Change We Can
Believe In
by Andrew
Lawrence
Barack Obama
is right. America needs change. Change we can
believe in.
Once upon a
time, America was a great and kind nation, the
modern day Promised Land, whose streets were
paved with gold and whose coins were made of
precious metals. Today, America's streets are
paved with tar and its coins are made of scrap
metal. Once upon a time in America, pocket change
was made of gold and silver. No more.
Gone are the
days when American pocket change was really worth
something ...
America once
had a $20 gold piece. Made of gold. America once
had dollars made of silver, a silver dollar could
buy 3 gallons of gas or 4 packs of cigarettes or
a quart or two of beer or a couple of loaves of
bread or 6 McDonald hamburgers. Once, Americans
carried 50-cent pieces (half-dollars) made of
silver, that were so weighty and so big they
would tear a hole in your trouser pocket or weigh
down your purse. Once, America was the land of
the 25-cent piece (quarter), made of silver and
alloys, and that quarter could buy 2 Cokes or 5
packs of gum or get you into a Saturday matinee
at the movies (2 movies and a cartoon). Once,
America had a dime (10 cents), made out of silver
and alloys, which could buy lots of penny candy
or a Coke or a candy bar or a comic book. Once
upon a time, America had a nickel (5 cents) made
of copper and nickel, a nickel that could
actually buy something useful or fun. And, last
but not least, once upon a time America had a
beloved penny made of copper, a penny which could
actually buy something instead of only being used
to pay some of the sales tax on what you buy.
Once upon a
time, long before Barack Obama ran for president
in 2008 with a campaign slogan of "change we
can believe in", America HAD change we could
believe in. In our pockets. Pocket change. Pocket
change made of precious metals. Pocket change
that was worth something. THAT'S the kind of
change we can believe in!
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