It’s a cloudy one, though I don’t think it will amount to rain. The southeast of the US was hit by a terrible hurricane which also led to storms, and as of this morning, there are huge numbers of people without power, without cell service, flooded and locked in place.
Nature is a beast we cannot tame.
But we can try to mitigate its effects, both with preparation and help digging out. And right now, in this moment in time, there couldn’t be a more stark contrast between Democrats and republicans.
If your instinct is to say “don’t make it political,” or “this isn’t a time for politics,” my response is thus:
EVERYTHING is political.
This is THE PRECISE time for politics.
The state of infrastructure is entirely down to politics. Republicans tried to block the infrastructure bill and then took credit for the funding. That bill, by the way, significantly funded dam safety, something that can help to reduce catastrophic flooding even in rough storms.
So let’s hover here for a moment. Republicans did not want to put the money into preventing tragedies, and actively sought to prevent such funding. What will they do about people having to rebuild? About where they will live while they rebuild?
What will Democrats do?
The timing of this storm couldn’t be more apt, because voters can literally decide what will happen going forward, if they will get actual meaningful help or if they will be left to fend for themselves in the aftermath and muck.
Which is why this is the exact time for politics. These philosophies, these ideals are why government exists. So if you vote for a party who takes pride in helping no one but the wealthiest and corporations, you shouldn’t be surprised when your insurance policy doesn’t happen to cover this specific damage, or when you can’t get one at all.
And when you vote for a party who prioritizes the lives of regular citizens, you’ll find a path out and a hand up out of the wreckage. It’s that simple.
“Political” is treated as an abstract thought experiment, but that is the only way a party like the republicans can survive. Because if you get down to the actual impact on lives, the dollars and cents, the outcomes and priorities, only the people in the top 1% of income would vote Republican. That is about 1.6 million households. If you assume 2 voters per household, that’s all of 3.2 million votes.
That’s not winning any elections.
And yet everything Republicans do is aimed at making average people’s lives harder and more expensive. If people saw that, really saw that, and understood that “conservatism” isn’t a lofty, boring topic over senselessly expensive whiskey, but a set of ideas intended to transfer their wealth, their energy, their work, and their health to a concentrated few, who would vote for it?
“Don’t make it political,” and “Not the time for politics” are a subterfuge, one that should be pierced loudly. Because the moment you’re not putting it in a political context (who is doing what, who will do what) at a time when that information matters the most, you are helping the party whose entire mission is to not help you.
And with that, I wish you a safe and happy Monday.
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