I have been a strong advocate against 40B development and will continue to be one. Yet there are some issues overlooked in the discussion that I think bare raising.
First of all 40B is the only pro-housing development program that the state has in place not a sound economic policy in my opinion because of 2 things
First it by it's legislation assures a developer a 20% return on his investment show me where you and I can get 20% on any investment including the Stock market we are more likely to get 3-5% seems like a policy that rewards the rich and takes from the working families to me
Second and I think just as important is the concern with 40B eating into and eating up the single family home stock in and around Boston. We wonder why home prices are so high. Lets look at this in an economics 101 manner. if you have 1000 single family houses for sale and 10,000 families looking to buy one the price will go up as the competition bids for one of these homes. Now a 40B comes in and creates 300 apartments ( not condos or town houses) and in so going buys up the land of 100 of the single family homes in order to build. We have now brought 300 new renters into the area who will soon join the 10,000 families bidding for the now 900 single family homes. Simple supply side economics is driving single family home prices out of sight for the average working family because we are not building more homes we are building more apartments and that is the Government policy.
The question is is this a result of change that government is trying to impose on our society, by this I mean in the 50', 60's and 70's the dream was to own your own home with a lawn and a playset for the kids. In the post WWII days we build large tracts of as we call them Spec homes to accommodate this American Dream. Today our policy is to build more and more rental apartments and reduce the stock or hold steady the stock of single family homes. The purpose of which should be easy to see. Build the Hives for the multitude of worker bees industry wants and keep wages down to maximize profits. Wages stay down because of cheap housing costs when you stop the average American from thinking about owning there own home and living in a hive instead.
I think we should look closely at Economic policy in the commonwealth of Massachusetts and decide what direction we want it to take not the underhanded policies driven by special interest that over the last 50 years have brought back the concentration of wealth not seen since the days of Andrew Carnegie, Rockefeller, Getty etc. It took a depression and 2 world wars to redistribute wealth and to equally share in the success of American Capitalism. Look today and we see Gates, Walton Family(Walmart) , etc.
I believe we are seeing the expansion of the New York city model for Boston with concrete and brick Suburbs of apartments crowded with families unable to own a piece of the American Dream because of inadequate wages.
We need to think about where our policies are leading us and if this is the future we want for our children and grand children.
Thank You Ed Quinn
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Sunday, September 30, 2007
A great movie that has made me think
Last night my son Ben now 12 took me to see Across the Universe all I can say is WOW and the youth are right as we get older we forget more then we learned. It was a look back at the time when I was Ben's age and reminded me of Godspell and Jesus Christ Superstar and Tommy. If you were alive in the 60's and early 70's this is a must see. It will reawaken memories of why we are the generation we were and make you sad at how many of the lessons we have forgotten. The music is and was such a part of our growth process and this movie grabs it and reweaves it for us. But the issues in the theme are what rivet you in your seat. The struggle of youth facing maturity and society and then being brought face to face with war. A war we also did not believe in.
I have to believe that King George and Little Dick were not part of the awakening, so many of us shared in as we watched on TV and in the streets, the unfolding of events that thrust our generation into the mainstream of the Political morass. It made us believe that our voices could make a difference and we did but today so many of us have grown silent.
So if you need a reality check if you need to reawaken a few brain cells as I did and remember the power of your youth and the need to reawaken those qualities we all felt were our responsibility then I suggest you go and see Across the Universe Maybe we can arrange a special White House showing maybe King George will have a flash back oops did I say that
Best to everyone Peace
Ed Quinn
I have to believe that King George and Little Dick were not part of the awakening, so many of us shared in as we watched on TV and in the streets, the unfolding of events that thrust our generation into the mainstream of the Political morass. It made us believe that our voices could make a difference and we did but today so many of us have grown silent.
So if you need a reality check if you need to reawaken a few brain cells as I did and remember the power of your youth and the need to reawaken those qualities we all felt were our responsibility then I suggest you go and see Across the Universe Maybe we can arrange a special White House showing maybe King George will have a flash back oops did I say that
Best to everyone Peace
Ed Quinn
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
A Plan to Save Massachusetts Public Libraries
As the Commonwealth of Massachusetts moves through this period of fiscal crisis and reliance on the property tax as the major funding source for the majority of municipal services our Public Libraries are being thrown to the curb. Governor Patrick your Municipal Partnership statement is right on point and your plan will help cities and towns cope with some of the rising costs but, in the mean time, not including Public Libraries as an essential service is risking an entire generation of children and the enrichment of the educational experience for our entire population.
Public Libraries have been under assault by 16 years of Republican cuts at both the state and local level and find themselves fiscally at a critical point in time. In your statement you mention 4 communities which are facing real fiscal crisis, are you aware that in those communities the Public Library is being closed. In a dozen other communities also facing the fiscal crunch, some you also mention, the library is being devastatingly cut, disproportionally as well.
