OPINION:
There were few surprises on the second night of the Democratic Party’s first televised presidential debates — and that’s what’s so sad.
It was all about the give-away. The taxpayer-funded, big bureaucratic give-away. What a depressing time to be an American.
The give-away of health care, the give-away of college tuition, the give-away of prescription pills, the give-away of America’s borders.
Somebody give these guys a copy of the Constitution, please.
“In Colorado,” said John Hickenlooper, the state’s former government, in answer to a question about the so-called border cages and detention of illegal minor-age crossers, “we would call that kidnapping.”
Really? Really, John Hickenlooper — really?
The give-away of common sense.
Author Marianne Williamson agreed — and then some.
“You’re right,” she said, “it is kidnapping. … These [detentions] are state sponsored crimes.”
This jump from America, land of the free, land of the rule of law, land of the sovereign, to America, land of “let ’em all in else you’re a racist kidnapper,” seems like it should have been huge, like it should have spanned a great distance a massive amount of time. But in reality, it’s only come in the last few years. And pitifully, it’s where the Democrats steadfastly stand.
It’s where they want all of America to now stand.
Other tidbits of Democratic Party desires?
As put forth by the candidates, the supposed best and brightest of what the party has to offer: A reformed border patrol — that’s trained to not patrol borders. A reformed police force — that’s trained to not effectively police — that’s trained for social justice first. A reformed free market — that’s reformed to not be free at all.
How are those visions even American?
Founding Fathers would shudder in shame. So, too, should we all.
These are not the imaginations and ideals of a thriving America, an inspired citizenry, a hard-charging grit-filled populace. These are the dreams of a group of politicians heck-bent on boosting their own careers, padding their own pockets, stroking their own egos, pressing their own power-plays — at the expense of the hard-working populace.
Depressing. That’s what this grouping of 2020 Democratic presidential hopefuls is — every single one of them.
They all talk the same lingo — collectivism at the expense of individualism. They all offer the same choices — Big Government versus Bigger Government.
And they all drag up the same dreary dream — the idea of an America where government thrives and the spirits of people die.
Guess it’s better than the same old, same-same messages of impeach, impeach, impeach and imprison, imprison, imprison. But if this is the best the best the Democrats have to offer on the campaign trail — if this is what Americans have to look forward to, the blah, blah descriptions of one glorified Big Government give-away plan after another — well then, it’s going to be a plodding, depressingly dreary months-long march to 2020.
Good thing President Donald Trump has a lively Twitter feed to break the melancholy.
• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.