How have your political views changed over time?
In high school, I was pro-life. I saw the world as black and white. It was clear what was right and what was wrong. At that time, I didn’t understand what the individual parties stood for.
I went to college thanks to grants from the US government. I remember that my college newspaper quoted one of my professors as saying that grant recipients didn’t deserve to attend. I also had to work during school as part of federal work study. It was a small amount of hours but it kept me from ever being able to see any professors during office hours. I always had a class or work during those hours. I also chose not to do any kind of internship due to the grant responsibilities and finances. I sometimes wonder if I would have found a job using my degree if I had more flexibility to do an internship.
When I entered college, I believed that I was the dumbest person on Earth. My parents and classmates repeatedly told me that I was stupid. My step-father told me that I had no common sense and was too dumb to be a doctor. He claimed that college graduates were a dime a dozen. During college, I learned that I wasn’t as dumb as I thought. I am not sure if I ever saw myself as smart at the time. The medical students used to come over to my classroom and tell us how they didn’t have to study until medical school. I had to study in elementary school. I also learned that I freeze up in emergencies. So, I never tried medical school.
After college, I looked for a job using my degree. But, I didn’t try real hard. I think my lack of belief in my own smarts and hatred for the constant rejections that are involved in job seeking dragged me down. I ended up working in retail for a few decades. This experience taught me the hardships that people can struggle with. I met a pharmacy technician who had used up all of her lifetime limits on her health insurance. I saw a shift supervisor use a food stamp card. When my employer cut my hours, I used food stamps. I cried while talking to the interviewer for heat assistance. I believed that our government was having trouble paying bills and here I was adding to them. I started to feel like Republicans hated me because I needed help. I considered rent assistance but never applied because I could afford a crappy apartment. It seemed like Republicans thought the US was a meritocracy. So, I developed a Democratic leaning to my political views.
I ended up getting a job at Walmart for 7.25 an hour. I asked if they recognized previous retail experience but he said “No. We don’t do that.” I sat there looking at him and the computer screen and finally agreed to take the job. So, I became a pharmacy cashier. I wanted to get promoted to pharmacy technician but I cry when I stress out. So, I cried my way out of ever being promoted just like I had done in past jobs. Walmart increased their starting wage until I got off food stamps and Obamacare.
At that time, I was still independent with Democratic leanings. I thought we needed the Republicans to keep us bleeding heart liberals from spending too much money. The parties balanced each other out.
Then, the Republicans started fighting to repeal Obamacare. I was thankful that my government helped me through college and with healthcare for a year or two until Walmart took over. The constant talk of repealing Obamacare with no replacement proposal angered me. I wanted to strengthen it and see if we could avoid universal healthcare.
Then Trump came out of nowhere to run for President. I heard that he hired a known co artist couple to run his Trump University before the election. So, I thought he could never win and voted for a third party candidate. Hilary Clinton was involved in a pay for influence scheme near the end of her husband’s presidency. I hate how money can get you out of a lot of troubles and increase your influence on our politicians. So, I was unhappy with Clinton and couldn’t bring myself to vote for her. Then, Trump won! It was the first time that I was ever scared about my nation’s safety. I remembered some people feeling that way when Obama became President. But, I never understood why they were afraid. So, I did the best that I could to live with Trump as my President. We all know that our candidate won’t always win. Then, he expanded Obama’s policy of breaking up families at the border. While I learned from the press that the length of time we can hold an adult is different than how long we can hold a minor, I was angry to see families being broken up. I joined a local protest.
I also protested with Black Lives Matter in my city. I refused to go to Milwaukee and protest because I didn’t trust them not to riot. I explained to a press person that I wanted “justice for all.”
I now support universal healthcare which makes me more extreme than Biden in this country.
In summary, I have concluded that we are not a meritocracy. While hard work and skills can get many people ahead, it leaves plenty of us behind. Hence I want the government to provide a safety net especially for the disabled and elderly. Then, I hope others in society will help others to find where they can make a positive contribution to society. I work in a factory now where I don’t have to worry about being yelled at. I still cry at times but less often than I did in retail.
The second thing that I have learned is that no political issue is simple. Abortion is not simply wrong or right. It involves raped people and people who can’t afford children. It is going to be a hard decision to make at the individual and societal level. I think we need to come up with a cut off time that we can agree on and only allow abortion after that time if medically necessary. Most abortions are early in the pregnancy where the risk is lowest.
My hope for the future is that we can remember that we all love the US. No matter what party a person identifies with, we all want what is best for the nation. We just disagree on what that is.
