When historians update the history of the United States, ponder when we lost our way and punted the mantle of global supremacy to China, they'll conclude this past decade was the turning point. From 2000 to 2009, voters made a series of terrible political choices. As a result, for many Americans the US ceased being a land of opportunity and the light of freedom dimmed.

2000 - America chooses mediocrity: The decade opened with a divisive election where George W. Bush - an unsuccessful business executive - defeated Al Gore - a wooden but seasoned political servant - in an election decided by the Electoral College and the US Supreme Court.

2001 - America is traumatized: Bush ran on a platform of lower taxes and less government; he wasn't interested in or adept at governing. As a result, Bush failed to pay attention to early warnings and, on September 11th, terrorists attacked. The US went to war and the Bush Administration claimed near dictatorial power.

2002 - America gets angry: When our forces failed to apprehend those responsible for the attacks, the White House launched a propaganda campaign to convince Americans that Iraq's Saddam Hussein was the guilty party. Voters bought into this deception and, in the mid-term elections, supported Republicans as the war Party, resulting in GOP control of Congress.

2003 - America gets even: The Bush Administration spin machine persuaded Americans that Iraq was responsible for the 9/11 attacks and constituted an imminent threat. On March 20th, US forces invaded Iraq and, on May 1st, President Bush declared, "mission accomplished."

2004 - America gets bamboozled: White House propaganda convinced a slim majority of Americans the US was winning the Iraq war and George Bush was a competent President. Bush defeated John Kerry in the Presidential election.

2005 - America wakes up: As it became apparent the US occupation of Iraq had fomented a civil war, Bush's approval ratings fell below 50 percent and continued to deteriorate for the rest of his term. In August, the Bush's handling of Hurricane Katrina branded him a failed President.

2006 - Democrats rebound: As Bush's approval ratings sank, so did those of the Republican-dominated Congress. In the mid-term elections, Democrats retook control of Congress. This ended the destructive Bush legislative agenda, but could not undo the harm cause by Administration appointments and edicts.

2007 - The economy tanks: Throughout the first years of the decade, America had a negative savings rate as families borrowed against their home equity to maintain their lifestyle. Faith that housing prices would increase indefinitely led to gross Wall Street speculation. In 2007 the housing bubble burst, resulting in the collapse of the financial system.

2008 - America chooses hope: As the year progressed there were increasing signs of financial panic. Meanwhile, the country was enthralled by the Presidential contest, eventually won by Barack Obama, an African-American.

2009 - America is depressed: Before Obama was inaugurated, it was clear the US was in the grips of a severe recession. As unemployment rose and business activity declined, the mood of the US soured. Divisive Republican political tactics impeded Obama's legislative agenda, particularly healthcare reform.

2000-2009 was defined by dreadful political decisions and missed opportunities. America stagnated because of poor leadership and negative public sentiment.

In 2000, responding to the Republican claim that "government is the problem," Americans elected an incompetent President. After 9/11, the Bush Administration made a series of horrendous decisions that mired the US in Afghanistan and Iraq and ensured that billions continued to be spent on defense. Meanwhile, as the Federal government and the deficit grew, America's domestic difficulties were ignored. Middle-class families saw their quality of life deteriorate, along with their savings and home-equity.

When Americans chose Bush, they bought into his self-centered conservative ideology: "what's in it for me?" Greed became a virtue. Citizens looked away while the rich and powerful looted America. This "damn the common good" sentiment reached its nadir with Wall Street's promotion of the housing bubble.

After 9/11 America was at war, however President Bush did not call for common sacrifice. Instead of asking Americans to pay higher taxes, Bush suggested they "go shopping." His conservative ideology promoted the notion that government is a "free lunch," that citizens shouldn't have to pay for essential services.

In the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, the Republican Party preached that government is the problem. Rather than blame the current financial crisis on greedy bankers and ravenous Wall Street CEOs, the GOP blamed Federal regulators. Conservatives dogmatically argued that, left alone, the market will fix whatever ails America.

Steeled in this nonsensical ideology, Republicans became the Party of No, choosing to be part of the problem rather than contribute to the solution. Using the Senate cloture rule, Republicans blocked meaningful legislation affecting healthcare, energy, global climate change, jobs, and Wall Street reform.

George Santayana famously wrote, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." At the end of a tragically lost decade, many Americans haven't learned anything and seemed poised to repeat the same mistakes.
_______

About author
Bob Burnett is a Berkeley writer, activist, and Quaker. Before starting a second career as a journalist, he was a technologist and one of the founding executives at Cisco Systems. Bob can be reached at boburnett@comcast.net.
http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/25742

Unfortunately in November 2009 America went back to sleep!

Oh OK

2010. Everything is just like 2009

I love how the credits mention the authors being a quaker..lol

I agree with the piece, but I have faith things will be improving in the distant future(didnt get here overnight).

guys, i just saw this movie that said the world was going to end in 2012.
do you think we can defeat the great evil known as the middle east by then?

I thought the term "Berkeley writer" pretty much said it all.

Yes I know those educated experts have no idea what they are talking about.

"Educated expert" is a bit of a loose term.

About what I would expect from you, tho.

This is what an un-educated expert sounds like for a point of reference
"We believe that the best of America is not all in Washington, D.C. ... We believe that the best of America is in these small towns that we get to visit, and in these wonderful little pockets of what I call the real America, being here with all of you hard working very patriotic, um, very, um, pro-America areas of this great nation." --Sarah Palin, speaking at a fundraiser in Greensoboro, N.C., Oct. 16, 2008

This is even better



T]hey're in charge of the U.S. Senate so if they want to they can really get in there with the senators and make a lot of good policy changes that will make life better for Brandon and his family and his classroom." --Sarah Palin, getting the vice president's constitutional role wrong after being asked by a third grader what the vice president does, interview with NBC affiliate KUSA in Colorado, Oct. 21, 2008

Not really a Palin fan, but she hit it on the head here. These Washington ******** forgot what America is and are nothing more than shrewd businessmen.

Oh yea she nailed it............

Well, you must be proud of yourself. You've mastered the copy and paste feature on your computer.

Never an original idea, never a productive comment. "Spoken" like a true lazy union **** that fills out his profile interests with "I'll get to it later." LMFAO.

Even when the evidence is overwelming and stares a person in the face they resort to insults. To me that is a sign of a failed argument. Lazy? I hardly think so while posting here with you I just made my son a three egg ommlett with bacon and even some left over honybaked ham fried along side. I am then dropping him off at the YMCA so he can work out with his buds then stopping to buy paint so I can do some inside painting while I am on vacation from yes you guessed it "union job". A single Father with sole custedy of his kids can be alot of things but lazy isnt one of them.

Nobody is impressed by daily routines. It is the same **** we all do in life.

A "failed argument" would mean there was some type of debate. Thankfully, I learned a long time ago, it is impossible to debate with certain people, for a variety of reasons. Obviously in your case, your brain-washed sense of entitlement you received from your union has contributed to that, but I am sure there are some underlying reasons, as well.

You are using a cut and paste article off the internet form a far-left author to prove some kind of point, which is typical of your tactics from what I have seen of your posts.

Nobody takes you seriously, because you are too lazy, retarded, mentally ill, or whatever reason, to come up with an original thought of your own.

That was my point.

Everyone select one’s favorite comedian. Palin is the best.

Whatever the point is, rudeness is an argument against it.

Please provide a cut and paste of one of your original topics.

50% of the population in America today aren't old enough to remember the 70s.

Which in my opinion were far worse than the 2000-2010 years.

50% of America has never seen hard times until now!

You think the 70s were worse than now?