What kind of country do we have?

Now that the nominating committees of the Republican and Democratic parties have made their choices of the old white men who will lead them to victory in the race for the president of the United States – – one thing is clear – – we ARE living in two separate Americas.

One is comprised of the disenfranchised, African Americans, Hispanics and other immigrant groups who feel they have been left out of the American Dream.  This party is composed of young people who are burdened with financial debt as they try to swim the stream which will take them to the top.  Women, who have had the vote for 100 years, and still seem to be held back by an invisible force.  And, the power elite who have held sway in Washington DC for decades and see it threaten by a “mad man” seeking dictatorial powers.  They are propped up by the government unions which make their living from the status quo and see cracks beginning to form in their absolute power.

The other group sees the American Dream as reachable with time and effort.  Many have already scaled the wall and joined the middle class.  Others are certain, they too will be able to achieve their dreams of a better future, if government will just get out of the way.  They have faith in the ideals which history says makes America the greatest country in the world.  Propping them up are the First and Second Amendments to the Constitution of the United States and those who want to protect those written words and legal precedence from being further shattered by the mobs with pitchforks marching in the streets and through their neighborhoods.

Two different ideas of America.  One for those who have made it, and one for those who feel left on the other side of the wall.

Neither is the America I know and yet, both are part of the America in which I live.

Many have already staked out their positions and will not be budged.  A few, a precious few, understand the implications of their actions and wish they had better choices.  Some, like me, think that once the rhetoric dies down, once the polls close, and once adults again emerge from the smoke, we’ll have a country that history told me was made – for you and me.