wheeler's corner 2nd April 2020

WHEELER'S CORNER 2^nd April 2020.

 I have not produced a Wheeler's Corner for sometime, because I’ve been like thousands of Kiwi’s been locked away. But while reading a bit of stuff on the web...I came across these comments on a Common Dreams item. It concerned the problem of paying benefits to low income workers and pensioners and ex-vets. [in the USA]. Each of the paragraphs below are quotes from US residents

"While we’re on the subject of statistics, my initial analysis shows two Anglophone countries in deep doo-doo (UK & USA) while the others look relatively sound, so far. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Australia and Canada having full confidence New Zealand, my dream paradise, will manage everything with the usual intelligence and compassion, or kiwi panache).

"People north of the northern North American border look like they’re in much better hands than the people south of it, according to the numbers I follow. (Except for Alaskans, of course.)

"The US Model is a great con. What they are doing is giving money to Corporations while claiming this will ensure the companies retain staff. The Corporations will keep the money and lay off the staff anyways because all other revenues drop. They do not need those workers to get that Government cheese so why would they retain them?

"The aid has to be bottom up. The Neo-liberal model of making the rich richer and claiming it trickles down is a 40 year old swindle which has not worked and which will be even worse in this crisis.

"Not only that, these checks/direct deposits should have gone out 2-3 weeks ago. All this foot-dragging (both sides of the aisle), is simply because they don’t want to have to do it again. People needed this first check weeks ago to meet their bills by April 1. Mr Moneybags Mnuchin is now saying it’s a one-time payment. Yet Trump, in all his wisdom, is now saying he wants to restore the full corporate tax deduction for meals. What planet is this man living on?

"The federal government already has all of the information it needs… Likely more than 15 million Social Security recipients who currently don’t file tax returns and aren’t otherwise required to do so would have to file if Treasury doesn’t use its authority to get those people payments automatically.

NOPE. I am NOT going to cooperate. I am low income but this is a golden opportunity to join in solidarity in the uprising with strikers of every stripe and I am engaging in creative direct action in helping to feed some neighbors.

Enough IS enough!

Quote ends:

I wish you well and hope that you and your family and friends are managing well during these difficult times, you are too many to name individually, but I wish you all well and I hope that this mess is repaired shortly and that our leaders [whatever party] may not develop into the mess that is the United states...not all Americans are idiots, as the first paragraph proves. Its good to know we are a model of commonsense. I can hope that we Kiwis show as much sense when this is over to the issue of climate change and all that that entails. Lastly let me end with a little humour  we need a laugh these days!