Social and Political Commentary |
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... At last, Americans are protesting!
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Amazing! Americans in more than a hundred cities are protesting our way of life
– political and financial. Protesting favors to the super rich, bailing out banks but not those mistreated by banks. Amazing! Americans are declaring that capitalism isn't working except for the super rich, banks and corporations. A month ago one unique super-rich man, Warren Buffet, urged in a New York Times headline to “Stop Coddling the Super- Rich!” Super rich himself, he is an exception because the Republican super rich have been holding back any program that is generous to those struggling to exist. While all over the world capitalism has added waves of socialism to their governments, we Americans have struggled to survive under the dominance of the very rich and powerful. All over Europe, South America and in most other parts of the world where dictators are not in power, their governments have “mixed economies” that consider the needs and rights of all of their people, rich, middle class, lower groups most in need. All of the world's countries, except the most impoverished, have given their people health care, yes, even Saddam Hussein did! Our Republicans in Congress are still opposed to any health plan except one that continues to profit the insurance and pharmaceutical companies. What chance have Americans had for better, fuller lives if they were struggling just for the basics of life while the rich and super rich have thought only of doubling their wealth? And our Senators and Representatives have not attempted to change this imbalance? But finally, Americans are protesting! Mostly young people camping out in our parks, but on a recent Boston radio station four senior citizens driven there from their distant homes to join Boston's protesters, women in their seventies and eighties declaring how unfair and undemocratic our “economic inequality” is and must be changed. Will some elements of “socialism” be possible, even demanded? Why is socialism so feared? All it means is that some of the nation's industries and resources are owned by the government--but most countries moderate that so there is only partial control of these areas, but they assure that all of their citizens have a share of the nation's wealth, protected from total insecurity. Remember in grammar school when there was someone's birthday party EVERYONE got the same portion of the cookies, candy and popcorn--sharing as many religions expound. Another area some of the nation-wide protesters are angry about is our constant wars still demanding funding that otherwise could help feed hungry children and find a small hovel for the homeless people in our country. At present, with figures shifting every day, more than 650,000 people are without a home to sleep in. If homeless, how can they afford to eat? In most cities there are a few places that offer meals for the needy and shelters for those without homes, but shelters are often full, so turn away some who need a safe place at night. How frightened many Americans must be with winter looming at our back doors! Peace-hopefuls resent that not only are the rich arms makers President Eisenhower tried to warn us about wallowing in money for weapons to kill, but our young, life-inexperienced soldiers are still dying in needless wars before they've had a chance for living a full life as our Senators and Representatives have. And while Iraq is still unsettled and not peaceful, Afghanistan is still losing more lives in this, the tenth year of that war, fought to catch Osama bin Laden, now caught and killed. President Obama opposed the needless Iraq War, now regretted also by former President Bush himself, but still is entrapped in Afghanistan. Is it he who will not end that war in a country that defeated Russia and Great Britain, or is it the Military-Industrial-Congressional Complex that troubled Eisenhower that is forcing Obama to struggle on? It is upsetting to see President Obama on TV attempting to pass a Jobs Bill to offer work in fixing damaged and dangerous bridges, schools, repairing roads, work for many unemployed who have been unable to support themselves or their families. We hear complaints that “the president isn't creating jobs!” But he IS trying, but the Republicans in Congress, especially the Republican-dominated House, refuse to pass the Jobs Bill to create jobs, and complain mightily that “the President isn't creating jobs!” So a great portion of U.S. citizens are suffering from lack of money to pay mortgages, feed their families, pay rent, buy new shoes for their children, pay medical bills and buy medicines. So where is the money that we know is somewhere in this advanced country--in the bank accounts of our bankers? Facts are showing that the banks and financial investors who provoked the great financial disaster three years ago—remember them?--are doing beautifully. Well, remember how we bailed them out? So they still have our great supplies of money, and are working very hard for it--investing wisely and stashing it away. It is a fact, cited by Warren Buffet in his article about “Coddling the Super Rich,” that the very rich pay less in taxes than some who work in jobs that barely pay their expenses. The Super Rich feel no guilt about having four or five homes while some of their fellow citizens are homeless, while they can travel all around the world while many poor today cannot take a train to see their elderly parents or visit their grown children. The great movement of protests for greater sharing of our wealth and rights, ending our needless wars--$2,000,000,000 each week in Afghanistan—must be respected by our powerful and rich. And more so, by our president, senators and representatives, our governors and mayors. They must be reminded of words in our Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson: “All men are created equal, they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, 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. Whenever any form of government becomes unaware of these ends, it is the right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety, and Happiness.” December 2, 2011
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