I'm watching half the country predict we're on the precipice of doom, as they usually do, taking to the streets with signs like "We fight, we win!" and "This is what democracy looks like."
A thread over on Local 3's wall covers a story on Hamilton County participating in an ICE program, a rather limited local partnership which applies only after a non-citizen has been arrested and jailed. It was a raucous read over morning coffee, with predictable references to "gestapo, brown shirts, report Anne Frank, God is watching, goofy Nazi cartoons, Diaper Don has dementia, conflating city with county mayoral structure, etc."
We have two major problems which do not bode well for our future: Breathtaking lack of common knowledge regarding civics and how services are provided and paid.
As citizens, we have only a choice between which level and type of authoritarianism with which we agree most.
As a Republican, I know my party cannot be left unfettered to its own devices. The party does seem to be the one which comprehends basics of what a nation is, why ours was founded and how equal opportunity drives our freedoms and economy - not the promise of equal outcomes. Republican economics tip toward bribing producers, while Democratic candidates bribe the citizenry. Both methods of bribery, absent careful bi-partisan planning for commonly understood results, are untenable at scale.
To me, the Democratic Party has shelved all reality to market itself with emotional outbursts, unmanageable promises and focus on a person's identity vs. effort and civic conduct. "With us, we promise unlimited services to unlimited people at unlimited cost, and your loyalty will assure unlimited excuses for unlimited behavior." Biology and math are bigoted and racist, any argument otherwise is violence. Burn the city, open the border, cancel any definition of women, whatever it takes.
Both parties have a penchant toward feigned moral superiority, however one routinely erupts in violence, each time excused as "mostly peaceful."
I want to talk, discuss and debate those whose views are different from mine. Healthy debate is the primary societal lubricant in a republic such as ours, yet we've stopped debating to reveal only friction.
I watched a whole podcast with one of my favorite actors, Jason Bateman, this week. He appeared on a show with Nicole Wallace, demanding that Trump voters "need a talking to" and are "insulated from reality."
Really, sir? The entire Democratic platform insulates from a broad slate of basic realities, and Bateman seems to parrot the notion Trump voters should be re-educated by humanity's tribunal. Fancy talk from a party which just nominated Mandami in New York, who wants communal housing and seized means of production.
Never mind the nation is beyond broke. While I'm not necessarily an advocate of the "Big Beautiful Bill" which is being signed today at 4, I recognize two things:
Any recalibration of Medicare/Medicaid to restrict to qualified citizens is necessary, as we're $40 trillion in debt. No actual positive movement will happen in our national healthcare until the entire structure, from providers to patents and distribution, is completely overhauled. Healthcare in the United States is broken, too much money is siphoned to investor classes and the nation itself is broke. Monkeying with payment mechanisms alone is a continued waste of time which will assure everyone loses in the end. If we don't like circumstances now, wait until we can't provide any critical services.
Second, Jason Bateman earns at a level where he is excused from street violence, endemic crime, competition for entry level employment and whatever other misery is prescribed for society by his rather unscholarly party leadership.
Yet, in the thread under the video I watched there were numerous posts which said "That's the last Jason Bateman movie I'll see."
And that's where we fail each other, by running to our corners and refusing to engage.
I can't wait for the next Jason Bateman movie, because I absolutely love his work. He disagrees with me on some things, and in America that's actually okay.
Jason Bateman is not our problem.
Happy Fourth of July.
Jason M. Kibby (Walker)
LaFayette, Ga.