Marian Anderson (1897 - 1993), opera singer, 1931
The President Bush is more clearly showing his disdain for the working class now that he no longer is eligible for the office again. Since winning the election, pharmaceutical drugs have gone up approximately five percent. Just yesterday, it was announced that security fees at airports are to rise from $2.50 to $5.50 per one-way ticket and from a maximum of $5 to $8 for multiple legs. The hikes are expected to generate $1.5 billion.
The people are going to be “dollared to death” with charges for everything. Or to put it another way, “taxed for every single service.” It reminds one of the old Beatles song Taxman:
If you drive a car,
I'll tax the street.
If you drive to city,
I'll tax your seat.
If you get too cold,
I'll tax the heat.
If you take a walk,
I'll tax your feet.
Rather than call it taxes, it will be service fees. All this for the goal of achieving a complete ownership society, so no one gets a free ride. If you are sick and unable to work and without funds to pay – too bad, maybe a faith-based charity will help. There will be a cost for everything, including having privatized Social Security accounts.
Life has already become more mercenary than it was when many of us were young or younger than today. Think about all the bills we pay that our parents or grandparents did not have to pay. Granted, we have luxuries they did not have, but unfortunately, for us, the luxuries have become perceived necessities; and another drain for our dollars.
People will eventually feel the pinch. I predict Bush’s second year is going to sour (I know, it’s not a very risky prediction), but my reasoning is that the same ol’ tricks will not work. The media are aware of the administration’s guile for shading then changing a story the way a two-bit crook does when the pressure gets too much. The citizenry does not follow the president everyday as the press do, so the public takes longer to notice. Even those who believe every word that comes from the White House because they cannot fathom their government would lie to them, will also realize this administration has the heart of a silver dollar.
Life has already become more mercenary than it was when many of us were young or younger than today. Think about all the bills we pay that our parents or grandparents did not have to pay. Granted, we have luxuries they did not have, but unfortunately, for us, the luxuries have become perceived necessities; and another drain for our dollars.
People will eventually feel the pinch. I predict Bush’s second year is going to sour (I know, it’s not a very risky prediction), but my reasoning is that the same ol’ tricks will not work. The media are aware of the administration’s guile for shading then changing a story the way a two-bit crook does when the pressure gets too much. The citizenry does not follow the president everyday as the press do, so the public takes longer to notice. Even those who believe every word that comes from the White House because they cannot fathom their government would lie to them, will also realize this administration has the heart of a silver dollar.
Of all of the people that I used to know
Most never adjusted to the great big world
I see them lurking in book stores
Working for the Public Radio
Carrying their babies around in a sack on their back
Moving careful and slow
(Chorus)
It's money that matters
Hear what I say
It's money that matters
In the USA
All of these people are much brighter than I
In any fair system they would flourish and thrive
But they barely survive
They eke out a living and they barely survive
Most never adjusted to the great big world
I see them lurking in book stores
Working for the Public Radio
Carrying their babies around in a sack on their back
Moving careful and slow
(Chorus)
It's money that matters
Hear what I say
It's money that matters
In the USA
All of these people are much brighter than I
In any fair system they would flourish and thrive
But they barely survive
They eke out a living and they barely survive
"It's Money That Matters" by Randy Newman
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