Today we launched Fix It week on my show. I hope this week will help aid what I believe is already a growing movement to finally acknowledge and address the long-standing issues that continue to unnecessarily harm our great country.
Fortuitously, considering the recent news from the G20, we kick it off with a discussion about our ever-growing deficit. For those of us who like to look at the sunnier side of things, the one hugely positive change about this terrifying large number is that no longer is anyone irresponsibly claiming that "deficits don't matter" or that tax cuts alone will somehow magically increase government revenue.
But with this newfound impetus to fix the deficit, I believe that we need to get our priorities in order. In the hopes that if I show you mine, you will show me yours, here are my top three Fixes for the deficit:
1. End The Corruption And Get Our Money Back
It is pointless to attempt any solution -- be it austerity, more borrowing or even higher taxes while we still have a system that is allowing outright theft. We need real financial reform, a massive anti-fraud government initiative, an end to the systemic unfairness in the tax and regulatory code and, most pressingly, claw backs for the money already stolen.
The idea that we are responding to our cash crunch by ripping up teachers' contracts instead of recouping the stolen trillions is outrageous. Politicians and many in the media like to pretend that there is nothing we can do about it, when the only real barrier is that they just don't want to do it.
Meanwhile, as the banksters become more emboldened, slamming our current President as an "anti-capitalist" after they ripped off the taxpayer for handouts, our courts have decided that most of the theft was legal. This may be true; after all, they got the laws changed in their favor.
But guess what else is perfectly legal? The windfall profit tax. In fact, it has historically been used in circumstances just like this. Excuses like "it will be too arbitrary" is ridiculous -- we are already making plenty of much worse arbitrary decisions in deciding who pays for this theft. Just because fairness is hard to achieve doesn't mean that we should let our leaders off the hook in working towards that goal. It's time to tell these bankers that if you can change rules to steal money from the taxpayer, we can the change rules to take it back.
2. Get Out Of Iraq And Afghanistan
We've recently found out that there are only 50-100 Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and there is more proof that our presence there and in Iraq is putting America in more danger rather than less. Is there any question that we are getting a terrible value for the money we are spending on these two fronts, not to mention the lives lost?
3. Slow Medical Spending
Our medical spending is out-of-control in this country, especially considering that it doesn't seem to make us any healthier. Right now, current Medicare recipients will have paid in their lifetime for a mere 44 percent of the benefits they receive. That means the rest of us are floating the cost for their healthcare, which in many cases is unnecessary and even potentially harmful.
In my opinion, we need healthcare reform that puts more of the medical decision-making in the hands of the people instead of the government and employers, much like we do with Social Security. I believe that government can and should have a huge role researching, vetting and suggesting medical solutions to the population, but only with a more educated patient making self-interested choices can we have a more efficient system.
These are my top three and I would like to hear from all of you for yours. Later this week, we will be tackling Energy, Education, the Wars and then the overall Political Process. Hopefully we can help change the dialogue in this country from merely Lefty v. Righty into an open competition of the best ideas on how to solve these pressing problems.
I truly believe that the only barrier to continuing our Nation's path towards a more perfect union is in our unwillingness to engage in these challenges. It is time for America to confront these problems -- and fix them.
Follow Dylan Ratigan on Twitter: www.twitter.com/DylanRatigan
I agree with you totally about clawbacks and we need to start capping preferential tax rates for the rich...they do not need anymore tax breaks when they are paying less percentage wise than the PAYROLL tax itself.....and audit the business expenses, why in the sam hill does anyone need really need a corporate jet....and all the associated expenses.....If the jet is SOOOO important, they can cough up the cost in after tax dollars instead of getting the writeoff that we working class slobs have to pick up.....Imagine eating at a restaurant next to Warren while he writes off his meal and you pay post tax dollars......same at the golf course or anywhere else....
