When it comes to destroying America, conservatives tend to think that no one can top Obama. Now we have to wonder whether our demise will be hastened by simpleminded progressive recklessness or a hapless Republican majority. What happened to our first line of defense against Democratic idiocy?
A disgraceful week for Republicans
In one short week we started with John McCain declaring he was ashamed of our country. We watched as the majority leadership in Congress all but threw in the towel on stopping the president from pursuing actions they had declared unlawful (see: Broken GOP Leaders Take Their Last Stand). We sat back as Democrats seized the day by manipulating unfounded shutdown fears over border security and terrorism. Conservatives listened to potential 2016 presidential candidate Jeb Bush back a legalization strategy for dealing with immigration. The one question that had to be answered never was: can you ethically call something illegal and then help fund it? Apparently, you can.
Who wins our hearts, minds, and money?
As the battle over funding Homeland Security dragged on, New York Congressman Peter King confirmed his opposition to the White House’s immigration order then declared “it’s insane to not approve money for Homeland Security.”1 Alabama’s Mo Brooks chose to back the Constitution, arguing we should protect Americans rather than illegal conduct:2
Senate Democrats have blocked House-passed legislation to fund DHS, in order to protect conduct that the president himself has admitted is illegal and unconstitutional, ultimately putting illegal aliens on a pedestal above American citizens.3
So who wins the hearts and minds of politicians, Muslim terrorists, illegals, or Americans? Illegals already have the hearts and minds of the Democratic Party. Jeb Bush’s CPAC appearance, the Boehner/McConnell meltdown, and Republicans who can’t coalesce on the right side of the issue are paving the way for an ideological shift and a Democratic victory in favor of Obama’s unlawful actions that seemed impossible two months ago. Terrorists have become a handy sideshow for both parties to scare the country with, but while ISIS runs amuck in the Middle East the battle at home is over power and political lawlessness.
Freedoms lost to politicians’ needs
Is it the failure to form a united front that so often makes the Republican Party unable to face down challenges from its opponents? Obama has a knack for getting away with whatever suits his fancy. Republicans seem powerless to stop him despite their numbers and conviction that his policies are endangering and even destroying America.
Back in the post-9/11 Bush-Ashcroft days the attorney general warned of the situation we are facing now:
On the one hand there is a legitimate concern that we not sacrifice those very freedoms that make us American in the name of protecting America. On the other hand, we cannot allow those who would destroy America use our liberties as weapons against us. In order for there to be liberty in America, there must be an America. 4
We have come a long way since then. What America should be has become the purview of politicians who are straying farther and farther from the principles this country was founded on. Amnesty is justified on the grounds of national security. Freedoms like the right to vote have been compromised by the refusal to protect the voting booth by simply producing ID. Freedom to choose or not to choose health care has been taken away. Freedom of religion has entered the realm of obdurate stupidity as the White House does everything in its power to appease Muslims. Freedom to exercise political beliefs has been called into question by the IRS scandal.
Despite another scandal, Fast and Furious, a record of inflaming racial incidents, and a destructive take on the concept of state’s rights, we heard these words from the president about Eric Holder at the attorney general’s departure ceremony:
And having good men in positions of power and authority, who are willing to fight for what’s right, that’s a rare thing. That’s a powerful thing. It’s something that shapes our future in ways we don’t even understand, we don’t always imagine. It made me very proud.5
Do we have good men in positions of power who fight for what’s right or just politicians in positions of authority?
When what is right no longer matters
Nancy Pelosi tried to ingratiate herself with Americans by portraying her party’s support of Obama’s lawlessness as a defense of the people:
We come together because we’re faced with a challenge for our country – a challenge to honor our oath of office, which we all take, to protect and defend the American people.6
She falsely claimed that unlawful amnesty wasn’t the reason for what the GOP was doing:
I think what they’re demonstrating, though, is that immigration is not the reason they’re shutting down government; it was the excuse they were using because now they have an out from what the judge said in Texas. And now they still want to shut down government. So, understand: shutting down government is their motive, and that’s what they have to be held accountable for.7
John Boehner is guilty of the same thing from the opposite side of the partisan divide. The speaker appeases conservatives with promise after promise. Later, our hopes are dashed as compromise seems more like submission whether the issue is health care, spending, or the crisis of the moment. This week the crisis is funding unconstitutional executive actions.
The American people aren’t stupid. Whether we are liberal or conservative many if not most of us are appalled at what our government has become. In the end it won’t be illegal aliens, ISIS, Vladimir Putin, or Iran who will be responsible for destroying America. It will be politicians who have obliterated any shred of faith that our government can and will do what it expects citizens to do, follow the law and “fight for what’s right” instead of doing the wrong thing because time and political advantage beckon.