The political scene more closely resembles the gladiator fights of the Roman Coliseum than a civil debate about the issues truly affecting most of the American people. It has become a melee of horrifically hateful rhetoric that capitalizes on the fears and anger of those who have become so frustrated by the feeling that they work so hard, and either they don't feel they have enough, or they feel that others needing help don't work hard enough, and therefore don't deserve it. Many of these fearful, angry and frustrated people profess a powerful and deep Christian Faith, as well as a deep and abiding love of country.
There is an intense mistrust of government and politicians. People are tired of smiles and promises, and seem to prefer shouting, angry rhetoric and saber rattling.
It's all working perfectly. Many of us have stopped watching or believing where the money goes, and--just as importantly--where the money backing our leaders comes from.
We choose to believe people needing stop-gap assistance like food stamps or welfare are unwilling to work, are on drugs, and are just plain lazy. While there are people who happily suckle at the teat of our hard earned and forked away tax dollars, the majority are people who are legitimately struggling in spite of how hard they might be working. They are single parents who never expected to be. They are unqualified workers in low-paying jobs who may be working multiple jobs but still can't make all the ends meet.
We choose to believe that people working in low-paying jobs are somehow inferior to ourselves, and it's not our fault they aren't educated or skilled enough to work in a better paying job. We choose to believe they lack the ambition to obtain an education or skills that would allow them to earn more. The reality is that not everyone gets a scholarship to go to college or technical school. Not everyone can get enough financial aid to cover the skyrocketing costs of college.
We choose to believe that people asking for a hand up--not a handout--just want a free ride on our dime.
We choose not to pay attention to where our money goes, and where the money backing our leaders comes from.
People are angry that there are Americans "working the system" and getting our hard-earned dollars. But who are these Americans "working the system?"
Follow your dollars. Do you want billions to go to companies who become richer and richer while discouraging income growth among the lower and middle class? Do you want billions of dollars to go to individuals and companies who work tirelessly to ensure that they have to pay as little in taxes as possible--even to the point of hiding their money off shore?
We're pissed about where our money goes, and we're pissed that the government keeps asking more from us, while providing less of what we want and need. But here's the thing--it takes money for roads to get repaired, it takes money for the power grid to be updated, it takes money to provide benefits to veterans and retirees. That money has to come from somewhere. Except it's not.
We have spent the better (or worse) part of the last 15 years at war. War isn't free, but it is profitable to certain people--not you or me. We have allowed big banks to fill the coffers of our leadership in exchange for leniency and a blind eye to their greedy misdeeds. We have allowed so much in the name of free enterprise and national security. And we have used up all the dollars and more--only slowly reversing that trend in recent years.
Where is our money going? Where does the money backing our leaders come from?
Many of us are fearful and angry.
But some of us are afraid for the future of our children, our nation and our world. We are fearful that our kids won't find a way to afford an education and that if they do, they won't be able to find a job earning enough to make their ends meet and their dreams come true. We are fearful that the current climate of hateful rhetoric and discrimination will make our nation and our people less safe, and that we will, again, be viewed as the brash bully nation on the block. We are angry that our tax dollars pay for failed wars that have made us less safe. We are angry that people screaming for "smaller government" and "individual rights" are also trying to limit women's rights, the rights of the LGBT community, civil rights, and religious rights. We are angry that a large chunk of our government chooses, on a daily basis, not to do their job because--for whatever reason--they decline to recognize and accept the legitimacy of a twice-elected president. We are angry that that chunk of our government's actions put the functionality of our nation--at home, and abroad--in jeapordy on a regular basis.
While it is true that every politician promises things they cannot, or do not even intend to deliver, some of us want to hear promises that better reflect the needs of our people, and not the needs of big business, saber rattlers, and those who don't believe that everyone is entitled to the same rights. I would rather hear a candidate promise free college tuition, than hear one promise that they will "bomb the shit out of" anyone. I would rather hear a candidate promise income equality and an increase in wages that more closely aligns with the cost of living, than hear a candidate promise to cut education funding and Social Security. I would rather hear a candidate promise to take actions to prevent further destruction to our environment through science and innovation, than hear a candidate argue that the earth is flat, it was created by a shadowy wizard and that proven scientific facts are hogwash. I would rather hear a candidate recognize that we are already a great nation facing challenges to our core and our future, than to hear candidates unfoundedly, and mean-spiritedly declare that our nation is in shambles. I would rather hear the promises of a candidate who believes in the promise of every single American, regardless of color, religion, gender or their sexual orientation, than to hear a candidate feeding the fears and angers of folks who choose to ignore where the money goes, and where our leaders' financial support comes from.
You see, promises are made to be broken, forgotten, discarded and derailed. But, at the beginning and end of every day, I look at my daughter, and I have to at least be able to stomach the promises a candidate is making.
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