The Debate; What They Didn't Say
By Timothy V. Gatto
17 October, 2012
Countercurrents.org
The reason I'm writing more these days is because I was going to lay low while I applied for my passport and then to move to Ecuador. I have decided that I'm not going to let them scare me away. I feel that it is more important to stand up for what you believe in then to slink away with my heart on my sleeve.
I want to comment on these “Presidential debates”. I have been watching them and tonight I actually saw Obama forcefully defending his term in office and calling Romney out on the things that he has done and putting down the people that are supporting Romney on the Republican right by saying that his party has basically been for the rich 2% of Americans.
Listening to Obama tonight made me realize why I voted for him in 2008. I actually thought (really hoped) that he would change this nation around and restore the Constitutional rights we had lost under Bush. We all know it didn't happen and we lost more under Obama, but I covered that in yesterday's article .
I'm going to write about America's two largest political parties. Both have not done the will of the American people and I think we all know that. The money to the bankster's was never mentioned in tonight's debate. The trillions thrown at the banks and investment houses were never mentioned. Isn't that a big part of our domestic issues and our economy and the deficit? Wasn't that the reason for the Occupy movement's (people from the right and left) biggest complaint? How in hell did they leave that little fiasco, the reason for 3 trillion of the deficit , from the economy and domestic issues section of the debate?
These two things, the biggest part of the bail-out, and the draconian laws passed against the American people that in reality took away our right to due process, privacy and unwarranted search and seizure (and many more rights) but weren't even mentioned.
They both talked about educating our young people so that this nation could compete on the world stage in competition with other nations. Romney talked about the Chinese manipulating the currency so their goods were cheaper. Obama talked about the great “trade agreements he has worked out to stimulate the economy by letting us sell our goods overseas.
This is all smoke and mirrors folks. The reason our economy is in the tank is because we no longer produce the amount of consumer goods that the general population buys. Here is a little known fact; 25% of our economy is trade overseas, 75% of our economy is domestic spending. The trade model for the entire Western world is to lower wages so that nations can be competitive overseas. That's a great idea, but what they fail to realize is that domestic spending is 75% of our economy. Our people spend more than any market on Earth! The current situation is that Americans can no longer afford to spend the way they used to. Savings go up and domestic spending goes down. It's not only me that believes this , Heiner Flassbeck, Director of the Division on Globalization and Development Strategies of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development also put this out in a report that was recently released. They are sacrificing 75% of our economy to develop 25%. Isn't that ridiculous?
Why didn't the candidates talk about raising wages or starting a government funded work program similar to the CCC or WPA that Roosevelt instituted? FDR realized that people had to be able to spend money in order to keep the small businesses in business. Both parties are lost in the woods on this issue. This is why Bush made that comment after 9/11 to “continue to shop”. At least he realized that. Better yet, continue to maintain you home and get your automobile fixed. This is why the administration got so giddy when consumer buying went up 1.5% last month. The 1% probably let go of some of the cash they have been hoarding. Everyone gets lucky , especially a month away from a Presidential election in a close race.
Believe it or not, I think Romney would be better for the nation. The only reason I'd never vote for him is because of his unyielding support for Israel, his hate of Iran, and his unwavering support for spending more money on the military. The man did an admirable job in Massachusetts. He worked well with Democrats and instituted a landmark healthcare bill. You must admire him for that. The schools performed well and he was somewhat of a populist Governor. His father was somewhat of a populist and a moderate. Still today he is under the far-right Republican fold and you can't trust them to really do anything for the working-stiff in America. He will also continue (like the Democrats) to dismantle unions.
Obama on the other hand, looks as if he is geared towards the middle-class, but believe me… he isn't. He is still working for the banks and the investment houses and the military-industrial-complex. He is still working towards more military adventures in the world to institute military superiority over it. He describes the United States as “The Indispensable Nation”, what does that mean? Who are we indispensable to? Can't other nation's live without our interference? Are we “ The Master Race ”? What baloney. This man is dangerous, and so are the people in his cabinet including Hillary Clinton.IN fact, Clinton seems almost maniacal as she threatens other nations to bend to our will. Still, you must remember that she can't do anything that isn't authorized by the President, but that's for the next debate. All of us must remember what Obama has done to the Constitution. We must remember what he did in Libya, and now Syria. Take into account his role in the economy where wages are still stagnant and consumer goods that are not being produced here. Of that, he said in tonight's debate, that the work is low paying and menial and it is not what we want for our workers. Tell that to the people out of work. It would be nice to see televisions, washing machines, dryers, refrigerators and other large ticket items built here with American craftsmanship.
These debates are dog and pony shows. Sure it was interesting and they fought like cats and dogs and both made good points and Obama came back and triumphed. Still, in real issues that affect real Americans, nothing was said that we could sink our teeth into. Not really. They both promised to drill more oil in Federal lands and open more “clean coal plants” (if there ever was such a thing). They both will work to get the Canadian-US Keystone XL Pipeline finished. Oh Boy!
Still, I can't really speak for you. When I say us in the article I'm only speaking metaphorically. I would hope that someday it will be all of us, but that isn't the case in the here and now. I can't wait for part III.
Tim Gatto is former Chairman of the Liberal Party of America, Tim is a retired Army Sergeant. He currently lives in South Carolina. He is the author of "Complicity to Contempt" and "Kimchee Days" available at Oliver Arts and Open Press. Tim Gatto's new book "Contempt to Outrage" will be available soon from Oliver Arts and Open
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