Watching the Presidential debate there is a disturbing theme that is noticeable in it's absence. No one is talking about foreign aid as opposed to continued Social Security benefits. Those us us who are in the so called Boomer Generation, and those of us who are pre-Boomers don't want to hear some bushwa about how Social Security will be broke by 2019. I believe it is great, and a fine thing that we can send relief funds to other countries. The need is so great as to be almost inconceivable. There is, however, a great need here in this country. Every day there are retired people who have to make choices between medicine and food. Can we in all conscience send monies away that are so desperately needed here. I'm certainly not saying stop foreign aid, but I believe it should be a little more restrictive.
The foreign aid for food and medicines are certainly necessary, so is the defense of our allies. Keep the food and medical programs, but for defense, lets give them our surplus, and older equipment. Lets not give a blank check for billions of dollars. We have thousands and thousands of aircraft, ground vehicles, troop carriers, tanks and other equipment that is still better than what 90% of the world has. This equipment lies in depots, and boneyards all over the U.S..
I would ask that the American government pay back the investment that every working American has made in the United States. Insure that our kids will also have that to look forward to. Don't cut the rest of the world off, but see to our citizens needs first. Then we can give the surplus away with a good feeling.
Our defense first, then theirs. Our medical first, then theirs. Our dignity first, and then we can do a feel good job in the rest of the world.
To fit into most programs that the government sponsors for medical help, (Like Medicaid.) people have to first spend themselves into poverty. Can you own your own home and get caregivers full time. Sure, if you are wealthy. When I was a small child in the forties, retired folk WERE able to live on Social Security. It was a living amount of money. Not great, but most retired people had very little else. Medicare, or rather the the government program that preceded medicare, took care of ALL the medical problems of the aged. Now, we hear that Social Security was never meant to be a primary source of income for the retired people. That is NOT the case. I would urge all Americans to look up the language of the original Bill introducing Social Security. It was to be a living source of income for those who had the need.
There was a huge surplus in the Social Security accounts. prior to Congress taking it for Pork Barrel. It has been in deficit now for years. Lets fund it right. Lets get back to America first... Lets not give Social Security benefits to illegal aliens. To me, that is abetting a crime. Lets not reward people for breaking our laws. We can't afford it, and it takes away from the people who have paid for it.
By the way...If our elected officials can't or will not do it. Lets replace the whole batch, and put them back on Social Security, instead of the incredible retirement they now receive that is outside of Social Security. Full pay, and full medical for the rest of their lives...A reward for what they have done to the rest of us.
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Most foreign aid is nothing more than nationalized charity and requires the most twisted logic to determine that giving it is in our "national interests."
Take Ethiopia for instance. In the 80's the country was starving. Fat celebreties aired TV commercials of skinny children. In 20 years time, the population of Ethiopia went from a starving 15M in the 80's to more than 80M today. People there are now starving again. The 80M Ethiopians are going back to the world to ask for food donations. Many radical muslims are joining Somalis in piracy off of the Somali coast. What did giving aid to Ethiopia "buy" America (and the West in general)?
Ignoring - or in the case of Congress - doing nothing about Social Security is unconscionable. This "nothingness" is also foisted along party lines.
Bill Clinton recommended privatizing part of social security. A Republican congress rejects it (albeit because of unrelated spending riders).
George Bush recommended privatizing part of social security. A Democrat congress rejects it (because it would be successful and they couldn't have that associated with a Republican).
Charity is not the purvue of government. Stewardship of our tax dollars is. Our government is failing on both counts.
I'm thinking if we give food aid to foreign countries, we need to watch the poor people eat it. Otherwise the dictators take it and sell it.
If they give it to the poor folks, then we ruin an economy. Food aid sends the local people for free food and the local producers go out of business. Soon there's no food industry.
I don't think free stuff ever helps.
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