A Modern Modest Proposal

A 21st century American take on the 1729 writing of Dr. Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal”

 A painting of Jonathan Swift (1.)

            The following essay is satirical:  The original Jonathan Swift essay “A Modest Proposal” has been made public by the Gutenberg online library and can be found at http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1080.  This essay was intended to show the reader that people are more than just a line on a balance sheet and that sometimes the most profitable solution is not the best.

Pictures if the poor (2,) the elderly (3,) the student (4,) and the worker (5) in America.

 

            The problems we as a nation face are not unique in the chronicles of history.  For far too long have those at the bottom dragged down society making our once great society a sad shell of its former self.  When looking around in society one can plainly see the woes of the poor, the elderly, the student, the average worker.  We look on these creatures with great empathy and remorse feeling that they are truly one of god’s most helpless creatures.  Poverty is running rampant across our great nation and it seems like an almost futile enterprise trying to stem its growth.  But are all these issues to be blamed on the current system which is in place or the people who feel they are victim to it?  These topics will not be easy for some to address but I feel they should confronted now rather than letting them fall by the wayside.

 Poverty is alive in well unfortunately still in America (6.) 

In Regards to the Poor…

The poor cannot find work for several reasons; one of these reasons is that the labour markets are hurting in various sectors but the major reason is the result of these peoples own doing.  Poor labour markets are out there, but America is the land of opportunity, the land where anyone can work if they CHOOSE to.  Responsibility must be taken by these creatures if they wish to become members of our great society once again.  Under employment is an illusion and should be washed from the nations psyche if we wish to move forward.  Great employers in the retail and fast food industry will gladly hire these people if they would merely apply.  The minimum wage salaries offered by these corporations is more than a fair wage for any being in this line of work.  If by chance these unfortunate beings cannot afford to support themselves and their families on a minimum wage salary than they must make the necessary changes to their lifestyle to do so.  Government cannot be burdened with their problems and short comings; the government must remain focused on helping those who truly need its help, our financial sector, oil companies and corporations.  Unless these “poor” people make an attempt to do something with their lives our society will continue to falter on the way of progress.

The fountain of youth can now be found in pill form (7.)

In Regards to the Elderly…

The elderly say they cannot afford the amenities they wish to possess like health care or medications which is sad but if they would have planned for such things in their working years they would not be suffering from these maladies now.  RESPONSIBILITY for ones future is the job of the individual, not the government.  The story of the ant and the grass hopper come to mind when people speak of the woes of the elderly in this great nation.  If we as a nation are to cave into the selfish demands of those who are advanced in years than we shall have nothing for our future generations and the current generation will be left paying for those who chose not to plan wisely.  The elderly are the least productive members of society and with that being taken into effect, their wants should be considered as so.  Where is the fairness in rewarding those who currently provide nothing and ask for the biggest share?  Their lack of planning should not be rewarded but rather paraded in the streets to give an example to the current procrastinators who one day (assuming they live long enough) will take their place.  The proper action is not always easy, but seldom are they in life.

Poverty, unlike drinking has no minimum age requirement (8.)

In Regards to the Student…

            Students who are primarily the young are one of the biggest DRAINS on society.  Until a person reaches their teenage years they are a constant burden.  Need of food, clothing, and shelter without any positive contribution is a larger travesty than the elderly issue; the elderly have at least been productive members of society at one time.  Not only do children not provide any practical use but they ask for more than merely enough to survive, they wish to have free education as well.  Nothing including freedom in this great nation is free and that is why a drastic rethinking is needed in regards to education.  Why should workers who are not children or have no children bear the responsibility of children and those who have them?  The problem also does not end when a child reaches adulthood; if a child goes to college that cannot afford it he continues to drain the nation even more.  For far too long we have put education for all ages on a throne and it is now time that we analyze this view.  A solution to this endless drain on our coffers must be addressed if solvency is to be attained!  

A picture is worth a 1,000 words (9.)

