How Did This Happen? Lies – Left and Right, A Story of Disillusionment

Dees Illustration

Earl Griffin, Contributor

I’ve had it.

When I was a young adult, I lived in a yellow dog county in East Texas where you had to register Democrat if you wanted to vote in the primaries – because in those days there were no Republicans running. It was a massive, one party, political machine.

Eventually, I moved away and with a sense of glee I went to the courthouse and registered Republican. I was convinced, in those heady days of my youth, that the Republican party was the party of fiscal conservatism and personal liberty.

I knew in my heart that if I didn’t vote the “right” way, that losing the 2nd and 4th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution was an inescapable inevitability.

I remember when talk radio was just getting started. I tuned in and listened close. I was enchanted by the idea that, finally, the truth could now be let loose and freedom would win out over the tyranny of the left.
In 1994 I was awash with palpable excitement at the idea that we would, “vote the bums out.” Joy! I still recall driving my old cream colored, Chevrolet Caprice Classic, upholstered in velour – oh velour… I drove it to the little church near the school and the single country store in our happy community where I would cast my vote. I knew it would be historic. Inside the little white church the wooden floor creaked as I shifted, nervously, from one foot to the other while I waited for my turn in the voting booth. I marked my ballot with a pen in privacy then emerged with pride and hope knowing as I did that my party would win. The good guys would win and fix all the bad stuff they’d been railing against for so long.

Social Security. Medicare. Welfare. The Trade Deficit. The Budget Deficit. We would finally get to fix all these awful problems and our country would be safe from run-away spending and the awful taxation imposed by the incumbent party.

I remember laughing aloud as I watched the MSM trying to come to terms with the way things were after the election.

The budget was balanced. Surplus monies were had!

Or so they said. The deficit never actually fell…

I remember when George Bush the younger beat out Governor Ann Richards. I liked her feisty ways, but I knew that it would be better for Texas if a Conservative were in office. After all, Governor Richards gave us “Robin Hood” school funding and the Texas State Lottery. I resented that.

Next thing I knew Governor Bush was running for President. Wonderful! Things were good in Texas. He was a man who reached across the isle for the betterment of the state. I thought he could do the same in Washington, D.C.

Finally Governor Bush was President Bush – Oh, happy day!

Then 9/11 happened…

Then the Patriot Act happened…

But that would be good, right? I mean nobody really knew what it was but we knew that there was an emergency and we “needed” it to fight our enemies!

No Child Left Behind.

War … on two fronts – that we knew of.

Then the economy tanked…
Obama. I voted against him – mostly on principle. But when he won I secretly thought, “Thank God. Now he can reverse this growing police state.” After all, he said he would do exactly that. Finally Gitmo would be closed. Finally we could roll back the tyranny of the Patriot Act.

Yes, I said, “tyranny.” The tyranny of the Patriot Act was brought about by “My team.” I was ashamed. I still am.

But President Obama lied. He didn’t roll back the ever-increasing surveillance of the growing police state – he made it worse.

I don’t know anyone, who doesn’t work for the TSA, that isn’t afraid for their job.

He made everything worse. And he lied – about everything.

NDAA 2012: Assassination and indefinite detention of American citizens onAmerican soil without due process.

We lost the 4^th Amendment – as I’d feared.

The 10^th Amendment is all but gone.

I believe the 2^nd Amendment is in real – if delayed trouble.

I’d been wrong – about pretty much everything. The tyranny of the left was all too real of course, but the promises of the right to uphold freedom and to spend the tax dollars of Americans wisely … all lies.

Now we have two men running for President of the United States of America who are BOTH on record supporting the assassination and the indefinite detention of American citizens...

How did this happen?

This article first appeared at Barking Window

Earl Griffin's site Barking Window presents news that affects us all. Real news. Real issues. You’ll like some of the sources. You’ll hate others. You’ll probably feel the same about the articles. But it’s all here for a reason – to inform. You won’t find partisanship here. You will find news that defies the right/left paradigm. You will find articles critical of government and industry. More still, you will find news here that rails against tyranny – in all its ugly guises. Make Barking Window part of your day, everyday.
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