I’m trying to write less about Republicans because, as I’ve stated many times, if the Democrats had their act together, they wouldn’t waste their time even giving the Republicans more of a platform than they get on Fox “News.” Many of the things I’ve warned about are coming to fruition for Democrats, so I’ve got to keep up the rhetoric in hopes that I can play a small part in making sure that the Democrats don’t screw up to the point where we get Republicans again in the next 40 years! (keep in mind, I’m an independent voter, but I see the present day Republicans as toxic) These Republicans don’t know when to quit. And when we have a so-called “news media” that is really all about ratings and entertainment – NO ONE SEEMS TO HAVE THE GUTS TO CALL THEM ON THEIR LIES. And, when I say lies, THESE GUYS ARE OFF THE CHARTS!

Now, if you’ve been reading many of my previous posts, you would know that I’m a public school teacher. I work at a school where there is MUCH diversity, both in socio-economic status of the families, and in the nationalities of the students. There are students from all spectrums of our society in my school. One thing I’ve grown really impatient with is racism. And, as a teacher, you learn to identify both the subtle forms of racism as well as the overt racist statements or acts. So, I’m watching the Republican response to a President who has a white Mother and an African Father in almost a state of shock. And, worse for me than the racist actions of the Republicans (I pretty much understood this from the “git-go”), is the lack of will from the news media to call them on it. Before I go any farther on my thoughts of this evening, I will remind you (if you’ve been here before) that I have my issues with Barack Obama. However, his race isn’t one of them. I’m totally impressed with his intelligence, his honorable character, his honesty, and his idealism – I just believe he’s making some fundamental mistakes in dealing with Republicans. However, their actions are so dispicable to me that I’m starting to get angry that people like Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity – to name a few – are being allowed to get away with their racial incitement of the so-called “base.”

I got an email from my brother in law the other day and he lamented that he wished I could convince one of his friends that Rush Limbaugh wasn’t telling the truth. Well, his friend is a former school teacher which would imply that he’s got a college education (I believe his subject was physics) which would imply that he knows how to “fact check” information and knows how to think critically. However, the reality is that there’s a large block of Americans who don’t want to think critically and who listen to these thugs taking everything they say as truthful (educated teachers included). Taking Limbaugh for example. The guy has a long history of being an overt unapologetic racist. I remember when, for some strange reason, he was added to the crew of “Monday Night Football.” That, in itself, caused me to boycott the show, but it only took Limbaugh about a week to get thrown off the air because his racist rhetoric didn’t go over very well with the National Football League’s audience. Of course, his “ditto heads” could care less, which has always led me to believe they agree with him. In fact, I have a (former) good friend who always quoted Limbaugh as if he was a truth teller, and after a couple blatant instances of seeing my friend’s clear racist tendencies, I chose to end the relationship. How can anyone not see through this guy (Limbaugh) when he’s referred to the President of the United States as an “oreo.”

That, of course, would be reference to the fact that Obama is of mixed races with a white Mom and a black Dad. Then, Limbaugh, after all of that has the nerve to call President Obama a racist because of his “stupid” comment regarding the arrest of a Harvard Professor (in his own house for burglary) who happened to be Black and clearly not doing anything wrong – and, personally, I don’t call raising your voice to a Police Officer who has illegally entered your home as being illegal and worthy of handcuffs and a trip to the pokey. In fact, as far as I’m concerned President Obama’s remarks were tame – compared to what he could have said – but at a minimum – THE ARREST WAS STUPID. People like Limbaugh and Beck and Hannity are just looking for anything that they can twist to incite all the racists in their audiences – AND, FOR SOME REASON, THE MEDIA IS AFRAID TO TELL IT LIKE IT IS! It has been shown, since the hubub started, that not only was this cop stupid to arrest Professor Gates, he falsified the arrest documents and he lied about what took place. Of course, the Limbaugh’s and Beck’s out there would always take the Cop on his word without question. Is it any wonder why the men in the Black community don’t trust the police or the leaders of this country? It would only be speculation to try to figure out how many Black Men are incarcerated on trumped up or wrongful charges in America. I understand why President Obama is meeting with the Cop and the Professor – for “beers” – but, in my view, there should be an investigation of the incident and, if the cop lied, as it seems likely – HE SHOULD BE AT LEAST REPRIMANDED, if not fired!

