Asking the Question

I have reason to be happy over a trend I've seen lately. Given the news of the week, you might think this is a strange time to be excited over the events occurring now. After all, we're on the razor's edge of a federal government shut-down; we are all fearing the worst from the disaster in Japan; there is a stalemate of sorts in Libya; and we are still lingering in the Great Recession. But I have taken heart- I am seeing the tide of public opinion turn away from the mantra of those who would just turn the country over to the corporations and the rich.

Let me tell you what I've seen. Over the last month or two I have seen Letters to the Editor in the local paper I have not seen before. I'm in a conservative town and the opinions I've seen lately are quite different from the norm. I've also seen the narrative change in other forms of media- the magazines- the radio talk- the water cooler talk. I've seen and heard people asking different questions and really challenging some old, tired assumptions. I think we all get a bit numb and worn down by the constant dumbing down of news and ceaseless mantras of silly politicians. I don't agree with Sarah Palin on anything- except this: "Lamestream Media". Actually, I don't agree with her reasons for calling it that either, but I do like the name. I guess it stands to reason the media is lame, because they are owned by large corporate interests too. Watch an interview with a leader and you'll see that our best "journalists" serve up softball questions and never ask a follow-up or even ask "why?". Pathetic, what we put up with.

But take heart at the what the people of this country are doing. People are expressing themselves in those letters and finally questioning whose interests are being served. People are showing up at rallies- just look at Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan, and our own state capital too. Big numbers of folks are coming out like we haven't seen in a long time. All these folks are asking the right question- finally!

-Republicans in Congress have just proposed a huge 10 year budget plan that cuts $6 trillion from domestic programs. It privatizes medicare and medicaid- cuts funds for environmental protection, eliminates a huge piece of college financial aid, reduces other education services- and on and on with cuts (too many to list) while giving rich people and corporations bigger tax breaks. How can this be right?
-Middle class people are making less and less in real wages, and have been for the last thirty years, while Congress continues to give $60 billion a year in tax credits to oil companies. How can this be right?
-The twenty biggest Hedge Fund managers in this country earned and average of over $1 billion in personal income last year and they are just the tip of the iceberg. Starting teacher pay in most states is around $30 thousand- and according to conservatives, teachers are the problem! How can this be right?
-G.E. our biggest corporation, and Exxon Mobil our most profitable corporation, are among thousands of firms that pay no federal taxes. How can this be right?
-With no slow down in world oil supply, the cost of gas at the pump has gone sky high- all due to Wall Street rich guys speculating on oil futures (i.e.betting on your misery). Expect record oil company profits; while the Republican House has voted to eliminate heating oil aid for the poor and the elderly. How can this be right?
-Many state governors and legislators are voting to eliminate worker bargaining rights. They start with the teachers who have somehow been made the bad guy, then move on. Last Week the Republican House voted to remove collective bargaining from aviation and Railroad workers. How can this be right?
-2% of our population owns 90% of our wealth- and the Republicans simply refuse to even talk about raising taxes on the richest people. A 3% tax hike on the wealthiest 2% of Americans would pay for half the deficit- but Congress won't even think about it. How can this be right?

I could go on and on with the list. But the good news is that the people are really seeing what's going on here; AND THEY ARE SPEAKING UP. We're not broke- we have just let the rich buy our politicians who make rules and laws that benefit their masters. All the injustices listed above are legal- but they aren't right! The different thought for today is to always ask the question: how can that be right? If enough of us keep asking and demand answers that make sence, we can liberate our counrty from the robber-barons of today. Thanks for looking in.