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Rick Santorum was screeching the other night about how our American Republic is no more, and only Mitt Romney (now) can restore it. He used to say only he could do that but of course that’s a whole other issue.
The illegal,” unconstitutional Obamacare” was Armageddon a year ago, according to John Boehner. Then it was the “largest middle-class tax increase in history,” per Mitch McConnell, ”though no longer unconstitutional.”
A quick perusal of our own letters to the editor suggests that some, if not a lot people, go all those guys one better.
“I feel as if we live in a dictatorship,” says one writer. It’s unclear just what specifically informs that opinion except that the writer doesn’t believe Obama’s birth certificate is genuine. What are some other signs of living in a dictatorship, I want to ask that person. Have storm troopers come to your house at 4 a.m., taken away your son or father or your dog and you haven’t seen any of them in six years? Did something like that happen to you? Have you been jailed for writing your opinions in a newspaper or for saying them in a speech on the street corner? Anything like that ever happen to you or yours or anyone you know?
Another notes that “we won’t have any worries about our children’s future, because there won’t be one.” Same questions for that individual. What exactly has happened to you that gives you that bleak outlook for the future? You sound as though you have already suffered incalculable pain, ruin, destruction and hopelessness — and your government, especially the president, is directly to blame. Have any or all those kinds of things happened to you? If so, there’s a real story there, and we should be printing it. If it’s that bad, everyone should be alerted and aware so we can take action. But, there have to be some specifics to take action against.
One that is so gross, it almost doesn’t bear acknowledging Obama is not “his president and that he is a terrorist POS.” It took me awhile to translate POS, but here’s someone who clearly has been harmed beyond measure by the president. This individual obviously has been the victim of some unknown act of terrorism caused if not carried out by Barack Obama — and yet we’ve never heard of any such thing, right here in El Dorado County. The same writer goes off on the African American “welfare race”among others that Obama represents. What exactly has made you so angry and is there really nothing you can do about it? I want to ask.
The writer that started the most recent avalanche of dire predictions states that if Obama is re-elected and continues as president, “the Amercan Republic will cease to exist.”
I look around me, and I notice that most everything is the same today as it was yesterday and last year and last decade and last century. Some things have really gotten better, much, much better. Some things have no doubt gotten worse, but on balance, I’d say the ratio of better to worse is about 100 to one.
The Great Depression was much harder on this country than any subsequent economic tribulations. World War II killed several hundred thousand Americans and wounded who knows how many more. Funny that neither of those events led to the downfall of the Republic. The Cold War stretched on for 40 years, and we didn’t succumb to a withering collapse. The Vietnam War and civil rights agony of the ‘60s hurt a lot, but I don’t recall anyone of consequence suggesting it was the end of our great nation. And it wasn’t, not even close. My goodness, Richard Nixon resigned before being impeached and we survived. The 9/11 attacks happened almost 11 years ago, and there were all sorts of claims that our lives would never be the same. And they were right — in some ways. Air travel is a much bigger pain in the butt. I can’t think of much else that has changed significantly that affects everyone or most of us. Not counting wars, but then there have always been wars, and we haven’t come apart yet. Think of the Civil War. That could have been the end of the Republic but it wasn’t.
So where are these people coming from with this doomsday stuff? I can understand some, such as our letter writers. I cannot understand people like Santorum or McConnell or Boehner. They ought to be ashamed of themselves. Either they don’t know the impact of their words on some people or they do and are OK with it. If it’s the latter, they should really be ashamed.
Chris Daley is a staff writer and columnist for the Mountain Democrat. His column appears each Friday.
The Mountain Democrat does not necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post. Read our full policy
James E.July 19, 2012 - 10:09 am
Where are they coming from? Chris, it's simple, they are the Tea Party and Rush, Hannity, O'Reilly, and Savage. Oh, and you apparently missed the 'N' word comments on the MtDemocrat web site. Nasty people who profess to love America, while exhibiting that they really hate America. Disgusting.
