There are more Republicans running for their party’s nomination for president than Carter has liver pills, to coin an old, old phrase. When it comes to many of the things that most Americans seem to agree on they are all as silent as a church mouse. Oh, they’re talking alright, but it’s not what they are saying that you need to pay attention to; it’s what they are not saying.
All are saying they would not increase the minimum wage, not even a little bit, let alone raising it to $15 an hour. Every Democrat candidate has openly called for an increase with Sen. Bernie Sanders supporting a $15 minimum wage. Can you imagine the stimulus to the economy if workers, now earning the current minimum wage, were given an increase to $15 an hour? They would spend the increase on much needed goods. Everyone would benefit and the economy would boom.
For years we have waited to hear the Republicans propose a health plan to replace the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare, which they love to hate, and have continually tried to repeal. So, what are the Republican candidates proposing? Beats the hell out of me. Is Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump supporting a one-payer system for all, such as Medicare, as he once advocated? Seems not. Just what would they do? Who knows. It’s what they’re not saying to which you had better pay attention. All Democrats seeking their party’s nomination support the Affordable Care Act, and would improve and expand it if elected. Just ask them, they’ll tell you.
Is there any Republican candidate who supports equal pay for women doing the same work as men? If there is such an animal they haven’t said so. The Republicans in Congress even voted against a woman’s right to information that would allow her to be aware of such discrimination. It seems every Republican candidate would continue the treating women as subservient to men as once advocated by the late Rev. Jerry Farwell.
Recently Hillary Clinton correctly, although controversially, compared the Republican’s attitude toward women with that of the extremists in the Middle East.
If they could, it seems every Republican candidate would repeal Roe vs. Wade, making all abortions illegal. It would be back to the unsafe “back alley” abortions of the past. Trump, who once supported even controversial partial birth abortions, has now flip-flopped.
In contrast all Democrats seeking their party’s nomination are for equal pay for equal work and a woman’s right to choose. They support Planned Parenthood, free clinics for women and affordable health insurance. They would end the war that the Republicans have been waging against women’s rights for decades. Would the Republican candidates end this war? If so, they haven’t said so. As a matter of fact, they even deny it’s happening.
If you listen closely you might hear a couple Republican candidates acknowledging the injustice in our system of justice. There is one system for whites and one system for minorities. The difference at times means death. While a couple Republican candidates, such as Rand Paul, talk of this discrimination, I have yet to hear them articulate a comprehensive plan to correct the problem. Democrat candidates are calling for a drastic overhaul of the system from local police all the way up to the Department of Justice.
Have you heard any Republican candidate for president outlining their plans for cleaning up the air and water, and protecting the eccosystem in this country? Bet not. It’s another one of those things they aren’t talking about. Beware, the Republicans have never been strong on protecting our environment. If given a chance they would eliminate the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which Nixon created, build the Keystone Pipeline, and drill baby drill in the ocean along every coastline and in wildlife protected areas.
The Democrats oppose the Keystone Pipeline, and the expansion of oil drilling where we should not drill. Hillary Clinton recently broke with President Obama when she opposed expanding drilling in the Arctic.
So what are the Republicans talking about? They’re against the diplomatic solution to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear bomb. They evidently would go to war and bomb, bomb, bomb Iran. Saber rattling, that’s what you hear from the Republicans the most.
Do you hear them talk about ending poverty? That’ll be the day. They talk about their dislike for Common Core and eliminating the Department of Education but offer nothing new to correct an education system which demands far too little from its students.
It’s another one of those things. It‘s what they don‘t say that you should worry about.
Silence isn’t always golden.
Glen McAdoo, a Fallon resident, can be contacted at glynn@phonewave.net.