You Republicans or Tea Party or, as one of your own called you, "the stupid party," are a bunch of bullies. If you don't get your way, you start your name calling. Back in 2008, you called us left wing liberals, then socialists and communists. Now we have been downgraded to cockroaches and Nazis. If somebody calls you a radical or whiner, you start crying about being called names and being assaulted. As the saying goes, "those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones."

Then there's the scare tactics. Oh, they're going to take our guns, like Hitler and the Nazis. Really! Back in 1994, Clinton signed a law banning assault rifles and it ran for ten years. Nobody took my guns away, In fact, I still have the same guns now that I had back then and I don't need a thirty round clip to kill a deer. As far as universal background checks go, if you have nothing to hide, then what are you worried about?

Then there's the scare tactics such as people are going to go broke because of "Obamacare" and those evil unions are run by devils trying to steal from the rich corporations. Maybe if they belonged to unions and made decent wages they could afford health insurance. Also, if it weren't for the unions, there would be no middle class, only the rich and the poor.

Back when the Vietnam "conflict" ended (where I served), I remember the politicians saying something like "one thing we learned from Vietnam is America will never make that mistake again." Then along comes President Cheney (oops, I mean Bush), who told all the lies about Iraq having WMDs (Weapons of Mass Destruction). According to Rumsfield and Cheney, it would be a quick surge with few casualties and take six months at the most, paid for by Iraq oil. Ten years later, thousands of men and women killed and wounded, $1.4 trillion added to the deficit with billions more to come for the VA to take care of returning vets, which is an absolutely necessary cost. Where were the WMDs? Now it's Iran and Syria and the same rhetoric and scare tactics. I have an idea. Why not bring back the military draft, which should have been in place all along? Then maybe you great American patriots would think twice about real people shooting back at you, which is quite a bit different than the prevalent video games.

I remember back in 2008 when President Obama was first elected. Even before he took office, Republican Senator Mitch McConnell said "our first and most important priority is to make Obama a one-term President." Why not our first priority be to work with the President to create jobs and get the economy going again. Instead, Republican representatives in both the House and Senate are the party of "NO" and the hell with what the majority of citizens want for this country. Well, it didn't work and President Obama was reelected. Now what's your excuse? When I hear a remark like "black and scary" to describe President Obama, the first thing that pops into my mind is "racist" and THAT is scary. Face it, you don't have the guts to admit it.

After observing the past actions and opinions of all you Republicans, it really comes down to this.

Democrats are for the people, sensible gun laws, an increase in the taxes for the 1% and those making over $500,000, which excludes us 99%, higher wages so that the majority of people can live, not just exist, health care for everyone, jobs for those that want them, all of which used to be an American way of life.

Republicans want guns, guns, guns, and more guns, more, more, more money, disrespect and invade aspects of women's lives and choices, say no to infrastructure and stimulus of any kind to get this economy on its feet, and say absolutely "NO" to President Obama about everything.

Which party should prevail in the 2014 mid-term elections?

Dan Gressler is a resident of Rathdrum and is retired.