Have we got what we deserve?
We can always hope that looking back is accomplished with 20/20 vision. As we look forward we can strive only to have the same clarity to try and avoid the mistakes of the past. Typically though that is rarely the case. To give some context to understanding where we have erred over the past several years — assuming readers agree with that assumption — it is instructive to remind ourselves of what we should expect from our congressional representatives.
Our elected officials should serve one purpose; to aggregate as many competing and complementary interests as possible from the constituencies they serve, but then decide — on our behalf — what is in our collective best interests. They should then vigorously prosecute those positions with courage and integrity to ensure our needs as a community, as a nation, and as world citizens are served. Irrespective of party or of political persuasion they have clearly failed us — and we have similarly failed to hold them accountable- until now.
We’ve erred by ignoring the plain facts that have been in front of us for a decade or more—legions of industrial workers have lost their well rewarded jobs. Our youth are less well educated than their peers in other advanced industrialized countries, we fail to adequately care for all those disadvantaged by circumstances largely beyond their control. We haven’t retrained those who need it. We’ve swept the undocumented immigrant issue under the carpet for years…the list goes on. Although the official unemployment rate is only half what it was in mid-2009 many of those formally employed have been rehired at significantly lower wages, or are no longer even looking for work.
Whichever side of the aisle you claim as your political home we have all not done our best.
No wonder we have just seen the first month of what revolutionary populism looks like. My thanks to Charles M. Blow for his column.