Who loses, the Low to middle income families, their children and Seniors who can not afford to go out and buy books and computers, Local news papers, their favorite magazine and encyclopedias and the guidance of a Librarian to find the information they are seeking.
Just a few facts that may have been over looked. When a school system looks to increase literacy through assigning summer reading lists where are families going to get the books to help their children? When a teacher wants to assign a book report on a biography of a historic figure where is the student going to get the book? The family that is being squeezed by gas and utilities and food and insurance and property tax costs where will they come up with the 10-30 dollars per book at Barnes and Noble, or Borders or even a local used book store? The choices of to pay the car insurance bill or take the kids down to buy a book is a real one for too many families in the commonwealth. What about the senior citizen who has had to stop the subscription to the local paper because of the high price of their prescriptions and travels to the local library to read a copy to stay up on what’s happening in and to their city and town and even their friends
Here in Massachusetts the public library system is a model for our country in delivering services though out the commonwealth with data base sharing for simple to complex research by young and old, too circulating materials from every library to every citizen through inter library loan a system like few others in our country. The library time and time again is quoted as being a key to equalizing educational opportunity for adults and children from low and middle income families. I am sure we have all heard stories related either at a college graduation address or a political speech where a public library is credited with the advancement, enrichment and opportunity to achieve ones goals in life.
I am advocating for the public libraries as an essential service in all communities and to suggest that the state must remove the base line funding for Pubic Libraries from the property tax and local authorization.
I would suggest that Governor you propose legislation that would create a dedicated source of revenue under local aid for Libraries. 15 Percent of Lottery and Gaming revenue sharing will be assigned for baseline funding for every library in the commonwealth this would not represent a full community funding but in most cases it would guarantee that every library would remain open and serving the public. City and towns that do not wish to match this state funding would be open but would receive a diminished level of service from the state and other libraries but again would remain open and functioning. This would not require the creation of any new State boards it would be managed through the already existing Board of Library Commissioners who would still determine a communities meeting the required municipal appropriation. They would also set the policy of the level of service to be provided based on the level of matching funding by the community. This baseline funding, in most cases, would currently meet or slightly exceed 50% of most libraries current Budget. If a City or Town meets or exceeds the MAR they would continue to receive 100% of services currently enjoyed through the current state system. If a municipality was only able achieve 75% they would receive only data base access and no inter library loan. Below 75% but over 50% they would be self reliant but patrons would have access to collections of other libraries if they went to those libraries to borrow.
Like many of your other initiatives this is a bold plan but these difficult fiscal times require us to take steps to assure every citizen with in our Commonwealth has a right to services that through no fault of there own they are unable to replace based on there economic Status.
I hope others will support my recommendation and realize as I do the importance that life long educational opportunity from our Public Libraries is a key to building a stronger more educated work force and society.
Public Libraries have been under assault by 16 years of Republican cuts at both the state and local level and find themselves fiscally at a critical point in time. In your statement you mention 4 communities which are facing real fiscal crisis, are you aware that in those communities the Public Library is being closed. In a dozen other communities also facing the fiscal crunch, some you also mention, the library is being devastatingly cut, disproportionally as well.
Who loses, the Low to middle income families, their children and Seniors who can not afford to go out and buy books and computers, Local news papers, their favorite magazine and encyclopedias and the guidance of a Librarian to find the information they are seeking.
Just a few facts that may have been over looked. When a school system looks to increase literacy through assigning summer reading lists where are families going to get the books to help their children? When a teacher wants to assign a book report on a biography of a historic figure where is the student going to get the book? The family that is being squeezed by gas and utilities and food and insurance and property tax costs where will they come up with the 10-30 dollars per book at Barnes and Noble, or Borders or even a local used book store? The choices of to pay the car insurance bill or take the kids down to buy a book is a real one for too many families in the commonwealth. What about the senior citizen who has had to stop the subscription to the local paper because of the high price of their prescriptions and travels to the local library to read a copy to stay up on what’s happening in and to their city and town and even their friends
Here in Massachusetts the public library system is a model for our country in delivering services though out the commonwealth with data base sharing for simple to complex research by young and old, too circulating materials from every library to every citizen through inter library loan a system like few others in our country. The library time and time again is quoted as being a key to equalizing educational opportunity for adults and children from low and middle income families. I am sure we have all heard stories related either at a college graduation address or a political speech where a public library is credited with the advancement, enrichment and opportunity to achieve ones goals in life.
I am advocating for the public libraries as an essential service in all communities and to suggest that the state must remove the base line funding for Pubic Libraries from the property tax and local authorization.
