I have intentionally refrained from adding my two cents’ worth to this craziest of all political seasons. However, with my sincere apologies to Charles Dickens, I can safely say that in my almost four decades in politics, I have truly never seen such goings on.
I am both humbled and amazed that God allowed me to be a part of this history. My parents taught me that if you sincerely believe in a cause, then by all means work diligently to support it, whether that be politics, your job, your family or a social cause.
The election of the Donald Trump/Mike Pence team was at best the epitome of hard work. It also was the ordinary citizen being concerned for our republic. Although I did not play an active role in the national election, I was very fortunate to work with the Eric Holcomb/Suzanne Crouch team.
From the onset, I could tell we had a winning team. Someone said, with regard to the November election, that the planets all aligned. I say “hogwash.” This election was due to hard work.
Why did I begin this column with the quote that I used? Simple: If you’re on the left, you probably think the last eight years of the Obama administration were the best of times. If your persuasion leans more toward my way of thinking, you probably thought it was the worst of times. Truth be known, it was somewhere in the middle.
I am no fan of the socialist state. I sincerely believe that if Mrs. Clinton had won, we would not have recognized our country in four years.
Why would I say that? For starters, our next president will no doubt be nominating at least two Supreme Court Justices. Second, are you aware that we have good paying jobs going unfilled in America? Are you aware that a large segment of our milennials do not have a job? Furthermore, they don’t want a job. Why? They are for the most part highly educated; they just are not motivated.
Why? Simple mathematics. Why take a job making $12 an hour when you can get so-called free education, free housing, free childcare, free Obama phones, and free Obamacare? There is only one problem with all this free stuff. It’s not free; someone eventually pays the bill.
Former Indiana governor Mitch Daniels wrote a book called “Keeping the Republic: Saving America by Trusting Americans.” The Trump/Pence ticket won due to this axiom: saving America by trusting Americans. Regardless of President-elect Donald Trump’s brashness and arrogance, he is a great businessman.
Gov. Daniels then proceeds to explain one of the most basic facts of economic life: If no one makes a profit, no one has a job. Former Indiana Speaker of the House Pat Bauer accused the Daniels administration of “putting profit before people.”
It is the best of times because even before the president-elect has taken office, he has already “brokered” a deal to save jobs. The Carrier jobs are not leaving Indiana for Mexico.
Those of you that know me know that I am a “political junkie.” I have never claimed to be an economic whiz. I did take economics in high school and in my undergraduate days at Ball State University. I learned a valuable lesson in that class.
Like a lot of undergraduate classes, it was taught in part by a graduate assistant. I don’t remember the young man’s name, but I do know that he had an awesome sports car. I do know he had to make a choice. His choice was to sell the sports car and continue on in grad school. Why? Rather than go in debt for his education, he used the money to pay for grad school.
I also learned that for me to get a quality education without going into debt, my wife and I needed to work. This is not some hard luck story. No, we did not go hungry and live in a one-room shack.
Rather, we both collectively decided that I would get an education by both of us working and doing without some of the luxuries of life. I am proud to say that when I graduated, we did not owe a dime on the undergraduate degree. Likewise, the subsequent degrees that came along later were paid for, with both of us working at jobs.
All my life I have held at least one full-time job and a part-time job. I don’t say this to boast. I only say it because in the last 50 years I have witnessed this great country of ours steadily creep toward a socialistic society.
Folks, please wake up. Your parents nor your country owe you anything. Go earn it, like the millions of American who came before you.
Do you think it is the best of times, or the worst of times? I for one feel it is the best of times.
C.O. Montgomery of New Palestine is a former teacher, Sugar Creek Township trustee and co-director of the Hancock County Character Council. Send comments to [email protected].
