deconstructing america

8/3/2019 Deconstructing America

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Deconstructing America

The Obama Years that Define the Decline of American Ideals

By

John W. Rittinghouse, Ph.D., CISM, CRISC

i


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1 The Obama Years that Define the Decline of American Ideals

The very first time I was old enough to vote, I voted for Jimmy

Carter for President. I really did! I was in the Army and it was

right after the end of the Vietnam War and I had just returnedto Fort Bragg, North Carolina from a tour of duty in Southeast

Asia. At that time, I felt like Carter would make a change that

would be positive for America. He had promised America that

he would provide a new path - a new way forward for America.

Hope and change! Political keywords that I fell for then and

now, by God, it seems like were falling for it again. Now, after

learning the hard lesson with Carter, I consider myself more

conservative than liberal. I used to call myself a Republican, but

they've gone over the edge on so many issues that really don't

amount to a rats ass to me that I feel like they've strayed from

what most of America really wants. I believe in fiscal

responsibility and balanced budgets. I am not a religious

fanatic. I am not opposed to a woman's right to choose but feel

like I lean more towards pro-life. I do not believe anyone except

the mother in question should make the choice. It's easy to

spout pedantic bullshit until you have to actually live in the

shoes of the person you're judging.

I admit that in the last several elections I have voted Republican.

However, I do not believe it was because I am a party centric

voter but because the Republicans better expressed what I

expect from our government. I think most of America is looking

for responsibility in the management of our tax dollars and look


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to our politicians to make our system of government work

rather than become fixated on party sides and spouting party

demagoguery. I'm sick of the Democrats and I am sick of theRepublicans. When the Tea Party popped up, I felt like it was a

better alternative than what was available on either side of the

Republican / Democrat party lines.

Nothing is perfect in this world but, being pragmatic, most

sensible Americans make compromises every day to make it

work for them. However, that does not seem to be the case for

Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, John Boehner or any of the other 532

sons of bitches in Washington. I have no respect for any of them

because all I hear from them are sound bites and snippets that

they believe I want to hear. I cannot remember the last time I

saw any politician in an interview actually answer a question

without spouting off some damn sound bite. I'm sick of hearing

carefully crafted sound bites that should sway my opinion one

way or the other.

Do they really think that we Americans are that stupid? Hell, I

am still waiting for my own Congressman, the Hon. Rep. MichaelMcCaul to grant me an appointment after 18+ months and

several phone calls. Like that will ever happen! Why the hell

would he want to hear from someone who voted for him? Silly

me. Well, fool me once


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I decided to tackle this project because I believe in our

Constitution. I served in our military for over 20 years and

retired honorably, believing that the people we elected were just as honorable and believed in it as much as I did. Looking

back, I see how nave I was in thinking that way. But, you have

to understand my position. I went into the Army when I was 17

years old and stayed in the military until I retired at the age of

38. Almost all of my adult life had been in an environment

where it didn't matter if you were a Republican or a Democrat.

It only mattered that you follow your orders and do the rightthing for your unit, your country, and yourself.

I admit, I did not vote for Barack Obama in the last election. I

firmly believe I would never vote for him knowing what I know

now and I am glad that I did not vote for him then. Never, in my

56 years, has there been so much controversy around the

United States President. Controversy from being eligible to hold

the office as a natural born citizen or from questions related to

his actually acting in the best interests of the United States

government. I think that the most humiliating time for me

suffering under his administration was when he made his

apology tour. Going to other leaders of the world andapologizing for America was the worst possible thing any man

could ever do while holding the office of the President of the

United States of America. To make matters even worse, the

singular act of contrition, an American President bowing to a

foreign king, humiliated all of us. By bending over to show greater

respect to Islam, the U.S. president belittled the power and independence of


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the United States, the Washington Times said in an editorialii. For

those things alone, the man should have been kicked out of

office.

Of course, with a Democrat-controlled House and Senate, he

had free reign to do many things that would've made our

country stronger, better and greater than it already is but he

chose not to do anything except ram an unwanted healthcare

agenda and several do-nothing stimulus bills through Congress

and make it the law of the land and claim victory for his

achievements. I can only pray that it all gets repealed as soon

as he leaves office. It is strange that in a Congress with two

parties, only one party voted completely, to a member, not to

push that health care law through.

That is not democracy and they all should be ashamed of the

way in which they "got their job done". Now, to the Hon. Rep.

Nancy Pelosi, since we the people read the damn bill, we the

people know what is in the bill, and we the people hate the

damn bill. There are parts of it that are good, to be sure. But

most of it is crap, forced upon the public and it will furtherburden America. Oh, I almost forgot we need to blame Bush

for that also! Give me a break! I fail therefore my

predecessor is to blame only works in the DC mindset. In

America, you fail because you suck at what you are doing.

Congress, you have clearly failed with a less than 10% approval

rating.