I would suggest that Governor you propose legislation that would create a dedicated source of revenue under local aid for Libraries. 15 Percent of Lottery and Gaming revenue sharing will be assigned for baseline funding for every library in the commonwealth this would not represent a full community funding but in most cases it would guarantee that every library would remain open and serving the public. City and towns that do not wish to match this state funding would be open but would receive a diminished level of service from the state and other libraries but again would remain open and functioning. This would not require the creation of any new State boards it would be managed through the already existing Board of Library Commissioners who would still determine a communities meeting the required municipal appropriation. They would also set the policy of the level of service to be provided based on the level of matching funding by the community. This baseline funding, in most cases, would currently meet or slightly exceed 50% of most libraries current Budget. If a City or Town meets or exceeds the MAR they would continue to receive 100% of services currently enjoyed through the current state system. If a municipality was only able achieve 75% they would receive only data base access and no inter library loan. Below 75% but over 50% they would be self reliant but patrons would have access to collections of other libraries if they went to those libraries to borrow.
Like many of your other initiatives this is a bold plan but these difficult fiscal times require us to take steps to assure every citizen with in our Commonwealth has a right to services that through no fault of there own they are unable to replace based on there economic Status.
I hope others will support my recommendation and realize as I do the importance that life long educational opportunity from our Public Libraries is a key to building a stronger more educated work force and society.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Should John Edwards Stay in the race?
I have been struggling with this question since I heard he was holding a press conference with his wife. It is still a struggle for me personally even today. To have your soul mate face their own mortality has to be a sobering moment for anyone. My first thoughts were oh chuck it I am going to sit and watch you every moment I can until your gone. This was as I am sure you now think a morbid thought. Life is meant to Live and to create memories and have dreams of the future and to have goals and ideals. We are all facing a death from the day we are born. Some will come sooner then others but we all get there some day. So John Edwards and Elizabeth have been able to overcome the reminder of this fact and decided to Live and enjoy Life and all it offers. They are holding tight to there dreams and ideals and are moving forward. I now think this is the right course, to chose Life over death to continue to dream about the future and to stand up for your principles and ideals. I have a new respect for John Edwards and Elizabeth Edward and the commitment they have for the Ideals he is running for. True Democratic beliefs, I am going to take a hard look at his campaign again, I am hoping Al Gore considers getting into the race I still think it is his to win if he wants it but if he continues to refuse I now know there is a candidate with the same conviction and ideals as Al Gore and I will support John Edwards instead. I am tired of the two other adolescents running, don't get me wrong they are the front runners but they have failed to grasp that this race is not about there petty differences but of the cry from the middle class for a champion to reshape the course we are currently on, Hilary being stubborn about the war and Obama bomb tossing at here and his refusal to talk about issues off the cuff until he has a written policy (or is that a polished sound bit) shows his lack of maturity and understanding of the cry out there.
No John Edwards to a giant step up in my book and I think we have seen a candidate who is rising to the same level as I believe Vice President Gore was at as he to has matured since his Presidency was high jacked by the Supreme Court and a corrupt Florida Government ( led by another Bush).
Thank you John and Elizabeth Edwards
Just my opinion
Ed Quinn
No John Edwards to a giant step up in my book and I think we have seen a candidate who is rising to the same level as I believe Vice President Gore was at as he to has matured since his Presidency was high jacked by the Supreme Court and a corrupt Florida Government ( led by another Bush).
Thank you John and Elizabeth Edwards
Just my opinion
Ed Quinn
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Why are we SURPRISED by this and Why is government paralyzed on how to deal with it
In my personal life, I find I am being beset with the results of being a baby boomer who is entering the later decades of life and the problems that this presents. Some of you may think instantly, I am talking about illness, and to some extent I am, but on the scale of the forest not a tree.
I have had a number of people comment to me about the out of control Health Care situation here and I have read a number of reports and articles here in Massachusetts that points to the cost of Health care as reaching a breaking point. In 34 communities by the latest count are in trouble financially because of the High Cost of Health care. A couple may be on the verge of bankruptcy or at the least receivership. People are screaming why!
I usually do not like to say this but in this case I need to The Answer is Simple.
First
Health care is expensive! When you need another adult to provide care for you, not in your home, and you want them to earn a living wage so they will give you the best care they can it costs money, a lot of money. Let me also say Health care workers are not getting rich and they work long and hard hours for barely a living wage. Their you have one component of the high cost of health care but it is not the major one. This bares repeating it is not the primary reason for the high cost to our society.
