A reference to Syria

I think this post from The People's View is a good read on Syria. (http://www.thepeoplesview.net/2013/09/spend-money-at-home-instead-and-theres.html?m=1)

I'm generally against war and the suffering it brings. But I'm not a pacifist. Military force can be justified when there is a defined reason and a stated outcome. 

The 2003 Iraq war did not have either of those. It was completely open-ended and there was no clear mission. Afghanistan slowly slid into an endless morass without a clear outcome. 

Intervention in Syria is not the same. We began with a clear rationale backed by evidence from the international community with a clear and limited goal. Punish the use of nonconventional and heinous weapons. 

I respect and appreciate the liberal opposition to intervention in Syria and I believe it's completely valid. 

As for myself, I've come to the conclusion that there must be consequences for the use of weapons that target combatants, innocents, women, and children indiscriminately with unimaginable pain and suffering. 

Put Down The Scissors

Everyone should be talking about the House Progressives' budget proposal. Not everyone agrees that we need to cut, cut, cut to reduce America’s deficit.

America doesn't have a spending problem. We have an investment problem. Despite the popular trope, a government budget is not the same as a household budget. We need to stop thinking of it as grocery list and think of it as a form of mutual fund.

We as taxpayers pay the government and, in turn, the government invests money to produce a return for the taxpayers. The discussion should not be, “what to cut.” The discussion we need to have is, “what to invest in.”

"We have been here before." Graphic CC Sean Thornton

It's not a waste of money to invest in bridges, roads, and schools. Programs like WIC, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid contribute to the general welfare of the country. Bridge and road projects create jobs, contribute to public safety, and help spur business development in new areas. Schools can create the next generation of software programmers or engineers that can help America compete in a crowded global market.

Our investment in defense is wasteful. We invest more in defense than the next 13 countries combined. What return are we seeing on that? It’s wasteful to invest almost $4 trillion in a decade long war in a country that posed no threat. It’s wasteful to continue spending $1.5 trillion on an over-budget fighter jet that can’t fly without knocking out its pilots.

We need jobs. We need well-paying jobs that provide people a living wage. We need to make sure people can afford health care. We live in the richest nation in the world. There is no excuse for children to go hungry or die from preventable diseases here.

People are a good investment. People are the smartest investment America can make. But it’s a responsible investment that the "party of fiscal responsibility" doesn't believe in.

Fiscal responsibility isn't about cutting spending and being afraid of taxes. It's about using our money in ways that will do the most good. We can get a solid return on our investments. But only if we choose the right priorities.

Fun With Guns

First, let me say that gun control is a dead topic.

Democrats aren't touching and only the most dedicated progressives are making any noise about it. Well, and dedicate gun nuts.

Personally, I think that gun control is an important part of crime reduction. But, not nearly as important as educational and economic improvements. For everyone.

But the reactionary and downright delusional overreach on gun rights is absurd.

But, seriously, what are people thinking? Allowing guns in bars. "Stand your ground" laws that make it nearly impossible to prosecute shooters. Allowing guns in schools. Absurd.

This article from Mother Jones discusses looser restrictions, here. http://m.motherjones.com/politics/2012/09/map-gun-laws-2009-2012

Common sense just tells you that no one needs to be drinking in public with a concealed weapon. People with a history of violent crime should be screened out of gun ownership. Most felons lose their right to vote. Why not the right to bear arms?

There have been absolutely zero attempts to expand gun control over the last decade. What, exactly, are these laws reacting to?

The Princes and the Paupers. (And the taxes.)

We can’t talk about budgets and deficits without addressing taxes.  That’s the supposed impasse in Washington right now.

The reason to support tax increases over benefit cuts as a way to decrease the deficit is simply this: Corporations and the wealthy benefit the most from entitlements.

That sounds contradictory.  It’s really not.  Articles like this and this explain why.  Wal Mart can make $6 billion in net income as the economy limps along.  Wal Mart’s average wage is around $11.75 an hour.  That’s about $21,000 a year if you assume the workers are full time.  Which, most of Wal Mart workers aren’t.

The problem here is that the Walton family--like CEOs, presidents, and board members across the country--are raking in cash while their workers aren’t.  Setting aside taxes for the moment, these profits are only possible because companies like McDonald’s, Home Depot, and Wal Mart offer paltry benefits if they offer any at all.

The lack of benefits and low incomes hit employees with a double whammy.  Low incomes force employees to seek out SNAP benefits.  14% of food service employees are on food stamps.  Without benefits, employees utilize Medicaid or, if they’re eligible, Medicare.

Meanwhile, Social Security is more important than ever.  Fewer and fewer companies are offering robust retirement packages and pensions.  Because of workers’ lower than average wages, it cuts deeply into their ability to save for retirement.  About 33% of Americans have no savings or retirement accounts.  This isn’t an irresponsibility.  Many Americans just don’t make enough to save.

We have an unfortunate conundrum.  The wealthy whose companies are benefitting from these programs often advocate benefit cuts to preserve their low tax rates.

Something has to give.  The free market is leaving service workers behind.  At the same time, workers are looking at a grim reality as public programs are cut back.  If private companies aren’t willing to provide for retirement, health care, and a living wage; the Government is going to need to pick up the slack.