1794 Crimementally

Read a couple of articles recently that, if you aren't a little worried about the future prospects of our little democracy, may make you so. Actually, it was three articles, so I guess that qualifies technically as a “few.”
The first article said that Americans are more prone to anxiety than any other nation. According to a new study by the World Health Organization, 31% of Americans suffer from some anxiety disorder over the course of their lifetimes. The WHO says it's because of work and financial worries and stuff. That's five times the anxiety rate of Nigeria, where, you know, they have to worry about where the next meal is coming from.
The second article said that despite having spent more than $25 billion on the so-called "war on drugs,” the price of one gram of cocaine has actually dropped 16 percent since 2001.
Who says government stimulus doesn't improve the marketplace? Then again, the price of illegally traded legal oxycontin has gone up.
The third article reported that U.S. cellphone carriers handled 1.3 million requests from law enforcement agencies last year to spy on user’s calls, text messages, and location. They say the number of requests are rising about 15% per year.
It all appears to be related somehow. Interesting that even with cellphone surveillance added to the mix, the drug war continues to fail. But even more interesting that our anxiety is going up. Perhaps because we're paranoid that some of those same incompetent elements in law enforcement are snooping on us.
Reading our emails and texts, putting us through full body scanners that fry our DNA at airports, sending domestic unmanned drones into our neighborhood skies to surveill us all 24/7. What's to feel anxious about?
I'm just glad the terrorists haven't won.
America, ya gotta love it.