Opinions on political events, trends, policy
The corona virus has many people concerned about protecting themselves and the people they care about. The virus underlines the point that we are all linked in public health due to the risk of infectious disease. A family or individual health plan will not save you if a disease is attacking your community and a large percentage of people are uninsured or cannot afford access. I hope we move toward coverage for every citizen with accessible care in both rural and urban areas. We can do better!
The best way to achieve unity among Democrats and those who want change is for the people to vote and the politicians to respect the result. The electability question has to be answered one voter and one election at a time. Any artificial effort to eliminate a candidate will backfire and reduce what our country needs most; a massive turnout in the general election. Everyone voting will help the truth of who we are as Americans to emerge, and take us hopefully to a better place.
One of the major issues that we face as Americans with a president like the current one is that he either doesn’t care, or is too ignorant for his job. Many positions in the government requiring expertise are filled by political hacks or left unfilled. Now with the possibility of the Coronavirus becoming a pandemic reports have emerged that we have no experts at the highest levels of the government to coordinate a response. The United States has seemingly been very lucky to avoid immediate catastrophes (if you don’t count Puerto Rico) under this president even though he has set in motion many long-term train wrecks for the future. Americans will soon find out if the current administration short-term luck has run out. Vote in 2020.
As the primaries roll on Americans are having to prepare to choose the lesser of two evils. Our society has been imbalanced for a while and many people feel resentful and victimized. The result may be a choice between an avowed Democratic Socialist in Bernie Sanders, and a Presidential incumbent who is breaking every rule of democracy in sight. Trump is obviously dishonest and shows every sign that he will burn down the republic to avoid accountability. Sanders faces a society that has been trained to hold socialist in contempt. What will happen is anybodies guess, but Sanders would be limited by the Senate and House of Representatives in any direction he might try to go. I see the socialist as the clear better choice between Sanders and Trump. Trump unchained with no election of his own to keep him in check would likely be a vision of hell for lovers of truth, human dignity, and the American republic.
Tonight’s debate in Las Vegas was a good exchange of ideas and display candidate temperament. The debate was informative and entertaining for voters while giving the candidates a chance to highlight their differences. Voting will come fast and furious in the next few weeks. The good news is that we have good choices for the Democratic nominee to take on Trump.
This week has news that forces every voter to consider what it means to vote and why you make a choice. Trump continues to push the justice system towards collapse as he protects co-conspirators while seeking to legally punish those who oppose his autocratic and illegal behaviors. Mike Bloomberg is making the news for statements that seem to show him prejudging African-American communities with past comments about stop and frisk as well as redlining. Bernie Sanders is a socialist who voted for a crime bill that many believe was used to target black men. We do not know who the ultimate candidate for the Democrats will be, but we have a choice to make. Donald Trump has shown himself to be a short and long-term threat to freedom, civil rights, and life on earth who will do anything to protect his fragile version of reality. The person who will run against Trump will not be perfect, but freedom-loving people will need to turn out in massive numbers to stop Trump in 2020.
Democrats talk about generating enthusiasm amongst people who have not voted before, or who do not turn out regularly for elections, and Republicans talk about appealing to their base. There are more Democrats than Republicans, but they are not in the right states to win the electoral college. It is only when there is enthusiasm that irregular and new voters turn out in the numbers to take the swing states that add up to electoral victory. In time there should be enough demographic change for the will of the majority to be reflected in the electoral count, but we are not there yet. It is critical for every citizen to study the issues and do more than vote from the gut. A president who is a habitual liar is trying to spin an illusion for a reason, and is a massive threat to our republic. Vote in 2020!
The current president has bullied his party into doing what ever he desires without facing anyone willing to stand up to him until Mr. Romney today. Democrats are being forced to fulfill the role of standing up to the bully. Our society is morphing into an organization that does not deal with the truth, but makes excuses for cowering in front of the bully. If the bully lies the party members pretend he is not serious, or that they have not heard what he said. If the bully commits illegal acts; party members pretend that the behavior was not serious or that it was not meant as it appears. The character of America is on the line. You cannot claim to be moral or ethical while tolerating a stream of lies, criminality, and corruption from the people you support for positions of power. Democrats will have to fight for our republic, and some of it will not be pleasant. Speaker Pelosi tearing up a copy of a speech filled with lies is an example of pushing back against the bully with more than just words.
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As the election season moves forward it is important for voters to stay focused and balanced about the opportunities and threats of decisions. People who lock onto one candidate and feel that if their person is not elected they will quit the process should consider why they cared about a candidate in the first place. Is it the person or what they stand for that is important? Is the election about a person or a new direction, respectful leadership or personality based programs and events? Citizens who want change from our current occupant of the White House have to play a long and a short game that provides the best probability for their ultimate goal. Emotions are not likely to lead us to the change we seek in 2021. Support your candidate but be ready to vote for the best option for hope and change in the general election of 2020.
America in 2020 is a place that reveres criminals and conmen and runs from the truth. We are a nation at risk. People who call themselves leaders or representatives pass laws that they do not uphold at the highest levels. American citizens are held to higher standards of behavior and legal jeopardy than their leaders. I hope citizens of all backgrounds become resolved that no one is above the law, and the law is not mocked by the people responsible for it. The question that keeps coming up in my mind is: Why do so many see the current occupant of the White House worth the undermining of our country? The upcoming vote will be incredibly consequential.
Ethereal Bulwark 