©rrk, December '02

Democratic Party Offering

Foreign Policy

Let us first deal with the perception that Americans don’t feel secure in time of crisis with Democrats. Since Nixon this has been forced fed to the public by the right wing. Odd that it didn’t bother the nation during eight years of Clinton. Surely, the rest of the world felt more secure with Clinton even though he sent troops to Haiti, Bosnia and Kosova, bombed Iraq innumerable times, devastated bin Laden’s camps. The reason is that, except for preemption in Haiti, clearly to end the influx of illegal immigration, he seemed cooperative in foreign affairs: initiating peace negotiations spanning two Israeli Prime-ministers in the Israel-Palestine quagmire, confronting North Korea with an imperfect energy alternative, and Asia-Pacific Cooperation Economic forum. Somalia, of course, was unsuccessful in following out the UN directive to “rehabilitate the state.” Incidentally where is it mentioned that eighteen marines died under Bush Sr.’s watch. Albright’s “assertive multilateralism” got off to a poor start but proved the right direction to take what with the successes at Kosova and Bosnia. Presidents don’t as a rule win honors in foreign policy, anyway — vis a vis George Sr. and Panama — but Republicans successfully brainwash the public. Prior to 9/11 Bush W’s foreign policy was lackluster and disruptive, yet now he equates himself — thanks to public perception — with Churchill.

Now, of course, there isn’t much the Democrats can do to influence foreign policy; however, they can no longer withhold open criticism beyond the usual ambivalent soundbites: the party must espouse a future State Department direction beginning with pushing for a high profile UN ambassador of Adlai Stevenson stature — Carter or Clinton, perhaps? — to speak eloquently in behalf of the environment, fulfilling nutrition and health care needs for third world countries, especially many in Africa, culminated with a plea for basic universal health care for the entire world, beginning with our own nation.

It is not a matter of weakness for the American delegation to pressure peaceful solutions with respect to rogue states — labeling them axis of possible dreams and aspirations. The focus on Iran, for instance, should be through suggesting sincere effort in separating church and state as a prerequisite to diplomatic relations. With North Korea, it is time for the military to withdraw and let civilian officials turn the country around by negotiating with the South to assist in building institutions and infrastructure thereby leading to unification; when that happens US troops finally will come home.

There should be emphasis on building a coalition for the purpose of protecting and eventually removing nuclear matter and waste. Asia should be cajoled into forming their own sense of united identity, much like Europe and should be led by India, Japan and China. Far from being Lincolnesque, China nevertheless has a point in keeping Taiwan under its wing. The best hope is that Taiwan be declared a province with independence and democratic identity but still loyal to the mother country that should vow not to expand communism to its provinces. There is a need, too, for a United Africa and the US should be its champion. There is in fact, too much tribalism in the world and every sect of a different dialect or belief feels it should be a confederate — this should be frowned upon or else the world will never achieve world peace.

Until technology overcomes its lag with the dream, “star wars” expensive testing should be suspended. More imperative are practicable strategies for homeland defense against terror, such as beefing up air patrol of borders and a strong infantry defense. Large appropriations to the Navy and Coastguard are needed for the protection of our shores and ports in the war against terrorism. The latest surveillance technology should be supplied to off-shore patrol boats. The Navy PT division should be in the main for domestic use.

A universal moratorium on immigration should be enacted, except in cases where immediate family members are still abroad, and in cases where qualified scientists and the technically skilled are needed for defense purposes. In the future immigration should be geared to the nation’s employment needs. Political refugees should be sent to other democratic nations in need of new blood. Mexico must get its act together in preventing immigrant incursions by policing its own side of the border and in building an infrastructure to forge a higher standard of living for its people with assistance from us via a strictly adhered to mini-Marshall Plan. Haiti has proven its total incompetence and should petition to the US for a ten year MacArthur plan. The embargo on Cuba should be lifted unequivocally provided it shows a willingness for a totalitarianism phaseout.

While pressing for serious investments in alternative fuels, the party, in stressing withdrawal of dependence of Mideast oil, should be instrumental in encouraging the oil industry to work with non-OPEC nations that have proven oil reserves such as Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, [Caspian Pipeline Consortium] and Asian off shore potential, such as China and India coastlines. Negotiations with Canada and its provinces, Alberta and New Foundland to find ways — always conscious of environmental protections — to increase oil and gas production for US use. The same holds true with our neighbor to the south.