Ken SteersJuly 19, 2012 - 10:50 am
So am I to understand that "creepy dude" Daily equates the Obama presidency to the Great Depression, WWII, the 9/11 attacks, the Vietnam War and the Civil War. I would whole heartily agree. I would contend that his writing boarders on being delusional if he doesn't think that the American Family is being devastated financially as well as spiritually today. He chastises those that are hurting as simply being angry and that Daley himself see's no change. I would suggest that Daley either crawl out from his cave or is simply a liar. For if you have a job, are unemployed, or have children in the same shape as you, one would have to be blind not to see that America and Eldorado Counties way have life has greatly deteriorated. The readers must be cognoscente to the writers that are paid shills for the Obama administration as well as the Democrat party.
James E.July 19, 2012 - 11:09 am
The way of life for Americans, including those in El Dorado County, deteriorated because of the Great Recession. It began in 2007-08 because of the malfeasance of the financial sector. Do I blame President Obama for the Great Recession? No, it started before his watch, and it continues today because of the Party of NO.
Ken SteersJuly 19, 2012 - 11:16 am
Even Daley's leftist apologist agree that the American way of life has deteriorated. DELUSIONAL.
James E.July 19, 2012 - 12:33 pm
Of course, it has deteriorated for those out of work or stuck in part time jobs because of the Great Recession. Some business owners and military officers are doing OK.
Ken SteersJuly 19, 2012 - 2:24 pm
It seems that Daley's diatribe got taken off the site as fast as it was put on.
Jack MartinJuly 19, 2012 - 2:47 pm
Mr Daley's article could have been written by a journalist in Germany around.....1936. Blythe dismissals cast against anyone who makes an observation about the erosion of liberties and the concentration of power by a central government. Here in 2012 we have the benefit of being able to look backward into history and see where this sort of pattern leads us. It's an ugly place. Daley's inability to see it and to connect the dots explains a lot as to his failure to understand the concerns voiced by others.
prime timeJuly 20, 2012 - 9:23 am
U.S. Military Purchasing Combat Equipment for Domestic Contingency Planning
James E.July 20, 2012 - 11:46 am
Apparently there is some irritation because Chris debunks a number of the Tea/Republican sayings that Democracy is dead, and the world will end if President Obama is reelected. Doomsday, really?
Dink LaneJuly 20, 2012 - 12:42 pm
Hyperbole = fear --> fear = response without cognitive analysis .... No cognitive analysis = reactive action --> leads to leaps in logic ...
Absolutely right . . .July 20, 2012 - 1:16 pm
. . . it's not that bad. I'm OK, Chris. And so are you, James & Dink. Nothing bad has happened to us. We can ignore unsurprising stories like the handcuffed guy recently shot twice by SF police. And there's habeas corpus: Dead. The Constitution: a "mere scrap of paper". Millions of homeless Americans: Who's counting? US & international laws against torture: Forget ‘em. Spying on Americans - not a murmur in these pages. As for the sparing over whether Obama or Romney is better or worse, it’s a flip of the coin.
James E.July 20, 2012 - 1:39 pm
Absolutely Right, I too have serious concerns about Habeas Corpus, and the lack of prosecution of those who torture or have tortured. Sadly, politicians must go hardcore just in case, so they won't be vilified in the event of another major attack on the United States. Mitt will not change any of the things that concern you. It's our new reality.
Absolutely right . . .July 20, 2012 - 2:48 pm
Neither Mitt nor Obama will change any of these things. Benjamin Franklin was right: "They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."
EldoradoJuly 20, 2012 - 9:59 pm
Democracy is far from dead. It is alive in places like Syria where the majority have decided to kill the minority... Maybe that is why the framers of our Constitution did not use the word.
Independent voterJuly 21, 2012 - 7:20 pm
Thanks Chris, its encouraging to hear both sides from the Mt Democrat.
IndependentJuly 21, 2012 - 7:51 pm
There is a whole world of thought encompassed by neither Democrats or Republicans. Bear in mind, a box has six sides, as well as the interior and surrounding exterior spaces. Normally we're allowed to think, see and speak about only two sides of that box.