Phrases That Make My Skin Crawl

"You've gotta break a few eggs to make an omelet".

That's one of those catchy, 'responsible adult' things you hear from the Sensible Conservatives, along with 'fiscal responsibility' and 'sharing the burden'.

Here's what those phrases really mean as well as what they should mean.

Because these particular phrases are an unholy pantsload of complete bullshit sometimes difficult to understand fully.

Breaking a few eggs to make an omelet really means that once they're done messing with the budget and social programs, a lot of people who need help will not get it. And by 'not getting the help they need', I mean they will actually die from lack of healthcare, actually starve from lack of food and actually be homeless for lack of shelter. Don't listen to anyone who tells you that 'that sort of thing could never happen in AMERICA' because it happens every damn day, and if you don't know that you are living in a dream world of unicorns and rainbows...you know- like us liberals are accused of because we want to make sure that Americans don't die of shit they don't have to die of like lack of healthcare, food and shelter.

Here's what 'breaking a few eggs to make an omelet' should mean- It should mean that those who have eggs to spare pony up and toss 'em into the omelet. Social security cap of $113,000? Gone. If we took (as in taxed) everything- even a fraction of a percent- social security would be not only solvent, but leaping for joy. A .05% tax on $200,000 would be a whopping $100 a year. You cannot tell me that anyone would MISS $100 out of $200,000. Back in 2010, 4.5 million Americans made over $200,000. That would be 450 MILLION extra dollars into the social security fund...just by taking $100 from the FIRST $200,000. Someone who makes $1,000,000 a year would have to pay a whopping extra $500. The horror.

Fiscal responsibility is something we hear a whole lot of. So much that according to some, being fiscally responsible overrides everything else- taking care of our people, making sure our bridges don't crumble while being driven on, everything. Well, except for the military. They're somehow exempt. What it really means is that people just need to get used to the idea that the gravy train candy cane days of good pay and benefits and pensions are gone. For good. Just like that. And to question that or whine about it is not only unseemly and annoying, but fiscally irresponsible. Because what fiscally responsible family doesn't refuse to go to the grocery store and buy food when the bill for the home security system is due? Food? Health care? Shelter? Those are LUXURIES, kids- they're not RIGHTS. You're thinking of guns.

Here's what 'fiscal responsibility' should mean- It should mean that America takes care of its people who can't take care of themselves. Sick people, old people, children. Take care of them, period. Not with stipulations or 'proof' that they need it- 'proof' that they're sick and old and tiny and weak. Fiscal responsibility is using the financial resources you have for things that matter. It does not mean refusing to go to the grocery store because you promised the boys you'd go to Shreveport and gamble on the boats this weekend and if you back out now they'll call you pussywhipped and it should not mean gutting social programs and giving bailouts to corporations that are banking billions in profits because you're askeerd that they will 'take their business overseas'. Because if you aren't aware that they are already GONE, that their bank accounts and their employees and factories are already not still on our US soil, then your head is firmly lodged in your ass...you know- like us liberals are accused of when we question the wisdom of taking American land by eminent domain and giving it to foreign companies to run leaky pipelines over the aquifers that supply most of the farmland in America with water and will provide zero full time jobs for Americans for oil that is already contracted to be sold overseas.

Sharing the burden is a great one. What it really means is that while the corporations and really rich people (think of what you make and what everyone you know makes and times it by 100...that's not enough. That rich.) are paying lawyers and congressmen to be sure that they pay very little or nothing in taxes, people like you and I pay more to try to prop up the system they are making their billions from. See? Sharing.

Picture 2 people struggling to carry a really heavy box. Like a box of rocks. A third person comes up and offers to help. That person opens the box, takes out the smallest rock and puts it in his pocket, then sits on the box while the other 2 carry it.

*Sharing the burden*

What 'sharing the burden' should mean is that the 2 people carrying the box tip the smug asshole off of the box and pour the entire thing out, divide up the rocks equally and all three carry their share. Their FAIR SHARE. It's not Socialism, it's socialism and if you don't know the difference you're an ignorant propaganda-dazed moron who doesn't think past whatever the talking heads on TV and the radio tell you...you know- like us liberals are accused of because we don't watch FOX or listen to Rush because those are the only ones 'brave enough to tell it like it is', unlike the liberal mainstream news which is a three word fallacy on all counts.

I was going to include it's high time the Republicans stood up against the mean old Democrats who run roughshod all over the US Constitution and strong-arm everything they want through the House and Senate, but I can't even type that without simultaneously laughing hysterically and throwing up a little in my mouth.

And that's a dangerous mix.

