Older reader shares history lesson of American leadership

This is to be a history lesson for so many of those who know little of the American past or have given no or little thought to that past.

Most of us are quite ignorant of our nation’s true history, most of us probably are concerned with just the past 25 years (unless we are talking of the old days.) So much of the previous history for so many before those 25 years becomes a blank (again, unless it is about the old days).

I will be 80 years old in July, born in 1944, 13 months before World War II ended which took an estimated 50 million lives, the true number never to be known. (Can’t mankind ever learn?) Most who are reading this are younger than I, some much younger, all removed from much of the past by their age. There are also those of my age or relatively close and those who are also older. As voters within this nation many of these, both younger and older can use this lesson. I’m sure this history is seldom, if ever thought about.

This is about a past slogan and current slogan, their ignorance and hypocrisy. It is about words, whether true or not, spoken or written which are simply designed to manipulate the minds and thoughts of many American voters.

The first slogan “Make America Great” (MAG) used by a presidential contestant during 2016, and now the second slogan, the one whose initials are on the those red hats and other articles, “Make America Great Again” or MAGA now used by the same contestant simply shows and implies the ignorance of the past history of this nation.

To be simply put, both slogans are an insult to our past American history, our past presidents, our past Congressional members, of those years, all of whom we the voters put into office.

I will start this history in January 1949 when I was 4.5 years old. Many reading this were still to be born. At that time, I didn’t give a damn about politics (none of us would), it is forever back-stabbing, how deceitful it is, how foolish it is, its almost constant lies, how very hypocritical it is, how degrading of others it can be how very manipulative of the minds it is. I will not indicate any particular party, both can fall into the same footsteps.

When thinking and writing of this, those times when I was more concerned about fun toys and meals, it was probably a blessing compared to today’s political animosity.

This is all about past presidents up to date. It starts with 1949 as I have written earlier. It will indicate their years in office, their last name only (no offense to anyone) and their party affiliation. It will not be of their accomplishments or what they failed to accomplish. It will not mention, in my opinion only, if they were good or bad as our president. That is for each individual to decide.

Their years in office will start with the January they were sworn to protect this nation’s people and its constitution. The years will end with the December or their term of full terms before the January when the next president takes office. Read, observe then think.

1949-1952 Truman (Democrat) 1953-1960 Eisenhower (Republican) 1961-1968 Kennedy and Johnson (Democrat) Kennedy elected and assassinated, Johnson won in from vice president then elected in 1964.

1969-1976 Nixon and Ford (Republican) Nixon elected, Ford by his resignation. Ford was never elected, only appointed as vice president.

1977-1980 Carter (Democrat) 1981-1988 Reagan (Republican) 1989-1992 Bush senior (Republican) 1993-2000 Clinton (Democrat) 2001-2008 Bush junior (Republican) 2009-2016 Obama (Democrat) 2017-2020 Trump (Republican) 2021-present Biden (Democrat) Did you notice the seesaw trend, the back and forth, neither party dominating the office as happened in the 1930s and 1940s.

From 1949 to present, there have been seven Republican presidents and seven Democratic presidents. Count them, that is 50-50.

As of this moment, the Republicans have a four year advantage in the president’s office, yet if the current president again wins, the years become even.

While I have not researched their numbers I am sure the membership of our Congress, both the Senate and our House of Representatives members, which we the American voters elected into office over those many years. The total membership from each party would probably be around 50% each. This is not year to year, but all years inclusive.

This nation, our nation, the United States of America, even with all its blunders, failures, mistakes, miscues prejudices has continued to try and correct itself, to try and do its best for the American people and the people of the world.

For the past many years it has been great and still is great.

While many times we failed our people, especially our citizens of color, the red, black, yellow, brown populations, we continue to try to correct and improve ourselves as a United States even with resistance that still exists from so many against so many.

For the citizens of these United States, all those past years and present years makes us great and we continue to be great.

It wasn’t accomplished by any one president or party, Democratic or Republican. Or by one Congress, dominated by one party, Republican or Democratic. It was accomplished by both parties, each having a turn in the rotation, each doing what needed doing or could be done. It was teamwork led by one president at a time, one Congress at a time, party affiliation of very little matter.

Our greatness was led by the American voter for all those 74 years (and more) determined whom would be president, whom our members of Congress would be. The voters made the ultimate course the nation took with our one person one vote at a time. And it worked, the system has not failed the nation.

Even with our blunders, failures, mistakes, miscues, prejudices, the United States of America has been great and continues to be great.

There is no need to “Make America Great” as was said in the past, there is no need to “Make America Great Again” as is currently being implied by one presidential candidate.

We are there and have been for many long years. All our citizens, one vote at a time have made us so.

No one can accomplish again what already has been accomplished. To believe or think differently is an endeavor in hypocrisy.

— Walter Tomczyk, Dorchester