It seems as if the word "compromise" has disappeared from our lives. It seems as if the words "tolerance," "moderation," and "forgiveness" are also in short supply. Fueled by "Hate TV" and slanted journalism, it is difficult to sort out the problems facing our country -- much less the solutions required to fix these problems.
This summer I have listened to many conversations at gatherings of friends and family. Much of the time, people speak their minds on politics, religion, issues of the day, but never listen to the responses of others. Or, they belittle the beliefs and ideas of others. We are bombarded on a daily basis by left and right-leaning TV news stations, talk radio, and internet news and propaganda. It is often difficult to discern the kernel of truth in this abundance of information.
It seems politicians will go to any length to undermine the opposing party. I truly believe at this moment, some segments of the Republican Party would prefer to see the economy crash again, just to prove that President Obama was wrong in his attempts to stabilize the economy. Why is it that in the past few years, each party seems vehemently opposed to any legislation proposed by the other party? Why is there no compromise anymore. Where are the "cooler heads" who used to work diligently to bring the ideas of each party together to craft legislation that benefited the people of this great nation. Now, each side is intent on "winning" as opposed to "governing."
Also, the underlying racism in our country sickens me. It is not just a case of black and white; there is a pervasive distrust and dislike of almost anyone who is not a white, Christian citizen. This is disturbing. Our nation was built by immigrants, and today a new generation of immigrants of many colors, races and creeds contributes to our culture and economy. Why do we hate anyone who is different from us? Diversity enhances our lives.
It seems as if almost everyone I listen to has "drawn a line in the sand" over every major issue in our country -- gun control, abortion, gay marriage. Why must it be this way? Can't we agree to disagree on some issues. We live in a democracy where the majority rules. Can't we gracefully accept when we lose the battle over an issue? When I was young, I was strongly opposed to abortion, and even now, I find it disturbing. However, the majority of people in this nation consider this one of women's basic rights -- I accept this and support it; who am I to argue that my beliefs hold more political clout than those of the majority?
We live in a society where greed and power rule. The middle class is disappearing; the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. This is not "class warfare", it is the reality of our lives today. And yet, in order to win an election, politicians must raise huge amounts of money for their campaigns -- and much of this money comes from the corporations whose greed and power will at least partially control the politicians' decisions.
However, as our lawmakers cater to the rich and powerful, many of the problems in our economy are blamed on the poor -- those who need the "handouts" and "entitlements" -- those who cannot afford to house, feed and clothe their families and pay for healthcare on the low wages they receive for their labor.
We need those "cool heads" and those "voices of reason" today -- they are critical to saving our nation. We need people who will put the good of the nation above their own desire for political power. Our problems are complex; there is a huge schism between those who lean to the left and those to the right. The "line in the sand" becomes deeper and more difficult to surmount as we listen to the heated rhetoric in the media.
We need good ideas from both sides of the aisle in Congress; we need cooperation between the executive and legislative branches of government at all levels. Let us all hope that a strong voice of reason steps forward and prevails, so our great nation can be saved.
There is something terribly wrong today in the financial and political systems in our nation. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer, and our country is at risk of losing status in the global community. The Republicans claim the Democrats do not want to make the difficult decisions which will improve the economy (meaning budget cuts) and the cuts the Democrats do make seem to be those that impact the most vulnerable in our society -- the poor and the children. The Republicans refuse to impose taxes on the wealthy, mistakenly believing still in the "trickle down" effect.
In my opinion, our most serious problem is GREED -- unadulterated greed for money and for power. We have gradually veered off course. The United States was once the "land of opportunity" for anyone who wanted to work hard. Ordinary men built thriving businesses that fed their own families and provided employees with adequate wages and benefits and pride in their accomplishments. It was possible for young men of limited means to aspire to political positions and actually win elections based on merit and knowledge.
Now, our financial world is comprised of huge corporations whose CEO's make astronomical salaries, while their workers often barely make a living wage. The small businesses which built this great country are a thing of the past -- "Main Street" has been replaced by big-box stores and malls lined with chain stores. Small shops cannot possibly compete with the buying power of these mega-stores.
Our politicians must have bottomless treasure chests of campaign funds to win an election, and unless they are already extremely wealthy, a great deal of these funds come from contributions from large corporations, leaving even the most honest politician walking a fine line between doing what he thinks is best for the country or doing what he needs to do to maintain the financial support of his corporate "sponsors".
The motivation in business today is GREED. He who can make the most money and maintain the most lavish lifestyle is the winner. What does it matter to him if the people who work for him do not earn a living wage. He is successful, respected and powerful, and that is what counts in America today. To Hell with ethics, as long as he can build his own little empire.
The motiviation in politics is GREED FOR POWER. There is, as always, a huge divide between the principles of both political parties. The Democrats traditionally support the common man and feel a responsibility to care for the disadvantaged, while promoting more liberal social causes such as abortion and gay marriate. The Republicans traditionally support the health of big business and the deep-rooted morals of their predominantly Chrisitan members. We need the ideas from both parties to save our country -- to make it once again a society where people really do have opportunities to better themselves, take pride in their work, have adequate health care, and a safety net during hard times. BUT, today our politicians refuse to work together for the common good. They are much more concerned with their own political power than with any compromise. Partisanship is alive and well because of this tremendous greed for power.
