It happened on January 19, 2009. A dear friend, Rip didn’t see his grandchild’s toy at the top of the stairwell. Rip stepped on it and tumbled to the bottom floor.
Though alive, my friend suffered serious head injuries. For a few days he drifted in and out of consciousness. He finally lapsed into a coma.
We continued to hold out hope as the doctors offered the prognosis often given in situations like this: Tomorrow, next week, next month, perhaps never.
Then the day before Thanksgiving the call came – Rip was awake!
In a matter of days Rip was as alert as ever. When I visited him I found he was just as feisty too.
He asked, “So what is happening with my country? I’m so sorry I missed the Inauguration of President Barack Obama.”
“My country.”
Now in his seventies, it’s the way he referred to the Unites States, the country he defended during his career in the military. The country he loved because of its liberty and freedom.
It is his country.
And though a staunch conservative, Rip wished he could have seen Inauguration Day. It is a day he puts political differences aside and honors his country’s election process.
But he also has his opinions about the role of government. He criticized the former Bush administration about the dangers of government growth. His passion is unashamed, for he wants his country to succeed.
“How’s the economy?” he asked. “I was against Obama’s proposed stimulus. Never in our history did we spend our way out of recession. But Obama promised it would create 3.5 million jobs in a year. Well, did it?”
I replied, “Conditions are much worse. Unemployment was about 7.2% when you got hurt. The stimulus did not keep unemployment at 8% as President Obama promised. It’s now at 10%. Instead of creating jobs, over three million have been lost since Obama took office. ”
“I knew it!” Rip bellowed. “That stimulus package wouldn’t create jobs, just more government. But these job losses – do they have any idea what they are doing?”
“Hard to say.” I responded. “Vice President Joe Biden said we need to spend more money to get out of bankruptcy.”
“Biden,” Rip said with a shake of the head. “Spend money you don’t have to get out of debt. That sounds like him. Rarely does he have a lucid or original thought. And people claimed he’s smarter than Sarah Palin.”
Rip continued, “And is government still trying to take over health care? From what I’m hearing from my caregivers, I could lose the patient-doctor relationship I’ve had for years and be forced to a government plan. Is that true?”
“I can’t tell.” I honestly replied. “Who can decipher a 2,000 page bill filled with confusing government speak? But I know a prime objective is government control through some sort of public option. The Senate is tap dancing, or trying to disguise, the public option by calling it something else. The cost is incomprehensible, especially during a period when the money doesn’t exist. To help pay for it, government intends to cut over $400 billion from Medicare.”
“The health care discussions are not all not inclusive, and more importantly, not debated on CSPAN like President Obama promised. That should concern everyone.” I said.
Rip asked, “Why would government scrap the best health care system in the world and replace it with a system like those of other countries where rationing is the norm and costs are astronomical?
“Unless,” he said, “the true motive is more government control.”
“I can see you are getting agitated.” I said, “So I hesitate to tell you about the Cap and Trade bill. But if passed, government will control the amount of CO2 you expel in the air. You will be taxed if you exceed limits set by government.”
“What!” my friend bellowed. “Government is still pushing the unproven theory that the CO2 necessary to sustain life is now a pollutant melting the planet. Rubbish! Government can’t control the Earth’s temperature. But I see the pattern. Government is seeking to extend its dominance over the citizenry.”
“Be careful when criticizing government, I said. “The rules have changed. This government is on a mission to silence the dissenting voice. Our freedom of speech has never been under such attack. Speaker Pelosi called anyone who questions government un-American.”
Grabbing his chair my friend responded, “I faithfully served my country for 30 years. Yet if I question Pelosi’s socialist agenda I’m un-American! What has Pelosi ever served beyond her own interests?”
“It gets worse,” I responded. “Government established a White House website so that neighbor can inform on neighbors critical of government policy.”
“I don’t believe it!” my friend yelled as he rose from his chair. “That’s fascism.”
(I couldn’t bring myself to tell him about the rumors of the possible reemergence of the Fairness Doctrine.)
“Maybe we should quit.” I responded. “You need rest, and this is a lot to absorb.”
“Hogwash, continue,” was his response. “What about the war on terror?”
Taking a deep breath I said, “President Obama spent a good portion of his time touring the world apologizing because the United States defended itself against terrorism. His administration decided to give legal rights to the terrorists that confessed to their role in the attacks of September 11, 2001.”
“These terrorists – I’m sorry, can’t call them terrorists anymore – these suspects have Miranda rights, teams of lawyers, and will have a court date at Ground Zero. The U.S. will be on trial just as much as the suspects. Already I’m hearing the lawyers representing the suspects will seek mistrial because Constitutional rights were violated.”
Rip seethed, “Rights for the terrorist butchers that slaughtered innocent Americans. And now I read about Navy Seals standing court martial because they bloodied the nose of a murdering terrorist captured on the battlefield. I thought I’d never see the day.”
I said, “That day has arrived, my friend. And that’s enough for today. Let me summarize for you.”
“Your country has changed greatly in the 10 months you’ve been asleep. Government has taken over major portions of the private sector – from finance to the auto industry. Government is now after greater control of health care and the climate – nothing is off limits. A plethora of government czars are determining everything, from “fair wages” to what is considered free speech.”
“The debt created by this government’s gluttony is historic. Your grandchildren, their unborn children, will be saddled with paying for government’s socialist policies.”
“Terrorists are no longer terrorists, but suspects with the same rights as you. Our military on the battlefield must consider Miranda rights when confronting a possible suicide bomber. The term ‘global war on terror’ has been replaced by ‘overseas contingency operations’ to appease the critics of the United States”
“The definition of a representative government has changed under this administration. Government is no longer of the people, by the people, for the people. Government now serves itself, growing larger and more hideous by the minute.”
“You awoke to a nightmare.” I said. “And it will get worse”
Rip appeared to age ten years before my eyes. In a subdued voice he said, “In just 10 months government has taken so much of our freedom, our liberty. They’ve taken so much that so many of us fought to preserve.”
As his voice trailed off this patriot asked, “What have they done to my country?”
I could think of only one response, “You awoke to Hope and Change.”
(Bloggers note: The part about an injured friend is false. But much of the above, I believe, is true. You decide the degree.)
God Bless our troops in harm’s way.
Poz
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