Keywords or Terms: Public Safety Officers and
First Responders; Monetary and Keynesian Economics theories; Government
Expenditures or Programs; Stakeholders; Profits vs. Non-Profit; Trust and
Commitment; Illusion and Doubts.
What’s not to
like about a Presidential Candidate who wants to get rid of fire fighters,
policemen and teachers? That’s quintessential Republican! (I can hear you
laughing aloud). The presumptive Republican Party flag bearer has been quoted
as saying, getting rid of first responders, public safety and or last point of
defense professionals, fire fighters, policemen and teachers in Wisconsin, is a positive
change. To quote him appropriately: "[Obama] wants to hire more government workers. He says we need more
firemen, more policeman, more teachers. Did he not get the message of Wisconsin? The American
people did. It's time for us to cut back on government and help the American
people." To the
presumptive Republican Party Nominee, what the nation needs right now, is
getting rid of public safety officials. This is exactly how to help the American
people, if you are Governor Romney!
Now, except Mitt
Romney has plans to turn America into another third world country or banana
republic, it maybe in his interest to rethink this type of lousy loose talks,
that is characteristic of some Republicans, who would like to privatize
everything, including their mother’s social security check! In case Governor
Romney is oblivious to some facts, local and state government expenditures,
benefit directly or indirectly from some federal government programs and
expenditures. Except his resentment of such government expenditures is just a
bluff or slip, we, as the nation, will expect the presumptive republican nominee
to be circumspect; and, abstain from making comments that is tantamount to
ignorance. Investing in first responders like firefighters, policemen and
classroom teachers are necessities, not luxuries. These types of expenditures guarantee
that we are prepared to handle society eventualities; prevents unnecessary huge
government spending in times of huge catastrophes; and, make room for a well
educated labor force that can handle the management of a better future.
Once Again, we know Republicans are critical of increased government
spending during recessions. Incidentally, given the gap in American household
spending in the past three years, the only other option available to government
under Keynesian Economics theory is to expend money, to help stimulate economic
activities that would help generate employment. Conservative Republicans subscribe
to the Monetarist Economics theory; wherein, the mantra is to shrink government
by cutting government spending; hoping that this will help the economy grow
better. Unfortunately, this idea or concept has been tried before under
Republican Administrations, and it has failed woefully. The failures of
excessive tax cuts, unyielding management of the economy and a choice to engage
in two foreign wars are parts of the reasons for the dilemma we are going
through, not the employment of public safety officials!
Notwithstanding, Republicans continue to subscribe to the failed
doctrine of Supply-side Economics; one that has led the nation nowhere, except
misery. Republicans continue to criticize Obama’s Administration for increased
government expenditures on stimulus programs and plans; most of which went to
save police officers, teachers and firefighters jobs in many states across the
federation. In the world of Republicans, it is a proven fact that increased
government expenditures do not help increased economic activities, nor make
good on the gap in households expenditures during recessions. To these men and
women of doubt, anytime government expend money to bring back life to the
economy, the government is trying to tell the people how to think, what to do
and what not to do. Except such increased government spending is used or
earmarked to save banks, defray taxes for big multinational corporations or
engage in wars, such investments are necessarily unacceptable; or sacrilegious!
Frankly, there lies the ignorance; there lies the
unfortunate confusion regarding what government ought to be doing for the
public; and what misinformed Republican politicians would like to get away
with, with the public. The premature obsession with cutting down on federal
deficits, by cutting down on government expenditures, is only but an illusion.
Without some government investments or spending, the current recession will still
be around or take a longer time to overcome. If we don’t have business
activities going on, either through government spending or increased household expenditures,
government can’t collect taxes; and without revenue coming into government, the
likelihood is, government will go a borrowing or engage in printing money;
which ends up increasing inflation. These are all economics jargons that many
of us do not appreciate, want to deal with, or would rather ignore. It is on the
notion of out site is out of mind, that Mitt Romney and his campaign team are
playing on. Yes, increased government spending may help balloon our deficits
temporarily; however, without it, the economy would be in doldrums or worse
shape. Further, many of us would rather have our first responders available for
our safety, rather than stay ignorant and delusional about what is expected of
our government and what is expected of us as citizens.
Spending money on crucial public safety officials is
synonymous with planning ahead for a rainy day. If we are to engage in the
after-the-fact doctrine, or subscribe to reasoning like those of Mitt Romney
and his Republican cohorts, who are often inconvenient with increased
government spending in times of recession, then we are setting ourselves up for
huge failures. Subscribing to the notion that we hardly should invest in the
employment of firefighters, policemen and teachers, is a recipe for disaster or
greater troubles, in times of emergency. It is much easier and prudent to
invest in teachers and first time responders rather than offering tax brakes to
people and corporations that do not need them. To hands off investments in
aforementioned professionals is to lack good judgment in state and local
government governance; and by extension, national government. If there is a
trick to jobs creation without increased government expenditures in times of
recession, we believe many governments that came before us, will have done
that; or, engage in this endeavor.
Reading too much meanings to the result of Wisconsin
governor’s recall vote, or characterizing the failure of the recall vote in
Wisconsin as tantamount to cutting back on investments in the employment of
firefighters, policemen and teacher is not only short sighted, it explains why
Mitt Romney must not be voted into the Presidency. He has shown too much
ignorance regarding what is essential for America
and what confused Republican Party members are seeking for America. Now,
from Romney’s statement, we can now understand why Republicans want to get rid
of the United States Department of Education and the Department of Health and
Human Services; repeal the Affordable Care Act and get the nation into
militarism, in preparation for engaging in another lousy and unnecessary war.
Once again, whatever economic problem the nation is going through, has very
little to do with employment of public safety professionals like firefighters,
policemen and teachers. If the presumptive Republican Nominee does not believe
me, let him move to an outpost without firefighters, policemen and teachers!
Given the gap in household spending and current government
investments in stimulus programs, given the exasperating banking crisis in Europe, and the unyielding problems of unemployment
worldwide, it is imperative that we begin to ask Mr. Romney the following
questions:
- What are the major initiatives that you would like to bring into the White House regarding permanent employment and absence of future recessions in America?
- What, outside the criticism of employment of public safety officers and teachers, do you plan for re-juvenating employment in state and local governments?
- What is happening inside your campaign regarding your foreign policy agenda and how to move America ahead on the wars that we are currently committed?
Once we can get
clear answers to these questions, we can now start to consider your suitability
to replace the current occupant of the White House. Going by your current
pronouncement regarding cutting jobs of our first responders and public safety
officials, we hardly can predict what you’ll do, if we voted you into the
office of the Presidency. We just don’t trust you as understanding the current problem
of the nation. For us, the nation is not a business enterprise where everything
is measured by how much profit you can bring to the stake holders!
No comments:
Post a Comment