Tomorrow I’m going to do my first attempt at fulfilling President Obama’s request that all Americans do more volunteering and join with the members of my church, mostly Republicans I believe, in taking warm jackets and food to the homeless population in Portland, Oregon. I was thinking of this experience in a way that all these people who are going on this “mission” think so much differently about politics than me, but so much the same when it comes to feeling an obligation to help people in need. As I’m writing this, I understand that tonight’s discussion could go in many different directions, both because of my own beliefs and because of the tremendous and growing need in our communities for outreaches to people who are in financial trouble. I have friends that have lost their jobs already in the face of the deepening fiscal crisis in our nation, and others who feel it is just a matter of time until they lose their jobs. Those of us who are working are more than likely going to be getting reductions rather than increases in our pay and benefits, and the spiraling effects of what is happening nationwide is likely to put many people at risk of “losing” everything they have.

Today, I heard a report that the suicide rate for combat veterans from Iraq and Afganistan is spiraling upward as the economy spirals downward. All of those people who have “support the troops” stickers on their cars, next to the McCain/Palin stickers – at least the ones I’m listening to – have no idea what’s going on with the troops that are coming home from Iraq. It is very likely that many of the homeless people we serve tomorrow will be veterans from either of the present two conflicts or possibly vets from the Viet Nam conflict. There doesn’t seem to be too much of a national outrage – either Republican or Democrat – from the statistics that there are more than 200,000 homeless vets on the streets of the Untited States – and now the statistics are showing that many are just taking their own lives because of the pain and frustration associated with their return to “normalcy,” which for many of them is just not possible.

This, I think, gets me to the real thought I have for tonight. Yesterday, I read with some interest the so-called dilemma that Barrack Obama has regarding fulfilling his promise to get the troops out of Iraq in 16 months. The article I read claimed that should Obama carry through with that promise he risks creating a rift with the military personell who would be carrying out the orders. The person mentioned by name, Ray Odierno, the commander in Iraq who took over for David Patreus after the first year or so of the “surge” – is claiming we need an additional year – providing the situation remains stable. Now, I hope Obama does not allow himself to be intimidated by any Army General, or anyone else in the military. We will find out a lot about Obama as this issue plays itself out. I’m already feeling frustrated by the reports that President Obama is not going to allow thorough investigations of the Bush administration and what everyone knows was pervasive lawbreaking. But, if he caves to these generals, we are looking some major problems in the eye with a leader that will be answering a lot of questions from his base supporters.

And, as I’ve said many times on this site, don’t kid yourself about the Republicans. Obama can cozy up to them all he wants, but that will only get him farther away from his own supporters, and it won’t solve any problems with “progressive” solutions. I’ve been listening to a lot of Republicans since the election, and they clearly are still in denial as to what their policies have done to this country – and for that matter, due to The United State’s Global leadership position, the entire world. These Republicans need to be pushed to the sidelines while true liberal, or progressive, or whatever you want to call them – populist policies are implemented in an attempt to turn around a disaster that is hard to even imagine. Staying in Iraq one moment longer than promised, in my opinion, would be a HUGE mistake for Obama. Even letting on that he’s thinking along the lines of Odierno will only invite more violence in Iraq. Keep in mind that the ideal situation for al Qaeda is for the US to be bogged down in Iraq FOREVER. If they think we’re going to stay, unless the place remains stable, means they will do everything they can to create instability.

Is Odierno really saying that if that would happen we need to extend our commitment? That is absurd. The United States is going bankrupt – largely because of the waste of trillions of dollars on two misguided military adventures. We need to think of preserving our nation – not Iraq’s. They can, and should, handle it from here on out. If these generals are threatening some kind of insurerrection should Obama fulfill the promise that was critical in getting him elected, they should be immediately removed from duty. In the first place, the so-called surge received a lot of credit that should have gone to two other circumstances – the Awakening movement, where the US hired the insurgents who had been killing American troops to turn on “al Qaeda in Iraq.” The other was when Moqtada al Sadr decided to call a truce with his Madi Army – and then he went to Iran to go through whatever process he needs to go through in order to return as the “Grand Ayatollah.” No matter what we do, the end result in Iraq is going to be a nation which is allied with Iran and is going to be dominated by Shia Muslims. It is just a matter of time until violence, major violence in my opinion, breaks out in Iraq and there’s not much the United States can do about it. The sooner we get out the better.

There are so many better ways we can spend the 12 billion dollars a month that is going down the drain in Iraq. One of them would be to actually take care of our troops, if we really support them. Not only by providing educational opportunities for them when they return, but actually provide the medical, both physical and mental, needs they have when they return. It is a national shame for 200,000 vets to be on our streets homeless – while many of the people with the “support our troops” stickers on their cars also have the other stickers from the people who think we’re better off without government and thinking the only good idea for government is to cut more taxes. Well, I think we should raise taxes – it could be done immediately with a 50 cents per gallon tax on gasoline at the pump. Additionally, the “Bush tax cuts” (the only time in our nation’s history there were tax cuts in a time of war – think of it, borrowing the money to prosecute a war, while telling your citizens they could support the troops by “shopping” ughhhh) should be repealled IMMEDIATELY. Then we could pay for some of the stimulus package which should be passed sooner rather than later, but without the tax cuts that provide no more than a month or two of false impetus for the economy, and should be injected with more financing of infrastructure projects. And we should be finding a way to help these homeless vets to end this national shame. The way to show support for our vets shouldn’t be taking food and clothing to a homeless shelter!

We voted for change, and we are definitely getting change. I’m sure Barrack Obama understands fully that the people who formed his base are not at all like the Republicans that followed George Bush’s every whim like a bunch of sheep. I for one do not consider myself a Democrat. Even though I have a “Vote Democratic” sticker on the back of my car, I put the sticker there because I was fed up with the Republicans. I mean, GW Bush was kind of like the icing on the cake for me. Eight years of his administration was almost more than I could take. I’ve been fairly “connected,” at least in the sense of being a citizen who’s paying attention, since the early 1960’s. I was in high school when JFK was assasinated, I watched with interest as the Civil Rights movement gained momentum, I watched in horror at the deaths of Martin Luther King Jr. and RFK, and I have never been more glued to a TV set than during the Watergate hearings which exposed the original version of a president spying illegally on his citizens.

In the interim, I pulled for Jimmy Carter as he tried to get the original round of deficit spending (Nixon’s) under control and lost his job because he cared more about the lives of the Iran hostages than getting re-elected (I still admire him for this – he’s the only honest politician I can remember) and he took very difficult and courageous steps to remake the financial system and begin the process of extracating our country from the grip of the middle eastern oil barrens (of course Reagan repealed Carter’s CAFE standards soon after entering the White House – and we’re still paying the price for that one). Ronald Reagan, to me, was the disaster that keeps on “giving” so to speak. When I listen to any group of Republicans, it makes me sick to my stomach the number of times they refer to him. I mean, Reagan quadrupled the national debt before anyone realized that the only thing George HW Bush ever got right was naming supply side economics as “voodoo economics.” Reagan showed American corporations how to “trample” on their workers, he ushered in the “me” generation, and he was a great predecessor to GW Bush as a role model on how to ignore Congress and the American legal system. Reagan and those around him were bailed out (legally) by one term of GHW Bush and the reluctance of a somewhat weak President Clinton who understood that he gained office by the “skin of his teeth” and chose not to pursue accountability for Iran/Contra – where the seeds to all the corruption of GW Bush’s Presidency were sprouted.

I’ve watched in disbelief as a bunch of thugs, disguised as “conservatives” attempted to prove they could circumvent the founding fathers of this great nation and gain total control of our government, with the goal of a PERMANENT Republican “majority.” They first went after the air waves with the assault on reality from the likes of Limbaugh and those who have emulated him – and with the help of Bill Clinton signing into law the Telecommunications act of 1995 (I believe that was the year, it could have been 96). The result has been a constricting “news” media that has been effectively labled “liberal” but clearly controlled by a small circle of republican leaning corporations. They gained control of Congress in 1994 and would probably still have control but those Republicans, like Gingrich, Delay, Armey, and many others didn’t understand how strong the temptation would be to get sucked into the lucrative world of pork barrel politics. Additionally, many of the original Republicans in this self-proclaimed “revolution” had skeletons in their closets that far exceeded the weaknesses of their opponents which they went after like a bunch of sharks in a pool full of blood. One by one they have been dropping from sight as the truth about their own lives has uncovered a party based on power, greed, and ruthlessness.

