With Criminals, Always Follow the Money

 

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart

America has become the land of criminals. For the rich and powerful, laws do not exist. I am not referring to Trump: he is not the only person above the law in 21^st century America.

Our country is controlled by Trump and an administration composed of criminals and anti-Americans. His 902 oligarchs have no interest in the welfare of 340 million Americans, they want more money and more power.

I am more sad than angry. My younger brother and I were little boys in the 1950’s. I was born in 1946, John in 1948. We were raised by a single mother. I remain grateful that we grew up in the early age of television. This was our only source of entertainment.

We watched every John Wayne “B” western, and every movie about WWII more than once. Our days in elementary school began with all of us reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. We didn’t know the word, but we were raised to be patriots.

At the age of 10, I came home from school one day, turned on the black and white television, and became mesmerized. In a few minutes, I realized I was watching Dwight D. Eisenhower’s second convention. This was my introduction to politics, and I loved it.

In 1960, my first year of high school, I watched the debates between Senator John F. Kennedy and former Vice-President Richard M. Nixon. Like most young women and men my age, I was totally enamored with Senator Kennedy. He ‘spoke’ to us like no one before.

On November 22, 1963, I was a senior in high school. Between classes, I learned that my hero had been murdered in Dallas, Texas.

I felt a loss greater than anything I previously experienced.

I tell you this story because I did not realize it then, but I became a ‘political junkie’ at a very early age.

I read and understood our system of government. I learned the good and the bad, the heroes and villains who worked on Capitol Hill. I learned that our Democratic Republic existed with two parties which often disagreed with each other’s policies succeeding because they used the tools given to them by experience and their own intellect: honest deliberation and compromise.

I have no doubt that for some of the men and women in all three branches of government, becoming a professional politician was based on their desires for greater wealth and power. However, the system worked until 1981, most of the time. Ronald Reagan demanded complete support from his party without dissent. Deliberation and compromise rapidly disappeared.

Not since our nation lost JFK in 1963 has America had a great leader. Not since Richard Nixon resigned in 1974, has there been a true Republican in the White House.

Power is a vice, a form of mental deviance growing inside the minds of men and women who lack the courage, principles, and intelligence of our Founding Fathers, and a few good leaders who emulated them over the last 249 years.

What I never believe possible occurred on November 8, 2016. One political party made a choice to allow the dreams of our Founding Fathers to become nothing but a memory.

The men and women who call themselves “Republicans” are in reality Nazis. They and their 902 oligarchs seek ultimate power, and with it unimaginable wealth. They are closely following the plans contained in their fascist manifesto, Project 2025. They possessed information which confirmed the collusion between Trump and his handler, Vladimir Putin. They not only accepted this fact, they supported it then and support it today. They continue to hide the truth from the American people.

The ultimate truth is that a plutocracy/oligarchy, cannot be sustained within a democracy. An authoritarian rule is necessary. Welcome Dictator Donnie.

Op-ed by James Turnage

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