In Regards to the Worker…

            The American worker is grossly INEFFICIENT as compared to workers around the world and is also over compensated and underworked.  Around the world workers are willing to work for a fraction of the pay American workers are; if we cannot bring the foreign world up to our standards than we must lower ours to be competitive once again.  Laws put in place in our recent history have kept the American worker uncompetitive with his foreign foes.  Abolition of some of these laws may be the only way to restore a manufacturing base in this nation, tariffs on imported goods is no solution to this problem; we must attack the source of the problem which is the American worker.       

Just think... If we really try we could have this (10?)

My Humble Solution…

Here lies the issue with all great problems; once the source of waste or maleficence has been identified how do we correct the problem?  I have my beliefs on possible solutions but I feel that those who hold elected office should be the ones to decide on this, not myself or any other American voter or tax payer.  My solutions will involve drastic and in some cases painful decisions but I want everyone to realize that we are doing this for the future and we can no longer afford to put these choices off.

            My solution to the “poor” is as followed.  American’s who are poor are poor by choice; if one cannot find a job he must deal with that on his own.  No government assistance should be provided and if one chooses to remain in unemployment than the government should by all means put him to work doing hard labour for no pay; the government in this case will provide these creatures with the adequate living essentials (A cot in a barracks, surplus food, and an hour of electricity seems adequate in my view.)  Once this person is no longer useful for such tasks or if he refuses to do so his organs and tissue may be harvested and sold to those who work and take care of themselves or they may be sold to science so they can be used for experimentation.  The work these creatures provide and their disposal will be more than enough to pay for their keep and in some cases may result in a profit for the government.

            The issue of the elderly is tougher to solve considering they offer very little to society in their current state.  A solution could be found though where they can be profitable again.  This solution is only for the elderly who do not draw a pension of some kind or who have received more in Social Security and Medicaid benefits than they paid in; those who do not meet these qualifications are free to live how they wish until they fall below the stated requirement.  The living conditions will be the same as with the poor and the disposal of should be the same as well.  Wasteful spending in health care will in no way be tolerated for any of these people while they are in the camps since they will never be able to work long enough to pay for it.  They will perform the same tasks as the poor but the elderly will have to perform the tasks that are higher in risk and have a higher chance of exposure to toxins.  The reason behind this is since they have such little time left on this planet their long term safety or health is of no concern.  It is also more profitable to expose them to these conditions as opposed to the poor because the poor may live for several years or even decades longer than the elderly under these conditions turning a massive profit for the government.     

            Free kindergarten through high school education should no longer be free under this system.  We can operate these schools under the same premise as we do our universities.  If a child or said child’s family wishes of it to receive an education they will have to pay for it directly; a loan system may be installed to give those without means the opportunity to attend school but if a default occurs then the child will be forced to live in the work camp under the same conditions of as the poor and the remains will be handled likewise.  If the child is too young to work at the time of default then a parent must then take his place till either the debt has been paid or the child has reached the required age to be a laborer (approximately 12 years of age would be the average age, but this again is up to the members of our Congress.)

            Grants and most forms of financial aid should be eliminated from the college process; student loans will still be allowed to exist.  Again, if default occurs then that student will have to work in the labour camps until the debt has been absolved and if he becomes ill or should die his remains shall be handled like the others mentioned before.  Funding for state universities should be cut dramatically if not completely.  Students and teachers alike are given too many creature comforts like heating in the winter, air conditioning in the summer, and state of the art libraries and computers.  The comforts are not panned of course, places of learning are allowed to have such things but only if they can afford to do so with the tuition that is raised.  Education is not mandatory in this country so those who do not wish to adhere to these standards need not apply to any school in the first place.

            The American worker must be willing to be competitive with foreign labour whatever the cost.  If this means that the worker will have to relinquish some of his creature comforts like the minimum wage, the forty hour work week or OSHA standards then so be it.  For far too long have we let worker safety hold this country back and it is time that we put profitability above all else.  If workers are unwilling to adhere to these standards than again, the labour camps will be their fate and they will be handled the same as the poor and those who have defaulted on an education.

