Political Whispers: A Look Into Today's World of Dark Politics

TWO ISSUES THAT NEITHER PARTY ADDRESSES

By Schuyler Thorpe
Author and Political Activist

Over the last three decades, I’ve noticed a curious thing about our society.

We often bitch and complain about our material needs, the national deficit, high energy prices, food prices, wars, conflicts, the Cold War, social injustices, AIDS, women’s rights, abortion, gun rights, government corruption, infringement of personal rights, the environment, global warming, gay marriage, cronyism, corruption within our own government, the draft, military readiness, the war on terrorism, global warming, government incompetence, negative attack ads, our patriotism, values, a lack of morals, religion, God, the Bible, our stance in the world community, science, technology, warrantless spying, lack of affordable healthcare, universal healthcare, pensions, living wages, minimum wages, education, a lack of good education, college tuition, national security, borders, illegal immigration, school shootings, the right to live, the right to die, assisted suicide, free speech, dissenting opinion, the Constitution, racial intolerance, racial bigotry, xenophobia, terrorists, Muslims, Roe v. Wade, and so on.

Literally, the list is endless on how much we focus our attention on everything but two outstanding problems which has been a mainstay in this country of ours: Poverty and homelessness.

Why hasn’t our nation devoted more of its attention and resources to these two problems than just go about acting like the above list is more important while constantly condemning millions of Americans to a life of both?

Whatever happened to compassion and caring in this great nation of ours?

Certainly, there could be more done to address these glaring issues by ourselves. But neither the government, nor the two-party system has shown that much willingness to buckle down and really start addressing and fixing the problems which cause both poverty and homelessness.

If we are the richest nation in the world, why do we still have these problems? Why do millions of Americans constantly live in the throes of abject poverty and in the grips of being homeless every day?

Why does the majority of Americans spend their waking moments living from paycheck to paycheck, while others spend yet another year out on the streets of the United States?

Can anyone answer me these questions?

Our two-party system cannot. None of our candidates won't. They are too busy beating each other over the head--then addressing the real core problems our country has endured for a generation or more.

One of the things that the foreclosure and credit card meltdown had created was a glut of people seeking a place to live until this hellish mess that the current administration had created blows over.

But in the process, it started jacking rents up so obscenely that not many people have been able to escape the nightmare that was once considered the American Dream: Living in your own place.

What was once considered reasonable rent has now left millions of Americans struggling to make the monthly rent on such stagnant incomes.

And every year for the past 4 years now, rents have skyrocketed to levels not seen in recent memory.

What is our government’s response to this problem? Nothing.

The Bush administration and Congress had no plan for renters getting caught up in this catastrophic mess. But they did have an answer to mortgage lenders and roughly 400,000 struggling homeowners though: By bailing them out to the tune of $25 billion dollars or more.

What about a renter’s rescue package–hmm? How about diverting some money to the rental industry so that some financial pressure can be taken off people like myself; whom is facing the all too real nightmare of being homeless in the next six weeks?

Why do we constantly keep diverting billions of our own dollars to rescue financial institutions whom create these fucking messes in the first place? All it’s doing is giving these big business conglomerates more incentive to do more of the same damned thing over again–years down the road!

But not surprisingly enough, neither party really cares about the little guy. People like myself–whom is in the process of packing and wondering where the hell my wife and I are going to go next: Into a smaller bedroom unit or will we be spending the next several years out on the streets because we lack the money and resources to find affordable housing?

No…

Both the Democrats and the Republicans have both shown considerable indifference towards the poor, the homeless, and the impoverished by continuing to bail out Corporate America at the expense of the taxpayer–and leaving us all to fend for ourselves the best we can.

Because this is America, right?

This is what it means to aspire for our own American Dream? To live in constant poverty or be homeless–because our system of government favors the rich and wealthy than it does the concerned welfare of its lower-caste citizens?

Schuyler Thorpe is an author, a political activist, and a frequent letter writer to The Everett Herald of Snohomish County. He can be reached at: starchildalpha1 at yahoo.com

Labels: Democrats, government, homelessness, issues, poor, poverty, Republicans, resources, society

posted by Schuyler Thorpe @ 3:56 PM 0 comments

THOSE WHO ARE IN MOST NEED LEFT HIGH AND DRY

By Schuyler Thorpe
Author and Political Activist

I’m pissed at my government for allowing them to walk all over us.

I’m pissed at Congress for caving in and not giving those whom need help the most.

Yes, I am talking about the tax rebate legislation–which axed financial aide for those whom need energy assistance, extra food stamp money, and those whom are currently unemployed–and would all enjoy the tax bate relief.

I know I would. I just spent three-quarters of my food stamps on food within the last 24 hours. Most of it on meat, bread, cheese, and soy milk.

I saved a little bit on the side so my wife and I can get our monthly chocolate fix. The rest I’ve set aside for later–when I need it.

To the outside observer, what I’ve done may not be such a big deal. But trying living on nearly $300 in food stamps a month–for 2 people–with the current high food prices; and you would begin to see why people like myself were rooting for Congress to pass that extra legislation for those like myself whom have been financially hurting all this time.

And came away gravely disappointed.

Why did the Republicans block the legislation that would’ve given us an extra boost? According to some insiders, they said it was too much money.

Too much money!?

Let me guess: We can blow hundreds of billions of dollars on an ill-gotten war, but we can’t blow the same amount on the home front–making sure that those whom need help…get it?

What does the Republican Party have against people like me? What did we ever do to piss them off so much??? Why must we be made to suffer so they can waste our tax-paying money on corporate ventures and oil interests? (Not to mention all those tax-cuts for the rich?)

I didn’t ask to be born into this world under the dogging weight of extreme poverty. But I certainly made many efforts to dig myself out of it--and failing each time. But it seems that the mechanisms which tells us that we can aspire to better ourselves in the long run–are the same entities which controls the purse strings of Congress.

These are the same machinations which tells me that not only can I not better myself, but I must be permanently slaved to a system that won’t allow me to do the same.

In essence, I am an unwilling prisoner in a corrupt system of democracy.

To make matters even worse, Bush’s latest budget proposal has gone ahead and cut funding from the very programs which help people like me.

Those whom need energy assistance, housing, Medicare, and food stamps.

And if you have noticed something peculiar about his allocated funds? The majority of it goes to the military and defense industries.

So they can have their precious wars.

But why not the people whom need help the most?

Because they were never a priority with the Republican Party.

The poor and the downtrodden have been made to suffer since Reagan was President. His slanted fiscal budgets heavily favored the wealthy and the rich–while giving those who needed help the least amount of money.

Thus setting into motion, a series of events which has made it harder for people like me, to get ahead a little bit in life.

We’ve never asked for the world, all we are asking for is a boost in the right direction.

Unfortunately…? Both Bush and Congress doesn’t seem to be listening.

Which means?

People like me are left high and dry. Again.

Schuyler Thorpe is an author, a political activist, and a frequent letter writer to The Everett Herald of Snohomish County. He can be reached at: starchildalpha1 at yahoo.com

Labels: assistance, budgets, Bush, Democrats, food stamps, needy, poor, Reagan, Republican Party, tax cuts, tax rebate, unemployed

posted by Schuyler Thorpe @ 1:19 PM 0 comments