Article: Do We Really Want a Republican Congress?

Returning from Asia this past spring I told my wife that for my 68th birthday I was giving up the political fray, that is writing on my blog, OPED, letters to editors, and politicos of all size and shape. I also promised to attend to some health issues, and to get hearing aids after 60 years of poor hearing. I have actually lived up to all these commitments but I am making an exception with this article. One of the reasons for removing myself from the discussion was, and is my total frustration with the so called progressives and of course the ridiculous Tea Party and Birther groups. I certainly have never thought of myself as an intellectual, or really much of an expert in any area, but I am educated, I have traveled in maybe 40 countries, owned and operated businesses, and a bit familiar with Washington politics from experience, so maybe that earns me some rights to state my opinions.

Let me get this right out in front and if you wish to say, "Oh well that explains it all" go for it. I did have the opportunity to meet the President recently and have a brief conversation but what I am going to say has nothing to do with that meeting-----at all. My wife and I have an interest in a gift shop that is part of a restaurant that he ate lunch at while touring this area. Faith Hill and her husband (cannot remember his name) also ate here a few months ago and I did not even try to see them. I am simply not a celebrity seeker.

I have been an independent my entire life, although I voted Democrat over the past years, I do not belong to the party. I supported Obama because I felt he offered something this country had not seen in over a 100 years, and that was someone that did not come from either wealth nor a political family and had made it on his own. He ran a campaign that energized the country, tried to keep the conversation on the issues, and withstood every dirty trick out there, with some of that dirt still beng offered to the intellectual incompetents. The political savvy of the average American is disgraceful, and the fact that Fox News can have such a large market share is evidence of that fact. I have no doubt that people like Beck, Limbaugh, etc are no more than carnies who have discovered this large group of basically ignorant people and are lining their pockets. I fully believe they really have no real political beliefs at all. It is just a show like any side show. That is not a new story but the fact that a whole network can appeal to so many is very disturbing. I don't need to remind you of the conditions when he got elected, but no president in my memory faced so many problems at one point in time. In 2008/2009 most of us saw our retirement portfolios fall 50% or more and it seemed the second great depression was right around the corner. If the Fed and both Bush and Obama had not taken the steps they did, many experts think the whole banking system would have collapsed. Who would want to take that chance?

It may be an old story but Bush held office for 2922 days, and when he went into office there was a huge surplus and peace. Certainly 911 was not Bush's fault but the attack on Iraq was a knee jerk reaction from a president that simply "never got it" and had people of questionable intent like Cheney and gang. The fact that mistakes were made all along the line is now history, just like the bottom falling out of the stock market less than two months after Obama took office. In less that 500 days in office there is now a health bill passed and regardless of the fact it will have to be amended and changed------it had not been such a bill in 100 years of trying. It is easy to criticize the bill but there was a consensus on reform and what did Republicans have to offer. For the first time in history health care reform was supported by the AMA. Certainly the TARP program can be criticized but that had Bush support, along with many economic experts that felt to let the banking industry fail was the road to disaster. Can anyone possibly believe that the country would have been better off under McCain/Palin? One of the greatest dangers we face is from people who believe it would. Take a moment and listen to people like Angel and ask yourself what of substance are they saying. Is the old rhetoric of, "taking our country back, changing Washington, cutting spending, fixing our borders, making the military stronger, and cutting taxes", going to sell and be purchased? If so then perhaps we get exactly what we deserve. I am constantly amazed how people talk about taxes, when in fact they pay very little or none at all, yet they are manipulated by those with other agendas and believe they are part of some group that would not give them the time of day. Tell them they can keep there AK47's and they are happy. And if you do not believe racism has a lot to do with the dislike of Obama then you are very wrong. After the President left we put two photos on our countertop and we heard and saw everything from making the finger pistol to parents telling their children this is who we hate. Want to say that is because we are in the South, then better go to Indiana, home of the KKK or Michigan or any other area of the country.

The pundits all tell us that we will very likely see the Republicans take over one or both houses this November and that may happen. Maybe it should and then the voters will see what is accomplished because tax cuts for the wealthy, removal of health care will not get passed the White House. Have you heard any solutions offered by Republicans? Tax cuts? Talk about a bigger deficit and there is a good way to add to it. You can almost see the gleam in Boehner's eyes as he sees himself in the Leaders position and he will do anything, regardless of the effect on the American people, to gain the power. Doing nothing about extending un-employment legislation is a perfect example, when it is common knowledge that it is probably one of the fastest ways to stimulate the economy, leaving out the human element of people without the ability to pay rent and buy food without it. Are we going to accept the ugliness of "those people do not want to work" and they are simply lazy? Is that who we have become? If we are to indict all un-employed then we must indict all politicians, for we have had many guilty of far more serious crimes than being lazy. Perhaps one way to insure 4 more years for Obama is for the GOP to win both houses and then after 2 years of getting nothing done, people will be reminded of how bad things were.