What Are We Leaving To Our Children and Grandchildren? NOTHING!

I am constantly hearing politicians state that we are leaving our children and grandchildren an enormous debt to deal with. They really don't care about future generations, they only care about the wealth and power they can accumulate for themselves. What we are leaving for the next group of Americans is, a once proud and great country, that has been destroyed and brought to it's knees by greed corruption and the inability to accomplish something that will benefit all Americans. The, "me", generation is leaving, an uneducated society, an infrastructure that is collapsing around us, corporations that do not make anything of value, prevalent greed, pollution, an inability to think, an attitude of defeatism, no sense of national pride, debt and, maybe worse of all, no leadership and direction on how to accomplish the big things we need, in order to regain our place in the world's economies.  We sit and wring our collective hands, just as our leaders do, waiting for someone else to devise a solution. While we sit, China is fast becoming the dominate force around the world. We are losing the economic war and instead of attacking the source of this war, we fight between each other. The communists in China are accomplishing what the Soviet Union failed to do and they are doing it with our help. Yes, we are helping with our money, but more importantly we are helping them by forgetting how to accomplish anything. We have spent months arguing about whether we should pay for the money we have spent, instead of focusing on solutions to create good paying jobs. Raise the God Damn debt ceiling and then let's start putting America back to work.
  Start by doing to China the same thing they do to us. Make it too expensive for companies to build in China and export to America. Give incentives to companies, who manufacture here and sell it at a decent profit, as long as they use American workers and pay them good wages and benefits. We could help these companies, by having health care that is not tied to our jobs. This would decrease the cost of benefits. Look at all trade agreements and if it does not benefit the American worker, we do not honor it. Give workers a real and fair opportunity to join unions and have collective bargaining. Give power and a voice back to workers, not to the corporations, that make huge profits off of our sweat and sacrifices. Look at regulation and make common sense approaches, to clean air and water. Make the regulations fit the industry and work for the good of American people, not to create loopholes for payoffs and corruption.
   We have to start campaign finance reform that will get the corruption out of our political process. No more private money, period. We could have public money and each candidate will get the same amount to run for an office. They can learn to live within their means and budget money based in this way. If you are elected or work for a politician, you will not be able to work for lobbyist. We need people to lobby for a particular point of view, however, we need the loudest voice for the average American. For too long our voices have been the silent ones.
    Tax reform will also have to be addressed. NO MORE LOOPHOLES!!!!! We should first eliminate the loopholes for everyone. Corporations and individuals. Then leave rates where they are for the time being and use the money, explicitly for paying off the national debt. Once the debt is paid off we will, first, build a surplus, then look at scaling back rates, however we will always leave a little something for savings.
    The only changes to Social Security is to eliminate the cut off point for high wage earners. If you receive a paycheck you will pay SS tax on the entire amount you make per year. If we have to, in order to preserve future generation's Social Security, we will have small increases to our payroll taxes for this purpose. Remember once we pay off the debt taxes will go down, so this will be offset. I do not want to hear about taxing and spending, this is for average Americans. We can adjust the age to receive benefits as the life expectancy increases, however we will keep in mind what type of work someone does before we move their retirement ages back. If you are like me and spent most of your time in an office, and are in good health, the age can be pushed back a couple of years. If on the other hand, you worked as a coal miner that age can be brought forward. See, common sense and fairness. It would work.
   We will look at education and infrastructure. We will examine our schools and start the process of changing them from a test taking environment to a place of learning. We will show our children and young people how to think and develop, instead of teaching for some achievement test. From early learning straight through college or technical school, we will spend what ever we need to once again become the highest educated people on the planet. we will leave no stone unturned until this is accomplished and maintained.
   We need to place people in jobs that rebuild our roads, electrical grids, high speed rail, mass transit, schools, bridges, dams, energy systems and every other infrastructure project we can think of. We need to rebuild America. This will provide high paying jobs that will provide higher tax revenues, that will create more jobs to supply the new homes, cars, furniture, appliances, electronics and all other items we need for modern life.  
   What are the alternatives? We could continue this downward trend until we become an after thought in the world. We can abdicate our position to China and acknowledge that Communism is the way to lead. We can become a third world nation and look for handouts from other countries. You decide. This is my vision and it only scratches the surface of ideas I have. What is your vision. In the days to come I will talk about ways we can work to change our visions to reality. Until then, get pissed off about our current direction and decide to work toward a new and better America for ourselves, our children and our grandchildren.

