What are the greatest problems facing this country?

[JD Barleycorn]

Take note, this a serious question. What are the greatest problems facing this country and are there any good ideas on how to solve them? This is for problems that have legitimate solutions (ie. Nothing like when can we all get larger penises? Sorry CDN.)

Jobs
Economy
Government
(overspending)
(over taxing)
(not listening to the citizens)
(corruption)
(over regulation)
International terrorism
Infrastructure
Education

[Guest052813-01]

Obama, Obama and, yes, Obama. Way to solve this problem - get rid of him (in August 2012 at the nominating convention or in November 2012 in the general election - I don't care if it's another Dem or a GOP - just get rid of him).

[ez2plz]

Apathy, but I don't really care!

[SinsOfTheFlesh]

1. Illegal immigration
2. Voter apathy/disenfranchisement
3. Spending
4. Education

[vitokc]

1. The economy.
2. Voter igorance.
3. Weak leadership.
4. Politicians elected by ignorant voters leading to lousy leadership who
can't solve our economic problems.

[big country]

We are our worst problem. Years of spending printed money we do not have is catching up to us. I was not an econmics major but I learned expendutures and income HAVE to equal out.

[trynagetlaid]

Greed. Read H. G. Wells' 'The Outline of History'...same thing that has brought down all great empires will bring down the American Empire, and eventually the Chinese Empire that will supplant the American Empire...

[Guest090920]

1. Incumbent politicians in Washington (no term limits)
2. The economy (jobs, confidence)
3. Lack of a balanced budget (with revenue enhancements and spending decreases across the board)
4. Entitlement reform
5. Illegal immigration (the costs associated with providing free services, education, medical care, etc).
6. Rising medical costs

[ss4699]

Much more complex - all the topics listed are intertwined.
Bankruptcy - at all levels - personal, business and government
Not hearing/listening/seeing the problems
Greed - who said "My 600,000 salary is not enough"? But it is not just politicians! Business is just as guilty and so are individuals.

Yes, spending what we don't have is one key. Another is not paying attention to the problems in front of us. Do "illegal things" to get money!

We need to make sure we understand the problems and work in solutions.

It goes back to the goal - get me ahead or work as a team to get us all safe and secure.

If the country could be a platoon of troops in the middle east under attack by the "enemy", the training and preparation would show and the unit would work as a team to either die or win.

Self-sacrifice is not easy - not our countries pattern right now. There are no easy answers!

Obama is a symptom of hope that was not. Do we need another revolution? Yes, but there is no tea in the one we really need.

Americans need to give up - what they want and do what is best for the country. It will be difficult task, some one here might have an answer or be an answer. Willing to take a risk, reach out beyond what we find comfortable? Speak out in public on issue? Vote?

OR CAN WE REALLY MAKE A DIFFERNCE? IS IT TOO LATE? ARE WE DOOMED TO BECOME THE NEXT FALLEN EMPIRE?
Greece, Rome, Britian, many have before us.......

[Kshunter]

This sums it up pretty nicely:

The folks, who are getting the free stuff,
don't like the folks who are paying for the free stuff, because the folks who
are paying for the free stuff can no longer afford to pay for both the free
stuff and their own stuff.The folks who are paying for the free stuff
want the free stuff to stop, and the folks who are getting the free
stuff want even more free stuff on top of the
free stuff they are already getting!Now... The people who are forcing
the people who pay for the free stuff have told the people who are RECEIVING
the free stuff, that the people who are PAYING for the free stuff, are being
mean, prejudiced, and racist.So... The people who are GETTING the free
stuff have been convinced they need to hate the people who are paying for the
free stuff by the people who are forcing some people to pay for their free
stuff, and giving them the free stuff in the first place.We have let the
free stuff giving go on for so long that there are now more people getting free
stuff than paying for the free stuff.Now understand this. All great
democracies have committed financial suicide somewhere between 200 and 250 years
after being founded. The reason? The voters figured out they could vote
themselves money from the treasury by electing people who promised to give them
money from the treasury in exchange for electing them.The United
States officially became a Republic in 1776, 235 years ago. The number of
people now getting free stuff outnumbers the people paying for the free stuff.

[Muffrider]

A lack of work ethic.

I know of jobs available right now paying very well, but they involve getting up early and working hard, and most young people don't want that. They want a job that fits their schedule and lifestyle, and that doesn't require them to go the extra mile.

But they also want to live like a rockstar.

Hence, we have people who bought more homes/cars/electronics than their income could sustain, and no true work ethic to support the lifestyle they think they should have.

