Who cares that I’ll hate myself later.
I never would have agreed with this in my 20s…
But I think we need to pay more to live in America.
Stay with me…
Having traveled so much, seen so many different countries and cultures, and watched the division of our own country become so real these past few years, it’s made me wonder:
Why do we expect so much, yet are willing to give so little?
Yes, I bitch and moan about the cost of health insurance like everyone else. But it’s simply the difference between paying for it AFTER taxes or AS taxes. We’re still paying for it. So what if we have lower income tax rates than much of Europe? What do we have to show for it…a completely broken and inflated health care cost structure here with far too many people lacking basic healthcare? Why don’t we just pay the same amount and have everyone covered?
What good is saving a few grand on taxes if it means money is pulled from education? Why is it OK to give tax cuts when our schools are breaking down, teachers are underpaid, and we need bake sales to resupply the classrooms? What does that say about our priorities?
What good does it do our society to shuffle dollars to those who don’t need it while making it harder than ever for those who do to earn and save them?
I may have benefited (slightly) from 2018’s tax laws, but I’d have much rather seen that money go toward schools and public lands protection and management so that our future citizens have more opportunity.
And I mean real opportunity. Not false hope teased by funding pet projects and wars under the guise of “creating jobs” so that the people in power can stay in power at the expense of those who voted for them.
What good does it do to roll back environmental protections so we can eke out a few more years of coal mining and petroleum drilling? Sure, a few more people keep a few more jobs for a few more years, but at the expense of 1000x more people being robbed of their health over decades, and robbed of clean drinking water, clean air, unspoiled nature. What good does that really do for a country that could be leading the way with solar, battery and nuclear technology if we were investing in FUTURE technologies instead of maintaining the status quo even though it’s painfully obvious that’s not the way forward? Why do we rob ourselves of a global leadership position for the sake of saving dying industries? Why are we demotivating people to learn new skills and do better?
Why are we so afraid of investing a little more into social programs that help bring everyone up? A rising tide lifts all ships, as they say. I’d like to blame the politicians, but we’re to blame. Every time we vote for lower taxes above all else, we’re choosing to remain poor as a society. We’re telling politicians that no, we don’t want real change, we want to feel like we’re saving a few dollars now at the expense of a stable future later. That our health and happiness and fellow countrymen (and women) are less important than me paying less taxes. I want that donut now, who cares that I’ll hate myself later.
Why do we allow politicians to prevent access to social and health services (let’s say abortion, for example) under the false pretense of moral authority. Then, why do we allow those same moral authoritarians to deny the services (like early childcare) that these very restrictions created a need for. Seems like a great way to drive someone further into debt. We don’t discriminate, we let our policies do that for us.
Here’s an experiment: Imagine YOU’RE on the receiving end of that raw deal. Do unto others, as they say.
Why do we levy fines (masquerading as tariffs) on American companies trying to hire more American workers and use American goods? Why do we ignore history and economists that prove tariffs don’t produce the desired outcome? That they end up moving more jobs OUT of America? That costs to consumers (i.e. you and me) go UP. Food costs go UP. All while jobs go DOWN. But we keep buying crap Hecho in China, so…did we really foment change? Or just kick ourselves while we’re down?
Why do so many people celebrate a leader that resorts to name calling, lying, cheating, making things up and basically just yelling louder than anyone else? Why do so many people complain about their situation then go back for more? What do they say about doing the same thing over again and expecting different results? Oh yeah, insanity.
What usually comes from a short term gain, long term loss? Hint: It’s a loss. This op/ed probably nails it: https://eand.co/this-is-how-a-society-dies-35bdc3c0b854
Do we even have time to think of the consequences?
Or are are we all too busy scrambling?
I don’t just mean the poor. How many of us are technically fine financially but still consumed with one upping others? Are we holding others back so we can get ahead? Think about it seriously for a minute. Are our (yours, mine) actual actions, voting habits, spending, food choices, activities, driving, consumption habits, words and thoughts helping bring others up? Or pushing them down for perceived personal gain?
It’s a lot to think about.
Maybe too much.
Should we give up?
Or should we create personal and shared visions that give us HOPE? Can we (me, you, all of us individually) even imagine HOW it could be better? What is your LONG TERM priority?
Can we envision something that inspires us to change our outlook, accept a little self-imposed discomfort, and take the hard actions to get us there?
Can our votes and daily actions better reflect our priorities? Could you defend those things to someone struggling to feed their family or get their kid to school while holding down multiple minimum wage jobs.
I can. I can imagine talking with our friends, family and children about how choices today have consequences tomorrow. That working harder and smarter now, and choosing to pay a little more upfront as an investment in others means actually having a better future for all of us. One where we care for others. And others care for us.
Happy New Year.
