Some may scream at the secularism he cited since we are a country that separates church from state. Do not let that word derail us from a far larger conversation we as a country should be having. Then again, do those in power really want to hear what we have to say? As long as powerful interests have control over the actions of our elected leaders, our voices as we scream will be tantamount to screaming into the wind. Ever try making your opinion known to your representative in both houses of congress? If you are lucky, you get a nice little form letter sent to you thanking you for your input, all at the taxpayer’s expense.
I would touch upon his message of faith, but faith is personal. Even one’s non-belief in a higher power or God is truly personal.
What is not personal, but very public is, how does supporting the same old failed economic policies which reward huge corporations truly benefit all of us? Is it moral to do so as so many go without? Please take note where he cited: “suitable legislation” Given these harsh economic times, I do believe that it is suitable to regulate the markets which have been at the crux of a cancer that has spread world-wide. Regulation should be seen as chemotherapy to help kill this cancer.
While this is not a blanket condemnation of all companies trying to make a profit since we need them in order to turn this economic crisis around; at the forefront of our conscience must be the rights and freedoms of those devastated so far.
All companies no matter if they are large or small must respect those working for them. Even if the corporate heads make less in order for their workers to live in true freedom. They must respect their consumers and not look to cheat them out of their hard-earned money. I am looking straight into the faces of those credit card companies. What freedom can be found in interest rates as high as 30%? There is another name for those who practice it; loan-shark.
The above paragraph is truly a utopian world and not reality based world. As long as we have politicians working on the behalf of powerful interest groups, we shall have none of that.
Let us not let these various right-wing pundits fear us when it comes to socialism. Because that is their job and they are doing a bang-up job at it. They are being allowed to distract millions of people as one after another is interviewed. Let us remind them that greed itself is one of the seven deadly sins and we have all witnessed how it has been allowed to spread as a cancer. Socialism did not destroy our economy. A free market without regulations did that.
Author’s email address is, xmjmac@optonline.net
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