Tag: politics

We the People, are better than this

The iceberg that is Trump, shows but a small portion of all that is hidden below the surface.

Apparently some people can conveniently ignore all that is below the surface, in the “hope” that he will do more good than harm for causes that are  icebergs themselves.  Hope is frosting on shit.  It “looks good” but………

Politicians on all sides have secrets, and these politicians we elect are but a reflection of ourselves–sometimes we like what we see in the mirror sometimes we do not.

The other day at the UN, Donald Trump said: “We reject the ideology of globalism, and we embrace the doctrine of patriotism.”

Please DO NOT include me in that “we.”

We live in a global economy, and denial will not make that otherwise.

The laws of the land apply and are for all of us (at least this is the ideal we work toward).  It is an imperfect process, not because it cannot be done but because of the baggage we all bring to the process in hard to leave behind.

As we think about what laws should be written, we need to ask ourselves, am I arguing for my own particular beliefs to be included?  If the answer is yes, any law that results will be wrong from the get go.  We are better than this, we are bigger than this.  Do not listen to those that would say otherwise.

We sink or swim as a planet–as the human race.  Notions of separateness can never accomplish anything but disaster for us all–or at the very least, only a short reprieve from lots of suffering and misery.

Even icebergs are able to get along, but sooner or later are absorbed by their environment.  True freedom will come from our not so much becoming ONE PEOPLES on earth, but recognizing and embracing we already are.

Charles Buell

The Great MYME

wp_20161001_20_17_38_richI know there is a lot of angst over this election and many of the issues are complicated, but let’s see if we can simplify the problem.

The Republican Party platform or agenda can be boiled down to some basic principles.

1.    There is an American Dream that has been lost–when what we actually cling to is closer to a nightmare.

2.    There is a notion that somehow we have gotten away from our constitutional government—even though we have a Supreme Court that is arguably more functional than the other branches of government.

3.    That somehow the earth’s resources belong to Americans—even though they belong to all of humanity—including the resources in our own country.

4.    That somehow American families are no longer great–even though they never have been wholly, but can be on occasion.

5.    There is a notion that fixing healthcare involves supporting the insurance industry–even though with it the profit motive reduces the amount of money that could greatly offset the cost of health care for us all.  There may indeed be some painful catch-up as we all get to a place where we are paying our fair share.

6.    There is a notion that somehow we are not the great power in the world we once were–even though sometimes that should not be our job when we are merely being a bully.

7.    The notion that government is too big is also a common thread—when all evidence points to its not being big enough (and while it is broken, so is the private sector, we do not need to throw either baby out with the bath water).  We only have to look to our crumbling infrastructure, lack of construction oversight, delays in public works, underfunded education etc.  And why are these problems?  Because we lack the will to pay for them.

There will always be the wrestle between what appears “socialist” and “capitalist.” But it should be clear to anyone paying attention that neither one can ever be entirely the answer.  There is no reason to think we cannot be a country that does what it takes to function, use whatever means works, as opposed to beating dead horses for all eternity.

Behind the thin veil of these principles is the ugly underbelly of exclusiveness, nationalism, entitlement, religious intolerance, racial intolerance, social intolerance, bigotry, selfishness and wishful thinking.

When we have a MY and Me approach to the problems we face on the planet, and become unable to see the WE and US that is necessary, we ultimately all suffer. Sure this means we may not get what we “want” all the time but perhaps we can all get a better share of what we need.

Americans are a better people than to promote walls that will never be built, support insurance companies and corporations when they become nothing but leaches or parasites, and/or promote one religion’s views over another.

So as we all go to the poles it is important to consider which candidate is more likely to be about the MY and ME as opposed to the WE and US.  Ultimately, if the planet is to survive the MYME stands to make out better if the WEUS is paramount.

The road to ruin is paved with greed, selfishness, arrogance, and ignorance.  While these will always be present in whichever road we go down, let US at least attack the issues with WE and US first.

Charles Buell