Editor’s note: Wausau Pilot & Review gladly publishes commentary from readers, residents and candidates for local offices. The views of readers and columnists are independent of this newspaper and do not necessarily reflect the views of Wausau Pilot & Review. To submit, email [email protected] or mail to 500 N. Third St., Suite 208-8, Wausau, Wis. 54403.
Dear editor,
Late on December 31st 1969, friends and I were reminiscing on the 60s and wondering what the future would hold. Most of us were fifteen years old and excited about driver’s training. We wondered what cars would be like in the year 2000 and we also thought about what our work life would like. Automation was happening, 1969-style, and we guessed that we might spend at least some time at our jobs in 2000, but the benefits of the evolving automation would be shared equitably and we would mostly do fun things like fishing, camping, sports…
That didn’t happen, but Jeff Bezos’ $500 million yacht did. As of 2020, Charles Koch had more dough than Jordan. I read that super-rich folks are building bunkers and armies to live the good life when society falls apart.
This past March, Tom Tiffany voted against the PACT Act for veterans exposed to toxins and Ron Johnson has called for an annual review of Social Security designed to hang it up in slowly tightening noose knots. (If you can’t kill it outright, hurt it good. Medicare, too.) Tim Michaels says that Evers plans for education 2023-2025 budget is “more money and more bureaucracy.”
I’m not an economist, but the idea that we can’t fund humble services but must continue to turn a blind eye to yachts and bunkers is exasperating. Thanks to a free press bravely standing up to threats of “ pitchforks and torches ”, we continue to know who the demagogues are, knock on wood.
Peter Truitt, Danbury, WI
