It just has to be said!

It just has to be said.

I have not blogged in a long time as life with its incessant demands for participation have swept me away.   But today, two days out from an historic election ,I like everyone else needs to get my two cents in. It doesn't t matter who I voted for.  What I understand from my little myopic view of the world is that people in this country are done with same old same old from Washington. As I write this , coverage on TV is about how the New York Times,this country's flagship newspaper, missed the boat on election. Let me tell you who those young journalist's are. They are the sons and daughters of the wealthy elite that this country is currently designed to support. The majority of those young people are not from little dying towns in the middle of this country.   I m picking on the NY Times just cuz it represents the problem. We are a meritocracy. If you go to the best schools and get the highest GPA you have a chance to make it in this country.  You have money, connections and a perspective on life that is different from most.
     

This country is made up of millions of average Joe's who are struggling every single day just to make it.  Every single person in this country except for the wealthiest are just trying to get by. For the last twenty five years middle class folks have worked 2-3 jobs to stay afloat. Robert Reichs pointed out that the middle class is staying afloat on credit cards as well. College is the new high school except you have to pay a fortune to get in or come out with astronomical debt.  AND because business, big business, got Washington to pass IRA's etc to do away with pensions and pass on retirement responsibilities to the people this country started a downward spiral.   So you come out of school with over $100,000 in debt and you have to save for your future. Housing costs are astronomical.  Food, transportation, health care costs a lot.   People who are lucky enough to have employment ,pay for day care and eventually school supplies and after school stuff so their kids can get into college and be in debt and find no job afterwards.

And us old people. Don t get me started. We know that you cannot survive on Social Security even if you paid into it your entire life. But if you go back to work what you earn is limited until you reach that magic age of 66 plus.  Guess what folks?  Unless you have saved millions of dollars  you will not be able to live even then. And on it goes. Medicare? Lol! Find a really good doctor that accepts it? Hah! Those doctors can't make a living accepting Medicare.   Who benefits from Medicare? The insurance companies because the highest users of health care are picked up by the government .

Save money for retirement? Another hah!  The banks for the little folks are gone.  My daughter can pay 8.25% daily interest on her school loans even before she graduates, but a savings account returns interest that is laughable. AND you now get to pay for the privilege of having a savings account unless you can promise a $250,000 daily balance. REALLY?

So the average joe looks at someone who has come here from another country and thinks whatever they have they have taken from me and my family. Terror attacks await around every corner.  Etc.  so whatever your particular angst is - that 's where the anger is directed.  It s not rationale. It s human.  Our government is broken. It doesn't work for us even when a much needed health care reform bill is finally passed. It s too complicated it costs too much and covers too little.   It didn't factor in that health care is now a business that relies on Wall Street for survival.  Wall Street! The McDonaldization of America marches forward! Bigger is better! Efficiency rules!  We are widgets in the service of the rich! That s what the anger is about!