GW Bush came along in 2000 being declared President of the world’s only remaining “super power” by a 5 to 4 decision of a Supreme Court which had been already packed with Republicans. With the addition of a couple more lifetime judges the Republicans were one term away from having a “right” leaning court for the next generation, and possibly longer. Everything was going right for their plan. Any reasonable person analyzing this plan almost has to give them credit, whoever conceived it, because they were on the verge of accomplishing what the founders tried to make virtually impossible. The biggest fear of the great men who set the foundation for this nation was tyranny by the majority – thus the complex set of checks and balances to prevent one ideology from dominating all others. And Ronald Reagan and George HW Bush weren’t what you’d call the scholarly type. Reagan was a “B” actor and Bush was the perverbial man born with a “silver spoon.” Neither really had the credentials to be President – which, I’m sure led whoever is really in charge of the Republican party to think that GW Bush would be just fine, despite his record of failure in almost every venture he had ever been part of. Their plan would work no matter who was President. The saving grace for the rest of us was that GW failed again. Now, I’m not one to root against anyone in the White House, and I have to say that after 9/11, despite my EXTREME misgivings about Bush right from the start, I was really pulling for him. Had he pursued bin Laden and avoided Iraq, I believe today’s discussion would be about another Republican, and they would have accomplished their goal. We would be stuck with Republicans for the forseeable future. Combined with the media stranglehold and the irregularities at the voting booths, those who are of my political persuasion would still be longing for “The change we need.”

Well, Obama REALLY IS DIFFERENT! I know I will be writing about many things I disagree with him on, and I’m very concerned about whether or not he is going to “look back” as he looks forward, but the first week has been a stark difference to say the least. He is actually fulfilling some of his campaign promises! The order to close Gitmo only took two days. Accountability rules for those in his administration were swiftly initiated and they were strict. He said he was going to “listen” to all sides and he’s doing that – including a trip to Capital Hill to lobby for his “stimulus package” meeting face to face with the dreaded (by me) Republicans. And today, his first interview since taking office was with a Middle Eastern news company broadcasting to the Muslim world. A bold and, I think, welcome “change” from the previous eight years. He’s making some comments and taking some actions that leads me to believe he’s actually going to go after bin Laden – as he said he would in the campaign – about six years after the fact – but in my mind, better late than never. I’m still trying to grasp my thoughts about Afganistan and Pakistan, but I can say with certainty that I have more confidence in Obama’s judgement than I ever could with Bush, McCain, or any other Republican (with the possible exception of the former senator from Nebraska Chuck Hagel – who I would personally be OK with as Secretary of Defense once Robert Gates is out at the end of this year).

Republican rule is over and if Obama turns out to be the “Change we need” I think the Republicans will be out for many years to come. I believe the citizens of this country understand the gravity of today’s circumstances and I think they fully “get” who is responsible for the situation. The question remains: Can the Democrats fix the problem? Obama will have to overcome his own party to get the job done. He has the clearest “mandate” I have seen in my lifetime and I expect him to use it in a calculated fashion. He understands the old saying “It’s the economy, stupid” and he knows that if he wants a second term, things have to be on the upswing within about three years. Based on previous recessions that wouldn’t seem so daunting, but this is the BIG ONE. We have a long way to go, and I’m in no way pledging my vote for Obama in 2012 just because he’s not Bush, I have high expectations for him, but he will have to earn my vote again. He promised us change, and he’s giving us change. It is going to happen gradually and in little pieces, most of the time – although the interview today may some day be looked upon as being huge and a turning point in our relations with the Muslim world – that remains to be seen. I’m still anxious to see Karl Rove before Congress, investigations of Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and others (not initiated by other countries – but by us taking care of our own mess), the repeal of the FISA intrusions into our lives and our constitution, and a stimulus package that invests in the future of this great nation by rebuilding its foundation. Once the stimulus package is in effect I am looking for Obama to have the courage to address the mindset of Americans that has led us to be the largest debtor nation in the history of the world – with the goal of reducing our national debt instead of increasing it. That all being said, after one week in office, I would still vote for Obama!

Oh my gosh, I had a wonderful weekend away, I return to work, and look at a couple news broadcasts – reality strikes; It’s back to dealing with Republicans. I’ve been saying for months on this site (and years altogether) that as long as the present group of Republicans control their party, negotiating with them makes no sense. I think it is wonderful that President Obama wants to unite everyone – I believe he sees himself as the progressive “Ronald Reagan” from the great communicator point of view. However, just as Reagan was a disaster for this nation – his initiatives actually either put in motion or accelerated the philosophies that have gotten us to this horrible spot we’re in economically – and believe me, if you don’t get it, we are in a crisis with a capital C! – the present version of Republicans are continuing the same old tired and failed rhetoric. Our economy is in a shambles and it’s the result of 30+ years of what the first George Bush called “voodoo economics.” It didn’t make sense when Reagan drove deficits to record levels and it made even less sense during a time of two wars during the previous administration of GW Bush as he instituted massive tax cuts during wartime, for those who didn’t need them, and told us to “shop” as our national sacrifice.

Now that they are the minority party, instead of trying to inject some actual conservative thinking into the budget debate – and I don’t mean of the voodoo economics nature – Republicans are going to be the antagonists and, at the very least, put the dream of a united country on hold. This just aint going to happen while Mitch McConnell, John Boenher (Boner), and the holdovers from the Bush years are in control of their party. I even saw John McCain on TV tonight trying to make it look like he had any idea what would be good for our economy. Of course, all you can get from any of them is more tax cuts. If we listened to them we would soon have a tax base comparable to the Federal Reserve rate which, if you’ve been paying attention, is at or near ZERO! These Republicans haven’t had a useful positive idea to share for years. They are so bought and sold by the multi-national corporations that despite the fact the meltdown of the economy is accelerating each day, they keep spewing the same old worn out worthless garbage.

Hopefully, people en masse will discontinue even listening to these greedy, self serving, hypocrites. People like Boehner, McConnell, McCain, Limbaugh, Hannity, Dobson, and I could go on, need to just shut up and let President Obama try to get us out of the worst fix since the Great Depression, and conceivably – if they don’t shut up – worse than that. WE ARE FAR FROM SEEING THE PEAK OF THIS PROBLEM! (or the bottom as the greed mongers of Wall Street call this magical spot where things turn around) For some reason these guys seem to think that as long as they still have jobs and flush bank accounts there is no problem. The two million or so who have lost their jobs in the last 12 months probably deserved it – and of course, the way to create new jobs and get them back to work would be massive tax cuts, “because the American people know better how to spend their money than the government.” This is so absurd in the face of what has transpired over the past year (eight years really – many of us saw this coming almost from the day Bush frittered away the surplus he inherited) that you’d think even these knuckleheads would be smart enough to stop with their vermin.

And to President Obama: stop listening to these thugs. They’re going to push you as far as they can – they really are a lot like the sixth graders I teach. Put a stop to this now! I’m no fan of Bill Clinton, but I will say this, he passed his initial budget with only Al Gore’s (the Vice President who is the President of the Senate) vote being the difference. Republicans whined for eight years that Clinton had raised taxes – AND THE RESULT WAS UNPARALLELED GROWTH IN THE ECONOMY AND A BALANCED BUDGET THAT WAS IN SURPLUS WHEN CLINTON LEFT OFFICE. Who cares if McConnell and Boenher spend their time whining for the next eight years – I guarantee you they’ll be whining whether you cut them out of the negotiations or not. YOU DON’T NEED REPUBLICANS TO PUT THE RIGHT POLICY INTO PLACE! And I’d say the first place to start is to eliminate the $300 Billion of tax cuts in the present proposal – as a response to their obsructionism, and because it’s the right thing to do – and spend the money on projects that not only create jobs but create infrastructure that will be around when my granddaughter is an adult.

Invest the money in R&D for alternative energy. Provide funds for the American auto industry to retool into an industry that produces the best fuel efficient cars in the world – and saves the United Auto Workers as the antithetical statement to Reagan’s initiative to destroy America’s Unions, beginning with the Air Traffic Controllers. Invest in Schools, roads, bridges, and creative ideas from citizens with the courage to find new ways to solve old problems. These republicans are not only going to fight your economic stimulus package to the bitter end, they’re going to fight everything you do. Your success means their demise – and believe me when I say this, they would rather save themselves than save the country. That is why they couldn’t get out of Iraq. It would have meant admitting to a huge mistake. So they’re going to try to manipulate the media in a way that will allow them to place the blame on everything that happens this year on YOU! And there’s going to be a lot of stuff to place blame for and you know THEY WON’T LOOK IN A MIRROR WHEN FIGURING OUT WHO CAUSED ALL THESE PROBLEMS.

