Most of our problems go back to Ronald Reagan. I hate to disagree with President Obama, but, then, I believe, he praises the Great Communicator to set the tone of civility and the bipartisanship so lacking in his political opposition.
Once the Great Communicator had persuaded us that we need only take care of ourselves, then it became clear that we don’t need to support schools. Now we spend more money on locking up prisoners than educating children.
Once the Great Communicator had convinced us that government is the problem, not the solution, we began to see that we don’t need to regulate banks and corporations. The result: the worst economy since the Great Depression.
Once the Great Communicator had convinced us that the key to paradise is to get the government off our backs, we decided that there couldn’t be anything to fear about corporations not paying taxes or shipping jobs overseas. Now we have the highest unemployment since the Great Depression.
Once the Great Communicator had opened our eyes to the “welfare queens” cruising our streets in their Cadillacs, we were sure at last that we don’t need a social safety net. And now the mentally ill roam those same streets and seek refuge from the cold on our buses and in our libraries.
So, I’ll say it again: most of our problems go back to Ronald Reagan.
No comments:
Post a Comment