I’m so tired of people running just to maintain their positions and not to improve the nation as a whole, with the hard work that entails, to take into account all of the needs and balance appropriately. It’s too easy to live for sound bites, and our media, even relatively neutral media, need those sound bites to drive clicks and advertising revenue. It’s gotten to the point that when I read headlines and articles I often feel I need to go listen to the original source in order to understand. Sometimes the source of contention is the politician. Other times it’s the framing. Sigh.
I have a few other similar issues on, for instance, states prohibiting municipal broadband, and other similar issues that disfavor people in favor of political contributors. It's not even always about turning down federal support, but making decisions like setting aside home rule when state level politicians dislike city-level decisions.
Thoughtful as usual. The last part on hurricanes and expected relief and continuing federal programs made me think of this article I just read, too. https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/09/01/america-life-expectancy-regions-00113369 - life expectancy is changing due to state policies like declining Medicaid expansion. An earlier article in the Washington Post had similar observations. We’re far apart on the national level and on the state level, including between elected officials turning down the dollars that their constituents want (and need). https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2022/12/16/politics-health-relationship/
I’m so tired of people running just to maintain their positions and not to improve the nation as a whole, with the hard work that entails, to take into account all of the needs and balance appropriately. It’s too easy to live for sound bites, and our media, even relatively neutral media, need those sound bites to drive clicks and advertising revenue. It’s gotten to the point that when I read headlines and articles I often feel I need to go listen to the original source in order to understand. Sometimes the source of contention is the politician. Other times it’s the framing. Sigh.
Oh, one other article, similar to the others, this one on turning down incentives for clean energy by DeSantis. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/republicans-have-a-principled-commitment-to-immiserating-their-constituents/ar-AA1gdN6K
I have a few other similar issues on, for instance, states prohibiting municipal broadband, and other similar issues that disfavor people in favor of political contributors. It's not even always about turning down federal support, but making decisions like setting aside home rule when state level politicians dislike city-level decisions.