Domestic Issues

The arms-race is over: There are enough natural disasters without our contributing to one that will end in total destruction. Along with global warming we should be concerned about flooding and forest fires. If Holland could build docks centuries ago, are we so backward that we cannot control flooding? And explain to me when we have B52 carpet bombing, we cannot utilize them in bombing the fires with millions of gallons of water or fire extinguisher material, in lieu of the pathetic image of helicopters dropping single bags of water at a time? Given that this is far-fetched, still in this day and age is it impossible to drill down into cataclysmic faults and extinguish the coming fury below? Is it far-fetched to bomb the hell out of tornadoes and hurricanes with those horizontal explosive devices? All this is fantasy because the Republican Party — star wars being the exception — will never let go its foothold on the 19^th century, let alone the 20^th.

Democrats must fend off the assault for vouchers in education bent on terminating public education altogether; for the ultimate aim is to grow sectarian schools of the Christian right or elitism. In addition, the party must insist that the president — preoccupied with war — live up to “leave no child behind” with substantial funds to public education, particularly now when the states are revenue starved.

Avoid politically explosive issues such as gun control and abortion. Challenge gun-owners to register side-arms and assault weapons voluntarily and receive a $50 tax credit. Request that the NRA cooperate in this endeavor and that it investigate just how existing gun laws are not enforced. Keep Roe vs Wade out of the lexicon and stress the need for states to pass a resolution that declares that all adults are guardians of their own bodies and that women have the right to determine pregnancy as invasive up to 120 days and thereafter if medically clear that their mental and/or physical health is at risk. Unwanted births out of wedlock are immediately up for adoption either by the woman’s parents or grandparents, or by a state agency.

Christian Science or any other sect and that denies children medical attention shall be subject to serious consequences. Any hospital or insurance group that denies emergency treatment shall also be subject to litigation on the state or federal level. The party must insist that medical insurance rates be rolled back or face the ultimate consequence of a single payer in the future. It is a given that senior citizens be granted prescriptions coupled with a co-payment of $5-10.

What with the MacDonald and tobacco debacle the party can no longer be associated with “trial lawyers.” Rather, propose a new Department of Legal Defense to investigate the legitimacy of requests for litigation and set up reasonable guidelines for settlement prior to trial. Obviously the new department would overrule the obesity factor involving MacDonald, but would surely recommend to the Surgeon General that MacDonald’s and other fast food franchises no longer should be allowed to advertise or feature come-on items appealing to youngsters. Further, the department would handle all cases and bundle them as class action, if possible, at no cost to those below the poverty line and aim for a fair-minded reward. This would not put trial lawyers out of business but would definitely keep them under control so that justice is not a mockery. Mean-spirited as it may seem, there comes a time when there are limitations as to the price of life and limb. Life is always at risk and no one immune. Tragedies as a rule stem from no-fault incidents. Those that come from deliberate malpractice, incompetence or misrepresentation indeed require compensation; yet no one should get rich from human frailty. It is sad that victims of horrible crimes and war have no such recourse. A society of laws is not a society of law-suits; rather, what is on the level of ligature is not monetary punishment but justice which requires that there be sentencing even when under civil law, such as community service, or suspension from sundry practice, together with — below the absurdity of jury awards — nominal compensation for the victim. Corporate irresponsibility should be subject to prosecution resulting in stiff fines in behalf of victims and allocated to the new department for distribution under a priori guidelines. To keep medical costs from spiraling out of control, physicians and hospitals — freed from insurance costs — would be levied a fee by the department far below the cost of insurance, and would thus handle all malpractice cases. The outcome could very well be a loss of license or a complete shut down of a hospital until new management is organized. Only in rare cases such as the removal of the wrong kidney or breast would there be the option of a jury trial.

