In a speech to the Hudson Institute, you stated, “Rather than depending on government for your retirement and health security, I propose to empower people to become much more self-dependent for such things in life."
That would be nice. I hope you never have to depend on the government. I forgot—you already did. You went to college on your deceased father’s Social Security benefits. I’m not chastising you for that. I’m glad you had that choice. So did I, when my mother died. The difference is that I would not insist that others not have it available for their own personal tragedies. Why should you and I benefit from safety nets, but deny it for our children and grandchildren?
You once said we must “ensure that America’s safety net does not become a hammock that lulls able-bodied citizens into lives of complacency and dependency.” We must both be exceptions to that rule. As are multitudes of people who needed help at times. I’ve worked with them—low income students, their parents, dislocated workers, and Katrina evacuees. Precious few were content to wallow in their circumstances.
I pity those of you who are so cynical that you think lethargy is a goal for most. No one is perfect and there are some who would be lazy at the expense of others. But, those are few and far in between in my experiences working with thousands during the past thirty plus years!
Most people who have devoted their lives to working absolutely hate applying for and accepting unemployment insurance. They’re embarrassed and hearing themselves demonized by politicians who haven’t walked in their shoes is demoralizing and just plain heartless!
The wealthiest Americans have done extremely well over the past thirty years. The rest of us—not so much. Your proposals reward them and penalize the rest of us. The Stock Market may work well for some of you, but what little we can afford to contribute will never allow us to be self-dependent. Some of us tried that and lost almost all our retirement savings once. Not again!
Saturday, April 16, 2011
WHAT DO OUR TAXES BUY?
My taxes buy me peace of mind. I can generally drive safely without worrying about roads or bridges. I know if my home catches fire, there’s a crew of men and women standing by, ready to help. I know if there’s a medical emergency that trained professionals will help within a matter of minutes.
I feel comfortable knowing the children in my community are getting an education that will prepare them for the future. I am thankful that the water coming through my faucets is safe, the food I buy has been scrutinized, and that the prescriptions we get will help, rather than harm, us.
I’m glad that the drivers I meet on the roads are required to buy insurance, just as I am. I’m grateful that required seatbelts and airbags have saved lives and pleased when regulators ensure that I’m protected as a consumer whose lone voice is seldom heard.
I love it when government assists when disasters occur. I’m blessed that my 94 year old father is in fairly good health and was able to retire with a bit of dignity. I’m thankful the air we breathe is not as polluted as it might be without regulations and safeguards.
I was able to attend college after my mother died unexpectedly when I was just eighteen, thanks to her Social Security benefits. When I lost a job, I was grateful that the Unemployment Insurance I’d paid into was available to help pay bills through a lengthy jobless period.
The America I believe in has a history of helping when times are difficult. Those safety nets never once encouraged me to lie in a hammock and bask in complacency or dependency. In fact, they made me try harder to get back to the point where I, too, could contribute to this society.
In my experiences—mostly working with low socio-economic level students and dislocated workers—I realized that most people want to succeed, want to work, and improve their lives and the lives of their families.
I feel comfortable knowing the children in my community are getting an education that will prepare them for the future. I am thankful that the water coming through my faucets is safe, the food I buy has been scrutinized, and that the prescriptions we get will help, rather than harm, us.
I’m glad that the drivers I meet on the roads are required to buy insurance, just as I am. I’m grateful that required seatbelts and airbags have saved lives and pleased when regulators ensure that I’m protected as a consumer whose lone voice is seldom heard.
I love it when government assists when disasters occur. I’m blessed that my 94 year old father is in fairly good health and was able to retire with a bit of dignity. I’m thankful the air we breathe is not as polluted as it might be without regulations and safeguards.
I was able to attend college after my mother died unexpectedly when I was just eighteen, thanks to her Social Security benefits. When I lost a job, I was grateful that the Unemployment Insurance I’d paid into was available to help pay bills through a lengthy jobless period.
The America I believe in has a history of helping when times are difficult. Those safety nets never once encouraged me to lie in a hammock and bask in complacency or dependency. In fact, they made me try harder to get back to the point where I, too, could contribute to this society.
In my experiences—mostly working with low socio-economic level students and dislocated workers—I realized that most people want to succeed, want to work, and improve their lives and the lives of their families.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
CLASS WARFARE? OKAY, LET'S TALK CLASS WARFARE!
What is class warfare? Class warfare is defined as conflict between social or economic classes, especially between the capitalist and proletariat classes.
There is definitely class warfare in America. But, the war was waged long ago, back in the 1980’s, when the corporate and wealthy elite waged class warfare against the working class and poor.
Before the “warriors” were elected, their battle cry was, “Jobs! Jobs! Jobs!.” The battle cry faded, though, as combat ensued. Suddenly, the enemy changed to the deficit. (Strange that it hadn’t been a problem when the warriors voted in two unfunded wars, and an unfunded prescription drug plan. Hmm . . .?)
