Ok, I know, I know. I am beginning to feel like Ed Anger from the old Weekly World News who was ranting about everything, but this is serious. This is scary. This is fundamentally and morally wrong.
Wall Street is becoming more of a nightmare every second. But even as deals were trying to be struck, don't you feel that members of Wall Street were looking for ways to profit? Certainly NYC's Rudy had the brilliant idea to hire his own firm to handle things and the big Investment firms want to oversee all the assets that the Treasury is going to take off the books of financial institutions. As Michael Moore says "Wall Street created this mess and now they are going to make out like bandits."
While Republicans blame many people for being able to get mortgages they couldn't afford, Moore suggests we look at another reason why we are in crisis--perhaps people could afford their mortgages if their health insurance wasn't a thousand a month or more. Perhaps they could afford their mortgage if there wasn't so much money tied up in the obscene Iraq War. The bailout will protect the obscenely wealthy. The robber baron is alive and well. Bush and his cronies should have been in jail year ago and certainly shouldn't have been elected again.
So can we do anything? Yep. Write or call your senator and your congressperson. Write or call Obama's office. Do something. Even if you think it won't matter, there is always the chance that it might.
C:
ReplyDeleteI agree... do something... even if it's "Ohmmmm"ing for peace!
What a great time to form a populist opposition third party. I bet they could get elected at this point. Democrats and Republicans have proven they are bankrupt and neither candidate for president has stepped up to show leadership on this thing... now is the time ... I nominate Caroline Leavitt for President and Clea Simon for Vice President. Campaign slogan: "Finally the Write Path".
Ok...let's get a writing campaign going...
C:
ReplyDeleteI mean a write-in campaign... not a writing campaign...
J :)
No one would ever vote for me. I advocate excellent, free health care for all. Anyone making more than 200,000 a year MUST give ten percent of his or her income to provide for better housing, medical care, and whatever for those who need it. The percentage also goes up as income goes up. No golden parachutes. Free college for everyone. No one fights in any war unless we are being attacked. Instead, we use sanctions. And we go into Dafur right now to help with food and supplies.
ReplyDeleteOh and as for religion. Everyone is able to believe whatever they want, but once they start attacking other groups or other people or saying everyone has to believe what they believe, well shoot, that religion is disbanded.
Do all these programs cost? Yes, they do, but when you consider how many milliionaires and billionaires there are now, more than a few people could be like Bill Gates and give their money and still not feel even a pinch.
We are all part of something much larger than ourselves and we now have a real opportunity to prove it.
Sorry, Jeff, I'd never be elected. I've got a family history of mental illness, I've had an abortion. I'm a liberal feminist who now lives in Cambridge (aka the People's Republik). That said, I'll support the Caroline Leavitt platform! Leavitt/Lyons?
ReplyDeleteI recently heard Madeleine Albright speak and thought, "well, shoot, what a smart lady! Why didn't I appreciate her more when she was in the government?"
Caroline...were you describing Canada? hee hee...I am in Canada right now visiting family, and everyone is fascinated with the American Election. Health Care, great public schools, affordable universities, social services all available to everyone here...at 25-44 percent income tax. That's right..if you make $100,000.00 or more you pay 44 percent. But you get a lot for your dollar.
ReplyDeleteNow if only the capitalist dream could merge with these social ideals and artists could thrive...and not scrape by...it would be perfect.
Is it not possible to have both? To thrive and be prosperous and successful...and take care of others? I think so. I hope so.
Here's my solution:
ReplyDelete1.Daily meditation to grow rich internally.
2. Draft and pass immediate legislation to purge every Republican on Capitol Hill under the "Republican Cleansing Bill."
David, you are my kind of guy. Hot chocolate is on me at City Bakery.
ReplyDeleteHate to be contrarian, but I think we need the bailout - see the "Meyer Mishkin" story in today's NYT (linked on my blog at http://cleasimon.blogspot.com )
ReplyDelete