An Underclass View of American Voters 2008-2016
Political View from the Underclass
An Underclass View of American Voters 2008 - 2016
The Recession of 2008 and the election of Barack H. Obama brought about a mental and spiritual war for the hearts and minds of “we the people”. Since then we the people and what was once ours have suffered and lost plenty. There are people on welfare and food stamps today that never in their lives ever thought they would need public assistance. In 2008 The New President was handed a Recession before he took Office. The banks slowed to an almost stop in public lending after being bailed out by The Bush Administration before turning over The White House. Many of us, the people, lost retirement funds, stocks and options but there were no public or underclass bail outs. There were no calls from the Senate or the House to hold up the decision to bail out Wall Street until The New President took Office. The Decider had made the decision and he was The Commander and Chief. He once declared himself “The Decider” on National television. The New President wanted to spend his way out of the recession like FDR who said to the people, “There is nothing to fear but fear itself”. The President pushed for financial reform, health care reform and as much stimulus money as he could get while dealing with The Birther Issue. His time to be President ran out after the 2010 midterms when the House and Senate Majorities were won by Tea Party Republicans. The first National Crisis used to promote fear in the hearts and minds of the American people was THE DEBT CRISIS! The new Senate leader declared that his number one priority was to make Obama a one term President. The new House leader called for ECONOMIC AUSTERITY because after fighting two wars on a credit card from China and bailing out Wall Street they had raised the National Debt. The new President’s credit cards were canceled two years into his Presidency when the Tea Party came to Washington. The fight against paying taxes to The American Government, just as the Boston Tea Party was about paying taxes to England, is déjà vu all over again. Even before Capitalist got the name Capitalist they’ve hated paying taxes and public charities. The Tea party Republicans fought the President and denied the President any tax revenue by refusing to bring to the floor of the House or Senate any repeal or replacement of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (The Bush Tax Cuts). The President had no credit cards, as did Bush, and no tax revenue for job creation as FDR had during The Great Depression. The Republicans claimed their insistence on no new tax revenue for the President was to protect the income of America’s Job Creators so they will be able to create jobs after Obama is replaced in the 2012 elections. So “we the people” waited with baited breath and the kind of fear FDR warned the American people about. At that time 4 years wasn’t enough time for we the people to forget what the Republicans did when they had the White House. The loss of good paying jobs, the rise in Unemployment, people needing government assistance, racism, world terrorism, and any and all things wrong with America was blamed on Obama. Then he was reelected and more White Folks voted for him than Black Folks, both times. I mentioned race here because there is a Black Family occupying The White House. Never before has a White Man or a man that looks white ever been denied the Presidency of The United States for 8 years by a BLACK President and Family. That’s a bitter pill, I think, for about a third of white males and the people in their sphere of influence. Many voters wonder what the forefathers who looked like a white man only gathering in photographs were thinking to exclude minorities and women in such empowering documents. Women and men of color were not included when they wrote “All Men are created equal”, at that time too many men of color were not treated equally in America. Today the struggle for equality continues. Most of the forefathers of most American voters in 2016 immigrated to America as did the fathers of Bernie Sanders, Barack Obama, and Ted Cruz; their fathers migrated from other Countries to America. They have no relationship to the so called Forefathers of the United States.