        Although this plan may seem cold at first we will solve the financial issues the government it currently facing and cut the national deficit dramatically.  No longer will government monies be wasted on those who refuse to help themselves; government will then be able to focus on attracting businesses through tax incentives and the art of war.  One may view this proposal as a harsh and unforgiving world but I see it as a world in which deficits are a thing of the past and the future will be free of debt and those who wish to attack the government economically through their lack of ambition.

Works Cited

1)      "File:Jonathan Swift by Charles Jervas Detail.jpg." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 23 Aug. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jonathan_Swift_by_Charles_Jervas_detail.jpg>.

2)     "Who Is Poor in America, and Why? - Maggie's Farm." Maggie's Farm. 7 May 2007. Web. <http://maggiesfarm.anotherdotcom.com/archives/5223-Who-is-poor-in-America,-and-why.html>.

3)     Stone, Kathlyn. "Elderly American Homelessness on the Rise." Flesh and Stone. 13 Apr. 2010. Web. <http://www.fleshandstone.net/policy_trends/1802.html>.

4)     "Photo, Picture of African American Girl Student Studying, Stock Photos, Image." Photos of People, Minorities, Elderly,children,education,families,teens,adults,ethnic Photos, Stock Photography. Web. 23 Aug. 2011. <http://www.harrycutting.com/photos_people/education-picture-65-IC5032.htm>.

5)     Affordable Health Care Insurance Plans NH ME MA New England. Web. 23 Aug. 2011. <http://www.balancecarehealth.com/>.

6)     Snyder, Michael. "15 Shocking Facts About Poverty In America." Business Insider. Web. 23 Aug. 2011. <http://www.businessinsider.com/15-shocking-facts-about-poverty-in-america-2010-9?op=1>.

7)     Mase, Randolph. "The Risks of Prescription Drugs « Randolph Mase’s Weblog." Randolph Mase’s Weblog. Web. 23 Aug. 2011. <http://randolphmase.wordpress.com/2011/05/16/the-risks-of-prescription-drugs/>.

8)     "In America." Voices of Glory Global Ministries. Web. 23 Aug. 2011. <http://voicesofgloryglobalministries.org/ministries/americ>.

9)     "Vintage Vivant » Archive » Great Depression Inspiration." Vintage Vivant. Web. 23 Aug. 2011. <http://vintagevivant.com/2011/06/11/great-depression-inspiration/>.

10) "Inside a North Korean Labor Camp." Update News. Blogger.com. Web. 23 Aug. 2011. <http://updatedfrequently.com/inside-a-north-korean-labor-camp/>.

The Question of Free Press?

Are the free presses of the United States really “free?”

Freedom of the Press has always been a key to the American way of life (1.)

"The illusion of freedom will continue as long as it's profitable to continue the illusion. At the point where the illusion becomes too expensive to maintain, they will just take down the scenery, they will pull back the curtains, they will move the tables and chairs out of the way and you will see the brick wall at the back of the theater, Frank Zappa (2.)”

            In the United States we feel that we have many freedoms; freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly, and so on.  Rarely ever do we question if these rights are free, I mean truly free.  By free I mean free of corruption and influence.  Although these questions can be asked of all of our freedoms I would particularly like to focus on our press.  Is the press in the United States free of influence and corruption? 

Now before we go too far into this subject I want to make clear that I realize there are exceptions to every rule; some media outlets do a better job than others and even some media outlets are good at times and misleading at others.  There are many reason why we are facing the issues we are with our press.  Everything from profits, apathy, to a lack of competition can be a source of blame in the issue of not having a free press in the United States.  

 Media here in the United States is not free from bias and one of the major reasons for this is because of our economy.  The United States is not utopia; it is not free from the harsh realities that plague the entire race of mankind.  Profits and greed have always been a point of contention in anything and everything and the press is no different.  Higher ratings means more advertisements, which means more money is placed for sacrifice at the altar of truth and our press has been praying at this altar for quite some time now.  Profits are not bad but money has a way of corrupting those who are receiving it.  Take for example the story of Edward R. Murrow in the movie “Good Night and Good Luck (3;)  Mr. Murrow was trying to educate the public to possible dangers and his ratings slipped because civic responsibility and accountability are not exactly considered fun or sexy by the average American viewer.  It is much more fun in the opinions of some to say the hell with it, to check out and let other people worry about problems that are important and affect our way of life but are deemed a bummer by public opinion.

