European Nations

Republicans’ War On Social Security (90 Years); On Medicare (60 Years); Affordable Care Act (15 Years)!

The Republican Party from the 1930s until now, the 2020s, has opposed and attempted to destroy the major successes of the Social Safety Net.

Social Security was adopted in 1935 under Democratic President Franklin D. Roosevelt, as part of the New Deal reform programs, which transformed the nation.

Medicare was adopted in 1965 under Democratic President Lyndon B. Johnson, followed my Medicaid in 1966, as part of the Great Society reform programs.

The Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) was adopted under Democratic President Barack Obama in 2010, as part of his attempt to promote medical care availability for millions of people that had no medical coverage.

So for 90 years; 60 years; and 15 years, with some individual exceptions, the Republican Party’s aim has been, and remains under Donald Trump and Elon Musk today, that the Social Safety Net, that has worked so well, and is so humane, should be scuttled, with the aim being to enrich wealthy people through massive tax cuts.

The Republican Party is shameless, and reprehensible, as they have always been, but the battle by the Democratic Party and all decent people, must be to continue to fight to defend programs that in many European nations, are much better than ours!

Shameful National Figures On Single Mothers In Poverty, And Veterans Who Are Homeless!

Many conservatives love to claim that America is an “exceptional” nation, ignoring the facts that demonstrate just how backward we are, as compared to many European nations and Japan.

For instance, one third of single mothers are in poverty, doing minimum wage jobs that cannot support their children in an adequate fashion. The effect on their children of poverty is not easily measurable, but cannot be dismissed as insignificant. It promotes a sense of inferiority and depression in children at a very young age, and impairs their physical and mental health.

Also, veterans of our wars are horribly mistreated after their military service, with about 60,000 homeless on any single night, and double that total being homeless over a year’s time. Many are victims of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or are connected to substance abuse (alcohol and drugs). Forty percent are African American or Hispanic. Veterans who are homeless range from World War II, through the Korean War, the Cold War, the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War, the Iraq War, and the Afghanistan War, and many are younger veterans, who did their duty for their country, but are now being ignored and dismissed as having any claim on government services in return for their sacrifices.

Not only is this unconscionable and unethical, but it is also a danger to the nation, when people trained in firearms develop a feeling of hopelessness, which can lead to bloodshed and violence against fellow Americans out of desperation and mental illness.

If we continue to mistreat our veterans, as well as make victims of single mothers and their children, we are losing our long term future of peace and tranquility, and the pursuit of the elusive “American Dream!”