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Osama bin Laden is dead, killed during the Obama

administrations reign, mostly because President George Bush

had the determination and perseverance to endure all the

criticism of the opposing party and continue his struggle in Iraq

and Afghanistan. It is fact that President Obama was on the

watch that saw Osama deadhe succeeded because he was

smart enough to let those actions that President Bush started

continue. There is some scuttlebutt around that Leon Panettaand Hillary Clinton should have more credit for the approval of

the action after Obamas team had quashed the idea, but I

simply do not know if it is true or not. The real heroes that

deserve the credit for taking out Osama bin Laden are the

members of Seal Team 6 and their Commander.

Dont get me wrong there are some good things Obama has

done in his administration. I am sure date nights on the public

dime is easily explained away along with many vacations taken

while our nation teeters on a disastrous precipice. I decided to

write this short article to try and put some perspective on some

of the actions that this president has taken and why it is has

rocked America back on her heels and literally made her weaker

than at any point in modern history.

It is laughable that he can go out and talk about fairness while

he is dividing our nation into a class warfare state where those


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that feel they are entitled have come to demand that those who

have earned give to those who have not earned. I cannot

believe that the general populace is so dumb that they do notunderstand the distinction between income tax and investment

income. To make the comparison on the amount of taxes paid

for those that do not work but live on their investments to those

that do work and pay tax on their income is just wrong.

Let me explain why. First of all, for most Americans who live on

investment income, they have already paid tax on that money.

Now, they are paying a lower tax rate on the money that their

invested money earns, called a Capital Gains Tax. For those who

work and receive a paycheck for that work, they pay an Income

Tax which is taxed at a different rate because that money they

have earned has never been taxed before. Fair share my ass!

Fair for who? The Iranians? The North Koreans? George Soros?

Has there ever been another president in history that has had so

much controversy raised about his eligibility to hold the office?

For example, just this month, on January 11, 2011, the website

http://military.com published an article by the Agence France-Presse that referred to the citizenship status of the President of

the United Statesiii. In this article, it stated that The U.S. Supreme

Court refused Monday to take up the question of President Obama's

citizenship, which a core group of skeptics continues to challenge despite

presentation of his U.S. birth certificate. The high court, without comment,

rejected the request by Orly Taitz, a California lawyer who has emerged as a

leader of the "birther" movement of mainly rightwing protesters who
http://military.com/http://military.com/http://military.com/


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question where Obama was born. She had asked the court to annul a federal

judge's $20,000 penalty for filing a "frivolous lawsuit" by her client, a U.S.

Soldier who refused to deploy to Iraq because she viewed the commander in

chief as illegitimate. The U.S. Constitution allows only "natural born"

Americans to be elected to the presidency. Obama was born on Aug. 4, 1961,

in the U.S. state of Hawaii.

While this lawsuit was dismissed as frivolous, it makes one think

about why a purported 36% of the American populace iv still

believe the President of the United States is not truly a natural-

born American citizen. This birther controversy, as it has

become known, continues to this day. There are urban legends

and opposing views that further propagate the question of the

citizenship status of the American President.

My question is simple - "How could someone be elevated to the

highest office in America without readily being able to show and

prove beyond any shadow of doubt their eligibility for such an

exalted office?" We can only speculate on the truth since three

years have passed since this man took the office of the

President of the United States. Whether the rumors are true or

not is really a moot point at this stage of the game. What thisreally comes down to is an issue of vetting out the candidates

much sooner in the process. As I remember it, Obama was

swept into power on a whirlwind of promises for hope and

change.


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Well, we got hope and change all right. We can only hope it gets

better in the next four years because the change we have

endured has pretty much banished all hope of enduring anotherfour years with this president. It simply has to change. If it does

not, we are destined to repeat the fate of the Romans. It has

been said that no democracy has ever survived more than 400

years. In the mid-18th-century, someone pointed out that

democracy fails when the majority believes the minority should

support them. This is being demonstrated by the 99% in the

Occupy protests that no one really understands. People areorchestrating demonstrations against successful, wealthy

people demanding a fair share when, in reality, those

orchestrating the demonstrations are being funded and backed

by an organization with far more sinister goals.

George Soros recently said The system we have now has

actually broken down, only we havent quite recognized it and so

you need to create a new one and this is the time to do it, in an

interview with the Financial Timesv. In an interview with Der

Spiegel, Soros said European-style socialism is exactly what we

need now. I am against market fundamentalism. I think this

propaganda that government involvement is always bad hasbeen very successful but also very harmful to our society.

Soros has made it clear that he supports the creation of a new

world order and that Communist China should be at the very

top of itvi.