We joke but is this now the only place where the press is still free (4?)

The money in the press is an issue but the apathy of the common American is what enables this profit driven behavior.  If the average American seeks only entertainment and not enlightenment then the most entertaining story will be covered and the stories that affect our wellbeing may become ignored if we allow them to.  Take for example the trial of Casey Anthony.  American’s were glued to the TV, internet, and radio waiting to hear the next turn in the case.  Although this is a sad case was there something else the American people should have been watching; I would argue yes.  Negotiations on the debt ceiling, the slaughter of Syrians trying to bring a democracy to their country, the Greek debt crisis, two wars overseas and the biggest crack downs in China since the Tiananmen Square occurred during the Casey Antony trial with little attention paid to them by the average American. Incidents such as these affect our lives more than the trial of Casey Anthony whether we realize it or not. I am not saying that a small child being killed in such a brutal way does not deserve some coverage in the press, but some cable news networks seemed to make it their one and only story.  

I also feel that the lack of competition amongst the press makes our situation even worse.  Many didn’t realize up until the News of the World scandal that many of our media organizations are owned by a select few media conglomerates.  Again this is a byproduct of a capitalist system; if a company cannot crush competition it will merely buy it and accomplish the same end goal.  Competition to get the next big story is what spurred the press to do their job in the past but if everyone has the same script then where is the incentive to dig for the next big story?

So is press in the United States free?  It is to a degree but until the whole of the American people stand up and demand responsible news and boycott those who merely spout hate filled rhetoric things will remain the status quo.  A renaissance is need desperately in the press, a rebirth of responsible journalism.  We have the tools to do the job better than we ever did in the past but apathy enables greed and responsibility and mind numbing entertainment do not always coincide with each other.  In closing I would like to quote a journalist who saw the writing on the wall in the 1950’s, Edward R. Murrow: 

“We are currently wealthy, fat, comfortable and complacent. We have currently a built-in allergy to unpleasant or disturbing information. Our mass media reflect this. But unless we get up off our fat surpluses and recognize that television in the main is being used to distract, delude, amuse and insulate us, then television and those who finance it, those who look at it and those who work at it, may see a totally different picture too late (5.)

Works Cited

1.       USWeapon. "Freedom of the Press Under Duress?" Standupforamerica.com. Blogger.com. Web. 25 July 2011. <http://standupforamerica.wordpress.com/2010/05/31/freedom-of-the-press-under-duress/>.

2.       "Quote by Frank Zappa: "The Illusion of Freedom Will Continue as Long as I..."" Share Book Recommendations With Your Friends, Join Book Clubs, Answer Trivia. Web. 25 July 2011. <http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/show/12280>.

3.       Government, Its Own. "Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005) - IMDb." The Internet Movie Database (IMDb). Web. 25 July 2011. <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0433383/>.

4.       "Freedom of the (Press) Internet Shirts from Zazzle.com." Zazzle | Custom T-Shirts, Personalized Gifts, Posters, Art, and More. Web. 25 July 2011. <http://www.zazzle.com/freedom_of_the_press_internet_tshirt-235115868350381210>.

5.       "Edward R. Murrow." Wikiquote. Web. 25 July 2011. <http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Edward_R._Murrow>.

Influence of the Military Industrial Complex; Concern or Not?

Eisenhower farewell address was controversial for it's time making the covers of papers (1.)

