I realize that this post might polarize some people. Whether it inspires them or turns them away, I feel the need to speak my mind.
This country (the United States of America) has become more and more of an oligarchy over the past couple of decades. We say we are a democracy and yet there are less than 10 companies that own the majority of the major media outlets in the entire country – T.V. radio etc. We say we are a democracy and yet corporations are somehow viewed as people when it matters (how on earth did the Supreme Court come to this decision to sell out what was left of our beautiful country? Citizens United is horrible). We give massive amounts of corporate welfare to Wall Street, to big banks (which are too large to fail?!?), to oil companies and pharmaceutical companies whose motivation is the bottom line (rather than working to cure patients – I’m in nursing school and this is what I keep seeing), etc. And yet we work to cut food stamps to poor mothers and poor families who are probably struggling to keep the heat on in the winter time.
We have shipped more manufacturing jobs out of the country in the last 40 years than we have remaining – and now companies thrive on low prices when their products are made by low income (slave) labor in Bangladesh, Malaysia and Mexico. The only area it seems that we thrive is in the military-industrial complex. We still have one of the largest militaries in the world and if I am not mistaken, we spend more of “defense” than the next top 5 nations combined. That is sick. The United States collective karma is eventually going to come back around and topple this government. We have been involved in numerous unethical wars and military coups – we back despots and tyrants when they buy our guns or give us oil.
It seems someone could make a case for the U.S. being one of the more corrupt countries on the face of the earth now that campaign contributions can be made in secret and in huge amounts to Super PAC’s. Lobbying is one of the largest employers in Washington D.C. outside of the U.S. government jobs. Our “democratically” elected officials do not care – there is no financial incentive – about their constituents. They spend so much time fund raising that they cannot hear us, let alone read the legislation they are supposed to be voting upon.
The two party system here in the United States is a joke. I call them both Republicrats. I say this because the two party system prevents any third or fourth parties from taking hold in the country. They do not allow any other candidates into debates. They push really really hard to get establishment candidates onto the ballot. The “Democratic” party has Super Delegates who are meant to decide a close contest in the event a “grass-roots candidate” has gained too much power and too many votes. I did not sign up for this crap.
I am tired of voting for the candidate of lesser evil – who is often the “Democrat.” I am tired of voting for a candidate who ticks seven out of ten boxes. I want someone who covers nine or all ten of them!
We need a revolution in our thinking. We need truly affordable health care across the board, available to all so that ALL babies can have adequate, appropriate, healthy looking-after. We need a minimum LIVING wage so that all people can work one 40-hour per week job and be able to afford rent and FOOD for their family. We need college that is relatively affordable for all. The concept of the upper class jobs being only available to the few “excellent” students is erroneous and will lead to major income disparities in this once-great nation (worse than they already are). Right now for a student to come out of undergraduate school with $50,000 in debt is a monstrous problem.
Denmark is closing prisons because they do not have any “criminals” to put in them. And they are a “socialist” country. How about taking a step back and pondering this: if we take care of our neighbors and treat them like brothers and sisters, then they will not be jealous of the 1% and crime rates will start to drop. Educate everyone and crime rates will start to drop. Have adequate opportunity and health care for all AND CRIME RATES WILL DROP.
And we need a candidate who will not bow to the will of the military industrial complex. We need a candidate who will not cave in to some bizarre demands from the pharmaceutical companies. We need a candidate who speak his or her truth to power when it comes to the choice of fighting conflicts here at home or choosing to fight abroad. The problems here are home are ten times as large for all of us citizens. It is terrible what is happening in parts of Africa and the Middle East and Ukraine right now. But how about we fix our domestic problems (Flint Michigan? a disintegrating infrastructure across the nation? the largest income disparity in 80 years?) first?
That is why, in my mind, Bernie Sanders is the only candidate to cover most of the bases above. Sure he is not perfect. But at least he is a step toward the right direction. And he is not being purchased by massive contributions to the Clinton Foundation. He does not have any massive Super PAC’s funded by the Koch brothers or by large unethical corporations.
This will hopefully be one of the only political posts I make in the upcoming months. Although I could see one or two more up my sleeve. 🙂
Thanks for reading! (And I’m sure there will be comments)
Meditation Informs Healing Facilitation 