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| Pick Up the Phone |
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| Commentary/Politics - Editorials | |||
| Written by Kathleen McCarthy | |||
| Wednesday, 24 September 2008 02:16 | |||
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My guess is that many of you are as enraged as I am over our elected leaders' latest financial abuses. How much is enough for each of us to take action? By action I mean, at a minimum, a phone call or e-mail to each senator and congressman in your district expressing your outrage, accompanied by a committed declaration that if he or she does not act to stop these subsidies, bailouts, and wholesale giveaways of our republic's future, then they will absolutely lose your vote next term. For my part, I believe that 99 percent of incumbents should be voted out, regardless. And I am baffled by partisan voters' consistent willingness to back candidates who deliver the same tired platitudes we have been hearing for decades. Both McCain and Obama are part and parcel part of the problem, not the solution. Both have been in office for long enough periods of time for their records to speak for themselves. This alone should end the days of voting for the "lesser of two evils." This justification for voting and maintaining the status quo is no longer acceptable because it guarantees to "change" nothing. As Bradley Harrington's piece this week illustrates, we are allowing our government to place an unconscionable burden on our children and their children's children. It will be this generation, we Americans, who lived during this time in history who will bear the legacy of indenturing future Americans - our heirs. Shame on us if we allow this to occur! And it will only get worse because silence implies consent. Once this sinks in, then it is time to call, fax, e-mail, or mail your congressmen and let them know you will vote them out of office if they do not start casting votes to achieve these four objectives:
1) End the bailouts - no more nationalizing private debt. 2) Stop Congress' excessive spending - $10 trillion in debt not counting the $50 trillion in entitlement obligations is insane. 3) Cut taxes - Combined with spending reform, this will increase the purchasing power of our dollars and not penalize our productivity. 4) Reform the monetary system - The Federal Reserve must be held accountable, and our money should be backed by assets, not thin air. A number you can use right now to call the U.S. Capitol switchboard and ask to be connected to your congressmen's office is (202) 224-3121. For the Net savvy, try this site to get a start on researching your congressmen: CongressMerge.com/onlinedb/index.htm.
Illinois Congressional contact information U.S. Representative Phil Hare (Democrat) http://hare.house.gov/zipform.html 1535 47th Ave. #5, Moline IL 61265 Phone: (309) 793-5760 Fax: (309) 762-9193
U.S. Senator Barack Obama (Democrat) http://obama.senate.gov/contact 1911 52nd Ave., Moline IL 61265 Phone: (309) 736-1217 Fax: (309) 736-1233
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (Democrat) http://durbin.senate.gov/contact.cfm 525 S. 8th St., Springfield IL 62703 Phone: (217) 492-4062 Fax: (217) 492-4382
Iowa Congressional contact information U.S. Representative Bruce Braley (Democrat) https://forms.house.gov/braley/webforms/issue_subscribe.html 209 W. 4th St. Suite 104, Davenport IA 52801 Phone: (563) 323-5988 Fax: (563) 323-5231
U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (Republican) http://grassley.senate.gov/contact.cfm 131 W. 3rd St. Suite 180, Davenport IA 52801 Phone: (563) 322-4331 Fax: (563) 322-8552
U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (Democrat) https://harkin.senate.gov/c/index.cfm 1606 Brady St. Suite 323, Davenport IA 52803 Phone: (563) 322-1338 Fax: (563) 322-0417
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Comments (4)
  written by JustinH, September 25, 2008
Saw this in a mass email. Sounds pretty drastic, but then again, so does what the government is proposing. Puts the whole thing in an interesting perspective.
------ I’m against the $85,000,000,000.00 bailout of AIG. Instead, I’m in favor of giving $85,000,000,000 to America in a We Deserve It Dividend. To make the math simple, let’s assume there are 200,000,000 U.S. Citizens 18 . Our population is about 301,000,000 /- counting every man, woman and child. So 200,000,000 might be a fair stab at adults 18 and up.. So divide 200 million adults 18 into $85 billon that equals $425,000.00. My plan is to give $425,0 00 to every person 18 as a We Deserve It Dividend. Of course, it would NOT be tax free. So let’s assume a tax rate of 30%. Every individual 18 has to pay $127,500.00 in taxes. That sends $25,500,000,000 right back to Uncle Sam. But it means that every adult 18 has $297,500.00 in their pocket. A husband and wife has $595,000.00. What would you do with $297,500.00 to $595,000.00 in your family? Pay off your mortgage – housing crisis solved. Repay college loans – what a great boost to new grads Put away money for college – it’ll be there Save in a bank – create money to loan to entrepreneurs. Buy a new car – create jobs Invest in the market – capital drives growth Pay for your parent’s medical insurance – health care improves Enable Deadbeat Dads to come clean – or else Remember this is for every adult U S Citizen 18 including the folks who lost their jobs at Lehman Brothers and every other company that is cutting back. And of course, for those serving in our Armed Forces. If we’re going to re-distribute wealth let’s really do it...instead of trickling out a puny $1000.00 ( “vote buy†) economic incentive that is being proposed by one of our candidates for President. If we’re going to do an $85 billion bailout, let’s bail out every adult U S Citizen 18 ! As for AIG – liquidate it. Sell off its parts. Let American General go back to being American General. Sell off the real estate. Let the private sector bargain hunters cut it up and clean it up. Here’s my rationale. We deserve it and AIG doesn’t. Sure it’s a crazy idea that can “never work.†But can you imagine the Coast-To-Coast Block Party! How do you spell Economic Boom? I trust my fellow adult Americans to know how to use the $85 Billion We Deserve It Dividend more than I do the geniuses at AIG or in Washington DC . And remember, The Family plan only really costs $59.5 Billion because $25.5 Billion is returned instantly in taxes to Uncle Sam
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