As an older person, I have decided to forgo cancer treatment if I were to develope that illness. I don't want Chemo that will make me sicker just to have a couple more years or months. I don't want a hip replacement that causes more problems in most cases and takes months to get over. No pacemaker to keep me going either.
When my time comes, it's my time. Before the new medical technology, this was considered the way it's suposed to be.
SS was meant to last a few to several years to make life a little easier---not to last decades as is the case now. It's unsustainable. Why do we think it is our right to live forever at any cost? Why are we so afraid of what's to come when we leave this world?
Yes, it's tough thinking about leaving our families and friends, but I'm under the impression I will see them again. I don't want to be a burdon on society. I want to leave it gently, with grace, and acknowledge the fact it was a good gig while it lasted. Just give me something for pain if necessary and let me see what the next adventure will bring.
How can we get the people we ostensibly elected, actually financed by big business, to listen to us, and do any of this?
With no cap on Medicare wages that includes Medicare taxes on highly paid CEOs and ball players, there is a lot of money sent to Medicare. The fact they use it for Medicaid should be figured in.
They are using Medicare for many wounded Veterans of the Bush wars instead of VA. Many of them had jobs and paid into Medicare so they qualify.
My husband and I are on Medicare. Our premiums are over $550 a month together for Medicare A &B plus the prescription plan and the Medigap plan.
We are paying enough for our medicare. Why don't they accept bidding for drugs and services?
They are deliberately taking
Are you aware they have no one in charge as the head of Medicare?
I don't know if you are monitoring this or not. But your Friday show is being devoted to political reform.
Please take a look at this article and see if it holds water.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joe-the-nerd-ferraro/campaign-reform---not-eno_b_539124.html
we have 1/3 of a billion people being controlled by less than 600 people. This is where, I would think, an adjustment needs to be made. You have the bully pulpit for real change - whaddouthink?
someone appears to be trying to take a leadership position.
what a concept.
we sure as HAAAAAAAAAAAYELL aren't seeing it anywhere in govt.
thanx, Mr. Ratigan, for taking some initiative. I wish I had the means to help. I've got some great ideas.
you are welcome to contact me at ofbyandfor 'at' gmx 'dot' com if you'd like to discuss how to attack the corruption in politics today. i do have a feasible plan.
Tj
When is the last time you felt seriously threatened after being flamed by someone on the internet?
The legal bribery of 'bundled' contributions - MUST end.
! Right-On, Dylan !!
It is simply STUNNING how ABJECTLY CORRUPT President Barack Obama has become - he's now like the EMPEROR with NO CLOTHES - he CAN NOT SEE how Wall Street is SCAMMING & DEFRAUDING AMERICANS of TRILLIONS of dollars
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aY0tX8UysIaM
AL GORE's BIGGEST MISTAKE in his 2000 campaign (that was CHOCK FULL of STUPID ERRORS, like having Ralph Nader PHYSICALLY REMOVED from the 2nd debate, and like selecting Joe Lieberman to be his VP running mate)
was Gore's REFUSAL to CONFRONT Texas Governor George W. Bush SLASHING the state of Texas' SOCIAL SAFETY NET;
especially pre-school, after-school, & Health-Care programs for low-income & Minority Texas school children.
Those programs were PROVEN to SAVE the State of Texas MONEY in the long run, by better preparing children for school; by making them better in school and in post-school job markets;
by giving them a place to go after school (less trouble),
& by KEEPING most of them OUT of the Texas Juvenile CRIMINAL JUSTICE system (Very expensive!).
But VP Gore decided it would look "UNDIGNIFIED" to CONFRONT then Texas Governor GeorgeW Bush SLASHING those programs, in favor or.... TAX CUTS FOR Texas' RICH!!
In the DECADE since, the DC "Democrats" have been LOUSY at DEFENDING the SOCIAL SAFETY NET that took us Americans 100+ years of blood, toil, sweat, protests, 2 world wars, the Cold War, & surviving THE GREAT DEPRESSION to create!