Response to John McCain...

Sir,

Sadly, there is no longer simply 'a biggest challenge that America faces'. The problem has become too diverse and multifacted to sum up in a sound bite encapsulation.

Indeed, the state of our economy is a significant concern to all Americans. Many have lost or are losing their homes and dreams due to unscrupulous and predatory lending practices. Many have lost or are losing their jobs to unfair hiring practices (e.g. H1B Visas) and profit-driven offshoring practices. Many of our aged and infirm are being forced to choose between bankruptcy or death by pharmaceutical and insurance companies whose sole focus is the bottom line (e.g. Tier4 drugs), without regard to the social injustice they bring to bear on the citizens who depend so critically upon their products and services. And as a consumer economy, we depend far too much upon the good nature of other nations. Considering our standing in the world, that is a recipe for demise of our country and our way of life as we know it.

Democracy was a wonderful discovery, and on the whole its implementation has demonstrated a propensity for prosperity where it emerges. I believe those who recognize its virtues will embrace it. Those who do not, will not, and cannot be induced through force or coercion. And as we know, those nations or factions that are threatened by it will respond with violence and fear. Through the machinations of others, our nation has been spread too thin globally. We have committed economically (promoting a Nuclear India, and permitting/encouraging commerce with a socially abusive China) to agenda that do not serve the interest of America or the world in which we live. And our noble men and women in uniform remain in harms way without a plan to meet our obligation to reasonably minimize or negate that risk while seeing our commitment to Iraq through to the formation of a functioning sovereign government, eventually retuning our soldiers to missions worthy of our national heritage. And as an experienced soldier, you of all candidates know full well the virtue and wisdom of pulling back and regrouping when the best laid plans clearly demonstrate a lack of progress, and wasting of limited resources (e.g. Afghanistan and Bin Ladin).

As the quintessential democracy, we embraced Emma Lazarus' 19th century invitation to accept other countries 'tired, poor and huddled masses'. And in doing so, over time, America has become stronger through the inevitable diversity it has fostered. However, having left open our 'golden door' to an unchecked influx of illegal immigration, we have also left ourselves open to economic ruin through the unending drain upon social and public services, and violent retaliation from those who do not share our social values, or our national allegience. Lip service and convenient flag waving is insufficient evidence of loyal citizenry.

As a global citizen, we have failed our neighbors in serving the interests of our world on the environmental front, a war just as vital as any we prosecute in any finite sovereign nation. Admittedly, the industrial revolution was instrumental in the development and expansion of the global economy to be certain. However as any scientist will tell you, the unchecked growth of any single influencing factor in an environment will destabilize that environment, threatening all life within it. We have an obligation to reduce our negative impact on our world, to reduce our dependence upon foreign energy sources, and lead other nations by that example.

The answers to some of these issues, and others, may be found through a process of expanded higher education and education loan debt forgiveness through targeted public service or specific trades; increased economic incentives for technological development; tougher policies (not economic incentives) to keep jobs and dollars at home; 'fair trade, not free trade',