MUSINGS and other writing by Mark Kolke

. . . . . . there is no edge to openness

TODAY'S MUSINGS

ARCHIVED COLUMNS

ARCHIVE SPRING 2023

ARCHIVE WINTER 2022-23

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2022

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2022

ARCHIVE SPRING 2022

ARCHIVE WINTER 2021-22

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2021

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2021

ARCHIVE SPRING 2021

ARCHIVE WINTER 2020-21

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2020

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2020

ARCHIVE SPRING 2020

ARCHIVE WINTER 2019-20

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2019

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2019

ARCHIVE SPRING 2019

ARCHIVE WINTER 2018-19

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2018

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2018

ARCHIVE SPRING 2018

ARCHIVE WINTER 2017-18

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2017

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2017

ARCHIVE SPRING 2017

ARCHIVE WINTER 2016/17

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2016

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2016

ARCHIVE SPRING 2016

ARCHIVE WINTER 2015/16

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2015

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2015

ARCHIVE SPRING 2015

ARCHIVE WINTER 2014/15

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2014

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2014

ARCHIVE SPRING 2014

ARCHIVE WINTER 2013/14

CONTACT

MAKE THAT NARRATIVE GREAT AGAIN

Tuesday July 4, 2017

Happy fourth America!

I don’t think we can compare countries, events or different times in history.

But we can learn from them.

I’m not worried about America.

They are coming off a two-century high, most powerful country in the world, facing 21st century realities that hackers and leakers can bring their system to its knees, that Russian and North Korea and Syria and ISIS have them flummoxed and flustered, that they’ve placed their country’s fate in the hands of a tweet-storming buffoon.

But, America, he’s your buffoon.

Will sanity prevail, will America be great again?

But is that the problem?

I’m just an observer. I don’t appear to have any skin in their game but I do. I’m impacted by America’s actions, policies and economic clout every day. My country trades with them. I buy Canadian, but I buy American too. I visit there. I consume American news media, TV and movies. And magazines and books. And humour, though lately there seems less to laugh about, and more absurdity to observe …

Our American friends celebrate today – their anniversary, their declaration of independence from British rule; from 1776 until now. History with many triumphs, many blemishes – they’ve built a country, currency and economy the world envies. They’ve become the strongest force in the world for many things: democracy, military and economic clout. But once unrivaled power on many fronts have been eroded such that many other countries are more highly regarded in arts, science, humanity and economy management. Environment, manufacturing and trade are issues on which America is taking a back seat to the leadership of others.

And what is the cause of all that?

I could quickly and easily add my voice to those who find Trump contemptable – because he is the worst example of a good example their country has ever put forward to represent them. But is he the problem? Is populism and climate-change denial the problem? Is treatment of others (women, minorities, ‘losers’, media) in ways that would get most people fired or ostracized in their communities or workplaces somehow OK if it’s ‘the president did it’? No. But again, is he the problem. I’ve been following news coverage of the healthcare legislative conundrum war or words and confusion which has both Democrats and Republicans aghast at why Republican controlled congress and White House can’t make some magic. Again I ask, is that the problem?

In terms of Canadian history on health care I was reminded the other day of Medicare as we now know it, in Canada. Saskatchewan Premier Tommy Douglas started it notwithstanding protests by doctors who said they would close their doors rather than comply. Many did. And the government brought in more doctors. In short order other provinces followed and we have that legacy in Canada today, a healthcare system that most countries in the world envy.

So, what’s my point?

I’ve observed the silent ones, the ‘not covered by the media ones’ in America right now are the doctors and HMO’s. They have Republican legislators in a corner at the same time American voters have them cornered in another way – a corner they put themselves in by seven years of promising to ‘repeal and replace’ their Affordable Care Act.

I’ve wondered, what would Tommy do?


SIGN UP get MUSINGS DAILY
For Email Marketing you can trust.

SIGN UP get MUSINGS DAILY
For Email Marketing you can trust.

 

FEEDBACK WELCOME - COMMENTS ↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓ ... please!

 

Thanks for reading. I appreciate feedback, pro and con, and suggestions to help improve this column and this website are always welcomed - usually published the following day under COMMENTS RECEIVED.
 
Please write to me at: kolke@markkolke.com 

~
or, use this form ↓↓↓↓↓

First Name
Last Name
City
Province/State
Country
E-mail Address
Comments
 
Please use this FEEDBACK COMMENT form.
FEEDBACK / COMMENTS
←
 


Link to all my contact coordinates + links

Comments are always welcome - please contribute to the discussion.  

Reply to: kolke@markkolke.com

Copyright - all rights reserved - Mark Kolke, © 2003-2023 - MaxComm Communications

 - this site is updated daily - last update - 2023 / March 27