A Call for Justice And the Future

Written by Daniel John Dunevant on January 8, 2026, 2:06 pm

In posting about my intention to start and grow a Porter County Indiana Young Democrat Chapter I expected push back. I knew that for many reasons people have an aversion to Democrats in Valpo. Adding to this our youth and willingness to be seen publicly makes a threat to the powers at be. Not locally necessarily, though as a goal we have set to promote left wing candidates in our Porter County Region, but it is also our organization that is emblematic of the national and international issues that effect our generation. Very few can afford that American dream we were sold. College leading to a good job that leads to purchase of a home to raise kids if one chooses to. A promise of stability if we choose to put in the effort. A promise of a future. Now more than ever in the history of human existence the future of living a dignified full life is in jeopardy.

AI by law is deregulated under this administration... It sets promise of innovation and as a supplier of jobs have been unmet. Concerns about its emissions have been vindicated with output this year alone equaling that of New York City. Water usage strains communities all around the country, at the cost of our people. Venture capitalists have run away with the only interest they have, profits.

AI doesn't have to be all bad. It can be efficient. China at a fraction of the amount of investment and a fraction of the amount of data has an AI comparable to ChatGPT. Let's zoom out to the larger pattern.

It is a trend of deregulation that allows for corporations to exploit and endanger their workers and consumers for their gain. In a book I highly recommend by Elie Mystal called Bad Law he outlines the effects of deregulation on the airline industry, which had been federally regulated and subsidized due to the importance of air travel to the health of the economy and to the safety of the passengers.

The effects of deregulation in this case was a decrease in worker pay, power, and safety. For consumers it caused prices to increase and quality of service to decrease. There are many more examples of this pattern. All of it trends towards gutting of the middle class. I want my generation to not be left in the dust. I want to live in a just society.

Is it for these reasons that people react with threats of violence, Nazi language, and venerations to a president as if they are King? Or maybe they are afraid of what it would mean for them if they are wrong. So they over compensate with cruelty to mask their shame and self pity.

It's sad really. They have to continually change their standards for what constitutes a dictator, proper behavior of a president, or whether they should be pro war or pro peace.

I mean Trump was awarded the (award created just for him and his ego) FIFA peace prize then goes on to invade and regime change in Venezuela and immediately threaten a take over Greenland.

On the 250th anniversary of America we should reflect on the structure and purpose of our government and why we decided to structure it in that way. They believed that a King should not have the ultimate power over the nation. Instead America aspirationally wanted all to be held equally under the law. So the powers of the law are left in the judiciary branch and all appropriations of funds for bills and for war would be left to the legislative branch. We sought to form a country that was and is for and by the people.

Where are we now? We are a country for and by the corporations, lobbying interests, and the private interests of those elected to public office. It's an abomination. It was a Republic (or representative democracy) if we could keep it. We failed to do so. Greed diluted the votes of our people with those oligarchs who would put their capital up in flames for space fantasy as their people languish below on our small blue marble. We the people have the right to ask for a more fair, equitable, and just world from our representatives. The oligarchs fear knowledge and our understanding of our rights. It was Reagan that said the following, "We are in danger of producing an educated proletariat." This was in the context of funding higher education allowing it to be free. This is not an unpopular sentiment among the oligarchy no doubt. They can find money for war but can't seem to find the funds to pay their teachers. They can fund school choice vouchers to exacerbate existing inequities and existing class divisions but they can't fund school lunch programs. Bootstraps and all… The game has been given away. Their goal is clear. Keep them fighting amongst themselves while they hollow out the American dream.

A dream where no matter the station of one's birth they can rise by the tenacity of their spirit. One where true merit can exist. Right now that dream is just that. However that dream can be our goal and we can take the steps together, one at a time, to make that dream a reality. We want freedom, we want security for a future, and we want justice where all people are equal under the law, not just aspirationally, but truly. It's a lofty goal but our people deserve nothing less. As president of the Porter County Indiana Young Democrats I aim to work with all of you to accomplish this and to elect those with our values in our region. Who's with me?

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