Dear Editor,
After more than 200 years, we have not succeeded in (as the Preamble specifies) “establishing justice?” Privately owned, for profit prisons are testaments that could speak volumes to this injustice if only we would listen.
Nor have we made much headway in the domain of “domestic tranquility.” Take a walk through the tranquil streets of Ferguson, Watts, Chicago, Baltimore or Oakland then report your findings.
What is the reason we do not address this incredible waste of humanity? It is American humanity, not the humanity of some far off foreign desert.
Promote the “general welfare?” Try buying a life saving pharmaceutical for one of the “orphan” diseases. Take a nationwide sample of our homeless shelters. Then tour under the bridges of an adjacent city. More homeless!
Have we no shame? Which is it? That we can’t or won’t take care of these poor homeless wretches? The amount spent just on advertising for any national election would be more that enough to fix one or more of these shortcomings.
Apparently, for the businessmen, tycoons and oligarchs who own this economy and the politicians who operate it, the return on that investment is inadequate and does not pencil out on the spreadsheet.
Business is not the business of our government! Our founding documents specify: Of The People, By The People, and For the People.
How is it that we have brought ourselves to this sorry state of affairs? Half of the electorate is delighted at how the election turned out. The other half is dejected and in utter disbelief.
Each and every one of us did what we thought was best. Each of us was motivated by our emotions. It follows then that the master manipulator of emotion took the prize.
If there is a flaw in our system of governance, that would be it. If we want reason to prevail, we will have to employ the weapons of emotion.
I know that sounds like an oxymoron, but that’s the way it is. Begin early. Start sowing the seeds of doubt in the other party four to five years before the primaries. The example to follow is the “birther ploy.” No matter how ridiculous, it seems to work.
Another rule is be vague but repetitious, very repetitious. Avoid actual details, just focus on superlatives….It’ll be great, very, very great!
Use the same superlatives over and over. Even some three year old kids already know how to say “so great!” over and over again. I wonder if child labor laws have been violated?
Be sure that the TV news cameras follow you around like a dog follows the “gut wagon” from the slaughter house. There is no way any candidate could afford to pay for that kind of exposure.
None of these Machiavellian ploys cost the candidate anything, but they will cost us plenty. The dog and pony show we have just been subjected to distracted us from considering the real issues of governance.
The main issue is: Are we continuing down this path to an all-out, top down oligarchy where the very rich control absolutely everything?
Or, are we going to make the necessary changes to return to a “bottom up” Democracy where the people have control of our government?
Your choice, choose wisely.
—Jerry Baird