Oprah Winfrey had a lot of calculated gall to claim, in her opinion, that race is behind the criticism President Barack Obama receives over his policies. President George W. Bush was so rabidly and mercilessly attacked by the left — much of it personal — but that is all forgotten. Sarah Palin was crucified, even to this day.

Obama is only getting a smidgeon of what the left had dished out, and it’s all because he doesn’t know what he’s doing, not because of any skin color. And Bush had nearly the entire media against him whereas Obama still has them bow before him.

When blacks make up 13 percent of Americans, where does Oprah think the other votes come from, Canada? And Obama was elected twice.

The issue isn’t Oprah’s deliberate comment to use the guilt of racism over why Obama is criticized, but rather it’s her attempt to not-so-subtly steer people away from his complete failure as a leader. I resent Oprah’s smug attitude and using racism yet again as a tool of deflection. Oprah isn’t a billionaire only because of the blacks in this country. If anyone knows better who paved her golden driveway, it should be her, and it’s a disservice to all her followers for their years of support that made her wealthy. Shame on Oprah.

And shame on all those who continue to push racism. Yes, there will always be bigots and racists, but it’s a two-way street. No one is alive who used to be a slave owner and yet whites are still blamed 200 years later. And lest we forget what color were the men who died by the thousands during the Civil War to end slavery? What color was the president at that time?

Obama is out of his league. Just because he was elected president of the United States didn’t automatically make him qualified. And just because he has the title of president in front of his name didn’t make him any smarter. Nor is he someone who needs to be handled with kid gloves. He’ll be gone in three years, leaving behind an unrecognizable nation — a country that used to achieve greatness on self-reliance and hard work, and whose citizens were rewarded for their efforts.

It’s now a land where you make a better living by not working, and if you do work, your money is taken away to be given to those who don’t. And should you actually become “wealthy” for your efforts, you are vilified because you have more than you should, which, by the way, you never seem to hear that criticism about Oprah. What a terrible, terrible state of affairs.

There was a time when families would all sit down to dinner together. They would actually communicate with each other. Then afterward the family would gather in the “family room” and watch shows like Father Knows Best, Bonanza and My Three Sons. By today’s standards, these show are hokey and silly, and maybe so, but they were of family, relationships and no filth. In those days, for the most part, the father would go to work, mom would take care of the home, and kids actually helped around the house. Then along came the women’s movement and women were guilted into believing that staying home and taking care of the household was demeaning. Which, by the way, is still one of the toughest jobs on the planet. Over time the term “slippery slope” became a reality and whether out of necessity or because they wanted to, women took to the work force and the family unit has greatly faltered. In the inner cities, this cycle has had a complete meltdown.

So what does this have to do with anything, you ask? Well, if we continue down this new slippery slope we’re on, for all those who actually work for a living more is being demanded of them, and required, to pay for all those who don’t. And when you’re taxed for everything imaginable and punished for your efforts, where’s the motivation?

Think of the Roman Empire. As it is, our stress levels as a nation are already high; people race around every day like the world is ending in a few minutes. Obamacare has created even more confusion for Americans and is heading into a death spiral, dragging billions more of our tax dollars with it. And, yet again, where is that money coming from? Not from the ones who don’t work.

The United States has never been more divided, more confused and in such massive disarray with no glimmer of hope and change to see us stabilize any time soon. We need to stop with the race bating, overtaxing and class warfare, and unify again as One Nation Under God. Stop giving everything away, work for your reward and be allowed to keep it. Government needs to be reigned in and stay out of our lives.

This country is still the best model of freedom on the planet. Let’s not let it get away from us.

— Henry Schulte of Santa Barbara owns and operates Dos Pueblos Ranch. He has been politically active in the community for years. Click here to read previous columns. The opinions expressed are his own.