Government is Not the Problem!

The Tea Party hates government.  They believe the government suffers from overreach, corruption and ineptitude.  They warn that the government is creating an entitled, lazy society of takers that are ripping us off!  And, the best way to deal with government is to destroy it.  Really?  I’m sick of the “government is the problem” philosophy!  During this unnecessary and painful shutdown, perhaps it is a good time to concentrate on just a teeny-tiny glimpse at what our government does well and how it benefits all:

We are protected by the greatest military on earth

Medicaid, Social Security and Medicare protect the poor and elderly

The FAA and air flight control provides the safest modern mode of travel

The CDC and the FDA protect our health and food supply

Head Start and the School hot lunch program protect vulnerable children

Police/Firefighters/911 – we are all dependent upon our first responders

Public libraries

Uniform building codes

NASA and the many resulting breakthrough inventions

The Interstate Highway system

SCHIP healthcare for vulnerable children

Operate and maintain our incredible park system

FBI / CIA – may not get it right all of the time, but thank goodness we’ve got them

National Weather Service

United States Postal Service

Public Schools and dedicated teachers

Public water works and sanitation

Federal Student Loans

Clean Water and Clean Air programs

Protects civil rights

FDIC protects and insures our money

GI Bill has given so many who have served a boost to success

FHA mortgages and loans

Consumer protection

Workplace safety

Funding basic science research

Labor department regulations mandate a 40-hour workweek

ARPANET and NSFNET developed the infrastructure for the internet

Army Corps of Engineers

Satellite communication

Environmental clean up and flood control

And there is SO MUCH MORE including items we don’t normally associate with government like the peace-of-mind provided by sidewalks, street signs and traffic signals where our children can safely walk to school.  The benefits derived from government programs frequently take the form not of the presence of something, but of the absence of something. Think of it this way: much of the job of government in our lives is to ensure that bad things don’t happen to us.  So many on the right have been sold a false bag of goods!  They consistently vote against their own self-interests.  And, it’s their own state populations are those most dependent upon government services by a significant margin.  In my humble opinion, we have a solemn obligation as citizens to be involved – to make our government better, more efficient, and more accessible.  You can’t do that by tearing it down!

“LEMMINGS IN SUICIDE VESTS”: THE GOP HAS WON BUT THEY STILL WANT TO SHOOT THE HOSTAGES ANYWAY!

The government shutdown continues as we inch closer and closer to the unknown of a debt ceiling default with business and markets beginning to act very nervously.  The government shutdown is costing taxpayers $300 million daily.  The demands from the Republicans change in the wind from the defunding of the Affordable Care Act to approval of the Keystone Pipeline to the newest Boehner demand:  changes in the tax code and entitlement spending.  It has become clear that there are enough votes in the House of Representatives to pass a clear continuing resolution to reopen the government, yet Speaker Boehner refuses, under the Hastert rule, to bring the bill up for a vote.  As the GOP continues to fight amongst themselves and the goal posts sway all over the field in the wind of their bravado, Representative Stutzman put the crisis in real terms:  “We’re not going to be disrespected.  We have to get something out of this.  I don’t know what that even is!”

If the GOP true purpose is to reign in runaway government spending, then it is clear that they have WON this battle hands down!  That’s right – I say the Republicans have won!  The budget that Democrats are now willing to pass has been whittled down to 986 billion dollars (just 19 billion more than the severely austere Ryan budget of 967 billion)!  The deficit has been cut in half and continues on a downward trend.  So, why do we continue to maneuver toward the edge of a very dangerous cliff?  Why is the government shutdown?  Why are we constantly governed crisis to crisis?  To all of you saying BOTH sides are at fault, I say BALDERDASH!  The reason we are in this mess is because ONE party – the Republican Party – is in the midst of a CIVIL WAR and the wellbeing of the country could very well be its costliest casualty.  Consider the following timeline:

1.     In November of 2012, President Barack Obama was reelected to the shock and dismay of the Republican Party.  He won decisively with 332 electoral votes.  The Democrats gained seats in the Senate and the House even though the GOP kept control of the House assured by gerrymandered districts.  It was apparent the country had made a resounding decision on the major issues of the election:  Obamacare – immigration reform – social issues – entitlements and the role of government to mention a few.  But, despite a brief play to the cameras calling for a rebranding of the GOP to encourage inclusion and cooperation, behind the scenes, the party was developing a very real strategy of total obstruction defying the legitimate voice of the American people.  Leading the way was Tea Party guru, Jim Demint, in his new position as head of the Heritage Foundation, Tea Party Senators Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Marco Rubio and the Tea Party caucus in the House of Representatives.

