Recently while reading several articles in some old (very, very old) small town newspapers, my mind was bent on going back to earlier times. As I looked at pictures of servicemen and their families gathered for their final farewells before departing for some foreign soil, many of them never to return, my heart was touched again as it had been decades earlier. But wait, I am getting ahead of the story.

The years were 1942-43. World War II was in full swing on all fronts. America had been brutally attacked like never before and thousands of our loyal service men had been killed at Pearl Harbor. We had been shocked almost beyond belief at the bombing. History has since proven that our leadership slept comfortably with not only their heads on their pillows but also with their heads in the sand.

As a young boy not yet in my teens, I heard the grownups talk about not being prepared, futile negotiations going on in Washington, not enough recognition of the dangers in the Pacific. I was a kid sitting on the back step in tattered jeans and paste-on-soles on my shoes. I couldn’t quite comprehend the significance of something happening to us so far away. Remember, no television, no internet, no cell phones. Each phone call had to go through the local operator who was the best “gossip” informant on the planet.

We were lucky to have a small Philco radio in the living room and could listen to the nightly war reports by Gabriel Heatter and by Walter Winchell on weekends. Both reports could be likened to a modern day Rush Limbaugh or news reporters on Fox News. There was instilled in adults and kids alike, reverence, respect and dedication to a life-long commitment to our troops and our beloved country. We all, without exception, felt deep patriotism in our hearts. We even heard about patriotism in Sunday school class and everywhere people gathered in our town, in every town, talk was about helping to keep America safe. Sad that this coming together as one nation was never equaled again until September 11, 2001.

I remember well going down to our local stream to gather old tires and cans, for a promise of a free movie pass, if we brought in 500 flattened tin cans, all paper removed and lids in a separate container. Metal was required for the war effort and kids could help, too. We were told to gather milkweed pods, which could be used to make parachutes. (I always thought this might have been a little propaganda to convince us kids that the contents of milkweed pods could be utilized to fight the war.)

Husbands who had worked hard to support their families were suddenly gone and women found themselves alone with a house or farm, kids and animals to care for and bills piling up. Almost overnight women were in bib overalls working in factories, building tanks, planes, munitions, and contributing to the war effort in whatever manner possible when their long shifts were over. They went home, cooked, cleaned, helped with chores and homework, keeping the home fires burning while dads were away fighting the enemy.

America also prayed. (Prayer was a respected value, still very much a part of family and community life.) Families prayed against the dreaded day when a folded flag might be presented to them by an officer who came to the front door with awful news. In churches and schools, Americans of every race, religion and political persuasion prayed for an early resolve to the war, prayed for our soldiers in harm’s way, prayed for all who were suffering from the ravages of a terrible war.

When I was 9 or 10 my parents took me to Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania to watch and honor the troops as they headed out after completing basic training. Hundreds of local folks lined the intersection of the road to Lebanon, Pennsylvania. We waited in respectful silence, almost reverently, as we looked down the road to Indiantown Gap. First we saw dark figures slowly appear in the distance, then, as they came nearer, we saw line after line of soldiers in perfect formation and cadence marching to the train station. Mothers held their little children closely, with tears flowing freely, sorrow for loved ones departing and pride in their courage and love for our country. Those departing soldiers kept their faces forward, not even glancing at wives, moms, dads or kids. Their entire focus was for the mission ahead, to protect our allies and stem the advance of the aggressors knowing that thousands would never return. What a life-long positive impression on a little kid in tattered overalls!

There are many faithful warriors living on Marco Island who some 70+ years later, remember their service and we remember, too. Hey guys, our hearts still skip a beat when we see you in a parade or at a ceremony honoring your service. We say a resounding thank you!! Long ago memories returned when I read of several young people ready to leave home and serve their country in their time. I said to my wife. “Oh, the system is taking some of our good guys and girls again.”

We are honored that young adults are still ready to fight a just cause and we pray their efforts will not be in vain and that their courage will be rewarded with brevity of service and safe return to their families. May we all pray as one, as we did so many years ago, for an end to war, an end to the need for such suffering and sacrifice. In some measure, we are still all family, when one is lost, we all grieve. God bless our men and women who served us in past wars and conflicts and those brave young people who are called upon to serve now.

During the next month, over four million students will be graduating from various schools, colleges, and universities across our land. As you listen to your commencement speakers’ addresses, I’m sure some of you will be focused more on receiving your diploma and the summer freedom that awaits, than on the advice that will be given. I’m sure many of you are curious about what you will hear. Will the speaker hold your attention and will the message make a difference in how you govern your future?

I thought of the numerous graduation ceremonies I was forced to endure. I wondered what I could write that would inspire you to succeed. I wanted to echo the words of those who stood before me to deliver their commencement addresses. I wanted to tell you that your opportunities are limitless, that the world is yours to conquer. I wanted to ensure you that further education, hard work, and determination will guarantee your success within your chosen vocation.  I know all who love you, sincerely believe each of you will go on to live successful and rewarding lives that will be a tribute to your schools, communities, and your families.

As much as I would like to say this, you and I know better, for when you graduate and leave, you’re not entering Disneyland, you are entering a complex world that will ensure your journey will not be an easy one.

Since commencement is a beginning, I decided to write what I wish I had heard in my commencement address, the truth about what awaits you in the world that lies beyond the protective gates of your institution; what I believe you need to know to succeed and make a difference. And, what you must do to establish an indelible impression and leave a lasting legacy.

Let me tell you of the world my classmates and I entered in 1965 to illustrate the dramatic changes that can evolve during one’s lifetime, and the enormity of the tasks that lay ahead for you.

In the mid 60’s, the majority of Americans trusted our government, for America was the most admired and respected country on our planet. There was co-operation and compromise within and among the various branches of government, which were far less influenced by special interest groups. We had our share of self-serving politicians, but we also had admirable ‘statesmen,’ who placed the interests of our country first, above regional issues. There was respect and co-operation between the public and private sectors of our economy, for each knew the other had a distinctive role in maintaining our standard of living, guiding us through business cycles, and protecting our nation’s security and sovereignty. Jobs were more plentiful, and there was a mutual bond of loyalty between employers and employees. There was far less disparity between the rich and poor. Government was fiscally and monetarily more prudent. Both political parties showed a degree of compassion for the sick, elderly and poor, who were truly unable to care for themselves. Our nation had admirable leaders and honorable role models in every facet of society, from the pulpit to the school grounds, from the studios of Hollywood to the fields of sport, from the halls of Congress to the chambers of our city councils, and from the battlefields of conflict to the offices housing advocates for peace.

Most admired of all, were our moms and dads, not the Hiltons, Lohans, Kardashians, and the Snookies of the world. For the most part, Americans were respectful of the office of the presidency, regardless of who occupied the White House. Most middle-income families could own a home, because most had a decent income and because the majority of middle class workers had funded pension and health plans. Terror was not a global phenomenon or national threat, but something experienced in the movie theater. Global warming, globalization, and outsourcing were unknown terms and, therefore, of no concern. Most thought of war solely as a last resort and waged to save lives, restore stability, guard humanity, and protect our nation’s sovereignty.

America is the greatest nation that has ever existed on our planet. But, we have lost our way. My generation of ‘Baby Boomers,’ the group of Americans born between 1946 and 1964, followed one of the most selfless, altruistic, industrious generations. They endured the great depression of 1929, weathered the droughts and famine of the mid-west dust bowl of the 30’s, and survived two world wars. They were a generation that lived moderately, sacrificed greatly, and rid the world of the evil tyrants of the early 20th century who sought to exterminate entire races and dehumanize millions more. They valued and guarded life, dreaded war, and were reluctant to place America’s forces in harm’s way. They eradicated most of the diseases that plagued their children, discovered some of the greatest inventions of their time, and even placed men on the moon.

But they were a generation that wanted to ensure their children would not have to sacrifice and do without. And, although they meant well, they often over compensated by giving us the best life had to offer.

Initially, ‘Baby Boomers’ were politically active and conscious of our environment and the less fortunate among us. But, we slowly transformed from a humane, concerned, peace-seeking generation to one anxious to over achieve, and over indulge. We had to have it all, which is all right, if you can afford to do so. Middle income ‘boomers’ bought into the trickle down theory of economics and tried to emulate the rich by purchasing multiple cars, extravagant residences, and numerous vacation homes. We evolved from a generation that championed righteous causes like civil rights and unjust wars that were too important and big to fail, to one that promoted unfettered capitalism, which created banks and other large corporations like GM and AIG that were, and are, too big to fail, now, evidently, too big to jail!

We lived far above our means and allowed our government to go unchecked. We became preconditioned and predisposed to war, complacent and indifferent to our elected representatives’ behavior, and increasingly apathetic and insensitive to the hardships of our ‘fellowman.’ We protected and placed our revered armed forces in countries that failed to defend themselves, were disrespectful toward our country and our citizens, or did not seek or want our protection or intervention. We exhausted precious resources abroad, while ignoring those in need at home. We continually provided money and arms to both sides in conflict regardless of the consequences. We worried about rebuilding infrastructures that we destroyed in war, while failing to repair our crumbling highways, bridges, dams, and energy grids at home. We sought to educate those abroad, but were disinterested in modernizing curricula and schools at home. We sought to reform the economies of other nations, but failed to make the necessary modifications to strengthen our own. We helped the World Bank eliminate the liabilities of other nations, but failed to rid ourselves of our debt. We preached equality abroad, but were unwilling to follow the same standards at home. (Our Congress couldn’t even pass the fundamental right of equal pay for equal work for women.) We engaged in unfunded wars that polarized our nation, and massive unfunded tax cuts that widened the gap between the ultra rich and poor.