Taxes

The Republican catch all that the Left is only interested in spending and increasing taxes must be countered with the Right refusing to govern for the common good. The theory that less tax stimulates the economy is a total myth because the money that goes back to the public to spend or invest is aimless and may do more harm than good. The average consumer spends preponderantly on foreign goods to the detriment of US labor, and even worse, is increasing its consumption in face of the great needs in education, defense, infrastructure, alternative energy, health care and social security. Moreover, while the federal tax decreases. state and local are on the rise — in the long run the public is taxed more and regressively. The higher bracket invests recklessly or close to the vest by being content with government issues, which in turn means greater national debt. Since the 80s America has been fleeced by the wealthy to the tune of $ trillions because of the Right’s bias that not only reduced taxes on the wealthy drastically but encouraged deregulation, foreign investment, mergers and weakened industrial might leaving millions jobless or with lower wages. In the meantime, infrastructure is at a standstill, education is going nowhere, medical insurance is amoral, oil imports have tripled, alternative energy still a dream, church and state in courtship to keep the flock in ignorance and authoritarian to perpetuate the public’s affirmation — despite Gore — the powerful is on the side of the people.

There has to be a referendum on national priorities — a New Deal for the New Millennium.

Propose:

• a progressive luxury tax on gas-guzzlers over 30MPG purchased after ‘03.

• a very generous tax-incentive for construction companies building greenbelt affordable housing; and schools in disrepair.

• others engaged in needed infrastructure activity will also be granted tax incentives.

• matching funds for state projects for monorail, bus and high speed railway systems

• two tier $7.50-10 minimum wage — part-time and full time work. After nine months part-timers reach parity.

• homeland security to include assault against crime and narcotics, and Amber Alert in all states.

• the establishment of a federal prayer — including Congress — omitting reference to any particular religion and that atheists and agnostics “beliefs” by definition should be disinterested and simply meditate the awesomeness of the universe.

• makeshift basic universal health care — free for family’s under the poverty line and $100 deductible for others — for the first $2,000, after which insurance pools kick in at closely monitored rates.

• Medicare ultimately for all; presently for all children.

• social security plus — government contributes 25% for those below poverty line.

• farm bill designed to sustain family farming — estate tax exemption and greater subsidies.

• funding Pre-K for four year olds; scholarships for future teachers.

• reduction of capital gains but increase marginal rate.

• a Democratic commission on social security, stressing progressive ways to fund it.

• a Democratic commission on restructuring and simplifying the tax code.

• a Democratic commission on a ten year plan for revitalizing infrastructure.

• funding more for vocational training and vocational education.

• monitor Homeland Security Department to assure local public safety agencies receive their share.

Campaign Reform

Broadcasters are herewith forbidden to charge for political ads, debates and town meetings. Ads cannot be negative but rather must “advertise” the virtues of the ad’s candidate. Newspapers either drastically reduce advertising rates, refuse the solicitation altogether, or offer to interview the candidate. Special interest groups are permitted to contribute up to $25,000 to the party of choice, but not an individual candidate or risk a fine of $5000 for each infraction. Individual donors who contribute to candidates shall be fined as much as $50,000 for each infraction. However, an individual may contribute up to $2,000 to the party of choice and up to $500 for a single publication leaning toward donor’s party. Legitimate non-incumbent candidates will be sponsored equally by a general fund derived from a new IRS “clean campaign check off” or if local or state derived from a mandatory campaign state fund.

Memory: Short-lived

Liberalism has spent itself — virtually every one benefitted from the New-Fair Deal, and the Great Society. The voter, especially the older, is an unmitigated ingrate. There is hardly an AMA member who has not reaped the rewards of a liberal government loan or from the GI Bill. There is not a congressional member who has not benefitted, or at least his state or district, from the great liberal programs designed to give a helping hand, especially to the poor states of the south, and those of the farm belt. Home ownership for tens of millions became possible by liberal government under the aegis of FHA and GI loans. The vast majority of younger voters today are considered middle class precisely because FDR, Truman, Kennedy Johnson — and, yes, to a lesser degree, Eisenhower and Nixon — were dedicated to improving the lives of the older generation of all states and territories. They are too young to imagine what life in the states would be like had Hoover been re-elected, then followed by Landon, Wilkie and Dewey. But they wouldn't be registering protest votes because they would have no frame of reference for a better life. Many of them would be in jail or playing midnight basketball with their black friends from the same housing project. The south would still be stumbling in the dark — except for the white cape riders and their flaming crosses. Martin Luther King, Jr. might still be alive but he wouldn't have a dream. Willie Mays and Hank Aaron doubtless would have made the Negro League but would never be household names.

