Letter: Life in America a big conundrum

The politicians who use the most hateful and divisive rhetoric seem to be the same ones who decry the hateful and divisive rhetoric of the political leaders in the rest of the world.

The politicians who want to send men, women and weapons all over the world seem to be the same ones who do not want to raise taxes to pay for it or fund the programs our veterans need when they return.

"Patriotic" politicians are willing to shut down our democracy to get their way rather than suffer the one-person, one-vote basis of that democracy.

Some want to close our borders to all Muslims because 5 percent of domestic terrorists claim to be Muslim but will do nothing when 98 percent of the climatologists in the world know that climate change is partially caused by man.

Politicians, who typically receive no more than 10 percent of the votes of all those registered to vote because most of us don't vote, claim they have a mandate to do what they want rather than a mandate to represent everyone.

The original Tea Party was about getting representation; gerrymandering districts and voter suppression disguised as voter ID are about limiting representation and the new Tea Party seems not to care.

Your right to use any unregistered gun seems to trump my right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Thomas Balliet

This story was originally published December 26, 2015 at 1:34 AM with the headline "Letter: Life in America a big conundrum."