. . . AND IN THE CENTER RING!

 By Ruth A. Sheets

Republicans finally elected Kevin McCarthy Ringmaster of their circus in the House of Representatives.  He has already proven himself a less than stellar entertainer, although he thinks he is magnificent!  The American people saw the show two weeks ago and know there are problems with a guy who loses a vote 14 times.  And, his side of the aisle may remind them uncomfortably of a school playground or a circus tent!

We know McCarthy paid a price (his soul perhaps) to get the job of Ringmaster, but he is letting some clowns whose goal it is to run the circus into the ground, control the action, while he waves his arms, shouts platitudes, and pumps up bills he knows will never pass the Senate because they are so bad and unpopular.  Maybe they represent a slice of the soul he traded to the clowns.

The first act, of which the Ringmaster is most proud, called for cutting funding for the IRS.  One can’t help but be suspicious of those who voted for this one.  We the People are pretty sure they don’t want the IRS learning that they or their families or their donors lied on their tax returns.  Such lying was fine when the IRS didn’t have enough people to investigate the rich folks.  With the bill passed in the previous Congress more staff can be hired so ordinary people can get their questions answered and corrections made, but also rich tax evaders can be found and summoned.  I and the circus audience would love to see the newly enhanced IRS checking out those who voted to cut IRS funding.  Then, let us know if there are discrepancies.  The clowns should have fun with that.  Oh No!  Their taxes might not be exactly right?  Beep!  Beep!

Republicans just can’t let the issue of abortion go, so in the Fetus-Lovers’ Ring, acrobats leap on bills to ban abortion everywhere in the United States, twisting and turning to avoid being called hypocrites as they encounter memories of mistresses and girlfriends who got abortions for them.  They know a large majority of Americans, even Republicans don’t want the ban, but they jump for it anyway.  Note, it is not in the Center Ring, so mostly passed unremarked.  The audience knows this is just a sideshow that will go nowhere, but it’s something Republicans, mostly white men, will do to feed their hungry base.

And in the far right ring, on the tightrope, George Santos (his stage name) is trying to stay aloft as constituents throw truths at him like balloons whushing right past him, hoping he will fall, but so far he hasn’t.  He is wobbling, though. 

Next in the Center Ring, Raising the Debt Ceiling!  This action has been done by every Congress, even by Trump’s, but Ringmaster McCarthy has plans for the show.  He wants to force Democrats to cut all kinds of services to the American people, like Medicare, Medicaid, and the military so it can’t help Ukraine (many of the clowns are fans of Russia’s Putin, you know) before he will agree to raising the debt ceiling.  Of course, this would put our economy at risk, but Ringmaster McCarthy is now beholden to Gates, Jordan, Greene, Boebert, and the rest of the insurrectionist clowns and that is what they want, and he agreed so he could be Ringmaster.  Remember?

Secretary of the Treasury, Janet Yellin just informed us that the debt ceiling (our ability to pay our already-accumulated debts) will be reached on January 19^th.  There are work-arounds for the Treasury Department, but those work-arounds will only hold for a couple of months.  McCarthy and his insurrectionist bosses know that and want to cause a disaster, the bigger the better.  Their ignorance lets them believe it won’t impact them.  Of course, their states will demand (beg for) money when the next storms hit or wildfires and floods rage.  There won’t be funds for them,  Ah, how sad!  I guess Republican mansions won’t be harmed, so who cares.

Ringmaster McCarthy is now trying to make sure none of his performers will defect and vote to raise the debt ceiling against his wishes.  One wonders what a man without a soul has to trade or to use as a threat to any Republicans who actually care about this nation and might stand against this circus.  It will be interesting to watch his “dealmaking.”  The problem for Ringmaster McCarthy, the Democrats will as a bloc  vote to raise the debt ceiling.  With a 4-vote majority,  McCarthy needs to have only 6 defectors to lose, and any member of the House can call for his removal from the job of Ringmaster.  My hope is that someone, preferably a Republican will do that  and someone, a patriot will call for the vote and at least 218 members, Democrats and a few Republicans will do the right thing and vote to raise or do away with the debt ceiling, the latter being preferable. 

In the meantime, the Ringmaster and his clowns are planning to do massive investigations of Democrats and the FBI for anything they feel mad about (they’re toddlers, you know).  Who will serve in these investigation clown cars?  Why the insurrectionists, of course, the above-mentioned gang will be first to be selected and the other clowns will jump in.  We the People will watch their shenanigans as they whine, interrogate, accuse, and whine some more.  The audience can only hope this goes on for the next 2 years so Democrats can point out to the American people, with evidence, that Republicans have done nothing, absolutely nothing for them.  OK, that is a dream, but with the right kind of messaging, it could work, and, it will be true!   

So, my fellow Americans, who’s heading out to see the circus with me?  Be sure to bring your phone, a good book, some games, knitting or crocheting because once the show gets rolling, we will all see just how pitiful House Republicans and their Ringmaster really are and we will need something interesting to do to keep from being bored to death.  One can only watch toddler-adults for so long, despite their clownish behavior, before losing it.

However, the circus could close and real work could get done if . . .

1. the members of the House who participated in the January 6^th insurrection were indicted and sent to jail for say, a year or two for betraying our country

2. The Speaker started acting like an adult instead of a childish ringmaster who has no idea what is going on and doesn’t seem to care much as long as he gives the insurrectionists everything they demanded for their votes, to keep him in office

3. the Republicans in the House demanded serious consideration of bills that would actually help the American people and forced McCarthy to bring them up for discussion and a vote

4. the House immediately raised the debt ceiling with no strings attached.

Since I doubt any of these will happen, better bring our stuff to keep us occupied while in the big tent.

REPUBLICANS LEGISLATE FOR THEIR OWN COMFORT

I am amazed at the ways Republicans claim extreme patriotism.  I suppose if they claim it loudly enough their fans will keep believing it despite all evidence to the contrary.  Patriotism really does require more than parades and giant military budgets.

What is true?  The evidence seems to point to an understanding that Republicans believe in themselves alone.  They stand for what makes them feel good, important, powerful, comfortable.  And, they have very clever ad men and a few women who can craft ads and statements that make this self-centered approach to government seem right.  The problem with this form of governing is that a lot of people have gotten and are getting hurt.   

- IF Republicans (and conservatives) don't want to wear a mask to protect others from COVID-19, well, then, you feel you don't have to.  Demanding that you wear one is against your rights and no one else’s rights not to get sick count.

-   If you don't like the idea of abortion, or rather don’t like the independence the right to choose gives women, well, then, no woman should be able to have an abortion (unless, of course, the Republican woman (or wife or girlfriend of a Republican official needs one). 

- You Republicans don't want to pay taxes, no problem, pass a giant tax cut for yourselves and your rich friends and do it after midnight so it will be done before anyone or anyone who matters notices. 

