Yes, I realize how long it has been since I have shared my thoughts with the interwebs. It's hard to believe that it has been SEVEN years. I can stay silent no longer. We are on the cusp of a political crisis of astronomical proportions. Tomorrow all Americans will be asked to make a choice between two very unequal alternatives. The Republican party has made no secret of their plans should regain control of the US Senate. They want to cut Social Security and Medicare, force a nationwide ban on abortion for ANY reason, and end marriage equality. They scream about inflation being at record highs without telling you that corporate profits are also setting records. Coincidence? I think not. That, by the way, is from the so-called “moderate” Republicans. The MAGA wing of the party wants to move straight to full-on Christian Nationalism. You too can become a second-class (dare I say 3/5 of a?) citizen if you are anything other than a Christian white male. An entire generation of Americans went to war to stop this kind of madness. How is it that we are even having this discussion in the America of 2022?
Speaking of veterans, Republicans want to cut their benefits as well. They also voted against capping the price of insulin, price gouging, a ban on military-grade weapons in the hands of civilians, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. 147 Republican members of Congress voted to overturn the results of the 2020 election! The Boston Globe Editorial staff stated the following, “This iteration of the Republican Party — with its open disdain for American elections, allegiance with far-right autocratic movements, and cavalier attitude toward political violence — is one of the most dangerous political movements in the world today. That, of course, does not mean that its members hold the most abhorrent views or that they would establish the most repressive government by any means. But it’s to say that the Republican Party is actively fanning the flames of the global war on democracy, and that will only get worse if it does so while controlling the levers of the most powerful government in the world.”
I believe, without hyperbole, that this is probably the most important mid-term election in this nation's history. There are so many more freedoms that could go away if the Republicans get control of Congress. That's only on a national level. Every state has candidates or ballot initiatives that could set America back decades. Governor's offices and state legislatures are just as much at risk. If you want to protect Americans from the depredations of the Republican party, there is one easy way to do it. Get off your asses and vote! If seniors vote for candidates that support Social Security and Medicare, the LGBTQ+ community votes for candidates that support their right to marry, women vote for candidates that support their right to bodily autonomy, and all the other GOP targets vote for candidates that would rather build than destroy, we can guarantee our rights from this day forward.