2.     Riding confidence from the election, President Obama made significant overtures to Speaker John Boehner to again negotiate for a grand spending bargain knowing that the sequester and bigger budget issues were looming on the horizon in 2013.  However, under significant pressure from this fiery minority in his caucus by a very real threat to depose him as Speaker, Boehner refused.  Consequently, the sequester took effect as the new year began.  A trapped Boehner, in an attempt to explain away his “no negotiation” stance, seized on a political ploy making it clear there would be “no negotiations until the Senate passed a budget” – something that august body had not done in more than three years.

3.     Just weeks later, the Senate called Boehner’s bluff and passed a budget resolution in March.  With the country and the economy beginning to feel the severe effects of the sequester, Obama praised the move and looked forward to Congressional negotiations to iron out differences between the Senate budget and that of the House designed by Paul Ryan.  Rational minds hoped a compromise could be achieved that would curtail spending but not with the draconian effects of the sequester continuing to reek havoc on the economy.  The President began to stomp the nation – election style - trying to focus on job creation and economic recovery.

4.     Meanwhile, freshman Senator, Ted Cruz, was attempting to solidify his national Tea Party credentials for a presidential run in 2016 by developing a plan to defund the Affordable Care Act.  Months of fiery rhetoric and a national campaign financed by the Koch Brothers and the ultra-wealthy wing of the party - unhappy with the new taxes to fund ACA - led to several parliamentary stunts by Cruz only to be soundly defeated in the Democratically-controlled Senate.  Frustrated by his inability within the Senate, Cruz, in a bold and politically irresponsible plan, moved his act to the House by convincing enough members of the fanatic Tea Party caucus to join his cause.

5.     Under Cruz influence, the Tea Party caucus shockingly blocked House rules of regular order that appoint conferees to meet with the Senate to compromise and create a finalized Congressional budget.  Thus, as the Congress went on extended summer break, there was no budget – no compromise to ease the sequester - and the battle lines had been drawn.  The House Tea Party caucus had effectively tied the defunding of Obamacare to the budget fight and moderate GOP members were forced to go along or face being primaried from the right in 2014.  There would be a perfect bargaining chip when Congress reconvened in the Fall as the country would face two very crucial budgetary deadlines – the continuing resolution to fund the government and the need to raise the debt ceiling.  Plus, the full Affordable Care Act was set to premier in October and take effect in 2014.  As the summer sizzled, the entire GOP – now under control of the Tea Party minority - had no choice but to launch an all-out last-ditch effort to convince the country that the Affordable Care Act was a path to destruction.

6.     Now, the country doesn’t pay much attention to politics during the summer.  And, even though many were confused about the ACA (still are today for that matter), several very popular parts of the law had already taken effect:  children being able to remain on their parent’s plan until age 26 and guaranteed insurance despite pre-existing conditions.  The GOP campaign to kill it did not create the avalanche of support predicted by Cruz.  Unfazed, Cruz was full speed ahead throughout the summer threatening he would shut down the government to achieve the law’s demise – though he knew full well during a shutdown, the ACA would proceed anyway.  Now, political success is usually gained by sound strategy.  Seeing a dangerous and dead end strategy, many members of the Republican establishment were becoming very nervous about Cruz and his strategy that seemed to be more about him than sound policy.  As the summer drew to a close, the question remained:  Certainly, the establishment of the GOP would not allow the TPers to default on the good faith and credit of the United States, right?  But, how far were they willing to go to prevent primary backlash?  And, more importantly, what would be their exit strategy if they backed into a shutdown corner?  September loomed on the horizon. 

