Can the Federal Government find political balance?
Posted By RichC on January 26, 2017
My answer: Rarely does the pendulum find the middle.
Neither the fiscal or social policy balancing coming from Washington DC makes much sense to me. There have to be moderates who see validity in each others positions? Rather than the black and white collisions between the liberal Democrats and the conservative Republicans’ points of view, there has to be someone willing to work on the issues that we all want addressed.
Pro-business does not mean anti-environment; Limited government is not a lack of compassion for those struggling to independently take care of themselves in our free market economy. But where is that balance?
On the social front, I don’t believe the majority who protested the day after President Trumps inauguration are proud that we the United States abort 1 million babies each year … and I personally know most pro-life supporters are not against women receiving quality medical care and being offered compassion and counseling. Isn’t there enough support to at least start somewhere … maybe somewhere neither side will embrace?
How hard would it be to find a starting point?
Those who are pro-business and are running companies are begging for educated employees with the skills they need to grow their business. They will gladly pay what employees are worth based on market forces in 
order to advance and grow their profitable business. Teachers for the most part aren’t in education unless they care about their students and the next generation. We expect that every citizen have the opportunity to get a quality education and not be shuffled thru and expensive and often broken system. The focus should be on teaching young people how to be productive and socially caring citizens, not on compensation, power and their own political ideology. Continuing to fund a failing public school system decade after decade is not working and ALL should recognize we need to look at something different. Maybe that starts with a new Secretary of Education willing to change the status quo? And to the parents and students themselves … you are paying for teachers, schools and colleges — expect more! You’re funding education through your taxes, tuition, etc … so get involved and make yourself heard. A little common-sense at the local level might go a long way in achieving better results. In the end, everyone involved wants the same thing from schools (minus a few union leaders).
Now that we look back on 8 years of a progressive "Hope and Change" Barrack Obama, many in the middle and lower class are feeling left behind. Perhaps a tad better than recession levels, but the "hope" part has faded for many. The promises saw "change" but it has left many seeing a more deeply divided country. Govenment handouts grew, but continued to keep many without prospect and surviving in poverty. Lacking in ambition and education, way too many have turned to crime and drugs — not a great legacy. Those who had 
power and means continued to succeed. The connected, innovative and agile business moguls, despite bigger government and the heavy hand of regulation, are the same ones who will succeed in a business friendly, right-leaning President Trump administration. Many just tightened their bootstraps at the expense of employees or adapted to the anti-business environment in the US and focused on producing globally in low cost countries.
I worry the Obama extreme has opened the door for a Trump extreme … where jobs, profits and a soon to be growing economy will trample commonsense environmental protection. There is nothing wrong with responsible environmental stewardship that balances the need for a strong economy … but compromise does not seem to be something either side is willing to work towards. It is as if each, the far left and far right, extreme grabs as much as they can while the pendulum has swung in their favor. Very sad … because we has a nation of primarily good people end up as losers. 
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