Balancing Compromise and Ideology

An interesting thing happened on the way to bed last night. As usual, I took one last look to see if there was a good article to read before I went off to the land of “animation domination.” (Yeah, I go to bed really early)

Here’s what I came across

http://thinkprogress.org/2011/03/13/mcconnell-all-47-republicans-will-vote-to-hold-the-debt-ceiling-hostage/

I had two immediate reactions to this; first, I do agree that we need to finally take a look at Social Securtity and Medicare. Second, why did McConnell not include defense spending and why take such an irresponsible route to achieve your goals?

As is usual, I commented on the story;

“While I disagree with their tactics, we do need to take a look at making cuts to Social Security and Medicare. I am very liberal minded, but as a liberal I can not seriously complain about every cut the Republicans are trying to make. Since Social Security, Medicare and Defense make up over 50% of our budget, they all need to be looked at and cut some. Again, threatening to not raise the debt ceiling is quite irresponsible, but the idea is one that needs to be looked at.”

Since I do not consider myself to be a Democrat, I did not realize I was committing such an atrocious sin by suggesting we look at Social Security and Medicare. I was crucified, but I do not want to make this about me, but first, I should make it clear that I fault nobody for not realizing the intentions behind my words. I could have made my post a lot longer, but as I said, cartoons were about to start. The conversation gave me a peek at a much larger issue to take issue with now.

The original Republican budget proposal was nauseating. I, along with many others, took up a fight against it and still are fighting to save cuts targeted at the poor and working class people’s. While I also believe that the Republicans are going to far in their ideas for social security and medicare, we do need to look at them. Looking at theses two entitlements  means examining them, not purging them. Are there bureaucratic redundancies anywhere in there, unnecessary government red tape or possibly fraud being committed? These are the areas that need to be explored. We could save millions just by taking a look and trimming the programs. I do not want to effect the income of those reliant on social security to make ends meet, but we are in a budget crisis and what better time to explore where money is being wasted?

Here’s a chance for some compromise as well. Democrats are now in a position to say fine, let’s take a look at social security and medicare as long as we can reexamine the defense budget. We can take a pair of safety scissors to social security and medicare and trim it a bit, but lets come equipped with a hacksaw and take a look at defense spending. The opportunity for compromise is there, but will unlikely be seized.

The prevailing consensus among liberals seems to be, make the rich pay their fair share and everything will work itself out. I can not stress how in line I am with the rich and corporations needing to kick in their fare share. The Bush tax cuts are an atrocity that spit in the face of all the historical evidence proving how it is you lift a country out of debt.  Corporations paying no taxes to be bailed out by taxpayer money is disgraceful and seems ethically void.  This is where Republicans need to learn to compromise. In the defense of their budget cuts they claim that everyone needs to give a little to do something about the debt, problem is they aren’t making the rich pay their fair share or face any cuts whatsoever. Let’s truly ALL sacrifice if anyone has to.

Sadly, as long as political discourse is carried out by ideology and Utopian ideals, polarization will continue to be the flavor of the day. Not to say that ideology should be set aside and ignored, keep close what you believe, but do not allow it to blind you to the fact that we live in a country where not everyone thinks the same way. Compromise means concessions, on both sides of the aisle.

Justice or Virtue?

What an entertaining little clip there. Though what should be a sobering reality to some, will be dismissed as propaganda or false equivalency. The crux of this argument comes down to a simple controversy, justice v. virtue.

Bill Maher’s discussion of the draft order is the perfect analogy to this debate. Is giving the teams that perform worst a better pick justice or are we punishing teams that do well? Taking this analogy, lets substitute winning teams with “the rich” and losing teams with “the poor” and put it in a historical context.

Many on the right are romanticizing the 1950′s and all the economic prosperity this country saw.  In the 50′s GDP (Gross Domestic Product) grew at an average of 3.71% a year. We were the superpower in the world, oh, and the marginal tax rate at the time on the rich was 91%. That’s right, in the 1950′s there was no concept of “punishing the rich.” If you did well, you paid more, the economy grew and you did even better.

