What happened in DC on my 74th birthday is an abomination. Our current president is responsible in so many ways, in his thoughts, words, and deeds, by what he has done, and by what he has left undone. He has not loved all with his whole heart; he has not loved his neighbors as himself. He is a flawed individual who saw a group of citizens who had been ignored by both parties and offered up a path forward. He should resign and let Mike Pence finish out the term. But, he not the only one responsible!
So should all of those in Congress who from the day he was nominated to all the days after the election in 2015 conspired to destroy the president in various ways: using the FBI and other agencies to spy on him and those around him; putting forth a false narrative about collusion; pronounce they had seen hard evidence that justified impeachment; never made any, any effort to meet his administration halfway; need I go on? They should also resign.
So should all the governors and mayors who did nothing, or actually supported those who turned peaceful protests into violence, property destruction and injury.
So should the “journalists” on both sides who fed the hate rather than push for compromise and bi-partisanship. I think every time a talking head is not reporting news there should be a chyron stating, “This is my opinion, I am a progressive (conservative).” I do not want Facebook, et al. to be censoring content based on their “rules” with regard to political commentary.
All those who participated in those riots should also be charged, whether yesterday or over the past few years.
Our democracy needs disagreement and compromise. I send money each year to “No Labels” an organization that supports bi-partisanship in Congress. My letters to DC ask and hope for the same. Totalitarian tendencies exist on both sides of the aisle, we need leaders who will listen to outside their philosophical bubbles rather than toe the line of party leaders. They are few and far between.
I voted for Trump because I supported most of his policies. What he did resulted in higher wages for those whose pay had been flat, encouraged people to open businesses by reducing regulations, began to address the illegal actions of China on the business side, stood up to our allies who were not pulling their weight on defense, appointed judges who read the law and decided on the written law, not on their opinion of what it should be, and other actions. We had more freedom to pursue our own vision of happiness, I am mostly convinced our President elect will reverse all those policies, since he was VP when our former President put them in place. I do not support most of the Democrat policies which put more power in the hands of the government. I am one of those who “clings to my Bible and guns” as our former President said in 2007.
We are facing very significant external threats to our way of life; China, Russia, Iran and other generators of intolerance and terrorism. We can’t defend ourselves if we remain this divided.
The government has a role to play in our society, but as Lord Acton said, “Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
Peace