Dear Government: So Let Me Get This Straight…
Over the last X amount of years, the government has said that we were not in the business of handing out money to people who need it, as we are not a “socialist” nation and everyone is pretty muchon their own. They said that…
The poor should not get food stamps.
The uninsured should not get insurance.
Kids in poor neighborhoods should not get school books made in the last 20 years.
Police, Fire, EMT, & Teachers should not be paid more for the work they do.
Minimum wage should not be raised to a livable wage.
Our veterans should not get better health care.
Our troops should not get working body armor, armored Hummers, or the tools to do their job.
Regulation will kill the economy and the free market never fails.
Social Security should be put in the stock market too.
Teens from lower-income families should not get too much help to go to college.
The elderly cannot have enough help paying for prescriptions.
We don’t have the money to invest in clean energy or fuel efficient cars, but we can give tax breaks to manufacturers anyway.
Parents should not get help to put their kids in a decent preschool program.
But yet we can hand out trillions to banks and companies that failed because of their greedy business practices? We can bail out homeowners who bought a house they could not afford? The fiscal conservatives in Congress that will say yes to this bailout no longer have their so-called “moral ground” to stand on when rejecting social programs that benefit the regular, tax-paying people of the United States. When they say it is OK for all of us to save companies that should be left to die, give million dollar payouts to failed CEO’s but not $1.00 more an hour for minimum wage workers, you really have to wonder about the humanity of these people.
You cannot have it both ways – oh wait, yes you can. My bad.
Nicely said. You know what would be nice? If the presidential candidates could get together and field questions about these subjects so we can have an idea about the people we’re electing. What do they call that? Oh yeah, a debate!
Good point FFB, I agree with you. Too bad McCain is running away from the debates to do photo-ops.
Just to be clear, this plan – to the best of my understanding – in no way bails out the lowly home”owner.” This bill won’t help anyone stay in their home as the economy falters. It only shields the lenders from the penalties of the high-risk loans they made. Oh, and of course, it provides generously for the CEOs who approved such fiscal recklessness.
Whatever you think about people who took on more mortgage debt than they should have, this bill isn’t going to help them.
The whole thing is disgusting. I wish I could say it’s surprising too, but it’s not.
Right on David! You have expressed my outrage perfectly. A good thing, too, since I am nearly incoherent with rage…
While I am so against the bail out, it sounds like you want a socialized society. If that is the case move to Russia, or some other such country.
We need less gov’t not more.
Right Jeff – so why are fiscal conservatives allowing it to go through at all? Why are they socializing the losses of the wealthy onto the backs of regular taxpayers like you and I? I realize you think we are not a socialist country, but in reality – we have been one since the Depression. Think about what is funded by the government (albeight underfunded – either do it fully or not at all is my opinion) – everything from roads, police, fire, libraries, schools, some clinics, prisons, parks, the airlines, the oil companies, the auto manufacturers, Amtrak (barely), Medicare, Medicaid, teachers, bridges, national monuments & parks, etc etc etc.. The list goes on.
I agree with a few of your points. I am certainly not happy with this bailout, although I understand it may be necessary to stave off not only a recession but a very possible depression. I am enraged at how much the CEOs of these sinking ships we’re bailing out have received in compensation and bonuses (how in the hell does one justify a bonus for a CEO whose company is collapsing?!).
RE: Food stamps — There are plenty of people in this country who get food stamps, but what really needs to change is what those stamps can be used for! Yes, they can’t be used for liquor or cigarettes, but they can be used for a lot of junk food and “comfort” food. Ever notice how our poorest segments of society are also among the most obese? I believe food stamps should only be applicable towards staples like rice, flour, beans, fruits & veggies, milk, soup, etc. Not chips, frozen pizzas, ice cream, and microwavable burritos.
RE: Minimum wage — I have a real problem with minimum wage and how it should be a “liveable” wage. This is an introductory wage for temporary and/or unskilled labor. This is not a wage that anyone should expect to rely on for an actual career. What do you think is a “liveable” wage that this should be jacked up to? $15/hour? And, if so, how many of these positions do you think employers will offer? You don’t just jack an employer’s labor costs up without some fallout–there will be fewer positions offered and increased costs passed on to the consumer. Those lucky enough to find a new minimum wage job will soon see inflation eat up their paychecks and, once again, we’ll have to raise the minimum wage to an even higher “liveable” wage.
ditto on you wanting a socialist govn’t….so go to Russia…Canada…
Jon – again, why are you fiscal conservatives who don’t want to help regular people, allowing this $1.8 trillion bailout go through then, if you dont want a socialist society?
