Presidential Elections: Ants at a Picnic

The utterly ludicrous Democrat presidentials: except for one or two, pure ambition without principles.

[dropcap]S[/dropcap]adly, the uber rich, who seem to run just about everything, must be laughing all the way to their corporate headquarters, banks and brokerage houses. I mean, these sharks have had it so good for so long! Speaking to an Austrian scientist on the treadmill next to mine at the gym, he summed it all up in a nutshell: " We've got 8 or so major political parties and you just always have column A and column B. Some democracy yeah?" Reminds one of the traditional comedy theme of the big fat dictator strutting around while his entire entourage fight with each other to impress him the best.

The Democrats now have 20 such minions running around ( and soon to be at each other's throats) to make 'brownie points' with this empire. With maybe with the exception of Ms. Gabbard they ALL seem to be banging the' Cold War with Russia' drum along with their distaste for Venezuela's elected government. One of them even distinguishes himself by accentuating that he is a socialist... oh sorry a ' Democratic Socialist'. Some ' Democratic Socialist'! Remember, he supported the horrific US orchestrated NATO carpet bombing and destruction of Libya in 2011. HIs alibi was that he was supporting the overthrow of their evil dictator ( whose people had better health care than we have, and a better standard of living for the average Libyan). Matter of fact, here are a few facts on this:

• Education and medical treatment were free under Ghaddafi
• Newlyweds received U.S $50,000 from the government.
• Gaddafi carried out the world’s largest irrigation project.
• Libya had no external debt and had reserves of $150 billion most of which were frozen globally by NATO's instigation

Then, a few years ago, Sanders the ' Democratic Socialist' referred to the late Hugo Chavez of Venezuela as ' A dead dictator'. Yet, during Chavez's time in office Venezuela had the lowest rate of income inequality than ANY country in Latin America and the Caribbean! Too bad Bernie, because you do make sense on the whole domestic front... to an extent of course.

While the servile media applaud, the Democrats seem hellbent on running in 2020 on the same platform as 2016: no to Trump and fraudulent identity politics. 

At least Senator Sanders and Tulsi Gabbard actually talk about real and innovative change, he on domestic issues and she on foreign policy issues. The others, well, they really see the uber rich run Deep State as their wayward cousins and not their enemies. Meaning that they wish to serve and not really overturn this corporate ' capitalism on steroids' system. You know, a little push here and a little push there... but never addressing the mortal sin of people earning mega millions while the working stiffs are a few paychecks from the gutter. I mean, Senator Warren actually came out with a plan to have those earning $ 50 million a year to pay a 2% Surtax. Really! Boy, that is some way to level the playing field. She actually thinks that her idea is going to address the uber rich ( I got this great old bridge in Brooklyn for sale... cheap). Other than their concerns, which are real and viable, for the indigent, the Democrats  talk a good talk about we working stiffs, but have done squat to make our lives easier. Squat! My old schoolmate Senator Schumer has been a big wheel on the Senate Banking Committee for years... and why hasn't he done anything to lower the interest rates that the predatory credit card companies/banks are getting away with? Ditto for the personal bankruptcy rules that favor ( as always ) the banks over the people? Of course, God forbid if the corporate bankrupted had to have the same rules applied to their cases!

No, the Democratic lemmings serve their purpose well, and we know the other party gets their marching orders from the slew of uber rich run think tanks and foundations. So, my Austrian gym friend hit the nail on the head. So, let's address how a true Socialist or even Socialist leaning party should tackle a few key issues:

* You want to have the uber rich pay their fair share to help the 99+ % of us? Well, how about, for starters, a 50% Flat Surtax on all income over and above $ 1,000,000 a year, with NO deductions? Thus, instead of being taxed at the current 37%, our uber rich neighbors ( even though they hardly allow we serfs to see them up close) would have to see Half of all income over one million dollars going right to the Treasury.

* National Health and Dental Care for ALL-  Well, with the savings from the above new plan, we could have a total National Health and Dental plan whereupon we all contribute according to our income. No need for private insurers as Uncle Sam would be the payer for all services. The savings would be phenomenal, and all of us would have better minds, bodies and teeth.

* Cutting the military spending, which is now over 50% of each of our federal taxes. Even a 25% cut would see well over $ 600 billion for use towards the needs for infrastructure, first providers, schools, libraries  and who knows what else.

* Public funding of ALL elections... Period! With one stroke of the pen there would be very few paid lobbyists circling around our legislatures. The only way our elected officials could be influenced would be by ' under the table ' bribery... a convictable offense. Meanwhile, many of us who now have not a prayer of getting on a ballot would see chances to reach the public with new ideas.

The title of this column is interesting. As with little ants nibbling on crumbs at a picnic, so the current mainstream minions of empire operate. Don't all of we working stiffs deserve better representation?

—PA Farruggio
May Day 2019