Economic Terrorists

I have only one thing to say about the Tea Party members in Congress. They are the equivalent of economic terrorists. They have demanded that either everything goes the way they want or they will drive the entire country off the cliff and dash it on the rocky coast below. They are standing by as our 401k's shrink. The jobs they promised are not appearing because THEY have placed such uncertainty on the businesses of America. The spectre of a collapsing American economy has not made them rethink their position. It is their way or chaos. Simply put if we default the interest rate will increase and we will then owe several trillion dollars more in debt. The very thing they say they will fight, debt, we increase because of their stupidity. Remember the "cold war". Everyone decided that if their was mutual destruction, nobody would pull the trigger. Well guess what the Tea Party folks are more then willing to pull that trigger and set off the destruction of the country they pretend to love.  While the Tea Party is out to destroy America the Republicans are the willing accomplices. They voted to have a law that will only allow tax increases if a two thirds majority votes to do so. On the other hand they can cut spending on programs such as Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid with only a fifty percent majority. This should tell you all you need to know about the Republicans and Tea Party. They will protect the millionaires and billionaires, Oh I am sorry according to the people on the right, they are job creators. They will cut from middle class Americans, oh wait again, we are the entitlement people. We feel that we should get all this money from Social Security, even though we have paid into it for 40 or 50 years. What should happen is every member of Congress, who voted for this piece of garbage bill, should resign. There is no longer a pretense by the right, about who they support. They have sold out the American people  to the highest bidder. That bidder is the wealthy elite. We should make note of who voted for this bill tonight and make sure they never get elected to another office in this country. Are they economic terrorist? Absolutely!

Brace Yourself The New Revolution Is Coming.

Just to be clear, I am not some wild, eyed socialistic, crazed lunatic. At least I don't think I am, but let me also be clear that a new revolution is coming and it is coming far quicker then most people believe. The widening gulf between the haves and the have nots, will lead to social unrest. The elite and corporate leaders, the members of Congress, and even the President, should understand that while they play the fiddle, America is burning. Fifty plus years and the average worker has lost ground, while the wealthy have made huge gains. A free and Democratic society cannot be supported by a few aristocrats. The strength in our America lies in the ability for average people to have and obtain a higher standard of living. In America today that is not possible.
I watched with amazement as people stood up in Middle Eastern countries and demanded fairness. Fairness in economic standings. The average person, no matter which country they are from, wants the opportunity to work hard and to be paid a fair, living wage, for their effort. They know when the deck is stacked against them and cannot abide by the fact that people at the top accumulate vast amounts of wealth and do not pay a fair portion of taxes and more importantly, do not create jobs and growth opportunities for others. The average person wants their children to have a better life then they had themselves. They know this can only be achieved by education. Again they see how the elite have those education opportunities for their children, while the average child is denied. How long do you think we can stand by and watch as our country is swallowed by greed and indifference? How long can the average person watch as corporations continue to rake in huge profits and yet they create no jobs and what jobs they do create are either overseas or lower paying? How long can we watch our, so called leaders, hand out money for corporate welfare, while they tell us we are a drain on the economy, when we demand to receive our small Social Security checks, which we have contributed to. How long can we sit on the sidelines and observe the stripping of all wealth from the average person to shift it to the wealthiest people.
The answer is not for long. Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski, a Democrat and former national security advisor to president Carter, stated that the social unrest will expand as people seek resolution to our economic problems. Joe Scarborough of "Morning Joe" on MSNBC, a conservative, former Republican, lawmaker agrees that we must address the social issues that are coming forward because of the disparity in wealth. A new Pew Study, states that we now have the greatest gap between the wealthiest and the poorest in the history of our nation. All of this points to one thing. People will take to the streets in order to get some sense of fairness. It happened in the Middle East, it happened in Europe and it will happen here in the United States. We fought before to lift the yolk of oppression, and make no mistake about it, we have become an oppressed society again. The answer is to find fair and honest solutions that will create opportunities to every American citizen. To ignore this, in the way that the Republicans, the Tea Party members, the elite, the corporation and to some extent the Democrats, will lead to chaos and the demise of America. Wake up Americans. Get off your asses and tell, not ask, your Congress and President and leaders to make the American way of life a reality again. To do nothing will lead to revolution and destruction. I would hope that we would come together and make peaceful solutions, but I am willing to what I have to in order to secure the rights and freedoms of all Americans. The choice is ours.