Additionally, this is why the reports are surfacing that they are blocking the confirmation of Eric Holder for Attorney General without some kind of assurance from him that he won’t prosecute Bush and company. As absurd as that sounds, I believe it’s probably true. Even if they can’t pull something that ridiculous off, they will try, because all Republicans fully understand the gravity of the potential investigations. And in the same light as why you can’t negotiate with these people, you MUST allow Holder to do exactly what they are afraid of – investigate the previous administration, and prosecute any wrongdoing that is uncovered which violates our laws and our constitution. President Obama – I know you understand how serious this problem is, and I admire that you have the patriotic spirit to take this on and try to fix something that is possibly irretrievably broken. I love this country and I’m pulling for you with all my heart – but part of what has made the problem so grave is a Democratic Congress that is – I hate to use this word, but I can’t think of another one which is adequate to the grave circumstances – cowardly! The Republicans are so used to pushing the Democrats around they think they can just continue doing it no matter the realities we’re all facing.

Stopping their behavior, empowering the courage of those in your party, and if we are to have any chance of pulling ourselves out of this quagmire without even more severe damage will require something we haven’t seen for decades in this country – REAL LEADERSHIP! You’ve given me the hope that you understand the “buck stops here” theory of leading, and I get the sense that you do have enough courage to make the hard choices which lie ahead – but don’t cow down for even an instant to these Republicans. I heard you say the other day “I won” apparently in response to some disagreement with Republicans invited to infuse ideas at the “table.” I think you should rephrase that to “We won!” and let the Republicans know that you are fully prepared to move on without them and you and the Democrats have the support of a strong percentage of the nation. Your stimulus package includes $300 Billion in tax cuts for a nation that is bankrupt and already not paying its bills – if that doesn’t make them happy, believe me nothing will. Mr. Obama, you don’t need Republican help to get our economy back on track. In fact, you might be better off without it.

One thing that I’m determined to do in my life, in the midst of so many things which seem to be “wrong,” is to keep reminding myself of all the things I need to be thankful for.  Despite the things I’m frustrated about as an American citizen, I know that I am privileged to even be making all these arguments. That being said, here comes another “side” of me – if by chance you’ve been reading any of my posts. Now, I’m not going to get into any kind of proselityzing, but I could conceivably categorize myself as part of the Christian “Left.”  I am a strong believer in the concept of “the separation of church and state,” in fact, I believe it is that concept which is the foundation of this great country.  Many of my friends would probably fall into the “Christain Right” camp, which pretty much leads me to talk to them about things other than politics.  However, this past weekend I’ve had the opportunity to spend two days with my wife and a couple who are in the “family” category when you consider who your friends are. We had the opportunity to stay in a really cool home at the beautiful Oregon Coast (a place called Bella Beach – I highly recommend it).  My wife and her good friend spent a day at the ocean looking for treasures which allowed the two “guys” to have a conversation which I would put in the “we’re solving the world’s problems” grouping as conversations go.

My friend (the other guy) once apologized to me – because he originally was upset with my anti-Iraq stance at the beginning of the invasion – by telling me, after about a year of the occupation, that the only way he could see stability returning to Iraq was to release Saddam Hussein (obviously this was said prior to Hussein’s execution).  I believe it was around this time when he realized you could be “conservative” (whatever that means anymore) and disagree with Republicans. We agreed (this weekend) that the “block” of Christians who vote republican and comprise the “base” of the republican party was problematic, to say the least. Many vote in “lock step” based on their belief that the republicans are somehow going to end the abortion crisis in America. What ends up happening is these people are voting for politicians who initiate policies that are very “un-Christian” unknowingly. Both of our wives reinforced our discussion when they returned from their adventures at the ocean, once we shared a bit of our discussion, by claiming that abortion must be stopped and they didn’t want to talk about anything that resembled politics.

It is my contention that this kind of mindset comes from members of the clergy getting involved (way over their heads) in politics. What most Christians don’t “get” is that James Dobson, Pat Robertson, Falwell (prior to his death) and others are big business billionaires and they, in my mind, are “dirty” because of their connection to the now departed Bush administration and the insiders of the Republican party. In my mind they’ve traded their integrity for access to power – very politician like. I don’t pretend to know the details of how involved they were in the decisions of GW Bush, but I’ve read enough reports of Dobson, for example, participating in direct meetings in the White House and in secret meetings with other “wealthy” members of the Clergy (actually connected in some way to Eric Prince and Blackwater) to raise multiple “red flags.” In fact, I can no longer allow myself to listen to any of Dobson’s radio programs – because I am totally convinced that he is one of the perpetrators of the divisiveness of the recent past – if you listen to his “Focus on the Family” you will often hear how they separate the world into “conservative” and “liberal” with liberal evidently being a dirty word.

These thoughts I’m putting forth to frame my concern for the coming debate (or so it seems based on all the “right wing” emails coming to our mailboxes – my wife and I) on the so-called “Freedom of Choice” act – which according to the emails I’ve seen will legalize all forms of abortion – without any restrictions, will lead to government funding of abortion, and will overturn any state laws that may be on the books as I’m writing this post. I have no idea how much of this is true – even whether or not the bill is even “on the books.” However, as I read the emails, I thought that to quell my own conscience, I’m going to have a mini discussion of the issue on my Blog – as usual probably a discussion with myself – but if for some strange reason you happen by, please feel free to comment. The reason I’m commenting is because I believe that maybe, with President Obama at the helm, we can have a national dialogue on this issue that deals with realities and facts – and tries to come up with a solution that at the very least reduces the demand for abortions.

First of all, I have found it intriguing, to say the least, for the last 35 years (yes, I can still remember the day when Roe v Wade -well, it’s kind of hazy, but I was around and paying attention at the time – was decided in 1973). This was about 4 years after my first attempt at college (fortunately, the second attempt ended in success) and it was still fresh on my mind how friends of mine at school, during the 60’s age of “free sex,” seemed to be using abortion as a form of birth control. I remember one roommate in particular who paid for three abortions in the two years I was at the school. As I remember, the cost at the time was $75. And I can guarantee you that many of the people who have joined the “pro-life” movement of today – part of the “hippie” movement of the sixties probably participated in this practice (I realize that probably and guarantee don’t go together, but I hope you know what I mean – a lot of people have changed the way they think since those days). I am very thankful that I was never in a position to have to make that choice, mostly because – as I shared with my friend this weekend – I wasn’t much of a “ladies man.” But, I’ve often thought what would I have done? It is these thoughts that keep me a bit grounded on my position because I’ve never had to make the choice – I really don’t want to adopt a “holier than thou” position on the subject – yet, despite the fact most people consider me a liberal and I did vote for Democrats across the board in the last election, I consider myself pro-life.

To me, pro-life doesn’t mean that somebody else doesn’t have the right to have their own position on this VERY DIFFICULT issue. And I think the point of my thoughts of tonight, and this weekend, is that I hate the fact that the abortion issue has led so many Christians to vote for corrupt republicans. For example, take Tom Delay – the guy is right up to his elbows in corruption – right in his home state of Texas, along with corruption in his connection with Jack Abramoff in Washington DC – yet his “base” is the “Christian Right.” Delay was instrumental in the pillaging (along with Abramoff) of Micronesia, for one example – where Multi-national corporations have turned the place into a combination destination resort for rich people – especially politicians – and sweat shops which recruit workers from underdeveloped countries and puts them into virtual slavery under terrible conditions. Additionally, politicians like Delay, promote the Cayman islands as a “destination” for US corporations who don’t want to pay taxes. I could go on and on – and I’m not trying to make this a Democrat vs Republican thing here – because the Democrats are not “clean” by any means – my point is that the abortion issue is one issue – and in the 35 years since Roe the Republicans have held the White House for 23 of those years and it’s still on the books.

The fact that you have this huge “block” of Christian voters is WRONG! Christians, like every other citizen, should be paying attention to their government and deciding on who to vote for individually based on ALL the issues. The idea of pastors getting up on the pulpit and “recommending” who you should vote for is TERRIBLY WRONG! This is how Hitler came to power in Germany. That is why our founders were so adamant about separating the Church from the State. That doesn’t mean, as in this situation, that issues so relevent to Christians shouldn’t be part of the mainstream discussion. I’m just maintaining that the discussion shouldn’t be Republican vs Democrat – it should be a discussion based on the realities of today’s world.

Getting back to the discussion of abortion, it has always bothered, baffled, and beguiled me how the debate continues to get twisted and manipulated according to whoever seems to have the “mike.” I can tell you that it is a fact that the requirement for a human being to live is oxygen and food. There can be little debate that once an egg and sprem cell unite, the only thing it needs to grow is food and oxygen which is provided by the mother. And the reality is that it takes a father to produce the sperm cell, but once it unites with the egg, the father is pretty much out of the picture as far as getting the baby to term – it’s all on the mother. Now, I realize that the father might be driving the mother to the doctor’s office, the hospital, and other such duties – but the reality is that it’s all on the mother after conception.