7.     While Cruz was determined with Tea Party strength to pursue his tactics, the country as a whole was not impressed.  In fact, 72% of the nation is not in favor of connecting the ACA to funding the government.  The ACA is law – enacted by Congress, signed by the President and upheld by a very conservative Supreme Court.  President Obama made his position very consistent and very clear.  There would be absolutely no negotiations when it came to connecting the law to the upcoming clerical duties and responsibilities of Congress – the continuing resolution and debt ceiling.  These duties had nothing to do with the ACA – or future spending.  As had been his position since being elected (remember his overtures to Boehner right after the election?), he would be happy to sit down and talk about a wider range of issues – just not with a gun to his head.  Plus, what was constantly being lost in the rhetoric was the fact that just about every single spending demand by the GOP was already reflected in the Democratic budget!  It was more austere than anyone could have predicted right after the election.  Democrats not willing to compromise?  In fact, they had given away the entire store!  But, the President, buoyed by a unified Democratic front, drew the line in the sand with the unrealistic and incredulous demands to defund the Affordable Care Act.

8.     September began, sure enough, with the House of Representatives approving legislation to keep the government open but deny all money for the ACA.  Despite knowing the Democratic-controlled Senate would not approve the bill, Cruz took to the floor for more than 21 consecutive hours ranting against Obamacare in an attempt to intensify his perceived fervor for using the shutdown to block funding for the law.  Not only did the Senate say “no” to Cruz but most Senate Republicans opposed the Tea Party as well.  GOP unity began to unravel and many from the establishment went public with their disdain for Cruz.  Meanwhile, the Senate sent the bill back to the House to keep the government operating without conditions.  As the October 1^st deadline approached, the House began to solicit support from the American public for their cause by offering a flurry of demands that are red meat issues for their base:  force Congress to pay the full expense for their healthcare; approval of the Keystone pipeline; eliminate funding for Planned Parenthood, Medicare privatization; repealing taxes; and, of course, still maintaining their demand to kill Obamacare by delaying implementation by one year.  True to the President’s resolve, the Senate rejected these demands and the shutdown began at 12:01 AM on October 1^st.

So, there it is.  The government shutdown is now in its seventh day.  The House has embarked on a desperate strategy of voting to restart popular programs in an attempt to win the public to their side.  But, the Democrats continue to stand on principle and vote “no” to most saying the entire government must reopen.  To make matters more dangerous, the GOP House leadership has increasingly tied the shutdown to the debt ceiling deadline of October 17^th.  In recent days, rhetoric about the health care law has disappeared changing conditions for passage to deficit reduction.  However, polls show the American people are not buying it as 70% now blame the House GOP for the shutdown. Why?

1.     The timeline shows the GOP Civil War is at fault for the impass.  The wild crazies in the Tea Party know they are impervious – their districts at home are safe and the rest of the GOP is paralyzed by their threat to primary them.  They truly don’t care – and the failure of the federal government is their professed goal.  I repeat:  the failure of the federal government and this President is their goal.  The American people are catching on.

2.     If there was a vote TONIGHT in the House on a clean continuing resolution, it would pass!  Yet, Speaker Boehner refuses to allow an up or down vote.

3.     Also, the American people are catching on to the fraudulent argument about spending.  If the “real” issue was about runaway spending, then why are we still having this fight?  The Democrats have already agreed with the austere spending limits professed by the GOP golden number boy – Paul Ryan!

America is becoming the laughing stock of the world with political silliness where a government shutdown and credit default threat that will affect the entire globe is the result of a minority group of extortionists in the Republican party attempting to impose their agenda on the nation.  And what is their agenda?  It is a world where science, fact, education, and simple arithmetic are useless.  A world where if you repeat the same lie often enough, it will somehow be true.

MINORITY RULES

MINORITY RULES. Therein lies the tragedy for our republic. When House rules are "tweaked" by the likes of O'Neill, Gingrich and Hastert for party advantage - when state legislatures "tinker" (aka gerrymandering) with voting districts - when governors aim to restrict voting rather than inviting the entire citizenry to participate.... We have to realize these short-term ploys for political advantage are slowly eroding what holds our wonderful system of government together. Sooner or later, the minority isn't just going to be a bunch of Tea Party ideologues lashing out - it's going to be an unknown and dangerous faction. It's time for the leaders of this nation to say - enough! Our system of government must be preserved - win or lose. Mr. President: stand strong. Mr. Speaker: bring the resolution to the floor and allow the majority to speak. Elected officials: encourage participation and voting for all of your constituents and allow the chips to fall where they may by fair and open process. America: get involved!!

THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT - THE REAL STORY

The GOP’s unprecedented attack on the Affordable Care Act – an idea Republicans actually created at the Heritage Foundation in 1989 – is about one thing and one thing only – it’s about the money – it always is!  It’s about the funding mechanism for the law.  US capital gains have been taxed at a measly 15% for years (compare that to your income tax rates!).  Under Obamacare, there will be an increase in the Medicare surtax on these dividend profits from 1.45% to 3.8%.  In addition, if you make more than $250,000 per year, you will pay an additional .9% in Medicare taxes. THAT’S IT FOLKS!  WE’RE TALKING ABOUT A .9% INCREASE IN THE MEDICARE TAX FOR THE WEALTHIEST AMONGST US!  AND WHEN YOU COMBINE THE SURTAX AND THE .9% INCREASE TOGETHER, WE’RE TALKING ONLY THE TOP 1% - THE ULTRA-RICH - THAT WILL BE AFFECTED.  THAT’S WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT!  Yet, you have to remember these are the same people that have been funding and “running” the GOP for quite sometime. (Does the name Koch brothers ring a bell?)  THEY DON’T WANT YOU TO KNOW THE REAL STORY - GREED.  So, they concoct stories – all untrue - about evil socialism, runaway government, death panels, premium costs skyrocketing, not being able to choose your own doctor – all gulped down by the conservative base hook, line and sinker.  Do some unbiased (meaning non-Fox) research:  understand the benefits like child coverage on parents plan until 26 years of age – women’s healthcare now included as basic coverage - no coverage limits or termination – coverage guaranteed despite pre-existing conditions.  Understand insurance companies must use 80% of premiums toward healthcare – not profits for their stockholders – or be forced to give their customers rebates.  Understand that with 30 million new customers, premium costs are expected to go down and they already have in states that are cooperating with the federal government by implementing the competitive exchanges.  Understand insurance companies will no longer have to pass along the cost of emergency room usage by the uninsured to the rest of us.  Understand that small businesses throughout the country will actually benefit with sizeable tax breaks upon implementation of healthcare for their employees.  Understand that it is the big conglomerates like Walmart – not Main St. - who are threatening job creation by blaming the ACA when, in actuality, it has been their policy to limit employee hours to preclude benefit coverage for years now!  UNDERSTAND THAT FOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF US WHO ARE ALREADY COVERED, THERE WILL BE ABSOLUTELY NO CHANGE IN COVERAGE WHATSOEVER – EXCEPT MAYBE A REDUCTION IN RATES, BETTER GUARANTEED BENEFITS AND AN OCCASIONAL REBATE HERE AND THERE!  GOP doomsayers say it is “now or never” to defund Obamacare.  Well, they are absolutely correct because once the American people know the truth and see the benefits of the program, the top 1% will be forced to kiss a whole .9% more of their income goodbye!

NOT GUILTY? THEN WHO IS TO BLAME?

I SHARE THIS THOUGHT FROM JULY 14th - AFTER THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE GEORGE ZIMMERMAN VERDICT:

The justice system has spoken. As a citizen, I am obligated to accept the verdict. But, there is a deep sense of sadness in my heart this morning and our country should be alarmed by what has and will transpire as a result of this trial. My thoughts are these: Our justice system is the best that we have, but it is flawed. I won’t begin to break down the case because I did not watch the trial, but my premise is very simple: this event involved two people. Despite all the evidence, the simple fact is we heard only one side of the story. We do not and can never know what really happened and, I suppose, reasonable doubt is a logical conclusion. However, it does not erase the fact that a great tragedy occurred where an unarmed seventeen-year-old boy was shot dead by a man who initiated the encounter by following him with suspicion. Somehow, this has become a political hotbed of liberals vs. conservatives. But, no matter the outcome, we have all lost. Black children and men alike will continue to be forced to exist in this country with constant fear of suspicion. Stand-your-ground laws will encourage more George Zimmermans. Our justice system will be mired in cases where guilt or innocence will be trumped by unknowable intention. Sooner or later, a victim won't be a kid in a far away state, but it could very well be someone we know and love. Who are the real villains here? It’s the state legislatures, such as Florida, who believe it is proper to pass laws where murder becomes an acceptable alternative. And through the political battles to come, many – on both sides – will forget what really happened here - the tragic loss of a teenager who, except for another man’s actions, was simply walking home from the store.

