World Role
Yesterday, the US Senate got stuck. They can’t pass funding for Israel’s battle against Hamas, they can’t pass funding for Ukraine’s battle against Russia, and they can’t agree on what to do about the US Southern Border. But there’s still a glimmer of hope: the White House is open to discussions about the Border, the real sticking point. Republicans want to “seal” the border, preventing any immigration and keeping thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands, of migrants trapped in Mexico. Democrats won’t go for that; and who knows what the extremists in the House want.
While everyone, even Democrats, even the President, acknowledges there’s a serious problem at the Southern Border; it’s one that’s incredibly difficult to “fix”. There are short-term solutions (think Texas’s barbed-wire river buoys) that don’t touch the real problem: why are the migrants coming. Until we solve what’s going on in Central America, what’s driving folks to risk the hazardous jungle “passage” through the Darian Gap, they are going to keep coming. And we understand why: like the Pilgrims, they seek a better life in America.
Easy Solution
I think Democrats and Republicans can agree on funding Israel, with “strings attached”. I think Democrats and Republicans can agree on funding Ukraine. It’s really just “good business”. The US is spending money to support the Ukrainians, and that’s depleted the military force levels of Russia by 50%. That’s half of what Russia had before Putin’s ill-fated adventure in Ukraine, and he’s doubled-down on the attack. It’s a very “Kissingerian” equation (to honor the recently deceased advisor). For a relatively small investment, the United States is changing the world military balance. And the real “price” of that change is paid for in the willing loss of Ukrainian blood, not American.
So what is the “state” of the Union right now? We have a government that seems unable to chart any path forward. What a month ago was a “no-brainer”, funding Israel and Ukraine, now is held hostage to the US border. And all of the “voices” out there, particularly the Republican candidates for President, are beating their message home: “Something’s WRONG WITH AMERICA – AND IT’S BIDEN’S FAULT”.
Biden’s Fault
They have the microphone, the “Bully Pulpit”. There is no contest on the Democratic side (sorry Congressman Phillips) and so there is no voice to balance out that “noise”. And the President is consumed with governing. I’m not saying that’s a “bad” thing; there’s a lot of governing to be done. And clearly the House, and now the Senate, aren’t up to the task.
I track the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the best known measure of the health of the American stock markets. Yesterday (12/6/23) the market closed over 36,000; nearing record highs. The unemployment rate is 3.9%, a little up from the past few months. And, oddly, that’s a good thing. It means that the post-covid economy is slowing just a bit, and we see that in the current annual inflation rate, 3.24%, down from 3.7% last year and 7.75% the year before.
The average US salary is almost $60,000, an increase of almost $14000 since Biden became President. Local gas here in Pataskala is under $3.00, down from the almost $5.00 of the post-Covid high. Watch the Republican debate, and you’ll hear how “BAD” things are. And listen to the Republican media, and you’ll hear how “dangerous” our country is (of course you need to buy a gun to protect yourself). But as our population has increased in the past three decades, the number of violent crimes (and crimes per 100,000) is at a thirty-year low (Statista).
Lying Eyes
So, look around America. How are we doing? Believe your “lying eyes”, in spite of what the “noise” on debates and right-wing media demands. The US is on the “up-swing”, and as much as Americans “bitch and moan” about it, most have figured this out. “Things must be ‘terrible’ for someone else, because it’s not so bad here”.
We can’t fail in our obligation to support Israel. But we also have the obligation to restrain the Israeli government from the extreme excesses we are seeing in Gaza. Hamas must be destroyed, but the civilian cost must be considered. It’s the “price” Israel needs to pay for being a civilized nation, battling the forces of terrorism. Israel cannot just become another terrorist force.
We can’t fail in our obligation to support Ukraine. I am a child of the Vietnam War era, I grew up with the invalidated “domino theory”. But President Zelenskyy is right. Ukraine can stop Russia, or some other country, like Poland, or Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, all NATO Nations, will have to. The war to fight against Putin’s dream of hegemony is already on: it’s in Ukraine. And we’re already winning, so let’s finish it there.
And we can’t fail to work towards a solution to the border crisis. That should involve recognizing that the US must find a way to legalize 12 million residents who are essential to our economy and our communities. I ain’t holding my breath for that. But what Americans need to do is recognize that the doomsayers are wrong, that while we have issues and concerns, we also have opportunities to make the future brighter.
We’re on the upswing – figure it out.
