Two addenda and two letters

So I wanted to add two addenda to the last post. My brother made me aware of the FICA cap. Basically, people are only assessed FICA tax on the first $94,000 of income. So anyone under that cap is taxed on every dollar earned. Every dollar in excess of $94,000 is exempt from FICA tax. This is extremely counter-intuitive, as well as grossly unfair. I would characterize any money exceeding $94,000 as “mad” money, not really necessary for paying the bills. There would be no “Social Security crisis” if millionaires paid the same percentage of their income as John Middle Class Doe. These are the kind of loopholes that need to be closed. I am not picking on the wealthy. I’m just saying that they should pay the same share as the rest of us. They have no case for not doing so because paying taxes is a much more significant hardship for the lower and middle classes.

Another gripe I have is with political appointees. “Heckuva Job Brownie,” notorious head of FEMA is a prominent example but sadly, far from the only one. Since a former coal exec was put in charge of mining safety there has been a drastic reduction in the enforcement of safety regulations and the assessment of fines on noncompliant companies. The EPA is being undermined by its current head. Here we can take a free-market lesson, because after all corporations do know how to take care of themselves. Businesses would never commit suicide by putting someone in charge who had a serious conflict of interest or was grossly unqualified. There are certain vital positions that, as Katrina and recent mining disasters have taught us, are responsible for the very lives of many people. In these vital positions leadership should not be this changeable. Politicians should not be allowed to give these jobs to their cronies. Bodies like FEMA, the EPA and mining safety should be headed by internal people, or at the very least those who have some sort of degree or background in the given area. And they should not change with each administration. These positions require expertise and continuity.

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So I was thinking about ways to reach more people because I think the greatest problem we have is that average people have no idea about what’s going on. As I read more alternative news sources with relatively small circulation, I realize the vast chasm between what’s covered there and what can be gleaned from mainstream media. I get asked all the time how I find all this stuff out. I have a bumper sticker that reads “If you are not outraged you are not paying attention.” I’ve been asked what that means. Obviously, not enough people are not outraged.

There’s this magazine that comes to my house that’s published by a religious organization. It’s nationwide and I can only assume lots of other people get it if it finds its way to me. Usually I just toss it because it only covers a few “wedge” issues the Republicans use as their scheme to get the votes of people of faith. Then I realized that there’s this huge potential here to open the eyes of people who in theory care about the sick, the poor, the hungry (if they’re paying attention to what their faith is really trying to tell them). I e-mailed the local writers and publishers. Here’s the gist:

I am writing to express my wish that you utilize the incredible opportunity you have to reach people of faith through this publication to the fullest extent. There are many other issues that need attention besides abortion and stem cells. I do occasionally see articles that treat other subjects like poverty, but rarely is this unjust war we are waging in for the sake of oil and war profiteering mentioned. We are on the verge of starting yet another conflict with Iran in the Middle East. Naval Ships are on their way there as we speak. Why are we targeting Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan when other governments we side with (historically, the Shah, Saddam Hussein and the Taliban) perpetrate human rights abuses as well? And why aren't we targeting North Korea militarily for its nuclear weapons grab? The answer is simply that those currently in power in this administration have personal and family ties to the oil and defense industries. Those countries contain lots of oil, as well as a route to transport it. There are many more issues, such as the impact of these "Free Trade" agreements on the poor in third world countries. They can no longer earn a living growing and selling their crops because government subsidized American factory farms are dumping their excess products in these areas at artificially low prices. These are all issues that have to do with core religious values.

The people in this administration have been plotting the events unfolding today since the Nixon administration (see http://www.newamericancentury.org/iraqclintonletter.htm and look at the signatures at the bottom). These wars were a foregone conclusion before 9/11, and before Ahmadinejad. These people in power do not represent you or I. They represent their own megalomaniacal, greedy interests. This agenda ties the hands of Republican representatives who would otherwise vote their conscience but whose campaign dollars and very position depend on them voting a certain way. You can watch this in action on CSPAN when they speak out against a bill they ultimately vote for. They use certain issues such as abortion and gay marriage to polarize voters and gain the votes of people who are only aware of a few issues. Your publication, despite sincere intentions, plays into this. Power corrupts, and they have not faced any real challenges to their rule, especially when they tell us that voting for anyone else is a vote to kill babies and be killed by terrorists. The other success they have had is to make people like me sound like extremist conspiracy nuts. We are dismissed, because such things could never happen in America. The media is wholly corporate-owned and it is their job to sell the public ideas as well as products. They even write books bragging about manipulating the public during election time (see http://www.thenation.com/doc/20061016/alterman ).

