An economic nuclear bomb is looming on the horizon as the U.S. trade deficit balloons, the ever-widening mortgage crisis, the slowdown housing, the estimated $155.5 billion to repair the nations highways and bridges, the Medicare crisis (doctors are not lining up to see patients because of lower reimbursement rates from the government), the $100 million dollar-a-day war in Iraq, China’s takeover of our market with tainted products, the unending spiral of high gas prices, global warming, the disappearing middle class and the list goes on and on.
What are we as responsible citizens to do?
Political candidates scramble to find ways to find their market on the nation’s problems, making empty campaign promises after empty campaign promise to find a way to “try” and solve the problem.
The senators and former governors argue back and forth on pulling out of Iraq… no staying in Iraq, the rising cost of healthcare… going to national healthcare, alternative fuels… drilling in national-protected forests, building a wall to keep illegal immigrants out… creating a workers’ program for illegal immigrants to stay and “work the jobs that U.S. citizens will not work” and the rising… no lowering taxes debate.
All of this gives me a headache.
And while the American middle and lower class paychecks continue to shrink as the price of food, gas, tobacco and the rest of our necessitates and commodities continue to rise at an alarming rate, the U.S. taxpayers are forced to take a second or third job, first, second or third loan, refinance homes, cut food expenditures and numerous other inventive ways to save-a-buck.
And yet, the salaries of our elected officials, the rich, are amazingly high and continuing to rise, helping in widening the gap of the American classes.
For instance, according to the Examiner.com, Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn salary to serve the residents of Texas is 165,200, and he reportedly owns more than 9 investment funds worth between $15,000 and $50,000.
Democrats 2008 candidate for Cornyn’s incumbency position Mikal Watts reported earnings of $40 million, as well as owning several high priority investments, two planes and numerous properties, to the Senate last week.
In fact, according to the U.S. senators’ Web site, the people of this nation gave the senators a per diem pay of $6.00 in 1789, raising it to $3,000 per annum in 1855.
And through the 80s, 90s and into the 21st century, senators’ salaries have skyrocketed up the charts, rising from $69,800 to $165,200 per annum while majority and minority leaders enjoy a comfortable salary of $180,100 per year.
And as a United States Senator, the politician gets the benefits of never-paying social security, continuing to receive an ample salary after he retires, free health-care and a pot-of-gold, special-type of social security fund straight out of aged Americans’ dreams—not including the numerous non-reported contributions too numerous to list.
And for what?
How do the rich politicians exactly represent the middle and lower class Americans?
What do elected officials really accomplish?
How many bills and amendments float in front of the eyes of lawmakers only to land the approval of rejection time after time?
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