Why are we so complacent?

Democratic governments all over over the world care about only one thing... looking good in order to win votes. Repairing a bridge does not make the news to make you look good. So it is a waste of money. I see this in Australia all the time. Ask the government to repair roads... instead they build a new motorway. Ask them to fix the health system... they have no money and cannot afford to do so. The next day... the tsunami happens in Indonesia and Australia offers one billion dollars to Indonesia... while yesterday they were broke and could not fix the health system. Governments leaders have only one think in mind. And that is to erect new structures which will be seen in history as monuments to their name. America is another story. While American poverty is ignored by the government... there is an unlimited amount of money spent on its military and war machine... because war is the centre of the American economy. Without war... America's economy would collapse... and so would all the billionnaires making their fortune out of it. Those billionnaires are the very people who keep the likes of George Bush in power. They are the one providing the million needed for the election campaign. Billionnaires don't believe in spending money to help the poor. They only believe in spending money as an investment to make more money.

As for the bridge It should have been fixed I would have thoughgt when that great bridge structure in Venezuela callapesed that would of really gave the heads up that all brigdes dont stand forever with out repair. and of cours in La. they really should have fixed the levees there . The people that took that money for something else should have to pay it back and go to jail for embezzelment right? Right! To late for them to back up and say oh we should have put the money to where it is surpose to go. Like even out here I think they need to stop building new stuff and make sure all that is alreaday built fixed back up to standards and codes

The reason is, those in power rather use the money and their time focussing on things that will draw more money in, right now. So things like repairs or replacement of bridges and dams get put on the back burning since those things are working, now. It's wrong. Then we tax payers and potential victims, either are unaware or unorganized when we are made aware of it. So many things tick me off, like our health care system, it ticks all those I know off, but we don't know what to do about it other than set here and be ticked off together. We are unorganized. The powers that be, know this and bank on it. They have no intentions of deflecting funds from projects that are or will be putting more pennies in their own pockets, until they are made to and they know the chances of that happening are slim to none. We will march to stop abortion, racism and allow illegals to have a home here, but for some goofy reasons we won’t march to force our government to reform health care to our benefit, make repairs to save lives, and/or find a better way for us to travel. I don’t get it but maybe one day someone smarter than me will. Then they can let me know and tell me what in the world to do about it and then we can bring logical change that will save our planet as well as our selves.

Until our elected officials remember to pay attention to us (we the people??) I don't think much can be done. I have voiced my concern regarding illegal immigrants and other causes and nothing happens. Sure there is plenty of talk but talk is cheap and nothing is done.

We need to make sure our elected officials know where we stand and that we will vote against them if they aren't representing OUR interests. In our area there are many bridges like the one that fell. You can bet I'm watching what happens REAL close. I have to go over and under many of them every day.

On a personal level, I think we approach life with an attitude of "This will never happen to me." So we put off exercise, or eating right, or getting checkups, just cruising along in life until it is too late. I don't go to the doctor unless something is very wrong. I'm not getting the regular checkups that are recommended for a person of my age. You see, I don't think it will happen to me. On a city, county, state or federal level, I think a big part of the problem is lack of funding and personnel. There are so many programs that need to be funded. There are so many new good ideas and program that are shoved on the back burner because there is no funding for them. So putting off repairing bridges and levies doesn't become a high priority until something bad happens that wakes us all up. As citizens, we don't want to shell out extra taxes to pay for all this. So politicians continue to debate and argue for years about what should be done with available funding, or arguing over what new funding to approve. Then when a disaster hits, they have to take action. So now everyone is scared their bridges are bad and more careful inspections are taking place. That will die out shortly because it will cost a lot more and will take people away from other important projects and needs. After the immediate bad memory fades, bridges won't seem all that important again - until the next time one collapses. I think it is mostly about perception - will it affect me, or what will it cost me?

We always think "that will never happen to me". I guess the same can be said for cities or corporations, etc. as they are run by people. As for New Orleans, they used a lot of their money supposed to go to repairs for the Mardi Gras the previous year. And so now we hear Minneapolis spent money on the arena instead of the bridge? I guess the powers-that-be thought it was a no-brainer...the arena would bring in revenue.

It is the " It's Not My Problem" syndrome. If it doesn't personally touch our lives, we don't care about it. Is it because of the me generations of the 70's taught their children to be self absorbed? Is it because everyone is too busy working to take notice what is really happening. Or is it because we are spoiled/ don't know but I don't see it changing anytime soon.

There is a simple answer to that question when i am thinking about: It's all about money. " willing to spend billions on a new arena" means alote of tourism and people and alote of money made to the city." I really wish i had a differnt answer, but i do not. It has always been money and the way i see it, it will always be, and it is a sad thing.

Instead of the two major political parties in this country being the Democrats and the Republicans, it seems we have become the Complacent and the Apathetic. There are some of us who project the complacent attitude of "As long as it doesn't happen on my shift, in my backyard or to my car - everything's fine. Someone else will take care of it." The Complacents tsk-tsk and shake their heads at the news and then change the channel to UPN or E! Somehow or another they have it in their heads that their little corner of the world is protected. Tragedies always happen "over there" to "those people". There are others who are so caught up in trying to survive and maintain their daily bread, they really don't have the energy left over to CARE about their neighbor or even their own futures. If you are like the growing majority of middle-American workers, you are JUST able to keep your car this month, Just able to pay some of your bills, Just able to stem the flow of the daily deluge of struggle, taxes, bills, etc.. I may know that I should boycott that bridge or tunnel until it is repaired - but I must get to work or I will not survive. Oddly enough, the rich in this country tend to be as apathetic as the working-poor. I mean, really, why should they care? They are virtually untouchable. Unfortunately, this group contains more and more of our political leaders. I mean, really, why should the Bushes care? They have their pipelines pumping billions of dollars throughout their family (HOW much does gas cost a gallon?!!) Who are you to them? Not gonna vote for them? So what. Gonna write letters to your congressman and newspapers? Gonna blog them and make expose documentaries about their evil empire? So what. You can only be so mad for so long because you've got to get up and go to work in the morning and business is slow and taxes are up - you don't have time, or energy, to care. Personally, I tend to be a bit cynical about where all this is headed. Our public schools do not provide an education, they are not producing thinking, aware citizens. The masses are ignorant, ill-read, boorish and selfish. And those are the NICE people. Seriously, until compassion replaces complacency, action will never take the place of apathy. You must care in order to act. Ridiculously, most people have to have "it" happen to them before they actually get out of their barcaloungers or Hummers to see what the fuss is all about. I just take my grandmother's advice to "lighten up the corner where you are." Difficult enough to do on a small scale. I actually thought that 9/11 or Katrina were big enough tragedies to shake us awake but we needed a leader who would come forward and keep the motivation going. Instead, we got misdirection, misinformation and scare tactics. So we all went back into our little shells, trusting our neighbors a little bit less and feeling even more distant from the fate of others. What will it take? A messiah? A message written in the sky? No cable television for a year? I don't know but lately I've been reading about the Amish on the internet! They might not be far wrong - too bad they don't "fellowship" with black people! Seriously, I'm open to suggestions and thanks for letting me vent.