Dar – I agree on the food stamps issue – they need to be monitored more closely. But at the same time, lower income people, with their own money, buy more junk food than people who make more money. Why? It’s cheaper, a lot cheaper. So that is why the people on food stamps buy that stuff too, it makes the stamps go further. But something needs to be done. As for minimum wage, it’s not only for unskilled people – there are millions making that wage. You cannot tell me that all of them are unskilled workers. It depends on so many factors – location, situation, education, skillset, economy, etc. Its not as cut and dry as “minimum wage is for new or unskilled workers”, unfortunately. No one said they should make $15 an hour, but $5? $5 an hour. Imagine working for that. My wife is a fully educated and trained teacher, and know what she makes? $16 an hour. For educating kids in a public school. How sad is it that I make way more than she does doing this stuff online, while she is teaching children how to read and do math.
When did this cease to be a finance blog and become a political blog?
When did “the government” ever say those things?
And since you brought it up, I believe it was Obama that was too scared to debate McCain in 10 town hall debates that McCain offered… I dunno, maybe if they let him have his TelePrompTer he would have accepted.. 😉
This has everything to do with finance. Our economy is crappy and your tax dollars are about to be spent to bailout mill and billionaires. And this is my opinion on it. I mentioned last week things were going to get more opinionated and personal around here as a warning!
And yes, that must be it. Obama was afraid of McCain – Who only holds one event a day, thinks Spain is in Latin America, and thinks Vladimir Putin is the president of Germany. I would be scared too. 🙂
That all being said, I am only talking politics right now because of the economy and bailout. I wont be writing full posts about Obama or McCain – I leave that for my other sites.
Those of you running your yaps about McCain do realize that he wanted MORE debates in the form of town halls but Obama nixed the idea. Oh wait……… As for photo ops nanna know why Obama didn’t visit the troops in Germany( because they wouldn’t allow cameras in – ooopsies)? Personally, I feel Mccain was exactly right to head home to handle the crisis he is being paid six figures to handle. It’s too bad that Obama would rather just run his mouth then actually do something in the job he is already being paid for.
As for regulation, you might want to look at the previous words of Obama on democrats and regulation David. You’ll notice that there was a convenient political shift in the winds just like there was on issues like FISA. I trust Obama as far as i can throw him and quite frankly, I can’t throw.
@ David,
“…McCain – Who only holds one event a day, thinks Spain is in Latin America, and thinks Vladimir Putin is the president of Germany.”
I’m curious – where do you get your information from?
Fox:
One Event – http://tinyurl.com/54lk4j
Spain – (Warning, mp3 file) – http://tinyurl.com/3uy7s4, or here – http://tinyurl.com/3gul56
Putin – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5ENwej0fpc
cwaltz – really, it depends on which side you are on. There are exactly the same amount, probably, of bad stuff about each candidate. Lets be honest here – I read liberal/democratic blogs, thus I see the bad stuff about McCain. You read conservative/republican blogs, and see the bad stuff about Obama. Neither candidate is as great as each side says they are, and neither of them are infallible. But of course, we as voters, are going to side with our “candidate”. So lets not pretend that neither one of them is “perfect” or any different than any other politician. I never said Obama was perfect – he’s just my candidate so of course I am going to look for McCain wrong-doings. That’s what everyone does.
As opposed to Obama thinking there are 57 states and that he will be the President for 10 years?(and yes I can find links to back up these ascerians if you like) Really David, BOTH sides could play gotcha with the idiotic flubs that have been made by BOTH candidates.
Some interesting reading for you if you like http://www.theleftcoaster.com/archives/011470.php
Couple his triangulating with his stealing votes he didn’t earn and you have my reasons for opposing Obama. Personally, I think Obama will kill any chance we have to really make progress towards things like national health care. I’d rather try again in 4 years with a candidate I believe actually believes what he is saying rather than someone just using political positions to get ahead. During the primary he opposed health care for everyone- saying that it would force people to choose between rent and health care…….now all of a sudden he believes it is possible? I don’t think so.
Dar,
There are alot of breadwinners making minimum wage working so called entry level positions. Go to Burger King during the day or Walmart(there aren’t kids filling these positions- kids are in school- they’re adults). Why should these people filling essential business functions be forced to grub out a meagar existence simply because they don’t have college? Quite frankly, I’m for letting these investment bankers go find a job at their local Mickey Ds, haven’t we heard for years about how the market is God and when one job closes down( due jobs being shipped overseas) that people should be able to start all over. Here’s the MARKET’S opportunity to do what it has been telling Main Street to do. Pick up and start over- with their OWN bootstraps.
