CASUALTIES OF RECESSIONS AND DEPRESSION II

02/01/08

Pat II of this deals with the solving the problems of the Depression. The Depression itself ended with the Second World War, many dollars were spent and many hours were put in putting together the machinery necessary to provide the soldiers who fought the war with the necessary items including weapons to win the war. If they had not won the war just think of what we might be doing today. Germany and Japan would be running our lives. I will not comment on anything else but the cost of that not happening. Let us include all wars except the present Iraqi mess, because the totals are not in yet. But one thing is sure about it; we spend more money on the safety of the soldier than in prior ones. A TOTAL of thirty-five million six hundred and twenty-six Americans served in both World Wars, the Korean Police Action (their has been no peace treaty signed for that battle) and the Vietnam mess. I do not include either Iraqi political mess up’s. Neither one had anything to do with ending the 1929 Depression. The only reason for ending the Vietnam mess is that some military and civilians think the peace, if a treaty had been signed when the Korean Police Action was over, Vietnam would not have happened. Of these four hundred twenty-six thousand, six hundred and twenty-nine, are classified as battle deaths, Two hundred nine thousand seven hundred ninety two as other deaths, nine hundred forty seven thousand eight hundred thirty-five wounded. The total casualty list was one million seven hundred sixty-seven hundred and twenty six Americans of all races, creeds, colors and sex. These many great people died or were maimed physically, mentally or both for freedom for Americans and the rest of the world.

Look about you and at pictures, TV pictures, radio reports, and stories from just plain ole regular citizens and what have we got for all this. Forget the money and volunteer hours and scrap metal drives, as well as other efforts on the part of civilians as rationing and just look. People cannot walk the streets safely, many public schools have about gone to the dogs, elected and appointed public officials spend more time investigating themselves than passing laws. When they pass a law if it does not benefit the politician, the law isn’t enforced. The media is so wrapped up in being first in the eyes of the viewers, readers and listeners, they forget they are supposed to be reporting the news and events as they happen and not as they wish would happen. Members of the Media are all editors and spend most of their time editorializing and not JUST reporting.

I have been very brief in these reflections (I and II), you could write a book about either or both. Wonder what the dollar will be worth in thirty years. It is worth only the paper it is printed on or what some one will give in exchange for one. The United States was taken off the Gold Standard in the thirties and the silver a few years back. It is not even worth wood any more. Try and change a dollar for a stick of wood and be laughed at. Just voting want help.