Consequential change (part 3)

The problem that the Republicans have now, is where do they position themselves on the US political landscape? Mitch McConnell has said that the current policy position of the Democrats is hard left and that he will oppose it at every turn. The issue with his position, is that first of all, he has put forward no policy proposals from the GOP. As far as I can tell, he's still on the 2016 Republican platform. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Republicans seem to represent a bunch of openly racist bigots, who had no intention of giving anyone $1400, were quite happy to leave children in poverty. They have openly supported insurrection, in many cases refuse to accept to this day, that Joe Biden is the legitimately elected president. Oh and did I mention, they have killed almost half a million Americans in an attempt to get four more years in the White House. It would be easier to market a steaming turd than the non existent Republican policy platform.

When you reach a stage in politics where your sole policy is to obstruct and object, then you are no longer giving any consideration to the welfare of those who elected you to serve. Rather than helping resolve the problem, the GOP are now the problem. The US is no longer a country of two party politics, it appears to be a single political party against a borderline domestic terrorist organisation, supported by the gun lobby and the self serving business elite.

Nobody likes to pay taxes, but it seems the rich REALLY don't want to pay taxes. The political fiscal lifeblood comes from those trying to buy influence. Lobbyists are the Nosferatu of politics.

Over the years, political influence has become more and more pervasive as numerous special interests have jostled for their corporate agendas to be met by lawmakers. It always reminds me of this excellent clip of AOC and her amusing yet frightening assessment of political influence.

I would advise anyone with an interest in the new age of politics to read this excellent article from December 2020 in The New Yorker by Benjamin Wallace-Wells, discussing the new politics in America. God do I love the New Yorker.

If ever you wanted a shining example of cash for policy, you need look no further than the NRA. In any sane person's mind, the number of mass shootings that have taken place in America would result in gun control measures being put in place. I know this because in the UK, even the two memorable such incidents resulted in instant and far reaching legislation, which has resulted in no repeat in recent memory. So, you have to ask yourself why has no action been taken? The answer is simple, the NRA has pumped so much money into the Republican Party, that on the issues of guns, they own the policy agenda. That's why even the mass shooting of babies in their classroom had absolutely no impact on gun legislation. We could talk for hours about the senseless killing of 40,000 Americans each year, but the outcome would be the same.

I could now embark on the case against tobacco, the fossil fuel industry, big oil and pharma and the end result would be the same. Put simply, politics is broken and borderline corrupt. So tell me, where does the phrase 'We the people' fit into our conversation? Sadly, you the people and not a consideration when it comes to driving the political agenda as far as the GOP is concerned. Now let's not get all holier than thou on this. Democrats over the years have had their own fiscal influencers, so both parties have their demons when it comes to political financing.

The problem is the here and now and what the Trump years have done to fracture political thinking. Why do I as an outside observer, align myself with a progressive left leaning agenda? It's simple. Whilst not a religious person (despite being brought up as a catholic), I have a set of personal values that says in this modern world we have created for ourselves, no child needs to go to bed hungry and no family should live in fear of losing the roof over their head. Every person has the right to have their voice heard and to be given respect, regardless of their income, who they pray to, who they love or who they vote for. It is an absolute indictment on any society that does not uphold these values and I have a heartfelt belief that these are the values of the Democratic Party.

America stands on the verge of opportunity. The opportunity to make transformational changes that will serve generations of Americans moving forward. The Biden Administration has been brave enough to step forward and go BIG and I mean HUGE. If you take a look back at the tax breaks given to corporate America long before the last bonanza of 2017, colossal tax benefits have only served to promote that age old misconception of trickle down economics. Put simply, it make the 'Big Lie' by Trump look like a walk in the park and I want to spend some time over the coming days exploring exactly what I mean. For now however, rest assured that this persistent lie, is responsible for your crumbling infrastructure, racial and social divide and many of the problems we face as a global community. The only mitigation lay in the reality that this is a global corporate grift perpetrated on all the workers of the world in an attempt to perpetuate the myth.