Observations leading to the election
This is how I see the upcoming election. The national debt, already huge, took another $2 trillion hit, thanks to the recent tax cut which significantly reduced federal revenues. The great majority of that tax cut windfall went to the one percent and not to peons like me, and Mitch McConnell wants to pay for it by reducing Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, which most of us, that other 99.9 percent, have paid for throughout our adult, working lives. It is hard not to feel like that was all a giant setup. But, wait, there’s more. Despite what many Republican candidates for office are saying now (Governor Rick Scott of Florida perhaps the most glaring case in point), another major goal of the Republican-controlled congress is to eliminate the single most valuable aspect of Obamacare, the requirement that coverage includes pre-existing conditions. Don’t forget that the Republican-controlled House of Representatives voted to repeal Obamacare and, if not for John McCain, the Senate would have done the same. Many would have already lost the protection for pre-existing conditions. Bottom line — big win for the one percent, big loss for the rest of us.
Maybe that is why we are not hearing much from conservative candidates or from our President about the tax cut or the economy which is currently purring along pretty well, despite recent volatility in the stock market. Perhaps that is not enough to distract us voters from the issues I raised above. Maybe that is the reason for the current fixation by the President and other Republicans on the caravan — as if the participants, many of them refugees fleeing oppression from drug cartels, etc. (Who can blame them for that?), will overwhelm our southern borders in spite of our existing immigration laws. We are not about to be overrun — that just isn’t going to happen, just like it didn’t happen this past April when President Trump attempted to stoke fears about a similar, though smaller, such caravan.
All I’ve done so far is to heavily summarize about half of Steve Chapman’s column published in this paper a few days ago (10/22/18). Here’s what I don’t understand, though – why aren’t candidates from the Democratic party more overtly pointing out these same things? If they are, it’s not making it to my TV here in Mississippi.
Here’s what I hope: that the Mississippi electorate will, 1) vote, and, 2) understand what has already happened to them in Washington D.C. with the approval of their current senators and most of the incumbent members of the House — and what those same folks have in mind to do in the next Congress. And then, whatever happens, keep paying attention and keep up a civil dialogue with those who disagree with you – the mailing of pipe bombs has happened since I began work on this letter – that is not what we are as a country. We’re always better off working together than we could ever be hunkering down with our respective tribes.
Commenters, feel free to tell me how I have gotten it wrong.
Paul Mack
Columbus
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.