The war escalated drastically recently when the budget battles began. The original target (after the original original target of job creation) was supposedly “spending” but much collateral damage was inflicted on infants, the unemployed, expectant mothers, the homeless, pre-schoolers, the poor, public servants, intelligent youth without financial means to go to college, the disabled, anyone needing health insurance, and our senior citizens.
The jet bombers loudly proclaimed that the victims of their bombings needed to share sacrifices. Then, the perpetrators were given even more money to reward them, and more shared sacrifices were requested of the victims because the additional funds given to the bombers. Those expenditures made the deficit worse, so the victims were “commanded” to sacrifice more—in the spirit of “shared sacrifice!”
No one on the ground (not the children, the poor, the disabled, or the seniors) fired the first shot. The class warfare did not begin as an attack on the wealthy or on corporations. They didn’t fight hand-to-hand, but pulled out the heavy artillery on the unarmed (those with no lobbyists or collective voices).
Class warfare is real, but it’s been waged by the representatives of the wealthy against the “least of these” for many years and there’s no end in sight.
The war wages on and it’s unknown who will win in the end. The Bible, however, tells us: “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.”
There is definitely class warfare in America. But, the war was waged long ago, back in the 1980’s, when the corporate and wealthy elite waged class warfare against the working class and poor.
Before the “warriors” were elected, their battle cry was, “Jobs! Jobs! Jobs!.” The battle cry faded, though, as combat ensued. Suddenly, the enemy changed to the deficit. (Strange that it hadn’t been a problem when the warriors voted in two unfunded wars, and an unfunded prescription drug plan. Hmm . . .?)
The war escalated drastically recently when the budget battles began. The original target (after the original original target of job creation) was supposedly “spending” but much collateral damage was inflicted on infants, the unemployed, expectant mothers, the homeless, pre-schoolers, the poor, public servants, intelligent youth without financial means to go to college, the disabled, anyone needing health insurance, and our senior citizens.
The jet bombers loudly proclaimed that the victims of their bombings needed to share sacrifices. Then, the perpetrators were given even more money to reward them, and more shared sacrifices were requested of the victims because the additional funds given to the bombers. Those expenditures made the deficit worse, so the victims were “commanded” to sacrifice more—in the spirit of “shared sacrifice!”
No one on the ground (not the children, the poor, the disabled, or the seniors) fired the first shot. The class warfare did not begin as an attack on the wealthy or on corporations. They didn’t fight hand-to-hand, but pulled out the heavy artillery on the unarmed (those with no lobbyists or collective voices).
Class warfare is real, but it’s been waged by the representatives of the wealthy against the “least of these” for many years and there’s no end in sight.
The war wages on and it’s unknown who will win in the end. The Bible, however, tells us: “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.”
Friday, April 8, 2011
FISCAL PUNISHMENT LEADS TO FISCAL ABUSE AND BULLYING
Any wise parent understands the difference between discipline and punishment.
Discipline is administered by adults who remain calm, cool, and collected. It literally means “to teach” and helps implement strategies to prevent future problems.
Punishment is, by definition, punitive. Fear and pain are used to achieve immediate results, which often have by-products such as rebellion and distrust. (Bullying is a form of punishment.)
When one child is repeatedly targeted by excessive punishment by a parent, especially for unknown or illogical reasons other than the parent’s anger, that child is abused.
What Republicans are doing to the budget is not fiscal discipline. It is fiscal punishment and abuse and should be recognized as such.
Republicans are using the key components of abuse in their approach to the budget deficit: acting quickly and swiftly due to unknown or illogical reasons that invoke the administrator’s anger and results in inflicting fear and intense pain for its victims.
Families in financial difficulty don’t solve those problems by eliminating their children’s right to an education. They would not disregard safety issues in their home or ignore their home’s infrastructure. Not paying for necessary medical services, with the majority being the ones helping females, wouldn’t be a viable alternative. A wise family would look at ways to increase family funding. A family member might volunteer to take a second job. One that’s hoarding cash and not contributing his/her income toward the family’s finances would be a logical place to look. They might also look at the rent they charge for their rental property that’s below market value and consider raising it.
There are ways to achieve balanced budgets. Cuts can be found that don’t penalize only programs and people the Republicans don’t like very much. And, we also cannot continually refuse to increase funding—especially for the extremely wealthy and for corporations. One-sided (cuts only) approaches simply will not work. They will punish and abuse our most vulnerable citizens.
We must start talking about fiscal discipline and call out the Republicans who want fiscal punishment and abuse.
Discipline is administered by adults who remain calm, cool, and collected. It literally means “to teach” and helps implement strategies to prevent future problems.
Punishment is, by definition, punitive. Fear and pain are used to achieve immediate results, which often have by-products such as rebellion and distrust. (Bullying is a form of punishment.)
When one child is repeatedly targeted by excessive punishment by a parent, especially for unknown or illogical reasons other than the parent’s anger, that child is abused.
What Republicans are doing to the budget is not fiscal discipline. It is fiscal punishment and abuse and should be recognized as such.
