Independent voters in the U.S. are "feeling increasingly alienated from politics." Yet, this is often the group that decides which political team, Red or Blue, wins an election.
Just 37% of independents say they have confidence in the wisdom of the American people's choices on election day, compared to 48% of Democrats and 46% of Republicans.
America's permanent political campaign means the fight is always on and there are no constants in the battle. Trillions in deficits run under the Red Team have no impact on inflation, yet ten months of running under the former President's budget caused skyrocketing inflation, attributable solely to a Blue White House.
The Florida Senator pushing this line is the one of the richest in Congress and can easily afford to pay more for gasoline, food and housing. Senator Rick Scott made his fortune in for-profit healthcare and Columbia/HCA settled with the Justice Department for $1.7 billion for committing widespread healthcare fraud.
HCA will pay nearly $620 million to resolve eight whistleblower lawsuits in which the government had intervened alleging that HCA systematically defrauded Medicare, Medicaid and other federally funded health care programs through schemes dating back to the late 1980s.
Attorney Rick Scott founded Columbia Hospital Corp in 1987. He left in 1997.
When the federal investigation of Rick Scott’s former hospital company became public in 1997, the board of Columbia/HCA forced him out. Scott left with $300 million in stock, a $5.1 million severance and a $950,000-per-year consulting contract for five years.
In its settlement with the government, the company admitted to 14 felonies related to fraudulent billing and practices. Most happened under Scott’s leadership.
Scott claimed not to have known anything.
I saw from the inside CEO Rick Scott set aggressive, hard targets for
hospital staff and how his C-Suite minions bullied that same staff for
"performance." Scott's management waterboarding caused people to do
whatever was necessary to stop the pain. Some quit, others were fired
but many chose to do whatever it took to meet the target. That could be
done ethically or unethically. If 30% of executives could cheat by
backdating their stock options then some percentage of healthcare
managers would take a similar path. Rick Scott should have known, but
that would mean being in relationship with real people.
Members of Congress say their body is like "high school." High adrenaline, testosterone and a dab of estrogen are not a sound basis for governing. Neither is making everything a hill to die on or consistently failing to accept responsibility.
Rick Scott did his impression of former President Bill Clinton and Lord John Browne while under investigation.
"I don't know what the def — your definition or anybody's definition of an 'agreement' is, or an 'offer' is, or 'promise' is," he said in the Jan. 16, 1997, deposition.
Rick Scott, a mergers and acquisitions attorney, said in a deposition that he didn't know the "exact" definition of "fiduciary duty" or even more commonplace terms.In one deposition, Scott pleaded the Fifth Amendment 75 times.
Virginia voters elected a chimera Governor that exported U.S. jobs to China,
backed out of a public-private partnership leaving a $400 million hole
and received $35 million from Texas taxpayers for cutting 35 jobs. Virginia voters had a choice between a private equity executive and a private
equity limited partner. Not much of an offering there. The executive won.
This independent voter wants elected officials to lead, not appeal to their constituents greatest fears while demonizing their political competitors. Once the election is over, the job of governing begins. That means doing what's best for the whole, not optimizing one team's political part or one's personal wealth.
A great example looms, the raising of the debt ceiling. The coming Red and Blue political clown car show has the potential to harm America's credit rating. Together in their aggressive apart-ness, they just may do that.
Update 11-22-21: The U.S. got labelled as a backsliding democracy for "declines in civil liberties and checks on government.” Other concerns include an "increasing tendency to contest credible election results, the efforts to suppress participation (in elections), and the runaway polarization."
Update 11-27-21: Generation Z'ers aren't enamored with America's Red and Blue political teams.
Update 12-4-21: Wingnuts are so emboldened they are running for office. Legislative agendas are not needed for the Red Team, according to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
Update 12-19-21: This statistic might be pertinent:
Nearly six in 10 — an unusually robust consensus at a time of deep political divisions — say they’re opposed to a Trump campaign (59 percent) or a Biden campaign (57 percent) in 2024.
If politicians stick to ignoring public will it'll be Trump vs. Biden in 2024 unless God intervenes before then.
Update 2-2-22: To stamp out the canard of voter fraud Texas banned the mailing of vote-by-mail applications by local election officials. It did not bar Red Team incumbents from that very practice. Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick did just that using official looking letterhead as did Rep. Dan Crenshaw. I believe they have pointed out the speck in the other's eye while ignoring the log in their own.
Update 2-20-22: A conservative retired federal judge said "the United States is locked "in a political war to the death" and that "American democracy hangs in the balance."
"Our leaders seem incapable or unwilling to lead us in this moment when we need leadership most. If our leaders refuse to lead us to where we want to go and need to be, then we must go there ourselves — and leave them behind," he wrote.
Update 10-14-22: Red Team Gov. Ron DeSantis loosened voting rules for Red Team dominated counties with damage from Hurricane Ian. No such declaration for Blue leaning ones with major flooding.
Update 11-13-22: Independent voters showed their disdain for Trump backed candidates in the Midterm elections.
Update 12-8-22: Georgia voters rejected Trump candidate Herschel Walker for the U.S. Senate. Independent voters dislike the Insane Red Team but also have no love for the Blue Lucys.
