Bankruptcy

Health Care Costs Push People Into Poverty, And Republicans Have No Concern

Ronald 3 Comments

Anyone who has health care issues can be pushed into bankruptcy and poverty by medical bills, but the Republican Party has no concern about how such a situation destroys the lives of millions, and further undermines their health and life longevity.

America is the only advanced nation that does not have national health care for all, and even when Republicans have town hall meetings and meet with constituents who have health issues, their reaction is one of lack of compassion and utter disinterest.

One has to wonder how these Republicans, who often claim to be “religious” and “good Christians” can look in the mirror and not feel great guilt.

What is it about the Republican mind that they cannot have compassion and wish to make the life of the elderly, single mothers and children, the poor, and the disabled, who all face great challenges every day, a bit easier?

To claim that health care in the 21st century is not a right, but a privilege, is mind boggling.

An idea first broached by Theodore Roosevelt in 1912, a century later, is still a battleground, rather than an agreed upon issue that should unite the American people in wishing to promote a long, healthy life for all Americans. Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama have all worked to advance health care, but we still have this refusal to recognize the right of all people to health care, and those who cannot afford it, often having to go bankrupt.

The Gap Between Rich And Poor Greatest It Has Ever Been!

Ronald 2 Comments

President Barack Obama yesterday drew attention to the massive and growing gap between rich and poor., which has reached its greatest extent in American history, more than in many European democracies, Canada and Australia.

The middle class reached its greatest prosperity in 1973 during the administration of Richard Nixon, after the years of the Great Society of Lyndon B. Johnson, the fruition of the expansion of the New Deal of Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Since then, with the rise of conservatism under Ronald Reagan, and reaching its greatest abuses under George W. Bush, we have seen a stagnation in the economy which is shocking, to such a point that the top one percent now owns about 40 percent of all wealth, and the pay for CEOs of corporations has risen 725 percent, compared to workers and 5.7 percent growth in wages in the past four decades.

And yet, the Republican Party and conservatives are out to cut Food Stamps further; refuse to renew unemployment compensation; reject any increase in the minimum wage, which is down 35 percent in inflation adjusted value since 1968; and refuse to consider any increase in taxes on the wealthy at any time in the future!

At the same time, any thought of caring about the millions of people who had no health care, but are covered under ObamaCare , does not cross the minds of the right wing!

If people are forced into bankruptcy by medical bills, so be it is the attitude, and of course, the bankruptcy laws were made more difficult in recent years after the Great Recession of 2008 hit the nation!

And education, the major way for people to have social mobility, has been made more difficult too, and students are burdened with such debt from attending college that there is no hope ever to advance in economic status, while banks and corporations and their stockholders always know that they will be taken care of by Republicans, as they fight any regulation or accountability for bad behavior and reckless actions.

The future is extremely gloomy, unless one is from the top ten percent of the population, and the threat to democracy and social order is massive, if this situation of total deprivation of such a large portion of the population continues without any action or concern by Congress and the courts!

Massive Crime Against Public Workers And The Elderly In Detroit Will Be Repeated Elsewhere!

Ronald 3 Comments

The decision to allow Detroit, Michigan, to declare bankruptcy is a warning sign for the long term future.

It means that public workers, including police officers, fire fighter, teachers, and other municipal workers who devoted their lives to service of their fellow citizens, often at lower wages, will now have their pensions and health care benefits, guaranteed to them by contract and the state constitution of Michigan, cut by at least 40-50 percent, making their old age one of poverty and deprivation!

This is a massive crime against humanity, against the elderly, the poor, and the sick, while the wealthy keep on gaining all of the benefits of their good fortune, because of refusal to accept public responsibility to preserve the pensions of workers.

This is immoral and unethical beyond belief, and the gall of the state to be ready to privatize everything possible in Detroit, including museums and other cultural institutions, will destroy the city of Detroit and any chance for its revival.

We are witnessing the death of Detroit, once the fifth largest city in America, and this abuse of power by the elite wealthy class will soon visit other cities and states, and its effect will be to impoverish America, but benefit the wealthy yet again!