Letter to AJC 5-14- 2012
Mitt Romney seems to have a problem with selective memory. He can't recall the bullying incident at prep school. He doesn't remember when he was a bishop in the Mormon church threatening excommunication of a lady if she didn't give up her child for adoption. He can't remember the incident when he insisted that a desperately ill women not have an abortion, even though she was facing a life threatening situation.
After some prompting, he seems to remember driving for 12 hours with his dog on the roof of the car, but he doesn't seem too fazed by it. He dismisses reports of all the hardship and pain he caused at Bain consulting when he eviscerated companies and fired people by the thousands to enrich himself and his buddies.
Mitt seems to slough off all these past sins. He seems to feel that he is entitled to treat people any way he wants . We can see it in his future plans for the country. If he is elected the rich will surely enjoy more wealth and privilege, whilst the poor, the weak, and gays will have to fight for survival, and females will have to give up all the gains they have made in the last century.
Tom
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Atlanta Deficiencies
Letter to AJC 5-9-2012
A recent visitor to Atlanta wrote about three major deficiencies of our city. Poor transportation, miserable education, and crime. They seem to be the definers of our metropolis and make all our lives that much less enjoyable. It is the civic responsibility of citizens grouped into a large city to ensure that everyone has access to good education, ease of moving around, and a safe and secure environment to raise a family. For many people in Atlanta, we are failing miserably in these basic goals.
Our traffic situation is abominable and our mass transportation is practically non existent. Modern cities pride themselves on state-of-the-art people movement systems while Atlanta and surrounding cities ignore the morass we are in, and and balk at spending any money to make the situation better. It's like the old saying "cutting our nose off to spite our face".
Our education system is almost the worst in the nation. Instead of trying to fix it we encourage an atmosphere of cheating, and then turn our backs on the less well off segments of the population and establish private schools for the rich which suck off dollars from the public school system. Yes classism is alive and well here, and money talks.
As for our crime situation; have we become inured to the constant drum of murder and violent crime that serves as news? What happened to our civic pride? Why aren't we tackling the underlying problems that have built this laissez faire attitude?
Time for Atlantans to wake up to reality and start behaving like responsible adults.
A recent visitor to Atlanta wrote about three major deficiencies of our city. Poor transportation, miserable education, and crime. They seem to be the definers of our metropolis and make all our lives that much less enjoyable. It is the civic responsibility of citizens grouped into a large city to ensure that everyone has access to good education, ease of moving around, and a safe and secure environment to raise a family. For many people in Atlanta, we are failing miserably in these basic goals.
Our traffic situation is abominable and our mass transportation is practically non existent. Modern cities pride themselves on state-of-the-art people movement systems while Atlanta and surrounding cities ignore the morass we are in, and and balk at spending any money to make the situation better. It's like the old saying "cutting our nose off to spite our face".
Our education system is almost the worst in the nation. Instead of trying to fix it we encourage an atmosphere of cheating, and then turn our backs on the less well off segments of the population and establish private schools for the rich which suck off dollars from the public school system. Yes classism is alive and well here, and money talks.
As for our crime situation; have we become inured to the constant drum of murder and violent crime that serves as news? What happened to our civic pride? Why aren't we tackling the underlying problems that have built this laissez faire attitude?
Time for Atlantans to wake up to reality and start behaving like responsible adults.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Bin Laden's death, one year later.
Letter to AJC 5-1 -2012
One year ago our commander-in-chief made the tough decision to send in the seal team to take down the most infamous terrorist of our time. He made the hard choice to put our military in harm's way to ensure we rid ourselves of this monster. He could have ordered a remote drone attack, or he could have listened to the nay-sayer's clamor, but instead he took the courageous path and today the world is Bin Laden free.
One would think that all Americans would cheer him on and be grateful to have such a strong decisive president who actually makes things happen. Instead we see Republican spluttering and denial as they try to denigrate President Obama's action in killing Bin Laden after 8 years of apathy by the last (Republican) administration. We are not fooled. It's clear that Romney and all the other conservative talking heads are only interested in themselves and their party ideology. It takes a strong man to admit that his adversary has succeeded. It's apparent that there are no strong Republicans anymore, just rich and greedy good old boys.
Tom
Thursday, April 26, 2012
The Republican Mind
Letter to AJC 4-26-2012
I am always amazed at the republican memory. It is short lived and selective. It seems to paint a rosy picture when suited to its ideological bias and recalls dire effects when progressive steps actually succeed in making our lives better. I'm sure future analysts will write reams on the conservative mind, and perhaps find a right-wing gene just as scientists are now uncovering the god gene.
Take for example their blinkered view of our hero Reagan. The man has been elevated to godlike status and is seen as the ultimate defender against tax increases. Strange that in the real record he actually raised taxes 11 separate times during his reign. But those small details don't seem to stick to the right wing memory. Perhaps it is too painful a connection to make. Maybe they don't want to admit that Reagan was actually a centrist.
Now that the primary season has passed its peak of entertainment, and we are saddled with the default candidate I'm sure we will be subjected to reruns of Reagan adoration as Romney tries to confuse voters with his execu-speak. And as we watch the faithful fall in line I will be reminded of that old Reagan witticism "there you go again".
