Archive for February, 2008
February 29th, 2008
Every problem this country faces can be traced to our national government. The war in Iraq, an energy policy that was written by the oil companies, the declining dollar, huge budget deficits, foreign trade agreements that are called “Free Trade” that are only free to the other countries, the outsourcing of jobs, just to name a few. All of these problems can be traced back to the President and his administration and our Congress. It doesn’t matter which party controls both branches of our government. Whether Democrat or Republican, the results are always the same. But, it’s not our system of government that is the culprit; it’s us. We keep believing the rhetoric that candidates spew out. Words that are written by someone else who is a master at telling us what we want to hear. Hollow words. We have to vote smarter. We have to challenge the candidates on their rhetoric. Once elected, we have to let them know what we want and that we are monitoring their actions. Another words, we have to hold them accountable and let them know that we do. No more free passes for our elected officials. Either they represent us or they get sent home the next election. We have to be the lobbyists they listen to. We don’t have the big money that the lobbyists have but we have something bigger and more powerful…. our ballot.
Don R. Gugliuzza
February 28th, 2008
All the national politicians are talking that we have to fix social security. Unfortunately, they’re all thinking in terms of increasing the tax and reducing benefits. They don’t want to admit to thier complicity in creating the problem as it exists.
Here’s how to fix it.
First, Congress has to stop taking $1,000,000,000 per year out of the “excess” in the trust fund. The “excess” is the difference between the taxes paid in and the payout of benefits. The one billion dollars that is available for them to put into the general fund means that we are still paying in more than what is needed for the benefits. Interesting isn’t it? We hear how there isn’t enough money for the benefits, but we still have an excess in the fund.
Secondly, repeal the Medicade/Medicare bill that was written by the prescription drug industry. You know the one I mean. The one that prohibits us from buying cheaper prescription drugs from Canada that are manufactured here and exported to Canada. Those Canadians must be a lot stronger than we are because they can use the drugs that might not be safe for us. Also, there is a provision in the legislation that prohibits Medicare/Medicaid from negotiating prescription drug prices. It’s nice the way the industry was able to assure that they can continue to charge us higher prices than they charge the rest of the world.
Thirdly, let’s do away with the best retirement program in the world. You know the one that our Senators and Representatives enjoy. They put nothing into it except our tax dollars and, upon retiring, they receive the exact same pay as those who are currently sitting in Congress. What a great deal. Congress gives themselves a pay raise and the retiree’s get the same one. Perhaps if that pension was no longer available and they had to exist on Social Security, we wouldn’t have the “proplem.”I have two pensions. I wish that either one of them was like the ones our elitists in Congress have.
There is a fourth that would help save Social Security. That being that we stop giving benefits to those who have not earned them. Drug addicts and alcohol abusers are considered to be suffering from an illness. If that’s the case, give them treatment. If they don’t take advantage of it, stop the benefits they receive. I don’t know what category illegal aliens fit into but they can receive benefits too.
This may be a simple cure for what ails our Social Security system, but it seems to me that it’s one that would work.
Don R. Gugliuzza
February 28th, 2008
It’s long been the case that certain groups, i.e. environmental extremists, have held up very crucial legislation regarding fundamental energy policy in this country. We will soon see the effects of this with close to $4 per gallon gasoline. While it is very important to always look and invest for cleaner sources of energy this fact remains, we will be a nation dependant on oil for years to come.
The fact that congress has not been able to pass legislation allowing drilling in ANWR and offshore is a disaster. This is because one side of the aisle has been stonewalling and is beholden to environmental extremists, that would be the Democrats. We have not been allowed to drill or build a refinery in this country for close to 35 years.
Does anyone care? I DO. We are currently at the mercy of foreign sources of oil. This is starting to have a huge impact on everything.
We have technologies available now that would allow for drilling with very minimal environmental impact. ANWR is remote and a very small area would be affected. Has anyone ever seen pics of the area where new drilling would occur? There is nothing there!!!! Come on people, start using your heads. We need to drill offshore NOW.
Again there are technologies available where nothing would be disturbed. The environmental extremists want none of this and have most democrats in their hip pockets. China is going to start drilling for oil off the coast of Cuba soon.Do we want this? Talk about potential for oil spills close to our shores. We need to be the ones that drill off our shores not another nation. We need to pass new legislation sooner than later that allows for drilling and building refineries in this country.
I want the U.S. to remain a super power not beholden to any country. Think about it!!!
Jeff Rushing
