Government Shutdown

The "do nothing" House of Representatives is at it again. The only thing they seem able to accomplish is giving honorary names to Post Offices, submitting amendments to ban any and all abortions and the ACA (Obamacare) and, now, holding the government hostage with a shutdown. Face it: they've been playing the same dance card since 2008. We're not shocked, just dumbfounded by their arrogance and lack of humanity.

Why are they so against the right of all Americans to affordable health care? Is it because they don't want to do anything that might make the current administration look good? Is it because their campaigns are heavily funded by the health insurance industry? Is because they are so privileged that they can't conceive of anyone going bankrupt after recovering from an illness? Yet, Republican members of the House are willing to shut down the government so that you and I can have the privilege of filing for bankruptcy.

Why are they afraid of a Health Insurance Marketplace, allowing the uninsured an opportunity for low cost insurance? Why are they against allowing insurance for pre-existing conditions? Why shouldn't insurance companies be accountable for huge charges and denial of coverage? Why are they against allowing 26-year-olds and under a chance to participate? Why don't they want to allow preventive care, which would provide healthier employees? Why do they protest banning yearly and lifetime dollar limits?

What is crazy is that most of the above items were promoted by Republicans in previous administrations! So, what has changed from Reagan, Clinton or Bush to Obama? Two key items (IMHO): one, a shift of money from the Middle class to the wealthy and the propaganda of radical right wing activists (think Tea Party). 

Since 1986, "the wealthiest 400 Americans saw the percentage of their income paid in federal income taxes drop from 29 percent to 18 percent, according to data from the Internal Revenue Service." The wealthiest Americans earn more income from capital gains and currently pay at most 15% (the scam is they give themselves a salary of say $100,000, for which they pay 28%, but then bonuses or "investment income" of $5 million that is charged at the much smaller rate (and they've been wailing about capital gains taxes for the last 20 years). The poor Middle class (or what is left of it), has few investments from which to earn income and pay more taxes than the Top 400.

Add to this the election of the radical right, with special emphasis on "Tea Party." This crazy group promotes the concept of less government as the true "liberty and happiness for all." However, these same folks implemented the biggest increase in government (Homeland Security, 2 wars in the Middle East, etc.). Even the conservatives at Cato lamented the huge increase in government during the Bush Administration. These days, radicals from the Tea Party keep trying to push even more Big Government into the personal lives of Americans. They want to tell you when you can procreate, how you can procreate, and put a camera up your wazoo to keep an eye on things! They want to eliminate pollution laws because, after birth, they don't give a damn about human beings (only invitro) affected by poisons in the water and air. They want Big Business to run the country so they can make an even bigger profit, call it "capital gains" and pay little or no taxes on it. As the Daily Kos reports, these folks are a deluded, misinformed group, willing to shout down anyone who tries to use facts and data to show they're wrong.

We're in a time of rule for conspiracy theorists--unfortunately, they're holding our country hostage.

Sources:
1. http://www.whitehouse.gov/health-care-meeting/republican-ideas
2. https://www.healthcare.gov/how-does-the-health-care-law-protect-me/
3. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/18/us/politics/for-wealthy-tax-cuts-since-1980s-have-been-gain-gain.html?_r=0
4. http://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/republicans-become-party-big-government
5. http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/04/28/1087090/-Crazy-No-The-Tea-Party-GOP-are-a-Deluded-Disinformed-Cult

Media Owners Control Information

When an invading army marches in, one of the first things they do is take control of the airwaves--tv, radio, newspapers. They do this so they can "message" the people directly--using their own propaganda. Over the last 2 decades, American media has been stealthily invaded and the airwaves hijacked by an elite group--corporations and multi-millionaires. Gone are the small-town, small-owner newspapers. Today, information is controlled by a small cadre of folks whose interests and beliefs reflect their own socio-economic group. In the last few weeks alone, the family-owned Washington Post was purchased by Jeff Bozos, owner of Amazon.com.

"This is one final nail in the coffin of family-owned newspapers. The Chandler family once owned the Los Angeles Times, the Copley family the San Diego Tribune, the Cowles the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and the Bancrofts the Wall Street Journal; these families defended the independence and identity of their newspapers." 1

Why is this a bad thing? Rupert Murdoch bought the once prestigious Wall St Journal and is now a tool of far right Fox News, which he also owns. Bain Capital, a private equity firm, owns Clear Channel--half their revenue comes from radio broadcasting. They serve nearly 5800 radio affiliates and broadcast programs like Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck--again, far right extremists. Comcast Corp took over a majority stake in NBCUniversal in 2011 (from GE). They now control the largest cable ownership with the biggest producer of movie & tv content. They recently entered a partnership with Verizon so they can sell each others services. 2

These major corporations and individuals have profit, power and influence as a motive for the information you see, hear or view. The owners and CEO's are not elected by you or I and can promote any agenda they see fit. Keep that in mind when listening to the news, reality tv, or talk radio.




1. Roberto Savio, http://www.ipsnews.net/2013/09/newspapers-are-becoming-the-toys-of-billionaires/
2. FreePress, http://www.freepress.net/ownership/chart