The Empire’s ‘Servants’ Debate’… Round 1
Off the keyboard of Phillip Farruggio
Discuss this article at the Epicurean Delights Smorgasboard inside the Diner.
We got to see fantastic theater last night. Obama and Romney, servants of the empire and spokesman for their respective parties, the Repugnants and the Demoncrats, danced to the same tune, with but different lyrics. If you notice, neither of the two candidates, or their countless minions in the media and general public, ever discussed the real cause or our economic downfall: The Military Industrial Empire! You won’t hear Obama or Romney mentioning the obscene levels of military spending… record breaking levels that rake in over half the federal income taxes we suckers send to Uncle Sam. After all, the subject was about the economy, and what really is bankrupting it was and will never be mentioned. Is our economy affected by the 800+ military bases we have in over 100 different countries which drains both our treasury and our prestige as a nation internationally? Or that our drone attacks kill more innocent civilians than the targeted terrorists they claim to be after. How about our fine young soldiers dead or wounded for life in that desert heat, for a cause that many still doubt?
No issue has as lasting influence on our daily way of life, the way of life for us working stiffs, than this Military Industrial Empire… which both parties serve so well, and always have. Abortion and contraceptive choice are very vital issues for all of us. Yet, to elect a man president because he agrees with you on that, and then to watch him serve the interests of a War Machine that drains your wallets…. You got me on that one.
I love how the two servants of the elite interests argued back and forth on health care. Obama was so proud for his Affordable Care Act, that he liked it when Romney referred to it as Obamacare. Bottom line: both political parties are in bed with the private health insurance industry, and what little reform they will make is just that… little! This writer is against Obamacare, but for vastly different reasons than Romney. What could have and should have been done was for the president and the Congress to push for an option for anyone under retirement age to buy into the current Medicare system. This could be done in a similar fashion as we do with our FICA taxes. The more you earn (up to an income ceiling to be determined) the more you pay into the kitty. Regardless of what the actual costs would be, they could never equal the premium costs and restrictions (and deductibles) that a private plan entailed. The president’s new Obamacare plan, even with most of us being put into large pools, would perhaps save around maybe 20-25%. So, a plan that a husband and wife now pays for fairly decent coverage (with maybe deductibles of $ 1000, which is actually low nowadays) that currently would cost $ 12,000 to $ 15,000 yearly, would be discounted 20-25%. So what? Who in the hell can afford $ 1,000 a month, plus an out of pocket initial $ 1000 deductible? No, Obama and his corrupt party could have used the bully pulpit to say to Americans: “Hey, if you wish to come into this plan, fine. If not, then you can stay with private insurers. And, private insurers, we are not going to do anything to you legislatively… just to compete with you.” When this approach was taken by local towns that were fed up with the monopoly cable television company in their area, back around 10-12 years ago, the results were astounding! Local towns and cities went into the cable television business, nonprofit, and competed with the local for profit carrier. Soon after, when all the smoke cleared, the prices and service restrictions by the private carrier were lowered dramatically! Obama and Romney: competition works!
Imagine if we had a multi party system in place, and legitimate third party candidates and platforms were part of the debate process. Why in this the 21st century is that not the case here in America? Who is controlling things so that we cannot hear differing voices and differing ideas and solutions? The empire’s representatives were on that dais last night, and the guy asking the questions had his handlers as well. The deck has been stacked for so long, dear fellow citizens, that many of you do not even read the cards anymore. Sad.
PA Farruggio
October 4th, 2012