So here I am, getting the mail, and stuck in the middle of the pizza coupons and the Time Warner Cable advertisements is a letter from the RNC. It's a "survey" (picture me putting my fingers up in the air to pantomime the quotes) that they are going to use to tell the GOP where we stand on the issues. I'm sure they sent it out to registered republicans as a way to rally the troops, so to speak. Oh, and they also want to raise money. There's an area on the back where I can write in my credit card number.
Of course, they worded every question in such a way that any good republican would have to answer in the way they anticipate. Even their "surveys" (insert visual of my fingers once again) are dripping with spin. Hey - Grand Old Party - this isn't helping you at all!
You see, it's the liberals that are the traditional rabble-rousers. They're the war protesters, the radicals, the parade marchers, the people who bitch incessantly. Now that the republicans are doing it, not only are they raising the ire of liberals and the DNC but they're actually deepening the divide that exists in the country. Do I mind the protests? No, not really. As a republican I'm pretty pissed off at what Obama is trying to do. I'm pretty angry about the snide comments coming from the mouths of Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi. The utter contempt they have for the American people is disgusting.
But neither side is helping things any.
The democrats have essentially nationalized our banking and auto industries, and now they want to nationalize our health industry. They discount every attempt by republicans to work together to solve anything, except of course for the RNC's resident RINO, Olympia Snowe.
The republicans refuse to hold the industries accountable for their mistakes. The corruption on Wall Street, the crumbling of General Motors and the intense lobbying and unscrupulous practices of the pharmaceutical industry.
While I don't want the GOP to start to skew towards the middle on the majority of their policies, there are a few areas in which I believe there's room for some shuffling.
First: Regulation. I love capitalism. I believe that we should be able to keep what we earn because, well, we've earned it. But when large corporations aren't regulated, it leads to monopolies which leads to price gouging and inflation. Insurance is one area that needs intense regulation. They should be able to make a fair profit, but they shouldn't be able to deny covered claims. They should be able to shy away from pre-existing conditions, but they shouldn't be able to price gouge if they decide to cover someone with a PEC. Insurance companies should be able to sell across state lines to create more competition, but they should be regulated strongly so big companies can't swallow up small companies or out-price small companies so the competition ends up short-lived.
Similarly, credit card companies should cease their predatory practices. They should be prosecuted when their own due diligence is ignored. Credit card collection agencies should be restricted by federal law not to be harassing, rude and threatening. Credit card collection agencies should be required to offer information on credit counseling services that help people to get out from under their debt. Credit companies should not be allowed to raise fees the way they have been, without reason and without warning.
Wall Street... as much as I hate to say this, Wall Street needs a czar, or maybe a bi-partisan, non-governmental watchdog group to make sure that trading is fair, that ponzi schemes are noticed and shut down and that accounting reports are true and not fraudulent. Investors should not always see a return. That's not realistic. For books to be cooked in such a way that stock prices always go up so capitol can always be raised even if the company is failing - it should be a felony and we need someone there to be on top of it.
One of health care's biggest battles is cost. Some people go bankrupt because of medical bills. But the truth is that the costs of being a doctor can easily overwhelm a talented hand. Medical malpractice lawsuits are out of hand. Medically based litigation is on the rise. The amount of TV commercials for law practices who chase ambulances are at epidemic levels. We need to find a way to better regulate the judicial industry. It's sad that law has become an industry, but it has and it's every bit as unscrupulous as the world's oldest profession, only it's still legal.
Second: Education. One of the questions on my (see the fingers) "survey" (fingers down) was this... "Do you believe that the best way to increase the quality and effectiveness of public education in the US is to rapidly expand federal funding while eliminating performance standards and accountability?"
How are you supposed to answer that? Jeez! Of course, any GOP member will say no to that. However, I have a different answer.
Of all things, I believe that YES, federal dollars should be spent on education. The dollars should be made available to the states so the states can ascertain troubled districts and sift the funds out proportionally to the need. We have smaller districts all around us with brand new schools, yet our city is still stuck in schools built in the early 1900s because despite living in a pretty affluent town, the levies for new schools keep getting voted down. Ohio's own system of distributing money to the schools has been regarded as unconstitutional. If dollars come from federal sources, new schools will be built. I believe that the fed shouldn't do it all, though. There should be a system in place for fund-matching so that if a district needs new schools, the municipality must come up with a certain percentage of the money as well. There needs to checks and balances though... if a school district like the one I'm in has the money but keeps saying no because of sentimental reasons, there needs to be a way for the fed to step in and work something out... or maybe the state steps in. Somebody needs to. Also, John McCain said that teachers should be held accountable and that bad teachers should be rooted out and sent packing. I agree, but it goes deeper than that. Right now, teachers teach for "the test". There's no creativity in the classroom anymore. There's not enough time for real education because teachers have to stick to an agenda. There are good teachers out there who find the time to prepare the children for their tests, but also find time to truly teach, and encourage, and inspire. Those are the teachers we need. If they're not willing to go that extra mile... g'bye!
