The concept of being joined together for a common purpose, or by common feelings, is considered being united and one imagines that is precisely why the Founding Fathers named this country the “United” States of America. There has always been disparate ideas among the people about how the nation should be governed, but there has also been a common feeling and belief that governing should be for the benefit of the entire country. That feeling of unity of purpose came to a screeching halt in January 2009 when Republicans committed to working solely for the benefit of the wealthy elite, and in the process used racial animus against the new President to openly work against the people.
Throughout his five-and-a-half year tenure in office, President Obama has not wavered in executing his job as President to work for all Americans and, along the way, attempt to unite the people behind a common goal of advancing the interests of the entire population. Of course, as unwavering as the President has been in working for all Americans, Republicans have been just as steadfast in working solely for the richest one-percent and whipping racist religious conservatives into frenzy against the great majority of Americans as surrogates for the African American President.
The Republican answer to the President’s executive actions to help all Americans is suing him for doing what they refuse to do; work for the general welfare of the people. It does not matter that the President, in many cases, issued the same exact executive orders as his white predecessor, or that his orders are well within his constitutional authority; Republicans are livid President Obama is doing what they should be doing as prescribed by the Constitution; working for the people.
On Sunday, Virginia Republican Representative Bob Goodlatte told Fox News’ host Chris Wallace that House Republicans’ plan to sue President Obama is, “not about our wanting to stop him from doing his job. It’s our wanting to do the job that the Constitution prescribes.” Republicans have had five-and-a-half years to do the job the Constitution prescribes and instead either obstructed legislation that helps the people, passed legislation taking from the people, passed legislation giving billions to the rich, or manufactured scandals at the taxpayers’ expense. Speaker John Boehner even boasted that Republicans’ job is not making laws, but abolishing laws and programs that benefit the people.
Republicans believe America is the wealthy elite and their job is waging war against 99% of the population they obviously regard as their wealthy elite family’s enemies. In fact, Republicans have done everything in their power to divide the country into real Americans (the rich and corporations) and 99% of the population including their ignoramus racist and religious supporters.
On Saturday during his radio address, President Obama eluded to why he has to take executive action for the people in the face of Republican devotion to the richest Americans. He said, “The point is, we could do so much more as a country – as a strong, tight-knit family – if Republicans in Congress were less interested in stacking the deck for those at the top, and more interested in growing the economy for everybody.” It is a decidedly American, and noble sentiment, and at one time “America as a strong tight-knit family” may have been the case. But as the President fully understands, Republicans are incapable of comprehending this nation as a “strong, tight-knit family” because they serve what they consider is real America; the rich.
In Republicans’ minds, the wealthy elite are America and the rest of the people are interlopers. In fact, Republicans and the conservative Supreme Court have set up conditions to allow aggressive predation by the wealthy elite against 99% of the population, and until the people comprehend that simple premise Republicans will continue their “them against us” crusade with staunch support from their ignorant base Republicans do not consider part of “us.”
It is beyond refute that the GOP’s base is inherently ignorant, and racist, or they would not give unwavering support to Republicans that are now openly “stacking the deck for those at the top” as if they are the only Americans. Republicans have been successful working solely for the rich by pandering to their base’s ignorance with three simple words; god, guns, and white. For their hate-driven supporters, those three words are a call to arms both figuratively and literally. It informs the entire “them against us” mindset and allows Republicans to openly fight for the rich (us) and oppose growing the economy or doing anything for the outliers (them) as evidenced by their crusade to eliminate any provisions intended to aid “everybody.”
What is mind-boggling is the large segment of the population that believes they are part of what Republicans consider real America (the wealthy) and continue supporting them when Republicans regard them as less than ugly step-children and not part of what President Obama labeled “a strong, tight-knit family.” Republicans’ tight-knit family is Wall Street, the oil industry, corporations, and the wealthy elite and because the President has to resort to executive action to help the GOP’s sworn enemies (the 99%), they want to sue him for doing the job he was elected to do because they will not do theirs.
It is true the GOP hates the President. and yes they want to destroy his presidency, and yes, they hate his executive actions because they refuse to govern. Each of those items contribute to their refusal to work for the people. But a primary reason they refuse to govern is because if they are not allowed to take everything from the people and give the wealth of the nation to the rich, then they will not do anything. It has driven their agenda from January 2009 through today and they have absolutely no intention of changing. The President finally realized if he did not take executive actions to help the people, no-one would.
This country is as far afield from being a strong tight-knit family as it was during the Civil War and it is all down to Republicans. It is true they incite their supporters’ racial and religious animus toward the President and other Americans for political expediency, but it has always been for the express purpose of serving the interests of the rich.
There is little doubt the House Republican plans to sue the President is a political stunt to fire up their ignorant base, and to distract attention away from their do-nothing record. But the fact they are furious the President is working for all the people and not solely the wealthy elite cannot be understated. In the Republican mindset, the President working for all the American people he regards as a strong, tight-knit family is tantamount to attacking Republicans’ family that does not include the god, guns, and white crowd. It is the wealthy elite, corporations, and Wall Street, or in Republican parlance, the only real America.
Born in the South, raised in the Mid-West and California for a well-rounded view of America; it doesn't look good.
Former minister, lifelong musician, Mahayana Zen-Buddhist.
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