Finally our little revolution is over! No one was shot, no snipers in the street and no one in jail. Yes, this is a great country and although we move slowly we don't shoot each other in the streets. Pretty scary and pretty stupid and costing at least 24 Billion Dollars. Why did it have to be this way?
Mostly because we don't listen and we don't really understand our own Political System.
What would have happened if a few Teabaggers in the Republican controlled House had gotten their way? It would have established a horrible precedent. Next time it could be a Democratically controlled House and a Republican President and a few members could demand a 20% increase in Corporate Taxes in return for raising the debt ceiling. Hijacking the government this way is not a good idea.
Now maybe we could have a real discussion? with no threats? and with an agreed upon vocabulary? and an understanding that what is good for the Nation might not be good for a particular person? It is not or should not be a difficult process. It requires a vision and some hard work. How do you want the USA to be in ten or twenty years and what can we afford? How can we make improvements along the way? A lot of it is simple math. At the moment Health Care is our country costs 18% of the GNP. The GOAL of the Affordable Care Act (let's call it that) is to reduce this percentage to 14% and expand the system to more people. It will work or it won't. We can improve upon it or we can hinder it but the goal itself is admirable. Other countries can do it, maybe we should look into that more?
About The National Debt. It totals now about the same as all the goods and services we create (our GNP) in ONE year. Compared to other countries it is a low percentage. The National Debt is not just the money we owe, it is also the money we are obligated by law to pay. It is lent to us at less than 1% interest. It is a pretty good deal even if we don't like it. It is pretty cheap money, especially if we used it to grow and not to just survive. It would be worth it to rebuild our infrastructure and industry. Clearly when you borrow money you need a plan to pay it back. At the moment we do not have that kind of tax structure. Federal Taxes are the lowest they have been in 60 years! We need to return to the Reagan Tax base. We did most of our infrastructure building when Eisenhower was President and had then a tax system that went as high as 90%. General Motors paid taxes then. They do not now.
I have a problem with people who take both sides. Accepting Medicare and against National Health.
Accepting Social Security and against a Government "Safety Net". Accepting Unemployment, food stamps, housing assistance, free Medical at the emergency room and against Government.
It should not be a difficult process to make our lives better and those of our neighbors, inclusive rather than exclusive.
I think members of Congress should lose their Party Affiliations when they step into office. Leave the hat at the door and work for the American People.
Mostly because we don't listen and we don't really understand our own Political System.
What would have happened if a few Teabaggers in the Republican controlled House had gotten their way? It would have established a horrible precedent. Next time it could be a Democratically controlled House and a Republican President and a few members could demand a 20% increase in Corporate Taxes in return for raising the debt ceiling. Hijacking the government this way is not a good idea.
Now maybe we could have a real discussion? with no threats? and with an agreed upon vocabulary? and an understanding that what is good for the Nation might not be good for a particular person? It is not or should not be a difficult process. It requires a vision and some hard work. How do you want the USA to be in ten or twenty years and what can we afford? How can we make improvements along the way? A lot of it is simple math. At the moment Health Care is our country costs 18% of the GNP. The GOAL of the Affordable Care Act (let's call it that) is to reduce this percentage to 14% and expand the system to more people. It will work or it won't. We can improve upon it or we can hinder it but the goal itself is admirable. Other countries can do it, maybe we should look into that more?
About The National Debt. It totals now about the same as all the goods and services we create (our GNP) in ONE year. Compared to other countries it is a low percentage. The National Debt is not just the money we owe, it is also the money we are obligated by law to pay. It is lent to us at less than 1% interest. It is a pretty good deal even if we don't like it. It is pretty cheap money, especially if we used it to grow and not to just survive. It would be worth it to rebuild our infrastructure and industry. Clearly when you borrow money you need a plan to pay it back. At the moment we do not have that kind of tax structure. Federal Taxes are the lowest they have been in 60 years! We need to return to the Reagan Tax base. We did most of our infrastructure building when Eisenhower was President and had then a tax system that went as high as 90%. General Motors paid taxes then. They do not now.
I have a problem with people who take both sides. Accepting Medicare and against National Health.
Accepting Social Security and against a Government "Safety Net". Accepting Unemployment, food stamps, housing assistance, free Medical at the emergency room and against Government.
It should not be a difficult process to make our lives better and those of our neighbors, inclusive rather than exclusive.
I think members of Congress should lose their Party Affiliations when they step into office. Leave the hat at the door and work for the American People.
1 comment:
Just wanted to thank you for the kind words & offer my support if you decide to take the plunge. It isn't easy but if I can after 45 years, anybody can!!!!
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