Republicans are using the key components of abuse in their approach to the budget deficit: acting quickly and swiftly due to unknown or illogical reasons that invoke the administrator’s anger and results in inflicting fear and intense pain for its victims.
Families in financial difficulty don’t solve those problems by eliminating their children’s right to an education. They would not disregard safety issues in their home or ignore their home’s infrastructure. Not paying for necessary medical services, with the majority being the ones helping females, wouldn’t be a viable alternative. A wise family would look at ways to increase family funding. A family member might volunteer to take a second job. One that’s hoarding cash and not contributing his/her income toward the family’s finances would be a logical place to look. They might also look at the rent they charge for their rental property that’s below market value and consider raising it.
There are ways to achieve balanced budgets. Cuts can be found that don’t penalize only programs and people the Republicans don’t like very much. And, we also cannot continually refuse to increase funding—especially for the extremely wealthy and for corporations. One-sided (cuts only) approaches simply will not work. They will punish and abuse our most vulnerable citizens.
We must start talking about fiscal discipline and call out the Republicans who want fiscal punishment and abuse.
Friday, April 1, 2011
“GOLDEN RULE” OR “GOLD” RULE?
Don’t listen when you’re told that the big debate is all about big government vs. big corporations. It’s not. It’s really all about values! Do we care more about compassion or do we care more about profits?
Look at the unemployment issue as a question of values. America is torn between individual values (human rights) and corporate values.
States throughout our nation are grappling with this decision—eliminating human rights (women’s health decisions, food for struggling families, early education for poor children, collective bargaining, mortgage relief programs, minimum wages, regulations that keep our food and drugs safe, grants for college students, etc.) vs. increasing corporate profits (tax breaks for the extremely wealthy, tax loopholes for giant corporations, elimination of estate taxes, etc.).
Republican governors and legislatures have repeatedly decreased funding to their states (via tax breaks and incentives for corporations), then declared that the state is in dire financial straits and began slashing programs that benefit the poor and middle class (human rights).
The “Golden Rule” is the Christian name for a concept that is universally accepted by numerous religions.
Christianity: "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets."
Matthew 7:12, King James Version
Baha’i: "And if thine eyes be turned towards justice, choose thou for thy neighbour that which thou choosest for thyself."
Epistle to the Son of the Wolf
Confucianism: "Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you"
Analects 15:23
Hinduism: This is the sum of duty: do not do to others what would cause pain if done to you.
Mahabharata 5:1517
Islam: "None of you [truly] believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself."
Number 13 of Imam "Al-Nawawi's Forty Hadiths."
Judaism: "...thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.",
Leviticus 19:18
When corporate rights trump individual rights, we are not living according to the Golden Rule. When we stop caring for our neighbors as we do ourselves, we are not abiding by the Golden Rule. When we do to others what would cause pain if done to us, we are not living the message of the Golden Rule.
To put it bluntly, when we allow our government’s agents to reduce wages for youth, the poor, and the middle class, eliminate our individual rights, and abandon programs that benefit “the least of these” and pile riches onto corporations and the ultra-wealthy, we are ignoring the Golden Rule.
We must begin responding to this unfairness with righteous indignation.
Jesus did.
Look at the unemployment issue as a question of values. America is torn between individual values (human rights) and corporate values.
States throughout our nation are grappling with this decision—eliminating human rights (women’s health decisions, food for struggling families, early education for poor children, collective bargaining, mortgage relief programs, minimum wages, regulations that keep our food and drugs safe, grants for college students, etc.) vs. increasing corporate profits (tax breaks for the extremely wealthy, tax loopholes for giant corporations, elimination of estate taxes, etc.).
Republican governors and legislatures have repeatedly decreased funding to their states (via tax breaks and incentives for corporations), then declared that the state is in dire financial straits and began slashing programs that benefit the poor and middle class (human rights).
The “Golden Rule” is the Christian name for a concept that is universally accepted by numerous religions.
Christianity: "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets."
Matthew 7:12, King James Version
Baha’i: "And if thine eyes be turned towards justice, choose thou for thy neighbour that which thou choosest for thyself."
Epistle to the Son of the Wolf
Confucianism: "Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you"
Analects 15:23
Hinduism: This is the sum of duty: do not do to others what would cause pain if done to you.
Mahabharata 5:1517
Islam: "None of you [truly] believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself."
Number 13 of Imam "Al-Nawawi's Forty Hadiths."
Judaism: "...thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.",
Leviticus 19:18
When corporate rights trump individual rights, we are not living according to the Golden Rule. When we stop caring for our neighbors as we do ourselves, we are not abiding by the Golden Rule. When we do to others what would cause pain if done to us, we are not living the message of the Golden Rule.
To put it bluntly, when we allow our government’s agents to reduce wages for youth, the poor, and the middle class, eliminate our individual rights, and abandon programs that benefit “the least of these” and pile riches onto corporations and the ultra-wealthy, we are ignoring the Golden Rule.
We must begin responding to this unfairness with righteous indignation.
Jesus did.
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