ROAD TO RECOVERY

Here's another slightly edited commentary I wrote recently at BlogHer in an effort to reach readers outside my regular reader's frame of reference.  Perhaps, some of you may be doing the same there or other places.  I would be interested in knowing about your experience in doing so.  

Well, we  have the beginnings of some effort to provide health care to all Americans in this nation.  Let's hope we can constructively build on that rather than having Congress waste time and energy trying to dismantle the program. 

Since this is a Presidential election year, is it too much to expect our Congresspersons to concentrate on creating meaningful legislation instead of all these phony political posturings I'm seeing them take?  If many of them received job performance reviews they'd be quickly judged to be engaging in "busy work" that offers no value to the recovery of this nation from one of the worse financial situations our country has endured.

But then, many of them are millionaires in their own right or will be, so have an increasing disconnect with the majority of Americans like you and me.  Some do still identify with us and are capable of fully appreciating  our work situation, health care needs and living choices.  Others don't have the faintest notion of what ordinary survival living entails, including one Presidential candidate who never experienced such a life in his privileged childhood, much less as an adult.  Unfortunately, by his own repeated words and actions, he seems unable to empathize or even imagine what a regular American's life is really like, since he had been busy investing the monies of already wealthy individuals to make them even richer.  No matter if a few companies and workers jobs were lost in the process -- just the price of doing business to earn investors more money. 

The country's problems can be attributed to those in both major political parties, our government and even some of our ordinary citizens seeking to fulfill the American Dream.  Yes, and us, too, because we didn't carefully monitor and make certain those we entrusted were functioning in their positions as they should.  As the popular Pogo comic strip of years ago said, "We have met the enemy and he is us."

Contrary to what we would all like to believe, or is being promised by various candidates, there is no quick fix.   There is much that can be done to aid in the recovery but not if ideologs fail to refocus their attention from self-interest.  We each need to closely scrutinize what activities and actions engage each of our Representatives and Senators.   We need to directly contact them to express our expectations to these individuals who are our employees and hold them accountable in this Nov. election and those elections to come.

We need to pay attention to sources that reveal where our Congressperson derives his/her financial campaign support -- "Follow the money!"   How do those $$$ correlate with his/her legislative positions?   Take SuperPac ads content as a grain of salt, if you're unable to avoid seeing or hearing them,  since they are suspiciously secretive about revealing their contributors.  You can be confident they have an agenda for what is in their funding sources best interests -- but not likely in the best interests of the average American.  

If you limit the intake of your news sources to a select few whose views mostly coincide with your own, or who promote emotional rants and rhetoric  as a way to distract from the facts, do yourself the service of listening to calmer more rational reports so you can discern what is really happening.  There are neutral non-partisan  fact-check sites you can easily access on the Internet to verify truth from fiction.  There's a lot of fiction being spread.  We must do our homework -- men and women have died protecting our right to have these  freedoms we enjoy. 

Some of you live in critical States said to be the ones to determine how this 2012 election will conclude.  I don't happen to live in one of those States, but it's vitally important to me that you take your responsibilities seriously, know the facts for what and whom you vote since your actions, or lack thereof, will affect me and my family.  I know my Congresspersons and their stance on issues, how to contact them to provide support and/or express my wishes (not that they're always followed,) but the point is the action is vital for this Republic to survive.

I do not want to live in a plutocracy (a nation run by the extremely wealthy,) or a theocracy (a nation dictated to by any religious group,) or any such combination thereof, much less a faux republic/democracy.

Let's move forward toward the gradual rejuvenation of this nation in a manner dedicated to re-building our middle class.....

...creating jobs that are not limited to just the service industry as being good enough,

... insisting our government take action to rebuild our nation's infrastructure,

... re-assessing the allocation of government funds that do not penalize the least among us,

...expecting all, including the most wealthy among us.  to pay their fair percentage of taxes,

...determine government budget cuts in many unnecessary subsidized areas,

... institute budget cuts the military/Pentagon has even specified as being appropriate,

... reassess the allocation of all foreign aid within the context of today's world government alignments, 

....revolutionize drug purchasing practices with pharmaceutical companies for Medicare/Medicaid/insurers, 

...demand accountability for the financial industries giants and corporations through the regulation with which they do not self-police and our officials have been negligent in enforcing.

Let's do more than just yell out the window... "we're .mad as hell and not going to take it any more!"

What are you doing or what all do you think we need to do?  

Wants -- Don't Wants in 2012 Election

The News and Politics category at BlogHer is engaging their readers on the topic of the upcoming 2012 Election.    Their writer's observation has been  that individuals often write what they do want, but some may prefer to express their thoughts by saying what they don't want to occur in this election and/or to our nation. I'm reminded of what's occurring politically in California.

The time is ripening for California political campaigning to intensify, since our Primary Election is upcoming Tuesday, June 5th.    This will be our State's first election since redistricting changes.  Also, Primary Election voters can now vote across Party lines.   Another major Primary change is that the winners will be the top two vote-getters regardless of political party.  I supported these changes, but such a system is not without risk.  Many candidates for an office could result in a vote split allowing final candidate selections in November to be individuals least preferred by a majority of voters.  All those who cast their ballot for those candidates who were eliminated might have had a total vote count greater than either or both winners received

Below is a comment I wrote rather quickly at BlogHer, so is far from inclusive about what I do want candidates to discuss in this 2012 election.  I thought with all the election issues this year maybe I should have more across-generations discussions.   Exchanging views seems to me would be important since many of the blogs I usually encounter reflect similar points of view to mine. 

What do you think?  Are you able to have civil discourse with those who have different views than yours?   

(Your comments are welcome here and/or there, but you'll need to register with BlogHer which I did several years ago.  I don't know what specific aspects of the political discourse they'll introduce, or how frequently in the future.  They seem to be a primarily younger women's site, do have a "Senior" sub-section under their Life category -- where I recently commented, also.  Men are welcome at BlogHer, too, the last I knew.  Ronni Bennett at "Time Goes By" wrote some guest blog articles there a few years ago engaging some younger readers in some interesting dialogue. 

I do want to hear a REAL debate on issues between Presidential candidates.

I do want them to discuss the critical issues facing this nation.

I do want them to avoid injecting social issues into the conversation as a way to divisively distract voters.

I do want to know the contributors names to all Super Pacs.

I do want Social Security preserved (not changed to private investing) for the sake of my children and their children, generations to come, as can be done despite rhetoric to the contrary.

I do want health care coverage plans for all to be increasingly made available and not cut as promoted by some. 

I do want a Congress committed to working together to solve the nation's problems instead of focusing on being obstinate.

I do want Congress to institute a combination of budget cuts and revenue increases that address our deficit in gradual stages and not in one gigantic traumatic action.

I do want to see the middle class re-established in this country (remember the 99%.)

I do want to see tax rate increases for the 1% as Warren Buffett and others affected believe to be warranted in this time of our nation's need.

I do want to see wasteful subsidies such as with the oil industry reduced or eliminated since those companies are making millions in profit.

I do want to see budget reductions in military spending which even they say are warranted.

There are a lot of other matters I want and others I don't want, but this is a start.