I think what is really bothering me of late is, as I read in a New York Times Op Ed today, the “rush to the bottom.” As a school teacher I watch how hard other teachers are working to help our students succeed in an atmosphere that is set up for failure, that being the so-called “No Child left Behind” policy of the Bush administration. Then I read and listen as many “pundits” place the blame for “failing schools” on the teachers. This is an unfortunate “setup” created by right wing politicians who want to see public education destroyed. And then you watch their attacks on one of the last bastions of productivity in this nation, the domestic auto industry, and you realize these guys have no scruples whatsoever. You don’t have to look too far past those two examples to get further evidence of what makes these, mostly republican, “lawmakers” tick. Today I read an article about the lobbyists who have been in a feeding frenzy over the graft provided by Ted Stevens of Alasks who is soon to be a part of the history of the US Senate.

Stevens, according to this article, was personally responsible (I hope that’s the right term) for about $60 million per year in lobbying fees paid to members of the “K Street” lobbyists who were in his inner circle. Stevens was sending billions in “earmarks” to Alaska each year and these lobbyists were evidently the conduit in which his power was connected to whatever mechanism made this work for the people of Alaska, the lobbyists, and the contractors all of which I’m sure were very unhappy to see him go, despite conviction on 7 felonies of political corruption. The thing that probably bothers me the most is that, while Stevens may very well have been at the top of this example of greed personified, it is pretty much commonplace in Washington DC over the past 30 or so years and kicked into high gear over the past 8 years. So while these republicans are attacking teachers and blue collar workers, especially those represented by unions, they and their compatriots have been fleecing the system by the billions with hardly any notice.

It’s not like people don’t know this is going on – I mean large gated communities with million dollar estates are springing up all over the Virginia counties adjoining Washington DC. And I’ll be that if someone were to check on who is filling these communities, who has the where with all to afford such an exhorbitant lifestyle, you’d find a combination of the contractors who are benefitting from the contracts passed around through the house and senate like candy, and the lobbyists who are facilitating the process. While all this is happening, the federal government is headed toward bankruptcy, the “financial sector” is in the process of bilking close to another trillion out of Uncle Sam, and all the while the people in those gated communities are complaining about how Obama might raise taxes on the “rich” and how the auto workers are making too much money and that’s what’s wrong with Detroit. Just take a quick moment to think about how all these communities have electronically controlled gates around them and some of the homes inside do as well. That is even happening out West where I’m writing this from. What we’re seeing is a great example of the “haves and the have nots” emerging in America.

In their intense effort to destroy unions and “put workers in their place” these politicians, lobbyists, and executives evidently are feeling a bit unsafe (has anyone out there read Marx and the ultimate destruction of a capitalist society once greed has squeezed almost everyone out of the middle class). It reminds me of my trip to Mexico a few years ago. Now, I’m not much of a world travelor, in fact I’ve only been to Mexico and Canada once each. My trip to Mexico lasted about a week, long enough to help build a small guest house at a children’s home in Madera which is located in Chiwawa (I hope I came close to spelling that correctly). During that week one of the things I remember was as we went back and forth from the hotel to the work site the difference between the run down homes of the average Mexican and the few nice homes of the, I assume, privileged. Each of the nice homes had high steel fences surrounding them with electronically controlled gates protecting the property. I remember thinking how this must be due to the fact that there is so much unemployment in Mexico that the people with nice homes feel the necessity to protect their property. Do we want this to happen in America?

Evidently there are many who would like this society to regress to something like that. I’m not sure how possible that is, but I’m anxious to see who purchases the millions of homes that are being foreclosed upon due to the political failures of the last eight years (I realize that republicans can always find someone else to blame for the problems that happen on their “watch” but I’m just telling it like it is – their greed has finally brought us all to this unpleasant place). The idea of gated communities for the rich – I guess the gates are necessary because the general public won’t be able to afford police and with a high level of unemployment there must be a bit of concern about people breaking into their homes – so that gates and fences must be designed to stop crime. I won’t be surprised if I start seeing security guards inside the gates ensuring that no one attempts to get in. Do you see what I’m getting at here? Sure, progress is happening, but is this the kind of progress that is good for the country? I’m honestly not understanding how some of these people think they can get along fine without the rest of us. Is somebody going to invent a car that has protective devices which will allow these people to go out into public if it gets that bad? Personally, I believe it’s time for this country to tear down the gated walls and rebuild the middle class!