Social security, public schools, Medicaid, and many other social services
Respectfully submitted OPINION by Damian DeMarco, Andover NY
In reading Mr. Langworthy’s defense of his vote in favor of H.R. 1490 to Condemn Socialism, I am compelled to point out that the government of the United States has many successful, social democratic institutions which protect and serve the common good. A social service (which I will identify hereafter as SS) benefit Mr. Langworthy receives is ample compensation for his role as NY23’s congressional representative ($174,000 per year for a 150 day year), paid for by our individual contributions to the IRS (SS). For context, an four-year public school (SS) teacher in NY23 earns about $45,000 for a 180 day year. Mr. Langworthy also receives healthcare through the Small Business Healthcare Options branch of the Affordable Care Act (SS), of which his employer, US taxpayers, cover 75% of the monthly premiums. Finally, if re-elected, Mr. Langworthy will receive a pension, at at rate of 80% of his final salary after 5 years of service. Again for context, that same public school teacher in NY’s Tier 6 will have to work for 42 years to receive that same amount of final salary.
Additionally, Mr. Langworthy’s full-throated approval of our current president’s actions include utilizing many social services to trample on individual freedoms: use of the National Guard (SS) to patrol US cities; use of ICE (SS) to terrorize and even in some cases use lethal force on citizens of cities and states the president deems “socialist” or “communist”; use of the US military (SS) to police the seas and invade Venezuela and Iran; withholding federally-approved research funds (SS) to influence private university and college policies, use of the FCC (SS) to censor broadcast media companies who dare say anything negative about his actions as president while removing federally-approved funds for public broadcasting (SS), establishing government investment stakes in 30 private capital enterprise companies, such as Intel, US Steel, and Westinghouse to increase governmental influence on minerals, semiconductors, and nuclear power (this is moving toward true economic socialism– government control of business); use of the Postal Service (SS) to monitor voter rolls and prevent eligible voters from receiving mail-in ballots; and finally using taxpayer dollars to fund vanity projects like the ballroom and arch, for which few US citizens will ever find use.
We taxpayers continue to fund the government while the current president makes deals with the Justice Department (SS) to avoid accountability and prevent anyone in his family from IRS oversight.
Furthermore, Mr. Langworthy’s legislative votes continue to erode social services like the Affordable Care Act, SNAP (SS) benefits, Medicaid (SS), Environmental Protection Agency (SS), public education, the Postal Service, national parks (SS), and Social Security (SS). How do these actions benefit the common good?
I think Mr. Langworthy would better serve us by addressing the cancerous policies of the party that poses as defenders of individual liberty as it systematically strips away social services that enhance US individuals’ life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness and misuses those institutions for personal retribution, power, and profit.
*Mr. DeMarco’s views are his own.