Evidently, then, vision and planning are essential to defend the nation's ideals and preserve a standard of living second to none against the pincer assault of world commerce and uninspired conservative thinking.

Welcome

Start

Index 2

Joan's Page

Intro

Images from

Imspace Systems Corp;

1 Fifty Years: Winding Down The Decades from '39

In 1939 a rookie Yankee outfielder known as "King Kong" Keller sported # 9—yes, Maris' retired digit—and tore up the league. He was my boyhood idol, even though the "Yankee Clipper" hogged the headlines. Ah, '39, glorious, magical—never mind the open terrorism against Jews by the German people in '38, ignore France, England and the United States' cowering indifference to Hitler's power grab of Austria, Czechoslovakia and the march on Poland—for, yes, the Trylon and Perisphere were the symbol of the times, not the twisted cross, whose bearers were twisting the world.

Almost as exciting as the New York World's Fair were the brilliant movies created. GWTW, Wuthering Heights, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Wizard of Oz, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, even Reagan's grade B gem, Hell's Kitchen, with the Dead End kids—all fired the imagination. Yet to remind us of the recent, bitter past The Grapes of Wrath was in the bookstores, ready for celluloid the next year.

The automakers too tickled the fancy in extending the fenders and narrowing the grill work to a sleek short-lived needle-nose and moving the shift—Ford lagged in this respect—to the steering column. America was on a roll—too long mired in the Depression to be concerned with tanks on the roll.

The fierce early '40s plummeted us into the greatest war in history. Despite its told and untold tragedies the war was not without its redemption; for it united a people like never before. The rich and famous were at one with the rank and file; women wore uniforms or coveralls, and children bought war stamps. At the half mark of the decade triumphant joy on V-E and V-J Days—the holocaust had scarcely poked through the cover-up, nor had much thought dwelled on the implications of the atom bomb—brought euphoria that would last for years.

Professionalism returned to baseball with likes of Greenberg, Reiser, Kiner, Williams, and Bobby Feller. The greatest football game of all time—including the future—was gruelingly played at Yankee Stadium between the two juggernauts, Notre Dame and Army, torturing each other for sixty minutes in a scoreless tie. Integrity, too, came to baseball with Jackie Robinson's inauguration. New Yorkers were knee deep in snow from the record fall the day after Christmas of '47. TV antennas in '49 were now increasingly being laced to chimneys, destined to snag ensuing Santa deliveries. At the same time news broke on the first successful experiment in color television—yet three quarters of the population didn't have black and white yet and those who had were squinting at 7" snow on gray.

With the pros still a stepchild to college football all the nation either admired or hated Notre Dame for becoming national champs for the fourth time under Frank Leahy. Out of South Bend, too, came another "champion" in the late summer of '49, Studebaker continued to outpace Detroit in sleek design by adding a bullet nose to its '50 models to complement its wrap-around rear window introduced as early as '47.

Levittown, taking a lesson from the automotive industry, retooled, scrapping its popular cape-cod model for its " '49 ranch model" with accessories. But the euphoria abruptly ended by the UnAmerican Activities Committee, together with the "38th Parallel" becoming a household word.

However, bad news took a back seat to "I like Ike" and the sensation created by Levitt's '50 model that came equipped with a giant 12½" TV. Stalin graciously obliged this good feeling by croaking. This bustling decade of the 50s—the "police action" in Korea; McCarthyism at home and Puerto Rican extremists firing on Congress notwithstanding—was led by consumerism.

Music before Elvis was the sweetest and softest ever. Such names as Hugo Winterhalter, Mantovani, June Hutton, and Andy Williams were hot on the strange new 45 and 33rpm vinyls that replaced the clay of the 78rpm. Hi-fi and stereo junked the phonograph with its lonely speaker and two-ton tone arm.

In the 50's automotive world, taillights were perceived as sculptured art; black and maroon yielded to pearly white and chartreuse, and then two tone colors became the rage; the unimaginative gray mohair interior gave way to color-keyed vinyl; the clutch was history; brakes and steering had to be powered; the old valve in head engines yielded to the "rocket engines" of the overhead valve; convertibles were the rage from the tiny Nash Metro to the sleek whale fin Caddie; anyone, thanks to the auto industry, with stock in chromium and vinyl became instantly wealthy.

