When it Affects Them Personally, Turns Out Congress Can Act Fast.
Thoughts on Congress’ rapid impeachment of President Trump.
After the riots at the capitol that resulted in multiple deaths and the President himself has been rightfully accused of inciting, Donald Trump made history as the first President of the United States to have ever been impeached twice exactly one week later. There is no denying the President certainly deserves to be impeached, especially considering the fact that he called on these people to come to the capitol. That said, I can’t help considering how quickly congress seems to feel the sense of urgency, and acts accordingly when it happens to affect them personally.
Millions of people are unemployed as a result of this pandemic, losing their health insurance as well for oftentimes not only themselves, but for their families, too through no fault of their own. Parents are unsure of how to put food on the table for their children in the richest country on earth let alone keep the roof over their heads, meanwhile the richest among us continue to see staggering increases to their wealth as a direct result of the same circumstances that cost so many their jobs. Hundreds of thousands of people are dead, leaving countless loved ones behind to mourn and healthcare workers struggling with the stress and trauma of being surrounded by so much death and loss. The student debt crisis has reached a staggering $1.6 trillion dollars, and countless Americans are currently cutting pills in half and rationing their insulin because they cannot afford it.
Funny, isn’t it, how our lawmakers don’t treat these devastating realities for their constituents with the same sense of urgency as they did this second impeachment?
Of course, I am glad the President has been impeached and — though the chances are slim — I genuinely hope he faces a conviction in the Senate. Nevertheless, part of me can’t help wondering how congress would act if they were in the same shoes as the people they have been elected and entrusted by their voters to represent. Perhaps if our congressmen and women were being forced to ration their insulin, losing their health insurance on top of losing their job, or were baring witness to what’s currently going on in hospital rooms across the country, they might take these issues as seriously as they’re taking this impeachment. Perhaps if they weren’t paid in campaign contributions to look the other way as the fossil fuel industry decimates our environment and destroys future habitability on earth, they might be more inclined to treat the climate crisis on the scope it deserves.
On a near constant basis, we the people are told to wait, and be patient. We’re told that what we want takes time. We’re supposed to be happy, and celebrate that after eight straight months with absolutely no help for the people following one measly $1200 check, lawmakers finally came together and gave us $600 crumbs. They argue with a straight face that we should be satisfied, and don’t need more as calls for $2000 checks intensify.
And yet when something occurs that directly affects them, action is taken in a week.
Just once, it would be nice to feel as though our legislators cared.
