The Bengazi attack, the IRS Tea Party scandal, and fixing Social Security -- what do they have in common? Money. Or lack thereof. It takes money to run government, and a strident minority have decided that strangling government is the best way to make it run better. So their representatives in Congress block spending and raising funds. And when there isn't the necessary appropriation to agencies, work performance suffers. Hence, the Bengazi embassy is not adequately staffed and defended; IRS civil servants are overworked, underpaid, use antiquated computer systems, and don't have sufficient training to fairly implement the tax code; and Social Security payments get threatened with an irresponsible redefinition of the consumer price index.
And all so a few multi-multi-millionaires and billionaires can grow a bigger pile of money parked in an offshore or foreign bank and gloat to their competitors about how much more they have.
Really? This is what our American democratic experiment has come to? An oligarchy of the rich determined to keep their coffers full? Is it really true that we the people respect them so much that we think they should get to keep the riches we produce for them? Is it that we are so deluded to think one day, one of us might be one of them, and gosh-darn if we won't want to keep all our riches too?
I don't think so. I think more of us are like the soldier I read about today in my local paper. He paid for some candy at a truck stop with a $100 bill, and instructed the clerk to give the change to a needy family trying to get to California. His generosity spurred others to donate, and pretty soon, there was a sizable gift to help that family. That's what true Americans are like, and I'm pretty sure you are one of them too.
So write or call your congressperson today and tell them what kind of America you want. Tell them to legislate for the benefit of all the people, the real Americans who take care of each other.