Since when is fulfilling a contract considered an “Entitlement”?

Let me propose a question. If you make a contract with someone, and fulfill your end of the bargain, do you consider the other party’s end to be an entitlement?

Simple answer – NO – it is considered to be an obligation of the other party to fulfill their end.  That is basic contract law, isn’t it?  So why is it when we talk about it in the context of government we refer to them as “Entitlements”?

I pay my taxes, I pay a portion of them to Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid.  So why is it that whenever there is a so-called “Budget Shortfall” the FIRST thing the Republican Party wants to cut are these programs?  These are programs I pay for!!! I am fulfilling MY obligation in the “contract” with the government, but for some reason we (we being the Working Class) are somehow spoken about as feeling “entitled” because we expect to have that contract fulfilled.  WHAT?!?!?!?

In the last 30 years (basically my ENTIRE lifetime) the American Working Class has had their futures chipped away by bad policies that have the WEALTHIEST among us gaining a 275% increase in income – while those of us that actually WORK for a living have only seen a 20% increase (WHICH DOESN’T EVEN KEEP UP WITH COST OF LIVING!).  That’s right – those that make the most (by FAR) and therefore need it least, have also had an increase that is 10 TIMES the increase of us that make the least (and NEED it the MOST!).  But somehow we are the ones who are UNGRATEFUL and feel ENTITLED!

As it stands, I have no savings, and about $600 (not a typo) in my 401K and now I am supposed to look forward to having my Social Security benefits reduced, or if the Republican Party has it’s way – Taken away entirely.  By the way when someone says “Privatize Social Security” (or the “Chilean Model” which is the SAME thing) what they mean is to TAKE AWAY the one guaranteed source of income that people like me will have and give that to Wall Street too!

Does anyone even remember 3 years ago – when Wall Street (and YES IT WAS WALL STREET) tanked the United States Economy, and thousands of people that were closing in on retirement had to totally re-think their futures because their 401K’s were virtually cut in half!  Do we really want that to happen to Social Security as well?

I am so sick of people who get GOVERNMENT pay and GOVERNMENT Pensions and GOVERNMENT Healthcare (i.e. all the Representatives and Senators) talking about how WORKING CLASS people need to make more sacrifices.  And they have the GAUL to continue funding LARGE Government SUBSIDES to businesses that reap ENORMOUS PROFITS while simultaneously claiming Poverty so they can Outsource Jobs and cut the Pensions of Working People – and so the Board Members can retire with “Golden Parachutes” – even if those Board Members tank the company they work for OR the ENTIRE ECONOMY in he process. But WORKING PEOPLE are supposed to suck it up and MAKE SACRIFICES.

It is simply time to change the system so that Working People have a future again and frankly those that have benefitted most from the policies of the Past 30 years need to give something back.  Yes, we need to reform the tax code and remove loopholes, but we also need to make income from actually working worth AT LEAST as much as money gained from investing on Wall Street (in fact if anything Investment Income should probably be taxed at a slightly higher rate) unless that investment Directly (Let me re-peat that DIRCTLY) creates American Jobs and GIVES Back to Society.  But also we NEED to have those that have profited MOST from our currently BROKEN system to be the ones that act a little GRATEFUL for their success – and not expect the rest of us Working People to instead bear the entire burden – which for us; means little to no chance of retirement, a lifetime of debt for things like School and Healthcare, and a Job that doesn’t even pay the Bills anymore.

With regard to the death of Moammar Khadafy.

There has been a lot of talk about the circumstances surrounding Moammar Khadafy’s death.  It seems that the likely story is actually that he was executed by one of the men in the Rebel forces.  There have been many calls for an investigation as to what happened, because the video shows he was captured alive and then he was declared dead.  There are some reports of a firefight, but other stories which have contradicted that.  I personally feel it is ultimately irrelevant whether or not there was and I will explain why.

