Memories and Thoughts

Tomorrow (Monday, September 11, 2023), our country will commemorate yet another anniversary of the horrific events from that date in 2001. The unexpected attacks on our country united us as a nation for a while. However, that unity did not hold and some are trying hard to divide us even more today.

Memories of 911 remain fresh in the minds of many still. In the twenty-two years that have passed since that day, what has changed? Are Americans wiser and more worldly or have they become more suspicious and xenophobic? What did we learn from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that were waged after the attacks on that day? Have we extended democracy and gained international friends through those efforts?

I guess that the tragedies of 911 won us friends and support for a while, as NATO countries and others initially were supportive of efforts in Afghanistan to find the perpetrators of those horrific acts. But, President Bush’s mission to destroy Iraqi leaders and Saddam Hussein, who were not complicit in the attacks, and his decisions to not condemn Saudi leaders for their role in supporting terrorists, hurt American efforts. This allowed our enemies to say, with some verity, that our wars were more about oil than injury. In the long run, these wars did not end the suffering of the families who lost their lives in the attacks. They cost America dearly with military injuries, deaths, and defense costs. Now, Iraq is a failed country with inconsistent governance. The Taliban, who rule by some sort of medieval religious fiat, have overtaken Afghanistan and condemned women to live lives that are out of sight and to remain mostly uneducated. Two decades of war brought Americans less, not more, stability.

Our international diplomacy has succeeded in Ukraine, to an extent, thanks to huge efforts by this administration. Although the Ukrainians may be in this for the long haul, the resolve of our allies may not be if their economies suffer. Even in this country, the nay-sayers on the right are attacking President Biden and his efforts to support Ukraine. Some Republican Presidential candidates claim that the war effort is depriving Americans of needed benefits. These candidates and some representatives are even falsely claiming that FEMA efforts in Maui to help the fire victims or in Florida after the hurricane were diminished because of support for Ukraine.

Other right-wing Republicans in the House were furious when Speaker McCarthy allowed funds for Ukraine to remain in the budget when he negotiated with President Biden. Following that, some are now threatening to shut down the Government and not approve a continuing resolution for funding past September 30^th. Rep. Green threatened to hold up the budget unless the House supported her motion to impeach President Biden. (Of course, she is such a whacko, that she could not establish any grounds for this, but has been trying to do this since she was first seated.) But, she is a power in his party and can help keep McCarthy in his leadership post, so he must at least listen to her.

Some recent polls showed that if the election were held now, President Biden and his MAGA opponent would be in a neck-and-neck race. Of course, the election remains about 14 months away and a lot could change between now and then. (I can hope that DJT will be a convicted felon long before the election.) Although these two candidates are only four years apart in age, Republicans, and their media friends, continue to berate President Biden about his age and supposed lack of fitness to be President. He appears to be in better shape than his potential opponent - who is not known for his working out routine.

I think President Biden has done a pretty good job, although, with all the noise about the indictments of DJT and others and the press fury on that news, his accomplishments have not gotten the news they deserve.

Just look at where we are now. The economy continues to do well. Inflation is coming down, even as mortgage interest rates remain high. The jobs market is robust and many jobs are going unfilled. Employment for minorities remains better than has been seen in decades. Manufacturing has increased in part because of the Inflation Reduction Act, the Chips program, and attempts to bring more jobs back to America. Working from home remains popular with American workers, but less so with their bosses and mayors of big cities. That is one problem that has not yet been resolved. Climate change issues continue to be a problem as we are seeing more weather extremes. We have addressed some climate problems by adding electric vehicles and increased charging stations. Students are becoming more involved with being part of the solutions and are demanding more from their leaders. Solar power and alternative energy sources are increasing, but we still have a way to go. The energy blocs and lobbyists are working hard to keep the old ways in place. Some dinosaurs such as Senator Manchin on the Democratic side and Republicans from oil-producing states are trying to thwart progress. In the long run, I think they cannot succeed and wiser heads will prevail with productive legislation.

Some problems remain. Many involve social issues, such as healthcare, immigration, and housing.

Housing for the large numbers of “street people” or the “unhoused” is becoming more of a national issue. As climate changes bring higher temperatures to the warmer climates that have long been the domain for this population, there have to be improved efforts to house this group. The Washington Post had an article this week about a man suffering from schizophrenia who died from heat stroke, despite his family’s efforts to keep him safe. I am certain he was one of many such deaths. We cannot leave this problem just to the cities. Many in this population have mental illness, and they self-medicate with drugs and alcohol. Society has set others adrift because they cannot figure life out; they need help. Some are veterans or victims dealing with PTSD. The issue has long been a dual one; those with mental health problems are better treated when they are not living on the streets. Institutionalization is also not the answer. Housing such injured people helps them find the stability that they need. Having a safe bed to sleep in takes away some terrors of the night. We can do this. This should be better addressed by the federal government and not in a piecemeal fashion as it is now. Current estimates are that half a million people in the US are daily experiencing homelessness. Los Angeles counts around 75 thousand homeless men and women alone in that area.

Republicans continue to shout out about problems at the border, even as President Biden has worked to better humanize this issue. This seems to be another attempt to further divide Americans. The issues of immigration remain unsolved. Congress refuses to legitimize millions of Dreamers and continues onerous rules for them to follow as they continue their lives in some kind of limbo. Members of Congress would rather blame the Administration for immigration issues than try to legislate a solution.

Texas governor Greg Abbott was told by the Courts this week to remove the barriers (of ballasts and razor wire) he ordered placed in the Rio Grande in violation of international borders with Mexico and violation of human rights concerns. Some immigrants have already died attempting to get around these barriers. He continues to send busloads of asylum-seeking immigrants to northern cities that then attempt to deal with the unexpected arrivals. New York Mayor Eric Adams spoke out against this practice and the difficulties his city must address with these arrivals. Since they arrive with little, they must get medical care as necessary and be housed, fed, clothed, and educated. To ease the burden on the city, they need to find jobs. Often, there are language barriers as people come from Venezuela, Russia, Ecuador, and East Africa. Mayor Adams states that the arrival of 10,000 immigrants each month has created a tremendous burden on his city. In just over a year, more than one million people have arrived in New York City. Once famous as a melting pot, such a rapid influx of needy individuals has strained city facilities.

Of course, New York is not the only city that Texas is sending buses of asylum seekers to. This policy abuses our system of asylum and must be stopped. It is using people who are fleeing terrors at home only to find themselves used as political pawns by a cynical governor who cares little about the rights of these people as humans with wants and needs.

So, that is about all for today. We have made some progress in addressing our national problems; more will come in the future, I hope.

‘Til next week-Peace.