Let’s Go Forward Together

When did the idea of unity become such a problem? Unity doesn’t mean that we always agree, but surely we can agree that all of this nastiness isn’t helping anyone. We have a chance to move forward in this country. It won’t happen with supposed “conservative “policies that conserve nothing, but instead undermine the stability of the country. The Democrats don’t have all the answers, but they do have the mindset to get there. Inclusion, respect for our civil rights, building a strong middle class through jobs programs, accessible health care, education.. these comprise only part of the mindset necessary for our collective safety and growth as a country.

Here’s what doesn’t help.

• enacting laws that make it difficult for some of us to vote
• enacting laws that make it difficult for women to seek constitutionally protected health care
• letting the NRA control our gun safety laws
• remaining silent as your colleagues lie day after day about anything our President does, or worse yet, participating in the vitriol, all of which undermines the country, particularly at a time when we are involved in conflicts around the world
• media who behave like shills for one party or the other. Just report the news. Check your opinions at the door.
• militarized law enforcement..just turn on the news..they’re everywhere and out of control. It feels like the citizens of this country are under attack, becoming the enemy in some places.
• interfering with medical/recreational cannabis state laws. Playing games with patients’ lives is especially cruel.
• a Congress that has taken upon itself the single goal of ruining the presidency of our first African American President at the expense of the American people. The conservatives in the Congress have decided that their ideology is far more important than funding anything that will help anyone, including the most vulnerable among us.
• conservative Governors who trample on the rights of workers, find ways to suppress the vote, and who interfere with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.

I could go on, but what’s the point? We all know what’s been happening over the last six years. They gave the disaster they caused to a President they decided to never support in any fashion, and then sat back, pointing fingers every time something didn’t happen, after doing everything they could to sabotage the process. They go on television daily to excoriate the President for nothing, because nearly everything they say is designed to add more fuel to whatever imaginary fire that exists in their collective minds. Collective, because you know there’s got to be a memo that goes out listing whatever ridiculous talking points of the day, because they all sound exactly the same. They hold useless and endless hearings investigating drama of their own creation, and we pay them for this. All while programs remain unfunded and innocent people continue to suffer. They would rather see the country upended than to move forward on a jobs program. Instead, we’re subjected to comments about Uncle Sugar from someone who should have more dignity than what he apparently does, and offensive ads about the Affordable Care Act.

And after the travesty of the last administration, these people expect us to prefer their ideas over progressive policies which would actually move this country in a direction that benefits all. I know..how socialist of me. But honestly, are we the United States or not? Liberals aren’t the enemy for wanting health care for everyone. They aren’t the enemy for wanting protections for workers, our civil rights, our children. It can’t come down to profit for some over the care and concern for all. How can we sit idly by while others are hurting, particularly when governmental policy can do something to level the playing field?

It’s sad that we actually need something like laws to govern what should be normal behavior, but we’re human and we do. Any woman who has had a job understands this. We still make less than our male counterparts for performing the same jobs. If we allow the conservatives to run the show, it’s only going to get worse. All anyone needs to do is look at what’s currently happening in Texas. Wendy Davis should be the next governor there. The women of Texas need someone like her instead of Greg Abbott. Constitutionally protected reproductive health care is at risk, and now as many as 600,000 voters may be disenfranchised for this upcoming election. This is what conservative policies look like, folks. If that’s not enough, just look at Wisconsin or Ohio. Voter suppression has become the methodology to keep them in power. How else, when their policies are so destructive to the average citizen. They can’t even protect veterans by adequately funding the Veteran’s Administration. But they can sure send them off to war.

Aren’t we tired of all this? Gun violence is everywhere. In my own high school, Reynolds, in Oregon, this happened recently. And now another child has died from a tragic school shooting up in Washington state. What’s happened to us? How can we not solve this? How is this still happening?

Conservative policies. Why do we call them that? In this voter’s opinion, they’re not conservative at all. They’re destructive. We have to step away from this and move in a direction that preserves and unifies.  “..one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” should mean something. With the election in a few days, we can turn this country around and again become the voice for justice, for integrity, for unity.

Let’s go forward together.