After a 35-day standoff, shutting down the government, and
the associated posturing between the legislative and executive branches at the
federal level, the annual State of the Union Address was given earlier this
week. And, of course, everyone is discussing it in detail now that all is said
and done. From national media, to local talk shows, the analysis and posturing
resumes between those for and against this administration.
There were certainly moments where there were appearances of
bipartisan unity as Trump spoke about how successful the country was
performing. From improving employment numbers to reducing crime rates and
welfare dependencies, the hour-plus was spent attempting to promote the
well-being of the nation, and how much good has happened in the past year. As
per everything Trump does and says, the analysis afterwards showed the varying
levels of “truthiness” in his talking points. Most came across as less than
truthful – numbers inflated to appear higher than actually reported, taking
credit for projects and programs which weren’t actually part of the Trump
agenda – and, of course, the threat analysis of the southern border and nations
overseas which doesn’t quite match up against what the intelligence community
says.
Looking over the sea of colors attending – both skin tone
and clothing – it was obvious there was a group standing out in solidarity
against what the administration has tried to push up until now. A modern
suffragette movement, the women in white joined together to represent the ideals
of gender equality, a commitment to women’s rights and the agenda to promote
these ideals in the coming legislative sessions. It was a striking difference
from those surrounding them, something which sparked a lot of talk throughout
the televised event.
Consider this – how good is the country, really?
This was not a “home run” speech. Some might consider it as
such, since Trump asked for bipartisan support, but just as the applause
towards him was an empty promise of support, so were his words an empty promise
of compromise and negotiation. There was little mention of the shutdown,
really, other than the threat of doing it again if there wasn’t a new spending
bill in the next week. Likewise, Trump’s references to pending trade deals was
a bit more forward thinking than actually occurring. His new “NAFTA” is more of
a rehash of what was originally in place, with very little substantial change
in its substance. And the agreement with the Chinese is even more smoke and
mirrors than ever before.
The State of the Union was not viewed with as much
enthusiasm – nor did it have the viewership on television or internet media –
as others in previous years. Trump’s posturing did not take the wind out of the
sails of his opposition. Instead, the knowing looks, nods, and smiles from the audience
showed there is a building momentum against Trump now more than ever.
One thing that really stuck out to a lot of people was Trump’s
claim that, “America will never be a socialist country.” Yet, ever since FDR’s “New
Deal” efforts in the 1930s, this country has actually moved closer to being
socialist than most people realize – or understand. We all need to understand
what “socialism” actually means, and how it can vary under different government
structures; most only understand what the simple term represents under Marxist
ideals as defined in the books Das Kapital
and The Communist Manifesto. As
with most ideas and ideals, they can evolve over time. The graphic currently
circulating online (original source unknown) shows the three prevalent ideas of
modern socialism:
While Marx’s original idea of Socialism has not become the
successful ideology and incubation system of his ultimate goal of Communism,
the two subsequent variations have certainly taken hold across the globe. Corporate
Socialism as we have in this country, is currently holding onto its power due
to the continuous gathering of wealth by the corporations and “one-percenters” –
at the expense of the widening divide between the wealthy and working class. Also,
their fear of the word “socialism” is what pushes that divide further, as most
people still consider any socialist nation the enemy – with the failure of the
USSR and continued strife in other dictatorial regimes which claim to be
socialist being the catalyst for their fear-mongering. Democratic Socialism is
the successful melding of a democratic, capitalist economy, with the social responsibility
of a people-oriented, socialist society. It is that key word, “Democratic”
which tends to be dropped from most conversations in order to scare others into
maintaining the status quo of our current republic.
Arguments can go back and forth about how to govern, what to
regulate, and where we should be heading, but it won’t solve the inherent
issues faced by the country or the world.
Perhaps, instead of all of the unchecked corporate greed and
political power currently in place, we should consider the change in dynamic to
one of MA&PA – Morally Aware & Public Accountability. We need to be
less concerned with amassing monetary wealth, hoarding it to excess, and more
aware and accountable to the people of our communities, nation, and the world
around us.
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