If ever there was doubt that politics has become so toxic that anything can be said or done to the opposition, it was proven with a recent statement by New York Democratic Congressman Dan Goldman.
With his hatred for Donald Trump burning at his soul, Goldman told MSNBC host Jen Psaki that Trump is “not only unfit, he is destructive to our democracy and he has to be eliminated.”
That’s right, a sitting member of Congress basically called for the assassination of a presidential candidate.
As is typical of someone who accidentally said out loud what they really want to happen but realized it makes them look bad, Goldman offered a correction to his statement, claiming he simply “used the wrong word” when sharing his absolute hatred for Trump and that he “certainly wishes no harm to Trump.”
That’s the classic attempt of trying to put the toothpaste back in the tube. It doesn’t work.
This is where our politics are these days. It’s not enough to have differences of opinion. Trump’s views — according to Goldman and a large number of Democrats — are so dangerous he simply can’t be allowed to become president again.
This isn’t political rhetoric, trying to rally voters to a cause. This is the type of language that leads to riots, assassinations and civil war.
A recent Democratic primary in Bridgeport, Conn., was tossed out by a judge because of overwhelming evidence of ballot box stuffing by Democratic Party leaders in that city. When questioned under oath if the videos showed them stuffing the ballot box with hundreds of absentee ballots, the operatives invoked their Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.
When political differences rise to the point of either religion or moral superiority, any action taken can be justified to achieve partisan victory.
That’s why it isn’t enough to accept that Jan. 6 was a riot at the Capitol. It has to be an insurrection. Those who believed there were irregularities in the election must be enemies of the state, not just citizens with concerns over the outcome of the election.
Not only have our leaders failed in becoming true statesmen, but our media has also taken sides in politics to such an extreme that the information we receive can’t be trusted.
According to theamericanjournalist.com, only 3.4 percent of journalists are Republican.
Hiring practices are being affected by partisan views, especially in Hollywood where a conservative thought could get a person blacklisted.
We are told over and over that “democracy is at stake” unless we vote for one and only one party. Never mind the fact that the United States has had an almost equal number of Democratic and Republican presidents since Richard Nixon’s election in 1968. Since then, Republicans have controlled the White House for 32 years, and Democrats will have had control for 28 years by the end of Biden’s term. No matter what we’ve been told by both sides, America has survived with presidents from both parties, and it will continue to do so.
But that doesn’t excuse the danger being posed by our leaders and the media with their constant beating of the drums against those with different approaches to solving our challenges.
And the moral superiority is justifying very dangerous actions. These people believe they have to take these anti-democratic actions in order to save democracy. As crazy as it sounds, that’s exactly what is happening.
The polls are starting to show that the people have not bought what the media is selling. The more the voters are told Trump is a danger to democracy, the more they remember their lives being better four short years ago.
Crying wolf only works for so long until the people realize the claim is bogus.
Hopefully no one takes Goldman’s suggestion to “eliminate” Trump. Hopefully the government itself won’t take his hint beyond the ongoing partisan lawsuits.
No one party has a lock on every solution for everything. When they believe they do, freedom dies by suicide.
Earl Watt is the owner and publisher of the Leader & Times in Liberal, Kansas. Watt started his career in journalism in 1991 at the Southwest Daily Times. During his career, the newspaper has won a total of 17 Sweepstakes awards from the Kansas Press Association for editorial content and 18 Sweepstakes awards for advertising. Watt has been recognized with more than 70 first place awards for writing in categories from sports and column to best front pages, best sports pages and best opinion pages. Watt is a member of the Sons of the American Revolution and is the descendant of several patriots who fought for America's freedom and independence.