- You want straight white men to rule everything like they used to in the "good ol' days,” no problem, pack the Supreme Court and other federal courts with judges who will work really hard to see that rich straight white men and their corporations win the most important cases (not all of them because people might notice and stop them). 

- Christian Republicans don't want their religious beliefs to be challenged, no problem, get the Congress and courts to let conservative Christian groups get all kinds of privileges that let them look holy, following “God’s will.”  You don’t want to bake a cake for a gay wedding, well, you don’t have to because such a simple act will defy God (or some other nonsense, as though God is so easily offended.  Hey, if you don’t want women to have access to birth control, claim God hates birth control – easy as pie when you have the courts packed and standing behind you.  And, more important, those religious claims only work for conservative Christians and perhaps some Jews, not Muslims,  Buddhists, or atheists, of course.

- Republicans really don't want to be acknowledged for the racists they often actually are.  No problem here either, when asked about Black Lives Matter, you talk about the “looting and violence perpetrated in the cities” (often caused by police and whites trying to incite trouble).  You deny the actions of white supremacists, claim they are “fine people” and essentially ignore their threats as so much less than what those NTIFA people are doing.  You are even given words to defend whites who were plotting to kidnap a governor, and you speak them aloud.

- You are OK with the way Donald Trump and his crew have handled COVID-19 because you are not on the front lines.  You do not live in the neighborhoods where the heavy pollution infests everything every day.  Your kids don’t attend schools that are poorly maintained due to lack of funds, so there is no effective ventilation.  You do not experience the stress of race and poverty every day of your life so your body is changed, making you more susceptible to the disease.      Therefore, you cry out that your kids NEED to be back in school.  Every store, restaurant, bar, salon, sports venue, etc. that you want to patronize should be open waiting for you, no matter the risk to the others in your community. 

- You have good healthcare, so anyone who doesn’t, it’s their own fault for not working as hard as you work.  You say nothing when your president and your attorney general bring a case through the courts to destroy the health program that is sustaining more than 20 million of your fellow citizens.

- You are afraid you might lose an election and might not be able to stay permanently in power.  Well, you’ve got that sewed up too.  You have a myriad of ways to suppress the votes of people you don’t like and whose vote you want to deny your opponents:  cut the number of polling places, try to stop vote-by-mail or make it really difficult – even during a pandemic, make anyone who has committed a crime pay all kinds of impossible fees and charges before they can vote even though the people of your state voted to give them back the vote, purge the voter rolls of as many people as you can get away with mostly people of color and young people, require voter I.D. even though ID fraud is very rare, make everyone voting by mail use 2 envelopes for their ballot or it will be discarded, work to destroy the post office when more people will vote by mail than ever before, and more.  

- You don’t like immigrants or fear they are too Democratic for your taste.  OK, just sabotage the census, counting only the people who look and act like you, who share your specific values (whatever those are).  Who cares what the US Constitution says!  You can also take kids away from their parents and toss them in cages to cause the greatest pain possible.  Oh wait!  you can force asylum-seekers to remain in Mexico where they fall prey to abusers.  You can keep believing a wall on the border will do something for you.

How is any of the above patriotic.  Patriotism is so much more than parades, flag waving, standing with your hand over your heart for the National Anthem.  Those are the easy things that prove nothing. 

So, ?again I say, I am amazed at the way Republicans/conservatives claim extreme patriotism.  There is nothing patriotic about the direction you Republicans have been driving our nation during the past 40 years or so.  You clearly have good PR, though.   

If you Republicans want to get back a small measure of your patriotism, well, you need to step up and do what you should have done back in May when the House passed the Heroes Act; Stand face to face (socially distanced) with Mitch McConnell and demand  hearings on the bill and vote on it.  Mutiny if you have to.  You need to skip the packing of the Supreme Court.  The people neither want nor need another rights denying Supreme Court justice.  We already have at least 3.  Spend the rest of Donald Trump’s term in office working for the people of this nation.  Pass the stimulus package to help even your constituents. 

I hear some Republicans and Donald Trump say they want to do a little something just before the election, perhaps to try to win over the gullible folks who can easily forget what you have done to them.  These are the ones you expect to believe your lies and ignore your cheating to maintain power.  I suspect those people are already snugly with you Republicans and their Donnie no matter what and no matter how much they are harmed by what you legislators have done.  After all, there’s always someone else to blame, a current Republican strategy.  

So, since it won't matter to your crowd, do the right thing for a change.  I know you've forgotten what that is since you haven't done it for so long, but I suspect if you ask a few Democrats and others who actually do care about this country and its people, you could learn or relearn how to do it. 

OPEN LETTER TO REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS

by Ruth A. Sheets

Dear 2020 era Republicans,

Wow!  There seem to be no depths to which many of you will not go these days.  Even in the midst of a pandemic, you worry more about coddling huge corporations than taking care of the PPE (protective gear) needs of front-line workers.  You cover for every misstep Mr. Trump makes as he fumbles his way through challenges that he neither understands nor really cares about.  You in the Senate of the United States continue to approve nominees from partisan operatives to stack our courts with people you are pretty sure will be unfair to most of the people of this country, you know, the ones that are not rich, white, straight “Christian” males.  You are OK with the Senate being neutered by Mr. McConnell for his own purposes, possibly yours too, that isn’t entirely clear yet.

As you Republicans all well know, Mr. Trump is not fit to hold the office of president, but you just love him because you can manipulate him into doing the damage to this nation you have wanted to do for a long time.  Among the damage:

-destroy the post office even though it is provided for in the Constitution, to benefit rich corporations who will donate to your future campaigns
-Destroy public lands on behalf of hugely wealthy  donors
-force through judgeships for people who are neither qualified nor ethically suited to be a judge of anything
-slow and impede the response to COVID19 at the expense of many lives.  Your president is OK with it since they are mostly old people and people of color who are dying, and in blue states too, win-win-win!
-You give most of the money in stimulus to the huge corporations who, by rights, should be able to fend for themselves with all the other corporate welfare you have blessed them with over the years.
-You are trying to reinstate the “Patriot Act” which was wrong when it was passed by the frightened white guys in Congress who couldn’t think of anything else but to take away people’s rights and supports in a time of crisis, unfortunately shaming and lying colleagues into going along with you.
-You allow our Justice Department to become Mr. Trump’s lapdogs, instating and dismissing cases at the president’s whim
-You dismiss climate change (global warming) as a hoax, which of course you know it isn’t, and that it’s serious.  What does that make you, hypocrites?
-You are OK with gerrymandering, voter suppression in its many forms, and forcing voters to go in crowds to vote and risk their lives or give up the vote.

