Why Right Wing Resentment Toward America Has Gone Mainstream

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Congressional Republicans have changed their strategy on immigration from lawsuits to a more direct legislative confrontation. The image that comes to mind is one involving matches and explosives. Republicans in the House of Representatives are threatening to close, and to keep closed, the Department of Homeland Security unless the country meets their demands.

obama hate

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The Executive Orders issued by the President on immigration have been rigidly in accord with law and precedent.

Service officers are not only authorized by law but expected to exercise discretion in a judicious manner at all stages of the enforcement process.

Doris Meissner, Immigration Commissioner,   November 17, 2000

Immigration policy is largely powered by simple math. Congress refuses to budget enough funds to find and deport every undocumented immigrant. That is understandable. The cost would be astronomical. And, in many cases, harsh enforcement would be obviously unjust. The President has no choice but to make choices. It makes sense to put a priority on deporting violent criminals.

The reasons for the exercise of prosecutorial discretion are both practical and humanitarian. There simply are not enough resources to enforce all of the rules and regulations presently on the books.

Sam Bernsen, INS General Counsel
for President Ford, 1976

This became more personal for me when I met a teenager who had been brought to America as an infant. She had no memory of any life except that of an American in the United States. As she and I helped lead a small segment for an inter-faith religious group, her simple expressions of faith and patriotism were impressive.

It is hard to understand a Republican commitment to put a stop to Homeland Security, allowing terrorists have complete freedom to direct their destruction at us. They are willing to put innocent lives at risk if they cannot attack my new young friend.

The willingness of Republicans to hold hostage America’s security from terrorism over a policy with which they disagree is not new.

In December 2009, Republicans wanted to postpone Health Care reform. They adopted a similar tactic. American troops fighting in Iran and Afghanistan were actually in danger of running out of ammunition, food, transportation, and other wartime necessities.

Republicans used delaying tactics to prevent supplying our troops. They knew Democrats would act out of patriotism and anxiety for the lives of American soldiers. Sure enough, Democrats scrambled to put together the votes, barely in time to save American lives.

The willingness to put troops at risk while under fire, the willingness to put America at risk from terrorist attack, had an earlier precursor, a sort of warning signal. The conservative reaction to a much smaller, symbolic, event should have told us something.

The cheers were enthusiastic. It was as if some home team had won the big game. The conservative group Americans for Prosperity was overjoyed.

Cheering at news of an American loss was startling, even for those of us who were skeptical about conservative claims of exclusive patriotism. The loss itself was small, significant only for the honor involved. The United States would not be hosting the 2016 Olympics.

The cheers for America’s loss represented only one of many expressions of hostility. Conservatives did not merely disagree with policy or governmental philosophy. It was not about economic stimulus or environmental regulation. It was not about consumer protection or anti-discrimination law.

This was personal. It was conservative revulsion at the very image of Obama as President. The loathing against the new President as a man had amplified. It became hostility toward the nation itself for having the cultural bad taste to elect him. That hostility continues today. I still sometimes remind the occasional conservative that America is not spelled with a K.

The rage does not consume all of conservatism.

It does not envelope all Republicans.

But the acceptance in at least some country club circles would have been unthinkable even a few years ago.

Congressional recklessness is reflected in actual policy votes affecting American troops and American security.

Furious conservative resentment toward America as a nation has gone politically mainstream.

This article is a collaboration between MadMikesAmerica and FairandUnbalanced.com.

About Post Author

Burr Deming

Burr is a husband, father, and computer programmer, who writes and records from St. Louis. On Sundays, he sings in a praise band at the local Methodist Church. On Saturdays, weather permitting, he mows the lawn under the supervision of his wife. He can be found at FairAndUNbalanced.com
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9 years ago

Brilliant! And that’s what it is. Racism.

9 years ago

Closing the Department of Homeland Security is a good idea although not for the reasons the Republicans have.

Nothing Homeland Security has ever done or ever can do has improved the security of any American.

Keep in mind, it was a Republican administration that created it.

Also keep in mind that the wall they built to “keep them out” can actually be used to keep you in.

Reply to  James Smith
9 years ago

Actually Homeland is little more that several agencies combined into one. They all existed in one form or another prior to 9/11.

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