As I watched the movie "All the Way" last night, I was struck by how many things have not changed since the 1960's. Trying to make common sense laws that improve life for every American is still a hard sell.
We look back now and are shocked and cannot believe that there were people who fought against civil rights and the right to vote. The citizens and politicians that railed against these rights look ignorant and evil to us now. How could anyone have ever voted against these things?
Fast forward to 2016 and we are sliding backwards. Hate, intolerance and racial prejudice dominate the news and this election.
Universal health care is unthinkable, how dare we consider health care a human right. What will the pharmaceutical and insurance companies do if they can't rob us in order to pad their pockets and fund the politicians they control.
The NRA controls our elected leaders. No matter how many men, women and children die the only thing our politicians have to offer are useless platitudes. All of the thoughts and prayers in the world won't bring the dead back. Words are meaningless, and real action it seems is to big of a financial and political risk for them to take.
Our veterans proudly serve, only to be treated poorly when they come home. They put their lives on the line for us, they deserve the absolute best medical care and support when they return home.
Funding war after war has become more important than funding education for our young people.
Decades from now I hope my children look at this decade and feel as I did watching this today. Shocked that there were times such as these. That affordable education, universal health care and common sense gun control will be all they know.
I would hope that our leaders today would want to be remembered as good people who made a real difference, working for us, not corporations, big banks and lobbyists.
The presidential candidate that has a plan to accomplish all of these things is Senator Bernie Sanders. The corporate media and the DNC have tried their damnedest to squash him, but good people everywhere see that he is our best hope for positive change.
Meaningful, real change has always required courage. Is the United States still a nation of, by and for the people ? It will take leaders who bravely stand up and say the status quo is not good enough, we can, we will, we must do better.
