The time for crying and blame are over. It’s time to plan for the future and save our precious democracy. We have a major birthday (250) coming up and don’t want to let down our founders.
Much will change in our country due to the perceived economic circumstances that re-elected Donald Trump. When all the votes are counted, he will not win the popular vote by more than 2% so this is NOT any type of mandate.
I’m going to use my age and wisdom garnered over a lifetime of work and living to think positive thoughts and solve problems with pro-active solutions. Here are two thoughts.
To the United States Senate:
Do your job. Read your oath of office. Honor it. The founders made you alone responsible for advice and consent to the president’s cabinet and other picks. Use it. Do not let Donald Trump skip background checks and public hearings for these critical staff positions.
Why would I, a longtime Democrat, tell you this? It looks like Trump will make good on his worst campaign promises. As a woman, that really bothers me. As a woman with a brain who was as good or better than any man I ever worked alongside, the incoming president’s plans to blow up our government from the inside and make us vulnerable to attacks from foreign enemies and even our own military, there is much about which to be fearful.
Trump was elected to bring down the price of eggs (and bacon), keep the border safe and to make white men feel better about themselves not being “replaced.” When his voters realize, very soon, that tax cuts are only going to the rich, and none of us will have health insurance, vaccines, and that inflation will go through the roof, they’re not gonna be happy with the bait and switch we dems warned them about.
If you, Senators, allow these ludicrous picks for AG, DOD. HHS and National Security go through without vetting or public scrutiny of any kind, you will bear the brunt of that anger and will not be re-elected. Advise and consent was a good idea for 250 years, as was FBI background checks. If these folks can’t get a job at a local McDonalds, they shouldn’t be in charge of nearly three million soldiers, for example.
Just do your job and let the chips fall where they may. Some may pass public scrutiny, others may not. Let the people know what you’re doing and don’t skip town and call it recess. Same with the House. Let the Ethics Committee’s report out, and don’t help Trump engineer a recess so he can dupe the American people yet again. You have to run every two years and midterms have already started.
To Disillusioned Young Men:
I’m an older woman who was in my teens and twenties from 1975 to 1985. It was a chaotic time but I grew up OK and don’t remember any horrific things that scarred me for life. That said, I do not know the realities you are facing in today’s world with omnipresent social media and anonymous judgements that can hurt young hearts and souls.
I would ask you to look to your own father, perhaps grandfather or uncle, for inspiration as to what kind of man you’d like to be. If those are not inspiring choices, look to a teacher, coach or religious leader as a mentor. Often a busy person will make time to help mold a young mind and help you get started on your life’s journey. If you’re concerned about your life’s work, the library is a great choice. Reading helped me understand a lot about the world and my place in it.
That said, I’ve always abided by the golden rule of doing unto others. Be interested in the world around you. Put down your phone and smell the roses. If you have dangerous thoughts, talk to an adult and get help. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.
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Positive thoughts. We must try to hold on to our rights with tenacity, vigor, steadfastness and belief that we’re doing what we need to do to save our nation. That means also being there for disillusioned Trump voters who will soon realize that he only wanted the job for power, to stay out of prison and to reward his rich friends and punish his enemies. There is no thought given to seniors on Social Security and Medicare, the poor on Medicaid and food stamps, or especially women who miscarry and are blithely left to die in hospital parking lots. There’s a lot to do and moping and finger-pointing are useless at this point. We all need to work together and be useful to get out of this mess. Cheers! Dee
Cooking with Dee 