I decided to stream GAMBIT on Starz. It’s the story of Margaret Mitchell and the Watergate break-in. The acting was excellent but, as the episodes continued, they took on a surreal, almost comic book quality. As a former electoral worker in Cambodia, I witnessed first-hand the destruction wreaked by US B-52s under Nixon’s direction. I believe that Nixon should have been impeached and not allowed to resign. However, to paint all the GAMBIT characters involved with such a hateful brush seemed unnecessary. It felt like retribution and dirty tricks from the other side. In the end, I didn’t enjoy the series.
And then, I learned of two incidents that shocked and dismayed me. Both displayed the lengths to which Democrats and Republicans will go in today’s America for political gain.
- The Naming Commission is a United States government commission created by the U.S. Congress in 2021 under Democratic leadership. Its purpose is to rename military assets, which have names associated with the Confederate States of America. The current projected cost for their current proposal is $62 million dollars.
- Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida legislature allocated $12 million of the state’s budget to transport “illegal migrants” to blue states.
And if you’re not convinced that our two-party political system, both Republicans and Democrats, are working against bringing our country back together, then read this: the 2020 election cost $14.4 billion, the most expensive election ever.
I understand that there are those who are deeply offended that we honored those Confederate persons. But most people, offended or not, would prefer that the sixty-two million dollars be spent to help those in need, to enhance public schools, and to provide affordable medical care and access to housing. They would prefer that the money be allocated to food security, infrastructure, or anything else that can help people today.
Transporting migrants to northern states? Those millions could be used to mitigate the costs of processing people humanely and fairly, as well as enhancing Florida’s schools and public safety. The transporting is a stunt that helps no one but the politicians who do it.
Really, I’m so tired of our lack of credible, honest, practical, and humane politicians. I think I’ve really had enough.
How do we respond? We vote. But we vote for a person, not a political party.
*The photo is outside the museum celebrating the novel, The Master and Margarita, by M. Bulgakov. In it Woland, the devil, and his henchmen play dirty tricks. Its a glorious read.
Carole J. Garrison 