We failed to heed the words of one of our greatest forefathers, Thomas Jefferson, who said, “It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debt as it goes.” We amassed spiraling deficits and an unsustainable national debt that prohibits robust growth, mortgages your future, and may very well, one day threaten our nation’s security and sovereignty. Our behavior has stripped my generation of the empowerment we felt and experienced in our early years that enabled us to believe that we could challenge the establishment, change the status quo, and make a difference. In doing so, we further tainted and skewed the inadequacies, injustices, and inequities we questioned and hoped to change.

Changes are being made, but much more needs to be done. President Kennedy said in 1961, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” My generation believed in this once, but many among us have lost our way. You will not have this luxury. Your generation will not only have to bear the consequences of our over indulgence, complacency, and indecisiveness, you will have to right the ship and select the course that will strengthen our economy, fortify our defenses and unite a polarized populace. It will be your daunting task to make America once again, the nation that all others admire and wish to emulate, a nation which draws and welcomes the most talented and gifted to our shores. You will have to do this while dealing with global civil unrest, terror threats from abroad and within, escalating costs in education and healthcare, a sparse and extremely competitive job market, structural under-employment, and, proliferation of nuclear weaponry in hostile nations governed by irrational tyrants who threaten our very existence.

This is the world that awaits you. This is the world that will look to you for leadership and guidance. Do not lose your sense of empowerment. Don’t be complacent and governed by greed and materialism. Do not give up your ideals and the belief that you can make a better world by changing the status quo, and correcting the inadequacies, injustices, and inequities that you have inherited.

I think I’ve painted a clear picture of the world you are about to enter, and the task that lies ahead. As for what it will take to make an indelible impression and a lasting legacy for the generations to follow, you will have to emulate the example of the selfless, altruistic, industrious generation that preceded mine. You will have to endure the aftermath of our opulent lifestyle and a half-century of war. You will have to invent technologies that weather future droughts and famines brought on by climatic changes. You will have to rid our nation of deficits and debt, and immoral government and corporate behavior. You will have to be more tolerant, respectful, civil and compassionate toward your fellow man and less tolerant of government bureaucracy. You will have to be more watchful of your elected representatives and more attentive to current affairs. You will have to protect our nation from tyrants who wish to destroy democracy and diminish our sovereignty, while being far more discreet when placing our troops in harm’s way. You must become more appreciative of the gift of life and the precious love of family and friends

Your commencement is the beginning of another chapter in your life, a time when you can commit to make the most of your talents. Don’t become one who despondently looks back in 50 years and says, should have, could have, or would have.

Former President Bill Clinton said, “there is nothing wrong with America that can’t be fixed with what’s right.” Former President George W. Bush said, “we are not limited by what we have done, or what we have left undone. We are limited by what we are willing to do.”

I ask you to think of all that is right in America, and what you are willing to do to fix all that is wrong. Remember, your legacy will not be measured by what you amassed, but rather by what you gave. You are the future of America, and your actions will determine if our country will become a footnote in time, as have numerous great powers that preceded us, or if  America is to remain the most admired nation on our planet.

Heed the words of John Kennedy to go forth and take control of your destiny and do your part to make our country the envy of all other nations. Unlike any other species on this planet, we, in most cases, have the ability to determine how we are going to live our lives. I simply challenge each of you to live it with passion, dignity, honor and integrity.

We at Coastal Breeze News congratulate you and your loved ones on your achievement. We hope each of you live productive, exciting, fulfilling lives, and that, in the years to come, you and your families are blessed with good health, much happiness, continued success and well-earned prosperity. May God bless each and every one of you, and may He give you the strength and courage to “stay the course.”

One very hot day I was sitting on my front step here on Marco Island. It was almost 12PM when the mail carrier stopped in front of my mailbox, shutting off the engine of his little vehicle because he had a box to deliver that was too large to put in our mailbox. After putting the box on the front porch, we chatted for a few minutes about the sad state of the current business climate in our country, both public and private.

The mail carrier returned to his vehicle. (Let’s call him Jim.) Jim, upon trying to start his vehicle, found it had a dead battery. It happens a lot with summer heat. I offered him my jumper cables but he responded. “Oh no, that’s against Union Rules. I’m not allowed to accept the offer.”

Jim followed proper protocol and called his office supervisor. When she answered the phone, her response was not only curt but downright rude to an employee who was following union rules to the letter. She responded. “What do you think you are doing, this is my day off?” Whoopee, that’s really helpful! She continued to say, “call so and so, she should be back by about 1:15.”  That was at least an hour away.

Jim and I talked for all that time, his truck parked at my mailbox. About 1:30 PM, the Assistant Manager called Jim, her lengthy lunch finally over. “Oh,” was her response. “I’ll call the Roll-back and have them come and get the vehicle.” About 30 minutes later the Roll-back arrived on the scene. It turned out I sorta knew the driver and after greeting each other, I said to him. “For gosh sakes, all he needed to finish his day was a new battery.”

“We are not allowed by the Union to do anything but pick up the vehicle.” He recalled that at one time he could bring a battery charger, charge it in 15 minutes and everyone would be happy and on their way. The Union Rules stopped all that.

The rest of the story comes from Jim, the mail truck driver, and the Roll-back driver. The Roll-back driver transported the little mail truck to the local post office yard. The Supervisor there had to call the Maintenance Supervisor in Fort Myers, some sixty miles away.  The Maintenance Supervisor then sent a designated person to analyze and confirm the problem. After due consideration, the designated person returned to Fort Myers, a 120 mile round trip, filled out a report, gave it to his Office Manager. The Office Manager had to review the report so no waste would occur, designate a mechanic from the Fort Myers postal facility to bring a battery to the site, install it, start the truck for Jim and then the mechanic had to return to Fort Myers, another 120 mile round trip. A total of 240 miles to accomplish the task and I am not making any of this up!

In the meantime Jim was delayed two and one half hours before he finally completed his “appointed rounds” at an overtime rate of $40 per hour and the Post Office says it is going broke!! Shame, shame on such a wasteful system. Perhaps it is time to reassess the power of unions and return our government to sound business practices, one service at a time.

The entire dead battery debacle is estimated to have cost the taxpayer from $2,000 to $2,500. Food for thought? I think so.

By Roy Eaton

America is the greatest nation, but we have temporarily lost our way, for we have strayed from the inherent qualities that have made us the envy of most other countries. We lack empathy for our fellow man, civility in our actions, restraint from entering conflict, and the will and resourcefulness to solve complex problems through negotiation. In addition, our complacency, lack of self-discipline, inability to compromise, and propensity for greed have decimated our economy and tainted our image as the indisputable guiding light of democracy and capitalism. We must correct our present course by reorganizing our priorities, restraining the arbitrary use of our military might and exercising prudent monetary and fiscal policy.

It is often said that healthcare providers must care for themselves first, or they will be of little use to those who look to them for assistance. The same can be said of America in regard to our allies. No longer can we direct resources to other nations while depriving Americans at home. No longer can we continue to place our forces in harm’s way to defend regimes that do not desire or warrant our assistance, or dishonor and threaten our people. And no longer can we place the welfare of other nations ahead of our own.

America’s greatest immediate threat is our national debt, which continues to mount and is rapidly approaching a sum that will soon make it impossible for future revenues to service the indebtedness which threatens our nation’s sovereignty. We recently avoided an economic meltdown because depressed economic conditions allowed the FED to artificially hold interest rates at historically low levels, and because our recent recession coincided with the end of a 26 year downward interest rate cycle. However, if nothing is done to increase revenues and reduce our liabilities and a new upward interest rate cycle were to begin and rates were to reach their modern historical average of 6.9%, America would surely be on the brink of economic Armageddon. If rates were to ever approach the double digit rates of the 70’s that saw prime rates peak at 21.5%, our economy would collapse, and along with it, the economies of most of the remaining world. Considering the seriousness of our situation and the consequences that a potential United States default could one day trigger, Congress should be far more concerned with passing reforms that will prevent such a catastrophic event from happening; modifications constructed to raise revenues and reduce expenditures, eliminate annual deficits and reduce our spiraling national debt. If our legislative branch passes reforms that are fair and productive and are in the best interests of all Americans and not the special interests that currently have undue influence on Congress, Americans will be far more supportive of changes that require sacrifice.

It is possible Congress chooses not to formulate constructive legislation because they hope to avoid blame should their decisions lead to a further destabilization of markets and a continued disintegration of public confidence, although this is hard to believe considering the low esteem we currently have for our elected representation. It is conceivable that close affiliations with lobbyists have provided our representatives with a false sense of security that allows them to believe their economic welfare is cushioned from such a cataclysmic economic implosion. We know a substantial number are more concerned with party-lines than in bi-partisan cooperation. Perhaps, as in the past, they think default could never happen if they remain deadlocked and do nothing. But, if the latter is the most likely cause, they need only to look to debt-ridden Southern Europe; to Greece, Portugal, Spain, Ireland, and Italy, or to the city of Detroit, which faces bankruptcy, since it appears unable to continue to service its debt. It is my belief we simply overestimate our representatives’ ability to solve problems, because most members of Congress are politicians rather than ‘statesmen’ and are simply incompetent and incapable of developing and negotiating rational solutions to complex problems. Whatever the reasons, Congress has avoided compromise and prevented rational and fiscally prudent legislation from being passed, making most members appear unworthy of the offices to which they were elected.

Our indebtedness is not our only concern. We face growing threats from abroad from Iran and North Korea, and from radical Islamic terror groups like Al Qaeda, which threatens the safety of our people and our allies, and have added trillions of dollars to our debt. And, we are hesitant to address the inappropriate conduct of one of our largest trading partners and holders of US debt, because we do not wish to offend China, a country that one day may become our greatest military adversary.

Our dangers are not solely from abroad. We are a polarized nation, politically divided on immigration and wealth distribution, on healthcare and entitlements, and between those who favor an omniscient Federal government and those who prefer greater state control. Centuries of mistrust and resentment may one day again erupt in civil conflict if our representatives are unable to work together to re-balance power and resolve conflicts in a way that will pacify our two major parties and unify our great nation. States must realize that a population of over 300 million requires a strong federal government to defend our people, deal with catastrophic climatic events, and care for our sick, poor, and elderly. The Federal Government must recognize that there is a constitutionally mandated balance of power which delegates authority to states to self-govern, and that they must to do so within the limitations of a balanced budget.

