Saturday rant - It's the economy stupid.The news host asked Ron Kline why the Biden economy was like Rodney Dangerfield, great but gets no respect? I don’t remember exactly what he replied, but it seems pretty simple to this ol’ desert rat. Half the country is hoping he will fail, and half of them want to make him fail. Is it any wonder that our enemies overseas are circling? Like all predators they can sense a wounded animal, and what is wounded is our sense of being Americans first. Ask those who would lead what they would do with the power? Throw political opponents in prison? Cancel elections all together?
It was once a “rule” that partisanship stopped at the water's edge. A political commitment acknowledged by virtually all, and such as it was for most of my life, as it was for all my father's life as well. Today however, country-first patriotism has been replaced by those on the right-wing repeating the criticism and propaganda from the mouth of our enemies. We were told that isolationism died at Pearl harbor in 1941, yet once more Republican politicians are taking that position for political advantage.
Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.), voiced opposition to the steps Biden has already taken.
“I am strongly opposed to President Biden’s decision to send American troops to Eastern Europe to defend countries that should defend themselves, potentially involving us in another conflict after just ending a 20 year war,” Braun said in a statement Wednesday. He added: “President Biden’s weakness on the world stage will put more American troops in harm’s way just as it did in his disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal.”
Today Republicans keep referring to Afghanistan as Biden’s “failed policies”. Let’s be honest, the evacuation of Kabul was not a “policy”, it was a forced military withdraw of a civilian population in the face of the enemy. And as such it was an amazing accomplishment for which our whole nation can be justifiably proud, while little pride can be gained in the costly, foolish 20-year war began under another Republican president.
That’s right folks, successfully evacuating 120,000 people in 2 weeks was a “disaster”, an event approaching Dunkirk in rank, never mind the four years of incompetence by the Trump Administration prior; or the refusal to provide critical information of deteriorating Afghan military forces to the Biden team during transition. This irresponsible behavior of the Trump Administration delayed and hindered planning for the evacuation of Afghanistan by the Biden State Dept. , resulting in having to speed up the evacuation as security unexpectedly (per consensus) crumbled around Kabul. Let’s face it, folks, as far as Republicans are concerned, Biden can do nothing right and everything he does is wrong. Am I wrong to point out that the evacuation was carried out by the very same military officers who planned it during the Trump presidency?
This political sniping has to stop. Issues are too grave, and prospects too dire if we don't.
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