Here’s the mess President Obama’s gotten himself into by “reaching out” to Republicans in an effort to bridge the partisan divide in Washington (a noble idea, but he’s going about it in the wrong way). They feel empowered to keep up the constant stream of lies that fires up the militia minded base they are playing to while, as long as they can continue to get away with their tactics, it’s making President Obama look weak – which is what I predicted months ago. Do you remember Bill Clinton? We put up with eight years of Republicans constantly on the attack against him for mostly frivolous reasons. Now, I have to admit I lost all respect for Clinton when he had his affair and then pointed at me on the TV and lied about it. But, that doesn’t justify the actions of the Republicans. And, make no mistake about it, they’re going to use the same strategy on Obama. They’ll just have to find other “fodder” than Whitewater and womanizing. I mean, it should be obvious to everyone what they’re doing. First it was the tea baggers – people who probably didn’t even understand what they were protesting about – pawns of the Becks and Limbaughs. And then the so-called “birthers” who continue to push the idea that President Obama is not a natural born US citizen. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Where were these birthers when John McCain – who was born in Panama – was the Republican nominee? Now, they had much more of a case there. Despite the fact that both are sons of American Mom’s only Obama has proof that he was born in the USA! The truth is that these people can’t handle the fact that the “Commander in Chief” is Black – THERE’S NO OTHER RATIONAL EXPLANATION FOR THEIR BEHAVIOR!

And they could care less about what’s best for this country. Now, the latest LIE that I’ve been listening to is that the proposed health care reform is designed to “kill old people” and “pay for abortions.” The real problem is that these people are pathological liars – which means they lie so much that they actually BELIEVE THEIR OWN LIES! It is incredible how they can do it with a straight face. And, when someone calls them on it, they either just add lies to their lies or they go ballistic. The other day I listened to an exerp of Glenn Beck’s radio show where a womand challenged him on his lies and the guy went BERSERK! It was unbelievable, and REALLY EMBARRASSING – to think that this country has evolved to a place where a NUT JOB like Beck can have an audience. I have long since boycotted Fox – but I’m about to start watching – just to get a list of advertisors – so that I can contact them and let them know that I won’t be buying any of their products. Personally, I believe that is the only way to reel in these thugs – Beck, Limbaugh, Hannity, and I know there are others that I just can’t bring myself to listen to.

So, these guys are really the enemy of what is best for this nation. Take health care, for example; Does it take a brain surgeon to figure out that if the health care industry is paying lobbyists 1.3 MILLON DOLLARS PER DAY to defeat the health care reform that 72% of the public wants – and they seem to be succeeding in defeating the “will of the people” – SOMETHING’S TERRIBLY WRONG? And the problem here is bi-partisan. I mean, in the last quarter, the health care industry has spent 133 MILLION DOLLARS bribing Republicans and Democrats to stop any meaningful reform – THEY TAKE US FOR BEING STUPID – ARE THEY RIGHT? Getting back to Obama: It’s not too late (although it’s close) to turn the tables on these thugs. This will sound like beating a dead horse, if you’ve been around this site for any amount of time – BUT STEP ONE – is to get the investigations of the Bush administration under way. GIVE THESE THUGS SOMETHING REALLY TO COMPLAIN ABOUT! If the problem is there are still too many Bush people in the Justice Department – GET RID OF THEM! STEP TWO – get after Harry Reid and the Senate Democrats and give them something to vote for. DEFINE THE “PUBLIC OPTION” AND DRAW THE LINE IN THE SAND – NO PUBLIC OPTION, NO BILL, NO VACATION. Model it after Medicare and don’t be afraid to expect people to pay for their health care. I’m already paying $1200 per month for health care for myself and my wife – I believe they can beat the plan I have for a lot less money. STEP THREE – (probably should be step one) STOP TALKING TO REPUBLICANS. Pass the bills, let them complain, continue to work toward balancing the budget by the end of the second term and keep the door open to any moderate Republicans who might decide they want to side with the vast majority of the American people instead of the lunatic fringe who are constantly being incited with divisive rhetoric.

President Obama, if you would go on the offensive as I’m suggesting, I guarantee you that the groundswell of support that got you into this office would be energized. There are millions just like me who are devastated that you’ve gone back on your word that “No one is above the law.” We have a former President and Vice President who are almost bragging about being war criminals – and when you look into the abuses of Abu Ghraib you see that Donald Rumsfeld was the initiator of the abuse there – AND YOU HAVE SHOWN NO BACKBONE IN PURSUING JUSTICE FOR THESE HORRIBLE CRIMES! That deflated my excitement about your Presidency. And, I know that the wiretapping is still going on, I can’t believe a constitutional scholar would sacrifice our liberty for information which could be gained legally – and the public knowledge that you’re continuing the Bush wiretapping is just going to make matters worse for you when it becomes more “public.” I won’t even get into your lack of resolve in ending the wars in Iraq and Afganistan (I realize that Patreaus is persuasive – but you PROMISED!) but at least think about putting the Republicans on the defensive. That is the real war – and if you don’t win it, and you let these thugs off the hook – WE WILL ALL HAVE TO ENDURE MORE OF THE BUSH LEGACY – It will just have a different name on it (well, unless we end up with Jeb Bush – and, if they get back in – these abuses you’re looking the other way about, will be policy again! UGHHHH!). So please President Obama – I suppose free speech protects the lies of Beck, Limbaugh, et al, but the only thing protecting the Republican lawbreakers is a Democratic lack of will! I GUARANTEE YOU THAT INVESTIGATIONS OF THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION WILL TOTALLY CHANGE THE “PLAYING FIELD.”