Whether you are marching in a parade or moving into the White House, it is never a good thing to follow an elephant, as you will spend most of your time stepping in or cleaning up the gigantic messes they leave behind.
Yes, it”s now supposed to be bad form to blame the Republicans for the destruction they have visited upon us, but I would ask my Republican friends to read a transcript of Reagan”s 1984 inaugural address, something I would imagine they will enjoy. 1984 began his second term and yes, he repeatedly blamed all of the problems still being experienced after his first four years, not just his first year, on his predecessor. Don”t take my word for it, Google his speech and read it for yourself. Consider it a labor of love.
Watching President Obama struggle to right the economy destroyed by the reckless policies of his predecessor and dealing with the worst environmental disaster in American history, it is both sad and ironic that those whose policies are most responsible for both incidents get to hold him accountable for their failures.
I know, we”re supposed to refrain from blaming Bush because they say so. Conversely, from his first day in office, those on the right immediately developed deliberate amnesia while they simultaneously demanded instant miracles from Obama. Remember how FOX labeled Obama a failure when he hadn”t succeeded in curing the economy in his first 100 days? Remember how every other corporate-owned media outlet then picked up that chant and ran with it?
Why is it so consistent with those on the right, for whom the buck never stops, that what is good for their goose is never good for your gander? I must admit, the consistency is awesome in their denial of all responsibility for the results of their actions, placing blame on the innocent and actually being able to get away with it, since the supposedly “liberal” media is always there to give their every utterance the repetition needed to, in the true spirit of Joseph Goebbels, make the great lies become truths.
As you watch the deficits mount, whatever you do; don”t remember that Bush”s $2 trillion gift to the wealthy was unfunded, adding to those deficits. Forget about the unfunded drug benefit plan that basically benefitted the drug industry, which too, added to the debt. Also, please be kind enough not to blame them for adding another $1 trillion to the debt by invading Iraq, a country that was both already crippled from the first Gulf War and had nothing to do with Sept. 11. Under no circumstances should you consider the costs of providing lifetime health care to thousands of amputees caused by that war either. Whatever you do, not for one moment should you allow yourself to think 30 years of deregulation of banking and industry might have resulted in the collapse of the world”s banking system or the greatest environmental disaster in our history. No, these are Obama”s fault to be sure. Holding the Republicans accountable would be so unkind; who are you to deny the Republican myth of infallibility?
Yes, what we need now are Oath Keepers to serve us! This will be the cure for sure, as once they give us their oath we can rest assured they will keep it. Just like Sarah Palin, who gave her oath to serve the people of Alaska when they placed their trust in her. She demonstrated the integrity of a real Republican oath keeper by turning her back on those who elected her less than halfway through her term and taking the $12 million payoff provided by her 15 minutes of fame, ugh ? wait a moment; what was I thinking? Please accept my apology for getting carried away with the truth and the facts while demonstrating complete disregard for the myth. Can you, my Republican friends, ever forgive my transgression? I know that I have violated the pact we “real” Americans all share and so I hereby place my tongue in cheek and all blame squarely where it belongs, on Obama. Happy now?
Lowell Grant is a weekly columnist for the Record-Bee. E-mail him at c21vintage@aol.com.
