Most of us who are lucky enough to still be employed right now are likely also working a second job. I'm doing lawn jobs on the side of my IT job. This is not an option for me as I had to take a major pay cut several years ago and haven't gotten a raise since. Meanwhile the cost of living continues to rise. Who is to blame for this mess?!
A lot of people will answer that question with "The Government". But the reality is that the government did not cause the economy to collapse. The real culprit in the economic downward spiral is a mixed bag of giant corporations - including banks and those on Wall Street. The government has stepped in to help stabilize the situation and hopefully help reverse it - but the bottom line is that our very lives are still in the hands of the giant corporations. It is up to them to not only hire workers back but to also pay them a livable wage. Now you can see why the recovery is going so slow.
For those giant corporations that have survived the economic meltdown, it has actually been quite profitable for them. They were able to reduce their workforce by the thousands and lower wages for those that they kept. The fear of losing their jobs has made these remaining workers willing to work under theses very stressful conditions with the hope that it is temporary - meanwhile working 2nd or 3rd jobs to make ends meet. But it is not a temporary situation as we have seen. The government has done all it can to get corporations to hire people back and pay them a livable wage - including keeping the prior tax cuts in place. But the corporations have taken that assistance - added it to their executive salaries and profits while holding on to the cash and refusing to hire. In short - giant corporations suck.
The two branches of our Government (or is it three?) have very different views when it comes to business. Republicans support and defend these giant corporations and argue they need even more tax incentives in order to stimulate hiring. Democrats believe that smaller "Mom and Pop" type businesses - what we refer to as the "middle class" is a better way to run this country. Which do you prefer? Giant shopping malls and Walmart or Main Street and Hardware Hank? You choose with your vote.
If you enjoy working 2 or 3 jobs to pay your basic living expenses, vote Republican. If you believe that small business should be supported so that people can make a decent living off of one job - vote Democratic. It's time we started supporting people again and not just corporations.
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6 comments:
Well said.
And NY! They do it right! Whoo HOO!
Loves me some equality!
Lisa in Indy
Thanks Lisa! And I'm so thrilled that NY finally passed Marriage Equality - so fitting during Pride month in the state where the fight for basic equal rights started in this country. The best part is that you don't need to be a citizen of NY to get married there (everyone). This should help start some lawsuits in other states that won't recognize a legal US marriage. Should help get the ball rolling in other states. Woo-hoo!
"...the government did not cause the economy to collapse."
Your argument fails at the very beginning because one of your primary premises is fatally flawed.
The "government" had a HUGE role in the recent economic collapse.
I would strongly urge you to read "Reckless Endangerment: How Outsized Ambition, Greed, and Corruption Led to Economic Armageddon", by NYTimes business writer Gretchen Morgenson. She details in comprehensive and depressing detail the role politicians played (that Barney Frank is not now in prison is one of the greatest outrages of the whole situation).
I understand, working two jobs and all, that you may not have time to read a big detailed book. Walter Russel Mead gives a good summary of the arguments in the book here:
http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/2011/06/07/fanniegate-gamechanger-for-the-gop/
There are a LOT of people who should be in jail for their part in the destruction of our economy. Barney Frank is far from the top of that list. The Government is not totally off the hook here - In fact they played a very pivotal role setting the stage for what would happen. The Bush Administration removed critical Federal oversight on these giant corporations on Wall Street - giving them basically free reign do do whatever they wanted without repercussion.
This is the fundamental difference between Republicans and Democrats. Republicans believe corporations will police themselves. WRONG. They will, in fact, take every advantage to profit from fraudulent opportunities. Democrats know this and believe in MORE government regulations over these huge corporations. The people need to be protected.
When Republicans speak of smaller government - they mean less regulation, which translates into more corruption and fraud.
6/24/11:
"...the government did not cause the economy to collapse."
A few days later:
"The Government is not totally off the hook here - In fact they played a very pivotal role setting the stage for what would happen."
Progress!
The Government did not cause the collapse. The Government relaxed their oversight and the crooks did what crooks do.
If the police let a thief out of jail and that thief robs a bank - the police didn't rob the bank.
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