Friday, July 29, 2011

RAISE THE TAXES OF THE WEALTHY? GOD FORBID!


              


We all know that the incomes of the wealthiest Americans increased significantly during the Bush administration years while the middle class actually lost ground relative to increasing costs especially energy and medical costs. The argument the Republicans use to defend not raising taxes on the rich is that it is the rich who grow the businesses that employ workers and improve the economy. The most obvious flaw in this defense is that unless you have a middle class who can afford to buy things then they are not going to support new businesses and growth. Why are the Republicans so adverse to raising taxes on the only part of the population that can easily affords a rate increase with no ill effects?

I don’t have an answer to this. Incredibly, our leadership (including our hang dog Democrats) have allowed severe cuts year after year at federal and state levels in education which may I remind you, is the training ground for the future.

Another obvious injustice that I do not understand is how we complacently and obediently go along, is the inequity evidenced by the incredible benefit packagespoliticians receive after only 2 years of service. Full free medical and dental coverage and incredibly large pensions are theirs not to mention the extravagant “business expenses?” they garner with little to no oversight or accountability.

Where are the voices of the 85 to 90% of us who are to remain employed, meet our bills and raise our families? Why aren’t our representatives helping us to stay in our homes instead of  looking the other way as Wall Street, Banking, oil and the military continue to determine government policies?

We may all be created equal in the eyes of some higher power but the sight of our leadership is influenced almost entirely by the big money that corporations put into the pockets of politicians.

The system is broke and guaranteed to get broker for the average person in America. Perhaps big business isn’t worried because they plan on selling their wares to growing foreign markets like China and India to replace consumerism lost at home. Of course if and when we ever do raise taxes for our corporations and wealthiest 10% of our country, their business and profits will likely go off shore and/or abroad feeding the economies of developing nations as the vast majority of Americans continue to struggle to make ends meet.

The long awaited march on the capitol will be postponed because millions of us will not be able to afford the gas it takes to drive there; it seems to be taking us an incredibly long time to get there on foot. Maybe we'd better start walking today because the way things are going, the capitol may be closed down by the time we get there..

#9

72911
It’s quiet enough this morning 
And I’m tired enough
To drop into the sadness resting 
under my thinking
So often when I’m tired I get angry
That I’m not up and energetic,
I repeat that old refrain
Something’s wrong with me, 
something’s wrong with me,
But today it feels so right
to sit upright with my old eyes closed
embraced by fatigue
carried back to dreams
incomplete..
amen