How has the U.S. gotten worse in your lifetime?

Formerlyjerseyjack said:

drummerboy said:

Carter never used the word "malaise".

I stand corrected. The google refers to his malaise speech so I ran with it.

President Carter did not use the word in the so-called Malaise Speech itself, but on July 31, 1979, during a Q&A session at a town meeting in Bardstown, Ky., he said: "And Sunday night before last, I made a speech about two problems of our country -- energy and malaise. Senator Wendell Ford, on the helicopter, said that Bardstown could take care of both of them. He said Kentucky could provide coal for the energy, and Bardstown could provide bourbon for the malaise. As a Baptist, I did not comment."

yeah, well most people would say that he said malaise too. It's one of those zombie facts that don't die.

Formerlyjerseyjack said:

drummerboy said:

Carter never used the word "malaise".

Formerlyjerseyjack said:

Carter referred to a malaise in the country and I believe it is worse since he spoke the phrase. There is despair. When I drove to Wyoming last week, I saw a shopping mall that were down to three stores. A small town that had maybe 12 commercial buildings and only one was open as an insurance brokerage. 

Granville, New York.... I go there maybe three or four times each year. The town center has 22 storefronts and only three are open. Micky D's on the border of the town is thriving.




I am o.k.  My kids are likely o.k. But I worry about my grandkids and their opportunities and future.

I stand corrected. The google refers to his malaise speech so I ran with it.

drummerboy said:

yeah, well most people would say that he said malaise too.

And I am one of them.

Humphry Bogart never said "play it again Sam" 

Republicans had Eisenhower and McCarthy, now they have Trump. It's as if McCarthy's evil just won the contest of their soul. Democrats have been eclipsed by all this evil. Will they emerge? Can they salvage this nation? Who knows. I hope they come back before my life is over.

I guess what comes fresh to my mind with this topic was an experience during my trip to Wyoming. It was about an hour after the eclipse. Thousands of cars were on the road. To avoid the traffic, I ended up going through the one-gas-one-restaurant town of Manville, Wy. .... pop. 95, as of 2010 census. 

I estimate that a couple of hundred cars had gone through the crossroads during the hour since the eclipse ended. After I left the restaurant, I made a left turn back onto the road. There was a kid of about 14 years of age. He was sitting on a 4 wheel off-the-road vehicle. Seeing me, a look of anger crossed his face and he proceeded to give me the "N.J. Bird" in stereo (Both middle fingers).

This happened on Monday and I still continue to wonder what the future holds for that kid. What opportunities does he have? Where did that anger come from?

I suspect that is an example of what the future holds for many Americans. 

DaveSchmidt said:

ridski said:

The Chinese food has gone downhill.

How else would an egg roll?

Some day you will be worth a fortune,  cookie.

Formerlyjerseyjack sure extrapolated a lot of BS over getting the finger from a 14 year old. Yeah, they never do that. I'd be more worried about the Harvard business grad who is trying to figure out better ways to screw all of us in the future.

ridski said:

LOST said:

I read Drummerboy's post and Steel's reply and I think hopefully,

Two steps forward and one step back.

They work together because opposites attract 

  Good Paula Abdul reference!