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Soros initially founded INET, the Institute for New Economic

Thinking. INET pledged $50 million for a new Bretton Woods

conference, like the one that established the internationalfinancial architecture after World War II. Soros claims it is

needed to establish new international rulesreconstitute the

International Monetary Fund (IMF) and to reform the currency

system. Soros argues that it could and should be revamped so

that American leadership would be re-established in a more

acceptable formvii.

I really dont care what George Soros thinks or how much

money he has to throw towards liberal agendas. To me it is

simple. Follow the United States Constitution! You know, that

old piece of paper forged from the blood of patriots in order to

protect our liberties and freedom. It seems to have some

footprints on it from being trampled on during the past several

years and needs to be (re)read by many in Washington DC. Its

meaning appears to be lost on those we put in the positions of

power in Congress and the Supreme Court. It is used as a tool of

convenience when it works for one side or the other. Perhaps

recalling the thoughts penned by Thomas Jefferson on

September 16, 1787 where he espoused his notion of theprinciples of good government may help. In that letter, which

was written on the very day before the delegates to the

convention in Philadelphia would endorse the Constitution of

the United States of America, Jefferson stated the following:

You ask me in your letter, what ameliorations I think necessary

in our Federal Constitution. It is now too late to answer the


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questions, and it would always have been presumptuous in me

to have done it. Your own ideas and those of the great

characters who were to be concerned with you in thesediscussions will give the law, as they ought to do, to us. My own

general idea was that the States should severally preserve their

sovereignty in whatever concerns themselves alone, and that

whatever may concern another State or any foreign nation

should be made a part of the Federal sovereignty; that the

exercise of the Federal sovereignty should be divided among

three several bodies, Legislative, Executive, and Judiciary, as theState Sovereignties are; and that some peaceable means should

be contrived for the Federal head to force compliance on the

part of the States.

State sovereignty? What have the governors of our nation been

complaining about with the Obama administration? Oh, yes!

Stop interfering with the affairs of our states and protect our

borders, as demanded by the Constitution. In Arizona, Texas,

Alabama and many other states, the question we ask is: Why is

this so difficult for Obama to understand?

Does the Constitution outline the Federal Governments role

and provide for state sovereignty? Well, in fact, it does. In

Article I, Section 8, Subsection 1 it states The Congress shall

have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and

Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence

and general Welfare of the United States ; but all Duties,


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Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United

States; and in Article 4, Section 4, it states that The United

States shall guarantee to every State in this Union aRepublican Form of Government, and shall protect each of

them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or

of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened)

against domestic Violence.

It seems to me that the bigger problem is that of education of

our citizenry on what is expected from our government. More

than half of America (those not paying any taxes) believe they

are entitled to receive benefits from Uncle Sam via those that

do pay taxes! In our Bill of Rights, nowhere can I find reference

to doling out checks for those who would not work for

entitlements. No where does it say the government will ensure

each American citizen has health care. While that is a lofty and

desirable goal to achieve, forcing it to be paid for by Americans

that work solely to benefit those that do not work is not the

right solution.

Freedom and opportunity are what make America great. It isnot our ability to be charitable or to be compelled to spread

wealth around (as many would have it) that makes America

great. That comes from the freedom to choose to help out or

not. Our personal liberty and the freedom to decide those

things for ourselves is what the Constitution and Bill of Rights

are all about. That is why so many people try to sneak into our


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country! They do it for the opportunity to make more of their

lives and have a better chance for their children. They want to

escape from a situation deemed worse by drug cartels, poverty,and myriad other woes to the safety and stability America

provides. The problem with this situation is that we do not have

a cogent means of helping them immigrate without breaking

laws and getting deported. I am 100% for allowing immigrants

into our country. My own wife came from Asia to America. As a

military wife, she studied for and obtained her citizenship all

the while holding a green card. She waited on permission toenter the US for months after her application was submitted

before she could come to this country. After she got here, she

had to fill out a card every year informing the government of her

current address until she became a naturalized citizen.

What we need is a clear path to being an American citizen for

those that wish to be here. For those here illegally, there is no

easy answer. Well, maybe it is not as difficult as it would

appear. If you have ever been a violent criminal while staying in

our country, say goodbye. You do not deserve to be here and

we do not want you. However, if you are like the majority, here

looking for an honest days pay for an honest days labor, weneed to provide a means of allowing you to stay. That does not

mean that you can stay on public assistance and get free

benefits from the states you choose to live in. It means you

support yourself, speak, read and write English, pay your own

way and agree that you and all of your dependents will be

deported if you try to get public assistance before becoming a


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citizen. You cannot vote and you cannot expect anything other

than protection provided for any other legal immigrant. We will

allow your kids to go to school but no free lunches or specialprograms for them. If you have not obtained U.S. citizenship

within a 10 year time frame, say goodbye. Thanks for visiting.

You may re-apply at the U.S. Consulate in your home country.

