Imperial Instability

Does ANYONE in government have intelligence these days? When I see that certain lawmakers in Maine trying to give voting rights to non-citizens: http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=247244&ac=PHnws
It makes me worry. One of the things that led to the collapse of the Roman Empire was that the powers of the citizenry were watered-down: essentially, anyone within Roman territory had the rights and obligations that a full-on Roman citizen was entitled to. It was done as a tax-increasing measure, but also devalued the citizenship that was the pride of the Empire. The legislators who proposed this bill (Sen. Justin Alfond and Rep. Brian Bolduc) should be forced out of office by their enraged constituents. These men clearly never paid attention in school, and don't seem to understand the signifigance of citizenship in this country. That being said, I'm all for enabling people to become citizens. If these aliens are truly interested in having citizens' rights, they should go through the process of gaining them legally. These boneheaded legislators should focus on offering aliens help with immigration exams and paperwork, not just handing them citizenship's rights because "they're here". The argument that it "thwarts the power, potential, and promise f democracy" is childishly ignorant and a bogus statement on it's face. The current system does discriminate against those who are not citizens - but since a LEGAL, CLEARLY-DEFINED METHOD ALREADY EXISTS for these people to become citizens, then these people are already capable of having their voice heard in elections, and are already capable of throwing off the illusory "shackles of oppression" that apparently hold them back because they cannot currently vote.

Get a ***** green card, kids. I have friends who went through naturalization, and are now full-fledged U.S. citizens. Giving these rights to anyone who wants them cheapens my friends' experiences and sacrifices. It cheapens my rights, and dilutes the rights of ALL citizens.

I also have a beef with the idea currently floating aroud in Congress to tax employer-provided healthcare benefits at a heavier rate in order to pay for universal healthcare.

link here: http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-na-health-tax28-2009mar28,0,6232958.story

My issue is that both my girlfriend and I currently pay OUT OF OUR PAYCHECKS for healthcare provided by our jobs. The premiums aren't too terribly bad, but it's still expensive. However, it's worth it when one of us needs a doctor visit, or needs to visit the emergency room. Health care is something that everyone needs. But why should I have to pay more for someone who is unemployed and has 3 kids to be able to have health insurance?

News flash for Congress: If you hit the lower class with more and more taxes, then dilute the benefits that they're paying more for, THE LOWER CLASS WILL REVOLT. It has happened REPEATEDLY in history, and no American has ANY excuse to not realize this - it's how our nation gained it's independence. Governmentally-enforced "social equality" is a damnably foolish idea, and frankly doesn't work. Socializing the healthcare sector will destroy the overall quality of the care provided (look at Europe), and I am not happy about being considered a "cash-cow" for people who can't afford medical care.

But for these people, I have a quick question: Why can't you afford it? I work at Kroger. I make less than $12,000 a year - technically, I don't even qualify as having to pay taxes. The government takes 10% of my check EVERY WEEK. Howver, I also have healthcare. My company provides it for me (because I pay for it every week out of my paycheck). There are a great many options available for people with no healthcare - free clinics, low-cost providers, and employer-based benefits all exist in many different forms in this country. If none of these options are viable for a person - they need to get a job and quit being a drain on my economy. Unemployment may be skyrocketing, but I can go to the GA Dept. of Labor website and find (and apply for) a job online....right now. AS I AM TYPING THIS BLOG, there are dozens of jobs LOOKING FOR PEOPLE TO WORK THEM shown on the GDOL website( http://www.dol.state.ga.us/ )

Note to Congressional Democrats: The unions are your backbone. My union sent out stacks of literature during the last election, pushing me to vote for the Democratic candidates in my state.
If the Democratic lawmakers in Washington are to stupid to realize what attacking organized Labor (which is what this idea amounts to) will do to one of their KEY DEMOGRAPHICS, then I have no sympathy for a clearly-doomed party. Hopefully in the next election cycle, these filthy greedheads will be flogged out of office and some actual balance will return to the government.