America’s all about money.I read quite a bit about care-related exhaustion, and being in a situation where several family members are requiring care I’ve begun to notice that our government just doesn’t care.Talking with a family member recently, his exhaustion was clearly evident.Not affluent, he has to care for a spouse with Alzheimer’s and continue to work ten hour days because nobody pays you simply to help another human being in need.Care can be monetized, of course.Then Republicans sit up and take notice.Until then, however, I try not to be overwhelmed by what is clearly a growing crisis.Some call us the “sandwich generation”—we support our children longer as more and more jobs become obsolete, and we care for our parents longer as lifespans extend and extend.For the working poor, the benefits do not keep pace with life expectancy.And what child wants to see his or her parent suffer? Why doesn’t our government care?
Instead of devising new ways to deal with a massive crisis (I know many people who are constantly running on empty from having both to caregive and to work), Washington tweets about how the wealthy are the objects of “witch hunts.”Those with too much are so oppressed, but they just can’t see their way to share what they have.Meanwhile even those of us with educations find ourselves not knowing what to do.Politicians play their games forgetting that the pieces they move about the board are alive and sentient.After all, there’s only one king on each side.And who feels too bad if a pawn or two gets bumped off, as long as the monarch is kept safe?
There are solutions.Not perfect, of course, but societies with a dash of socialism realize that if those on the bottom can’t do their jobs, those on the top will tumble too, when the foundation fails.Any builder knows the importance of secure footings.One guy, often cited by the GOP but never really listened to by them, said houses built on sand fall.Giving care takes time, money, and energy.Employers want those exact same things and should you fail to provide them, you will find yourself also requiring care.Even if your reason was that you were caring for another.Meanwhile policies will be made to favor those who line the pockets of the political.Who cares?Certainly not the officials we “elected” to “lead” us.
