Russia's Pravda Ru Lists 18 Signs "America is Rotting," Including NJ Drug Dealers Aren't Spening Money

I came across an interesting article on Pravda Ru's website detailing 18 signs that "America is Rotting Before Our Eyes." I find it ironic that a Russian paper could be criticizing the United States, considering its own economic woes. Here are the 18 signs as told by Mike Snyder:

1 - Due to extreme budget cuts, school systems across the United States are requiring their students to bring more supplies with them than ever this year. In Moody, Alabama elementary school students are being told to bring paper towels, garbage bags and liquid soap with them to school. At Pauoa Elementary School in Honolulu, Hawaii all students are being required to show up with a four-pack of toilet paper.

2 - According to the American Association of School Administrators, 48 percent of all U.S. school districts are reporting budget cuts of 10 percent or less for the upcoming school year, and 30 percent of all U.S. school districts are reporting cuts of 11 to 25 percent.

3 - In Chicago, drastic budget cuts could result in an average class size of 37 students.

4 - The governor of Hawaii has completely shut down that state's schools on Fridays - moving teachers and students to a four day week.

5 - According to the Federal Highway Administration, approximately a third of America's major roadways are already in substandard condition.

6 - All over the United States, asphalt roads are being ground up and are being replaced with gravel because it is cheaper to maintain. The state of South Dakota has transformed over 100 miles of asphalt road into gravel over the past year, and 38 out of the 83 counties in the state of Michigan have now turned some of their asphalt roads into gravel roads.

7 - According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, more than 25 percent of America's nearly 600,000 bridges need significant repairs or are burdened with more traffic than they were designed to carry.

8 - In a desperate attempt to save money, the city of Colorado Springs turned off a third of its streetlights and put its police helicopters up for auction.

9 - The state of Arizona has eliminated funding for full-day kindergarten and has shut down a number of state parks.

10 - Over the past year, approximately 100 of New York's state parks and historic sites have had to cut services and reduce hours.

11 - In Georgia, the county of Clayton recently eliminated its entire public bus system in order to save 8 million dollars.

12 - Elsewhere in Georgia, 30,000 people recently turned out to pick up only 13,000 applications for government-subsidized housing. A near-riot ensued and 62 people were left injured. The amazing thing is that all of this commotion was just to get on a waiting list. There are no aid vouchers even available at this time.

13- In the city of Philadelphia, rolling fire station "brown outs" recently cost a 12 year old autistic boy named Frank Marasco his life.

14- Oakland, California Police Chief Anthony Batts says that due to severe budget cuts there are a number of crimes that his department will simply not be able to respond to any longer. The crimes that the Oakland police will no longer be responding to include grand theft, burglary, car wrecks, identity theft and vandalism.

15- The sheriff's department in Ashtabula County, Ohio has been slashed from 112 to 49 deputies, and there is now just one vehicle remaining to patrol all 720 square miles of the county.

16 - Of 315 municipalities the New Jersey State Policemen's union recently canvassed, more than half indicated that they were planning to lay off police officers.

17 - Not that the criminals are doing that much better. Things have gotten so bad in Camden, New Jersey that not even the drug dealers are spending their money anymore.

18 - Almost everyone knows someone who has been severely impacted by this economic downturn. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey has found that 81 percent of American adults know someone who is out of work and looking for a job. Source: Pravda.ru

Don't get me wrong, there are a myriad of signs pointing to America's decline and the fact that millions of Americans are now living in poverty, as well as the skyrocketing number of people collecting food stamps. But the article in the newspaper is filled with half-truths and embellishments. Take the statement that drug dealers in Camden, NJ, aren't spending their money anymore? Really? Let's not forget their are millions of Russians living in poverty. Well, I guess the country beaten America first at rotting. For all it's worth, I would rather live in the United States than in Russia any day.

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