Added tensions around the world seem to be sending our leaders
into a state of confusion. Chairman of the Federal Reserve
Ben Bernanke changes his mind daily. One day the Fed discusses
cutting budgets, the next they increase spending. Am I really
the only person who fails to understand how both moves can
be accomplished at the same time?
As I see it, no one is willing to take a cut in pay, yet we
all expect the deficit to be reduced. Those politicians recently
elected that took a stand and promised reductions in their
budgets to help reduce our national deficit are in poor standing
with constituents.
The
not in my backyard way of thinking is showing up everywhere.
It appears those that voted for cuts are now not willing
to take them. It’s their belief someone else should receive
cuts and they vehemently express, “Leave my pay rate
alone.” Perhaps everyone receiving a paycheck should
take a cut in pay and be grateful they have a job. If their
cost of living exceeds their income, they need to cut their
budgets to correct the problem.
CEOs
and presidents of boards of big companies deserve greater
pay rates for jobs they perform — compared to wages paid
for those same jobs overseas, but they too need to accept cuts.
They should also be paying their fair share of taxes to support
their country. Consider this, if it weren’t for
the people at the lower pay scale doing their jobs, big
pay
checks would
disappear. Along with cuts in pay, reductions in the
cost of doing business by large companies should be required
by those
invested in them.
I’m certainly no financial wizard but we the people wanted
our government to cut its spending. It did so by freezing retirees’ social
security payments for two years. It was announced, “The
freeze was put on because the seniors have experienced no cost
of living increases.” How much has the deficit
been reduced as a result of this action? Cuts in Medicare
and
Social Security
continue to be the rallying call of where to begin
to reduce government spending, yet the cuts have been
declared
not
necessary by many financial experts.
Currently, I contribute to over half a dozen publications,
plus many websites. I offered to take a cut in pay with some
of my publishers. I had to accept pay cuts from others and
I have to provide more to remain competitive. My reasoning
is I want to continue a long-standing dialogue with my readers
and gather some income to offset THE INCREASE IN COST OF LIVING
I have experienced that escaped the governments notice.
Overlooked
in the logic regarding no cost of living increases occurring
for retired Social Security recipients
is the
constant increases in the “cost of government.” Officials
elected to make changes to reduce the budget deficit
forgot to discuss what the costs would be to make
those reductions
Elected
officials have staffs of employees who assist them with their
work so they can attend
meetings,
dinners, social
events and make appearances at proceedings where
they smile and shake hands with taxpayers — at taxpayers’ expense.
If elected officials we see on TV daily, from one government
agency or another, were to spend more time in their offices
doing the work constituents’ have asked
them to do, they could reduce their budgets and
thus
produce some of
the cuts
in government spending.
Why
do governors, mayors and congressmen need limousines and
drivers? Don’t they have driver’s licenses or is
it because they are expected to socialize on our time. I admit
some elected officials need to attend functions at taxpayers’ expense
but those functions and expenses should be
specifically approved, just as expense accounts
are in private
sector businesses,
and limited. Why do they need multiple homes
and most importantly, who pays for them?
As
I see it, some items that need cutting by all of us are;
personal expenses for homes
that exceed
reasonable
needs,
cars that number in excess of the people
in the dwelling they are
parked in front of. Excess toys such as jet
skis, snowmobiles, four-wheel, off-road vehicles,
motor
bikes and cycles,
boats — all
items that require excess petroleum to operate. Electronic
toys such as Wii games, video games (teaching our youngsters
how to kill!) iPhones, iPods, MP3 players and “wearable
video cameras,” the list is endless.
Many of these electronics are powered by
electricity, often
produced
by petroleum.
Our
country and its inhabitants are spoiled. We think the other
guy should get the cuts — why? Can’t we all cut
a little? Why did we expect our elders, most of whom worked
hard all their lives, to take the first and largest cuts while
everyone else stayed on the spending wagon? I’ve heard
young wage earners say, “I don’t want my payroll
deductions for Social Security to cover the cost of the seniors.” Whom
do they think carried them before they
became those wage earners?
Let’s
try this; all workers be happy to get paid on a basis of
pay per worth!
If a CEO
or auto
worker
and all
those
in between are paid on a fair merit system,
perhaps products and services would improve
and our country
could continue
to compete.