Now its 2016 and after Almost six years of relentless, ruthless, unprecedented obstruction and disrespectfulness for The Executive Branch of the American Government, The Presidency of The United States has lost its honor. There were 17 Republican candidates running for the office of President. There were 2 Democrats and an Independent running to replace President Obama. Why only 2 Democrats?; A male and a female. I think it is based on fear in the hearts and minds of Democrats being labeled liberal or liberal lovers. The Tea Party Republicans along with political organizations like ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council), placed fear in the hearts of Republicans and Democrats. ALEC has and had the organization, money, and power to take away a state or federal law maker’s career for embracing or shaking the hand of President Obama or appearing too liberal. Democratic male and female, federal and state law makers are so afraid of the word Liberal that they are trying to find a new word and identity, the new word is, Progressives. Conservatives have succeeded at tainting the liberal flag while allowing the Tea Party to burn the conservative flag. There are only 3 male Republicans still in the Race for President. On the Democratic side there is 1 male Independent and 1 female Democrat still in the race for President. The front runner for the Republican Conservatives is Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton has the lead over Bernie Sanders in the Democratic race for the Presidency. Donald Trump calls the second place republican candidate Lying Ted. John Kasich is being ignored by the front runner and is being asked to fall on his own sword by Ted Cruz. John Kasich’s only hope of winning is to appear sane and hope for a brokered convention but, he wouldn’t pass the “conservative test” and be declared too liberal. Lying Ted is a lawyer by trade and his stump speeches all sound like closing arguments to persuade voters that what he says is what he think and they can trust his words are sincere. I can’t see voters who lived through the obstruction of The Obama Presidency believing him when he say the things he says about the things he will do on day one if the people vote him into the Presidency. Senator Cruz said the first five things he would do if elected President would be: 1. First he will rescind every illegal and unconstitutional executive order made by President Obama. 2. He said, next he intends to instruct the justice department to open an investigation on Planned Parenthood videos. 3. Next he would direct the DOJ and the IRS to put an end to the persecution of religious liberty. 4. and 5. He then plans to cancel the Iran deal and move the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. “I will keep my word he said, I will defend liberty because my family knows what it’s like to lose it”. I think what he said he will do is Hogwash for those who have not paid attention to what happened to the Presidency of America the last seven years. The President can be hog tied by the Senate and the House and Executive orders will be all he can do besides eating green eggs and ham. After all Cruz is just another minority blocking that one third of White Males from getting their country and the White House back and it seems nobody likes Cruz but hard core Conservatives. Thank God for the other two thirds of White male voters who aren’t Anglo Saxon Protestant and came from places in the world where their forefathers never owned slaves. Donald Trump doesn’t really want to be President; I believe he just wanted to run for President to see how far he could go in the process. He picked the time when The Republican Party gave control of their party to the Tea Party to kill Obama’s Presidency but they became victims of their own devices. Donald Trump is The Great White Hope. If he or John Kasich can’t win the presidency it is a great possibility that the White House will have a Brown Male or White Woman for the next eight years. That means it will be 16 years without a White Male President in The White House, another bitter pill.
The Obama Presidency was a good thing for America. His Election was hailed worldwide even in Europe, everywhere but America, he is respected. The World knows what he accomplished in spite of conservative obstruction. Now it is time for the first woman President of the United States of America. She just happen to be a White Woman and her name is Hillary Clinton, yes another hard pill to swallow and bitter for a third or more male voters of all strips. We men must admit anger and hate is insanity and evil. There is a time for hormones to lead and testosterones to follow especially if she knows the way. Men get lost sometimes for too long. Political Rhetoric is all over the TV, internet, newspapers, cell phones, 24/ 7 political news just like you want it, all calculated to confuse “we the people” about what really matters politically. The best candidate for “we the people” started her career as a lawyer for we the people who needed but couldn’t afford a lawyer. She’s always been people oriented. Her name is not Bill Clinton and she has always had good morals. She isn’t new to it she is true to it; she and Bernie both have that in common. The two Democrats care about “we the people” and either one would be better for the American people of any and all political parties, than Donald or Ted. Bernie Sanders know now, and knew from the start, that Hillary was the most qualified candidate of the 17 GOP candidates and 2 Democrats. The whole wide world knows that she is the best candidate. If the world sees that an incoherent reality TV star, or a hawk, lawyer, and senate bully with no friends in the house or senate was voted President rather than Hillary, The Free World would be in moaning. Don’t sweat that, it will never happen unless, “we the people” that elected and reelected President Obama can’t or won’t vote in November. The vote of the people is all they have to bring about political change in America and in the World. Life in America is absolutely political. So vote like your life and the lives of those you love depends on your vote, because it does this go round.
junko
Comments
Pardon, Junko...I should have been more specific about my voting practices. I vote in local elections and regional elections only. And unfortunately, until there is a viable presidential candidate...thats willing to address the plight of Blacks in Urban America, one that reaches out to us with real solutions, and a decent track record of civil right policy initiatives....Let it do what do. I am a socialist...and I have out grown neoliberalism platforms and the abhor neoconservatives agenda.