This in itself makes me feel unqualified to come up with the solution to the problem of abortion (if you haven’t figure it out yet, I’m of the father type). This is going to be a VERY DIFFICULT national discussion. But I believe it must happen, and I also believe that women need to be taking the lead in the discussion. However, no matter who’s taking the lead, I hope they deal in facts and rational thinking. The most important fact that I think just needs to be “accepted” is that once conception has occurred, you have a human life. THEREFORE, AN ABORTION TAKES A HUMAN LIFE. I don’t see how you can see it any other way. I’ve heard lots of discussions that try to place a date on when the fetus becomes “human” but that seems preposterous to me. That then makes the rest of the discussion so much more important. I don’t know what the answer to this problem is – and I’m not naive enough to think that with the repeal of Roe v Wade (which I don’t believe will happen) abortions would stop – they were happening all the time prior to Roe – in fact I believe Roe was an attempt to provide women with a safe procedure in a clean clinic or hospital. Again, I’m thankful that I’ve never had to make this choice (I believe I would choose life under any circumstances unless my wife’s life was in jeopardy) – but as President Obama is trying to “unite” Americans, the “Freedom of Choice” act is liable to cause a lot of divisiveness.

My suggestion is to call abortion what it is – stop sugar coating it – and then have a national debate on how to create circumstances where the demand for abortions is minimized. The discussion will be so complicated. What happens to women after having an abortion? What happens to unwanted children? What are possible ways to minimize abortions? Is our government willing to fund alternative solutions (I personally know of pro-life clinics which could be much more effective in helping women with unwanted pregnancies if they had the funding)? Is our nation ready to admit that this is a shameful problem that we can no longer ingnore? Is it possible that the “Freedom of Choice Act” could spur a debate which would actually reduce abortions in America?

Have you ever heard the saying; “Be careful what you wish for.” Tonight I’m thinking about all the Republicans who have been supposedly clamoring for judges who interpret the constitution literally – as it was written. Well, as everyone who has paid attention to this subject knows, a literal interpretation of the constitution is pretty much impossible – there has to be interpretation. But, I have to agree at least with the Republican rhetoric, that I believe in the constitution as a non-negotiable document, within the reasonable bounds of the interpretation, and I agree that it should be as literal as possible. However, the idea that a person of African descent is 3/5ths of a person, isn’t reasonable (unless, maybe you’re John Cornyn the Senator from Texas who is holding up the confirmation of Barrack Obama’s nominee for Attorney General, Eric Holder) but the fact that torture is illegal is reasonable. And torture has been clearly defined by the Geneva Conventions which the United States is basically responsible for. So, I find it interesting that the Republicans in the Senate of the United States are holding Holder’s approval as Attorney General because of his views on torture.

I suppose when you go back in time about a year and remind yourself of the testimony of Michael Mukasey, the last of George W Bush’s Attorney’s General you get a better picture. He refused to make any kind of stand on torture – especially when confronted with the practice of “waterboarding,” an interrogation “technique” that led us to prosecute Japanese military personell after World War II as war criminals and that is clearly defined as torture under the Geneva Conventions. When you think back to the Bush administration, they came up with a plethora of justifications for their actions which went way beyond waterboarding, but in the media were pretty much focused on waterboarding. At first they said that the “enemy combatants” weren’t subject to the Geneva Conventions because they weren’t in any specific military force – they were “just” terrorists – presumably therefore without rights of any kind and subject to the whims of President Bush. This rationale was debunked by none other than the Supreme Court that put Bush in office, so they went to Congress, while it was still controlled by Republicans (along with some spineless Democrats) and they managed to get legislation passed that superficially looked like it stopped these practices, but in reality through signing statements or just plain ignoring the “Will of the People,” most of us who were paying attention knew that the practice was still going on.

Then, within the last two weeks of the Bush administration, both Dick Cheney and George W Bush admitted on national TV that they authorized the “enhanced interrogation” techniques which included waterboarding, and I’m sure we’re going to find out a whole bunch more “techniques” that violated the rights of the detainees at Gitmo, Abu Ghraib, and the secret rendition prisons wherever they might be. Now, for a person who interprets the constitution “literally” this poses a severe problem for George Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Alberto Gonzales, David Addington, and who knows who else. These people have clearly violated our own laws and the international laws against war crimes. So, I believe the reason John Cornyn is holding up the confirmation of Eric Holder is because Holder has clearly demonstrated knowledge of the laws against torture. Additionally, he has a history of being a man who believes in the literal interpretation of our laws and the fair enforcement of them (you might have heard of the theory he quoted during his confirmation hearing – which I’m sure terrified the Republicans: “No one is above the law.”

So you would think the Republicans would be supportive of someone with the same philosophy as theirs. But that is before you look at the record of the last eight years and you realize they want this literal interpretation for us “little people.” They, themselves, shouldn’t fall under the same guidelines as Democrats and working people like me. I find this so IRONIC it makes me want to laugh, but then I think of the seriousness of the problem and it’s hard to laugh about it. TORTURE IS NOT FUNNY, AND THE FACT OUR GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN DOING THIS SINCE AT LEAST THE REAGAN YEARS IS DESPICABLE! Bush didn’t start this although he carried it to the extreme, and I believe he will be the first President to actually have to pay for his illegal activities – unless the Republicans can figure out a way to circumvent the law – the fact they are so obviously attempting to do this is also ironic. Isn’t this what they are constantly accusing Democrats of doing? I heard one Senator, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, speculate that their strategy is to stall this confirmation to the piont that the statute of limitations expires – supposedly on when Bush initially authorized the illegal activity. What doesn’t make sense to me about that one is if the activity has continued for the past 5 years or so, wouldn’t everytime it happened reset the clock on the statute of limitations?

Regardless, they are in a very weak position and it’s going downhill from there. As people see the results of the Republican pilfering of our economy, which will continue to get worse for the immediate future, I think there will be less and less sympathy for GW Bush, and especially Dick Cheney. There are going to be more crimes uncovered, and the American people are going to see that they were being governed by a group that had more in common with a mafia family than an American presidential administration. And tonight, on Keith Olberman’s show “Countdown” the National Security Agency “whistleblower” I mentioned in my previous post was on a second time – confirming what is in the book “Shadow Factory” that virtually every American’s phone calls and emails have been monitored to some degree by the federal government over the past 6 years or so. There is much to learn about this illegal activity, but, to me, it is even more egregious than the torturing because it initiates the possible tearing down of our constitution. And this is the issue which could possibly take the honeymoon status off of the Obama Presidency – and in a hurray.

It was reported tonight on one of the shows I watched that President Obama is reluctant to follow through on his pledge to re-make the FISA legislation that he voted for, much to the dismay of supporters such as myself, and restore the original intent of the law, which was to force the government to have probable cause before it could listen to the phone calls of its citizens. The report said that Obama was reluctant to give up the power. Now, this is exactly why I have been pushing so hard for a thorough investigation of the Bush administration and then, where warranted, prosecutions. I don’t care who the president is, it is much more difficult for politicians to give up power than to usurp it. And I don’t want to “trust” Obama to “just listen to the terrorists” as he data mines all the communication happening in this country. It was even reported tonight that the NSA under Bush was collecting data on credit card transactions by American citizens. YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! This has to be stopped and if Obama is reluctant to do it, then it is up to us – the people of this great nation – to demand action. As encouraging as the first two days of the Obama administration has been – THIS IS A MATTER OF NATIONAL SECURITY! – The security of our constitution.

Bush’s actions in the wiretapping scandal need to be fully investigated – and screw any of his convoluted “national security” excuses – and anyone who participated in these felonies should have to face up to what they have done. Just like the guy who was speaking out on Olberman’s show, the people working for the NSA know what the law is. The telecom companies have experienced lawyers who know full well what the law is. Everyone involved knows what the law is and they knew they were breaking it (at least we need to find out who did know what was going on). The NSA whistleblower on Olberman’s show was fired for questioning the legality of what was happening – and he didn’t come forward until after Bush was out of office because of the fear of retribution – which everybody who has been paying attention also knows was a reality with Bush. So, now we have Republicans, the so-called “strict construtionists” when it comes to the constitution defending a policy that clearly violates the right to privacy of millions of Americans. We’re all guilty of some level of hypocrisy in our lives, but these guys keep taking it to extremes. I hope they continue trying to hold up this nomination, with the end result of their actions a thorough national discussion on torture, wiretapping, outing CIA agents, war profiteering, fraudulent no-bid contracts (which actually led to harm for our troops in Iraq), firing Justice department officials for political reasons, refusing subpoenas to Congress, shredding evidence, committing troops to “harms way” without proper protection, and corruption regarding the so-called TARP bailout funds. This discussion, I believe will lead to accountability for all these wrongs, and the Attorney General they are playing games with, I trust, will enforce the law – as it is written. In an attempt to show Republicans the true spirit of bipartisanship, we need to make sure President Obama knows that if he ignores Bush’s actions he, himself, will have part ownership in them!

