Monday, February 1, 2021

A Disheartening Process, Beginning With Ronald Reagan

Since 1981-01-20 when Ronald Reagan became president, subsequent administrations and legislatures have implemented neoliberal policies. In doing so, they have prepared the ground for Donald Trump to sow dragons’ teeth. All this time, the power elite has been promising the American people that their economic distress and the growth of inequality would eventually work for the benefit of everyone. They lied. Their promise of shared prosperity was a cynical ploy to persuade the average person to go along with policies that made wealth flow upward. Anyone who makes a cursory examination of the US Census  records will see inequality rising from Reagan’s first year in office.

Observing this process has been disheartening. It could only result in economic, social, environmental, and political disaster. The only surprise is that all four are happening simultaneously: recession, the disintegration of society, global warming, and a government captured by an irresponsible and short-sighted oligarchy.

I wager that President Joe Biden, an elderly politician with the best of intentions, will attempt to enact economic reforms, but because of his lack of insight, imagination, economic expertise, and political support, will fail to turn the ship of state out of its present course toward disaster.

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