Second
The High cost is a result of....... The aging of the largest generation of all time. That's correct baby boomers are driving up the cost providing health care. The same way as we are going to lead to the collapse of the Social Security Trust Fund. For decades we were young and healthy and working and making lots of money and using little or no services of Social Security or Health Care. Today as we are comfortably into our 5th and 6th decades of life and we are dealing with growing old and having health issues further complicated by all the sins of our youth and the bad decisions we made playing sports, sur-comming to vices like smoking, drinking and eating out night after night all have begun to catch up with us. So the baby boomers instead of net contributors are becoming net consumers and the trend will grow. We really have seen nothing yet. Wait until we are in our 60's and 70's when health becomes a real challenge Cancer, Alzheimer's, Heart Disease, Diabetes, etc. etc. etc. Some of this is a result of Health Care allowing us to live longer. This is happening as very infrastructure of our communities is reaching it's critical age along with us. The cost of repairing it and replacing it are adding to the local fiscal plummet. The numbers may vary to some extent but roughly the mix use to be 60 % workers to 40% retirees. With the baby boomers the numbers flip 40% workers 60% retirees. So like the crisis in Social Security the same circumstances are the driving force to it's publicly discussed approaching collapse the same cause is true for the health care system. There you go the real underlying cause is US
For Economist this is not a surprise but inevitable fact.
OK so simple there is the cause now what is the solution.
Not so simple, there was no reserve fund set up when we were enjoying low costs instead we used these low costs to help balance and maintain a middle class here in our society. We were able to maintain a standard of living on pace with our parents. Yet this generation the 30 and 40 somethings do not have the same benefit and since they are approaching being the major wage earners they have a mounting bill that grows bigger every day and fiscal policy keeps looking to them to pay more. This is where the problems is reaching a breaking point. Their ability to keep up the middle class life style is under assault and they don't like it. In order to pay the bill they will have less, and it is cutting deeply in to their ability to afford the life style of the baby boomer class. They will not keep pace. In communities where the breaking point is perceived to be reached we are seeing the effects. Young families are refusing even attacking the baby boomer generation with changes in fiscal policy and social obligations. They want to kick older employees off of health care to reduce costs they want to forgo services like Senior Centers to save costs, They blame local government for failing to solve the problem.
I will suggest to you here that the government has failed us but on the national scale not the local scale. Locally officials get a bill they have to pay it there is no choice the buck really does stop here. When they don't have the revenue they then have to go to the small group made up of you and I in order to raise the money again they have no choice. Further complicating the process is the limits on how they have to do it. There is no means test they have to take from everyone equally that is the law so the wealthy and the poor pay the same amount that is called regressive.
That is also not a solution but currently it is the only alternative.
There is a solution!
Many with louder voices then just my blog here will say I am wrong, nuts, lack understanding, endangering the American way of life.... and maybe more.
I say listen to them if you like, but they are lying to you, they are motivated by trying to save their own blotted way of life.
We need to Tax the top 1% of the wealth in the United State at a rate that will pay for our obligations to all of our society, and No I am not talking about socialism. What I am talking about is an obligation to share the fruits of our social economic success. Look the CEO making Millions and Billions annually would not be earning this money if it were not for an army of workers beneath him and an army of Support small businesses to provide for his army. When is the last time you saw a CEO or a board member of a major corporation working the line or out making a sale to a local customer NEVER!!!!!
What they fail to realize is if they continue to pit old against new they are leading to there own demise and the demise of the very successes they have created, but since they have made their fortunes why would they care.
What we need are national leaders who will look at this and realize there is no other solution. The pitting the generations against each other is little more then putting father against son on a battle field. This is barbaric and will spell a dark time for our economy and it needs to stop now because no army can sustain itself if it is feeding on itself.
So call upon your elected officials to stop the fighting and get to governing and force a change in tax policy that will create a just system of taking care of our society. Providing for the army that has taken us to these heights and assuring those that follow a life style that is on par with the previous generations. This is the only alternative to solving this crisis to wait until the time of the baby boomers to pass is no solution. For a politician to duck this reality is little more then grabbing the gold ring of the top 1% and ignoring our society. Shame on us if we let them do this and shame on them for putting Father and Mother against Son and Daughter for their own gain.
2008 is upon us the election race has begun it is time to hold our national government to the test are they interested in us for more then our vote or are they interested in themselves. It's time to ask the questions and get the answers. The next time you hear your local government finding a solution to this problem by pitting the young against the old think about the real solution and call your congressman, or US senator or write a letter to the President he lives in your house 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Washington DC and ask them why?
Check the facts look inward and understand the problem. The solution is right there
Ed Quinn
I have had a number of people comment to me about the out of control Health Care situation here and I have read a number of reports and articles here in Massachusetts that points to the cost of Health care as reaching a breaking point. In 34 communities by the latest count are in trouble financially because of the High Cost of Health care. A couple may be on the verge of bankruptcy or at the least receivership. People are screaming why!