I could go on because there is so much I didn’t get to, but alas, you wouldn't read it anyway.  You all are deeply under the spell of a man who thinks and acts like an 8-year-old school yard bully and you all know that about him.  He is moving into the beginnings of dementia.  You all know that too and still cling to him because Republicans, you know, are ethically bankrupt.  You knew Mr. Trump committed the crimes he was impeached for, and more.  To prove you knew, you made it so there could be no witnesses in his trial.  That says nothing about Mr. Trump's innocence, only your guilt.

As a teacher, during Teacher Appreciation Week, I am alas, saddened to see the lack of critical thinking employed by Republicans for the past 70 years or so, from McCarthy to Trump-McConnell.  Thank goodness there have been a few bright lights among your party’s members, but ah, , too few.  I can’t help but wonder if we teachers are just not teaching critical thinking sufficient for people to make better decisions or if something else is at play.

And then, there are the ethics.  I can’t help but wonder if you are all OK with the lying and cheating that many of your party are using to obtain and maintain office:  gerrymandering, voter suppression, purging the voting roles.  You know the purpose of all these things is to deny voting rights to your fellow citizens.  You do it under the guise of protection from voter fraud, but in recent years, nearly all the voter fraud in the extremely rare cases where there was any, was done by Republican voters.

I can only hope you all will do better in the future for the sake of all of us, but the nearly certain thing, change is really hard, especially if you are getting the changes to our country you want for your own benefit.  You might start to think a bit about why you want so many to have fewer rights than you have, why you continue to blame poor people for their poverty, why you think rich people deserve more than everyone else and keep pumping money into their pockets.  Why do you despise young people so much (except your own kids, of course) that you dismiss their demands for a strong positive response to climate change (global warming), voting rights, poverty, human rights, sensible gun control, and their other issues.

Your party hasn’t exactly covered itself in glory this past quarter century.  Don’t you think it’s about time you stage your own rebellion and occasionally, put the needs of others who perhaps don’t look, think, or believe like you, ahead of your party’s destructive agenda?  Sadly, I don’t see that happening.

If you were ready to rebel at all, you would be telling McConnell, “no more nominee approvals until the nation is back on its feet, and no more incompetents approved.”  You’d tell Mr. Trump to listen to the experts, and he himself is not an expert on this.  You’d be 100% behind laws to insure every American citizen has the right and ability to vote unimpeded in every election.  You’d see the pain Americans are experiencing now and you’d be standing with them doing everything in your power to get those frontline workers everything they need to care for themselves and the people they encounter.

I know, I hear you laughing or, some of you, tossing a curse in my direction.  Oh well, another fault of us teachers.  We haven’t taught you to take and learn from a critique. 

CHANGE OF FUTURE

by Ruth A. Sheets

We need a very different future than was on the drawing board before COVID19 hit.  Our representatives and fellow Americans need to take a variety of actions to change the trajectory of this nation and the world.  COVID19 has clearly pointed out problems our leaders have chosen to ignore in the past.  The time of ignorance is now gone and we must step up to meet the challenges facing us.

The following are some actions we can take to reshape the future in ways that will benefit everyone.

1. Global warming will move front and center in our thinking and every action.
a. we must become less of a super consumer society and more a reduce, reuse, and recycle kind of folks, with recycling plants all over the place.
b. Everyone will need solar panels and electric vehicles should become the standard.
c. Burning coal, except at limited levels will be outlawed,
d. Massive funding of renewable energy sources will take place, like the “man on the moon” efforts of the 1960s.

2. The flora and fauna that share our planet will have a more prominent place in our thinking and planning.  –

3. Our oceans must stop being our dumping place and our places for drilling and destruction.

4. Health care in this nation should be universal and supervised by the government.  No one should be making money on the suffering of others beyond salaries and general expenses.

5. Education should be funded at levels sufficient to provide children and young adults with the knowledge they will need to effectively maintain a career, participate actively in the life of the community in which they live, and be active informed citizens in the society.

6. The United States Postal Service, which is called for in the Constitution should be appropriately funded and should be able to perform basic banking  activities, particularly for lower income persons who may not be able to afford a bank.

7. Our prison system needs to be revamped so rehabilitation and treatment are the goals rather than just hiding away people of color in private for profit institutions.  No prison should be run by any entity but the local, state, or federal government who sentenced the prisoners.

8. Immigration will be addressed.  We need the general public to understand that refugees would not
be leaving their homes unless circumstances forced them to do so.
a. There should be a path to citizenship for all who were brought to or came to this country as children and it should not cost them a fortune.
b. The detention/concentration camps for immigrants will be closed and those imprisoned in them will be quickly and properly processed, most allowed to stay here.
c. Anyone who is a parent of US citizen children should have a path to citizenship too so they can stay and provide for those children.
d. In short, deportations need to stop.
e. Bans on citizens of other nations unless we are specifically at war with that nation or face a pandemic must stop permanently and not be allowed to be manipulated by a president or political party for its own edification.

9. Voting at all levels should involve automatic registration upon reaching 18 and mail-in options for anyone who chooses that, particularly during a natural disaster.
a. Voting security will be a priority.
b. voter suppression and gerrymandering will be permanently disallowed.  

10. Congressional procedures must change.
a. No one person in Congress should be able to block all legislation and votes on issues critical to the people of the nation and use extortion as Mr. McConnell has done for the past 5 years.
b. There should be a 60 vote majority in the Senate or a +5 votes to the number of senators in the majority to approve anyone for a lifetime appointment to a court.
c. Lobbyists must be removed from central positions in our government and lobbying should be a volunteer activity in which no favors or gifts can be passed to or from government officials.  Corporations and individuals with huge money pots should not be able to have more governmental influence than less wealthy individuals and groups.

11.  -Women and men will be legally recognized as equals and people will be respected and heard no matter their race, age, gender, LGTB status, political party, or any other factor.
a. Women will have the right to choose what happens to their own bodies
b. All kinds of reproductive health care will be available to all persons on request, including contraception and pregnancy services.  
c. LGTBQ citizens will have the full rights of any citizen without exception.
d. A committee will be assembled to begin addressing issues of reparation for African-Americans related to slavery and the racism that followed.

12. Workers will have basic rights and a living wage through a “workers’ bill of rights which will include paid sick leave, child care, and other needed services and protections.

13. Taxes on the wealthiest will be considerably higher than pre-COVID19, after companies are up and running and workers are back on the job, perhaps, a 2-year window after the crisis is past).

14. We will become more prepared for everything including natural disasters, pandemics, and more through appropriate funding.

15. We need to employ experts to get these actions going and share findings with everyone who can help.

16. We need to set ethical standards for whom we will nominate for public office and hold them to those standards.  The “lesser of two evils” should no longer be an acceptable means for judging a person’s ability to govern.  This one can’t be legislated, but it can be promoted through all media.

