We the People: Week of September 27

No Apology!

Republicans are ready to push America off the “fiscal cliff” of automatic tax increases and spending cuts scheduled for January 1, 2013. They are comfortable dangling the future over the edge of the “fiscal cliff” just to give their stiff, rich and out-of-touch candidate for president a perceived political boost.

Willard “Mitt” Romney was caught on videotape denigrating 47 percent of Americans as lazy wards of the state concerned only that the government will continue to provide them with “food, shelter and you name it.” He stated to a bunch of fat cat donors that people who don’t pay income tax don’t count and don’t “take personal responsibility and care for their lives.”

Wow! I described the standard bearer of the Republicans as stiff, rich and out-of-touch. I was wrong. He is also cold, condescending and callous. He has adopted a strategy of no apology since the release of his inner thoughts to the American people. He insulted almost half of America with his outrageous comments that marginalize the existence and meaning of most working class Americans.

Willard has created a new “Romney” class that includes Republicans and Democrats as well as senior citizens, working families, disabled workers and Social Security recipients. This “Romney” class may pay income tax on wages but get it back in April because they have many deductions and modest income. These workers still pay local tax, Medicare tax and FICA tax for Social Security.

According to Willard Warbucks, that doesn’t count for anything. His warped vision of the American Dream is something he dishonestly hid from the electorate.

There is no reason to believe he will support a responsible adjustment of the size of government or reasonable spending reduction to eliminate the federal deficit. He expressed his true opinion that it is not what you do, rather how much money you can make, that measures one’s existence. His philosophy of greed will assure that fewer people can take advantage of a government program, but it will throw millions of hard working and deserving Americans under the proverbial bus.

Martin Golden, at the Republican convention in Tampa, expressed delight to take part in the selection of the “next president of the United States.” He will march in lock-step with the ideologues of the Republican and Conservative Parties in order to retain office. He supports conservative candidates like Bob Turner but refuses to support gender equity legislation. He cannot break with the Republican majority and vote for equal pay for women or for improved gun regulation legislation.

Mayor Bloomberg has consistently spoken his mind about the need for gun regulation reform. The NRA through its Institute for Legislative Action directs the power of its four million members to “pass pro gun … legislation “ and fight against “restrictive gun control legislation.”

They rejoiced when the Republican Party adopted a strong “pro-gun platform.” It is ironic that in April of 2008 the NRA was worried because, “it is likely that State Senator Martin Golden will soon introduce a bill that would require all new handguns … to be equipped with … ‘microstamping’ technology.” The NRA urged its members to concentrate efforts to urge opposition to the measure. It must have worked because, when the bill for micro stamping reached the Senate floor for a vote, Senator Golden walked off that floor. What happened?

We the people need to use that same strategy of civic pressure to get our representatives to adopt a fiscal plan before January 1, 2013, produce a budget and provide better gun regulation. We must assure that our senior citizens, veterans and working class families receive not only the support that they deserve but the respect they have earned by following the American dream while supporting themselves, their families and their nation.

Brian Kieran is an attorney who works as a Principal Law Clerk in the Supreme Court of the State of New York in Kings County and is a Democrat.

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