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{ An Autopsy of Democracy }

Friday, February 11, 2005

MoveOn.org: Protect Social Security


MoveOn.org:
Protect Social Security


O.K. I'm all in favor of "ownership" (especially of homes, microwave ovens, and slaves). But I feel that the current rhetoric regarding social security obscures the original intent of the program--which is, a minimum on which to live, a safety net, an insurance program. And just as with any insurance program, not everyone is going to get back exactly what he or she put in. But the point of the program is to ensure that we don't have a huge population of destitute elderly people.

But what REALLY pisses me off is when the Bush administration gives a trillion dollars in tax cuts to the wealthy and then claims that we have no money for anything. Gee. Where's all the money?

I encourage everyone to sign this petition. Here's my comments:

"I'm disgusted by the president's irrational scheme to dismantle social security by misleading the public into believing that there is a "crisis." One cannot cut taxes for the very rich and spend $250+ Billion on a war without including this money in the federal budget and then claim with a straight face that we have no money for basic social programs.

Furthermore, it is well established that the president's plan fixes nothing, even as it costs the same as any other solution and results in the same cuts in benefits as would occur were nothing done.

Other options to pursue include:

1. Rolling back the huge tax cuts for the wealthy (which were sold to Congress/America on the basis that there was a huge surplus and thus it was "our money"; without said surplus, the tax cuts are irrational and ill-advised).

2. Increasing the cap on the social security tax so that wealthy Americans continue to pay regardless of their income level.

3. Simply raise taxes by 1% to pay for the retiring baby boomer generation, and then taxes can be lowered again a generation later. Simple solution, not a "crisis."

4. Actually DO something about exponentially rising health care / prescription drug costs.

5. Close tax loopholes that allow most (60%) of corporations to pay no taxes, and use that revunue to fund the Social Security trust fund.

6. Cut the Pentagon budget by 5%. Simple enough?

Thank you for listening.

Dustin W. Hansen"



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Bush to seek higher US military budget


Bush to seek higher US military budget

The sad part about this is that, in context, it's a whole lot worse than it first appears. Because not only is it only Pentagon spending (and so presumably does not include the CIA or this huge new "Intelligence" Agency that Congress, in their infinite wisdom, has seen fit to establish), but it does not include ANY of the money for the war[s] we're currently fighting.

This is the second (third?) budget in a row in which Sonny Bush has gotten away with that unconscionable sleight-of-hand.

It's "voodoo economics," except the witch doctor's drunk off his ass.


—ungeziefer




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