The cobalt bomb made its debut, but cancer still reigned; still, Dr. Salk gave the children hope. Elvis gave the children of Sinatra fans something to scream and swoon about as he hipped his way onto the scene in blue-suede shoes.

Near the end of the decade almost every household had a 21" screen, and Howdy Dowdy replaced Uncle Milty as Mr. Television, but Baseball was king of TV—in '59 all the world knew Yogi Berra tied Ruth and Dimag with his tenth world series, far more important than flag factories humming since we had become fifty united states.

Holding its breath till this awful decade of the '60s ran its tragic course, the nation received comic relief in '69 when Ted Kennedy urged that the United States take steps toward alliance with China. The only one not laughing apparently was the President-elect Richard M. Nixon. The champion of the common man, Jesse Jackson, was jailed in Chicago for picketing the so-called liberal trade unions for their alleged discriminatory practices. It was a sound boom year: the SST Concord made its first experimental flight while the new 747 jumbo jet made its maiden voyage; youth turned on to raucous breast-beating politics.

Hope throughout this hopeless decade nevertheless pulsated from Kennedy's inaugural address and Joe Namath's crystal ball to Peggy Fleming's winning the gold in '68 and Armstrong's giant step for mankind in '69—in between was the brash kid called Cassius Clay who inspired millions and then stepped to the beat of this infamous decade by disillusioning them with racial rhetoric and draft-dodging as the nation's distinguished conscientious objector and yet WWII's famous conscientious objector war hero medic, Lew Ayres, shook his head in sadness.

The incredible drama of Patty Hearst, the phantasmagoric horror of Jonestown and Time choosing "Women of the Year" as a result of the Roe ruling should have been enough for any decade. But these years of the '70s were pocked with frustration—"secret plan to end the war," Watergate, racial riots continued in schools, President Ford and his infamous "Drop dead New York," Carter's zero budgeting, spiraling inflation from the Arabs' ballooning the price of oil; and though Nam had finally come to a close, it never really ended. It was further plagued through '79 with the embassy in Tehran being attacked, resulting in the nightmare of hostages and Ted Koppel becoming a household name. Insult to injury to the decade was inflicted by the Three Mile Island nuclear disaster. But the big bad, anti-business Democratic government bailed out Chrysler—of course, Mitsubishi was the true factor in making Iacocca a genius, and then there was Star Wars. But the most redeeming shining hour in the decade was the bi-centennial celebration; the nation patched itself together, though short-lived

The previous two decades of soft but penetrating rock was dipped in acid in the 80s as the kids abandoned the Beach Boys, Elton John, Carol King, the Osmonds, the Fifth Dimension and the Jackson Five and looked to punk to override the horror of two hundred dead marines. Nevertheless, Springsteen hung in there and the movies created beautiful music.

Gorbachev eradicated the fearful image of Big Brother and became "Man of the Year." Reagan grabbed credit for ending the "evil empire" while ignoring the stiff resistance to communism for the past forty years.

Eight years had passed since Bush accused Reagan of "voodoo economics"; now it was his time to pin-cushion the people as they misread his lips and observed more of the same that would tie a bow in the gleaming plasticity of the Reagan years whose stage had been set in 1980 by the question who shot J.R. as more paramount than the murder of John Lennon.

Let us pray that the nineties will be gay again—in the true sense of the term.

'88

3 R . E . D . A l e r t

On the surface a lack of resolve is typified by the President-elect's "Read my lips." But read the writer's words: be not taken in; for, while the nation was hooked on this new reading method, a lesson plan of another tack was being drawn up.

Bush was not addressing the smoker, the gasoline user, the drinker, but rather across the nation to the recluse, the monk, the nun, the Amish, the stagecoach maker, and the dying. In addition to increased levies on tobacco, gasoline and alcohol already in the scheme of revenue enhancement, is the ice-cream, candy and gum cornucopia. The sweet vice is really big time since it cuts across all ages. The chip 'n dip junkies are near the top of the new revenue list as well. Next targeted will be the addictive VCR user who will unwittingly pay VAT(video abuser tallage) for his chain-renting vice. The golfer, too, must howdy-doodily guffaw and accept involuntary patriotism when his hapless compulsion is levied in the guise of a grass-enhancement gift. The boatman is flagged for theater tickets to support the Coast Guard Pantomime Club that stages intrigues in intercepting drug-runners without really doing it. Nor gone unnoticed are the kids and adults hooked on computer games; the fun-fee numbers will light up for their outrageous pursuit of electronic happiness. The revenue enhancers will lick their chops over the prospects of the helpless do-it-yourselfer—this homeowner addict simply must have the latest power screwdriver, he cannot resist the oak paneling for his den, and he is sure to become violent when his wife suggests that they can really can do without that deck in light of the new hammer tariff. Infants will suffer as victims because of the revenue enhancement on throw aways; for their mothers—to help lighten the fat-fee levied on their slimnastic vice—will think twice about purchasing this convenience and think thrice before changing the linen diapers.

