Under the Boardwalk

Under the Boardwalk
Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY

There's a lot of political rhetoric being exchanged.  Parties are holding smug to their cliche stances.  The common sense of looking beneath the surface and allowing curiosity to probe has gone by the way side;  instead it has been replaced ideology and dogma.

The problems we face on a daily basis cannot be swept under the rug and cloak of political belief.  There is a huge responsibility that a "government by the people and for the people" must shoulder.  We have basic responsibilities for each other.  Those that believe in the rights of fetus must also not shrug the burdens of those that are born.

Looking the other way along party lines negates the underlying issues which remain.  This is not a time for the rhetoric of carefully crafted sound bites.  Free men and women must face the challenges and responsibilities of a free society.  The moral tax we must all bare by ignoring the obvious is one we will surely carry to our graves.

Yes we must all make sacrifices.  Our system is fat but we have also been very lax in taxing fairly.  Those with the most have shifted their burden on those with the least.  They have the political and financial resources to lobby their interests.  The middle class should not allow itself to be seduced by the sirens of no new or higher taxes.  It will indeed lead to the shipwreck of our economy and jeopardize the freedoms of all that reside within its borders.  If we spend; we must pay.

Those that believe in trickle down economics would be hard pressed today to explain, why even though taxes have been lower during the past decade, we have less industry in America.  They should be held to the same scrutiny as those who insist on more government.  The answers like medicine may be hard to swallow.  As long as the symptoms persist, we have no choice than to swallow our medicine or face a prolonged illness.

Those that called on us to sacrifice our young men and women in two prolonged wars, should at least be willing to raise taxes on themselves before they ask us to endure more sacrifices on into our retirement.  The burden must be shared equally and indiscriminately.  It should not be born by those who have already sacrificed the most and can afford it least.  The retirement of the wealthy is already secure.