On his first day President Obama showed that maybe times really are a changin – as per the words of Bob Dylan for those of you old enough to remember him. Some very significant “stuff” came down today as Obama spent his first day in charge in the Oval Office of the White House. While this is not really what’s on my mind, because I haven’t erased the caution flags I’ve got stored there regarding the so-called Grand Old Party, I do think Obama’s first day was impressive. One symbollic move which I applaud, he froze the salaries of all upper level members of his cabinet and administration. Additionally, he instituted an executive order which set some badly needed standards on the effect of lobbyists on his administration and on lobbying for those leaving his administration. He is also rumored to have instructed the military leaders to begin the pullout from Iraq and get it done within the 16 month timeframe he pledged in the campaign along with supposedly preparing an executive order to be made official tomorrow ending the disgrace in Guantanimo Cuba, commonly referred to as Gitmo. These are all welcome and impressive moves for his first day, but at the same time, there was plenty of news to sober us all up from the inaugural and make crystal clear the enormity of the challenge which lies ahead.

In a day or two I hope to post my thoughts about the gravity of the economic crisis that is more real than most Americans, even today with all the headlines for the past 4 months fresh in our minds, realize. This thing is huge, and Obama definitely faces some “difficult” decisions ahead. And the republicans are already rearing their ugly oppositional heads. It won’t be long and we will be hearing the “tax and spend” propoganda from them without honest accountability for what has gotten us into the crisis we are facing. They, of course, will claim no part in the problems that are choking our nation and will only get worse before they get better. Republicans are counting on the attention span of the American public to be about the same as my 6th grade students – which is about 10 minutes – for the good ones! This leads me in a way back to some of my rants as we approached the final days of GW Bush. If you’ve read any of those posts, you’ll remember that I said, on several occasions we will be dealing with the fallout from GW for years to come. Also, approximately three to four weeks ago, I wrote regarding the gravity of my concern about the warrantless wiretapping scheme perpetrated by Bush/Cheney et al on the American public at the expense of our constitution and in the name of fighting “The war on terror.”

I’m not trying to pat myself on the back here (well maybe I am, come to think of it – there’s got to be some payoff for reading all these books – and basically, unless someone steps up and comments on my “blog” I’m writing to myself anyway) but tonight one of the “workers” at the National Security Agency came forward, and on the Keith Olberman show (OK, all the Fox “News” buffs out there are going to discount this because it happened on Olberman’s show and Olberman is clearly biased – but the guy stated he didn’t come forward sooner because of his fear of retribution when Bush was still in office – that should be an eye opener in itself, even for the die hard republicans) he started what I believe will be a stream of “whistleblowers after the fact” from inside the Bush administration who are going to come “clean” with what they were doing, under orders from the top. This guy witnessed our government collecting EVERY phone call, email, communication they could get their ears to/hands on for the past six years (In fact, I’ve heard reports that this illegal wiretapping commenced prior to 9/11).

This is called “Data mining” and the government then filters through the information presumably in an attempt to stop the next terrorist attack – by the way, they should have stopped 9/11 with the tools they had prior to the World Trade Center tragedy – and, in reality, they are asking us to trust that they won’t cheat and follow in Nixon’s footsteps (probably earpieces would be more appropriate) by listening in to their “enemies.” If you want to get a clear picture of what they’re doing and the gravity of it, read James Bamford’s “The Shadow Factory” and you’ll not be surprised by what this guy said tonight. He’s going to be back on the air tomorrow, so if you missed it, and if you have any concern for the sanctity of our constitution, watch Olberman tomorrow (9/22) for the second half of this guy’s “story.” I’m telling you this tonight, if you’re not me and you’re reading this post, because Obama’s plate just got a lot more full! I’ve stated repeatedly that Obama needs to allow investigations and prosecutions of the Bush administration to go forward, or he will be threatening his own viability within his “base” and he will be himself participating in the undermining of the belief that we are a nation of laws and not men. He’s already under heavy pressure to allow prosecutions to go forward on the admitted policy of torture authorized and condoned by Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and others. There are seven “grunts” in Leavenworth for the abuses at Abu Ghraib, and Bush and the others are still walking free.

Well, now we have comfirmation that Bush/Cheney authorized a massive intrusion on the privacy of almost all Americans. Keep in mind that every time there is a wiretap without a warrant a felony has been committed and the penalty is 5 years imprisonment and a $10,000 fine! THAT’S FOR EACH INFRACTION! Well, these guys are well into the millions with this abuse and it is a direct attack on our constitution (the right to privacy), our legal system (the FISA law), and our general belief that our leaders take an oath to defend the constitution and faithfully execute the laws of the land. HOW CAN BARRACK OBAMA LOOK THE OTHER WAY? HOW CAN HE STEP INTO OFFICE AND SET HIGH STANDARDS FOR THE CONDUCT OF HIS APPOINTEES AND HIMSELF, AND THEN IGNORE AN OBVIOUSLY HUGE CRIME??? President Obama is really on the spot now.

There was a chance Obama was going to get bailed out on the torture problem, because I’ve heard multiple rumors that foreign leaders were going to go after Bush/Cheney if our leaders don’t. Now, wouldn’t that just beat all. We don’t have the spine to deal with these criminals ourselves so the French or the Germans or the Austrians do it for us. And from what I’ve heard in the quotes from them, they feel bound and determined to enforce the international laws that were originally put in place by, YOU GUESSED IT, The United States of America. I hope it doesn’t get to that because it would, in itself, bring President Obama down a notch or two if it happens – but now, on top of that OBVIOUS criminal action, we have possibly even more serious criminal action. I mean five years for each felony! We’re talking millions upon millions here! Of significantly more interest tonight, at least to me, the guy who was letting us know the truth about the true targets of the wiretapping, said the government was collecting information on members of the news media, listening in on phone calls, intercepting emails, spying on computer useage (a bit of inference here, on the last one). You could see Olberman squirm a bit, because I’m sure he realized what the guy was saying was that Olberman himself was a target. Probably a bit unnerving, even if you’re a prominent national figure. This is REALLY BAD, and it’s going to get worse – I believe more people are going to be coming out with damning information.

You will have the people like this guy who is doing so based on his conscience and you will be seeing a flood of “insider” books, similar to Scott McClelland’s “What Happened” hitting the shelves within a few months. I suspect some of them will be competing with each other to get the story out first because of the possibility for lucrative book deals while the story is still fresh and hot. The point is, aside from these two almost treasonous crimes, there is the war profiteering, the cronie politicizing of the entire government, the violations of the Hatch act (where administration cronies go around to the various agencies and “push” the company line – where non-partisan is the norm), the destruction of the Justice department, the outing of Valerie Plame, the energy task force and what they may or may not have agreed to and done, and the list goes on. President Obama might as well just let the prosecutions begin right now, to get this out of the way as soon as possible. For anyone out there who still doesn’t “get” the gravity of all this let me explain just one aspect of it to you.

You might be a republican and maybe even thinking you don’t want the democrats who now control Congress and the White House listening in on your phone conversations or reading your emails, without a warrant. Well, the mechanism is in place for our government, and virtually any government in the world that can afford a few thousand dollars to pay the companies in Israel who have developed all the listening technologies making all this possible, to view everything we write on our computers and send via email, or listen to virtually any phone conversation we have on land lines or cell phones. It will be much more difficult to get the technology removed than it was to get it deployed. That is the problem now – and worse still – the worst contries in the world, from the perspective of many people concerned about human rights, have the same technologies. Because the fiber optic lines wrap around the world like a few rubber bands on your wrist, this technology is readily available and widely used. Thanks to Bush/Cheney et al and our NSA, whose policy led to the development of this technology on a wide scale – governments all over the world are listening in on their citizens, and in places like Viet Nam, China, and other totalitarian regimes they are using this technology to squash dissent.

The damage we know about already, and it’s only day two of the Obama administration, is HUGE to say the least. I remind you, we are just at the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. So, as I mentioned the other day, it won’t be surprising if President Obama starts getting migraines. He’s got a lot of potential situations that could cause anyone to get a headache. Yes, he has to focus on the economy, he’s got a couple occupations that need a lot of work, there is a crisis going on in Gaza, republicans are starting their obstructionist tactics and some of Obama’s key cabinet officials are not yet confirmed, but the reality is that he just can’t look the other way at this stuff. I’m going to do everything I can to support President Obama as he tackles all these problems, including a bit of advice. Mr. President, it would be inappropriate to throw your shoes at GW Bush, but you should throw the “book” at him!

