Day: July 23, 2013

The “Poverty Belt” And The Republican Party

Ronald 12 Comments

America has a “Poverty Belt”, recently outlined by the Centers for Disease Control, states that have higher rates of poverty (30 percent or more), and substantially lower life expectancy.

These states are, not surprisingly, the Confederate South of the Civil War years except for Virginia and Florida; along with Kentucky and Missouri, two states of the “Border” South which had slavery, but stayed loyal to the Union during the Civil War; and West Virginia and Oklahoma–therefore, a total of 13 states!

These 13 states have not only extreme poverty and lower life expectancy rates, but also high levels of poor education, higher crime rates, poor nutrition, higher unemployment, inadequate food and housing, and less access to quality health care.

And these states with the highest poverty percentages are dominated by the Republican Party, and won all of their electoral votes in 2012, and most have Republican state legislatures and Republican Governors, and elect mostly Republicans to the House of Representatives and US Senate.

Do Republicans, by their words and actions, give a damn about these horrific conditions in their states?

The answer, clearly, is NO, and no one can claim otherwise, as the reality on the ground proves this sad fact!

The question is WHY the voters of these 13 states constantly vote to send, to the state capitals and Washington, DC, individuals who show a callousness to their plight, and set out to make certain that conditions can never improve! What is in the psyche of these voters that they do not get the message that the GOP is not concerned about them, and instead works to limit the freedom and justice of African Americans, Latinos and Hispanics, women, the elderly, and the young?

And, instead of wishing to make the lives of working class or poor whites better, the intention instead is to promote ignorance and fear among them to keep power, and do nothing to improve the lot in life of the citizenry of their states!

What could be more despicable and outrageous than that reality?

48th Anniversary Of Medicare: Time For Celebration, And Concern About Pension Issue Displayed By Detroit Fiscal Crisis!

Ronald 19 Comments

Medicare became law on July 30, 1965, 48 years ago, and America has never been the same!

Imagine America without this most significant Lyndon B. Johnson Great Society program, which gave the elderly, those over 65, peace of mind, knowing that they would be able to afford to survive, many on fixed incomes in retirement. without the fear of being unable to have medical treatments, including surgery that could prolong life! Nothing has been as important since the passage of Social Security under Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal in 1935!

My own mother had open heart surgery at age 80 in 1987, and lived another four years, due to Medicare, and the number of such situations are in the millions!

Yes, there is a budget crisis involving Medicare now, but that is not a reason to wish to do what Congressman Paul Ryan, head of the House Budget Committee, has proposed, to have a voucher system for future retirees, something that will assure poverty and lack of medical care, and shortening of life span. Such an idea is immoral!

The answer is to raise the percentage of tax paid on Medicare, as an essential to promote security for the senior citizens and prolonging the quality of life, as part of the responsibility of all of us for our parents and grandparents!

And not only should Medicare be protected, but also what has happened in Detroit, the threat of NOT paying pensions to senior citizens who have dedicated their lives to public service, because of a financial crisis, reminds us of the urgency of not only protecting those in Detroit, but ALL public workers who do their years of service, and should be guaranteed payment of their pensions until death, no matter what the cost!

Anything else on Medicare or pensions is unconscionable, immoral, unethical, and ultimately illegal!

This nation cannot afford to do anything else in meeting its obligations to the elderly, and if that requires higher taxation, so be it!

Time For Anthony Weiner To Withdraw From NYC Mayoral Race Immediately!

Ronald 5 Comments

Former New York Congressman Anthony Weiner was forced out of office in 2011 after a sexting scandal online, including photos of his private parts. Many thought that was the end of his political career, if for nothing else than stupidity, and disloyalty to his new wife, who was pregnant at the time.

Weiner apologized profusely to his wife, and said he was going to get professional help to overcome his behavior.

Then, suddenly, he decided to enter the NYC Mayoral race this year, claiming he had been reformed, and that he wanted to serve the city, and his ratings in polls soared, due partially to people knowing who he was, and many wanting to give him another chance, due to the belief in redemption. He was even ahead in some polls for the NYC Democratic primary.

But now, news has emerged of continued sexting and sending of nude pictures of his private parts, and extremely racy language used by Weiner, and NOT from before his resignation from Congress, but occurring in 2012, a year AFTER his resignation, after so called psychological help was sought, and his wife and he had their son!

So, in other words, nothing has changed, as Weiner is unable to control his impulses, has been disloyal to his wife again, overlooked his responsibilities to his son, and is a true embarrassment to himself and the city he claims to want to govern responsibly!

How in the world can Weiner be a legitimate, credible Mayor if he cannot control his impulses, even after resignation and humiliation two years ago?

This man is sick, and needs real, substantial help, as his behavior is self destructive, and we cannot be confident that he would not get involved in similar sexting or other sex scandals as Mayor of the largest city in America, often called the second toughest job in America, after the Presidency!

It is time for Anthony Weiner to back out of the race for NYC Mayor, and get the help he needs, and try to save his marriage and the stability his son needs! He would be a disgrace to NYC as Mayor, no matter what his capabilities!

And if he does not withdraw, the intelligent people of the Democratic Party in NYC need to send him the message of repudiation, which will finally send him to private life, where he belongs permanently!