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I am great for posting on social media, “If Americans truly wanted to put America first they would never vote for a Republican”. Not only do I think that has a good ring to it but I also believe that it is a true statement. One of the people that often replies to my posts sent a reply “This is why you would vote Republican – because of illegal’s, Ukraine, the Far East and others getting more priority over Americans wants and needs”. This man is always giving me his opinion in a respectful way and his opinion often differs from mine which is ok. If everyone had the same opinion we would never have anything to write about or even talk about. I replied back to him that he had just given me the idea on what I should write about next.

I have seen the meme on social media of someone holding a sign that says “Veterans before illegals”. I have always believed that our veterans have been ignored by the talking heads in Washington from both Parties. Every time I see that “Wounded Warriors” commercial I just cringe. Why do we need a charity set up to take care of Veterans that were wounded in the line of duty? I would think that as a nation we would feel that they deserve to be in the front of the line when it came to care and services. This is not an either or situation. This is not a situation of choosing Immigrants over Veterans. This is a situation of a nation that does not truly appreciate the ones that have given the most. If you ended immigration tomorrow Washington would not value our Veterans anymore than they do today. Republicans fight like hell for tax breaks for the people that don’t really need them and ignore our veterans. Wealth and accumulation of more wealth is more important than taking care of the people that make keeping that wealth possible. It is a great thought, taking care of our Veterans but Immigration is not why we don’t take care of our Veterans. It is a conscious decision by our elected officials.

Are we really putting Ukraine in front of the needs of our own American citizens? It may sound good to those that want to use it as an excuse to vote for Republicans but in my option it just isn’t true. That is just not how it works. You have people from both parties that want us to continue to support Ukraine As do I. I think that you have some Republicans that don’t. I will always remember George W Bush saying that we are fighting them over there so we don’t have to fight them here as a way of justifying the Iraq War. Well, I kind of think that Ukraine is fighting the Russians so NATO doesn’t have to. Russia was the aggressor. Russia wants to end democracy in the Ukraine like some Republicans want to end democracy here. I wish that we didn’t have to help the Ukraine but I know that we have to support our allies. If we didn’t support Ukraine do you really think that anymore money would be going to our poor? Do you really think that our social services would be increased? Our economy is too dependent on Military spending so. I remember after the Iraq war people were saying that if we spent as much money on education as we did on war we could rebuild every school in the nation. It would be nice if we spent more on education and less on war but let’s face it that is not going to happen. There is more money to be made with war. Not a single penny that we are spending to help our allies would be diverted to the needy here in our own country.

The Middle East is a very complicated and confusing issue that needs to be solved but probably won’t be in my lifetime. Too many groups just don’t want to let Israel exist. Does our support of Israel mean we have to cut Social Security and Medicare? Many people and countries have helped us fight terrorists around the world and this latest conflict was started by a huge terrorist act. I will not lose sight of that. I hate the loss of civilian life but how many civilians died in Iraq or Afghanistan? Terrorists use civilians as shields and the result is that many will die. We can work hard to bring about a negotiated peace and I am sure that we are, but, in no way do I think that we should abandon Israel and no way do I believe that helping Israel is hurting our poor and veterans.

The Republican party is not one to create social services that benefit our veterans or our poor and elderly. They have campaigned for cuts in Social Security and Medicare not enhancement. They are the group that have given tax breaks to the wealthy and started taxing Social Security on the elderly in the 80s. Pretty much every Republican President has cut taxes for billionaires and corporations and they said we had to cut spending on the very social programs that many depend on. This is that same group that has fought tooth and nail for the minimum wage to stay the same for the last 16 years or so. The wage gap has skyrocketed during that time. Our capitalistic system is breeding poverty which in turn breeds more violence and crime. But let’s go ahead and blame immigration legal or illegal for our lack of assistance for the poor. I really think that the reason that we don’t have a solution to immigration is because the rich want that cheep labor to work those minimum wage jobs. They talk about building a wall when most of our immigrants come through legal ports of entry and are not sneaking across some border so a wall would not solve anything. The rich will probably need more immigrants to build that wall while working at minimum wage.

Go ahead and say the Republicans put America First but that would be a lie. Also, remember that was a phrase that was used by the KKK on many of their marches. Yup, those guys in white hoods carrying a banner saying “America First”. There are states that are passing legislation against the homeless. Not legislation helping the homeless but making them out as criminals. In Missouri, a new state law that took effect in January makes it a crime for any person to sleep on state property. For homeless people, sleeping in public parks or under city highways could mean up to $750 in fines or 15 days in prison. Not surprising Texas passed a law that bans homeless encampments on public property in Texas. Too many politicians talk more about cutting social services that help our needy and our veterans. Not because of money because they call it socialism which in people’s minds converts to communism. For a Christian nation were sure don’t have a lot of Christians.

 

 

 

Comments

  1. AnonymousDecember 5, 2023 at 7:19 AM

    You're right of course. When I was still in the news business, I wrote an article about a strike at our local processing plant from the viewpoint of the strikers and the idea that there was two sides to every story. While researching that of course I got a good look at the process of hiring illegal aliens to work for lower wages, the living conditions, pay and benefits denied and how they heard about a plant in Iowa all the down into Mexico and other Latin American countries. I learned many came right across the border in Company sponsored buses and trucks. One young man even gave me a picture of himself standing in front of a billboard advertising Jobs in America with a big 1-800 # promising cash payments housing and a path to citizenship. That was over 20 years ago and I don't think it's changed. When I gave it to our new publisher, he read it, nodded his head a few times then looked at me and said it was one of the best pieces of writing he ever read, but he couldn't print it because it would PO his top advertiser and he couldn't afford to do that. It was a real eye opener for me as to how much truth and informing the public was really valued. And all my ideas of truth; the public needs to know, and the American way were shot to hell along with my passion for writing. It just wasn't there anymore .The real world can be an ugly place and what we aren't told by the people who should be telling us is every bit as important as what they do tell us. Thank you for telling the other side

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousDecember 5, 2023 at 7:53 AM

      Thank you for sharing this. Like you said it's just as important as what was in the piece.

      Delete
    2. AnonymousDecember 5, 2023 at 4:39 PM

      spot on. Political, period. Financially speaking, the wealthy need to prop up the gop, by any means. but i would think that the corporations would benefit from immigration reform… at least in the long run.

      Delete
  2. AnonymousDecember 5, 2023 at 7:55 AM

    I 100% agree with you. One other reason for not fixing the problem is fixing it would leave the GOP with nothing to point at and blame the other for. Sick isn't it?

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousDecember 6, 2023 at 5:04 PM

    Excellent and truthful article. Repubs voted no on anything for Veterans including burn pit caused illness to be treated for the VA Medical, no to more funding for VA which is a huge department, no to new housing on bases which had enlistees living in homes & apartments saturated with rot and black mold.
    But they voted for lower taxes for wealthy. Lower taxes for the wealthy cost us near $2 trillion in revenue. Now they want to sunset Social Security and Medicare to balance the budget. Our contributions to those programs go into a fund, not the general budget. It doesn't affect the deficit to cut social Security & Medicare. BTW, their cuts this year will be repeated every year until it's gone. This is what Rick Scott meant by Sunsetting Social Security and Medicare. Please vote Democrat. A 3rd party vote will do nothing except take votes away from President Biden to allow Trump or DeSantis to win.

    ReplyDelete

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