But this is but the tip of the iceberg—safely distant from the drugs of Colombia. Scheduled for early shuttle flight is ROT(radar overseeing television) to detect TV obsessions. Once into orbit this detector will be monitored by RED (Revenue Enhancement Division) to record and immediately levy soul indulgence tributes on abusive viewers. There are tens of millions of housewives hooked on "Wheel of Fortune" and just as many males mesmerized by Vanna White. RED will be deceptively harsh with viewers who turn on soaps at noon and let the household be damned for four hours—in addition to the abuse-atonement-privilege-fee these users will be hit with a regression-penance-tithe as well.

Inside sources say that RED is wary over the attrition of viewing network prime time, but because of cable it is optimistic that revenue will flow generously from the movie and rerun neurotics who would steal from the blind to indulge in Fred Astaire classics and Mr. Ed. Unlike we the people, RED is committed. Already it is sending out feelers to the networks urging them to run during prime time such gems as "Mr. Novak", "Life of Reilly", "Amos 'n Andy", and "The Goldbergs"—colorized, of course. RED also is busily projecting more revenues by slapping an entertainment fee for Super Bowl and "Monday Night Football" get-togethers.

If this benevolent attack on the nation's will to abuse itself is successful—RED is already confident that the enhancement treasures are limitless—the government will renew its call to arms against drugs. The strategy, under the new flag of "war against the deficit", will be to outflank the drug lords by legalizing all narcotics and thus in one fell swoop wipe out the deficit by a windfall of new revenues muscled by RED from grateful addicts and vendors. In addition, there will be various marketing schemes from both the White House and Congress designed to allow cigarette commercials back on the air waves in order to get habit-kickers rehooked, and the pink lungs of the baby-boomers blackened. After all, in the end, what's good for RJR is good for revenue enhancement.

Obviously there is danger in reading anybody's lips. As RED grows in stature and begins to build up astronomical surpluses, Congress and the White House will most certainly become giddy over the temptation of new spending ventures. One could bet his grave plot that no new bureau would be on the drawing board to stem the tide of new deficits. Of course, in light of another spending tantrum RED II would be needed.

How more comforting to read Bush's lips than the writer's words! Still, there is no salt-in-the wound intent that I conclude with the following. (And hopefully the reader is immunized to the pain of eating his heart out.) It has been said that deep in the archives of Watergate is a proposal, conveniently shredded, for a new bureau drawn up by a handful of naive politicians. This bureau was to be called SAP (Stop Abusive Power).

‘94

Betrayal

Although the economy is improving, compared to that of the X-generation's parents and grandparents' time it is still discouraging. At the end of World War II and extending into the sixties the nation was riding the crest of great expectations. The overriding mentality up to the Vietnam War was that of optimism and confidence in a nation that could do no wrong—the mind-set was that of attaining the impossible dream.

Unions and management somehow managed to co-exist without too much ado and would bargain in good faith. There were then no threats that a company would move out of state or worse set up manufacturing in a foreign country. Management did not seem to have a problem with the probability of a high standard of living for all. The Henry Ford belief still prevailed: pay his worker well and he will buy a Ford. Unions were still growing in membership in all fields of industry and with some exceptions were still the champions of the common man. Both management and labor evidenced this from '46 through the 50s and 60s by extraordinary production of industry and commerce that had begun under the reconstruction period of the 30s. Government, too, had a bold face in contrast to its mask of defeatism today. Where private enterprise was unable or unwilling, the government fed incentives to enhance the infra-structure, education, and fair labor practices. Young congressmen, skilled workers, professionals and future business leaders at the time were products of the G.I. Bill's liberal education program. The work ethic was at a high because few ever saw their job as a dead-end. Arrogance was foreign to doctors who still made house calls. Republicans were left of the Dixiecrats; Democrats far left of today's Liberal. Young couples felt Utopia had been realized when they were handed the keys to their new homes with practically nothing down and low interest mortgages.

