Alas, the lamentable condition of the U.S.

I grew up in America at a time when I can recall in my childhood hiding under my school desk as my teacher directed us in the proper techniques of self-protection from a nuclear bomb blast — called duck and cover. I remember later hearing about the dangers of lead in household paint and gasoline but that the EPA was imposing regulations to deal with these threats to our health. And the list of things the government was doing to improve our lives but that I don’t recall is much longer.