We are a divided nation.
We have replaced civil
discourse with bitter fighting, name calling and extremism on both sides. Never
has this been more apparent with the death of Senator John McCain. He was
praised by former presidents for his honesty and willingness to compromise for
the good of the country. But he appears to be one of the last of his kind.
There are Democrats willing to compromise, but there is little evidence that
will happen. And you are the only ones who can change that.
How did we get this way? I’m
a history major and a journalist. I think I know to some degree. It begins with
the emergence of the tea party.
Anyway, back around 2009, I
started running around the Internet looking at various articles ranging from
the New York Times to Newsweek to Fox News. And during the party’s first rally,
keynoted by Sarah Palin’s speech that was much talked about, she overshadowed
the other speeches and I learned that the movement has more than its share of
fanatics.
The
Birchers – the reviving John Birch
Society that finds commies and other enemies under every rock. In the 1970s,
these were the ones who opposed fluoridation of water to prevent tooth decay
because it was a commie plot to soften American’s brains. The Mitchell Trio’s
lambasting song still applies. Hear it at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pG6taS9R1KM
The Birthers – they continue
to insist that President Obama is not a citizen of the United States; even now
that he no longer holds any office. And who but our current president lead that
movement?
The
Truthers – Those who contend the
9/11 attacks came from the political left and not terrorists.
The
Oath Keepers -- with their rag tag
militia following urging members of the military and police not to obey orders
they feel are unconstitutional.
The Religious Right –
originally, their main issue was abortion. But then it expanded to numerous
other issues such as bring school prayer back. And many became very politically
active. I had attended a huge superchurch and was active in youth ministry. When
an organization about politics formed and was led by a man who had molested my
ex-wife, it was time to leave – especially since the wife and I were probably
the only Democrats in the church. I told many of them that the Bible says to
help the poor and that while we had a food pantry, it was impossible for us to
help everyone in the community who needed it. The only entity that could help
was the government. But still they wouldn’t have it. “God helps those who help
themselves,” I was told. The only problem with that is it isn’t in the Bible. It
was the English political theorist Algernon Sidney who originated the now
familiar wording. Benjamin Franklin later used it in his Poor Richard's Almanac
(1736) and has been widely quoted.
Much of the Tea Party focus
was in ultra-rural areas where there is little political power and people feel
they are not part of the process.
The movement added Ruby
Ridge fanatics and a gun-toting grandma ready to be at the heart of a new
American revolution. "Peaceful means," she said, "are the best
way of going about it. But sometimes you are not given a choice." (New
York Times 2/16/10)
And, of course, the
pro-gun people.
When I was a child of the
‘60s, being against both the Vietnam War (even though I was in the Army) and
the corrupt Nixon administration, I liked to quote the declaration of
independence:
"Governments are
instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the
governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these
ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute
new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its
powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety
and Happiness."
But I learned over time that
in this system of government we have survived both Vietnam and Nixon. It has
survived George W. Bush and the Great Depression. It survived a civil war and
the McCarthy era. It ended. Segregation. And, God willing, it will survive Trump
and the Tea Party – or so I think.
But naturally, I may be
probably wrong. Tea partiers infiltrated the Republican Party. They ran their
own candidates against long-time conservative Republicans and quickly
represented about a third of the Republicans in Congress. And they pledged two
things: they would never vote for any new taxes, and they would end Obamacare.
But as they continued to
invade the GOP, they were unaware of a couple of factors. Big business was
quietly financing the movement, especially the multi-billionaire Koch brothers.
Naturally, there was also
big money from the NRA and insurance companies. Personally speaking, I am
infuriated that insurance companies are spending my premium dollars for
political gain.
And they were weakening the
GOP’s power base. Obama won the 2012 election by a greater margin than in 2008.
Since
then, they have been engaged is a war that has shattered the old GOP. There are
now three parties in Congress. Democrats and two factions of the Republicans
Then
along came The Donald. Remember Him?
On
the very day he announced his run for President, He did two things: he hired
about 200 out-of-work Broadway actors to cheer for him. And he began his
attacks on Mexican immigrants calling them rapists and criminals. It was the
first of his lies and the first of bringing together the racists, many of whom
were already open about it. From day one, he did his best to take over the tea
party and the GOP.
Why
did he run? Most political scientists and observers will tell you that he
wanted to promote his business. But I think it was rage. A couple of years
before, he attended a White House Correspondents Dinner. This has traditionally
been a time to roast the President and other politicians as well as the press
itself. Obama took a number of cheap, but hilarious shots at Trump as well as
other speakers. Trump clearly had not expected such a pounding. I’m sure it led
to his shouts of “Fake News” and the banning of some reporters, such as CNN,
from the campaign.
Trump
continued to appeal to his tribe. He said he would build a wall and the Mexican
government would pay for it. He would ban all Muslims from entering the
country. He would “clean the swamp” of people like lobbyists. He would run a
government so clean and successful you would be tired from so much success.
And
then things started coming out about Trump:
-Owing
so much money those American banks wouldn’t finance his projects any more; he
borrowed money from the Russians.
- It
was a standard tactic for Trump to screw creditors through three bankruptcies.
It was well known he was on a third marriage with children from all of them.
Two of his wives were, in fact, immigrants. His current wife had violated the
terms of her visa by working as a model when she was here on a tourist visa. Oh,
and Trump knocked her up while he was still married to his second wife.
His
followers simply ignored all this. He ranted about “Crooked Hillary” and his
followers would scream “Lock Her Up!” even though she was never convicted of anything.
He
begged the Russians to hack Hillary’s e-mails. Was this treason?
And
he won – the electoral vote anyway.
So
here we are about 20 months into the Trump administration. Have any of his
campaign promises been kept? I don’t think so. But we have seen incredible
chaos in the White House as people resign, are indicted or plead guilty to
felonies. And yet Trump’s supporters don’t seem to care. They don’t care that
Trump’s tariff war is causing unemployment and farmers can’t sell their crops. And
his immigration war compounds it. For example, do you think that Florida is our
main source of orange juice? Surprise, it’s Brazil. Trump’s war on immigration
has resulted in farmers being unable to harvest their crops and oranges lie
rotting in the orchards.
And
can a name like Harley Davidson be any more associated with America? Not any
more.
Trump
has called for peaceful protestors to be fired. He has separated thousands of
children from their parents. He is an unindicted co-conspirator in paying off a
porn star and a Playboy model.
I
do not understand why the religious right tolerates Trump’s personal behavior.
And I have no clue what part of their agenda is being executed. “All have
sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” but why do we tolerate this? Most
fundamentalist churches will not allow a divorced man to be in a position of
leadership. How can they support this one?
Anyhow,
it is Labor Day 2018 as I write this. There is an election coming up. I do not
know what you will do about it. Will you ignore it as what happens in most midterms?
Will you continue to support the GOP? If you do either you will have no damn
right to complain.
By
the way, have a nice day—unless, of course, you have other plans.