The stage was set for the most extraordinary democratization of progress the world had ever seen. Alas, the parents and grandparents blew it! What they did not realize was that the envelope of security and euphoria was sealed, shutting them out from the power structure.

Democrats became do-little centrists; Dixiecrats adopted the do-nothing Republican role while the Republicans turned to undo-everything conservatism. Deaf ears turned to what little leadership was left. Unions denigrated their charters by crime and greed. Management targeted the bottom line only and looked to under-developed states and countries for cheap labor. Hiring practices of small business, most of which came into existence by the grace of government, was torn out of a 19th century manual. Wall Street, too, had its share of crime and share-holders no longer took pride in the building of a nation in virtue of their patience in long term gain. Churning and selling short was the rule in brokerage firms. Mergers prevailed for the ironic purpose of "downsizing."

The federal government existed for its own sake: federal employees enjoyed a soaring standard of living with all the fringes while the rest nose-dived with the exception of state employees and the already rich. Deregulation became the norm with its live and let live implications: the magnificent railway network was rolled over by the Teamsters crowding and wearing down the highways; chaos was in the skies; the oil industry abandoned its own fields and invested in the Middle East, only to be shafted subsequently. Congress became a collegium of verbose, purposeless lawyers while crime and poverty escalated. Presidents became obsessed with foreign policy, ignoring domestic needs and infra-structure while lowering taxes to pave the way for states to embezzle or hoodwink its own.

Of course, most states raised theirs and continue to do so with "creative"user taxation, such as tolls every five miles to disposal tax of plastic containers. Other crafty ones did not in order to lure industry in much the same way as foreign nations do now. A nation united cannot consist of fifty other governments doing their own thing if detrimental to the nation's spirit as a whole. The Civil War should have taught us this. States out of pursuit of excellence, not out of right, should compete on a fair field for the equalization of wealth. Its system of taxation should be geared to ever improving its infra-structure and standard of living, not drown itself in tears from the cry of poverty, not unlike an Alabama or a New Hampshire: the fact is they are too cheap to respond to human needs, except when it comes to their own symbiotic hierarchy.

Nor should private enterprise do its own thing without responsibility to its mother country. The auto industry—both labor and management—lagged in rising to the oil crisis of the 70s, opening the gate for Japan to dump its fuel-efficient product. Both small and big vendors rushed to Taiwan to purchase merchandise, undercutting the retail industry and resulting in the loss of decent paying jobs. Walmart entered the retail market nation-wide, underpricing competitors by virtue of its unAmerican wages and lack of benefits, thus setting the trend for Sears and the like to layoff full-time career workers and substituting minimum wage part-timers.

The deterioration of the standard of living necessitated the infamous two-income family, generally resulting in the erosion of proper pre-school child care and family values. Interpersonal relationships now hinges on sex performance, harassment, abuse or murder. Woodstock is the in-thing to do; a walk down the lane of romance for an ice-cream soda is juvenile and dangerous. Commitment comes after the act, not before. Marriage is now an act of fear, not an act of hope.

The young are robbed by the auto insurance companies and Presto's clients. They are torn between a brake job and a premium payment at 20% interest—the premium must be made; the brake job can wait unless done by the grace of the credit card at 18%. The young worker at $10,000 a year is robbed equally before he gets to the job-site by tolls and fuel tax as the older making $30,000. The young worker is forced to pay for Medicare but he has no medical insurance; he must pay social security but he has no security; federal tax—for most, state as well—is withheld, yet the government is callous to his needs. The young worker is loyal to the employer who nonetheless exploits—no increments and no medical insurance. Perhaps, then, another path: trade school or college? He chooses the former, else wait tables as a career.

This conspiracy of undermining the standard of living by reducing the opportunity of the American worker to ensconce himself in the security of a permanent job with a future, has resulted in an X-generation of confusion, cynicism and fear. The young are victims of betrayal by their elders.

