The short answer is we are. We voted those people into office. We continue to vote them in. We continue to do the same dysfunctional things we’ve been doing for the last 1500 years. I’m guessing we’ve done that from the beginning but I’ve only studied the last 1500 years. We’ve been and are being self-destructive. We continue to vote for the same types to lead our country when they continue to work against our best interests?

The 1% continue to rig the game for their benefit and we continue to let them. The 1% created money to represent wealth. The only real wealth is natural resources; in today’s world data-information also qualify. They take these resources, pay a little something for it unless they can steal it, pay slave wages to extract it (Facebook pays nothing), sell it, and then transfer that wealth to themselves away from the locality. That’s the way they’ve always conducted themselves and we allow it. The Walton family (Walmart) increase their wealth by about $100 million a day. That’s your money going out of town away from where it could benefit us and into their bank accounts.

What can be done? There are lots of things but two come immediately to mind. We could change (pretty easy, yeah?). We spend our adolescent lives to trying to be “in-crowd”. That morphs into over-valuing money (power). Our quest for becoming more powerful results in losing our sense of right and wrong. Nothing matters but what’s good for individual wellbeing not the common good. We become bullies, spread lies, cheat in business, etc. and sell influence like Hunter Biden (note that although it’s corrupt it’s legal). The most common attribute of all governments is corruption and we allow it.

Another thing we could do, although this would take lots of political work is to take the money out of elections. Virtually no one but the very rich (i.e. the 1%) can run. If a limit (e.g. $10 million) were put on the amount of money anyone could spend campaigning, then more people could run. Maybe we’d get leadership with different values like adhering to their oath of office and the abiding by the constitution.

Corporate America, and the rest of the 1% voted for this president because it was good for them (e.g. tax reform). Middle America voted for him because they think he represents them, even though he obviously doesn’t. Religious leaders promoted the president because he’s such a big supporter of Christianity. Check!

Religion probably could be a good thing if it wasn’t for the people who represent religion. Should we really seek guidance in our spiritual development (and politics?) from people who sexually abuse children; from people who continue to support racism and/or sexism; people who prefer money and power over the common good?

A female 16-year-old understands the criticality of one of our most pressing issues and has dedicated herself to trying to fix it. Our response is to elect and continue to support a man who not only could care less but does what he can to accelerate the effects. Shame on us.

Jim Guy

Although some doubt the effects of climate change in WV, the data makes it clear that we are at risk for droughts, extreme heat, severe flooding, and damage to our physical and mental health.

One highlight of the September interims was that Delegate Evan Hansen and Speaker Roger Hanshaw began a dialogue with students from WVU on climate change. (See http://www.FrackCheckWV.net).

Barbara Fleischauer, Member
WV House of Delegates
Monongalia County,WV