In the United States, it is no secret that the social and economic conditions within the country are quickly deteriorating. Over the last several decades, wages have stagnated as the cost of living within the nation continues to rise. It is estimated that some 60% of American citizens are living paycheck to paycheck. As the middle class continues to shrink in what has become known as the “hourglass effect”, corporations continue to grow wealthier. Millions of jobs in manufacturing have been lost in the United States since the 1990s, and the country appears likely to continue down the path of decline.
Socially, the country has been engulfed in a “cold” cultural battle over the last several years. This battle has been raging for decades, but the extreme levels of tension and polarization the country currently endures originated largely following the 2016 presidential election and the victory of Donald Trump. In the name of social justice and “reform”, many progressive politicians across several urban centers across the country have championed judicial “reform” legislation that has severely hindered law enforcement’s ability to enforce the law and prosecute individuals who have been found committing “low level” crimes like looting and petty theft. One urban center in Pennsylvania, the notorious city of “brotherly love” (Philadelphia), has experienced drastic increases in lawlessness. Recently, a 64 year old delivery driver was shot and severely injured. While the driver (who remains anonymous) was making a routine delivery at a home in the Port Richmond neighborhood on Sunday, November 5th, he was shot multiple times by a perpetrator and his vehicle was then stolen. The victim was approached from behind and is in critical condition.
In another harrowing development, a nightmare scenario occurred when a drunk driver drove into a child’s birthday party at a boat club in Michigan. The driver killed a five and eight year old. One cannot imagine the grief, trauma, and sorrow this caused.