Then came the 1980′s. The powers that be decided that a higher marginal tax rate encouraged business owners to slow production, therefore slowing the economy. Despite a complete lack of evidence, in fact, contrary evidence, this became the new rallying cry of the Republican Party. While this is not the sole cause, GDP growth shrank, the deficit exploded and the economy shrank.

Fast forward to today. The marginal tax rate is at 35% and the economy is growing at 1.71%, due to the tooth and nail fight put up by Republicans over Bush tax cuts. They are not solely to blame, the President is at equal fault for caving. There are topics that require compromise, however, this is not one of them. When your platform is deficit reduction and you then give away hundreds of billions in tax cuts, and consider that the tax cuts could have paid for health care overhaul with around an 1.8 billion dollar surplus, you have lost your bargaining position at the table.

At one time this country did operate like the NFL, and the economic success is undeniable. So much so, the Republicans are calling for a return to it. Yet they have taken every contrary measure under the guise of  virtue, “punishing the winners is unfair.” The proof is in the numbers; when the road of justice is the one traveled, as in football, not only do the rich actually benefit more, but you benefit most.

Today is a sad day.

Time for everyone to pay attention because Democracy died a little last night.

Let us take a look at what is going on in Wisconsin and dissect this with a little logic.  For now, we will ignore the fact that about 60% of his constituents are in disagreement with Governor Walker. We can also ignore that he never made collective bargaining an issue during his campaign, now has numerous formal ethics and legal charges filed against him and the that this is clearly not about a budget.

Putting all that, and then some, aside; let us take a look at the a couple of the major anti-union arguments and see if they hold water.

1. Union workers are lazy and able to do a sub-par job without worry because the union protects them.

This should make anyone who has ever worked a day in the real world laugh. In my many years in the work force I have yet to work somewhere where there isn’t at least one person who does not care about their job, does the bare minimum to get by with average work, at best. Sad to say this is just become a fact of life. There are those out there that feel entitled and therefore, work a lot less harder. These people are in unions, not in unions, old, young…etc. Yes, the union does protect workers when they mess up, however, how many of us have done our jobs 100% perfectly, 100% of the time? Ever messed up and been reprimanded wishing there was someone in your corner who realized it was an innocent mistake or would fight for your right to keep the job? Thank you unions.

2. Unions have served their purpose, its time for them to go.

I get so overwhelmed by how ridiculous this argument is. Let’s follow the logic though. Since we have our 40 hour work week, paid holidays, insurance and countless other labor laws to protect workers, we don’t need unions to protect us anymore. Following this thought; NAACP, you are no longer needed because a Civil Rights bill was enacted. The pro-life movement, sorry Supreme Court ruled already, we will no longer need you. National Organization of Women, goodbye. Women are pretty much equals now and there isn’t much to fight for so you can disband as well. This list could go on for days, but I hope you see my point.

There are many more arguments anti-union folks would use, and I would love to address them all, however,  this is not a book. Take down the unions and soon the Wal-Mart business model will take over. Pay as little as possible with little to no benefits, make that profit on the backs of the working class!

 

Help Me Understand…

Maybe its just the fact that I took a lot of Philosophy classes in my life, but there is a lot going on today that just seems so out of tune with  logic and common sense.  Here are just some:

I do not understand the argument that allowing gay marriage leads to the allowance of people to marry animals. I hear this a lot, “oh whats next, allow a guy to marry his dog”? I know that I am missing a step here and would like someone to fill it in. How do we go from human to human interaction to human to animal? I would love for someone to lay this argument out for me step by step so I can see where that makes any sense. One last point to that question, isn’t “preserving the sanctity of marriage” a rallying cry they had against inter-racial marriage?

This one really baffles me to some extent, but not really. The Christian Conservative base is very understandably, socially conservative. That I get without question. However, especially if you use the Bible as a guide, why aren’t more Christians socially liberal? I am no Biblical scholar by any means but, as I understand it, Jesus was all about helping the poor, weak and sick. So why does the Christian right believe in ending and reducing funding for those less fortunate? It seems to me like the complete opposite of what Jesus would do. I know its just easier to fall in line with a party, but isn’t it at the expense of thumbing your nose at the very ideals that are the basis for the religion (Jesus and his teachings)?