17. Dividers among us need to take a back seat for a while so others can succeed in bringing us together to accomplish this work.

This is an ambitious agenda, but we will need an ambitious agenda if we are to have a prosperous nation and a livable world, and we are running out of time to get this going.  This time of “sheltering in place” may give us all time to think about how we will live the next few years, what kind of world we will leave our children and grandchildren, what kind of people we will become through and beyond this crisis.  We have the time, let’s use it wisely.

The GOP's End To Democracy

by muon

The word “coup” is defined as a seizure of power from the government, usually sudden and violent, usually having to do with military activity. But there’s another kind of subtle political coup that’s oh so much more diabolical because it happens slowly.

The government of the United States, as set down in our Constitution, is supposed to be a government of, by, and for the people. It’s a democracy in which its citizens ought to have the ultimate power by the use of their vote. And it was constructed with three branches ~ executive, legislative, and judiciary ~ which are supposed to remain independent of each other, so that no one man nor one group would be able to seize absolute power and destroy our democracy.

The Republican Party has been trying to do just that ~ stage a political coup at the Federal level of the government, and through non-democratic means. In order to maintain a majority in Congress, the GOP has developed gerrymandering and voter suppression to an art form. Because of Citizen’s United, they’ve been able to shift power from ordinary citizens to corporations and the very wealthy. Power has even been given to foreign interests who seek to fund candidates and influence elections.

In the past 2 years, the line between executive branch and the Republicans in the legislative branch has completely disappeared. Most GOP congressmen support Trump without question, giving him the confidence to act like a dictator, while they turn a deaf ear to the vast majority of voters. Laws these days aren’t legislated, but come down from the White House as executive orders, or as Trump probably thinks of them, empirical edicts.

Still, we used to be able to rely most of the time on the Supreme Court to be the fair and impartial conscience of the country (albeit, not always ~ Dred Scott, for instance). Now, beginning with the Merrick Garland fiasco, the GOP has repeatedly ignored procedures set down centuries before, in order to manipulate the judiciary to their own will instead of the will of the people.  The Kavanaugh nomination is only the latest symptom. Legal minds and institutions from all over the country say Kavanaugh doesn’t have the temperament for the Supreme Court. Even former Justice Stevens believes Kavanaugh shouldn’t be appointed. Yet, the GOP is plowing forward, ignoring prudence and precedence from the beginning. Nothing about this confirmation process has had anything to do with true democracy. It’s all about illegal seizure of power from the voters of the United States.

This is why the 2018 general election is so important. Voters on both sides of the political divide need to take their power back from congressmen who’ve been in office so long, they think somehow that it’s their birthright. We need to remove people from office who have no respect for the separation of the three branches of government, who think our government is about their own power and wealth.

Only one political party is seeking to merge the 3 branches of government into one. The Republicans are staging a coup, pure and simple. You need to vote this November before that right is taken from you as well.

WHAT'S IN A NAME - THOUGHTS ON ANTONYMS

I read an article recently about a bill being proposed by Republicans in the House of Representatives.  The bill is designed to restrict student loans, increase money that can be borrowed for students attending for-profit schools (which have a history of discrimination, low graduation rates, and other financial problems), and change the way student loans are paid back.  Of course, the bill is called Promoting Real Opportunity, Success, and Prosperity through Education Reform (PROSPER) Act.  Hmmm!  This is an interesting title for an act that would do exactly opposite of its claim.

This seems to be a pattern within Republican circles lately.  I am not sure how long this has been going on, but I suspect a pretty long time.  It is the modus operandi for Republicans. 

It seems the purpose is to deliberately misdirect citizens and legislators as to the purpose of the bill.  The hope is that people will read the name of the bill and skip reading the contents.  Doesn't the title tell everything you need to know?

I noticed this when I learned that state legislators voted to destroy unions and called the bills "Right to Work."  They should have been called "Right to Wreck" but such a name would not win many friends, even Republicans, so can't have that.  We know the result.  Workers' pay has remained mostly static for 40 years.  It is unions that cause wages to rise and workplace conditions to improve.

Then, in the early 2000's, the Bush Administration passed "No Child Left Behind" (NCLB)  The design of the law emphasized underfunded testing and other education-related factors that ended up leaving a lot of children behind, particularly those in poor, disadvantaged communities.  Schools were labelled on the basis of the results from tests designed by representatives from privileged districts and others who knew little about how education works.  In this case, one might imagine that Congress wanted to help, but their lack of knowledge of schools and the education system let them believe this would work. Maybe . . .

So, if you really want to know what Republican bills are actually about, think, "what is the opposite of what the bill's title claims?"  That will be it.  So much for truth in advertising. 

This continues today.  For example, The Religious Restoration Acts are proposed in many states where Republicans have a majority in the legislature.  This act allows "religious" people to refuse service to folks they do not agree with religiously.  Another bill is the Tax Cuts and Jobs Bill which became the 2017 tax cut mostly for the wealthiest individuals and corporations.  These entities already informed us that they were going to use their big tax break to buy up their stocks.  Jobs were not on their agenda, neither were higher wages. 

Watch the news source you depend on and you'll see plenty more of these.  If a Republican or conservative proposes the bill, check the title and think, "opposite."

WHEN YOU CAN'T FEEL SHAME, LYING IS THE LEAST OF YOUR FLAWS

by Ruth A. Sheets

The year 2017 will ultimately go down in history as a year in which a political party did its best to undermine the American way of life, to promote dysfunction, and to enhance control at all levels by the wealthiest few. 

Donald Trump ran as a populist, which in the past has meant support for the common person.  It has meant a movement toward civil rights for all and a level of equalizing power and resources among many, if not all groups.

The media were enthralled by this man who would say the most outlandish things - Mexico will pay for a gigantic wall on its northern border, there is a war on coal which he will correct, disabled persons are worthy of ridicule, Gold Star families do not love America as much as he does, Black people should vote for him because things can't get worse for them, the mainstream media only does fake news, unlike Fox News, and so on. 

For those not enthralled by this rhetoric, these were shameful words.  They and so much of
Mr. Trump's campaign language were clear lies, just spoken loudly and with conviction.  Alas, it appears for human beings, the louder and more often something is said, the more believable it seems. 

One can understand that Mr. Trump is not ashamed of his lies and despicable actions.  These were a pattern during his professional life for decades.  Since he can't feel shame, he can say and do things that should be, at least seen by others, as shameful.

But, alas, this shamelessness is spreading.

Beginning in January, 2017, after the inauguration, Republicans in the United States Senate participated in the lying, deceit, and acquiescence to the shameful agenda of Mr. Trump.  They rubber-stamped nearly everyone put before them for government positions, no matter how unqualified or opposed to the department, agency, or people they would be supervising or making decisions about.

