WHAT BANKRUPTED AMERICA

There are two factors which combined represent probably ninety percent of it. The first was seven or eight years of aggressive militarism in Iraq and Afghanistan and everywhere around the world where there is an oilfield or pipeline route or proposed field or route, but I think an even greater source of the bankruptcy was Wall Street. They've been figuring out new and creative ways to suck more money out of the economy just by moving paper around and not really contributing anything in terms of productivity and the Bush-Cheney years represent the pinnacle of that insanity. So we started out in 2000 with a surplus and we wound up in 2008 absolutely bankrupt. There you have it: get rid of the greedy Wall Street parasites and damp the military down to what is truly defensive. It's got nothing to do with the so-called size of government or health, education or social programs, which would all in the long run be beneficial not only to people but to the economy as well.