We now live in an age of the billionaire. They are American only by convenience. They are not really comfortable here. They are comfortable only with their own kind. When this nation becomes inconvenient, they will simply leave.
They know no bounds of patriotism, no civic responsibility (beyond a desire to destroy social security and public schools), and vicious antipathy toward taxes of any kind.
They are willing to spend billions to protect their interests which are largely financial.
Their contempt for the American middle class is almost unmeasurable. To them, Americans are overweight, greedy, overpaid, unambitious, a lumpen mass of losers, it is time history abandoned.
Globalization has left them abundant places to go that are not the United States, abundant ways to avoid taxes and an astonishing variety of way to vent their contempt for the unfortunate societies that spawned them.
Frankly, as a defender of the middle class, I feel woefully out gunned.
My strong suspicion is that if I am willing to forego my beliefs and embrace the coming new order, my life will improve materially.
By the standards of the new elite, I don’t even make fool.
I am a patriot. I believe in this nation and its future. I am disgusted by the strange sense of entitlement by those who have mercilessly exploited this nation and seem to intend the destruction of its economic base. So, I am not the right kind of person.
We are not as a nation fully abandoned yet. But the ties that bind the power elite to this country steadily weaken. The destruction of the public institutions of the United States will not end with Social Security but culminate in foreign owned roads, bridges, sewer systems, electricity and oil. This nation is valuable only for the money that can be squeezed out of it. The beliefs that created it and the sacrifices that maintain it are of no consideration.
I do not know if this can be changed. I have doubts that it is possible.
I fear for this nation’s future and not for just this nation but for many others around the globes who will be swept up in these changes.
Business ethics is not possible without law to support it. It is not possible with a sense of morals. It is not possible without consideration of other people and their rights.
So, in my mind, I am looking at the destruction of this field.
In fact, the whole concept of business ethics may become an idea only practiced at the bottom of the economic order.
I will continue to believe in this nation and its future but we are going to be sorely beset in the next decade.
James Pilant
Pilant's Business Ethics Blog 
James, I agree with your sentiments. The divide between rich and poor with a growing middle class is expanding rapidly. I wouldn’t classify all billionaires as greedy. The pursuit of self-interest is always a factor and often at the cost of others as too often occurs in corporations. There are, however, a few good people that either use their money to better society, improve our educational system, help those who can’t help themselves, and even fight world hunger and illiteracy. We know of Warren Buffet and Bill Gates in the business world who have started foundations for these purposes. They seem to be trying to do the right thing. The jury is still out on Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, who has pledged to donate a significant amount of his money. Oprah Winfrey comes to mind and her charitable efforts as well as using personal gravitas to improve conditions around the world. Perhaps we can include someone like Angelina Jolie who seems genuinely concerned about the unfortunate circumstances of way too many people in other countries. That said, you are absolutely right that the fabric of our nation has changed and not for the better. The middle class get squeezed more and more. The sad part is nothing has be done, even with the financial crisis, to address these issues and I fear nothing will be done because of the influence and desire of those with the billions to continue the trend and the willingness of our Congressional leaders, many of whom are already wealthy (or hope to be so after leaving office)to support the obsessively rich because they hope to join their ranks some day.
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