Have we all become Numb ?

Everyday, as soon as I get on my computer, I scan the news page first. Sometimes, I question myself. Why do I do that ? It’s usually the same depressing scenario’s, played out with different names and addresses. Almost always violent. Always depressing. This could be one reason we’ve become so de-sensitized to murder, rape, fire, tragedy and other non-newsworthy regulars.

When was the last time you heard a feel good story ? Maybe on a slow news day or the week-end, with not a lot going on, other than the usual murders, fires, etc. Wouldn’t it be great if they gave us one at the end of each segment? Wouldn’t it be great to end on a hopeful note ? Hope is what many of us need right now, but it doesn’t sell as well. Violence sells and unless it’s a monumental tragedy, like Hurricane Sandy, which devastated hundreds of thousands, or the Haiti earthquake, we barely react.

So, today, following my norm, the headlines read Obama turns down GOP fiscal cliff plan. So, I read the article to investigate further. Let’s see, what’s changed ? Nothing. The GOP wants to tackle our deficit issues, by once again, going after us, the middle and upper middle class. They want to increase the age for Medicare, lower the cost of living hikes on social security, which by the way, most of have paid into our entire lives, to bring in 800 billion. In contrast, tax cuts for the rich, which Obama keeps proposing and justifiably so, will bring in 1.6 trillion. What’s wrong with this picture ? Or what about “Logical,” don’t they understand ?

Who doesn’t think raising taxes on the rich, I’m talking multimillionaire rich, isn’t justified ? Other than the very rich. They don’t like this plan. We always end up picking up the tab. The GOP is in bed with Grover Norquist, the powerful lobbyist who seems to own them all. Stupid them, most signed a pledge way back. Screw the pledge. Who are you working for ? Norquist or the American people ? Many of the GOP are now saying that pledge doesn’t equate with today’s terms. It’s a different time. It shouldn’t apply. It makes no sense. I applaud you for taking a stand. In politics, it’s sometimes hard to do the right thing.

Now, if only the rest of the party had the guts to say no and stand with you, Norquist would lose his power. All these guys, are too afraid they won’t be re-elected. Norquist, very arrogantly admitted to same on an interview with 60 minutes. What a little shit. Safety in numbers, I say. Stick together on these issues. Show the American people you care about them, not the money that brought you to Washington. Renege. Disassociate yourself with him. Do the right thing, not the political one. You’ll all come out as heroes.

This isn’t a Republican issue or a Democratic issue. It’s a people issue. It’s about the American people. Remember us ? We’re the ones that sent you to Washington to begin with, so you could change the laws that weren’t working. We sent you there to keep our country strong and protect us. We’re the ones who are paying your salary. We are technically your employers. If you were at any other job, you’d all be fired for non-performance.

At one point in time, it was supposed to be an honor to serve the people, now it’s a career, with your hand out. Both parties are tired of this. We’re all tired of you arguing and bickering like little children, to do the right thing. I have a great idea and I, as well as many other people have said it before. You want to talk about entitlements ? Okay, lets. YOU stop getting them. Now. You’re the ones who have them, not us.

We’ll give you a paycheck, as we would anyone that works, but the buck stops there. No more free healthcare. You pay for it ! We have to. No more pension on our backs ! You pay about 6% into a pension, we cover the rest. It goes something like this. You pay $11,000 and we pay about $64,000. You can keep paying your $11,000 but we pay nothing. You don’t kick into our IRA’s, Roth’s, 401k retirement plans. You get the same. You’re all on your own. Just like we are. Pay your own damn way.And no more voting yourself tax raises. Especially when you talk about lowering our cost of living raises on social security. Don’t keep proposing to take away more from us. Especially, when it’s our money.

Let’s start with you. Pretty good deal you have. We pay into programs our entire lives, you pay a minimal. In fact, we pay the majority of your programs, you don’t. And you have the audacity to call our programs entitlements ? What school did you go to ? Figure it out. Figure out the finances of how this works. Figure out the money we paid and you didn’t. As Clinton said, “It’s Mathematics.” So, start cracking the books or better yet, take a refresher course.

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