Capitalism?

The first time I smoked was in the middle of the cow pasture with my good friend Greg, from that point on I smoked on a weekly basis. It took some time to develop my connections, and be in a place where I could smoke more on a daily basis, to help calm my mind, but still keep me questioning wrong doings that I witnessed or experienced. I quickly learned that there are many different strands, and all of them effected my mind and my body in different ways. I was open and honest with my friends, and family about smoking from the beginning. My entire family knows that I smoke, and that I am always looking for a scenario to show people how this substance positively affects my life.

My primary problems with Capitalism in this country are not with the fundamental ideas of capitalism, which states that: An economic system in which investment in and ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange of wealth is made and maintained chiefly by private individuals or corporations, esp. as contrasted to cooperatively or state-owned means of wealth. (Site) My primary issues with capitalism are that of the direction in which our government has taken us. Which is away from success for all, and more towards success for the wealthy. Our government is intertwined with Wall St. and many corporations such as Countrywide Home Loans, or AIG, which facts about these corporations and there CEO's have come into the light. How Countrywide has waived millions of dollars in fees for each of there richest customers, but this company specializes in the lower class where regular American people are losing their homes everyday. All of the flexibility of this company is given away to the wealthiest people, so the poorest people have to live by strict, and rigid regulations. Or how about AIG getting a government bailout, then immediately turning around and giving the Board of Directors bonuses, then having a paid vacation for all of them with money out of yours, and my pockets.

My problem is not with capitalism, I like the idea of it, allowing individuals to do what they want for their careers, marry who they want, spend their money on whatever they choose, and if the individual succeeds, then they live within their means as a contributing citizen in our country, but if they fail they need to find ways other then government bailouts to stay a float. Capitalism has become top heavy, like any structure, there needs to be a strong base with deep roots to withstand any attacks, whether that attack is of natural, domestic, or foreign causes. With the way the corporations are being run, with the middle class jobs being sent over seas, but the products are being sent back. With the middle class, working jobs removed, along with the middle class pay, who will buy the products that these corporations are trying to sell? It's a nasty cycle which is internally destroying this once strong based country. I feel that we need to get back to our roots, and stop pumping money into the wealthiest groups of this country, but give the flexibility to people that are giving success everything they got, but they just need that extra push to get them to a place where maybe they can one day help out another citizen in need.