I have a confession: I feel hopeless and powerless when it comes to what’s going on in this country.
I probably read too much, or read too many stories of Americans who have fallen on hard times while the rich enjoy their lowest tax rates in 50 years. There’s a whole lot of wealth resting in the richest Americans’ hands. Well, not in their hands, actually, more like their brokerage accounts where it does little to grow this country.
Fox panicked when he read this post and rounded up all his cash, lest it be taken away by the government. Then he started screaming "FU, you socialist bastard." Now he's locked up in his cage and I'm cleaning the wounds on my arms. Never keep a fox as a pet. It will come back to bite you one day.
And then there’s our Congress who protects the rich like they’re endangered baby seals and heaven forbid someone club their bank account to shake loose a few dollars. The rich and large businesses own the congress and fund their careers so it shouldn’t be a surprise who they answer to. And to top it off, they serve up a load of crap about “Job Creators” being taxed creating fewer jobs. Here’s a nice op-ed on that:
\”Tax Rich More, Patriotic Millionaires Urge\”
I wish I had a new spin on all of this other than to say I once believed in Gordon Gekko‘s mantra: Greed Is Good. But I don’t anymore.
Greed is good for the few, but not the many. We need Captain Kirk to beam down and put a little hurt on the people in our government who protect Paris Hilton’s savings account over the welfare and well-being of middle class families hit hard by the recession (the one that never went away for a large portion of the population).
Years ago, I gave up watching the local news because I couldn’t take the bad news it served up each night. I may have to give up reading on the Internet. The “machine” built to convince people to vote against their own interests and protect the interests on the “machine” is just too great to fight. I don’t have the energy to argue anymore.
I know some people will disagree with me. That’s fine. I do have one question: If the rich, aka job creators, are enjoying historically low tax rates, why aren’t we overwhelmed with jobs in this country and why isn’t the economy booming?
I know it also has to do with companies outsourcing jobs and it’s a complicated issue, but that’s what I wonder everyday when I read a story of a middle-class couple with two kids, who lost their jobs, then their house, then their car and who now live in a homeless shelter. Why aren’t the job creators creating jobs with the money they’re saving in taxes?
Could the rich be lying to us about taxing the rich?
The Unknown Cystic 
My husband is American, I lived there for 10 years before moving ‘home’ to Australia late last year (bringing he and our 7 year old with me). The difference in how “middle class” in Australia live, and “middle class” in America live, is astounding.
Here, we have the ‘dreaded’ government healthcare – meaning for us, my son with chronic lung disease gets his machines, meds and doctor and hospital visits for free . (Our last tax year in the US it cost us just under $15k for the same treatment for him) that was WITH the insurance we paid $14,400 p/a for. That’s right, we paid $29.4k in ONE year for health coverage for our family, because our son had, gasp, a “pre-exisiting condition” and might actually need some help. Shame on us.
Then we have wages – minimum wage here is $15/h, and that’s for a 16 year old. The minimums for 18 and 21 year-old’s rise again. Of course we have issues, all countries do, and I wont pretend its perfect. Of course in this country, the richer you are, the more taxes you pay, it’s insane, I know.
But, in my opinion – the USA – the country that touts as “the greatest country in the world” (which it is, in many respects – I’m the first to say it), should be able to get the basics right. What are the basics? In my opinion they are food, clothing, shelter and medical treatment for all citizens.
The USA should never have homeless families, kids that cant afford proper medical care, or parents that will be sent broke if they need it. Families losing their homes because of a job market that disposed of them, should be unheard of.
Shame America, the very back of people you built your great country on, are the ones you are breaking now – just so the wealthy can wallow a little deeper in their riches.
Someone with a strong will and a backbone to match, needs to win an election and surround him or herself with people of integrity and make some serious changes.
Will it happen? I don’t know, I hope so. In the meantime, we’re staying put.
OM,
I didn’t know your son has a chronic long disease. I should have checked your blog more closely. Am I familiar with that lung disease? It’s amazing how we’re punished for a pre-existing condition in this country. I know firsthand. I am lucky to have insurance through my employer, but I can’t go get it on my own.
It’s strange how some politicians hate raising the minimum wage, but when it is raised the economy improves because the people who get the bump spend the extra money.
I agree with you about this country taking better care of those who have fallen on hard times. There is such wealth. We will save rich people who mismanage a bank, but we’ll let middle class workers hit the street with their children. We have become the generation of the bottom line and corruption at the highest levels.
Lastly, I’m moving to Australia. I can’t take the craziness here anymore. Give a land full of poisonous spiders, snakes and kangaroos over poisonous politicians.
Thanks for the thoughtful and intelligent comment.
UC
I completely agree with everything you and “An Observant Mind” just said… I have a really hard time with the alternate argument. If you graph it, as the tax rates for the wealthiest have decreased over the past 10 years, the unemployment rate has also plummeted. Where is this evidence of job creation?
Dollup,
You are the smartest Dollup I know. Almost as intelligent as that woman I know named Stacey. Isn’t that funny that as taxes have gone down for the wealthy, the economy has tanked? You can’t build roads with mutual funds. Oh, and borrowing money to fund two wars didn’t help any one except those in the other countries.
UC
Brilliant! I agree with absolutely everything you said. The “job-creators” are laughing all the way to the bank.
Julie,
Thank you. I, too, agree with you. They are laughing all the way as they stockpile money for years to come and let it sit there for a rainy day they’ll never live to see while the country suffers.
UC