The Movie We Are Watching in Real Time

I feel like I am watching a movie where I know the ending. My thoughts on yesterday’s election results I watched last night’s election results and couldn’t help thinking that we’re witnessing something much bigger than Republicans losing seats or Democrats winning them. We’re watching a change in the political direction of this country that would have been hard to imagine when I was growing up. And here’s the part that might surprise some of my Republican friends. I believe Donald Trump deserves a good deal of the blame.Five more candidates backed by the Democratic Socialists of America won seats in Congress, bringing their expected total to seven. And that’s only part of the picture. The Congressional Progressive Caucus has nearly 100 members, many supporting policies far to the left of what the Democratic Party stood for years ago. I’m not saying they’re all socialists, because they’re not. But let’s not kid ourselves. This isn’t some little shift in American politics. We’re watching ideas that were once considered radical become part of everyday political discussion.Now, I’ve supported many of Trump’s policies and recognize the successes of his administration. But I’ve never supported many of the ridiculous things he’s said over the years. The insults, the unnecessary controversies, and his constant need to make everything about himself have driven away people who might otherwise support him.I think I understand why he’s like that. Deep down inside, Trump is still a CEO, not a politician. He spent his life being the boss, making the decisions, and answering to very few people. Add what I see as his narcissistic tendencies, his need for praise, and his inability to take criticism, and you’ve got Donald Trump.I’ve known people like that in business. Early in my career, when I was a regional sales manager for DORCY International, I worked in New York City under someone who was exactly like Trump. Everything revolved around the boss, and his way was the only way. I know that personality firsthand.I understand why people wanted a businessman instead of another career politician. I’ve always believed government could use more business sense myself. But we’re a democracy, not a dictatorship. You can’t run the country like you own the company. You have to work with people, compromise, and sometimes know when to keep your mouth shut.And when families are struggling with grocery bills, housing costs, and everything else, the last thing they want to hear is that affordability is a hoax. That’s how you lose people who might otherwise agree with you. Sometimes I think Donald Trump’s biggest political enemy isn’t the Democratic Party. It’s Donald Trump himself.But Trump is only part of the problem. What concerns me even more is how comfortable we’re becoming with depending on government to solve our problems.Don’t misunderstand me. I’ve always believed we should help people who genuinely need help. But there’s a big difference between giving someone a helping hand and creating a system where depending on government becomes more rewarding than standing on your own two feet.My wife and I worked multiple jobs to get ahead. I was laid off twice during my career and qualified for unemployment both times, but chose not to collect it. That’s how I was raised. During my years in retail management, I can’t tell you how many employees told me they couldn’t work additional hours because they’d lose their benefits. Think about that. We created a system where people could actually be penalized for trying to earn more money. I don’t blame those employees. I blame the system.And here’s where I believe we’re headed for trouble. Once enough people depend on government benefits and subsidies, who’s going to vote to give them up? And what politician is going to risk losing an election by taking them away? That’s how government keeps growing, one program, one promise, and one election at a time.For many of my wealthy friends, last night’s election probably won’t change much in their everyday lives. They can afford to pay a little more in taxes, hire someone to deal with another pile of government regulations, or jump through a few more hoops to get a permit. Even if they lose some of the freedoms they’ve always enjoyed, they have the money and resources to work around many of those inconveniences. Their kids and grandkids will still attend private schools. Inflation and paying one or even two dollars more for gas won’t change what the drive. They will still own their second home. Most importantly they with receive their health care through a Direct Pay Primary Care (DPC) or a concierge doctor. But what about the average working family? The young couple trying to buy their first home? The small businessman trying to make a living? They don’t have the luxury of simply writing another check every time government makes their lives more complicated or expensive.And that’s what bothers me. The people who can least afford these changes may be the ones who feel them the most. Money can buy you a lot of things, but it shouldn’t determine how much freedom or opportunity you get to enjoy in this country.So to everyone who voted for change because you don’t like Trump, or because of one or two issues, I hope you’ll consider the bigger picture. You may dislike the man, but the direction of the country is something we’re all going to have to live with long after he’s gone and he will be gone in two short years. I’ve lived long enough to remember an America where independence, personal responsibility, and hard work were things we took enormous pride in. I’m grateful I got to experience that, but I worry about what we’re leaving our kids and grandkids.Look at what happened in Venezuela, a once-prosperous South American country where economic collapse and authoritarian government destroyed so much of what people had. I’m not saying that’s where America is headed tomorrow, but history gives us plenty of reasons not to take our freedom for granted.My biggest fear isn’t what happened in one election. It’s that someday we’ll wake up and realize how much independence we’ve handed over to government, and by then, getting it back may be a whole lot harder than giving it away.And that’s how a country can change, one election at a time. What’s a book or movie that genuinely scared you?

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