In fairness, I thought I should modify this post with information provided to me by Sen. Sander’s office, that five or ten Democrats are expected to co-sponsor once the bill has been introduced. Still it’s hardly the number one would expect given public sentiment and the draconian nature of attacks on Social Security.
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Well, Sen. Bernie Sanders has proposed a bill that would protect Americans’ Social Security benefits for the next seventy-five years…and absolutely no one is co-sponsoring it.
That’s right, one of the most popular public programs of all times has only a single champion today.
Why, you might ask, is that?
Bernie’s plan is simple: all Americans with incomes over $250,000. should make contributions to Social Security on that higher income, the same as they and everyone else does on income below that amount.
I don’t know about you, but around my house that sounds eminently reasonable.
Contrary to what Republicans would have us all believe, Social Security is not insolvent. It is in danger of nothing so much as the sinister Right’s scheme to divert our public investment into private pockets.
The reason other Senators won’t touch this bill with a ten foot poll, even though most Americans would say, “Hell, yes!” if the question were put to them, is simply because, under the current campaign financing system, money makes policy; and saving Social Security will not serve the monied-class agenda of the Right.
“Money makes policy.” In fact, let’s be perfectly honest and chuck that dated sentiment, “E pluribus unum” and replace it with “Money makes policy.” “Out of many, one” couldn’t be much farther from the truth. Citizens United simply sealed the deal.
Cruelly selfish positions such as those espoused by the current crop of Tea Party Republicans used to be carefully avoided as “politically incorrect” so long as an immigrant working class still had the ear of its government. In our new post-democracy, politicians have only to please stateless corporations, the uber-rich and their bizarre puppets on the far right in order to ensure the kind of media investment necessary to bring home the bacon.
Up is down and down is up if they say so; and no matter how many independent economists debunk Reaganomics, if it fits the meme of the power class, we’re stuck with it.
The resounding moral cowardice of Congress when presented with almost any opportunity to ease pain and fear among our most vulnerable populations truly makes me sick.
I’m growing doubtful of our ability to survive these difficult times as a nation even vaguely resembling the fortress of ethical compassion that we once were.
How in the Hell do these rich corporate bastards (male) expect people to buy stuff? This kind of Capitalism is like a rat eating itself. So they must have some plan, once they take everything and have us all working for $6.00 an hour (Yeah, that Minimum Wage law has to go). And that’s the scary part.
Right on, Sue. Money makes policy.
So why do people waste their time trying to influence Congress on all the various issues of the day? These are people preselected by the wealthy. They were carefully chosen for their beliefs – beliefs that correspond to the ultra-short-term interests of corporations and large investors. We might as well lobby tigers about vegetarianism.
We need to drop all our individual issues for a while. I know from reading articles and comments on this blog that this is a crowd that is concerned about the rights of the poor, the elderly, the handicapped, and ordinary working people. We are concerned about foreign policy, the environment, energy, and the encroaching security state. These are all worthwhile causes.
Nevertheless, it is useless, useless, useless to pursue them directly. It is worse than useless because of the opportunity cost in time, money, and attention. 99% of the people we are trying to convince were specifically selected to be unconvinced by us.
We need to attack the issue of money in politics first. Given the present makeup of the Supreme Court it may take a Constitutional amendment. Daunting, but necessary. After we deal with the issue of political money we have a chance of influencing Congress on our individual issues.
It’s going to take a new civil rights movement, but one based on wealth rather than race.
Parts of this post were mockingly read aloud on “True North Radio”, or “Common Sense Radio,” or “Ethan Allen Institute Mouthpiece Radio” or whatever Roper calls his WDEV show these days. You were specifically noted for scorn. I’d say that merits a hearty “huzzah!”
where is Saint Patrick???
I liked that phrase “our post-democracy.”. This is so true, We are in a stage of post democracy now where the great ideals we once had about by the people for the people do not seem to matter much more.