Better to be WOKE than BROKE

Presidential leadership instills confidence best in those governed when the chief executive articulates policy with clarity of purpose and stated goals followed by implementation with a minimum of upset. History by its general nature often tends to be cyclical and chaotic. When actions are taken to ensure a “shake up” of the status quo by a head of state, for whatever reason, the future of every sector of government becomes uncertain. Given that there are no guarantees in this life, seeking opportunistic gain amid the disarray of intentionally generated chaos as a matter of policy tilts the field toward a negative outcome for most. That leaves the vast number of us who do not directly benefit from such action scratching our heads and seriously wondering, sometimes out loud, if the guy in charge is a genius that is putting us on or an imbecile that really means it. I’m sure most of us are leaning toward the latter. Starting a trade war with high tariffs is generally regarded as an ill-advised idea among the more learned economists. As we have seen, tariffs imposed by executive order one week sent the market plummeting, and then when the universal unpopularity of their effects became evident, they are walked back allowing the market to recoup some of the losses and easing inflation for the moment. This is the most nerve-wracking part for those whose retirement income is invested in the market regarding the uncertainty of future investment performance. Four months into a four-year term and the economic chaos has so many of us so frazzled we are completely worn out. This is where we the American people find ourselves in the second hundred days of the 47th president’s administration. For anyone with a financial dog in the fight so to speak, it is like watching the chairman of an elite fraternity strap all of us onto his back and then take a flying leap off the high dive without knowing if there is enough or any water in the pool. If he dives into a safe amount of water and he makes a big splash, no problem. If not, where does it leave us? This is a question demanding an answer that is not going away quietly.

Tariffs: Everything you need to know but were afraid to ask

As awful as this administration’s economic policies have been for me personally and to so many others, the lawless nature of the damage done to the character and reputation of our nation is far more egregious. As he showed us in his first term, this president’s contempt for government institutions, their functional norms of operation and the career public servants staffing them precedes him. However, it is his current administration’s flagrant disregard for the rule of law by ignoring the Constitution, countermanding court orders and trampling on civil rights of non-citizens that rank among the ugliest actions emanating from the Executive Branch in a couple hundred years. Arresting judges whose decisions are contrary to the administration’s liking is not something done or condoned in this country. Seizing resident aliens off the street without clarifying their immigration status then circumventing due legal process and deporting them to foreign countries for open-ended incarceration has earned the United States a place on the Global Human Rights Watchlist. That is a first for America and not the good kind as it places us in league with some unsavory characters. A well known characteristic of MAGA was on full display in some of the first executive orders aimed at the roll-back of all diversity-equity-inclusion (DEI) programs in government and the military along with the banning of things associated with it like the rainbow Pride flag amongst other things. In short, it is a gruesome transformation of America, the bright shining city on the hill, into a dystopian, uncaring hellhole with poorly written laws that are randomly enforced and draconian policies that are brutally executed; a place that greets refugee foreigners, minorities and “the other” with a cruel edge. The cruelty is the point. The contempt of this president and that of his legions of MAGA followers for all things WOKE knows no bounds. That said, something has happened early in his term’s second hundred days over which he and MAGA have no control. It was something of a religious nature that matters a great deal to many conservative voters, especially those of the Roman Catholic persuasion. The most satisfying part about it is that all U.S. citizens regardless of faith who are opposed to this administration and all its detestable policies and trappings did not have to so much as lift a finger for it to happen.

Once in a while the way of the wily World rises to the occasion and in the twinkling of an eye creates an unexpected wrinkle in history and a pathway by which to unwittingly alter the balance of power. Earlier this month in the seclusion of the Vatican in Rome, an election of a different kind took place that did not take nearly as long as was expected. The result was the elevation of a Chicago native to the calling of being the 266th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. Cardinal Robert Prevost, an Augustinian graduate of Villanova University and who once served on the governing board of Tulsa’s own Cascia Hall Preparatory School became the first American-born Pope in church history! Not only is he a red-blooded USA American, but he is also as expected a traditional Catholic many of whose philosophies and teachings are diametrically opposed to those of MAGA! Pope Leo is certainly not their icon of “America First.” From abiding by the Ten Commandments to living by the example set forth in the Sermon on the Mount to embracing and caring for immigrants, the poor and the downtrodden, even to speaking out in advocacy for George Floyd and criticizing the sitting U.S. vice president, it can be fairly said that Pope Leo XIV embodies most of what MAGA despises. Even the usual MAGA mouthpieces have gone so far as to say his election was rigged! From all indications, Pope Leo is going to continue all the teachings and policies of his predecessor, Pope Francis, who MAGA had fully dismissed as WOKE. In reality, the new Pope is if anything a centrist on most policies. His election has certainly gotten the World’s attention but the most entertaining part of it is watching MAGA scramble to find their voice of opposition. No more can the Pope of Rome be dismissed as “not understanding America.” Then again none of it may matter to those who subscribe to buffet-style Catholicism, but the clear and clarion message Pope Leo’s election sends stands starkly as a warning to their movement.

MAGA is Fuming because Pope preaches kindness

The 47th president, with the assistance of a vociferous extremist minority of players, is attempting to rapidly and radically transform the nation into a travesty of what the progressive gains of the past one hundred thirty-five years has made it. This period of time will be recorded as yet another chapter in America’s ugliest history. We appear to be returning to the days of poorly regulated laissez-faire capitalism when robber barons plundered the nation unchecked and the depth of one’s pocket, skin color, national origin and gender dictated the extent of their constitutional rights. No longer will America challenge totalitarianism abroad but instead will embrace it. Half my lifetime ago, when the Berlin Wall came down and soon after the Soviet Union collapsed under the weight of its own economic ineptitude, I remember feeling that sense of satisfaction like everyone else did when the good guys won. Fast-forward to 2017 and I could not believe that this president would entertain let alone promote the idea of allowing a Cold War loser a do-over on the outcome. Little has changed in that bit of drama between heads of state. During the years of the George W. Bush presidency as more and more market regulations were abolished, my fears of the consequences were validated when the market crashed in 2008. The tariff fiasco of 2018 was far more damaging however, causing my retirement portfolio to lose a sizeable part of its value the year before I was eligible to withdraw from my IRA without penalty. The pandemic was noted for its own brand of horror and misery but economically the USA emerged from it fairly strong with Wall Street making steady gains until the 47th president’s first hundred days. As bad as all the anti-WOKE policies are in marginalizing minority communities and the lesser among us, the creation of volatility in the stock market via dubious economic interventionism is far more harmful to me directly. It is a crushing feeling after spending a career accumulating wealth to watch a quarter or a third of it evaporate in a week’s time. Yes, the MAGA apologists crow to high heaven about the market’s quick bounce-back after tariffs were rescinded but just think how much in gains we could have had if something deliberate hadn’t caused the market to lose over 1000 points in a day in the first place. To paraphrase Thomas Paine, these are times which try men’s and women’s coping abilities. At the end of the day, America is still all about the money and the financial bottom line of the individual citizen dictates the quality of life in year 2025. Everyone, hang on. I can only hope to be wrong, but I see things getting far worse before they get better. Let history take due note that those of us with the most to lose are not amused by the chaos or appreciative of the cruelty. Let those in charge and in the majority that are taking up space in the sacrosanct halls of government and their unconditional supporters hear and know our battle cry going forward…”Better to be WOKE than BROKE!”

Thank you for reading.