Fitting the crime
Martin K. Garrison, Strong City
Thursday, March 26, 2009
AN APPROPRIATE punishment for individuals like Mr. Madoff and others who have stolen from others and lived a life of luxury: They should be given an annual salary of $17,000 to live on and be made to work in a career field other than the one they were in when they committed the offense. They should be electronically monitored and be required to submit financial reports a minimum of twice a year, including receipts. There would be no help from outside sources of any kind other than what he might be able to beg for from SRS, Medicare or Medicaid.
This would be far less costly to the tax payers, he would suffer like millions of Americans who worked hard all their lives and, through no fault of their own, were not able to develop a retirement fund to supplement their Social Security and have to live on the little bit they get from Social Security.
If Madoff and all the others who steal from or ask individuals for services and do not pay them a respectable wage and treat them with respect are subjected to the humiliating gut-wrenching feeling of not being able to do and enjoy one enjoyable nonessential thing the rest of their life a justice.
Martin K. Garrison
Strong City
shadou (anonymous) says...
Hmmm...
"All people in America still have the right to create a retirement income for themselves but many choose not to because they have learned to depend on the government to provide for them when they reach retirement."
I'd imagine that most people would like to create a nice retirement income via savings but that they "...have a right to retirement income..." is a bit farfetched, don't you think? However, if you are correct, then it is simply a matter of FDR and LBJ adhering to the their duties to protect the "rights" of the citizens by making sure they are not simply cast aside in their old age, right?
Perhaps if more people were paid more than a minimum wage they might have not only the inclination but the wherewithal to save more. Maybe we need a much higher minimum wage in order to provide folks with their proper rights?
And by the way, why isn't Social Security recognized itself as a savings program. After all, the worker puts money into the plan as does her company (who generally reduce her wages accordingly). Sounds like a savings plan to me. You know, build up a little nest egg for the future, non-productive years?
Quite frankly, I think the "New Deal" and the "Great Society" were excellent programs, "were" until the post-Vietnam Republicans decided to dismantle them. Tough to see the opposition come up with great ideas like Social Security and Medicare, ain't it Newt?
And I though the government was in the business of providing for the general welfare by protecting us from the Madoffs of the nation, and from the big corporations over whom we, the people, have no control. Silly me! I guess I missed class on they day that they taught that the government was just for the benefit of the wealthy.
March 26, 2009 at 9:54 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
seriouslyfolks (anonymous) says...
The government(democrats) gave us Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae to "help" the little guy and then defended them when it was apparent that they were problems because it wouldn't sound nice to tell people who can't afford something that they can't buy it.
Raising the minimum wage sounds keen too but it seems to me that when the min wage goes up the price of everything goes up, probably because the businesses need to bring in more so they can pay more. I however make over minimum wage (not much, I work in a local factory) and when the min wage has gone up my pay has not, so with the products going up in price but my wage staying the same my dollar doesn't go as far(I esentially get a pay cut). But it does sound good to give the people that make min wage a raise doesn't it? I think not. If the price of everything goes up are they gaining anything or are the numbers just bigger? You got more coming in sure but you have to spend more to get the same thing. Sounds like a wash to me. Socialism sounds really nice. Like a cuddly puppy. It curls up on your lap, licks your face, oh it's so cute. You pet it, it wags it's tail all excited. Then it pees on your leg. I don't like pee on my leg.
March 26, 2009 at 10:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Bjnemp (anonymous) says...
"Appropriate punishment?" From our justice system? On television today, March 26, I saw where a man who strangled to death a young mother of two received 13 years in prison as punishment. An hour later I saw where a young man caught transporting 50 kilos of cocaine received 30 years in prison.
13 years for murdering a young mother and 30 years for hauling drugs. Does anyone besides me see a problem with that?
March 27, 2009 at 12:36 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
madpoet (anonymous) says...
I think we can blame both political parties for the mess we're in today. Government agencies aren't forced to do a good job so don't. Several years ago, someone turned Madoff in to the FCC. He kept compiling evidence and turning it in but no action was taken. And the salmonella in the peanut butter was a farce. FDA dropped the ball big time on those plants. They didn't even know the one in Texas existed! A big company (Nestle or someone) took one look at that plant and went elsewhere for it's peanut butter. It was filthy! The workers even said it was disgustingly filthy and unsafe. Get some hardnosed people over the government agencies and watch how much better they will perform.
I agree that the justice system is anything but just. A career criminal made friends with a good friend of mine then shot him in the head to rob him. Since he didn't die right away, he shot him in the head a second time some 20 minutes later. My friend's grandpa ended up going to the house to check on him and found him dead. That piece of dung didn't even get the hard 40. He just came up for parole this year (after about 13 years in jail) but luckily it was denied. He'll probably get out in 2013. For killing a man in his early 20s he may spend 25 years in jail. I was overjoyed to see them sentence that stalker from Ark City to death row.
March 27, 2009 at 9:53 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )