about the anti-abortion clause that was added without vote, by guess who; but this is not the only problem we're facing in these dreary days since the election. A WaPo story the other day, which I should have diaried, and is first coming to the public's attention today - as usual, on a weekend - detailed the changes the Bush admin would like to make - and to pay for them (all of a sudden they are moving toward pay-as-you-go??), it would eliminate the deduction of state and local taxes on federal income tax returns and - worst of all: it would scrap the business tax deduction for employer-provided health insurance. Good-bye group insurance.
I started thinking the other day, after reading the WaPo story that Bush wants to make us all... well, slaves - he wants to take all our rights away - he wants only the rich to succeed and to hell with everyone else (I've diaried this before, too). He is decimating the country. Social security will go, and privatization will make Wall Street richer; but God forbid there's a market crash in the future. I'm so pissed at AARP for again failing to back seniors. A memo recently called for the organization not to use the word 'privatization.' That's after they voted for the Medicare bill that rips off seniors and, they said, by passing it,it was a good start, and that changes could be made in the future. Ha. Changes now? Yeah, right. I've read that some of those HMO plans by Bush's buddies do not cover certain medications. Why? They are indicative of the health of the individual and they don't want to take on someone who could be a financial liability, only healthy people. So, now we're eliminating from society's privileges, anyone who is poor and/or sickly.
My husband's first comment when I told him about the WaPo story was: good; all those idiots who voted for Bush will get their due. Yes, but what about all the innocents caught up in the purge of democracy in the meantime? (Hey, I accidentally mistyped democracy and it came out DEMOCRAZY. Maybe that's adoptable in the context that we're losing it.) Then there's the NBC affiliate reporter in RI who won't name his source and who is going to be sentenced to at least 6 months in jail.
Some think the elimination of the health insurance credit is aimed squarely at the blue states. Probably. What's not being talked about is the changes that Bush wants to the 40 hour work week. (See my reference above to slaves.) There were many nurses for Kerry; has anyone wondered why they joined, as a group, against Bush? Well, they, along with millions of others who depend upon overtime wages, will probably lose them. It was supposed to take effect in August - after Bush pulled it from a Congrssional vote - but now it's back in Congress, I understand, and if it's voted in, anyone in any kind of what they call 'learned' capacity, will be exempt from overtime. What does that mean? Well, let's say you work as a clerical but you teach the newbies. Makes you learned. Anyone in any kind of position that can be constued as being learned, will lose overtime.
Also, one other thing before I go. The admin wants to enable foreign workers on H1B visas to work: at lower salaries than American workers. Yup, bring 'em in and pay 'em slave wages. Not only does this hurt the American worker, it also won't pay a living wage to those from abroad who come here for a better life. There's a lot more to say on this but I don't have the time now.
I have to go out (for food or we'll starve) so I will continue this entry later or tomorrow. I had to get this out before going. My blood pressure must be boiling over. The writing's on the wall for anyone earning less than $200K a year (I, for one, will never understand why anyone earning less than that would have voted for Bush, anyway, except in ignorance; like, don't people read the news?) and we have to do something. The US is being run by crazies. None of what they're doing is rational, not to mention not right, not civil, not Christian (I'm not even Christian but that used to mean something; now it means a group of people with their own private (privatized) set of morals; it used to mean: do unto others as you would have them do unto you)! I'm not even going to get started on the 4th increase in the debt ceiling or how foreign interests own about 1/3 of our debt. I'm not even mentioning DeLay. This is appalling and we have to do something. We have to. I want to start a newspaper or join hands with one of the small local papers that operate on the sidelines. I've thought about a newsletter; something to get the word out to everyone, not only those like us who read and communicate what's going on. We are strong, but still only a minority. I have the luxury of working at home so I am able to read international news daily from a myriad of sources. Most people are not able to do that and have no idea what's being done to them. It's up to us, gang. Young and old, rich and poor. We are the only hope for a democratic US with civil rights for all, and a solid future for all. God help us.