Why am I feeling so outraged about what is happening in Washington, D.C.? Why do I feel betrayed by our leadership? Will America last through the imbecilic behavior of those we elected to serve our nation? Why does it seem like we vote, then sleep through the aftermath?

Therefore a few more simple questions…

What is happening to America? Why have our country’s leaders decided to act and speak like derelicts from a second-rate country? Why does our leadership look like they are the most incompetent amongst us? Where has compromise and civility gone? Why has the discourse become so rancorous and out of line for those in positions of leadership? To my mind, when a politician begins throwing barbs at his opponents and addresses them with vitriol and disrespect, he or she disrespects the very people who trusted them and voted them into office. The actions of many of our learned politicos are worse than any gutter language used by derelicts and bums.

A few examples of their choice of verbal assaults are as follows:

Anarchists, arsonists, extortionists, unhinged, irrational, insane, people with bombs strapped to their chests, extremists, fascists, radicals, Jihadists, squealing pigs, and of course all those other priceless adjectives that can’t be printed in the paper due to specific standards of respect for the readers. The “name calling” illustrated above is not emanating from a schoolyard, an Army barracks or an assembly line in some factory. No, it comes from a place more crass and unrefined than any of those mentioned. It comes from the floor of the United States Senate, the floor of the House of Representatives and the dark corners of the halls of government. 

Our esteemed senators and representatives exhibit their potty-mouth ignorance and arrogance by using the bully pulpit, their seats and positions of power, to share their feelings for their political opponents on the opposite side of the aisle in the worst way possible. The example it sets for our young people is beyond comprehension.

Actually this rank display of verbal atrocities on other members of Congress is not new but certainly it is more evident. If one thinks back over the decades, the emanations of “other than cordial” verbal outbursts have been commonplace and usually drew a rebuff by way of an often stiff apology, that in “the old days” was oft accepted. And when not accepted, a challenge could be the result culminating in a duel where one or the other might be stricken from the election polls forever by a well-aimed projectile. Before any of those who are already lined up to dispute and disagree with my opinions get their shorts in a tight wad, I have to state that I am not advocating duels on Capitol Square, but I am suggesting the recipients of all the ill-stated rhetoric find a little grit and inner strength and fight back against the idiots whose command of the English language is just short of stupid. 

The ugliness did not start with the recent brouhaha over the continuing resolution or debt limit, nor the divide over the Affordable Care Act. No, no, it started in earnest with the realization that promises made during the previous election that brought Barack Obama to the presidency were never meant to be kept or honored. I don’t have the space to list the promises broken, and for this screed it doesn’t matter… those on the “right” know what they are and those on the “left” would never admit them anyway. 

We were witness to a representative call the president a liar during a State of the Union address. We also saw the president call out and disparage members of the U.S. Supreme Court during the same address. Both actions were deplorable. The representative apologized; the president did not. 

With all the unfortunate and despicable language being spewed back and forth, it may be not quite as disturbing as the misleading statements being proffered by the president.

For example, in 2006 then-Sen. Barack Obama voted not to raise the debt limit. He stated that for President Bush to raise the debt limit it would be lacking leadership, it would be  irresponsible and unpatriotic. Really? Move forward to present days and recently President Obama called those against raising the debt limit under his term in office irresponsible and unpatriotic. Are you putting the pieces together?

We have a president who has found it convenient to lie to the American people. When Barack Obama was talking about the shutdown issues of 1995-96, he stated that the Republicans were behind the shutdown of the government and it destroyed the economy of the country. Really? At the end of that shutdown the economic growth fell a bit to the mid 3 percent range but immediately saw the economy explode past 7 percent and Clinton took credit for it. My point is, the president lied. Why? Politics or lack of character. 

Even more egregious is the lie to the families of the fallen during the Benghazi incident. He told them to their face, as he told the American people in an address, that he would not rest until the guilty parties involved in the tragedy were brought to justice. Why has it been swept under the proverbial rug? Who is the administration trying to protect? Hillary? Panetta? The commander-in-chief? The country is still waiting for answers and believe me, they will not forget nor let go.

There is a lot of rhetoric being spewed across political aisles over budget concerns. The present administration is blaming the GOP for stopping the budget process and shutting down the government. Poppycock! The Democrats under Harry Reid failed to pass a budget until 2013… and that comes with the Democrats controlling both houses of Congress the first two years of the Obama reign. No budget. No responsibility. So stop whining and get back to the negotiating table.

Don’t expect to hear the truth about any of this from the media.

The American people have been snookered by the progressive movement in this country, aided and abetted by a compliant press dedicated to their socialist ideology and not at all concerned about truth, but thankful for the lack thereof in order to further their meretricious agenda.

It is an interesting dilemma that the fourth estate has died with not so much as a whimper from our feckless progressive elitists who run our journalism schools and establishments of higher learning. The American people are clueless. They depend on the nightly news to bring them the issues of the day to their doorstep. The problem is they only hear one side of the news. The bias is as thick as a winter London fog and the depth of their understanding is colored by slanted and dishonest editors and producers in conjunction with reporters who dare not attempt at removing the bias.  

The agenda of the socialist left is amazing in its success of bringing America to a place no one could ever have imagined 30 years ago. All we hear nowadays is the “far right,” “extreme far right,”  “Tea Party extremists,” etc. We shouldn’t be surprised. It is definitely part of a plan designed by the leaders in the Democratic Party who continually denigrate the “right.” Sen. Charles Schumer, for instance, was recorded telling his colleagues to use the word “extreme” in their descriptions of the GOP.

Okay, moving on… The “folks” should be outraged by the scandals plaguing the nation. Yes, there are those who believe that even the most egregious scandals are “phony” (the president’s word) and it is further evidence of the bias of some of our leaders and the compliant mainstream media with their reluctance to seek truth in matters that concern us.

Where is the media outrage over a runaway IRS, the tragedy of Benghazi, Fast and Furious, the closing of the World War II Memorial to veterans, NSA, Solyndra, voter fraud, DOJ spying on certain members of the press, and the most flagrant abuse of power and leadership ever in my lifetime… the deliberate cancellation of flights home and payment of death benefits to the fallen. Oh, there are more but for this article, ’nuff said. Saul Alinsky would be proud.

None of this is ending overnight. The two political sides are too deeply entrenched in their positions of ideological loyalties. The folk will just have to suck it up and suffer the pain of indecision and feckless leadership until they get mad enough to do something about it.

Term limits? Will the “folks” wake up before it’s too late? It is my fervent prayer that the answer to both questions is “yes.” I’ll be able to sleep a little better.

 Molen is a resident of Bigfork and the producer of the film “2016.”