Response to recent Letter to the Editor regarding the state of politics

Dear Editor,

No doubt Dieter Dauber loves his country and his home as much as I do, but I must say his comments in the Aug. 17 issue were quite unfair and off balance.

The Founders anticipated factions and today we call them parties, something unmentioned in the Constitution. What is scary is where the major parties collaborate.

Mr. Dauber laments Harry Reid’s not bringing up House bills for a vote. Does he not remember the Republicans not allowing amendments, closing off or extending debate (whatever worked), and other shenanigans to get their own way? I doubt the Founders anticipated their allowing Congress to set its own rules would result in deadlock and acrimony, nor a gerrymandering that would result in absurdly few competitive races. Who would have thought that instead of our picking our reps they would pick us? Tweedledee and Tweedledum working in concert, that’s who.

As for “Obama rocking us from one international crisis to another”, history does not perform to the convenience of a news cycle or even a presidency. Ukraine has been boiling for a quarter of a century since the Soviets fell; the roots of ISIS and the so-called Arab spring are probably to be found in that fateful oil deal brokered by Roosevelt and a Saudi king almost seven decades ago (and no doubt exacerbated by both Bushes no matter how justified they felt in putting boots on ground that Muslims regard as holy); our border problems stem from our messing around in south-of-the-border politics for a century (seems we understood what a “sphere of influence” was then, but now brand Putin as crazy for bringing up the topic).

Finally, the irony is huge when Mr. Dauber criticizes Obama supporters as non-Christian (are we not advised against judging as we ourselves would wither under such scrutiny?) and then laments “free stuff for everyone.” Borderless worldwide trade has not only threatened the hard-won environmental (clean air, clean water) achievements of the twentieth century, and made the One Percenter citizens, not of our country where they wield such power (and are able to send our soldiers to protect their investments), but of the world, but such trade has left behind many of our fellow citizens (and their vulnerable children) to whom the so-called “free stuff” is just the basics (and barely that) that sustain life.

Judeo-Christian Americans are not going to kick them to the curb.

Please, Mr. Dauber, read history and look around with compassion.

Sincerely,

Sandy Miley

Sherrill, N.Y.