England Unites: What Shall Unite U.S.?
Posted: Tuesday, May 10, 2011
by Dan Bimrose
Liberal Fix
While watching footage of the Royal Wedding I could not help but think that even though England has been undergoing financial struggles, angst over their government and its ability to collect taxes from corporations and increasing costs of education, that for one day they stood united, united by a set of age old traditions that only apply to their great nation.
The new Duchess of Cambridge, Catherine Middleton, benefitted from a similar story. She was the product of new money, not old. This granddaughter of coal miners has grown up to marry her Prince and her nation has embraced her. I must admit this is a task that must come easy to England. The Princess is beautiful, charming and undoubtedly displays a level of class that some in the royal family find difficult to obtain.
I remember a day when my nation celebrated the success of one of their own. America’s very own "commoner". Someone, though faced with insurmountable odds, that would one day, after studying hard and working hard become President.
I could not help but be moved on the night Barack Obama won the Presidency. His wife joined him on the stage as well as his two beautiful daughters. I was thinking that this is a family to be proud of. His wife Michelle is the epitome of class and demonstrates a real capacity as a mother.
There were points when I was in total disbelief that our Nation had advanced so far as to elect a black man President of the United States. It was a new day, perhaps a new era. It would not take long to realize that the day had ended.
Immediately after election Republicans vowed to fight him on every proposal and every piece of legislation that his administration and Democrats presented. Legislation would get bogged down and watered down.
This would allow the Bard of Wasilla to ask the question, “so how is that hopey, changey stuff working out for ya?”
We became a nation divided. Our President was compared, with no legitimate reason, to Hitler, a man who was responsible for the death of nearly six million human beings.
Republican’s would claim, with no legitimate reason that our President was not working with them. Innumerable times bills were changed and amended in the hopes of earning even just one Republican vote. Despite the rhetoric of Republicans there were opportunities for them to come to the table, but their priority was winning the next election.
Republican’s would claim that the stimulus did not create one job because the unemployment would drop in one state or another. An absurd claim based upon the false assumption that a decrease in jobs meant that no jobs were created or saved. People believed it because John Boehner or some other Republican leader told them it was so. Republican’s would claim that the stimulus was a dismal failure even though the recession had halted and we have had added over 2 million jobs. W lost this many jobs and more in the last three months he held office.
Republican’s said that he should not have saved Detroit but he did and it saved hundreds of thousands of jobs. Much of that money has been returned to the government. They labeled him the bailout king. Not exactly a term of endearment.
They have lots of similarly inflammatory terms. Socialist, fascist, communist, imposter and the anti-Christ are some of the most familiar.
After such a lengthy period of demonization some of us have come to the realization that there are those who think he can do nothing right.
This is quite evident after seeing Fox News label him as a war criminal for his responsibility for approving and ordering the mission to “get” Osama bin Laden.
Let’s face it. Their 2010 election strategy worked out well for them. The resulting Republican led House of Representatives has not worked out nearly as well for us.
This was how we became a bitterly divided nation.
It used to be that when our backs were down we stood together, united. It is country first, not politics first.
Is there something that could possibly unite us? Is the only thing that can unite us a catastrophe which approaches the magnitude of 9/11? If this is indeed the case, then how tragic is that? What does that say about us as a people?
There were definitely feelings of unity after our military “got” Osama bin Laden. Less than 24 hours later the nation’s euphoria started to wear off as conspiracy theorists had all kinds of fodder. Do not get me wrong, I find conspiracy theories of some mild interest; I just do not live my life by them.
What will it take for our political leaders to sit down and act like grown-ups instead of fifth grade boys showing off on the playground. We need more than one person to act like an adult. We need everyone to do this.
Our issues are too important and our current state of affairs too dire.
I have long struggled with the question of how we take the debate from birth certificates and fake photos to policy issues.
There are no clear cut answers, but I think we can start by not electing people based on inflammatory rhetoric and generalities. Expect them to have a plan. Saying they are going to cut the deficit and create jobs is not good enough. When generalities meet the specifics post-election, people start wondering exactly what the heck they just did.
It may have sounded good, but did they really tell you anything important. Or did they just tell you what you wanted to hear?
What will be our unifying moment? What will be our royal wedding?
One thing is for sure, it will not be the coronation of King Donald.
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)Well said, Dan. It makes me so sad that America has this opportunity to unite but the Republicans are the spoilers. And everybody's going to suffer for it. Well, not the uber-wealthy, of course.I love your comment about king donald!! That man has really lost touch with reality!Please log in to respond to this comment.Thanks Jennifer, I am so frustrated by the fact I can not figure out what it is going to take for our politicians to make the decisions that are best for our country and not just their party and their political donors. Democrats can and are bought and paid for as well.Please log in to respond to this comment.
True Dan, Donald would really screw up this country a lot more than it is today.Please log in to respond to this comment.
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