What REAL National Security Should Look Like

An idea from a poor man's perspective of what real national security should look like, but most politicians don't talk about.

So I recently saw a clip of Independent presidential candidate, Robert F Kennedy Jr and he was speaking about the importance of Israel in regards to American interests. As far as RFK Jr goes when it comes to policy, I have many disagreements. This recent statement just highlights one of my major disagreements with him and it prompted me to create this short essay in response to what he stated.

So… Y'all want to know what he said?

Here's just a quote: “Israel is a bulwark for us... it’s almost like having an aircraft carrier in the Middle East. If Israel disappears, Russia, China, and BRICS+ countries will control 90% of the oil in the world and that would be cataclysmic for US national security.”

"National Security", that phrase gets thrown around quite a bit in US politics but we're constantly being told that we're less secure by both sides of the uni-party. However, neither of them can just seem to get National Security right. What I DO notice is that they both behave deeply similarly in how they go about national security. Our government still engages with conflicts abroad that ultimately favor corporations in the extraction of resources via coups and destabilization. I have yet to see a deviation from that modus operandi in my lifetime so it is not missed upon me that there are no plans to change that. Now, I don't have a political science degree or any military experience. Hell, I've never been to college! But as a poor layman, I decided to lay out what I feel TRUE National security would entail that I feel most people in the US would be willing to get behind.

Wanna see? Here we go!

True US national security would involve closing nearly all 800 military bases around the world. The world would feel less threatened if there isn't a gun to their heads and they have to point a gun back at us to protect themselves. Our government has had war after war, conflict after conflict and no clear marker of safety has been seen since. It is clear that through government intervention via coup d'etat and the extraction of resources at gunpoint around the world this government policy has made us less safe. No longer interfering with democracies to install a head of state for "American interests" is a quick and efficient way to increase our security. If we want to protect American interests, we need to do it IN America. Let nations abroad have self determination and sovereignty instead of forcing our corporate will on them by means of a CIA coup.

True US national security would involve a Nationalized Healthcare System to ensure the health, safety and security of the nation. No longer will there be a need for private insurance corporations to dictate what we need to maintain good health just so that they can deny us and make more profit. These mafia-like middlemen should be thrown into the dustbin of history. The profit seeking of Big Pharma has left a bad taste in the mouths of many Americans and so full nationalization would involve owning the pharmaceutical industry as well. The focus would shift from making as much profit for the corporation and pushing more medications into American bodies to keeping as many Americans off of pharmaceuticals through preventative medicine as much as possible. The pharmaceuticals created via a Nationalized Health Care System would be made as efficient as possible to push healthier outcomes and less need of medications thus cutting costs.

True US national security would involve education for all so that they're not burdened with student loan debt. Education flows freely to protect our interests so that more ideas can be shared among the citizens that will greatly improve our lives collectively.

True US national security would involve workers having democracy in the workplace. If we want to spread democracy, we need to start at home in the places we spend a majority of our waking hours. We build wealth for corporations but don't receive the fruits of our labor from them. They make record profits, yet we struggle in our day today lives. Home prices and rents are skyrocketing while the homelessness rate grows exponentially year over year.

True US national security would involve protecting the planet we call home. Climate change is now causing climate refugees to migrate North away from their homes, shifting & exterminating cultures that have existed for millennia. Expansion of mass public transportation & high speed rail encourages freedom of movement for more citizens while curbing emissions Nationwide. More walkable cities & towns encourage better health and more community building. Having less disposable waste keeps our environments clean. Slashing the military budget by 97% and nationalization of the MIC with severely decrease the amount of fossil fuel use by the military and nationalization of the military industrial complex would end the profit seeking that causes more military conflict around the world, (It would also save us a ton of money). Heavy focus on renewable energy and a nationalization of the fossil fuel industry to cut on carbon emissions from corporations and the military.

True US national security would involve making sure every person in the homeland is housed. The health and safety of this nation should not be left up to the whims of profit seeking by corporations and landlords, but should be guaranteed by the people by means of the people via a government CHOSEN by the people.

These are just some of the things that I think involve true National security but because of the corporate dictators that own our government at present, they are determined to make us less safe just to make more money. They are too dangerous to have their hands on our government and each day they continue to put our lives at risk. This is why I continue to advocate for us building class consciousness in solidarity within our communities so that dual power can be achieved to change our government into one that actually provides true security for all and not artificial security for a small few. In the end, true security for all IS possible and will be possible!