Can we stop pledging allegiance to a party and work for the people?

Our country is in a dire situation. The U.S. Government has averted a shut down for now, but disputes between political ideologies continues to rage. What is problematic is not the gravity of our economic crisis--which will take an immense amount of cooperation and know-how to begin returning the slightest stability--but the unwillingness of Democrats and Republicans to level on any sort of ground. Personal ideologies have been blown out of proportion and placed on a pedestal. This is a country based on freedom and equality, yet those in power will do whatever it takes to enforce their interpretation of the right path, disregarding the 300+ million remaining citizens and what may be best for all. Getting in a pissing match over peanuts right now is not what a supposed world leading country should be engaging at a time like this, what with wars raging across the globe and natural disasters ravaging countrysides and provoking manmade meltdowns. Considering that the points of contention largely related to social rights issues focused on educating the masses, such as Planned Parenthood and National Public Radio, made up $38 billion or so of the proposed budget brings matters of relevancy into question. If any money should be cut, start with our overextending limbs in foreign subsidiaries. The well-fare of our own citizens should be prioritized. Putting that robust number of $38 billion into perspective, for the government to balance the budget they would need to cut 43 cents out of every dollar spent. The debate is over 1 cent.

I know avoiding taxes are en vogue, but take some responsibility for yourself in the country you love, or at least live in, and contribute your fair share. I don’t fully understand why the rich become exempt from the realities of life in a community, but that must come with experience, right after the jaded sentiment settles. Bush-era tax cuts reducing some percentage points for the extravagantly wealthy does not stimulate the economy, no trickle down is felt, except maybe from the boisterous billionaire’s champagne and cocaine binge the rest of us must now clean up. Instead, it is the middle class that makes the difference in the spending equation, those essentially living by the check and putting that money back into the public sector.

How are our soldiers supposed to feel, fighting thousands of miles away from and for a home that cannot even sustain itself in peace? The fact that paychecks to military families and federal workers were the first to cease if the budget had not been pushed along is wrong. Given that checks would never cease to find Congressmen’s pockets highlights yet another inequality-- the men sent to fix the crisis failed and are still rewarded. But so the system goes.


--Weston Finfer