Democracy may be gone, if Republican leaders continue to believe 98 percent of Americans are expendable

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Over the past couple of months, we’ve heard Republicans, in state government and some of those at the federal level, say the most vulnerable citizens should just die in order to save Wall Street and the economy.  These people are firm “pro-life” believers, which seems rather hypocritical in retrospect.  Personally, I am offended, because I am firmly in the age group that they believe should die for the good of the millionaires and billionaires.  I feel as if I still have things to contribute to society, my friends, and my family. I know there are some people who might disagree, but everyone is entitled to their opinion.

I do understand there are many people who want and need to get back to work or to their small businesses that will completely fail if they can’t re-open soon.  The problem is many of these people, who are currently unemployed, are having problems getting their unemployment benefits because the system is overloaded.  Unemployment offices are not the only ones experiencing an abundance of people trying to access help to keep a roof over their head and food on the table.  I know churches, schools, and other community services are trying to meet the food needs of these human beings.  Yes, they are human beings, not just cogs in the machinery of the economy.  The people who have some savings are finding their money doesn’t go as far as it did in January because the price of groceries seems to be increasing every week.  We keep hearing of food shortages, yet, in times like this, the government should be stepping in and stopping any kind of price gouging.  If that means we must resort to rationing or limitations in order to keep the necessities affordable, then perhaps this should be considered.  This is a global crisis and our government needs to be the leader, if not for the world, at least for us, in meeting the needs of its people.

All our leaders should be making the 98 percent their number-one priority.  Everyone who is running for any kind of office, whether they are trying to get re-elected or elected for the first time, should be hearing and addressing the immediate issues Americans are experiencing right now.  The current handling of this crisis has left so much uncertainty regarding our personal future and the future of our form of government and our country.  The Republican leadership appears to be tone deaf to the needs of the majority of Americans.  Senator Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump are more concerned about how this crisis is affecting their corporate contributors, Wall Street, and the 2 percent than the average American.  It was only a few weeks ago when Mitch McConnell said states that complained about the lack of help they were getting from the federal government could and should go bankrupt.  What on earth is wrong with that man?  To say something like that, publicly and unapologetically, would have ended a politician’s career 20-plus years ago.  Sadly, times have been changing, and too many politicians have been getting away with their disregard for the needs of most American voters for too long.  In my opinion, because of the Citizens United ruling, politicians don’t have to depend on grass-root support from their voters. They can easily get loads of money from corporate contributors and lobbyists. These politicians get paid well to ignore the average American.  Some of those legislators gladly accept foreign financial contributions that have been “washed” through different avenues to make it “legal.”

Donald Trump didn’t invent corruption in the highest office nor is he responsible for the corruption that has been festering for years.  Mr. Trump has gone beyond hiding it, though, and has made it acceptable and “normal.”  He subtly is telling the Americans, including his own supporters, he just doesn’t care about them.  He only cares about enriching himself and rubbing the noses of all of those who thought he was failure in the fact that he is president of United States of America.  Like many of his supporters, he is more than willing to tell anyone who isn’t loyal to him that if you don’t like what he is doing, leave.  He doesn’t care about anyone else but himself and will use people until he doesn’t need them anymore.

Since the Senate voted him not guilty of all the impeachment charges, he has been emboldened by the power he now firmly believes is his and his alone.  His cabinet members are acting in a similar manner; some of them are so far down the totem pole that they really don’t matter much.  Unfortunately, there are still ones that seem intent to do his bidding and undermine our government.  Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is at the top of that list.

Mr. Pompeo was instrumental in the firing of the inspector general of the state department, Steve Linick.  I cannot believe Donald Trump had “no idea” why Mike Pompeo wanted the man fired.  Mr. Linick’s employment wasn’t terminated just because Mr. Pompeo might have misused money or staff.  It was primarily because Pompeo was selling weapons to the Saudis without the permission of Congress.  It also may have had something to do with the Dec. 6, 2019 terrorist attack at the Naval air base in Pensacola, Florida.  Attorney General Barr and the F.B.I. found significant data on Mohammed Saeed Alshamarani’s cell phone showing his ties to Al Qaeda, in the Arabian Peninsula, even before his arrival in the United States, in August 2017.  After the attack, evidence was found that 17 other Saudi students were also involved with the group.  Twenty-one cadets from Saudi Arabia were removed from the pilot training program and were returned home.  Does this sound familiar?

Two things that Donald Trump and the Republican leadership are experts at are deflection and distraction.  Americans must wake up and pay closer attention to the details!

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