I’ve been ruminating about the general state of the nation, and I’m ready to share some thoughts about the direction the country’s going, and why, as I see it.

I think the fundamental issues are two.

First, there are some people who, consciously or unconsciously, are disturbed by the economic implications of globalization. The main outcome of globalization for most folks is downward pressure on wages, as jobs move overseas.

Second, there are people who either out of sheer greed or pure philosophy, have been seething over the role of the federal government since the New Deal.

These two groups have made common cause, in large part to a well-funded campaign of deception by the second group.

I’ll further stipulate that the “cultural conservatives” are people who don’t really appreciate that the source of their anxiety is not whether, say, gays get married, but that their economic future is in peril.

I’ll be looking at this more closely in future entries.