Whither We Go?

As I write this it is the first day back to work and school in the new year. Yes this post is for January 6^th but I’m penning it on the 3^rd. I work a few days in advance, sometimes bursts of energy produce two weeks of posts and I am able then to sit back and ponder larger ideas while posts are published regularly.

There are times I wonder if what I wrote a week ago or so is still relevant. Let me tell you it is. Surprising but true. I edit each piece before publishing, that means it gets a going over at least three times before the readers are exposed to it. This gives me the opportunity to rethink the piece and replace it if need be. It has never been needed in five years of blogging this column. There have been times I wanted to insert something more timely, like the Orlando Pulse Nightclub massacre. That event interrupted my thoughts and I adjusted my timeline a bit. But previously written material was still good and was eventually posted.

I know that a lot of my material is on politics. For some of you that is a turnoff. Fine. It is to me as well. But I must write about it or my mind would explode in frustration. This is my only outlet for retaining sanity in a world gone mad!

Politics is about control – a society’s control over its own business and instincts. Some of those instincts are base; so society needs a method to address the bad things before they get worse. Governance structures are designed for that. They don’t always work as intended. Politics is also about influence – a method of control. Influence, however, doesn’t always rely on facts and truth. Only perception counts to those who think of themselves as influencers. Entire industries have been constructed on this basis. Think advertising and marketing, for starters. These are two industries based on finding and influencing specific target groups so sales can be had. Religion and theology may not be thought of as an industry, but a lot of business transactions are included in their fields. And facts and truth are talked about but rarely can the subject matter be proven. That is what ‘faith’ is all about. So influence is a tool for many people engaged in both the good and the bad in society. Influencing is not a bad thing by definition; no, it is the objective of the influencing that is in need of evaluation.

Today’s influencers want us to believe that paying taxes is a bad thing. If that statement is not true then why did Trump get elected without divulging his financial records and tax records? Every presidential candidate and President has done so. It is a badge of truth and honesty. But not Trump. He is held in high esteem by many for avoiding taxes and not paying federal income taxes for many years.

Yet the rest of us do. These taxes fund many services and programs that are essential to a well run government and society. Think of the military. Think of the State Department and international affairs. Think also of the banking system, Federal Reserve system, currency and standards of measurement for everything (math, science, food, health, weight and liquids, etc.). Education quality and access is another field of government attention much in need. Health care – quality of and access to – is a major focus of government.

Policy is always a bone of contention for many and that is fine. Go ahead and argue the merits of one policy over another, but still accomplish the policy objective. Settle the policy for the time being and get on with the job. Don’t block progress entirely. Keep the work flowing.

We have a lot of bone pickers in our midst. Some think women should not have authority to choose whether to have a baby or not. Others think women should not be allowed to have an abortion. No one, apparently, seems to think that a man should keep his private parts from helping create the problem in the first place; evidently that is a man’s right! Ha!

Other bone pickers feel the Supreme Court should be packed with people of only their stripe of beliefs. The rule of law in their mind is variable and malleable to support their ideology. Well who, pray tell, decides the ideology? We have elected representatives to do that, and they don’t follow through very well, do they? They say they do but they vote their own ideology based on what it is worth to them in influence, power and wealth.

Somehow that is not a comfort to me. Nor should it be to you.

The fact that our representatives act this way is not fiction; it is based on solid research and study over many decades of research. The American system of governance is a good one but not infallible. That’s what voting is supposed to be about. We the electors are supposed to be the final protectors of an honest system of governance.

That role has not worked very well in recent years. Illinois is a case in point: a deadlocked legislature open to the highest bidder and a wealthy governor who freely spends his own money to influence votes, elections and policy. The only protector is gridlock. Although painful it might just be less painful than the alternative.

And of course our Congress in Washington, DC. Gridlocked by wealthy people still looking to become more wealthy and powerful. All you have to do to be convinced of this is to look at CSPAN broadcasts of both the Senate and House of Representatives. Nothing much gets accomplished.

And if you think the Trump administration will do better, just gaze upon his cabinet. All of his picks are wealthy, ideologues without an idea in their head on how to do the job they are being asked to do. No resident expertise for any of them. Only points of view and wealth to protect.

Do you feel secure yet? Are you thinking things will somehow work out? Well, yes they will work out; we just don’t know if for good or ill. Or for whom.

Wither we go is the question still posed. What will be the answer? Who will control it? Good Lord! Who will even report it honestly and accurately?

I shudder!

January 6, 2017