I Don't See How
This Can Be Fixed
Gary Gerard,
dumbhoosier.com
I read an article on Bloomberg.com earlier this week that
really kind of drove home for me what we’re up against with
regard to the economy, deficits and our political system.
And the more I thought about it, the more hopeless it seems.
The story was about the wealthiest metropolitan areas in the
country. Last year, it was Silicon Valley – the San Jose
area where Cupertino-based Apple Inc and Cisco Systems Inc
live. That makes sense.
But this year the technology hub of the planet plays second
fiddle to – drumroll – Washington D.C.
That’s right. You read right. The government workers have
surpassed those who actually make stuff.
The story pointed out that total compensation for federal
workers, including health care and other benefits averaged
$126,369. That was up from $122,697 in 2009. Yes, from 2009
to 2010, the average salary for a federal worker went up
$3,700.
In addition, K Street lawyers and lobbyists were doing quite
well. (That’s the D.C. street that’s home to a bunch of
prominent lobbying firms.)
Must have been that surging economy we’re in. Oh,
wait, the economy is struggling.
But, how ...?
You know. Our great nation’s political and financial classes
are prospering as the rest of the economy suffers, with
unemployment above 9 percent, housing market crashing and
thousands of people protesting in the streets.
But hey, at least our leaders have a handle on this right? I
mean, they care about us, right? They want things in the
private sector to get better, don’t they?
Nah.
I heard just this week what may be the most stunningly
ignorant comment I have ever heard from a politician. And
that’s saying something because I’ve been watching politics
for a long time.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Wednesday said
Congress needs to worry about government jobs more than
private-sector jobs. That’s why, he says, that he and the
Democrats are pushing a bill aimed at shoring up government
jobs.
“It’s very clear that private-sector jobs have been doing
just fine; it’s the public-sector jobs where we’ve lost huge
numbers, and that’s what this legislation is all about,”
Reid said on the Senate floor.
Yeah, that’s the answer. More government jobs. Grow the
government. Take more money out of the private sector and
put it into the government at all levels because, after all,
“It’s very clear that private-sector jobs have been doing
just fine.” How can he say this with a straight face?
How out of touch does this make the guy sound? Doesn’t he
realize that it’s the private sector that funds the
government? Doesn’t he realize that government drains
resources form the private sector? Doesn’t he realize that
this is a zero sum game where, in the not too distant future
there simply won’t be enough private sector workers to pay
all the government workers?
What am I talking about? In the not too distant future?
Heck, that’s happening right now. Tax revenue can’t keep up
with government spending to the tune of $1.3 trillion
dollars in this fiscal year. A one-year deficit of $1.3
trillion and this guy says the problem is that there simply
aren’t enough government jobs.
See, this is why I think the Wall Street Occupy’ers might be
a little misguided. I know some very heinous things
have been done by the titans of banking, finance and
industry.
But you know what?
All those guys are doing is following the rules and
Congress – loaded with people like Leader Reid – makes the
rules.
If it’s really easy for these Wall Street firms to trade
in bogus, toxic assets, who made it easy?
Who made it easy to outsource millions of jobs? Who made it
easy to park profits overseas to avoid paying taxes? Who
made it easy to get a zero-percent-down $250,000 mortgage on
an annual salary of $40K? Who made it easy for Wall Street
firms to take billions in bailout money? Who made it easy
for those same firms to use the taxpayers’ money to lobby
against taxpayers’ interests? Who made it easy for insurance
companies, investment banks and commercial banks to merge
into “too big to fail” financial companies? Who made it easy
to tax mega hedge-fund profits at 15 percent? Who made it
easy for Wall Street execs to get huge bonuses up front for
simply setting up a deal and leave the rest of us holding
the bag when the deal falls through? Who allowed Fannie Mae
and Freddie Mac to “securitize” billions in
“mortgage-backed” securities and sell them off, sinking the
housing market?
I could go on and on, but you know the answer.
Congress. Congress makes the rules. The Wall Street guys
follow them.
And that’s the problem.
I truly believe our system of government and politics is
irretrievably broken. I don’t see how it can be fixed. I am
convinced Congress will continue to make bad rules – rules
not aimed at the good of the republic, but aimed at the good
of corporations, unions, political action committees
and lobbyists.
That’s because those people pour – literally – billions of
dollars into the political process. As long as that’s case,
I see little hope of anything changing.
Bottom line is this: There is a reason members of Congress
passed the laws that got us into this mess. Members of
Congress were paid to pass them. We’ve got the best
representative government money can buy.
Politicians couldn’t care less about the best interest of
their constituents or their country. They care about the
best interests of their benefactors.
And the highest court in the land has ruled that
corporations are individuals and money is speech. The
floodgates are wide open for anyone who wants to pedal
influence.
How in the world do you fix that?
I think the Occupy people need to head to Washington D.C.
They need to hang around the White House, the Capitol and
the Supreme Court.
And they need to bring pitch forks.
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