Making America GRATE Again

I am an American.  I have been since the day I processed oxygen.  I’ll go further and say I am a poor American.  I’m nowhere near “middle class”.  I only know a handful of people that actually ARE middle class.  So when I listen to debates (Republican or Democratic) to hear what the potential new President of the United States has to say about how she/he will help me, I really expect some solutions to pop up somewhere in that two hours of viewing arguments. 

I’m not getting any solutions.  One of these people – among the Democrats and Republicans – that I’m seeing on my television every single day is going to be waving their hands in the air as they walk through confetti when it’s announced that they are the next president of the United States.  I know I have a year before that happens.  But I would like to have a little bit of hope in regard to our country’s future.  

I didn’t get any hope last night during the 3rd Republican Debate hosted on CNBC.  Instead, I got 14 children whining and bitching about how unfair it was that they had to answer questions.  Which is what a debate is all about.  The questions aren’t supposed to be easy.  America is watching, and we want the candidates brains and intentions to be picked to the bone.  We don’t care about their fantasy football achievements.  We don’t care where they came from, we care where they’re going.  We don’t care what they “believe” because they’re not running  for the White House for their sole benefit. They’re running to represent America.  That’s ALL of us.  Not just some of us.  

And you know what?  It won’t be an easy job.  No matter who they are, there are going to be some that think they’re a piece of shit while others will cherish the ground they walk on.  The President of the United States has to be flexible and can’t be offended by rude questions, or harsh innuendos.  How the hell are they going to deal with Putin or Assad?  They can’t blame mainstream media when shit goes upside down.  They can’t blame the government because they’re part of the government.  And they can’t whine and bitch because they’re the President for crying out loud.  Why do none of these people have a back bone and common sense? 

Last night’s debate was supposed to cover the economy.  That was the theme.  That’s why it was hosted on CNBC which is where one would go to listen to talk about money and the economy.  So it made sense to be there.  One wouldn’t host this “economy theme” on SyFy.  However, with all the fairy tales that were being spread and all the untruths that these people spewed, it would have been more fitting on SyFy.  I would think that when a professional candidate goes before the American people…he/she would dedicate themselves to be knowledgeable about the job they are coveting, and the country they are willing to serve.  Not just make shit up as they go along.  Yet, that’s what they did..they made shit up.  And, as an American, it pisses me off! I’m not even running for public office (not even as a Librarian) and I know more than these people who want to be my President.  

I’m watching a debate to get answers.  It’s sort of like test driving cars to figure out which one will feel good as it surrounds my body on the open road.  The car I’m test driving will promise me a sunroof, but when I look up…there’s not one there.  The next test drive will promise me it’ll walk my dog while I have it parked in the driveway.  That’s just stupid!  How many times last night did a candidate say something just as ridiculous?? I lost count after 7 times.  

I want to know how wages for the American people are going to be stabilized.  So many people (that I know personally) aren’t making it on their paychecks or their Social Security checks.  The month to month bills of necessity (car insurance, electricity, food, water, gas, rent, education) eat up the paychecks.  There’s little to no money left to even go see a movie or buy their kids new clothes.  How are the candidates planning on getting our wages to level out with the rising cost of living?  The middle class median household income here in Florida is supposed to be $30,691 a year.  I’d be thrilled to make that much a year!  

I want to know how any one of them can promise us that our money (that we begrudgingly pay in taxes) will go back into American roads, or schools, or jobs instead of the military.  War is such a stupid concept in this day and age.  It might have been necessary between the greedy kings back in the Genghis Khan era, but we are in a more civil society.  ISIS isn’t our problem.  If ISIS were to come to America and try to take over little towns in Georgia, then I am all for the military building and flying their billion dollar jets to blow their asses up.  But they’re not here.  And the money being raked over to the military part of the pile is obscene.  There are people right here on our land that could use that cash.  

I want to know why we’re spending so much of the tax payers money incarcerating non-violent pot smokers.  It’s an herb.  It’s a natural plant.  President Roosevelt made marijuana illegal back in 1937 when , after the Mexican Revolution, Americans in Texas and Arizona were complaining about these unruly Mexicans who were invading their towns and smoking “marihuana”.  Marijuana was already in medication these people had already been taking.  They just wanted the Mexicans to be arrested and sent back home.  It’s the same tactic they used in San Francisco decades earlier to illegally search, detain and deport Chinese immigrants and they’ll just use opium use as the excuse to do that. The ban on cannabis, however, has stuck ever since.  Smoking pot doesn’t hurt anyone.  I know a lot of pot smokers and not a one of them are unruly when they’re high.  It’s the opposite…they’re funny as hell when they’re stoned.  

I want to know how the US Dollar is going to get strong again.  Not that I’m going to go out of the states any time soon because, frankly, I can’t even afford to go out of the state right now.  Our economy doesn’t suck as much as the candidates were telling us last night on the CNBC debate.  They were spinning fairy tales again.  In fact, if you were to go to the World Economic Forum website, you’ll see that the USA is #3 among all the countries with more than 10 million people across the globe.  Switzerland is #1, Singapore is #2.  In fact, we’re better off than even Japan (#6) and China (#28).  These GOP candidates need to get a better source for their information than Fox News.  How about they try FACTS.  

I want my candidates to tell the truth.  I don’t think that’s a very tough request.  Politifact was very busy last night (and today) fact-checking the candidates statements.  And even though the Republican-filled audience applauded all the lies being thrown about, the applause doesn’t make the statements true.  There is no Republic candidate (in my opinion) that will be the next President of the United States.  No one answered a question, and if they did it was false.  Instead, when a candidate didn’t know the answer to a question, they retorted to calling the media mean, or blamed Hillary or Obama or the government for the Armageddon that is sure to come.  They’re not “making America great again”.  They’re actually grating our nerves.  Essentially, they’re “making America GRATE again”.   When will the grown ups be debating??