My very recent “Opinion” letter exchange with Jerry Haslip in the Star begs an important distinction. I am not writing about Socialism vs. Capitalism or Republican vs. Democrat. I am very concerned about the drift the nation is taking due to the preoccupation of the Republican leadership bumbling around trying to find new leadership in their ranks, at the same time redefining their political standing as the “loyal opposition” (as the British refer to losers). The Republican Party leadership is seriously floundering amid rocks and shoals while the loose nuts in our society see an opening to solidify their screwy ideas about how to govern, providing they are in charge. Our President and the federal organizations need the support of the opposition, not continued backbiting, sniping, delaying tactics and trash talking about racial equality.
As an unthinking person (Jerry’s definition) I believe all of us, every single citizen, should consider a bit of recent history. Once upon a time the National Republican Party selected a presidential candidate and his running mate. The Party also honked up a great “new age” theory. The basic theory was that big money be given free reign to make even more
money. Then big money will spend that money to provide jobs for more people and every one will have a car in the garage and more food on the table. The unlikely title for the theory was trickle down economics. To complement the theory the Party selected a special candidate for president. A young man with an impeccable political pedigree from Texas.
Trickle down economics and a president who would have preferred to be Baseball Commissioner worked eight years to get us in the situation in America that ninety-nine percent of the population is enduring today. During that time we have been at war continually instigated by an administration run by a disparity that grew as production was moved off-shore and American workers lost their jobs and the one percent took every opportunity, legal or illegal, to get richer. We would have been much better off if the Republican administration had put the nation on a war status when we invaded Somalia, then Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and no one knows what country is next. A comparatively few of us alive remember the draft and draft boards, anti aircraft emplacements in the neighborhood, night blackouts, travel restrictions, food rationing, gasoline rationing cards, federal regulations against hording including confiscation and most importantly, federal action against seditious activities by Americans. The matter of sedition can reach such serious levels that the perpetrators don’t realize they are traitors.
The billions of dollars the wars have cost, the inevitable combat casualties and wounded military and the disruption of international politics are just a sideline to the Republicans. This deadly decision of trying to conduct business as usual and keep a steady drain of resources, assets, and manpower will reverberate through our nation for many decades to come. The “trickle down economy” idea was fallacious in the beginning and has just about ruined the nation. The political identity for the unrest today must rest on the performance of the Republican Party. Demagogy exhibited by elected officials such as the Speaker of the House in Congress and the minority Speaker in the Senate and even down to the Ravalli County Commission only personifies a political philosophy that failed years ago. For almost four years the Democratic ideals held by those in national government are starting to emerge to reverse the degradation of our lifestyle and regenerate more equality the people have not experienced in decades. But more time is necessary to pull out of the mire of Republicanism. The proliferation of strange activities like the Doomsday Preppers, secessionists, libertarians, constitutionalists, militias and tea parties personify the ridiculous. But never the less bring the nation to the realization that the fruits of Republicanism are bitter, distasteful, only to be discarded for the benefit of the American people.
Earl Pollard
Hamilton