The Liberal Lamentations of Kira:The Gluten-Free Bread of the Political Sandwich

In order to fully understand my views, I must first explain my roots.  I grew up in central Wisconsin where classmates of mine were late because they were “pulling tits” (No, not that! Milking cows- get your mind out of the gutter).  I was always a bit loud and often in the front of things.  My political affiliations began to emanate in grade school when I chanted “Smush Bush, More Gore” in a cafeteria full of awkward ten year olds and far conservative teachers.  Believe it or not, I actually had friends.  One, two, skip a few years and I am 18 and graduating from high school, packing my bags, and moving to Chicago to explore and challenge my adulthood, views, and beliefs.  Here I was a student of psychology, marketing, and the pedagogy of life.  My work in student life fostered a multitude of conversations that opened my eyes to other backgrounds, experiences, blessings, and hardships.  This all brought me to where I am today; living in Seattle with my nose in books and research as an industrial organizational psychology doctoral student (I/O Psych studies the world of work). 

Why do I tell you all of this?  Because each one of these experiences has a significant role to my views of politics, this crapshoot that we seem to be stuck in, and the mass amount of potential that exists from which to surge forth.  These challenging experiences, meaningful conversations, and my studies have led to a central thought – when we stop screaming our own beliefs at a volume that could drown out a Bono concert, we can hear whispering pleas for help.

The world is not the same as it was 50 years ago.  We are interconnected on a global scale and must adapt or fall behind.  Let’s make a metaphor out of this, shall we?  Imagine still using a television from 1949.  There are a total of three channels which are in an ever dull gray scale.  And forget about HD, the only way you get a clear picture is if your little brother stands on one foot, touches his nose with his right hand, holds his left arm at a 52 degree angle, and wears a hat made from tinfoil.  Meanwhile, you have a brand new flat screen sitting in its box and covered with dust no more than 5 feet from the entertaining circus going on in your family room.  Silly right?  Exactly my point!  Here we are with ability and availability to move forward.  We can increase the quality of life for American citizens through health care, benefits, fair wages and practices, civil rights, and environmental standards, yet we continue to stand on one foot and wear a tin foil hat, while ignoring the better option just five feet away.  It is time that we open up our eyes and take some responsibility for the hell that is around us and that we often just ignore.  Your neighbor is suffering from hunger.  Your coworker is afraid of losing their benefits and not being able to afford the medication for his wife’s cancer treatment.  Your daughter’s favorite teacher now needs to waitress on the weekend in order to make her rent payments on time.  We complain about our steak being overcooked while a Japanese family waits for their town to be declared an evacuation zone two weeks too late.

 

We must change.  We must adapt.  The potential is here to create massive change and improvements in our lives.  The answer is not Regan-onomics.  Don’t get me wrong, he was a fine actor and a pretty face on a postage stamp, but trickledown economics have about as much of a chance of working as I do of breaking down to “Footloose” with Kevin Bacon.  What is the answer then?  I believe it is through opportunities.  Not just opportunities for the haves, but also for the have-nots.  This includes opportunities in education through well-funded public schools, access to affordable healthcare, and   availability of community programs (e.g., job training).  By addressing the basic needs of our population we are able to build a sturdy base from the ground up.  Stability of the majority creates opportunities for growth, entrepreneurial enterprise, satisfied employees, and a more diverse and wider pool for the next leaders of this country.

   

This is where I will end my introduction.  I am a true liberal.  This does not mean that I sport a donkey tat and throw eggs at the Tea Party (however, I might think about one of those someday) but by true definition of liberal I believe equal rights and liberty.  I believe in moving forward and creating a system of government that provides the best care and practices for its citizens as well as the citizens of the world.  Let’s be what America stands for.  Let’s be a true land of opportunity for all- not just those who look like you, speak like you, believe like you, and write checks like you.  Stop shouting your own nonsense long enough to listen to a softer voice.