Calhoun Times

The gloaters-in-chief

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so humbled that he dared not to fight back. For years, they had used resistance to stall his every initiative; finally i t was mission accomplish­ed.

These left-wingers, however, had missed an important truth. When I was boy in Brooklyn, we loved playing touch football. I especially loved it when I scored a touchdown.

The first time or two I was visibly gleeful. Look what I did! I was defeating the other side.

It quickly became apparent that this was not the case. Those other guys didn’t enjoy having my achievemen­t rubbed in their faces. The more I gloated, the angrier they became. Indeed, the more determined they were to get even. They were not going to allow me to portray them as losers.

It did not take long for the Democrats to discover this scenario applies to politics too. Donald Trump did not experience a mortal blow. He and his allies would have plenty of time to plot revenge. They have not been rendered impotent; nor liberals invincible.

First, the State of the Union was only delayed a week. Wow! Some loss! Now Trump had been handed a platform that could attract more attention than ever. If he uses it wisely, it can be a cudgel that redounds against the Democrats.

Were it up to me, I would use the opportunit­y to depict the Democrats for what they are. I would not be bipartisan. I would make it one hundred percent clear that the other side was intransien­t. Despite rhetoric to the contrary, two years of offering them olive branches produced more childishne­ss than ever.

If this provoked the Democrats not only to withhold their applause, but also to march out of the chamber, this would suit me fine. It would reveal to the public just how small-minded the opposition was.

Second, I would drive home the point that although I had sought to negotiate the border issue for months, there was no good faith rejoinder. All I got for my efforts were insults, such as being compared to the Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan.

Furthermor­e, I would explain — in gory detail — that what was happening on our southern border was a major crisis. Something had to be done. This was a genuine emergency that a president was duty-bound to solve. Otherwise it would fester.

In other words, Trump should make it apparent that his hand had been forced. Even though he wanted to work through normal channels, the Democrats decided to undermine traditiona­l democratic governance. This was therefore on their heads.

All of this needs to be said with sadness, not anger. It was not retaliatio­n. It was a defense of our national interests against an unpreceden­ted challenge by extreme socialists. If a patriotic commander-in-chief did not declare an emergency and build the wall, it would not be long before there was no nation to defend.

This is a tough prescripti­on, but we are living in tough times. When opposition politician­s are arsonists, they should expect fire in return. Yes, this may cause dreadful damage, neverthele­ss the absence of a backfire can only make things worse.

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Fein

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