It's about our country, not politics

To The Eagle:

It was the best of times; it was the worst of times. Forgive, please, the obvious rip-off of Charles Dicken's immortal line from the opening of Tale of Two Cities, but it seems rather appropriate given the times we share as Americans.

It is heartening to note that ignorance and disgusting behavior was voted out by the enlightened citizens of Alabama in last week's senatorial election.

It is disheartening to hear that the current administration is beginning to ban words that don't agree with the narrative they want in place to justify their assault on women, minorities and science.

It is apparently easier to whine about other peoples issues if a fetus becomes a baby even though science proves that a fetus is just that until birth. It is easier to whine about and discriminate against other people when they aren't deemed disadvantaged.

It is easier to disregard protest by We The People of the White House web site is shut down so we can't continue to submit petitions signed by millions of people that want to see change that doesn't fit the narrative being pushed by the Far Right and so called religious, although why and how they get away with pretending to be Christians is in itself baffling.

And now the tax plan: How comforting to know that the top, very top, and only the top will actually benefit from the plan being rammed through without discussion. They have managed to convince a few that the miniscule tax break accorded the dwindling middle class is a good deal even though it expires in a very few years leaving the corporation's tax break intact.

It is discouraging to note that there are some that actually believe if Trump was a democrat normal people wouldn't be protesting! They have obviously no idea this isn't about politics. It's about our country, decency and cultural advancement and actual boots on the ground reality.

Speaking of boots on the ground. Why are we the only country on Earth with military outposts in at least 80 countries? Why is our military budget more than the next five countries combined? How can we possibly have ‘interests' in these many far flung parts of the world?

Guess what? I know the answer and here it is. Military weaponry is the last major export of our once great nation. Ike, back in the 1950's, cautioned against this very thing but no one seemed to listen or do anything to stop it. During his administration the highest tax rate for corporations was 90% and that actually worked as there were millions of people working and jobs that paid enough so one person could support a family. Now the proposed new rate under this ‘wonderful' new tax plan is 21%. And Eisenhower was a Republican.

Trump just yesterday and immediately after that horrific train wreck lamented the fact that billions of dollars are sent to the Middle East with no palpable results while our infrastructure continues to fall apart. Really? When was this first recognized? I might be a bit old fashioned, and quite possibly naïve, but it seems to me that our freeways, bridges and railroads are at best Third World and nothing is being done. Congress has refused to allocate funds for the past several administrations all the while the money keeps flowing up rather than trickling down. Anybody that was ever in the military, regardless of branch, realizes what it is that is noted to ‘trickle' down, and folks, it ain't money.

As always, I realize I am just preaching to the choir and these words will hit a wall of cognitive dissonance and be either ridiculed, ignored, or both. Peace.

James Roberts

Wahkiakum County