But what those republicans won't mention this fall campaign when talking about the minimum wage bill the democrats voted down is the other half of that bill that the republicans tacked on to it. The part about further enriching the rich who have been stuffing our legislator's pockets with the green since before the last minimum wage raise nine years ago, to wit:
....two watchdog groups have documented a decade-long, stealth campaign by 18... super rich families to eliminate the federal estate tax. These 18 families – averaging more than $10 billion each in personal wealth – would net a windfall of $71.7 billion if this deal passes! Jim Hightower
That's from a report that profiles these families and their businesses, which include the families behind Wal-Mart, Gallo wine, Campbell’s soup, and Mars Inc., maker of M&Ms. Public Citizen
I know we've all heard those dull statics about how the top 1 percent of households in the United States has more wealth than the entire bottom 95 percent. We've heard shit like this all our lives to where it really doesn't mean anything to most of us. But the United States continues to consolidate its "lead" among industrialized nations in this wealth distribution disparity which manifests in number one rankings for the US in categories like worst health care and greatest child poverty.
When we returned from our recent trip to the Pacific Northwest last Friday, I was swept away with the news of all the people who suffered flooded homes due to the monsoonal rains that occurred during our absence.
As I walked around our neighborhood, I saw in a couple of areas pavement that appeared just fine on its surface. But a glance of its underside, as revealed by the earth that had been washed away, showed just how dangerous and misleading that seemingly unaffected pavement now is. I'm not sure I'd want to trust my car or my safety to that foundationless pavement.
That's a great metaphor for the current state of the US. It all looks pretty much "as usual" to most of us, but we're really sitting on a base whose underlying support is being washed away con gusto!
But it really all seems okay, so this November when we go to the polls, those of us who still have faith the system works (which mountains of mounting evidence suggests doesn't), we'll vote for the party that keeps us safest from terrorists, gays and flag burners.
A nice little story in this week's USA Weekend illustrates the continuing erosion of life as we once knew it. It dealt with "luxury-style" health care for Americans. What it is is doctors offering patients a kind of privileged health care for those who can afford it. They call it "concierge" medical treatment and it works like this: For a monthly fee of $90-$200/month/patient, you will get better treatment. (Keep in mind, this is addition to your healtcare insurance - if you still have any.)
What you get from the benefits of this additional healthcare cost may be "same-day appointments," your ability to "skip the waiting room, arrange face to face access," and in some cases, your doctor's cellphone number!
I see this as just another (minor) symptom of the (major) widening gap between American "haves, have-mores" and the "have-nots." Oh, and how does your doctor manage to do this? Well, as the article explains, by "cutting back from the average 2,000 to 4,000 patients your doctor may see annually to just 400 to 600 patients!
So, as if you didn't have enough to worry about like getting health insurance, being able to afford it if you do, being denied certain treatments by your insurer, or cancelled if you get too sick, you now have to worry about being culled from your doctor's patient list! You gotta love this country's entreprenurial creativity. It's so ingenious. And so god-damned sick.
But that wasn't the most shocking part of that USA Weekend article. This was: Rose Darby, its author, calls the additional $90-$200 per month per patient cost reasonable for "ordinary patients"!
Well, thanks to Darby, one thing's been confirmed for me and my wife. We are no longer part of that group of Americans who are considered "ordinary patients".
But pardon my digression. As every old army "Sarge" would say when I raised an objection or complaint, "Sounds to me like you have a personal problem."
Okay, so no big deal, right? The really important thing to remember this November is to vote for those who support a ban on gay marriage. But if you get sick? Well, never mind when our vice president addressed senator Patrick Leahy that he was really talking to all of us when he said, "Fuck you!"
If you thought the collapse of the Soviet Union and communism was spectacular, wait til we see how bankrupt American capitalism crumbles!
3 comments:
i go back and forth on the subject of an estate tax..
because
i believe that all taxes should be eliminated...especially when our government has proven time and time again that they don't spend money wisely..
so let 'them' submit a bill repealing all income tax...and have the gov submit a budget to us, the american people - that we have to approve
all the while, making the gov self-sufficient...let them figure out how to make their own money
just my 2cents
az: Thanks for raising a good point re the estate tax. As I understand it, it really doesn't affect many, save for the very, very wealthy.
But that's a point I need to further research the specifics of, lest I trust left-wing radio to inform me.
But I totally agree with you re how our taxes are spent. I can't begin to imagine what a different world we'd be living in if, when we submitted our annual taxes to the government, we could allocate (no, DEMAND) how they are spent!
It's a great concept...and one that would have us living in a totally different global environment than the one we presently "enjoy" today. thanks for the reminder.
It never ceases to amaze me that avg people think the elimination of the estate tax will somehow benefit them. let them spend a few bucks for an hr with an honest certified estate planner who will kindly point out the hard truth, which is they will be lucky to be supporting their OWN lifestyle in retirement, let alone leaving $$$ in excess of the amount already exempt from estate tax. And even if by some miracle you manage to avoid that reverse mortgage on your last house (the biggest asset most people will ever own), there are other ways to transfer title that will avoid estate tax.
but yeah, I agree all taxes collected while THIS regime is in power just contributes to deficit spending. They can't keep their hands off the middle class, a juicy plum that still provides the majority of federal revenue. Once they're bled dry, we will all be equally poor -- except the upper class wealthy, who will still be running the gov't & trying to figure out which group to target next because they sure as hell WANT IT ALL. Greedy power junkies will stop at nothing to feed their habit even if it destroys the whole damn world. D.K.
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