I think I can say that this election has been a first in American history for a multitude of reasons. We’ve had many ups and downs in election 2016. A lot of candidate churn early on, a lot of drama (still going), and what seems to be a fever pitch of turmoil in this country.
Let me set a tone- This election is for the highest seat of power in our country. This is not a popularity contest. This is not a beauty pageant. This is not reality TV. This , above all else, is a for a job. One of service to and for the American People. Government works for us, and we should make it so and take it seriously.
I want to break things down into two major parts that I think are very important, maybe three… The issues themselves, and us as a people…we’ll see if that 3rd one materializes.
The Issues:
I want to side step all the bullshit for a moment and just get down to the point- Climate change, jobs, taxes, healthcare, security, and our overseas relations with other countries. Hopefully you will agree that stripped of all the bluster and fan fair, these are the major issues we are voting on. I’ve read through the plans and solutions offered by Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump on these issues; and others, and I can’t say it strongly enough – YOU SHOULD AS WELL!!!. While I am no finance guru, I can do math, check information sources, etc., and see if things jive. I can also read a coherently written paper on any topic and understand it. I would strongly recommend you do the leg work and read up. Keep in mind that each issue by itself does little. This is a system of inter-related items that have direct and indirect consequences on other items, i.e., Focusing on jobs in energy as it is today (coal, natural gas, oil, etc.) will directly effect the climate, directly effect jobs, health, etc. Pushing for clean energy initiatives effects climate, jobs, etc.
I would keep that in mind when reading through these plans and solutions. Also keep a keen eye out for plans and solutions that have that inter-relatedness in mind. There is no one size fits all solution, but there are solutions that can step us into better situations and set a path forward. I am trying to stay agnostic but I’ll insert a little opinion here. I can appreciate that everyone’s current state of being is of the utmost importance. If you are suffering job loss, low income, or bad health right now, an immediate solution will be very tempting and sound great. But I want to ask you to do something. I want you to move outside of that for just a moment and consider something a little more long term. Sometimes that long term solution can have benefit for us now, we just may not see it due to our current suffering.
We the People:
Here is where the opinions flow a little more freely but hopefully I have rooted them enough in fact that they hit home.
We have let ourselves be duped. We, as a people, have let ourselves be used, pandered to, and blinded by fancy bullshit for a long time. We have allowed ourselves to be emotionally manipulated by fear mongering and hype. We have let ourselves lose sight of what the job of government is and who it works for. We complain about the candidate choices we have, and yet, we are to blame for those choices. We have spent more time getting swept up in reality TV antics then we have conducting a job interview, and that is what an election is..a job interview.
Let’s recap what the job of government is:
To act as defined by and uphold the constitution. – I know, so simple when put like that and I’ll add the will of the people.
And we have to give a nod to state and local governments. They to must act in accordance with the constitution, and the will of the people.
Yes, this is a very cursory summation. What this leaves is a huge opportunity for corruption from local/state on up. We have let this happen. We as a people can’t agree on jack shit, even when things might be in our best interest. If it offends a harbored sensibility then all hell breaks loose. Look at congress. They have pretty much not done the job they were elected to do; and got big bucks with a fat raises, and we let them because they were siding with us on our “hatred” of Obama. So..we let a bunch of “children” throw a tantrum and not do a job they are getting paid for while giving themselves fat raises that come from our hard earned tax dollars..and we are ok with this because they are “on our side”…?
I’ll ask you this…if a person comes up to you on the street and says “man, that boss of yours is an asshole”, of course you agree, and then you two exchange “feelings” of shared contempt for the situation, all the while this person is taking your wallet. Are you are ok with this because of feelings…? Because they made you feel recognized ? That they share your situation?
So here we are, election 2016, two crap choices; three if you really take the libertarian candidates seriously, and we have to choose. On one side we have a career politician who has done some good over time but has been an actor in an overly corrupt system and has taken advantage of being in that system. On the other, we have a career business man, who has never been part of the middle class or a “working” man, has a long history of demonstrated corporate abuses of power with highly questionable and ethically challenged business practices.
All I can say is stop being snowed by the hype, the slight of hand, the constant character assassinations, and judge them on the merit of their proposed solutions. You owe it to yourself to do some leg work and exercise some mental power on what plans will actually work. Which solutions offer you, and the rest of us, some solid ground to move forward with. And make them prove it. For any job interview you have references that can attest to your skill and execution in a related skill set, job field, etc. So, let’s see it. I want the meat of the plans, the details, any previous plans, job execution in previous positions, all of it. Quit the sale pitch and start showing proof.
Why should I give you the job? Don’t tell me you are on my side, you don’t know my side. Don’t tell me you are going to look out for me, I’m an adult and that’s my job. What I want from you is to do your job, you know, the one I hired you for by voting for you.
that third one will have to be another post….