Washingtoons
15 July 2009
Lieutenant Colonel Allen B West (US Army, Retired)
“The Breaking Point; Summer of Discontent”
Greetings fellow South Florida riders, South Floridians, and Americans, here we are for another monthly installment of our Wheels on the Road political assessment. If you read the title of this month’s piece you realize where I am headed.
A good Commander always pays attention to the environment and notices that which is not normal. In combat, I would always counsel my junior leaders to look for things that are “out of whack” when you are out on patrol. Did you see children out playing? Were the regular sidewalk meat markets open? Were there news media vans riding around in the area of operations? You must always be tuned into the indicators and warnings (I/W) which can confirm or deny the intelligence reports you receive.
In the same light I have been listening to people and observing them whenever I am out and about.
We just had the 4th of July tea party events here in South Florida. I attended the Broward event which was in downtown Ft Lauderdale. The estimate by the Police was around 3000 for the crowd, truly amazing considering a hot holiday weekend Saturday. The local news came after the event and gave their estimation at a couple dozen.
We are living in such a time of media manipulation that Hitler’s Minister of Propaganda, Goebbels, would be proud. Many times I will flip back and forth between TV media outlets to contrast the story being reported, guess what? The glaring difference is not even debatable; one would think there is a completely different story being done.
The issue is that more and more people are noticing this, and Americans are becoming rather angry. You can see it in the falling subscriptions of the NY Times, and in the failing ratings of the “mainstream media” news.
Of course there are the mindless lemmings who truly are content with the current state of affairs in America. There are the left wing liberal socialists who believe that America is on the right track and could not be happier. However, what I am witnessing and assessing is their abject fear and concern about maintaining their “power”.
America, as a Country, is slowly awakening and the growing anger is no longer hidden. You see it in emails being passed along, you hear it on the street, when you look at the comment section to internet articles you sense it. Yes, there are the left wing blogs and comments but the hard hitting responses to them are powerful.
There is a reason why this current regime seeks to shut down voices of opposition, the truth is getting out. Why is there legislation to label pro-life and pro-gun groups as domestic terrorists? Why is there a move to create local community review boards that will evaluate, truly regulate, talk radio, the bastion of conservative discourse?
We sit in our Republic and find ourselves living with an unemployment rate that is at 9.6% and climbing. We listen to leadership who tell us that they “misread” the economy or had bad information. We are hearing about a second stimulus package because the first stimulus will not really take effect for two years…then why was it called a “stimulus”.
This most recent exhibit of Congressional incompetence called the “Cap and Trade” bill is nothing more than a behavior modification by taxation piece of legislation. We live with a government which seeks to coercively make us succumb to their desired energy agenda.
We know that there is legislation to grant citizenship to the 15-20 million illegal immigrants residing here in America. This is the number one means to solidify liberal power before the mid-term elections of 2010. The long term solution to cement the power grab is the 2010 census which has been moved from the Department of Commerce to the White House and handed to ACORN (or whatever their name is) for execution. These two actions will change the electoral base of our Republic for years.
We are up to 32 “Czars” in our Nation, in essence a shadow government which does not answer to the people, just the President. We are told that we WILL have a healthcare reform solution which contains a public option. Why would I want the same people who run the Postal Service and AMTRAK involved in my healthcare?
Our President does nothing to support young people in Iran against the Ayatollah’s but condemns the people of Honduras who are following their Constitution. We are seeing so many foreign policy faux pas’ which more than remind us of the Carter administration, just worse. Most recently we just ceded our nuclear weapons program to Russia and sold out our Eastern European allies. And what shall we do with North Korea? They are still holding two American female journalists.
And if you have not seen the film, “Third Jihad” (which you can order from internet) do so and you will truly be incensed. All of you know my sentiments about the radical Islamic infiltration in America, and the world…..but hey, our President said they have made many contributions to the American way of life.
Yep, I think about that every time I undress when flying and see old movies of the New York City skyline.
Ok, the liberal response is simple, “It’s Bush’s fault”! To wit my response is even simpler, when does Obama take responsibility and is held accountable?
Leaders never look for excuses, they accept the situation in which they find themselves and come up with viable solutions. I would offer you read the story of COL Joshua Chamberlain at Little Round Top during the second day at the Battle of Gettysburg.
I know my liberal friends will say, war is terrible, but as John Stuart Mill stated,” the decayed and degraded moral state of patriotism which believes nothing worth war is worse”.
Hey Liberals, no more excuses, it’s your economy, your foreign policy, and you are in control, so stop whining!
So what does this all have to do with this month’s topic……people are getting more and more pissed off! (There is no better way of saying this)
We are approaching the “breaking point” and I reflect back to the 1993 Joel Schumacher film “Falling Down” which starred Michael Douglas. During this summer, the discontent will continue to arise as we head into the fall, which could have an appropriate meaning for the liberals.
Americans are growing tired of the ineptness, incompetence, and corruption which now characterizes Washington DC. Get to DC on 9-12 and let your anger be known, your voice heard, and do not just internalize that emotion.
Michael Douglas’ character just wanted to get a birthday present to his daughter……we want our Country back!
Steadfast and Loyal,
LTC(R) A B West
To read more on the Col , go to the Go West Blog