I usually do not like to say this but in this case I need to The Answer is Simple.
First
Health care is expensive! When you need another adult to provide care for you, not in your home, and you want them to earn a living wage so they will give you the best care they can it costs money, a lot of money. Let me also say Health care workers are not getting rich and they work long and hard hours for barely a living wage. Their you have one component of the high cost of health care but it is not the major one. This bares repeating it is not the primary reason for the high cost to our society.
Second
The High cost is a result of....... The aging of the largest generation of all time. That's correct baby boomers are driving up the cost providing health care. The same way as we are going to lead to the collapse of the Social Security Trust Fund. For decades we were young and healthy and working and making lots of money and using little or no services of Social Security or Health Care. Today as we are comfortably into our 5th and 6th decades of life and we are dealing with growing old and having health issues further complicated by all the sins of our youth and the bad decisions we made playing sports, sur-comming to vices like smoking, drinking and eating out night after night all have begun to catch up with us. So the baby boomers instead of net contributors are becoming net consumers and the trend will grow. We really have seen nothing yet. Wait until we are in our 60's and 70's when health becomes a real challenge Cancer, Alzheimer's, Heart Disease, Diabetes, etc. etc. etc. Some of this is a result of Health Care allowing us to live longer. This is happening as very infrastructure of our communities is reaching it's critical age along with us. The cost of repairing it and replacing it are adding to the local fiscal plummet. The numbers may vary to some extent but roughly the mix use to be 60 % workers to 40% retirees. With the baby boomers the numbers flip 40% workers 60% retirees. So like the crisis in Social Security the same circumstances are the driving force to it's publicly discussed approaching collapse the same cause is true for the health care system. There you go the real underlying cause is US
For Economist this is not a surprise but inevitable fact.
OK so simple there is the cause now what is the solution.
Not so simple, there was no reserve fund set up when we were enjoying low costs instead we used these low costs to help balance and maintain a middle class here in our society. We were able to maintain a standard of living on pace with our parents. Yet this generation the 30 and 40 somethings do not have the same benefit and since they are approaching being the major wage earners they have a mounting bill that grows bigger every day and fiscal policy keeps looking to them to pay more. This is where the problems is reaching a breaking point. Their ability to keep up the middle class life style is under assault and they don't like it. In order to pay the bill they will have less, and it is cutting deeply in to their ability to afford the life style of the baby boomer class. They will not keep pace. In communities where the breaking point is perceived to be reached we are seeing the effects. Young families are refusing even attacking the baby boomer generation with changes in fiscal policy and social obligations. They want to kick older employees off of health care to reduce costs they want to forgo services like Senior Centers to save costs, They blame local government for failing to solve the problem.
I will suggest to you here that the government has failed us but on the national scale not the local scale. Locally officials get a bill they have to pay it there is no choice the buck really does stop here. When they don't have the revenue they then have to go to the small group made up of you and I in order to raise the money again they have no choice. Further complicating the process is the limits on how they have to do it. There is no means test they have to take from everyone equally that is the law so the wealthy and the poor pay the same amount that is called regressive.
That is also not a solution but currently it is the only alternative.
There is a solution!
Many with louder voices then just my blog here will say I am wrong, nuts, lack understanding, endangering the American way of life.... and maybe more.
I say listen to them if you like, but they are lying to you, they are motivated by trying to save their own blotted way of life.
We need to Tax the top 1% of the wealth in the United State at a rate that will pay for our obligations to all of our society, and No I am not talking about socialism. What I am talking about is an obligation to share the fruits of our social economic success. Look the CEO making Millions and Billions annually would not be earning this money if it were not for an army of workers beneath him and an army of Support small businesses to provide for his army. When is the last time you saw a CEO or a board member of a major corporation working the line or out making a sale to a local customer NEVER!!!!!
What they fail to realize is if they continue to pit old against new they are leading to there own demise and the demise of the very successes they have created, but since they have made their fortunes why would they care.
What we need are national leaders who will look at this and realize there is no other solution. The pitting the generations against each other is little more then putting father against son on a battle field. This is barbaric and will spell a dark time for our economy and it needs to stop now because no army can sustain itself if it is feeding on itself.
So call upon your elected officials to stop the fighting and get to governing and force a change in tax policy that will create a just system of taking care of our society. Providing for the army that has taken us to these heights and assuring those that follow a life style that is on par with the previous generations. This is the only alternative to solving this crisis to wait until the time of the baby boomers to pass is no solution. For a politician to duck this reality is little more then grabbing the gold ring of the top 1% and ignoring our society. Shame on us if we let them do this and shame on them for putting Father and Mother against Son and Daughter for their own gain.
