Republicans & Fear - Back in Gear
The Republican party is back to its "grand old" tradition of lies, hate, fear, acts of violence and intimidation.
After whipping up anger and upset - based upon complete negativity, half-truths and outright lies - the Republicans vowed, through their recently failed and increasingly embittered presidential candidate in the previous election - Sen. John McCain (Arizona) - that " ... there will be no more cooperation for the rest of the year ... " relating to any more of the social and economic initiatives proposed by President Obama and Democrats in the House of Representatives and the United States Senate, in light of the very narrow passage of Health Care Reform that had its roots in Teddy Roosevelt's "Bull Moose" campaign of 1912.
Within days of Health Care Reform being passed, threatening calls were made to Democratic legislators who had supported the much-needed, long-awaited changes, bricks were hurled through the windows of various Democratic Headquarters, and attempts were summoned up to return to "states rights" as a means to block extensive and radical progress by the federal government.
Going back to epithets hurled during the vote on Health Care Reform and an unheard of yelling at President Obama during his State of the Union Address only scratches the surface. Democrats on their way to voting for the Health Care Reform measures were spat upon, and had racial and sexual orientation attacks yelled at them by angry, ignorant, hateful Republican supporters of the unbalanced, unworkable status quo.
The Republicans stole the 2000 election and proceeded to run the country into the ground for 8 long and dangerous years. The party of the Watergate break-in had its sights set - that time - on ending the participatory political process and ruling the country by decree, eliminating any and all opposition as they made their way. The result of their madness was the only resignation of a President of the United States in American history. The McCarthy witch hunts of the era soon after World War II eventually led to his exposure as a fraud, censure by the United States Senate and his passing - as a drunken monster who had earned a place in infamy.
The upcoming midterm elections will serve as a very real test of the character, sensitivity and mentality of the American people. Given the extremely dramatic contrast between hope and fear that has been placed before them, it will be fascinating to see which path they choose.