I hoped the second term for President Trump would be less chaotic than the first, but I honestly think it has become more divided, not less. This raises the question of why this is, and what we can do about it. There is a rift between the political parties about what this country is and what it should become. This country was founded upon ideals and individual freedom, which is unique among all nations.

I was not a Joe Biden fan because we seemed to disagree about way too many things about what we are and how to solve society’s problems. I have always believed life begins at conception and murder is always wrong. I spent much of my career in healthcare and EMS fighting to preserve life and see the humanity in everyone, but I will admit I failed far too often. I find my sense of empathy very small when it comes to those who disagree, and many will stop at nothing to get their way. This has become a significant issue in our current political system. Even as I write this, I paused to read a piece fromThe Epoch Times about nearly thirty of our ambassadors being recalled by the current administration due to their not seeming to speak with the authority of the current White House incumbent, The political polarization in this country is reaching dangerous levels and we must put an end to the administrations careening from one roadside ditch to the other. An incoming president should not want to spend much of their first day in office undoing much of the work of their predecessor, which has occurred with both the last two, or should I say three, administrations: those being the first Trump term, the Biden administration, and then Trump II. I could not believe the obstacles that were thrown in the way of President Trump during his first term. His legislative priorities were scuttled at every opportunity, and who can forget the ever spiteful John McCain, making sure to create such a spectacle by voting against his attempt to repeal Obamacare. I am not saying Senator McCain was wrong to vote the way he voted but that his insistence at making it a huge news event by the way he insisted on being the deciding vote, and in dramatic fashion. No one did more to cripple the president’s legislative agenda than Paul Ryan with his continuous holier-than-thou attitude. He actively refused to bring many legislative items to the floor to thwart the President; this is his own party, no less!

I am afraid to even start with the shenanigans of the Democratic Party during President Trump’s first term because it began with all the election interference and legal maneuvering before he even took office, challenging the results, and let us not forget the Russia, Russia, drumbeat that went all the way back to the campaign. I will admit that Donald Trump is often his own worst enemy when the truth is involved, but that in no way excuses the political dirty tricks he endured. I will say little regarding Adam Schiff and his incredibly egregious conduct, which is beyond my limited vocabulary to describe. How he is not bankrupt or in prison is inexplicable to me. I am in no way excusing the President with his ability to play fast and loose with the truth, but Adam Schiff was a, well, we will get into that another day.

I could go on for much longer, but there is no real need to do so, and it will not improve the clarity of my writing. The point I am trying to make is that the two political parties have become; we must win at all costs adversaries, and it is truly damaging the country. The liberal politics in this country have come closer to being socialist than democratic, and the rise of the victim mentality in this country is alarming. This is by far the most concerning aspect because of the tiny grain of truth at its core. There is always going to be some part of life that is unfair and should be different that holds you back, that is part of what it means to be human. An equally important thing is how you respond to the setbacks you face. I have faced a few, and I am not proud of how I handled them. I am in total agreement with Ronald Reagan, the government is the problem and not the solution. That is no longer the default position in this country!

When I was a much younger man, I felt I needed to contribute to making life better for myself and those around me. In the intervening years, I lost sight of that, and I don’t think I am the only one. I am reminded of the quote by John F. Kennedy, “ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” I have become far too good at remembering the first part and ignoring the second. I need to change that, and I doubt I am the only one.