-Need a Secretary of State, America's chief diplomat?  Well, what about a man whose only experience is as CEO of a huge oil conglomerate, without a diplomacy background? 

-a Secretary of Education?  What about a woman whose only experience of education is through private schooling and anti-public school activism?

-a Director of the Environmental Protection Agency?  What about a man whose political career was engaged in fighting the EPA on behalf of fossil fuel and other polluting companies, and by the way denies science?

-a Secretary of the Interior?  How about someone who sort of cares about the natural lands of his own state, but anyone else's, not so much?

-a Secretary of Labor?  Maybe a person who opposes unions and anything that will help workers?

-an Attorney General, the head of our justice system?  What about someone known for his racist and misogynist views, who is OK with police brutality and militarization?

-need a Supreme Court justice, not one nominated by that last president, who of course, was not a legitimate president?  Why not another ideologue, someone who does not have to think about his decisions, but simply has to think of what would be best for people like him?

-a bunch of judges for the Federal Courts?  How about some of the least qualified, mostly white men, around, especially ones who don't even know the law related to the court they would serve?

-a head of the Federal Communication Commission?  How about a man who has close ties to a large communications conglomerate that wants to control the internet, who opposes "net neutrality"

The Senate should be ashamed!  They should feel guilty that they have put so many Americans at risk, but do they, not a chance. 

Millions of Americans wrote, protested, and called to tell their representatives they did not want the recent tax bill to pass, but those Americans were ignored so Republicans could get a victory.  And, aha, they got away with giving the biggest cuts to those least in need of them.  Who will pay?  The Congress is now preparing bills that will cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid as well as many other programs that serve the middle class and poor citizens in this country.  Where is there shame?  They have none, so the lies they tell themselves and their constituents are only a minor flaw.  The bigger flaw is that they are beholden to the money that they have made while in office and the money that will help keep them there. 

Admittedly, some Democrats are also beholden to the big money, but they have, so far, mostly felt enough shame they could stand against the appalling legislation brought before Congress.  Will they continue to stand firm?  That is unclear.  A vote to continue funding CHIP, the health insurance for children of working-class families, and DACA, the "Dream Act" among other bills will be coming up soon.  We'll see where they stand.  We know MANY Congressional Republicans have sacrificed their humanity for some kind of victory.  Let's hope this disease is not contagious.

WHEN ALL THAT MATTERS IS A WIN

by Ruth A. Sheets

Before Thanksgiving, our Congress is planning to vote on major "Tax Reform" bills and have them signed by Mr. Trump before Christmas.  Republicans claim the bills they have brought forth will cut taxes for the middle class and "stimulate" our economy.  They also claim they are simplifying the tax code.  It is hard to believe even they believe these claims. 

When supporters, all Republicans in both the House and Senate, are asked about provisions of the bill, it is clear they don't really know or understand what is in the bills, let alone the consequences of passing this legislation for most Americans. They say they don't want to give tax breaks to the rich, but know full well this is what will happen.

Republicans in the Senate made sure that only Republican votes would be necessary to pass this tax overhaul and shoved hundreds of amendments into the bill which will affect large numbers of the most vulnerable Americans.  This includes cutting Medicaid and Medicare, license to drill in the Arctic Wildlife Reserve and a repeal of the most critical part of the Affordable Care Act, which was already voted down several times this year, and lots more.

What is going on here?  It is about a win, a big win.  Supposedly, Republicans promised their constituents they would repeal "Obamacare."  Because it has the name "Obama" in it, it is reflexively hated by a large number of white Americans.  "How dare a black man think he could be president and pass anything?"  So, in order to keep the loyalty of these constituents, they feel they can cheat, lie, misdirect, and generally cause harm to many Americans as long as they can claim a big win.

The one thing that is certain, if members of Congress have to prepare a bill in secret, then scheme and plot to make sure only their party gets a say in what is passed, something is wrong with the legislation.  And, of course, there is a lot wrong with it.  Cutting taxes for the wealthiest hoping they will put that money into more jobs or anything else except their bank account is  ridiculous.  Cutting corporate taxes nearly in half also hoping for more jobs, higher wages, and the return of money from offshore is a fantasy they want uninformed Americans to buy.

But wait!  Most Americans do not want these bills at all.  Over and over, polls tell all of us that Americans do not want tax cuts for the wealthy.  They like their health care.  They like the deductions for state and local taxes.  They like the deductions for student loans (even though they are very small) and those for home mortgages.  This does not seem to matter at all.  No Republicans have come forward to say "I am not voting for this thing.  My people don't want it, so I support them."  If they were to say this, their donors will supposedly pull financial support for their campaigns.  These Republican candidates are sure their courage will not be rewarded at home.  Far right candidates will be put against them and be better funded, so they will lose the seat.  

Wow!  So donors buy the seats and make demands from those who sit in them.  In New Jersey, a Senator is on trial for accepting gifts with no evidence that those gifts influenced his votes on anything.  How is he on trial when wealthy Republican donors are not?  They are getting votes for their gifts.

When the win is the only thing.  People will sacrifice their honor, their integrity, and just about everything else for it.  They will allow themselves to be threatened, cajoled, and bribed into doing things they know are wrong.  Or, they lie to themselves that what they are doing is good for everyone because it is good for them.  I keep hoping a Republican "lawmaker" will see defeating a horrific bill as a win.  I doubt I will see it any time soon, though.  So, I will mourn with the American people as we deal with the major cuts to critical programs that will come just because Republicans need a win.

AN OPEN LETTER TO CONGRESS, PARTICULARLY THE MONEY ADDICTED

by Ruth A. Sheets

Dear Members of Congress:

The most current versions of Trump Care and the proposed budget are designed to give a large tax cut to those who need it least and cut all kinds of programs for the most vulnerable Americans.  You guys do know that rich people and corporations do not need more welfare money given to them from the government.  You do know that, but you are feeding an addiction more powerful than the opioid crisis afflicting our communities.  I call on you to help the wealthy citizens and corporations acknowledge their addiction and rehabilitate.  Stop giving them the money drug they want and help all of us live better.

I, like you, am a U.S. taxpayer, who cares about this nation and is very concerned about the way we have deified money and those who accumulate it.  We have forgotten how to challenge the notion of their moral superiority and greater value to society.  We have enabled them to spread the lie that more money will cause them to hire more people at higher wages, "trickledown economics."  Everywhere in media, advertisements, books, etc., we see these people and what they have and are regularly assured that they have earned it and everyone else could have it if they worked hard enough. 

You and I know this is not true, but it has caused many folks like you to gain power and privilege beyond anything earned through service to the people.

If you are one of those suffering from money addiction, your constituents and colleagues could be of help in your rehabilitation.  Start with no tax cuts for yourself and the other wealthy people and corporations.  You all don't need it.  The social programs that would be sacrificed to provide your fix are essential for the well-being of a lot of people.  Show all of us that you care for something beyond your re-election.  You might find that your constituents will like you better. 

