Where are the statesmen?
This summer marks the anniversary of two historic events in American history. June 6 marked the 75th anniversary of D-Day, the Allied invasion of the Normandy beaches that gave way to victory over Nazi Germany in WWII. July 20 will be the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 landing on the moon. Both events are significant for the sheer heroism and dedication it took to complete their respective missions. Both faced obstacles of the unknown. GIs were cut down on the beaches, and even before they could disembark landing craft. Our own Lt. Col. James Rudder and his Rudder’s Rangers scaled the cliffs of Pointe du Hoc with grappling hooks under fire from above, not knowing what forces would be met at the top if they survived the climb. Neil Armstrong and Apollo 11 faced the unknown of landing on the moon.
Although we had made it into outer space successfully and had orbited the moon successfully, no one had ever gone into space and landed on extraterrestrial soil; This was the epitome of the unknown. As a young boy, I vividly remember being glued to the TV with my family gathered around as Neil Armstrong placed his foot on the moon for the first time. This image is etched forever in my mind, and I specifically remember the pride and exhilaration for my country and the heroism of those astronauts. The bravery, skill and confidence required for such a mission are beyond description.
But reflecting on both the events of D-Day and Apollo 11, I am reminded of the unity and cooperation of countrymen, politicians, and administrations necessary to overcome the impossibilities of the unknown. The material, the technology, the training, the coordination of budgets and agencies were all critical aspects of each mission. Both began under Democratic administrations. The space program began under two Democratic administrations continuing with the moon landing occurring during the Republican administration of Nixon. Landing on the moon and returning safely to earth was and is a defining moment in American history.
America excels when we are all on the same page, working for a common goal. However, in today’s political climate, I am not sure if we are as divided or more divided than we were before the Civil War. Emotions were so divisive in 1856 that Senator Charles Sumner (R-MA) was nearly beaten to death with a cane in the Senate Chambers by Representative Preston Brooks (D-SC) in response to a speech criticizing slaveowners. While politicians today have not resorted to fisticuffs (although Joe Biden essentially challenged Trump to a fight), both parties are engaged in a political war. One side, namely Democrats, have dug their heels in and are doing everything they can to deny the Republican Trump administration any successful legislation or policy credit. Despite historic record unemployment across all groups, historic continuous economic growth, historic stock market benchmarks, historic mean wages, historic job growth, historic more jobs available than employed, the Polosi, Schiff Democrats are throwing everything at their disposal to unseat President Trump. Everything from staff subpoenas, investigations and accusations to calls for impeachment.
The ultimate irony is that they accuse Trump of colluding with foreign agents when in fact it was the Hillary Clinton campaign that colluded with a foreign national, Steele, to obtain false information on Trump that in turn was used by the Obama FBI to spy not only on the Trump campaign but continued through the Trump transition and presidential tenure. A unique strategy employed by Democrats time and again - accuse Republicans of the very thing they have done, so their cohorts in the media and agencies shift blame and scrutiny from their activity to a convenient Republican adversary. But the rhetoric and actions abetted by the media from the left are as inflammatory and divisive as the days of Lincoln - Re: Joe Biden and his comments that he could take Trump in a fist fight behind the gym. Biden, Pelosi, et al. leave no room for compromise; there are no statesmen on that side, only emotionally deranged attacks addicted to obtaining power and defeating Trump. Isn’t the success of America more important than the quest for power? Where are the Democrats of D-Day and Apollo 11?