Today is a new day!

The Economy

A few days ago, I heard Donald Trump speak about the American economy and our dealings with the Chinese.  While I can’t say at this point time whether I would support him as a presidential candidate, I can say that I agree with him about how to deal with the Chinese, by taxing their products and how to deal with OPEC.   I clearly would extend the taxing of products to include American businesses that have oversees operations as there is no way that America can be competitive, as far as labor prices are concerned, when compared to other countries.  It is only by taxing that we can level the playing field.

Oil Prices

In my previous blog, I mentioned the 1973 oil embargo and how we have not had an energy plan that would pave the way for our country to be self sufficient.  While mandating higher mileages for automobiles should be included, it is imperative that all major cities have safe and affordable transportation offerings.  What is the daily waste of gasoline for cars that are sitting on highways unable to move because of traffic jams? 

Americans also need to conserve until a plan of action can be put in place that eases the issues with gasoline and heating oil prices. As much as Americans value their ability to drive by themselves to work, carpooling is necessary if we are going to conserve gas.  In the case of heating oil, there clearly needs to be a continuation of incentives for upgrading heating systems, replacement windows and alternative forms of energy. 

The prices of almost all products are affected by the cost of oil prices and higher prices make it more difficult for the unemployed to pay for their energy costs while having a critical effect on the economy.

It is a shame that I find many buildings, used for business purposes closed or with a ‘For Rent’ sign.  A lot of businesses have failed in the Massachusetts area and we are just an example of a trend that has swept America.  When I was a child, imports made up seven percent of the automobile sales.  Clearly, no one will argue as to how this figure has dramatically increased, in part due to poor management of the American car companies.   It was said that Chrysler was ‘bailed out’ because over 300,000 workers would have been affected.  This figure does not include other companies that do business with Chrysler and the affect of taking these amounts of people, many of whom are probably homeowners and adding them to the unemployment roles.  What would be the affect if a high percentage of these people defaulted on their mortgages?

Republicans and Democrats

As I said yesterday, America needs solutions and it does not matter whether they come from a Democrat, Republican or the private sector.  Democrats and Republicans needed to work together and cut out the politics if America is going to rebound from our worst economic conditions since the depression. In many ways, I feel we are in a depression and clearly timely solutions need to be found. 

I also heard on the news that Newt Gingrich was talking about repeal of the health care law.  It was going to be a targeted approach where Democratic senators would be placed in the spotlight so if they didn’t vote for repeal, then they would potentially be affected in the 2012 elections. 

The amount of money spent on getting a health care law, that is needed in some form and yet the game of politics will be played in hopes of the law’s repeal.  Republicans should have been part of the initial health care law and if we are going to have two years of Republicans vs. Democrats, then America will be the loser.

Basic Rights

I’m sure that over time I will add to this list, but Americans should have the rights of:

1.  Affordable Health Care where technological advances in medicine are available to all U.S. citizens whether it is through company insurance or government.  This right should also include mental health benefits!

2.   A safe city or town that has an effective police and fire department that is sized correctly to adequately meet the city or town’s needs. 

3.   Safe and reasonable priced public transportation in those areas where required to stop  the wasting of gasoline caused by traffic jams.

4.   An honest federal government.  We get upset about how BP lied to the American public, but Democrats and Republicans have lied to the American people and outrage should  be shown by voting the individual from power not from attacking these individuals with  weapons.  The George Bush Whitehouse clearly showed that it was full of lies and  backroom deals, just by looking at the reasons for invading Iraq.  This federal  government is no different from other Democratic federal governments and Americans must hold the government accountable. Is it lack of caring that causes less people to vote  for elected officials that vote for American Idol?  Is it a feeling that any action to hold  the government accountable will be doomed to failure that has more people voting for American Idol?

More rights will follow!

911 Attitude

One of the effects of the 911 tragedy is that for a period of time, Americans bonded and people felt the sadness of the time. The plain American, even those that did not have someone die in the tragedy, could identify with the feeling of those individuals that had loses and also could identify with the feeling of not being safe in our own country. It was only when government turned this bonding into total fear that any chance for public good, was lost.

America needs to work with it allies to solve the issue of terrorism or the value of the United Nations and the National Security council is not worth the effect. We cannot pay the major price for this war in terms of dollars and personnel.  In addition, the countries we are helping must be held to task so they are not corrupt. American dollars cannot fund corrupt governments and the price for American assistance must be a change of these governments so they are accountable in their actions and in their use of American money.

If changes are not made, then Americans will leave these countries and we will have another Vietnam on our hands where the enemies invaded after we departed resulting in a waste of human (American) lives and money.

Final Thought for The Day

In the fight for equality, what have we lost? For some reason the Prayer of Allegiance was found to be counter to the American way as was prayer of any kind in the schools.  While I am not religious, I believe that children should be exposed to religion, including the true Muslim way, in hopes of clearing up any misconceptions and allowing our children to realize that there is a higher power that is beyond individuals and governments that created the planets, stars, our Earth and that this higher power, for whatever religion the person has chosen, calls on us to treat each other fairly.

Once the Supreme Court ruled that many of the basic happenings of the fifties and before such as prayer in school and our Pledge of Allegiance violated some groups basic rights, we have gone downhill.  Clearly, segregation should have been made illegal as again, we are all on this earth together and living in the United States means that we have, by design, many cultures that affect us.  It is time these groups of people accept the other cultures and work for the general good of America.