"They Are At It – Again"
By Capt. Fred Davis
Published: Monday, June 6, 2011





The upcoming presidential campaign looks GRIM. The Democrats and Republicans are facing off again. They just can’t seem to agree on anything these days. Each blames the other for current problems.

I find it almost a laughing matter when a party representative appears on a discussion panel on TV and has to answer political questions. They seem to get their eye teeth stuck to their tongue. They stumble and stammer over their words and finally come up with, “It’s all the fault of those people in the other party.” When asked what they plan to do to effect change regarding a problem, they remark, “The other party has it all wrong.” The speaker may be right but how do they know what’s wrong if they haven’t proposed a better solution?

Watching political commentary shows would be improved 100 percent if they would invite people to speak who make a little sense.

The two party systems get worse with each election. I believe possible candidates should get together with their party leaders and devise a plan to correct the problems the other party has. Take Medicare for example; both parties say changes must be made yet when asked on national TV how they plan to do so they say the plan the other party has suggested is no good. They go on to explain the other party is bankrupting the country. On a recent panel discussion a Republican representative said; “Medicare has to change.” He was asked; “How do you plan to change it?” His answer was, “The other party has it all wrong.” I may seem to be repeating myself – but that is exactly what they did, repeatedly.

The general fund always needs more dollars. When both parties started to look for ways to cut our deficit, they came up with the same idea; cut Social Security and Medicare. I suggest they cut congressional retirement plans and expenses. Elected officials take vacations and trips, calling them work related and we pay for them out of the general fund. If we could keep elected officials out of the funds, we wouldn’t have as much trouble keeping the budget balanced.

When it has been suggested congress be placed on Social Security and Medicare and give up their private retirement plans, both parties drop the talk of cutting those programs. I hope as they continue their discussions they will put back the cost of living allowance in our Social Security checks. As I see it, no one can believe — with the high gas cost — there has not been a cost of living increase.

Some of the objections to the escalating cost of our present Medicare program are valid, but there has to be a better idea on how to fix it and properly administer it. If one of the candidates that hope to run for president could come up with that idea, they would probably be elected. There is a problem, however, when financial support to fund candidates and their parties is provided by the pharmaceutical industry. It is without a doubt one of the most powerful lobbies in Washington.

When the government decided to co-op the cost of drugs, (Medicare Part D), prices went through the roof. Therefore, an obvious reason for the high cost of the Medicare program is the out-of-control cost of drugs. As candidates begin to put forth their ideas perhaps they could ask big pharma to sell their in our country for less than they charge overseas. I doubt countries outside the U.S. contribute to the cost of testing and development which is cited as the reason cost are so high.

If the parties can determine who will be representing them and who is just taking a bus ride, we may see a campaign emerge.

As they aspire to the highest office in our land, they need to work together and come up with some good ideas on how to get our country back on track and keep it there.

 

 

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