How Did We Get Here?

We are living in a time of great division in America.  We all wonder, “What is the root cause is for the extreme views on both side of the political spectrum?”  “How did we get here?”  On September 11, 2001 we were attacked.  In the aftermath of that attack we were one of the most united countries on earth… people supporting one another… giving generously to help… shedding tears together for the great loss we had sustained.  What happened during the intervening 18 years to divide us so? Could we possibly have forgotten how united we were?

A story I recently heard may help to enlighten.  Three people sit at a table.  One is extremely wealthy… a multi billionaire… one is a minority… one is a an average income earning white person.  In the center of the table there is a plate of cookies.  The billionaire takes all the cookies but one.  He then leans across the table and says to the two remaining folks, “That person who is different from you, is going to take the last cookie”.  The two remaining people then glare at each other effectively blaming one another for being the one to leave the other with nothing.  This is a picture of our current political and economic situation.

The United States is one of the wealthiest countries on this planet. We do not have a lack of natural resources or funding.  We are being deluded by the wealthy into believing that we must choose between taking care of our citizens or funding our military.  We are being told that we cannot afford Medicare, Social Security, Medicaid, money for education, funds for the disabled, adequate healthcare and much more. In truth we can afford it all.

We have been bullied and lied to by the wealthiest families in America to believe that there is a scarcity of funds when in reality, the wealthiest families merely want all the cookies. They have lied to us again and again. They have stolen from us in the form of economic policies that enrich the wealthy and steal from the poor and middle-class.  They have created a tax policy that allows the entitled and super wealthy to steal from the rest of the American citizens.

They have used hate and bigotry as tools to promote scarcity and division.  We do not have a scarcity problem in our country… we have a stealing problem in our country.  American citizens are subject to the whims of the super wealthy who purchase politicians and cable news outlets to promote their agenda.

This is not a problem on one side of the aisle or the other, one political party or the other… there are wealthy patrons on both sides who promote scarcity to achieve their agenda.  We have been sold a series of lies beginning with trickle down economics… deluding us into believing that the wealthy will share their money with the rest of us through their success in business, when they receive their breaks for business and personal income taxes.  I am certain that none of us actually believe that this is true.

I am an Amazon prime customer.  I love the convenience of shopping from home and receiving my goods within two days. I have no plans to cancel my prime account.  however, I am not deluded into believing that Jeff Bezos gave his employees a raise to $15 an hour because he got a break on his income taxes. He did it because he was shamed into it by press coverage.  I am not suggesting that Jeff Bezos is a bad person. He is at the moment, the wealthiest man in the world.  I don't feel that he should have to give up his money however, he should pay taxes above $50 million in wealth at a higher rate.  “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required,".

The capitalistic system in America is a gift to those who have the genius and foresight to utilize it. That gift exists because we have balance. We are currently out of balance and need to rebalance our economic and social systems.  I have no desire to live in a communist or socialist country. Capitalism and democracy are my chosen forms of government. I do however, believe in a social safety net to keep the poorest among us living a decent quality of life.  No one in our country should live in abject poverty, or without access to quality health care, and no one in our country should be able to skirt the law and steal from the citizens of the United States without consequence.

To those wealthy families who believe that their power and privilege entitles them to step on the backs of the poor and middle class to achieve their ends I remind you that you are not royalty, and in the end even royalty fell to their knees when they ceased to protect those serfs who lived in their midst.  It is only a matter of time before people become disgusted with the lies and agendas brokered to them by politicians and cable news talking heads and take action to protect the economic and social values that created our great nation.

Using the politics of division, scarcity, bigotry and fear may work in the short run but the price it will extort in the long run will far outweigh any short term benefit.  The United States needs leaders who believe in the special nature of our country and are willing to defend its values against the super wealthy… “ for the love of money is the root of all evil…”