Why I Hate Tea Partiers, Republicans, Corporations and Elite.

Every person has some of their own self interest in mind as they go about their daily living, but the Tea Party members and politicians, the Conservative Republicans, corporate leaders and the wealthy elite has nothing but their own interest in mind as they look at federal problems. No where do they understand or care about the effect of their mindless chant, "no taxes", on the people of this country. When asked about Social Security and Medicare the seniors in the Tea Party movement say , no way on touching theses programs. Corporations cry about health care costs, but disappeared when it came time to have a national program. They are sitting on over two trillion dollars in cash and yet hiring Americans and paying them a living wage is not in their vocabulary. The elite sit on their piles of money and complain about the market reaction to problems, but scream if we talk about a modest increase in their taxes, to pay down the debt. The Republicans take pledges to never raise taxes and stand by this even if it makes no sense to do so. As if a politician never promises one thing to get elected and does something else after they are in office. All of the above I disagree with these groups on, but this is not why I hate them. I hate them because of what they are doing to real people.
     During the last election all the talk was about, jobs. Well, where are the jobs? We have attacks on women's rights. We have attacks on gays. We have attacks on teachers. We have attacks on unions, that represent average American workers. We have attacks on the social programs that make the difference of whether people live with dignity or they die in despair. The list goes on, but nowhere are there any new, well paying jobs, so people can go to work, hold their heads up high and have some small slice of the American dream.
     The poverty level for families increased from 9.3% in 2000 to 9.7% now. Children in poverty went from 15.6% to 18.5%. For Black and Hispanic children the rate is over 30%. These are real people that are suffering and yet we argue between ourselves about saving corporate welfare and act as if that is more important then education. The poverty levels will continue to increase unless we reverse the process and start investing in the people of America. We have let the companies and the elite have a free ride for far to long. We have to get serious about changing our social safety net for the rich. That is right we have to eliminate the safety net for the most elite among us, the wealthy. They have fed off the average American for over fifty years and it is pay back time. The people that say the tax increase will keep companies from creating jobs have it backwards. We have to increase taxes and use it to create jobs. The federal government must start and build rapid train systems, linking the entire country. They must place mass transit systems in every city. Our bridges and roads are falling apart and need to be updated. Our electrical grid is antiquated and is in need of serious modernization. Our water delivery pipes, sewers and clean water plants need repairs and updates. We need to find, develop and build new, clean and safe energy systems. All of this HAS to be started and funded by the Federal Government. The private companies need to get on board and help, but this has to be driven by government. The alternative is that we will become a follower, behind China and other industrial countries. We will become a second rate nation. We will become more dependent on government. If people made living wages and paid their fair share of taxes, we would go back to a strong middle class, driven economy. This is what made us the envy of the rest of the world.
    This is why I hate the groups I mentioned above. They are narrow minded. They are not educated on the economy. They are self interested. They are driving America to it's death. They have to become aware that it is an entire country that is at stake here, not just them. We are in this fight together. We have to stop blaming the average American for the current financial mess. They have to realize that the problem is at the top and the changes have to come from the top. My friend Jon R. on his entertaining and informative blog, "The SOG Oracle" wrote an enlightening post the other day. I invite each of you to link onto the blog and read it. For the tea parties, the elite, the corporation, and the conservative republicans I have this warning. I will not give in. I and many more like me will continue to speak out until people learn to understand that you are the ones that have to change. The American people are weary, but,  just when you think they are done, they will rise up and demand and fight for all that is fair and right. So be prepared, we are just getting started, we are coming after you. We will turn out at the polls and vote for leaders until they finally fight for us. We will win and take back America, for all of us, not just for a select few.  So BEWARE.  Here we come!

