My beloved blog has been taking back seat to my heavy
schedule and homework. Not
intentionally, I have been disconnected with an audience that I worked hard to
build. This morning, I arrived at school
and found my first class cancelled – my Poetry Professor (capitalized out of
respect) probably too depressed to hold class.
Or he’s nursing a wicked hangover.
Or he’s sick…
Last night, the country watched television and computer
feeds that returned election results we definitely were not expecting. I live in California (our friends call it the
‘left coast’ for our left-wing politics) and our extended family is in either
Boston or New York City. Our insulated
bubbles of left-wing surround sound did not prepare us for the majority of our
country screaming for change. NO to the status
quo – NO to Congress at a stand-still – NO to our increasing debt. Domestic policies be damned, Donald Trump
will be the 45th President of the United States.
The United States.
When we lived overseas our friends laughed at that
name. “You are Fifty countries sharing
one government!” They would joke- and that joke was not far from the
truth. We live in a place so diverse, we
have to work hard to feel united about anything.
Despite what most of our friends living in other countries think,
the country’s decision to elect Donald Trump was a hotly contested fight to
death, and many Americans believe that he is dragging the corpse of our ideals,
it’s flesh still fresh from the kill, all the way to the swearing-in ceremony.
If you’re interested, here is how these things came about:
- 1. The Majority of Americans are EXTREMELY WORRIED about our national debt – and should be.
We were in South Africa when we heard – ON EVERY
RADIO AND TELEVISION STATION – that the USA had lost its AAA Credit rating on
the world market. When we lost this top-tier AAA credit rating
from Standard & Poor's it was an unprecedented blow to the world's largest
economy. It happened in the wake of a
political battle that nearly took the country to the brink of default. It exposed that the USA spent far more than it was producing.
President Obama signed legislation designed
to reduce the fiscal deficit by $2.1 TRILLION over 10 years -- Budget Control
Act of 2011. This action was well short
of the $4 trillion in savings S&P had called for as “a good down payment” on
fixing America's finances on the world exchange system.
All of this happened while we lived in another
country – and we wondered how it would affect our money, our assets, and our
children’s future.
I went to American news stations – and guess
what? They were reporting on Jerry Lewis and how he would would no longer host
any further MDA telethons. American
political shows, like the Daily Show, were poking fun of Michelle Bachman and
her face. There was some talk of “immigration
reform” and Obama opened his arms to more people streaming into the United
States, citing our open policies of taking care of our own.
“Where are we getting the money?” I
wondered…
That’s when I became a Libertarian.
- 2. The Majority of Americans are SICK AND TIRED OF CAREER POLITICIANS.
The 2016 US Presidential campaign
saw some interesting stuff. It was
filled with brilliant candidates and I wondered how America would choose. Both big parties put forward their best, but
it was a hard, long race that required money and political favors right and
left.
My candidate, Rand Paul, represented
common sense and the Constitution. I am
a fan of both. He was out early.
Bernie Sanders, an Independent Party junior
senator from Vermont organized the largest grass-roots campaign that America
has ever seen. People who didn’t vote
registered and swore allegiance to the ideals that Sanders held – that together
we could make a difference.
The debates were brutal. Many people didn’t watch because of the inability
of candidates to do anything more than promote themselves.
In the end, the Republican Party,
with much hesitation, put forth Trump as a candidate. Democrats traded the popular favorite
(Sanders) for the politically savvy Clinton.
This is when it became a pit with
two vipers – and we (the American Public) were watching in horror and
disbelief. Many people insisted that
Hillary would be “more of the same” – a person who would promote the Democrat’s
platform instead of manage the country for us all. Trump was seen as a loose cannon – the candidate
that somehow made it in despite such a (fill-in-the-blank) personal character.
We are a nation that uses the electoral college, a group of electors who cast their votes for whomever their district elects. And last night, we watched the Electoral College – declare that Trump had it.
We are a nation that uses the electoral college, a group of electors who cast their votes for whomever their district elects. And last night, we watched the Electoral College – declare that Trump had it.
- 3. The Majority of Americans are on one side or the other – we are a nation divided.
There are always the
Versailles Treaties that precedes the Hitlers.
There is always a pendulum swing to cause a certain political
action.
President Obama has
overseen, in his eight years in office, more domestic terrorism than any other
president. We are a nation at war with
itself. The economic divide (between
rich and poor) and the social divide (between represented and under-represented)
in our country is staggering. There are
single mothers (like our daughter) working their tail off to make a
living. People of color –especially African
Americans, feel unsafe in the presence of people designed to protect them. Waitresses that work long hours and can no
longer feed their families.
To remedy this,
Obama’s administration has tried to legislate change. His administration has produced more social
programs and regulations than any other president in history. As a Libertarian, I can testify that more
government is not the answer – it only creates more debt. The cost of running
this country has increased dramatically.
We are now holding a debt that we …can never repay.
Ouch. That hurts to write.
Obama’s Job
Approval (according to the Economist) say that Fifty percent (50%) of the
country approve of the job he has done, and forty-nine percent (49%) disapprove. The chasm between the two sets is wide – and unfriendly. On one side, people see a president who is
suave, loves people, and represents us all as a whole. On the other side, people feel abused,
forgotten, neglected by a country who is supposed to be their home. Many small business owners feel squashed by
the forced social programs and systems to which they must adhere. Many immigrants finally feel
represented. Many people adore the way
Obama leads – many others hate it so much they can barely speak his name.
In a Republic (which
is what we are) we elect officials to represent us. A Democracy (which is what people think we
are) the people speak for themselves. We
elect officials to run our nation – and our nation, like the officials that
represent us – is fallible.
Many people blame
our Commander in Chief, who is actually only one arm of our government. We have the Supreme Court and the Legislature
to share the load of responsibility or blame.
In the 2016
election, the Pew Research Center revealed the three most important issues to
America:
1.
Economy
(which includes our National Debt)
2.
Terrorism
(Domestic and International)
3.
Foreign
Policy (US support of Israel,
especially)
“Middle America”
has now decided that Trump is the man to tackle these issues.
We, as a country, are apprehensive
about electing Donald Trump -- to say the least. Trump is not a stunning example of our best, and
I will say this no matter how many of my fellows would disagree with me. Then
again, neither is Clinton. I would have
liked to see Rand Paul, Chris Christie and Bernie Sanders in a race.
I can say “if only” many times…but it
won’t change things.
Last night, while listening to
election results, I drove home from school.
The drive was long and hard and I was grieving. Ahead of me, on Fair Oaks Boulevard, I saw
flashing Police lights. There, in the
road, was a beautiful buck deer, sitting down as if he belonged in the middle
of the road. As my car past him, he
looked at me. There was a beautiful
expression in his eyes, and his antlers were covered in a soft, brown velvet. It occurred to me, as I passed him, that he
had been hit by a car and the police were guarding him until animal control
would arrive.
I wept all the way home…and I haven’t
stopped.
Pray for us.