I've just about had it. Fifteen years of Republican talking points have finally got under my skin. It's bad enough that they're almost always simplistic, misleading, repetitious, insulting, stupid, and just plain wrong. They also sort of cycle through patterns. It's one of the recurring ones that finally got to me. As Laura Clawson reported in her front page note, Republican hacks have taken President Obama's rhetorical efforts to drive a wedge between ISIS and Islam in general as an opening to revive the old Dinesh D'Souza canard that the President just doesn't love America. It's enough to make me change my nomination for F*x N**s motto from Post hoc, ergo propter hoc to the simpler Ad hominem.
But this notion that Mr. Obama doesn't love America? It's not just outrageously disrespectful, it also couldn't be further from the truth. Let me count the ways.
If President Obama hates America so much, then
1. Why does he insist that it makes more sense to marginalize and isolate ISIS rather than risking our national blood and treasure by trying to take the battle to a billion Muslims worldwide?
2. Why does he, recognizing that immigration has been the wellspring of our power and prosperity since, I don't know, let's say the early 17th century, want to ease a path to citizenship and assimilation for millions of families working here, contributing to the strength of our culture, economy, and nation?
3. Why does he, recognizing that the road to high-wage jobs in skilled trades (machinists, electricians, and such), as well as high-wage white-collar jobs, has largely shifted from the unions to the community colleges, want to strengthen our labor force, economy, society - and ultimately the nation - by broadening the road to community colleges?
4. Why does he, recognizing that substandard health care for any American is both a national disgrace and a hidden tax on all Americans, want to broaden access to health care? Why does he ask us to understand that subsidizing insurance for those less able to buy it is cheaper than subsidizing their emergency room visits, yields a healthier populace, and contributes to the happiness, stability, and prosperity of our nation?
The guy must really hate America if he wants to make the nation so much stronger. I'm sure many readers can add to the list.