Debt Trap – Is There Hope?

Notice that this video was provided by the head accountant of the government (Director of GAO), David Walker,  back in January of 2008.   David Walker gave up talking to politicians and government officials and went around the country pleading to the public.  Did we listen?

Click here to see economic trends of our government. These charts focus on total government (federal, state and municipalities) economic trends.

Click here to see the economic trends of the U.S. public. In particular look at interest payment trends.

Let’s be honest.  Our government has been more than irresponsible and we has consumers have as well.  The situation seems hopeless.   Can we dig ourselves out?    What do we do?

As citizens of the free country,  we need to have a voice.  We need to assume that we are the CEOs and that our politicians work for us.    In the last article I suggested we find or build social networking tools to help us.  The media should be an important vehicle.  We have government run media – and the extremists.   Where is the balance?   We are.    We need to learn together, research together, dialog together,  track together, etc.   We represent different perspectives – and that is fine.  Take a look at my last blog entry.

As individuals,  we need to stop looking for someone to bail us out.   Let’s own up to our own problems- and take the necessary steps.  There is no magic to getting out of debt – just a lot of discipline of a long period of time.

Stop Whining – Start Solving Country Problems

So, what is the solution to our country’s problems?   Let’s highlight some of our problems (for trend data click on links):

• Economic:  increasing debt, deficits, entitlement costs;   diminishing baby boom; lack of R&D
• Security:  terrorism,   cost of war,  cost to fight crime
• Social:  increase in divorce,  abortions, children with single parents;  lack of fidelity
• Mental: brain drain,  growing competitiveness of foreign countries
• Spiritual:  downward trend in Church attendance,  belief in God, belief in common values

We hear about how great our country is.   It was and it should be.   We are living off the merits of our incredible ancestors and the legacy they left for us.   Let’s stop bragging and prove ourselves again to them and to future generations.    We have no reason to brag right now.   Let’s re-earn goodness and greatness.

So, what are the solutions?    Here is one idea.   Americans working together and leveraging social networking to research,  to discuss, to debate,  to plan, to test,  to deploy solutions that work.  Let’s stop depending on experts.   If they can explain their ideas in a way that all can understand, debate, and buy into – then great.  May the best solutions win where ever they come from.

In the next article, I’ll begin to lay out my ideas requirements for social networking technology that can be used successfully to help us solve our problems.

Stop Whining – Start Solving Country Problems