Dysfunctional government is not our only internal concern, for government alone can not address and rectify our growing debt. The public and private sectors of our economy must work in harmony because each is dependent on the other as our economy periodically transitions between expansions and contractions. But extreme, immoral behavior by either sector is no longer acceptable. Rampant spending must be reined in and unfettered capitalism disallowed. The public and private sectors   must work together to create jobs that give workers and their families the money required to purchase goods and services, for demand is the machine that drives the economy, although supply-side economists would like you to believe differently. Driven partially by greed and the lack of clear direction from government, banks and big corporations are hoarding more cash than during any time in history. In order for this money to be reinvested in the economy, it is imperative that Congress provide the leadership and clarity required to maintain fiscal discipline and encourage growth.

America is slowly absorbing the economic consequences of unfunded spending on two wars and a massive tax cut. If we fail to care for our sick, poor, and elderly who are truly incapable of caring for themselves, we will increase civil anxiety. If we do not reduce our debt to enable us to honor the entitlements to which hard working Americans contributed and expect compensation, we will have civil unrest. And, if we don’t reduce the great disparity between the ultra rich and the remaining population, we will have civil war.

In 2009, the top 400 people in America had amassed $1.27 trillion in wealth, while the bottom 50% had less than 1.22 trillion in assets. Less than 1% of the wealthiest Americans have amassed more wealth than the bottom 50% of our general population.  It is estimated that by 2050, the sum of our current minorities will become the majority. If this does occur, our greatest threat will be from within, because such wealth disparity in prior great civilizations has resulted in a total restructuring of governments.

Revenues alone will not mend the economy, firm markets, and address our indebtedness. To rid ourselves of debt, we must reduce obscene asset inequality and modernize entitlements to honor past commitments and ensure their continuance. An immediate collective effort must be made to reform our tax code, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Universal Healthcare, and Immigration programs. Reforms must be incrementally implemented that reduce entitlement spending, which has doubled since the 1960’s, in a manner that honors prior commitments made to those who have funded these programs for years with the promise of future redemption. The amendments should be rear-loaded, which will not stall our recovery, but will have long term ramifications that will guide us on a path to prosperity.

President Obama and Congress must decide if they want to modify our existing progressive tax code or revert to a flat tax. If they favor our current code, which is overly complicated, cumbersome, and fosters “irrational individual behavior and corporate avoidance,” then unfair and irrational loopholes that solely favor the rich and special interests must be abolished. Should a flat tax be considered the fairest method, all taxpayers must be treated equally by having one standard deduction of $50,000 regardless of personal circumstances. Congress should not give consideration to a European-style sales tax that penalizes goods and services at every stage of production and dramatically impacts the least affluent.

Most post WWII ‘Baby Boomers’ who began working in the early 1960’s began receiving Social Security checks in 2008. We as a nation, have a moral obligation to guarantee these checks will continue. Misuse of funds, an expansion in life expectancy, and spousal withdrawals have destabilized the integrity of the fund. To guarantee future benefits, one month should be added to a worker and spouse’s retirement age from 55 downward so that a 19 year old entering the workforce will qualify for full retirement at age 70. All retirees must accumulate 40 quarters of payroll contributions to qualify for retirement income. Those who have not qualified under their own merit, but wish to receive retirement income should be required to have their working spouse contribute an additional 50% of their payroll contribution for each missing quarter to reach the required quarter limit. Surviving spouses, regardless of age, should immediately qualify for death benefit income at the time of the working spouse’s death. Workers with incomes exceeding one million dollars should be subject to a 3% payroll surtax.

Healthcare expenditures account for nearly 17% percent of our current GNP and must be curtailed, because they are damaging to consumers, to businesses, and to local, state, and the Federal Government which funds employee healthcare programs. They are a drag on our economy, reduce our economic competitiveness, and divert monies from other crucial programs in need of funding. Congress should act immediately to streamline costs by combining Medicaid and ‘Obamacare’ with Medicare, establishing a single-payer, cost-effective, efficient system that will reduce fraud and deceptive practices and eliminate unnecessary procedures and hospital emissions. The new Universal system must reward individuals who make healthy lifestyle changes and schools that add health classes, increase cardiovascular activity in gym classes, and introduce after-school intramural sport programs. By pooling and simplifying healthcare, standardizing costs and placing it under the jurisdiction of one administration, it will lower expenses, substantially reduce premiums, and increase compensation to physicians and healthcare workers who actually provide a medical-related service.

There is no doubt that our immigration policy has been a complete disaster. But, it is ridiculous to think that we can expel over 10 million undocumented inhabitants, many of whom have deep roots within society. Nor can we allow future unrestricted mass migrations to our borders, for such massive influxes burden our schools and education budgets, strain community resources and infrastructures, tax emergency care centers, disrupt voting processes, and pose serious concerns pertaining to social behavior and crime. We must take control of our borders and address the path to naturalization for all who await, or wish to seek citizenship. And, we must expel those with felonious records, punish employers who hire undocumented workers, and levy sanctions against countries that refuse to abide by our laws of immigration or fail to readily accept those we deport back to their native lands.

Reforms are not the only matters that need to be addressed to strengthen our economy and ensure our sovereignty. Globalization and outsourcing have taken most manufacturing and a good number of service jobs overseas. Currently, companies are slowly beginning to return to our shores, because shipping and labor costs abroad are beginning to rise, while labor costs at home have remained stagnant. But, many of these jobs have been replaced with robots or other forms of automation. Some say we need a new paradigm to boost our economy. This may be true, but, in the meantime the one area that doesn’t require robotics and should never be outsourced is internal investment. Since the 1960’s, government investments in infrastructure are down 50%. It is estimated that by the year 2020, America will experience a 40% shortfall in infrastructure spending. We can increase employment and strengthen our economy by fully developing both our exhaustible and renewable sources of energy, by investing in technologies that enable us to better allocate natural resources including our precious water and energy supplies, by improving the quality of education, and by repairing, expanding, and modernizing our schools, roads, dams, bridges, high-rises, and power grids. And we can continue to modernize our military forces to prepare for the day when future superpowers may test our resolve.

Thomas Jefferson said, “It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debt as it goes.” Our country’s leadership has continually failed to heed the advice of one of our greatest ‘founding fathers.’ It is time we address our liabilities for we have mortgaged the future of countless generations to follow and jeopardized the future sovereignty of our great nation.

Jefferson also said, “The greatest good we can do our country it to heal party divisions and make them one people.” It is not too late to heed these words as well and put our country’s welfare ahead of party-lines. But, time is running out. As FED Chairman Ben Bernanke told Congress, “The best time to start addressing the problem was 10 years ago. There is still time to fix it. But, ignoring the problem-just like hanging up on the debt collector-is not a great thing to do.” Let us not ignore our debt collector, for we will not be prepared for the economic and political consequences that follow.

By Roy Eaton

There is no doubt that our immigration policy has been a complete disaster. It is estimated that over the last several decades, between 7 and 20 million immigrants have entered our country illegally, although 10 million is the most widely accepted estimate. Ironically, several of the most vocal among us, who express utter contempt for their presence and wish to immediately expel undocumented individuals from our shores, are often the same ones who looked away when immigrants crossed our borders, because they were in need of their services. Neither political party can escape blame as well, for members among both parties sought to either enhance their electoral base, or reap the benefits of cheap labor.

It is ludicrous and unjust to think that we can expel over 10 million inhabitants, most of whom have families and deep roots within society. Nor can we continue to ignore the fact that at least 10 million people have broken the law that has, for centuries, been followed by immigrants who also sought opportunity and refuge in our great nation, but selected the legal path to citizenship. Our immigration laws were constructed to allow an orderly entrance into America, which included preventing criminals from entering our borders and the means and time for immigrants to learn our language, history, and culture and to assimilate into society. Many believe this massive circumvention of law has strained our judicial and penal systems, has deprived the government of billions of dollars in payroll and income taxes, has strained our healthcare system, and has dire economic and social ramifications yet to be fully realized. Americans are divided on the subject. Some want all immigrants to follow the due course to citizenship, while others believe violators should be deported to their native lands. But, there is a growing number of Americans who believe that immigration reform is required to properly address the non-citizen issue in order to expeditiously direct undocumented individuals toward a simpler, less intimidating path to citizenship, which will allow their wholehearted assimilation into our general population. Before this can occur, most Americans agree that in order to prevent such a mass influx from occurring in the future, government must secure our borders and strictly control migration from foreign lands.

Before I address the issue of immigration reform, I wish to direct attention to a few of the facts and myths pertaining to undocumented immigrants living within our borders. Many Americans believe that those who have entered our country illegally pay no taxes. This is incorrect for a vast majority pay consumer taxes such as sales taxes and property taxes, and between 50-60 percent have payroll taxes deducted from their pay checks. Collectively, undocumented immigrants have contributed over 7 billion to Social Security, even though they are not eligible to collect benefits. It is a general misconception that the majority of undocumented immigrants cannot speak English, for 67% speak our language fluently. It is also a mistaken belief that those who have entered our country illegally make up the greatest percent of incarcerated criminals, because according to the National Institute of Corrections, native residents make up the greatest percent of our prison population. Most Americans believe that nearly all undocumented immigrants are of Mexican heritage. Although they represent the fastest growing segment in our population, only 57% of undocumented immigrants are of Mexican heritage.

