Commentary: Can anyone make sense out of the 2016 elections and resulting mess on the U.S. domestic side before inauguration day, 2017? I try.
There is so much crud out there. Let’s focus on reality. The “back and forth’ folderol is no longer funny. Much of the working class deserted the national Democratic party - which had abandoned them - and turned to Republican promises. A few thoughts:
(1) We cannot let the President-elect, House Speaker Ryan nor HHS Secretary-designate Cong. Price voucherize Medicare and cut/eliminate Medicaid. With related components, it’s a disaster is in the making.
Build upon and fix the Affordable Care Act. Universal health care based on the Medicare model must come. Some call this “socialized medicine”. Yet, facts put us below all other industrial nations in quality of health care and reasonableness of price (World Health Organization). Tell the president-elect.
(2) Let’s talk about jobs. True, those employed have been generally rising since 1990; from some 115 million then to some 152+ million in 2016 (BLS). But sorry, President Obama. There are other numbers. What about those no longer in the US workforce. The folks unemployed for 27 weeks+ rose from 9.9% in 1990 to 25% in 2016 (same). That is telling. Population goes up, jobs go up but the overall numbers of employed people keeps dropping. Just think….
(3) It’s true that the president-elect talks “jobs, jobs, jobs.” Oh? His companies buy most if not all his products from other nations. Are those jobs coming back to the USA as an example to other corporations? No.
Headlines tout the “1,000 jobs” kept in this country by Indiana’s Carrier Air Conditioning after talks with the president-elect. Funny - 1,300 of the 2,000 are still going to Mexico, including 600 of the 1,400 in Indianapolis and all in Huntington. A few are kept here due to generous financial incentives discussed (Fortune). Where’s the benefit to American workers?
How will pushing oil and gas pipelines returns ongoing jobs? Coal won’t come back. Job-friendly solar and wind technology, among others, may be hobbled; potential large job losses. Majority Leader McConnell’s priorities don’t include rebuilding our infrastructure. A national minimum wage increase dies. Environmental clean-up will be postponed. We American people will get little directly as the US is sold off or given away to billionaires through sweetheart deals or to the highest bidder. Profits not people. The BLS’ downward trend will continue. Tell the president-elect.
(4) The whole question of pay and benefits is a long standing issue with both parties. This has become clearer since the 1970’s. Simply, we the people hurt. Wages are stagnant and generally, benefits are disappearing, especially for low income salary and wage people. “Trickle down” has never worked, regardless of hype. Rush the dollars to the top is the American way. Change is needed. Tell the president-elect.
(5) The federal government needs trimming, which is easy for most to ignore. We have many either duplicated or unneeded programs and/or special giveaways (e.g., subsidies to inappropriate farmers and ranchers plus coal, gas and oil companies). Clearly debatable. NM also; some of our giveaways are notorious as is our governors’s intransigeance. Let’s see sensibility herein, not a blunt hacksaw. Tell the president-elect.
(6) Term-limits are up for discussion - on both sides. We all have seen how seniority destroys the national Democratic party. I like what I see locally and in some other places. But, Senator Schumer? Just another corporatist. Rep. Pelosi? Unprintable. Local parties? We’ll see. Change the Democratic party.
Traditional Republicans crashed and burned. But as the new administration shapes out, it’s creeping back. What’s next?
(7) Control of government has flipped totally unicameral. What might the US government do in the next two years? What happens to, e.g. Commerce, Education, HHS, Justice, Treasury and other Departments under certain appointees? 33 legislatures are red and flipping an additional one to 34 in 2018 means republicans could call a constitutional convention in 2019. All bets would be off. Monitor closely.
If we want to move forward there is a large base of facts without hype that gives us a base in reality. Facts are not fungible. Hype aplenty is much national “journalism.” But facts alone are not enough without mass education and push-back. For many Americans, slogans and hype must be ignored. Change and our future is coming.