Some well off women have moaned about how well off women are marching though they may not be the ones suffering, and though women in other countries may have it far worse.
The woman with enough money and privilege will always be able to get birth control or an abortion. She doesn't have to worry about having higher rates for insurance - she can afford it.
If she's white, she need not worry about being locked up for little cause or killed though unarmed. We can decry the ill treatment of women in other societies. That does not mean we should ignore sexual assault, sexual harassment, misogyny, and unequal wages or access to employment or promotion in this country.
No, many of the privileged women who march may not have to worry so much about many of those things, but there are many other women in this country who do, and women and men can march to push for greater equity for all members of our society, regardless whether they are personally affected.
Sunday, January 22, 2017
Monday, January 16, 2017
President Elect Trump
I sincerely wish our president elect was a decent human being. I hear his supporters constantly saying we should give him a chance. This comes after eight years when the right wing never stopped criticizing President Obama. They blocked or attempted to block everything Obama tried to do. They said openly they would oppose everything Obama proposed and do everything in their power to make Obama a one term president. Beyond that were lies like the birther nonsense, and allegations of Obama being a closet Muslim. Even worse were racist insults and comments directed not only at Obama, but at his entire family. After eight years of that, why should I blithely accept Trump as president with no pushback?
At any hint of a slight, Trump responds with insults and slurs. How can the man and this country survive four years of him tweeting slurs at everyone who disagrees with him? When the press writes critical news stories, he responds by calling it fake news. He has revoked or tried to revoke the press credentials of reporters for papers and networks that question or criticize him. He is even talking about closing the press room in the White House. At his latest press conference, he packed it with his own staffers who cheered his comments and booed criticisms of him. Is this a free press and open dialog?
How hard would it be for a president – any president – even Trump – to say, “I know many of you disagree with me, but let’s find common ground and work together on those things we agree on.” Why does he have to respond with anger and insults at anything which makes fun of him, mocks him, or criticizes him?
His supporters want the country to come together behind him – well he needs to make it clear he stands with ALL citizens of this country, whether they agree with him or not. Instead he calls his critics haters, losers, and liars. I’m sorry, but as it stands, this man has done zero to earn my respect. I will feel free to criticize any policy of his that I disagree with, and criticize the man himself when I feel it warranted.
At any hint of a slight, Trump responds with insults and slurs. How can the man and this country survive four years of him tweeting slurs at everyone who disagrees with him? When the press writes critical news stories, he responds by calling it fake news. He has revoked or tried to revoke the press credentials of reporters for papers and networks that question or criticize him. He is even talking about closing the press room in the White House. At his latest press conference, he packed it with his own staffers who cheered his comments and booed criticisms of him. Is this a free press and open dialog?
How hard would it be for a president – any president – even Trump – to say, “I know many of you disagree with me, but let’s find common ground and work together on those things we agree on.” Why does he have to respond with anger and insults at anything which makes fun of him, mocks him, or criticizes him?
His supporters want the country to come together behind him – well he needs to make it clear he stands with ALL citizens of this country, whether they agree with him or not. Instead he calls his critics haters, losers, and liars. I’m sorry, but as it stands, this man has done zero to earn my respect. I will feel free to criticize any policy of his that I disagree with, and criticize the man himself when I feel it warranted.
Saturday, January 7, 2017
Liberals Don't Understand Trump Voters
The more I see of Donald Trump, the more contempt I have for him. Forget trying to assuage the legitimate fears of his opponents - his response is to slam them. He is almost the textbook right wing troll - never engage in reasoned discussion - denigrate and insult those who disagree with you.
Some folks say that we liberals don’t understand or sympathize with the concerns of Trump voters. I don’t think that is completely true. Trump voters fall into three groups, the first one is those with serious economic concerns.
I understand they want better paying jobs with more security. To me that comes from the opposite of the GOP agenda - higher minimum wages, more support for education, more affordable health care, more job training, guaranteed jobs, and income support for those out of work. Essentially, they voted against every bit of that. Those things are the keys to Franklin Roosevelt’s Second Bill of Rights.
The second group of Trump voters are those who are comfortable financially and see the economy strictly as a zero sum game. The only way others can get ahead in their view, is if they lose. They have no intention of losing whatever financial security they’ve gained, so their response is calling for lower taxes and cutting “entitlements”. They feel that lazy undeserving people are living off their tax dollars.
Well, the bulk of “entitlements” consist of Social Security and Medicare, which are wholly funded by payroll taxes. Given the cap on taxable benefits, only upper income taxpayers would be hurt by raising the cap. Raising the cap would ensure the liquidity of Social Security and Medicare for another generation.
Beyond that, the bulk of people who are helped by “welfare” programs fall into two groups, those who want to work and those too young, too old, or too disabled to work. There are certainly a few who want to bilk the system, but they are far outnumbered by those who simply want a fair chance to make a decent living. We have too long seen middle class white taxpayers being pitted against lower income people by those who seek only to gain from that conflict.
The third group of Trump voters are those who voted to preserve white privilege, male privilege, Christian privilege, and straight privilege. There they are quite right – I do not sympathize with those people. I support rights for all people, not just straight white Christian men.
Some folks say that we liberals don’t understand or sympathize with the concerns of Trump voters. I don’t think that is completely true. Trump voters fall into three groups, the first one is those with serious economic concerns.
I understand they want better paying jobs with more security. To me that comes from the opposite of the GOP agenda - higher minimum wages, more support for education, more affordable health care, more job training, guaranteed jobs, and income support for those out of work. Essentially, they voted against every bit of that. Those things are the keys to Franklin Roosevelt’s Second Bill of Rights.
The second group of Trump voters are those who are comfortable financially and see the economy strictly as a zero sum game. The only way others can get ahead in their view, is if they lose. They have no intention of losing whatever financial security they’ve gained, so their response is calling for lower taxes and cutting “entitlements”. They feel that lazy undeserving people are living off their tax dollars.
Well, the bulk of “entitlements” consist of Social Security and Medicare, which are wholly funded by payroll taxes. Given the cap on taxable benefits, only upper income taxpayers would be hurt by raising the cap. Raising the cap would ensure the liquidity of Social Security and Medicare for another generation.
Beyond that, the bulk of people who are helped by “welfare” programs fall into two groups, those who want to work and those too young, too old, or too disabled to work. There are certainly a few who want to bilk the system, but they are far outnumbered by those who simply want a fair chance to make a decent living. We have too long seen middle class white taxpayers being pitted against lower income people by those who seek only to gain from that conflict.
The third group of Trump voters are those who voted to preserve white privilege, male privilege, Christian privilege, and straight privilege. There they are quite right – I do not sympathize with those people. I support rights for all people, not just straight white Christian men.
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