Flat Tax Scam

The new ploy to escape the issues is the flat tax. Jerry Brown introduced it in '92 with his "tax on a postcard" cry. It is simplicity at the expense of fairness because its implications are not understood. The thrust of the argument in favor of the flat view is that, after all, one whose income is $200,000 and pays 20% is handing over $40,000 to Uncle Sam—not a bad haul, particularly when juxtaposed to a mere $4,000 tax bill for one whose income is $20,000. On the other hand, the progressive perspective is focused on the amount left over after necessary exemptions and deductions since it looks at income as the power to amass wealth—and not simply the rewards of earning a living. The $20,000 earner can never grow wealth unless he is totally frugal and thus undermines the economy which must thrive on consumerism. The one who earns $200,000 is in reality taxed on the luxury zone of income that distance itself from mere survival. The comfort zone in theory is say, $50,000, a rather nice amount of net income to live comfortably within the structure of the American dream. Anything beyond that is excessive and should be subject to an incremental luxury tax. Tax is no less a commodity than a yacht or the cost of borrowing money. By paying tax one buys into the greatest nation across the pages of history. It should cost dearly to be successful in the land of opportunity, blest with an enlightened constitution and a stable government.

Today's millionaires are riding high on the sacrifice of the wealthy who were subject to 70-90% marginal rate. Twenty years ago a Bill Gates would never have been allowed a net worth of billions—it is simply immoral—and serves as a disincentive for philanthropy or in returning wealth to the one's primarily responsible for the surplus value to begin with—the workers.

The era of industrial barons is supposed to be over. A nation simply cannot entrust the nation's wealth to private individuals. Gates has built a mansion for himself, but he is not going to build a bridge for Seattle or take care of its homeless. Of course, he is going to continue his entrepreneurial gift to further cyberspace and could indeed generate thousands of new jobs, admittedly, in a sense, a public service. On the other hand, his enterprising investments conceivably could cause the loss of thousands of jobs, no less than the corporate executives who send American jobs abroad. In the "good old days" of taxation and planned capitalism there was little interest in the bottom line and downsizing because corporate and individual tax prohibited undue profits and bonuses for its own sake, but rather the surplus was put back into the corporation for research, innovation and amiable personnel relations to further the gains of this deserving nation.

A flat tax might help the yacht and luxury automobile industry but it is not going to improve the lot of the lower and middle class or the essentials of the infrastructure. To give to the wealthy even more for conspicuous consumption and ad-hoc investment in light of $300 billion in interest on the national debt is absurd. And guess where the bulk of that interest goes?—to wealthy investors. The screwball idea of penalizing consumers for keeping the economy alive as most states do now with their user and sales tax while favoring investors fails to address the obvious that investors actually are consumers when buying securities and are lucky they aren't subject to a state sales tax, let alone giving unearned income a free ride.

There is no question that something should be done about the idiocy of the IRS. A progressive form need not by definition be complicated; in all fairness, for the vast majority nothing could be simpler. It is the sinuous steps of investments, inheritance, and corporate loopholes that cause the intricacies and frustrations. If the current tax process simply did away with the long form and stuck solely with the standard deductions and exemptions and allowed for exceptional cases in casualty loss and medical expenses, a revised tax table with one column only at 15% with perhaps a fair adjustment for inflation, together with 1% increments for every $1000 of taxable income above 50,000 up to 75% plus a 5% surcharge over $250,000 would go a long way in simplification, fairness and balancing the budget. Moreover, tax-free municipals should be terminated and thereby eliminate unfair competition between the federal and local level on the securities market. Deductions for real estate tax and interest as well should be eliminated; for it is illogical in light of millions renting, and with elimination of sales tax, and other loans, including credit cards, from IRS's deduction list conceived during the so-called tax reform of the '80s. To keep the incentive for home buying, a revision of the old G.I. loan should apply to the conventional fixed mortgage at 5% or 5½% and backed by government guarantees.

A paramount item of contention is FICA. Half of the total 15% should be deferred rather than the Kemp proposal of total deduction so that when one comes of age his/her social security income would be taxed at 7½%. Deductions for charitable and political contributions should be eliminated altogether as is the case with the current short form anyway; however, if a wealthy individual wishes to set up a foundation or contribute substantially to a nonprofit organization, it is open to negotiations with the IRS.