I am sick, sick, sick to death of being treated like the enemy by the person who is supposed to be my president.
For that matter, I don't like that word 'enemy', period. It's too easy to go from 'the person or country we're currently fighting against' to the 'personification of evil', thereby removing all traces of humanity from said 'enemy' and transforming them into faceless monsters to be eliminated at any cost without guilt. And when you indiscriminately use the word 'war' for anything you oppose, the corollary to that is there has to be an 'enemy' to fight and hate.
Of course, when you're running for office, you're supposed to be partisan. Everyone expects that. But once you've 'assumed' the Presidency, you are in charge of the entire country, not just Republicans. You're supposed to make decisions that are in the best interests of everyone, Democrats as well as Republicans.
But the Resident, from the moment he seized office, has treated Democrats the same way he treats 'the terrorists' (another convenient buzz-word). He talks about us as enemies to be vanquished and silenced. And we're paying for him to do so.
He ran for office in 2000, among other things, on a platform of being 'a uniter, not a divider'. What became immediately apparent was that, by 'uniter' he meant 'getting everyone to do what he says'. Bipartisanship simply meant forcing his agenda upon Democrats. It's always a one-way street.
By 'Americans' he seems to add 'who agree with me' under his breath, like some kind of mental signing statement. And now, with this latest travesty of a bill that he shoved through Congress last week, he's merely formalizing it.
Eery time he gets in front of a microphone, he's blasting Democrats. And I'm sick of paying him to do that. Once you're in office (however you got there), you're on my dime.
I don't often wax eloquent on the charms of the Democrats, because lord knows there's a lot I'd like to see them do that doesn't happen. But I'll tell you one good thing about us (since I'm one), and this is a signal difference between the two parties:
Our platform does not specifically include the elimination of the opposing party!
Republicans have just come out and said it. This is a specific goal - to nullify Democrats and liberals entirely. As bumbling as Democrats can be, by virtue of our relative independence, we don't seek to eliminate a two-party government. We don't want to eliminate checks and balances. Sure, we want to implement our agenda, but that agenda does not include silencing all who disagree with us.
Not so the Republicans. Not so George W. Bush.
They are not in favor of a democracy. They couldn't care less about the Constitution, unless it's twisted around to bludgeon someone with who disagrees with them. They are opposed to liberty and justice for all. They only want 'the best' people to be in charge, 'the best' being the richest or most powerful. Certainly they don't want 'the brightest' anywhere near - that has been painfully obvious. And 'one man, one vote' is a dated, outmoded concept. Quaint, you might call it.
So, who's the enemy? You tell me.