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Letter to the Editor: Nation needs major break from ‘radical ideology’ of past eight years

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Letter to the Editor: What would ‘Honest Abe’ think of these lying officials?

<p>The use of the phrase &#8220;a basket of deplorables&#8221; was ill-advised, and I think Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton regrets saying it.</p><p>I also believe, however, it represents the kind of frustration that comes from dealing with those connected with &#8220;the Party of No!&#8221;</p><p>Amazingly, there are those who take a perverse pride in being labeled as deplorables, just as surely as there are politicians who try to exploit this strange sense of identification. I am obligated to point to not only Republican presidential hopeful Donald J. Trump, but also to U.S. Reps. Tom Marino and Lou Barletta, of the 10th and 11th districts, respectively, as guilty.</p><p>These are people who get angry when President Barack Obama is successful in producing positive results. It is a reminder that we still have a long way to go in achieving a post-racial society.</p><p>Some in our land might even want a return to the separation of races &#8211; segregation. Are we drifting backward? In college classrooms of the 1960s where history was taught, slavery was considered &#8220;Our Peculiar Institution.&#8221; Now it is better recognized as &#8220;Our Nation&#8217;s Original Sin.&#8221;</p><p>First lady Michelle Obama recently has revealed that her husband has felt deep pain and a sense of betrayal over the unlikely phenomenon known as &#8220;birtherism.&#8221; What did he do to deserve that? Birtherism was the means by which Trump began and maintained the momentum of his presidential campaign.</p><p>These days, incredibly, some political enemies say they don&#8217;t like Clinton because she won&#8217;t be as good as President Obama. What? Only now are they willing to concede (as his popularity moves toward 60 percent favorability) that he has been a strong and dignified American president.</p><p>The Republican Party and its offshoots have been the disloyal opposition. When will they finally realize the dishonor in that and rebuild in a spirit of nation first, party second?</p><p><strong>Richard J. Yost</strong></p><p>South Abington Township</p><p>Lackawanna County</p><style>
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Letter to the Editor: Republican Party’s policy of obstructionism not good for nation