The Deplorable Democratic Dilemma
During the last election I voted for Hillary Clinton because I thought she was the most qualified candidate. I liked Bernie Sanders ideas for making America a fairer and more humane country. My heart was with Bernie but my brain said vote Hillary and I did. Look what happened!
So what do we do this time? My problem was clarified in the David Brooks column in which he said that Marianne Williamson best understood how to beat Trump because in the debate she said:
The first problem with Williamson's statement is that she is characterizing many Trump voters just like Hillary did when candidate Clinton referred to them as the "deplorables." These folks are our neighbors and some are our friends and relatives. Many of them didn't get a 'fair shake' in life and ended up in the poor part of town, on food stamps, out of work and drug addicted. Some of them never woke up from the idea that the bible might not hold all the answers. Some of them were taught by their parents that people of color were inferior. And some of them just couldn't succeed in school so ended up at low paying jobs while continuing to watch the advertisements on the Nascar channel trying to sell them things they don't need but think they want. This isn't deplorable but it is sad because hard work and education still are very good ways to get a good life in America. Immigrants know this and that is why they are lining up at the border. Trump knows it too and that is why he wants to keep them out. The more education, hard work and success we see, the few disaffected there will be to vote for him.
The second problem with Ms. Williamson's statement is that once we allow a bully like Trump to take ideas off the table as the reason for voting for a particular candidate, we have begun sliding down into the mud. America has always been a country where ideas, even religious ones, were put on the table for public debate. So let's ignore Trump, please. Turn off the sound when he speaks and turn it back on when he stops. Anyone who lies as much as he does, who speaks gibberish, should be ignored. So lets start listening to people who have something to say that is supported by rational arguments whether those arguments are numerically driven or morally driven.
Which brings us to, in my opinion, the three candidates worth considering: Sanders, Warren, and Yang. Each of these three has ideas that are well thought out and, in my opinion, make America a better place. Unchecked capitalism has resulted in income inequality if our country. The wage earner needs a larger piece of the value they add to the product, whether it is a steel girder or a medium rare burger served at a take-out window. These jobs sustain us and they should be valued higher than they are. Childcare for low income wage earners needs to be accessible and better quality. Education needs to he available to every child and college to every high school graduate for an affordable price. And, health care needs to be universal. Our nations infrastructure needs upgrading and our prisons populations downgrading. Assault weapons need to be removed from the hands of non-military personnel. And we need legislation to undo the Citizens United decision and reform the campaign laws so that corporations cannot influence elections and that the wealthy cannot extend their influence beyond their votes as individuals.
None of this is free. We all know that. If everyone and every corporation is taxed fairly we can provide these services just like most of the developed world. These changes will enhance our personal freedom, secure the lives of those people on the fringes of society, and give an honorable life back to the wage earners in our society.
We can't let Trump's ignorance, hatred and fear drive out ideas. There is no dark underbelly of America, just the fruits of a poorly organized system. The Statue of Liberty asks:
So what do we do this time? My problem was clarified in the David Brooks column in which he said that Marianne Williamson best understood how to beat Trump because in the debate she said:
“This is part of the dark underbelly of American society: the racism, the bigotry and the entire conversation that we’re having here tonight. If you think any of this wonkiness is going to deal with this dark psychic force of the collectivized hatred that this president is bringing up in this country, then I’m afraid that the Democrats are going to see some very dark days.”In the past we voted for the candidate with the ideas and character we admired. Trump has no ideas and his character is revolting. He was elected by people who dislike the establishment, dislike people of color, and dislike ideas that come from education and not from the bible. If we are not going to vote for the candidate with the best ideas or the most sterling character who are we going to vote for? Williamson implies we should vote for someone who can flip the 'dark underbelly of American society' onto its back and gut it. Is this a good idea?
The first problem with Williamson's statement is that she is characterizing many Trump voters just like Hillary did when candidate Clinton referred to them as the "deplorables." These folks are our neighbors and some are our friends and relatives. Many of them didn't get a 'fair shake' in life and ended up in the poor part of town, on food stamps, out of work and drug addicted. Some of them never woke up from the idea that the bible might not hold all the answers. Some of them were taught by their parents that people of color were inferior. And some of them just couldn't succeed in school so ended up at low paying jobs while continuing to watch the advertisements on the Nascar channel trying to sell them things they don't need but think they want. This isn't deplorable but it is sad because hard work and education still are very good ways to get a good life in America. Immigrants know this and that is why they are lining up at the border. Trump knows it too and that is why he wants to keep them out. The more education, hard work and success we see, the few disaffected there will be to vote for him.
The second problem with Ms. Williamson's statement is that once we allow a bully like Trump to take ideas off the table as the reason for voting for a particular candidate, we have begun sliding down into the mud. America has always been a country where ideas, even religious ones, were put on the table for public debate. So let's ignore Trump, please. Turn off the sound when he speaks and turn it back on when he stops. Anyone who lies as much as he does, who speaks gibberish, should be ignored. So lets start listening to people who have something to say that is supported by rational arguments whether those arguments are numerically driven or morally driven.
Which brings us to, in my opinion, the three candidates worth considering: Sanders, Warren, and Yang. Each of these three has ideas that are well thought out and, in my opinion, make America a better place. Unchecked capitalism has resulted in income inequality if our country. The wage earner needs a larger piece of the value they add to the product, whether it is a steel girder or a medium rare burger served at a take-out window. These jobs sustain us and they should be valued higher than they are. Childcare for low income wage earners needs to be accessible and better quality. Education needs to he available to every child and college to every high school graduate for an affordable price. And, health care needs to be universal. Our nations infrastructure needs upgrading and our prisons populations downgrading. Assault weapons need to be removed from the hands of non-military personnel. And we need legislation to undo the Citizens United decision and reform the campaign laws so that corporations cannot influence elections and that the wealthy cannot extend their influence beyond their votes as individuals.
None of this is free. We all know that. If everyone and every corporation is taxed fairly we can provide these services just like most of the developed world. These changes will enhance our personal freedom, secure the lives of those people on the fringes of society, and give an honorable life back to the wage earners in our society.
We can't let Trump's ignorance, hatred and fear drive out ideas. There is no dark underbelly of America, just the fruits of a poorly organized system. The Statue of Liberty asks:
Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.The 'wretched refuse' is not a band of 'deplorables' but a band of people that need a better life whether they are our own citizens or citizens of another country. We need to turn the lamp back on, because, as the Washington Post's subtitle says, "Democracy Dies in Darkness." Trump has attempted to shade the light of America with a cloak of hatred and fear. Let's pull it off so can see the problems clearly and deal with them.
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