Couz, whether Dems or Repug....its the SOS. Different sides of a wooden nickel given to the American people. What America needs is other party affiliations at the ballot box. Until a presidency candidate put reparations on the table as serious dialogue...I ain't voting for none of them no more. Most people don't want change anyway..they just want a better spot in the soup line. Smh.
I voted early, and I'm glad to see Hillary ahead in the polls. I will miss President Obama and his family, they will go down in history as a class act who never wavered from wanting the best for all people all over the world...
Gosh, Junko, I remember writing political hubs and having them hijacked. It can be so frustrating!!! I started letting people make their comments but not responding. I knew some people would never listen and it was pointless to ask them to attempt to see my POV. Anyway, it is good to read your perspective and expand my understanding.
My family did not own slaves, though we are white Norwegians. Still, we are lumped together with everyone else. We did take advantage of what America had to offer when we immigrated in the late 1800s.
Thought I would stop by and say Hello! Nice to visit old friends!
Junko,
I took the time to re-read your hub and my opinion has not changed. I’m sorry you took my comments as disrespectful but it was not my intent. I am, in my frustration, trying to shake you out of your comfort zone. I am showing you that you’ve been lied to all these years. The proof is in the results or lack there of. After 50 years of Democratic control of Congress for the most part, things have gotten worst. Yet, they ask for your vote year after year. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.
Since you created this hub, what do you want to happen? Do you even know?
I have conversations with some of my black colleagues and the same thing happens. The minute I tried to offer a solution, they bring up the color of their skin and claim I have no clue about their experience and therefore reject my offer to help.
I am not politically correct in my approach. I say what is on my mind and offer my opinion. I often give the same advice to all races regardless of their background. My conservative solutions are good for all. The advice is free and you can take it or leave it.
Since you say you don’t want to read my other hubs, I will summarize it here.
1. Be self reliant, don’t expect or rely on government, they will disappoint you everytime.
2. Stay in school and get an education.
3. Don’t do drugs.
4. Look to good role models and imitate their success.
5. Get a job, even entry level jobs are better than staying home. It is good training for future career.
6. Don’t resist if stopped by police. Sort out any miss understanding at the precinct.
7. Attend church services regularly.
8. Don’t get pregnant and have kids before you are ready.
9. Stay close to your family and extended family.
10. Keep a sense of community and watch out for each other.
11. Study our country’s history and read the Constitution and learn your rights…
Take care and good luck with your future.
junko, the problem is you haven't been paying attention. I am not for the Republican party. If you follow what I've written here on HP, I am a proud conservative and the GOP is not conservative and it hasn't been for a very long time. In this up coming election, I am not voting for either candidate because they are both flawed for different reasons as I explained in a recent hub. If you think discussion is a waste of time, fine by me. I am going to work towards solutions and not bitch and complain and play a victim. Our youths deserve better. Take care.
Why? What has the last 7.5 years done for the blacks and working class people? What did Hillary told Goldman Sachs in those speeches that paid her $300k...? How has race relations deteriorated under the first Black President? How has food stamps rise to the hightest percent in our nation's history? How has the Clinton Foundation raised hundred of millons of donations from foreign nations and yet only gave 10% to the people they supposedly help? You need to open your eyes and see what is happening. Your best friend is the Constitution and limited government. You will reach your potential when you are free from the government regulations that they impose on all of us.
I really don't think any person that sat in that President seat had a perfect term of fixing everything. That said, I think President Obama has achieved a great deal of things while in office not to mention being brave enough to send in our troops to take out our number-one threat in terrorism; Osama Bin Laden, and people still try to call him a terrorist loving Muslim! Whaaaat?! It is not his fault that other terrorists such as ISIL has reared their ugly heads in defense; it was probably inevitable. It's an ongoing fight with terrorism, and I can't remember when it wasn't.
