Sounding the Alarm

Let me tell you what is at stake in this election. I ask you now to think back to the very recent past. I ask you to remember when then Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, literally shut down our government. I ask you to remember when the Republican Party impeached President Clinton and tried to throw him out of office. This is the toxic political atmosphere created by the Republican Party. It is an atmosphere that has become worse rather than better over time. What is at stake in the upcoming elections is the economic health of this nation and the real wages you work so hard to obtain. What is also at stake in the upcoming elections is the political process itself; it is accepting the will of the majority; it is the traditional ability to compromise. We place a trust in our leaders to work together for the good of this country. The Republican Party violated that trust when Newt Gingrich shut down the government. They violated that trust again when they impeached Bill Clinton. They are violating that trust now!

They are using the Senate rules to thwart the ability of our government to deal with this recession. They stubbornly oppose an extension of unemployment benefits as well as the bill that would make loans available to small businesses so that those businesses can expand and hire more people. They oppose any public works programs that would provide temporary employment, improve our infrastructure, and stimulate the economy. They cynically cite their concern over the federal deficit for opposing those things while opposing the lapse of the tax cuts for the wealthy that helped cause that deficit. They did everything they could to oppose the passage of regulations designed to prevent the irresponsible behavior that nearly caused another depression. They even oppose raising the liability limits on oil companies for the spills caused by those companies. They also sided with the insurance companies over health care reform and continue to tell outrageous lies about that legislation.

If you do not think the Republican Party will try to use the Congressional subpoena to trump up some charges they can use to impeach President Obama, you are sadly mistaken. The only thing preventing them from doing that now is the fact they do not have a majority in the house or the senate. The elections in November could change that. If you think I am overstating the danger of an attempt to impeach President Obama just think about the outrageous signs carried by the tea partiers, consider the fact that Republican politicians frequently call him a socialist who is trying to destroy this nation, consider the birther movement challenging Mr. Obama’s citizenship, consider what the Republicans did to Bill Clinton. The masters of the Republican Party, the wealthy and the powerful, will stop at nothing to increase their wealth and their power. The will of the majority and the finality of elections mean nothing to them. The only thing that can prevent them from further perverting our political system is your vote. If you do not vote this November you are turning the matter over to older, wealthy, white Americans who always vote for Republicans.

There has always come a time when the American people have said enough. There has always come a time when they have fought back. Now must be one of those times! A President elected by the majority must be allowed to remain in office and carry out the duties of his office. The people poisoning the politics of this nation in order to serve their greedy masters must be struck down. The weapon provided to you by our Constitution is your vote. Use that weapon and use it well. The economy of this nation and the survival its precious political traditions depend on your vote!