For what it’s worth, it looks as if we may yet survive 2017. Scathed in futility, we have learned not a damn thing. We understood corruption, but we allowed it regardless.
WE KNEW politicians could not be trusted:
Still, we gave them freedom and hoped they would choose to do the right thing.
I believe this lesson was initially taught with the aid of stone etchings, unearthed by archaeologists centuries ago, created by a rare species of dinosaurs with opposable thumbs. The idea has been reinforced by new politicians ad infinitum.
Even if one or two politicians mean well, they are outnumbered by those other politicians who do not mean well. Here’s a shocker— Trump does not mean well. Here’s another shocker— the GOP tax cut is not for you, but it will be paid for by you.
About that tax cut—
WE KNEW major corporations only objective was to enrich top tier management and shareholders. Still we allowed them a 50% tax cut.
We, who work for corporations, have been well aware of that design since the early days when our jobs were called careers. It is an enduring fact that employees are a means to that end.
There was a time when loyalty and longevity in the workplace were rewarded. The rewards included pensions, paid sick time and vacations, bonuses that weren’t taxed in such a way that they were barely worth the envelope and card they are packaged in. Once upon a time an employee who devoted their life to a company was presented with a gold watch. Like a unicorn, I’ve never seen one but it’s a nice story. Granted, the story would end with “here’s your hat, what’s your hurry” retirement, but in those days employees retired with a pension, healthcare, and social security.
These days, out of fear of poverty, we hold on to that shitty job. The hope is that by the time we lose our grip it will be time to meet our maker. No one today can afford to retire, which is why there are not enough jobs for the next generation.
Example— Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles.
“Working for the man” really means something now. When the phrase was coined in the sixties it was meant as an insult to “suits” who saw the value in security over freedom. Now, “working for the man” is entrapment in a spiderweb. You stay because… what else are you going to do? You hear there are a hundred people in line for your shitty job, begging for the abuse and pittance.
Elitists will argue— “You have a living wage!” They’re right. We only have to lower our standard of living. No vacations, work more hours, live in smaller houses with more roomates, eat your family pets.
We have to accept that we do not deserve health insurance. We are not entitled to “entitlements.” The government has taken a stipend for social security out of our paychecks since we started working, but that wasn’t for our social security, it was for Paul Ryan.
We will just have to depend on our pensions… except that when our CEO filed corporate bankruptcy we lost our pensions, so there is no pension. So, we will need to rely on our 401K. Gambling our retirement savings in a casino called Wall Street. Banks have just been de-regulated, so let’s just see if that 401k is there if we ever retire.
WE KNEW the healthcare system in America had been hijacked. Still, we allowed it to be sabotaged.
It has not been about health or care for decades. It is about politicians and lobbyists making profits.
Health insurance was once provided to employees of big corporations free of charge, because the cost was reasonable. Employees pay the lion share of the cost of insurance today because corruption in healthcare, including pharmaceuticals, has driven prices up so high that continuing to offer free insurance would cut into those profits and million dollar bonuses for CEO’s, top tier management and shareholders.
WE KNEW men (not all) can not be trusted to behave well when they think they can get away with not behaving well.
This behavior is well documented in stone etchings uncovered by archaeologists dating as far back as the caveman. Still, we acted surprised.
WE KNEW Trump would not impose those sanctions on Russia for their interference in the 2016 election.
For one thing, we heard Michael Flynn make that promise to Russia. Other reasons include: Trump is profiting financially from this omission, and why would Trump punish Putin for doing what Trump asked him to do?
We knew all this, but we let 2017 happen anyway. What’s the point of knowing history if you don’t use the information to avoid future similar mistakes.
A New York Times headline today reads “For Trump, a Year of Reinventing the Presidency.” He stole the presidency and destroyed our democracy for Russia, so I guess you can call that reinvention. He was allowed to do this by politicians who are owned by the people who wrote the tax cut and will benefit from it.
WE KNEW all this, and we let it happen anyway.
Try not to let this discourage you. When you figure out how not to let this discourage you, please let me know how you did it.
Finally 2018 is upon us. Hopefully it will be the year the entire GOP depart on their golden parachutes.
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<a href=”https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/finally/”>Finally</a>
A lot from Lydia 