Please take some time to ponder the following questions. In order for things to change in this country, we all must look directly at the problems that face us and speak out.
1. Why are corporate profits up tremendously, yet our unemployment rates rise?
2. Why do average citizens pay taxes on everything, yet large corporations often get tax breaks at the same time they are paying no taxes on their profits?
3. Why, when a school budget is voted down by taxpayers, are the first cuts made in teachers and programs that benefit children, rather than in administrative positions?
4. Why does it cost $900 for a health insurance policy for a couple in a group plan, and $1900 for the exact same plan when the couple is no longer in a group?
(And, yet, the Republicans scoff at health care reform and fight it diligently)
5. Why do developers hold communities hostage for tax breaks to build facilities there?
6. Why can't there be some time limit on political campaigning, to avoid this almost constant preoccupation with the next election, when there is critical work to be done in our legislative bodies NOW?
7. Why can't there be some regulation on our corporate and financial insitutions which guarantees a living wage for employees?
(
And, "minimum wage" is definitely not a "living wage". By living wage, I mean a wage that allows a person to pay for decent housing, healthy food, health insurance, and necessities)
8. With the high cost of college, how are our young people going to get the education they need to succeed, without mortgaging their future with huge student loans?
9. If they raise the age limits for Social Security and Medicare, what will happen to those people who are in poor health before they are eligible to retire?
10. Why, why, why can't the Democrats and Republicans work together to solve the serious financial problems of this country. Can't they for once put aside the issue of "power" and forge their differing views into policies that will make this country once again a "Land of Opportunity" for us all?
Please think about these questions, talk about them, write about them, and get your opinions heard. The common people must begin to take back our country and make it a better place to live.
I am seriously concerned about the direction our nation has been taking for the past couple of decades. I am not politically savvy – my knowledge of the workings of government is limited. My understanding of our economic system is very limited, and as we have moved toward a more global economy, I am even more perplexed. However, there are several issues that I believe are extremely important to the future of our country and our quality of life. I feel we must deal with these issues now.
Capitalism has served our country well, but in the past few decades, we have lost sight of the fact that, while this is still a land of great opportunity, more and more of our citizens are working hard, but falling further and further behind. Why are we unable to regulate an economic system that grants million dollar bonuses to corporate executives, while failing to provide a livable wage to millions of Americans? Many of these people, unfortunately, lack the intelligence, education or connections necessary to thrive in today’s workforce. While they work long, hard hours they must struggle to afford housing, transportation, health care, and other basic necessities. Shouldn’t our economic system provide a livable wage to anyone who labors daily at a job? Executives are making unprecedented salaries and bonuses, while many of their employees who are involved in the more mundane day to day functioning of the company are overworked and drastically underpaid for their loyalty, skill and effort.
Why is health care reform such a volatile issue? Everyone can see that our health care system is costly and inefficient. I firmly believe we need health care reform, but I’m not certain that the legislation currently on the table is the best solution. I believe a government option might help reign in insurance company profits, but I want assurance that I will be free to choose my own doctor and have timely access to care. I am also very worried about making health insurance mandatory, without an affordable government option, because I believe that most people already would pay for health insurance if they could afford it. If they can’t afford it now, I don’t see how they can afford it when it is mandatory, because the government subsidies spoken of don’t appear to cover the total cost of the insurance. Most importantly, though, we need health care reform desperately because health insurance is increasing at a rate that far surpasses the stagnant income of our average citizens. Unfortunately, I feel that the process for crafting this necessary legislation has been thwarted by Republicans who are determined to see the reform fail, as well as Democrats who steadfastly refuse to compromise their personal agendas within their own party, because they know that their individual votes are crucial to the passage of the legislation.
Why can’t our political parties begin to work together to solve the daunting problems of the 21st century? Why must every issue be “black and white”, with a sharp split along party lines? Why must each party work relentlessly to block any legislation proposed by the other party? Have we become a nation which puts political power above the needs and common good of society? We have intelligent, thoughtful people on both sides of the aisle in our Congress and State legislatures. Both parties, while supporting distinctly different philosophies on most major issues, have terrific ideas for change and improvement. Why can’t they talk to each other and craft legislation that carries the best of both political philosophies? The two-party system seemed to serve us well for years – why can’t we once again strive for a middle ground? I believe that this “middle ground” probably holds the most hope to improve our nation and society in general. Leaning too far to the left or too far to the right upsets the balance that is necessary to maintain a nation of power and stability, which holds the common good of its citizens as a priority.
Last January, when we elected Barack Obama as President, I was filled with hope for a brighter future for our nation. Unfortunately, despite his best efforts to promote cooperation, a year later we are still mired in this ugly partisanship, which seems to place party loyalty above the common good. This must change.
