Rudy Giuliani legitimately thinks that President Obama doesn’t love America. I’d love to say that the absurdity of that sentiment makes him stupid, but by just about any measure Giuliani is a wise and successful person.

Ignoring the countless times President Obama has expressed his love for this country, just what about Obama makes Giuliani think he doesn’t love America? Is it that he killed Osama Bin Laden? Is it that he cut the budget deficit by two-thirds?

Maybe it’s that he has made America energy independent, as Giuliani himself promised to do when he ran for president in 2008.

In fact, by Republicans’ own standards, President Obama has been a successful president. Just take a quick stroll through the promises of 2012 GOP hopefuls and compare them to Obama’s accomplishments.

Tim Pawlenty promised five percent economic growth if elected–that happened under Obama. Newt Gingrich said he would get gas under $2.50 per gallon–done.

Mitt Romney promised unemployment under six percent–check.

Regular readers of this column know I am the first to point out that these shallow metrics provide little insight into the economy, and that real people are still buried in struggle.

However, nobody — except apparently Giuliani — could argue that things have gotten better. So what about Obama is not loving America?

Is it that he is not afraid to point out America’s shortcomings? Admitting that we are not perfect does not take away from our accomplishments.

It is possible to be the best country in the world without being perfect. Acknowledging faults and working to fix them is the mark of true character.

Insisting on perfection makes us look to the rest of the world the way Hollywood drama queens look to Middle America.

But Giuliani is not alone in his tumble; political America has been sliding down the ignorance hill for years now.

Liberals proudly projected this same disdain for President Bush, many going as far as Rosie O’Donnell suggesting that Bush orchestrated the 9/11 attacks, and it isn’t hard to hear a liberal paraphrase Giuliani’s comments about Senator Rand Paul or Mitch McConnell.

Grow up, America.

These sentiments are the product of a political assembly line that monetizes the demonization of the other side of the aisle.

From talk radio and cable propaganda masquerading as news to the national political parties to the candidates themselves–the higher the hatred for the other guy, the higher the views, clicks, contributions and bottom line will be.

It is the pundits and public figures who spew this vitriol that do not love this country. Their love of money, power, fame, ratings or who knows what else pushes them to convince others of the absurd idea that someone who works every day to make this country a better place does not love it at all.

These party assassins hide behind slogans like “Lean Forward” or “Fair and Balanced” with their comments that do nothing but divide and damage this nation.

The venom has now spread to the point where a respected public figure not only truly believes it, but will express it for the whole country to hear.

The idea that because the other guys have different philosophies than we do, they are somehow evil is a deception ISIS is desperately trying to spread; doing this in the name of liberty or progress, conservatism or fairness does not make it somehow different.

Much of this country has fallen into the same trap as ISIS recruits. The difference is that our swindlers are political and theirs are religious. It’s time to fix the stupid.