Let's see the proof

I was tempted to take the easy route in my last column of 2025 and reflect on the lies of politicians. But I was reminded that I do have a word limit. Also, it is not the way I care to see the world. My glass is always at least "half full." I want to challenge our political leaders to do the right thing instead of reminding you of their missed opportunities, faults, and lack of veracity. Today cabinet members refuse to talk in public hearings before Congress, unlike their predecessors. All cabinet members know they can lie, refuse to answer questions, and break the law because President Donald Trump has shown in the past a willingness to pardon those who "carry his water." They can act and have acted with impunity. The American people must not allow this despite the Republican sycophants in Congress being "OK" with this as they are spineless. In November they will get their "report card." We are a great nation, but as we are about to enter our 250th year in just months, we are still a baby of a nation. History is so important for us to understand. Evil and bad people do their research. They know what "almost worked" and thus they know not to repeat "past errors." When bad people seek to disregard history that is unflattering about them, it is their form of trickery to hide the truth. For example, you cannot just take over countries because you can. Also, even if you do - as former General and Secretary of State Colin Powell once said with regard to Iraq and the Middle Eastern country's supposed harboring of weapons of mass destruction - you break it, you own it. Then what? The tool they use is the traditional one used since the beginning of time - lies. The evil forces, master charlatan, slippery serpent, and relentless foes of good - the devil - tricked, misled, or outright lied to Eve about taking fruit from the forbidden tree. Lies are the most powerful weapons used to cause grave harm. Let's not forget former President Joe Biden's claims that "the border is secure" or "we need Congress to close the border." Millions of illegals invaded America and Trump closed the border in the time it would take to finish a cup of coffee. Let us all remember the phrase, "Fool me once (or lie to me), shame on you, but fool me twice (or lie to me again) and shame on me." We as Americans must look at the second year of Trump's second presidency as the year that we must "trust, but verify," as former President Ronald Reagan once said with regard to our enemies. We must demand verification of what our president does and says. Show us the proof. Otherwise, we are all complicit, as well as stupid, lazy, weak, and too cowardly to fight for our country and the future we want to leave our children and grandchildren. Let's see the proof that we needed to kill people on boats because they represented a clear and present danger to America. Let's see the proof that we needed to do a "double tap" - return after the first strike to kill people who were attempting to surrender. Let's see proof that one side can bomb and kill unarmed people at will while the other side does nothing militarily - and yet the situation is defined by the folks killing people as a "war"? Let's see proof that using increased tariffs on the world without congressional approval is legal and will help America, especially since a tariff is a form of a tax on the American people. Let's see proof of how taxing Americans via tariffs will actually help the people being taxed instead of merely contributing to the "affordability" problem facing Americans. Let us also remember that tariffs implemented at the onset of bad economic times exacerbated conditions which led to the Great Depression. Let's see the proof that you really care about improving the healthcare of all Americans. Since the passage of Obamacare there has not been a "serious" plan from the Republicans presented in detail to the American people, demonstrating a lack of sincerity by the GOP on the issue. And for Democrats, you have done nothing to properly address the ever-increasing government costs of continuing Obamacare. Let us remember that healthcare, social service needs, and other exorbitant costs played a key role in the demise of the Roman Empire. Let's see the proof that you have a clue how to stop the deaths of so many Americans via suicide largely due to mental illness. About 1,000 Americans will take their lives this week resulting from these issues. Let's see the proof that you have any desire to bring Americans together. We need proof that you are not just fine with a polarized America, which, like a cancer - like during the Civil War - can destroy the American experiment as we know it. Let's see proof that you are for "America First" and peace. Let us remember that being a bully nation and hurting countries leads to an increase of terrorist acts against us. Such acts embolden the omnipresent "bogeyman" (any force that you "fear" could hurt you) to help justify your errant ways and continue a vicious cycle of hate chasing hate. We help other nations by making America an example for other nations, so they would "want" to be like us. We cannot and should not force our will upon other nations. And maybe, just maybe, using "butter" instead of "bullets" can yield better results as love is better than hate. It has been proven that you make more friends and gain greater cooperation with "butter" (foreign aid and humanitarian assistance) than with "bullets" (American-made bombs and missiles). Our great colleges and universities became exceptional because they made themselves the best examples of what an education should entail. And everyone else - all the other colleges around the world - have been emulating them. They are seeking to be as good as our institutions of higher learning, if not better. That is what leadership is all about. You do not have to lead via force. Instead, you lead by setting good examples. At times people who rely on telling lies can seem to be winning, but thanks to God, the truth always comes out. And when it does, a reckoning often follows. ____ Gary Franks served three terms as a congressman from Connecticut's 5th District. He was the first Black conservative elected to Congress and first Black Republican elected to the House in nearly 60 years. Host: Podcast "We Speak Frankly" www.garyfranksphilanthropy.org