Saturday, February 12, 2011

Our Socialist Founders

Thomas Paine writes “Agrarian Society”. Samuel Adams denounces superfluous wealth; John Hancock divests it. Jefferson, John Adams, Barlow, Smith were among those who return from Europe disgusted with the accumulation of wealth by the elite at the expense of the commons. Ben Franklin writes to Robert Morris that extraordinary wealth is the creature of public convention and a direct result of public law; and the public, by law, has the right to dispose of it. He writes that it is the right and responsibility of the public to regulate the inheritance of descendents and the conveyance of property. He goes further and suggests that the public has the right to limit individual wealth and determine its’ use. These men were not the anti-tax, anti-government creatures some would have us believe.

When the neo-cons of our generation invoke the Constitution and the founders to support conservative views they could not be further off-base. In fact, the neo-cons would be considered Tories in the late 1770’s; not Patriots. The founders of our country would be tea-bagged out of the GOP and unwelcomed by today’s Democrats. By every account the founders were liberal socialists and would be horrified by the Reagan revolution and the every man for himself circus our generation has created.

This is not to say there should be no debate concerning taxation, but the debate should be about equitable and shared sacrifice. The elite among us should stop hiding behind the “job creator” label; particularly when the jobs they are creating are in China and Indonesia. Since the 1980’s the middle class, the true driver of the economy, has borne an inequitable share of the burden.

We should have debate about spending. Not about how little we can get by with, rather how much can we afford and where it should be spent in order to maximize the return on our investment; realizing that our generation may not enjoy the fruits of it, but rather the next one and the next. We need to do all we can to insure that our children and grandchildren enjoy a modern economy and the best education that we can offer. True security, not security based in fear and tenable only at the point of a gun.

Our corporations should understand that maximizing profits are not what we need, rather how much profit can be reasonable sacrificed in order to employ the American worker and strengthen the American economy.

Our generation, through misguided economic policy has taken a thirty year vacation from our responsibilities as Americans; the responsibility of shared sacrifice that the founders of our country intended. It is past time that we view ourselves as a society again instead of the “get what’s mine” culture we are all complicit in creating.

Friday, February 19, 2010

Open Letter to our Democratic Representatives

Honorable Members,

In the Novembers of 2006 and 2008 your constituents went to the polls and voted for change, real change. The results of these elections were a real mandate, something not seen in this country for decades. And you have done nothing. For the sake of “bi‐partisanship” you have deadlocked government and may have spent any political capital gained. This cannot be blamed on Republicans. The lack of leadership is astounding and stagnation of mandated policy change rests squarely on your shoulders. As a loyal member of the Democratic Party, I offer the following:

• As a country, we have erroneously bought into the idea that the wealthy and the corporations drive our economy. Supply side economics are bunk. Economies are driven by consumers, the middle class. We mandated that our government implement social policy and tax reform that would strengthen the middle and lower classes and put
disposable income into the pockets of people that would dispose of the income; and end the re‐distribution of wealth to the wealthy so they may enhance their portfolios. Believe me, if a 10M dollar earner only nets 8M next year; no
one will be bothered. Adam Smith economic policy has been proven ill‐advised and is most certainly antiquated. Do something.

• The wall between investment banks and commercial banks must be restored and the teeth that were pulled from our regulatory institutions must be re‐instated. You don’t need to be an economic guru to understand that the
Gramm‐Leach‐Bliley act is a complete failure and the financial industry has left middle America holding the tab. Currently these institutions are going down the same path that brought us to the brink of economic disaster in the first place.
Unconscionable. Please act, sooner than later.

• Health care costs are bleeding our economy white. And again, average Americans are bearing the brunt of the monetary weight. We should eliminate the 65 and over restriction from Medicare and allow everyone to participate. And we should also allow Medicare to negotiate drug costs with the pharmaceutical industry. By allowing the pool of healthy 24‐64 year olds on the rolls and paying premiums, and negotiating health care fees; this widely popular program would be adequately funded. This still leaves room for the private health insurance industry to sell
supplements and outright replacements as they do now with the senior community. This is a no‐brainer people.

• Fund Social Security. The 6% tax capped at 100K isn’t doing the job. And once again, middle America bears the brunt of funding this program. At a tax rate of
1‐1/2% and no cap, the Social Security program would be adequately funded
for the foreseeable future; and the lifestyles of the 100K plus earners would not be adversely affected. Am I missing something here?

• Continue the work you are doing in the renewable and clean energy programs. It is an ecological and national security imperative that we wean ourselves from our dependence on fossil fuels. I’ll give you a solid “C” here, but there is
much to be done.

In closing, please stop shitting your pants every time there is a negative bump in the polls or if a Republican says boo concerning these issues. We put you in office largely based on your promises pertaining to these issues. Be assured; we will not
abandon you for doing what we sent you to Washington DC to do.

Your Loyal Constituent (for the time being)

Monday, November 23, 2009

Turn the Page

We have heard that life is a book with a number of chapters. I've only considered this recently. It seems I haven't allowed myself this perpsective, perceiving my life as a continuous series of events all in one big "primordial soup" so to speak; a continuing evolution of life with each challenge intertwined.

Recent events have changed this perspective. I now see my childhood, teenage years, relationships, marraige, and the raising of children as individul stories of their own. While who we are is most certainly an evolution of our lives' experiences, the events in our lives' are as most certainly distinct chapters. Each a story of its' own; each meant to be closed.

I experienced many chapters in my life, and I am appreciative of my newfound perspective. With it, I intend to experience the new chapters in my life with all the vigor I can muster. And I want it all. The good, the bad, everything! Bring it on!