It’s not an exaggeration to say that middle-class Americans are an endangered species and that the American Dream of a secure, comfortable standard of living has become as outdated as an Edsel with an eight-track player – that the United States of America is in danger of becoming a third world nation. The evidence is all around us: Our industrial base is vanishing, taking with it the kind of jobs that have formed the backbone of our economy for more than a century; our education system is in shambles, making it harder for tomorrow’s workforce to acquire the information and training it needs to land good twenty-first-century jobs; our infrastructure – our roads, our bridges, our sewage and water, our transportation and electrical systems – is crumbling; our economic system has been reduced to recurring episodes of Corporations Gone Wild; our political system is broken, in thrall to a small financial elite using the power of the checkbook to control both parties.
And America’s middle class, the driver of so much of our economic success and political stability, is rapidly disappearing, forcing us to confront the fear that we are slipping as a nation – that our children and grandchildren will enjoy fewer opportunities and face a lower standard of living than we did.
I thought this was a great portrayal of the nightmare that “America The Great” has become in the eyes of many, not only living in America, but around the world. The author, Arianna Huffington, famed socialite and former owner of the Huffington Post, goes into pretty good detail about the deteriorating conditions that have taken place right under our noses over the last couple of generations.
She talks about the deteriorating industrial base, as so many corporations are moving overseas. She talks also about our crumbling infrastructure of roads, bridges, sewer, water and transportation and electrical systems. And she also talks about our education system, and the “disappearance of the middle class”. She points out that our politicians are doing us a great disservice, by continuing to pay homage to the special interest groups and big money, all the while totally neglecting the middle class.
Our politicians, especially those in line of the conservative Republican party, and presidential nominees such as Donald Trump, play on those fears, and constantly keep us agitated and worried about the “big bad bogeyman”.
All of us a been affected by these things, especially since the recession of almost a decade ago. Many of us are still struggling to get on our feet.
Personally, I get a chance to travel around the world and enjoy different cultures and countries, and I realize that America is still the place to be in the greatest country in the world. Even with all of our inherent problems and challenges, we’re still light years ahead of so many, and most of the countries in the world. The difference is, nowadays, unlike the years immediately following World War II, where so many of the other countries in the world spent decades rebuilding themselves, America now has challenges and challengers who can compete almost on an equal level for jobs, industries, students and education, and desirable places to live.
Arianna Huffington does a really good job in telling the story, but she is kind of a “chicken Little”, running around telling us all that the “sky is falling”, when if we take a deep breath and look at the big picture, we realize that America is still a pretty great place to be.
James Donaldson is a Washington State University graduate (’79). After an outstanding basketball career with WSU, he went on to play professional basketball in the NBA with the Seattle Supersonics, San Diego/L.A. Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, and Utah Jazz. He also played for several teams in the European Leagues in Spain, Italy, and Greece, and he toured with The Harlem Globetrotters to wrap up his career. James was an NBA All-Star in 1988 while playing center for the Dallas Mavericks. In 2006, James was inducted into the Pac-10 Sports Hall of Fame and also the Washington State University Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2010, James was elected as a board member for the NBA Retired Players Association.
James frequently conducts speaking engagements (motivational, inspirational, educational) for organizations, schools, and youth groups.
In 2010, James was the recipient of the NBA Legends of Basketball ABC Award, awarded for outstanding contributions in Athletics–Business–Community.
He believes in being a role model for success and professionalism to the scores of young people to whom he devotes so much of his time. He currently serves on several boards and committees and is a member of many organizations.
James believes in developing relationships that create a “Win-Win” environment for everyone involved, and in being the best he can be!
For more information about James Donaldson or to request he speak at your event, contact him at:
www.StandingAboveTheCrowd.com
JamesD@StandingAboveTheCrowd.com
1-800-745-3161 (voicemail & fax)
James Donaldson is the author of “Standing Above The Crowd” and “Celebrating Your Gift of Life” and founder of the Your Gift of Life Foundation which focuses on mental health awareness and suicide prevention, especially pertaining to our school aged children and men.
If you’re interested in having James come and speak to your group of young adults, business entrepreneurs, aspiring political and community leaders, and athletic teams, please contact him at jamesd@yourgiftoflife.org and or leave a personal message for him at 1-800-745-3161. Keep up with him and read about how he is reaching out and making a difference in the lives of so many around the world at www.yourgiftoflife.org
