The average temperature in one of America’s greatest cities, Chicago, in December is just 37 degrees during the day, and 27 at night. In January days are just 32 degrees and nights 22. February is 36 and 26. Understand that these temps are subject to change almost immediately. Cold from the Great Lakes and possible lake-effect snow can change these averages without warning.
No one can Predict the Weather Accurately
As it is here in Northern Nevada, the job of a weatherman in winter is thankless in many parts of our country. He or she is often blamed for an erroneous forecast unfairly. However, no one suffers more from drastic changes in weather than our nation’s homeless.
Chicago has a Larger than Average Number of Homeless Americans
The best estimate of homeless Americans in Chicago is 65,000. This forces me to ask a question I have repeated dozens of times: “how can a country which is touted as the ‘richest country in the world’ have a single homeless person?” The answer you will never hear from the mainstream media is because our government is a complete failure. Fair taxation has not existed since the 1960s.
America’s Ranking in Quality of Life is Abysmal
The United States has just 4.4 percent of the world’s population. There are approximately 735 billionaires in America in 2022 and 22 million millionaires. Only these few Americans can relate to the claim that our nation is the richest in the world.
The average income for Chicagoans is over $60,000 per year. However, “overall, 16.4% of the Chicago population lives in poverty, compared to 12.3% for the U.S. as a whole.” To put this simply, a large number of working people in Chicago are one paycheck away from becoming homeless. Any medical problem or expense which is beyond their means and thousands of additional citizens of one of our greatest cities could find themselves struggling to survive this winter.
The Homeless in Chicago are Preparing for the Worst
Just hours ago a severe winter storm warning was issued for the greater Chicago area. American governments, both federal and state, have proven time and time again that people are not a priority. America is a country where money is more important than any living creature. I have offered my readers the following quote many times: “America is not a country, it’s a business.”
America must Do Better
I am writing this article for one reason. I am ashamed of my country. The number of people who suffer in America every day is unforgivable. This is exacerbated during winter, as tens of thousands of Americans struggle to survive the next day.
Our nation’s leaders cannot claim ‘greatness,’ or brag about our wealth as long as one man, woman, or child fears for his or her own life on a daily basis. No one should be hungry in America. There should be no claim of inflation as an excuse to raise the cost of necessities in this country. Greed and the need for power are the dominant aspects of the government of the United States which supports the super-rich, not the working class.
It’s a “White World After All”
If we are honest about our greatest cities, and the problems experienced by the majority of Americans who live in those cities, we have failed as a nation to protect the dreams of our Founding Fathers. We have surrendered to plutocrats and those who reject the freedoms and equality of all Americans.
Racism is a growing problem in the 21st century, and the disparity in our economic structure reveals this fact. Most of the well-paying jobs which once existed in our inner cities have been allowed to move away from our shores into nations where the average wage is less than one-tenth of what it would be in America. Over the last 40 years, our government has given away the future of a large percentage of its people.
A Nation Where Profits of Major Corporations are More Important than its People
I cannot ignore the truth, although our government and the former fourth estate have for decades. The reason America is last in the quality of life for its people is obvious. Profit is more important than the future of its people. You and I can change that.
Our Government Will Continue to Fail Us Unless We Act
Congress will never support term limits for themselves, but we can. My suggestion to save the government of the United States is simple. When you vote in 2024, vote for anyone running for reelection in the House or Senate but the man or woman who has an “I” for “incumbent” next to their name. Let’s rid our nation of those who have chosen to become rulers over our nation’s people instead of public servants.
I have learned one thing about politics in my 76 years: any politician who has been allowed to remain in office for more than two terms has become a detriment to the success of our government’s daily operations. There is no honor in holding a seat in the Capitol Building for 10, 20, or 30 years. These long-term politicians are the reason our government is dysfunctional and the most corrupt in the free world.
By The Wise Old Fart, (James Turnage)
My novels are available on Amazon’s Kindle
Sources:
WGN-TV: Winter Storm Watch Issued for Chicago Area, With ‘Blizzard Conditions’ Possible Later This Week
NBC Chicago: Chicago’s comprehensive push to address homelessness prevents pandemic crisis seen in other major cities
Featured Image Courtesy of Colin Davis‘ Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Thunder Circus‘ Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
