The decade now ending saw certain trends that are very disturbing for the long run!
A key term is CORRUPTION, which became so widespread both politically and economically that it has caused great skepticism among the American people as to the future course of American democracy and capitalism.
Another key term is ABUSE OF POWER on the presidential level, which became endemic during the administration of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney, and has led to negativism toward Federal government authority under Barack Obama.
A third term is INCOMPETENCE, which showed up so often in the poor intelligence gathering before September 11, the waging of the Iraq War, the handling of Hurricane Katrina, and the short term reaction to the collapse of the stock market in 2008.
A fourth term is EXTREME PARTISANSHIP, a trend which has been developing since the Clinton years, but reached higher levels in the Bush years, and continues in the Obama years, where there is absolutely no sense of national purpose that unites Republicans and Democrats to cooperate and work together for the public good.
A final term is PESSIMISM ON THE FUTURE of the country, very disturbing as America is still seen as the world’s leader, but going through extremely difficult times.
Let’s hope that the next decade will see the decline of these disturbing trends of the first decade of the 21st century! 🙁