Another one of my incoherent rants- bear with me, it makes sense sort of.
Politically, I think I have become a cynic. Living in California most of my life (I was born here), I was introduced to Democratic politics by my family – my grandfather was carpenter and worked building ships at Mare Island during WWII, my dad and uncle are both Korean War vets, and our family’s patriotism has never been questioned.
In college I joined the Young Democrats, and realizing their candidate was not going to end the war in Viet Nam, I joined others in forming a splinter group, the Young Democrats of Northern California. Our candidate was a Senator who called the war immoral, and vowed to end it.
Now the country is in two wars, one in Afghanistan and the other in Iraq, and this was a factor in decision making for whom to vote.
Yet this year as I talked with people about the election, it became apparent to me that my party has gone in a direction I am uncomfortable with. I didn’t vote for Hillary, although she was my second choice. California democrats overwhelmingly voted for her, and many pundits said her victory here assured her the nomination. Then when the nomination seemed within her grasp, something called super delegates announced Obama was their choice and in a instant the nomination process was over. OK, so be it, even though I think it sucks.
I am a cynic because many of the people I know at work and have seen on TV reports (MSNBC, NBC, ABC, CSPAN, CNN, and FOX) have fallen in love with the candidate that won, Obama. While he has been described as encouraging a cult of personality, Obama has successfully tapped into the deep hatred that has been fermented by politicians seeking to divide this country not into Democrats or Republicans, young or old, white or non-white, but increasingly a nation of haves and have not’s- not enough money, not enough credit, not enough health care, not enough equity in the society as a whole.
I am cynical because his promises to resolve our issues sound so good, they will likely be unattainable while politicians continue to debate what to do while the country continues business as usual. Pumping TRILLIONS of dollars into the problems seems their answer, yet the financial resources to do that come from not our own treasury but the lending from our economic competition, primarily China. I cynically think that GM will be saved when it’s announced China has acquired a majority interest in GM stock, now at a 62 year low.
I hope I am wrong. I hope someday our representatives can get on to the business of serving the interests of the people, not pandering to the lobbies that infuse campaigns with billions of dollars in search of favors post election. Personality can persuade so far. Pragmatic discipline governs effectively.
As a nation we face international challenges not only in defense, but in economics. In my work implementing digital age systems into processes that are based on last century practices, I have become increasingly concerned that the majority of products I have seen deployed are either in whole or part manufactured not in the USA, or even North America, but overseas, usually in countries where the labor standards are abysmal. Yet we as a consumer nation continue to believe in unbridled capitalism, ironically making purchases from countries with nationalized economies working daily to undermine the US politically. We need change, to become more competitive in these arena’s, and government can do that by encouraging companies to work smarter, leaner, and realizing that when America does better, they will too.
I for one try (as difficult as it is) to buy American made products when possible- because I would rather my money go to support a company that is paying Americans to build and sell to Americans, rather than not. I know the arguments- about how buying from overseas helps our economy by shifting the low wage jobs to there and leaving the higher wage jobs here…and I personally think that’s BS. Because it’s the lower wage jobs making something that enables people here to buy things…case in point I can buy a pair of New Balance shoes that say Made in USA for $75, or a pair of competitor shoes made in China for …$75 dollars. One pair has lasted so far 6 years, while the other fell apart after 18 months. So on a return for investment basis, the 6 year pair was the better deal…I know people that buy a Japanese car like a Lexus and would never buy a Cadillac, even though three years in a row consumer rating organization say the Cadillac is a better built vehicle…oh but that’s another rant for another day.
Last observation I want to share…
How is it that “We Support the Troops” has become a national obsession, with bumper stickers and the like, yet the major media outlets (New York Times, Washington Post, etc) have either NO or small items in today’s papers about it being Veterans Day?
From a college newspaper:
“What about the people who are still alive and are permanently changed because of what they witnessed in war? Do we forget about them and let them live lives like they have done nothing for our country? So you disagree with the War in Iraq, I understand that but to completely refuse a national holiday that has so much power over people is ridiculous. If it wasn't for the men and women who serve to protect this country, we would not be the United States of America and we would not have the freedoms we have today.”
And I am cynical?
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