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Rising tides lift all yachts

December 15, 2017

Every once in a blue moon, one gets an opportunity to discuss politics with a member of the opposition party. One of my neighbors seemingly does not appreciate the social safety net programs set up to balance out the scales of liberty and justice for all. Need I remind him that not too long ago, minorities were prohibited from joining blue collar unions. Safety nets are needed for survival. I did not appreciate the monolithic corporations that have gained political and economic power over the country while scapegoating unions, who in contrast, have always attempted to help their workers receive a living wage, along with providing decent healthcare benefits and safe working conditions.

We should all know that the Constitution advocated due process as well as providing for the general welfare of all Americans. However, ignorance, greed and discrimination go side by side with our hypocritical pledge to the flag that we are a nation "indivisible with liberty and justice for all." These hypocrisies continue to prevent us from attempting to form a more perfect union. Wouldn't you kneel to bring attention to reform issues that we have to stand up for and address? Alleged tax reform for middle- class Americans was presented in the opposition party's false assumption that a rising tide (tax breaks for the monopoly corporations) lifts all boats, resulting in more and better-paying jobs. Not true. The present tax reform bill for middle-class Americans is a hoax.

Supply side trickle-down economics over the last few decades, aka voodoo economics coined by George Bush Sr., has continually failed to raise all boats. Instead these monolithic corporations greedily reinvest their earnings to their stockholders and into CEO multi-million-dollar pay raises. Then they pay off their outstanding debts to balance their books. Next, they merge with other big corporations resulting in fewer jobs. To add insult to injury to the American people, corporations continue to take their businesses overseas for cheap labor to further bolster their profits along with setting up overseas tax havens. Their lobbyists are then sent to Washington with coffers of campaign contributions to have legislation passed to help them further bolster their political buying power and profits. They have a big competitive advantage over small mom-and-pop businesses. Wow, is the system rigged big time!

What ever happened to more legislation that benefits the average Joe and Jane among us. The average middle-class American will be getting an $800 to $1,200 tax break for the next seven years (do the research) before they expire, unlike the corporation tax breaks. And by the way, Medicare and Social Security and education funds are next on the chopping block to pay for the $1.5 trillion tax-cut deficit coming your way along with new bogus legislation to further benefit our wealthiest such as repealing estate taxes. We will be well on our way to cutting out lives earlier and cutting education for our children, instead of cutting the federal deficit without sufficient healthcare and retirement saving. Yes, we are being taken for a ride, neighbor, on the rising tide that lifts all yachts. Who among us can afford a yacht? Make America great again. How so?

Bill Clemens
Smyrna

 

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