The Obvious Advocate - Grading the Government
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This election presents a good opportunity to take pause, take a seat in front of the fire, bring out a pipe, glass of wine, a shot of brandy, or whatever helps you contemplate what, exactly, do we expect from our government. To do that, I thought I would list the things most important to me and, having been a teacher before financial planner, grade the government over the last four years.
#1…The most important to me is, and I imagine for many of you, family. Has the president and the party now aligned with him kept my family safe? GRADE: F-
WHY? Most obvious is the president’s, and by association the Republican Party’s, delayed response and withholding of information regarding the pandemic. This put me, but most infuriatingly my family, in extreme danger. On top of this the disunity, fear, and hatred that’s been perpetrated, and the permission given to violent fringe groups like white nationalists, Nazis, QNon and so forth to be considered mainstream, is a danger to open-minded, maybe naively friendly people like my family is. Also, the deep-seated need for the Republican’s, at all cost, to repeal the ACA without a replacement is a huge health danger to all of us. No, they don’t have a replacement plan. Even the president has said they “will” have a plan. In the meantime?
#2…Education. Education is the answer…to poverty, crime, equality, hunger, the economy, and self-fulfillment. Many people might argue with that, but take a sip of that wine and think critically for a second. GRADE: F-
WHY? Easy answer. Who is our Secretary of Education? A big donor who has no experience or apparent interest in education. A good president does not act alone. He or she surrounds themselves with the brightest most qualified cabinet members and advisors. Not big donors and puppets who swear loyalty to a king-wannabe. The president has self-destructed because he has taken on too much himself. He has no advisers, only “yes-men.” He’s lost, wandering in his own ego.
#3…The environment. Maybe I should just say “the earth.” That which must sustain our species, which includes my grand and great-grandchildren… as well as yours. GRADE: F-
WHY? I’m sure, as the president s*its on his solid gold throne, the farthest thing from his mind are sky blue waters, a hike in the mountains, a campfire, but what the next grunt might produce. Sorry for being a bit vulgar, but I believe it’s very vulgar what this administration is doing to the future by ignoring science and the climate crisis. The solid gold toilet exposes the president’s values.
#4…Financial Security. Thought I wasn’t going to bring that up? After teaching the Arts, I started my own financial planning company which was successful, and I handed off to my son and his business partner. So, financial security, which is directly related to education (I still lecture on financial literacy at colleges and universities), is very important to me and was my livelihood. GRADE: F
WHY? When the current administration inherited a recovering economy and stock market, the momentum continued. I held my breath because I was worried the president, in his rashness and impulsiveness, might do something to unravel the growth spurt. Little did I know it would be something he didn’t do. Which is, of course, ironically, not acknowledging the pandemic because he thought it would hurt his re-election chances.
The stock market and economy reflect each other, but are not the same. The stock market has been progressing nicely, helping those with the education and wherewithal to be able to invest. But the pandemic has caused havoc with the millions of minions struggling to get by. So, the financially secure are still financially secure, but the economy is treacherous and likely to get worse before it gets better. More people are financially insecure now, than are secure.
So, as you can see, I’ve failed the president and the Republican party. Let’s give another administration a chance before it gets worse.
P.S. I keep hearing this election is a choice between Democracy and Socialism (a word used to elicit fear of communism to the uneducated). Sorry for being blunt, but where would we be without Social Security, Medicare, public schools, the police and fire departments…all useful instruments of socialism. It’s more a choice of Democracy or Oligarchy (power in the hands of a few).
