Barry Schiff

Election Reflections - Neither party is your friend. I’ve long distrusted politicians. Governments are not the people’s friend. The best government is small and limited, letting people manage themselves as much as possible. Neither party in America, or almost anywhere else, champions that. Trump made big promises, many unkept. He is not solely to blame. The apparatus was primed for hidden elite rulers, with seeds of destruction thoroughly planted for decades. He needed a more scorched-earth approach. His “let’s make a deal” style failed in this environment. His limited grasp of new technologies, healthcare, cost-of-living issues, and preference for big corporate interests alienated many who joined his coalition four years ago. Constant claims that everything is better than ever, while costs escalated, failed to retain those newcomers who switched parties and affiliations and didn’t sound truthful to many longtime conservatives. Democrats will not do better and, in my opinion, will be tons worse. Their policies offer nothing beneficial long-term for Americans or humanity. The controlling elite captured key institutions, often with taxpayer support for fact and perception management. So-called Republicans in Congress were happy to go along, as the administrative state prevails over true people power—and people power does not pay politicians. Trump’s heart is often in the right place (I assign sainthood to no one in politics), but that is not enough to free the country from the deep molasses it is in. This is where we are. It may end true democracy, spur a refactoring of politics in a few years, or something in between. I suppress the instinct to jump to conclusions; after six decades of firsthand observations, I know such predictions cannot be accurately made. Despair helps nothing, nor does ignoring reality and hoping for a miracle without extreme effort from all of us. We need honest, respectful discussion of issues and strategies, deeper solution-finding, and less tribalism. This is easier said than done. I am a realist, not an idealist, and do not bet on ideal outcomes but certainly work towards them. To that end I’ll stay focused on doing what I believe is right and will keep making the case for what best helps humanity.

In my view, most folks don’t have a clue what they actually voted for….