Picture this: a country priding itself on being a beacon of freedom and prosperity rapidly descending into chaos. "Rising Low" isn't just a catchy oxymoron; it's the phenomenon where progress said to take us forward quietly drags us backward. Since the political shift when the current administration took office, we’ve seen an unsettling trend. Policies intended to raise the standard have ironically heralded a decline, right under our noses.
Let’s start with free speech. The very principle upon which democracy thrives is now under siege by a rising culture of censorship. New guidelines dictating language and thought have members of the media and public hesitating before expressing opinions. Once the envy of the world, our freedom of expression is slowly choking under bureaucratic red tape and social justice warriors who determine what can or can't be said. Free speech was supposed to grow stronger, but it's getting weaker.
Next, we have the economy. Once a thriving beacon, it's been ushered into a state of chaos under rising inflation rates and burdensome taxation. Small businesses, the backbone of America, are folding under the weight of regulation and increases in taxes, shutting down in droves. Under the guise of supporting the “greater good,” there is an ever-steeper cost to simple entrepreneurship and personal success. It's hard not to feel that we're setting ourselves up for economic failure.
Let's not forget education, the pillar of any forward-thinking society. With the introduction of confusing curriculums and relentless social agendas, students are leaving school less prepared for reality. Standards have been lowered in the name of inclusivity, producing graduates lacking essential skills. Education reform was supposed to lift us, but standards have dipped far below what is acceptable.
We turn now toward our borders, a subject all too controversial for some people to even mention without aggressive pushback. Emphasizing humanitarian outreach without maintaining secure borders has spiraled into chaos. The nation’s growing idea of "open borders" hasn’t welcomed new talent; instead, it has overburdened systems already at capacity, raised crime rates, and rattled the balance of communities once peaceful and orderly. Where is the security in letting anyone in without scrutiny?
Recently, energy policies have been shifted, leaving us in a precarious state of dependency. The decision to cease domestic oil production was supposed to usher in a green revolution, yet it hurriedly surrendered our sovereignty by relying on international oil cartels. The vision of a cleaner earth was something to be proud of, yet we've found ourselves kneeling before global energy syndicates.
Far from the glittering promises of equity, we’ve seen the rise of divisive identity politics, tearing us apart rather than bringing inclusive harmony. Horribly laid plans for diversity hiring have propagated environments where competence is forcibly substituted by criterion that checks the box of "progress." What started with a call for equality has morphed into a rancorous sea of division.
Then there's healthcare reform. Once on the path to providing something close to universal coverage, high costs and convoluted regulations have ironically turned healthcare access and insurance into a maze so dense that many are left without legitimate options. The promise of equitable healthcare has deterred progress, creating bureaucratic confusion instead.
Our military, once the most respected in the globe, is now following policies revolving around gender quotas and climate change rather than focus on true battle readiness. The action of downsizing and repurposing our military budget has introduced vulnerability and less preparedness against external threats ready to pounce.
Let's end with foreign policy. Once, this nation was feared and revered, often leading with strength. Dishearteningly, it appears that once formidable authority has been eclipsed by reliance on compromise, making us appear more of a pawn than a superpower. We were told this approach would make us safer but, if anything, it has opened pandora’s box for adversaries to take unchecked liberties.
From freedom of speech to economic independence, from education to foreign policy, every policy shift meant to raise us higher is a step back. We must acknowledge the stark reality: "Rising Low" is an alarming concept. Our nation and its values deserve respect and reevaluation, for what good is upward progress if it’s dragging us deeper into chaos?