Don’t let ‘them’ take away gains made in mid-1900s

This isn’t just economic warfare. This is about who gets to treat whom how. This is about how we can get real democratic processes working to select those who represent us.

I have faith in a public that knows what is going on being able to work out problems if they elect people free to work for the people — not corporations.

People need work — a way to earn a living that provides decent housing, food, heat, adequate medical care, resources to raise a family if we choose, including educational opportunities enabling our children to fare, hopefully, better than we have.

Most of us dream of seeing our kids grow into productive adults who turn us into grandparents, great-grandparents, etc., who are able to provide for themselves and their families and older generations.

Isn’t that what we want? Isn’t that what so many of our ancestors came seeking? Have fought for?

Would that life were as simple as it seemed in the mid-1900s.

That’s when the Greatest Generation, which had fought vigorously and sacrificed much, got the GI Bill and VA benefits.

That’s when we fought a war on poverty (with as many lessons learned as successes) — and got housing programs and educational programs. That’s when people fought for fair labor contracts and a safe environment. We fought for civil rights and equality.

Now a corrupt and greed-driven few want to reverse these things we fought for — even as they are experiencing wealth way beyond need or even luxury and buy legislatures to assure them that wealth.

Trickle down? Job creators?

“We’ve got enough oil” (environment be damned)

“We have too many regulations” (integrity and ethics be damned).

Let’s not let “them” reverse the 20th century’s progress.

Priscilla J. Jenkins

Winthrop

Related Stories