For a glimpse of how the world is really working for everyday ordinary Americans, please see
http://www.amazon.com/Almost-Invisible--Different-Survival-ebook/dp/B007W4T3B4/ref=sr_1_7_bnp_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1375981088&sr=8-7&keywords=sheri+dixon

One Big Happy Family

"We MUST get control of the federal deficit! There's no way MY family could get away with doing things this way!"


Don't you love this type of statement? Aren't you in awe of the many little comparisons and graphics and whatnot that show even the most simpleminded of liberals that, "SEE? We would LOVE to give everyone health care and food and a puppy, but it's just not feasible, dear- just like a family budget, you can't spend what you don't have don't you see?"

Other than the gabazillion ways a federal government's budget is not in any way, shape or form even remotely comparable to a family budget, as pointed out by lots of many a shitload of ALL economists, lets just pretend for a second that the federal government's budget is EXACTLY like a family budget.

In our hypothetical family, we have a really big house (like the country) and a diverse amount of people in the family (see where I'm going with this?)

We have Mom and Dad, who are middle aged, college educated and who work full time with benefits. They are on salary and are bringing in a pretty good chunk of money.

There is a college student living at home while going to school, and 3 younger children in public school.

There is a set of grandparents also living there who are retired and drawing social security.

There's an elderly great-uncle who has decided not to waste money on paying for his own house, but wants to live with the rest of the family. Actually, up in the attic because the rest of the family is too damn noisy. He's not destitute, in fact he's got stocks and bonds and savings accounts and IRA's and all sorts of financial assets from an inheritance from HIS parents. He's never done a hard day of work in his life. He buys his own food, so figures he doesn't need to spend a dime on the rest of the family, since he's not TAKING anything.

Out in the back yard lives a second-cousin twice removed (once by restraining order). He has a lot of guns and ammo but is convinced that he doesn't have NEAR enough. He's terminally unemployed. Something about every boss he's ever worked for being an unreasonable asshole. He gets a small check from the VA for his service years ago, which he spends entirely on...more guns and ammo.

OK. Those are the characters. Strictly fictional.

So the income is Mom and Dad's salary, grandma and grandpa's social security.

The expenses are the mortgage payment, utilities, insurances, groceries, college tuition.

One day dad comes home from work early. He's been downsized.

He applies for unemployment and gets it, but of course it's a fraction of what he was making. He looks for work every single day, but he's in his mid-50's and over-qualified for almost everything available. No one wants to hire him.

So the family needs to make some hard decisions.

Mom is already putting all her money into the family fund. So are grandma and grandpa.

If they can't figure something out, the oldest child will have to quit college and the younger kids won't be able to be on any school teams or do any outside activities like music lessons. They'll be eating beans and cornbread every day and the house may be in jeopardy. No one will be able to get health care.

They go to the great-uncle and explain the situation. While he's very concerned for their troubles, he feels strongly that it's not HIS problem and they should've tried harder to save money along the way...while raising 4 kids and helping the grandparents and the cousin in the back yard. His money is HIS money- no matter that the utilities he uses and the attic he's living in is because of their gracious generosity, it's still HIS money.

They go to the cousin in the back yard, who is more sympathetic but can do nothing to help- he's heard that things are going to get REALLY bad out there and he cannot stop spending money on guns and ammo. He's very sorry but he just can't.

Now.

In a REAL family, this is where Mom and Dad say to the great-uncle, "Listen, you selfish bastard- we are your family and we need your help right now. You've been living in OUR attic and using OUR utilities all these years- one of the reasons you HAVE so much money is because of US letting you live here. Now cough it up so our children can get a good education and everyone in the family can continue to eat and have a roof over our heads".

Then they'd go out back and smack the cousin upside the head and say, "Stop being such a dick. You have more guns and ammo than you'll ever need right now- in fact you could sell half of it and STILL be set for life. We've put up with your bullshit for years- time to help us out because it's the right thing to do".

The great-uncle would write a big fat hairy check and the crazy cousin would sell some guns and ammo and give half of his VA check to them and everyone would be fed, and cared for, and they'd all keep their happy home.

See?

Family.

So, all of you "Just think of the federal budget like a family budget" folks, here's what needs to be done-

We need to go to the great-uncle in the attic (also known as Corporate America) and tell them to stop mooching off of the rest of us and pay into the society they are benefiting from.

We need to go to our crazy twitchy cousin in the back yard (the military) and tell them to sell half of their crap and stop beating the shit out of countries who are not endangering us in any possible way.

Then all our young people can go to college and our old people can be cared for and everyone can have health care.

Wow! That DOES work!

GOP's America- Worst. Family. Ever.