During prosperous times, migration from foreign lands is driven by employer demand as people follow the jobs and travel to America, the “land of opportunity.” While economic expansion attracts, periods of economic contraction can slow immigration. It is not unusual to see migrations from specific geographic areas such as those which occurred from Europe during the 19th Century, or from particular countries like Ireland after the “Great Potato Famine” of 1845, when a potato blight destroyed their staple food crop, from China during 1865-1869 to work on our Transcontinental Railroad, and from South Vietnam and Cuba during the last half of the 20th century to escape communist rule and persecution. Because of our shared boundary, America’s previous housing boom, split families living on opposite sides of the border, deplorable living conditions, and drug cartel violence, it is not difficult to understand why such a massive migration from Mexico took place during the latter part of the 20th century and first decade of the 21st century.

I am not condoning illegal entry, but rather trying to explain the aberration that occurred, especially from 2000-2005 when 8 million people migrated to America, 3.7 million of whom entered illegally, a number far greater than during any 5 year period of time in our history. Although the vast majority of undocumented entrees were from Mexico, large percentages were from Brazil and India.

The United States has been accused, by some nations, of being prejudicial and anti- immigration, which is ironic since America was colonized by immigrants, and in 2006 alone, America accepted more legal migrants than the remaining countries of the world combined. The problems that most Americans have with massive, unrestricted, illegal migrations are real and understandable. Such unplanned influxes lead to concentration of settlements, which burdens our schools and educational budgets, strains community resources and infrastructures, and taxes emergency care centers. It also disrupts our voting processes, and poses serious concerns pertaining to social behavior and crime.

Suggested Immigration Reforms

What must be done to reform illegal immigration is fivefold. First, we must take control of our borders. If we cannot screen and restrict who enters our country, than there is no need to further address the problem, because illegal immigration will remain a rampant, unmanageable problem. Secondly, we must address the path to citizenship for those living within our borders. If undocumented immigrants fear disclosure, they will remain in the shadows, continuing to derive income from unrecorded sources, while failing to properly integrate into society. Thirdly, we must do thorough background checks and expel those who have felonious criminal records. Fourthly, we must economically punish employers who hire undocumented workers. Lastly, we must levy sanctions against countries that attempt to deport felonious citizens to our shores, refuse to abide by our laws of immigration, and fail to readily support our deportation of those who either entered our country illegally or have committed violent crimes while awaiting the granting of U.S. citizenship.

It is estimated that the nautical coastline of America’s 50 states is 12,383 miles. The combined land borders with Mexico and Canada, excluding Alaska, is approximately 3,471 miles, for a total border length of 15,854 miles. The number of U.S. border agents is 21,441, or roughly 1 per 2.2 miles per shift if evenly distributed. But, eighty-six percent of the total force is located on our southern border, leaving 3002 agents to cover 13,921 miles, or one agent per 13.9 miles if evenly distributed per shift. In a post 9/11 age when our country endures immigration surge and escalating terrorists threats from abroad, it is obvious that additional manpower is needed to curb unlawful immigration and reduce the threat of a terrorist attack. Our country has withdrawn from Iraq and is in the process of withdrawing from Afghanistan. In 2012, the unemployment rate for returning troops departing from active duty was approximately 13%. Many of these veterans are deactivated national guardsmen who could be assigned to border patrol, which would firm up security, dramatically reduce illegitimate immigration, and lower unemployment.

By executive action, President Obama recently put in place a stop-gap measure which allows illegal immigrants under the age of 30, who have no criminal records, came to this country before the age of 16, are students, or have completed high school, or are vets in good standing, to remain in the country. This is a start, but does not address the remaining members of the families who wish to stay, but live in fear of deportation

To fulfill citizenship requirements, our President and Congress must devise a fast-track method to facilitate and expedite the naturalization process so families can live without fear, and qualified applicants can be properly integrated into our society with an understanding of our culture and history, and a mastering of our language. Comprehensive integration will eliminate the shadow economy that circumvents fair wages and minimizes the chances of securing a decent standard of living and a higher level of education, prerequisites for a human being to develop a sense of security, an enhancement in social standing, and the development of a sense of national pride, requirements for a person to be a productive member of society. In the long term, proper assimilation will reduce the need for Medicaid and increase contributions to our tax base, and to our Social Security, Medicare, and universal health care systems. It will also permit those who have paid payroll taxes to qualify for benefits such as Medicare and Social Security as long as they can prove that they have filed and paid income tax on all prior earnings. It should also include a provision to allow those who have not done so to be given the opportunity to pay back-taxes on unreported income. And, it should provide a provision for allowing the elderly and those with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease to be exempt from restrictive language mastering requirements.

We cannot allow those who have entered our country legally to be by-passed for following the accepted path. Legal and undocumented immigrants without a criminal record should be required, within a three month period, to petition the Federal Government for a Pending Naturalization Certificate. If the background check is clear of felonious conviction here and abroad, a certificate will be issued. Failure to file a petition or disclose a felony conviction will result in the immediate removal of the applicant from our academic systems and from any local, state, and federal assistance programs. Vehicle and professional licenses will be nullified, and proceedings will be expedited to deport felons and non-participating, undocumented immigrants from our borders. Any applicant who is convicted of a felony during the naturalization process will also face immediate deportation.

Applicants who participate in this program will be allowed to remain in school and in any government assistance program in which they are currently enrolled. Under this program, all immigrants will be allowed to seek employment and apply for vehicle and professional licenses, and will be eligible for accelerated citizenship, a one time exception to naturalize those who desire to make America their home.

Unlike the Immigration Reform Bill of 1986 when Congress stripped many of the strong sanctions against employers who hired undocumented immigrants, this legislation must fully address the issue of employment. Employers should be granted three months to check and verify documentation of workers, but will be permitted to hire and keep immigrants who show they have petitioned and been accepted for this accelerated path to naturalization. Employers will receive a one time tax credit based on the number of employees to offset administrative costs incurred during this period of verification. Any employer who cannot show valid documentation after three months will be fined $25,000 for each invalid worker for the first fine, and $50,000 per worker thereafter. The one exception to this rule will apply to hiring talent from abroad in highly technical areas with proven shortages of qualified applicants. Provisional work permits will be granted to employees as long as these workers abide by our laws and receive pay equal to that of their American counterpart.

Applicants failing to gain citizenship through this fast-tracked program will be deported and will not be issued another Pending Naturalization Certificate. Individuals who immigrate from this date forward will not be eligible for a Pending Certificate or the augmented program.

It is not unprecedented to either grant amnesty or invoke exceptions to our Immigration policy. In 1986 President Reagan introduced the Immigration Reform Bill that granted amnesty to 3 million illegal immigrants who entered America before 1982. In the latter half of the 20th century, put in harm’s way by our nation’s political actions, Vietnamese and Cuban immigrants escaping Communist rule and persecution fled to our shores and were rightfully granted refugee status and asylum.

In a 1984 debate with Senator Mondale, President Reagan said of illegal immigrants living within the United States, “I believe in the idea of amnesty for those who have put down roots and lived here, even though sometime back they may have entered illegally.”

Although the current number of undocumented people living within our borders is estimated to be at least four times the number in 1984 and their conditions for migration different, the issue is the same. However, it is highly unlikely that Congress will approve an unqualified amnesty, for it alone will not rectify the complex problems associated with naturalizing and integrating 10 million plus immigrants into a population of over 300 million people, which is precisely why the need exists to reform the process.

Bill Clinton said “America has constantly drawn strength from wave after wave of immigrants. They have proven to be the most restless, the most adventurous, the most innovative, and the most industrious.” Yes, time has come to introduce meaningful and enforceable immigration reforms that will prevent mass incursions across our borders, deport non-naturalized criminals from our shores, and discourage undesirable migrants from entering our country. But, equally important is the need to formulate a policy that will encourage and allow those who have toiled our land and worked in our factories, raised families and developed deep roots within their communities, enhanced their education and social standing and have a burning desire to make America their acknowledged home, to come forth from the shadows with no fear of reprisal. In doing so, we unify our people, strengthen our economy, and show the nations of the world that the United States continues to be a beacon to those who possess the commendable qualities that have made our country an admired and enviable nation.

Summary to Follow in the Next Issue

By Roy Eaton

In 1975, healthcare expenditures accounted for 8.4% of America’s GNP. Thirty-five years later, in 2010, at an average cost of $8,233 per person, healthcare costs were 17.9% of our GNP, nearly 2.5 times that of the remaining developed nations of the world. If action is not taken to drastically reduce this trend, by the year 2020, this percentage could very well approach 25% of the value of all goods and services produced in our country.

Spiraling healthcare costs are the concern of every American. They are detrimental to the individual who now has less disposable income to purchase goods and services and to invest in education and savings. They are damaging to businesses which contribute to employer sponsored health plans or suffer reductions in productivity as a result of illness related absenteeism incurred by those not covered. And, it is harmful to taxpayer-funded government budgets, which fund employee health plans and pay the healthcare costs of those on Medicare and Medicaid. Without realistic healthcare reform, these mounting costs will continue to be a drag on the economy, reduce our economic competiveness, and divert monies from other crucial programs in dire need of funding.

Congress should act immediately to streamline healthcare costs by combining programs, judiciously reducing fraud, and implementing major reforms. Sadly, it is highly unlikely that our representatives will implement modifications that will be in their constituents’ best interests, because Congressional obstructionists are far more focused on the interests of lobbyists and their employers, and their own financial well-being, than the interests and the health of those they were elected to protect and serve.

To fully understand why our insurance system is so costly and why most forms of insurance are inflated, one must go back to the second half of the Twentieth Century when several of our largest insurance companies were mutual companies, and their primary obligation was to the insured. When these companies converted to stock companies, which provided windfall profits to top executives, their primary obligation shifted to the stockholder, thus adding an additional layer of costs to be paid in the form of dividends. Around the same time, managed care corporations began to emerge. Expected to substantially lower costs, they instead shifted payment from caregivers to administrators, capital improvements, and stockholders, thus adding additional layers of unnecessary outlays. To these layers of unnecessary distributions, we must add the billions spent on multiple insurance forms, and the hundreds of billions lost to fraud, unnecessary procedures, unwarranted administrative costs, and unjustified hospital admissions. It is estimated that these five alone may account for nearly 30% of all healthcare expenditures. We have transformed healthcare from an altruistic service to a greedy, profit-driven industry. And, in doing so, we have created a windfall for the insurance, managed care, and pharmaceutical companies, while squeezing profit margins for physicians and caregivers who have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on education, while delaying, for nearly a decade, their entrance into the workforce. As for the insured, we have created insurmountable premium and patient-care cost burdens.

