Republicans, Democrats suffer different problems
With respect to the current logjam in Congress on whether to repeal Obamacare, here is my take: Democrats have shown themselves to be like lemmings, following their leaders without fail even if it means committing suicide. Cyril Kornbluth called them "The Marching Morons," and that's what they seem to be. If you're a Democrat, party comes first. [Forget] the country, to hell with your constituents, just follow the party line, no matter where it leads, even if it's to your own destruction. Even though Obamacare is visibly failing day by day, the Democrats will still stick by it, because their "leaders" tell them to. With premiums increasing steadily, deductibles increasing and choices for doctors and hospitals and number of plans decreasing, it seems to have run its course and no longer works (unless you are poor, and the government subsidizes your premiums). Finally, there is no national pride if you are a Democrat, just an inherent loathing for our country and all that it has stood for the past 230 years.
Republicans are the exact opposite. There doesn't seem to be any leader, at least no one they care to follow. You have 52 Republicans in the Senate, everyone with their own idea about where we should be with regard to Obamacare. It's like herding 52 cats, and trying to urge them to go in one direction. Sometimes it seems as though they are heading in every direction with no definite purpose in mind. There is no reasoning with Republicans. Even though their intentions are basically good, party means nothing to a Republican. Leadership (such as it is) means nothing. Republicans basically believe in free choice, without all of the mandates put in place by Obama. But this means that everyone would have to pay his fair share. The Democrats couldn't let this happen.
Ronald Karron
Fort Smith
Letter from President Obama makes her day
Before President Barack Obama left office I sent him and his family a goodbye card, saying how much I would miss them and thanking him for giving us eight years of his life to be my president. I got a nice surprise this week: I got a letter from him and it made my day. I would like to share it so others can see what a great man he is. Here it is, as he wrote it, word for word.
Dear Eleanor, Thanks for your kind message. Michelle and I have been touched by the words of support we've received from Americans across the country, and I appreciate the time you took to write.
I'm proud of the progress we've made together. Thanks to the participation and resolve of everyday Americans like you, our country is a better and stronger place today than it was before I took office. None of our accomplishments were inevitable - they were the result of people from every background and station in life stepping forward and embracing the important responsibilities of citizenship. As long as we continue working in common effort and presuming the inherent goodness in one another, I'm confident our brightest days will always lie ahead.
Again, thank you for writing. It was the honor of my life to serve as your President, and while there are many milestones moments we will always remember, it was my conversations with people like you that kept me going every single day. They've stayed with me, and they always will. Thanks for everything - I wish you the very best.
Sincerely,
Barack Obama
Isn't that a lovely letter? It is a keeper. I plan to frame it.
Eleanor Foster
Lowell
Commentary on 08/01/2017