Letters

Stand firm, Obama!

Posted 10/3/13

To the Editor:

Fueled by years of right wing extremism, Republicans have, once again, shut down the government and further threaten to ruin our nation’s good credit if their demands are not …

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Letters

Stand firm, Obama!

Posted

To the Editor:

Fueled by years of right wing extremism, Republicans have, once again, shut down the government and further threaten to ruin our nation’s good credit if their demands are not met.

For years their fanaticism has been growing and nowhere is it more evident than in their opposition to the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare.

They have painted themselves into a corner with overblown rhetoric aimed at their base who believe their very way of life is under attack and the greatest sin Republicans can commit is to engage in compromise with the “enemy.” The saner among them understand the awful consequences of a long government shutdown, so they are now engaged in a clever campaign to deflect blame, putting forth hollow bargains disguised as “compromises,” insisting the government shutdown is something Obama made them do and putting forward the idea that “both sides are to blame.”

A simple look at the history will tell us otherwise.

When President Obama was first elected, Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell said his main goal was to deny Obama a second term and party boss Rush Limbaugh stated his wishes for the first term as, “I hope he fails.”

When health care reform was originally proposed, Tea Party darling Sen. Jim DeMint immediately stated his goal was to “make health care President Obama’s Waterloo.”  

Thus, they were very open about their goals. Can any of us remember a time when a major political party was so determined to see America’s president fail?

To this end, right wing groups spent hundreds of millions of dollars to deceive and frighten the American people and portray Obama as not really one of us and one who did not share our values.

Who among us can forget that summer when senators and congressmen went to their districts to discuss health care only to be greeted by organized groups trying to disrupt democracy in action? (That did not happen here, but it did in many places elsewhere.)

The campaign has continued with lies about Congress exempting itself from its own health care bill, citizens unable to choose their own doctor and fearful nonsense about socialized medicine when there is no such thing. A program originally suggested by a Republican to cover the cost of end-of-life counseling was turned into “death panels” by none other than the vice presidential candidate of the Republican Party, Sarah Palin. Meanwhile, Sen. Charles Grassley told people the entire bill was “pulling the plug on grandma!”

During the debate in Congress, Democrats gave in on the idea of a single-payer plan, a kind of Medicare for all, and they agreed to special provision prohibiting any funds for abortions. Still, Republicans objected, saying the bill would cost billions of dollars and add to the deficit and they cited the Congressional Budget Office as their source. The bill was modified and the Congressional Budget Office then reported back saying the bill would now actually decrease the deficit.

What was the response of the radicals whose single-minded obsession was destroying any effort at reform? Republicans replied by attacking the credibility of the Congressional Budget Office, the very office they had previously used to support their charges! And even after receiving the assurances they wanted, they all still voted against it!

President Obama and Democrats repeatedly tried to engage Republicans, but they had their agenda and compromise and helping Americans gain affordable health care was not part of it. Fear mongering and obstructionism were the Republican contributions to the health care debate.

In the end, Republicans, who no longer believe in the idea of majority rule, attempted yet another filibuster. The filibuster was broken and the health bill passed with a super majority. Now, amazingly, Republicans are claiming the bill was passed without their input! It was not bipartisan! Who can negotiate with ideologues like these?

Which brings us to the final crisis. In an unprecedented move, Republicans put forward a list of demands, among them the gutting of Obamacare, and demanded President Obama must either accept their demands or they will shut the government down; and blame him for their actions!

President Obama and the Democrats could never yield to this extraordinary blackmail.

Americans must never forget; Obamacare was passed by a super majority in the Senate and by the House, signed into law by the President and upheld by the Supreme Court. It was the principle issue in the last election. They lost and Obama won. That is the way the system is supposed to work, but they refuse to accept that.

And in view of their false information, now put forward by Cranston’s own mistress of right wing nonsense, Elizabeth Hasselbeck, talk about polls that show people opposed to Obamacare are meaningless.

Right wingers call themselves patriots and are often seen waving their flags and talking about the “Founding Fathers” and Obama’s alleged assault on the Constitution, but in the end, they are the ones trying to win through extortion and blackmail what the American people denied them at the ballot box.

For the sake of our democracy, they cannot be allowed to succeed.

Charles Lawrence

Johnston

Comments

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  • davebarry109

    Charles, you darling of the commies! You complain of the 'tea party' folks disrupting meetings? Isn't that what America stands for? Free speech? The right to be heard and address their grievances to their government? Also, you are FACTUALLY WRONG on Obama care being passed by the house. IT WAS PASSED BY 'DEEMING" it passed. Not one Republican voted for it.

    You should really take time to study the constitution. You would find that the tea party folks are doing everything they are allowed to do and the Republicans are doing the same, like it or not.

    Thursday, October 3, 2013 Report this

  • bendover

    There must hallucinogenic drugs in the Johnston water system...it does make for comedic relief though.

