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1934 - Bouquet Canyon Reservoir, replacement for ill-fated St. Francis Dam & reservoir, begins to fill with water [story]
Bouquet Reservoir


Now and Then in the SCV | Commentary by Darryl Manzer
| Thursday, Jun 12, 2014

mug_darrylmanzerI’m angry. I’m also extremely sad. Our country is once again divided in the worst kind of political battle. And worse, our president has violated the law.

At the end of the American Revolution, representatives of England and the Untied States of America assembled and hammered out the terms of peace. We did the same again at the end of the War of 1812.

Few remember enough history to know we also came to terms with some pirates in what is now Libya about 1804. We didn’t negotiate with the terrorists of that time. We set the terms and they got to live a little longer.

At the end of the Civil War, the peace was concluded by commanding generals from both sides in that conflict. The Spanish American War also had a final negotiated peace treaty, as did World Wars I and II.

The Korean War is still “cold” under the terms of a cease-fire agreement. Vietnam ended in yet another negotiated treaty.

Now, our president, and his staff, have negotiated with a group of people – the Taliban, who aided and abetted in the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. They were our sworn enemies and still are, so as far as most Americans are concerned.

They are terrorists, pure and simple. The Taliban have no redeeming values at all.

BergdahlSo without the advise and consent of Congress, President Obama negotiated with the enemy and entreated them to release one American soldier in return for what the press calls “five generals.”

Obama went behind the backs of our elected officials, our representatives, and concluded a deal.

Obama has committed treason.

His sedition, and thus his treason in the face of the enemy, is reason enough he should be impeached and removed from office.

After the act, he talked about how “my government” has gained the release of the soldier.

Guess what, Mr. President? We are the government. We don’t like what you did without our consent. It is OUR government, not yours.

“We the people of the United States in order to form a more perfect Union do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America” – is exactly how our rulebook begins.

You sir, have broken those rules. Indeed we cannot and should no longer place our trust in you.

Would that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, in having “the sole power of impeachment,” use that power to the fullest extent possible.

That Obama did negotiate with the Taliban is a fact. But that the result of those negotiations was enacted without the advice and consent of Congress is unconscionable.

He took and oath to follow and protect the Constitution, and he has done just the opposite.

He is not a king. It is not his government. He answers to the people, too. He works for us. (Sure, he is doing that.)

Remember all the “good news” about our military leaving Iraq? Obama wanted that, and now terrorists are taking over vast areas in Iraq. Cities and places where our Marines and soldiers died are overrun by terrorists.

Of course the terrorists have been emboldened by his actions in releasing those five members of the Taliban. Those soldiers and Marines died for nothing.

I want the hatred to go away. I am tired of the “blame game” that Obama loves to play. He has now crossed the line for me. I can take no more lawlessness from our president.

The world is not a safer place today because Obama is our president. It is more dangerous than ever. It is time for him to go.

I know many of you would like to see Obama impeached. If you don’t, that is OK, too. But even the hope of his impeachment is keeping me awake at night. It is time to set about writing letters to our congressman and senators. Let your voice be heard. No, MAKE your voice be heard.

I could forgive him so many other failures in his policies. This I cannot forgive. He needs to stand before the people and learn about our Constitution.

He needed to practice what he preaches.

He needs to go away. Far away.

 

Darryl Manzer grew up in the Pico Canyon oil town of Mentryville in the 1960s and attended Hart High School. After a career in the U.S. Navy he returned to live in the Santa Clarita Valley. He can be reached at dmanzer@scvhistory.com and his commentaries, published on Tuesdays and Sundays, are archived at DManzer.com. Watch his walking tour of Mentryville [here].

 

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5 Comments

  1. msc545 says:

    Oh. But you weren’t worried when Bush broke the law, were you ?

  2. Dave Dietz says:

    Darryl, this is a wonderful piece you wrote and expressses the frustration of many Americans who have been unlucky enough to witness this travesty of American history which I call the “Obama Administration”. I am with you. I am hoping someone will draft up the Articles of Impeachment and make Obama go away. I get infuriated each time I see his face on the television. Each time I see him, it brings up negative feelings as I firmly believe he thinks he is above the law, and
    acts like a modern day dictator, ruling without consequences. At the same time, I get depressed as I know there’s not much I can do personally except write my congressman, so I feel ineffectual.
    It seems we are stuck. I know the Republicans do not want to seek impeachment at this time as they feel it will unite the flailing Democrats and ruin our chances of retaking the Senate, but at the same time, Obama deserves to be impeached and run out of DC.
    It’s extremely frustrating to say the least. If we obtain the majority in the Senate and keep the majority in the House, I am hoping Obama will be impeached by the end of January 2015.
    This may all be a moot point as I’m hoping we all won’t be dead by January 2015 due to Obama declaring a nuclear first strike against Russia by then.

    Thanks,

    Dave

  3. Bill says:

    FACT: the sad truth is yes, our soldiers have died for no good reason in the misguided war that Bush led us into in Iraq. THAT should keep you awake at night. Obama isn’t dumb enough to keep fighting a no-win war in Iraq…hell, Iraq soldiers won’t even fight the war over there!
    FACT: we have terrorists here, members of the right wing extremist Tea Party Flag toting police killers in Vegas, influenced by hateful “overthrow/impeach” talk. YOU are part of that problem.
    You really want hatred to go away? Stop the hate speech.

  4. Denise says:

    I wholeheartedly agree with comments 1 and 3. Continues to amaze me how quickly it is forgotten what Bush got us into and left us with, how many of our treasured military volunteers he sent into a needless war that killed many innocents, and that Obama has been cleaning up thus far with fierce criticism from day one of his announcement of candidacy, yet was even voted into a second term for the work he did in his first. Hate speech needs to stop in every segment of our society, and may it begin most importantly in our local newspaper which seems to allow it to flow freely against our President by far too many of its regular commentators.

  5. Bill says:

    They have the paper, SCVTV and the local radio station, KHTS…they all give voice to hate speech. Calling them out with FACTS is the only way to counter their propaganda.
    Like this…FACT: Let’s not forget that their dear Ronnie Reagan negotiated with the terrorists before…the contras.

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