So the whole "WE NEED TO DECIDE ON THIS NOW OR THE WORLD WILL END" debt ceiling issue has been decided in a predictable American Guy fashion- we're gonna ignore it till May.

The "due upon receipt" invoices the GOP have been screaming about have been looked at, read, worried over and stressed about till the only sensible thing to do has been to stuff them under the rest of the mail and worry about it later.

Which is totally weird on accounta when the Democrats said, "Hey, guys- the debt ceiling is really something that can wait- maybe we need to talk about other things first- things that are actually, yanno- KILLING people" the Democrats were called all sorts of horrible names and told that they were Traitorous Amer'ca Hatin' Poopieheads.

Because the debt ceiling needed fixed RIGHT NOW. NOW! NOW!

Or May. Whatever.

I know I'm early (or late) in talking about this but here's what I think of the whole "What if the national budget were a family budget? SEE??? Totally irresponsible unless you're a Commie Government Leech Democrat Welfare Momma!" argument when it comes to balancing our federal budget.

First of all, the federal budget isn't at ALL like a family budget. Mainly because the money owed on it is owed...to ourselves.

So, if my family had had say $100,000 in the bank and wanted to build an $80,000 house, we could conceivably take that money out and promise ourselves we'd pay it back ASAP since that's our retirement savings and all. *Note- this is for hypothetical purposes only- what we have in the bank couldn't build a bird house. For little birds. Like wrens and shit.

After our house was built, say we had other stuff come up- a job loss or big medical expense or something and we just haven't had the chance to pay any of this money back into the account.

Do we evict ourselves?

Of course not.

Even IF the reason our expenses are higher than expected living in the new house and we decide, "Hey- this wasn't such a good idea- it's too big of a house and we need to downsize" in the meantime what do we cut back on?

We sit down and look at the budget and think 2 things-

We need more income AND we need to cut back.

So, being the family member who is able to provide more if I need to, I look for a part-time job to augment the budget because (according to economists of all stripes- not just squishy liberal ones) you CANNOT cut your way to savings- you must also have additional income.

Then we look at spending.

Lets look at the GOP "government budget/family budget" thing and see what it does in real life and for really what they're asking for demanding like a buncha self-righteous bastards-

Cuts to 'entitlements' which is that whole social safety net thing they hate so much. Veterans? Old people? Children? Women? Sick people? Fuck 'em. Bootstraps, baby- nothing but bootstraps for you.

In a family budget that translates into groceries, doctor visits, school expenses and medicines.

Our Family First GOP is telling America, "Too bad, so sad- we need to cut expenses and cut 'em deep to pay back money that we borrowed from ourselves. No hard feelers, remember if you believe in god, you'll go to heaven and never be hungry or sick again, and if you hurt too much now, you have access to any gun you want to blow your sorry brains out (and maybe your children's too IF you love them).

What the bloody hell?

Who tells their family they must be hungry and sick and uneducated because there was a clerical miscalculation when there's no bill collector at the door with a baseball bat waiting to break your kneecaps but it's just your own damn bank account that's not being paid back?

Self-righteous bastards, that's who.

So I would get a part-time job to increase income and then look at truly expendable expenses- things like maybe cancelling an expensive security system because we're out in the middle of nowhere and we have big dogs patrolling the place that do just fine, and maybe if we went to church we'd cut back on our tithing...

...because for some reason I think Jesus would say, "FEED YER KIDS BEFORE PUTTING MONEY IN THE COLLECTION PLATE".

So as a nation, perhaps we need to look getting the citizens who have the ability to pay more into the kitty to actually do that, then at military spending and probably re-thinking the tax-exempt status of churches.

Just by tweaking those three items in our nation's Family Budget, we could have enough money to feed everyone, offer universal health care and free or low-cost college for all our students.

Because if you're going to use the national budget/family budget analogy, you are automatically projecting that we as a nation = a family. Family cares for each other- even those who don't think like you do politically, even the ones who need a little extra help from time to time.

If it's found out that you are denying your children and disabled and elderly family members food, clothing, and medical care because you are paying money back into your own freaking BANK ACCOUNT, Social Services comes in and you are proclaimed an unfit parent and piss-poor human being.

Why the hell can politicians and propaganda-fed constituents do the same things to fellow Americans and consider themselves exemplary fiscal conservatives?

I keep hearing, "Well? Do we wanna be the next Greece?" as if that's not only a question, but an answer. Greece and other countries are suffering not because they're NOT enacting 'austerity measures' but because they ARE.

Read more than one news source- we have the entirety of the world at our fingertips now- why paint yourself into a corner containing only people like yourself playing an endless game of 'repeat something long enough and it becomes true'?

