On Monday October 28, 1929 the roaring twenties were still roaring along. On Tuesday October 29, 1929 the stock market crashed and the economy fell apart. As I read about the market bail out I think of several things at once: Atlas Shrugged, the Great Depression, the American people electing a C student to run the country, and the possibility that Obama won't win.

I find I don't want to read the headlines. I don't want to know about the $700 Billion bail out plan passed by Congress. I didn't want to watch the debates. I didn't want to sit through John McCain offering answers that infuriated me knowing that there were people listening to Obama and imaging that what he was saying was no use because he refuses to tell them what they want to hear. I want to bury my head in the sand and pretend that the country will fix itself. I want to go to school and teach ethics veiled in an english class. I want to write a book and make money.

But it doesn't matter what I want. My school is going through tremendous budget cuts because Nevada doesn't have an income tax and refuses to tax the casinos. I pay excessive amounts for gas because my government believes in trickle down economics and for the past eight years I've lived in a place were the general populace has voted on religion instead of intelligence (the two are not mutually exclusive by the way). I face the possibility of never being employed because the stock market is crashing (again) and my capitalist society (which I wasn't sure I agreed with before) is steadily being controlled by its government (which I'm sure I don't agree with). I don't know what the answers are, aren't, or might be. Perhaps that is what scares me the most.

Atlas Shrugged is a book about a U.S. that destroys itself because people refuse to think for themselves. The country collapses upon itself because those that are willing to fight stupidity give up and decide to let stupidity destroy itself. I look around and I wonder how far-fetched an idea that is. We have people that would rather debate abortion, would rather vote a president into office because he promises to outlaw abortion and gay marriage than to consider the economy or the hypocrisy of America, Land of the Free, outlawing choice.

I acknowledge as I write this that I will never vote for a Republican who refuses to recognize the necessity of medical and lifestyle freedom. But the difference, as always, is that I'm in the business of expanding choices not limiting them. But that's not the point of this. Merely, I wanted to acknowledge that I vote for reasons having nothing to do with the economy and I am aware of that. But I think, in the end, my choices do have to do with the economy because I'm looking for a President that is intelligent enough to recognize that freedom doesn't happen through control. I want a President who, when the more fanatical lobbyists (on both sides) make ludicrous demands will recognize the greater complications of a democratic society and say no. And that willingness, the willingness to deal with the complicated nature of running a country, comes through in an honest refusal to make governmental decision based on religion. Take that as you will.

Regardless my desire to ignore the problems at hand still stands. But I wonder if I have the luxury. I don't think I do. I don't know that any of us do. But realistically I don't believe we live in an age where protesting does much anymore. Perhaps there is still a way, if enough people did it. But I think the only way to really affect change would be through actions and money. A refusal, on a massive scale, to buy certain products. It seems that money is the driving moral and ethical force in our country today.

Thinking about these things depresses me. Not thinking about them might ruin me. Does anyone have suggestions as to what is to be done?