THE AMERICAN FEDERAL WORKER
These are my thoughts after reading some of the comments attached to this article.
http://money.cnn.com/2013/02/08/news/economy/obama-federal-worker-pay/index.html?hpt=po_c2
It makes me sick to my stomach to see some of the obvious, conservative poster’s views. As I noted in a tweet awhile back, when did everyone start taking ownership of the tax revenue? IE: My tax money should not be used for this or that. I am so glad that these people are not really in charge of how tax revenue is being spent. Really, when did everyone all of a sudden claim ownership? Sounds like a symptom of greed or being a child. Remember as a kid when you got your allowance and you had a decision to make on how to spend it? You could either A: buy something for your sibling that would make them happy, or B: get that new thing you wanted to make yourself happy. Your sibling would ask you to buy them that little toy that you thought was a waste of money, so you told them “I’m not going to spend my allowance on that!” And you went with B. That’s what these people sound like today when they talk about “their tax dollars.”
The American Civil Servant is a patriotic individual. Most are hard working, dedicated, and committed to ensuring that the tax payers are served to the best of their abilities. Usually, this individual is a veteran who has sacrificed for their country on numerous occasions by serving in theatres around the world. Those that did not have the honor to serve in this nation’s great Military choose to serve its people in a different capacity. But serve they do. Some serve stateside, while others serve thousands of miles away at foreign posts around the world. These are the individuals that serve in the Department of Defense, the Central Intelligence Agency, the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and many more agencies. Most of these civil servants work side-by- side with the Military members to ensure that we are safe to sleep under the blanket of freedom day and night. Those that are not working with the military or other law enforcement agencies ensure that the government functions at all levels. This includes the teachers and firefighters.
I am tired of hearing the conservatives constantly bashing on these individuals. They say that these individuals are lazy, overpaid, have cushy jobs, and are part of government waste, blah, blah. These conservatives should really do research and see how the American Civil Servant really serves all of us. . It is unfair to demonize this group of people! The government employee salaries are not better than private sector salaries. Many times, depending on the employee’s career field, they are much less than what the private sector would offer! They say that they have cushy benefits such as, vacation, retirement, medical benefits, etc. These government employees pay a premium for these benefits. They are not included in some magical benefits package for free. Do your research before you make the blanket accusation that government employees are overcompensated. If you are jealous of these individuals you can apply for government jobs like everyone else.
During these past few years of economic uncertainty, Congress and the President have asked these individuals time and time again, to shoulder the burden of recovery. They have frozen their pay for years, increased their taxes multiple times, laid off many, threatened to furlough more, stopped hiring replacements for transfers (increases workloads), and have increased the amounts that they have to pay into their retirement funds. This is really asking a lot from this one portion of people.
With the exception of the do nothing Congress, we should not hate on these people or demonize them, we should appreciate them. Thank you for shouldering the burden, while the rest of us recover.
AMERICA’S TRAITORS WITHIN
As the President of the United States, the President is tasked with trying to ensure that terrorist or other hostile entities pose minimal threat to American citizens at home and abroad. With technological advances, this President has garnered the ability to strike our enemies in hostile environments with the use of unmanned drones. This has directly minimized the risk to U.S. Service members’ lives by removing the necessity to put these American lives at risk in order to fly a jet into these hostile territories in order to accomplish this mission. The President has shown, on numerous occasions, that if you are engaged in hostile activities toward the United States of America, we will strike you where ever you may be hiding. This is the same thing that President Bush and the GOP promised to do when the whole “War on Terror” began.
So, what is the problem? The problem is that there have been American citizens targeted. These are not your normal, law abiding citizens. These are traitors of the United States America! These people have left this great nation in order to join the enemy in the planning and carrying out of attacks designed to harm and terrorize REAL citizens of the United States! These people’s citizenship and the rights and protections afforded by having U.S citizenship should be revoked. Anyone complaining that these individuals deserve the full rights and protections offered by the Constitution are delusional. So what you are saying is that these individuals, who are intent on harming America and destroying the Constitution, should be granted protections under the Constitution?? That way of thinking is insane! These traitorous individuals are not concerned with due process. They have made that clear by joining the enemy in a foreign land. They have made that clear by taking up arms against the United States of America.
One final point to consider, the oath of military enlistment is as follows: “I, (NAME), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.”
My favorite part is “Against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” Are these individuals considered foreign or domestic? Either way, does it really matter?
WE ARE ALL HOSTAGES OF BIG OIL
Oil companies are continuing to receive astonishing tax breaks that have been in place since the 1913 Tariff Act. These breaks were originally intended to encourage oil exploration. Oil companies are allowed to claim deductions for lost value of tapped oil fields. These tax breaks, today, amount to an average of $4 Billion a year for the oil industry. This industry has also taken advantage of foreign tax havens, saving themselves another $4 Billion in taxes. When the three largest U.S. oil companies make profits of over $80 Billion in one year, how is it that we are still allowing these subsidies??
