Sorry, but I feel I must delve into the realm of politics for one blog entry. Feel free to head to the next website of your choice. If you decide to read further, understand that this whole financial situation in the country has me perplexed.
Here’s why I have a hard time understanding the Federal Budget problem: it’s just a matter of addition and subtraction. Money in minus money out. We’re not even talking multiplication and division. Just +’s and –‘s. Surely even politicians can add and subtract.
Well, apparently not. Whether you agree with the “stimulus” package or not, can we all agree it’s a hell of a lot of money? It’s money our government does not have. If we ran a business like that, we’d be out of business – but this is exactly the solution the government proposes.
Next, we’re giving BILLIONS of dollars to Israel AND Palestine. I won’t pick sides, but again, it’s a hell of a lot of money. I’m thinking they’re using the money to kill each other, and then ask for more money so they can rebuild what they just blew up. Seems to me if we need money here at home, we shouldn’t be sending it to both sides of an ongoing killing game. I see that as endless subtraction with no addition.
How about a moratorium on ALL overseas spending until we get our own house in order? If somebody knocks on our door, we just simply reply, “Sorry, we need the money here first. We’ll get back to you in a couple years.” As Tom Joad said in The Grapes of Wrath, “Times are tough.” Don’t even get me started on the colossal waste of the last 6 years in Iraq.
I know diplomacy is important and all, but where has 40 years of diplomacy in the Middle East gotten us? How about our Korean peninsula diplomacy? Just an annual price tag and nothing to show for it. Money going out, nothing coming in (more subtraction than addition). Seems like our best diplomacy has been a strong economy (see Japan and China).
The President said recently he will cut the annual deficit in half during his 4 years in office. He’s proud of that? He’s saying, “Even after 4 years, we’ll still be spending more money than we’re taking in.” Again, if we ran a business like that, we would be bankrupt. Yet, the Prez is proud of that plan. What about eliminating the deficit THIS year? Let’s just spend less than we take in. Remember, it’s just addition and subtraction.
Bush is not without fault, either. He pushed a tax rebate and then told us to go spend it. Sage advice. Try again.
Our defense spending is out of control. The Air Force still wants to buy F-22’s when unmanned aerial vehicles are in short supply and proven to be cheaper, safer, and . . . drum roll please. . ., MORE EFFECTIVE. Shows you that fighter pilots still control the Air Force and won’t change despite a mountain of evidence supporting change.
That’s similar to our two main political parties that won’t change despite the obvious need. The democrats still want to tax and spend and spend and spend on every social program known to man. The republicans keep talking about the need to “get power back.” Excuse me, get power back? So, the goal of the Republican Party is to have power? Surprise, surprise, a bunch of politicians worried about maintaining power rather than being PUBLIC SERVANTS. What happened to the days when our forefathers envisioned community leaders leaving their normal lives for a short period of time to serve the greater good as members of congress? That didn’t last long.
[ASIDE] If you’re still reading to this point, thank you. Send an e-mail to schumw@yahoo.com. My bet is I’ll only get one e-mail.
That leads me to my point. When are we, as a society, going to wake up and realize our two powerful political parties have failed us? We’re going down in an eerily similar fashion to Ancient Rome, but yet no one wants to acknowledge it. Political Parties are serving themselves, not the public interest. Why can’t our country see it? Are we that blind or that distracted? Or do we just not care so long as there is a McDonald's on one corner, a Starbucks on the other, and we can watch American Idol one night and the Bachelor the next?
It just doesn’t add (or subtract) up.
95 days to go.
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2 comments:
Agree with pretty much everything you're saying... Especially the "when they knock on our door" part. Was telling somebody yesterday, it may be time to just shut all of that stuff down for an indefinite period and say, sorry we got big problems on the home front, you're going to have to figure it out.
Now, of course, many will argue that in order for national security to remain in place, we have to spend that money. Really? And to hear you (a person on that wall) say it may be time to shut down is VERY interesting to me.
All that said, don't think you are far off. Schum for Congress.
Coate
"Or do we just not care so long as there is a McDonald's on one corner, a Starbucks on the other, and we can watch American Idol one night and the Bachelor the next?"
Exactly.
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