I am always amazed at the republican memory. It is short lived and selective. It seems to paint a rosy picture when suited to its ideological bias and recalls dire effects when progressive steps actually succeed in making our lives better. I'm sure future analysts will write reams on the conservative mind, and perhaps find a right-wing gene just as scientists are now uncovering the god gene.
Take for example their blinkered view of our hero Reagan. The man has been elevated to godlike status and is seen as the ultimate defender against tax increases. Strange that in the real record he actually raised taxes 11 separate times during his reign. But those small details don't seem to stick to the right wing memory. Perhaps it is too painful a connection to make. Maybe they don't want to admit that Reagan was actually a centrist.
Now that the primary season has passed its peak of entertainment, and we are saddled with the default candidate I'm sure we will be subjected to reruns of Reagan adoration as Romney tries to confuse voters with his execu-speak. And as we watch the faithful fall in line I will be reminded of that old Reagan witticism "there you go again".
Social Security Funding
Letter to AJC 4-24-12
Per the headline in the AJC, the social security trust fund is projected to exhaust in 2033. That issue can be completely solved by removing the cap on payments into social security. Currently, anyone earning up to $110,000 pays 6.2% of their income into the trust fund. People earning more pay a smaller percentage.
For example someone earning $250,000 pays 2.7%, and anyone earning a million dollars or more pays 1.0% or less. Is this a reasonable formula? Once again rich people pay less than their fair share, and those that really need social security to live with some form of dignity in their senior years, will suffer a loss of benefits because of this inequity.
Per the headline in the AJC, the social security trust fund is projected to exhaust in 2033. That issue can be completely solved by removing the cap on payments into social security. Currently, anyone earning up to $110,000 pays 6.2% of their income into the trust fund. People earning more pay a smaller percentage.
For example someone earning $250,000 pays 2.7%, and anyone earning a million dollars or more pays 1.0% or less. Is this a reasonable formula? Once again rich people pay less than their fair share, and those that really need social security to live with some form of dignity in their senior years, will suffer a loss of benefits because of this inequity.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
David Brooks Column 4-16-2012
Letter to AJC 4-16-2012
David Brooks has pinpointed one of the biggest reasons for high unemployment; industrial efficiency gains. Even as our export trade grows by leaps and bounds, workers in traditional manufacturing and service roles find it extremely difficult to locate and keep a job. Brooks has labeled this new economy I (E-I) and made the erroneous jump of claiming that only the republicans occupy that E- I mindset. Thats a nice political spin move, but it just doesn't ring true, given the number of democrats spear heading large efficient corporations. Unfortunately Brooks did not offer any solutions.
It's clear that the normal process for job creation has changed. Large industrial corporations have developed ways to increase their output per employee by using sophisticated technology that reduces the need for people. This demands new thinking about our long term education and training programs to prepare for future demands instead of the current system that has failed our graduates in terms of career selection and skills. It also demands a new approach to job creation, something that no longer depends on the vagaries of the rich.
Tom
David Brooks has pinpointed one of the biggest reasons for high unemployment; industrial efficiency gains. Even as our export trade grows by leaps and bounds, workers in traditional manufacturing and service roles find it extremely difficult to locate and keep a job. Brooks has labeled this new economy I (E-I) and made the erroneous jump of claiming that only the republicans occupy that E- I mindset. Thats a nice political spin move, but it just doesn't ring true, given the number of democrats spear heading large efficient corporations. Unfortunately Brooks did not offer any solutions.
It's clear that the normal process for job creation has changed. Large industrial corporations have developed ways to increase their output per employee by using sophisticated technology that reduces the need for people. This demands new thinking about our long term education and training programs to prepare for future demands instead of the current system that has failed our graduates in terms of career selection and skills. It also demands a new approach to job creation, something that no longer depends on the vagaries of the rich.
Tom
Friday, April 13, 2012
Hilary Rosen comments on Ann Romney
Letter to AJC 4-13-2012 (This one was published)
Perhaps it was a poor choice of words when Hilary Rosen commented on Ann Romney "not working a day in her life". That's an unfair characterization of mothers in general, but then no one can really say that Ann Romney is a typical mom. With two Cadillacs, three houses, untold wealth,and unlimited outside help, it's clear she hasn't experienced the daily grind of the real American mom.
Unfortunately the main point of Rosen's quip has been glossed over by the diversionary tactics of the republican media machine. If Mitt Romney considers his wife an advisor on the nation's economy, it is an unsettling exposure of his inadequacy to lead this country.
Tom
Perhaps it was a poor choice of words when Hilary Rosen commented on Ann Romney "not working a day in her life". That's an unfair characterization of mothers in general, but then no one can really say that Ann Romney is a typical mom. With two Cadillacs, three houses, untold wealth,and unlimited outside help, it's clear she hasn't experienced the daily grind of the real American mom.
Unfortunately the main point of Rosen's quip has been glossed over by the diversionary tactics of the republican media machine. If Mitt Romney considers his wife an advisor on the nation's economy, it is an unsettling exposure of his inadequacy to lead this country.
Tom
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