What would you ask the President?

So, this post is a bit different from the usual format.  I entered into the "Have Dinner with President Obama" contest.  Part of one of them had a box for "What would you ask the President if you sat down with him for dinner?" As I figure I probably won't win (but would love to be surprised), I thought I would post what I wrote here (so maybe somebody would read it). 

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I don't know if I have a specific question, I recently went back to school and received my BS in Political Science and a minor in History, and I keep up with current affairs as well and so, not to be a suck up, but as I have often found myself defending Obama’s policies, and the reasons why he made the compromises he has made and reminding people of his successes and debunking some of the “Spin” (read: Lies) that has been floating around out there for the last year and a half, to both more Republican leaning and Democratic leaning friends.

But as someone that, at 33 and having never made more than $25,000 a year working FULL TIME, I would want to have a very serious discussion with him regarding the “Working Poor”, like myself.  While we are working on getting people back to work, a very important mission to be sure, let us not forget that a job that pays roughly half of the living wage, also known as the Federal Minimum Wage, is not all that much better than being unemployed, or on government assistance.

Actually, this is something that is very close to me, I literally went back to school with this goal in mind, and, if you excuse me while I brag for a moment, I did this while working virtually full time and being the primary caregiver for a disabled parent, who, frankly, was practically an invalid for several years as we tried to get a needed orthopedic surgery.

It bothers me that we even have a term “Working Poor” in our active vocabulary; if ever there was a measure of inequality it is this.  To combat this I would like to discuss three primary topics; Health Care, Education, and Minimum Wage.  It seems to me these are the areas in most need of our focus as a Nation to combat this grave injustice.  While I applaud the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and have been a supporter of it, I think even the President would agree that it is only a step in the right direction, not the final solution.

Actually, I finish writing this I have figured out a question:

What can I realistically do to help make this happen on a National level?

On Political Theater, "Silver Bullets" and those who continue to say it's too Broken to fix

I’m sick of hearing people say “This is Political Theater” or “is only to get Obama re-elected” with regard to the President’s Jobs Plan, or the “paid for” part of that plan, because “it will take years to implement fully” or “this wont solve the whole problem”.

Do people really think that any one piece of legislation can be a “Silver Bullet” that will instantly solve all our economic problems?  The mess the US is in is the culmination of years, decades, of chipping away at the protections, benefits and compensation for regular working people that were literally paid for with the blood of those who gave their lives in the forming of Unions, the Civil Rights Movement, even ending of Slavery in the first place. 

Like our crumbling infrastructure is constantly being battered by weather and wear, our “Social Infrastructure” is constantly being battered by policies that keep funneling both money and power (political and otherwise) into the hands of the few.  The Republican party is currently moving to break Collective Bargaining Rights and stifle voting – STIFLE VOTING!!! I thought the Right Wing was supposed to be all about the Constitution?  I guess the 26^th Amendment (or the 24^th or 19^th for that matter!) doesn’t mean anything to these guys – they like to talk about freedom and liberty – but they are just giving it lip service – total hypocrites.

Saying things like, “it will take years to implement fully” or “this wont solve the whole problem” are just things those who are actively chipping away at our Liberties and protections like to say to try to also chip away at our determination to fight back.  But this is why that, above all else; only by working persistently, brick by proverbial brick, to constantly re-enforce the foundation will we be able to rebuild OUR Nation.

Something to remember when discussing Bullying in America

So I am sitting here watching the Daily Show and they opened with a bit about Fox News talking about Dancing With the Stars and how they are brushing over the Nancy Grace "wardrobe malfunction" and continuing instead to say awful things about Chaz Bono.  It seems to me, with Lady Gaga and others are working on bringing awareness to bullying I think perhaps some attention should be brought to this.  When we are trying to figure out what we can do as a culture to curb this behavior in our children, in schools and social media, I think we need to seriously look at how a national network like Fox News is basically bullying Chaz on national television. Despicable.

Go here and sign up to help get Big Corporate Money out of Politics!

This seems like a fantastic movement - and it LITERALLY started today -

http://www.getmoneyout.com/

This is a good start toward re-gaining political power for the People, as was intended.

On Republican Presidential Candidate Herman Cain

Over the weekend Mr. Cain won the Florida Straw Poll.  And while many in the media are still dismissing him outright there are some who look at his 2 major talking points as having substance.  First I would like to look at his so-called “Fix” to Social Security, what he calls the “Chilean Model” but is really just a re-packaged Privatization.  Here’s where I have a problem.  For those that didn’t see my post yesterday I will briefly elaborate.  I am coming at these issues from the point of view of one of the MANY underemployed, well more specifically UNDERPAID, Americans. What I mean is, despite the fact that I work full time (and have since high-school), I make less than $25,000 per year.  In fact the only time I ever broke that particular benchmark was the one year I worked a second job.

So here’s my problem with Herman Cain’s “Chilean Model” plan (though I would think it was obvious by now).  I MAKE LESS THAN $25,000 A YEAR.  So when I hear things like “Give people a chance to create their own savings accounts” I can help but think to myself – How am I possibly supposed to “save” for my retirement when, frankly I can barely afford my bills.  Ok, so perhaps I’m not the one that he supposes will opt-out of Social Security, fair enough.  So instead the more affluent individuals, lets say those with what, $50 or even $100,000 per year (I certainly know I could save money if I was making that much).  Well, about 28% of the US population make $25K or less, and just over 50% of people make $50,000 or less.  So as we talk about “fixing” Social Security, can you explain to me taking 50% of those paying out of the SS system, or in the case of those over $25K, 75% of those paying in.  I suppose that would be great for those that are doing great in this troubling economy, but for the other 25-50% of us, what are we supposed to do?

