By Mario M. Cuomo -- Let good sense trump ideology

[Jon8503]

Looking back to the beginning of the Ronald Reagan years in 1981, when huge tax cuts for already-prosperous Americans and a shrinking of programs benefiting the rest of the population were launched, it's clear that the forces of great wealth have been conducting a class war that they are winning decisively.
The battle continues today as Republican "wealth warriors" press for the privatization of Social Security, revision of bankruptcy laws to benefit corporate financiers at the expense of debt-ridden middle-class credit card users, the repeal of workplace safety regulations, and in other ways are forcing struggling Americans to shoulder responsibilities that have been government responsibilities for most of our modern history.

For example, the Bush administration is seeking to alter Medicaid by dropping much of the protection against catastrophic illness and substituting more access to primary care. That's an attractive notion unless you are seriously ill. Similar cuts are surely in store for Medicare once the president is finished with his Social Security misadventure.

This reduction in necessary programs is accompanied by more tax cuts, largely for the wealthy, including the elimination of billions of dollars in inheritance taxes benefiting only a small proportion of Americans. The champions of the already secure say their purpose in making these cuts is to "starve the beast." That's a cute way of saying they will use fiscal starvation to end or severely limit existing discretionary programs that help provide education, health care and other social assistance.

(rest of article at link)

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2005-06-28-cuomo-edit_x.htm

[shraby]

1. Why doesn't he run for president???????

[smirkymonkey]

5. It was insinuated a while back that he had ties to the Mafia which

would inevitably come up during the campaign. I don't know if it's true, but most Americans are still prejudiced enough to buy it.

I think he'd make one of the best Presidents we've ever had.

[tk2kewl]

2. It's good to hear from Cuomo. Too bad he never ran for Pres.

[smirkymonkey]

3. I want Cuomo as my president!

Waaahhhhhhh!

Jeeez - what's the difference between the Bush Mafia and the Cosa Nostra anyway?

[shraby]

4. Coumo is intelligent enough, presidential lookin

enough, compassionate enough, he has all the "enoughs" he needs. I think he should be asked to run.

[deminks]

6. I don't care what it is

that has kept him from running all of these years. I :loveya: Mario!

[indepat]

7. Not a single even semi-literate or marginally intelligent American should

fail to fully comprehend every single point Governor Cuomo so skillfully articulates, so those who support W all know, fully understand, and support all of this IMHO.

[smirkymonkey]

8. Yeah, but he might come across as an "In-tuh-lek-too-al"

which would scare off the freepers in droves.