Dear Won,

I looked at Article 1 Section 8 of the Constitution which defines the powers of Congress and saw nothing to support the Health Care Bill or other social programs that arose out of the Twentieth Century. The powers are very pretty specific for most part. Now, I'm not a strict constructionist which I think is an arrogant stance to assume that we can know what the writers of the Constitution intended other than what they wrote.The Federalist Papers which argued for its creation was written by only a handful and is not what was ratified. Like the Declaration of Independence they are historically valuable but not part of the structure of governance. The straight up of the Constitution of course includes slaves as partial human beings for the sake of the Census and so on. Since slavery and other blatant racism was solidly and unmistakably written in the Constitution that would have to be taken into consideration in the reading of any original intent. I doubt the Amendments later added amended the minds of the originators.

The Republicans have a legitimate argument. I think with my very limited knowledge that the expansion of federal powers is more a matter of precedent. The New Deal created a federal bureaucracy that was later able to mobilize the country to arm the Allies to defeat the Axis and then rebuild Europe and fight the Cold War. The Second World War and its aftermath cemented a lot of the socialist programs across the industrialized world.

Libertarians say that the Fed should only be concerned with the common defense and a few other issues but I'm afraid the nature of international relations and especially America's role in the world has created such a huge military that it necessitated broader intrusion into the powers of the states and individuals lives. I don't know what would happen if American taxpayers weren't guaranteeing world stability.

So many programs started under different demographics. Social Security usually lasted for only a few years when most people died before 70. Welfare was literally called Widows and Orphans relief. Medicare like SS usually covered just a few years. I think the average was three in the first decade of its existence. In other words they were affordable programs when created. Our longevity has made them perhaps impossible to sustain. Even without all the expensive drugs and technologies the fact that our retirement years are seven times longer than when these programs were created pretty much dooms them and the country.

I like Kagan and hope that she is approved for the Supreme Court. I think she was wise to say little despite her comment years ago that nominees should just tell the Judiciary Committee what they really think. Though she is another southerner (she grew up more than twenty blocks south of center of the universe here at 95th Street) I will forgive her regional prejudices and hope that she is able to use the humor and deal cutting abilities she showed running Harvard Law.

I think that the New York Times like Fox News and Wall Street Journal argues from a very ideological position. When I was studying journalism in college the Times was considered more middle of the road than it is today. The country was more liberal then. Our exploding senior population and changing demographics necessitate fundamental changes in the relations between the government and individuals and businesses. I don't have the answers but I do believe that we can not continue on our present course.

This is nothing new. I am amused that history shifts the lines on us. With Social Security and Welfare near eighty years old it is actually conservative to defend these socialist programs. The Republican Party was founded on Abolition and Civil Rights. They were the radical liberals that literally tore the country apart with their election. Mind you, the country was hardly together in any way other than geographically before.

As a satirist I really just look at the rhetoric. I can barely make out if at all any of the reality that lies behind these debates. You can look at the facts but there are so many and which do you give weight to? Certainly many people are struggling but many of those live irresponsibly and deserve their lives. People who have worked hard from school to business create wealth for all and deserve to keep a large portion of it.

I do believe this. Our children are not born into equal circumstances. The government can not make up all the difference in what families provide. But we will decline as a country if we do not have some avenues for those of little means to develop and sell their talents in a free and fair marketplace. Is free and fair together possible? Only relatively.

The Preamble of the Constitution establishes Justice (a very big word even without the capital J) and promotes the general Welfare of the people along with Tranquility, Defense and Liberty as the goals of the country and government. These ideals are just that: ideals. We must accept them as such and not act like we have the "right" interpretation of what is really just a bare though brilliant outline of governance.

All Democracies are loud and contentious. That is how they operate. Issues change. The lines shift with time. Sound bites are just the latest form of sloganeering. Nobody likes paying taxes and everybody wants more. My most intense training in economics and politics was teaching Pre School. I often didn't have the answers then either but I did begin to learn how to listen. My family and friends cover the political spectrum including those wise souls who chose to ignore politics altogether. I respect them all and hope that I have pissed them all off one time or another with my satires. Almost all of my satires piss me off. I write them not only out of a sense of ego and patriotism but to ease my digestion and sooth my liver.

Politics quiets down a little this time of year as even politicians take vacations. The country remains both physically and emotionally hot while the economy stays anxiously cool. Take a break if you can. Go to a friend's daughter's wedding or just get away. The whole mess will be there waiting on your doorstep or your homepage when you return.

Stay Cool.

Don Arrup
Satire1