Sigh.
For some reason, the bigwigs in Washington Do. Not. Seem. To. Get. It.
They are concerned with scoring points, with making sure “their” side “wins,” with “defeating” the other side.
What they are not concerned about is the American people. You know … us. The folks whom the bigwigs are supposed to serve.
Actually, it's NOT the economy, stupid!
We, it seems, are not part of any equation for solving the financial crisis confronting this country.
Well, “we” as in, those of us who are in the middle class or the lower class, or who, alas, actually live in poverty.
If we were part of the equation, then some of these dingbat ideas under discussion in Washington would never have seen the light of day.
I’m talking about the idea of extending the retirement age – again. Only white, privilege males who receive the best health care in the world would think this is a good idea.
The rest of us? The ones who work in factories or stores, who physically labor, who are the grunts of the work force? Who spend our time outside in all the elements? Who climb up and down ladders, or tote heavy items, or deliver things that have been ordered online?
Please. Our bodies break down a whole heck of lot earlier and easier than do the ones of so-called leaders who work, yes, but do not labor.
Every sane study shows that upper-income white males with marvelous health care indeed can retire later. But the rest of us? Get real. (See Ezra Klein’s column in The Washington Post on Nov. 21. He does a great job of explaining this.)
And this is why I’m sighing right now.
Because those in charge seem to be forgetting that they are in charge for one reason:
To advance the common weal of all the people.
In 1992, Bill Clinton’s campaign used the mantra, “It’s the economy, stupid.”
This year, that mantra needs to be changed.
It needs to say, “It’s the people, stupid!”
As in, PAY ATTENTION TO US!!
The economy can’t get better as long as too many of us are (a) out of work or (b) working in jobs that simply do not pay enough.
And please don’t talk to me about this silly idea that increasing taxes on the rich will hurt the economy. Because that is Not. True.
The richest among us have received extraordinary tax breaks for the last decade … a decade in which they have grown much, much (did I mention much?) richer, while unemployment has grown and wages have fallen.
So … tell me again how giving the rich yet another tax break is going to help the economy?
And if it isn’t going to help the economy, how, pray tell, is it going to help the people of this country?
And if it doesn’t help the people of this country, then, I can assure you, it is not for the common good, and therefore should not be done.
I know that we are headed for a so-called “fiscal cliff” and that I am supposed to be quaking in my boots over this.
Well, I’m not.
You know why?
Because if nothing else, going over that cliff will at least serve as a wake-up call to the folks in charge. Heck, it might even get them to do something about the state of the economy, to help those in need, and to get going on doing the work that needs to be done, for our people and for our country.
I know, I know:
IF we go over that cliff, the middle-class will be hit, immediately, with a tax increase on average of $2,000 per year. In simpler terms, that means an additional $5.50 per day for each of us.
Ouch.
But it also means that the richest people will have to pay more as well, which means that there will be more money in the budget.
Yes, drastic cuts are supposed to happen as well.
But that’s Congress’ fault, because Congress has failed to act, because Congress has been focused too much on “winning” political games and not enough on doing its actual job.
I also know that what Congress hath wrought, Congress can un-wrought as well.
It was Congress that mandated these stupid, across-the-board cuts.
So Congress can un-mandate those same cuts.
But only if Congress decides to be sane, to quit posturing and to take care of the real business of this country, which is not, as Calvin Coolidge once proclaimed, “business,” but the welfare – the common weal – of the American people.
One more thing:
Those so-called “entitlements”? The ones that conservatives like to attack with abandon, even as they and their family members collect them?
Leave them the hell alone.
No, wait.
Reform them.
In sane ways.
Social Security? It would be solvent for decades if we collected FICA on incomes above $110,000, the current cap for taxation. Really? We only tax up to $110,000? That’s totally insane, you know, from an economic standpoint. It means that the people who pay the most are the ones who can afford it the least, while those who can afford it the most pay the least.
In what economic universe does that even remotely make sense?
Medicare? Stop the insane talk about increasing the retirement age. See the argument above – only upper-class people can afford to do this, and they don’t need Medicare anyway. So they certainly are not the people to be making this decision.
Medicaid? Someone really wants to cut this? Are they, too, insane? Who in their right mind wants to ensure that sick people stay sick? In what economic model does that make sense?
Never mind the nonsense about cutting assistance to those most in need. Those ideas? They need to be named for what they are: Punishment on those who are in need, who are less fortunate, who don’t have a leg up, who can’t get a leg up.
Every sane study out there says that the better we care for our people, the better off we will be as a country.
Bingo! I say we need to catch each other ... that's what community is all about.
And those wacky ideas on closing loopholes and removing tax deductions? Be careful what you ask for, is all I can say. Let’s take just one of those deductions, the one for charitable giving: End that one and boom! Charities are in deep kimchi. I’m sure all those homeless people, and needy people, and any other people receiving help via charities would be fine with having their help cut in order to magically “balance” the budget on their backs.
So you know what I say?
I say, Go ahead. Let’s jump off the danged fiscal cliff. Let’s do so with joy and abandon.
I’m willing to suck it up and pay $5.50 day – if it means that (a) the whole community is being helped, and (b) the people who can afford this a whole lot more than me kick in their fair share as well. (And no, having a rich person pay the same amount as me Does. Not. Count.)
I am not going to like paying $5.50 a day – and frankly, it’s going to be a stretch to do so (I’m not exactly middle class right now). But dang it! If that’s what it will take to ensure that the least among us are cared for, that our government is focused on all the people, that the community will be built up, that the safety nets will be strengthened … well, yeah. I’m in.
Are you?
