I keep telling myself that we aren’t as stupid as the Republicans think we are. And, by us, I mean the American people in general. However, it is obvious that there is a bunch of “us” who don’t pay too much attention to what is “going on,” and rely on others for their information. In fact, many of my Christian friends say they hate politics and they just don’t pay attention to it. Personally, I think that would be for the better, except that there is a small number of “Right Wing” politicians who have “snagged” (my word) these Christian’s votes by making a public spectacle about abortion. (Please don’t get me wrong here – this post is not about abortion and personally I can’t find any way to look at abortion as something other than taking a human life – it has been an issue which has grieved me since before Roe v Wade, because I knew of people who considered abortion nothing more than birth control of last resort – this was before it was “legal” – I’ll talk about all that at another time). The problem I have with the abortion issue is with the Christians who don’t pay attention to the “rest of the story” as Paul Harvey used to say – and end up supporting politicians who do things like torture people, invade people’s privacy in violation of the constitution, start illegal wars, and generally support legislation which “bludgeons” the middle class. The irony here is that most of these Christians are members of the middle class.

I’m saying this because the rhetoric of the Republicans who appear to be the “leaders” of this seemingly leaderless party is getting more absurd all the time. And yet, there is always the “base” which seems to be willing to go to the “tank” with these guys. And, apparently the “base” is made up mostly of conservative Christians – many of my friends included. I go to church with these people and I honestly have no idea how they can connect what we learn in church with the reality of what these Republican hypocrits are spewing out each and every day. I have come to appreciate Keith Olberman who has a show on MSNBC every weekday evening and he’s about the only one out there who is willing to take these thugs on face up (well, now they have Rachel Maddow who is doing the same). Despite their obvious “bias” – I find the information on their shows about the closest thing I can find to people trying to report what is actually going on out there (they do not give Obama and the Democrats a “free pass”). For those of you who watch Fox “News” – you might try these guys. I was forced to watch Fox for several months after I discontinued my satellite TV service because it was the only channel that wasn’t stopped. It didn’t take me long to realize that I was watching people who portrayed themselves as purveyors of the news yet they were apparently caucusing with Republicans because their rhetoric was completely parallel to what I was hearing from the Republican politicians. In the six months I watched that station I learned to put Sean Hannity in the same light – or possibly lower if that’s possible – with Rush Limbaugh – the man who I believe has perfected the art of lying on the public airwaves – always to further the propoganda machine of the Republican party.

Well, these guys are getting more absurd all the time. Now we’ve got Limbaugh as the apparent “head” of the party, there’s Dick Cheney running around trying to convince everyone that torture is what has kept us safe for the past 7 and 1/2 years, there’s John Boehner saying that Barack Obama’s policies make him “sick to his stomach,” there’s Alan Keyes (and others) claiming that Obama is a Communist, and it goes on and on. I read today that the Republicans have garnered pledges in the millions to fight Obama’s Supreme Court nominee – it doesn’t matter who it is, they are going to make a battle of it – trying to rile up this “base” – and I GUARANTEE YOU – the debate will center on abortion. (these people have watched quietly as over a million people have died as a direct result of devious decisions made by George Bush – but they will continue to support him because he was against abortion!) They are prepared for a major fight over Obama’s health care proposals which would create a government run health care insurance plan which would compete with the private insurers. The Republicans are opposed to this – not because of the benefits it would have on millions of Americans, especially the ones who don’t have or can’t get health insurance – but because they’re worried millions of Americans who are presently insured with private companies – such as Blue Cross (where I’m insured) – will switch due to the private companies inability to “compete” with the government plan.