As part of the Lyndon Johnson’s “Great Society” in 1965, Social Security Amendments resulted in the creation of two health programs: Medicare for the elderly and Medicaid for the poor. Under President Obama in 2011, a universal health plan was passed. Many in Congress opposed passage of our new universal care program, commonly referred to as “Obama Care” because they consider it unaffordable, an intrusion into the private domain, and a prescription for disaster. If anyone should know a prescription for disaster it would be the veteran members of Congress who allowed drug companies to formulate our current “Part D” Medicare drug program with no safeguard for the government to have the ability to negotiate for competitive pricing.

To summarize our present dilemma, healthcare costs are crippling our economy, and our representatives have done nothing to strengthen the two programs under our healthcare umbrella, but have further compromised their integrity by adding a third option to further weaken the system. Although credit must be given to President Obama for addressing the need and getting a universal plan in place, the plan, although comprehensive, is awkward, cumbersome, and unnecessary.

Medicare, Medicaid, and Universal Health Insurance Reform

Before I recommend suggestions to improve healthcare, I want the reader to understand that I am a proponent of free enterprise and sincerely believe that capitalism is the best path to prosperity. That being said, I do not agree with unfettered capitalism, and I believe that there are several social programs such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid that should be non-profit for they benefit Americans and, if refined and managed correctly, benefit our great nation.

My recommended healthcare reforms are quite simple. Combine our three current forms of government healthcare assistance into one single payer, economically sound, cost effective, universal plan that covers all Americans, uses one standard form, adequately addresses fraud, and penalizes those who refuse to make lifestyle changes that enhance their health and reduces unnecessary expenditures. This well-constructed plan must be designed to substantially reduce overall expenditures, increase doctor participation, address patient needs, and provide equitable payment to the actual providers of care, rather than to administrators and stockholders.

Instead of increasing payments to physicians, our current system continually reduces fees paid to Medicare and Medicaid providers, which discourages physicians from participating in these programs. In many cases, these substandard payments drive physicians from their chosen profession, which may likely lead to massive shortages of American doctors, who will be replaced by physicians from foreign countries. Therefore, the plan must contain provisions for educational subsidies that establish safeguards that prevent physician shortages from occurring as experienced by countries with comparable plans.

To understand why Americans should have one universal plan, we need only to consider Medicare’s prescription “Part D” coverage. Each insurer has a different plan, different costs, and different drug coverages. This program would be far more cost effective if every insurer was required to offer the same plan, price structure, and coverage, with government negotiation of competitive drug pricing. The “Part D” debacle illustrates that profit-driven multiple healthcare options are confusing, unfair, and not cost effective.

Unreasonable medical costs have made it nearly impossible for all Americans to pursue our constitutionally guaranteed rights to ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” We face economic ruin due to catastrophic illness, are often unable to even seek adequate treatment, or are forced to choose between nourishment and life sustaining prescription medications.

In the past, America rightly provided a safety health net to protect our aging population. We failed to provide the same for our youth, who will be our new wave of workers, and leaders who will determine the future of our great nation, and for the middle aged men and women who provide and consume the majority of goods and services that drive our economy. Surely the quality of healthcare provided to one generation should be available to all, especially when younger generations have fewer chronic illnesses and diseases and, therefore can subsidize and lower the overall costs of a universal program. If Medicare is a sound healthcare system for aging Americans, then it should be made accessable to all Americans.

The Senate attempted to lower Medicare eligibility to 55 in 2009, but was opposed by Senator Lieberman from the “great insurance state” of Connecticut who said he would vote against such a proposal. If this bill had passed, it might have opened the door for Medicare enrollment to all Americans.

It is not too late to incorporate Obama Care and Medicaid into Medicare with premium assistance to eligible individuals and families. All Americans would be required to participate and would be covered regardless of pre-existing conditions, and all medical providers would be required to accept assignment. The result would be a one-payer system that could be streamlined and made far more efficient, far less fraudulent, much more effective, much simpler, and unequivocally less costly. I believe it is possible to reduce healthcare costs by 45-50% under such a system.

Of course the private business sector is not about to let 80% of healthcare revert to a non-profit single payer system without a fight. Insurers would have to succumb to the realization that they would receive only a portion of the pie by being limited to providing supplemental and prescriptive insurance, which would still give them 100% of both markets. And, HMOs and PPOs could be prosperous if their business model was converted from reducing medical costs to becoming the overseers of fraudulent activity, receiving a percentage of all deceptive activity. It is estimated that there is over $80 billion annually in Medicare fraud. If Medicare insures approximately 15% of our population, overall fraud in a one-payer system could potentially exceed $500 billion annually in an expanded program, thus providing a function and revenue source for the managed care industry.

Americans should endorse and embrace such a concept, for we are a nation that believes in equality, and because we share one common inevitable fate: we age. It is rational to have one universal system to provide care continuity by covering every American through this aging process. Group insurance coverage through work is normally cheaper because it spreads risk throughout each age bracket. Such a streamlined national Medicare group policy would do the same, but with far lower costs per person.

Younger generations may find this unfair and balk, because they have fewer chronic ailments. They must realize they too will age and incur many of the same ailments as our retirees. When they do, they will look toward subsequent generations for support. The majority of America’s city and town tax revenues are earmarked for public education. Taxpayers support this allocation, because they realize it is the civic responsibility of every American to ensure the next generation is well educated and able to become contributing members of society. It is fair to ask the youngest wage earners to support universal healthcare because our aging generations continue to support education funding through property taxes in the communities in which they live long after their children have since left the ‘nest.’ If seniors can pay for the education of the generations to follow, the largest budgeted expenditure for most American communities, why is it not the responsibility of younger generations to help subsidize the costs of the aging generation? If this is not a mutually agreeable arrangement for subsequent generations, perhaps the property taxes of couples without children and those whose children have completed public education, should be directed to subsidize their healthcare rather than education.

To further substantially reduce premium costs for most Americans, our efforts to make lifestyle changes should be rewarded. Premium credits should be given to Americans who do not use recreational drugs, are not addicted to alcohol, are non-smokers, and are not chronically obese, because the top 5% of the population with chronic conditions account for nearly 50% of all health related expenses. And, all schools should become proactive in the effort to eliminate obesity by introducing health classes into their curriculum, expanding existing gym classes to include more cardiovascular activity, and introducing after school intramural sport programs for those students not involved in competitive interscholastic sport.

Every American should want our general population to be healthy, and every business should want their present and future workforce to be fit. For a healthy worker is generally a happy worker, and therefore, far more likely to be a productive worker. By pooling and simplifying healthcare coverage and lowering expenses, we will reduce premium costs for every American regardless of age, and in doing so, reduce expenditures for both the private and public sectors of our economy. A one-payer system will increase our nation’s competitiveness, enhance our chances of eliminating deficits, reduce our country’s debt, and minimize the future risks of hyper-inflation and rapidly accelerating interest rates.

Additional Suggested Reforms to follow in next issue

By Roy Eaton

I can not, in good conscience, suggest modifications to Social Security without first addressing the reform recommendations announced by one of the most prestigious group of influential business men in America, The Business Roundtable. The roundtable, which consists of CEOs of the largest corporations in the United States, and represents roughly 33% of the total value of all U.S. stocks, recommended last week that the current age for Social Security and Medicare be extended to 70 for Americans currently under age 55.

It is ironic and disgraceful that several of the CEOs of companies that received generous taxpayer subsidies or bail-out assistance during our economic downturn, which several of them helped to create, are members of a roundtable that recommends delaying payments of benefits to which taxpayers are entitled.

Big businesses often refute big government for the establishment of social programs which benefit the public and are funded with taxpayer money. However, when their survival is threatened, these same companies believe in social corporate welfare. Business and worker well-being are interdependent, for the economic health of one is contingent upon the other. They are not synonymous though, for the value we place on life and the welfare of our society and country should far exceed the worth placed on the corporate sector.

I would like to think the roundtable’s recommendation simply lacks insight, but I believe this is merely another illustration of corporate greed and indifference. It demonstrates callousness toward the American worker and the plight of the less fortunate; one more instance where the wealthiest among us often have the least compassion for their fellow man; one more example of big business’s embracement of Darwin’s theory of “survival of the fittest.”

The roundtable’s recommendation should not be surprising, for most corporations have stopped funding company pension plans, have reduced or eliminated matching 401K contributions as well as contributions for employee health insurance. There is no doubt that our nations CEOs are bright and resourceful. However, their endorsement expresses little empathy toward the less fortunate and illustrates their collective lack of understanding of the economic hardships most breadwinners of middle age middle families currently endure. Perhaps they would think differently if they lost their obscene salaries, often inflated fifty to a thousand times that of the average worker, and lost their ‘golden parachutes,’ either of which eliminates their need for any form of social safety net.

One must begin to question whether the welfare of the corporation has become far more important than the welfare of our nation and its people. I realize that business provides jobs that enable families to acquire the necessities and luxuries to sustain and enjoy life. But workers provide a valuable service and should be treated with dignity and respect and not regarded as disposable objects that can be replaced easily, even during a time when there are far more workers than available jobs.

It is unjust for CEOs to make recommendations that affect the distribution of income and benefits earned decades before many of their companies were formed. It is also unfair that credence be given to any proposal coming from any sector within the economy that is governed solely by its bottom line.

