I have many Republican and Democratic friends with whom I discuss issues. Most will listen and provide alternative thoughts to mine. I listen to both. If I have an alternate thought, I will provide it. If I change my position, I will let them know. There should be no reason that I would not listen. Both groups have their opinions, and all these people are important. It’s not possible for me to think for them nor to tell them what to believe.
It would be a robotic world if we all thought the same way or believed in the same things. I’m not a fan of robots. A dull and mundane world is not one in which I want to live. That’s not living, that’s just existing. If we are here, in this world, to believe in someone else’s thoughts (it must start somewhere) then leave me out. I would like the freedom to have my own thoughts and be able to express them to those that want to listen. I would like the freedom to protest and march for those things I believe in without anyone trying to block my way or deport me to an unknown location.
The founding fathers of this beautiful country did not want their lives dictated by a King. They wanted religious freedom, not to follow a particular religious belief, but to follow their personal religious belief. And I believe that it wasn’t only freedom to be a Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, Islamist, or any other sect, but also to be anti-religious if that was their view. It shouldn’t be up to us to determine if there is a right religion since most of them have preached similar views or from similar texts. It’s up to us to keep our specific beliefs and morals and abide by them.
In the same way, our founding fathers wanted us to have a country that would not follow a particular person or group of people. Citizens would, instead, individually vote for the person of their choice. That way, those that governed were chosen by the people. Then if they became discouraged with the progress of a particular person(s), they could vote them out at the next election. Through the years there have been changes in term limits for top offices and processes to follow if an elected official fell out of favor with the citizens during their term. But the limitations, for the most part, are for the citizens to uphold.
But unlike the example of religion or individuality, I feel there is one absolute thing that the founding fathers would not want us to give up on nor want changed. That we would stay a democracy (republic) indefinitely. It is my belief that this proposition is being challenged today.
We are all in this together whether we like it or not. Equally, each to each other. No one better than the other. You may not believe this. That’s fine. You may not believe in anything I say. That’s fine, too. I would hope that you would state your own beliefs in an opinion article of your own. This is why we have the word individual. So maybe we can find an issue that we somewhat agree on. Let’s see.
Let’s look at the “Big Beautiful Bill” and see if we can agree on parts of it. I will try to stay out of the details (you can read them yourself at the link: www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1/text) as much as I can.
One of the proposals in it was to lower taxes for both the individual and for businesses. For the most part these are good things for the individual. Yet there are some things that will be limited. “Several of the provisions Trump promised in the campaign would be temporary, lasting roughly through his term in office. The tax breaks for tips, overtime and car loan interest expire at the end of 2028. That’s also the case for a $4,000 increase in the standard deduction for seniors.” Quote found in: apnews.com/article/big-beautiful-bill-trump-tax-cuts-medicaid-00ce1ff8a7b7fea7a894d38398748c6b.
Also, people face additional work requirements to receive food assistance. In the same AP news article linked above, we find; “Republicans also are expanding the work requirements to receive food aid. Under current law, able-bodied adults without dependents must fulfill work requirements until they are 54, and that would change under the bill to age 64.” Also, this quote; “Also, some parents are currently exempt from work requirements until their children are 18; that would change so only those caring for a dependent child under the age of 7 are exempt.” And what about handicapped children?
The same article points out these areas of concern. New work requirements for Medicaid, eliminating taxes on gun silencers, no money for Planned Parenthood, more money for the deportation operation (there are some legal injunctions for what they are doing now), tax on university endowments and overhaul of student loans, and more drilling and mining on public lands. With all these changes, citizens will be less safe, less healthy, less likely to go to college, and experience earlier changes in our climate. The later causing more death and a much higher cost for the events that come.
Through this Big Beautiful Bill, we get some tax breaks for a while, but nothing like the rich will get. But in the current climate, we must remember it not about us. It will cost us more for everyday things. Those people and businesses at the top will continue to make more and more. As John D. Rockefeller said when he was asked “How much is enough?”, he answered “Just a little bit more”. We probably are the richest country in the world. Just not you and me.
