Political

Robin Burton asked the question. In the wake of Trump and his ‘Make America Great Again’ (which seems to do exactly the opposite and should be MATLSOTW – Make America The Laughing Stock Of the World). Certainly, seeing someone as uncouth and ignorant as Trump getting elected says something about America.

It raise the question – what is a Great Society?

To me, in order to be considered GREAT a society needs the following criteria:

1. To protect its citizens
2. To promote an equal society in which all people of whatever colour, race, gender or religion are valued
3. To be tolerant
4. To be outward-looking
5. To protect nature and value the natural world
6. To be honest and extinguish nepotism, corruption, unfairness, racism, sexism and gross inequality
7. To help the rest of the world develop
8. To allow individual freedom, expression of views, expression of religion
9. To allow freedom of speech while combating hate speech
10. To remove all violence, aggression or belligerence
11. To have a non-aggressive foreign policy
12. To provide the basic needs for all people – food, water, power, clean air, health care, homes, support during sickness and old age and maternity
13. To provide excellent education for all
14. To provide power through sustainable means
15. Not to pollute or produce harm to the natural world and to respect the wonders around us
16. To promote awe and wonder
17. To police in a way that is conducive to the local community
18. To tax fairly in order to pay for quality services and infrastructure
19. To ensure that the rich and powerful do not exert undue influence or gain advantage, but are treated equally
20. To have a justice system that does not discriminate against any group nor favour any group and applies justice fairly and reasonably.
21. To have politicians who are accountable and held responsible for their actions
22. To have a media that is unbiased and holds all those in power to account
23. To provide an environment that is safe for its citizens, healthy, clean and respects people, property, animals and all nature.
24. To have fair work conditions with generous hours, holidays, fair pay and sickness benefits.
25. To have a basic level of income for all
26. To have a welfare system that provides for those in need
27. To have pensions so that people can live to a reasonable level in old age
28. To provide the spiritual well-being of its citizens
29. To have a transport system that is efficient, cheap and clean

I have probably missed out loads but at least it gets the ball rolling.

Looking at my list I think the UK fails on a number of issues but the USA fails on most and what Trump is promoting makes everything worse.

Make America Great Again seems to only look at making the rich richer the rest is a con.