The indignation and outrage over the U.S. embassy attack in Benghazi and deaths of four people would be a lot more believable if the same people complaining now had expressed similar concerns over any one of the many attacks we suffered under George W. Bush.
The loss of American lives is always terrible and, as a nation, when instances of this type arise we need to fully investigate what happened and make the necessary changes to ensure that they aren't repeated. Through history, however, that hasn't happened.
In fact, Republicans actively blocked any attempts to look into any of the incidents that occurred when a Republican occupied the White House.
Under Bush, the U.S. Consulate in Karachi, Pakistan, was attacked in 2002, resulting in 10 deaths. Two years later, two people were killed and nine injured in a bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Uzbekistan. The same year, eight people died when the U.S. Consulate in Saudi Arabia was attacked. Ten people died in 2008 when the U.S. Embassy in Yemen was bombed.
The common thread through these and the other attacks that occurred under Bush is that no one ever heard a peep from Republicans about what an outrage it was. No, their outrage seems always to be limited to things that happen when Democrats are in charge.
To me, it sort of takes away from your credibility, and exposes your hypocrisy, when you remain silent about the deaths of Americans that occur when your party is in power, and then condemn the other party when it happens on their watch.
Republicans also forced the hearings that are occurring now, not because of a deep-held belief in righting a wrong, but simply because they want to make the opposing party look bad and to further their own political agenda.
To me, that is politics at its worst, but sadly it is what we can expect from those who have devolved the Republican Party from its proud heritage of limiting government and protecting the people to one that looks only to block progress, place blame and protect the rich.
And despite their assertions to the contrary, protecting the rich is very much a centerpiece of today's GOP. Last week, state GOP leaders pounced on Gov. Martin O'Malley and the Democratic leadership when CEO magazine and ChiefExecutive.net listed Maryland as one of the worst in the nation for business. Among the "problems" with Maryland cited in the rankings, state leaders had the audacity to consider raising the minimum wage and require paid sick leave.
The GOP is a staunch opponent of unions, but unions would not be necessary if companies and these same CEOs did the right thing by paying workers livable wages and not firing them for getting sick.
Offering a counter to the one-sided, corporate-favored viewpoint of CEO last week was the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which in its rankings listed Maryland at the top in its fourth annual Enterprising States report. Specifically, the Chamber said Maryland was best at supporting innovation and entrepreneurs.
Personally, I'd rather see the state supporting small businesses over enacting legislation that benefits the bonuses and pay of corporate executives. But perhaps that's just me.
O'Malley's record on tax increases is dismal, something also cited in the CEO report. That part I totally agree with, as likely do most residents. And there is much the state could do to make Maryland more business friendly, but the attack by GOP leaders was filled with empty rhetoric and false indignation, pretty much what everyone has come to expect from the party nationwide, just as in the case with all the trumped-up fervor over the Benghazi attack.
For someone truly concerned about U.S. security and the safety of our men and women in countries around the world, it should not matter whether there is a Democrat or Republican in the White House. Each instance of terror, death or harm to U.S. citizens would be met with the same response.
Sadly, that isn't the case. Instead, those expressing fake outrage over Benghazi - the same ones who sat quietly on the sidelines as similar attacks occurred when their party controlled the White House - are trampling on the graves of all the brave men and women who have died in the line of service to our country, using their deaths in an attempt to further their own political agendas.
Now that is something worth being outraged about.
