This column is dedicated to the 26 percent of Cleburne Countians that voted for Barack Obama in November of 2008. Based upon recent events that number would probably be only 16 percent today.
Forget about all the negatives that have developed in the past few months, we can summarize the main reasons why most Americans and certainly a large majority of locals do not want the Federal Government taking over or even more involved in health care.
Reason #1 Social Security – bankrupt
Reason #2 Medicare – bankrupt
Reason #3 Medicaid – bankrupt
Reason #4 The Post Office – bankrupt
Reason #5 Amtrak – bankrupt
Reason #6 Freddie Mac and Fannie May – not only bankrupt but were the main reasons for the country’s financial collapse in 08 and 09.
Let’s discuss just one of these - Social Security. I can see the letters to the editor now. Why, Social Security is working just fine. I get my check every month with annual increases and I never get a notice there are insufficient funds. Let’s dig a little deeper. The past service costs for Social Security are in the trillions of dollars. That means that if we brought everything to a halt today, the government would have an obligation to tens of millions of people for tens of trillions of dollars that are owed to them for past service.
Each year fewer and fewer workers are paying into Social Security to pay for more and more retirees so the past service obligations grow at a frightening rate. In closer analysis it is nothing more than a gigantic Ponzi scheme. Those that are collecting money now may well be doing so at the expense of current workers and future workers who may receive zilch.
But all is not lost in the Social Security system. Just look at the fantastic jobs that this country offers to the Social Security workers. Their compensation, medical benefits, paid vacations and retirement benefits far exceed comparable jobs in the private system. Where else can you work with armed guard protection and have the government pay for seminars and retreats at the fabulous Biltmore Hotel? For this we should be thankful?
In addition to these gigantic financial problems of expanding federal involvement of the health care industry, there is developing a lack of trust in this administration that has no precedent. Imagine the reaction if the Bush administration had asked folks to send an email to the White House whenever they heard “fishy” claims about the Iraq war.
Then imagine the reaction if the Bushies said not to worry, we are not keeping a list of names and email addresses anyway.
What would have happened in the Bush administration if George the junior had told a group of clergy, “We are God’s partners in matters of life and death”, and then complained to the media and the general public that his political enemies are bearing false witness against him. The Paul Krugmans, Maureen Dowds and other lefties of the New York Times ilk would be, as the saying goes, “having a cow”.
There is, you see, a matter of trust and this current president is swiftly moving to eliminate this valued commodity as pertains to his presidency. You can’t say our entire medical system is broken and in need of radical reconstruction, but nothing will change for you.
You can’t claim that 500 billion dollars in Medicare cuts will not affect the medical service to the elderly. You can’t say that you will greatly expand medical coverage while reducing the deficits.
These kinds of statements do enormous harm in an attempt to build trust with the American people.
It is true that a group of American voters are gullible, but Obama is finding out that political lies, basic economic falsehoods and insults to common sense will not go through the filter that most Americans use. That is the quickest way to lose trust and confidence.
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Now that Senator Ted Kennedy has been laid to rest and most pundits have marveled at his great accomplishments, it is past time to bring in a spattering of truth. If you were young or paid no attention to history, you might believe Ted Kennedy was a great leader who made one little mistake that kept him from being our next great president. It should also be brought to the attention of our youth that Ted Kennedy was not a paragon of virtue that had one little misstep. Several reports are now coming out about Kennedy’s and his partner, Senator Chris Dodd, amoral escapades. As an example they are famous for inventing and executing the “waitress sandwich”. This little exercise is so revolting and disgusting I can’t even describe it in a family newspaper.
Kennedy’s complete decimation and destruction of Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork is another Kennedy accomplishment. Bork is a great constitutional scholar and Kennedy indicated that if Bork was appointed, women would be forced to have illegal abortions in dirty back rooms and slavery would be reintroduced to this country. These are only two absurd accusations that Kennedy put forth to prevent Bork’s confirmation.
To call Kennedy a public servant is similar to describing Michael Jackson as an inspiration to our youth. Senator Kennedy never had a real job in his entire life and rode the coattails of his two brothers who heroically gave their lives for their causes.
(Jerry Jackson of Heber Springs writes his “conservative viewpoint” column each Wednesday)
Heber Springs, Ark. —
