Daddy had several thoughts about the federal government. He believed that any benefit that it granted should be taken as soon as it was available, as the government might change its mind at any time. That said, he advised me to have as little to do with it as I could reasonably and legally manage.
Taxes were to be minimized to the extent allowed by law and were then to be paid without complaint, as they were the fee that came with being a citizen of the United States. Voting was not a privilege to be exercised at whim; it was a responsibility, an obligation to be met. Those who did not vote had no cause to complain. I think he was right on all counts.
On the subject of voting, I can remember back when folks would go to the polls, vote for their candidates on whatever basis they had chosen, and then get back to the national pastime of complaining about elected officials and career politicians almost before the results were even known. Unlike what happens far too often today, any such person would not be exempt from criticism by the very folks who had voted for him in the first place. (This was back when having a woman on the ballot was something of an anomaly.) The complaint would come forth in a full-throated fashion, followed by the acknowledgement that “I even voted for that son of a gun.” How times have changed.
I did a rather personal review of my own voting and complaining habits over the course of my adult life and was somewhat surprised to realize how seldom I actually voted in presidential elections for a candidate about whom I had little or no reservations. Between you and me, it was more often than not.
The reservations were around things like trustworthiness, inexperience and competency to make quality decisions. When my choice ended up winning, those very reservations were usually at the heart of every criticism I had for the man once he became president.
You heard that right. It may seem a bit like cognitive dissonance, but one can and should complain about whoever is in The Oval Office, even if one voted for him (and perhaps her, at some point in the future), just like a lot of folks used to do.
Of course, criticizing elected officials whom one did not vote for is usually far more satisfying, as there is no touch of mea culpa about such complaints. Since I’ve tried to do a better than average job of keeping up with current events and politics from an early age, my review reminded me that I have criticized every man who has been President in my adult lifetime (and even some from before), most of the governors, senators and members of Congress and the state legislature, not to mention local officials at the municipal and county level.
Yes, I’ve bitched at all levels, about Democrats and Republicans, those I voted for and those I didn’t. In fact, I tend to be a tad harder on those I voted for and won. Don’t make me sorry I voted for you. I just hate when I have to finish criticizing someone by saying, “I even voted for the sumbitch.” How times have changed.
It seems to me that some folks don’t complain enough. Well, they complain plenty to be sure, but not about the things that matter. It might make a difference if more people would respond to what’s happening in Washington or in their state governments with the same level of frustration as they express when their flights are delayed.
I just checked the television to see what is going on with this Iran situation that is hanging over our heads. The chyron reads, “Trump to decide on action in Iran ‘within two weeks’.” This, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline “Why the K?” Leavitt. Whether he is teasing out his decision is unknown. But what is known is how difficult it will be for Trump to tease out an action that will satisfy both his isolationist supporters and the MAGA hawks.
Many of those who do not support Trump will complain about whatever he does. Many of those who do support him will agree with whatever he does. Some in both camps will be anxious about what fresh hell could be waiting for us around the corner, depending on what he does or does not do. Then there will be those who will be complaining about the length of the line at the Starbucks drive-through.
Living in America can be great, while living with America can be a bit less. But when America is living through something hard, now that is the real challenge.