Even Tho I Write This Blog, You Cannot Hold Me Responsible!

While you read this post and any of the others that I have written, Please remember that I am not responsible for the content. I am watching the current fiasco with Rupert Murdoch and News Corps. He is taking the route that Florida's felon Governor, Rick Scott took in his defense, when Hospital Corporation of America was fined, the largest amount in American history, for Medicaid fraud. They did not know. They were the head of large corporations. They know facts and figures and have them at their fingertips. They knew their profits and margins, so their businesses could run efficiently. They knew every detail about their respective corporations, and yet when the crap hit the fan, they hid, like the cowards they are, and claimed they knew nothing about the crimes. These so called leaders have stood by and allowed the people that worked for them to be thrown under the bus. Years ago, when I was placed in my first leadership position, I was taught that you made a decision and right or wrong you stood by those decisions. If the choices you made were wrong, you then stood up and accepted the repercussions of that choice. You do not sit and watch the people that worked for you accept the blame. True leadership is about integrity, honesty, decision making, giving direction, sharing a vision and then directing people how to accomplish that vision. Today's business and political leaders are about one thing, profits. Get there fast and I don't care how you get there. If you get caught doing something to increase the profits and there is a problem, I will then cut you loose to save my own skin. Mr. Murdoch and Mr. Scott are definitely, two men, I would never want to share a foxhole with. As the enemy advances, they would not only flee, they would point out your position, so the advancing forces would take you down to  further increase their chance of survival. My advice to both of you is this. Be a man. Step up and accept the penalties for your decisions. You have always been first in line with huge bonuses and pay increases, so do the honorable thing. Take the heat that you and your companies deserve. I for one do not believe either person will do so. That is why I call them cowards. The remark I made at the beginning of this post is just a way to point out how leaders of today try to avoid responsibility. I for one will always stand by anything I state in my blogs. If there is something  wrong, and someone points out the error I will accept the blame and move on. That is how we are all supposed to do it.

Casey Anthony Is An Amateur, When It Comes To Hurting Children!

The first and most important point I want to make is whatever happened to Caylee Anthony it was and still is a complete tragedy. Nothing can change the horrible fact that a little girl died for no reason and we still do not know what happened to her. When I state that Casey Anthony is nothing but a hobbyist, when it comes to hurting children let me explain. Watching Ms. Anthony being released from prison the other night I was struck by the number of people, who turned out in the middle of the night to catch a glimpse of her and shout things like, "baby killer" and "justice for Caylee". I wander what type of person goes to this length, because of one child. I also wander where are these same people, as well as the face book Moms and Blogosphere Moms when each day there are assaults on the well being of all of our children. Why are they not standing in front of insurance companies offices and shouting , "baby killers"?  Why are the not asking our political leaders for, "justice for our children"?

