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Everyone has a mother and father (even if they are not living with them now). Many of us have brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, grandfathers and grandmothers. How about looking at local, state and federal government policies and laws through the eyes of our families. Does this healthcare insurance make sense for families? Does it provide for services, drugs and care from birth to death? How can we build families as a unit of government services?
Families are really the basic unit of our communities. A household is in an apartment, or home with a set of family members – as those members define their household. For many there are multiple generations in a household, aunts, uncles, grandpa and grandma. Can we start with family as an economic unit too. How do we support those who have jobs in the household? Can we support multiple family members having jobs? For example with child care so that Moms can work if they want to. Can we have more women friendly corporate policies such that a women can move from home to the work world and back without losing pay or career opportunities. Why not have paid parental leave like most developed countries of the world?
Children in the household need an education in the household to survive in this world. Why not make pre kinder programs available for all families not just wealthy ones. Why not offer public education that is equal across communities not just rich ones getting the good teachers and supplies? Why not offer a college education or high quality apprenticeship programs to all children regardless of community at no cost to the family or limited cost. When are we going to invest in our children to the level that we did in the 1970s when states spent 3 or 4 times what they spend now secondary and higher education.
When a household job holder is out of work what happens? How can we support that person get another job, offer health insurance when they need it between jobs as no additional cost. When will we make companies that layoff workers do so in an equitable way along with manager and executive layoffs? How do we get equitable pay for employees that is at a livable wage instead of 300 % less than executive pay. In the 1950s executive pay was 50 % higher than the average worker, it worked then why not now. Instead of allowing corporations to take the money they make off the hard work of employees, and funded by customers to throw stock buyback money down the drain – take those funds and fund equal education for all or healthcare for all.
Family time together needs to be supported, in Europe they have the full month of August off to be together with their families or friends. Instead, US workers work the most number of hours in a year of all workers in the world. Germany does fine with an economy that provides a good standard of living for all workers and they have 5 weeks off each year.
Today we have the highest level of wealth concentration since 1929, we know what happened after that year, the stock market crashed, companies went of business, unemployment was over 20 %, many people starved. Unless, we take dramatic steps to share the benefits of our economy for all, it will crash again, causing great pain and suffering to many for 5 to 10 years as the economy rebalances wealth and reverts to the mean of wealth for the past 88 years. Throughout history, societies become prosperous, the rich take control of government and resources and eventually those that are left out revolt or the economic model becomes too top heavy to work and deflation, depression and decline takes place. Then, as wealth rebalances the industrious are rewarded again and the society begins to grow again on a solid foundation. That foundation is the family. There is another benefit to putting families first. We are actually all part of the same family of humanity, maybe when we put the focus on families we will treat each other with respect, understanding and civility.