I want to start by saying that I am generally against the death penalty, also I’m not a person that believes in revenge, I cannot think of a single person that I actually hate, and I consider myself fortunate that I have never personally experienced war, nor had to be in a situation that escalated to a point where I would even need to consider harming, let alone killing someone. But; if I had been in a situation where I, or my family, or friends, had been the victims of a lifetime of tyrannical rule by a despotic dictator and it was me that found him in that hole, I am certain that he would not have left my company alive.

I do not say that because of the anger, and possibly hatred, that I am sure to have felt; instead I think the simple truth is that after such a struggle to overthrow this cruel megalomaniac, I would make certain that there would NEVER be a way for him to come into power again.  If indeed there was a firefight, the first shot I personally would have fired would have been to end Khadafy’s life, because I could not possibly allow him to be rescued, only to re-inspire his troops and possibly continue, or more horrifying, win, the fight.  I would instead end any inspiration his life might stir in his supporters.

That said, I think even if there was no firefight the point remains the same. There was no question of Khadafy’s oppression, so some kind of show trial would actually prove nothing except to show that we are “civilized” when it comes to killing people.  But in the meantime, as we waited for the trial, there would be a re-doubling of efforts to secure Khadafy’s rescue, the fighting would continue.  During the trial Khadafy would undoubtedly say something hateful and inflammatory, at best, and inspirational to his supporters to keep fighting at worst. With Khadafy dead, the rallying point is effectively destroyed and so the opposition is more likely to become disheartened and give up the fight; certainly there would be more people re-examining their support on an individual level.

Frankly, I think his death, or execution if you would rather call it, is totally justified and I support the decision to end his life, regardless of the circumstances.  I view it much like the death of Osama bin Laden or Anwar al-Awlaki, or even Saddam Hussein for that matter.  I do not celebrate their deaths because of a sense of vengeance or retribution; but accept the necessity of their deaths, because Society has a Right to protect itself from monsters that so blatantly wish to harm it.  If only all deaths could be so Justified.

It has become PAINFULLY obvious that the Republican Party doesn’t care one iota about Working Class People

I have to admit this is something I have been reluctant to say outright.  I have been fooling myself into thinking that perhaps it was a difference of opinion, or a disagreement about ideology, but no more.

So I don’t know if you’ve been paying attention to what is actually going on, as opposed to just listening to what they are saying, but yesterday the first part of President Obama’s Jobs Plan was voted on in the Senate, it received a vote of 50/50, so no problem, right, VP Biden just needs to go in and cast the tie breaker and he Bill passes right? WRONG!  The Republicans have decided to ONCE AGAIN Filibuster this vote (i.e. DELAY IT INDEFINITELY) unless 2/3 of the Senate votes to stop it.  Why did they do this again (by again I mean only adding to the MOST filibusters that have EVER happened in the entire HISTORY of our nation since Obama became President)?  Well, they say, Obama’s Jobs plan is not long term.

First, lets pretend their right – and I do mean pretend, because our big problem in the economy right now is DEMAND and in order to generate demand working class people need to have money to spend in the economy.  Ok, so lets pretend their right – what they are saying is “No, I don’t want to give you CPR, because you need a bypass to solve the problem,” “No, I don’t want to put on a tourniquet to stop the bleeding, because you need surgery to close the wound.”  Oh, but there are no plans to actually get you into surgery.

HOW IS THIS GOOD FOR WORKING PEOPLE?!?!?!  How is firing people (and that’s what we’re talking about) going to help the economy?!?!?

But lets be fair, the Republicans do have a jobs proposal.  Cut Regulations to the Banks (you know, the very ones that were implemented after the banks already tanked the economy), Cut the EPA (you know, the agency that protects our air and water, to make sure that big businesses don’t destroy the land where working class people actually live) and to open PUBLIC land for MORE DRILLING, because as they say, we have 300 years of oil and/or natural gas, because THAT’S their LONG TERM PLAN?!?!?!?

HOW DOES ANY OF THAT ACTUALLY GENERATE JOBS RIGHT NOW WHEN ACTUAL PEOPLE NEED THEM?!?!?!?

