Donald Trump's campaign slogan:
Make America Great Again.
Make America Great Again
What does that mean Mr. Trump?
Does that mean we're not great now?
Ok, so when were we great?
Are we referring to the 1950's and 1960's - the era of Leave it to Beaver, Father Knows Best? A time of the greatest expansion of the middle class in our history. When made in America meant made in America and that meant quality. A time of peace and prosperity and great hope. When we led the world in the space race and landed men on the moon? A time when the American dream thrived? But wait - wasn't that the era of the greatest socialist experiment in US history. The GI bill. The establishment of the Veterans Administration, social security, Medicare, NASA, the US freeway system, civil rights reform? No?
Oh ok, then the Nixon years? Ummm no?
Wait, wait - Ronald Reagan. Ahhh yes - Ronnie and the good old days. A time of the worst recession in US history up until that time - only beaten out by the great recession of George Bush's era some years later.
A time of self indulgence, cocaine, discos.
A time when our president negotiated hostage release by illegally selling weapons to Iran, our enemy, using the proceeds to fund anti-Sandinistas in Nicaragua - even after congress had declared doing so illegal, even after it was clear these people were raping nuns and committing atrocities.
A time where tax cuts to the wealthy and military expenditures were in part designed to shrink government while asking the poor and middle class to pay for it all.
A time that saw the proud tradition of huge government deficits begin. Ronald Reagan's eight predecessors increased the national debt by a total of $975 billion. Reagan wound up increasing the debt by more than Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter combined, adding $1.86 trillion despite massive cuts to social programs in the face of tax cuts to the wealthy. The beginning of a fine tradition.
A time of defunding of mental health and the subsequent massive migration of the mentally ill of this country into the streets. Homelessness of those incapable of caring for themselves increased dramatically as a direct result of Ronald Reagan's policies. Ah yes - America "a shining city on a hill," the beacon for the rest of the world - a hill covered with homeless people incapable of caring for themselves.
I've got news for Donald Trump and all the rest. America is great, right now. But it can always get better. Lets stop living some childish fantasy about bygone eras that never existed. Instead, tells us Mr Trump and all the rest of you politicians aspiring for the presidency:
How Exactly Are We Going to Make it Better?
Make America Great Again.
Make America Great Again
What does that mean Mr. Trump?
Does that mean we're not great now?
Ok, so when were we great?
Are we referring to the 1950's and 1960's - the era of Leave it to Beaver, Father Knows Best? A time of the greatest expansion of the middle class in our history. When made in America meant made in America and that meant quality. A time of peace and prosperity and great hope. When we led the world in the space race and landed men on the moon? A time when the American dream thrived? But wait - wasn't that the era of the greatest socialist experiment in US history. The GI bill. The establishment of the Veterans Administration, social security, Medicare, NASA, the US freeway system, civil rights reform? No?
Oh ok, then the Nixon years? Ummm no?
Wait, wait - Ronald Reagan. Ahhh yes - Ronnie and the good old days. A time of the worst recession in US history up until that time - only beaten out by the great recession of George Bush's era some years later.
A time of self indulgence, cocaine, discos.
A time when our president negotiated hostage release by illegally selling weapons to Iran, our enemy, using the proceeds to fund anti-Sandinistas in Nicaragua - even after congress had declared doing so illegal, even after it was clear these people were raping nuns and committing atrocities.
A time where tax cuts to the wealthy and military expenditures were in part designed to shrink government while asking the poor and middle class to pay for it all.
A time that saw the proud tradition of huge government deficits begin. Ronald Reagan's eight predecessors increased the national debt by a total of $975 billion. Reagan wound up increasing the debt by more than Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter combined, adding $1.86 trillion despite massive cuts to social programs in the face of tax cuts to the wealthy. The beginning of a fine tradition.
A time of defunding of mental health and the subsequent massive migration of the mentally ill of this country into the streets. Homelessness of those incapable of caring for themselves increased dramatically as a direct result of Ronald Reagan's policies. Ah yes - America "a shining city on a hill," the beacon for the rest of the world - a hill covered with homeless people incapable of caring for themselves.
I've got news for Donald Trump and all the rest. America is great, right now. But it can always get better. Lets stop living some childish fantasy about bygone eras that never existed. Instead, tells us Mr Trump and all the rest of you politicians aspiring for the presidency:
How Exactly Are We Going to Make it Better?
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