Posted on 01/08/2015 7:53:24 AM PST by Kaslin
The shocking act of murder by terrorists in Paris this week provides chilling new evidence that Republican majorities in Congress must act.
The tepid response from the White House -- a hallmark of Obama, except on issues like race and law enforcement -- must come to an end. It will take action by Republicans on Capitol Hill to force a change.
On Monday, the political press was abuzz over a challenge to House Speaker John Boehner from several of his fellow representatives. But Boehner won another term as speaker. Now it's time for Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to demand that this nation set its priorities right. Rather than bashing law enforcement officials or promoting class warfare, Washington needs to come to grips with real issues that threaten America's security and well-being.
From cyber attacks to what we might call "practice runs" of terrorism against the West, such as the Paris massacre, the United States is being challenged to engage in a war. No one wants such a war, but we must at least admit that we are under attack.
While the Obama administration has been quick to point out a cyber attack they believe came from North Korea, the White House continues to not fully acknowledge acts of brutal terrorism by militant Islamists, who have made it clear that the destruction of the West is their ultimate goal.
For the last few months, our news has been dominated by issues of race and alleged abuse by law enforcement officials. No one denies that race remains an issue in America. But the Obama White House has treated it as if it were the central issue of our time. And thanks to people like New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, honest and hard-working police officers have been lumped in with a handful of alleged renegades in being unfairly stereotyped.
And while passage of legislation such as the Keystone Pipeline is important, messaging on broader issues can also be critical, as the Obama administration has shown time and again with its inability to speak clearly and forcefully. So now the Republicans should use the bully pulpits in both the House and the Senate. They should stop quibbling over issues of comparatively small importance and start challenging Obama and his shrinking party on matters of life and death.
For example, no one has any concept of what our nation's defense system is against cyber attacks or other terrorist threats. What is clear is that this administration would rather focus on the alleged failures of the CIA than on formulating a clear plan to combat our terrorist foes.
Republicans must understand that while issues such as Obamacare and immigration are important to many Americans, the security of our citizens and the preservation of our major means of communications, such as the Internet, are our paramount interests.
Rather than simply throwing rocks at what is clearly a lame duck president who is hell-bent on implementing tangential liberal policies, Republicans must offer well-thought-out and substantive proposals to secure this nation.
America has seen warnings and terrorist "practice runs" before. There was the World Trade Center bombing, for example, not many years prior to 9/11. That was during a time when the stock market seemed strong and people felt secure. Now, once again, we are witnessing practice runs of terrorism just as Americans are starting to feel good about lower gasoline prices and an improving economy.
But neither interest in the economy and other traditional issues, nor happenings like unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, will seem important if America is the victim of another 9/11, or worse.
Both John Boehner and Mitch McConnell now enjoy unified Republican majorities in their respective chambers. Now it's time for them to dictate to the president some real solutions to deadly problems. Quickly.
Matt isn’t paying attention. No difference between dems or pubbies.
LOL...sorry, but I have to laugh...
He sure as heck isn’t listening. AFAIK, Matt is a has been Georgia leftover from Jimmy Carter’s era. He has nothing substantive to say in my book.
And no amount of leftist equivocation will cause cowardly republicans to call democrats what they obviously are.
So...the answer to terrorism in Paris is Keystone? That’s supposed to send a message?
GET REAL *rme*
Why look to any politician or any group of politicians to LEAD ... Why not ‘the People’ LEAD? Want to scare a politician? Repeat the Declaration of Independence!
No, conservatives.
The republicans think they can placate conservatives on every issue by evoking Keystone.
LOL!
What a funny title.
Folks, there no way in hell there will ever be another conservative Republican president. No way. The media and Democrat vote counters will see to it. On a more local level, we can’t even get a conservative majority in the House and Senate. Not even close.
If conservatives continue to play in the current corrupt political system we will continue to be ruled by 20% of the population.
“We’re in a religious war. These are not terrorists. They’re radical Islamists who are trying to replace our way of life with their way of life. Their way of life is motivated by religious teachings that require me and you to be killed, or enslaved, or converted. The President of the United States tip-toes around the threats we face, and he is trying to diminish the religious aspect of this war. Why? I don’t know. And he is not engaging the enemy in an aggressive fashion, which makes it more likely we’ll get attacked. What he’s doing is pretending to want to destroy ISIL when in fact, he’s trying to get out of office without having to commit American ground forces to do the job as part of a team in the region, because he made a campaign promise. His campaign promises, Hugh, are getting a lot of people killed”
Is quite simple, folks ... We ‘the People’ can choose to be in the stranglehold and chains or We ‘the People’ can put the politicians in a StrangleHold ... ‘the People’s Choice’ ... So whose side are you on? The politicians or ‘the People’?
The only thing Republicans lead is their snout to the trough.
No more military actions unless we declare war formally and start up the draft. The nation must be totally involved and completely committed. The 2016 campaign must be on this. War candidate vs no war candidate. Who will represent the GOP?
I think you make a good argument.
I tend to agree.
Will it shape up that way? I’m doubtful, but it should be a large component of it.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.