A TALE OF TWO AMERICAS

So, how's that economic recovery working out for you? If you are a member of the middle class or working class the links below pretty much tell the tale.

20,000 + homeowners make last ditch effort to save their houses from foreclosure.

Homelessness up 50% in New York City.

1 out of 6 take government aid.

Dow continues to slide.

U.S. auto sales may hit 28 year low.

New home sales hit 40 year low.

Existing home sales at lowest rate in 15 years. Inventory at 11 year high.

U-6 unemployment rate at 16.5%. May actually be higher.

But what if you belong to the upper middle class and above or the political class?

Luxury retail booms while bargain retail suffers.

Congresswoman's family gets special treatment where scholarships are concerned.

Oval Office gets makeover while Obamas are on vacation.

Luxury car sales growing.

Bankers keep getting richer.

I don't care if the rich get richer or if they spend their money like crazy. Actually, if they spend their money they'll create jobs, which is a good thing. The links above are meant to point to a bigger problem; we are splintering into two separate realities in America. For the majority of Americans, things are getting worse. But for those at the top, life is just swell. The problem is that those at the top, the ones that have the power to make the changes necessary to get the economy going again don't feel the economy the way the rest of us do. In their world, things are fine.

They use the government to create programs and taxes that take the little bit of money the normal guy has to send it to themselves through bailouts, TARP and healthcare. And along with our money comes control over our lives.

And this is where it'll get ugly. If the people begin to believe that their leaders are living in a world of luxury and privilege, and that the people are being excluded from the opportunity to achieve the same level of success by laws and regulations created and passed by those at the top, and worse yet that we are being forced to pay for this luxury and privilege, something will give.

We've always had the minority of people in America that want redistribution of wealth and won't be happy until the wealthy are destroyed. That's a stupid, childish and incredibly dangerous political viewpoint. The average American, on the other hand, doesn't mind at all if someone makes boatloads of money because they worked hard and earned it. Hell, most don't even care if it was inherited or if somebody won it in the lottery. As long as we have the same OPPORTUNITY to achieve success ourselves.

The thing is, it seems like now everyone at the top, from the politicians to the Wall Streeters, to the bankers and attorneys are doing their damnedest to pass laws and regulations that will effectively consolidate their wealth while closing the door to the rest of us. The upper classes seem to get all kinds of public monies thrown their way when they make stupid decisions that invariably rob the average guy. So they not only get us on the front end but then they force us to pay for it through taxation. And then they take expensive vacations, buy expensive stuff and live in private neighborhoods while the rest of us fight to keep a roof over our heads.

Can you see where this is going to lead?

The French Revolution comes to mind. And that may be exactly what some at the top are hoping for. They may believe that they have the power to control and squash massive civil unrest, and that it would present the perfect way to suspend our Constitution and the protections it affords us. I used to think that stuff like this was crazy talk and conspiracy nut territory. Not so much anymore.

Too many buttons are being pushed. I don't think that the powers at the top are stupid so I have to think that the decisions they're making are being made with a rational goal in mind. The only end that I can see is a collapsed economy and a population enraged. If this is the goal then there is a rational reason for it. The only reason I can see is to seize control and consolidate power. Why else would someone intentionally destroy our country and economy?

I've been surprised that we've lasted as long as we have but I suppose that is mostly because it has allowed the money guys to extract as much wealth as possible from the system. Since we seem to be running on fumes now, and if this is truly a plan designed to collapse America, our time must be short.

What happens next? I don't know but I'm sure it won't be pretty. All we can do is pray and ask for guidance and protection. The forces in play are so great that there is nothing we can do to stop them. It seems that every part of our economy has been pushed to the edge and all we're waiting for is the final nudge to send us over.

I hope and pray that I'm wrong, that somewhere behind all this evil that surrounds us we see there is a plan, not to destroy us, but to set right the country and return America to what it was meant to be.

I'm not going to hold my breath.