The Teflon Party

by Ruth A. Sheets

President Reagan was often referred to as the “Teflon President,” particularly by those who were not enthralled by his charm.

While president, he put thousands of people’s lives in danger by firing the air traffic controllers because he didn’t want to pay them what they were worth.  Reagan was seen as the hero.

Reagan’s administration added to the poverty rate in America through its “trickle down economics,” which of course, did not work.  Everything else was blamed for this plan’s failure.  Reagan’s plan is still at the top of the Republican Party’s policies thirty years later.

The Reagan administration illegally sold arms to the Contras after dealing with Iranians, the guys who held Americans hostage for more than a year.  Reagan’s claim that he was out of the loop and Oliver North, looking good in his uniform, allowed the charges to slide off.

The Bush administration was asleep at the switch when 911 happened, but they were allowed to trick America into two wars which are still not behind us, eleven years later.

The Bush crowd passed policies that led to a near depression, yet has been able to blame the Democrats because the nation has not fully recovered in less than four years under President Obama.  Republicans actually look good and honest to about half the US population even though their economic plans, such as they are, have never been even a bit successful.

I just don’t get it!  Republicans can nearly bring down the global economy, put a lot of people at risk, deal illegally with foreign powers, spout overtly racist comments, bust unions so people will earn less for their work and receive fewer benefits.  The Government and our economy  can be held hostage or even shut down so Republicans can get what they want.  Yet a lot of folks don’t seem to mind at all.

What am I missing here?  If any of these things had happened during a Democratic watch, everything would stick for the next twenty or thirty years and no Democrats would be elected.  The Republicans have paid little or nothing for the damage they have caused. 

I suspect that big money has a lot to do with this situation.  Republicans have a lot of it and spread it around in just the right amounts to breed power.  The money myth tells Americans that those who have money must have America’s best interests at heart.  They don’t!  The only interests they have at heart are their own.  But, for many Americans, whatever the Republican wealthy do is okay, no matter who is hurt.  Money and power are Republican Teflon.