The American "Pipe" Dream!steemCreated with Sketch.

in #steemit3 years ago


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Hello, let me take a minute to introduce myself! I am an (almost) 50 year old American Man who has previously owned a Trucking Company and several Computer businesses. I served my country in the US Navy during Desert Storm. My father served in the Army during Vietnam and my sister served in the Air Force. You would think with a family history like ours we would not be suffering or struggling....WRONG! My father barely makes it by in Texas surviving on Disability (SSI) and VA Medical Care. Myself and my sister as well as her disabled "Autistic" son are so far behind on our bills it is ridiculous. Why? Well simply put the Politicians in America do not give a "FLYING RATS ASS" about us, the common people, the homeless, the vets.....they only care about themselves and the filthy rich.

I remember when I was a child my Grandfather was a preacher (single income household) and he lived in a nice home, drove nice cars and always had money in the bank. My godfather worked as an Architect (single income household) and lived in a nice house, drove nice cars and always had money in the bank. In fact in the 1970's almost every household was a single income household and lived very well.

I personally have been on my own since I was 14 years old. Even in the mid 80's I could live on a single income from a minimum wage job at McDonalds.....barely! Now a days with three adults in the household and two of them on Social Security (about $1500 a month) we can either pay rent or all our other bills.....but not all of it. We need 3 incomes just to make ends meet and 4+ incomes (out of 3 people) to have any chance of Getting Ahead.

Sadly, we are not an isolated example, we are the norm. Over 90% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck and are only 1 or 2 missed paychecks away from being homeless. We aren't just talking about the alcoholics, drug addicts or lazy people either. We are talking about the hard working backbone of American Society. The people without whom this country would collapse in weeks!

Many of you probably wonder why this is happening. Why you have to work so hard and be incredibly lucky just to survive. Well we have put a lot of thought and research into that very question. The simple matter of the fact is that laws are constantly being passed that "TAX THE POOR", "WIDEN THE GAP" or "PROTECT THE RICH" with little to no regard for the vast majority of American Citizens. Let me give you some examples:

  • The average American pays 28% tax on their wages, 10% sales tax when they spend their wages, more taxes on Gas/Cigarettes, property taxes, vehicle taxes (registration/tags), 35% taxes on winnings/inheritance/investments. All told the average American Family pays nearly 75% taxes on every dollar they earn whether they spend it, invest it or save it.
  • The average rich person/business (over $400,000 yearly income) pays less than 10% in total taxes.
  • The 380,000,000 million Americans earning below $400,000 yearly income pay 90+% of all the taxes collected by local/state/federal governments. Where as the 5,000,000 rich Americans/Companies pay less than 10% of all the taxes collected by local/state/federal governments.

Does that seem right/fair to you? Well it sure as hell doesn't to me or anyone I know. Sadly the United States of America, the richest country on Earth, has the lowest standard of living of any 1st or 2nd world country. Every other 1st or 2nd world country has some form of Universal Health Care, Guaranteed Income and drastically expanded (compared to ours) Social Programs. If you live in the UK, France, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark or most other 1st/2nd world countries you are guaranteed:

  • Healthcare
  • A place to live
  • Income to ensure you can cover your bills
  • Education if you can't earn enough to cover your bills without government assistance
  • Disability income (if you are unable to work) that exceeds your cost of living

Notice that almost all 1st/2nd world countries have determined that HEALTHCARE and A PLACE TO LIVE are RIGHTS and you are guaranteed those. However, in America the government doesn't care if you have HEALTHCARE or A PLACE TO LIVE.....Unless you are an immigrant they bring over (usually Illegally) then they give them money, a house, free healthcare, free daycare, a car, a business, etc.....but the hell with the American People, our Veterans or our Homeless!

There are quick and easy ways to fix this, to improve our Social Programs, to Offer Universal Healthcare (Medicaid to all) and to ensure no American Citizen is ever destitute or homeless again. Those include:

  • Abolish all tax codes in the country in favor of a Universal FLAT TAX of 35% on all income with no exemptions or exceptions. That would mean every single American citizen, business or entity would pay 35% taxes on every dollar they earned.....period. This alone would triple the amount of taxes collected each year on a federal level. Yes I said TRIPLE the Federal Governments Income.
  • Use the increased Tax Revenue to provide Medicaid to EVERY AMERICAN FOR FREE, as long as they/their household earns less than $400,000 a year. Also provide FREE 4 year college/technical school to every American whose household income is under $400,000 a year.
  • Immediately and permanently stop sending Federal Aide (Billions of Dollars) to other countries each year.
  • Use the former Federal Aide funds to bolster Social Security and give a 50% Cost of Living increase to every American on Social Security or Social Security Disability.
  • Immediately stop bringing 10's of thousands of Immigrants to the USA each year and use that money to build Affordable Housing for Low-Income Households (those earning less than $100,000 a year).
  • Increase the Minimum Wage (Nationally) to $15 an hour so that even the least skilled workers can survive on their own.
  • Abolish NASA. Giving 25% of their former annual budget to Private Companies (like SpaceX, Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic, etc. and use the remainder to build more low income homes.
  • Abolish the Department of Education and let each state manage it's own school systems. Spread the money spent annually by the Department of Education out among the states. This will allow for better schools, more technologically equipped schools and more extra-curricular activities at the schools.

As American Citizens we have the right to DEMAND CHANGE from our Government and Politicians. We deserve better from them and it is time we stand up and DEMAND OUR BASIC RIGHTS! No one in this country should ever go hungry, be homeless or not have adequate health care. NO ONE!

If you are an American Citizen then join me in fighting for our rights and sign this petition to demand Congress take us seriously!

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