There may be special circumstances for some, such as being

here for 25 years or more, and we should allow them to fast-

track to citizenship. They would have five years to obtain

citizenship or say goodbye. After all, they have been here longenough to learn English, understand our American ways, and

pass a citizenship test. Immigrants who come here and want to

wave a Mexican flag and celebrate non-U.S. holidays are free to

do so under our laws and rules. Just be sure you are here

legally as stated above. Otherwise, there should be very little

tolerance for allowing you and your dependents to stay. Sound

too harsh? Fine, then go back to your country where you think

it may be better than here and wave your flag.

If you feel as I do about the direction America has taken, please

circulate this to as many readers as you can. The more people

gravitate to the idea of righting the ship and getting Americaback on course, the better our chance of making change for the

good in America. I am but a single vote and already know who I

will not be voting for in the 2012 election.


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Lets work together to try and get the right people in office

you know, those that hold the United States Constitution as the

supreme law of the land and want to have a sound fiscal policyand balanced budget. Lets quash those Americans who are

trying to create discontent and upset the long-standing

American ideals of family, God and Country. Join US!


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Endnotes

iihttp://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/photogallery/2012-state-

union-address?category=29ii

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/10/obamas-apparent-bow-

saudi-king-outrages-conservativesiiihttp://www.military.com/news/article/high-court-denies-obama-

citizenship-case.htmlivhttp://www.military.com/news/article/high-court-denies-obama-

citizenship-case.htmlvMatthew Vadum, Communism-Loving George Soros Wants To Kill

Capitalism, posted 3/28/2011 onhttp://www.newsrealblog.com/2011/03/28/communism-loving-george-

soros-wants-to-kill-capitalism/vi

Ibid.vii

http://thenewamerican.com/world-mainmenu-26/north-america-

mainmenu-36/6895-funding-of-bretton-woods-ii-by-george-soros-exposed
http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/photogallery/2012-state-union-address?category=29http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/photogallery/2012-state-union-address?category=29http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/photogallery/2012-state-union-address?category=29http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/photogallery/2012-state-union-address?category=29http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/photogallery/2012-state-union-address?category=29http://www.military.com/news/article/high-court-denies-obama-citizenship-case.htmlhttp://www.military.com/news/article/high-court-denies-obama-citizenship-case.htmlhttp://www.military.com/news/article/high-court-denies-obama-citizenship-case.htmlhttp://www.military.com/news/article/high-court-denies-obama-citizenship-case.htmlhttp://www.military.com/news/article/high-court-denies-obama-citizenship-case.htmlhttp://www.military.com/news/article/high-court-denies-obama-citizenship-case.htmlhttp://www.military.com/news/article/high-court-denies-obama-citizenship-case.htmlhttp://www.military.com/news/article/high-court-denies-obama-citizenship-case.htmlhttp://www.newsrealblog.com/2011/03/28/communism-loving-george-soros-wants-to-kill-capitalism/http://www.newsrealblog.com/2011/03/28/communism-loving-george-soros-wants-to-kill-capitalism/http://www.newsrealblog.com/2011/03/28/communism-loving-george-soros-wants-to-kill-capitalism/http://thenewamerican.com/world-mainmenu-26/north-america-mainmenu-36/6895-funding-of-bretton-woods-ii-by-george-soros-exposedhttp://thenewamerican.com/world-mainmenu-26/north-america-mainmenu-36/6895-funding-of-bretton-woods-ii-by-george-soros-exposedhttp://thenewamerican.com/world-mainmenu-26/north-america-mainmenu-36/6895-funding-of-bretton-woods-ii-by-george-soros-exposedhttp://thenewamerican.com/world-mainmenu-26/north-america-mainmenu-36/6895-funding-of-bretton-woods-ii-by-george-soros-exposedhttp://thenewamerican.com/world-mainmenu-26/north-america-mainmenu-36/6895-funding-of-bretton-woods-ii-by-george-soros-exposedhttp://thenewamerican.com/world-mainmenu-26/north-america-mainmenu-36/6895-funding-of-bretton-woods-ii-by-george-soros-exposedhttp://thenewamerican.com/world-mainmenu-26/north-america-mainmenu-36/6895-funding-of-bretton-woods-ii-by-george-soros-exposedhttp://www.newsrealblog.com/2011/03/28/communism-loving-george-soros-wants-to-kill-capitalism/http://www.newsrealblog.com/2011/03/28/communism-loving-george-soros-wants-to-kill-capitalism/http://www.military.com/news/article/high-court-denies-obama-citizenship-case.htmlhttp://www.military.com/news/article/high-court-denies-obama-citizenship-case.htmlhttp://www.military.com/news/article/high-court-denies-obama-citizenship-case.htmlhttp://www.military.com/news/article/high-court-denies-obama-citizenship-case.htmlhttp://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/photogallery/2012-state-union-address?category=29http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/photogallery/2012-state-union-address?category=29

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