The motivation which got me started writing on this site was the incompetence of the Bush administration in virtually every aspect of their “reign.”  Most importantly, the frustration I felt at watching George W Bush and Dick Cheney recreating the national disaster which highlighted my post high school years in the sixties which was, of course, Viet Nam.  Ever since the invasion of Iraq, pundits have been shying away from making the comparison.  Of course, we were not only mired in Iraq – FOOLISHLY and CRIMINALLY (just like Viet Nam) – but we continued the occupation of Afganistan in a fruitless and aimless fashion (also, just like Viet Nam).  All the while boosting the pockets of America’s defense industry (including the many “contractors” who were sending personell to do what our American servicemen/women used to do only for FIVE TIMES AS MUCH MONEY) and, at the same time, RUINING our standing in the world as leaders who believed in freedom and human rights.

Of course, in my view, Iraq and Afganistan have evolved into something worse than Viet Nam.  For one thing, there’s no draft and the “burden” of this war has fallen on an undersized military for the job given it by civilian leaders who had NO IDEA what was involved in prosecuting a war.  The FACT that we have service personell who have had upwards of 6 or 7 tours of duty in these two fiasco’s should speak for itself in supporting those of us who have wanted OUT for many YEARS now.  Worse than that, George W Bush enacted a tax cut – geared mainly toward the wealthiest Americans – that not only took our economy DEEP into the “red,” but led to an underfunding of critical needs of our troops such as armor on vehicles, etc.  Additionally,  Bush (with the “blessing of Congress”) BORROWED every dime that was needed to fund these two occupations.  His suggestion, in answer to a question of “how can the average American support these war efforts,”   was “KEEP SHOPPING!”

 When I read (about two or three years ago – I believe in a book by Sy Hersch) that both Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld had PROFITED by over $100 MILLION each from their stock in companies who were winning NO BID contracts from our involvement in Iraq and Afganistan I was further outraged (there were others in the Bush “inner circle” who managed HUGE PROFITS off of the suffering of the Iraqi people and the abuse of our troops).  Of course, there doesn’t seem to be too much interest from our professional media to expose this crap and one of the reasons I’m down on President Obama is his willingness to look the other way to what happened (not to mention that he is now taking full ownership of these two HUGE BLUNDERS).

As the Bush administration “aged,” the BLUNDERS continued to come fast and furious.  It was like the American people were sitting there helpless, anxiously waiting for this “nightmare” to end.  There was the (non) reaction to Katrina.  There was the evidence that continued to come out during the entire eight years of Bush/Cheney regarding the incompetence leading to 9/11 – it should have never happened (I believe we haven’t learned nearly all we’re eventually going to learn on that one).  There was the incredible “outing” of a CIA agent directly from the Vice President’s office (kind of gives you an idea of why not too many Republicans wanted to take Cheney “on”) – I’m still amazed that further investigation of that TREASON hasn’t happened.  I mean, the executive branch simply CAN’T BE OUTING CIA AGENTS and still claiming they’re “keeping us safe” – as we constantly still hear from the mouth of Cheney.  There was the attempt to “privatize” Social Security (can you imagine where we’d be right now had they succeeded on that one?).  There was the TOTAL POLITICIZING – unapologetically – of the foundation of order in this nation, the Justice Department.  I mean, that one in itself, when you think about it, should be TOTALLY INVESTIGATED and prosecuted where appropriate.  Do you remember; they were actually taking “loyalty oaths” to the Republican party and the Bush administration to hire lawyers for the supposedly NEUTRAL Justice Department.  Just think about what that would do to this nation had they succeeded.  If you weren’t a Republican you’d better watch what you’re saying or you might end up on their “enemy combatant” list.  Remember, Alabama’s  former Governor Donald Siegelman who actually spent 9 months in jail (being moved around to keep him inaccessible to what’s left of the true investigative journalists out there) on VERY SUSPICIOUS charges that can be EASILY traced right back to Karl Rove in President Bush’s White House?  For some strange reason, the Obama Justice Department isn’t paying too much attention to Mr. Siegelman’s woes – I suppose because they are TERRIFIED of taking on the Bush people in court! (I’m actually beginning to wonder if Dick Cheney has the “goods” on our President – this pro-Republican behavior is inexplicable to me)

