I sat and listened to some political discourse today on NPR, and I was intrigued when I heard that Congressmen and women have been able to use their advance knowledge of the stock market to make trades and decisions about stock before the rest of the public.
I had no idea this was even possible in Congress. So I did a little investigating into the bill. It turns out that Congressmen and women can choose to receive briefings on the economy and forecasts about significant changes that are expected in the stock market; and it turns out that over the years, Congressmen and women have used this to their advantage to make as much money out of their stocks as possible. I read an opinion piece about it in the New Yorker where the columnist said that they should be allowed to use that information as they wish.
I disagree with him. I think Congressmen are briefed on the stock market so they know what kind of shape the nation's economy is in, and by that they'll know if any action is needed. They're not given the information so they can make personal gains in their wealth, and to think that it's okay is sickening to me. It's like saying they get security briefings so they know when to get to the bomb shelter before everyone else does. Does that makes sense to you?
I was blown away when the story after that was about Mitt Romney saying 'I don't care about the poor, they have a safety net...' Excuse me?! What are you talking about? They have a 'safety net'? If so I'd like to see it! The poor in America are the ones who need the MOST help, they don't need to get left behind... again. Welfare and food stamps help in some situations yes, but they don't always do enough. Some families have 2 adults who work 4-5 jobs between them, and still can't afford to live an 'average' life. They rely on those things for support, they're not there as a safety net.
Of course the middle class needs help too, but not as much as those who are below the poverty line are. It's despicable to think that people who have enough but are getting by with less than they had before should get more aid than people who have been living consistently below the poverty line. Where's the common sense Mitt? You should really rethink your assessment of those in need in this country if you hope to become the President one day.
