I'm not saying that everything coming out of Garrett's interview with Bernanke
is not worth considering only because of his party affiliation. I am saying
that from my perspective his agenda sucks, so I am judging him by his group, as
far as that goes. These are people who know how to twist facts, take what
people say out of context, and interrupt them before they can verbalize a
rational reply (Bill O'Reilly could teach Garrett a thing or two!~) To see
what I mean, just watch Fox Noise, the most popular news program in the world.
They REALLY know how to use emotional, ad hominem attacks and straw man
arguments!~)
As for wasteful spending by the government, BOTH political parties engage in
wasteful spending, BUT they have different priorities. One party wastes money
on administrating entitlements and the other on the defense industry
bureaucracy.
On the other hand, much of corporate spending (of stockholder profits) is
targeted for rewarding the executives, which they don't consider wasteful.
After all, it is their job to increase profits, no matter how it affects, the
environment, job creation, etc.
One of the jobs of the corporate elite is to protect their destructive
priorities to waste the environment. Therefore, in order to recruit
mainstream, gawd fearing, true blue Americans to their Tea Party cause, they
question whether Obama is really American (those thinly veiled racist, viral
e-mails) label health care as a further descent into socialism (but not defense
spending) and taking our government back, from those lazy, welfare parasites
(some truth to that!~).
Change is always scary for traditional fundamentalist conservatives. They
fight it by promulgating good old fashioned family values. They nationalize
patriotism, preach that (in the bible) marriage is only for opposite sexes,
etc. They advocate a gun in every holster, fear and hatred of "The Other" (non
whites) and good old greed for the NEW American dream (not for that house,
anymore, but to be good little units of consumption!~)
These industrialist capitalists capitalized on Marxist divisions how to make
the transition from an agrarian to an industrial society and made sure the
monopolists controlled the means of production. They blamed undocumented
workers for taking away American jobs while hiring them to clean their homes,
etc.
Turns out Marx was right about a lot of things; too bad his standard bearers
are only human and susceptible to demagoguery and corruption, like everyone
else.
Some of the progress for human rights is being reversed, but pendulum swings
are part of the process of change. Two steps forward, one step back. I expect
the Republicans will stage a temporary comeback, and the Tea Party will elect
some nut jobs, but they will be ridiculed and laughed at by 2012. That may be
Obama's plan.
I don't agree that Social Security and Medicare are untouchable; reform is
needed in billing for sure so insurance fraud is stringently prosecuted,
pharmaceutical companies are held to reasonable profit margins, and preventive
care is practiced, etc. By the time today's young reach retirement age they
will inherit a reformed system that is cost effective and age-equitable. Right
now AARP is one of those systems that is feeding off the status quo; they are
also a business.
I paid more pre-inflation dollars into Social Security than I will be getting
out of it, but I'm OK with that; I lived in a time when wages were decent and
was able to set some aside because I knew what was coming. It didn't take that
much foresight to figure out world population would quadruple in my lifetime,
so I lived like a monk, worked two jobs, bought 40 acres of land and own my
home outright.
Good thing I have Social Security because my annuities, 401Ks, mutual funds,
and pension plans are in the tank. I will continue to live like a monk and
hold off retirement til I'm 70, so my Social Security will double, hopefully
enough to meet inflation.
Unfortunately I won't be leaving anything to my sons as I plan to liquidate
everything and set up a trust for Alcor. I just hope it isn't just another
scam and there isn't a complete collapse of civilization so the electricity
isn't turned off!~)
Jon M
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