Dissonance 3

I’ll get this out of my system today. The last Dissonance article for awhile.

First quote:

“The corporations that profit from permanent war need us to be afraid. Fear stops us from objecting to government spending on a bloated military. Fear means we will not ask unpleasant questions of those in power.” ~Chris Hedges

You may not know that both the Afghanistan and Iraq wars were ‘off budget’ and off the annual deficit bean counter. Of course the expenditures were tallied up in the national debt figures. When Obama took over the White House following George W and Dick Cheney, the war expenses were placed back on the current operating budget. And yes those annual deficits were built by Bush/Cheney and paid down by Obama/Biden. Still have a long way to go, but talk about a bloated military budget.

Yet you’d think the squealing sounds from the republican camp indicates too little is spent by the Pentagon and more gruff stuff talk to the world is needed to keep Russia at bay, and the Middle East. Hogwash. The military budget in America is well over $600 billion annually. It needs trimming. The whole concept of smaller military task forces recommended by Don Rumsfeld was supposed to contain spending and provide faster, more flexible response from our military to hot spots around the globe.  Those suggestions didn't go very far!  Imagine the horror in corporate suites across the nation when they realized their sales were about to tumble!

Second quote, this one from Bernie Sanders, Independent Senator from Vermont:

“How is it that we can afford to allow one in four corporations to not pay federal income taxes, but we can’t afford to help our veterans?”

Yeah!  Answer that one for us all! Well, you sort of know the answer from quote #1, above.

Quote three is from Elizabeth Warren, Democrat US Senator for Massachusetts:

“How do Fortune 500 companies pay zero in taxes while college loans go up to 6%? This game is rigged.”

It sure is rigged! And if we finally lowered the military budget we could afford to pay college tuition for all students in America. Think of the dividends that would provide to the economy, culture, academia, research and development and so much more! But Congress has other ideas on its mind. They trying to discredit eight years under the first African-American president in history. They are trying to regain the White House for the republicans. Meanwhile, veterans go begging for medical benefits they earned and paid for. Congressional pay has continued its upward, regular spiral while the Minimum Wage Act grows dusty and pay level so low no one can earn a living on it. And while medical and other insurance benefits cost more for all Americans, Congressional benefits continue to rise in value without any premium cost paid by Congressmen. Or retirement benefits, either, for that matter.

Let’s see, there is more: the economy continues to slowly rebuild from the ashes caused by Congressional inaction and favored status for banks, mortgage companies and real estate barons, while all good solutions from the White House and academia are pooh poohed and ignored. Well, not ignored. The abusive nay saying and obstructionism is screamed far and wide over all media outlets.

Leadership? It takes more than one person to lead a nation. It takes collaboration and cooperation from every sector of our nation and its governments.

Quote four from an unknown author over the internet:

“The Wizard of Oz is 70 years old. Today, if Dorothy were to encounter men with no brains, no hearts, and no balls, she wouldn't be in Oz. She’s be in Congress!”

I’m still laughing over this quote. How true, how true.

Lest the reader think I’m picking on only republicans, I’m not. Congressional Democrats have abandoned their own President because they didn’t get everything they wanted.  Poor babies.  Life is rough all over. We all have to make sacrifices. But if you and your pals across the Congressional aisle would listen to one another and patch together some dynamic good compromises, a grateful nation would be at your doorstop.

Evidently that is a pipe dream of mine that will continue to go unserved.  To bad!

August 27, 2014