-By Vince Johnson
During political campaigns we hear a lot about the need for change. I’ve been hearing about change since I was wheeled around in a baby buggy and have decided it is true; whenever things get messy a change is required, and that includes politicians as well as diapers. On the other hand, some things are never changed. Like political promises. I have been hearing the same political promises since I was 12 years old (68 years ago) and things are messier than ever. We’ve all heard the same old line: Fiscal responsibility. Improvements in public education. Making college education more affordable. Reducing and simplifying income taxes. Affordable health insurance. Reducing government waste. Keeping America safe and secure via effective law enforcement.
But what about reality? Fiscal irresponsibility is at a level of chaos we cannot even imagine. The drop-out rate in our high schools keeps going up. College educations are becoming unaffordable for millions. Income taxes are going up for some, down for others, and getting far to complicated for most. Health insurance is far beyond the reach of several million Americans. Government squandering has reached catastrophic levels. Our immigration laws have not been effectively enforced for over 70 years.
The most alarming reality of all deals with our “News Media” which has chosen to report on all of the above in the least informative manner possible. They devote millions of dollars worth of prime time “news” to intimate details on the psychological problems of people like Britney Spears and Anna Nicole Smith. Barrels of ink are poured into stories about corporate scandals like Enron and Global Crossing. Tons of newsprint and glossy paper are wasted on political embarrassments arising from senatorial affairs in airport restrooms and escort services used by a state governor. News about the war and terrorism is a continual mix of confusing contradictions.
But the coverage on something that is destroying America is insignificant! It has to do with borrowing money. Congress insists that we must have things we can’t afford, so they are borrowing trillions and trillions of dollars from our kids. And they are doing it without the knowledge or consent of those who will be spending a lifetime in a futile effort to pay it off!
Consider the facts: Not one single politician from either party has explained to any high school student why it is ethically expedient to borrow trillions of dollars from their future! Not one single politician has ever explained to his or her constituents that our children will not live long enough to reduce this debt to a reasonable and manageable level. This is an unethical, immoral, and unconscionable form of “public service” and from this day onward it needs to be reported by the news media in a highly competent, and vigorous manner.
Why doesn’t TIME or Forbes publish a series of articles based on the attached covers I designed? Are they afraid they might upset 37 million citizens under the age of 18? Does the media believe it is best for America if our High School graduates are not informed about how much money congress has borrowed from their future? Is the media waiting for someone to ask the Supreme Court to determine if forcing an overwhelming debt upon future generations is Constitutional? What a sensational story that would make! The Supreme Court refusing to hear a case where Congress has borrowed over $9 trillion dollars from minor age citizens without their knowledge or approval? Or suppose they decided IT IS Constitutional to burden our children with a debt they can never pay off as long as they live! Must it go this far before the media will give this issue the attention it deserves?
Last month (March 2008) I sent copies of the enclosed cover concepts to TIME and Forbes with the suggestion they focus attention on how government borrowing is impacting our children’s future. This suggestion was ignored, so this second effort will include mailings to recipients of THE REALITY FACTOR. If you think it will help, make copies and put them on a few bulletin boards or send them to your local High School.
TIME and Forbes are receiving copies of this issue along with the enclosed cover designs. If I’m sued for doing this without their permission, so much the better! It would be great to be sued by leaders in the news industry for distributing my comments on a reality they should have focused upon years and years ago.
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Vince Johnson welcomes comments. Please send them to,Vince Johnson(vjadtrak@wvi.com)
See Vince in the new book Americans on Politics. Policy, and Pop-Culture.