What Is It With That?

For the first time in my memory since the Era of Vietnam, this country is immersed in a tangle of issues, some need resolving, some just need to go away. The “will of the people” has little or no bearing in the process as there seems to be an agenda that is driven by some force or philosophy other than the democratic process.  The good ship “America” has no one on the rudder steering the vessel and few who seem willing to stand up and demand a change in direction.  I must ask you, ‘what is it with that?

Arizona is under the spotlight for their stand on immigration laws.  Here is a population of people desperate to do something to resolve the financial ruin and crime heaped upon the state by illegal immigrants coming across its southern border.  In light of the federal government’s inaction on enforcing existing immigration laws currently on the books, Arizona has taken action to enforce such laws locally.  As a result, the state is bombarded by threats of multi-state trade boycotts, by threats of Federal Government actions in the courts to rescind the state’s action.  70% of Americans agree and support the actions taken by Arizona. There is likely another 10-15% of the population who could care how it all plays out.  Then there must be a 10-15 faction that keeps this protest alive.  In the meantime, all the Federal Government can do is to proceed with legal action against the state.  Whatever happened to the “will of the people?”  Whatever happened with people who took elected oaths of office to protect our borders?  Whatever happened to the truth? I must ask you ‘what is with that?’

Our current Homeland Security Director, Janet Napolitano, who by the way is also the former governor of Arizona, has done little or nothing to address the issue of security on our southern border, especially that of Arizona.  When questioned as to the value of continuing to fence the area and possibly erecting 50 ft high fences to act as a deterrent, Ms. Napolitano simply replied that the illegals would “just show up with a 51’ ladder”.  What a stupid assessment of a serious situation by someone charged with the responsibility of creating security in that area.  If she does not have a better idea, the she needs to shut up and quit criticizing and belittling the ideas of others.  The President wanted the fencing stopped and Ms. Napolitano is bending over backwards to satisfy his desires. Of course bending that way is no problem when you have no spine.  Leakage on our borders should be a primary concern of Homeland Security but does not seem the case. The truth of the matter is all laws are subject to interpretation and/or mishandling by those applying them. That possibility cannot be the basis for not either enacting or enforcing laws. But that seems to be the “Litmus Test” in this case.  Now I ask you, ‘what is with that?’

One of the more talented leaders of recent military times was just relieved of his duties commanding forces in Afghanistan.  This is a man with 30 years of experience dealing with politics, leadership issues, the media, and various and sundry other subjects.  This is a man with a tremendous amount of experience in all these areas.  Yet, we are asked to believe that a man with such a background experienced a “lack of judgment” in allowing the Rolling Stone reporter access to his operations.  Do we really think that decision belong to General McChrsytal alone?  Do we really believe that he was granting such access without it being knowledge to his direct commander and possibly even to the President?  Are we expected to believe that the President’s copy of Rolling Stone is delivered on a monthly basis within hours of the printing? Are we expected to assume that someone did not do a hatchet job on General McChrsytal?  Do you really believe that a man of this considerable accomplishment and experience committed such a stupid error in judgment? The truth of this matter has yet to come to light.  Now I ask you, ‘what is with that?’

The Al Gore fiasco is rather troubling, a rather “inconvenient truth” of some sort I suppose.  There is deep concern for ruining the good name of a former Vice-President, Nobel Prize Winner, and inventor of the Internet….yadda, yadda, yadda.  The woman involved has been slow to come forward with her allegation and deserves some level of criticism for her inactions.  At the same time, look at how her claims are met at this point and ask yourself if it would have been given any credence two years earlier.  I see no reason to convict Al Gore at this point but this woman also deserves her day in court if she is willing to come forward and speak of the incident.  If she has no case, that should become evident and she should be dealt with accordingly.  On the other hand, she should not have to sweep it all under the rug and forget about it in light of the fact that Al Gore was involved.  Al Gore or not, this woman deserves to be heard in a court of law.  In all likelihood, she will cave to the intense pressure of the media and special interest groups supporting Gore and thus will collapse in her attempt. She will not benefit from a democratic process.  The truth of the matter is we all deserve our day in court. Now I ask you, ‘what is it with that?’

Cindy Sheehan rose to prominence with the American media when she protested the death of her son in Iraq outside the Bush family ranch.  She continued those protests at various sites throughout America practicing her right to “freedom of speech” under the Constitution.  Ms. Sheehan seems to enjoy her time in the spotlight and must have found many “friends” willing to support her and direct her in speaking out on other items of interest while she has the attention of the media.  I can understand Ms. Sheehan’s grief and frustration in the loss of her son.  I can even understand that she wants to blame former President Bush for his death.  What I cannot understand is how that issue can translate into her standing before audiences in New Orleans recently espousing the virtues of the Federal Government taking over all the major business in this country.  Her rationale was offered as the whole system would be far more stable with “central control”. In case Ms. Sheehan has not checked lately, she is spouting Communist Doctrine in her fifteen minutes of fame.  The truth of the matter is Ms. Sheehan is getting used.  Now I ask you, ‘what is it with that?’

Every day the talk out of Washington is spending, spending, and more spending, all with the promise of either rescuing our economy or creating jobs.  Since when did the government ever directly create any jobs which contributed to the private sector economy?  The fact that we need another bureaucrat in Washington or another security guard at the airport does nothing for the overall economy of the private sector.  Why is there no talk on relaxing some of the reins on the private sector in order to stimulate investment by business owners?  Why is there no movement to create investment and tax stimulus to inspire these companies and business owners to move forward?  The rationale seems to be that the American citizen should be looking to Washington to create and control all positive movement in the market.  This equates to another example of “central control” which reeks of Socialism. The truth of the matter is the government is not the savior of the people and was never intended to be. Now I ask you, ‘what is it with that?’

Senator Robert Byrd has just passed away at the age of 92.  He still occupied his Senate seat having spent more than 51 years serving as Senator of West Virginia.  Surely many of those years served the people of West Virginia well.  At the same time, this is an example of career politicians literally holding an office for their lifetime.  At what age did Senator Byrd begin to lose some of his mental sharpness?  At what age did he become a “symbol” of West Virginia rather than a functioning member of the Senate?  Obviously Senator Byrd felt it was in his best interest to occupy the office until dead caused his resignation, but was that just for the good of Senator Byrd or did it represent the best interest of the people of West Virginia?  Seniority and committee representation have become mainstays of career politician’s arguments to remain in office and America has gone along with it. Now I ask you, ‘what is it with that?’

America has burned a lot of candles at both ends.  Some of those candles have singed our fingers in the process and a lot of the hot wax has spilled on our floors over the years.  We have long been a country in which it is easy to become apathetic and accept whatever happens as being okay.  We have been influenced to believe that “this is America and everything always works out.”  For too many years, far too many of us have lived that way.  In the process, more and more of our liberties, our institutions, our cultural values have been attacked, disassembled or rearranged and we just shrug our shoulders and go on with life.  One day, we will look up and our country as we knew it will be gone, gradually taken from us by those who have insidiously inserted themselves into positions of influence and have gently twisted our democratic republic into a Socialist enslavement. The truth of the matter is we continue to let it happen by not guarding our freedoms or using our vote wisely. Now I ask you, ‘what is it with that?’

© Copyright WBrown2010. All Rights Reserved.