We are at an impasse in the country. President Obama's exercise in political chess will enable Americans to contrast two distinct and diametrically opposed political philosophies. I am only sorry that it took our president two years since the election to artfully articulate in a manner that resonates with the average middle class American what Democrats stand for.
For too long Democrats have allowed others to define the values we stand for. This is a detriment not only to Democrats but to anyone who want to objectively evaluate what policies they want to embrace. I find that when discussing policies with those on the Right side of the spectrum, too much time must first be spent unwinding the fallacies of what it really means to be a Democrat. When successful in doing so it is amazing the constructive dialogue that is realized. To be clear; Democrats stand for equal justice for all, real economic opportunity for working Americans, and responsible leadership in all matters.
Republican Congressman Paul Ryan has released a blueprint for the GOP that details how they intend to bring the budget into balance. It is titled “The Path To Prosperity”. The framework is only 73 pages long and everybody should read it and ensure every sentence is understood. President Obama’s framework is titled “The President’s Framework for Shared Prosperity and Shared Fiscal Responsibility” and can be found at the Whitehouse.gov website. It should also be read in detail and every sentence understood.
These two documents that detail a path to our country’s fiscal responsibility could not be more different. The Republican’s framework is based on three major tenets. The first is that America does not have a revenue problem but a spending problem. The second is that irrespective of fiscal realities, reducing taxes on corporations and the wealthy will create more jobs. The third is that Medicare should be privatized with the government providing a voucher for the elderly to purchase health insurance in the private market.
Based on the document, I have no doubt that implemented the GOP framework will balance the budget. The question is what America would look like afterwards. If we are honest we would come to the realization that America’s budget for the most part represents what most Americans want out of government. If we are honest we would admit that incremental tax cuts have not created jobs in America or trickled down to the middle class. If we are honest we would remember that the reason the government provides Medicare for the elderly is that private insurance do not find the elderly a profitable pool to insure. Moreover, given that the vouchers provided by seniors will not rise as fast as the cost of healthcare, senior citizens will progressively pay more out of pocket every year for healthcare, a direct transfer of their wealth to insurance company profits.
President Obama’s budget is more in line with the will of all middle class Americans. Ideology aside, the goal is to remove true waste from the budget but not remove real investments that move a country forward. If implemented it will ensure that services the middle class has fought for over the years will remain. It will ensure that taxation is much fairer. Though not specified, I hope after negotiation that capital gains will get the same tax treatment as the working man’s income otherwise wealth income disparity will continue.
We must invest in our crumbling infrastructure, our children’s education, and alternative energy. We must also pay for these investments. Corporations and the wealthy do not exist in a vacuum. It is the American lifestyle, the American worker, the American knowledge base, the sacrifice of the American soldier, the American teacher, the American policeman, the American fireman, the American garbage man that afforded the existence of the corporation and the wealthy. Given that over the last 30 years the wealthy’ s share of America’s income and wealth has skyrocketed as the middle class’ income and wealth has declined, having the wealthy pay a bigger share of taxes for an anomaly the middle class is not responsible for is what must be done. That notwithstanding the America we all know as the land of opportunity will be no more than a few wealthy citizens serviced by a vast pool of indentured servants.
My Book: As I See It: Class Warfare The Only Resort To Right Wing Doom
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