The LuLac Edition #2001, March 28th, 2012

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WRITE ON WEDNESDAY

DON’T MESS WITH MIDDLE CLASS

This week a Wilkes Barre resident wrote a very thoughtful letter to the editor regarding the middle class in America. It is a great take on how those in the middle are being broken down completely by both big big business and heartless government.
Editor:
Our American history tells us that we got rid of our oppressors and as the years went by people from all over the world came to this beautiful America.
There were very smart men who made laws to control these millions of people to make sure that their freedom and liberty was not taken from them. They worked hard to preserve the American way of living.
Dictators in the past tried to take all of this but we stood united. Our young men fought and shed blood to preserve our beautiful America.
While we were working hard we were creating a middle class of people. We were able to buy a home, send our children to school, take a vacation, invest extra money, buy a car, etc.
Our government stepped in when there were labor abuses such as mining, factory sweat shops, working hours and safety conditions, etc.
But when these money mongers were making so much money they hired CEOs to run their companies. These CEOs made millions of dollars in bonus money and the looked for any loophole they could find such as keeping money overseas to avoid taxes and sending work overseas to keep profit margins higher and higher. However, there was one obstacle in their way which was the middle class. Oh boy, we could make lots of money on this middle class. There was no corporate social responsibility.
Banks, mortgage companies, appliance companies, Wall Street frauds, the housing market, department stores, supermarkets, hospitals, realty companies and oil companies went sky high. I could go on an on. These credit card companies made a fortune. How many times have you heard this remark? "Oh, put it on the card and we will take care of the paperwork." These money mongers had no conscience.
Not to mention any names but one president said the following: "Instead of Social Security why not put your money in the stock market?" Wow!
Well, we Americans were thrown to the dogs. Greed, debt and dishonorable leaders of our America tore us down. The poor and middle class and the rich are all Americans. But I think there was a backlash. They didn't realize that hurting the middle class, which is the backbone of the nation, would hurt our country. Greed overpowered common sense and the CEOs were exposed with ridiculous bonuses of millions per year. I wonder if a man's life is measured in dollars and cents. How many lives were ruined? I guess money is their god and they don't care who they hurt.
Today you have a president who is trying to put a loaf of bread on the table and they are blocking him every which way they can. Give this guy a chance. The president is trying to get us back on track again. He didn't get us into this mess and please don't be racial about our president. We are all made of flesh and blood. Color means nothing. It is what is in your heart that counts.
Remember we are a country of many races.
No man is an island.
Like the man said:
Freedom and justice for all and don't forget liberty.
That's American and I love it.
Dan Pistone
Wilkes-Barre