November 4, 2004

• FOUR MORE YEARS

  I had hoped that the election would help to start clearing up part of the mess Bush&co. have made, but I guess we'll have to wait. I'm sure he will push to make the tax cuts permanent but in doing so he will have to cut the pork and he apparently defines social services and environmental protection as pork. I predict we will have a sicker, hungrier, and uglier nation four years from now.
  I don't think pushing people around,either at home or abroad, is America at its best and I don't like the reputation of being the 700 lb gorilla which Bush has managed to acquire for us, but like most Liberals, I'm an optimist about America and I think our finer traits will eventually emerge.
  Bush's idea of offering younger workers the chance to invest part of their Social Security withholding is really kind of dumb. I hope someone clues participants in on the fact that annuities don't have built-in raises and cease when your contributions+interest runs out. They should look at the experience of those presently retired on 401(k) plans.
  The Associated Press financial story of today points out the probable course of the next four years:
  "...Bush's victory is shaping up as a potential bonanza for Wall Street, where firms are salivating about the possibility that he will follow through on his pledge to allow private investment of Social Security funds. A second term also makes it likely drug makers can head off government mandated price controls for now. The defense industry also looks like a winner, more regulatory victories may be in store for the Baby Bells, and look for a new push for oil drilling in the Alaska wilderness......"(AP 11/4/04)
  That's our money the're salivating over. If someone can handle social service programs cheaper than the government does and make a profit, either the government methods need adjusting, or the services are not at the same level. There is no way the private sector can compete with the government if both are offering the exact same services and government is run properly. An example is Social Security: I, for example used up my contribution total within two years of beginning my payout, yet my payout now is over twice as high as it first was.

  • 9:48 am
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