"Right now," Sanders says, "we are losing about $100 billion every year because corporate America and the very wealthy are stashing their money in tax havens like the Cayman Islands and Bermuda." He continued, "In 2009 ExxonMobil made $19 billion in profits and not only did the company not pay anything in taxes, it got a $106 million refund from the IRS."
In an article he wrote for May-June's Utne Reader, Sanders continued, "We should be aware that since 1997, we have almost tripled funding for the military" and if the nation is serious about reducing the deficit, the Pentagon budget is among the "things we need to look at."
Sanders called for Americans "to put pressure on a handful of Republicans----to tell them, 'Go into your hearts, talk to your constituents and tell me if it is appropriate to hold hostage the future of this country for an agenda that benefits only the very rich.'"
Sanders concluded that if we don't act, "if they roll over us now---there is no stopping them. It is time we organize." Maybe seniors will consider organizing into groups with the word "Voters" and "Defenders" of Social Security in their title. Seniors vote in large numbers and the names of their organizations could send Republicans a message. #
(Sherwood Ross, formerly a columnist for wire services, heads the Anti-War News Service.)
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
4
3
3
