Iraq and the economy

By Lorenzo A. Canizares
Thursday, 01 February 2007

Today (Feb 2) in the front page of the New York Times it is announced major cuts being proposed for Medicare & Medicaid, at the same time that EXXON & BP establish record profits!

Dwight Eisenhower warned the American people about the danger of the military- industrial complex. According to journalist Robert Scheer the "complex" political control has already arrived. Scheer says "anyone doubting that need only look at the prodigious amount that this war is costing us and where the greater cost - ignoring the lives lost - lies. Who is profiting? Are we getting value for their work? Are those profiteers affecting our politics with their contributions to political campaigns and lobbying efforts."

It was a surprise to many election observers to discover that voters named the economy second only to the war as the issue of most concern. And, it was even a bigger surprise to find out that 59% of these people voted Democratic. But, still many Americans don't see the connection between Iraq and our unfair economy. Our president obviously subscribes to the theory "What is good for business and the rich is good for the country." He has given us plenty of examples of his views from the tax cuts to all the laws that have been fabricated during his administration that favor corporations, and the rich and powerful. The war in Iraq is another example of his favors to the rich and powerful. From the oil magnates (whatever happened to the minutes of the Energy Task Force meeting of 3/01? It has been leaked that meeting sealed the invasion of Iraq and the distribution of Iraqi oil fields between American and British oil magnates). To the government contractors which many of them have stolen taxpayer's monies with minimum accountability for their actions.

About the last election Barack Obama has said "Americans have put their faith in Democrats because they want us to restore their faith in government." Even though, Obama was referring to ethics in government, the faith concept is wider than just ethics. Americans want to see a government that defends them from bankruptcy, homelessness, and premature death because of lack of health care.

Raising the minimum wage is the beginning of the attempt by Democrats to redress the economic abuses of the past six years. Also to be included are the cost of prescription drugs, energy and higher education. In spite of the fact, that these measures have been enthusiastically welcomed by most Americans there is already a movement afoot to neutralize their effectiveness by zapping their thrust.

When we talk about what Americans need, nothing is more glaring like the need to reform our health care system. Bush has already talked about his plan (another giveaway to the wealthy insurers, and another zap to the middle class). Cheney's plan is probably not far behind. All of these "plans" are just trying to sidetrack the mind of the American people from the fact that we need National Health Insurance through a single payer system.

Also needed is to pass pending legislation that will make it easier for workers to form unions, therefore softening up the impact of the anti-union consultants industry. According to Rep. George Miller, D-Calif, the incoming chairman of the education and workforce committee, there is much bipartisan support for this legislation. Saving America and its people is not just a task for Democrats alone!

Global warming is another issue of major concern for us and the rest of the world. We are the main problem; we should be the number one fixers! We should endorse the Kyoto protocol, and start reducing greenhouse gases from cars, trucks and factories. We might regain some of the respect that we so deservedly has lost amongst most people in the world.

Now, you have to be unable to figure out that 2+2=4 if you don't realize how most the cost of the war is affecting our economy. Between the tax cuts for the super-rich and the cost of the war, all the monies that go for essential aspects of the regular daily lives of the majority of Americans are lacking. Pensions are crumbling, the president is proposing taxing health care benefits, higher education costs keep skyrocketing, and credit card interest rates are going through the roof. In the meantime, the Iraq war has been a major bonanza for the well connected. They are doing the impossible to keep the war going. No matter what Congress does or says Cheney says, "Is not going to stop us." The war will go on. How else can these looters make such incredible amounts of monies for so little to show for it!

The recent elections were a mandate from the American people to change course in Iraq. Instead, the president and the vice are conjuring up plans to attack Iran. It should be clear to the vast majority of Americans by now that these guys in command don't give a hoot about what we think, and plan to continue on the road to enrichment through wars and tax cuts. The nation will only survive through our own efforts.

Canizar@verizon.net