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Contact Me: jacquelyn.k.thompson@hotmail.com

Welcome

Hello and Welcome:

Over the summer of 2010 I began to ask myself, "what do you do if two of our Rights, as citizens of these United States, are diametrically opposed?" I came to the only viable conclusion: you compromise. Our great Nation works when there is compromise.

Right now most of you will agree with me that our political system is broken. What we currently have is: the politics of destruction; special interest groups who have the power and money to dictate policy; politicians who must spend their time raising money for the next election instead of doing the People's business; and, there are those who are so concerned about getting re-elected they cede their responsibilities to the citizenry to those groups making the loudest noises and the greatest threats.


The attacks that we were inundated with during the this election cycle belittled the democratic process. Shame on everyone involved. And, shame on the political obstructionists who are more interested in gaining and maintaining power than doing the people’s business. During these very difficult times all of us should be supporting our President. The challenge for all of us is, how do we improve upon this imperfect union that we call the United States of America? One thing I know for certain...it is not by dividing us.

I can remember when I was sixteen years old there was a day when my father called out to me, "Jackie, come quickly. You have to hear this. It's Winston Churchill. Come listen." I raced to the radio and for the first time heard a recording of Churchill's speech to a Nation standing alone against the greatest evil the world has ever known: "...we shall defend our island no matter what the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; and we shall not surrender, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until in God's good time, the New World, with all it's power and might, steps forth to the rescue and liberation of The Old."


That day my hero was born. Where are our heroes today? jkt

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

What's the Matter with Them?


The Huffington Post reported today that a Pennsylvania judge has postponed the enforcement of the state's new strict voter ID requirement until after the November presidential election. In response, the Post says that Republican Pennsylvania Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, who sponsored the voter ID bill, lashed out at a "judicial activist decision" he called "skewed in favor of the lazy who refuse to exercise the necessary work ethic to meet the commonsense requirements to obtain an acceptable photo ID." The Judge, he wrote, has chosen "to openly enable and fully embrace the ever-increasing entitlement mentality of those individuals who have no problem living off the fruits of their neighbors' labor."

When did the Republican Party become the Party of haters? From its Presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, to U.S. House Members (and probably some Senators) to Republican State Congress men and women the Party has become inciters of hatred. 
 

Since the time of Nixon, the Party has become a very real and serious threat to our Democracy.  Watergate was a constitutional crisis. The Republican majority on the Supreme Court decided the 2000 presidential election.  George Bush countenanced torture.  Republican-controlled Legislatures are now trying to disenfranchise the elderly, the disabled and poor voters through Voter ID requirements and other nefarious means.

 I think what troubles me the most is that so many Americans who identify themselves with the Republican Party think that these tactics, these threats to our Democracy, are acceptable as long as it brings victory. The "end justifies the means" mentality pervades the minds of so many Republicans, as evidenced by the number of people who are willing to embrace Romney and his cohorts no matter their behavior.  Very troubling for the future of our Nation. Not only are Metcalfe’s words disgusting, the behavior of the Republican Party leadership is reprehensible.