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Editorial/Column
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They Got What They Wanted
hen Donald
Trump was elected to the presidency a little more than two years ago I vividly recall a number of his supporters, many of whom were federal employees, re- joicing and basking in the glow of the unexpected vic- tory. The man, who they viewed as the perfect person- ification of long held nation- alist ideals, was ushered into the White House to symbol- ize their strong rebuke of the accomplishments achieved by President Barack
Obama.
Of course, that was then. Today, in the midst of a fed- eral shutdown, some of those same people are scratching their heads wondering how the person, who they thought would make their lives so much greater, could create a situation where something as mundane as paying bills on time has become a struggle?
Ironically, their current suffering comes as a direct result of a number of poli- cies, including the tariffs
placed on foreign goods and now a fight for a border wall, that were implemented by their orange skinned hero.
An individual who has no problem jeopardizing their livelihoods for the sake of ac- commodating his billionaire friends and constructing a useless piece of architecture on the country's southern border that, when it's all said and done, will be little more than an expensive monu- ment to his oversized ego.
This, unfortunately, is what happens when people place their passions and ha- tred over common sense. They elected a person with obvious character flaws to the nation's highest office simply because he had a knack for sticking it to the politicians and minority groups they despised. The consequences that could pos- sibly come with such an im- pulsive decision never crossed their minds.
They ignored all of the red flags and warning signs telling them that Trump
was far from qualified for the task at hand. Now, I imagine, through their own sudden misfortunes, they're finally beginning to see what every- one else knew all along about the disaster Trump would be as president. But the sad thing is that, even as they come to terms with the fact Trump isn't what they thought he'd be, their pride won't allow them to admit to making a mistake.
It all reminds me of that one parable I've often heard over the years involving the old woman and the snake. She found the viper on the side of the road close to death and decided to take it home.
Then, after she spent weeks nursing the animal back to health, one day while she was feeding the creature, it bit her. She was so shocked by the snake's actions that, as she lay dying from the venom, she asked him why he would do that to her after everything she'd done to help him? The snake's reply? "You knew I was a snake when you picked me up."
It is hard to imagine those who voted for Trump not feeling just as dumb and betrayed...
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Some New Rules Needed!
ike the noted “Real Time” television host, co-
producer and co-writer Bill Maher, America needs New Rules. The gall of Congress members to allow a shutdown of the government and a failure to pay government workers is a travesty beyond words or common sense.
In fact, the first new bill that Congress passes should be that all government workers (including Congress) should be paid their salaries in the event the govern- ment shuts down for any reason. Congress should not get paid if the government workers are not also paid.
Furthermore, since President Donald Trump does not draw a salary because he is so rich, he obviously doesn’t know what it’s like not to be able to pay a mort- gage, rent bill, car note or not to have enough money to feed his family, which is why he couldn’t care less about the plight of the government workers as he makes pawns of them by holding their paychecks hostage until Congress gives him what he said Mexico was going to pay for.
However, given his company’s records of not paying contractors and vendors what they were owed, shut- ting down the federal government is simply a check- mate of Congress to him.
The question we should be asking, however, is why Trump didn’t draw a line in the sand for the two years the Republicans held a majority in both the House and Senate. Moreover, why aren’t government workers’ salaries protected when Congress and the president fail to do their jobs?
No, we don’t believe they should be locked in a room together until they come to an agreement. Instead, we’re convinced they should be recalled or fired for failure to do their jobs. Now that is something to bring back the Boston Tea Party for.
What do you think?
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