What most people want from government is just the tools they need to accomplish these things. Most people aren't concerned with a war in Iraq when they are battling everyday to simply put food on their table or pay their bills. With today's mortgage crisis, people are too worried about keeping their roof over their head than having the Bush administration fight to give immunity to companies participating in the illegal wiretapping of American citizens. People are too scared of another terrorist attack to care about what tactics America is using to try to get information from 'suspected terrorists'.
Government needs to reestablish the American citizens' trust in it to take care of our very basic needs before it can hope to drum up support for any other action. It's going to be very hard to get the American people, myself included, to get serious about global warming until our basic needs are taken care of. When we can stop worrying about having to pay back tens of thousands of dollars in student loans and about all the things listed above, we can take on bigger, worldly issues. For now, American politics is at a stalemate with itself. It has to convince people that they will take care of it's own citizens while at the same time convince the rest of the world that we are still in a position to lead the world into this new century.
My second problem with American politics, is the divisive nature of it all. It doesn't seem like anyone wants to work towards real solutions anymore. With politicians so worried about appeasing either its own party or special interests to fund their reelection process, it's hard to put the focus back on the American people. Politicians stick to party lines so much that many of them are unwilling to move to conclusions that will help the American people. I'm not saying that a politician should compromise his/her ideals or morals to pass a law with sections that contrast to their own views, but they must work together to focus on laws that will help the American people achieve their most basic of goals. I think the majority of American people are more inclined to support a bill to help our economy get out of the recession it is currently in than bills banning gay marriage or banning abortions. There are some special interests out there, whose main goal is either banning gay marriage or getting gay marriage added as an amendment, but we as American people need to realize that there are more important things we need to work on before tackling a society's morality. The politicians can help move this along by eliminating the bowing to special interests. Special interests are so effective because they are organized in a manner that the American people just cannot do. They have a focus of one area and throw all of their resources (money and people) into that issue. It has been found that having a lot of money will not get special interests' agendas approved; but what their money will do is buy the lawmaker's time. This time could be spent listening to the American people about it's concerns, needs, and wants.
Instead, we have politicians more worried about keeping their status-quo as the perennial incumbent than about the needs of the people. I won't make this a blanket statement, as I think there are some politicians out there who generally want to help the people. There obviously aren't nearly enough of them, however. I cannot think of a bill or law that has been passed since I've been following politics (about 8 years....yeah I know, the Bush administration, but still) that has actually helped the American people. It seems like every bill or law that has been passed has been about terrorism, war, or trying to promote the economy in ways that haven't worked, i.e. tax cuts to the wealthy and corporations. Oil companies have sustained record profits each quarter, while our government continues to provide them money to support alternative energy research. At the same time, Americans are paying more and more for gas every week. What I propose is, reinstate the taxes to these corporations, and use the tax money made from these companies, along with the grants we were giving them to do research, and invest it in universities. These universities can work on new technologies without having to worry about turning a profit. This money can be used to grow scientists of the future, while at the same time creating opportunities for jobs in the new markets their findings create.
I'm not an economic expert, by any means, but it seems essential that we invest in the future of the economy while making sure that these companies don't pass on the lessening of their profits to their consumers. Instead of having a bottom-up model of distributing the costs of these taxes, take it right off the top starting with the CEOs. The common stockholders, low to mid level employees, and the consumers should not have to suffer anymore so that the CEO of a multi-billion dollar corporation can have an extra 50 million dollar bonus.
This is just one of the many issues that needs to be addressed by politics today. The only way this is going to be possible is if the special interests are taken out of the government, which in turn will get our politicians doing the thing they are supposed to be doing to begin with: serving the American people. In return, Americans will be comfortable with their lives and willing to support more broad legislation to improve the world for the future generations. I don't know how to get the ball rolling, but I have great faith in Barack Obama to be the candidate that can get things started. You may say/think what you want to about the Senator, but since he has been elected to public office, he has made his number one fight be ethics in government. He wants to make our government more transparent; hold them more accountable. I think getting rid of special interests is the only way to get American politics back on track.
Republicans may not agree with his platform and his economic strategies or his foreign policy stances; but our greatest fight is none of these things. Our greatest fight, at this time, is a personal fight. It is a fight to recapture the American dream. It a fight to live comfortably without worrying about where your next meal is coming from, or if your home is going to foreclosed on tomorrow. The first step to this comfortability is making sure that the government is doing all it can for YOU, not for a special interest group pumping money so get their issue face-time with the lawmakers.
8 comments:
Corporations are legal fictions that have not, do not, and never will bear the burden of taxation. Only people pay taxes. Corporations pass on their tax burden in the form of higher prices to consumers, lower wages to workers, and/or lower returns to investors. The idea that taxing a corporation reduces taxes on, say the working poor, is a cruel hoax. A corporate tax only makes what the working poor buy more expensive, costs them jobs, lowers their lifestyle, or delays their retirement.
If you notice, I say that we have to regulate these corporations to make SURE that they do not pass these tax burdens onto low/mid-level workers and consumers. These tax burdens need to come from the CEO's who get millions of dollars in bonuses a year, even when the company is failing. We must make sure that THIS is where the tax burden falls, not on the consumers.
