America Is Not Great

Republicans who support the current occupant of the White House like to use his slogan ‘Make America Great Again.’ 

And now that the 2020 election is upon us, the slogan is ‘Keep America Great’. I have to ask, what exactly has he done to make America great? And what is he doing and what does he plan to do to keep America great?

America is not great when the president* of the United States refuses to deal with a pandemic he was warned about months before he warned the American public. 

America is not great when 30 million people have lost their jobs due to the president's* mishandling of the pandemic. 

America is not great when citizens are forced to stand in line for up to 10 hours in all kinds of weather to cast their votes because rethuglicans have actively engaged in voter suppression by closing polling places in predominantly Democratic areas.

America is not great when schools are forced to close because of the pandemic. 

America is not great when its national debt increases by nearly $7 trillion in less than 4 years.

America is not great when urgently needed assistance is dole out based on the political affiliations of the governors and on whether or not they are "nice" enough to the president.*

America is not great when health care workers caring for Covid patients are unable to obtain the requisite personal protective equipment they need.

America is not great when a large part of the population refuses to accept the guidance of medical and public health experts, instead believing the rantings of someone who has told more than 25,000 lies since taking office.

America is not great when it alienates its strongest allies.

America is not great when its supposed leader mocks and insults its military members, referring to them as "losers and suckers."

America is not great when the president* refuses to listen to the country's military leaders.

America is not great when followers of the cult threaten, attack and insult those who don't share the same beliefs. 

America is not great when the party in power uses every dirty trick it can think of to hold on to its power.

America is not great when we lock immigrant children in cages, deports their parents, and then reports that it cannot find the parents of 545 children. Is this the hallmark of a great country? I think no.

America is not great when the party in power rams through a nomination to the Supreme Court a  week before the election after refusing to consider the nomination to the same court 8 months before the 2016 election.

America is not great when the administration seeks to remove health care from millions of Americans.

America is not great when the president* pledges to decimate the lifelines of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. 

America is not great when the president* believes the word of the country's enemies over the words of its intelligence community.

America is not great when its leader* openly admires and sides with dictators.

America is not great when the US Congress refuses to take up legislation to provide critical funds to those who have lost their jobs and whose businesses are failing due to the pandemic.

America is not great when the administration trashes environmental protections and regulations that protect our water, air and food. 

America is not great when the president* foments violence and embraces anarchists and white supremacists.

America is not great when the country's 'leadership', rather than trying to bring people together, does everything it can to deepen the divide.

America is not a great country at this time in its history. America is the laughingstock of the world. People in other countries pity us. So no, America is not great.

These are not the actions of a great nation.

America can once again become a great country. It won't be easy. It won't be quick. The current administration has done an immense amount of damage to this country. The followers of the cult in power now will not go quietly away when their candidate loses the upcoming election. 

It is up to those who still believe in democracy, equal opportunity and equal justice untdr the law to do all we can to once again make America great.