David Walker fancies the American founding fathers and quotes them constantly in his book "Comeback America".He quotes from the preamble of the Constitution's broad goals--"to form a more perfect union(not to perfect today with no income equality and high employment or employment with dreadful incomes),establish justice(the more money you have,the better the defense),insure domestic tranquility(increase private prison population,expand internal police force,increase domestic surveillance,etc.),provide for the common defense(soaks up 52% of the real budget that includes medical bills,interest on loans),promote the general welfare(not the welfare of the corporations..tax avoidance at $100 billion a year,10% of the population owns 90% of the assets,71% of our families with two earners make under $50,000 year),and secure the blessings of liberty(one party political system that takes orders from corporate donors).Davis sponsors limited government and yearns for a time when America's government's principle expense was running a postal service and overseeing the collection of custom duties.He also states that excessive debt was abhorred by the founding fathers who had debtors prisons for those who borrowed too much money and couldn't pay it back(U.S banks had a 40/50 to 1 debt to asset ratio in 2008,our economic system encourages debt to pay for business and consumer products).Mr.Walker omits that the top executives in banks not only avoided jail but have received increases in pay since the great depression of 2008.According to Walker,35% of Americans rely on SS for 90% or more of their retirement income.He feels too many Americans look to the government to secure their retirement because they don't save enough on their own.(Doesn't he read the income statistics...more than 35% live at poverty levels and are lucky to pay their rent).I do agree with Walker when he states that Congress and the president(Bush and Obama) avoided important debates of the related costs,benefits and consequences of engaging in the Afghanistan,Iraq and now Libyan wars.Walker doesn't state that these wars were unnecessary,he is just concerned about the transparency and cost.He is against dissent where we do declare war which is a typical response from the right when they have their president in office.
I subscribe to his view that too many House and Senate members have grown out of touch with the real world and work to advance their own careers after leaving office.Many leave to find jobs in high-paying positions as corporate or special interest lobbyist.He also believes America has a leadership deficit that wasn't the problem with the founding fathers.I don't sanction his call for limited government.Walker thinks big government is constantly at war with the philosophy of personal responsibility(welfare) and individual liberty(regulations) that demands a limited government(these are code words for misdirected poor people and free for all corporate power in right wing slang).He doesn't understand in the last thirty-five years, workers wages have stagnated.Our wonderful economic system is falling to provide the quality jobs for three fourths of the population.Walkers message might be appropriate for our professional class but he is misinformed about the 75% of our citizens who don't graduate from a four year college(lack of money) and secure a reasonable income.The manufacturing sector has left a huge void in our economic system and "box stores" haven't provided enough income for citizens to save.Big government has grown because corporations make money from the privatization of the Defense Dept. Our SS/Medicare money has been spent for subsidies to corporations involved in defense,agriculture and banking.Our political one party system rejected a single payer health program so we continue to provide services to the poor at a higher rate.
Walker is employed by the Peterson Foundation who is working on a Federal Financial Irresponsibility Index.This index,according to Walker,will convey the simple and stark truth about the relative risks of providing various government programs.The Peterson Index is a great way for the fundamentalist to reduce government programs that helps the majority of Americans who are hurting from a failed economic system.Mr. Walker is living in a dream world where the poor don't exist in large numbers and are irresponsible and lazy.It reminds me of the sick rhetoric Reagan used in the 1980 election.He demonized the poor and through his propaganda swayed the dark side of American racism to peek out and vote with a indignant smile.
More from "Comeback America" in the near future.
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