|
|
 |
|
The
views expressed
on this page are soley those of the author and do not
necessarily
represent the views of County News Online
|
 |
State Representative Jim Buchy
Federal
Policies are Hurting the Middle Class
Under the current presidential administration, the federal government
has enacted policies that claim to help the middle class. In actuality,
they are hurting it. From Common Core to the Affordable Care Act, the
current administration is expanding the income gap, evidenced by
marketing patterns that are developing a class system which is more
divided than it has been since the 1970s.
Marketing is a good indicator of what is happening in the homes of
Americans. Grain prices are dropping and the nationwide livestock
industry is experiencing an inventory decline. As a result, the
food industry is in flux and meat prices should be on the rise across
the board.
The media will tell you that some fast food providers are marketing
meat at a much lower price than their competitors. For instance
Burger King is marketing Chicken Nuggets for 15 cents a piece and
McDonalds is charging 25 cents each. So while those who may be
struggling with their income find a cheap eat at Burger King or
McDonalds---those who have a little more to spare are eating at places
where they sell cage-free chicken and organic lettuce for a much higher
price.
In our schools, new, obtrusive federal policies are banning candy as
rewards to children and their lunch plate is being piled with apricots
and carrots that end up in the waste basket because the elitist are
trying to control the appetite of our youngsters. With that
strategy, the obesity epidemic will be solved because the kids will
just decide not to eat.
Common Core is also a policy that is negatively affecting the middle
class. A major focus of the Common Core standards is preparing children
for college and career readiness. But these standards are really
separating students at an early age between those that will go to
college and those that won’t. I fear that this can have an adverse
impact on the number of career opportunities that some kids will have
access to.
“Obamacare” is another failed policy growing the divide between
Americans. This policy forces those who can’t afford or perhaps don’t
need insurance to purchase a product that they may never collect on
instead of investing their money to bring them to the next income
level. For other families, part-time hours have been cut in order
to avoid having the employer provide insurance. But many of those
who are supporting these failed policies are fortunate to already have
employer-provided health insurance and the increased costs of coverage
is seen to them as a minimal cost.
The failed policies of the federal government are creating a wider
income divide. Policies like Common Core will ensure that the pattern
becomes generational. As federal policies continue to separate
society you will see a growth of patterns where some people eat
15 or 25-cent chicken nuggets, while others are eating $10 and $12
meals. I intend to continue working to void these failed policies for
Ohioans.
Please give me your opinion on this topic and others in the news this
month by completing an online survey at tinyurl.com/buchyjuly2015.
|
|
|
|
