forgetfulness

We forgot the three branches of government were meant to check one another, creating a balance of powers. We forfeited privacy rights and taxes while one branch was politicized and another handed its power to the third. Instead of balancing power, it was gladly defaulted.

We forgot outsourcing labor to compete on a global stage does nothing for national wealth. Corporations did as designed, working for their share holders, leaving their workers in the dust. Millions lost jobs and millions more struggle, underpaid and oppressed.

We forgot unilaterally invading a country has far-reaching, long-term economic consequences and global implications. The cost of dismantling a foreign government with no replacement, using contracted forces, hasn’t been calculated. Billions go to rebuilding a country ripped apart because of faulty intelligence, pathetic media or unseemly motives—likely a combination of all—instead of domestic programs.

We forgot caring for our neighbor, even through an indirect increase in taxes to fund social programs, benefits everyone. We cut funding to millions of charity and community programs, education and alternatives to costly health care. We ignore union-busting in large corporations and the working poor are excluded from any national discussion, reduced to ambiguous and easily misinterpreted statistics.

We forgot how media hold the powerful accountable, providing context and perspective while informing the public. Our media outlets are enablers, giving knee-jerk infotainment in place of real commentary. The fall or death of a celebrity has the same weight as thousands of dead soldiers or corporate corruption.

We forgot having many voices is better than few. We let media merge until only a handful of companies control almost all the voices we hear and all the words we read. Their power is vast but they don’t have reason to be responsible.

We forgot that greed, unchecked, encouraged even, would lead toward insensitivity and disproportionate wealth. Everyone working in their own self-interest leaves millions without. Corporations strive to increase profit, individuals work to increase wealth. Those that can’t work, don’t have the education for high paying jobs or can’t break through barriers of entry are ignored.

As the market falters, the wars rage indefinitely, many can’t afford to become sick and a microscopic percentage control the vast majority of national wealth, I wonder if we’ll remember next time.