Every community has its brighter bulbs. They are the residents who shed light and involve themselves proactively in myriad ways. One might say these folks are the best and brightest who regularly apply their talents and knowledge for the betterment of their community and beyond.
Harrison thankfully has more than its share. Among them is David Fitton, a former city council member and activist for beneficial ideas and efforts aimed at making Harrison all it can be.
Most recently, Fitton published a book of his views on the condition of our nation, Resurrecting Respect: True Patriotism.
Available on Amazon, its 34 compelling chapters deal with aspects ranging from America's "New Royal Class" to "Career Politicians and Their Compensations." In other words, documenting and describing many elements contributing to our country's steady decline.
I found his work that describes problems and possible remedies relevant to each and every one of us who cares about the lamentable conditions we've allowed to take root and flourish in our nation since the end of World War II.
I've cherry-picked information from Fitton's 126 pages (much of which also appears on Fitton's website (sophiessoapbox.com). Fitton's research certainly heightened my level of awareness, as much as I believe it will your own. Here are some examples based on what he says he learned.
• There are just under 3 million federal civil service employees who represent almost 20 percent of all union workers. In 2010, 82,034 workers (93.9 percent of the work force) each were making over $150,000 annually, up from 7,204 in 2005.
• The Japanese auto industry owes abundant gratitude to American electrical engineer and physicist William Edwards Deming. Over there he helped ignite and eventually thrust Japan's car-building efforts worldwide to make them truly competitive with American automobiles (think Honda). Today, the Japanese standard of living mirrors our own and their average wage exceeds that in the U.S.
• Our Congress in 2014 was in session just 136 days. The annual salary for the House and Senate as of 2015 was $174,000 for a first-termer with certain positions slightly higher. This contrasts with the $6 per day in session which was paid to these public servants between 1789 and 1818.
Some major airlines also established dedicated phone lines over which Capitol Hill customers can book reservations, permitting congressional members to reserve seats on multiple flights but only pay for the trips they take. They have been able to park for free at two Washington area airports, says a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. Sure sounds like elitist privilege to me.
• The expression "we have the best representation money can buy" rings true. And those in the top 1 percent of annual income, companies and super-PACs clearly have the most to contribute to political campaigns. This group controls a large portion of our nation's wealth and therefore has significant influence on the outcome of elections through the staffs, exposure and advertising these candidates can afford.
To succeed in politics every potential candidate today must attract funds from a portion of those who hold the wealth. To achieve this, they will need to support certain areas of special interest. And in doing so, these public servants are allowed to become a member of our "royalty," alongside the wealthiest families and top executives at major corporations.
Possible remedies to a lot of this special treatment (that seems out of reach since both require congressional actions) are term limits and abbreviating the campaign period to 120 days before a national election and the elimination of super-PACs. Spending levels for campaigns also should be capped at amounts deemed reasonable to all candidates.
• Congress quoted its definition of middle class as anyone making less than $400,000, or couples earning less than $450,000 annually with no lower bracket. In contrast, the middle class was defined by a non-governmental source as those earning between $45,000 and $110,000, which seems to me to be in touch with reality.
Family incomes of about $300,000 represent just 1 percent of the population. In contrast, family incomes beneath $30,000 represent half of America's population, Fitton writes.
By this definition, the America middle class (the primary consuming class and economic engine that drives our economy) represents about 49 percent. Fully 37 percent of families have incomes below the definition of middle class, and 12 percent fall beneath the poverty level.
• As a pointed question, Fitton rightly wonders why the gross domestic product has risen from $9.6 trillion to $21.3 trillion over the past 20 years (a 120 percent increase) as average wages have only grown by about 10 percent. So where did all that additional GDP go?
• Health-care costs have accelerated out of control and many times faster than wages. Average wages have increased only slightly since 2000 from $30,756 to $33,229, or less than 9 percent. During the same period the median cost for a new home swelled from $165,814 to $315,815, or more than 90 percent. Also during that period, the costs of health-care and advanced education almost tripled.
Serious problems with our health-care system are the most important to our future financial health, both for the nation and its citizens. It arguably is as important as all the other issues cited in the book combined.
• As of 2019 the per capita cost of health care exceeded $11,000 in the U.S. This means a family of four paying their average cost would face a price tag of more than $44,000. Currently about a third of health care is being funded by Medicare and Medicaid with another third through company health plans. The rest comes from our premiums, deductibles and co-pays.
Meanwhile, we continue to add a million dollars to our national debt every 35 seconds.
Fitton's informative book goes on to detail many other shortcomings that pervade society, along with potential remedies. It's well worth the read just to stay informed rather than relying on the foibles of Facebook and social media rife with special (often hidden) agendas.
Now go out into the world and treat everyone you meet exactly how you'd like them to treat you.
Mike Masterson is a longtime Arkansas journalist, was editor of three Arkansas dailies and headed the master's journalism program at Ohio State University. Email him at mmasterson@arkansasonline.com.
Web only on 02/22/2020