Anyone else find it ironic that the right is so terrified of extremists when it comes to Muslims, yet embraced the radical Tea Party?

Speaking of the Tea Party, third parties have been trying to establish themselves in this country for years. Ross Perot made a name for Independents, because he had the money too. Money is what stops these third parties from really being out there. So, am I to believe that the Tea Party sprang up overnight, with a base of working class citizens that are sick of Government spending? This is how the rich stay rich and get more rich, they make the lower classes do their dirty work. This time it was really genius though by making the people think its their movement. Sorry, your backing is the uber-rich, who don’t want to get their hands dirty.

Can anyone explain to me why Democrats in Congress are some of the biggest bunch of weenies this side of the pond? This past mid-term election, instead of touting a stimulus that has in fact worked, a health care overhaul that is benefiting people whether they realize it or not, or even the economic recovery were in the midst of the incumbent Democrats sat back and did nothing. They truly are the only party that can screw up a sure thing.

Again, these things make little to sense to me. I would love to have some answers, opinions or even best guesses. This is not an attempt at slandering any side or calling anyone out. They are legitimate questions I have that I would love to discuss with anyone who does not take these questions personally and can answer with a calm, collected and rational voice.

Sometimes I Worry

This scares me, as it should you.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/03/06/AR2011030602662.html

The Citizens United v F.E.C. decision by the Supreme Court has set of a domino effect of actions by conservative lawmakers that I find troubling. Let me be very clear from the get go, if this were liberals in the same role I would have the same problem. Again, access to voting is not a party issue, this is an American issue. These topics happen to be spearheaded by conservative and tea party heads throughout the country.

Let’s start from the beginning, the Citizens United decision that set all this in motion. The decision from The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) declared corporations to be individuals thus loosening restrictions on money that corporations and unions can use toward political campaigns. Freeing up money for all the attack ads you saw this past election cycle. This was the first domino to fall in a scary trend.

We saw the power this ruling unleashed in the 2010 midterm elections. Republicans won by a landslide, most that were elected were helped out by an onslaught of negative ads aimed at liberal incumbents and candidates. No problem, everyone operated within the law and the ever-changing tide of politics in this country dictates that the Republican were bound to take back control of one of the pieces of Congress again. Just as we have reached the point where open dialogue should flow freely the ugly effects of Citizens United rear its head and throws up a wall that closes down dialogue, minds and common sense.

Some call them heroes, others cowards. No matter your feelings about the Wisconsin 14, we all agree that invoking our First Amendment rights is one thing that makes this country so great. Protest is covered in the First Amendment, therefore I believe that protest is patriotism. I back the Wisconsin 14 and the unions for a couple of reasons. The first, and most obvious to me, is that the unions are willing to concede the money to the state. If this were truly a fiscal issue, the concessions would be made and the issue would be over. Now that the entire issue hinges on collective bargaining rights, it tells me that’s what it was all about from the beginning. If Scott Walker had campaigned on doing away with collective bargaining, I would say the Democrats should return to the state right away, the people knew who and what they were electing. Governor Walker did not state in his campaign that this was a platform of his,

http://www.politifact.com/wisconsin/statements/2011/feb/24/scott-walker/wisconsin-gov-scott-walker-says-his-remarks-during/

My only question now would be why is this the issue for Governor Walker? The prank call by a blogger posing as one of the Koch brothers was very revealing beyond the words spoken. Making the Koch brothers happy was obviously a goal of the Governor, as well satisfying his own ego I believe. He wants to make a name for himself, what bigger name can you make than starting the downfall of the union, a liberal stronghold? Ego aside, the ability of the Koch brothers to pour hundreds of thousands of dollars towards Walkers election has obviously skewed his agenda away from the people of Wisconsin and into the interests of corporate America. That is the real problem. Just as any attempt by liberals to take down big business would be reprehensible, so are the actions of Governor Walker and other like-minded legislators.

