The only way anyone is ‘enjoying’ the Republican Convention is if you enjoy hateful speech and lies, or you are a media network desperately seeking ratings. Nothing of substance has been said by a less that sparkling list of speakers. What they had in common was to make continued attacks aimed at Hillary Clinton.
Okay, it’s me, and it is time for some truth. (Sorry, Republicans; I know how you hate to hear facts).
Indiana Governor Mike Pence, Trump’s choice for vice president: “It was Hillary Clinton who left Americans in harm’s way in Benghazi and after four Americans fell, said: What difference, at this point, does it make?”
Texas Senator Ted Cruz: “Theirs is the party that … responds to the death of Americans at Benghazi by asking, What difference does it make?”
If ever anything was more ‘taken out of context,’ I would love to see it. Hillary Clinton was asked about the motive for the attack, and she angrily responded to the question by saying: “What difference at this point does it make? Four people are dead.”
I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings by making you look foolish; but it’s my job.
Mike Pence: “In my home state of Indiana we prove every day that you can build a growing economy on balanced budgets, low taxes.”
Well, he’s not actually lying, but he is misleading the people. Every state with the exception of Vermont mandates that the budget be balanced. About taxes is where the truth is barely a fact. The legislature lowered the income tax rate from 3.4 to 3.3 percent; an average savings of $50 per year for a household income of $50,000 per annum.
Newt Gingrich, former House speaker: “Iran — the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism — is close to having nuclear weapons.”
The agreed to treaty makes it more difficult for Iran to obtain material to complete nuclear weapons. Ronald Reagan’s chief negotiator during the agreement with Gorbachev and the former Soviet Union called the deal “excellent,” and heavily favored the safety issues for the west.
In addition, Trump stated that he would give nuclear weapons to everyone. I believe that eliminates the discussion of Iran and nuclear weapons completely.
Gingrich continued: “So when you hear about Hillary’s dishonesty, or the emails, or taking millions from the Saudis and other Middle Eastern dictatorships — remember, this is not about politics.”
Hillary never received money personally from any Arabic country. After she stepped down as Secretary of State, she temporarily headed the “Clinton Foundation,” which did receive donations. Bill Clinton was paid for speeches in Saudi Arabia and others.
As far as the e-mail situation goes, Republicans chose to ignore the elaborate explanation of FBI Director James Comey, who was originally an employee of the Bush Administration. There was nothing concrete; an honest mistake is just that.
Ted Cruz: “There is a better vision for our future: A return to freedom. … On health care, your freedom to choose your own doctor, without Obamacare.”
During his Iowa campaign, Cruz was confronted by a man who told him a story about his brother-in-law. Not able to afford healthcare previously, when he was able to acquire insurance under the Affordable Care Act, he was diagnosed with a terminal illness. The gentleman asked what Cruz would offer to replace the insurance 20 million Americans now possessed; he had no answer, and left the room. Trump has offered the same ‘solution.’
Florida Gov. Rick Scott: “We’ve allowed our military to decay, and we project weakness on the international stage.”
This may be the biggest lie of all. Our nation spends five-times more than all nations combined on our military. More than 50 percent of it is wasted. We have warehouses of Bradley tanks which will never see the battlefield. Hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition must be destroyed; they are obsolete. We left hundreds of thousands of millions of dollars of equipment in Iraq and Afghanistan. We continue to prepare for a war which no longer exists, and we cannot win with conventional warfare.
Gingrich again: The terrorism danger to the United States “is even worse than September 11th, when 19 hijackers murdered almost 3,000 Americans.”
The truth is that our entire security forces have been revamped. ISIS evolved after Bush invaded Iraq and destabilized the region. America is far safer today from a major terrorist attack than ever before; before the Bush Administration ignored the danger.
The media is obviously supporting the GOP. They refuse to tell the truth and expose the many lies and the evil of their attacks. I have no respect for anyone in an industry once represented by Walter Cronkite and Edward R. Murrow.
My wife and I used to begin our day with “CBS This Morning,” hoping that it would be ‘as advertised,’ “real news.” After this week I’ll watch cartoons.
Op-Ed
By James Turnage
The Truth With No Restrictions 