Is there another period of history when it would have appealed to you more?

For all its troubles, this is a golden age. You will live longer, better, and if your head is in the right place, happier than any time before. The kid down the street is not getting polio. The internet has many problems, but has made the spread of information more democratic and harder for autocrats to stop. When I was a child, I feared for a nuclear war that would murder the planet in seconds. Today I fear for the slow strangulation of the planet's environment or a terrorist attack that could kill thousands, or even millions. But the world will survive, perhaps in an injured and corrupted way. That wasn't so a couple of decades ago. There may be new terrible problems, new pandemics, that will wipe away this golden age. But for now, I wouldn't trade for any other time.

Sometimes I used to think I was born too late, now I think I was born too soon. There seems to be a lot more opportunities today especially educationally than when I went to school. I grew up poor and knew there was no way I would have the opportunity to go to college. Where I went to school if scholarships exited we were never informed. However, I am regressing. I used to be very proud to be an American, I feel I can no longer state that fact with the state of affairs today. Don't misunderstand me, I wouldn't want to be a citizen anywhere else; however, I totally disagree with our leaders or lack thereof in the manner in which they are running this country. There is so much corruption, propaganda and downright greed that determines what action or non-action is taken by our government. The TV News is slanted and edited, our intelligence is insulted on a daily basis by our leaders. Our foreign policies have a lot to be desired and our handling of our infrastructure, environment and most importantly our elderly, our poor etc. is basically a disgrace for such a wealthy country.

So in answer to the question, I will not be okay with being an American in the 21st century unless the direction of how this country is being governed/handled changes. We definitely need political reform. All lobbying and all campaign contributions should be disallowed and electorial votes should be null and void. One tax dollar from every taxpayer and/or voter should be collected towards a political campaign. All those who wish to run or rerun for political office should be required to furnish to every voter or household an autobiography and disclosure statement that is true and accurate and must be investigated prior to it's distribution. This disclosure statement should include but not limited to their financial holdings, membership in any and all clubs, societies and last but not least if they are rerunning thier attendance record, the committies they're involved with and their voting record of all new and prior bills etc. Only then would voters be well informed and hopefully vote accordingly.