A Nation in Crisis

The United States certainly has the veneer of prosperity and there is one percent of the population that is doing very well, indeed. But beneath this affluent shell, there are many people who are suffering. The evidence is everywhere:

• Over forty-seven million people without health insurance
• One out of every four children living in poverty
• A staggering budget deficit
• A mammoth trade deficit
• An army of individuals working for subsistence wages
• A steady decline of Americans receiving advanced degrees in science and technology
• A deteriorating natural environment as evidenced by a rapidly growing population of children in the inner cities suffering from asthma
• An inexorable unraveling of the social safety net.

The nation appears to be at a significant crossroad where a continuation of the status quo is likely to lead to economic disaster.