You have an opportunity I do not. You write for and edit a publication that reaches many people. Take the time to think about what social justice really means, and whether or not the current administration has delivered on its promises to follow Christian values. I did love the article in The Forum section about tolerance and understanding for Muslims. This is the kind of article that has the potential to steer people more toward their core values, rather than just preaching to the choir about issues they already agree with.


I also sent a letter to the local religious leader:


I am writing today because of my concern for the direction the United States government is heading. The budget proposed by the president sums it up- tax cuts for the wealthiest 1%, along with major cuts in spending for all social programs such as healthcare and education. There are tax breaks for rich energy companies and ever-increasing defense spending. I am concerned that the focus of your organization’s activism is on a few hot-button issues and not the more dire needs of the general public, and the poor in particular. While tax credits for private education would be helpful, I think taking a strong stance to end the war in Iraq is more pressing.

Addressing the gross disparities in the federal budget is another. Forcing the government to make good on its promises to help Katrina victims and advocating for fair trade so that farmers at home and abroad can make even a subsistence living are other issues that deserve attention. Supporting alternative energy for real (and not cutting funding while claiming to support it like Bush is doing) can help disentangle us from foreign affairs, improve air quality and slow the global warming trend that is causing the most damage in poor areas which are not themselves contributing to greenhouse gasses (such as Africa).

Somehow the Republican Party has become the party that uses religion to attract voters, yet their policies favor only the rich and well-connected. The Democratic Party supports programs to assist the poor and underserved, such as universal healthcare, but because they also stand for gay rights and abortion, most churchgoing people vote for Republicans. Each day, a new story comes out about this administration that trumps the last, from lying about intelligence before the Iraq war; the torture of prisoners; the abhorrent, criminal negligence of the Katrina response; widespread corruption in Congress and wealthy companies’ lobbying and writing policy. Disagreeing with two or three hot-button issues has driven people of faith from backing the party that is, on the whole, more in line with their values. How can a person vote their conscience when no one out there embodies everything we believe?

Judge Alito is a great example of someone who is not the answer. He was supported because of his stand on abortion, but his record showed that he consistently ruled in favor of corporations over individuals, against civil liberties and wants to end individuals’ ability to bring civil suits to rectify pollution. This was the first time the Sierra Club denounced a potential justice in many years. Pollution disproportionately affects the poor. Polluting industries tend to set up next to poor, rural communities that are less likely to have the resources to object. The EPA no longer protects us thanks to Bush appointees. Even the scientists’ union is protesting the decision to allow pesticide testing on orphans and mentally ill children. Citizens need to be able to take action in the courts against polluting companies. Alito advocates for expanded presidential powers. Hasn’t George Bush proven how one man can cause an obscene amount of damage to a country I used to be proud to be a part of? Does the executive branch really need to wrest even more control from the hands of voters and their representatives in Congress?
Look what the Republican majority has done. How would the greater good be served? By backing a party that wants to legislate how people make their moral decisions on two issues while people are dying in Iraq, in New Orleans, and everywhere from poverty and lack of health care? Or by backing a party that will lessen the control powerful corporations have on policy, and give more tax dollars to programs for the poor?

Another issue is gay marriage. I personally don’t see how it is in the spirit of forgiveness and acceptance to deny people the right to form civil unions. Besides, there is a separation of church and state, and churches are entitled to not marry gays if they so choose. Perhaps the ban on homosexuality is outdated. Most Christian religions no longer recognize the kosher laws as binding. I have heard that was because at the time, the banned animals were more prone to disease and it was a practical way to keep people healthy. Well, also at that time the people really needed to reproduce as much as possible because of high mortality rates and a smaller population. This is no longer the case. In fact, the exact opposite is true. Why follow a direct interpretation of some Bible dictates and not others?

I hope that the religious leaders will use their influence to promote an end to this war for oil (which Pope John Paul was against), and justice and service for the poor. They can also help educate parishioners on some of these other issues I mentioned affecting the vulnerable poor, so that people will realize there’s more riding on their vote than just abortion or gay marriage. Let’s not be focused too narrowly on a couple of issues and lose sight of all the others.



I hope more people involved in these issues will put pressure on their own local organizations and media. Educating yourself and then getting the word out is where it must begin.