I’ve been out around the neighborhood a lot recently, knocking on doors and getting to know people. It seems that everyone I meet wants a change in Washington. And it’s not hard to see why. Many more people are loosing their homes to foreclosure, unemployment is still hovering around 10% and government deficit spending, a major contributor to the problem, continues at a record pace.
We stand on the very edge of a major economic melt-down, similar to what is already happening in Europe, where high expectations on the part of the people as to what their countries should do for them and low expectations on the part of the same people as to what they should be doing for their countries, have made a huge mess of things.
We’re heading for the same place for the same reasons. The poor don’t want to work, the working people want to live like kings, and the wealthy want no-risk gambling for themselves. Did I cover everyone? This is a crisis of expectations more than anything else. We talk about how rich America is without realizing that all wealth is finite and perishable. Wealth is created, renewed and sustained by work, and a population unwilling to work reduces the wealth of nation. For America to continue to lead the world in Freedom and Justice, we must lead the world in work.
So what would I work towards if I were Representative for Missouri’s 3rd Congressional district? Balancing the budget is a must. How? Let’s start trimming the Federal budget:
- Cut all non-military salaries by 10%,
- Switch from pensions to retirement accounts funded by deductions from salary
- Raise the retirement age for those with pensions to 65
- Trim each department’s budget by 20%
- Withdraw the majority of our troops from Iraq and Afghanistan.
- Raise Social Security early retirement to 67 & eliminate cap on contributions
- Eliminate the earned income credit
- End franking privileges for congressmen
- Suspend implementation of new health care law for 10 years
Then let’s increase revenue:
- Institute temporary federal sales tax on electronics, alcohol and all interstate sales (dedicate receipts to debt reduction)
- Help cover homeland security costs with temporary fee on incoming visitors
At the same time, let’s take some concrete steps to create more employment.
- Dialogue with industry leaders to build American manufacturing
- Encourage cottage industry and individual initiative; ease self-employment rules
- Give incentives to small business to hire and retain employees
All of the above ideas are necessary and important to building a stronger, better America and the sooner we get started, the better. You can help. Please contact me at 314-504-6692 or campaign2010@edwardcrim.com
or
Citizens to Elect Edward Crim
7019 Mitchell Avenue
St. Louis, Missouri 63117
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