Middle Class Populist

Archive for May 25th, 2007

I am a Middle Class American who like most reading this blog would love to be self-employed. Aside from the fact that both parties have destroyed the computer and technology fields with the H1-B Visa program to lower high tech salaries, there is an even more serious challenge to living the American Dream of Independence. That issue is “Health Insurance”. While the Republicans talk the big talk about “rugged individualism” and the “entrepreneurial” spirit, it is almost impossible for an individual to become an independent contractor or consultant as obtaining individual Health Insurance is near impossible or cost prohibited.

Yes they whine about the “Collective” and how “Atlas Shrugged” but then they create “contingencies of reinforcement” that make people become “employees” rather than independent consultant/contractors. Last night CBS News ran an excellent story about a Middle Class man who is trying to live the American dream but was forced to buy individual medical insurance. Then after he had a heart attack they did not want to pay. Now he cannot get any coverage! I will take Hilary Clinton’s universal health care any day! Better than that I will even take SOCIALIZED MEDICINE! Forget the boogey man of the government worry about the Corporation that wants you to serve their Globalization Collective!

These same Ann Rand Capitalists glorify the free market then demand government intervention to lower the salaries of Computer Programmers via the H1-B Visa program.

Why should a college student struggle with Computer and Engineering courses if there is no reward? Then they wonder why “Atlas Shrugged”. If the H1B Visa program is not bad enough then there is “off shoring” and YOUR JOB is next.

The Wall Street Journal on March 28, 2007 listed the following jobs that will follow programmers to be off shored:

• actuaries
• film editors
• mathematicians
• medical transcriptionists
• economists
• graphic designers
• accountants and bookkeepers
• financial analysts
• and even microbiologists.

But don’t worry! Repeat after me:

• Can you say “Cheeseburger”!
  
• “Will that be a large or small order of fries”?
  

Ah yes it’s George Bush’s Brave New World! Time for the Middle Class to wake up and take our dreams and our nation back from these effete snobs of Corporate America.

For the Middle Class watching current events is like living in an alien world. After putting our brave troops in harms way, our President who never completed his own required enlistment, now has the stupidity to defame those who have the courage to redeploy our Armed Forces away from Iraq back to the War on Terror. Just like in Vietnam these Neo-cons continue to “use” our troops for their own agenda. Meanwhile, their minions at Halliburton, try to profit from both the war and dealing with Iran. This is the very same Iran that is supplying roadside bombs to kill and maim our troops.

QUESTION: But wouldn’t a cutoff of funds demoralize our troops?

ANSWER: First our armed forces do not determine National Policy. The Congress of The United States has the SOLE power to declare War and the President’s job is to execute that decision. The troops are being “used” by this President who never gave an accounting of his military service. Did anyone ever think that if our troops got orders to return home IMMEDIATELY that might be just peachy keen with almost all of them? When they see that they “have” to remain there despite doing several tours of duty it is psychologically adaptive to “find meaning” even if there is none! It is the job of our society to determine War or Peace not the military. Stop using our brave troops to foster Bush’s agenda.

The majority of the Iraqi Parliament have signed a petition asking us to leave. The majority of Iraqi citizens have indicated in polls that they believe it is OK to kill Americans. Other polls of Iraqis say they want us out and our presence is making things worse! That is what is demoralizing our troops not the Democrats.