Thanks, Barry. I remember the Cuban Missile Crisis and the fear we all had. I remember the calm in President Kennedy's voice. That was leadership - he was surrounded by good and thoughtful people who led. I cannot tell you how impressed I am that your wrote a letter offering to go to Russia to help - budding leadership!
I also remember the signing of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the hope that Act offered. But LBJ warned us that the Democratic Party had lost the South for at least a generation and that has become the reality of today. Nixon had his "southern strategy" to stoke the anger. During his first campaign Reagan gave a speech about state's rights at the Neshoba County Fair in Mississippi which is near the site of the murders of the young men who were trying to register Black voters to vote in 1964 - James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner. Another "soft" stoking of the anger, and then George HW Bush had Lee Atwater, 'nuff said. The Reagan administration went on to pass policies that espoused "trickle down economics" which began the rapid transfer of wealth to the top and the destruction of the middle class. In spite of all of the good things these presidents did in total, which included honest efforts at immigration reform, the fuse of resentment was lit by this republican party and Trump unapologetically started the dumpster fire that haunts our country to this day. And no one, no one, in the leadership of the republican party has tried to rise above any of this. Mitt Romney? I wish, but the truth has, to date, not set any of these people free.
The politicians who have tried and succeeded to make a difference in the lives of the people who need a hand up? Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden. The work of Presidents Clinton and Obama was undone by republican administrations that followed their terms and the undoing of President Biden's work to help people who need a hand up is currently being undone by a pack of local yokels in the House. Are these perfect men in a perfect party? Hardly, but it is amazing what can be accomplished when you aren't trying to convince the public that you are a perfect "christian" person who talks constantly about family values. When will the people who work so hard and have so little to show for it understand that the republican party no longer exists to help anyone but rich people, corporations, and the NRA. Someone once said the "genius" of Karl Rove was that he could get the people who live in the trailer parks to vote for tax cuts for the millionaires. More's the pity.
I too grew up with the threat of nuclear war and the fear it left me with, being poor, although I didn't really know it until much later, it appeared we were in for a wild ride and there was nothing we, as citizens could really do, beyond stick our head between our legs and kiss our asses goodbye! That really hasn't changed much over the years that I have been alive. I appreciate your awareness of the situation as you saw it then, but I was slightly older, and Vietnam colored my view point completely in short order. I honestly will admit I hated the military and the fastest way out was an early out from Vietnam. So once I was sent there, I stayed till I would never have to return. What I saw was what Eisenhower had feared, the military/industrial complex gone mad! At the time, Vietnam was America's longest war, but has been sub-planted by even more horrific war in the middle east that I am still not sure we had any business going there in the first place. To be honest, I certainly am not convinced what happened in New York wasn't a false flag operation that killed 3,000 people needlessly.
At the moment, it would seem, Democrats are less guilty than Republicans for the ciaos in government, but they too are just as guilty of similar atrocities that are less apparent, but equally bad. Obama suddenly changed his mind about closing Guantanamo, he quickly put an end to even more report of misconduct by interrogators and CIA people when even more photos were about to come out and finally the bombing of Libya which set back what little progress there was in North Africa by doing away with Kaddafi. We are ruled by greed and money, and especially Corporate money, which finds ways to make money at everybody's expense, simply because their only reason to exist is to do just that, make money. Campaign contributions are simply the cost of doing business, and no party can help themselves to not taking this cash and doing these peoples business for them and with them. They have gotten so used to it, having the government fund elections is not even a point of discussion, it would be like trying to talk and addict into going cold turkey for his or her own good, it just doesn't happen! So just watch and see if Biden doesn't approve of CO2 pipelines, and give millions away to these bastards that are simply going to push out more oil for the effort and continue making more CO2 that won't be captured! They simply don't care what happens so long as they make money and they can afford a few politicians on the legal take to get it accomplished, they don't care who they are or what party they are from.
People are so fed up with what they see (you can thank Fox News) they would flush the whole mess down a toilet and simply want to start over. Unfortunately if that happens we are in for a real surprise and it won't be good! The little things that have happened to set this in motion have been on the Democrats watch and they didn't stop them in their tracks. Requiring news to simply tell the truth, that law was dumped! Now the news tells us all kinds of things that are often at best half truths and many times out and out lies! When GNP grows, it grows fastest for the richest people at the expense of those who made it happen. Watch and see how long these strikes go on, that will tell the real story on who has to cry uncle first and it won't be the corporate heads, not by a long shot!
There are a thousand different ways this happens and what used to be called "democracy" is such a fairytale! People genuflect over the flag and the Pledge of Allegiance, they stand for the Star spangled Banner at football games like all this is important, but can't get out from behind their TV to vote! Even if they do vote, they had little to do with picking who really is running once you get beyond the School Board and the city council. So who really is the person they are voting for and can he be trusted? Nobody knows!
So the story you started with continues unabated. We are still fearful of not being able to afford a place to live, or the money for food, or keeping our job, or a million other things that will do us much more long term harm than an atomic bomb that takes out everyone, rich and poor alike! As if the rich would stand for that!
