THE GREAT DIVIDE

During this Christmas Season, nothing epitomizes more to me, the great divide in this country, than these two pictures! The President announced today that the "economy is doing good". It all depends on where you're living! Indeed the economy is good for those living within the Washington beltway. If a person (the President) is raking in $400,000 a year in pay - the best of medical care - free housing - ( heat) - travel - and elegant meals, prepared by dozens of staff, indeed things are very good. Same goes for the politicians. They have lucrative salaries (working a few days a week), travel reimbursements, housing allowances, the best in health care (tax payer funded), pensions (with yearly cost of living increases) and the best of food, in their on site dining room (laden down with food). Is it any wonder, that those residing in Washington (running for office), are detached from the outside world? They don't call it 'Foggy Bottom' for nothing. There is no urgency, in providing affordable health care, livable wage jobs, nor affordable housing. The purpose of getting to Washington is to feather one's own nest (and family members). Of all the candidates running for office, only Rep.Kucinich can relate to the downtrodden. He was once homeless. Note how none of these 'debates' are held under bridges, in homeless shelters, or empty paper mills!

The pampered White House dogs, Barney & Mrs. Beasley, will most likely be eating better than the multitudes of homeless, and those unemployed, due to the actions of 'Foggy Bottom', in voting for various trade agreements, that have emptied America of its livable wage jobs. Since the President, nor the majority in Congress, have never suffered the indignities of hunger, a crisis in medical care, homelessness, or unemployment - they don't care, because they don't have to. Soup kitchens are crowded (some churches are seeking to close theirs), factories are shuttered, food pantries are scrounging for food, citizens are freezing (unable to afford heating fuel), and multitudes are living in tents, from Seattle, to New Orleans. Meantime Congress (without reading) passed a 35lb spending bill. Rest assured, none of it will reach America's disposable society. All animals are equal - but aha, some are much more equal than others!

Judith Moriarty