Make no mistake we live in a great country. However, the recent water crisis in Benton Harbor and Flint is reminder that we could do so much better if we just concentrated on doing the basic things and doing them well.
I have always believed government should provide for those things that are for the betterment of the people that most individuals cannot provide on their own. This includes providing for the following: the common defense; safety for our communities; transportation infrastructure, repairs and maintenance; safe water distribution and disposal, environment protection; basic physical, mental, and dental health services; K-12 education; laws, rules, and regulations for the greater good; banking, financial, and business regulations; research for the greater good; government administration via executive, legislative and judicial branches. If we were to do these things well, I believe everyone in this country who is willing could thrive and work to their full potential.
Instead of focusing on being the best we can be in the above categories, too much time is spent on getting re-elected and playing to one’s party’s base. In the meantime, we are stuck with the following:
Michigan’s roads are the worst in the country.
Michigan has 24,000 known contaminated environmental sites. About half of them are “orphaned” sites with no known responsible party, and the state is responsible for assessing and cleaning them. Michigan has known about these sites since the early 1990’s but has only dealt with 3,100 of the sites.
Michigan’s recycling rate was 19.3% while the national average is 32%
We celebrate providing clean water to Benton Harbor. Whoopi!!!!!
Neither party when in control of all three branches of the federal government could come up with a comprehensive immigration policy.
Our latest focus seems to be on rewriting history, removing books, and suppressing the vote.
Fifty years after the first oil embargo we do not have a national energy policy and we are paying for it now at the pump.
We have a major worker shortage, including nurses and teachers, with no plan to address the shortage.
Our bridges, roads and dams are crumbling from disinvestment.
Our birth death rates are some of the worst in the world.
Our murder rate is beyond comprehension.
This list goes on and on. And it will continue if we continue to elect people who do not care about the greater good and are not willing to work in cooperation with others.
Pray for peace and tolerance. What are you doing to stop the violence? Get vaccinated and get your booster.
Orchid of the Day: Peres Jepchirchir and Evans Chebet for winning the women’s and men’s professional divisions of the Boston Marathon races yesterday. See Video of the Day.
Onion of the Day: Politicians who cannot focus on the greater good.
Quote of the Day: “I was not expecting to win, but I’m feeling grateful, and now I can say that I believe in myself more.” said Peres Jepchirchir, the winner of the women’s professional division of the Boston Marathon and the reigning Olympic champion.
Questions of the Day: Why does a little country like Kenya dominate the world marathon races?
Video of the Day: Women’s professional division Boston marathon finish.
The 126th #BostonMarathon Women's Champion is @PeresJepchirch3 in 2:21:01. Peres is the 5th Olympic Gold Medalist to win Boston.#Boston126 pic.twitter.com/q5IxrMoDuU
— Boston Marathon (@bostonmarathon) April 18, 2022
Great blog tonight! Very much agree about governments duty to our citizens