The next phase of understanding America's new reality

I have reached the "discouraged" stage in my reflections on the national elections and what they mean for the future of America. Being a basically positive person, I plan to get over it, but at the same time I plan to spend more of my time enjoying my life and getting on with "getting by" with the rest of my life. I'm just glad I'm not just starting out. The future looks not so good for those young people. But then, they, through their votes, especially on Nov. 6, are shaping and determining their own future.

I am beginning to reflect a bit more on the 2012 election and I am starting to agree that the Democrats are destined to run our national political agenda for awhile and the liberal/progressive agenda is finally going to be the driving agenda for the nation, much to the delight of the ghosts of Teddy Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson. I hope whatever happens will be in the best interest of America.

I am not a rich by any degree, but if I was, I would really pull back, not invest in the market or bonds or anything that would involve risk, because when the capital gains tax hikes kick in, it will no longer be good times to take risks. I fear many rich (as Democrats call them) or successful (as Republicans call them) will simply stop taking risks and just live off their money. So far, at least, the liberals haven't found a way to tax what has already been earned. They can't tax what you have, just what you earn, so why try to earn so much? I think our nation is undergoing a fundamental change, where the highest goal of Americans will no longer to "make it" but just to "get by." At my age, that's probably enough for me. I never felt a need for big expensive things (bigger and bigger TV screens being the exception), so I will be happy to live the rest of my days off my income from my ranch leasing, steam-generated electricity (which is paying far less now that California considers steam in the same category as natural gas and oil and no longer, in regards to taxes as in tax breaks, with wind and solar) and our Social Security deposits.

We will be fine, we will find a quiet small town to live (thanks to the internet we can live anyplace and see whatever entertainment we want and purchase whatever we want) and enjoy our lives. I fear our cities will continue to head downhill and if, as I fear, this liberal/progressive ideology really doesn't work very well, our cities will become very terrible places to even visit. Getting by will be fine for me, and getting by will be just about as good as it will get for most Americans from now on.

I just hope that America handles its decline in the world with as much dignity as England handled its own decline. They sing "There will always be an England" and we will always be able to sing "America the Beautiful, God Shed His Grace on Thee." I'm glad I'm not some young kid just getting out of college looking to make my mark on the world. Did the world catch up to America, or has America dropped down to assume its new role as just another nation sitting at the table of nations? Either way, that's where we are.

I still believe America is the best place in the world to be... for now and at least for the rest of my lifetime.