Greed, Incorporated

The tax bills now before the Congress can by no means be regarded as “reforms.”  Reform requires making things better.  These bills only make things worse for America, indeed, much worse.

Reform: “To put or change into an improved form or condition.”

                      Merriam-Webster Dictionary

By careful design, these tax bills engineer a massive takeaway from most Americans to further enrich corporate interests and the super-wealthy.  They would exempt even larger estates from a fair share of taxation, thus helping to establish family dynasties at the top of the economic heap.  Though they deceptively appear to give a few benefits to middle and working class people, these short-term benefits run out after a few years while the benefits to the rich last forever.  The tax bills would run up the national debt to enormously high levels, intentionally creating pressure to take away important earned benefits such as Social Security.  The tax bills are “justified” by flimsy and inaccurate arguments that they will produce economic benefits, arguments that are rejected by the overwhelming majority of economists and by anyone with a recollection of history.

We are told by the Republicans and the super-wealthy who own them that we are “takers” and that the super-prosperous are “makers” who are the only ones who contribute to American economic and social well-being.  Such delusional thinking springs from over-inflated egos and has no place in a democratic society.  If indeed we are to be a democratic republic, and not the autocracy the super-wealthy seek to establish, this kind of thinking—and the laws it produces—must be stamped out.

We can start by using the electoral process constructively.  If our representatives are unwilling to take a statesmanlike stand against this and similar legislation and act in the best interests of those who elected them, we must retire them from office and choose someone who will.

Irresponsibility Is Us

Our president flipped the bird to the world when he reneged on our sacred commitment to environmental health.  When he did, he signaled a further retreat from any prospect of American greatness.  Great nations lead by good example.  But by renouncing the U.S. responsibility to both the world and to ourselves, the president—like it or not—spoke on behalf of us all.  This latest action belies his oft-stated promise to “make America great.”  Instead, it will only drive us closer to being regarded as international pariahs.  It will be deservedly so.

Great nations lead by setting good examples.

If it is not already clear that “make America great again” was never more than a hollow promise, it will soon be so.  Never mind tax policies intended to drive beleaguered middle and working classes further from the possibility of prosperity.  Forget health care programs whose clear purpose is to disadvantage millions while contributing nothing to improved care for all but the wealthiest.  Pay no heed to the many ways democratic processes are daily undermined as the Administration seeks to evade responsibility to its public.  Because environmental health is essential to continued life for all on this planet, this latest abuse of responsibility trumps all.

As chief executive, our president speaks not merely for himself; he speaks for us all.  The words he utters are words he places in our mouths.  So long as Donald Trump is president, his unwillingness to act responsibly is not only his.  It is ours as well.  Honesty requires us to face this situation for what it truly is.  By passively accepting the president’s actions—erratic and ill-advised though they may be—we own them as well.  Thus, his middle-fingered stance toward the world is not solely the act of a mad man; he has made it our act as well.  For this reason, until and unless we reverse the course he has set, we must be content with our new place among the rogue nations, the pariahs, the irresponsible.