These Republicans have tried to “twist” the debate on torture around so that the focus is on Nancy Pelosi – kind of like “you get my guy and I’ll get you” type of philosophy. The problem with that logic is there’s probably a lot of progressives who feel just as I do. INVESTIGATE THE TORTURE ISSUE – COMPLETELY, AND LET THE CARDS FALL WHERE THEY MAY! If Nancy Pelosi did something she shouldn’t have – then I have no different feelings toward her than I do for Dick Cheney. Let everything come out – THIS IS A MUST FOR THE FUTURE HEALTH OF THIS NATION – not to mention the necessity of this happening before we can even hope to regain our “moral authority” with the rest of the world. And, the other thing these Republicans are miscalculating on – they are attempting to give Obama a series of ZERO’S on major legislative votes in an attempt to lead his administration into “failure.” I believe in the process the only thing they’re accomplishing is shrinking their own “base.” Personally, I don’t believe the American people are stupid – and I believe as the economy continues to contract – more and more people are starting to “pay attention.” They are beginning to see these Republicans for what they are – nothing more than irresponsible obstructionists.

Still another thing they’re miscalculating, in my view, is that “Progressives” are like the sheep that Republicans are so proud of being. Nothing could be further from the truth. I believe there are many other people out there who voted for Obama, like myself, who are not automatically going to support everything he does. In fact, I firmly believe that Obama’s “looking forward, instead of backward” is kind of blowing up in his face and it will soon be changed. The only people I’m hearing (now) who support that approach are the moderate Republicans who have begun to lean toward Obama due to the “ridiculous rhetoric” coming from the leaders of the Republican “leadership” (Limbaugh, Cheney, Boehner, et al – ughh!) at this time. The longer Obama waits to start “investigating” the Bush administration the worse the blowback will be. In my view, the simple truth is – the Bush administration MUST BE FULLY INVESTIGATED. Their crimes were too egregious and there were too many of them to just “look the other way” – that’s what is really being said when Obama says “looking forward.”

The arrogance of the Bush administration was off the charts and I believe that the “secrets” will continue to come out for (probably) years to come. Obama would be wise to accelerate the problem this causes him as he tries to push through his agenda by appointing a special prosecutor and getting it over with. Then, he possibly could concentrate on the issues at hand. It has been reported that President Obama is going to meet soon with the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, and there might be an agreement where Israel would support the formation of a Palestinian state. Now, with Israel, we shouldn’t get too excited because there will always be caveats that the Palestinians won’t accept – but this could be a MAJOR HISTORICAL announcement. Yet, I can virtually guarantee that the Republicans will find a way to say this is due to something they have done in the past – and, at the news conference to announce this, there will be questions that relate to torture and whether or not Obama is going to support prosecution of those who authorized it and carried it out. My point: The sooner President Obama supports an investigation of the Bush administration the sooner he can get on with fixing all the stuff Bush and company screwed up!

I guess the thing that is really “bugging” me is the fact that these Republicans just WON’T SHUT UP! If you’ve read any of my previous posts you would know that I believe that having a “viable” opposition party is PARAMOUNT to the success of our republic. The practical solution to that problem is the Republican party, but if the leadership continues to be Limbaugh, Hannity, Cheney, and these governors who are proposing succession from the Union (presumably because we have a Black President – well, half “Black”) – maybe it’s time for the Green Party or some other group to step forward and challenge the Democrats. I know that I would support a party that was willing to firmly adhere to our constitution (no warrantless wiretapping of our people no matter who attacks us, no torture, and no refusals to testify before Congress when issued a subpoena among other things). There are many other Americans who feel just as I do that this idea that we can decide whether or not to prosecute illegal activity is HOGWASH! President Obama doesn’t have much time to figure this out – he will soon start losing support from his “base” in droves – if he doesn’t deliver on the “Change we want to believe in.” There are too many decisions being made that resemble the Bush administration – THIS IS BAD! So far, no troops have come home from Iraq, the warrantless wiretapping continues (that hasn’t even made the “evening” news yet), and the Republicans are twisting the torture issue around on the Democrats (ie – Nancy Pelosi). President Obama, the real war that needs to be won is a “war within!” There is nothing the Republicans won’t say in order to destroy the your administration! They (the Republicans) believe that you, President Obama, don’t have the courage to prosecute them!