There are different kinds of terror. We just witnessed one kind in Manchester when people who simply went to a concert are now dead or injured due to a terrorist attack. My heart goes out to the family and friends of the victims and to anyone who witnessed the horror.
After this happened, I saw news accounts of the budget being proposed by the person and political party who are supposed to be leading our country. I thought to myself, "This is a different sort of terrorist attack." This budget, as I understand it, is taking away billions of dollars that can help the less fortunate and poor among us. It removes some of the safety nets our society put into place to help people. Although this certainly is not a bomb and won't cause immediate loss of life, it is a different sort of attack and will cause a different sort of loss of life.
A simplistic understanding of part of this budget is that by taking away benefits people who aren't working will be forced to work. Here's the irony. For those who are not scamming the system, which I believe is most of the people receiving benefits, they are being told this. Go get a job and we'll give you benefits. If these people had jobs or could hold jobs, they wouldn't need the benefits! Crazy is as crazy does. Why not spend some of our nation's wealth on job creation so these folks can work and not need social assistance. Yes, I know. "They" say that is the reason to give the tax breaks to the wealthiest among us - so they can create the jobs. History has shown it doesn't work out that way.
Hopefully, there are enough good folks in the House and Senate to put an end to this foolishness. Yes, let's try to be sure people are not abusing the system; but, let's not punish those who need the help. I have a friend who operates a food bank and he has seen first-hand how some families have made taking handouts the way they live. Instead of withholding food from them, he has made it his mission to help them get out of the family cycle they are in so they don't need the food bank. Truthfully, I believe this is what most people want - to live a free and honorable life where they have good jobs and can be participants in an honest and caring society.
We all need to focus on getting people into political office who will work for the people and not for themselves. It is not too soon to start. 2018 is just around the corner. Please don't say there aren't any good people to vote for so you will sit this out and wait for your ideal candidate to show up. That didn't turn out so good the last time people tried that approach. Many times life doesn't hand us our ideal choices. Sometimes we just have to make the best one we can.
What will you do to change this terrorist story that is developing in our own country?
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