Inaguration Day

So just to let you know, this will be a rant.

I just watched the Inauguration speech, and I've been reading Facebook all morning.  And since I live in the People's Republic of Connecticut, I've gotten a healthy dose of what has become what I call "the usual" - posts about how deplorable Trump, his appointees are, and such.

So here is my first thing:  One of the posts is from a teacher who is going to be working hard to help those students who are so full of fear because of our new President.  I quickly commented that he needed to get a grip, and he totally misunderstood my meaning.

Let's address this "fear" thing head on.  If there are students and children out there whose teachers and parents are now trying to deal with their children's "fear" then they have no one to blame except one person.  No, it's not Trump.  It's that person that shows up in their mirror every morning.

Kids instinctively know what to fear in their lives.  They are afraid of that dog down the street that constantly barks and bares its teeth.  They are afraid of brussel sprouts.  They are afraid of the bully that steals their lunch money.  When I was a kid, I was afraid of killer bees, and nuclear weapons, and the bully who wanted to steal my lunch money.  Never once did politics make me fearful.

If our kids are afraid of a Trump presidency, it's because we told them to be.  Just like I was afraid of nukes because my dad left civil defense pamphlets lying around in his workshop.  ("if a second nuclear bomb falls, it won't make more destruction, it will only make the impact crater bigger" - WHAT?) So the first thing I want to say to all the teachers and parents (and religious organizations!) is "GET A GRIP"  He's been president for all of 10 minutes.  Tonight he's gonna go to some inauguration balls.  He won't start really doing anything until tomorrow.  And tomorrow is Saturday.  So can we maybe just give him until next Monday before we start judging and fearing him?  And if you are worried about the children, well here's an idea - tell them to suck it up.  This is how our democracy works.  You can still protest.  You can still speak your mind.  You can still worship as you wish.  You still have the right not to incriminate yourself.   You still have everything you used to have - so why are you so afraid?

There are rational fears and irrational fears.  When you are climbing a cliff, it is rational to have a fear of falling.  However, it is irrational to be afraid that books will become sentient and take over the world, as books are inanimate objects.  Now you can argue all you want about Trump's speeches giving you a rational fear.  But your just rationalizing.  Cool your jets.  This isn't the first time we've elected someone unqualified for the office.  The last one was first elected just 8 years ago!

And the latest evidence of your irrational fears?  Well, it is Trump's inauguration speech.  If you didn't like him in the first place and already had begun fearing him, what you heard was a divisive speech about how fearful you should really be, which is more now than before the speech.

If you listened to it with an open mind, what you basically would have heard was this:  Our politicians have failed us, and today we give the power back to the people, and I pledge to do that in the oath I just took.

Trump rightly pointed out that when you chart the government in the US, be it federal, state or local, there is always one box at the very top that has these words in it:  The People.  He is beholden to the people, just as the judiciary is, just as the legislature is.  Not just during the election but ALL THE TIME.  I found that both refreshing and inspiring.  For too long, we've had governments that see the people as serving the government, not the other way around.

Here is an example:  When CT looks at legalizing pot, the questions that come up are things like "How much tax revenue could we get from it?"  Well, that question should be easy - so easy that it need not be asked.  Sales should be subject to the sales tax, and the business that grow and sell it should be subject to the business income tax.  But no.  Immediately our reps start trying to figure out what sort of "sin" tax can we assign to it?  How is that serving the people?  Well, they will say, we can spend the money on new programs!  New programs because we came up with a new source of revenue?  Do we even need the new program?  Shouldn't the default be to leave as much money as possible in our CONSTITUENTS pockets?  Naw, we serve the PEOPLE they say, when they really mean THE PEOPLE SERVE US!

This is why Trump was elected.  There are far too many people in this State that just don't get it.  That's why we're looking at yet ANOTHER tax increase after the last two LARGEST increases in state taxes since Malloy was elected.  Trump is about what the people want, not what the government wants, or the special interest wants, or about what the unions want.  It's anathema to you people.  Always one more deserving program.  Always a few more government jobs.  Always more more more!  It doesn't serve the people - it ENSLAVES them!!!

Okay, so I need to cool MY jets.  Agreed.  But I've had about enough of all the posts about how HORRIBLE Trump is.  Go look for my posts about how horrible Obama was gonna be.  There aren't any.  Because though I had concerns, I never let those elevate to fears.  Sure, he was gonna shove socialized medicine down my throat  (I was happy with my old insurance plan and doctor) but let's wait and see what happened.  And what happened was what I predicted... they didn't understand insurance, so they took away all possibility of staying clear of adverse selection, while making the insurance cheap.  So people didn't sign up until they got sick.  And the system died of its own weight.  Worse still they went to the Supreme Court that decided that THE GOVERNMENT CAN FORCE YOU TO BUY ANYTHING THEY TELL YOU YOU HAVE TO BUY.  All you people outraged by Citizen's United, do you really think that is a bigger deal than giving the government the power to tell you WHAT YOU MUST BUY???  Let me know when the next major US automaker gets into trouble again, and the government tells you that you have to buy a crappy Chrysler minivan!

Disagree with your president?  Sure.  You should when you disagree with him.  Fear him?  No. not until he starts really doing things that should make your fear rational.  And is he your president?  Yes.  Yes he is.  Obama was my president.  Now Trump is YOUR president.

Can't get on board with that?  By all means, sneak across the Canadian border.  Or shut up.  I don't care which one.  But if you can't get on board with Trump being your president, then you are Unamerican and I won't be listening to you any more.