There is no doubt that our nation’s indebtedness threatens our dollar and the sovereignty of our great nation, and that decades of complacency, unfettered capitalism, and government incompetence have made long term funding of our pledged entitlements unsustainable. However, unlike the roundtable’s recommendation, solutions for reform must be fair, comprehensive, and implemented over an extended period of time, an approach that the corporate sector dislikes and neither party in Congress seems willing to address. No one generation should be required to immediately bear the entire burden of restructuring, especially one that has contributed over a prolonged period of time and has the least number of years to recover from reform. If we were to follow the roundtable’s proposal, a 55 year old worker with 10 years of service can retire with full benefits at age 67, while a person at age 54 with 35 years of service, would have to wait another three years to retire at age 70.

Also, it is immoral to unfairly penalize those approaching their mid-fifties, who face age discrimination seeking work, and are sandwiched between helping their children and assisting their aging parents.

It is estimated in its present form, the Social Security Trust can fully fund withdrawals until the year 2036, after which it will be able to fund only 75% of guaranteed incomes. To cut costs and build reserves that will protect the integrity of the Social Security Trust, I am recommending several incremental changes to Social Security that will address both the revenue and expense sides of the economic equation.

Social Security Reform
I realize that Social Security is not a personal investment account, although it could have originally been set up in such a manner with funds being automatically invested in government securities. Instead, the trust was devised to provide a safety net for retirees, their spouses and children, and the disabled. It is a sound program with nearly 99% of revenues being paid out in benefits. Although our indebtedness may force program reform, it is not Social Security that is bankrupting the system. It is the system that is bankrupting Social Security.

There is a misconception that funding for this program is insufficient due to the increase in the life expectancy of the worker and because retirees outnumber contributing workers. This is not the case when applied to the working spouse, for if one were to calculate the average worker and employer contributions for a current 66 year old from age 21 over a 45 year work-span, invested in government bonds and treasuries, the principal would, most likely, far exceed a million dollars. Even at a payout at today’s historically low 30 year bond interest rate of approximately 3%, the annual amount paid to a recipient would exceed $30,000 a year without touching or annualizing the principal. However, the stay at home spouse is another matter.

Some economists say current funding is insufficient, because stay-at-home spouses, who have not paid directly into the program, are dramatically diminishing the funds by receiving retirement income based on their working spouse’s earnings. I fully understand the importance of having a stay-at-home parent during the most impressionable years of childhood. But, under current regulation, a stay-at-home spouse could theoretically collect a greater retirement income under their working spouse, than a person who worked a lifetime with a far lower income.

Current regulations require that a worker complete 40 quarters of work (10 years) to be eligible to receive retirement income under his or her own merit. I do not believe it is unreasonable to ask both family members to qualify under their own work history.
If either spouse chooses not to accumulate the required 40 quarters, than the working spouse should have the option of paying an additional payroll tax of 50% (not matched by employer) for each missing quarter needed to qualify for spouse eligibility. This would affect all Americans under the age of 35 who have not accumulated 40 quarters of credit.

A good number of Americans who believe in a progressive income tax code also believe in expanding the payroll tax limitation, because they believe the current tax is too regressive for it favors the wealthier taxpayers who do not have to contribute after they have reached the current threshold of $113,700. If the majority of Americans believe their contributions entitle them to an amount commensurate with what they and their employers have contributed, then an argument could be made that such an increase should proportionally raise the income amount to which the wealthiest are entitled.

To avoid any implication of a double standard, I would continue to increase the current limit, but would tie it to the inflation rate, and proportionally base future earnings on contributions. Because of the indecent and unsustainable growing disparity between the ultra rich and remaining population and the extraordinary large number of ‘baby boomers,’ who will be drawing retirement incomes over the next thirty years, I do not believe it is unfair to levy a thirty year 3% surtax on annual incomes over one million dollars to increase revenues directed to the trust.

Should our legislature change our tax code to a non-progressive flat tax, then I believe the payroll tax should be replaced with a flat tax. Employers would match earnings to our current threshold, but the ceiling would be removed on employee contributions, resulting in a 6.2% payroll tax on all income. And, a new income formula should be devised for income distribution based solely on the number of years worked rather than on the dollar amount contributed.

The current age for full retirement eligibility for a worker should be progressively raised from 67, the current age for one born in 1960 or later, to 70. Instead of the plan proposed by the Business Roundtable that substantially affects those under the age of 55, I propose a far more moderate approach.

One additional month should be added to a workers retirement age from year 55 down. For example, a 55 year old would retire one month later than expected, a 54 year old, two months later, and a 19 year old, three years later, at age 70. This incremental increase over a 36 year period of time is incremental, less punitive, and much fairer, for it allows adequate time to prepare for retirement.

Workers having obtained 40 quarters of credit should remain eligible for partial Social Security withdrawal at age 62. A formula must be devised to determine the portion that will be received at age 62 based on income earned, employer contribution, age, and the number of years worked.

Currently, a non-working surviving spouse receives 71% of the working spouse’s death benefit at age 60, and 100% at full retirement age. I believe that the surviving spouse should receive 100% of this accrued benefit at the time of the working spouse’s death regardless of age.

No changes to Social Security eligibility should be made unless future funding is secured in an irrevocable guarded trust earmarked solely for the preservation of funds for their intended purpose.

Additional Suggested Reforms to follow in next issue.

By Roy Eaton

It is correct to criticize Congress for past failures, because their lack of insight, complacency, inattentiveness, and inability to compromise has led to our current fiscal dilemma. Congress’s incompetence and laissez faire attitude has compromised the integrity of a balanced system of government that has nearly ceased to function. Two unfunded wars and an unfunded tax cut further exacerbated the need to raise taxes and substantially reduce spending to eliminate deficits and reduce long term indebtedness that can no longer be solely addressed by economic growth. The need for sizeable increases in revenues could force a complete overhaul of our current progressive system of taxation, while the need to considerably reduce costs could result in severe modifications to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. If the trustee overseers of Social Security and Medicare had done their job to protect these fiscally endangered programs, there would be little need to address these ‘entitlements’ that have safeguarded those who have earned and paid for this umbrella of protection. Although these programs are technically ‘entitlements’ by definition, because our government gave each working American and our employers the ‘right’ to contribute current earnings to provide a safety net during the latter years of life, they are not an award, gift, or privilege, and should never be treated or referred to as such.

I do not profess to be an expert in reform, and the alternatives I am about to suggest may not be the best choices available. However, they represent concepts derived from a few hours of reflection, which represents a snippet in time when compared to the thousands of hours our elected representatives were given to consider these matters.

Tax Reform

First, President Obama and Congress must determine if they want to modify our existing progressive form of taxation, which most Democrats prefer, convert to a flat tax which many Republicans seem to favor, or implement a European-type value-added sales tax that unfairly taxes those who earn the least and spend the most on the necessities of life.

Our current tax code is overly complicated and cumbersome, and fosters “irrational individual behavior and corporate avoidance.” If our representatives decide our existing code is the fairest and best income generating form of taxation, then unfair and irrational loopholes that solely favor the rich and special interests must be abolished. No longer can we subsidize successful corporations like Exxon that reap massive profits, yet seek tax payer incentives. No longer should hedge funds be allowed to benefit from having their profits taxed as capital gains rather than at the appropriate tax rate. Nor can we allow profits from vulture capitalism to be intentionally undervalued and taxed at a deferred time. We cannot levy an unreasonably low threshold estate tax of $5 million on estates that exhaust accumulated wealth by again taxing the most successful workers and entrepreneurs at their passing. The capital gains tax should be tiered so that individuals with incomes under $400,000 investing in risky start-up companies that actually create jobs will be taxed more favorably than those who invest in the stock of proven companies which do little to create new positions. There should be a standard deduction of $25,000 per household, adjusted annually for inflation.

Should a flat tax be considered the fairest and selected path for generating revenue, then to be a truly just form of taxation, it should contain only one standard deduction for taxpayers with no special rate for capital gains. Currently, our tax system rewards those who have children, mortgages, are married, have subsidized health plans, and invest in IRAs or 401Ks, while ignoring those who have either voluntarily or involuntarily selected a different path that does not qualify them for some or all of the above deductions.

All Americans should be treated equally under a non-progressive system. The standard deduction should include the current average standard interest deduction of $10,640, the present exemption for the average number of dependents per household of $9,880, the average grocery bill for a family of $6,443, the average cost to maintain a car of $8,003, the average contribution to IRAs or 401Ks of $4,950, and the average health insurance coverage of $10,030 (average of $4,316 employee contribution to employer plans and $15,745 per family to a non-employer plan). The total standard deduction for all American households would be approximately $50,000 and should be adjusted annually to compensate for inflation. Anything over this dollar amount would be taxed at a flat rate to be determined. This manner of calculating the common deduction would be simple and fair, and provide most taxpayers with an opportunity to maintain a decent standard of living and a way to accumulate wealth.

I support either of the above tax structures if the former is modified, or the latter constructed as mentioned, but avidly oppose a European-style sales tax code that penalizes goods and services at every stage of production, and dramatically impacts the least affluent. Regardless of which format is chosen, a five percent millionaire surtax should be levied on incomes exceeding $5 million and a ten percent millionaire surtax on incomes exceeding $10 million until our national debt has been eliminated.

Henry Ford had the sense to ensure that his workers had the ability to purchase his own product. If American workers do not have the income to purchase the products and services they produce and provide, then demand will not meet supply and deflation will continue to dampen expansion.

The tax structure for business must be revamped as well. Tort and patent reforms must be implemented to prevent frivolous claims. Incentives must be introduced to discourage businesses from going abroad, and penalties imposed to prevent Americans from filing patents abroad.

Small businesses must be granted easier access to credit. Variances should be issued to small start-up companies to by-pass trivial, duplicate, or irrational regulation. Universal health care must be streamlined to reduce the costs to small businesses which provide employee or personal coverage. One time tax amnesty tax credits should be granted to induce trillions of expatriated dollars sitting in foreign banks or invested in enterprises abroad to be returned to our economy, if invested in infrastructure, job training, equipment, and plant expansion, and equated to the number of jobs created. No major tax reform should be legislated unless linked to a balanced budget.

