America and being an American are two things that I enjoy. Granted, it does not compare to eating al fresco in Roma or Firenze (two of my favorite cities) and tiramisu hangs a close tie with a ridiculous apple pie I learned how to make here....nope, not at all. BUT I have noticed an alarming rise in the tendency of my fellow Americans to be, well, for lack of a better term...sheep. Bah, bah, bleaters and I do not mean that in a bad way. Instead, I find it most disconcerting at this particular moment in our nation's history

Perhaps I can credit this point of view with having been a surfer betty, although my knees have suffered for it. I was no die hard hang-tenner who hit Hawaii for a taste of near death experiences....nope. But I find a certain solace and solitude when one is afloat in the ocean and a wave comes along and this long board (yes, I said long board...the short ones are for newbies and wits) attached to your feet suddenly moves and you're one the wave and....ah, I lapse. Ok, that said, I suppose that and the fact I spent the better part of my life in California...so. cal...ok, Los Angeles, makes me a bit outspoken and less willing to accept being a sheep.

I become extremely frustrated, and I know I am not alone, when I read these namby-pamby articles and watch these half-witted, half-assed "documentaries" or news coverage on the subject of where our tax dollars went to "bail out" idiots at AIG, the Detroit auto makers, and various wall street firms.

I am frustrated because at the end of the day, I know not one of the jackass recipients of a bonus at AIG (courtesy of our tax dollars) or bailout money anywhere else neither (a) feels any remorse for the having gotten it in the first place; and (b) would not hesitate to do it again in a heartbeat to preserve their own personal wealth...and nobody puts it the way it should be said: We, the people bailed your asses out; wish we hadn't; and you owe US...big time.

No, the media color coats everything rose. It's as if the bald and raw exposure of an extraordinary level of greed, corruption, and yes, criminal activity carried out in the name of our government to benefit these goofballs crying around that they might lose their, excuse me, 23-million dollar home and freakin' country club membership if they don't get a bonus this year...arrgh it's enough to make me want to freak out.

Look, you know as well as I that there will always be class divisions in every society - whether we call it that or not. There will always be the haves and have nots. But for crying out loud, today is NOT the time to act like a bunch of sheep afraid of speaking out at the inappropriateness and flat-out criminality of what these companies did AND the fact the feds decided to bail them out and STILL they ask for more of OUR money.

I swear I am sick to death of seeing senate "committee" hearings with these dorks trying to justify multi-million dollar bonuses for doing ANYTHING. I want even one of their ilk to explain to those of us who work hard for very little relatively speaking that is SO awesomely important it justifies a NINE FIGURE bonus now, as we know - and if you read serious news - taken from ALL of the taxpayer bailout funds. Yes, I said ALL OF IT.  What? Because frankly short of those who seek and find a cure for aids, cancer, and other serious diseases; or who succeed in bringing about world peace, nobody is that important. Why can't they call it what it is? GREED. Greed...go ahead, man...you want that flatscreen...but not a 30-inch...NO...you HAVE to have the 60-inch...in the beach house...in Aruba. Whatever.

I love that journalists still can write the truth and certain publications are willing to print it. Even if that truth sets them apart from the sheep. Since when has being a sheep been such a hot idea? For example, why hasn't anyone seriously taken on the issue of our taxation? I am not talking about the wingnut faction that says there is no authority to tax...that's just stupid and untrue. But WHY have the American people become so paranoid and fearful of the IRS that mere mention of the word, "audit" freaks people out?

I say, "bring it." "Wages" is an oxymoron these days, and it has been that way for quite some time. The IRS is big brother gone bad in my personal opinion. I would love to see it go under and the whole Internal Revenue Code with it. That is seriously the most God-awful piece of crap I have ever had the misfortune to read...and still use...to represent clients in sticky wickets.

And what about this issue of not allowing corporations to fail. Why not? Are we quite so homogenized that Chrysler really should be allowed to exist into perpetuity? Is it really that indisposable to the success of this country? Again...why? The American people had better start asking, "Why?" more often and demanding answers instead of just sitting back and letting those "committees" out of D.C. handle it while we sheep along in fear of the possible tax audit each year.

The economic circumstances and political nonsense carried out in our name in D.C. are an embarassment; and further support my idea that America has become something much less than the sum of her parts...er, that's us....

Stop accepting pat answers to questions that have no easy answer. And NEVER stop asking, no, demanding WHY? when the federal government takes action. Would I love to receive a nine-figure bonus for my work? Are you insane? WHAT can one person do with that kind of money? Knowing me, I would wind up giving most of it away to, yes you guessed it...avoid the TAXES on it. Ha. Joking there. But seriously, we need to stop being sheep, jump the fence, and demand real answers and accountability. Because, frankly, "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore." (from the film, "Network"). And you should be as well.