PERSONAL RELIEF BUT ....

TODAY, I SHARE A POST I MADE ON FACEBOOK ON AUGUST 19th:

Today, I am greatly relieved. My daughter was rehired by the School District of Philadelphia. Also, in this coming school year, she will be moving to her desired position of a string music specialist. I love her and wish her well for an exciting and rewarding school year! But, I also have to share my disdain and disgust with the school district, city government, and state government. The stress and unknown has taken a significant toll - not only on my daughter - but on the thousands who were laid off, the thousands of students and parents not knowing whether school would open and what kind of education they would receive, and the millions of Philadelphians who will suffer great cultural and economic strife if the public schools go down the drain. THE SCHOOLS AND THE EDUCATION OF OUR YOUTH ARE NOT POLITICAL FOOTBALLS. The sooner we as a nation understand the importance of education FOR ALL and how it affects us ALL, the more belief and confidence in the American Dream will result.

OF THE 1%, BY THE 1% AND FOR THE 1%

Conservatives have sworn allegiance to trickle-down economics since Reagan.  In theory, tax breaks and other economic benefits to businesses and the wealthy will benefit poorer members of society by improving the economy as a whole.  So, how has that been working for you?  Let’s use the consummate example of American business - Walmart – to judge our progress.  Here’s a company that boasts its prices will beat anybody and you will never know the difference between a steak prepared in a five-star steakhouse and the Walmart steak you eat at home.  Their fruit is all local and juicy and “the best I’ve ever tasted.”  They portray a young black man as a stock boy who is exuberant to be “working his way up” on the Walmart team!  It is a company worth more than 500 billion dollars – the American success story!  OK, TRICKLE DOWN – DO YOUR MAGIC!  Well, here is the drought reality:

The wealth of the Walton family – heirs to the Walmart fortune - is as large as FORTY-TWO PER CENT OF ALL OTHER AMERICAN FAMILIES COMBINED!  Yet, the company still receives an estimated 2 billion dollars of tax breaks, free land, infrastructure assistance and grants from the American taxpayers every year.  Walmart consistently finagles working hours so “associates” do not qualify for benefits (and before you blame Obamacare, this has been a consistent practice for more than a decade).  The AVERAGE salary for a Walmart employee is less than $240 per week without benefits.  Most make a measly $6 per hour with less than 28 hours of work per week allotted.  This pay scale places employees with families below the poverty line with the MAJORITY of Walmart employees' children qualifying for free lunch at school as a result.  When closely examined, this amounts to a form of double-dipping corporate welfare, as the taxpayer subsidize not only the company, but the low salaries of its employees as well!  In some stores, 80% of the employees are forced onto public assistance because they don’t make a living wage.

SO, WHERE IS THE TRICKLE DOWN?  Well, many will say the low prices enjoyed by the many who shop at Walmart stores is helping the overall economy despite the fact that its own employees don’t earn enough to shop without public assistance.  You have to look at the whole picture.  So, let’s do that: Despite a well-publicized "Made in the U.S.A." campaign, 85 percent of the stores' items are made overseas, often in Third World sweatshops (remember Bangladesh?). By taking its orders abroad, Wal-Mart has forced many US manufacturers out of business.  Plus, Walmart’s practice of saturating the marketplace and clearing out the retail competition has been remarkably successful, thus closing countless stores of its competitors and leaving them sitting empty.  Is this helping the economy or simply lining the purses of the Walton family?

OK – enough about Walmart – maybe they are just a “bad apple”.  The fact is many conservatives revere the people at the top-of-the-food-chain as morally better and more deserving because their hard work has paid off.  I’ll say it’s paid off – but at whose expense?  The top 1% earns 25% of this country’s income every year.  The top 1% now controls more than 40% of America’s total wealth.  Over the past decade, the income of the top 1% has increased more than 18% while those in the middle and poorer classes have seen their incomes fall.  And, with all of this concentrated wealth combined with the legislative and judicial buying-power it affords (like Citizens United), the concept of a better economy for all from trickle-down effects is laughable.  In reality, we are the land of economic EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF and, more and more, only a very select few have a voice.  Yes, we are becoming a country of the 1%, by the 1% and for the 1%.