THEY WENT “NUTS”
by Colonel Bob Pappas, USMC, Retired, ©2013, blogging at Gulf1
(Oct. 7, 2013) — In a recent article “Who Shut Down the Government,” Thomas Sowell explained that Senator Harry Reid and President Obama are personally and directly responsible for shutting down the Government. Sowell calls on the Republican Party to do a better job of informing the general public. His explanation is so clear that even liberals and the media can understand it and is located at the following link: http://townhall.com/columnists/thomassowell/2013/10/04/who-shut-down-the-government-n1716292 .
Understanding is one thing but succeeding in building a fire under the Republican Party is another. At some point one legitimately wonders if Republicans are as much a part of the problem as are their Democrat counterparts. (For my Libertarian friends, yes, I know.) It is clear that most Americans are conservative and endowed with generous hearts, while Democrats’ behavior is demonic and obscenely generous with other people’s money.
In a TV broadcast on October 4th, 2013 Sean Hannity hosted a group of college students split evenly between Republicans and Democrats. Given the questions and responses, it became immediately apparent that the education system is doing an excellent job of brainwashing students into believing that government is the solution to every problem. President Reagan’s observation, “… government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem,” has been buried in academia in favor of the senseless notion that government offers utopia if the rich will but pay their fair share.
It is a fact that while government can and may take away from the wealthy one hundred percent of their gross income, doing so would support government operations for about seventeen days. Watching those fervent young people passionately debate their misguided belief that government is “the solution” was agonizing. A mere generation ago, Americans were engaged in combat for survival against the tyrannical forces of big government known as Hitler’s “State Socialism” and Stalin’s and Mao’s communism. Reagan knew that “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.” Listening to those young people debate proved him correct.
President Reagan won the struggle to preserve national and individual freedom. The struggle against communism continued for more than seven decades and grew in intensity during the last four of those seven decades. Reagan won by confronting both the evil empire and “liberals” at home with fairness and firmness in both instances; and the military might to make good on any commitment abroad. It is well-known by anyone who knows Obama that he is implicitly and explicitly the anti-Reagan. In spiritual terms Reagan would emulate the chosen one, and Obama would be the anti-chosen one.
The nation is presently engaged in a bloodless, (and hopefully it will remain bloodless) struggle that will define future generations of Americans. Some anachronistic Republicans such as Senators McCain, Graham and others steadfastly cling to the notion that compromise (by Obama’s definition that would be “giving in” to his demands) is the way to success in future elections. Nothing could be farther from the truth. It is notable that in the Federal Government Shut Down Mr. Obama has repeatedly declared that he will not compromise despite his claim of “bending over backwards” to compromise with Republicans.
It is axiomatic that when righteous men and women resist evil, that evil will flee. Therefore, now is the time to resist; for fortitude, compassion and a strong campaign to overcome the lies that swarm like locusts from the political left.
Today an email came from the Chief of Staff at Republican Headquarters, Mike Shields, soliciting funds to “continue the fight.” Below, and consistent with Sowell’s admonition, is my edited response:
“Mike et. al.
I was a lifetime Republican (until I was 65, albeit constrained by military regulations while on active duty) until the Party went “nuts” a number of years ago and began trying to out-Democrat the Democrats. I don’t know whose advice you are currently taking but it must be from some Democratic strategist who has suckered you into believing he is a Republican…that is, unless you’ve gone over to the “dark side of the force” and are taking the Party with you.
If you have a vestige of conservatism and integrity remaining and have not read Thomas Sowell’s piece dated October 4th, 2013, “Who Shut down the Government?” you should. Sowell’s concluding paragraph is important. So, until you offer a plan that stipulates how you are going to spend donated money on a carefully crafted and hard hitting media campaign, you are wasting both your time and mine.
When I see a satisfactory plan that that has a chance to win this fight, I’ll donate a goodly amount, until then, pound sand…I’ll go to the Tea Party. The Tea Party is being far more cost effective and much more in line with Americans who live “out here in the weeds” on the issues of: Illegal Immigration, Sequestration, Gun Control, “Obamacare,” Government Shutdown, and the National Debt.”