Thanks, Barry. I remember the Cuban Missile Crisis and the fear we all had. I remember the calm in President Kennedy's voice. That was leadership - he was surrounded by good and thoughtful people who led. I cannot tell you how impressed I am that your wrote a letter offering to go to Russia to help - budding leadership!
I also remember the signing of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the hope that Act offered. But LBJ warned us that the Democratic Party had lost the South for at least a generation and that has become the reality of today. Nixon had his "southern strategy" to stoke the anger. During his first campaign Reagan gave a speech about state's rights at the Neshoba County Fair in Mississippi which is near the site of the murders of the young men who were trying to register Black voters to vote in 1964 - James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner. Another "soft" stoking of the anger, and then George HW Bush had Lee Atwater, 'nuff said. The Reagan administration went on to pass policies that espoused "trickle down economics" which began the rapid transfer of wealth to the top and the destruction of the middle class. In spite of all of the good things these presidents did in total, which included honest efforts at immigration reform, the fuse of resentment was lit by this republican party and Trump unapologetically started the dumpster fire that haunts our country to this day. And no one, no one, in the leadership of the republican party has tried to rise above any of this. Mitt Romney? I wish, but the truth has, to date, not set any of these people free.
The politicians who have tried and succeeded to make a difference in the lives of the people who need a hand up? Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden. The work of Presidents Clinton and Obama was undone by republican administrations that followed their terms and the undoing of President Biden's work to help people who need a hand up is currently being undone by a pack of local yokels in the House. Are these perfect men in a perfect party? Hardly, but it is amazing what can be accomplished when you aren't trying to convince the public that you are a perfect "christian" person who talks constantly about family values. When will the people who work so hard and have so little to show for it understand that the republican party no longer exists to help anyone but rich people, corporations, and the NRA. Someone once said the "genius" of Karl Rove was that he could get the people who live in the trailer parks to vote for tax cuts for the millionaires. More's the pity.
Excellent observations and reflections, Kathi! And spot on. Thank you.
I too grew up with the threat of nuclear war and the fear it left me with, being poor, although I didn't really know it until much later, it appeared we were in for a wild ride and there was nothing we, as citizens could really do, beyond stick our head between our legs and kiss our asses goodbye! That really hasn't changed much over the years that I have been alive. I appreciate your awareness of the situation as you saw it then, but I was slightly older, and Vietnam colored my view point completely in short order. I honestly will admit I hated the military and the fastest way out was an early out from Vietnam. So once I was sent there, I stayed till I would never have to return. What I saw was what Eisenhower had feared, the military/industrial complex gone mad! At the time, Vietnam was America's longest war, but has been sub-planted by even more horrific war in the middle east that I am still not sure we had any business going there in the first place. To be honest, I certainly am not convinced what happened in New York wasn't a false flag operation that killed 3,000 people needlessly.
At the moment, it would seem, Democrats are less guilty than Republicans for the ciaos in government, but they too are just as guilty of similar atrocities that are less apparent, but equally bad. Obama suddenly changed his mind about closing Guantanamo, he quickly put an end to even more report of misconduct by interrogators and CIA people when even more photos were about to come out and finally the bombing of Libya which set back what little progress there was in North Africa by doing away with Kaddafi. We are ruled by greed and money, and especially Corporate money, which finds ways to make money at everybody's expense, simply because their only reason to exist is to do just that, make money. Campaign contributions are simply the cost of doing business, and no party can help themselves to not taking this cash and doing these peoples business for them and with them. They have gotten so used to it, having the government fund elections is not even a point of discussion, it would be like trying to talk and addict into going cold turkey for his or her own good, it just doesn't happen! So just watch and see if Biden doesn't approve of CO2 pipelines, and give millions away to these bastards that are simply going to push out more oil for the effort and continue making more CO2 that won't be captured! They simply don't care what happens so long as they make money and they can afford a few politicians on the legal take to get it accomplished, they don't care who they are or what party they are from.
People are so fed up with what they see (you can thank Fox News) they would flush the whole mess down a toilet and simply want to start over. Unfortunately if that happens we are in for a real surprise and it won't be good! The little things that have happened to set this in motion have been on the Democrats watch and they didn't stop them in their tracks. Requiring news to simply tell the truth, that law was dumped! Now the news tells us all kinds of things that are often at best half truths and many times out and out lies! When GNP grows, it grows fastest for the richest people at the expense of those who made it happen. Watch and see how long these strikes go on, that will tell the real story on who has to cry uncle first and it won't be the corporate heads, not by a long shot!
There are a thousand different ways this happens and what used to be called "democracy" is such a fairytale! People genuflect over the flag and the Pledge of Allegiance, they stand for the Star spangled Banner at football games like all this is important, but can't get out from behind their TV to vote! Even if they do vote, they had little to do with picking who really is running once you get beyond the School Board and the city council. So who really is the person they are voting for and can he be trusted? Nobody knows!
So the story you started with continues unabated. We are still fearful of not being able to afford a place to live, or the money for food, or keeping our job, or a million other things that will do us much more long term harm than an atomic bomb that takes out everyone, rich and poor alike! As if the rich would stand for that!