Since 2009 the Federal deficit has gone down from $ 1.4 trillion to only $ 439 billion now, or just 2.5% of GDP. It represents a three quarters reduction from the Bush year’s uneconomic legacy. Are we really ready for a return to the same policies of the Republicans, where the talk is fiscal conservatism obtained by shutting down our government? We are currently in a slow steady growth and consumer sentiments are on the mend and our economy steadily strengthens day by day. We just need a shutdown to mar this sentiment, and all things will start to fall apart again. We need to talk about substantial issues that face our nation and not ideological buzzwords, which neither heal nor repair the weakest clinks, in our modern world.

Is it wrong to talk about income and wealth inequality where the privileged 1% control more than 90% of the economy? Is it wrong to talk about gun control when we are the number one country, in gun violence and deaths from guns? Is it wrong to talk about health care being affordable and available for all, in the richest nation on earth? Is it wrong to talk about discrimination when we have the highest incarceration rates for minorities for minor crimes? Is it wrong to talk about poor education causing inner city blight and lack of opportunity for our citizens? Is it wrong to talk about a woman’s right to choose? Is it wrong to talk about personal life choices without misunderstanding and mistrust being fanned by bigotry and hatred? Is it wrong to talk about providing good education in an era, where loans being fostered by exploitative for profit institutions, on the under-served have ballooned?

We have a nation that is falling apart at the seams in our infrastructure and we need to take action to repair these seams. Redistribution of income and spending to improve the human condition are at the core, of any civilized nation. The pursuit of happiness is an elusive goal, when it is marred by rose colored glasses that see only us and them. In a society where each one is for himself and the devil take the hindmost, is a society that cannot prosper. To bring sensible reform and to improve the plight of the poor and the under-served we need sensible policies. We need a government that works on the basic needs of providing security, education, health and equality.

It is time for true conservatives and liberals to sit across the table and discuss and debate the path ahead. Instead sound bites and talking heads will drive the debates away from these basics in the coming elections. The politics of the nation are now driven by forces of super pacs and hidden agendas and the plight of the common man is the last item on the list. The forces of the super-rich will drown out the needs of the many, as the two worlds are being torn apart. We need action now to stop this rape and pillaging of resources and make renewable and sustainable development our model. This planet is no longer husbanded by responsible citizens, but is exploited by the few, for material gain. We destroy more species every year that took nature billions of years to perfect. We only need to ask ourselves one simple question of what is use is this wealth, when all else around us will die?