I hear one question asked all the time. What is wrong with America? There are a few things that could answer this question depending on how you feel politically. But there is one thing that is wrong with this country that is dividing people from dining room tables to the halls of the Capitol.
Everybody has their own way of thinking. We all come from different backgrounds and have different perspectives on many different issues. Unfortunately nowadays, these different perspectives and ideas have been weaponized against us.
For years, these battles have been over big, opposing ideas like the pro-life/pro-choice debate. And even though that idea is so different, the two sides have always been able to at least have a civil conversation about the issue. One side would present their case, the other would then present theirs, and logical debate could be had.
As you can see, those days are behind us. Now even the slightest differences in opinions devolve into full on bloodbaths. People throw insults back and forth like 3rd graders because someone thinks mandating a human put a piece of cloth over their mouth is a not so good idea.
You even see it on the national stage. For a while, we’ve heard about this Build Back Better Plan on the news. I don’t know a thing about it, nor do I honestly care. I’ve heard people saying it’ll cost incredible amounts of money to pull off.
I did a quick Google search about this thing. Apparently, President Biden came up with this plan that includes a lot of left-wing social spending ideas. Some things in there include paid leave programs (which I know nothing about) and universal preschool for everyone. Like any other person, I saw all this stuff and wondered, how much is this going to cost?
Well, cutting out the political bologna, I found estimates for the cost of the plan between $2 trillion and $5 trillion. Not sure about you, but that seems like a lot of money. Well, this big money bill passed the House of Representatives and was in the Senate for debate. Fine, that’s how this thing works.
Anyway, last night Democratic Senator Joe Manchin from West Virginia said on Fox News that he would vote “no” for the bill. In reference to the bill Manchin said, "I cannot vote to continue with this piece of legislation. I just can't. I've tried everything humanly possible. I can't get there," He also added concerns about the record inflation occurring in the country and how the bill might impact that.
Quite honestly, this kind of comment was encouraging to hear from a politician. Usually they are more than happy to spend our money with no regard for us. He didn’t kill the idea of the bill, he basically said it isn’t the right time because of the financial situation. As anyone who has ever been in a tough financial situation knows, spending a lot of money never helps that problem.
Well, Senator Manchin went against how his political party wanted him to vote. And they let him hear it. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Democratic Representative from New York had this to say about him on “Morning Joe,” "It's a farce in terms of plain democracy…" AOC’s fellow congresswoman Ilhan Omar had this to say on Twitter, “Let’s be clear: Manchin’s excuse is bullshit…” She also went on to say that both of their constituents would “benefit” from the bill.
This reaction is exactly what I’m talking about. All of these politicians are Democrats and essentially on the same team. Instead of seeing Manchin’s side of the argument, AOC and Omar accuse him of being a “farce” and call his rationale “bullshit.” These kinds of insults get their cause nowhere. It just creates a bigger divide between people.
It is simple psychology, if you insult someone for going slightly against your ideas, then they are less likely to go for your next idea. Maybe they should’ve asked Manchin for a more detailed explanation of why he will be voting against it. Then work to make the bill work for both of your causes. That’s how this system is supposed to work.
This goes both ways. I’m sure some left-wing BO Blog fan will comment on this telling me of a time when a Republican did the same thing. Save your time. I know it happens all the time. That is the real problem.
You see it in normal people’s lives as well. I’ve met people who refuse to talk to former friends and family members for their particular stance on issues. I know a person who doesn’t talk to his own father because he voted for a previous President.
This shit is honestly embarrassing. People can’t just have a difference of opinion without devolving into elementary school shenanigans. Just like I’m sure AOC and Ilhan Omar will tell all their friends in the Senate not to sit with Joe Manchin at lunch. As an elementary school teacher, I see it every single day. The way to deal with these issues is to just tell these children to deal with their differences and work it out.
There’s something I say all the time at school when kids have some kind of a conflict. All the kids come to me saying, “They did this, they did that.” I always respond with, “Well, what did you do after?” They then say, “But they…” That is exactly what is going on here. The reaction to an issue is always what keeps the incident going. AOC, Omar and their friends will learn that shortly. Their negative response isn’t scoring them any points, and you can bet Joe Manchin won’t support their next endeavor.