#taxcuts

As a staunch supporter of right-wing politics, particularly the Reform Party and figures like Nigel Farage, my natural inclination is to align with the Republican Party in the United States. Conservatism, free-market principles, and a strong national identity are values I hold dear, and the modern Republican Party, despite its internal fractures, still embodies many of these ideals. 

However, there is one undeniable truth, even for those of us on the right: John F. Kennedy was arguably the most qualified and capable president the United States has ever had.

Now, before my fellow conservatives scoff at the notion of praising a Democrat, let's take a step back and analyze JFK not through the lens of partisan loyalty, but through merit, leadership, and statesmanship.

A President with Real-World Experience

Unlike many modern politicians who build their careers in the bureaucratic echo chambers of Washington, JFK came from a background that genuinely prepared him for the highest office in the land. His time in the military, particularly as a naval officer during World War II, shaped his resilience, decision-making, and ability to lead under pressure. The famous PT-109 incident, where Kennedy saved his crew after their boat was sunk, showcased his courage and sense of duty qualities sorely lacking in many of today’s career politicians.

Compare this to the political dynasties we see today, where candidates emerge not because of their personal achievements but because of their family name or ideological appeal. JFK may have been born into privilege, but he proved himself through action, not just rhetoric.

A Pragmatist, Not an Ideologue

JFK was a Democrat, yes, but not in the radical progressive sense we see dominating the party today. He was staunchly anti-communist, supported a strong military, and pushed for tax cuts that spurred economic growth positions that would make many modern Republicans nod in agreement. In fact, his economic policies bear more resemblance to those of Ronald Reagan than to those of today’s left-wing Democrats.

His approach to the Cold War was another mark of his pragmatism. Instead of blindly capitulating to Soviet pressure or overreacting with reckless aggression, Kennedy took a calculated stance that balanced deterrence with diplomacy. His handling of the Cuban Missile Crisis remains one of the greatest demonstrations of presidential leadership in history.

A Leader Who Inspired a Nation

One of the greatest failings of modern political leaders, particularly in America, is their inability to unite and inspire their nation. Kennedy, however, had that rare ability to make people believe in something bigger than themselves. His speeches weren’t just empty words they were calls to action. “Ask not what your country can do for you ask what you can do for your country” is a sentiment that conservatives, especially those who champion personal responsibility and national pride, can respect.

Contrast this with the modern left’s obsession with victimhood and entitlement, and you see just how different JFK was from today’s Democrats. His vision was one of strength, optimism, and American exceptionalism values that, ironically, align more with the modern right than the radical left.

The Tragic Loss of Leadership

One can only wonder what America and indeed the world—would look like had Kennedy not been assassinated. Would he have continued to steer the country away from the bureaucratic stagnation that followed in the decades after? Would he have resisted the extreme leftward shift of his party? We will never know.

What is certain, however, is that John F. Kennedy was a leader of rare ability. His blend of real-world experience, economic pragmatism, and nationalistic spirit set him apart from most presidents before and after him.

all_things_democracy

Apple Inc. hits a trillion in value —

With major tax cuts for the rich, minimum taxes for big companies and stock buy backs on Wall Street, these companies have over-valued their stock prices, giving us a mirage that the economy has been doing better than reality.

Trickle-down economics is a concept where it is assumed that by giving wealthy folks tax cuts, they will invest the money they have from those tax cuts into their businesses, and thereby increasing employment all over the country. This is flawed as the wealthy folks purchase their already inflated stocks and become wealthier.

While Jeff Bezos (CEO of Amazon) is valued at $150 Billion, amazon.com employees in warehouses have been working in substandard conditions and have been getting paid $10 an hour. Cool. With significant pressure from Sen. Bernie Sanders, Amazon has announced it will pay its warehouse workers $15 an hour starting November 2018. Behind the scenes, this $5 per hour wage increase is borne by the average Joe working for Amazon (not the wealthy Board of Directors) who will be losing out on yearly bonuses and reduced stock options.

Middle America’s average wage increased by just 1.8 percentage this year. Poor Bezos just became $50 billion richer. So poor!

Classic case of how trickle-down economics will never work.

Do we want to continue to live in societies where most of the wealth in this country and most other countries is held by the very few individuals at the top? A few billionaires hold as much wealth as the bottom 85% of this country. The amount of people living in absolute poverty, including some of the richest countries in the world, should at the very least, be a collective stain on our morality. There are more people dying out of want for food, shelter and man-made climate disasters while the very rich continue to selfishly flaunt their wealth in their multi-million-dollar mansions; the rest of us wither away in silent desperation clutching hopelessly at every straw of hope and optimism.

This is how capitalism is insanely spiraling out of proportion.

Here are some interesting observations after Donald Trump became President:

There were regulations on Wall street that were put in place by the Obama administration after the 2008 meltdown to keep a check on Wall Street’s recklessness. The major two regulations - Dodd Frank Act and HDMA were repealed by Donald in Jan- Feb 2017, right after his inauguration.

Alarmingly, synthetic CDOs (Collateralized Debt Obligations), which caused the 2008 economic meltdown, are now back on Wall Street with a different name and are being heavily leveraged by companies like Goldman Sachs, Citi and other major wall street banks.

Guess who’s currently offering the maximum interest rate in America for savings accounts? - Marcus. And Marcus is owned by - Goldman Sachs. Marcus Savings Account product line of Goldman Sachs came into existence in Feb 2017 – right after Donald Trump got elected in Jan and repealed the Dodd Frank act.

Here we are on the cusp of another recession, where middle America will suffer again while billionaires will get bailed out eventually by the federal government, just like the last time.

Hah, what a truly despicable time to be alive!

We know what they all say about the Millennials and Gen Z, that how we're the generation that wants everything instantly, how we don't have enough patience and how nothing is ever good enough for us.

Well I say, if we're saddled with student loans up the wazoo, can't afford to buy a car or a house or get a halfway decent job, while the billionaires continue to decimate the planet and Wall Street continues to toy with the financial system causing it to collapse and lose every dollar of savings we ever had, then yes we don't have the time to wait. We don't have time for capitalism or the markets to save us anymore. We've tried that for about 8 decades and it hasn't worked. It's time for us to radically revisit the notion of capitalism and it's time for us to abolish it. There has never been a generation that has cared about social welfare as much as millennials. We are not only the single largest voting bloc in 2024 and beyond, but we will have the wherewithal and the tenacity that is needed to bring about lasting and meaningful Change.

Change -- where there are no more billionaires, no more homeless people, no more unemployed, no more staggering levels of income inequality and a world where corporations don't exist because of their greed but only because they want to make the world a better place.

A world where everyone will have a shot at being their most productive best. A world where we don't jail people for using marijuana or for crossing the border "illegally", a world where we have a criminal justice system that is both just and fair (as it was intended to be).

A world where America is this shining city on the hill, this beacon of hope that no longer goes to war, but is a refuge for every man, woman or child fleeing destituteness and hopelessness that a capitalistic system brings about.

This is not a pipedream of some ranting delusional millennial whose brain cannot take the "harsh realities" of the world . This is what we desperately must become and what we need to aspire to be!