In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex (2.) Dwight D. Eisenhower

            

     Upon leaving the office of the presidency many of our presidents have given farewell addresses.  Most of these speeches are generally reminiscent and for the most part ignored.  The exception to this rule is the farewell address that President Dwight D. Eisenhower gave when leaving office on January 17^th 1961.  The former Supreme commander of Allied forces during World War II and then U.S president from 1953 till 1961 warned about a new possible threat to American liberties, the military industrial complex.  The military industrial complex is something that got its start during World War II and has been in place ever since.  Before World War II, when the United States had entered war, manufactures transitioned from whatever they were producing to armaments; an example of this would be an automobile producer that starts making tanks and planes.  After World War II the Cold War started and armaments were produced constantly in the United States.  Soon the production of these weapons became a large part of the American economy and the government’s budget.  Eisenhower warned upon leaving office that letting this industry become too powerful and too influential in American politics could affect our freedoms down the road.

            

     Some American’s view today’s military industrial complex as the dark, shadowy force that Eisenhower warned of, some American’s view this as paranoia predominately from the left, and even some are indifferent to the whole situation.  The question this essay attempts to ask is which of these views are true?

     

     The problem with questions such as these as with other conspiracy theories is that it is hard to tell when the line of fact and fiction has been crossed.  According to Dr. Andrew Feight of Shawnee State University:

“When a conspiracy theory becomes a conspiracy theory is when people start to try connecting the dots.  When we take the dots and start connecting them, sometimes it’s a valid connection, sometimes it isn’t (3.)”

            

     Using this approach lets analyze what is fact and what is fiction.  Defense spending in 2009 as figured by War Resisters League made up approximately 54% not including entitlement programs and 20% including these programs (4.)  The following pie charts represent both of these calculations and a link has been provided to their website for the reader to ascertain all the information this organization lists. 

Above:  This chart shows the percentage of the annual budget that goes towards Defense spending including entitlements.

Above:  The annual budget not including entitlement programs.

Now whether to consider entitlements part of the budget or not is an essay in and of itself so for simplicities sake I believe it is easier just to look at the conservative estimates for now.  My hypothesis is that if conservative estimates seem high in regards to expense towards the American tax payer than the actual cost must be far worse.

The Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation released a report in 2009 showing the growth in defense spending from 2000 till 2009.  In the nine years covered by this report defense spending increased by $300 billion or an increase of 39% which averages out to about $16 billion a year(5.)  The following is a chart they provided showing the results of their findings and a link to their website:

Above:  The chart above shows the increase in Defense spending over from 2000 till 2009.

These numbers were adjusted for inflation and taken from the U.S Dept. of Defense and the Office of Management and Budget, U.S Congress.  Considering that these sources would logically give a conservative to accurate estimate, I would conclude that military spending in this nation is an issue.

In conclusion, I think the military industrial complex is taking advantage of the American people and their government, but I also feel that it is not too late to correct this.  In this time of economic crisis cuts need to be made to our defense spending in a substantial way.  My biggest fear of cutting the budget of the military is that it seems that when we do cut their budget the military industrial complex suffers nowhere near the level of veterans who get their benefits cut.  Making cuts to veteran’s benefits is not right, nor is it the solution to the greater problem.  We cannot afford to cut military spending out completely but we can definitely afforded to make some cuts to our new armament expenditures.

The following is a link to President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s farewell address:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y06NSBBRtY

Works Cited

1.      Steyn, Mark. Steynian435.wordpress.com. Blog at WordPress.com, 26 Jan. 2011. Web. <http://steynian.wordpress.com/2011/01/26/steynian-435/>.

2.      Eisenhower, Dwight D. "Farwell Address to the Nation." 1961 Presidential Farwell Address. White House, Washington D.C. 17 Jan. 1961. Speech.

3.      Feight, Andrew. "Lecture on Paranoia." Class Lecture. Massie Hall, Portsmouth, Ohio. 7 July 2012. Lecture.

4.      "The Federal Pie Chart." War Resisters League. Web. 13 July 2011. <http://www.warresisters.org/pages/piechart.htm>.

5.      "Growth in U.S. Defense Spending Over the Last Decade." Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation. Web. 13 July 2011. <http://armscontrolcenter.org/policy/securityspending/articles/022609_fy10_topline_growth_decade/>.

6.      "YouTube - ‪Eisenhower Warns Us of the Military Industrial Complex.‏." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. 13 July 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y06NSBBRtY>.