Is Glen Beck Right?

Glen Beck is not at the top of my list. In fact he's close to the bottom. But the man said that there would be a revolution in America. He was right about the possibility of it happening, but wrong about what would bring it on. He seemed to think the bad would rise up against the good, but that's not what could bring it on. It seems to me it's the other way around. The good could rise up against the bad. If we keep throwing money at the richest and letting the middle classes pick up the bill, there will be a revolt among the working people. Since about 1980 wages have not kept pace with prices. Each year the worker sees his real wages decrease. If we don't fix this problem, all is lost. During Dwight Eisenhower's administration (1951 - 1958) the very wealthy paid between 70 and 80 percent of their income in taxes, and still managed to add to their wealth. Now they pay only 35 percent and say that's too much. The tax rate for them is 35 percent but after they subtract their deductions, their true rate is between 15 and 18 percent. That's not enough. We should impose heavier taxes on the wealthy. If we ask them to pay a true tax rate of 40 percent, that would probably solve our problem, and they would still grow wealthier. Fairness should be the rule. It's wrong to ask those who have suffered their entire lives and probably will suffer most of the rest of their lives, to step up and suffer more, while watching millionaires and billionaires grow richer as they refuse to pay their fair share.

Jobs

President Obama spoke today about the new job numbers. Weak. Weak. That includes his short uninspiring talk. Most people have been saying to him for the past couple of years that we need jobs now, not job training but jobs that call for little or no training. Infrastructure jobs like construction of highways, bridges, dams, burying power lines, etc. He says that's what we need but refuses to declare a national emergency and order it to be done? He's definitely no FDR, is he? Mr. President, declare it and get it started, then let Congress try to stop it.

America Needs Jobs

If you follow my posts then you know I've made specific proposals as to how this country can add jobs for the nearly 15 million unemployed.
I propose we bury all power lines.
Could you propose one project that would create jobs?
Please send me your "specific" proposals.

Underground Power Lines. Federal Government Loans Money To States To Begin Putting All Power Lines Underground. 40 Million Workers Hired.

HOT OFF THE WIRES!
Federal government loans money to states to begin putting all power lines underground. States have hired contractors to do the job and 40 million workers have been hired.
This, of course, is a joke. In recent years, America hasn't believed in taking on such grand scale projects. But why not? This country needs jobs. Power lines should be underground to keep them safe from storms that put thousands of homes and businesses out of commission for thousands of hours each year.
I use this as an illustration to point out only one way to put America back to work. There are thousands of other ways.

Unemployment

I hear people like Joe Scarborough (MSNBC) shouting down his guests almost every morning with the same old refrain... Medicare is going broke! Social Security is going broke! We must do something about entitlements or they will ruin America.
What he and his like minded thinkers seem to forget is that we have over 10% unemployment, probably closer to 15% when counting those who have grown tired of trying to find a job. If Uncle Sam would guarantee a job to every American who seeks one our problem would be solved. Yes, and in the meantime, give every taxpayer who made less than $50,000 last year (that amount could be debated) a $5,000 gift card that must be spent within 60 days. All that extra money going into the treasury would soon bring us out of the slump we've been in since 2008. You say, fine but how do we guarantee jobs. I say one way is to restore America's infrastructure. We need to replace and/or restore old bridges, highways, national parks, airports, and hundreds of other projects our fathers and forefathers deemed important to America. There are many ways our government can guarantee jobs through loans to private enterprises. But remember what every good businessman has said since time began, YOU MUST SPEND MONEY TO MAKE MONEY. Sure, the government loaned a lot of money to businesses a couple of years back, but a paltry sum considering the dire shape of our problem. Let's ante up this time and put enough money in the pot to keep the cards coming. You don't win the game by letting loud mouths bluff you into throwing in your hand. We will always have doom sayers among us. I'm an old man and I've heard them all my life. They've said we're going broke for as long as I can remember. They have always been wrong. They're wrong again. Don't let them scare you. Medicare is safe. Social Security is safe. What we must do is elect believers, not disbelievers, and insist they make wise decisions about saving those programs that mean so much to every American.