Election 18 081517

Someone once said: 'In a democratic society the people get the representation they deserve.'  At first glance is seems to mean the democratic process automatically brings good government.  On reflection it really means that the people have to want good government and understand for whom they are really voting.  Many authoritarian regimes have come to power through the democratic process when voters succumbed to emotional appeals rather than rational choices.

The political question for the coming American elections is not a so-called Republican smaller government or a Democrat larger government but rather a peoples' working government.  In truth both parties grow government and waste large amounts of public money, just on different agendas. The tax structure does need to be simplified, but reduction of elite's taxes will not create jobs nor build a stronger economy. This is an emotional appeal sounding good but with only limited validly.  Increasing taxes can inhibit growth and will be the long-term result of short-term emotional tax reductions.  There needs to be a solid, thought out, strategic economic plan for the country.

The United States' are separately walking backward as literacy declines, child mortality (2015 WHO data) falls behind 29 lesser countries and infrastructures crumbles.  Is this the best the self-proclaimed greatest nation can do? Add to the data that the federal system in beginning to fragment and pull apart for lack of a coherent vision as a nation.  What is needed is a government with a long-term strategy for growth that last longer than a two-year election cycle of sound bites and tweet storms.

It matters a great deal how a President acts when faced with a crisis, because he is the face of the country and what it stands for.  Trump encouraged domestic radicalism during his campaign, which has contributed to increasing violence and rending the fabric of America.  By failing to condemn domestic terror encourages further violence as an administration protected activity.  When viewed internationally in a nuclear environment or faced with natural calamities the world has seen that America can not respond.  Radical groups foreign and domestic have the freedom of actions in disasters of incoming missiles, hackers, hurricanes or elections where there is advantage in chaos.  Failure to acknowledge fractures creates the chaos that will rip the country apart.  Rhetoric inciting a mob for the purpose of political intimidation is in itself an act of terror even without violence but in Charlottesville it resulted in violence and death.

Trump's statements, were too little too late and so wrong.  As usual he lies, echoing authoritarian regimes classic "blame the victims" defense.  He can not afford to place the blame where it belongs from fear of alienating his most ardent supporters.  As a result he demonstrates his weakness and inability to act as a moral anchor for the nation.  The prognosis for the country is not good.  The emotional call to wall out the world diverts attention from the real domestic dangers, collapsing bridges, contaminated water, climate change, food shortages, secession of states or revolts and even a possible coup.  Elections 2018 need a positive vision and a plan to make it to the 22nd century.  Sound bites and tweet storms won't save the country. The future requires work and a positive goal.