2008 is upon us the election race has begun it is time to hold our national government to the test are they interested in us for more then our vote or are they interested in themselves. It's time to ask the questions and get the answers. The next time you hear your local government finding a solution to this problem by pitting the young against the old think about the real solution and call your congressman, or US senator or write a letter to the President he lives in your house 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Washington DC and ask them why?
Check the facts look inward and understand the problem. The solution is right there
Ed Quinn
Monday, February 5, 2007
War with Iran in the Spring!
With the posturing of US forces in and around Iraq and Iran it sure looks like a broadening of the war. War with Iran. The time table looks like this spring, as soon as we are past the critical home heating season for the northern half of the country. Just look at the evidence, positioning of new attack groups of the Navy and Marines moving into the Persian Gulf, King George's rhetoric, and the denial by his administration of such a plan in existence.
I am more convinced then ever that King George and and his War mongering administration wants to wage war on all of the oil countries that have not allowed American Oil Companies back in to rape them of profits on the oil fields they believe should be theirs to control because they discovered back in the 30's-40's and 50's.
Before this country is drawn to the brink of disaster, We the People must stand up as one against Mobile Exxon, BP and Shell before life as we know it is over. It is time to call for the impeachment of King George before he can launch us into a conflict that will destroy this country and our way of life.
WE NEED TO GET OUT OF THIS PLACE
Just my opinions as usual
Ed Quinn
I am more convinced then ever that King George and and his War mongering administration wants to wage war on all of the oil countries that have not allowed American Oil Companies back in to rape them of profits on the oil fields they believe should be theirs to control because they discovered back in the 30's-40's and 50's.
Before this country is drawn to the brink of disaster, We the People must stand up as one against Mobile Exxon, BP and Shell before life as we know it is over. It is time to call for the impeachment of King George before he can launch us into a conflict that will destroy this country and our way of life.
WE NEED TO GET OUT OF THIS PLACE
Just my opinions as usual
Ed Quinn
Friday, February 2, 2007
Republican damage to the middle class
I started to think about this post and what do we see in the news but a tragedy of the earths making in Florida. Here is hoping and praying for those in Central Florida effected by the Tornado.
The Republican chant of no new taxes has damaged the very bed rock of our society but not from just the fear of paying taxes but from the struggle of trying to meet the costs of providing for our families day in and day out. Two shocking news stories have been reported in the last 24 hours that are prime examples of this. The first one is that Americans spent more then they earned for the year 2006 it is the first time this has happened since the Depression. The second story is the cut in logging subsidies in the north west that have resulted in a lack of revenue by those communities and in response they are implementing cuts in basic services to compensate.
On the surface the latter appears sound fiscally until you look at more of the facts in the report. One fact that maybe overlooked is that the communities involved pay lower taxes then surrounding communities, that did not have subsides from the government. So instead of the community leadership suggesting we raise revenue to pay for the same services, we cut services instead. Certainly the decisions have some merit until you look at the services lost. They close the Library, reduce police to 1 officer, etc. So services which go to helping the middle class remain safe and competitive, are now sacrificed in the cuts.
I believed in the past, that it was just a lack of political will, to explain these circumstances, but I think the problem goes deeper. The middle class as you may or may not know has been losing financial ground since the early 1960. The buying power of the average American Family has been slowly slipping away, it's also reflected in the Savings rate here in the US. If your 45 and above you can remember paying for college by working the summer job and a part time job during the year those days are long gone, you can also remember the days of road trips with your friends in your car that cost you all a couple of Bucks to 'filler up' . Not so anymore and maybe with global warming we need to move away from the road trip mentality, but that is another issue. What it does say is for the middle class with both parents working to pay the day today bills is; of course a new bill, an increased bill is devastating there is no reserve there is no pay raise to meet the new increase the pressure mounts. So what do we do? Well look at another news story Exxon Mobile reports 30 Billion dollars in Profits for 2006. Look at gasoline and oil prices in 2006 and look again at Americans spending everything they earned and 1.5% of savings to boot and guess what? You see an ever increasing concentration of wealth in the few and a continued slide of the majority. Wow that is a powerful example don't you think.
So what is the will power needed to correct this? I think the lessons I learned from the early years in school was governments tax and spend policy was there to kind of even everything out. We had programs that benefited the average family, things like Polio clinics to immunize everyone with no co pay, we saw more libraries opening up with better resources to educate even the very young and we saw higher minimum wages, most of all we saw investment in the infrastructure by government like our Highways. How many construction companies today got there start in Post WWII construction projects? Many!
