Tag: Opinion

Opinion

Truth or Consequences?

We are living in a time when half of Republicans say they believe Trump won the election and that Antifa assaulted the US Capitol building. Americans listened to a president who made wearing a mask a political issue; and more people died. People in Texas are living with the results of buying lies. The harsh winter storm was unusual, but is expected to be an increasing occurrence in our climate changed world. The damage the storm did to Texas infrastructure was made much worse because the state government sold the idea that business knows best. Business does know what is best for profits, and that is a good thing in a market economy. It is the government’s job to harness the market to work for the people and not against them. Regulations do not hurt us if they are developed with truth and transparency. America has suffered from the triumph of lies, and we must regulate social media and mass media so that they do not become the tools of our destruction. A media system that is accountable for lies and the damage they cause is not a threat to free speech, but a bulwark for it. Americans can handle opinions that are clearly delineated and supported by facts; but the facts cannot become opinion. Research and contact your legislators about regulating media so that the lies do not lead to more death, or the destruction of our republic.

Opinion

Lies are killing us

Texas GOP leadership of Texas has been in effect for decades and has delivered an infrastructure that has failed to serve it’s citizens. The same leaders urged citizens to not wear masks. The situation is bad enough when citizens face freezing to death in their homes, or being poisoned by toxic water. But Texas politicians have started to spin lies about the Green New Deal, windmills, and how citizens should expect nothing from their government. Texas has been warned numerous times in the past about winterizing it’s energy infrastructure and done nothing. Republican behavior in Texas and across the country is appalling because they continuously get away with failure due to tribalism reinforced by lies. The invasion of Iraq, COVID19, the Capitol insurrection, and more are the result of people not fearing accountability. If Republican wholesale lying does not stop, the destruction will increase. America needs to hold Republicans accountable, to do it we must all stay vigilant, stand up for the right to vote, and the truth.

Opinion

When is a failed coup practice?

MSNBC host Ari Melber is reported to have said something like “a failed coup that is not punished is practice”. The impeachment hearings wrapped up with Republican lead senator Mitch McConnell saying that Trump was responsible for the assault on the US Capitol, but the court system should deal with him. Every sensible American should push for their government and representatives to be strong in dealing with the insurrection. Our politics may be rough right now but they are heading to a far worse place that may destroy the country. There are a reported 400 million guns in the United States, and there are many right-wing zealots who threaten to use 2nd amendment solutions to get what they want (meaning gun violence). If our government is not strong, the bullying will continue and get worse as it would on a proverbial schoolyard. Harsh penalties for the insurrectionists whether they broke into the US Capitol, or were urging on the assault from the White House are unavoidable. We cannot wait for the next assault by better prepared terrorists. Push or support your legislators and government officials toward providing a strong defense for our republic.

Opinion

Guilty but not charged

Trump got away with it. Thanks to Republican senators Trump will be allowed to run for president again, and worse, fundraise as if he were running. Trump’s record shows he is a grifter and criminal sociopath who is free to continue in his ways. Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell said that Trump was guilty of sending a mob to attack Congress after he voted not to impeach him based on a made up technicality. America remains a republic but now our history includes a party that refuses to confront criminal behavior due to the fear of a group of voters. America is now a weaker country that enemies view as an opportunity because we have citizens who are interested in attacking fellow countrymen. We have revealed ourselves as not committed to the truth (which had been our strength), and more interested in a leader who lies to us. America has a clear new weakness demonstrated by a commitment to things other than truth and justice. Foreign affairs and our internal politics will shift as a result of Trump. America’s intelligence and police agencies will now be diverted to domestic terrorism because Trump needs threats to get what he wants. Every citizen will need to be more focused, and active, to prevent the rise of authoritarians who are fine with breaking a republic that does not give them what they want.

Opinion

Do you have to prove Coup?

Trump telegraphed that he was going to use the threat of violence throughout his political career. Violence against protestors at his events, politicians who challenged him, anyone who dared to confront his criminal or corrupt behaviors. Trump lost the election and is too cowardly to face his own failure. Trump’s supporters are people with similar issues who believe that they are entitled to have their pathetic egos stroked no matter who is injured in the process. Everyone saw Trump set the stage for the assault on the US Capitol, and then send twisted fools who believe in him more than the US Constitution to attack it. The world, and America, must now watch the cowardice, and amoral lust for power by Republican senators play out; as they turn themselves into pretzels to rationalize an attempt to overthrow our republic. Watch the impeachment hearings and don’t forget who is a leader in our republic, and who wants Trump to get away with it so that they can improve his formula. Would-be tyrants are cowards who first suck up to those in power in the hope that one day they will have it. If you love our freedoms as Americans don’t forget those who will not protect our republic when it is under threat.