So, begin with these ideas that have been circulating.

a) No more tax cuts for wealthy persons and corporations. They should pay their fair share of taxes as they use our shared resources, even more than others do.  Call what you are planning what it really is "corporate welfare and feeding a money habit.

b) Invest those tax dollars in our country’s future―in public roads and transit systems; quality and affordable early childhood education; public schools and higher education; researching new medical cures;  investing in programs and strategies to combat climate change and poverty; and ensuring a secure retirement for all of us by strengthening Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

c) Eliminate all tax breaks that encourage multinational corporations to shift jobs and profits offshore.

d) Require corporations to pay the $750 billion they owe on their $2.6 trillion in offshore profits. Use the funds to rebuild roads and bridges, improve schools and create millions of good-paying jobs. 

e) Speak out on behalf of the First Amendment and work with the media to begin changing the perception of Americans that money is everything.

This would be a good start.  Then, when you and the nation are healthier, we can work for more. 

Peace,
Ruth Sheets, Citizen

An Open Letter To Millennials

I'm writing this not as a voter who supports any particular candidate, but as an election worker.

This morning I read an article about why millennial women won't vote for Hillary Clinton. I'm not going into the why of it. For this blog, it doesn't matter.

In 2008, the vast majority of millennials chose Barack Obama as their candidate, and with their help, he was able to win the White House. They did it because they wanted change. I assume they support Senator Sanders for the same reason.

The thing is, between 2009-2011, the vast majority of millennials didn't vote. Enough came back in 2012 to get Obama re-elected, but then they disappeared again.

This past November, less than twenty millennials showed up on Election Day to vote in my district. That's out of over nine hundred voter names in the book.

We know millennials didn't show up across the country in 2010. If they had, the House wouldn't have been completely taken over by the GOP, ensuring that no change, and not much of anything else, would take place for most of Obama's presidency.

So that's why it doesn't matter who you support for President, or your reasons for doing so. Even if your candidate makes it to the White House, there's no guarantee that your choice will be able to change anything. You need to also change Congress. And you need to change those judges who'll eventually be eligible for the U.S. Supreme Court.

Change doesn't happen in our democracy with the election of one person, no matter what the office. If you want change, you need to vote EVERY year.

muon

Hypocricans in Fine Form

by Ruth A. Sheets

It is not possible to overestimate the fear and loathing projected by the Hypocricans in Congress these days.  This week they have stepped up their efforts to eliminate women’s right to choose.  They also continued their assault on the poorest among us.  Their terror of immigrants, particularly those from Mexico and points south raised its head again.

The Hypocricans in the House of Representatives voted to outlaw abortions at 20 weeks gestation, criminalizing women who choose to terminate pregnancy beyond that point.  Some didn’t even want to make exceptions for rape, incest or health of the mother.  Do these mostly white men really care that much for the offspring of those pregnancies?  Not really.  If they did, these same Hypocricans would not have voted to lower funding for the food stamp program.  One would think they would be increasing all kinds of support to families in poverty.  They would at least double the money for family planning and contraception to keep such unwanted pregnancies at a minimum. 

So what is going on here?  You know!  The war on women progresses.

Hypocricans say they are fiscal conservatives.  That is an interesting claim.  Let’s check it out.

Just so they don’t have to pay for food stamps and other programs to support folks in poverty, they will continue direct payments to farmers, even if they don’t grow anything.  How do these things connect?  Well, the Farm Bill was up for a vote this week.  The Democrats, against their better judgment, compromised to lower payments for food stamps a little.  It wasn’t enough for the Hypocricans, who rejected the whole bill.  This means that the current farm subsidies will remain in place, money not spent wisely.  Hypocricans couldn’t stick it to those lazy poor people, so the whole bill goes down.

Next these “fiscal conservatives” pinned an amendment to the immigration bill demanding a level  of border security impossible to achieve.  This will cost billions of dollars.  Even though few immigrants are coming from Mexico these days, the proposal is to double the number of border guards and build more fences.  Their fear of the Latinos is evident since there is no proposal for fences and walls on our border with Canada.   Hypocricans then tie the “path to citizenship” for undocumented immigrants to the insane border requirements.  The Hypocricans actually believe in their heart of hearts that such blatant racism will win them Latino votes.  Really!

The scary part for me is that a lot of Americans support the Hypocricans.  Fear and loathing are such easy emotions and can be mined at little cost.  It takes little effort to convince people that someone is out to get what they have.  With facility, people can be persuaded that danger is around every corner, that evil lurks behind every door.   Who is presenting these threats:  women who want control over their own bodies, people sneaking over the border, indolent poor who prey on the rich.  And, of course, we all must be protected from them.

Perhaps, instead of the witch hunts they are instituting, Hypocricans should look in the mirror to find the evil they seek.

Overwhelmed

by Ruth A. Sheets

I just checked back and saw that this is near the anniversary of the founding of the leastheardfrom blog.  I also noted that I have not made a contribution to the blog for a few months. That is really pathetic. It is not that I have nothing to say. There is a lot going on that screams for comment.

I realized as I sat down this evening that I am overwhelmed by the avalanche of dislike and disdain that some elements of America have aimed at the vast majority of Americans. 

I had hoped that with the victory of President Obama in November that some civility would seep into the work and rhetoric of Republicans. I  thought they would notice that the country is crying for some degree of unity.  Boy, was I naive!  If anything, the anti-Obama talk and the smear tactics Republicans crafted for 2012 are still in force.  The Republicans are still in “oppose everything” mode.

Sensible gun regulation should be a no-brainer, after the mass killings and the ongoing gun violence.  However, Republicans, along with their NRA handlers are doing their best to see that no changes in gun laws happen.  Well, not exactly, they want more people to own and carry guns, even in our schools.

Immigration reform should have been at the top of the Republican agenda since they received fewer than 30 percent of the Hispanic vote in November.  Nearly four months after being sworn in, this congress still has not even begun to seriously look at the topic. They want more and bigger fences before they do anything for the people involved.

Republicans whine that they are not perpetrating a “war on women.”  They even send their squad of token women out for interviews on shows that claim to present a balanced  view of the issue.  While these women gush that they have everything they need, Republican legislatures are significantly limiting women’s reproductive choice and equal pay. Men in the military are allowed to dismiss cases against convicted rapists, just "because."   

Our Republican “friends” are determined to limit Social Security and Medicare because it supports the folks they refer to as “The Takers” while of course, the Republicans are “The Givers.”  Even President Obama is caving and willing to stop cost of living increases for seniors to placate Republicans who have no intention of allowing the rich to pay their fair share.

