What I heard on television tonight gave me the most satisfying of political smiles I’ve had in a long time. What was it? That the President of the United States of America is committed to providing an increase in the Federal minimum wage to $15.00 an hour for what he termed “essential workers”. Delicious.
So right about now you are probably asking yes, that is great but why such a wide smile for this issue? And right about now you are probably telling yourself he’ll probably tell us the answer. And yes, your instincts are right. I will. But let me give you a bigger picture first. Biden gets it.
Not just the universal economic advantages of using the time-tested way of jumpstarting a stagnant economy by actually giving funds to those who will spend them by buying stuff, a necessary step in even a capitalist with socialist overtones growing louder each day economy like ours, but in this one fell swoop, has proven to me at least that he knows just how bad his predecessor and his inhuman and inhuman policies were in fact to the poorest among up, and that he understands the difference between messaging and propaganda.
Our current president understands the difference, one being based on the truth and is hence a legitimate communicative tool to get the word out, while the other based on mostly falsehoods and lies with the tiniest dash or reality just to confused the masses, not so much.
And this, yes this was all gleaned by me when he in a master stroke of political genius, tied the fate of the $15.00 federal wage increase to acknowledge the importance to our economy, the sacrifices they make, and to reward the “essential workers” among us for their often unseen and largely overlooked contributions to society. Good move huh? Nope, and in fact great move for there is more.
Let me take you back in history, just a bit. To a time that I believe history will look back and call the American Dark ages. A time when science, reason and logic were all cast aside replaced by a sort of pseudo theological but indeed it feels good but is worth nothing masturbatory period of good old fashioned religious hatred and intolerance. A time when by trick of the Electoral College, we allowed ourselves to be ruled by a minority of a minority.
During this time of let’s call it the Orange Plague, and until the time of the Covid-19 virus, I don’t recall ever hearing the term “essential worker” used in any capacity other than applied doctors, never lawyers mind you, doctors, hospital workers, police, firemen and possibly postal workers.
It was both contemptible and cruel when the Bloated Barrel of Insufferable and Now at Our Own Peril placed the designation on workers in packing and meat plants across the country for nothing more than keeping the doors open of one or two of his donors. Suddenly, those line workers in the beef, poultry and pork industries became the backbone of our health, safety, general welfare, but now to the ongoing good functioning if not very existence to our modern day American society. Like we’d all die if we didn’t have animal flesh to eat. That is the definition of “essential” isn’t it?
However, due to the Covid-19 virus, it was also a virtual death sentence if not for the workers’ themselves, then for their families, friends, and loved ones. Due to the lack of even the pretext of trying to make the workplace safe, no masking up, no social distancing, and with even a shred of governmental oversight, well, someone was going to die. Quite a way to treat workers previously identified as “essential”.
But the Biden Administration didn’t forget and now are using the “EW” tag as a messaging tag to further justify and make it righteous and hopefully easier to at some time in our near future put the new wage increase through Congress into the law of the land.
Remember, it is not Joe Biden’s prerogative to legislate law anytime he feels like it. One of the features of the Dark Ages Death, Plague, Famine and Pestilence Presidency was the abuse and overuse of Executive Orders to legislate from the White House, a clear and elemental (he’s a) Bozo no-no under current constitutional interpretation and law.
I’m glad to see Biden is interested in returning to a normal balance of constitutional powers and duties under which the Congress makes the law, not the president who does however faithfully wait to execute those laws to his best ability as leader of the executive branch. Essentially, Biden is saying Congress, do your job. Kind of makes you wonder what is going to happen when he turns his traditional approach attention to the judicial branch.
And all of this from two little and seemingly innocuous words, plus of course a little bit of political communication and messaging savvy. Now, you might be saying, gee, it really doesn’t take very much to make this guy smile, does it? But believe me when I say it does, for oh yes, it really, really does.
For it is also not too much of a Nostradamus prognostication to see these types of actions and surely similar incidents to come that we will finally rid ourselves the Reagan Era Trickle Down Death Trap we have all seen destroy what was once the best and most vibrant economy in the world into little more than a bad episode of “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, and Greedy.”
We are Americans and what that means is we always find a way. A way to right the wrongs of the past allowing us to reach ever greater and newer heights of innovation, achievement and glory. And when we say, “for all” We, the People in the name of equality and justice under the law We mean for all.
For the real patriots among us know anything short of equal application and protection for all under the law is a travesty and betrayal of our core personal and institutional values with far reaching negative effect on our nation of free persons under one, and only one set of laws.
For some, the phrase “E Pluribus Unum” or, “Out of many, one,” is still the golden standard for our compliance with Constitutional ideals and our ability to lead, legislate and govern a nation into ever greater heights of still revolutionary accomplishments in compliance with an agenda, of, by and for the people, who now, clearly includes the essential, often minority and usually poor but honest workers among us.
In closing, perhaps a bit off topic, but hear me out. Aren’t you tired of hearing the phrase “herd immunity”? I mean, I’m not an animal and certainly do not care to be referred to as part of a “herd”. Do you? Just give me and my essential worker friends our f*cking $15.00 an hour minimum wage already and then and go back to putting shots in the arms of all the great and wonderful individuals that do not live in but comprise this, the strongest and greatest nation this planet has even known.
Congress, you do your job and We, the People, will too. Biden gets it. Do you? Try to smile every now and then, it’s not always bad, and, please do try to have a nice day. I’m going to. Guaranteed.
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