This book is a history of the United States in the last 3 quarters of the century and of its people as experienced by a typical member of the lower class; those who defended the country and evolved into the strongest and largest middle class in modern history. I was born in 1929. The USA was reborn in 1929, cleansed of its economic sins by the Great Crash and the New Deal. I believe the life span of our nation as we know it today, is concurrent with my life and my generation. I was born in poverty created by this rebirth and lived in poverty until the end of the war when a brand new middle class emerged like a Phoenix from the ashes of its self-induced fire. This is my autobiography as I grew with the phoenix and observed, not really understanding until later, what was happening. My story is typical of my generation. I worked my way out of poverty, working as I went to school finding time to serve my country during the Korean War in the 82nd Airborne. I worked with the tools as a construction worker, served 25 years in law enforcement and worked 25 years building houses. This is not a typical history book. It's a real life story about a man who observed history unfolding and took part in it. My degree in economics and living through the Recovery and five wars have given me an understanding of what I was watching; which I believe is the total takeover of our proud nation by international corporations who are more interested in profits than the people of the United States and the imminent fall of The American Empire. The book is not about religion although told as experienced by a Mormon who has been profoundly influenced by his religion. Oddly, my experience/participation with my Mormon religion is related throughout the book and runs in reverse order of the rise and fall of the middle class. As the middle class was rising, I was falling and now, as the middle class is being decimated I have risen in my faith and have returned permanently to the Church. Forgive me but I see humor in both processes. My story relates serious events and recognizes the gravity and peril we are experiencing as democracy is under attack but it is told with a smile. While my story is typical generally, it is as unique as my fingerprints.