 In Florida Felon Governor Scott has gutted education in the amount of $1.75 billion. This is destroying our children's lives and chances for a life time of better wages and a good life. In Wisconsin, the Union busting idiot governor, Scott Walker has cut to the tune of $835 million and the demonstration against him has died down. In the federal government half of the $38 billion in spending cuts have come at the expense of health, labor and education. These all have devastating effects on our children. Parents do not have jobs. They loose health care, if they even have it in the first place and of course the quality of education continues to go down. Where are the greedy businesses that are laying off people and cutting back the benefits they have offered in the past. They are flush with cash and yet instead of investing in their corporations they elect to increase bonuses and pay for the upper management people. These are the true monsters in our society today. They make decisions that effect all of our children, not just one.
My question then to everyone of you, is where is the parental protection from the greed and stupidity of our leaders. Where are the claws of Motherhood as these people take from your children. Where is the outrage that comes from knowing that your children are being destroyed, slowly. Do you only follow the story line if it involves sex, lies  and videotape? Come on people show the emotional outburst that you had when Casey was found. "not guilty." If you will become involved I will drive around downtown parking garages, changing cars to throw off the news helicopters. Actually I will do just about anything to arouse the strong emotions I saw when even before the trial started, the lynch mobs were forming. Everyone should be fighting mad, because as much hurt as someone did to little Caylee Anthony, it was amateur hour compared to the damage that is being done to the rest of your children. Get angry. Get vocal. Get involved and change the direction of your children's lives, now!

The Mother of All Yard Sales, Could This Solve Our Debt Problem?

The last few posts I have shown signs of confusion, but over the weekend I believe there was a revelation on our debt problems. Let's hold the "Mother of all Garage Sales. Within a few weeks we would invite people and representatives from around the world. It would be the social and business event of the century. Everything must go would be the mantra.

Let's start with the Pentagon. They could bring old nuclear war heads to D.C. What terrorist in their right mind could pass up a clearance sale like that. I am sure we could bring in a cool $100 million dollars, especially if we throw in a couple of intercontinental missiles to close the deal. Some old jet aircraft, with an aircraft carrier group could be sold off to the highest bidder. Let's not forget about our artillery and tank groups. More money in the pot.

Next we could look at some of our building in the nations capital. The Capital building and the Congressional office buildings would bring in a huge amount. It is not like we need it for anything. No work has been accomplished there in years. Plus we definitely have no signs of intelligent life anywhere in the area. While we are selling of the buildings that Congress uses, we could sweeten the deal by placing the fleet of limos, that members of Congress have at their disposal in the deal.

National Parks would be placed on the auction block. Hell the Republicans have been after closing them since Teddy Roosevelt. We have some nice timber and natural resource areas that big business could destroy, but at a price. They pay and reduce the debt, they can ruin any pristine parts of America. They would not have to worry about regulations that would lower their profits. They could strip trees, dig mines and drill for oil at their hearts content.

Let me think. What else could we do without. Schools, think how much we could cut the deficit, if we eliminate education from the budget. We could sell them to foreign countries. Then they could just educate their people here and have them in place to take our jobs. I know what would we do with our uneducated children? Who cares. That does not bother people now. We will just eliminate the cost and appearance of educating them.

Health Care. We could sell off our hospitals. Now I know that most hospitals are private companies or groups, so first we have to nationalize them. This way we could make a profit at the garage sell and eliminate health care costs, because no Americans would be able to use them. Simple, no use, we don't have to pay. People will die and then we don't have to pay Social Security benefits. This sale idea is sounding better and better.

Getting back to our nations capital. There are thousands of museums and memorials around the city. Some foreign countries do not have memorials for their veterans. We could sell the Vietnam Memorial to Vietnam. They lost people in that war also and they don't have to change the name. Washington Monument may not be a huge draw, unless we let them change names and pay us naming rights, similar to sports teams. The Washington Monument would become the Queen Elizabeth, Tostidos, Monument and the Lincoln  Memorial  would become the Hosni Mubarak, Citibank, Memorial.

At this point we are probably operating at a surplus, so get this Republicans, we can now give the big businesses and wealthy elite more tax breaks. We could lower their tax rate to zero. It doesn't get any better then this. I can only imagine the euphoria that the Republicans and Tea Party people are going through right now. John Boehner is somewhere crying in elation over this idea and Eric Cantor just wet his pants.  My only question to the Republicans and Tea Partiers. Why didn't you all think of this?  So lets' all roll up our sleeves and get busy. It will take several weeks to put this together. Congress could pass an extension to the debt ceiling and if we move quick enough, we could get this done before the next debt ceiling is hit. Together we can do this.