Contained in the ‘fiscal cliff’ compromise were certain additional options pertaining to the rollover of 401Ks into Roth IRAs. This was primarily done to raise current revenues. But, to the best of my knowledge, these additions failed to adequately meet the needs of those approaching or already in retirement.

During our current economic downturn, a good number of aging Americans who normally reduce exposure to stocks by investing in fixed assets, sought to maximize gains by investing in riskier securities. Unlike some members of Congress who may have profited from their exemption from the regulations of insider trading, these seniors lost a substantial portion of their life savings. Other seniors opted to leave their funds in fixed instruments that created little additional wealth due to record low interest rates.

Sadly, most of these investors have little or no time to recover losses or raise asset values, because regulations require partial withdrawal of proceeds starting at age 70.5. Therefore, Congress should either extend the mandatory beginning withdrawal age for IRAs and 401Ks to correlate to the number of years that transpire during our current downturn, or permanently extend the initial extraction age to compensate for the increase in life expectancy. This is precisely what many in Congress seek to do with social security income distribution. For taxpayers with incomes under $250,000, Congress should extend the period in which to convert to Roth IRA’s to three years, and consider treating this accumulation as a long term gain to increase conversion activity, compensate for losses incurred and increase current revenues.

Additional Suggested Reforms to follow in next issue.

By Roy Eaton

Roman Emperor Nero, during his reign, occupied himself with unimportant matters while neglecting priorities during pending crises, much like our 112th Congress, which spent much of its time preoccupied with bickering and posturing with their counterparts and contemplating what a woman should be allowed to do with her body while avoiding passage of legislation that would guarantee a woman’s constitutional right to equal pay for equal work. Congress grudgingly avoided the “fiscal cliff,” but failed to address the major issues that confront our great, but struggling nation. Only when forced to vote last-minute legislation did they do so with reservation and minimal cooperation. The result was an incomprehensive legislative package that provided permanent tax relief to 98% of tax paying Americans without providing a means to pay for the additional increases to our annual budget and massive spiraling debt. Most importantly, it failed to address the major programs that are in dire need of modification which include income tax, Social Security, Medicare and immigration. Nor did it address alterations that need to be made to Medicaid and to our new universal healthcare program and taxpayer-funded government pensions and benefits.

There is no question that the “fiscal cliff” compromise was a step in the right direction for it avoided a catastrophe. During this stage of our frail economic recovery, there is little doubt that our current rate of taxation for most Americans had to be retained, that unemployment benefits needed to be extended and that taxes on capital gains needed to be raised for the top two percent. And, considering the middle class will most likely be expected to bear additional future hardships, it is fair to expect the wealthiest in our society to contribute a little more of their incomes.

What is not just is the unreasonably low five million dollar inheritance tax limitation and the permanency of the continuance of the Bush tax cuts for the remaining 98% of taxpayers. Many economists believe funding for the latter continuance unsustainable and the tax reduction should not have been made permanent, but instead, should have been linked to GNP and phased back to the Clinton tax rate once the economy has fully recovered. The inheritance tax threshold, one of the most unfair forms of taxation, should have been set at a much higher level. I realize that many of the wealthiest Americans have used every tax shelter available to accumulate wealth, which further illustrates the need to reform our current tax structure. But, this should not prevent the raising of the limitation of a tax that penalizes wealth accumulation when earned and again upon death.

As for continued discontent among our representatives, compromise rarely satisfies both parties. Our governing forefathers designed our current system of government to function in a manner that would ultimately result in concessions to majority rule. The events leading up to our fiscal cliff calamity illustrates that Congress has ignored this form of statesmanship and opted instead, to play a very contentious chess game with the highest of stakes wagered, the sovereignty of our great nation. A game too often played by career politicians whose every move is cunningly predetermined by special interest overseers who benefit from their participation.

The next major obstacle that faces our administration and Congress is the raising of the debt ceiling. I would like to think that congress has gotten the message and will work diligently to arrive at a consensus that will allow the ceiling to be raised without frightening and destabilizing our markets and disappointing nations that look to America for stability and guidance; an agreement that broadly addresses our spiraling deficits and massive debt in a comprehensive, progressive and fair manner. However, currently there is no indication this can be achieved within a two month time period. Although I believe we should not continue to kick reforms down the road, for this mortgaging of the future poses an equally serious risk to our credit rating, our standard of living and our nation’s sovereignty, I do not believe we should hold the debt ceiling hostage, for this too, possesses serious consequences.

If the President resubmits a balanced approach which introduces spending cuts that are fair, progressive and non-punitive to any one sector, I believe Congress should work to implement these reforms. If our President fails to meet these expectations, Congress has the responsibility and ability to introduce and pass legislation that will address these concerns. This is why our constitution created three distinct branches to balance power.

If our senators and “congressmen” disregard party lines and decide to talk with one another rather than at one another and seriously take time to collectively and rationally consider solutions to our fiscal crises, the path will be difficult, but not impossible to navigate.

Should our representatives fail to address and collectively work to correct the problems that confront our great nation, we should consider replacing every member of Congress when their term is up. This would send a clear message to our representatives that we hold them individually and collectively accountable for providing legislation that will defend our country, strengthen our economy and guarantee our sovereignty. It will unequivocally convey that continued confrontation and failure are no longer acceptable and that “we the people” expect our representatives to honorably discharge the duties of their office. In the future, we should never again vote for a politician who has pledged a commitment to any one person or entity. Such pledges, should at best, be considered disloyal, and at worst, treasonous which is defined as “a violation of the allegiance owed by somebody to his or her country.” Voters have the indisputable power to periodically remind our representatives their commitment is to our country and not to individuals, to special interests groups or to self-serving agendas. Such a voter response would certainly indirectly impose term limitations, a restriction that will never be passed by self-serving politicians who fail to understand their tenure is temporary and not a career entitlement.

Regardless of party affiliation, all Americans should encourage our President and Congress to reconcile differences and collectively choose the correct path to prosperity. Should they fail, every generation will bear the unimaginable consequences.

Suggested Reforms to follow in next issue.

Guest Commentary By Roy Eaton

We are at a crossroads in America. We are a polarized nation at a time when most civilizations with similar longevity began to falter. Former empires began to stumble when their leadership became indifferent to the needs of their populace, engaged in self-indulgence, lacked moral conviction, and waged war to expand markets and obtain natural resources. Most societies failed when the general public became overly materialistic, complacent, and inattentive to the needs of others and to the actions of their faltering government in which they had lost confidence.

Many Americans believe we are heading toward economic Armageddon because those who govern are unable to compromise in order to substantially cut expenditures, raise revenues, and put in place the structural changes needed to reduce our country’s annual deficits and spiraling massive national debt. America has numerous complex issues to address including an antiquated education system, escalating city and state budgets, and an aging population. We have failed to tackle our spiraling healthcare costs, infrastructure decay, depletion of farm lands, long-term structural unemployment and a fragmented energy policy. Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, immigration, tax legislation, and campaign finance regulations are in dire need of long term reforms. However, instead of supporting efforts that would encourage the executive and legislative branches to work together and address these issues, a good number of influential legislators, corporate leaders, and prominent citizens have opted instead, to champion their own personal causes. To achieve their goals, they either target the low and lower middle income earners who tend to favor big government, or court the upper middle class and wealthy earners who generally support the business sector, thus dividing our people and severely restricting Congress’s ability to compromise and govern. History tells us that this polarization of the classes will not lead to a peaceful coexistence, but will instead promote social unrest, for, as in the case of Russia and China, there were far more members of the former two classes than the latter, and the end result was violent revolution.

Thomas Jefferson stated, “Every government degenerates when entrusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves are the only safe depositories.” As Jefferson clearly understood, it is the duty of all Americans to continuously guard our constitution and our institutions, and it is our responsibility to intercede whenever stupidity, ignorance, intolerance, and complacency governs. As government misconduct continues to gain our attention, we must become far more proactive and persistent in our pursuit to rid the political system of those who possess such dishonorable traits and amateurish standards.

Jefferson best described our current state of political affairs over 200 years ago when he said, “If once the people become inattentive to the public affairs, you and I and Congress and assemblies, judges and Generals, shall become wolves. It seems to be the law of our general nature, in spite of individual exceptions.” Thomas Jefferson clearly understood ‘Man’s’ weaknesses and corruptibility. He clearly warned the American people how our apathy and negligence would encourage corruption, and create a predatory mindset that breeds greed and cruelty. We failed to heed his advice and we are feeling the consequences of our neglect.

When a nation’s people are prosperous and content, they have a tendency to become inattentive and complacent. This too, is human nature. Until impacted by our current economic downturn, many Americans had become overly complacent, because many believed the trickle down theory had enabled them to experience ‘the good life.’ Only when our personal lives were adversely affected by the actions of those within the public and private sectors, did we tend to become thoughtful and responsive and begin to scrutinize the actions of our governing authority.

Thankfully, our current business cycle and two wars have begun to awaken the dormant spirit that, in the past, has given our nation and its people the will and ability to challenge inept government and overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Our economic implosion provided the hindsight and insight required to enlighten and re-energize the American voter who has just begun to clearly demonstrate a propensity to send representatives who fail to responsibly govern to the unemployment line they helped create. We have trusted our elected representatives to guard our interests and safeguard our future, and they have failed to meet our expectations. They have been unable to compromise and govern sensibly and effectively. One of the best examples of our representatives’ total disregard for the consumer and their inability to responsibly govern, was their repeal in 1999 of the Glass-Steagell Act passed during the ‘Great Depression’ of the thirties. Created to protect depositors (and taxpayers) from the risks of commercial bank collaboration with investment firms and their speculative investment in securities, the dismantling likely created, or at least exacerbated, the conditions that led to our current economic crises.

