American”?  What is an “American”?

 

Sample Chapter:

2. Introduction

I find it interesting that when you talk with other everyday fellow “Americans” about the state of affairs in this country everyone has something to say.  Most “Americans” can actually agree on things that need to be done, what needs to be changed, and what our lives and futures should hold.  It pretty much seems like common sense in most cases to most “Americans”.  Why is it that such simplistic and common sense solutions just don’t seem to be utilized?  More productive and mutually beneficial ways to spend our hard earned taxpayer dollars?

A perfect example of this is the recent government “Bailout” of Wall Street, the Big Banks, US auto makers, etc.  It seemed that most “Americans” were against it, yet it still happened against our will and pretty much behind our backs. In one article of many (“Bailout Outrage Races Across the Web”, Moira Herbst, Bloomberg Businessweek, September 25, 2008), it was stated:

“Much of the populist outrage against the bailout is building on the Internet, in blog posts, and Web sites. And not all of the posts are created by left-wingers like Gupta. The Internet is now swirling with petitions, debates bordering on rants, and biting satire about Paulson's plan and its potential consequences. The calls to arms come from across the political spectrum—from right-wing enemies of taxes to libertarians and left-wing progressives. They demand that Congress amend, scale back, or scrap the plan altogether”.

I also received an email that stated the Whitehouse computer system was so overwhelmed with emails and public outrage that it crashed the system. Although I am not sure this is fact, it would surely not surprise me. Not much has changed since, except all the corporate entities that got bailed out (and also got us in this mess in the first place), are posting bigger and better profits, bonuses, and paychecks. The taxpayers are suffering more, and will continue to suffer and pay this tab for decades. I think it was estimated that the bailout cost every “American” man, woman, and child approximately thirty thousand dollars. Imagine where we would all be today if the government had given a “bailout” of even just thirty thousand dollars to every taxpayer? Directly to the taxpayer rather than the blatant con artists that got us here in the first place? Wouldn’t our economy be flourishing and better off?  Wouldn’t less people be losing their jobs and homes?  And wouldn’t we taxpayers all be in a much better position?  The failing business’ probably would have failed anyway, and probably needed to do so in our ‘free enterprise” system.  

If you are lucky enough to still have your job and regular income in this environment, you should feel lucky.  Goods are much less and things in general are less expensive mainly for lack of demand.  Beware though, down the road you will end up paying in increased taxes and other hidden expenses related to the downturn.  Federal, State, and City governments are almost all showing deficits due to decreased tax base from loss of income, loss of property values, loss of sales tax etc., and the money has got to come from somewhere.

Could it be that the wealthy aristocrats that we call our politicians are so far removed from everyday real life in America that they just don’t get it?  Could it be that they just don’t particularly care about the average “American”, and the daily struggles and stress of the reality of what our lives are becoming?  Could it be that they just turn a deaf ear to our needs and wants in order to line their own pockets from lobbyists, big business, and special interest?  Could it be that pretending to try and please all the people all the time to get and stay elected, that they please almost none of the people most of the time?  Could it be it’s not even their intention to help the ‘American” people but to help themselves to more money and power?  Do they even care about the economy or state of affairs when it doesn’t even really affect them?  They still get paid, they still get cushy retirement at full salary, they still get…….. EVERYTHING they need and want.  Doing so while they run working class Americans into the ground, or grave, or both!

It is a fact that in America today, the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer.  The middle class (which pays the bulk of taxes in this country) is diminishing.  The rich and powerful still get the tax breaks and loopholes, while the average “American” has to work harder and harder just to keep his head above water.  The wealthy and powerful are allowed to obscenely rake the “perceived” profit off the top and leave the taxpayer and average worker holding the bag.  If this is democracy I would have to say that it doesn’t work for the average hard working “American” anymore.  We have seen our 401K and retirement plans almost obliterated along with the equity and value of our most important asset, our home.  All at our expense, for Big Business and greed?

