
(13 january 2017 | 7:20 am )
Tomorrow, 20 January 2017, the inauguration of the 45th President of the United States (POTUS) takes place. I will be among the many who do not watch or celebrate this event, the 45th in this nation's history. For this week's ThinkWriteThursday post , Carole and Kat invited us to share three things we would do if we were to become POTUS 45. My thoughts are a) I had never entertained such a notion but since you asked, here b) they are:
Education: According to the origin of the word, to educate means a leading out of ...Years ago, when I was in school, we had classes called ''civics." Idea: teach/learn about this country's founding principles. Somewhere along the way, we lost the knowledge and understanding of how the US government is supposed to work...these days, it's which political party gets to call the shots and the people, be damned! Our way is it and if you don't like, tough...there are all sorts of conventions and tricks and this and thats...So, I would clearly have lots of education about the principles of a democracy, this country's founding ideas and ideals and the roles that we the people play - as citizens, voters, legislators, judges, justices, vice president, president, POTUS.
Health Care: Life is a pre-existing condition. Any individual's greatest asset is his/her health. Doesn't matter if you are one of the richest people, if not the richest (think Bill Gates) in the world. The world stops when a person gets sick. Loved ones, caregivers, friends, co-workers, classmates, etc...all focus on that person's getting/being well. I would focus on
- 1) universal heath care and
- 2) moving the insurance industry out of the business of providing health care coverage, insurance, etc. They are in the business to make money. Period!
Wealth: When I attended and graduated college there was never any question that I would have a reasonable, decent paying job in the industry of my choice. And I didn't owe my soul and any potential children's future to banks(ters). And had I not gone to college, presumably I and/or a spouse would have made enough money for the essentials: a decent, affordable roof over our heads; food on the table; and perhaps a couple nickels to rub together to take in a movie or save for a family vacation to visit relatives on the west coast, friends in Chicago, or even, buy a house with a reasonable mortgage and time to pay it off. As children, we had good shoes on our feet, books to read - many borrowed from the public library and also, many in our home library - crayons for coloring, dolls, bikes, warm clothes for the cold Michigan winters... In short, our basic needs -and some of our desires, too - were fulfilled! Today, "The United States exhibits wider disparities of wealth between rich and poor than any other major developed nation." [Wealth Inequality.org] I would work towards redistributing the economic pie, an honest day's pay for an honest day's work.
I think it's one thing to have a platform and another to have the values that support that platform for the common good. Values are tricky things. Here's a sociological definition. My mother always used to say "You are either of good will or you are not." I subscribe to POTUS 44's approach: If the people cannot trust their government to do the job for which it exists - to protect them and to promote their common welfare - all else is lost. ~BO
In my book, POTUS 44 approached his tenure in office, living out those words. I shall always be grateful for his respect for and commitment to us, we, the people.
Do visit Carole's blog for others' visions.
Peace.