Unfortunately, government has not gotten the message. Congress lacks the will and courage to act, as illustrated by its recent failure to guarantee equal pay for equal work for women. Although our current economy may not be able to absorb the shock of such an immediate rectification, the equalization of wages should have been approved and phased in over a period of time as the economy improves. The failure to do so continues to foster unacceptable discrimination that is in contrast to what our country preaches to nations that fail to honor the civil rights of their citizens.

Americans often forget that our President is an administrator and blame him exclusively for the lack of legislative progress. Congress is an independent legislative branch of government and its inability to function as such and to compromise has been pathetic. But, there is no need to point fingers at one another. There is plenty of blame to go around. In order to provide a system of checks and balances, our forefathers divided government into three sectors; the Administrative Branch to provide leadership, the Legislative Branch to pass legislation, and the Judicial Branch to uphold the law of the land. What our forefathers did not anticipate was the failure of all three branches to respond in an appropriate manner. We did not develop trillion dollar deficits, or amass a 17 trillion dollar national debt because of one administration or one congress. It was a concerted effort over a prolonged period of time that caused our current debacle. Our Administrative Branch failed to provide adequate leadership, our Congress failed to protect the interests of its constituents, and the Judicial Branch failed to penalize to the full extent of the law those whose fraudulent actions created or exacerbated our current crises.

What our country needs is fewer bureaucrats and more ‘statesmen.’ This fall, voters must present a clear mandate to our representatives in Washington to work together to introduce constructive legislation that will continue to streamline government, strengthen our defenses, encourage economic growth, and lead to the development of a long-term, comprehensive plan that will address our primary areas of concern including, once our economy begins to fully recover, the reduction in annual deficits and in our spiraling debt. As the General Accounting Office showed during their lavishly obscene Las Vegas convention antics, much needs to be done to eliminate waste and deceit.

Yes, the United States needs a strong centralized government to protect our citizens from all threats, foreign and domestic, and to assist our citizens who are truly incapable of caring for themselves. But, we also need a rational government that recognizes we shouldn’t waste our limited resources aiding countries like Pakistan, which pose a danger to our country, and acknowledges that it is immoral to provide for those abroad while we neglect our own at home.

It is time that political parties set aside personal differences and select a path that is best for all our people. We have spent most of the past 100 years involved in war or some form of police action which has cost us dearly in American lives and resources. During the last fifty years, misrepresentations and miscalculations have engaged our men and women in several prolonged conflicts such as Vietnam and Iraq even though their governments posed little or no direct threat to the United States. America must be far more discreet when we place our soldiers in harms way, and it should not be for resources, conflicting ideology, or regime change.

Our government must learn to regard history and not repeat the same mistakes. Unfettered greed, impaired judgments, and questionable business practices resulted in the collapse of large institutions that nearly led to the insolvency of our great nation and the economies of many of our allies. Unfortunately, inept government has again allowed similar mammoth corporations to become bigger by absorbing these failed institutions that were once considered ‘too big to fail,’ thus increasing the risk in the future of a reoccurrence of similar events, but with much more dire consequences. Americans must never again assume that in either the public or private sectors, big is necessarily better. ‘Too big to fail’ is an absurd assumption. Big government and many of our big institutions have failed the American people, and their actions and inactions have led to our current crises.

We can no longer allow greed to dominate our market place and create bubbles that inevitably burst and result in severe economic downturns that destroy lives and wreak havoc on our economy. We must demand regulation that discourages abuses that distort business cycles and cripple our economy. We must never fail to hold governments and businesses accountable for immoral, unethical, and illegal behavior that disrupts and hinders economic expansion. And, we can no longer tolerate the political gridlock which continues to foster fiscal uncertainty.

To sustain our historically high standard of living and prominent status among other nations, our administrative and legislative branches of government must find a way to work together not only with one another, but in guarded harmony with the business sector of the economy. To do any less will result in an America that is far different than we anticipate and deserve. This is not an easy task, for all three sectors seem to have their own agendas, all of which, if approached with an unbiased view, could be tempered into legislation that would address most concerns and, in the long run, benefit all Americans. The private and public sectors need to realize that they are not in opposition for it is the business sector in a healthy robust economy that provides the capital required for the development of technologies and the creation of the millions of jobs we so desperately need, including those in the public sector. But, in a weak economy, it is the public sector that helps sustain the minimal growth that prevents a total collapse of the economy.

At the end of 2012, the American economy will bear the burden of spending cuts of $109 billion, substantial tax increases across all income sectors, and a reduction in unemployment benefits. Yet, Congress continues to fail to address these issues, while simultaneously proclaiming that investors and corporations require fiscal certainty before allocating capital for growth. We can no longer permit our representatives to abstain from expeditiously introducing and implementing fair and rational graduated reforms by allowing them to question our resolve to accept the hardship ramifications of comprehensive structural change.

The time has come to elect officials who have the courage to act on behalf of the majority of their constituents regardless of their own personal belief, party line, or third party coercion, because their obligation is to those they represent, not to private interests, special interest groups, or donors. If our politicians choose to take the lower path and dishonor their office and the people they serve, we must hold those who govern accountable for this breach of faith, because it is our duty to continually remind them they are our collective voice and not an instrument of a singular party or group. We must also remind them we are merely temporarily entrusting them for a specific period of time with our vote and not electing self-promoting career politicians who seek to amass fame and fortune.

‘Big businesses’ must get ‘the message,’ as well. We have trusted business to behave in an ethical and responsible manner, but they too have failed the American people. Several of our largest corporations have forgotten that their purpose is twofold; to generate a profit and to provide an exceptional product or professional service.

Many executives oppose legislation such as the Dodd-Frank Reform Act that was enacted to safeguard the consumer from inappropriate and fraudulent business practices and restore responsibility, accountability, and confidence in our financial system. Many of our larger corporations have yet to earnestly rid themselves of the waste and excesses and the opulent lifestyle afforded a select few within their upper management. The overseers of these excesses and improprieties should be their boards of directors who often fail to reign in the executives of the companies they serve, and the stockholders who, in the past, have been far too complacent. Recent headlines suggest that structural changes in business may be on the horizon. Investments firms and major shareholders have become proactive, often voicing opposition to managerial actions and executive compensation they believe are not in the best interests of companies or their stockholders. Change will be slow coming, however, for far too many top executives within the corporate sector still believe that greed is good. One corporate leader, Lloyd Blankfein, CEO of Goldman Sachs, actually stated he was doing God’s work!

The next thirty years will tell if we have learned from our past mistakes and from those of the former great civilizations that preceded the formation of our United States. Through a collective effort, Americans developed most of the revolutionary technologies of the Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries, placed men on the moon, eradicated many of the viruses and diseases that infected children and plagued mankind, and thwarted the collapse of moral civilization by rampant Twentieth Century madmen like Hitler, who attempted to dehumanize ‘Mankind’ and gain world dominance. If our ancestors were able to come together to conquer what many perceived as insurmountable obstacles, then we should be ashamed of our misgivings regarding our ability to overcome our current crises.

As we celebrate our independence this Fourth of July, we must remember that our founding fathers jeopardized their welfare and material possessions to guarantee our freedoms for they fully understood the greatness of the nation they helped create. We must understand that we will only maintain our sovereignty as a nation if we are able to rid our government of gridlock, and force an alliance of cooperation and compromise that will enable all branches of government to operate effectively. We will only remain a beacon to the world if we continue to be innovative, productive, industrious, attentive, righteous, selfless, and tolerant. The nations of the world have admired the American people for these very characteristics. Perhaps it is time that all Americans rediscover the honorable traits we possess and others strive to inherit. We are the greatest nation on earth and it is time we act accordingly. Yes, America is at a cross roads, and the time has come to choose the correct path.

Properly document your bicycle, including a picture. If there are any unique features or marks, photograph those distinctive characteristics as well. Record the make, model and serial numbers of the bicycle, as well as any additional pieces of equipment such as lights, specialized seats, etc. This information is critical to law enforcement in both the reporting and recovery phases of the investigation. Without this information law enforcement cannot enter the stolen bicycle into a national database. Without the entry into the stolen property database, the odds for recovery are significantly reduced.

It is not uncommon for thefts to occur in dark areas with little pedestrian traffic. Many other thefts occur when a bicycle owner believes the area is “safe” and fails to take physical security precautions. Parking your bicycle in well-lit and well-travelled area reduces a thief’s opportunity.

Always lock your bicycle to an object which can’t be moved, destroyed or pulled from the ground. Make sure the thief can’t lift the bicycle above the object to bypass the lock. Speaking of locks, the best practice is to use a high strength U-shaped lock. Lock as much of the bicycle as possible, not just a portion of it. Some bikes have a front wheel quick release lever- if so remove the front wheel, and route the lock through both rims and the frame. Experts suggest that you avoid placing the lock near the ground where it can be placed and then destroyed with a hammer or other heavy device.

When leaving the bicycle unattended, remove all equipment from the bicycle that could be taken such as items in saddlebags, lights, MP3 players, cell-phones, etc.

Don’t showcase you bicycle in an open garage. It is preferable that you lock your bicycle to your garage if you must leave your garage door open. Closing the garage door provides the best level of security.

If your bicycle is stolen, immediately report the theft. A prompt notification to the Marco Island Police Department increases the odds that the bicycle may be recovered. You may contact the Marco Island Police Department in an emergency using 911 or for non-emergency calls: 389-5050

Assistant Chief David Baer

Marco Island Police Department

51 Bald Eagle Dr., Marco Island, FL 34145

(239) 389-5050 Department Non-Emergency

Florida has a very broad public records law. As a result, any written communication created or received by City of Marco Island employees is subject to disclosure to the public and the media, upon request, unless otherwise exempt. Under Florida law, e-mail addresses are public records. If you do not want your email address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing.