A few things haven’t changed since my teen years. I still love to drive, and driving in the fall is the best, especially with the windows down, for it gives you a feeling of freedom at any age.
I also love ’70s and ’80s music. I love it loud – probably because growing up during the “Walkman” years obliterated my hearing. Even at 53, most things need to be loud – especially music.
Recently the song “Stuck in the Middle with You” by Stealers Wheel came on Pandora. I couldn’t help but think it could serve as the current, unofficial national anthem of every-day Americans.
Remember every-day Americans? Those of us who just want to have enough money to retire before 90 and send our kids to overpriced universities in the meantime? Those of us who just want the government to leave us alone as we live our lives and pay our bills?
Economically speaking, nothing is easy right now for most dual income families with water, utility and grocery bills piling up, not to mention those dreaded trips to the gas pump. Heaven forbid you would actually like to be a stay-at-home-mom and raise your children!
Hearing the above song made me realize it unintentionally, but very accurately, describes life under the Biden Administration AND our current Congress. That’s an impressive prophecy from the following lyrics written 51 years ago!
Trying to make some sense of it all
But I can see it makes no sense at all
Is it cool to go to sleep on the floor? [Or any ole place, Mr. President?]
Well, I don’t think I can take anymore
Clowns to the left of me
Jokers to the right
Here I am stuck in the middle with you
“Clowns to the left.” Is there any truer statement right now? Every day the Democrat party provides a new episode of insanity. Let’s send billions of dollars to Ukraine and allow anyone to cross our border. Child trafficking is at a hideous all-time high. Inflation is killing people’s ability to provide for their families. And what is Kamala Harris’ job?? President Biden can’t form a coherent sentence – but four more years! Like Will Ferrell said in the movie Zoolander, “I feel like I’m taking crazy pills.” If you DON’T feel like you’re taking crazy pills in this political atmosphere, I’d like to ask what pills you are taking. A few of us could use some of those.
“Jokers to the right.” If I could talk to the GOP as a whole right now, I’d like to give an anatomy lesson … and maybe a subsequent X-ray for each member of Congress. Because it seems few Republicans know what a spine is and even fewer actually have one. They talk a good talk when they’re not in control of the House and Senate. But if they actually gain a majority again in either or both houses, they become Drs. Doolittle with no pushback on spending, no pushback on obscene education policies, no creation of real laws that might help regular Americans financially, and until recently, no pushback against COVID mandates.
“Stuck in the Middle with You.” This is us, friends – We the People. Reigning in the spending to pay our bills, carefully watching what our children are taught (because we learned a thing or two from Covid remote learning), taking on extra work to save for college or retirement or a trip to the Exxon station. We deserve better than elitist ideology (Biden had a kitchen fire too, Maui victims) and spineless representation.
Or maybe we don’t, but our children do. Our children deserve to grow up in the America that many of us experienced during the Reagan years. Was it perfect? Absolutely not. No country is or will ever be. But was it livable? For many of us, it was more than livable. It was the best, most patriotic two terms we can remember.
We the People who love freedom, crave better economic times and still believe our children can have a good future in this nation have about 13 months to get it together behind someone we think can right this sinking ship. Some believe that could be Robert Kennedy, Jr., while others think that could be Ron DeSantis or even someone else.
But somehow, between now and November 2024, we must figure out how to title our own song. My suggestion is “Stand in the Middle with You.” It’s time.
Kristin Landers is a substitute teacher and freelance writer. Landers’ previous work includes serving as Communications Director for the Alabama Policy Institute and working for Citizens Against a Legalized Lottery (CALL) to defeat legalized gambling in the state of Alabama.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News. To comment, please send an email with your name and contact information to Commentary@1819News.com.
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