LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Will my grandchildren still have America?

We are into the fifth month of President Trump’s tenure, and the chaos, recently exacerbated by the call for his impeachment spread by those who truly hate him, is strangling the wishes of the voters who said to our elite Democratic and Republican politicians: Enough, it’s time for a change. His approach to governing is different, and that truly scares those who have been in Washington (i.e., power) for decades, as it threatens to expose their true indifference to the American public. In the mid-1960s Lyndon Johnson’s “Great Society” program was designed to ease racial tensions in this country and provide a mechanism, i.e., more government programs, for all to prosper. Good intention, or was it? The ’60s were a very turbulent time in this country, but Johnson’s solution, in the long run, did very little to solve the problem. It did, however, guarantee a voting bloc. Lest we forget, it was the Southern Democrats who fought to kill the civil rights movement. Fast forward to now, and while we are a very different society, I am not sure we are any better off or that much different. Our last president extinguished the opportunity given to him, not once, but twice, by the American voter. The MIT professor who helped write Obamacare was correct: the American public is ignorant of truly what’s happening as they are only concerned with themselves and what’s trending on social media, not the country. As we become more engrossed in ourselves, it’s easy for a slick politician to charismatically lie to us. Unfortunately, too many Americans buy it. Where we once thought of the collective responsibility we all had to our society, we are now a nation of individuals who have lost sight of that collective responsibility. All one has to do is walk down any street and watch the public. Everyone is engrossed in their cell phones, and what’s trending on social media. The pendulum has moved from thinking collectively to thinking individually, as we’ve been educating our children to believe that their individual rights far exceed their societal responsibilities. Who would have ever thought that the 18- to 21-year-old attending college, costing $40-$60,000 per year and more, would need a safe spot, a time out, would fear someone who thought differently, or God forbid, had to pay a library fine? We will reap what we sow. On college campuses this fall, courses will be taught on how to resist and continue the onslaught against our current president. Whether you like him or not, think about what is truly taking place — we will be educating (remember, higher education is a mutlibillion-dollar business) our youth on how to rebel and resist when they disagree, vice teaching them how to participate in an intelligent debate with someone whom they disagree. Just look at the town hall meetings of today. People are not engaging in constructive debate; they are shouting down anyone and anything that is different from their train of thought. Children mimic adult behavior. What happens when junior gets a “real” job and disagrees with his/her boss? Why are the youth of today so lost? Maybe it’s because we’ve lost the art of parenting. Parenting is not the function of our educational system or government. It is the function and responsibility of Mom and Dad, or in today’s society, the two people who created the child. I had two daughters, and when things got interesting, I reminded them, “I am your father, and my job is to teach you morals and values, and make sure you get a good education.” It was also my responsibility to put a roof over their heads, feed and clothe them, and provide them with an environment where they could grow and learn to be individuals who could take care of themselves. I told them that they could be my friends when they were married or grown adults who are responsible citizens. That said, they will always be my babies, and when needed, daddy will always be there. It’s no different with the rest of society. We have become polarized as a nation and watch TV news based on how we think and feel. The 4th estate furthers this polarization because it has totally lost all objectivity in reporting what is/is not news, and more importantly, what is/is not factual. It’s easy for a respected(?) elite politician to say, “What if.” Repeat that over and over and over, and pretty soon, it’s not what if, but potentially believable. Just look at the Democratic cry of “The Russians are coming, the Russians are coming.” I see where our country is headed and think to myself, ISIS/North Korea/China/Russia doesn’t have to defeat us; we will defeat ourselves. When that happens, whoever gets here first will promise us a better way of life (sound familiar?), and we will buy it, hook, line, and sinker. We won’t realize we’ve been caught until the hook is set. At that point, it will be too late. My only concern is for the welfare of this nation. I don’t care if a Democrat or Republican is in office or of the political philosophies of this paper’s readers. What I want is someone who thinks of our country, not of power or money. In some ways, that is extremely naïve thinking, but if you look at the results of the last election, I am not alone. Our career, and now, elite, politicians, have been promising more and more ever since I can remember, and all I see now is a $20 trillion debt, a Social Security Trust Fund raided and left with worthless IOUs, a dying health care system, and the one-sided call for more government programs. We’ve become a nation of “entitled” individuals who have lost the concept of individual responsibility and accountability. Sadly, we have become of a nation of “give me more because I deserve it,” vice, “I earned it with my blood, sweat, and tears.” In a response to a previous article I submitted, one responder said I was “out to lunch.” While I enjoy going out to lunch, rest assured, good sir, I am not out to lunch. If you believe in the hyperbole mouthed by many of our elite politicians, Republican or Democrat, then, you need to think long and hard about the direction you want to see this country move. The elites, on both sides of the aisle, will say anything to get back into power and continue this country’s demise. Power and money do strange things to people, especially when they realize they can keep their hands in your wallet, redistributing your hard-earned dollars for more votes.

Frank Daniels Retired colonel, U.S. Army Reserve Dover