This commentary is by Myers Mermel, president of the Ethan Allen Institute. He resides in Manchester.
Last night, Joe Biden gaslighted the entire nation denying any problems with inflation, the border, energy, foreign affairs, or unity in an angry and unorganized, blame-shifting State of the Union. The speech was probably one of the least optimistic and uninspiring such addresses in memory. The nadir was a false attack on Republicans accusing them of wanting to sunset Social Security and Medicare.
Myers Mermel is president of the Ethan Allen Institute.
Marred by stumbles, slurring, and rambling asides, the speech itself never gained any power, weakened further by discordant moments where Biden yelled red-faced at the assembled gathering. Without many of President Trump’s policy victories, Biden had few accomplishments of his own on which to brag. Instead, he borrowed Trump’s accomplishments and claimed them as his own even using Trump’s own language about “the forgotten” middle class.
The best part of the evening was the Republican response by Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders. She delivered what may have been the best response to a State of the Union ever given.
The Republican Party has a new rising star. From the Governor’s mansion in Little Rock, Sarah Sanders showed her keen insight, courage, and faith as she presented a strong and optimistic alternative vision for the country.
She was blunt in her assessment that Biden and the Democrats have failed the country. She said she didn’t believe Biden because his administration has been hijacked by the far left. Under Biden the government has come to rule the people, but the timeless American ideal has always been the opposite: that government should instead serve the people. Without that, we have no liberty, and we are not free. Governor Sanders stated we are a great nation precisely because we are free.
Governor Sanders asserted that Biden has surrendered his presidency to a woke mob. Hijacked by the radical left, his administration has undertaken a culture war the right never wanted to fight. Now the radical left has politicized all areas of our lives. It requires us to alter our speech, salute their flags and worship their false idols. The choice between political directions is no longer reasonable. Now, Governor Sanders stated, it is the choice between normal and crazy.
Republicans stand for strong families, strong communities, and strong faith. Governor Huckabee declared that it was time for a new generation to lead. America is under attack. Democrats have failed you. There is a new generation of Republicans, she stated, who will be change makers. As God is our witness, she declared, America will stand as the place where freedom reigns and where liberty will never die.
Sarah Sanders won election to Arkansas’s highest office last year at the age 40 and serves as America’s youngest Governor at exactly half the age of the President Biden. A mother of three children, Governor Sanders brought a perspective as a working mother as well as substantial political experience to bear in her determined, forceful, and patriotic response.
President Biden and his angry speech served as a reminder of the failures of our past. Sarah Sanders stood as a signal to the greatness which lies ahead. God bless Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders for bringing light and hope back to the American people.
She was fantastic! And Sarah bring it on when you talk about God. He is the only one who can save this country. What a contrast. Joe’s non-stop lying and her refreshing truth! Go girl!
to a very great degree repub god talk it simply manipulative political speak. it’s proven not to be a winner with voters. repubs are in a self-destructive rut. I actually wish better for them and our country.
with all the natural disasters, wars, evil and people born into the world only to suffer, it strikes me as not to bright to believe in a god who can save anything or anybody.
I’ve spent the better part of my life – 40 years, seeking religion, god, and spirituality, only to discover that religious propaganda is just others (men) seeking to control minds and collect the tithes.
for anyone interested in greater understanding of god/political manipulation read the article cited below. or just go on being sheep.
Perhaps, a better question to ask is: why are you (or anyone else) offended just because someone else believes in a Higher Power?
If anyone tries to force a belief system on you, then for sure, that could be a problem. Unfortunately, I see this happening in our government ranks (elected or hired) all too often. They will not accept anyone unless they reject any and all higher powers except for the government power.
Adam: I like your question and agree with your post.
My objection is not about believing in a higher power or god. It is using it for political gain. I am not offended by the language of higher power. I do believe that a spiritual practice, whatever it may be, is an essential part of life and should in no way be connected to politics. I have been in 12 step rooms countless hours and know the language of higher power. It is a spiritual practice that has served millions well.
Although, you didn’t specifically use the word wokeism, I agree completely that governmental woke ideology is forced upon us like a religion. At this point there are a number of books on it. It’s scary and worthy of an unarmed revolution
It is utter nonsense, and to me unethical to manipulate the language of god to win elections. ‘god’ is not on the evangelical repubs side. Or anyone’s side. Fact is 50% of evangelicals who use god politically attend church services < 1x/month. 2/3 of Republican Protestants who attend church 1x/yr call themselves evangelicals. There is a crisis in evangelical churches and their manipulation of god and politics.
Evangelicals call America god's chosen nation. Beyond ignorant! I don't have a personal god mentality. There is no god choosing one people over another.
The idiot Jerry Falwell says evangelicals follow their pastor's lead — ignorant sheep.
Jews say they are god's chosen people. Catholic's say they are the one true church. Some Unitarians, including ministers, call their meeting place their meeting house, others call it a church. Some UUs say Unitarianism is a religion others don't. I attended a few years. I call it a meeting house and not a religion. There is plenty of god language in the UU, including their songs.
Aside from politics, this was a turning point in my life. I cringed every time there was a plane crash or some other tragedy with 100s dead and one or a few survivors. And those survivors would say god saved them for some purpose.
Image the loved ones of the dead hearing that god did not care enough about them to save them. It's callous really and deeply troubling every time.
Anyway, if you are interested, there are MANY youtubes on the wrongness of god politics. Here's one: https://www.youtube.comwatch?v=o5kimddVS38
In it a book called – Jesus and John Wayne is discussed. Great book.
I was encouraged by Gov Sanders speech. Not that I am with her exactly. Now if only the Repubs don’t shove god down our throats with stupid statements like – god is on our side. If there is a god, who could seriously believe that she cares about politics or that she would allow herself to be used to create divisions among her people. It’s all so stupid.
I reject the Repubs religiosity. But, I would vote for one just to recover from the woke authoritarians and their forced ideologies.
Here’s an interesting and complicated article on god and politics.
https://www.thefp.com/p/embracing-god-to-own-the-libs
Joy,
Good article.
Thanks,
Yirgach
Geez Yirgach, your almost made me fall off my chair. Thanks for reading it.
I think that Gov. Sarah H. Sanders needs to have a sit down with Gov. Phil Scott….wanna’ bet that Gov Phil turned her off?
Just as Obama loved to give “Teachable Moments”…. Gov. Phil needs one from Gov. Sarah…, badly. She fights the “Woke War” – which we did not start….Gov. Phil embraces it.