Nothing Learned?



I am an admitted news junkie, politics is my meth. So while my political views are different than those of the upcoming administration, I still have a clear understanding of how things are supposed to work. My problem is not just with the bravado I get from the winners of the last election. But also with the disdain I see from the defeated party. Have we not learned anything? All this saber rattling only going to end up getting us all cut at some point.

I don't mind hearing different opinions, but is the name calling necessary? Have we all forgotten how to carry on respectful conversations or is all I see just a show? We are not children anymore; we are adults with real issues to face every day. Why is it so hard for them to understand that service jobs can't support a secure social net? And that it is technology and efficiency that really killed the big ticket jobs a lot more than NAFTA. 

The days of grabbing your toys and leaving the playground are over. It's time we stop living selfishly and simply learn to get along. The days of pointing fingers at everyone that doesn’t look, act, or speak like you have gone on long enough. The flags are up and the sharks in the water smell blood. Democracy isn't easy. If it were we won't have autocrats of one type or another running most countries. We are a motley crew of people no one else wanted; let's face it America were basically the mutts of the world.

But by putting our petty differences aside we built the strongest nation on earth. Don't think for a second that one group of citizens had any more to do with it then another. The minute you start seriously believing that we're screwed. Our democracy is more than just the sum of its parts. It's a messy greasy machine that needs regular oil changes and maintenance to stay running.

The minute the steering wheel thinks it can go forward without the tires or the engine. You're left with nothing but parts that someone else would more than happy to take. The point is “united we stand, divided we fall.” No family is without its disagreements or a loud-mouthed, drunk Uncle. But we still fight to the death for each other. It's time to share our toys again and build something great together.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Fail-Safe

Image
Through the paper-thin walls of this old house, I can hear my neighbors getting ready for another day. Laying here remember when I used to do that, working at night so I could take care of the kids, while my wife went to work. Yesterday sorta marked a tipping point for me I suppose. I finally got my consultation with the gastroenterologist. So we are working the set-up some tests my primary care physician has been wanting for me to have for months. While I would love nothing more than to tell my PCP, “I told you so”. But I suppose knowing is better than not knowing. Although I do find some comfort in ignorant bliss.  I get the impression some people feel I am an optimist. But I like to think of myself more as a realist. What some may mistake as optimism is actually nothing more than analytics. Where I breakdown a given situation and create a solution. That may sound cold and frankly less romantic. But you must understand, after living so long in a void of no emotion (due to
Read more

Moments You've Lived

Image
It’s 5:15 in the afternoon and my stupid ass is back outside. I just checked the phone and it’s a balmy 90° with a feel like temperature of 99°f. I figured since I was hot in the room with the AC on, I might as well come outside and do same thing. Earlier I read a funny meme from my sibling on Facebook that read, “Can someone send me a hug?” copy and share. Rather sarcastically I replied, “We are not huggers , didn’t we grow up in the same house?” Probably no truer words have ever been spoken about our lives as kids. Oh, we weren’t beaten or overly abused, we were just not raised all “touchy feely”. Not surprisingly most kids of our generation weren’t raised that way either. We were provided for in our working class suburban homes. It’s just that a lot of time wasn’t devoted to things like feelings and emotions. You were expected to tough it out and swallow those tears. I guess one place where we could let our emotions go was church. Raised during the infancy of the “Pentecostal Moveme
Read more

Blowing Breeze

Image
It’s later in the afternoon so I decided to take advantage of the lighter humidity and come back outside. There’s a lite breeze blowing so while the gnats are still out, at least they’re having to put in some extra effort to lite on me. You can still smell where the grass got cut this morning, but sadly the faint scent of BBQ from the restaurant down the street is gone.  The poor old sycamore tree leaves look a bit sad. Hanging like they’re on their last leg from the limbs. There’s no point in bringing up the fig bush/tree, it’s all but shed most of its leaves. It’s hard to believe that just a few months ago both plants were vibrant and green, with a bountiful crop of figs. But the birds have mostly abandon their nest in the fig branches. With the kids grown and the shade and food supply dried up, I can’t say I blame them.  But I’m the human here, I’m adaptable with opposable thumbs. I can’t move on as easily as the birds. My so-called cognitive reasoning insist I stick aro
Read more