The simple truth is that the crowded field of Democratic
presidential hopefuls must thin soon. Too many folks are vying for a job that
requires special skills. Not everyone who declares for the presidential race
possesses those skills, nor will he or she be able to pull off a victory or
lead in a way that turns the country from the struggles that it faces.
Too many of the candidates are simply too far left to be
appealing to the country. They can’t be elected because their views are too
alien to the majority of voters. Many people bought into the promises that
candidates made in the last presidential election. They didn’t come to
fruition, and now the country’s survival depends upon voters not making the
same mistake. An adage applies here: “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me
twice, shame on me.”
What makes several Democratic candidates unappealing is
their ideology. It’s every bit as skewed to one side as the stuff that their rivals
spout now. The only difference is that the left is rabid against the rich, the
status quo, and governmental roles. Such inane talking points as taxing those
who make $10 million or more with a 70% rate scare folks. It destroys any
newcomers’ ambitions of being successfully elected.
Free everything doesn’t work either. Oh, it sounds
wonderful, but the sticking point is that the money to pay for such “pie in the
sky” ideas isn’t available. We already have a $21 trillion deficit. How much
more will be added to the national debt by giving away the store? By some
estimates, $32 trillion dollars a year will be needed to fund Medicare for all,
with only a savings of some $20 trillion. We can’t afford the debt we’ve already incurred, and adding such a huge sum will be
oppressive for generations to come.
Some candidates say that free college education for all is
essential. The raw truth is that not everyone wants to go to college. Many
would rather learn a skill that provides a quality life. Someone once stated
that people hold dear those things for which they work. That applies to a college
education. Too many individuals will use free school as “party time” until they
flunk out. With the tidal wave of new students, universities will need even
more money to hire faculty and staff and erect more facilities to meet the
needs of the population. From where do funds for those things come?
Others say that student loans should be forgiven. What kind
of sound economic thinking comes up with that? Sure, it’s easy to just write
off $1.5 trillion in debts. Isn’t that what we do with all our bills? The
average student loan is equal to $37,172. Doing such a ridiculous thing will
bankrupt businesses and displace thousands of employees. Perhaps refinancing
those loans is a necessary solution; however, holding individuals responsible
for the debts they incur is a step in ending the idea that even those who do
nothing get a trophy or the belief that anything that is too hard to achieve
can simply be abandoned.
What this country needs in a contender is a person in the
middle. That means he or she understands what is needed in the country. Yes,
healthcare problems must be addressed before none but the richest are able to
receive quality care. Education is important, but it must be aimed at meeting
the skills, talents, and interests of students. Their investments of time and
money help to ensure that they work hard to learn and complete courses of
study.
Diamond Rio recorded the song “Meet in the Middle.” The
lyrics stated,
“I’d start walking your way; you’d start walking mine. We’d
meet in the middle ‘neath that old Georgia pine. We’d gain a lot of ground
cause we both gave a little. Ain’t no road too long if we meet in the middle.”
In so many vital areas to our country, that sounds like solid
advice for our leaders both now and in the future.
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