Also, for those that don’t know, Social Security is only paid on the first $130,000 made annually.  To be clear, this means that those of us on the lower end of the wage spectrum pay a MUCH larger percent of our wages than those that can most afford it.  So if you are one of those lucky enough to make $250K then you only pay into Social Security for about half the year; that’s right, after 6 months you ALREADY opt-out for the rest of the year.  If you make a $1 Million you are done in only 2 months.  If you are making $2.5 Million you stop paying into SS in 3 WEEKS – that’s right – LESS THAN A MONTH. 

So what are you really contributing if you are pulling down $10 or $20 Million.  Their FIRST paycheck of the year takes care of ALL you Social Security contributions for the year.  So those that can afford the least pay (relatively) much more. Finally, what happens if you do opt out, and somehow loose it all?  What is Cain’s (or any other Privatizer’s) plan for those that save and somehow end up destitute anyway?  Since they opted-out – there will be no Social Security to see them through.  I guess they’re screwed.

Now as for Herman Cain’s 9-9-9 Tax Plan, seems fair on the surface, Right?.  Again lets look at this rationally.  For this example lets make it 10-10-10 for just a second to make the math much easier. So if you make $25,000, you pay $2,500 per year, so you need to live on the other $22,500 (not including Social Security, Medical Insurance if you are lucky enough to have it, and State taxes). This is a good time to point out that the LIVING wage about $29,000.  At $250,000, you pay $25,000 (that’s right, at $250K, your taxes become MY ENTIRE INCOME before taxes), and so still have over $200K to live on. 

So even though all these people work full time, one is expected to live on 1/100^th the money as someone else?  In other words, a progressive income tax system is actually an attempt to balance the great Inequity in pay that ALREADY exists in wages in this country. (Alternatively, CEO’s could take a little less pay so those of us on the bottom could at least make the living wage .  .  . anybody? Yeah- didn’t think so)

Ok, next, the 9% sales tax Mr. Cain is discussing.  I would like to point out the GLARING Flaw in this plan.  Most sales tax is STATE and COUNTY tax.  This is important, because by putting a 9% sales tax on goods/services would actually end up being (where I am anyway) 17% sales tax, so nearly TWICE as much as it is now.  Again, I make $25K, and now am expected to pay MORE for what I need to live than what I pay now.  Can’t you see how this will affect most those that have the least?  If you start with less, then paying a little more for everything JUST HITS YOU HARDER.  If we were to implement just these two things, the Working Poor (and HOW CAN THAT TERM EVEN EXIST IN AMERICA?!?!?!?!) will be hit WAY harder than they even are now.

This doesn’t even take into account reducing the tax on Corporations by 25% (not including loopholes of course).  How does Mr. Cain propose to keep the Budget Balanced by reducing revenues?  That is a major problem with virtually all Republican proposals which call for cutting Federal Programs and reducing rates; oh, but they also include “Broadening the Base” (for my thoughts on that check out what I wrote yesterday) which really just means making those who have less take up more of the burden, while simultaneously cutting public services to those very same people.

My take on the so-called Class Warfare

Can I just say that I am getting upset listening to people (mostly Republicans) claim “Class Warfare” when Obama (or any other Democrat) suggests raising taxes on those who make over $250,000 or those over $1 Million.  Additionally, they like to say we need to “Broaden the Tax Base”, which even MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough said just this morning (nothing personal Joe, you are a smart guy and are usually fair in your assessments).  The suggestion is that that top 1 or 5 or 10% already pays 70% of the taxes and so the rest of us are just picking on those “who have done well” or the “Achievers” (as Bill O’Reilly says) or the “Job Creators”.

I work FULL TIME, I have for the last 15 years, and I make LESS THAN $25,000 a year (and DO pay income taxes).  I have worked in manufacturing, then retail for a small business (and eventually became store manager), commission sales of used cars (and became their title clerk as well for a while), took a second, part-time job as a ticket clerk for a national movie theater company (the ONE year I made over $25K) and now I am working in human services; that is most of the working spectrum and the ONLY thing they all had in common it that NONE of them paid me a living wage.

Congressman John Fleming, (R) Louisiana, is complaining that he only has $400,000 left after he feeds his family (on only $200,000).  How out of touch with the reality of Americans can you be?  As it stands, it will take me 20 YEARS to make $400,000 (BEFORE TAXES)!!!! But I don’t pay enough taxes?!?!?!  The inequity in PAY is the real problem (and the TOTAL disconnect of our politicians to people that work for a living).  How can we even think of broadening the base with so many people that are unemployed, or like me (and MANY like me) underpaid.

A little bit about myself

I graduated from high school 15 years ago, like many people, I did not go to college right away, and instead joined the workforce.  In the last 15 years I have worked full time across much of the spectrum.  First I worked in manufacturing, then retail for a small business, commission sales of used cars, took a second, part-time job as a ticket clerk for a national movie theater company and now I am working in human services.  Additionally, many of the people I have known work or have worked in food service, for convenient stores, and in construction.  I have worked, or known someone who’s worked, throughout the entire spectrum of low-wage working class jobs.  In fact, I found that the one thing that all these jobs had in common was that they were all low-wage.

I went back to school where I recently graduated with a degree in Political Science with a minor in History, to see if maybe there was something I could do to change this grave injustice, not just for me, but for everyone I’ve ever known. This Blog is my attempt to at least document my perspective.  The perspective of the “Working Poor”.