Granma's precious example

By A.J. DiCintio

She may get to the polling place herself. She may be taken there. Or she may apply for an absentee ballot. But however she does it, Granma is unwaveringly determined to vote this November.

As for why, the answer is easy: Granmas react to life on a higher plane, explaining why they end conversations about their beliefs by informing everyone within earshot, "It's the principle of the thing!"

So, what principles have stirred a mountain of strength into Granma's resolve this election year?

The first, naturally, is the Jeffersonian principle that because individual human beings, not governments, are "endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights," the people are the only "safe depository of the ultimate powers of society."

That said, she could never fail to vote knowing our president is so profoundly devoted to the idea of arrogantly centralized, arrogantly remote, arrogantly powerful rule of the kind that has devastated the economies and poisoned the social fabric of Europe's biggest "social democracies" that when he considers how people "build" their successes, his mind runs not to images of an individual's dreams, toil, sweat, and tears as well as the nurture provided by parents, extended family, friends, and mentors but, astonishingly, to government.

Next, there is the principle bequeathed to us by George Washington when he advised the fledgling nation to "cherish public credit."

With respect to it, Granma knows Barack Obama has, as usual, talked a good show but done absolutely nothing about extricating this country from a deadly debt spiral that defers the bill for today's profligate spending until tomorrow, an act against her grandchildren that represents nothing less than perversion, the stink of which always causes gentle Granma Bear to metamorphose into raging Granma Grizzly.

Throughout her life, Granma has believed in the unquestionable principle that good jobs are essential to the life of the individual, the family, and the culture.

That's why she has educated herself about Obama's dismal record regarding the problems of unemployment, underemployment, low pay and benefits offered by new jobs, and the continuing decline of middle class income and wealth, all of which disproportionally devastate the dreams of youth and therefore cause the griz in her to rise once again.

While Granma understands that "The Economy" ranks a very big Number One to voters this year, she has other important principles on her mind.

With respect to the primacy of national security, she is shocked and angered that messages sent directly to the White House from Libya prove that for two weeks and for purely political reasons, Commander-in-Chief Barack Obama repeatedly lied that the highly organized terrorist attack resulting in the death of four Americans at the U.S. consulate in Benghazi was a "spontaneous" event sparked by an internet video offensive to Muslims.

With respect to decency and respect owed the American people for the excruciating sacrifices they have made for others, Granma recalls Thomas Paine, who wrote in his last installment of The Crisis (1783) that "America need never be ashamed to tell her birth, nor relate the stages by which she rose to [independence and success]."

Then, she recoils in disgust when she considers that Barack Obama initiated his foreign policy by traveling, of all places, to France, where he apologized to every European nation for the "times when America has shown arrogance and been dismissive, even derisive."

With respect to fairness, she is aghast that Barack Obama, a brave protector of the trial lawyer industry but not a trillionth as brave when it comes to raising taxes to pay for his big government programs, stands ready to rip $750 billion from Medicare to "save" it, when in reality he desperately needs the money to help fund his sixties-welfare-style, multi-trillion dollar federal takeover of healthcare.

With respect to the Constitution's historic protections, she is stunned that ignoring the entire history of the First Amendment, Barack Obama is the first president in American history to presume to tell religious organizations whom they can hire and fire, an incredibly arrogant, patently illegal act for which the Supreme Court slapped him down 9-0.

To be totally honest about it, Granma has just plain had it regarding those who mock people of faith and denigrate their beliefs, including the "empathic" judges, beloved by this president, whose extremism has the right to freedom of speech and equal treatment under the law for religious students in public schools from K through college hanging by one vote at the Supreme Court.

And not just one vote in that regard, for Granma understands that in the recent Heller case, the dissenting opinion by the four Obama Empaths sitting on the Supreme Court makes it clear they believe the Second Amendment speaks of no individual right "to keep and bear Arms" for any purpose whatsoever.

Finally, Granma has had it "up to here" with politicians, their media shills, and their celebrity culture sycophants who have poisoned the Democratic Party with a hateful perversity that viciously spits "racist" and other ugly epithets at decent Americans, including her, solely because of their commitment to their faith or their political beliefs.

That's why adding the principle of self-respect to the mix, she vows she would exercise her right to vote this November if her only motivation were to deliver a resounding slap to filthy-minded, filthy-mouthed hypocrites.

Every last traditionalist member of the Great American Majority needs to think honestly, deeply, and fully about the precious example Granma is setting this incredibly important election year.

But like Granma, who has energetically embraced every duty placed before her, we must do more than think.

Let us, therefore, consider her example, ask ourselves "What about me?" and then join her in sending a desperately needed electoral shockwave across this nation.

© A.J. DiCintio