America’s losing out

What induced the voters last November to elect right-wing ideologues that changed the character of the U. S. House of Representatives to resemble a mental health halfway house more than a deliberative body, concerned with the welfare of the American people?

They engage their fantasies of “bringing America back to the American people” by voting to eliminate federal funding for vital reproductive health care for women and public broadcasting, severely limiting funding for the EPA to protect air and water quality, preserving tax breaks for the superwealthy and trillion-dollar military spending.

Self-styled political sages Drew Westen (“The Political Mind”) and George Lakoff (“The Political Brain”) contend the Republicans have become the dominant party because they realize the American people are governed by emotion, rather than cool-headed reason.

Through well-crafted, lavishly funded messaging – thanks to the Supreme Court – candidates can be marketed to the public as effectively as breakfast cereal.

Instead of intelligently dealing with the forces in our culture that diminish our ability to make independent, thoughtful decisions. we dump global warming, diminishing energy supply, an inequitable economic system and militarism of our society on our youth to deal with.

Buell Hollister

Spokane