We are not the first society with corruption so deep it threatens its very foundations. The Greeks coined the word “kakistricy” and the English used it in the 1600s. It literally means “government run by the worst, least-qualified, or most unscrupulous citizens.” In America today, the revival of this term aptly describes our current (mis)administration.
The president, his family and cabinet are skimming literally millions off the top of the Treasury; soldiers are dying in places we didn’t even know they were in and not a word is said; citizens are dying from lack of assistance after two of the most massive storms in decades; one of the more populous states in our nation is on fire and has lost cities and towns with nary a word spoken; he rallies with Nazis and White Nationalists who brandish arms at peaceful Jewish and Black citizens; and the sneaky Republicons in Congress forge ahead to strip our country of assets (parks, buildings, roads) and, of course, all our money in the form of tax breaks and tax credits to the tune of billions. Trump’s family will benefit from the repeal of the estate tax (cynically called “Death Tax”) by more than one billion dollars.
Meanwhile here in our little county in the corner of our little state, many of us are suffering. More than 2 out of 10 of us in Carroll County live below the poverty line. No statistics show how many of us live at the poverty line, but annual median income is only $36,000!
Because of the greed of our newly minted oligarchy, children’s insurance (CHIP) is gone. While Congress was unable to overturn the will of the people on the ACA, Trump is simply circumventing our mandate and destroying it by executive order. Republicons’ proposed budget cuts all forms of assistance; i.e. food stamps (SNAP) heating assistance, Medicare, Medicaid and all insurance subsidies. The latest figures show that one trillion dollars will be cut from the budget and given to Trump and friends as tax cuts.
It’s time to speak up! Call Congress (202) 224 3121.