First a couple of facts. During the 10 years of the Vietnam War, 58,220 Americans lost their lives. Each year as many as 60,000 of our nation’s people lose their lives to a drug overdose. The base cause for this number is the opioid crisis.
Opioids are prescribed for pain, and for years doctors have been freely prescribing them for their patients. When opioids became less available, and the price was raised by the pharmaceutical companies, millions of Americans turned to the cheaper and easily accessed heroin.
Throughout Trump’s campaign, he promised to ‘fix’ the opioid problem. He has done nothing to this day. Normally, in a health crisis, presidents invite individuals from the medical industry who have great expertise and experience in the situation. Trump selected Kellyanne Conway to find a solution. He is not taking this crisis seriously. Trump’s only concern is passing legislation which will increase his personal wealth and the wealth of the one-percent.
Trump made an announcement yesterday. His plan to end the opioid crisis is to put everyone in jail who abuses drugs. He believes that the answer is enforcement, not treatment.
Trump is the most ignorant man to ever hold public office at any level. Sadly, his choices for top advisers are as unfit as he is, and our nation’s future is in great jeopardy. It can honestly be said that no one in Washington knows what they are doing.
This morning my wife asked me if the possibility of a government shutdown was over. I had to say no. Congress extended funding, but only until March 23rd. She said ‘why?’ I simply said that ‘they don’t know what they’re doing.’
The truth is that the word is ‘dysfunctional.’ No longer do the men and women we elect display the ability to be ‘diplomatic.’ With the advent of the TEA Party, deliberation and compromise disappeared. This situation not only exists between Democrats and Republicans, members of the TEA Party and the Freedom Caucus refuse to discuss legislation within the GOP. Their seats were bought and paid for by men such as the Koch brothers and Sheldon Adelson, and they take their instructions directly from them.
The Republican Party is fragmented, and the once Grand Old Party exists in name only today.
The opioid crisis will not be addressed in a serious manner by this administration. With Trump in charge, and with a circle of sinners who are unfit to hold their present positions, nothing of substance which positively affects the majority of the American people will occur.
Op-ed by James Turnage
Image courtesy of DonkeyHotey
My five novels are available on the free Amazon Kindle app; CLICK HERE
The Truth With No Restrictions 