The Un-united States Of America Part 3: The Day Of Reckoning Is Now

: By Robert Jennings, InnerSelf.com

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The Un-united States Of America Part 1: A Way Forward

The Un-united States Of America Part 2: The Storm Before The Storm

It seems every election is the most important. Why? Because every election has been. Why? Democracy is a very young form of governance. Those that seek power also seek to dismantle it.

Once the United States was the common-good legislation example for the rest of the world to follow but it has been on a downward 1 step forward and 2 steps back trajectory since 1968.

The Johnson Administration was the last administration that was truly successful in passing substantial legislation that promoted the welfare of all Americans. Some important legislation passed was the Civil Rights Act Of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and The Social Security Amendments of 1965 that created Medicare and Medicaid.

While there was some progress under Presidents Nixon, Ford, and Carter, it all came crashing down with Ronald Reagan.

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We may never know what was Reagan's intent as he was more a Republican mascot than a policy wonk. But we do know the result of the nearly 40 years he ushered in of conservative and Republican rule. Republican attacks on labor has left wages flat while productivity has soared.

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Once a society where one member of the family could earn a living substantial enough to raise a family and live the "American Dream", in just 40 short years it now can take 2 and sometimes 3 or 4 jobs to just tread water.

Once America was a shining city on the hill but it now challenges the 2nd tier of countries in lack of upward mobility.

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Once America was the beacon of democracy. But now it is only a shell of its former self. Engraved in the historical record by the Powell Memo in 1971 and the speech in 1980 by Paul Weyrich is that its intended demise was intentional.

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Now just a shadow of its democratic self, one man one vote is no longer the rule. One area in which Republicans have firmly succeeded is by installing radical corporatist right-wing judges substantially throughout the legal system.

One such ruling, Citizens United ended the era where corporations and foreign entities could not contribute to American political campaigns. It simply ushered in an explosion in perpetual motion campaigns and spending. In an earthquake ruling, the US Supreme Court ruled against a portion of the legendary Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Before the ink was even dry Republican controlled states that had been prevented by law from the most dastardly of voter suppression techniques unleashed legislation and programs to restrict normal Democratic party supporters from voting. What remains of the right to vote in some Republican States now is a mere joke.

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Those of you that say your vote doesn't matter must remember that the elections in 1968 and 1980 were close enough that the Nixon and Reagan campaign had allegedly committed treason to win. It was close enough that Republicans had to steal the 2000 election by illegally throwing black Americans off the voter rolls in Florida. And again in the 2004 election they allegedly hijacked the vote in Ohio and may have diverted the vote tabulation through a republican computer server in Tennessee. Trump was installed in the Presidency by Republicans who blocked the recounts in the three states (Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania) that determined the outcome by less than 2 votes per precinct. There was enough irregularities that we will never know who actually won.

What is true we may never know. But what we do know is that the irregularities be they exit polling or elections blocked unverified are always in the Republicans favor.The fact is Republicans have been extremely effective in suppressing voting by Democrats. Some estimate that Democrats must turn out as much as 10% more than would be normally necessary to win. So every vote may very well be very important and needed.

Some say there is nothing different between Democrats and Republicans. Nothing could be further than the truth. The Democratic Party needs reforming, true, but the Republican Party needs exorcism. Vote first for Democrats now and then vote for reform next time. Those that don't usually vote must go vote in place of those that usually do vote but have been blocked.

Of this I am sure, vote now or you may not get another meaningful chance.

The Un-united States Of America Part 3: The Day Of Reckoning Is Now

About the Author

Robert Jennings is co-publisher of InnerSelf.com with his wife Marie T Russell. He attended the University of Florida, Southern Technical Institute, and the University of Central Florida with studies in real estate, urban development, finance, architectural engineering, and elementary education. He was a member of the US Marine Corps and The US Army having commanded a field artillery battery in Germany. He worked in real estate finance, construction and development for 25 years before starting InnerSelf.com in 1996.

InnerSelf is dedicated to sharing information that allows people to make educated and insightful choices in their personal life, for the good of the commons, and for the well-being of the planet. InnerSelf Magazine is in its 30+year of publication in either print (1984-1995) or online as InnerSelf.com. Please support our work.

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