The fact is, it doesn’t.  They are more than happy to tank the economy (by blocking ANYTHING the President puts forward to actually help), as long as it gets Obama out of office.  Therefore there is no other logical conclusion except that Republicans just don’t care about working people.

Republicans cheer France for their Victory in Libya

With the death of Moammar Khadafy (in addition to Osama bin Laden’s recent demise) and word that the NATO operations in Libya will be coming to a successful close AND the fact that this victory came with a cost of only $2 Billion (as opposed to the roughly $900 Billion in Iraq and counting) AND the fact that not one American Life was lost, oh, AND the fact that this conflict has given the US a good reputation on foreign Policy in the world again AND the fact that the people in Libya are CHEERING our name instead of cursing it; perhaps the Republican Party can finally come together with President Obama to celebrate this indisputable Victory.

Ok, so nobody really believes that’s going to happen, right.  Of Course not – in fact already the Republican Party has been hitting the News circuit congratulating NATO and France (yup – the Party that brought you Freedom Fries is congratulating FRANCE on their Victory but NOT OBAMA?!?!) while criticizing our President for “leading from behind” and “not being forceful enough” in his reaction to the Libyan uprising.  Right, because I’m sure the Libyan People would still be cheering the US if we went stomping in there – Just like the people of Iraq.  Yes, by the way, this is also the same Republican party that criticized him for going into Libya in the first place.

It should be obvious to anyone that actually pays attention, that the Republican Party is NOT Patriotic. Tanking our economy and destroying the Middle Class, and Filibustering (i.e. BLOCKING) any effort the President has made to actually fix it is bad enough - but The Republican cannot even acknowledge a GENUINE Victory by this President because they are so hatefully focused on getting him out of office.  

Columbia University Economist Jeffery Sachs Addresses Occupy Wall St

I was Occupying Wall Street on 10-15-2011 - after cold wind and poor sleep the night before I sat down for a nap - and awoke with Columbia University Economist Jeffery Sachs, one of my favorite Economists (because, yes, I'm the type of person that is a fan of Economists!) about to literally step up on the ledge I was leaning on and start speaking so I ended up with the best seat in the house.

Check out the Video Below of what he said!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5USicF5-cjo

the News Needs to stop Coddling Guests and Call them on their BS!

So I am INCREADIBLY disappointed in the Morning Joe Crew today – I was pleased when I heard Grover Norquist (the guy behind the Republican “no taxes of any kind” pledge) was going to be on today. Until I watched them all coddle him! 

Why didn’t they ask him about the American Jobs Act that had passed the Senate but then Filibustered by the MINORITY Republican Party (which they have done MORE THAN ANY OTHER Senate Minority IN HISTORY) and whether he really thinks protecting the MILLIONAIRES from a 5% tax increase is really more important than GETTING PEOPLE BACK TO WORK!

Why didn’t they ask him if he agrees with Republicans who protect Millionaire’s from a slightly higher tax burden – BUT FIGHT AGAINST Payroll Tax cuts that will help WORKING PEOPLE?!

I am so SICK of ALL news organizations coddling people that come on for interviews and not calling them on their BS. Fair and Balanced does NOT mean just taking EVERYONE at their word!

Virtually ALL economists agree that Republican so-called “Real Jobs Plan” will do NOTHING to create Jobs in the short term and the President’s plan WOULD!  And making sure people have JOBS is the ONLY way to create DEMAND which businesses ALL agree is what’s needed to get the economy going again.  And the MAJORITY of the AMERICAN PEOPLE AGREE TOO!  I have heard the Republican Party say the stimulus didn’t work, but the FACTS say otherwise! THE STIMULUS SAVED THE ECONOMY the first time – How is that a failure?

The Republicans have made clear that all they want to do is get Obama out of office, and have shown through their actions that they are ready to take the economy down to do so (why not, they’re all rich, so they and their wealthy contributors will be fine).  It’s as if the Republican Party set a house on fire, cut holes in the fire hose and have been working to get the water shut off then complaining that Obama isn’t putting the fire out.