Pam Taylor: Be thankful for progress

This Thanksgiving season, I’m especially grateful that I live in the United States, in this democracy so revered by my immigrant ancestors. They were among those tired and poor huddled masses yearning to breathe free. 

The far-right political angertainment industry is still whining away. Great re-awakenin’ travelin’ salvation shows are a mashup of every kind of QAnon delusion, antivax and COVID-hoax quackery, Christian identity movement, and paranoid election-denial conspiracy theory imaginable. It’s all there, and there’s nothing patriotic or Christ-like about any of it. The objective, other than encouraging violence against chosen targets, destroying U.S. democracy and replacing it with modern-day fascist totalitarianism, seems to be grift. Snake oil, multilevel marketing schemes, pillows, anti-Americanism, swag and miracles for sale, all to feed this perpetual-resentment outrage machine. Whew. 

In his “Memorial and Remonstrance Against Religious Assessments” (CA 20 June) 1785 (http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Madison/01-08-02-0163), James Madison, the most celebrated writer of the U.S. Constitution and contributor to the Bill of Rights, explained and defended the separation of church and state. Opposing the establishment of government funding for Christian education, he wrote: “During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial. What have been its fruits? More or less in all places, pride and indolence in the Clergy, ignorance and servility in the laity, in both, superstition, bigotry and persecution.” Writings by other Founding Fathers added clarity, and this concept became the First Amendment. 

Truth matters. 

Meanwhile, Democrats were getting things done, as we see by the road work all around us. The 2021 Infrastructure and Jobs Act provided historic amounts for infrastructure, clean water, and fighting climate change.  

Thank you to those who deliver safe, effective vaccines and COVID-19 treatments and health care providers, schools, and businesses who use effective protocols. Thanks go to those legislators who voted to protect voting rights and the reproductive rights of women and to make health care more affordable. Thanks, also, to those who voted for the PACT Act of 2022, which expanded veterans benefits for those exposed to toxic substances. 

The geopolitical impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, along with the economic disruption created by a global pandemic, created chaos. However, U.S. unemployment’s now at 3.5%, compared to 6.4% in January 2021 when President Joe Biden took office. More jobs are available now than there are workers to fill them, especially in agricultural field work and food processing. This means higher food prices. Our dollar is strong. The federal deficit is falling. Wall Street indexes today are higher than they were on Election Day 2020. Gross domestic product (GDP) for the third quarter of 2022 was 2.6%, showing how effective these turn-around efforts have been. U.S. annual inflation, while lower than other developed nations, is down from its 2022 high in June. Crude oil (WTI) was $83.53 yesterday, way down from its March spike and June high, but oil companies haven’t reduced gas prices proportionately. 

Significant government investments in jobs, public education, mental health, substance abuse counseling and programs to help students who fell behind during the pandemic are happening. Thank you, legislators, who voted for these, and to expand rural broadband, reduce prescription drug prices, and protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid programs. 

Thanks to legislators who increased funding for police to fight crime. I’m thankful those same legislators supported common-sense gun safety legislation, although it didn’t go far enough. Alternatively, turning schools, shopping centers, movie theaters, public spaces, and houses of worship into armed fortresses is a dangerously stupid idea for many reasons. 

More now than ever, I’m thankful for public schools and libraries and their commitment to providing safe, quality opportunities for all — no matter who you are, where you came from or what your religious beliefs are — to be encouraged, to learn and to grow. Despite the threats and false accusations against them, they remain our solid backbone, the foundation of the American spirit. 

That’s progress. 

Pam Taylor is a retired Lenawee County teacher and an environmental activist. She can be reached at ptaylor001@msn.com.