Biggest Problem in World Politcs? You’re Living in It.

Hey, America: It’s time to start taking responsibility for your exponentially growing list of international fouls.

The G-20 would unanimously agree that this is certainly not the best of times, and it seems as though international law has been replaced by Murphy’s Law. Yet as the financial system teeters on the precipice of oblivion, we must overcome the shock of sudden instability in order to properly examine what actually happened. I’m not talking about a quick point of the finger at George Bush or Alan Greenspan – I’m proposing a complete review of the “American Dream” as it has been interpreted over the last century. When did this dream stop translating to a single family home with a white picket fence to call your own and morph into a dangerous black hole of greed, violence, and unchecked capitalism? When did Adam Smith’s invisible hand suddenly start wearing brass knuckles?

There is certainly enough blame to be passed around to all sectors of the business cycle. However, in searching for the cause of this great breakdown, deregulation seems to be the primary culprit. While this crisis has been highly politicized, both Democrats and Republicans carry blemished regulatory records. Jimmy Carter began the process of deregulation before the efforts of Ronald Reagan, and soon policymakers advocated self-regulation. Yet in a world driven by greed, self-regulation equates to no regulation. Our intelligent government ended the Glass-Steagall Act in 1999, allowing commercial banks to combine with investment banks and insurance companies. We put our faith in internal risk management and market discipline, yet neither exists when the risk takers are making extraordinary profits in the banking industry. But before we let our emotions over foreclosures and negative bank balances lead us to a public lynching of Lloyd Blankfein and poor Jamie Dimon, let’s understand that it was our own government that allowed this meltdown to occur. Don’t let the media or the cunning politicians trick you into believing that Wall Street investment bankers are the only enemy. The world economy is not in shambles because of a few bathroom renovations at Goldman Sachs. We watch as Obama slaps the bankers on the wrist and makes them promise to never do it again, then the cameras are shut off as JP Morgan deposits a fat check in the back pocket of the next campaigning politician.

So as Karl Marx rolls in his grave, the fearless leaders of the United States of America continue to screw up. But here comes the kicker – the one truth that escalates our presence as a greedy and capitalist nation to number one on the list of problems in world politics: the effects of our failed system stretch beyond our shining seas. Our bundles of toxic assets crossed the Atlantic to cripple entire Norwegian cities, while simultaneously tearing down the infallible Euro. Whether we deserve the title or not, the US is a definite “big player” on the world stage. When our economy came to a screeching halt in 2008, so did the sale of generic TVs and microwaves (oops…sorry Hu Jintao), and our misfortune meant international misfortune in the age of globalization. In addition to the short-term negative effects of our banking blunders, America’s threat to international stability will continue to grow so long as the greed machine on Capitol Hill controls foreign policy. I recall a promise made by Barack Obama involving the withdrawal of troops from the Middle East. Does sending tens of thousands of more troops into Afghanistan fulfill that promise? While it may not satisfy the wishes of the crazy, fringe liberals who had the audacity to hope that in fact this Barack guy may not be just another corrupt politician, it certainly appeased General Electric, one of the nation’s top defense contractors AND generous supplier of campaign funds. Stirring up unnecessary wars in already fragile areas of the world is not good for international politics, but it is great for American capitalism. Our politicians are so easily swayed by greed that waving a couple of Benjamins in their faces every so often is enough to push the agendas of lobbies and special interest groups through congress, thus overlooking human rights violations in Palestine and crucial treaties to lessen the effects of global warming. The influence of the US is undeniable, as is the unending list of international catastrophes. Yet until we swallow the antidote to cure this infectious wave of unchecked greed and unregulated capitalism that plagues the nation, our undesirable symptoms will continue to contaminate the world’s economy and political system. Wake up America: for the sake of the globe, ignore the bread and circuses and force the pill down Uncle Sam’s throat.