I'll have to be honest and say that I think Obama and Congress look a bit foolish with this passing this huge spending bill and not realizing or overlooking the problem with allowing Big Bonuses to be part of it, AND THEN trying to pass a tax specifically trying to target those bonus recipients. I don't necessarily have a problem with their goals of trying to invest money to shore up the economy, but the way they're handling it sure looks a bit goofy to me.
But maybe that's just me.
Political silliness notwithstanding, I came across a new song today that I thought some might enjoy.
So, enjoy...
Rosa Sat
CHORUS:
Rosa sat so Martin could walk
Martin walked so Barack could run
Barack ran, he ran and he won
So that all our children could fly
1. Thousands of people that November night
All of us here who have fought the long fight
Knowing as one we’re creating a new nation
Join together in celebration
CHORUS
2. Mother and daughter listenin’ to the news
Momma breaks down cryin’, little girl is confused
Honey we worked so hard to get to this place
Daughter puts a loving hand on momma’s face
CHORUS
6 comments:
They only look stupid if you do not acknowledge the immense power that Wall Street has on our political system...
It took a huge outpouring of anger on the part of the public to bring attention to the bonus...and realistically the best we will get is a voluntary return.
The tax thing won't pass congress...its stalled in the senate hoping that public opiinion cools off.
The "tax the bonuses" bill SHOULD stall in the Senate, but not because the bonuses are good. A tax aimed at specific individuals or companies, instead of at an income level or at a type of income (payroll, dividends, etc.) are punitive and, thus, unconstitutional. There are Supreme Court rulings on this.
However, passing it in the House still had a purpose: it split the GOP and put people like Eric Cantor on record in favor of a 90% tax on a top income rate. This could lead to greater regulation of Wall Street (something long needed) and to a progressive overhaul of our tax code (needed even longer).
Yes, Wall St. has power, but so do the people. On 03 April there will be a "March On Wall Street" to demand Recovery for the People and a Taking the Economy Back.
I support the march. No matter who is in office, we never get progressive reforms unless there is public pressure. Bodies in the streets leads can negate campaign contributions in the halls of Congress.
Pressure, Pressure, Pressure.
BTW, the AIG bonus debacle started in Oct. with Bush. That's when the contracts were allowed to be completed and the first AIG bailout given by Paulson (without any Congressional input) without strings. Dems attempted to fix this in the Stimulus (aided by GOP moderate Olympia Snowe) but it was removed in the reconciliation process between House and Senate for reasons that remain obscure.
But there has been too much confusion of the stimulus bill with the bank rescues with the mortgage fix (held up in the Senate because Mitch McConnell wants more people to lose their homes) with the budget with the leftover omnibus spending bill of '08. Keep them separate.
Juxtaposing the kind of gritty, and occasionally mindless, goings-on of our political life with the beautiful words and honest and true feelings of the song should serve as a reminder, at least to the President if he is paying attention, as to why he was elected, and why the American public is extending a great deal of good-will to him. It isn't his blackness so much as his understanding that he stands on the shoulders of giants - and not just Rosa Parks and Martin King - and takes the burden of our current situation upon himself freely and without any sense of panic.
Should he manage to weather the storm of his first months in office, he may just be the standard by which great Presidents are measured for the rest of the century.
the lyrics are beautiful. thanks for sharing--where might we get to hear it?
The link is right there above the song lyrics, Rev. (A little hard to see, I know).
Thanks for the comments, all.
Michael wrote:
A tax aimed at specific individuals or companies, instead of at an income level or at a type of income (payroll, dividends, etc.) are punitive and, thus, unconstitutional. There are Supreme Court rulings on this.
Amen. The Constitution is very clear about bills of attainder -- not that what the Constitution says matters much to members of Congress.
This bill is mob rule, and has no place in a functional republic.
If you haven't read this resignation letter, check it out. It calls into question whether all of the bonuses were undeserved.
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