TheWiseOldFart

Republicans are wrong about nearly everything in the 21 st century. The biggest pile of bullshit they try to feed the American people is the lie about Social Security and Medicare: they are not entitlements. There are several definitions of the term, none of which apply to the programs Social Security and Medicare. [The right to receive a benefit or privilege, often granted by law or contract. For example, you have a legal entitlement to speak to a lawyer if you are arrested.] [The feeling that you deserve to receive something, without having to work for it or earn it. For example, "celebrities who have an arrogant sense of entitlement"] [A program that provides benefits to a specific group of people. For example, medical aid for the elderly and poor.] Fact: Social Security was originally entirely funded by the employer and employee through payroll deductions. Medicare was similar, although the percentage of deductions were smaller, and there was no way to anticipate the rid...

These two articles appear to have no relationship to the other. However, the truth is, they fit like a hand in a glove. “Trump backtracks on vow to lower grocery costs” “Mark Zuckerberg donates $1M to Trump after suppressing political content” I hate social media. Most Americans will believe anything if it fits closely with their own, uninformed beliefs. Mark Zukerberg, the owner of “Facebook/Meta, strongly supports Trump for one reason: Trump gives tax breaks to billionaires. However, he has no interest in the truth. This may surprise you, but the truth is, if Trump’s lips are moving, he’s lying. Not once in his lifetime has he told the truth in public. Now, let’s put one and one together. Trump will do nothing to lower the prices of necessities. However, everything will become more expensive if he places huge tariffs on imported goods. Billionaires own the corporations which produce our food and other necessary goods to maintain life. Zuckerberg is a billionaire. Need I say...

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart I began working in 1962, at the age of 16. The owner of a gas station across the street from my church hired me for one dollar an hour. I was scheduled to work 13 hours on Saturdays. No such thing as overtime. I pumped gas, checked the oil level, made sure the batteries were filled with fluid, washed windows, and made our customers feel welcome. Inside the bay I changed oil, lubricated the undercarriage of cars and trucks, and repaired tires. I was never without a job after that first day at the gas station, with the exception of time spent in the U.S. Air Force until I was let go in 2008 from my job in a warehouse as America experienced the “great recession.” I looked for work for a while, but at the age of 62, no one offered me a position. Then, early in 2009 I saw an ad seeking individuals to work in the 2010 decennial census. I won’t bore you with the details, but my time in the working world ended before the last two months of 2010 became history. I had wor...

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart I have no doubt that the brass in the Pentagon is pleased and proud that the government of the United States spends five-times more money on its military budget than all other nations combined. But why does our government continue to raise the Pentagon’s annual budget when it wastes 50 cents of every dollar they receive? (The latter according to several “watchdog groups.”) We are a nation which is constantly preparing for the next war. However, there are no plans for permanent peace. It is undeniable that if a third World War begins, it will end with the complete destruction of our planet. So, why does our military continue to pay for the manufacture of machines to fight ground wars? Not a single “conventional war” has been fought since WWII. Let me offer one classic example of military waste and plans for spending even more taxpayer dollars on equipment which will likely do nothing but gather dust until a new version comes along. Our military has about 3,700 Br...

Op -ed by TheWiseOldFart   Most Americans Continue to Struggle   I begin with a serious question: when will the quality of life for all Americans become the focus of our nation’s government? I am an original baby boomer. I learned at a very young age that the end of WWII was the beginning of the next military conflict for America. As long as I can remember, our government and its military have been preparing for the next war.   America has Never Prepared for Peace   The truth is that in 2024, the American people pay the least amount of tax in the world of developed nations. Many of our wealthiest citizens and largest corporations pay zero dollars in taxes, or a very minimal percentage of their gross income s . The truth is that the United States tax code is 6,871 pages long. Most of those pages are “loopholes” for the super-rich, allowing them to reduce their tax liability.   The United States Spends Five Times More on its Military than All Other Nations ...