More Thoughts on the Economy
by
Phil Meinhardt
"There would never have been Socialism and Communism if it were not for the greed and abuses of Capitalism. Socialism and Communism have failed; some socialists, particularly in the European Union, just don't realize it yet. I don't consider China to be Communist. Capitalism is the only way to go, but the greed and abuses must be minimized. Since Alexander Hamilton's time the banks have to be periodically reformed--they will always find a way to screw things up. If you give them enough rope, they will hang themselves. If you don't give them rope, they will find a way to make rope. Controllers or regulators of the banks and Wall Street are now drawn from the ranks of the industry--it is a conflict of interest. Maybe its time for an Academy for Capitalist Controllers. They should not be permitted to return as Regulators if they work for the industry. Further:
- Defined benefit retirement plans should be abolished world-wide; they are unsustainable.
- Retirement plans beyond Social Security should all be contributory 401K type.
- Develop a sustainable, contributory healthcare and dental provision for everyone. If a society cannot do that it is not an advanced society and, in my opinion, not worth fighting for. Deploy an army of auditors to ferret out waste and corruption in healthcare. Develop incentives and continue to refine policies to limit waste and costs. Address the obesity issue and unnecessary, expensive terminal care.
- Severely limit all other socialistic and welfare programs.
- Reinstate the Glass-Steagal Act which separated commercial banks from investment banks. The Glass-Steagall Act of 1933, passed during the Great Depression and repealed in 1999, prevented commercial banks from trading securities with their clients' deposits.
- Stop illegal immigrants. Enforce the current law which says it's illegal to hire them. Businesses want cheap labor and the taxpayers pick up enormous bills for healthcare, welfare. education and prisons.I have trouble in believing in free healthcare for illegal immigrants via the Hospital Emergency Rooms.
- Change the law which says you are an American citizen if you are born here. Stop illegals from crossing the border to give birth.
"During the Great Depression, my parents owned a farm with a mortgage. They had reasonable savings in a bank, which failed, and they lost all their money. When my oldest brother got sick, they followed the usual home remedies until he appeared to be near death. He was; his appendix had ruptured. The local doctor was called who said he had to go to the hospital. When my Dad looked helpless, the local doctor--Doctor Wagner, reached into his pocket and gave him five dollars. That was for gas to take him to the hospital. For over a week, my brother hovered near death but he survived. When we would get a toothache, there was the pliers to pull it or after two sleepless nights an occasional cavity filling from a dentist. In Vietnam during the war, whenever a Vietnamese woman spoke she would cover her mouth to hide the missing and ugly teeth. Is that the kind of society we want?
"Too bad our political candidates can't address these specific issues."
(Phil's E-mail: boomer34usaf@yahoo.com).