A Time of Austerity

Dear Mr. President,

Because of the Bush tax cuts you extended and the Dumb wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and your covert wars on who knows how many other countries, we live in a time of austerity. Not the 1%, they’re doing fine, thank you. The Banksters of Wall Street are rolling in dough, bailed out with U.S. taxpayer dollars and flush with cash from manipulating interest rates, charging exorbitant fees, and foreclosing on homes. The corporations and the fat cats too; they’re living the good life, another gilded age, the 1920s redux. It’s the rest of us, the 99%, who live in a time of austerity. And it’s a time of austerity because war and national security consumes 59% (or more) of our government’s discretionary spending. It’s a time of austerity because corporations are people, my friend, because they own the politicians and call the shots. It’s a time of austerity because corporations and the rich are paying the lowest tax rates in 80 years. It’s a time of austerity because you and your Republicrat colleagues in Washington and state capitals and city halls around the country turned your backs on We the People and dance to the tune of the well-heeled and powerful. It’s a time of austerity because the playing field is seriously skewed in favor of the rich. Austerity happens when governors cut Medicaid for 21,000 poor people (Maine), refuse federal money to cover almost 2 million uninsured (Texas), and give a $300 million tax break to businesses while ending $200 a month cash grants to 61,000 mostly disabled residents (Pennsylvania). Austerity happens when pensions are cut because government officials “borrowed” those funds and cannot pay them back. Austerity happens when jobs and tax revenues disappear and towns and cities lay off teachers and firefighters and cut services to pay fat-cat bondholders in the mistaken belief that to default on debt will spell disaster. Austerity happens when cities go bankrupt and there’s no help from state or federal government. Austerity happens, Mr. President, when you remain silent and do nothing as mean-spirited, short-sighted delusional Republicrats who have no concept of real democracy and no sense of fair play or equality or justice, cut and slash everything but “defense” which makes life even more miserable for the not-rich. Austerity happens while you campaign and mouth more empty promises and lies, while you dream of re-election, while you dream of war and glory, of empire and destiny. Jill Stein for president!