I am so disheartened by President Trump mostly because everything he does stands in opposition to the goals, beliefs, and efforts of my entire life. Trump's actions, words, and attitudes continuously demonstrate disregard and disrespect for good people, promising problem solving, laws, creative solutions, honesty, and good, happy living for all the country's people. His actions and inactions elevate prejudice towards people and divide the country. These actions weaken who we are as a people. His macho, self-serving, shyster behavior mocks all of us who work everyday to be the best parents, educators, neighbors, and citizens that we can be.
As I've written about again and again, it's easy to fall down the Trump hole and get mired in that dark, dank dungeon--a place with little hope, light, or promise. His words and actions will take you there and make you think that there's no way out. Yet you have to resist this fall, and work with those who see the light, hold the promise, and are willing to work with others to forward a bright future for all Americans today and into the future.
Trump appeals to our primitive selves with his slick marketing that easily identifies bad guys and good guys. Slick marketing that turns complex problems into quick-fix, short term solutions, and an evolving narrative where truth changes daily to appeal to his popularity, pocketbook, and power at the moment. It's all about him and few others in Trump times, times supported by his many #GOP cronies who also seem to value their own power, popularity, and pocketbooks over what is honest, truthful, and positive for the country's people and into the future.
I want a good happy life for all the world's people. I want our country's leaders to take today's problems seriously and look for ways to better living for all. I see the priorities in this work to be the following:
- fair wages
- good laws that protect good living such as good gun laws, safety laws, and environmental laws
- protection of our natural lands and resources
- high quality, accessible education and health care
- a minimum, quality standard of living for all the country's people including adequate shelter, safe neighborhoods, good job opportunities, quality recreation.
- strong collaborative communities
- respect for our differences and eradication of debilitating prejudices
- smart prioritization without the fixation on exaggerated issues and short term, quick fix ineffective solutions.
I know that our country can be better. I know that we don't have to continue to be held hostage by a shyster, slick-marketing, dictator-president who abuses his power daily as he ridicules and demeans good Americans day after day.
We can do better America and we must.
