THOSE WHO ARE IN MOST NEED LEFT HIGH AND DRY
By Schuyler ThorpeAuthor and Political ActivistI’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.comLabels: assistance, budgets, Bush, Democrats, food stamps, needy, poor, Reagan, Republican Party, tax cuts, tax rebate, unemployed
WHEN IT COMES TO THE ECONOMY, GOP HAS NO CLUE
By Schuyler ThorpeAuthor and Political ActivistThe recession is here and still the Republican candidates have no
clue as to how to deal with it.
How can they? Terrorism and
war is the only two things they know now.
Have a family of four approach John Boy and Ghouliani and their response would be: “Huh?”--when asked what they would do about their stagnant wages, rising healthcare costs, and job security.
See, the problem started back when Reagan was President. He was a pure capitalist by heart. He believed that being rich gave you
huge entitlements that weren’t yours. (Namely tax cuts.)
Hey, you're rich and need money, right?
So Ronnie began a destructive process which deprived trillions of dollars of needed monies to go towards working families and the middle-class–and started handing out “grab bags” to the rich and wealthy.
Money that they
didn’t need, but it was good politics, right? Deprive people of funds needed for education, job training, and assistance programs?
And so it began, a long and hard road for the many millions of American families, singles, and of course, the disabled and the elderly–primarily because good ol’ Ronnie Reagan believed that “trickle-down economics” would benefit from giving money to the rich and that would translate to strong job growth and increased wages.
Sadly, the Gipper had his signals crossed. The man was blinded by ideals that made absolutely
no sense to the average tax-paying American.
As a result, Big Business capitalized on Reagan’s generosity and started a process which has now
cheated people of a living wage, quality healthcare benefits, and job security 25 years later.
Bush I was no better. Clinton tried to level the playing field for at least 8 years during the Roaring 90s, but Bush II thought that the rich and wealthy had suffered long enough at the hand’s of Bill’s prosperity–and made the working American
pay for it by denying him and her an increase in minimum-wage for 10 years, access to affordable healthcare and prescription drugs, and education needed for higher-paying jobs.
Not to mention
adequate job security.
But it didn’t stop there. The Decider
encouraged Big Business to take their business elsewhere by offering such generous tax exemptions and breaks in exchange for shipping the bulk of America’s manufacturing complex overseas; and replacing it with low-paying wage jobs here at home.
As a result, personal debt
exploded seemingly overnight as the average American family had to face the struggle of making ends meet with what little was being offered to them.
And let’s not forget that Bush’s son also gave away tax breaks to the wealthy, the rich, and Big Business–just like Reagan did–expecting the same kind of
windfall to be seen.
But it never materialized.As a result, America’s social and domestic infrastructure has been left in ruins because of the Republican's inept economic policies.
And that’s why–when you ask any of the current GOP candidates what they plan on doing with the economy and the recession
now–all you get is a few mumbled words and a blank stare.
Because they have no clue!
The GOP never had any experience in dealing with Lower Class America. All they’ve been doing since Reagan took office has been catering to the wealthy and the powerful.
That’s all they know. All they ever will know.
As a result, people like you and me will only continue to suffer at their gross incompetence.
But it's no big deal.
After all, who is better to take care of us than the Republican Party, right?
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.comLabels: big business, Bill Clinton, economics, entitlements, GOP, President Bush, recession, tax cuts, wealthy
ECONOMIC STIMULUS PACKAGE NOT SO 'STIMULATING'
By Schuyler ThorpeAuthor and Political ActivistJust occured to me last night--as I was going to bed--that this economic package that Bush proposed lacks any real substance or
teeth to be of any real help to the sagging economy.
Pay close attention to his words: "This is designed to help
big business stay afloat, and whatever's left--we'll give to the middle-class and working poor."
Think that $1600 is going to you because you're married, have a job, and two kids?
Think again.
In 2001, I was promised $300 for a single person, $600 for someone who is married.
I got $75!
Wow!
I can certainly go to town on this amount! I was completely
fucked by my own government! Ass fucked so severely, my butt's permantly puckered here!
Surprised? Actually, no. The reason why I got that amount (and not the $300 I was promised), was because I was working
minimum-wage. I could only qualify for the $300 if I was making (minimum), $20,000 or more. $600 if I was making $40,000. (Families making this amount got double or even triple the amount.)
So $75 was my damned consulation prize.
And this is the reason why I
curse my fucking government for being such stingy bastards.
Everyone talks big and all, but who gets
reamed in the ass like a corner-plodding whore?
It's people like me whom make less than $15,000 a year on minimum-wage. (Back in 2001, I was only making $11,000.)
That's who!No one
ever talks about us. We just focus on the high-rollers whom make $20K or more. (Like good little sheeple.)
And that's why these stimulus packages are such a joke and waste of tax-payer's monies.
They aren't designed to help those who
truly need it. They just package it in such a way that gives the *illusion* that we are helping you out.
We're not.
We're just adding to the deficit (to the tune of $150B), and the working poor and some lower-class Americans get the royal shaft once again.
But don't think for a second that this stimulus package is going to be of any use to the economy.
While two-thirds of all Americans spent their tax rebate in the first six months of 2001, the rest
saved their money.
And did it jumpstart the economy? It did
somewhat, but the problems plaguing us from the 2001 recession never really left us. Our job creation numbers have sucked for the longest 8 years imaginable.
Our debt has grown so bad, many certified public accountants are having nightmares and needing therapy.
All it did was give more money to the rich and everyone else was left hanging high and
dry.
This time, the problem is
worse. High energy, high food prices, inflation which hasn't been seen in awhile, credit card debt skyhigh, and a housing meltdown that makes global warming look like your average July summer bake sale in the South.
And let's not forget $3 gas--which wasn't the case back in 2001.
Still think that your rebate check is going to save the economy when you're faced with
these problems?
Bush seems to think so. But Bush has always been locked away in his own little fantasy world.
Funny thing is, so are the Democrats we helped put back into power.
It would be ironic if it wasn't such a sad thing to witness first hand.
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.comLabels: $3 gas, economy, high-energy, housing meltdown, President Bush, recession, stimulus, tax cuts