So what needs to happen? We need a tax structure that says, ok, you can made a profit but you need to spread some of that wealth back to the nation that helped you to earn it. Every man women and child contributed to your profit by there going to work and school and using the resources you made money on. They did this in the attempt to contribute to the society that we are all a part of and that you benefited from. No we are not going to take it all just some but maybe more then you think because a lot of people contributed. Not every year are the oil companies on top it is another sector and some years they is more parity then others windfall profits can provide the only tax dollars to invest in the United States. You will wind up like that county in the Northwest that got the subsidies and when shut off Economic disaster is occurring. You need to make investments that will help keep the tax base strong when your balancing it out partly is taxing across the board to some extent as we do know. Once we use to have I believe 30 levels in the tax code today I think we have 3 or 4 simpler but also easier to hid the in balance. And you can do other things like raise the minimum wage to a dollar value that was equal to what a dollar bought back in the early 60's something around 10-12 dollars an hour that is 400-440 dollars per week or 20-24000 per year not allot of money in a year when you look at house prices and apartment costs and even educational costs. But what do you get then? Lets look at taxes: you pay taxes on that 20,000-24000 twice as much as the 10,000 you earn in minimum wages today so when you look to government to pick up the slack on programs that help our economy grow and create jobs for everyone they can. Also when you see an increase in the cost of a service you can afford it. Simple the math is there. It should be pointed out that Exxon Mobile paid taxes on their profits certainly they sheltered some of it but they would pay less if they earned less but then again we all would pay a few dollars more and revenues would balance out. Certainly we do not want to get to a point where the rewards for success are not there so no one is willing to work and reach for that next level. That was not the case in the 50's and60's and a careful balance would be needed.
Back to the title though Republican policy has been for 40 years that private industry can do the same job and do it better then government, They have corrupted the T word and used it to tarnish Liberals who do not want to Pick your pocket. Liberals, no all Democrats want to give Americans opportunity and make business more competitive and share the success with everyone. Well guess what their policies have made sure there is nothing in your pocket to pick and if someone tried to Pick the Pocket of Exxon Mobile they would be rotting in jail and the rest of us are left to try existing just a paycheck or two from thinking the criminal has a great life style.
Tax policy combined with economic opportunity, with basic services and with economic investment was the cry of the post WWII era. The same generation who got kicked in the teeth by the money barons of the pre-Depression era. We have missed this fact, it was lost by the spreading of false Fear. Fear that government has stepped into the shoes of big business that it is a have and have not society and then most of all that we are a class society. That you have more control over business then government. Wow can you believe that, it is true look at yourself does it work NO! It does not. Can you vote on your who is your boss NO! Can you vote for your company to give you a raise NO! So that's simple the republican model for business can do it better then government doesn't work. Yet in my house as a kid many complained the government was little better it failed to work as well for the same reasons.
So this is what needs to be over come and this can be done. We need to get politicians that do not rely on the donations of corporate America to run for election. We need to force them to count on the day to day American middle class for there success. I mean we have the numbers to do it we just need to focus on the principles. We need to VOTE! Then we need to return to those three principles; that the government shares equally the success of our country with everyone, that we need a fair and living wage and last we need economic investment. Research and development , innovation is what has made America Strong, Interstate Highways under Dwight Eisenhower were a military solution to the lack of transportation he saw in Europe in the war, but has it energized our Economy YES it has , the space race produced more new products, technologies and Jobs then any other investment by the government in our history.
So are taxes bad yes then can be are taxes good yes they can be it is how they are assessed and used not just because they are taxes. Returning to focus on that will improve the middle class help our economy grow and create the kind of strong America we all want. Lets not wait for another Depression and a global struggle to give us the will to change.
The Republican chant of no new taxes has damaged the very bed rock of our society but not from just the fear of paying taxes but from the struggle of trying to meet the costs of providing for our families day in and day out. Two shocking news stories have been reported in the last 24 hours that are prime examples of this. The first one is that Americans spent more then they earned for the year 2006 it is the first time this has happened since the Depression. The second story is the cut in logging subsidies in the north west that have resulted in a lack of revenue by those communities and in response they are implementing cuts in basic services to compensate.
On the surface the latter appears sound fiscally until you look at more of the facts in the report. One fact that maybe overlooked is that the communities involved pay lower taxes then surrounding communities, that did not have subsides from the government. So instead of the community leadership suggesting we raise revenue to pay for the same services, we cut services instead. Certainly the decisions have some merit until you look at the services lost. They close the Library, reduce police to 1 officer, etc. So services which go to helping the middle class remain safe and competitive, are now sacrificed in the cuts.