Opinion

Hoping for Unity

Americans need to be united and committed to a better future for the country. To achieve success we need to have an immigration system that makes sense to everyone and right now we don’t have one. Businesses do not want to accept the responsibility or cost of effectively verifying the citizenship status of employees, so they lobby Republicans to block it. Democrats want to extend citizenship to dreamers and others who have been in the country working for years to promote fairness and dignity. As our disunited country has done for several decades we create a situation that no one likes. We have done the same with healthcare, climate change, civil rights, voter rights, etc. Greed and selfishness have driven us to a dystopian reality in many ways. We have become very good at fighting to get our way while creating inequity, decay, and anger. We have moved beyond the point where we need to stop digging our national grave. It is within America’s ability to help our neighboring countries and create a just immigration system. Joe Biden has asked that we seek win-win solutions; I urge every citizen to contact their representatives about the issues to push for solutions that respect human dignity while promoting unity and justice.

Opinion

Go big, or go home

President Biden has plenty of work to do, and so far he has done the job of restoring faith in our republic and his leadership of it. The president has been clear in stating what he wants to do and how he will go about trying to achieve bipartisan support. The Republicans want to pretend that the insurrection, and their attempts to hobble the Obama administration before wasting money on a tax cut for the rich with Trump did not happen. President Biden saw all of it and knows that he cannot waste time negotiating with people who have only bad faith towards him achieving anything for the American people. The president knows that he has to play both the long and the short game to be successful and if anyone can do it, he can. The administration’s job right now is to help those who are in jeopardy from the pandemic before moving on to climate change, racial injustice, immigration, infrastructure, and healthcare for all Americans. Many of these issues are interrelated whether Republicans realize it or not. America’s enemies will attack us where we are weak, which right now is our societal divisions and lack of a strong healthcare system. If COVID was an attack it was successful, and the next attack could be stronger and more devastating. America needs a robust healthcare system that services every citizen. The next four years will require a lot of money to be focused on strengthening our society to compete for the future.

Opinion

Land of the free and home of the brave?

Americans need to work to reclaim the belief that we are the land of the free and home of the brave. Conspiracy theories pit Americans against their government and each other. Americans assaulted the Capitol based on lies and appear to be fools, something that enemies and allies have to place into their calculations when they think of the United States. Americans do not see themselves as brave. We see Republicans fearful of congress people who claim Jewish lasers started large forest fires in California, and that documented school massacres were faked. Courage is repeatedly seen in short supply as lies are preferable (in mass media like Fox and One America) to the truth. Freedom relies on the truth to exist, but the example of Trump shows that Americans are extremely tolerant of corruption and lies from right-wing ideologues. The right wingers voice a steady stream of violent threats and it is a matter of time before threats to freedom force more security checks, fences, and armed guards. We will all have to be brave and vote to confront fascist terrorism and bullying if we want to stay free.

Opinion

Those who would rather shatter it than share it

Poet Amanda Gorman spoke of people who would rather shatter our republic than share it. The description sounds completely appropriate in light of the MAGA crowd and Republicans threatening the vote for 2020 and beyond. Republican legislators around the country are working to make voting harder, in a country that already has low percentages of the eligible population participating. The United States increasingly seems a country where a percentage of the population views the rest as targets for submission, not fellow citizens. The main tools in the conflict to control America are lies, threats, gerrymandering, and terrorism from Republicans; Democrats counter with demographic trends leading to political dominance because the other side offers nothing for working people. The Republican issue is failing to believe in conservative theory leading to policies and solutions the majority of Americans will vote for; so they lie. Our politics can be fixed if we can get Republicans to get back to practical solutions to problems rather than just knee-jerk anti-spending and anti-socialism. Capitalism is the engine of our society, but is not the best solution for every problem. Do you want police officers paid by the number of tickets they issue? America and Republicans can easily do better by rejecting Reagan’s idea that government is the problem. Real life is more complex than zero-sum thinking allows for. Sharing is far better than a broken country for all of us.

Opinion

Feeling Hopeful

President Joe Biden is showing Americans what leadership looks like. He is talking and acting like a person of character and conviction about COVID19, climate change, racism, infrastructure, and making work pay. President Biden cannot do everything he wants without the help of Congress, but by using executive orders he is not sitting around waiting for them to act. The Biden/Harris administration is sending the signal that citizens matter by exhibiting transparency and answering the questions of the press. Our government is not supposed to solve all of our problems, but it is supposed to set the stage for the success of our efforts. With numerous challenges for America we now have adults in charge who know that leadership in government matters for the future and success of hard working citizens. When Biden talks he is optimistic and focused on our issues; not talking about himself and lying about bizarre issues like inauguration crowd size. I do not believe everything will be perfect now, but we have good reason for hope. Let’s keep paying attention and sorting out truth from fiction because the ultimate decision makers are us.