As described in a previous column, upon leaving Independence Hall one day, Ben Franklin was asked by a woman passing by the Constitutional Convention, "well, what have you given us?" Franklin responded, "a republic, Madam, if you can keep it." The great American adventure was about to begin - an experiment in self-government the likes of which had not been seen before. Over the decades and the more than two centuries that have passed since those words were uttered, our system of government - and its basis - the US Constitution - would be tested over and over again. Through wars, foreign and domestic; issues, collective and individual; upheavals, civil war, peace marches, civil rights and many other causes and concerns, our democracy has evolved and endured. And, I assume that we will get through this Trump travesty too. But......
I AM PISSED OFF!
Thomas Jefferson observed that a revolution now and again was a good thing for a democracy. He believed that the "renewal" of a democracy was dependent on the active engagement of those governed and that, unless that engagement was real and continuous, the will and well-being of the people governed would be sacrificed on the altars of those who's motivations were colored by personal interest and profit, and not in the interests of the commonweal (the common good). A periodic "purge" was a necessity.
As you all know, participation in voting, seeking office, civic involvement, engaging in public debate and discussion regarding the future well-being of the nation and public policy alternatives had eroded over time and, today, is at perhaps the lowest level ever. There are signs, however, that this gradual abandonment of public engagement and activism may have turned a corner. From the Women's March on Washington on January 21, 2017 to the Science March, the Climate March, the Tax Day March, and hundreds of Town Hall meetings, the levels of engagement has reached levels not seen since the marches of the 1960s. America has awakened and Thomas Jefferson would be proud. So, what has resulted in this refreshment and renewal of our public discourse? My guess is that the forces of privilege and private profit, working together in the interests of private and corporate greed, has once again seized control of the levers of power and are choosing to ignore the best interests of the people. And, they do so because they believe that the "uninformed masses" will continue to sleep and stand idly by while the oligarchs and those in power use their money and their influence to change America into a "different democracy" dominated by money, wealth, profit, and power. And, that brings me to the most recent evidence of this attempt to ignore working families and the Middle Class, and turn the clock back to "the good old days" of Robber Barons and the accumulation of untold wealth while the vast numbers of working folks die from malnutrition and lack of medical care. Make no mistake - that is what the House vote for - to repeal the ACA and replace it with a far weaker health care scheme that abandons 24,000,000 or more of our fellow citizens of more modest means without health care and, in the end, without hope. And, what did our local Members of Congress do? Faso and Stefanik abandoned their constituents, violated their oath of office, and chose party and donors over people.
Like you, I am angry, frustrated, and my blood pressure is up there (guess I have a pre-existing condition now...). FASO LIED!!!!! STEFANIK LIED!!!! They were the 2 votes that were needed to inflict this monstrosity on the American people. I am embarrassed that my Congressman - FASO - promised a young constituent - with CANCER - right in the street in front of his house in Kinderhook with me and many others as witnesses - that he would not support any bill that would take away her health care, and then DID JUST THAT LAST WEEK! I was there when FASO promised that he would support Planned Parenthood - he LIED.... And in his vote last week, did just that with his support for the Trumpcare bill. This alternative health care reality, as described by that lying sack of crap Sec'y Price, as providing "access" to health care, is but another LIE being perpetrated on the American public by the most underhanded, shady, and untruthful group of liars that has ever occupied the halls of power in DC. THIS MUST STOP! I am done with being "civil." I am finished with the niceties of polite protest. Writing post cards is good, calls and e-mail are too. But, we did all that, and what happened? LIES, MIS-DIRECTION, AND VOTES AGAINST US ALL. Those who voted for the Trumpcare bill have no respect for the truth and even less regard for their own constituents. And, that tells me that the only course left to protect ourselves from this insane and destructive demolition squad at the switch in Washington, is "NO MORE MR. NICE GUY."
The Republicans say that they support freedom of speech and urge an orderly and peaceful "assembly." Meanwhile, they are lying and inflicting hurt on those who can least defend themselves. Trump and company "support" civil discourse, while the deals are cut in back rooms, and secret agreements are made with foreign interests until someone's hand is found in the cookie jar. The Republicans demand equal time to present their "alternative facts" and then lie, lie, lie, misrepresent, spin, and lie some more and then leave blood on the floor with the passage of legislation that will leave millions high and dry and will - without doubt - cost lives. Yet, they could care less and remain cavalier in stripping away the care for 24 million Americans of modest income, double health costs for seniors between 50-64, cut Medicaid by nearly a BILLION dollars, and erode the financial stability of hospitals across the country, especially those in rural areas. Yet, Paul Ryan and Secretary Price, along with our LYING President, insist that no one will lose health care. And, to what end? A massive tax cut for wealthy Americans, increased profits for insurance companies, and big bonuses for insurance CEOs and other executives, already earning millions in pay and benefits. With each passing day, Trump is turning our nation away from its long tradition of caring for one another, and back to a pre-20th century "Robber Baron" period in our dark history when we looked more like a feudal society than a robust democracy, "with liberty and justice for all."
We MUST stand up to this budding oligarchy of wealth. We MUST speak TRUTH TO POWER. We MUST SPEAK OUT and MARCH ON! Only by actions taken by ALL OF US - voter registrations and get-out-the-vote drives, public displays of support for positions that our elected officials take in defense of us, our interests, or our democracy, and VOCAL OPPOSITION against those who abandon their oath of office and their promises to act on behalf of and in the best interests of their constituents. And, we must be especially LOUD AND VOCAL AGAINST THOSE WHO LIED TO US - as John Faso has done time and again over just 4 months in office. Double-talk, double-speak, and the double-cross MUST BE CONDEMNED in the strongest terms.
Jefferson said that he could foresee the future struggles in the history of a democracy. His belief was that the forces of wealth and power would ebb and flow, balanced against the will of the people served - in a never-ending struggle for primacy. He trusted that the people - you and me - would prevail in the long run - but only if working people were educated, informed, and vigilant in "keeping" their "republic" in the service of their benefit as Franklin suggested. And, so, John Faso - for frustrating the will of the people, and in defense of our democracy - WE ARE COMING FOR YOU. You have proven yourself to be a tool of a mean-spirited right-wing cabal and not a representative of the people that you represent. You have demonstrated that you could care less for your neighbors and voters by siding with your donors, the Mercers, the alt.right wing-nuts, and that madman in the White House. You have abandoned any District 19 decency in representing the needs of your constituents and, instead, have traded your vote for a smile from one self-centered liar from Wisconsin, Paul Ryan. If you want to represent Paul Ryan, you should move to Wisconsin. Maybe that is the best idea .... because in less than 2 years, your career will be done.
WE ARE COMING FOR YOU JOHN FASO. MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT. YOU ARE DONE! Your constituents will stand up in their righteous indignation in 2018 and say to you, "NO MORE LIES, NO MORE JOHN FASO." The time has come to cleanse our democracy of the poison of dark money and the influence of wealthy oligarchs that have hijacked our government. Too many have sacrificed too much for too long. Too many have died in defense of our freedom and our nation. And, that sacrifice was for the government of the people that was created by Jefferson, Franklin, and others. It's time for this generation to stand up for their heritage and for their future. It's time to take our government back. It's time for the federal government to become - once again - a government "of the people, by the people, and for the people" and not one controlled by wealth, corporations, and billionaire oligarchs. Jefferson would be proud to march along side of those in this battle to reclaim our democracy. The time has come.
STAND UP! SPEAK OUT! MARCH ON!
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