So what about us, the People?  Why don’t we stand up and let them know how disgusted we are with their self- serving, self- interest policies and procedures?  It is OUR money they are spending on things that most of us don’t necessarily care about.  Why don’t we start telling them how they are going to spend our money and on what?  Why don’t we try and fix the problems that “Americans” are facing everyday rather than trying to fix the rest of the world’s problems?  Once again, it is our money and we should have a voice and benefit on how it’s spent.  With the internet and technology today, there is no reason why the American public couldn’t vote on almost every issue and action taken by our government.  Seems like a simple answer to get this thing going back in the right direction, or at least the direction the majority of “Americans” want it to go.  Is it that “they” don’t want it that way?  Is it because that might interfere with their own special interest, wealth, and agenda?

What happened to “For the People and By the People”?

Hell, what happened to the Constitution?

What happened to ‘America”?

What happened to “Americans”?

What happened to the “American Lifestyle”?

What happened to the “American Dream”?

What happened to “Retirement” and having a secure future after working your entire life?

What happened to being treated with dignity and respect as you age?

What happened to being able to afford health care and medication in your latter years without losing your entire life savings and home?

What happened to the “twilight years” we were all supposed to enjoy, and were all supposedly working for?

What the hell happened?

Politicians, Big Business, Lobbyists, their special interests, and agenda is what happened.  A potent, deadly, and disastrous combination for the average “American” is what happened.  Sadly, WE are the ones who let it happen and WE are the ones partly to blame.  The recent bailout is one of the best and most recent examples of what happened, and it continues to happen on a daily basis.  Not only is it corrupt, it is obscenely and blatantly corrupt.  They are so far gone and above it all, they don’t even care that the American public knows about the corruption and greed.  No accountability whatsoever, they just come up with some sort of BS excuse, sweep it under the rug, and go on about their business as usual with no regard to what the people paying their salaries think about it all.  I think there are a majority of “Americans” like myself, who currently have no faith in our current system, its direction, and our government and politicians as a whole.  The Democrats are often accused of the “Robin Hood Syndrome” so to speak.  “Take from the rich and give to the poor”.  Seems the Republicans have gone in direct opposition, “Take from the poor (working class) and give to the Rich (Corporate America, Politicians, and the Wealthy). 

So what way would you want it as an average “American” in the “American” majority?  I don’t have the answer to that question but the “American Majority” would, and it seems THAT it the way it should be in America, not this crap they keep shoving down our throat.

Earlier, I blamed the average American for letting all this happen.  I still believe that to be true.  I also believe that most Americans are so busy trying to keep their heads above water that they don’t seem to have the time to care.  I also think maybe the “system” was designed specifically to do just that.  Most Americans don’t necessarily care because it doesn’t really affect them (currently or in the past) in their everyday routine in “trying to keep up with the Jones’”.  For the ones that do, they feel their voice and opinion fall upon deaf ears and won’t really make any difference anyway.  I believe they are currently correct.  I also believe as we continue on this current downward spiral it will start affecting more and more people in possibly huge numbers.  In general, I believe it already has.  I also believe we could very well be headed for another “Civil War” in this country.  Not a war about “race” or “color”, but about and between the “haves” and the “have not’s”.  I also believe our government believes the same, and is currently taking measures to make sure they keep and stay in control.  Does anyone still remember the 70’s “revolution”?

I am a great example of this philosophy myself.  When things were going well in my life and more importantly my career, I just sat around and bitched and complained about our out of control system and government.  I kept on keeping on in corporate America. I worked hard, I gave my share of money to the causes I felt strongly about, I put money in my 401K for my “retirement”, I saved a decent part of my money, and I stayed out of trouble.  I actually LIVED BELOW MY MEANS and was living “the good life”.  I thought not only was I living the “American Dream” but that I WAS the “American Dream”!  The problem with most dreams is that you eventually do have to wake up.  This is where we are in America today, the dream is over and it is now time for we “Americans” to awaken.

My original title to this book was “Calling All Angels”.  Reasoning was that it is meant to awaken the “Angels” among us.  The “saviors”,  the good people of this country that actually give a damn about it and our own “American” future.  The people that will take action, fight for change, and start to make a difference.  Those “Angels” are YOU and I!!!  Those “Angels”  are “Americans”!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 by Dennis Matranga

 

 

 

 

 

 

View Promo Videos:

Country Version

Rock Version

Dennis's Interview on WSVA Radio

To read more of Dennis's thoughts, visit his blog at: www.americanmethebook.blogspot.com