Corporate American Empire

I've been reading the new Howard Zinn graphic novel "A People's History Of American Empire", which by the way should be mandatory reading for every high school and college history class in the United States and I got to thinking. This nation has been doing some pretty nasty things to people in this country and all over the world and the only thing we have accomplished is $3.59 for a gallon of gas in Cincinnati Ohio. If our own history books teach us that we are the almighty United States and nobody messes with us how did we become what we are? Let's just say we believe all the "good" government bullshit we are taught in school. If we are so high and mighty and holier than thou how can you explain the high cost of living we are suffering through? Why don't we just use our bombs and military technology and take over the world. Gas would be about 99 cents a gallon and the rest of the world would be our slaves and food would be sold at cost and we would be the most highly educated people on earth. That's right, I forgot about privitization and corporate America and cronyism. So now I get it. We are still the American Superpower of which we are taught but we are also the land of have and have nots. How stupid of me! So all I need to do is rape and pillage my way to the top 2% and I can have everything I want. I can step on as many toes and feet and arms and legs and chests and heads to get there and I'm applauded for it. Now I'm starting to get this Corporate America thing. They start you out young and tell you to shoot for that forever elusive American Dream. If you work hard your whole life and go in debt and stay in debt you can do it. Whatever you do you have to consume, please buy an SUV, Direct T.V., three cell phones, 2 iPods, take three vacations, shop at the Gap and become addicted to presription drugs. Don't worry about those credit cards, crappy insurance and car payments. There are thousands of credit counselors and financial institutes that can bail you out. For a Price! Sometimes I just want to sell all of my shit (except my books) and go live in the woods.