It is safe to say that today marked a day that I never imagined would happen in my lifetime. As Barrack Obama took the oath of office I was sitting in a classroom of 6th graders who, by about 80%, were glued to the television screen and seemed to understand the historical significance of the moment. Now, these are a loveable group of kids in a lot of ways, but as a teacher there is a lot not to love about them. Hardly any of them take school seriously, hardly any of them turn in their assignments, and hardly any of them can tell you what they want to do when they grow up. Most of them are mired in what I’m sure seems like hopeless generational poverty – they just don’t believe “Yes we can.” Although it sounds good to them, they just don’t believe it, at least enough to motivate themselves to strive to “be like Barrack.”

At least that is today. My hope is that, as a teacher, I can use the significance of today to motivate a group of kids to understand that they are important. The fact that no one in their family has ever been to college, in fact most don’t have anyone who’s graduated from high school, doesn’t mean they don’t have a special place awaiting them if they can just figure out how to work for something. I listened to Obama’s speach with the ears of someone who’s interested in politics (a lifetime interest – which should be obvious if you’ve read many of my posts) and someone who takes the responsibility of being an educator very seriously. It is the former interest that motivates most of my thoughts for tonight, but I can say for sure that Obama has gained the attention of my students. If anything will help me to get them off the “snide” it may be his election. I work in a school that is very diverse, and the kids are excited that Obama doesn’t look the same as the leaders they have gotten used to watching on TV and listening to their parents bad mouth (I don’t bring my politics into the classroom, but in this case I don’t have to – their parents are mostly victims of “trickel down” economics).

As I digested what I heard today, I felt better and better about Obama’s speech while the clock ticked off the rest of the day. First of all, in a very subtle manner, Obama was not complimentary of the Bush administration – he signaled a significant change from the previous policies in just about every way. Whether that means he’s going to do the right thing and “discover” all the “ills” of the last eight years remains to be seen, but the direction of our government will be an “about face” if he follows through on his word. I really liked his call to service of the American people. I’m really tired of a government which throws out endless promises and asks for nothing in return. The truth is that, while some people are doing just fine thankyou, there is a growing segment of the population who are in financial trouble – mirroring our national government – and need to feel that the rest of us are going to be there for them. So, the general mindset of the people is the first thing that has to change. He is challenging us, as a nation, to take up the call to serve in some fashion, and I’m thankful for that.

Today, while all the celebration was going on the banking system fell further in the hole it has created for itself, presumably looking for a larger “lifeline” from the government. The Iraq and Afganistan occupations continue, with people dying daily, our roads and bridges continue to crumble after close to 30 years of neglect, and our manufacturing base is virtually relocated to whatever nation has the cheapest labor at the expense of our blue collar workers.

Tomorrow, Obama will begin what may be the most monumental task any American President has ever undertaken. To listen to him, he surely sounds as if he’s up for the job. I feel with certainty, however, that the rosy nature of the picture is going to change dramatically the moment he walks into the door of the oval office. I guarantee you that people like Rush Limbaugh and Shawn Hannity were not celebrating today. And they will be hard at work tomorrow spreading their untruths in an effort to keep “We the People” from getting too excited about all that is going on. They will be fighting for their very existence, and I don’t expect them to go away quietly (although I can’t express how badly I’d like to see them go away). Reality is going to be uglier and uglier. It will be at least 6 months to a year until whatever is proposed in the first few weeks has any effect on the sinking economy. I wish I could say that we were all going to pull together and try some things and if they don’t work try some different things, with everything aimed at helping the people who need it most – in my mind a good start would be the people who are losing their homes. But, to me, the reality (and I hope I’m wrong) is that the Republicans will be looking for the first opportunity to undermine Obama’s plans.

As sure as the sun comes up tomorrow you can expect a big push to funnel an additional large sum of money to the banking industry, based on today’s news. I don’t know if Obama is going to fall for this or not – I’ve already read reports that the crisis is spreading rapidly AGAIN and the fear mongers are out in full force. Citibank, Bank of America, The Bank of Scotland, and others are presumably “on the brink” if they don’t get additional “bailout” money. So far Henry Paulson (thank God he’s not the Treasury Secretary anymore) dished out $350 Billion with virtually no oversight – something Congress vowed not to allow, but allowed anyway – and the banks very arrogantly have used the money for all kinds of purposes except what it was originally intended for. SO WHY WOULD WE GIVE THEM MORE??? That doesn’t make sense to me – I hope the government takes the second half of the TARP money and aims it right at the homeowners who are in foreclosure and helps them to restructure their loans so that they can remain in their homes, the banks can continue to get income from the mortgages, and possibly we can keep a million or so homes from going on the auction block.

Then there’s the thought, shared by Joe Biden and Joe Lieberman during the campaign, that the “terrorists” will test the new president early in his administration. Now, if you read all the available info on the early part of the Bush administration, they had plenty of evidence to stop the 9/11 attacks in its tracks – they just lacked a functioning intelligence system in conjunction with the FBI and the defense department. The National Security Agency even had a bead on the two original hijackers who came to this country and just let them wander around, unimpeaded, for over a year as they prepared to take out the Twin Towers and the Pentagon. This will be another reality facing President Obama (sounds great doesn’t it?) tomorrow as he goes to work. Add to this the unemployment numbers that are burgeoning upward and it wouldn’t be too surprising if Obama went home early on his first day with a migraine headache!

All this said, and despite the enormity of the task (and I’ve only hit the tip of the iceberg, so to speak) I have to admit I’m excited. I’m realistic to understand that President Obama is only going to make me happy part of the time – and the possibility that he could make me very unhappy is real – but I’m as excited as I’ve been for as long as I can remember. It’s almost like it would have been if Robert Kennedy had not been killed and had become President instead of Richard Nixon back in 1968. Then I would have faced the prospect that I face today – The man I supported won! Now, I supported Jimmy Carter, but only after he became President – with Obama I’ve been partially or totally on board right from the start. The expectation is high, and it is up to me to keep it realistic. Obama says he’s the President of ALL Americans, which means he’s President over the ones I’m not too happy about, like Limbaugh, Hannity, Bush, Cheney, Rove, Delay, etc. So there’s bound to be stuff happening that I don’t agree with, but the tenor of the speech today, sounded like something I’ve waited my lifetime to hear (actually John Kennedy gave a good speech – The problem is I was just about the age of my students at the time and we didn’t have TV’s in the classrooms in those days). My challenge to President Obama: Live up to the words of your speech!

It’s almost time for one of the historic milestones of this nation’s history. I have been looking forward to this date with a combination of anticipation and anxiety for several years. Of course, the main reason for both was my desire to see GW Bush out of the White House. I’m presently reading (again) “George W Bush versus the US Constitution” – The Conyers Report which was compiled by the House Judiciary Committee Democratic Staff. This book was “compiled” in 2005 and it focuses on the deceit that led to the war, torture, the illegal spying on Americans that was known at that time (of course a lot more is known as Bush leaves office), the outing of Valerie Plame – a CIA undercover agent (this is an act of treason!), and the cover-ups that went with all this behavior. I’m reading this book again, mainly because I’m in between books, but I’m not sure if it makes me more unhappy with Bush (who I’m obviously very unhappy with) or the Democrats who knew all along that he was committing “High Crimes and Misdemeanors” along with at the very minimum Dick Cheney – but likely Rumsfeld, Gonzales, and others – yet did nothing about it. The constant refrain from the Democrats was that “We don’t have the votes in the Senate.”

Well, they still don’t have the votes in the Senate and we need a clear change in direction if this nation is to recover from the abuses of the past 30 or so years so can we expect more caving? Today a good friend of mine came to visit, who is a lifelong Republican, and, while it was good to see him, he made reference to Rush Limbaugh as he was preparing to leave. Not in a way that would spark a discussion, we were talking about the Pittsburgh Steelers and, evidently, the Steelers are maybe the only thing that Rush and I can agree on. The thing that bothered me is how bad do things have to get for people like my friend to figure out how toxic Rush and those he represents are and have been since the 80’s? These people care about nothing except their bank accounts. It is for this reason, along with the necessity of REAL CHANGE, that I believe a thorough understanding of the Bush administration and Republican politics is necessary. However, what is motivating my thoughts tonight is the banking crisis.