    Thursday, October 3, 2013 Report this

  • Michael2012

    The only good thing about Democrats are they are pro-environment. The last good Republican was Reagan (although he was the typical Republican anti-environment, removed solar panels from the white house etc.) If the Republican party would improve their stance on the environment and not be so pro-war they would be the best party hands down. But they haven't figured that out yet.

    Thursday, October 3, 2013 Report this

  • Michael2012

    With the exception of our Mayor ! He is the best Mayor and Republican. He cares about the environment and has done so much good. I hope he runs for Governor and eventually president.

    Thursday, October 3, 2013 Report this

  • schwanee

    The Mayor of Warwick? YOU NEED TO PUT DOWN THE PIPE AND STOP DRINKING THE KOOL-AID. Mike.

    Thursday, October 3, 2013 Report this

  • JohnStark

    Mr. Lawrence overlooks some key Left talking terms: "hate", "intolerance", and "diversity"(in some odd form). RI continues to be the living embodiment of the American Left: High union membership, confiscatory taxes, and hostility to business in exchange for high unemployment, broad government dependence, and an illiterate workforce. Congratulations, Mr. Lawrence. RI has become Detroit.

    Thursday, October 3, 2013 Report this

  • falina

    This state is at the point of no return.It's time to vote with my feet and get as far away as possible.Taxed up to my eyeballs to live in a dump.

    Thursday, October 3, 2013 Report this

  • davebarry109

    Republicans are not anti-environment. They are for common sense. Nixon created the EPA. (It is now insane and polictically motivated, calling carbon dioxide a dangerous gas....we all expel it with our breath). The solar panels on the WH roof were early generation and not efficient at all, just put there by Carter for show, something people on the left do all the time. That is why Obuma gave Solyndra $500,000,000.00 million dollars that has now all been wasted. That is a lot of WIC/Welfare/Foodstamp money folks. I could go on but I have to work and welfare families are counting on my tax dollars.

    Friday, October 4, 2013 Report this

  • Michael2012

    Solyndra is an old example. Citing one failure does not defeat a cause. Any solar panel even if first generaition are better than burning fossil fuels. To remove them to upgrade would be a different story but they were not replaced until Pres Obama. CO2 among other greenhouse gases are a problem because of the massive amounts being spewed into the atmosphere all at once. Where is Autumn this year in RI ? Yes the leaves are changing but the monthly mean temp avg is running over 7 degrees f. above ! Below zero temps have become rare. Record lows have become rare. Frost comes later. Spring arrives earlier. CO2 measurements are 407 ppm and rising rapidly. The highest in modern times when volcanic activity has been at it lowest. The last line davebarry ditto. We at least agree on that.

    Saturday, October 5, 2013 Report this

  • fenceman

    Michael2012, you must either be addicted to hallucinogenic narcotics, or simply not engaged with the current and past events of the city of Warwick. To make a statement that we have the best mayor is as accurate as a 300 lb women calling herself skinny when in the company of 400 lb women. Take off your blinders. Scotty boy has raised taxes every year that he has been in office. He has refused to address blatant theft in the city although it has been brought to his attention numerous times. He does not have the integrity to face his taxpayers or answer questions on any level from them. Drive around the city and look at the condition of it. The roads are in decay, people are leaving the city, the schools are in disrepair, and there is also the tiny issue of the 680 million dollars of deficit that we have in the pension system. Classic signs of urban decay. Get an eye exam.

    Not withstanding the fact that the mayor has first hand knowledge of theft activities within the public works department and he does nothing to address the issue. He has created so many no show jobs and useless positions held by people that are not qualified that it is costing the city millions of dollars annually. Non of the city departments are functioning efficiently, even the tax collectors office is a nightmare. Have you wondered why your tax bill comes with an envelope payable to a firm in Boston?? Have you questioned why it is when you drop off your tax bill it isn't processed for 60 - 90 days?

    What company would allow a policy that you, as a worker, can take any tool or any supply home with you to use as you see fit? Scotty boys world does just that. What company would allow its departments to take lunch and break at whatever time they wish? lunch time in the real world is 12 - 12:30, not whenever a resident witnesses a worker screwing off. What CEO of a company would allow workers that are convicted of hundreds of felonies, that have gone to prison, come back to work, get convicted of more crimes against the tax payer, go to prison again, and then come back to work again with no penalty against the individuals pension accruement time? Scotty boy, that's who. Do a little research its not that hard. If you want to have a conversation based on fact, not emotion, not name calling, but pure fact, then goo for it, but get your facts in order first.

    Thursday, October 17, 2013 Report this

  • jtaxassoc

    Who ever thought one day people of faith who believe in accountability, cost effective government etc. would be considered extremists? Charlie, the more you express the more eyes and ears you open to the truths that people like you are contemptuous of. Peter A. Filippi III Founder of the Johnston Taxpayers Association.

    Friday, October 25, 2013 Report this