The most threatening issue facing the world today

What are you scared of? As the new millenium becomes more and more a reality with every passing day, what problem facing the international community is the most ominous, the most threatening to our daily existence as citizens of the United States? If you had to write a term paper or a graduate school entrance essay about "the most threatening issue facing the world today," what would you write about? New, vaccine-resistant strains of viruses? Perhaps nuclear weapons? Maybe you would write about widespread hunger. Well, my essay would be a little different.

Certainly, the most threatening issue facing the world today is more abstruse and esoteric to the general populous of the United States than what is commonly discussed by local newspaper staff writers and television talk show hosts. They, of course, can pick and choose what's "newsworthy." No, the most threatening issue with worldwide implications is not the spread of virulent diseases reaching epidemic proportions; these can be slowed, manipulated, and virtually wiped out by the feats of modern medicine. This menacing issue is not the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; the leading nations of the world have already begun to take steps to curb this problem. Nor is it rampant hunger and famine in underdeveloped countries; advances in agricultural technology have made it easier and less expensive for wealthy nations to grow and distribute food to people in need. The most threatening issue facing the world today originates right here in the United States: the degradation of capitalism and penalization of success that is encouraged by our government.

For two hundred years, the United States of America has been the world's bastion of capitalism and free enterprise. People have come here in droves from all parts of the globe to take advantage of a free-market economy and an atmosphere that fosters success and entrepreneurism. Now, the principles that attracted millions of people to our country and made America the number-one economic force in history are threatened by a misled liberal administration on a mission to discourage personal economic freedom and levy taxes on success.

Unfortunately, however, this change for the worse can not be blamed entirely on the eight hideously-harmful years of the Clinton Administration. The U.S.'s slow slide towards socialization began with Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal. Many realize now that that deal was undeniably a bad one: its legacy has left a scar across the face of our Republic that will not be easily mended, even with increased awareness and grass-roots mobilization.

Many might mistakenly interpret this to be a purely nationalized dilemma. Yet, its clearly international implications are obvious. For decades, fledgling democracies around the world have looked to America as the ideal, the benchmark against which all nations are measured. Democracy in this country has survived because we have continued to embrace capitalism and free enterprise; as capitalism erodes, so do the personal freedoms which Americans have enjoyed for two centuries. If the current liberal mind set which demonizes capitalism is allowed to flourish, it will quickly extinguish what has made this country great. What nation of the world will then rise to lead as an example of a government that works? Perhaps communist China or the new, unstable Russian Republic will take the helm. Undeniably, this is a frightening concept.

Americans must quickly realize that this threat is real and is encouraged by the visionless, scandal-infested presidential administration which currently strives at debasing our nation's capitalistic foundation. Not until the people of America take steps to reform current policies and mind sets will this threat pass. As we aproach the new millenium and a new presidential election, I hope Americans will choose a different path than the one undertaken eight years ago. The choice next November will represent either the first step in a long journey towards the rejuvination of America or a perilous leap into the crevasse of national failure. The right choice must be embraced to ensure our longevity as a nation and as a world leader.