That was my point in the post right above yours – either side can find stupid crap about either candidate. If one of them was actually perfect, there wouldn’t be a race for the WH, would there?
I read liberal and Democratic blogs since I trend liberal. That said, I am one of those “low information Appalachians” that we heard about during the primaries(tongue firmly in cheek). i am on of the 20% crossover that thinks that the Democratic party risks becoming French Vanilla to the GOP Vanilla.
By the way, Turkana and Left Coaster are liberal(so you can safely click on the link). So is TalkLeft(I’m a Big BTD fan and have been every since me and Armando went toe to toe). I used to be a Dkos fan before it became a pep rally rather than a site promoting activism and discouraging conspiracy theories. I have been known to visit Redstate but usually just to laugh at the antics. I like Josh Trevino and used to like watching him and BTD spar at Swords Crossed(a site created to promote debate between the two ideologies).
Let me guess you’re a democrat?
I thought this was a personal finance blog. A place to discuss money… Apparently it’s just like all other forms of media trying to force politics into a forum that should be politic free.
“low information Appalachians” – too funny. And while I am with you that the Democratic party is seemingly a bunch of wimps, I cannot, in good conscience, vote for candidate that thinks women shouldn’t earn what men do, wants to outlaw choice for women, and has a VP candidate who is a dolt. McCain used to be someone who really stood up for principle, but he seems to have lost his way recently. In another election, with a more moderate Repub, I could contemplate it. But not this time.
And Capt. Obvious – if politics are not playing a part in this bailout, our tax dollars, and our economy, I don’t know what is. And that is why we are talking about it here.
David
Are you certain Obama cares about choice? I’m not. He voted present for political expedience before. Heck, what have the Democrats done for women……..let’s recap………they helped outlaw a procedure that will cause women who already faced one of the most difficult and heartbreaking decisions(because you will never in a million years convince me a woman goes through six + months of swelling, puking and having its body leached of nutrients for giggles) to risk preforated uteruses and hemorrhage because they were afraid of being labeled bad things and being called names. When the SC ruled that BCPs are not required to be carried on business formularies they did nothing. When it was found that a huge donut hole rose the and caused BCP costs to rise on campuses they did nothing. Right now, the Bush administration HHS has pushed to have BCPs labeled as abortifactents which would mean that if a pharmacist or doctor didn’t agree with dispensing them they wouldn’t have to. When have you seen Obama use his bully pulpit to address this? He hasn’t. He signed a letter, that was his big contribution.
Furthermore, Feminists for Life, the organization Sarah Palin belongs to, helped pass the Child Support Enforcement Act, participated in Domestic Violence laws and is presently working to pass the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Pregnant and Parenting College Student Support Act. I may not agree with them about choice but I can respect and work with women who seek to make sure that there is a support network in place for women who do choose to bring a child into this world. I can agree with them that for each child to have the opportunity to achieve its potential that we need to ensure these children have the resources they need to learn and grow(and that means support for their parents). Additionally, the venom I have seen directed at Clinton and then Palin has opened my eyes to the sexism that exists within my own party. I don’t believe that people who derides a woman for continuing in a race she is entitled to continue on in is credible even if they say they are for “equal pay” for women. I watched in disgust while they told a women who garnered more votes then any man before her to back down and went so far as to try to act as if she didn’t get those votes. There were men who barely managed to get a state who were given their acknowledgement during a roll call, they didn’t even want her to get that. I watched as they made beauty pagaent sound like a dirty word( as if how a woman looks is something you have a say over). That isn’t the sign of a party that respects women, that’s the sign of a party that uses us(and I am done being used). Furthermore, I find it crucial to have women represented and in order to do that you vote for women, even if you don’t agree with them. It’s the 30% rule. I will vote for a woman this cycle and the DNC decided which one.
If Palin is for women’s rights, why charge them for rape exams and rape kits in Alaska? If she is for women’s rights, why not leave all decisions up to individual women? You cannot be a feminist and be against allowing a woman to make her own medical choices – its like saying you aren’t a racist while hiding a confederate flag in your closet. Again, to spite the entire Democratic party because Clinton did not get the nomination is not helping anything at all – you will effectively be removing women’s rights to equal pay, choice for their own bodies, and blaming women if they get raped. Whatever happened to Clinton is done and gone – electing Palin is not going to do anything other than set the women’s movement back many years. But its your decision of course, so have at it.
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