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Thomas D. Segel
What Is America Saying?
October 8, 2009
 

The large congregation was tuned to his every word as Pastor Chris Pena spoke to the second service of the day at Foundation Ministries in Bastrop, Texas. He talked about a nation in deep trouble. He spoke of an economy in collapse, unemployment, and a troubled education system, excessive spending and attempting to borrow our way into a return to prosperity. Then he asked everyone the key question relative to his narration. Calling for a show of hands, he asked, "How many of you think we can solve these problems by having a lot more politicians in Washington?” Not a hand moved.

I use this scene, which I witnessed, as an introduction to the results of a message I sent out seeking comment on how people view our Washington elite. This request was sent primarily to the military community that follows my writings. I was amazed at the response. My email was jammed with comments about the current Administration, Congress and politics in general. Responses came from military retirees, veterans who wore the uniform of our nation, wives and widows of servicemen and a smattering of people who had never seen military service. Surprisingly, every single person had a negative attitude toward Washington. Nobody defended the actions now being taken or the legislation being proposed. It appears that people all realize that the answer to our nation’s problems is not more politicians and politics. Politics IS the problem! Because of politics and political parties, as a nation we have become incapable of winning our wars, resolving our debt, improving our education mess, ending our unemployment, solving our health concerns and even returning to public civility.

Brigadier General Robert Clements, United States Air Force (ret) sent a warning out to the military community. He said, "For all the veterans and retirees fighting to keep some of the broken promises made by Congress, and for all of you who have paid your own way all these years, remember the latest action by Congress, if successfully passed, can only be paid for at your expense.”

Paul Balaich agrees with the general and feels we should "Flip the House in 2010. Since one third of the Senate is to be elected or reelected, we need to flip those seats also. As voters we should change the way business is done in the United States.”

Thomas Ferrell is a medical doctor practicing in San Diego, California. He says, "I think ‘outcome-based’ compensation is in order and they should quit excluding Congress from all the bills they foist on us.”

Tom Skaug is senior citizen and military retiree who depends upon his hard won health care coverage. He says, "It is time to clean the House of Representatives. They need new employment. I being retired military on Tricare for Life do not want the government to upset the program, as you know they will. Come on, it is high time we started voicing our outrage over the impending health care issue. Being an independent voter I have no one speaking for me in Washington. Do you?”

"I feel that everything I fought against for 20 years is now setting in the White House selling out the country to two distinct enemies”, says retired Marine Corps Captain Steve Clayton. Continuing, he laments, "One enemy is our foreign enemy, those trying to bring us down through terror or financial warfare, and our Administration is doing everything in their power to help our foreign enemies win. The other enemy is the soulless liberals who have been waiting for an opportunity to destroy us from within. The leader of our current Administration is not in bed with them. He is one of them.”

Don Maurer was a Marine NCO who feels the government is creating another Vietnam by its inattention and lack of support for the mission in Afghanistan. "We felt we were winning in Vietnam”, he comments, "But, then the idiots in Washington refused to back us and we lost. I see it happening again in Afghanistan.” He says the President is "more interested in getting the Olympics in Chicago, more interested in getting his medical bill passed, more interested in being on late night television than acting as Commander-in-Chief.”

Mathew Ford is now retired from the Army infantry. He remarks, "The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and Congressional Veterans Affairs Committee who are charged with the oversight of benefits for those who have worn the nation’s uniform have done a terrible job. Just look at the number of unprocessed claims before the Department of Veterans Affairs. There are 915,000 that have not been processed. Just what have our elected ‘leaders’ done?” President Obama fares even worse with his promises. The President-Elect stated on Veterans Day, "As your next commander in chief, I promise to work every single day to keep that sacred trust with all who have served.” He concludes saying, "Well...so much for change.”

"I used to think of myself as a centrist. Maybe on some issues a conservative, " says Paul Kelly a twenty-eight year military retiree. "Today I feel out of step because all the things I thought were good about America are the things they are changing so radically. The Constitution, the Bill of Rights, even the rights and reasons spoken about in the Declaration of Independence are being attacked. I love my country, so please don’t fundamentally change it. Yes, it may need a tweak now and then, but our fundamentals are the best in the world.”

Earlier this year former Marine combat correspondent and author Charles Henderson was in Los Angeles helping ABC News on a sniper documentary for 20/20. The producer asked him why he was on President Obama’s "Watch List”. He did not even know such a threat list existed and regards his oath to uphold and defend the Constitution as still being in force, even though he is now retired. "It reminds me of the purge lists that Joseph Stalin and Adolph Hitler had their staffs build, to single out the subversives and opposition and political threats to their dominations of their respective nations.”

Bill Henderson concluded his remarks saying, "In the cases of the President of the United States and the leaders of Congress, members of Congress, the Supreme Court and Officers of the Cabinet, I will always, without hesitation, render respect to those offices. Without question, like the people or not, they are our nation’s elected leaders, and as citizens we owe them the respect of those offices. That does not mean we have to like or even respect the people wearing those wigs.”

Lee Webber writes from Hawaii with a very concise comment on his feelings about our elected officials. "Gentlemen, I risk repeating myself regarding things along this line. When I wore the cloth of our nation and now that I do not, they are FUBAR!” (The polite translation of that is "Fouled Up Beyond All Recognition.)

"My husband was an attack pilot,” said Jo Dermody, widow of Major John Dermody. "Once he found out that Congress and the Press and many people in this country had given up support for our troops in Vietnam, it cut him. He continued his dislike for the Press and politicians for the rest of his life.”

Units States Coast Guard retiree Jerry Echols writes, "As an enlisted man and later a commissioned officer I lived up to my oath. With that said, no matter how much I might disagree with the Commander in Chief, I assumed that he had assess to information I lacked, and therefore hopefully was making the right decisions. In the case of the current occupant of the White House, I do not believe I could follow his orders beyond a certain point. My oath was to the Nation. I believe that I was obligated to follow the orders of those lawfully appointed to lead. I do not believe the Usurper in Chief meets that requirement of Lawful.”

Colonel F. Phil Torres, USMC (Ret) summed up the comments of veterans and retirees very succinctly. "Whereas all Americans have the right to question and critique elected and appointed officials at all levels to ensure accountability and such a right is secured by our Constitution, I personally believe those who have fought for and defended our great land have a first right. And I believe we do not only have a right, but a duty to do so because of our often special and expanded knowledge.”

About Thomas D. Segel
Thomas D. Segel, a career journalist and broadcaster, completed 26 years of service in the United States Marine Corps, with the majority of his assignments spent in joint service commands covering military events and action throughout Asia. His post military career was as Director of Information for the Marine Military Academy, followed by employment as a Texas state official. His position at the time of retirement was Director for the Division of Information, Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, Rio Grande State Center.