We give Big Oil a break on taxes, but yet they rape us at the pump. Prices for gasoline continue to climb astronomical levels. Why wouldn’t they? Big Oil got used to the massive profits that they were able to bring in during the 2008 crisis and have not looked back. How do you justify a price increase of over 2 dollars in less than a year? Back then they justified the unusual high price increase on oil shortages in the Middle East and rallied for less drilling regulations and more drilling in order to reduce the price at the pump. Back in 2010, the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) chief economist declared that “the era for cheap oil is over.” I remember the day that this was broadcast on the news and felt sick at my stomach that we are standing by and allowing these Middle East oil gangsters to determine our oil policies for us.
But, there is hope. (Or is there?) For the past two years there has been more oil produced in the United States than the United States bought from any other country. Big Oil got what it wanted, drill baby drill, but still the price of gasoline at the pump has only slightly dropped? How is this possible? If normal market economics had anything to do with this, the old supply vs. demand theory, then with the same demand and a large increase in supply, the price should have fallen back to the normal price range before 2008. Wrong!!
Back then I thought it, and today I still think that the oil industry discovered that they could hold the world hostage on oil prices and be as greedy as they wanted to because nothing would happen to them. This greed along with the speculators on Wall Street predicting the next big oil crisis ensures that the price of gasoline stays higher than normal market economic theories suggest they should be. We have no choice but to take it where the sun don’t shine and smile. Our lives are so connected to oil that we have to pay whatever these greedy bastards want.
When is enough, enough? If you have ever listened to Fox News or any other Right leaning media, you see that they are always trying to down play any discussion that has to do with weaning the world off of oil. Wonder why?? Could it be that the GOP is in bed with the oil industry? The Bush family is neck deep into the oil industry. How many other GOP members also benefit from ensuring that the world never does find an alternative to oil? Hmmmmmm?
THE GOP’s ATTACK ON THE MIDDLE CLASS
Assault on Labor Unions
It has long been said that capitalism is inherently exploitative. Workers are paid the least possible in order to produce a profit for the corporation. These corporations control all of the aspects of production, while the worker only has control over the work that they provide. If the worker disagrees with the wages paid by the corporation, the corporation will easily find someone else to perform the tasks needed at the wage offered by the corporation. This is what is called the “Free Market”. I ask free for whom? The only way that workers have to stand up for themselves is to organize into Workers Unions. With the recent assault on these Unions from the Right, workers may have less bargaining power for their labor in the future.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/13/us-usa-unions-michigan-idUSBRE8BC06W20121213
Increase of Outsourcing
The corporations know that they will have to pay a worker in the United States a minimum wage due to the laws we have concerning fair labor. If the profit margin is not high enough for the corporation they will outsource the task, most of the time, entire factories to foreign countries with less stringent laws governing their workforce. They do this without any penalty from the U.S. Government and many times are able to get tax subsidies for moving their business overseas! How is it that we have a high unemployment rate here in the United States, but corporations are allowed to increase their profit margins and be rewarded with tax subsidies, by outsourcing U.S. jobs to foreign countries??? The current administration has tried to close these loop holes multiple times, but of course the republican controlled house blocked the legislation. Goes to show you who the Right cares most about don’t it?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/28/gop-chamber-of-commerce_n_741970.html
http://www.cnbc.com/id/100396344/Outsourcing_Tide_Is_Not_Likely_to_Turn
THE GOP’S CONTINUED EFFORTS TO FRAME ISSUES TO THE RIGHT, DISTRACTING FROM OTHER ISSUES
As an American, I understand that certain issues have greater importance than others. I can make this decision of what issues are important by using common sense. I do not need a news agency, such as Fox News to continuously trying to brain wash me by spewing their half truths, disinformation, and straight out lies on the air 24×7. The GOP and the Right controlled media groups have their own thoughts and agendas about what is important to them. They do not care if the actions associated with these views on their issues distract attention from other issues. They are only concerned with taking actions that continues to sway the balance of wealth and power in their favor. Screw everyone else!
