Sam Rayburn on Trump’s Disruptive Debate.

Posted on | September 30, 2020 | 4 Comments

Mike Magee

When it comes to policy and politics, it can be a struggle to maintain perspective and provide context. And as Trump’s performance in last night’s presidential debate well illustrated, Sam Rayburn was right when he said, “Any jackass can kick down a barn, but it takes a good carpenter to build one.”

In 1987, I published the “Positive Medicine Credo” – five principles to guide health professionals committed to caring for others. Underpinning all of these was health, further complicated by Covid-19.

A decade ago, I laid out seven principles that attempted to respond to the question, “How do we make America healthy again?”

The seven visions were:

1. Health is political.

2. Reconnecting the family.

3. Lifespan Planning.

4. Home-centered health care.

5. Integrating health databases.

6. Techmanity: Humanizing technology.

7. Caring for the “planetary patient.”

In the lead up to the 2018 Mid-Term election, The New Yorker’s David Remnick mirrored these same values and visions in a piece titled “Trump’s illiberalism.” He also suggested that Trump and his followers were testing the resilience of “sturdy-seeming American values” and the endurance of “institutions that the President has scorned and threatened.”

He saw active turnout in the 2018 midterm elections as part of the test, but also suggested that any victory here would require more to follow.

Last night’s assault by the president on American standards and values should motivate, activate, and accelerate healthy Americans committed to embracing diversity, leading in the public sphere, exposing and addressing prejudice wherever and whenever it occurs, limiting guns and violence, encouraging respectful communications, and rising to the environmental challenges that threaten our planet’s health.

A healthy America requires healthy Americans. We need to get on with it. The message on November 3rd needs to be strong, clear and resounding in its rejection of Trump and his legislative enablers. Enough time has passed for us to rise to this challenge. #2020 Election.

Comments

4 Responses to “Sam Rayburn on Trump’s Disruptive Debate.”

Art Ulene
September 30th, 2020 @ 11:58 am

Why is it, when Jesus talks about feeding the poor and caring for the sick, it’s called “Christianity”….. but when Democrats talk about that, it’s called “Socialism”. I find it ironic (and sad) that Trump’s base can be found every Saturday in Orthodox Synagogues and every Sunday in Evangelical Christian Churches. The hypocrisy of these religious zealots is staggering.
Lawrence R Williams
September 30th, 2020 @ 12:47 pm

Every person should contact their reps in congress and demand that any judges appointed by Donald Trump should recuse themselves from any case in their court where Donald Trump is a party based upon the glaring conflict of interest.
Mike Magee
October 1st, 2020 @ 9:03 am

Thanks, Larry!
Mike Magee
October 1st, 2020 @ 9:04 am

Thanks, Art, for shining a light on the enduring truth that actions speak louder then words. Do unto others…