The headline read: "Romney blames loss on Obama's 'gifts' to minorities and young voters".
In a conference call with many of his big-money supporters Mitt Romney told them that it was Obamacare (calling it a gift to lower-income Americans, perceived to be primarily minorities), the Dream Act (which prohibited deportation of young illegal immigrants who were brought here by their parents when they were very young), and the forgiveness of a considerable amount of the interest incurred by students (who are relying on student loans to get their education) that was responsible for his defeat. He said these "gifts" to targeted groups bought Obama enough votes to put him over the top.
Or to put it another way, the status quo didn't work for the Republicans. This needs to be their wake-up call. They need to find a way to embrace these groups and broaden their base of supporters. Making the recent election an "us vs them" affair is no way for Republicans to turn their fortunes around.
Here's the conundrum: Yes, we need to cut our budget deficit. We can't go on indefinitely running up a trillion dollars a year in red ink. But at the same time, we DO need to expand health care. Where a decade ago 65% of companies provided health insurance to their employees, today it's roughly 55%. You see the trend? An unhealthy, broke workforce is not what we need to compete economically with the rest of the world.
And we DO need a highly trained workforce, which obviously requires a highly educated workforce. The days of getting a high school diploma and then spending the next 40 years working at the sawmill are over. Education costs lots of money, money most families don't have. Government does, except it's all borrowed money.
And we DO need immigrants. While many developed countries actually have a shrinking population, ours is still growing, thanks to births to recent immigrants. Without them working and paying in to "the system" we won't be able to honor our commitments to our baby boomers now at or nearing retirement. We need to find a way to expeditiously, responsibly admit new immigrants. And legitimize many (but not all) of those here now.
It seems we need to do lots of things to stay on top in the world, but they all cost money. Money we don't have. What to do?
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I think if you want to shrink the deficit, start looking at all the wars we get involved in and all the money we send to prop up other countries, namely Israel, who in turn don't do much for us. I mean Republicans can complain about Obamacare all they want, but health coverage is a lot cheaper than all those Predator drones we have flying around blowing up goatherders in Afghanistan.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. And PT has a good point!
ReplyDeleteA good start is to end all costly wars, such as Afghanistan. I see no benefit from prolonging this conflict. I don't know what the goal is. This is a tribal nation and will remain so for the foreseeable future. Karzai is corrupt and incompetent and Afghanistan will return to Taliban rule eventually. Get out now and we save billions of dollars that can be put to some of the uses you describe.
ReplyDeleteAre you running in 2016? I'll become a citizens and will vote for you!
ReplyDeleteNo such luck Peeper....neither party would have me. Which is just as well, as I wouldn't have either of them, either. ;)
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