Skip to main content

Hang the Flag Upside down at Half Staff

If you know me, you're that I'm upset and exasperated. The Party of No has finally gotten what it wants, unabated control of all of the government.

The Party of No's  first goal was to convince people that government was the enemy. They did it by letting the American People know that they were not alone with their prejudices. With a wink and a nod, it was okay to carry suspicion dislike for; people of color, foreigners, anyone not Christian or heterosexual.

By diverting the attention of the electorate with astroturf campaigns for issues like abortion, prayer in school, gun rights and the sanctity of the flag, they have been able to pick the pocket of the average Joe Sixpack.

The overall tactic was simple. The phrase "starves the beast" was put in practice by voting to give the electorate anything they wanted or needed, but refuse to fund the program. In many cases, programs like financial regulation and food plant inspections failed. These failures are not blamed on the lack of proper funding, but the nature of government not being able to perform

For eight years they stood steadfast in their stated goal of making sure President Obama was not successful. Even with the evidence that his first stimulus bill helped get the economy back, it's feet; they refused to consider another.

When the Affordable Care Act put twenty million more people on insurance rolls, they made it their goal to repeal the bill.

The Senate denied his last appointment to the Supreme Court a hearing, betting that they could appoint someone they felt was better suited to their goals and they won that bet.

President Obama tried to get an Immigration Bill, A long term Transportation Bill and Funding for Infrastructure investment. All of these efforts failed.

Watch how these programs will get quick and forceful action in the first two years of this next administration. The programs will not be so dissimilar to the one;s Obama put forth. The difference will be who gets credit for them.

The People have spoken, and most of them did not vote for President-Elect Trump. Many people, including President Obama, have said, "We are all Americans. We must hope and wish for a successful Trump presidency for if he fails, we all fail."

Did John Boehner, Mitch McConnel, the senate and the house representatives of the "Tea Party." Feel the same way about Obama or is this all lip service?

I for one am not going to wish President- Elect Trump and his henchmen in the Senate and House any luck or appreciation for the final dismantlement of the New Deal and the Great Society with the goal of further entitlements for the already wealthy and entitled.

Trump has, and it's already showing it's ugly head, vindicated in advance all forms of prejudice.  He has made false and undeliverable promises to desperate and hopeless people. He has insulted the intelligence of thoughtful people and fired up the emotions of the downtrodden.

If you thought we were divided before this election, you haven't seen anything yet. The boundaries and battle lines are brighter and easier to see. The rules have changed, and the teams look different than before.

I see no dawn on the morning of America. I see no peace in the Valley. I see the broadening of a revolution. It's a fact no one gives up power, it must be taken. We can change this country at the ballot box. I sincerely hope that's the way this revolution is won. This election was a battle. It does not have to be the battle that wins the War. It can be a defeat that teaches how to win the next battle and the next until just, inclusive and diverse society is available to all of us.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Diversity

As we look forward to celebrating the Pride we have in our Gay population, (Yeah, I couldn't resist the pun.) I'm pleased to report that diversity in the mix of our residents here in the Fox River Valley continues to surprise me. Example: As my wife and I waited for friends, in the lobby of the Marcus Hollywood Theater on the west side of Appleton, I witnessed three AfricanAmericann ladies buying snacks. Behind them was a Latino couple. At the end of the line, behind was an Asian fellow with three kids. We represented the WASP's. This is in a community that when I first visited in the nineteen sixties, if a black man walked down the street, he more than likely played football for Green Bay. After that, there was a rather pronounced immigration of Hmong and quieter arrival of Latino's. For a while, the worst keep secret was that the new Italian restaurant was actually owned by Mexican's. Since returning to the Valley, I've grown use...

A rustle in the hustings

I am trying to stay away from politics on my blog. I know that some of my intended readers do not share my feelings. As well, I don't entice dialogue. Occasionally my readers will address something I've written about. For the most part, they are merely saying something like, "Oh yeah, I felt that way too," regarding some experience, that I related. However, I have to share these particular feelings about the new Ryan Healthcare proposal that is sailing through the House of Representatives. Market-driven healthcare provision: This concept proposes that if put on the free market health care insurance will become more affordable. The theory is there will be competition among insurers to gain market share and lowering the prices will be a possible outcome. None of the insurers want customers who are old people or people with a pre-existing health problem ( heart disease, cancer, etc...) Older people, who are not on medicare, have more health care ne...

Ring The Bell

 It appears there is a tradition in the radiology department at Ascension Hospital that patients, upon completing their course of treatment, ring a bell. ( We know not for whom this bell tolls.) Ring the Bell with My Sweetheart Jeanne. Jeanne drove me to all but two of the appointments. Pam Frautchi took me to the other two. Today, after being zapped thirty-two times, I rang the bell. This begins a roughly one-month recovery period where the effects of the radiation abate and, I'm assured, a return to normalcy occurs. In my case, I anticipate more energy and greater awareness. Books, Books, & More Books I am simultaneously celebrating the end of the third year of volunteering for the All Saints Hunger Book Sale. Next week, we will wrap up the preparation for the sale and open our doors on August 3 for the public. I ran into this humourous but quite accurate cartoon on a T-Shirt that shows most of the volunteer's sentiments at this point. If you think the printed and bound p...