The Republican assault on education continues. Vouchers, charter schools, funding cuts all undermine our real public schools. Then, in Atlanta, the teachers who cheated on the state tests so their kids could get more funding and resources were imprisoned with bails that murderers and rapists rarely see.  Isn’t it nice we don’t have to seriously look at the relationship between low scores and poverty?  It’s teachers who are to blame for all that.

Our Supreme Court talks of “racial entitlements” and complains that same-sex marriage is just too new to be ruled on effectively.  They didn’t seem to have any trouble giving the money-soaked corporations opportunities to influence our elections anonymously, calling these corporate players,  “persons.”  What about the real persons who just want their relationships to be recognized?

So, possibly like you, I am overwhelmed.  I am appalled that we taxpayers support Republicans in congress who are not working for us.  They can’t give up cherished biases for the good of the country.  In fact, I suspect that most elected Republicans have no idea what “the common good” is.  The sad part is that I am not sure how much more aware Democrats are.  They too have their handlers for whom they must perform. 

Where does that leave those of us who do know what “the Common Good” means?

 

The Spoiled Brats in Congress

by muon

The US House of Representatives went home this week on what they probably think is a well-deserved break--the way a teenager thinks he deserves to go to a party after being closed up in his room doing homework all afternoon. Not that he actually DID his homework. Oh, he had the textbook propped open, or his computer screen showing a website on quantum physics, in case you checked on him, but really, he was texting his buddies and playing games on his phone.

The House was like that this session.

The homework? They were supposed to pass a farm bill, you know so the folks who grow our food can grow our food. The House also failed to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act--completely bipartisan and nothing to argue about, but it didn't get done. They had promised to pass a Trade Bill with Russia and renew the Bush tax cuts. They're due to make spending decisions before the October 1 deadline but haven't scratched the surface. And they absolutely should have passed a bill to head off the financial default of the Postal Service (the equivalent of a term paper due yesterday), but left for their recess without doing that either. They swore, when they headed into the session that jobs were their biggest priority. We're still waiting.

What DID they do?

They passed over 60 bills renaming Post Office and US Courthouse buildings.
They wasted time trying to repeal or defund the Affordable Healthcare Act. How many times? 33? 34? I've lost count.
At least once a month, they introduced new abortion bills, the latest targeting the District of Columbia.
The other day, just before recessing, instead of dealing with all their unfinished and overdo homework, they decided to hold a hearing on a proposed English-only bill which essentially would have denied help to anyone who can't communicate well in English, even if they're, say, calling the IRS to ask questions about filing taxes for work they legally did in the US. (Author's note: I received income from a Japanese company once, and they took out taxes. They sent me instructions in English and didn't expect me to speak Japanese.)

The House also passed 612 resolutions, mostly stuff like "H.Con.Res. 105: Authorizing the use of Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center for an event to celebrate the birthday of King Kamehameha." It's amazing to me that the House is in charge of saying what room is used for what. In any corporation, you'd have an admin assistant handle those details.

And let's not forget all the posturing. Every week some congressman got his knickers in a twist about some "hot button" issue. Or at least hot button to them, if not anyone else. Just last Wednesday, Rep. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania drew a parallel between the AHCA's benefit of free birth control, and the attacks on Pearl Harbor and 9/11. The day, he said, "would live in infamy." Talk about your teenage drama and temper tantrums.

My message to Congress? Grow up.

But they can't hear me. They've gone off to their party for the next month, leaving their work unfinished. And the sad thing is, some of them will be voted back in, when they should be grounded for life. Their constituents are like bad parents, not involved enough in their kids' lives to realize what's going on, thinking their children can do no harm.

Our Government and Your Reproductive Health, or This Won't Hurt A Bit

This post is for women. All you fellas do us a favor and go find a blog about big screen TVs or football or something. This won't take long.

Ladies, imagine if you will a perfect world where a Congressional committee convenes to discuss men's reproductive health. It would, of course, be chaired by a woman. Only women would be allowed to testify.

The media would only interview women on the subject. No one in these news outlets would ever mention that drugs like Viagra are prescribed for actual, sometimes serious, medical disorders. Reporters would seek out Catholic nuns and the ex-wives of political candidates to ask if we shouldn't simply go with God's will on the subject.

Men? Are you still reading this? Hmm. You're worried that such a committee's recommendations might make you hold your knees together in the manner approved by the Santorum campaign for birth control? Perhaps you're worried that aspirin might not be an adequate pain killer?

Nonsense. After all, women know what's best for you.

muon

Want a Tax Cut? Create a Job

by muon

Here's a simple little plan that all of Washington ought to like.  They won't, though, because the plan doesn't make the other side of the aisle look bad.  That's pretty much all they'll consider these days.

They've now decided that marriage isn't just between one man and one woman, but is now between the truest love match you can find in nature--Congress and tax cuts for the wealthy.  No divorcing one from the other, no matter what the political affiliation.  The Tea Party, in particular, will defend their nests to the death. Tax cuts, they say, are needed to create jobs.

So let's create jobs with them.

Instead of across-the-board tax breaks for all folks who can already afford things like late-night cravings for imported lavender honey, I say let's make tax cuts contingent on whether taxpayers have created jobs in the past year. Create a new job for an American in 2011, get a tax cut in April 2012.  Create 2 new jobs, get 2 tax deductions. Eliminate American jobs, get penalized.  And no cheating: you can't downsize one year, then recreate those jobs the next and claim tax cuts for them.

That simple.  Give an American a job, get a tax cut.  Hoard your money, get squat.

Instead of giving handouts to our deadbeat millionaire brothers, I say, let's make them earn their keep by putting America back to work.

THE JOBS OF PRINCES AND PRINCESSES

Last evening, I was watching ABC News.  At the very end, they did a story about what children around the world think princes and princesses do.  Some of the answers were cute, describing where they sit and that they do not work.  Other answers were really moving.  One child said that the princes and princesses help people like the homeless and children in orphanages.  It made me think that children really do count on people in authority for a lot. 

It occurred to me that maybe children count on all adults for a lot.  I wonder how often we disappoint them because we too often decide that our adult needs and interests supercede those of children most of the time.  If that were not true, we would not have so many children living in poverty, even in our country, the most wealthy in the world. 

Maybe we adults need to examine our priorities and start putting our children at the center of what we do.  We don’t have to be royalty to make a difference.  I know this is not profound, but seeing those children so serious and sincere, it made me want to commit even more strongly to the well-being of the youngest generation. 

We need schools more than prisons, good living conditions more than subsidies for corporations, decent healthy food more than a military that polices a world that doesn’t care for our actions, and health care for everyone more than for super rich people.  Let's get our priorities straight, O ye in Congress.  Worry less about abortion and more about the living breathing children who depend on you to act like princes and princesses who help people.

