Nelson A. Pryor, Guest Columnist
Politics is not a game of beanbag! Teddy Roosevelt accepted that fact. In his famous Armageddon speech, he lays it on the line. He said: "What happens to me is not of the slightest consequence. I am to be used, as in a doubtful battle any man is used, to be hurt or not, so long as he is useful and is then cast aside and left to die. I wish you to feel this. I mean it; and I shall need no sympathy when you are through with me.... We fight in an honorable fashion for the good of mankind, unheeding of our individual fates; with unflinching hearts and undimmed eyes; we stand at Armageddon, and we battle for the Lord."
A President said that?
Did Donald J. Trump expect being hit broadside like he has? Could anyone be expected to be as philosophical as President Roosevelt was? It certainly takes a special person to be so grounded as to be willing to take it. Most would be unwilling to take such punishment. And the fact that there are those who are willing to dish out such punishment, has deterred many from getting into that arena. And America is the loser for it.
Punish the mud thrower
It's time to turn the tables and have the mud thrower punished. And it's the voter that has to do the punishing! Why not! It's our turn, now!
Tea Party
Especially beginning around the year 2000, traditional Americans started to get really serious about taking back America. The cry was, let's start the roll back by taking back the House of Representatives. We gave the Republicans the House, and still, policies were insufficiently changed to say that the people had been listened to. So the cry went out-we gave you the House. You say it's not enough, that you need to take over the U. S. Senate. Ok, so four years ago, we turned the U. S. Senate over to you, the Republicans.
But that was not enough. We the People are still disillusioned! We have a program, and we want it implemented. America First! Ok now! In the presidential primary, it was amateur night. And after all that confusion, the nightmare ended. We had chosen our champion. That champion was Donald J. Trump. He had a platform, and was out there running on it.
And the mud throwers came out. There were many volunteers, and like little boys and girls with snowballs, they let them fly.
We voters don't need to be sidetracked! Not with this side show! Because that's all it is.
"The craziest thing in the world"
We have issues. Former President Bill Clinton, on Monday, Oct. 3 raised one. He claimed that President Barack Obama's signature health care law, and the resulting insurance markets, as "the craziest thing in the world." (October 5, 2016 Atlanta Constitution p. 8a.) We could talk about that, don't you think. Or how about the Sept. 30, 2016 New York Times p. 3b article: "Insurers Got Funds Meant for Treasury, Auditors Say." Bait and switch? Let's talk issues, and leave the mud balls to the kids.