Ken, I reckon we agree on some things and have differing takes on other things, depending on our respective worldviews and the news sources we consider as credible.
I agree with you that Nixon and every president who has served since (both Democrat and Republican alike)...... Has been wrong to pursue trade and grant 'most favoured nation' trading status to the Chicoms. The government of that nation has been our enemy since the end of the 2nd World War and will remain so as long as the communist regime is in place there. I have only to look at the scars on my legs made by a Chicom rocket the NVA sent our way shortly after midnight on 8 May, 1967 to remind me of that.
And like yourself, our family do not shop at Wal-Mart and we make every effort to buy American unless it is something that is an absolute necessity and there is no choice in the matter (no American nor failing that, Canadian made product available). At times, we simply elect not to purchase certain items that we can do without rather than buy offshore stuff.
With regard to the globalists, I strongly disagree. Before both the Democrats and the Republicans got on board with NAFTA, open borders (both economically and physically), America had a pretty good system of tariffs and import / export duties and trade agreements with other nations that ensured American workers and American businesses had a fair go in the global marketplace. Until that system is reinstated and the situation reversed, American jobs will continue to be lost and Chinese (and other) slave labour will continue to produce substandard products subsidized by their government and dumped on our markets at cut rate prices American businesses and workers cannot compete with. And until our borders are secured, illegals will continue to flood into our nation taking jobs Americans can and will do, working for substandard wages (which drives wages for Americans down as well) and placing an unsustainable burden on social services at the local, county, state and federal levels, not to mention that of our education system.
The Supreme Court is far from 'right wing' in overall makeup and in their decisions in recent years. And they did not 'legislate from the bench' in this instance. The recent decision you refer to merely removes a recently unconstitutionally legislated constraint placed on campaign contributions which allowed the Democrat candidate in the '08 presidential election to outspend his opponent by a margin of 2 to 1, thereby leveling the playing field somewhat. Nothing was done by them to address the fact that the liberal-biased media propaganda spoon fed to those who are gullible enough to still give them credence is worth a 12 to 15 point advantage in national elections. But at least now, candidates not running as Democrats can buy sufficient air time to get their message out (if they can come up with the money) to counter to some extent the free promotion that Democrat candidates and liberal causes get for free day in and day out. So I would say they did the right thing for once.
I agree that when government is corrupt and only serves to perpetuate the power structure of a particular party, a nation will fail in time if the situation is not corrected. Congress has been controlled by Democrats the majority of the time since the 1960s and look where that's gotten us. As for the Republicans, they blew it when they had a chance to really do some good. Part of the problem is that the Democrat party leadership are bad losers and the Republican party leadership are bad winners (no guts to assert themselves as do the Democrats when they have a majority...... Too many wimbly-wombly 'go along to get along' types amongst their number in my view).
I do not agree however, that the type / system of government makes no difference. It most certainly does and this is the reason America is the greatest nation on G-d's green earth in which to live, even with what the radical ultra-leftists currently in power are attempting to push on us. I have known people who made it here to freedom from the former Soviet Union and from Castro's Cuba as well as those from countries that are not communist per se, but where socialists have made inroads and have pretty much brought those nations to ruin since the end of the 2nd World War. And that includes socialized medicine. Our family learned only last month of the passing of one of my wife's former in-laws in the UK, the circumstances of which can be directly traced to the socialized and rationed health care system in place there.
When it comes to politics, I admit to having become somewhat cynical over time. As a young union organizer and lifelong Democrat many moons ago, I worked hard for former President Carter's election. Even met the man once. Sure had me fooled. I only came to see him for what he really was when he failed to respond with immediate and overwhelming military force when our embassy was overrun and our citizens taken hostage in 1979 by the Iranian Islamic revolutionaries (of which Ahmadinejad was one of the student leaders). By that time, I was again serving in the military and we were ready to go. But it was not to be and thus began 444 days of national disgrace, thanks to Carter's failure to execute his oath of office.
So yes, I have become cynical. I ask myself before voting...... When all is said and done, which party will do the least damage to our nation, to my family and loved ones and to myself during their tenure in office. As a result, since 1980 I have not voted for a single Democrat, nor will I ever again in this lifetime. As for Republicans, I consider their party the lesser of evils and vote only for the conservatives in that party...... Except when to abstain from voting in a particular race might result in a Democrat majority in Congress. If it comes to that...... I'll grit my teeth, curse under my breath and vote for a RINO as the lesser of evils, all things considered.
I agree...... Lying is bad, even when you are not the president. FWIW...... And I really could care less, as I would expect nothing more of the current occupant of the Oval Office and those he surrounds himself with anyway...... The chairman Mao ornament happened. Yes, you can find liberal-biased internet sites such as 'politifact' and others that will give them cover...... But I have checked the facts of the matter against several sources I have found to be consistently credible over time...... And yes...... It happened.
I am not privy to what transpired between Mr. Lutz and Chrysler Corp., so cannot comment there, Ken. You may very well be right. I do recall his saying publicly that so-called 'human-induced global warming' was "a crock of sh*t". So at least he had the stones to stand up and tell the truth about that.
Best regards,
Harry
