CommentsALPERN AT LARGE--Maybe it's the Christmas/Holiday spirit, and maybe it's the message of kindness promoted in the movie "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood" (please see it if you've not yet had the chance) but the need to be kind is in all-too-short-supply...and probably will be even harder to find in the next election year.
(Photos above: Tom Hanks, left and Fred Rogers and a beautiful day in the neighborhood.)
Yet the movie starring Tom Hanks, who was both beloved by the late Fred Rogers (and was his sixth cousin!) reflects a kindness and understanding of others--despite taking rather considerable artistic license--we need more than ever.
I had a long and interesting review from a Bernie Sanders-supporting Millennial, and despite our different narratives we had quite a few things in common, and a few takeaways ensued (perhaps, and hopefully, from each of the two of us):
1) "Medicare For All" means different things to different people, and the devil's in the details...but the intent of fixing the problems promoted by the suggestion of "Medicare For All" must be confronted and not ignored by anyone.
2) Health care's accessibility must be confronted by economic and political conservatives, and health care's affordability must be confronted by economic and political liberals--there's a reason or ten why Europe and Canada are moving towards more options for "getting more if one is willing to pay more", but the need to not be economically destroyed by health care costs is more vital than ever.
3) The rent IS too damned high--but shattering the rights of either landlords or tenants is hardly an answer. It is incumbent upon us all to never ignore the large numbers of empty homes and apartments within California (particularly from those owned by foreign nationals, particularly Chinese foreign nationals, at the expense of Americans), but...how did we get here?
4) College is too expensive, housing is too expensive, and health care is too expensive, and it's killing the middle class.
5) If Social Security and Medicare aren't good enough for public sector workers, why are they good enough for the rest of us?
6) Why isn't a phased-in version of stock or other index mutual funds (extraordinarily safe, and by far more profitable, and by far more similar to what public sector workers get, compared to the Social Security that the rest of us have) being employed in our wage/salary withholdings? Can't we all consider retiring with dignity?
7) Although I have problems agreeing with the exaggerated (if not patently false) distortions of American History and Civics thrust upon Millennials, is it their fault, or that of their parents and teachers?
8) Europe is going more populist...why? Because of the actions of the right wing, or the left wing?
9) Anti-Semitism is on the rise...why? Again...because of the actions of the right wing, or the left wing...or maybe both?
10 Most importantly, both Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump wouldn't have had a prayer of a chance of electability as recently as the 1990's--both of their core bases are concerned about China's influence on world economics (at our expense), and have concerns about globalism and a guaranteed quality of life for American citizens. WHY are they so popular today?
So, "neighbor"...shall we choose kindness or civil war in our nation? Shall we presume that large swaths of the nation are just interminably stupid, and/or evil?
Both President Trump and House Speaker Pelosi are both increasingly nasty at a time when our nation is just plain tired of the "cold war" that is wrecking our collective quality of life. Which side shall be the one to "keep it together" and acknowledge the legitimate concerns of "the other side"?
Or are we in for a looooong slugfest and mudwrestling match in our neighborhood, state, and/or nation for 2020?
(CityWatch Columnist, Kenneth S. Alpern, M.D, is a dermatologist who has served in clinics in Los Angeles, Orange, and Riverside Counties, and is a proud husband and father to two cherished children and a wonderful wife. He was (termed out) also a Westside Village Zone Director and Board member of the Mar Vista Community Council (MVCC), previously co-chaired its Outreach Committee, and currently is Co-Chair of its MVCC Transportation/Infrastructure Committee and Vice-Chair of its Planning Committee. He was co-chair of the CD11 Transportation Advisory Committee and chaired the nonprofit Transit Coalition and can be reached at [email protected]. He also co-chairs the grassroots Friends of the Green Line at www.fogl.us. The views expressed in this article are solely those of Dr. Alpern.)
-cw