This latest attempt to restrict voting laws is the next logical step in destroying the liberal base. First, attempt to take out the major source of funding followed by limiting the primary voting base, namely college students and minorities. I would stop here to question my own paranoia, but two things keep me moving forward, I am not a Democrat and logic. As the article highlights, a Tea Party Representative is on tape stating that college students should be limited to voting because they vote liberal. I would hope that any liberal would be disgusted by laws that sought to limit senior citizen’s rights to vote, a traditional conservative backer.

I hope the thought of a one party system would be enough to scare anyone. Where does your system of checks and balances go from there. I do not believe that the Democratic Party will end up folding, but the attempt to make it that way should offend anyone who wants to keep an open dialogue and attempted bipartisanship. I beg of you Republicans, tear down that wall.

 

I know, I’m a Dreamer….

I like to think big, that’s just how I have always been. So now that I have a venue to spout one of my great ideas I would like some help supporting it.

Here’s the idea: All bills that Congress votes on are available 72 hours before they go up for vote. Have a team that can quickly break down what the bill is about in the simplest possible terms. Through an email list generated by the site, email everyone the breakdown of  the bill and ask for how they would vote on the given bill. Results would be broken down by zip code and emailed to corresponding representatives. True representative democracy.In addition, prior to elections, subscribers would receive an email that compares/contrasts the candidates with your voting ideology along with where your polling place is. In a perfect world, this would give a bigger voice to the third parties out there.

The reason I think it is time for development of a website like this is Citizens United v. F.E.C. decision that came down from the Supreme Court last year. Ideally, this will strip the major corporations of the ability to throw endless amounts of money at candidates and buy elections for their interests. Lets face it, based on votes, all politicians work for Wall Street and corporate America. It’s time for the people of America to become important again and that is the end goal of this website idea.

Like I said, I am a big dreamer, and this is something I feel very strongly about. I would appreciate any and all help with this idea, feedback, comments…whatever. However, if you want to criticize and offer no counter solution or idea, please keep your comments to yourself. I can handle criticism, I would just prefer the criticism comes with ideas on improvement.

One last point I would like to mention. The website is called Progressive’s United, however, it is a PAC (Political Action Committee) that was founded to counteract the Citizen’s United decision. You will see anti-Republican/Fox News rhetoric on the site, I apologize and assure you that was not the intention of the idea board. I do not believe my idea to be a liberal or conservative idea, but an American one.

http://agenda.progressivesunited.org/forums/105241-help-set-the-progressives-united-agenda/suggestions/1551891-i-say-develop-a-website

Lessons We’ve Missed From the Middle East

Almost everyone seems to be happy about the revolutions taking place in the middle east. Everyone should be as well, the people uprising against an unjust government is one of the keystones our government was built on. There is one glaring lesson that everyone seems to be ignoring coming out all the uprisings and protests, that when it comes to electing leaders and voting, we as a country, have become spoiled by the process and take it for granted.

Have you stopped to think, these brave people have been willing to put their lives on the line just for the chance to cast a vote and help direct their country’s future. Of course it is easy to sit there in your comfortable home and say that yes, I feel bad they have to endure just for what we consider to be an everyday right. I have done it myself, however, we have no idea what it is like to have to fight like that and maybe we need a stiff reminder. Remember, only a short 100 years ago, unless you were a white male, you probably weren’t voting. Whether spoken or unspoken, you were a second class citizen. It is easy to forget something like that, because we have never had to live it.

As a result, we have become spoiled. I am sure very few of us have voted in every election (myself included) and we always have excuses why we could not take five to ten minutes from our day, usually once every couple of years, to go out and take advantage of an opportunity that some in the world are willing to die for.  As much as I would love to rant on about the other reasons why we should vote, I don’t want to get sidetracked, that will be another post all together. My point is this, next time you are on your way home on one of those special Tuesday’s, take the five minutes and cast a vote. I know you’re tired and have a busy life, but I have found personally that 9 times out of 10 the polling station is on my way home anyway. Take thirty seconds to remember, you do not have to fight for the right to punch a hole in a ballot. Many of our very recent ancestors did, and made it easy for us. Little did they know how spoiled we would become and horribly for granted we would take that right.

