Troubling observations from abroad: California advertisements that detract from human potential

Ever since I moved away from California, and ever since the financial crisis I've noticed some troubling things about the advertising and rhetoric used to sway the masses. Here are some things I've noticed while visiting. These observations are common things the every-day Californian would see and they should be troubled by these things but i'm sure they are so used to it that they don't even notice any more.

• Super vague advertisements for perspiration pills (that your health insurance probably won't cover). Unfortunately I could not find a commercial advertisement that properly describe what i'm talking about. Let's just say in the land of America prescription pill commercials are as common as fast food commercials however they are so vague that anyone could identify with the ad and find a reason or two to want to take the drug
  
• Advertisements to join the armed forces. Even though I grew up in the Bay Area, considered a very liberal place, I couldn't help but notice more TV ads and more advertisements in public places like movie theatres to join the Navy, Army and Marines. This observation only became more evident when I noticed the number of armed forces in the the San Francisco airport. Considering I have been going back to California twice a year for six years, noticing this now and not before makes me realize that we are not pulling out of the Middle East anytime soon.
• Speaking of the armed forces, they pay for your post-secondary education, which is quite exorbitant in the U.S. Because of this I noticed way more commercials for on-line colleges where you can still work and get an education. Considering California states schools are cutting scholarships like whoa and the UC's are raising tuition by 32% (who can pay that?!) I understand why more people are starting to reconsider DeVry University.
  

• Recession sales!!!! Everywhere there are sales on everything imaginable. And this time there is no denying the recession is here. Last year all the sales were just, "mid-winter sales" but now everyone and every retail outlet is prouding advertising "Recession rollback sales." I'm not sure if this is a good or bad thing for consumers, do you really need a rug for %50 off when you can't feed your family in the first place?
• Debt advice. Every retail outlet, bank, and credit card company has ways for you to say. The most horrible part of this advertising campaign is that NONE OF THESE WAYS ARE EFFECTIVE WAYS TO CONSOLIDATE YOUR DEBT! American Express is running a radion ad in affiliation with "Smart Cookies" that is actually telling debtful (aka full of debt) consumers that they should put everything they purchase on their AmEx card in order to consolidate their debt. Does this sound stupid to you? Hopefully it does because they even have a woman stating, "I put everything on my AmEx card, even small purchase like coffee because I know through the AmEx points system, i'll get the ultimate pay-back in the end." Ummmm, how will you get paid back when you can't pay off your credit card bill in the first place. Ugh. The worst part is that everyone is jumping on the "debt consolidation" advice train. Lawyers are willing to sue for you, banks are willing to help you (or help themselves depending on how you look at it) and even the food network is giving you advice on how to eat cheaply, $10 dinner's y'all.

Most of these ads seem comical to say the least but they are really disheartening. I cannot emphasize enough that if we don not change the way we look at investment, debt and spending money, they we can only guarantee failure and China owning us more than they already do.