One shining example of this is the Benghazi incident. As this incident was still unfolding before our eyes, who did we see come out and try to paint the incident as a complete mishandling of the situation by the current administration? Mitt Romney. And we are still hearing about it with the hearings. During the election, while this incident was ongoing, Mitt Romney politicized the deaths of American Citizens working in the State Department. This proves that the GOP has no sense of what is important. At a time when we should be grieving for the loss of American lives, they tried to capitalize on the situation at hand for political gain. Mitt Romney’s Benghazi flub: Is the conservative media to blame? – The Week
Another would be the Sandy Hook tragedy. It is clear what should be done after this incident. Stricter gun control measures should be enacted to lessen the chances of this type senseless violence happening again. Instead, the GOP is, sorry for the pun, sticking with their guns at the NRA. They are trying to paint the issue as “More guns, not less guns”. How does this make any sense? Let’s put guns in every school. That will show them! To me, school is supposed to be a safe place where kids, mine included, are able to learn in a safe environment without fear of Jim the security guard accidently shooting them for a misunderstanding with a cell-phone. The NRA Wants More Guns in Schools. Could It Prevent Another Sandy Hook? | TIME.com
One final example is the current debt ceiling issue. When America needs a long term solution to foster a stronger economic recovery, the GOP is so enamored in ensuring this president fails to allow passage of a budget plan that would actually ensure that the country succeeds. They will point their fingers to the Democrats, the President, anyone else in order to avoid the blame themselves. This is ridiculous! Senate Democrats say they will oblige GOP calls to pass budget, warn it will include taxes – Washington Post
So what do I think that some of the important issues are? One: Ensuring that we have a budget in place that will allow continued growth and recovery of the economy. If the economy does not recover I believe that we will have many more problems. Two: Ensuring that proper gun control laws are enacted that takes away the ability of the average American to obtained weapons and ammunition intended for military uses. We already have a strong volunteer military force to protect us. We do not need these redneck militia-wannabes running around threatening to try to overthrow the government. This should and usually is, interpreted as terrorism. Three: Joining the rest of the developed world by ensuring our citizens are allowed to have affordable state-sponsored health care. Most other developed countries have this service for their citizens. Japan, for example, has a where unemployed or under-employed pay just about 60 dollars a month for all types of care with a 20 dollar co-payment each visit. The system may not be perfect and it does have some flaws, but it is working. Maybe this is why their citizens are amongst the longest living. Healthcare Systems: U.S. vs. Japan | LiveScience
Believe what you want, but remember the GOP is only concerned with ensuring the wealthy stay wealthy. The rich get richer while the poor get poorer.
Democrats propose new assault weapons ban measures. NRA quickly condemns. Who would have thought?
It is good that this is being discussed, but sad that the NRA and the right continue to try to point the finger away from the actual problem in order to protect the gun industry. The NRA is committed to ensuring that their precious assault weapons are continued to be mass produced for the masses. The logic of their stance continues to be flawed in that their sales pitch of more guns is better is straight out ludicrous. I say the more guns of this type out there, the more crimes there will be committed by someone using them. But, but, but only law abiding citizens are the ones possessing these types of weapons. Wrong! How do the outlaws get those most of the time? They get them by stealing from the law abiding citizens and selling them on the black market. The NRA will say that more needs to be done by the mental health care industry to ensure that people with mental problems are identified and not allowed to legally own these guns, thus not committing a mass murder. The republicans are against allowing the government to fund these types of programs. The NRA will say that the problem is with the music, movie, and entertainment industries. If you say that protecting the 2nd Amendment rights are important, how about protecting the 1st Amendment rights??? It’s sad! The NRA wants us to do anything except take their precious assault weapons away. These weapons, as Senator Feinstein states in the article, “Weapons, designed originally for the military to kill large numbers of people in close combat, are replicated for civilian use.”
Democrats introduce expanded assault-weapons ban | Fox News fxn.ws/UZeeOM via @foxnewspolitics
— Lefty Patriot (@TheLeftyPatriot) January 24, 2013
Problems of Undervaccination
This could end up being a crisis in the future. If people are not getting vaccinated against diseses such as polio, they could come back. A lot of the serious diseases have been nearly eradicated due to vaccination.
Undervaccination becoming more common, associated with increased patient admission rates – bit.ly/WLXJFd
— Matthew Callaway (@MatthewCallaway) January 24, 2013
When A Country Has So Many Guns… It Needs A Lot More Guns!
This is the typical garbage coming from the NRA controlled republicans. More guns just makes the gun industry richer. That is the only mission of the NRA. Anyone who believes otherwise is blind.
— I don’t think the GOP even gives a cogent explanation. I think it’s generally understood that no government program ever could do any good, and so when one isn’t it should get less funding as a punitive measure.…And so government shoots itself in the foot, lets gangrene set in, and soon it’s time to amputate.
via When A Country Has So Many Guns… It Needs A Lot More Guns!.
Why America Is Failing – ‘The brilliantly stupid new plan to raise the debt ceiling without raising it’
This is exactly what we do not need. It is just another ploy by the right to gain more time without doing anything and to allow them to continue blaming Democrats.
leftypatriot 