America Needs Unity, Not False Promises

 America Needs Unity, Not False Promises

The View from the Middle

 

The name of this great country was not chosen lightly.  Even before the Revolutionary War, each colony felt very strongly about maintaining its sovereignty as a free and independent “State”.  The founders also felt that it was important to send a message of strength to the world warning that if any country attacked any one state, it would be considered an attack on them all.  Finally, all of the colonies at the time, future states, were bound together by their signing of the Declaration of Independence.  In that document they all embraced the fundamental principles laid out in that proclamation, “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”  They knew that statement was true.  They also knew that it wasn’t being delivered at the time, but they were uniting behind the idea that this new nation would deliver that promise over time.  Thus, The United States of America was born.

And the USA has done amazing things when we, its citizens, were united, when we acted as one American people instead of allowing our enemies to slice us up into a hundred disparate and even conflicting pieces.  Even before we were officially The United States, the colonies came together and defeated the most powerful military might in the world at the time, the British Empire.  We saved Europe (and the world) from fascism and Nazism during WWI and WWII.  We, together, developed the greatest economy and military might in the world and our united response to the attack on 9/11 was incredible.  ALL Americans, not just Democrats or not just Republicans, powered by our values of liberty and personal responsibility have made us a singular force for good in the world.  Without us, the world would be a much different and lesser place.

American exceptionalism is driven by the power of the collective efforts of ALL of our people and the values the undergird our labor, but maybe most importantly, by our unity.  President Obama gave a wonderful speech in 2004 where he stated that there were no blue states in America or any red states, but just a United States of America.  This is the kind of attitude that all of our Presidents should have.  He or she should honor and respect all Americans if they are going to lead them.  Unfortunately, President Obama began to show some contempt for Americans who didn’t share his ideology when he suggested that conservatives “cling to their guns and religions.”  Then, after he was elected, he made his famous, “elections have consequences” statement, which is a politician’s way of telling the other side of the aisle to drop dead.  He also said that Republicans could come along for the ride in his administration, but they would “have to sit in the back seat.”  So much for unity and a real respect for All of the people being governed.

Then, there was Hillary’s famous “basket of deplorables” statement, which I believe actually lost her the election of 2016.  How can you possibly expect to lead a people when you despise so many of them?  She was also asked, during one interview in 2016, who her worst enemy was.  Of course, the moderator was expecting to get an answer like Russia, China or Iran, but Hillary said her worst enemy was Republicans.  In other words, she considered almost half of America’s citizens to be her worst enemy.  How could she possibly expect to effectively lead them?

And now we have Joe Biden claiming to want to unite our country.  Don’t get me wrong, I think that “unity” might be the most important thing our next President will need to deliver to this country.  However, as Joe talks about unity out of one side of his mouth, he supports three of the most divisive policies imaginable out of the other side.  Court Packing (adding four more justices to SCOTUS), Senate packing (gerrymandering on a national scale) and the elimination of the Senate filibuster are designed to crush the conservative voices in this country, not unite us.  Those policies are designed to remove the conservative voice from the political landscape permanently and he would do so with the slimmest of majorities if we give him that opportunity.  He is proposing a one-party system, with one voice, one mind and no competition of ideas.  Sounds a lot like China or Cuba to me.

And, as if those policies aren’t enough to reveal his contempt for half of America, Joe and Hillary have doubled down on Hillary’s “basket of deplorables” statement of 2016.  At one of his rare, recent public events, Joe Biden was confronted by some Trump supporters outside the gates.  In his speech, he talked about being the President of all Americans, “even the chumps” outside.  Is he even listening to himself?  As he talks about uniting America, he reveals his actual disdain for anyone who disagrees with him.  And, of course, Hillary took a last-ditch effort to show her true loathing of the average American as she called Republicans “spineless, cowards”.  The message?  Don’t cross Hillary or the Democrat party or you’ll be labeled a spineless, coward and placed in her basket of deplorables.  How can you possibly expect to lead people you actually hate?

My point is, our country does need unity to make it great.  Joe Biden has ten days to reject his positions on court-packing, Senate-packing and the filibuster and to use some language of real respect for ALL Americans.  If he does not, I predict he will not win, but even if he wins the election, he will be a total failure as a President.  No one can effectively lead a people whom they despise.