Anyone out there remember Tiananmen Square, Kent State? Our nation was horrified to watch the “evil” communist nation killing young people for protesting their repressionist government. In China no one was allowed to express beliefs counter to the government policies. We didn’t hold our nation to the same standards of freedom that we did China when we were killing young protesters at Kent State.

Seems once again we’ve regressed back to that hypocrisy during recent “Occupy” protests.

Apparently beating demonstrators till they need brain surgery, spraying them in the face with a substance 500 times stronger than the hottest pepper, slicing up their tents with knives, confiscating their libraries and destroying the books isn’t a crime against the First Amendment.

Those making slanderous remarks about the “hippies” and their signs had no objections whatever about the Tea Partiers demonstrating at the White House with their GUNS! Signs are more threatening than guns? Maybe the written word IS more threatening to the corporations that are buying our government.

Newt Gingrich’s comment that they should just take a bath and get a job shows how little he knows or cares. When there’s something like 100 applicants for every job opening, how absurd to blame them. Maybe they could take a cue from him and sell phony business awards for $5,000 apiece.

Apparently, the Constitution thumpers only believe in it if it supports their brand of ideology. They obviously don’t think the right to peacefully assemble and make your voice heard should be granted to the humble masses — you know, the majority.

While I’m on the subject of the Constitution, I defy ANYONE to show me where it says I need a government-issued photo ID to cast my vote. Every citizen of the United States of legal age is guaranteed the right to have a voice in the process of choosing their elected officials, unless they have certain criminal records. As far as I’m concerned, that should include the ones who are trying to steal your vote. You could add to that Wall Street and the bank officials that committed the criminal acts that set us on the slippery slope we’re on right now.

The argument that it’s to stop voter fraud is a huge load of you-know-what, perpetrated by a party that’s manipulating the process to their advantage, trying to eliminate those pesky voters who are not likely to vote for them. You know, the older, younger, and of course, the poor. How dare they mess with our rights. What they’re doing is criminal, and against the Constitution they profess to bow down to.

If they demand government-issued photos, they’d darn well better make sure the government issues a free photo to every eligible citizen in the country. This is the most blatant power grab I’ve ever seen in my life.

The governors of some states that have gone Republican/TP have nullified their citizens’ votes by appointing ONE person that has the power to go to each city and fire their appointed officials, take over and overturn anything the governor doesn’t like. I thought we lived in America where that could NEVER happen. Damned scary, isn’t it? If you value your right to be a part of the democratic process, or care about your children’s heritage, you’d better pay close attention to the sneaky, underhanded tactics that are permeating your country.

The party that promised jobs, jobs, jobs has done not one thing to that end. Instead, they’ve spent their whole time legislating your personal rights, freedoms, and choices. And let’s not forget they said up-front their top priority was to do anything to defeat Obama. That’s exactly what they’re trying to do and they’re sacrificing you in their attempt. They’ll throw you under the bus and vote against anything that would create jobs to make sure the economy stays as bad as possible until Nov. 6, 2012, no matter how badly you suffer. It’s not affecting them. They’re still getting their fat checks from the government they profess to hate.

THE DEFICIT! THE SKY’S FALLING! Everyone has to give up something — except them. They demand horrendous cuts that will hurt everyone — except them. Obama offers them $4 trillion in cuts; they turn it down, because their masters would have to give a little, too. They blame Obama. That’s their M.O.

They pledge their loyalty to a LOBBYIST — Grover Norquist, of all people, whose sole purpose is to cater to no one but corporations. Their jobs depend on kissing up to the biggest money in the country, and even out of the country. Is Norquist the one you want at the helm of your country? Ask yourself how he got so much power to completely control a Congress.

The trickle-down myth they’re peddling is asinine — that if corporations make even more money, it will benefit the rest of us. How long do they think they can dupe us? It didn’t work with Reagan and it didn’t work with Bush. The Bush tax cuts, Wall Street, and the gambling of the banks got us where we are right now. Now the Republican/TP legislators, both federal and state, are delivering the final death blow, all the while pointing their fingers at Obama.

Between Reagan and the Bushes, we had a total of 20 years proving that trickle-down doesn’t work for the country, only for those who already have amassed fortunes off the backs of their employees. Now they’re trying to do you in by taking away your right to bargain for fair wages and safe working conditions. We can go back to sweat shops.

And if Ron Paul has his way, we can put 8-year-olds to work so we can fire MORE adults. The minute the new Republican/TPers stepped into office, they fired thousands of people. How can you keep the economy working for the country when you fire tax-paying workers and basically eliminate taxes for the very wealthy? Why, after eight years of Clinton’s tax hikes, did the whole country prosper, including the wealthy, and after 10 years of Bush’s tax cuts the economy is defunct?

I strongly recommend a book called “The Wrecking Crew” by Thomas Frank. Find out what happened to the working class in the Marianas under the auspices of Jack Abramoff, Tom DeLay and their lap dogs. It smacks of what’s happening to us right now.

We need to use our brains, not react to their fear campaign, and think what’s ahead for our children.

Cardin is a resident of Kalispell.