Good morning America, how are you?

It's hard to be surprised by any of it really. 8 years of the worst government in American history, an unfounded war, a widespread lack of accountability and corporate feasting, stepping stepping stepping on the backs of the poor, on the rest of the world.

We sit and point fingers this way and that. If only they and if only now but we did this, America. We did this. And we didn't just do it by electing George W. Bush. We did it because we see ourselves as insatiable. Because we feel insatiable. Our SUVs need gas and our deserts need green grass. We need to buy buy buy the next fancy thing, the plasma TV or the Pottery Barn sofa. We fail to notice the cost of that business, of what we choose to import and under what conditions those goods were made. We set up agreements we think are in our best interest with little concern of the fallout. I'm not sure who we expect to take care of us but I am pretty sure it's not who we think.

We've let a few make decisions on important things in terms of what is best for them with little thought about what's best for us. We did this. It's clever, capitalism, and we've been distracted. American Idol is on TV and when we aren't watching that we've got an entire army of home/body/relationship improvement shows to watch: they've got it figured it and they can tell us what we need. Trying to keep up is exhausting and then before we know it we've bought a house we can't afford and our kid is sick. There's no safety net so we've got to use our credit cards, we think we'll catch up next month and all of that is a horrible distraction and all of that together has been simmering on the stove for years now while others are patiently watching and waiting, our soft underbelly has been visible for years but now our pants don't fit anymore. We are in trouble, America, and no amount of lipstick will fix it.

We didn't get here easy and fixing it won't be either. But we've got to buckle down, America. We need to agree to start doing without. We need to get our priorities straight and we need to stand up for what is right. People are losing their homes. Parents cannot afford milk. The stock market is crashing. This election is predicated on personality and spin and we are in danger, we are in serious danger of electing More Of The Same. We must join together and see our way through. If not us, who? If not now, when? But we need to do it for the good of the country, not for the few that have been benefiting from our negligence. This land is our land. This land is our land too.

I will gladly pay more in taxes. I am only as good as my neighbor's good fortune. This is not a time to panic because panic only breeds fear and we need our strength. We need to see the trees in the forest. We need affordable health care, we need to end this war, we need to raise minimum wage and help others keep their homes. We need to vote. Good lord almighty, we need to vote.