Open Letter to Congress

An Open Letter to Congress from the Working Poor

We all learned it from a very early age, actions speak louder than words. Judging based on the actions of Congress over the past months, your voice is clear. Unless your name ends in Inc or CO, you simply do not matter.

I am your average, poor American. I have never made more 30,000 in a calendar year, have spent most of my adult life as a type 1 diabetic with no insurance but have yet to ever take any governments “handouts” (i.e. welfare, Medicaid, food stamps…). I am undereducated, underemployed and my health is quickly failing. I identify as neither a Democrat nor a Republican. It is also important to note that I put myself in my situation. However, the vast majority of people affected by Congress’ actions were simply born into their circumstances, obviously, no fault of their own.

For all the talk of Patriotism and a return to what the founding fathers wanted, I am shocked to see the direction this Congress has decided to take.  I fail to see what is patriotic or how the founding fathers would have possibly agreed with stripping funding for education and health care for its citizens. How are people to achieve the American dream when they are uneducated and unhealthy? Are we as the American people supposed to believe that closing the doors to Planned Parenthood, thereby taking away many low income women’s access to birth control and preventative medicine and screenings, is more important than funding a NASCAR sponsorship or providing millions for contraception to wild horses? It seems very short sighted to think that stripping the funding from Planned Parenthood would solve any problems at all. In fact, it seems to me that if we strip that funding, access to birth control become limited, resulting in more unwanted pregnancies by low income women. What happens then? Eighteen years of welfare, put them into an already clogged state adoption system? Those choices would seem to cost more money than it would to fund Planned Parenthood. While the objections of the anti-abortion lobby are noted, here are a few facts for you.

“According to the Guttmacher Institute, taxpayers save $4 for every $1 dollar spent on family planning.”

“Forty-two percent of women obtaining abortions have incomes below 100% of the federal poverty level”

“In 2006, publicly funded family planning services helped women avoid 1.94 million unintended pregnancies, which would likely have resulted in about 860,000 unintended births and 810,000 abortions”

“the organization is already banned from using federal funding for abortions. Only 3 percent of Planned Parenthood’s overall budget even goes toward abortion services.”

The main goal of Planned Parenthood seems to be preventative care and education. Again, what kind of country are we living in where leaving the most destitute of citizens unhealthy and uneducated is the track Congress is on?

Closing the door to funding of PBS so that our children lose the little head start they get before entering a morbidly reprehensible public education system is the message this country wants to send to the rest of the world? We will cut funding to education, science and the arts but leave untouched the defense budget, social security and Medicare, which makes up well over fifty percent of the budget.

It did not take much on my part to research and see that the German government last year did exactly as this Congress is proposing and Germany is trying to quickly recover from a second dip into recession. Combine all your proposed cuts with the fact that you decided the richest needed tax breaks that will cost the country an estimated 797 billion over the next two years; it’s hard to understand if Congress is working for the people or the richest people. Maybe you would care to explain why the richest 400 taxpayers are paying a lower tax rate than a 29,000 a year worker?  You can skew those numbers should you leave out all the payroll taxes, but as someone who makes less than that, we do pay those taxes and they must be counted. It looks as if the current Congress is hell bent on sending us into another recession.

The actions being taken in Congress at this point are shameful at best. It would appear that we are trying to create a two class system where the poor would be akin to living in a third world country should these proposed cuts continue. It is both shameful and disturbing that the individuals elected to represent the people, seem more interested in representing the corporations of America than the people who put them in office.

I issue an open challenge to the elected officials of America; represent the people and defend all citizens’ right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  You wonder what the founding fathers wanted, they told you:

“That among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–

That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men,

Deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”

Stripping the American people of their ability to be educated and healthy would certainly prevent this from happening and it’s your job to ensure that does not happen.

Sincerely,

The Lower Class