Hypocrisy vs. rhetoric is no surprise

In the recent political maelstrom, there are lies and deceptive rhetoric, but the most egregious, hypocrisy, seems to have become acceptable to millions in this land who seek only affirmation, who fear “different” or change, and to demagogues who pander to that paradigm.

Witness the man recently who pulled the hijab off a lady on an airplane, exclaiming: “Take that off; this is America.”

We have candidates that boast of their immigrant ancestors while demeaning immigrants for “ruining our country.” Tea Party and conservative Congress members berate “Obamacare” and socialism while enjoying the best health plan in the nation at our public expense.

Recall the demands by leading Republican congressmen (Hastert, Gingrich) that we return to ‘family values’ while they committed extra-marital affairs or child sexual abuse. Strict constitutionalists like Cruz refuse to enforce that same document’s call to hold hearings for a Supreme Court vacancy because it’s inconvenient politically.

The party of Reagan rails against budget deficits but during his terms the deficit quadrupled and Rubio, etc., offer tax policies that only benefit the richest of Americans and leave us awash in red ink.

Trump and Cruz call us a Christian nation while advocating carpet-bombing, torture and attacking suspects’ families. The GOP denounces global warming while five of the Solomon Islands have slipped under rising seas.

The conservatives excoriate “nanny government” and extol “local control” while North Carolina forbids its cities and counties from passing their own local standards for gay-trans rights, minimum wage, discrimination lawsuits. Hypocrisy when it suits them. Surprised?

This story was originally published May 24, 2016 at 9:16 AM with the headline "Hypocrisy vs. rhetoric is no surprise."