By Greg Sleter, journalist and owner of the WestIslipTribune.com
I need some help from my friends on the Republican side of the political spectrum. I hear panic from folks loyal to the GOP about President Obama, with people screaming about the future of the Constitution, Bill of Rights and whether or not our nation’s current President will turn our beloved country into the United States of Marxism.
Some of my fellow citizens are saying the President is a Socialist, a Marxist and even a Nazi (an African-American Nazi?…Hitler must be turning over in his grave) and that they “want their country back.” From what? Where did it go? What happened?
I was in Washington, D.C., in July and saw the White House; Capitol Building; red, white and blue flags with 50 stars and 13 stripes. Everything looked the same to me. Back at home, I’m still able to get in my car and drive anywhere with “no papers” (that’s for you Hunt For Red October fans), still have a plethora of choices in my local supermarket and clothing store, and am free to even write a blog about politics on this website.
But then I realized what changed, and it’s not what you’re thinking.
The days of the Executive Branch of my government tapping into my e-mail and personal phone calls to make sure I’m not a terrorist and protect me from myself are no longer. The Vice-President allegedly running covert operations that he may have forgotten to tell the President about are no more (Mr. Chaney doth protest too much), and my expectations that taxpayer supported agencies such as the CIA will follow the rule of law live again.
But if my GOP friends are truly worried about a President subverting the Constitution, were they screaming this loud in 1985? Then, President Ronald Reagan approved a deal that would sell arms to Iran illegally, with the proceeds then sent to the Contras fighting a civil war in Nicaragua. Both actions, by the way, were prohibited by Congress and the arms deal with Iran lead to the freeing of hostages in Lebanon where Iran had and still has a great deal of influence with groups deemed as terrorists by the U.S.
Selling arms to an enemy of the state, using the proceeds to fund a covert war against the wishes of Congress and negotiating with terrorists? Wow! A triple like that at Belmont would be worth some wad of cash.
So the next time my Republican friends express fear about President Obama subverting the Constitution, perhaps they need to look at their party’s own recent history and see how the professionals do it.
Wait…Richard Nixon did what?
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Please note these are the sole opinions of Greg Sleter, Guest Blogger and Owner of the West Islip Tribune. They may not necessarily be the opinion of HilaryTopper.com or HJMT COMMUNIATIONS, LLC. We welcome both sides and are open to content and conversation!
