In his farewell address in 1796, George Washington warned us about the rise of political parties which he viewed as a threat to our republic. He felt “parties” would become the “engines for unprincipled men to subvert the power of the people.” Washington felt parties “enfeeble the administration, agitate the community with ill founded jealousies and false alarms, kindle animosity and foment riot and insurrection plus open the door to corruption.”

Just 230 years ago, Washington predicted what has become reality in America. We now have an unscrupulous political party within the government that I believe weaponized the Justice Department; illegally influenced elections; refused to enforce laws; threw open our borders; used impeachment as a weapon; wasted billions of taxpayer dollars; stopped funding for federal agencies; destroyed our education system and women’s sports; turned a blind eye to antisemitism; appointed activist judges; is actively blocking the deportation of illegal immigrants guilty of crimes; and is stonewalling commonsense proposals such as voter ID.

They have done nothing for average Americans — they have only manipulated the system in an attempt to secure their own power.

This same faction loves to “agitate the community” (Washington’s terms) by using a news media that I believe is corrupt and spreads their lies and misinformation, and by calling their political opponents Nazis, fascists, racists, homophobes, xenophobes, terrorists, threats to democracy and a host of other pejoratives.

To be clear to the reader, the faction I’m referring to is today’s Democratic Party. Washington’s concerns have become reality.

John Meskanick

Irwin

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