Issues vs. Politics

An open letter to the American people:

As many of my readers might have figured out, I believe that the Republican Party has completely abandoned the interests of the American people.  Republicans only need the American people to vote for them and after the American people are sufficiently frightened to vote for Republicans, then Republicans need the American people to pay for their expensive endeavors. Nothing more.

Expensive endeavors will include:

1.) The costly War on Terror- I’m not saying that I enjoy terrorism, but I am saying that we do not need to spend $10 billion a month on fighting them in the cities and mountains of the Middle East and Afghanistan. Instead of spending that kind of money trying to kill people who are trying to kill us for trying to kill them, if we just spent $1 billion a month (just 1/10th the cost of the war in Iraq) on humanitarian aid around the world we would be immediately safer and have a better international standing. Who would want to destroy America if we are the provider of their aid? If we can show our unconditional love-even for our enemies-then we would be the true marshals of peace in the world.

2.) The costly health care crisis- The American people all have to go it alone against the insurance companies and the medical industry. Insurance companies do not have to worry about collective bargaining when individuals have to negotiate by themselves for insurance plans. Doctors are going to become even more expensive as a result of more and more choose to leave family practice in search of more lucrative specialties. If the American people were to collectively bargain with the insurance companies and add the 40 million Americans to the policy who don’t even have insurance, then we would be able to save billions on prescription drugs, preventative health care, and long-term treatments. Republicans vote against SCHIP (State Children’s Health Insurance Programs). CHILDREN! THEY HAVE ABANDONED THE CHILDREN!

3.) The costly bail-outs of large multi-billion dollar banks- The Republicans did not bat an eye over bailing out Bear-Sterns (an investment company that doesn’t produce ANYTHING other than fees for its shareholders), but when it comes to the average working American who lost his or her home over the last few years, the Republicans blame them for making a bad choice for buying a home with a “risky” loan. WHEN WAS IT A BAD CHOICE TO BUY A HOME?!?!? Aren’t the American people supposed to invest in their own property? Aren’t the American people supposed to stop renting and start putting their money to work? Why not help these brave home-owners? It’s all they have!

4.) The costly Social Security issue- Republicans want to privatize social security. On face, it doesn’t seem to be a bad idea. Instead of paying the government to hold onto your money until you retire, you can choose to invest it in a mutual fund or IRA for your own retirement. This doesn’t seem like a bad idea… Until you realize that the very same companies that do the investing are the very same companies that irresponsible invest your money in “risky” ventures, declare bankruptcy (hoping that the government will bail them out), then grant multi-million dollar bonus checks to the oh-so-responsible board of directors who have just run the company into the ground. So the Republicans have no problem giving blank checks to big business, even when they prove that it was their own fault for their downfall AND after they made their executives even richer! There isn’t a trickle down to the average worker, it’s a mass flood down to just the CEOs.

If the Republicans are so eager to give your tax dollars to big business for squandering away their own profits through shaky practices, don’t you think your money would be safer in the hands of responsible Democrats instead?  At least we know they give the money to the right people instead of trusting millionaires who give themselves big bonuses while the company pensions are lost in bankruptcy.

And what about the issue of values in America? Republicans seem to always say, “keep the government out of the private sector. If we just take away government restrictions then the economy will be just fine.” How fast did the Republicans jetison their “values” of limited government when they NATIONALIZED two huge mortgage banks? It seems that Republican “values” disappear when there is a corporate interest at stake.

To all of you “social conservatives” out there: How long do you think the Republicans will hold on to your “values” when a corporate interest conflicts?

Republicans say that the people should be responsible for being generous as individuals–not the government. They say government is the problem–not the solution.  Why, then, do Republicans not want the government to set the example of generosity?  Why don’t Republicans promote corporations being generous to their workers? If they really do promote generosity, why is it that Republicans ALWAYS vote against raising the minimum wage, ALWAYS vote against requirements for medical coverage, ALWAYS vote against requirements for vacation time? They vote in lock-step with corporate interests. Nothing more.

The truth is that the Republican Party is NOT to be trusted. They are liars. They are crooks. They want power and wealth for themselves. They do not want to see the American people benefit from any government policy-except for “defense” policy (which is NO different than the Democrats).

If you are a Republican and you made it this far in my angry letter. Thank you. This felt really good. If you are a Republican and you think that I have crossed the line by grouping ALL of the Republicans together, then please tell me which group you would belong to if you weren’t Republican. Please tell me what your platform actually is. Ranging from “Fiscal Conservative-Social Liberal” (Arnold Schwarzenegger), “Fiscal Conservative-Social Conservative” (Ron Paul), “Fiscal Liberal-Social Conservative” (George W. Bush, Ronald Reagan), and “Fiscal Liberal-Social Liberal” (ok, there aren’t any of those in the Republican party), I just don’t know who you are anymore.

Thanks,

Richard Zuercher