ANALYSIS/OPINION:
The first function of all socioeconomic systems is to preserve themselves. This is what the politics and media support for our current supply-side importing system is demonstrating today.
It appears supply-side had its debut with the success of our aid in rebuilding post-war Japan. The question is, with Japan’s lack of natural resources, has our aid ever stopped? The practice of aiding third-world countries to undercut our domestic producers, while profitable for importers, has made us the world’s largest debtor nation.
Racism is the topic of choice to keep us divided, distracted and fighting among ourselves. Linking illegal immigrants to racial bias instead of their criminal actions has further divided the country. The drive to remove historical language and memorabilia from public observation negates the comparison of similar historic economic issues which triggered the American Civil War. Both systems are amoral, ill-serving to poor and average Americans and against the best interests of the country.
King Cotton and slavery were the basis of wealth for southern millionaires just as supply-side importing is the engine for today’s Wall Street billionaires. The sacrifice of soldiers on both sides during the Civil War was so great, both sides had to believe in what they were fighting for. Today’s contestants are partisan and either highly influenced or turned off by the media.
Though slavery is a troubling and painful topic, it was an important economic reality on this continent. To deny recognition of historical figures because they owned slaves or fought to maintain their economic advantage is a slippery slope. Many of our Founding Fathers and 18 of our presidents maintained slaves. These same patriots turned the world upside down on a path toward human rights, equality and democracy.
Reagan and Kemp, who fabricated our current trade and economic policy, both actively avoided hazardous military duty with their units during national emergencies. They designed this policy to outsource the jobs and income from American citizens while shortchanging our national treasury revenue, to dedicate our government to the wealth and well-being of their native California, supply-side billionaires and media and sports entertainers.
This policy must be changed to preserve our nation for future generations.
JOHN L. BOEHM
Orchard Park, N.Y.
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