Who in Washington Will Earn Respect and Trust?

By the Wise Old Fart

About 70 years ago, I was taught to respect everyone, especially those older than me, and that those in authority were to be trusted. Today those two lessons have no relationship to America in the 21st century.

For me, respect is crucial in all relationships. Character, morality, principles, and the willingness to always try and do the right thing will earn my respect. Anyone who is void of one of these attributes is unlikely to be someone I would call a trusted friend.

What I Once Trusted and Respected are Now Only Memories

There was a time when I trusted easily, at least until I discovered a reason not to have faith in others who were supposed to care for me and those I loved.

It began in my junior year of high school. For the first time in my life, I learned about the “two Americas.” My Black friends told me the truth about how they were treated by law enforcement in their own neighborhoods, and how their abuse by the authorities and even murders were hidden from the general public. Reports filed were frequently misleading and contained blatant falsehoods. There were no body cams or cell phones with cameras in those days.

A recent study by Pew Research confirms that between 1958 and 2022 the American people’s faith in their government has declined. The truth has been hidden from us under the false claim of “matters of national security.”

When the National Election Study began asking about trust in government in 1958, about three-quarters of Americans trusted the federal government to do the right thing almost always or most of the time. Trust in government began eroding during the 1960s, amid the escalation of the Vietnam War, and the decline continued in the 1970s with the Watergate scandal and worsening economic struggles. Confidence in government recovered in the mid-1980s before falling again in the mid-1990s. But as the economy grew in the late 1990s, so too did confidence in government. Public trust reached a three-decade high shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, but declined quickly thereafter. Since 2007, the shares saying they can trust the government always or most of the time has not surpassed 30%.

We Must Learn from Past Mistakes or Fail Completely

When I was a very young man I listened to my uncles who had recently returned from serving in WWII. They had little faith in our government in Washington. However, as our economy moved from efforts to win the war, confidence began to grow. But when President Lyndon Johnson escalated the war in Southeast Asia, which had been little more than a “skirmish” since 1955, our country became divided. Older Americans supported our government’s decision. However, the young men drafted and forced to fight the war in Vietnam were my age. They were never given a reason to risk their lives. Across the nation, young Americans chanted, “what are we fighting for?”

The Biggest and Saddest Change of All

In 2020 a great change occurred in America. In general, the single branch of our government which was trusted by most was the Supreme Court.

Collusion between Trump, Moscow Mitch McConnell, and the Federalist Society resulted in three new justices being confirmed to the Court between 2017 and 2020.

In violation of the intent of the Constitution, Moscow Mitch made up his own rules regarding Senate confirmation of justices nominated by the sitting president. None of the three chosen, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, nor Amy Coney Barrett, were qualified to sit on our nation’s highest court. What we learned is that all three had agreed to overturn a decision made by a less-biased Court 49 years in the past.

A survey revealed that more than 60 percent of all Americans supported Roe v Wade, which protected a woman’s right to make choices about her personal physical, and mental health.

In service to the Christian Religious Right, Republican politicians, led by such Religious zealots including Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush, the right-wing never ended its efforts to repeal the decision made in 1973. On one of the darkest days in American history, a politically biased Court, but a vote of 6-3, overturned Roe v Wade on June 24, 2022. Ironically, the President responsible for placing women’s rights in jeopardy was a godless man who spent four years attempting to end democracy and replace it with a fascist regime.

Trust No One: Become Informed

In summary, most Americans no longer trust anyone in authority. The Founding Fathers created our government to serve the people of the New Country. Today they rule over us, placing their personal ambitions ahead of the needs and wishes of 331 million people.

The truth is, we only have ourselves to blame. We voted for some of the worst people in America who are the least qualified men and women to ever run for public office. You know their names, and some of you gave them their lives of luxury and privilege because you voted for a political party and not the best candidates.

Real Change

If real change is to come, it must include the removal of any politician who has served more than twelve years in the House or Senate. In addition, the Electoral College must be revoked. The people should choose the woman or man who will lead us for four years, not the states. Time equals power, and power corrupts.

It was a mistake to give lifetime appointments to Supreme Court Justices. This is moronic and a huge detriment to America’s future.

The changes which have occurred over the last 40+ years are mostly negative. Ours is a young, diverse, and progressive nation. We can all do better, but we must vote with our intellect and not with our emotions.

By James Turnage

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Sources:

Gallup: Americans’ Trust in Government Remains Low
Pew Research: Public Trust in Government: 1958-2022
American University: Roe v Wade Overturned: What It Means, What’s Next

Top and Featured Image Courtesy of Rian Castillo‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License