I would have loved to see Bernie Sanders get the nomination. However, we will have to accept Hillary or just continue to wallow over the loss of our one candidate who could have made the most impact for a better America. Well, at least in my eyes and heart. I can say, at least Hillary has credentials to do the job decent, and that's all we can hope for at this point, if "The Donald" wins we have no hope at all.
I really liked Barack Obama, and if truth be told, I wish he could serve another term. Thanks for the interesting political view, Junko. :)
Junko, why do you want to take this tack? I thought we were going to have a civil conversation. Instead, just bitching about your plight is not going to solve anything. Meanwhile, I am proposing conservative solutions. These solutions are not meant for me, since I am retired. I am trying to help the next generation of Americans. Peace.
Junko, I do hear you but the problem is what do you propose to fix this going forward? I knew the slaves were the underclass and they start out life disadvantaged. That was over 150 years ago. Since then, there were many progress made such as the civil rights movement of Dr. king. What in specific do you propose as a government policy to help the underclass?
I am open to suggestions. As I said in many of my hubs, I want solutions that work and I don't care where they come from. If as a liberal democrat, you have a good answer, I want to hear it and debate it. I hope you are also open to my ideas which is conservative but I believe will help. Not only the underclass but every class. That is my goal, to have a solution that is good for all and color blind.
Very interesting views of the last 8 years. I don't see it quite that way through a race based lens. The question to ask is would a Hillary or Bill Clinton Administration, pushing the same agenda and policies of President Obama, be met with the same level of objections and obstructions?
My answer to that is unequivocally Yes. It is the progressive policies both economic and social that has brought America down. As I commented in other related topic, President Obama, being the first black President, could have done so much to advance race relations and yet he chose the opposite. The missed opportunities...
Junko this is a very good article and reminder of the political facts of the last 8 years. Thank you for caring enough to write this insightful interesting article.
Well written Junko...great facts....i enjoyed reading very much!
It is good to revisit this hub and see that you are receiving a good response from people who want the very best for our nation. Of course I'll be voting for Hillary, but I liked Bernie too. He had some great ideas. He is not throwing in the towel just yet. Who knows, anything can happen? Keep writing from your heart and we'll listen, God's speed...
Junko,
Thank you for the well written article. Your statements are "spot on". I now clearly understand what is taking place. My confidence in the person who has my vote has also increased. Thanks again!
Good article junko, I 've read many of your "Views from the Underclass" and have found them to be interesting and informative. Your hubs speak with must clarity and has often given me answers to situations that I did not quite understand. This race for the presidency has been stressful to think that we could have Donald Trump as president! Democrats need to vote like never before, our lives depend on it in so many ways. Continue your writings junko you are an inspiration to hope. Thanks
I really got an understanding from this article that I didn' t have before I read what Junko has written here. This was worth the time.
Junko you've made valid points some are dead on.. and you do leave some room for arguments.. wiggle room, but room nonetheless.. awesome political hub my friend :)
As always, a painstakingly written article, rich in content and details, and spot-on as far the obstructionism in the last eight years, and the President being well respected outside the USA. I'm not sure whether to agree that the 17 Republican candidates and a few Democratic candidates is a negative reflection on the Democrats - I think it shows far more convergence on the objectives that bind the party together than the Republicans, who seem to be getting even more divided by the day. I don't believe that Hilary Clinton committed any wrongdoing in the Bengazi incident nor has she broken any law by using a private email server ( however ill-conceived it might have been). The Democrats must come out and vote in large numbers in November, not just to secure the Presidency, but the Senate and perhaps the House as well. A well written Hub.
Your account of the last eight years is right-on. President Obama has accomplished so much even though his hands were tied. He is respected around the world, yet he is still fighting to be heard in Washington. Hillary got my vote here in Ill. last Tuesday and she will get my vote in the general election. America is changing. The people are demanding to be heard. When Brussels was bombed this week, I became fearful and thought that perhaps we needed Trump's attack ideas, and I wrote a piece concerning my thoughts. I have since realized that I wrote in fear and know that Trump is too radical. So, go Hillary and the fact that she is married to a man who had flaws, but served our country well. I remember well when we had some pocket change when he left office. A well written hub. Thank you..
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