What I stand for and what I won't
One of the most gratifying parts of Cleo's campaign has been hearing from all the supporters who support not just change, but change that would transform the nation.
It's fine for Barack Obama to call for restoring the balance between the rich and the poor, and for John McCain to drone on about "tax and spend" liberals. But these aren't the things that really need work. Cleo is the only candidate who stands for making things better, instead of just making them different. Who should get tax cuts? That's not the issue. We need to scrap the whole tax code, and start over. Instead of income, we should be taxing wealth by dramatically increasing estate taxes, instead of eliminating them. Let people keep what they earn, like John McCain says. But, at the same time, let's make sure that Barack Obama's vision of giving every generation an equal chance to succeed in this great country is also fullfilled. We can renew equal opportunity for every generation by seeing to it that every successful American's legacy passes to everyone, not just their next of kin.
Let's recognize that people who work for insurance companies are not doctors or nurses. We need a health care system where everyone who gets sick gets treatment. We can pay for it by telling insurance companies that they are no longer welcome to feed at the trough. A civilized nation in the 21st century does not allow people to die for lack of funds. That's all there is to it, and that's what Cleo Care is all about.
Cleo also supports taking back our currency from the banks and credit card companies who somehow managed to position themselves to tax every commercial transaction in the country. Shame on Democrats and Republicans for letting this happen. My thoughts on the subject are here.
As for bailing out Wall Street, it isn't necessary. No, Cleo is not against pumping money into the economy to get credit moving again, and she understands the need for regulation of greed. But Cleo is steadfastly opposed to doing the job by rewarding the self-same borrowers and lenders who got us into this mess. Within two hours of Hank Paulson's announcement that the sky is falling on Wall Street, Cleo proposed a bailout plan that would accomplish everything the Treasury Department's would, but with the benefits going to the citizenry instead of the fat cats. I suggest everyone read it before they vote. It's here. Barack, you haven't talked much about this one. Nevertheless, when you return to the Senate in November, Cleo looks forward to working with you on the issue. John, you just don't get it, do you? Or, are you just pandering and hoping no one else understands the issue either. Your plan to pay off the most upside-down mortgages is the dumbest thing Cleo has ever heard. How long did it take you to decide that all the money should go to the most irresponsible lenders and borrowers you could find, at the expense of the more responsible borrowers and lenders in the middle? Thank goodness no one listened to you when you rushed back to Washington.
Finally, let's invest in renewables. We can't afford to spend all our money on oil, foreign or domestic. Let's just get it done. And while we're on the subject, let's not forget that the biggest savings are in insulating our houses and finding ways to get to and from work without driving. Conservation is the short term answer, while we build the new energy economy. Iraq? Afghanistan? Take a stand for an independent Kurdistan, and stick by them. As for the Sunni and Shiite parts, we're just delaying the inevitable, and they aren't going to give us their oil anyway. We made a mistake, perhaps with the best intentions but a mistake nonetheless - let's admit it like we finally did in Viet Nam, and move on.