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| An Open Letter to President Bush | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Back to HOME PAGE | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Dear President Bush: | ||||||||||||||||||||
| �� Last night I listened to your State of the Union Address to our nation.� Many parts sounded very good!� I liked once again what you suggested about using and making our own reliable sources of energy generation.� Like you I have tried to be a leader in getting other leaders to look at promoting alternative energy usage.� When the Kyoto Laureates came to speak at my employer, the University of San Diego (see , http://www.FreedomPlease.org ), I suggested soon after 9/11 that they ask Third World countries to use 2/3 of their defense budgets to develop a low cost (>$10,000) hydrogen car to be sold here and around the world.� Instead of having minimal power via "arms" they could have grand power by providing a non-polluting transportation resource.� I advised them that the world, including the United States, would beat a path to their door for such a vehicle.� They "pooh-poohed" my idea and went right back to talking about how we should set up to use war and arms to control the world. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| � Like you I am looking for positive progress and change.� We need to think beyond the box! Yes, we need to help the small businesses and the growing healthcare problem. But we must be cautious not to let big business continue to drain our tax dollars, via tax deductions and accounting scandals.� Once the money has been pilfered it is very difficult to get back.� Pension funds must be ?lock-boxed?, unlike what congress (the benchmark setter in a free world) and many corporations have done, there must be a true retirement system.� My own puny retirement funds, one $3000 IRA, and a once $5000 mutual fund 401k, have taken the hit for many years.� Starting at $2500 the 401k moved to $5k rapidly in the late 90?s, then it fell to near $2400 in 2002, yes less what I?d put in.� 5 years of investing over term and I was in the negative- without including inflation. It devastated me, just a low hourly worker. It has risen to $4k over the last 2 years so I?m only down $1k, but that equals out to less than 5% gain per year over the 7 year term, much less than living cost have risen here in California, especially housing.� The $2k IRA stayed steady at 3% to give me a $1k growth to $3k. Remember humans need food, shelter, clothing; then we can start talking about healthcare. Wages need to keep up as do retirement investments (Social Security or private).� I, like Greenspan and Buffet, understand that growing budget deficits and trade deficits, especially without direct plans of how the later will be ended, cause much concern.� Even the Bond market leaders have genuine concern over the U.S. ability to cover its? growing debt.� We can?t continue to spend spend spend without seeing a plan to stifle congress and the abuse to the taxpayer dollar. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| �� During 2004 I tightened my belt.� I became ?homeless? for 9 months to live within my means.� I lived on the street, illegally I must add, in my RV. With my savings, from not paying rent I could not afford, I upgraded to a safer and better RV (C to A Class).� Then while I wasn?t working (7 years continual PT employment at USD) at my job I collected cans & recyclables at local parks, saving personnel costs while I cleaned up the area (hey, where?s my tax credit?).� When I?d saved enough, yes literally pulling at my boot straps, I went back to looking for affordable housing.� My friend was called-up on the Section 8 list, due to having only 2 bedroom units available they needed a roommate.� I had the credit to qualify (a difficult thing for poor people), we filled out the 2? high stack of forms, and they suggested with my $13,000 annual income, and above retirement funds that I might not qualify.� Man, if they would of known about the ?85 Datsun Sentra I might have been out. A month and a half later they said you just slid in Mr. Beeman.� They then said if you make over $100 more a month $100 will be added to the monthly rent, $200 more and that?ll be $200, you get a break at $400 more as it will stay the same rent.� So the system has that great disincentive to gain full employment and upgrade ones life.� As a poor working student (Web Security Certificate course) doing 25 hrs in class and 25 hours at work a week, plus homework, the working more option is difficult for me anyways. But my web development is getting me offers from small businesses for web site set-up. Too bad I can?t take many of these jobs other than to build my portfolio, they offer but I?m restricted (see http://www.GoodVistaTires.com ). | ||||||||||||||||||||
| � President Bush we the people of the United States need your help!� We need the ideas you suggested, we still need the hydrogen cars too, to get us into a reliable economy. But at the same time we need to get rid of burdensome policies, tax laws, and uncommitted, self only committed, legislators (fed, state, and local). It is time for accountability for all, not just private sector employers (big business), but also governmental personnel, non-profits, and religious leadership.� We all must put in the effort without believing we deserve more gain (i.e.: stock holders/investors) than the next person.� I'm willing and ready! Are "you all"? | ||||||||||||||||||||
| � | ||||||||||||||||||||
| P.S. Here is my "healthcare/Gang reform" plan. First we educate elementary school kids about bad behavior; i.e. junk food, low exercise, smoking (drugs), and promiscuity, and teach better behavior(s). Then we move to the secondary level and continuing education. All the while we open the school gyms (and computer labs, too) after hours for the parents and kids to work-out/train together. Security firms donate time to their local communities for security (hey, real ?goodwill?). This way parents see what is in the schools, i.e. soda and junk food machines, leaking ceilings/pipes, lack of proper equipment, and they work together to change it via volunteerism and cooperation. Mrs. Bush please call me. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Sincerely, | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Daniel Beeman | ||||||||||||||||||||
| (Clairemont) San Diego, CA | ||||||||||||||||||||
| [email protected] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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