My, how America’s changed

LARRY ANDERSON
Larry Anderson

Contrary to the Left’s stereotype, I and most conservatives are not reactionaries. We aren’t clinging to our guns and Bibles as Barack Obama described us, nor are we a bunch of rednecks as Bill Clinton recently characterized Trump supporters. Neither are we occupants of Hillary Clinton’s “basket of deplorables”.

Conservatives do not fear change and do, in fact, implement it. What we don’t want is change merely for the sake of it, nor do we wish to see social upheaval caused by a dishonest political apparatus driven by hatred for the democracy that protects it.

Change can be progress if it is based on need as opposed to political intent.

Gender attitudes have certainly changed in modern times due in large part to political correctness, disposable relationships, and surgery.

Male bashing is relatively new, but we do have our first female candidate for president, don’t we? Often men ask for it, but there is a tendency when politics is involved to lump.

I don’t think one’s gender should be judged by the actions or words of a few, nor do I believe what used to be called flirting should be intentionally mislabeled as sexual harassment.

Men are known to talk among themselves about women in ways graphically pertaining to sex and have for thousands of years. That doesn’t make them horrible as defined by puritanical liberals; it does make them male and human. Humans can be thoughtless.

However, if Donald Trump was truly as bad as his political opponents made him to be for his ignorant remarks and alleged actions toward women, then surely Bill Clinton should have resigned his presidency for his lewd conduct. Nor do I hear the Left condemning JFK for his many sexual dalliances. I question the gentlemanly qualities of both men, but doesn’t it take two to tango? Used to.

I don’t accept accusation is the same as guilt. Where are the witnesses, the complaints, the charges against Trump? Trump’s alleged victims were too embarrassed to come forward liberals argue, but if they were too humiliated years ago, why aren’t they now?

Oh! And the timing! Isn’t that just too delicious?

Have you never seen celebrity types kiss or embrace?

And let’s stop pretending women don’t make remarks about men in a similar sexual context. Both genders industriously pursue sexual activity because it is exciting. Is this suddenly new?

So let’s get over the Trump thing. Mostly, it was distraction from the far more important issues Hillary Clinton strives to neglect.

A way in which government has changed is in its attitude toward money. In the past, presidents and Congress worked to control spending out of respect for the taxpayers’ dollar. The budget wasn’t always neatly balanced, but everyone understood monumental debt was not a good thing. Government, like citizens, should live within its means.

No more. Hillary Clinton doesn’t even mention controlling spending as the national debt spirals toward $20 trillion. Within that figure lies a crisis. Trump knows it and says so; the Left knows it too but doesn’t care.

Health care is no longer just about healing. It is about politics and money and corporate and government collaboration. While Medicare was founded on honest need 50 years ago, ObamaCare is based on sloppy, one-sided politics that created a financial mess for millions.

Drug abuse was once correctly viewed as bad for a person and for society as a whole since it contributes to crime, sloth, and tremendous cost economically. No more. The Left is remarkably callous to addiction, due largely to porous liberal logic.

Drug use is victimless we are told. Arresting drug dealers isn’t related to justice but to racism. While we hear much about crime, drunk driving, and the risks of cigarette smoking, there is little condemnation of drug participation. Our national attitude has become a liberal one.

Think about this: According to the Center for Disease Control, drug use in America has increased 137 percent since 2000. How is that good?

National pride was once a given and grew out of a history where growth was assumed if all pitched in. Today, our economy is stagnant, wages are declining, and decent, long-term employment is increasingly hard to find. In other words, we are starting to resemble a socialist society.

Finally, elections have always been competitive, nasty, and wildly entertaining, but they weren’t embarrassing. At least not for me.

I can’t say that anymore.

Oh! And lies and cover-ups used to be condemned and punished justly. That’s gone too, as is our southern border and sense of self.