It has been a month since I submitted my last Blog posting and I have had a hard time coming up with a worthwhile summertime subject to write about. It has been a Summer of Washington lunacy, stock market craziness, Casey Anthony mania and unusually hot weather.
The Summer of Washington lunacy has been particularly appalling. We have a Congress that is made up of a bunch of children that do not understand the spirit of our Constitution. If nothing else, our government was set up to encourage compromise among the disparate viewpoints that proliferate the landscape. However, what we have now is the lunatic fringe elements holding the government hostage because they are more interested in pushing their own agendas rather than figuring out what is best for our Country. Why do these same people continue to want policy that has failed over and over again?
In all of my business dealings, I have learned that a business cannot be brought to profitability simply by cutting expenses. Increased revenues are absolutely necessary to balance the decreased spending. Recent polling shows that the majority of Americans agree with this and want to see tax reform. BUT, The Tea Party's fierce opposition of anything with the word "taxes" attached to it is putting the future of our country at great risk. Why do we accept a system that continues to provide the Oil Companies with massive assistance, companies such as GE with a tax rate lower than people making $50,000 a year, and billionaires paying less taxes than their secretaries? By the way, the Republican God, Ronald Reagan, even raised taxes....does that make him Satan?
The Bush-era tax cuts have added $1.7 trillion to our current debt and the bogus wars we engaged in have added $1.3 trillion. These two items are greater than the debt caused by Social Security and Medicare Part D combined! However, the Tea Party wants to concentrate on the $16 billion TARP (which we will actually profit from), Social Security (which all of us have paid into for our entire lives) and Medicare. Our Defense spending now exceeds all of the other countries in the world combined!! Something tells me that this is unnecessary - but the military-industrial complex can't let this be cut. Tsk, Tsk. When will somebody stand up for the middle class? If there is no growth for the middle class, then there is no growth for the USA.
The leadership void in our nation is frightening. Mr. Obama has shown a lack of backbone in standing up to the various factions and the GOP has yet to put forth anyone that shows any leadership ability. The present Republican hopefuls, Mitt, Tim and Michelle have all been quick to blame the mess on Barack but have offered no solutions. The onus remains on these candidates to explain SPECIFICALLY, how each would change Washington and spur job growth. So far, none of them have offered anything but criticism and blame - if they have a plan to change Washington and encourage job growth, they have done a good job of hiding it. Wake up, America, these candidates will SAY anything to get elected, but what they say doesn't equal their past actions. All one has to do is look at Mitt's record on job outsourcing or Michelle's grab of stimulus money to understand this point. These are serious times and so far, no one has shown that they have serious ideas and plans to lead us.
Which brings me to the Casey Anthony trial. Get over it!! Yes, we all know she is guilty of, at the very least, neglect that led to her child's death..or at the most, cold, premeditated murder. But, the prosecution did not prove any of this. That's our system - innocent until proven guilty. Yep, I am sorry for the little girl too, but all of the protesting, memorial building and angst over the verdict will not bring her back. And, I would rather have a system like ours than any other one...it's not perfect, but it is better than the alternatives.
This hot weather is making me weary...so, that's it for now!
And The Journey continues..................
