This is Viewpoints for Thursday, Jan. 26, 2017

Turnabout

The conservative/Republican crowd is in a high dudgeon over Rep. John Lewis’ assertion that the Trump presidency is illegitimate. This is the same crowd, if memory serves, some of the self same writers, who spent the first six years (or more) of the Obama administration claiming that Obama was not a native born U.S. citizen and thus not legitimately president.

The attacks on Obama were based on false news spread by Fox and right-wing websites like Breitbart News and which had been definitely debunked before the 2008 election. Lewis’ concern arose from a large scale CIA report of Russian interference in the 2016 election.

The report is serious enough to have provoked a combined investigation by five U.S. intelligence agencies, as reported in the Telegraph Wednesday (1/18) and Sunday (1/22). While the congressman might have been well advised to make his words conditional on the outcome of the investigation, the hypocrisy of those attacking him is simply unconscionable.

Owner’s manual

Those obsessed with their looks, sex, drugs, food, wealth, power and crave the admiration and envy of others, find their obsessions and cravings insatiable. Anyone believing the time, energy and money spent trying to quench these unquenchable desires will reap true happiness, contentment and love are living in la-la land. The illusion may be briefly experienced, but it’s not the real deal. For that one needs to follow the instructions in their owner’s manual (the how-to-book).

It’s printed in 531 languages and available worldwide so there’s no excuse. Get a Bible and “follow” the instructions and experience the joy of true love and contentment regardless of earthly challenges.

Citizens held hostage

“Repeal and replace,” “repeal and replace,” was the Republican theme song after the Affordable Health Care Act was enacted. Replace with what? They never offered an alternative plan. Now, with a Republican president and a Republican-controlled Congress, the theme song continues — “repeal and replace.” Replace with what? One idea being floated — health care savings accounts.

Every day, many older Americans sacrifice a meal to keep the lights on, pay the rent, or feed their families. In fact, more than 4.5 million adults age 50-59 are food insecure, which increases their chances of developing chronic health problems. The link between hunger and health makes a bad situation even worse.

Here is a shocking fact: Over half of all households nearing retirement have absolutely no retirement savings. Many had to use their retirement savings during the Bush economic meltdown to stay afloat. Others lost their retirement when companies declared bankruptcy. Social Security provides most of the retirement income for about half of all households headed up by people age 65 and older. How will these individuals be able to fund a health care savings accounts?

Presently, the only thing for certain: Our health-care system is in limbo and citizens are being held hostage. Republicans now own it. It is time to produce an alternative plan rather than continuing to hold people hostage.

Lying leftists of liberal land

When Obama came to the White House in 2009 the Republicans pushed back against his party’s ideas and proposals. The Democrats and liberal media outlets chastised the GOP’s actions as non-productive.

The Democrats and main stream media demanded more tolerance and compromise from the losing side. Conservative pundits and leadership were condemned as out of touch, irrelevant and preventing needed change. The group in power claimed their way was best and that any obstacles in their path only lengthened the time-frame to improvement.

Fast forward to 2017 and look at the behavior of those who proclaimed tolerance, compromise and reconciliation just a few years ago. Can you find them? What changed? Did they not believe what they said? Did their lofty principles disappear overnight? Are their beliefs a viral pathogen that only breaks out periodically?

It would be very helpful to us all if this apparent hypocrisy could be explained, or rationalized away.

Tax break for the rich

Does anyone realize that repealing Obamacare will immediately eliminate two Medicare taxes that fall only on the rich? The high income earners would no longer have to pay Medicare taxes on their entire income, unlike everyone else. The rich get a tax break and the rest of us carry the tax burden.

Millionaire households will get tax cuts of an average of more than $49,000. This tax cut is larger than the average income of half of Americans.

We cannot allow the rich to get richer and the rest of us to pay more than our fair share. Do not let your legislators repeal Obamacare. Make your voice heard and call them today.

Any answers?

Has President Donald Trump ever told us when America was great and what it was then that made her great? If he did, I missed it. It’s still not too late for him to tell us his answers to these important questions.

For how can we make America great again if we don’t know what we once had, according to President Trump, that made us great but don’t have now. What are we aiming to achieve under our new Republican president’s leadership?

His presidency will suffer big time if he doesn’t tone down his know-it-all arrogance and develop some humility. If he runs for re-election in 2020, he will have a hard time conning the electorate again.

Driver-less truck?

I had to laugh while reading one of the stories in the “Cop Shop” feature in The Telegraph. Seems like a Bibb County deputy described a white Ford F-150 as “driving recklessly” and “refusing to stop.” Surely he was referring to the driver, not the truck.

This story was originally published January 25, 2017 at 9:00 PM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Thursday, Jan. 26, 2017."