Acknowledge that other American citizens are NOT your enemies- and don't have to GET OUT if they do or say something you don't like.

IF the National Budget = a Family Budget

THEN ALL American Citizens = Family

Start acting like it.

...And I'll Keep Repeating it Till You Understand it Or Your Head Explodes

If I hear, "Providing health care for everyone is a warm, fuzzy idea and a worthy goal, but we're drowning in debt- how EVER would we pay for it?" too many more times, I will (I don't know what I'll do, but it won't be pretty).

Once more.

And I'll try to use little words.

Right now in order to have health insurance in this country you can be a veteran, disabled, old, or a government employee and receive government health care.

OR

You must purchase health insurance from a private provider.

If you choose (and by "choose" I mean "can't afford private insurance and don't qualify for government coverage") to be un-insured in this country when (not if) you get sick or injured, you need to pay to use the medical system. You can always go to an emergency room, where by law they are required to keep you from dying- nothing more, in spite of "everyone" knowing that "those goddamn Mexicans just waltz into the emergency room and get whatever they need".

Right now, we're facing an "insurance mandate"- the scary part of the healthcare bill that the Supreme Court just voted on (and decided it was constitutional. I know you know that, I just like repeating it...)

That means everyone needs to get insurance. If you can't afford insurance, there are things in place to help you. If you really, absolutely, positively know in your heart of hearts that you'll never get sick or hurt and you really, truly don't WANT health insurance, you'll be imprisoned and put to death.

*just kidding*

Refusal to acquire health insurance will result in a PENALTY. A PENALTY of...under a Ben Franklin per year. OOOOOOOOH- SCARY! That penalty money will come in handy to help pay for the emergency room staff when your dumb ass does get sick or hurt.

So what do the crazy, treehugging liberals and progressives suggest?

What we suggest is Medicare for All- a Medicare part E- for Everyone.

I could go to the social security office and say, "I'd like Medicare E, please". I'd fill out the forms and for the cost of what Ward, Edna and Joe pay ('round about $100 per month), I'd have insurance.

Read it again. Medicare recipients are NOT getting "FREE healthcare"- their Medicare premiums are deducted from their checks every month. We also have a supplemental policy to cover what Medicare doesn't for Ward (another $150 per month, but in the FREE Market he's completely un-insurable for any cost).

Medicare E- Medicare for everyone, would be what is known as a "Single Payer Option".

That's the really important part that got left out of the original ACA (aka Obamacare, which is really just a way to remind people that no matter how many good things it does for millions of people, it's the bastard baby of that black man who sits in the Oval Office even though he's a Muslim Kenyan).

Single Payer Option.

It'd be run by the government, like Medicare, Medicaid and the VA- all run with extreme leanness and efficiency.

That's the "single payer" part.

It would also be Optional. As in, "Yes, I'd like it" or, "No thanks, I'll keep my Blue Cross". That's what "option" means. You don't HAVE to do it.

Medicare Part E would NOT be the end of the Free world and the beginning of the Mark of the Beast. It's an option. A choice. Like free people have. Choices.

Of course, the most dreamy-eyed of us Lefties would prefer Universal Health Care- paid for by TAXES. Yes, TAXES.

"But if I don't get sick or hurt, why should *I* pay for someone else?"

How about because it's the right thing to do- like we pay school taxes happily even though we home school. We pay school taxes, property taxes (that pay for things like roads and firemen and policemen and libraries and parks and whatnot), taxes that say, in effect, "HERE- we value the things that make a civilized society- good roads, safe schools, access to books and trees and HEALTH CARE".

I added up how much we pay JUST in premiums every year- $9,600 for the 3 of us.
We make just under $60,000 per year.
We pay 15% of our income to insurance premiums (not even counting the co-pays and deductibles).
PLEEEEEZE shut down every stinking for-profit insurance company, install a Universal Health Care program that covers everyone no matter what, and instead of paying 15% of our income to the insurance companies who are businesses and try very hard to DENY our usage of those policies, tax us 10% and cover everyone.

"It'll never work".

Yes. Yes, it will. It's up and working in every single civilized country in the world and it works magnificently.

For half a decade I've been preaching all of the above, and people listen to me, nod their heads, smile and ask, "Yes, dear- but how will we PAY for it?" even after I explain step by step and dollar for dollar EXACTLY HOW THE FUCK WE CAN PAY FOR IT.

Makes me just a little irritable, it does.

And yes, we are a country in debt. Wanna fix it?

-cut back on the military

-remove all corporate and finance loopholes

-tax the churches

*voila*