Today is January 6, 2020, a January date that will live in infamy. I will not dwell on the ramifications of what occurred on that day in 2021, but it does bear mentioning that our nation has become much more politicized and divided since this date. It is certainly a mystery to try and understand how anyone can watch the videos and television coverage and not draw consistent conclusions. There is no doubt that the seat of our democratic government was breached on that day. It is no mystery that people died because of what took place on the date and numerous people were injured and continue to bear the scars due to what they were confronted with by the invaders. It is no mystery that property was destroyed and defaced. It is no mystery that chants of “hang Mike Pence” were heard as the rioters sought him out. It is no mystery that politicians of every stripe huddled in fear as individuals milled about the capitol building wreaking havoc at every turn. Given all of this, what conclusion can be drawn other than this was a calculated and blatant assault on our government and the orderly transfer of power?
As we embark on 2022, there lies before us a myriad of challenges starting with the ever-present virus that has altered our world and more, specifically, our society. While the Omicron variant has replaced the Delta variant, there is another variant that has been found in France, the IOU. Will it be less lethal than Omicron which has been less lethal than Delta? The answer is not known, but the host virus will constantly foster additional variants; therefore, we may need to be prepared for our lifestyles being changed for some time to come. We may not have the luxury of meeting in large groups, shoulder-to-shoulder in inside auditoriums. We may not have the opportunity to travel at will to destinations that have their own restrictions as to who can come and go. Children may not have in-person classes on a regular basis and flexibility in teaching and learning may become the norm rather than the exception. Prior to the ascendency of Omicron, many of us were beginning to breath a measure of relief that this was all behind us only to realize this was not the case,
During 2022 we will also be bombarded with political campaigns complete with lies and innuendo. Buzz words and phrases will become common place on the television and radio announcements. Racial slurs will be embedded in the denouncements of Critical Race theory which is becoming one of the rallying points for conservative leaning candidates. Mandates is another one of the buzz words that raises the ire of those who espouse that such governmental intrusions are undermining our freedoms. Parenthetically, mandates are a given in our daily life. Kids cannot be enrolled in school unless they have been immunized. Drivers run the risk of being ticketed if they do not wear a seat belt. The examples of mandates being passed down by governmental entities are well ingrained in the American way of life. The political rhetoric, particularly here in the south, will be characterized by who can “out-Christian” the other candidate. Pandering to the religious community will become common place from now until the election in November.
Another realistic reality will be the every-present hypocrisy that characterizes the behavior of so many. The very nature of our democratic way of life is fraught with hypocritical comments and behavior. Hypocrisy is “the practice of engaging in the same behavior or activity for which one criticizes another or the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one’s own behavior does not conform to.” As one reflects on this definition, it is obvious that for many in the political arenas from local to state to federal chambers, such behavior is commonplace. Let me provide an example. Back in November of 2021 Congress passed a limited bill that focused on infrastructure issues such as roads, bridges, broadband access in rural areas, etc. An Alabama Congressman, Gary Palmer, voted against the bill, yet publicly praised the $369 million that he secured for a highway in the Birmingham area. Further, Palmer is a member of the House Freedom Caucus that seeks to punish the 13 Republican Congresspersons who voted for the bill. Such inconsistent and blatant comments and behavior is much too commonplace within the political community. It is not limited to one party over another but has become much too acceptable during and since the previous administration. Such hypocrisy has also been evident in how the previous administration flaunted the belief and practice of law and order. It became very apparent that only the laws, rules, and regulations that they wanted to follow were going to be followed. Those that did not conform to their wishes would be ignored or outright violated. The repeated violations of the provisions of the Hatch Act are a case in point. This Act came into existence as an attempt to limit the political involvement of government workers, yet numerous individuals associated with the previous administration refused to abide by these provisions.
Let me continue with the hypocrisy evident amongst many in the political arena. A number of state leaders, primarily in the south and portions of the Midwest, are quick to point out that the Federal Government is too often trying to wield its power over the states. A common rallying cry is invoking the mantra of “states’ rights.” Indeed, the U. S. Constitution makes it clear that there is a separation between the Federal Government and the states, including their respective roles. Historically, when it has become evident that a state is not respecting the provisions of the Constitution, courts and Congress have stepped in. The rights of the respective state are certainly important but do understand that for many states the intrusion of the Federal Government has kept the state afloat. The use of federal dollars to fund a variety of projects and services is substantive to the fiscal survival of the state. Let me share a brief example to make this point. In West Virginia for every dollar, they pay in taxes they receive $3.74 in Federal funds; Mississippi receives $3.40 for every dollar paid; Alabama receives $2.46 for every dollar paid; Kentucky receives $2.05 for every dollar paid, just to highlight some of the southern states. Comparatively, contrast what some of the non-southern states receive. Ohio receives $.90 for every Federal dollar paid; New York receives $0.93 for every dollar paid; Illinois $0.94 for every dollar paid; New Jersey $0.78 for every dollar paid, and California receives $1.00 for every dollar paid. It is quite apparent that there is a significant disparity amongst the states relative to the amount of Federal dollars received and the amount that is paid in. When the percent of Federal money as a part of the state’s budget is reviewed, this discrepancy is even more obvious. The above figures were taken from an analysis completed by Moneygeek. It is difficult to accept the argument that as a state we need to “float on our own bottom” and then take all the Federal money that comes along. How hypocritical. There is a need for a symbiotic relationship between states and the Federal Government and this is not readily apparent in the current fabric pf the political arena. It seems as if there is more of an adversarial relationship as evident by the number of lawsuits filed by states against some of the public health mandates from the Federal Government.
The coming year holds some measure of promise, but it also has some very practical challenges. It seems to be commonly accepted that the House of Representatives will become controlled by the Republicans and that raises some concerns for me. Recently, there was an article that quoted Senator Ted Cruz stating that if the Republicans took control of the House, then there would be impeachment proceedings against President Biden whether it was warranted or not. This statement is the most salient example of hard and fast partisanship at its ugliest, it would be great to believe that reason will prevail, but such has not been a hallmark of the current congress, nor does such an expectation hold much promise for the next Congress. When given the opportunity to hold the past president accountable, nary a Senator and only a handful of Republicans in the House supported the second impeachment proceedings. This is but one example of the intransigence and stagnation of a deeply divided and partisan-driven Congress. We have the hand we have been delt and we will see how it all plays out.