I’m afraid that many people feel since the government has funnelled $350 Billion into the banking system that all is well. Of course, nothing could be further from the truth. And, in fact, where this money has gone is probably one of the more pressing areas that should be investigated once January 20th has come and gone. The reports I’m hearing are a bit disconcerting. I don’t know anyone with the possible exception of Henry Paulson who trusts these bankers as far as they can throw them. They are already clamoring for the second wave of the TARP bailout, where so far none of the original $700 Billion has gone for it’s original intent – to purchase the so-called toxic loans from banks that were in trouble due to the mortgage crisis. Paulson somehow managed to get this bill through with enough flexibility in it for him to do whatever he wanted with the money. And if you look closely at what is known that he did with the money, a lot of his (presumed on my part) buddies got a windfall – with little or no government oversight. In fact, as far as I know, the banks are not even required to tell Congress what they are doing with the funds. In the meantime my friends, and presumably yours, who are losing their homes and need some help from US are still on the sinking ship, so to speak.

What most Americans probably aren’t able to conceptualize is that as these people continue to spiral downward it is taking the rest of us with them. At some point we will have to realize as a society that we are, to a certain extent, in this thing together. Over the last half of my life I have watched as the focus of our society has shifted from the family to the individual. Getting rich quick is the “carrot” that the “free market” impersonators have dangled in front of our noses for the past 30+ years. Based on this thinking they came close to “privatizing” Social Security which they hate (to them it’s socialism) – can you imagine the fallout if Bush had succeeded in doing this? I’m sure they would be saying something like just be patient, that 50% of your stock holdings that are gone will come back over time. Greed has a shelf life and in my view, it has reached the expiration date in this country. Part of the investigations I have been pushing so hard for have to be aimed at Paulson and the banks he “gave” $350 Billion of our tax dollars to. If it is true the banks are hoarding the money, paying off debt, and purchasing assets with it instead of loaning the money to the businesses and consumers who fuel this economy then something needs to be done about it. I’m telling you, the Bush administration has acted for eight years like there are no laws or rules that apply to them. THIS IS A LOT OF MONEY AND WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO IT!

I believe one reason Barrack Obama is hesitant to fully investigate Bush et al is that the damage could lead to some real lofty places. In a time when he is going to be valiantly attempting to restore some stability to our system, I’m sure the prospect of some of the largest corporations and most prominent corporate heads being in cahoots with a corrupt government gives pause to Obama and his plans to “right the ship.” But, I will say it again, it doesn’t seem to matter where you look, regarding George W Bush and the people he chose to run our government, there is significant damage to the system that we all rely on. Today, I read an editorial In the New York Times by Thomas Friedman suggesting Obama use the “Shock Therapy” that the United States government has inflicted on one unsuspecting nation after another since the early 70’s and explained superbly by Naomi Klein in “The Shock Doctrine.” This would be more of the same, and I really hope Obama avoids the temptation to allow the people who created this mess to try to get us out of it. I am really concerned that this crisis is exactly what the perpetrators of “Supply Side” economics want, and that they are in the process of circling overhead like a bunch of vultures to pick up the pieces once the crisis is at its peak.

Republicans are operating as if they did not cause this situation and our Congress is just giving them the money necessary to overcome their own greed. Watch the business news on TV one day – it is amazing to me to see a group of people who thrive on gambling on the stock market. You see one “expert” after another predicting where the “bottom” is, awaiting the go signal for when the next “boom” will begin – evidently the challenge is to get in at the absolute low point. These are people who presumably make large sums of money without producing a single thing. Does it make sense that at some point we have to start producing things in order to fuel a healthy economy? These people seem to hate unions, yet they thrive by making what looks to me like unearned income off of the backs of workers. And the more they can squeeze from the workers, the more they can get for themselves by this frenzied trading of shares in the corporations. They have created a false economy and we are going to pay the price for it. I don’t believe we can borrow ourselves out of this – that’s why we need to investigate this whole TARP program – I believe we need to work our way out of this crisis.

It is true that if there is a thorough investigation it is possible for the entire leadership of this nation to change. To me, that would be welcome news. Uncovering the sins of the past, wherever an investigation might lead, would allow us to feel at least somewhat like we were being guided by leaders who had some sense of principal. I’m sure Obama doesn’t want fallout to infiltrate the Democratic party, but the reality is that we all know corruption isn’t controlled by one party. In that sense we truly have a two party system. We have come to a place in our society where political corruption just seems to be accepted. Take for example Tom Delay – I have seen him on several occasions on TV as a guest critic – despite the fact he is one of the more corrupt members of Congress and was forced to resign in disgrace. It’s almost like that doesn’t count. I could go on, but my point (which I’ve been trying to make for days now) is that if we don’t permanently get rid of these people by holding them legally accountable for their misdeeds, they will continue to re-emerge and the “beat will go on.” I, for one, have had enough of the corruption of Washington, DC!

I spend a lot of time thinking about what I can do to help move things in this country I love in a positive direction. The reality that keeps coming back to me is that we can’t just “look forward” as President Elect Obama would like, we have to look back and address what we can about those actions our government has taken which are wrong – and the list is much greater than most of us are aware, or even that we want to know. But you can’t move forward by ignoring the past. The past that we CAN’T afford to look beyond, at this point, isn’t quite here yet – by that I mean the Bush administration. Every day I’m finding out more of what they have done to undermine the very fabric of what has made this the strongest nation in the world. And the reality is that the world is suffering right along with us due to all the indiscretions of GW Bush and his cohorts. The damage, as I’ve mentioned many times on this site, is huge. I firmly believe we will be reliving and re-experiencing the “costs” of the Bush administration for years, possibly decades to come.

The outward damage, by that I mean the damage that we can all readily see, is enormous in its own right. As I mentioned in my last post, Keith Olberman went through a list of known improprieties of the Bush administration and it was startling. These people started undermining our country right from the first day they were in office. As I also mentioned in the last post, within hours of GW Bush putting his hand on the Bible and swearing to uphold the laws of the land and to defend the constitution he began the process of undoing them. And his reach went beyond our own laws, but into the very things we think we stand for but depend on our government to uphold. For example, no matter where people stand on the Arab/Israeli conflict, most people I know agree that the US involvement in helping to secure a peaceful resolution to the crisis is something we can all support. On that line, most people, including myself, don’t (or didn’t – I learned this a couple weeks ago) understand that Bush withdrew America from the actual Arab/Israeli peace process within hours of taking office. This has put us in a precarious position as this conflict is heating up again – We have no part in attempting to “cool” things off and the entire Arab world believes that anything Israel does is with the complete sanction of the US. Now, I’m not naive enough to think that their invasion of Gaza doesn’t have the approval of the Bush administration, but I believe our public needs a lot more information to be able to decide what we believe our leaders should be doing to resolve this potential HUGE conflict. Just the knowledge that my government has been AWOL from the process for the past eight years is one of the “discoveries” that makes me feel even stronger that Bush/Cheney et al need to answer for their actions legally – as a way for us to demonstrate to the rest of the world that we are a nation ruled by law. In other words, I don’t like the idea of feeling responsible for actions taken by my leaders which I had no idea they were committing.

There seems to be an endless list of these actions. Take for example the problem with mercury levels in the water supply being at dangerously high levels to the point that children are being born with disabilities directly related to this problem. When science creates an awareness to a situation such as this, it is the role of government to be a leader in finding and implementing a solution. In this case, as I understand it, during the latter part of the Clinton administration, upon evidence of this problem becoming indisputable (at least in the scientific community), an executive order was put in place requiring power companies, who had been excluded from previous legislation regarding the issue of mercury contaminating our water supply, to come into compliance with the existing law. High levels of mercury in the drinking water can lead to a variety of issues, the most significant that I see as a school teacher, is an alarming increase in autism among children. Bush reversed this order almost immediately upon entering office to save his “constituents” a significant amount of expense at the expense of millions of American families. I believe there are an almost endless number of issues such as this, where the interests of the business supporters of the administration have trumped the interests of the general population and “We the People” have been routinely kept in the “dark” about what is really going on.

I also think back to Vice President Dick Cheney meeting with leaders of the oil industry and others associated with “energy” including the CEO of Enron to formulate the administration’s so-called “energy policy.” And, of course, as with much that took place in the past eight years every aspect of these meetings were kept secret – even to this day. It’s almost as if they thought “We the People” were working for them instead of the other way around. These abuses seem to go on and on and now we are all paying the price for them (at least all the people I know). This stuff will continue to be uncovered as we stumble our way through the next few years with, hopefully, an administration that is totally focused on “righting the ship.” But, I for one won’t be satisfied with that. I have three children and my second grandchild is due to enter this world next summer and I feel a sense of shame knowing that it is essentially my generation which has allowed this travesty to happen. We can’t just sit idly by hoping that everything gets better and think that we can continue living with the expectation that if our lifestyles don’t progress at the rate of inflation, or some such nonsense, that we are being cheated somehow. WE HAVE TO START ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS AND CHANGE “BUSINESS AS USUAL.”

