MPCooper

American service members are dying. Civilians across the Middle East are dying. People are being killed. Whatever anyone wants to say publicly, whatever language they use to soften it, we are obviously at war.

The consequences won’t stop on the battlefield. Oil prices are going to rise, and when oil rises the cost of transportation rises. Shipping goods becomes more expensive, and that means the cost of everyday living goes up for the average American and for people around the world. When the cost of living rises, families already living on the edge fall further behind. Some people will no longer be able to afford their basic needs. And because of that, more people will suffer and more people will die—not from bombs or bullets, but from economic pressure and scarcity.

What makes this even more disturbing is the absence of any clear solution, foresight, or compassion coming from the Trump administration. This situation did not simply appear out of nowhere. Decisions were made that led us here, yet the priorities coming from the administration appear focused somewhere else entirely: staying in power and protecting their own interests.

The American people are not the priority, and neither are the millions of people outside the small circle of political power surrounding the president. Donald Trump has repeatedly demonstrated that loyalty to him personally is the most important currency in his administration. Anyone who fails to show complete loyalty can quickly find themselves pushed aside. That kind of leadership does not produce stability or good governance. It produces fear, opportunism, and chaos.

The slogan “America First” has been repeated endlessly, but the results continue to leave the average American last. American families will pay the price through rising costs. American service members are paying the price with their lives. Civilians across the Middle East are paying the price as well.

Until the people who support Trump begin to question these decisions, until Republicans in Congress find the courage to challenge the administration, or unless Democrats manage to win the midterms and create the possibility of impeachment, there is little reason to believe things will improve.

The reality is simple: we are in for a rough year.