Towards the end of the debate, I realized that most of the issues discussed are not new to Americans. The difficulties people are having with these routine parts of life are what’s new.
In past decades American families were not haunted by healthcare concerns. People got started with minimum wage jobs and worked their way up. In the 80s, renting an apartment was a routine thing and did not break the bank. Light bulbs, appliances and auto parts were once made in places like Indiana, Ohio and Michigan. Buying a tank of gas was not a big deal. People were not haunted by student loan debt.
The Cold War ended in 1991. There was a time in the 1980s when the US Armed Forces (no recruiting crisis) were strong and ready and also on the back burner.
At one time, the National Guard was thought of as one weekend a month and two weeks in the summer, plus a way to support your home state by being ready to get called out for floods, fires, natural disasters, civil unrest, etc. Maybe a way to help the next state over if they needed it. At one time, the National Guard was not doing 12 month tours in Iraq, Afghanistan or Africa.
National Guard
These are the people who need to maintain a place to live and a regular job in their hometown area when they are not doing time in foreign lands helping DOD with undeclared/unwon wars and missions completely unrelated to their home state.
The people of Alaska need services in the Middle East
During the Vietnam War, US troops were sent to Vietnam.
Today, the Ohio National Guard is sent to “support Operation Spartan Shield and Operation Inherent Resolve.”
Immigration and the US Border Patrol are not new to Americans and have been in place for decades. Enhanced/REAL ID, and a giant US Dept. of Homeland Security (created after the catastrophic failure of 911) are new, along with no shortage of cartel product anywhere in the US and fentanyl addicts camping on the sidewalk in major cities.
Welcome Home Troops
Guns were common in the 60s and 70s, mass casualty school shootings were not.
Both major parties have taken turns in power over the past 45 years or so. For sure, there is a chunk of public policy that has become worse, not better.
I would have loved to see the moderators ask questions on how both major parties have taken turns in power/had their hands on the wheel as things went downhill after putting a Man on the Moon in 1969.
Both major parties will tell us The Troops are in distant lands fighting for our freedoms. Back home, governments at various levels are now in the habit of setting deadlines for new restrictions, bans and mandates for various formerly routine consumer products.
Alternative media provides an update on the banning of gas powered outdoor equipment:
Possibly of interest:
At one time, cars were more simple inside and out. Trucks were more like utility vehicles:
The Old Days – People Would Exchange A Wave
Old Man Blog category:
Thoughts on changes in American culture relating to those born roughly in the late 50s & early 60s.
Original Old Man Blog here: https://oldmanblogdotcom.wordpress.com
New updates here: https://oakbaystarfish.com/category/old-man-blog/