The way to start is to institute a thorough investigation of the Bush administration (and I’m OK with going back further to previous administrations) so that we fully understand the gravity of what they’ve done and we leave a very clear impression that this type of action is unacceptable. That is the bare minimum. Once we understand what has happened we can simultaneously undertake the corrective actions and make a decision whether or not those who have violated the laws of the land should face prosecution. If you’ve read any of my recent posts you know that I stand firmly in the camp of those who believe prosecution is necessary. Even if that wouldn’t transpire, THE INVESTIGATION IS CRITICAL! We have to know what these people have done in order to fix the problems. And, I believe, there are millions of Americans who don’t want our government to ever go down this path again. I believe if this country is ever genuinely threatened again the world would not believe the response (with proper leadership) – which is what should have happened after 9/11. Had George Bush followed through on his promise to “get” Osama bin Laden we wouldn’t be having this discussion (of course that could have only happened had he not been determined to find a justification to “annex” Iraq’s oil fields and finish off the man who threatened his father).

When you think about it, the fact Bush allowed bin Laden to escape so that he could invade Iraq tells us all we need to know about his motivations. And, as I’ve tried to point out in a small way tonight, we will be finding the remnants of that failed thinking for years to come. The military services need to be rebuilt, the justice department needs to be rebuilt, our infrastructure in our country needs to be rebuilt, our schools and their relationship with the federal government needs to be rebuilt, Wall Street needs to be rebuilt, our banking system needs to be rebuilt, and I could go on. The point is that the mentality that gave us GW Bush was one devised by takers. We have multi-millionaires who have been brainwashed into thinking that paying taxes is an infringement on their “freedom” instead of an obligation they have to give back to a society where they could experience such blessings. We have investors that are still thinking this national disaster is an opportunity to gain great wealth – and many of them will be trying every way possible to avoid paying taxes – should they get “lucky” – kind of the “I got mine, screw the rest of you” philosophy of being a citizen. I can tell you that as a public school teacher I’m trying to instill a different attitude into my students regarding their responsibility as citizens once they have achieved adulthood.

When has one president left another president two wars (both being managed completely ineptly), an economy with the financial sector in almost complete ruins – getting progressively worse and looking at the potential of complete collapse, unemployment numbers spiraling upward with income levels spiraling downward, Wall Street surviving on government handouts, housing foreclosures at the highest levels since records have been kept, our military operating on fumes, a national deficit exceeding a trillion dollars, a justice system turned into a partisan tool, an environment bludgeoned of oversight and controls, businesses by the millions facing failure, state after state looking bankruptcy straight in the eye to the point that vital services will have to be cut, an education policy which has led to an alarming rise in the dropout rate, a healthcare system with millions added to the uninsured and millions of children unable to get medical care, and millions of working Americans looking at retirement accounts that have been cut in half or worse (and claiming “I’m proud of our accomplishments”). I will say it again: THIS IS BAD!!! This will not go away by “looking ahead.” With the hope that he will do the right thing as he tackles this seemingly impossible task, Let’s all say a prayer for President Elect Obama.

If you’ve been reading any of my posts lately you may be feeling a bit like me, that is I’m overly obsessed with the need for President Elect Obama and his Justice Department to clean up the legal mess left by the Bush administration. I’ve been ranting about this for about two months (I’d say I’ve been obsessed with it for far longer, it is one of the main things that drew my support toward Obama, comments he made early in his campaign which he now appears to be drawing away from) and today I was a somewhat encouraged as the “debate” made center stage so to speak. First, this morning before I left for work, I read the NY Times online as I always do and Paul Krugman – in my mind one of the best opinion columnists I have read in my 61 years – made a very coherent and practical explanation why investigating the Bush “regime” is so important. Then, tonight Keith Olberman took it a step further. He not only interviewed Jonathan Turley, a libertarian law professor from George Washington University (I think), who made a clear case why Obama would be making a HUGE mistake to look the other way – in fact, I agree with what I thought I heard Turley say which was that if Obama doesn’t prosecute wrongdoings that he is cognitively aware of, then he begins his administration violating the oath that he will take on Tuesday of next week. For someone who sent Obama money (and believe me, I can’t afford to be sending politicians money) that is a chilling and somewhat depressing thought.

I really want to go into this next period in American history with a sense of optimism, knowing that somehow the core of this great nation which has got us to this point in time will be able to pull us out of circumstances that seem beyond daunting. After interviewing Turley, Olberman listed the abuses of the last eight years. There have been so many that I believe most Americans are pretty much numb to the whole situation. But, finally Bush and company are heading out of town and their arrogance is firmly in place as witness the exit interviews, news conference, and goodbye speech of GW. I feel as certain as I’m sitting here writing this, if Obama lets them walk, it’s just a matter of time until my daughters or my granddaughters are writing the same story. This has not been a few accidental foopahs by well intentioned men. This has been crime after crime by a group of people who despise government and feel that the laws the rest of us have to follow are simply not applicable to them – there is always a way around anything. They have bullied and intimidated their way through eight of the worse years I can remember – they almost hid the damage by promoting a false economy built on borrowing to pay for borrowing – on speculation and gambling and on a system designed to hold down the worker and reward the CEO – in fact, as we have all witnessed in the last year – the “disease” is so severe, that the CEO’s are rewarded with multi-million dollar bonuses as their corporations are going into bankruptcy or government bailout.

If you can’t identify with what I’m saying here, please log onto the net and find Olberman’s list of the wrongdoing of this administration. If you’re a republican, look at the list and then tell me how we are justified in just looking the other way. I believe that Obama is totally misreading the sentiment of the people who you would call his “base.” If he does not allow an investigation to proceed he is making a huge gamble on his own right. He is facing the most trying circumstances any President has faced since FDR and maybe ever. This problem may be in its infancy. I don’t think the American people understand the possibilities here as things continue to spiral downward. When I watch the financial “news” on TV I’m struck by the Wall Street commentators who seem to be grasping to understand where the bottom is so that they can pounce on the situation, therefore making huge profits. It appears to me that many of them look at what is happening as opportunity – which tells me that we possibly have a lot further to go in the downward direction before all the greed and profiteering is “squeezed” out of the system. Their mindset doesn’t appear to have changed much – to me it looks as if they are waiting to resume business as usual. I don’t believe these are “usual” circumstances and the direction that will pull us out of the malaise we are in will be totally different from what we have gotten so used to (in fact I hope it is – I’m really hoping for a return to the time where you have to work your way to prosperity – and not gamble your way there by making obscene profits on Wall Street).

My cautionary advice to Barrack Obama: if you let Bush and company walk without even an investigation into their lawbreaking you are risking being a one-term president. Sure, you have a 70+% approval rating as you are making the transition to power, but that can change quickly. And, while you’re cozying up to the “right” you had better not lose the connection with the voters who got you into office. Many of us voted for you because we felt you had the courage to stand strong against this wave of corruption. We are expecting an absolutely “clean” administration with no “enabling” of members of your administration who step over the line. Along these lines, as I have mentioned before – while I agree the solution to the economic woes left by 30+ years of supply side economics is a “bottom up” approach, there can be no doubt that the solution to the crisis of leadership, the destruction of our moral authority in the world, the healing of the very fabric of this great nation MUST come from the top down. As a school teacher I believe I have become very good at decifering lies – many sixth graders are very good at lying already – and I can say this without a doubt, George Bush, Dick Cheney, Karl Rove, Alberto Gonzales, Condoleeza Rice, these people have told so many lies that they actually believe their own lies. All the negative press in the world will not effect these people at all, if let to walk away they will just feel empowered. In face to face confrontations they will not admit that they have done anything wrong. In their eyes they have been successful. Without prosecution we will be facing their propaganda machine in full force within a couple of years at the most and “the beat will go on.” This is a moral crisis that can only be resolved by the Attorney General of the United States!

I’m really trying to get past this, but my hope is that anyone reading this blog will write to Obama and encourage him to do the right thing. I’m grieved by what is going on in Gaza and want to write about that, but I just feel this is very important and Obama must address this right from the beginning of his administration or it will be too late. A couple of GW Bush’s blunders, which aren’t mentioned much, have led to what is going on in Gaza right now. I realize this is a very complicated situation, but according to Bruce Reidel (former CIA agent and National Security advisor to three presidents) in “The Search for Al Qaeda” GW Bush disbanded the Israel/Palestinian peace process within hours of his inauguration in 2001 and didn’t realize his mistake for 6 years – which was too late. This crisis and the fact that Osama bin Laden is free and still operating is worth a series of posts in itself and I hope to get to that point soon.