Opinion Editorials, December 2013

Al-Jazeerah, CCUN, December 23, 2013

If 50% of the present 900 US foreign military bases are closed down, there would be enough money left over that all Americans may be provided with free health care and free education for the rest of the century.  

American Government in Serious Trouble  

            The United States Government is in serious trouble needlessly. Such a trouble originates from a sizeable number of government officials who are all located in Washington, D.C. They are basically all Republicans. Judged by their actions, it is quite obvious that their primary concern is not the welfare of the American people, far less than the good of the rest of the world. They seem to be adamantly determined to oppose anything that the Democratic Party tends to present through its Democratic President Barack Obama.
 
Affordable Care Act
 
            A recent classic example is the Affordable Care Act, commonly referred to as Obama Care. While the democrats did their best to have this implemented as the law of the nation, which later it was, the republicans became determined to defund it and to have it abrogated completely. When analyzed carefully, Obama Care does have its ups and downs, its advantages and disadvantages. Humans are not perfect. That is why we may find weak areas in anything they do.
 
            If Republicans were good politicians, fully dedicated to the welfare of the American people and the rest of the world, rather than trying to defund and dismantle the Obama Care Law, they would have pointed out all the beneficial elements in it and tried to safeguard them. At the same time, they would have brought into the open all the defective elements of this enacted law of the land and provided alternatives by way of improvement. This would have made republicans the way they should be, namely, good politicians.
 
            Since quite a few millions have indicated that they are benefitting from the said enacted law, the defunding and abrogation of such a law, would alienate such people unnecessarily. At this point, the republicans could have focused fully on improving the Affordable Care Act as to enable those millions in the nation that feel somewhat pinched by this new law, to feel much better. After all, the job of those in the government is primarily to help all people in their vital needs, even going out of their way when necessary.
 
            Over the decades both Democrats and Republicans revealed to have both good and bad points in their vision of good and effective government. Needless to say, they both have strengths and weaknesses. Their secret of real good government should lie in their ability to retain anything that is good and to eliminate anything that is bad when it comes to the people’s welfare. Both of these political parties have many good points which should be retained regardless of from where they may originate. The problem lies in the fact that some of the ideas presented seem detrimental and need to be improved.
 
Policies of Republicans and Democrats
 
            Let us analyze carefully some of the strengths and weaknesses of both political parties. The Republicans proclaim to be pro-life. This means they view life to start from the first moment of conception. Hence, abortion is obviously viewed as the murder of innocent humans who are on the way to be eventually born. On the other hand, the Democrats believe that the real human life starts with the eventual birth. But even here, these two approaches abound in contradictions as we may soon see and realize.
 
            Republicans tend to solve international problems through violence and wars. This approach always leads to the loss of lives not only of Americans who are sent to fight but also to tens of thousands of innocent civilians in countries where the wars take place. This is due to the ruthless destruction of cities that leave large populations homeless and miserable. In spite of proclaiming to be pro-life before birth, republicans tend to support the vicious killing of harmless people after birth with no remorse whatsoever.
 
            On the other hand, Democrats try more to solve global problems through diplomacy and dialogues. In their negative policies, both parties are equally famous to play with words. While Republicans refer to the termination of life during conception as abortion, Democrats refer to this as women’s reproductive rights! Also, while Democrats recognize the bombardment of other nations leads to the death of thousands of innocent people, Republicans refer to such atrocious massacres merely as collateral damage, like people were a piece of furniture!
 
            When it comes expenditure, Democrats tend to concentrate more on health care and education in addition to adequate home facilities for everyone. However, Republicans tend to concentrate more on building more weapons and military equipment. As a result, they try to build as many foreign military bases as possible where countless billions of dollars are spent almost without limit. This has caused the present debt crisis of the USA. To turn an insult into injury, Republicans refer to such wasted money as national defense and security!
 
            Here we need to raise the question: What does national defense and security mean? It certainly refers to the welfare of the American people to save their lives as much as possible. Ironically, many of the American people happen to be homeless and the US military does not use its human resources to have adequate houses built for them. Many Americans go through many health problems that may lead them to their death and the US military is not doing anything to save them in some way or another. All money that would have gone for the vital needs of the people, goes straight to the military.
 
Straightening National Priorities
 
            If 50% of the present 900 US foreign military bases are closed down, there would be enough money left over that all Americans may be provided with free health care and free education for the rest of the century. This means the people would be healthier and their innate talents would be given the opportunity to develop to the maximum for the exclusive benefit of the entire nation and even the world at large. In the eyes of the world, the USA may then emerge as a real providential nation to alleviate the world from all or most of its suffering.
 
            Both Republicans and Democrats need to learn how to safeguard all of their strengths while, at the same time, try to eliminate their vital weaknesses. The great problem we face in this regard lies in the fact that both of them are so deeply trenched in their mind-set that it would be short of a miracle for the two of them to make drastic improvements for the eventual benefit of the entire country and even the world at large. Democrats need to stop referring to the termination of life of the unborn as women’s reproductive rights.
 
            It’s not up to women to decide as to whether a child should be or not be born. That is only God’s prerogative. On the other hand, Republicans should keep in mind that violence always breeds violence. Wars by their very nature breed atrocious violence revealed in the destruction of the infrastructure of cities that makes thousands homeless. It is also seen in the massacre of thousands of innocent and law-abiding people who are mostly women, children the elderly and the sick, not to mention other thousands that are maimed for life.
 
            At this stage of history, the USA needs to have a strong government that is capable of bringing the weapons industry and the military industrial complex fully under control. Such industries could replace their destructive products by constructive ones that may be beneficial to all people from every walk of life and profession both in this nation and overseas. As we learn from history, those nations that relied on anything that was positive and constructive, rather than on the military and wars, have succeeded to grow and flourish visibly well.

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