What is Maryland’s 8th US District Rep. Chris Van Hollen doing about the Cost-of-Living?

 

An Editorial for Maryland's 8th US District Voters  

 

A Maryland Political Underdog with a Real Plan for ALL 435 US Districts

 What is Maryland’s 8^th US District Rep. Chris Van Hollen

doing about the Cost-of-Living?

And for that matter Maryland’s other seven (7) members in the US House and our two (2) US Senators? It certainly looks and feels like absolutely nothing to me. It must not be an issue for them. 

They could describe me as being naïve about developing viable problem-solving public legislation.  However, I have observed and studied domestic and foreign policy all my adult life; now 66 and a second year Baby Boomer. I had a 30+ year career in the Information Technology industry in Washington, DC working for Federal agencies and corporate clients; designing systems and solving their business problems.

Incumbents could attack me as some “anti-free market” type to suggest we take decisive Reform actions against certain Big Industries such as Food, Oil, Housing, and Education (and more) as I do in my detailed Independent platform. To that I would first sarcastically respond, “What free markets?”  Then, ask what they could offer now that will result in such practical control over the out-of-control, Cost-of-Living?

I ask the Voters, as well as the Press at all levels and other media (they buy food and gas, too) to challenge all the incumbents for their approach.  It would quickly become a 2014 Congressional campaign on real issues and actually solving the people’s problems.  In fact, the collective job description of the 535 members of the US Congress is “to solve the People’s problems that cannot be solved at the state or local levels”.  Further, as Thomas Paine wrote in Common Sense, he first described the Design of Representative government, “the members should vote as if those that elected them were present in the room when votes are cast”.   

All 535 members of Congress seem to have forgotten that fundamental expectation. A Congress actually looking out for our Common Good!  Congress has earned a 90% Public Disapproval rating because they so willingly serve the 10%.

I am a solid Independent and have little respect left for either political Party or the Congress that is publicly dysfunctional!   My base Independent platform of 27 problem-solving proposals was self-published in February 2008, a 718-page book, The Second Coming of Common Sense. Find a free PDF download on my website AJWildmanforCongress2014.typepad.com. Its solutions are even more relevant today.

With true difficulty, over these last few years I have struggled with the most sensitive economic problems of all.  How in our Democratic society to effectively and fairly conquer our citizen’s Number One daily problem. The steadily increasing and most would agree now out-of-control, Cost-of-Living (starting with groceries and gas)and the resulting growing national Wealth Imbalance?

The absolute economic challenge is how to get and/or keep real dollars in our citizen’s pockets?  Right where your and the nation’s economy need them. For the 90% of us!  To address the fact that wages have been all but flat-lined for decades.  It is not as though we can ask employers to give their employees a $5.00/hour raise.  That just cannot happen! Therefore, we must be creative or things will only get worse!

I highlighted those difficult economic Reform proposals in my recently completed campaign book entitled, A Timely American Political Short Story. A free PDF download of the book was posted on the website Friday August 15, exactly 83 days before the November 4^th Congressional Election.  Please read it and find out what is in it for you and yours, and for our hurting fellow citizens!  Those 83 days are adequate time in American politics for great things to happen. 

Typically, such public-friendly problem-solving proposals will not see the light of day in their Congress that is blatantly controlled by the Wealthy and certain Big Industries. Hence the term, “do nothing” Congress! The viable Voter Strategy that We the People can use this November 4^th against the incumbent Republican and Democratic members Congress is detailed in A Timely American Political Short Story and in various other references on the website. As every two (2) years, 469 members of the House and Senate are up for re-election that fateful day and the majority of them need to be deliberately voted out! 

Bluntly, such solution-oriented proposals as these, need to become Voter Demands. Be assured folks these prudent Reforms will only happen if You Vote to make it so!  So, buckle your seatbelts my fellow citizens – this is a taste of necessary economic Reform for our Common Good!  Very briefly noted, we will Demand these Reforms and more from whoever is elected that day:

• GROCERY PRICES.  Cap and reduce by at least 10% for at least one (1) year.
• GASOLINE/DIESEL PRICES. Cap and reduce by at least 10% for at least one (1) year. 
• RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGE.  A mandated reduction in residential mortgage payments of 20% in principal and/or interest, only, not to include taxes, insurance, etc.  
• RESIDENTIAL RENT. Basically National Rent Control. Mandatory reduction in monthly rent of 20% for American citizen owned properties; 30% for non-citizen owned rentals. Also applies to Mobile/Modular Home Park Lot Fees.   
• SENIOR HOUSING.  Senior citizen housing monthly payments to be reduced by 20%.
• STUDENT LOANS.  A permanent 50% reduction in all Student Loan payments. Period!
• COLLEGE TUITION.  For starters there will be a 2-year freeze on tuition and books.   

I do represent my underdog campaign for Maryland’s 8^th US District seat in the US House of Representatives as a single US District campaign with a national platform.  I hope you now can see and appreciate what I sincerely mean. These are a small part of the problem-solving Reforms in my campaign platform that our citizens in all 435 US Districts need and that the US Congress must be made to implement for our Common Good.

Please review and consider my platform and very deliberate intent on your behalf.  Then, on Election Day consider Writing-In, “A J Wildman” for the US House.  I ask for your vote.

Thank you for your time. 

Take care, A J Wildman