Saturday, May 03, 2008
Socialists: Working people don’t need stimulus checks
by Stewart A. Alexander
The recent action taken by President Bush and the Feds, to reduce the time that 130 million Americans will need to wait before receiving their welfare checks, is another indication of the critical state the U.S. economy is now experiencing. Socialists believe it is necessary to create good paying jobs for working people rather than mailing millions of people a one time welfare check. Socialists have called for higher minimum wages and developing socially useful jobs for all working people.
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The government rebate checks are an example of the failures of capitalism and how a capitalist system will never meet the needs of working people. The checks are being sent to provide quick spending cash for millions of working people; however, these checks will provide few benefits for the poor and working class; while adding to the wealth and welfare of billionaires.
My wife, Vicki Alexander and I recently did an update on our monthly household budget to determine our finances as we approach the summer months. Since September 2007, our monthly expenses jumped a whopping $294. Our monthly gasoline cost, for the V6 Ford Mustang and the Ford Ranger, has increased an additional $78 monthly; and our groceries and food cost has increased an additional $60 monthly. All other household expenses were up an additional $156 monthly; a combined increase of $294 monthly and $3,528 annually. Millions of working people, across the nation are in the same situation as my wife and I, and a $600 government check will do little in the face of rising inflation and a shrinking U.S. economy.
This week, President Bush fired off some harsh criticism at the Democrats in Congress, "accusing lawmakers of dragging their feet on bills that would address pocketbook issues," according to the New York Times; however, the blame rest with the president, the Democrats and Republicans. Washington leadership has gone on the offensive against working people and has allowed the capitalists to run wild, ravishing the pocketbooks of all working people.
While he was addressing the press at the White House, President Bush also stated that there is no easy fix for the U.S. economy; however, that is far from being the truth. Fixing the economy must begin by ending the occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan; the war is destroying the U.S. economy and has completely destroyed the economies of these two war torn nations. These wars, whose tremendous cost is not offset by taxes, are the immediate cause of the weakness of the dollar, skyrocketing inflation and oil prices, and the widening trade deficit.
The president and U.S. Congress has the power and authority to end the present housing crisis; however, the president and Congress have only taken action to protect the interest of big banks and financial institutions, and global capitalists. The federal government needs to take immediate action to protect the millions of Americans that could lose their homes in 2008 and 2009, and shift the cost of the mortgage lending disaster from working people to the financial manipulators who created the problem.
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