These CEOs are already being taxed at a higher rate becuase of the progressive income tax. In addition, most wealthy Americans also consume more; therefore, they are also paying more consumption taxes. Are you saying we should punish these men/women for proving themselves adept at keeping the wheels of business turning and creating maximum employment and a higher standard of living for their fellow men?
"Republicans may not agree with his platform and his economic strategies or his foreign policy stances; but our greatest fight is none of these things. Our greatest fight, at this time, is a personal fight. It is a fight to recapture the American dream. It a fight to live comfortably without worrying about where your next meal is coming from, or if your home is going to foreclosed on tomorrow."
Republicans don't agree with anything you said there.
I do agree with all you say about special interests being too powerful but legislation in the past 10 years have helped to sway their hold over politicians. Hopefully, with a new regime in office, this trend of diminishing their power will continue.
Politicians will always be worried about reelection, its the result of our system. However, until the public as a whole becomes aware of and active in politics, the wants/needs of the people will be overshadowed.
To anonymous:
That's the thing. A lot of these CEOs are being paid huge amounts of money even if their company isn't doing well! So where do they cut spending if the company isn't doing well? They either lay-off workers, restructure their company so there are less mid-level managers, or raise prices for consumers. I'm not saying we tax these CEO's at a higher rate; I'm saying we need to tax these corporations at a higher rate and if that means less income from the CEO's so be it. I'm sick of every time a corporation has to cut costs it always starts from the bottom, instead of the top.
To Chris:
Unfortunately, you're right. The sad reality is a lot of these Republicans fall into the same category as a lot of Democrats. They are the ones being hurt by the politicians they support. There are just as many lower class constituents on the Republican side as on the Democratic. There are just as many people who need help to take care of their families. I truly do believe that the first step to getting Americans to care is to get someone in office who will fight the special interests and open up government. We need to reestablish trust before we can convince people to care.
Comments being made by the author of this blog and other respondents have become unnecessarily biased. It appears to me that recent posts have been made based on emotions rather than factual information. In addition, assumptions are being made regarding the beliefs on an entire political party. For example, “Republicans don’t agree with anything you said there.” General accusations such as these have no place in political discussions. As educated American voters, shouldn’t we be focused on current issues and the stances of specific political candidates on these issues? That said…Who doesn’t want prosperity for America? Unfortunately, increasing taxes is only going to accomplish the opposite.
Increases in corporate taxation usually lessen corporations’ after-tax incomes, which reduces their earnings. In turn, reduced earnings cause a decrease in value per share of ownership for investors and typically forces corporations to reduce expenses through elimination of jobs. Another way corporations reduce expenses is relocating corporate headquarters or other facilities overseas where salaries paid to employees are lower and tax systems are more favorable. Bottom line, increasing taxes causes corporations to struggle, causes investors to lose their hard-earned savings, and encourages corporations to eliminate American jobs.
Increases in income taxes significantly reduce disposable income of individuals and usually limits the amount of money entering into the economy. Although limiting the amount of money entering the economy may slow inflation, it will not eliminate worrying about where your next meal will come from or if your home is going to be foreclosed tomorrow.
In conclusion, any presidential candidate desiring to make our federal government more “transparent” should disclose to the American people the economic results of his/her desired fiscal policy. More importantly, before casting our votes on Election Day, we should educate ourselves in order to make sound, rational decisions. Great public speakers make great presidential CANDIDATES because they can win the minds of voters with words. Will they win yours?
Anonymous:
Just for the record, I didn't make that comment about all republicans not agreeing with me. I do believe that most fiscal conservatives will disagree with me, however. That is by definition; my plan is not fiscally conservative in the least.
I understand your points on the economy, and I know that is the best way to maximize profits. I just believe that most corporations maximize their profits and forget about the little guy. And I'm not going to say all corporations, because there are some that do pass on the earnings to its low/mid level workers. In a strictly economic sense, you are correct. I believe that we must do more to bridge the gap between the lower/middle class and the upper class. I understand there is always going to be class division, but it is unfortunate when the lower classes are struggling to get by while the upper classes continue to make more and more money.
I am not an economic expert, and have never claimed to be, but an inflated GDP does not spell a prosperous America. A prosperous America is one where its people are prosperous as a whole.
And I agree with you, sir, that if a candidate wants to have a transparent government, he or she needs to be up front about economic costs to implement the plans they want to pursue. I, personally, believe our money is better spent on domestic issues than on the Iraq War. Especially when the Iraqi government has a 30 billion dollar surplus, as it does now.
I do know that the costs will be great. I do know that it is not the best short term economic plan. But, I do believe that its in the best interest of our country to take care of its citizens and ensure everyone has an opportunity to get back on their feet, so that they can take care of themselves in the long run.
I apologize if my posts have seemed emotional or biased, but as I stated in my first post, I am a Democrat. I do not say this to create polarity, but I am not a Democrat just by chance. I truly do believe their approach to the economy is the best for the American people. And if we differ on that, it's okay. It is good to have a dialogue about these types of things. I just hope that people smarter than us can develop a plan that does both great things for the economy and for the American people.
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