Third: Pharmaceuticals. I know, I already mentioned them. But these guys need an ass kicking. They research a drug. They make it, pass it by the FDA, market it, sell it and so on. Then, they add another ingredient... something innocuous like, say, ibuprofen. Then they can say it reduces swelling or pain too! Wow! Then they charge a lot more for it and all they did was alter the first drug by some microscopic amount. That's bull! Sure, I get it, the money they make funds new research and development. Well, think of how much research and development money they would have if they would stop all of the ridiculous advertising they do! Their drug ads are so careless that they have to say 30 lines of disclaimers so people know the risks before they take them.
I think drug ads should be regulated the same way as liquor and cigarette ads. They shouldn't be on TV, billboards or radio because it can be argued that their concoctions can be every bit as dangerous as cigarettes or hard liquor. Then, with the money they save by not being able to advertise, they can put more money into research and development. Truly, the people who NEED to know about new drugs are the doctors, not the hypochondriacs at home watching Oprah or General Hospital.
Breast Cancer research is now an industry. What's the chance that someone hasn't already figured out a cure, but some CEO is holding it back because to reveal a cure for cancer means the end of the road for their company? That's pretty cynical - I know. Forgive me for that one.
I believe that herbal supplements SHOULD be evaluated by the FDA before they can be allowed to advertise. Truly, I've seen enough of "Smiling Bob" and his Enzyte commercials. If his crappy pill will really make my shlong longer, I want it to be proven by the FDA first. I want to see that the scientific research that went into that pill is sound and safe and has conclusive results. Otherwise they're just snake-oil salesmen in the back of their conestoga wagons hoping that some poor shmuck thinks his dong needs enhancement and will fall for it.
BUT: Some things the GOP has right are as follows. Government needs to shrink. Power needs to be retained by the states as allowed for in the 10th amendment to the Constitution. Government needs to spend less. If you don't have the money, don't spend the money. People who work should be allowed to keep more of their money. People who don't work should have to find some way to earn what they're given, should receive training so they can find work (and then pay that back once they find work... payment schedules should be fair, based on income and expenses) and should be limited as to what they receive from the government based on circumstances. Obviously, no one should go hungry, especially children. But we the people shouldn't have to pay for their food if the recipient is also paying Rent A Center for a big screen TV, Time Warner for cable and Road Runner, Alltel for their cell phone and 24 Hour Fitness for their daily walks and cardio workouts.
I've been told not to judge. I've been told that if people want to spend their money on those things that I shouldn't judge them for that. My view is that if a person puts a cigarette habit and a cable TV payment ahead of feeding their children, there needs to be someone to tell them no, you can't have public assistance. Learn to spend your money more wisely until you can afford to have the luxuries that are available.
Democrats have it wrong when they say that all people should be equal. The business-owner who worked for years and sacrificed his or her own sweat and life savings to make the business a success does have the right to succeed and reap some rewards. The illegal alien who sneaks across the border and wants that business-owner to pay their way... they're not entitled to anything except a ride back to their own side of the border.
Bottom Line
One way to end the party bickering is term limits. It's a fact. Politicians put their own careers ahead of the will of the people. (Our own Lt.Governor Lee Fisher continues to get paid by the taxpayers even though he's no longer running the ODOD and is focusing on running for Senator Voinovich's seat in Congress). They cater to special interests who offer big fat campaign contributions so they can be re-elected and keep their jobs. That makes for an ineffective leadership. BOTH parties do this. In 2010 we should get rid of all eligible incumbents regardless of party affiliation. We should then do it again in 2012.
The polarization of American politics is not going to get any better until party politics are out of the way. The best way to do this is to get rid of all the old dirt on the hill and bring in some fresh bodies. Without the special interests poking and prodding and asking for favors in lieu of campaign contributions, you'll find that politicians will be much more likely to do what's best for America... not what's best for their parties, or themselves.
...and that's the way I see it.