Peace,

Ruth

Debt & Taxes

by muon
 

(video courtesy of coffeepartyusa.com)

This week we were treated to drama and angst from  Washington.  Congress is, after decades of driving the country into debt, all of a sudden worried about it.  At least, they want to LOOK like they're worried about it.

In any household, the residents can usually break down their sources of income:  wages, bank interest, loans, garage sales, jury duty, etc.

The income of the Federal Government can be broken down this way:

33.7% comes from taxes paid by you and me.
7.2% comes from corporate taxes.
53.2% comes from borrowing.
The remaining 5.9% comes from excise, estate and gift taxes, custom duties and fees and miscellaneous income.

Right away we can see that borrowing more than half of our income each year is going to get us into trouble. Isn't all that borrowing bad?  Well, if you look at the historical data on the Treasury Department's website, you'll see that the United States has been in debt since the Constitution was ratified in 1791.  U.S. debt that year was $75,463,476.52 -- comparable to 2 billion in today's money.  A lot of moolah in 1791.  Except for a brief respite in 1834, when the country came close to paying all its bills, the national debt has been climbing, sometimes slowly, sometimes (especially in war years) very quickly.  As of 4/7/2011, our total outstanding debt was $14,264,245,526,311.58.  I can't even wrap my brain around one percent of that amount.

But U.S. citizens like us are doing our part.  Our income, excise, estate and gift taxes provide over one third of the nation's income.  I'm content to pay my fair share, but I don't think we need to pay more.

Let's look at corporations.  Last November, the New York Times reported that "American businesses earned profits at an annual rate of $1.659 trillion in the third quarter" and that this was "the highest figure recorded since the government began keeping track over 60 years ago."

Yet, corporate taxes only make up 7.2% of U.S. total income.  In fact, since about 1940 (when corporations last contributed more to the nation's income than individuals), corporate taxes have been going way down while individual taxes were going up (see graph below).

So instead of cutting the programs that ordinary citizens need--and for that matter, are chipping in one third the cost of--let's bring corporate taxes back into line with individual taxes.  Not only that, but let's get rid of the perks corporations get that they're not paying for.  Things like subsidies, write-offs, deregulation, big government contracts and further tax cuts.  And let's get rid of politicians who take corporate money for their campaigns, then give big business sweetheart deals, driving up our taxes and the national debt.

Congress caused the debt to get out of control.  Now they're punishing us for it.  Time we start complaining.

muon

SHARED SACRIFICE?

The budget fight is the lead story on every newscast and has been for quite some time.  No one doubts that we need to cut spending significantly to lower our debt.  This is our current crisis.  When a people face a crisis, their best and worst qualities come to the front.  The morality of the people and their cause, it seems to me, is marked by whether the best or worst traits dominate the discourse.

The potential spending cuts on the table now involve defunding education, family planning, Head Start, heating assistance, public broadcasting, Medicaid, and a wide range of other service programs.  Most of these programs serve the most vulnerable among us, people who are so used to being hidden, with no power that the politicians who vote to remove these services will reap no negative effects.  Once it’s done, we all can say, “What could I do?  Some other, local groups will step up to bridge the gap.” Honestly, though, we know that’s not true and that we allowed our worst traits to rule.

I brought this issue up with my students yesterday.  We discussed the idea that the “haves” may be actively working to maintain a permanent underclass of people who can fill the jobs that immigrants currently fill, you know, the jobs supposedly nobody wants.  My students were distressed, not knowing how to respond to the idea that one group would do such a thing to fellow citizens. 

Where are the cuts in subsidies to the wealthy companies?  Where is the regulation to protect the environment?  Where are the closed loopholes that will require the wealthiest few to pay their fair share of the taxes to support our nation?  Where is the end to the wars that enrich the wealthy contractors who just happen to be supplying the weapons, the mercenaries, the supplies that keep the wars going?

There is no shared sacrifice, only one group suffers, the one that always feels the pain, but ends up buying the line that one day they too could be among the privileged few.  Such deception and abandonment make us  as a nation, in this crisis, morally bankrupt.

Peace (not likely),

Ruth

The Parable of the Corporation

My guest blogger today goes by the pen name of Muon.  The explanation is that a muon is a tiny, seemingly insignificant part of an atom, yet is unstable enough to shake things up now and then.  Muon manages to live very happily on an income below the "poverty line."  
The Parable of the Corporation
by Muon

Let's pretend that you and I and all our neighbors are
shareholders of a mega-corporation.  Instead of money, they pay us in free products and services.  Since they give us these dividends even when they don't make a profit, we agree to the deal.

Like most shareholder/company relationship, we don't get all that involved in the details of how the business is run.  We assume the employees, from the CEO down to the peons,  know what they're doing.  Once in a while, we insist on replacing the CEO and top management, but for the most part, the system works.

Lately, however, the corporation has stopped being  profitable. For one thing, the Purchasing Department has been making sweetheart deals with vendors, giving contracts not to a low bidder, but to the same expensive companies over and over.  Management hasn't done anything about it because most of them have personal monetary interests in these companies.  The Receivables Department is lackadaisical about their work because they think the shareholders' investments are enough to keep the company going.  The Sales Department figures, if everyone else is slacking off, why should they look for new business?  The Manufacturing Department figures, if no one's selling the product, why make it?  But everyone wants to keep their jobs, so no one rocks the boat by changing things.

The reason everyone wants to keep their jobs?  The  employees set their own salaries, which is currently at least three times the income of your average shareholder.

The corporation is nearly bankrupt, but management has sworn to the shareholders that they'll balance this year's budget.  They decide to do this not by decreasing waste, finding new revenue sources, putting a halt to bad business practices, downsizing, or even by taking a paycut themselves.  No, they intend to balance the budget by cutting the products and services given to the very people who are footing the bill, the shareholders.  A small but loud percentage of the shareholders are even cheering top management on.

Is this parable far-fetched?  Not at all.  This is the way our government is run.  We let Congress have all the power over our tax money, including the power to funnel more of it to themselves by setting their salaries and setting policy which benefits the big businesses who contribute to their campaign funds.  All they care about is keeping that power by getting reelected.  Their idea of balancing the budget is to cut all the programs that directly benefit the people paying their  salaries--taxpayers.  They refuse to cut waste.  They refuse to look for new sources of revenue.  They refuse to encourage the startup of new American businesses which would then provide more tax income.  In fact, they want to cut business taxes and put more of the financial burden on the taxpayers, whose median household income this year is only about $50,000.

And Congress certainly never intends to give themselves a paycut.  If the minimum congressional salary were lowered to twice the national average household income, we could save 40 million a year.  Congressmen, like Senator Duffy, for instance, say they can't live on less than what they're making.

Frankly, if a Congressperson can't figure out how to live on $100,000 a year, he/she shouldn't be in charge of managing  the nation's money.

muon