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Thank you for your, as always, eloquent and thoughtful essay, betty.

I left the republican party about the same time you did, and for exactly the same reasons.

Your comment, 'What is needed: A way to reach voters in terms of a national policy that will improve people's life and that of their loved ones...their kids and grandkids. That's how you win this battle,' is spot on. The trouble is, Americans over the past several decades have 'evolved' to a point at which 'life improvements' have been re-defined so as to pretty much exclude, or at least ignore, the concept of individual liberty.

In addition, so much of what we speculate regarding upcoming elections rests on envisioning the electorate based on past precedent. But nowadays precedent cannot always be invoked simply because the citizenry today bears no resemblance to what it used to be, and, with each passing day, that difference becomes even more pronounced.

We have been witnessing for decades fascist techniques commonly used to prepare a country for the implementation of a dictatorship.

Our children today know virtually nothing about the proud history, and liberty-centered foundations, of their own country.

Our mainstream media regularly rewrite, interpret, or righteously ignore, both that history and the everyday events unfolding around us.

Either directly or indirectly, millions of people who have no business being in this country are being afforded a say as to who our leadership is, and are benefitting enormously from government handouts.

The ‘pioneer spirit’ that made America the most moral and prosperous civilization in the history of mankind has been replaced, systematically, by a victim/entitlement mentality that urges voters to cast their ballots on the basis of ‘What’s in it for me?’ rather than ‘What is best for my country?’ or ‘Who has the character to lead my country down the right road?’ or ‘Who will be earnest in continuing to guarantee the freedoms that our Founders fought so hard to ensure us?’ The last three considerations have been declared passé and nationalistic (which is now a four-letter word).

Voting on the basis of 'What's in it for me?' tends now to focus on material gains as provided by 'government', and tends to ignore the freedoms that must be relinquished in order to obtain such temporary 'gains'.

I believe that, more than any other threat we currently face, we must put an end to the independent and grossly illegal actions of the executive branch, because it is through those actions that our individual liberties are being most blatantly crushed. It is up to congress and the court to get this usurpation of power back under control ... and it is up to us to demand they do so. How, exactly, can that occur when ninety percent of the electorate value their smart phones significantly more than they do their God-given freedoms as ensured by the Bill of Rights?

~ joanie

...more than any other threat we currently face, we must put an end to the independent and grossly illegal actions of the executive branch, because it is through those actions that our individual liberties are being most blatantly crushed. It is up to congress and the court to get this usurpation of power back under control ... and it is up to us to demand they do so.

Recent actions by the executive branch are clearly impeachable offenses: e.g., the refusal to enforce the Defense of Marriage Act; the announcement that all gay couples are eligible for the same federal benefits as received by married couples, regardless of whether they are "married" or not, and even if they live in states that do not recognize gay marriage; the selective enforcement of ObamaCare; the list goes on. The President is clearly in violation of his oath of office —

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

He is in violation of his Article II, section 3 duty to "take care that the laws be faithfully executed."

The problem is, Congress will not impeach him, partly because of a lack of courage, but also because they can impeach him all day long — but Harry Reid would never bring him to trial in the Senate. So why go through a punishing, divisive, polarizing process when you know you're going to come up with nothing to show for it in the end?

In order to impeach this president, the GOP would need to be in control of both the House and the Senate.

I do not look for relief from the Supreme Court anytime soon. They are the unelected branch, not directly accountable to the people. With a few exceptions, the sitting justices seem to have the view that the Constitution is pretty elastic, and may be interpreted in such a way as to accommodate changes in the culture over time. There is no other way to explain Roe v. Wade. Plus their decision on Obamacare is completely unintelligible to me: How can a law that is offensive on Commerce Clause grounds still be okay because Obamacare's penalty for noncompliance is covered under the federal taxing power, as a tax, not a penalty?

Obama must think he's sitting in the "catbird seat." He must think he's untouchable. Meanwhile, he dispatches his minions to harrass Americans who disagree with his plans and policies, through illegal activities carried out by his IRS, FCC, NLRB, etc. He violates Americans' First, Second, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Eighth, Ninth and Tenth Amendment rights at the drop of a hat. He stacks the federal courts with radical Left Progressive judges, who enjoy lifetime tenure.

And he does all this with the attitude: "Just try to stop me! Heh-heh-heh." ["The really nice thing about being president is I can do what I want."]

Meanwhile, he is systematically looting the American middle class under color of law. That's the beauty of ObamaCare, from his point of view. For the middle class is where the real money is....

I daresay middle class people are beginning to feel the squeeze. After 5 years of the moribund Obama economy, rising taxes and prices, they are being hit hard in the pocketbook. Plus with new regulations constantly being ground out, and selective enforcement of those on the books, people cannot make reasonable plans for the future.

It is the middle class which is paying for all the freebies Obama is giving away to his "friends." I daresay when middle class people finally figure this out, perhaps the tide of events will turn....

When Obama speaks of "income inequality," what he really means is to reduce the middle class, not to bring the poor up to the middle-class level.

Sooner or later, something's going to have to give — this sort of thing cannot continue in a straight line. At some point, such abuses must "correct." What form the "correction" will take, I do not know. But nothing in the natural world, including cultures and societies, ever moves in a straight line; rather the movement is like that of a pendulum....

Joanie, you said the electorate is different today than it was in the past. Granted. The people have been systematically deculturated by our educational institutions at all levels, so-called "charitable" institutions, and the entertainment industries. Thus we have been "softened up" for the political progressives who are determined to wipe out American culture as we know it, that they may construct a Second Reality (that won't work), and drag us all kicking and screaming into it. The promised utopia will never materialize — as we all should know from History....

Ah! But there's the rub — how many Americans know their history today?

Things look pretty grim, dear joanie-f — but you must not lose hope!

I AM is still in charge!

Thank you so much for writing!