The Era Of Vicious Politics

 By Wayne Shemwell

I've been involved in politics for nearly 40 years in one fashion or another. I worked with my mother when she was involved in local politics. I actually worked at the polls for a number of elections and helped local alderman with their daily activities. Additionally in both high school and college I was involved in campus politics. So I'm no stranger to the antics and tactics politicians use to make a point.

My first presidential election was 1976 and yes I voted for Jimmy Carter. I don't think I've missed a presidential election since 1976 now I can't say the same for the local and state elections. But I am involved in politics in one form or another even today. I've had the opportunity to address state Senate committees on several issues of concern. I also ran for city Council when the county and city merged here in Louisville. The attempt was unsuccessful and it did get a bit contentious. But I understand that a certain level of animosity and clear competition are to be expected in a political campaign.

But what I see today is the lack of a better word is disgusting; it is the vilest form of mudslinging I have ever witnessed. Now don't get me wrong I know that this is big boy politics and to be fair President Bush took his share of insults when he was in office. But it seems to me that the level of animosity has reached a new high. It seems that the Republican Party is entrenched in opposing whatever president Obama suggests. Now we learn that during his inauguration the Republicans were meeting to form a strategy to make Mr. Obama a one term president.

And now as the election gets closer the Republicans just seem angry. I watch all of the news channels CNN, Fox, and MSNBC so I can get a full picture of the political landscape. But watching Fox this morning all of the commentators seem so angry at President Obama. I remember some of the things said about President Bush, he was a C student and all of the jokes about his intelligence. But none of those attacks are as vicious and vile as the attacks president Obama has endured during his first term.

Right from the beginning there were those that questioned whether or not Mr. Obama was even an American citizen. And unfortunately there are those on the right who are still advocating that president Obama is not an American citizen. It doesn't matter that the Republican governor of Hawaii offered proof of Mr. Obama's citizenship, with an official Hawaiian birth certificate. Then you have the other faction that insists president Obama is a Muslim.

I don't want to raise the specter of race, but I do wonder if Obama was white with we have the same type of opposition. Washington has been mired for the past three years in partisan bickering. While the average American suffers in the worst economy as the Great Depression. Republicans refuse to work with President Obama on any issue. I recall the president Obama was giving the state of the union in someone from the gallery yelled liar. This is the level of contempt that exists between the parties in Congress today.

So what are we to do, we the people are suffering as our elected officials in Washington act like children? I do not have an answer just these observations, I hope the distinguished gentleman in Washington will wake up and realize they are there to help the people.