The Price of Tax Cuts

For those of you who support massive tax cuts and support the idea that George Bush’s tax breaks, which mainly benefit the top 10% of the US population, should be made permanent, then you would be wisely advised to pay attention to the new situation that has suddenly crept up in Tampa Florida. After months of holding special sessions urged on by Governor Charlie Crist, the state has adopted a bill which will slash property taxes by more than 25% and will reduce next years spending to the level of what it is today. As a result several counties now face real challenges in keeping their fire department and police forces at current levels. These counties include, Hillsborough county, Hernando County and Pinellas county. There are plans in motion to put a fee on all emergencies from EMS services to the arrival of the Fire department saving your home.

The proposal would hand the bill to the insurance companies which on the surface of things would seem like a good idea but once peel back the layers of details surrounding the outcome of such a proposal it is not hard to see that the real loser in this whole affair will be the American tax pair. After all, insurance companies look loop holes that allow them to avoid paying for any of the current crises situations that we have grown accustomed to being covered for. It would be easy to assume that at some point that those who are struck with an unfortunate circumstance will have to be the ones responsible for covering charges for the needed emergency services that arrive at a crisis situation. So the question must be asked, both facetiously and partly serious, how long will it take for people to be unable to afford calling the fire department. This may sound like a stupid question seeing that no fire station would allow a home to go up in flames without attempting to save the home but, if the individual has to, in the end flip the bill, then suddenly a horrid picture develops. Remember there was a time that hospitals couldn’t withhold services but now it happened all the time. It is could very well lead to privatization of some of our most vital services.

Already, 121 employees have been cut from several of Tampa’s governmental non-emergency positions with 115 slashed altogether. In all that’s 236 jobs that no longer exist. To make matters worse, Mayor Pam Iorio have given those workers 90 days to find jobs with no severance packages. The move has reportedly cut $ 15 million dollars from the city’s budget. However, Iorio has gone on to say that more spending has to be cut from the city’s budget and more jobs will be slashed from the payroll. It seems curious that her office would allow so many workers slip through the cracks without a severance package assuming that the search for work takes many of those who were given a pink slip longer than the three months given.

We’ll see. Until Next time.

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Immigration

There is some question regarding immigration to the United States that tends to fall short of ever making the airwaves. Who is the real inheritor’s influx of illegal migrants? The answer really is not as clear as the right or left likes to make it. The only obvious answer in all this is the more mobile financial business owners and the fortune 500. Outside of that, the answer becomes more blurry. Why? Simply because so few media outlets take an honest look at the subject. So, in an attempt to find an answer here is a closer look at the arguments on both sides and the fatal flaws of both arguments.
The basic right wing argument made concerning the subject is that the United States is under siege from Mexican’s and those in central and South America. That the workers coming from across the border are taking jobs and sucking the wealth out of the country. This is the purposed idea given to US by the minutemen project. There are several problems with this stance. The right never wants to discuss why so many immigrants are entering the country in the first place or why there would be any desire to come to a country that has shown little more than hostility to those from south of the border. When was the last time did FOX news discuss the siphoning off of the Southern hemispheres wealth through treaties like NAFTA which is little more than the extensions of globalism? There is no denying that all resource is now on the open markets. As a result, the fortune 500 has stacked a claim to everything from rice growth to global beef production. The outcome is that many farmers from China to Peru were forced to go under. As far as sucking the wealth out pf the country, well if you look at any accredited set of stats, the United States actually brings in more wealth because of illegal immigration. Most business underpays these employees that very little money is spent on this work force. While it is true that students of this group do attend public schools, it is not for free and yes, despite popular belief, the vast majority does pay taxes even on sub par incomes.
That brings US to another fatal flaw from the argument given from the right wing. “They take our jobs.” What is never mentioned here is that the minimum wage is so low. This matter because, having such a low starting point allows employers to take advantage of the fight between migrant workers and those that have spent time in this country. If, let say, we raised the bar to $10.00, there would be fewer employers looking to cut corners. Further more, white and even African Americans are looking to move out of the lower job sector. What is left of the middle class tends to be mobile economically and is able to some extent move into jobs that are out of reach to the undereducated workers. Also the Rush Limbaugh’s of the world tend to shy away from the discussion of outsourcing of jobs. This newer trend hits every sector in our economy except for the 10%. If you haven’t noticed, when Dell, or Verizon call you to pay you bill, rest assure the caller is not even in the same hemisphere as you are. Then there is the issue of the WTO and WTA but, that’s a longer discussion.
Then there is the lefts argument that all immigrants should be made legal without having to make any real adjustments to the surrounding culture. A tend to shy away from blanket amnesty. First I’m so sure that those who commit extreme crimes like, rape, robbery or other violent crimes should be allowed to remain in the country. The present reality is that all prisons in the United States are over flowing and most rational people tend to shutter at the thought of the increase of prisons being built in the country. Until the Rockefeller drug laws are over turned, the issue of over-crowing in prisons will continue but, what we do not need is to continue to feed this dysfunctional part of the system with more victims. The other problem is not demanding new residents to have some mastery of the language. By setting up free classes at community centers around the country aimed at learning English. Even a minimal understanding of allows the resident to compete is the job market and further progress in the community as a whole. By not knowing the language, we are creating barely functional cripples. Yes, legalize them but, not without a few demands.
So what is the answer? We have to look at the issue through today’s reality. If we are to really deal with the issue, we have to dissolve NAFTA and KATA to reduce total numbers. What neither side mentions it that no matter how PC we want to be, there is no getting around the fact that the growing of the total population is putting a horrible strain on our Environment which includes our natural resources that are quickly disappearing. The country is already busting at the seams in terms of compensating those who are already here. Create programs around the world that gives different governments reason to give land to the poor and destitute. For those who do decide to come here after all, set them up in an English program along with free job training. And after three to seven years check on the progress of different communities. For those who are doing even the bare minimum, legalize them and for those who are serving no purpose well….
Until next time…
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