There was a lot of good news with regard to the midterm elections in 2022, and there was some challenging news too.
Let's start with the good news.
As many commentators have reported, "Donald Trump was the BIG LOSER during this election cycle" and this is very good news. Many candidates that Trump supported lost, and to me, this was a loss for Trump's terrorist ways which include lying, corruption, stealing, wasting, harming, hurting, and even killing people via heinous endeavors to get his way. Trump's loss shows that more people than not don't want to live in a backwards country of hate where only a few heartless, conscience-less, hateful people have the power. This is good news.
More good news is that the state of Massachusetts continues to be led by hard working, intelligent, thoughtful individuals who have a proven track record of working in creative, collaborative ways to promote human rights and good living for all. This is positive for all of us in Massachusetts.
The challenging news basically points to the fact that democracy is hard work--we can't take our eyes of the goal of promoting a democratic society with government by the people for the people. There is lots of work to do in order to support our democracy. These are some of the ways I'll investigate and support more:
- Support efforts to hold Trump and his terrorist team who waged the assault on The Capitol on January 6th accountable for their costly, deadly efforts to obstruct a peaceful transfer of power. Also hold this team accountable for the money, time, potential they wasted via excessive corruption, cheating, and lying with regard to almost all their efforts in office.
- Work for greater equity and inclusion throughout the country--there's no reason why anyone should be denied what it takes to live a good life because of their religion, skin shade, gender, body make-up, how they identify themselves, who they love, what they do, their wealth or any other factor that differentiates us with the exception of efforts that truly harm and hurt people.
- Support efforts to eradicate the influence of dark monies throughout the country. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse from Rhode Island has been spearheading this effort, and it is a very important effort to support. Many bigots, haters, oppressors, and other dehumanizing individuals hide their sinister efforts behind dark money--this has to stop as it is a true threat to our democracy.
- Support high quality, modern, positive public schools. Too many public schools in the country are mired in outdated factory model infrastructure, roles, and environments. Also, too many criminal self-servers are working against public education because they know that an ignorant population is easier to use, abuse, and manipulate. A well-educated population is a happier, more peaceful, creative, and collaborative population. I want that.
- Support access to high quality, accessible health care for ALL. I believe that the United States needs to educate more doctors and other medical professionals. We need to make good health care including mental health care and dental care accessible to all. A healthy population is happier, more productive, collaborative, and positive. Greater efforts to support public health measures to improve the health of ALL people in the United States will spell a stronger, better country.
- Preserve our natural environment and resources. We need clean water, clean air, clean soil to survive. We also need the inspiration of beautiful natural lands and waterways to live good lives. Too many self-serving, bogus political leaders are too willing to sell off our natural resources and lands to the highest bidder without regard for our collective health and welfare. We must support leaders who will protect and preserve the natural environment that supports good living for ALL!
- International relations that promote peace, collaboration, and good living. Trump and his terrorist team have yet to condemn the deadly efforts Putin is waging in Ukraine and elsewhere. Trump and his cronies are clearly tied to big, bogus moneybags the world over--people who choose their personal power, privilege, pleasure, and profit over good living for all. We need to pay attention to international relations, and work with world partners everywhere to solve the big problems we face as citizens of Earth--problems related to migration, pollution, violence, and greed.
- Fair taxation. No human deserves the too-great power related to excessive wealth. Elon Musk is a good example of this--he's clearly too immature, inhumane, and disrespectful to handle his great wealth in humane, positive, enriching ways. We must tax excessively wealthy individuals and corporations more and use that money to promote better living. A recent trip to Austin, Texas found me walking by glamorous corporate buildings which are positioned on dirty streets with lots of homeless people and little green space. Clearly those corporations are not doing their part to support good living or a humane, life-enriching atmosphere in the city. Austin is not alone with this issue because cities all over the United States are often too dirty, unwelcoming, and populated with desperate people who need better supports for good living. Many of these challenged individuals did not get what they needed for good living early in life and many more are sadly the result of greed by opioid companies and other promoters of unhealthy, harmful substances, products, and behaviors. Fair taxation will lead to good living for ALL, not just a few rich folk.
- The ability to vote is critical to forwarding our democracy. Every American needs to know how to vote and where to vote. Every American needs easy access to voting and the information that will help them vote thoughtfully. Extending broadband will help in this regard by giving every American access to the ability to vote with knowledge and ease. Also efforts to stem the deadly proliferation of propaganda that easily manipulates individuals will help in this regard--just as we made new policies and laws during the industrial era to keep people safe, we need to make new laws and policies during this high-tech information age to keep people safe and healthy.
- Safe streets is also a clear and necessary objective. There's no reason why so many young people and others are killed by guns. We have to reduce the numbers of guns on the streets and access to those guns by people who are unable to handle guns with respect and safety. We also have to continue to work against the selfish, harmful spread of deadly drugs, human trafficking, and oppression of any kind that compromises good living. We need to care for each other more and better--we can all uplift our efforts in this regard in ways great and small.
The midterm elections in 2022 clearly demonstrated that positive people power can enrich and promote a positive democracy throughout our country and world, but that result requires dedicated, positive efforts by all of us. I'm ready to continue this work in the days ahead. Are you?