I believed in the past, that it was just a lack of political will, to explain these circumstances, but I think the problem goes deeper. The middle class as you may or may not know has been losing financial ground since the early 1960. The buying power of the average American Family has been slowly slipping away, it's also reflected in the Savings rate here in the US. If your 45 and above you can remember paying for college by working the summer job and a part time job during the year those days are long gone, you can also remember the days of road trips with your friends in your car that cost you all a couple of Bucks to 'filler up' . Not so anymore and maybe with global warming we need to move away from the road trip mentality, but that is another issue. What it does say is for the middle class with both parents working to pay the day today bills is; of course a new bill, an increased bill is devastating there is no reserve there is no pay raise to meet the new increase the pressure mounts. So what do we do? Well look at another news story Exxon Mobile reports 30 Billion dollars in Profits for 2006. Look at gasoline and oil prices in 2006 and look again at Americans spending everything they earned and 1.5% of savings to boot and guess what? You see an ever increasing concentration of wealth in the few and a continued slide of the majority. Wow that is a powerful example don't you think.
So what is the will power needed to correct this? I think the lessons I learned from the early years in school was governments tax and spend policy was there to kind of even everything out. We had programs that benefited the average family, things like Polio clinics to immunize everyone with no co pay, we saw more libraries opening up with better resources to educate even the very young and we saw higher minimum wages, most of all we saw investment in the infrastructure by government like our Highways. How many construction companies today got there start in Post WWII construction projects? Many!
So what needs to happen? We need a tax structure that says, ok, you can made a profit but you need to spread some of that wealth back to the nation that helped you to earn it. Every man women and child contributed to your profit by there going to work and school and using the resources you made money on. They did this in the attempt to contribute to the society that we are all a part of and that you benefited from. No we are not going to take it all just some but maybe more then you think because a lot of people contributed. Not every year are the oil companies on top it is another sector and some years they is more parity then others windfall profits can provide the only tax dollars to invest in the United States. You will wind up like that county in the Northwest that got the subsidies and when shut off Economic disaster is occurring. You need to make investments that will help keep the tax base strong when your balancing it out partly is taxing across the board to some extent as we do know. Once we use to have I believe 30 levels in the tax code today I think we have 3 or 4 simpler but also easier to hid the in balance. And you can do other things like raise the minimum wage to a dollar value that was equal to what a dollar bought back in the early 60's something around 10-12 dollars an hour that is 400-440 dollars per week or 20-24000 per year not allot of money in a year when you look at house prices and apartment costs and even educational costs. But what do you get then? Lets look at taxes: you pay taxes on that 20,000-24000 twice as much as the 10,000 you earn in minimum wages today so when you look to government to pick up the slack on programs that help our economy grow and create jobs for everyone they can. Also when you see an increase in the cost of a service you can afford it. Simple the math is there. It should be pointed out that Exxon Mobile paid taxes on their profits certainly they sheltered some of it but they would pay less if they earned less but then again we all would pay a few dollars more and revenues would balance out. Certainly we do not want to get to a point where the rewards for success are not there so no one is willing to work and reach for that next level. That was not the case in the 50's and60's and a careful balance would be needed.
Back to the title though Republican policy has been for 40 years that private industry can do the same job and do it better then government, They have corrupted the T word and used it to tarnish Liberals who do not want to Pick your pocket. Liberals, no all Democrats want to give Americans opportunity and make business more competitive and share the success with everyone. Well guess what their policies have made sure there is nothing in your pocket to pick and if someone tried to Pick the Pocket of Exxon Mobile they would be rotting in jail and the rest of us are left to try existing just a paycheck or two from thinking the criminal has a great life style.
Tax policy combined with economic opportunity, with basic services and with economic investment was the cry of the post WWII era. The same generation who got kicked in the teeth by the money barons of the pre-Depression era. We have missed this fact, it was lost by the spreading of false Fear. Fear that government has stepped into the shoes of big business that it is a have and have not society and then most of all that we are a class society. That you have more control over business then government. Wow can you believe that, it is true look at yourself does it work NO! It does not. Can you vote on your who is your boss NO! Can you vote for your company to give you a raise NO! So that's simple the republican model for business can do it better then government doesn't work. Yet in my house as a kid many complained the government was little better it failed to work as well for the same reasons.
So this is what needs to be over come and this can be done. We need to get politicians that do not rely on the donations of corporate America to run for election. We need to force them to count on the day to day American middle class for there success. I mean we have the numbers to do it we just need to focus on the principles. We need to VOTE! Then we need to return to those three principles; that the government shares equally the success of our country with everyone, that we need a fair and living wage and last we need economic investment. Research and development , innovation is what has made America Strong, Interstate Highways under Dwight Eisenhower were a military solution to the lack of transportation he saw in Europe in the war, but has it energized our Economy YES it has , the space race produced more new products, technologies and Jobs then any other investment by the government in our history.
So are taxes bad yes then can be are taxes good yes they can be it is how they are assessed and used not just because they are taxes. Returning to focus on that will improve the middle class help our economy grow and create the kind of strong America we all want. Lets not wait for another Depression and a global struggle to give us the will to change.
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