When I was a babe, perhaps earlier even, my father inspected buildings in the L. A. area. He was (roughly speaking) investigating which buildings had adequate protection from nuclear attack – bomb shelter stuff.

He’s related on more than one occasion that the “Red Scare” stuff back then wasn’t some cute, of-course-it’s-all-in-your-head-how-could-you-take-that-stuff-seriously phenomenon. I would add, in retrospect to the snooty previous retrospect, that maybe there was more substance to the foundations of the Red Scare than we moderns want to admit.

Whichever, pop would tell you that the “Red Scare” was palpable.

And I am hoping that, in decades to come, I will feel (in retrospect, natch) that the way I am feeling now about California and the USA was just a hysterical overreaction.

Because now, I feel as though I am watching my native civilization being peeled apart like an onion, and that by persons both inside and outside it. And, I feel that I am watching a process that usually takes decades, or centuries (witness Rome) taking place over the course of months.

Fast enough, at any rate, that many, many people haven’t even realized that they should be concerned yet.

Maybe things come back; maybe an appreciation for democratic republics and responsible, humble representative government will renew itself. A belief in the stimulating effects of personal freedoms in society and economics. Maybe.

I’m not so sure; at the same time I can’t believe that the “tipping” point has been breached so quickly.

Still, there’s precedent for tipping points occurring over relatively quick periods of time.

***

When Jesus talks about “returning quickly” in the scriptures, a lot of people (including some back then) figure He was saying He 'd be back in a few years, as if He were just going round the corner of the Universe for a pack of smokes. But that’s not what He was saying. What He was saying was, “when I return, I will do so suddenly.” As in:

Average Person:

Oh; I don’t see anything wrong with goofing around for a few years before I get right with G-d, so I guess I’ll just take it easy and go – WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!”

But of course, it won’t be hell exploding into our reality; it will be Him.

***

So – maybe the cliff has been crossed over, and maybe Mr. Obama and This Administration and the world governments will frantically yank on all the controls like The Man Behind The Curtain controlling The Great and Powerful Oz, and maybe nothing will right the economic ship:

How's It Going, Mr. Geitner?

And that way lies Interesting Times, the like of which I’d rather not live in, if it's all the same to you.

I’m not saying it’s Mr. Obama’s fault. Nor even Mr. Bush's. The ship may have been shimmying apart, because of other people's actions,  before those fellahs took hold of the wheel.

I am just – appalled, I guess – that the government representatives would look at this spectacular cock-up, and think mainly one thing: “how can I get mine off the table, and how much can I grab, before the game ends?”

We raised these people in the 50’s and 60’s, mostly. Maybe those times weren’t as morally enlightened as their fans think they were. My generation.

I am ashamed to be associated with them.

Well. Here’s hoping. Put this in a time-capsule; let’s re-open it in 20 years and see if I was just being silly, like pop worrying about Commies in the US government.