BRATTLEBORO — I'm afraid for this country. And beyond.
They say the Republicans will now have to show that they can take care of business. I'm afraid that they'll take care mainly of business. I'm afraid they'll do nothing serious about global warming. Or the shrinking access to higher education for the less well off. Or the joblessness of the less well educated.
Or about the $7.25 minimum wage. Or the government's obstruction of unions. Or fairer redistribution of wealth (a concept some find abhorrent though it's been a role of our government for 100 years).
I'm afraid the Republicans will do nothing to curb the purchase of elections and laws. That good judicial appointments will be squelched. That disenfranchisement efforts will continue. And that our role in the world will be ungenerous and unconstructive.
I'm afraid that many in the party and its leadership will intentionally do little useful lest it appear to support the president.
McConnell said at the beginning that the “most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.” His party failed at that. But they've succeeded in obstructing almost everything Obama's tried to do. With a single-mindedness rooted in racism.
I'm afraid because I doubt that will change. Afraid for my grandchildren - and everyone's.