I doubt many people would mistake a gifted War Craft video game player as a great American soldier.  Let’s face it, pushing buttons on a console and starring dazedly at a screen hardly equates to military service.  In some ways the video game approach I am describing resembles the real world consequence approach of this new administration except instead of wonky little enemy soldiers on the screen we have avatars of vulnerable Americans such as children, elders, veterans, students, immigrants and generally people of color. Throw in institutions of education and click, click, click. Did we forget we face an energy crisis? . . click, click, click. Video games don’t bite back, require little physical strength, and zero empathy, compassion or understanding.  The chainsaw bit of this administration looks to be straight out of a video game script.  

A simple computer keyboard hooked with access to a government database has almost God like powers to make and break lives through the shredding of the safety net and public safety. We now know what happens when a few skilled computer experts move their skills from video games and simulations to the powerful machinations of governance.  Governance can never become a simulation in the hands of cold game players.  The metaphoric concept of our current leadership being “Strongmen” is flawed.  Were that the case we could find Strongmen in most every living room, bedroom and game parlor in the nation. Strength is found in humanity and integrity under pressure and that seems nowhere to be found.

Good is recognizing this nation has a spending problem and must find a solution.  Good is recognizing the excess wealth in this country could very well help balance the very public issue of government debt.  Good is realizing that the safety net for the vulnerable is there for good reasons.  Good is recognizing fraud and misrepresentation need to be addressed by law enforcement guided through timely due process. Good might be recognizing we have a complex mess, but we have allowed it to happen and we are responsible for delivering a corresponding humane solution. Blunt force abuse of the vulnerable is wrong.  Flooding favored sectors with more federal money than can be responsibly or effectively spent is wrong. Ignorance, deliberate or not, is very wrong in times of crisis such as this.  Good is harvesting the intelligence and commitment of this nation and using it in a democracy for the 21st century.  Life and its governing are not a video games.  We really shouldn’t have to say that.