What Happened? – Why did the Republicans Win So Big?

I will tell you what happened.  It happens ALL the time and it is a crying shame that human nature IS the way it IS.  Go Read Steinbeck’s In Dubious Battle, it explains it all. It is the same old story every time. 

Men in power grab control and they go too far with the power grab. They make life miserable for the less fortunate and their power grab starts to negatively affect TOO many people.  And the people band together and say ENOUGH.  People banding together is the ONLY way people can survive against greedy men in power.  We must band together and join forces against greed. 

Men in power then say – Whoa… we went too far.  We better back off and throw some bones at the angry mob.  We have to make things a little better for the average guy.  Once the average guy is happy, he abandons those below. Change stalls and never reaches those who truly need the change.

George Bush and the Republicans made a huge mess of it.  They ruined the economy and made EVERYONE upset.  We banded together and we threw them out of power. 

Guess what? Things got better.  The average guy’s life improved and he has now left the unfortunate behind ….Again.

In In Dubious Battle, the farmers slash the price for picking the fruit.  ALL the workers in the valley join the strike.   Wages go up a little bit, enough for someone with a job to get by, and the workers take THEIR job and let the organizers and those without to hang in the breeze.  Once I GOT MINE, I do not care what happens to others.   

This brings me to the unpopularity of the Affordable Care Act.  I hope we can keep this together, but it does not look good. 

I will tell you why.  

#1 Nobody in America has liked their health plan for as long as I can remember. Because medical care is expensive, because insurance companies are in the business to make money – and paying out for claims is counter to making money and because (and I agree with this) we all have to feel some financial pain when going to the doctor or some of us would go to the doctor ALL the time. 

#2 The vast majority of America already had medical insurance handled and the Act did impact their plans, albeit ever so slightly and in a negative way. 

#3 Men in power do not like a) sharing limited resources b) waiting their turn and c) being told what to do. 

I find it remarkable that we even passed this bill (which explains many of its flaws, gimme my public option!) 

Now most Americans are attacking the idea (with NO discussion of an actual plan to replace it). The MAIN bottom line is - (and this goes for BOTH of my points) – We live in a democracy.  In a democracy MAJORITY rules.  It is VERY rare when the majority votes to burden themselves for a program designed to assist a minority.