There is not a caravan of criminals heading toward our Southern borders planning to illegally cross. Who they are, are desperate people fleeing from their countries where their lives are in danger. They are men, women, and children coming to this country seeking asylum. There is no need to send armed military to protect the border. As a matter of fact, the people attempting to seek asylum are over one-thousand miles away, and it will take them around 6-weeks to reach our borders. There is no reason for Americans to feel threatened by them.
As President Barack Obama said on the stump in Milwaukee, WI a few days ago, these are lies. The same way the Republicans claimed there was a national security risk around Hillary Clinton’s emails in 2016, or that in 2014 we had an Ebola epidemic, or in 2010, as a result of the Affordable Care Act bureaucrats were going to have death panels killing old people, were lies. Republicans have always used fear to control voting. The goal of all these lies and fear mongering is to keep you home.
Obama went on to say, “when words don’t matter and there are no consequences for lying, how is anyone going to be held accountable? The only check on bad behavior is yours and my votes. The biggest threat to our democracy is our indifference or cynicism to the power of our vote.” This moment is too important to sit out.
Despite all the heresies, lies and distractions we must remember who we are as a country. The character of our country is on the ballot. Everyone should want to see some honesty and checks and balances back in government. Everyone should want an independent and free press.
This is bigger than just the person in the Whitehouse; it’s about Congress, governors and state legislatures. Republicans have tried over 60 times to repeal ACA. By voting, you can ensure 20 million families will continue to have healthcare.
The funny thing is, Republicans are running ads lying that they are going to protect people with pre-existing conditions coverage by insurance companies. They are lying! Thirty governors and the Justice Dept. have filed a lawsuit contending that this mandate protecting people with pre-existing conditions as unconstitutional.
Elections can have consequences that can affect our lives for 50-60 years. In 2016 one out of four young people voted. As a result, they will live with the ramifications of a conservative Supreme Court and how it will affect their lives. Elections dictate how criminal justice is looked at. The air we breathe or the water we drink; the entire eco-system is at risk depending on the government we elect.
By voting, we can protect dreamers, ensure that sensible immigration laws are enacted, strengthen laws that protect women, make sure voter rights are protected, and help move this country in the direction of fairness and justice.
The Trump Congress passed a tax cut that gave 1.5 trillion dollars to billionaires and large corporations. They promised that the cut would pay for itself, and that it was going to benefit everyone, wages would increase, and business would invest in training. However, corporations used the tax cut for stock buybacks. Again, we were lied to.
Mitch McConnell, suddenly concerned about the looming deficit, stated if the Republicans keep the majority, Entitlements will need to be cut. Those are Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.
What the Republicans have actually done these past 2-years is; cut taxes, weakened rules for banks, weakened environmental rules and ran up the deficit and purged voter rolls.
The rich, powerful and the privileged are fighting hard to keep what they have. While they’re distracting us with all these lies and scare tactics, they’re really robbing us blind.
One of my favorite biblical scriptures is Micah 6:8 where it says, “The Lord God has told us what is right and what He demands. See that justice is done, let mercy be your first concern, and humbly obey God.”
I have never seen a time in my life where politicians just blatantly lie. Donald Trump lies and makes up stuff on a daily basis. When people can just make up facts, how can democracy work?
When will we stop allowing him to use these Stalin tactics on us? Every day there is something more outrageous than the day before. And each day it seems we get less outraged, allowing his madness to become our norm.
A compassionate people of all political stripes would not sit silently by as immigrant children are ripped out of parents arms, or while corrupt politicians plot to take health insurance from millions of people. Where are those people, who demanded justice, when someone else’s rights were at stake?
Let’s remember who we are, who we are called to be; People who put country before politics. As Obama said, “We are the antidote to a government of the powerful few. When we vote things will get better, it’s a start… Progress is each day making things better.”
By not voting we give our power away.
The Traveler Weekly 