All of America is anxious to get back to the way things were before the pandemic struck.
Alas! we can’t go back. We mustn’t go back, because the way things were created the failures which the coronavirus (COVID-19) rudely exposed. Strange as it may seem, the virus did us an unintentional favor by opening our eyes to these failures; and, if we ignore this thought, we do so at our future peril.
First, and foremost, our Federal government has failed us. Trillions of dollars spent to prop up autocratic regimes and to fight useless wars. Borrowing heavily to finance those wars while cutting taxes, mostly for the rich. Neglecting our crumbling infrastructure. Ignoring our unhealthy communities. Shooting down (you’ll excuse the pun) any meaningful gun control. Lack of adequate support for the treatment of substance abuse and mental and physical disabilities.
Our political system has failed us. Politics as a career. Enormous sums of money to finance election campaigns. Pork barrel legislation. Corruption at all levels of government. Excessive salaries and pensions.
Our electoral system has failed us. Domination by two political parties. Gerrymandering. Voter suppression. Partisan purging of the lists of voters. Laws to keep independent and third-party candidates from having equal opportunities at election. Decisions by the national committees determining who will be allowed to campaign and who will not.
Our health care system has failed us. Actually, it should be called the “sickness-maintenance system,” because there is no profit in keeping us healthy. Exorbitant fees charged by hospitals. Emphasis on drug therapy rather than on nutrition therapy. Overpriced and dangerous drugs and vaccines. Lack of funding for community health clinics.
Our law-enforcement system has failed us. Police departments with military-style weapons and equipment. Police brutality. Stop-and-frisk laws. Aggressive raids on citizens, even in routine situations. Excessive bail bonds. Excessive sentencing. Private prisons which breed violence, disease, and despair. Parolees subject to the whims of their parole officers.
Our education system has failed us. Dilapidated schools. Underpaid teachers. Crowded schools. Zero-tolerance disciplinary policies. Standardized tests. Police patrols in the hallways. Junk food in the cafeterias.
Our financial system has failed us. High interest rates on mortgages. Red-lining. Foreclosures for the least little excuse. Excessive insurance premiums. Insurance policies with escape clauses in the fine print in order to avoid paying claims. Unregulated payday-loan companies which charge exorbitant rates of interest.
Our transportation system has failed us. Fossil-fuel powered vehicles clogging streets and highways (the main source of air pollution). Lack of adequate funding for public transportation in the form of intercity high-speed rail, intra-city rail, and electric buses. Traffic laws designed to fatten state and local treasuries.
And lastly, our agriculture system has failed us (the worst failure of all). There is enough food produced in America to feed every man, woman, and child. The problem lies in the distribution of the food. One channel goes to supermarkets and another goes to schools, restaurants, and food banks, and never the twain shall meet. Farmers must sell to one or the other, but not to both, because the agricultural corporations have gamed the system in their favor. Factory farms abound, breeding diseased animals and discharging enormous amounts of animal waste into waterways. The major portion of agriculture is producing food for animals. Food for humans (fruits, vegetables, and grains) is routinely doused with artificial fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. Organic/regenerative farming is given short shrift.
It’s time for a new paradigm, dear reader. The road map has been given us in the form of a Green New Deal. And we can follow that road beginning with the November elections when we restore a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
Just a thought.