Somehow, we need to teach them value of hard work.

Hunger can be a great motivator!

[Bartman1963]

The biggest problem this country faces?

Wages haven't risen to keep up with inflation. There's a reason that the American Dream is fading. What's left of the Middle class can't afford it.

Taxes are lower as a percentage than they were for my father. But my wages are a fraction of his. The reason? The "job creators" don't have to pay what they once did.
Unions aren't nearly as powerful as they once were. Wages are stagnant and have been for 45 years. Unless you're one of the top ten percent, now their wages, wait, I mean "income" because if you have wages you have to pay taxes on them. The rich pay little compared to what they payed under Ike.

The Gov't is broke. Why? Everything costs more but no one makes more. So everyone wants to pay less to the govt. Paying the gov't less is all well and good, but no one wants to give up their Virginia class subs, F-35's, land warrior systems, or the other things that make our military top notch. No one wants to give up their medicare or social security or their unemployment. Even though they only pay in a fraction of what they draw out should they live to use any of those things.

Health care costs are ten times what they were once. Lots of nice new treatments, but you'll go bankrupt if you need em. And when you do lots of folks will laugh at you and call you names in town hall meetings.

Where will the gov't get its money? Well politicians like their jobs so new taxes aint gonna be it. Nope they're gonna borrow it. From the Chinese, the Germans, and anyone else who will lend it at a decent rate. Some people will see the huge amounts we are in debt and have a shit fit. We're broke. Bankrupt. Not yet.

The biggest problem in the United States? Gullible people with a sense of entitlement. I want the best military, a new car, a house, good healthcare. Well, guess what? Bitching about taxes, and the poor getting free stuff aint gonna cut it. Don't like the debt? Give up your Soc Sec, Unemployment, and quit paying for that first rate military. Quit paying to keep gramma in the nursing home (medicaid's single larges expense by a huge margin).

You want a return to the "good old days", well what are you willing to sacrifice? Most people say "not a goddamned thing pal, I paid for that shit, now I want it."

I never met a welfare queen. I've met people with drug problems and kids to feed, I've met people who had to sell mom and dads farm to pay for the nursing home and now that's gone too. I've met people who worked hard all their life, then had a stroke and can't work. I've met young mothers who had sick babies and no insurance. I've met fathers who wouldn't pay child support because they didn't get to see their kid. I've met people who couldn't afford renters insurance and lost everything in a fire.

If you want to get America past her crisis, sacrifice, and be prepared to give something up.

Demand better wages. Demand your politicians protect you, not just from jihad but from people who keep their foot on your wages while planning their golden parachutes and their retirement in Belize. Where is our Teddy Roosevelt who will stand up to the robber barons? Where is the outcry against the lack of a working, living wage?

All I hear is people bitching about mexicans, abortion, having to pay for other peoples shit, keeping their guns and taxes. All of those things minor in my view. The middle class is going away and it isn't because of taxes. Its because a whole boatload of people can't make the money they should in dollars equivalent to what Dad made. That's what's facing America. And every time I pay my bills I look it right in the eye and it pisses me off. When do we do something about that?

[vitokc]

Originally Posted by Muffrider

A lack of work ethic.

I know of jobs available right now paying very well, but they involve getting up early and working hard, and most young people don't want that. They want a job that fits their schedule and lifestyle, and that doesn't require them to go the extra mile.

But they also want to live like a rockstar.

Hence, we have people who bought more homes/cars/electronics than their income could sustain, and no true work ethic to support the lifestyle they think they should have.

Somehow, we need to teach them value of hard work.

Hunger can be a great motivator!

It's the sense of entilement that has overtaken this country over time.
Try this in another country and they would be on the street fending for themselves like the locals do to survive. Amazing how people drive to Price Chopper in the fancy car, buy the best cuts of meats, name brand foods with a swipe of that government debit card. Makes me sick as I wait in line behind them with my packaged house brands. Some people are needy through no fault of their own. Too many abuse the system. So why work?

[catnipdipper]

Fatcat white guys with gun fetishes, that believe they are entitled to exercise greed, without regulation and then run and hide behind extreme Christian beliefs.

Ignorant voters that support the above, tricked into believing that they have their best interests at heart.

Supreme Court Decisions by activist right wing judges that allow unlimited political contributions by corporations so they can buy representation to their benefit.

Underfunded private pension plans looted by greedy corporations to help beef their bottom line.

Those that spew hate in the name of purported enlightenment.

[MrGiz]

Lack of Personal Responsibility and Self Reliance