Topic: Politics
Updated: Tuesday, 24 October 2017 7:27 PM CDT
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Every four years Americans go to the polls to elect someone to lead the country. By engaging in the exercise of voting people hope that election after election will finally yield a government that improves their lives. However, over the recent decades, power has shifted back and forth between the Democrats and Republicans with little positive change for the struggling American worker. Why is this? What has this "battle" between the two major parties resulted in? Answer: While workers have remained divided (benefiting both political parties and the media), the rich have gotten richer with the income gap between rich elites and the average American growing ever larger. With all of this change in our political leadership there is one constant that is often overlooked: The people that we vote into the Oval Office all have wealth! American workers want a government that feels and responds to their pain, but how can that happen when we continue to elect politicians who don't share that pain. How can the masses of voters continue to elect wealthy politicians, and then expect those wealthy politicians to place the working poor as a main priority...I don't think this is realistic. Both parties have failed to deliver on their promises to workers over the years. Rather than continuing to elect people with a completely different set of economic values, wouldn't it make more sense to elect someone who shared the same financial reality? To this end I think that real thought needs to go into the formation of a true WORKING CLASS INDEPENDENT THIRD PARTY. I worked in independent third party politics for years. It is difficult due to the media backed monopoly on our political system by both major parties -- but it is possible. In the not too distant past Ross Perot proved that a viable independent campaign for the nation's highest office was viable. If this party came into being, it possibly could include some of the following suggestions as planks on the party's platform:
*A 40-50% cut in salaries for all elected and appointed politicians making over $50,000 annually; with at least a 10 year freeze on their salaries. Additionally, future salary increases for politicians will be decided by the voters rather than the politicians.
*The goal of eliminating the control of the government by special interest groups and wealthy donors through significantly reducing amounts allowed for campaign contributions.
*All full-time workers would receive a month's vacation yearly. The vacation would be mandatory and companies would be punished for obstruction. Also, workers would be paid for vacation time.
*Companies that relocate to other countries after gathering wealth off of American workers would be harshly punished: Import taxes on any products from said company and corporate fines; seizure of all possible assets; and a revocation of American citizenship for said company's executive board/ownership.
*Guaranteed debt-free higher education for all Americans.
*Eradication of all corporate tax loopholes.
*Support for labor unions with an additional goal of increasing worker confidence that they will be free from corruption by organized crime groups. To this end all organized crime organizations would be declared domestic terrorists, would be immediately tracked down and removed from society.
*Paid retraining programs for displaced workers
*A ban on any candidate with financial assets of over $150,000 wishing to run under the party's banner.
*Equal pay for equal work
*The true goal of guaranteed life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, social justice and equality for working class Americans and all Americans
Just some thoughts, but if workers really want a better economic future there needs a fundamental change in who workers elect to run our political system. That might be done by eliminating big money in politics, and by workers supporting actual working class people for elected office.
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Dear Elected Official:
I'm a disabled Illinois resident, on a fixed income, and my daughter is graduating high school this year. We were looking forward to her pursuing a degree in the medical field at a state university, until we saw the $27,000 per year price tag. I was the first in my family to obtain a college degree, and that was done with a combination of Pell Grant and Illinois State Aid. I assumed that the same help was available for my daughter and her generation in their pursuit of education. Ha! I was thoroughly shocked when we got back her financial aid letter -- $5000 for Pell Grant and nothing for state aid! I decided to look at the financial resources that my elected officials are working with:
President: $400,000 per year plus pension and perks
Vice President: $233,000 per year plus pension and perks
U.S. Congress: $174,000 per year plus pension and perks
Illinois Governor: $177,000 per year plus pension and perks
Illinois General Assembly Member: $67,000 plus pension and perks
It has come to light that Republicans both running for office, and some who already held office, were funded by White supremacists. The Republican Party has spent almost a decade attacking America's first African-American President, as well as minority groups. Now it's clear that the Republican Party not only panders to racist Conservatives in the U.S., but it is actually funded by racists.
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When talking about income inequality the subject often -- and rightly -- goes to the benefits of being in the top 1% on the economic ladder. Income inequality is in the news now being used as a political football, but who's throwing that football? Politicians, currently trying to score points with their voters, need to first look in the mirror when dealing this issue.
The person who serves as President of the United States is set economically. I don't have a problem with this, seeing the straines and stresses of being the leader of the most powerful nation on earth. It's often mentioned that presidents come into office with their natural color hair, but leave grey. However, the perks are still worth a look. Besides a hefty salary, the president is taken care of upon leaving office: A nice pension, transition and office expenses, travel expenses, secret service protection and more. Being a U.S. President is like hitting the lottery!
My real problem is with the Legislative Branch of the U.S. Government. Everyday people struggle to make it day-to-day, whether working or retired. Senators and representatives don't even work day-to-day -- thus no struggle. Members of Congress only "work" when Congress is in session. Members of the Legislative Branch spend more time on getting re-elected than they do on addressing the concerns of their constituents. On top of this light "work" schedule, they're paid handsomely; and, if they serve the required time, also get a sizeable pension. Oh, did I mention that they get to give themselves pay raises!
There are many problems with our economy. We live in a "Twilight Zone" of two Americas: One where caviar is the norm, and the other where hunger is. When looking at income inequality, one of the first glances should be cast at the hundreds of congrssional members who live like royalty at public expense. CONGRESSIONAL PAY RAISES SHOULD BE VOTED ON BY THE PEOPLE!
The Republicans in Congress will try again to repeal President Obama's healthcare law next week. More wasted time and money voting on something that was passed years ago. Gun violence doesn't move the Republicans to action, but taking away health benefits from Americans does. Yet another snipe at President Obama and poor Americans. The simple fact is that many Republicans will oppose whatever the President does. Calls from the Right go up that Obama isn't American, that ...he's a Muslim, etc. and these charges lead back to The Republican Party's problem with race. Bottom line, many on The Right hate having a Black President! That party is well on its way to becoming a marginalized regional party with red states confined to the South. Doesn't surprise me that the area where they hold power today, is the same part of the country where White supremacist ideology and slavery thrived.
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