Did You Know?

Did you know the Republican Party platform used to support expanding and protecting Social Security coverage to more people? Or that they extended the federal minimum wage and supported workers’ right to unionize? That they supported eliminating employment discrimination based on race, creed, color, or national origin? And that they did not use the word “woke” as a negative when they backed these platforms or supported federal assistance programs?

The so-called Republican party has converted to the “MAGA (Republican) party,” which is making cuts in assistance programs and punishes institutions that promote “woke” policies supporting equal treatment and opportunity. As a fiscal conservative on a personal level, I admired the old Republican party for its practical leanings. The “MAGA party” uses balanced budget language as an excuse to cut services for veterans, education, and ordinary working people while giving huge tax breaks to corporations and the wealthy.

Under Trump, the national debt has surged past $40 trillion – yes TRILLION – as a result of the “MAGA party’s” huge tax cuts to the wealthiest people coupled with out-of-control spending. Why do you care? Because the larger the debt, the higher the interest rate our country pays on new debt, the higher mortgage rates get, and the less able we are to afford our own home. Education costs go up, resulting in huge college debts. Inflation grows, and people struggle to get by. At the same time, we worry there won’t be any help from our current government if the next hurricane or wildfire or economic downturn leaves us with nothing. It’s sad we can’t count on this iteration of the Republican party.

We can stop the downhill slide and begin to rebuild a government that works for the people by voting for Democrats in every race on the ballot.

Marian Hill