Bush/Cheney were illegally wiretapping who knows how many American citizens.  And, really, here’s another area of disappointment I have in the new administration.  This is a direct violation of the 4th Amendment to the constitution along with a host of other laws.  Yet, President Obama and Attorney General Holder showed not one ounce of interest in uncovering what happened in a way to assure the rest of us that this kind of abuse wouldn’t be tolerated.  (in fact, Obama and Holder are defending the Bush policies in court – UNBELIEVABLE TO ME)  These people take an oath to uphold, defend, and protect the Constitution when they take office.  It seems that oath doesn’t mean much these days.  Richard Nixon claimed that “if the President does it, it must be legal.”  This was proved wrong at an historic time in American history, but the present Democratic President and Congress are showing an alarming lack of courage to uphold the precedence that “if the President does it and it’s illegal, the President gets prosecuted.”  (I realize Nixon wasn’t prosecuted, but he was essentially impeached – and, had the Democrats impeached Bush I don’t think I’d feel this need to prosecute him and his co-conspirators)

And then there’s everyone’s – well, not everyone, but a lot of us – favorite curiosity that will also seemingly go unanswered – and that has to do with the bailout of the Banks and the resulting MELTDOWN of the economy in Bush’s last pitiful days in office.  For some reason the people in the so-called “liberal” media think those of us who would like to see a FULL INVESTIGATION of the connection between Hank Paulson and the banks who received the TARP funds are fringe nuts or something along those lines.  They don’t seem to see the same possibilities people like me see.  Hank was the CEO of Goldman Sachs prior to taking over as Treasury Secretary.  Goldman’s chief rival in the Credit Default Swaps and derivatives scam was Lehman Brothers and Goldman’s “risk” was “insured” throgh AIG (and, believe me, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW THIS ALL WORKS).  Well, to make a long story short, when Lehman failed and AIG was destined to fail, reports were that Goldman and Morgan Stanley weren’t far behind – maybe a few days.  This is when Paulson jumped into the fray with his famous three page proposal to Congress which specifically would put Paulson in charge of 700 BILLION taxpayer dollars with the usual Bush credo of NO OVERSIGHT.  Well, Paulson didn’t get exactly what he wanted, but he did get enough to essentially have the taxpayers purchase AIG (promising a potential amount of bailout money that I believe normal people like me can’t even imagine) – which was necessary to discreetly save Goldman (AIG had insured a tremendous amount of Goldman’s “risk”) and then throw in another ENORMOUS amount of taxpayer cash to overtly save Goldman, Morgan Stanley, and evidently some banks who didn’t even need the money.  I believe Paulson’s entire portfolio of Goldman stock (I know it was probably in a trust somewhere, but I can’t bring myself to believe that Paulson wasn’t protecting his self interest when obligating me and every other American to the Wall Street banks who caused the huge economic meltdown – to the tune of potentially TRILLIONS of taxpayer dollars) was on the line and he was unabashed in using his position as Treasury Secretary to protect it. (and, of course, Paulson as CEO of Goldman up until 2006 was largely responsible for putting the company in such a risky position in the first place)

The best way I can describe the Bush administration and the people who were at the heart of it is GREED PERSONIFIED.  But, now that we have Republicans running around complaining that Barack Obama isn’t keeping us safe, due to the “underpants” terrorist who failed to destroy a plane headed for Detroit on Christmas day, let’s look at their record for keeping us safe.  It was, after all, on the Bush/Cheney watch that the worst attack in the history of this country took place.  3000 people died because of their incompetency prior to 9/11.  I’m not going to give all the details I’ve read about tonight, but suffice it to say there is OVERWHELMING evidence that the 9/11 attacks should never have happened.  According to James Bamford in “The Shadow Factory,” the NSA had a “line” on the perpetrators to 9/11 from the first days of the Bush administration, but infighting among the different intelligence agencies let these guys pretty much have “free reign” in carrying out their plan.  This doesn’t even take into account all the direct intelligence that was given directly to Bush himself and his immediate surrogates – especially Condoleeza Rice – which was ESSENTIALLY IGNORED.  Bush, as widely reported, chose to take an extended vacation after seeing a memo (the now famous August 6 memo) which basically predicted what was to happen on 9/11.

The Bush/Cheney reaction to 9/11 was beyond reason itself.  Of course, almost everyone – everywhere – supported the invasion of Afganistan to “get” al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden.  Had they just done that, all would be good, and President Bush probably wouldn’t today be widely regarded as the WORST President in our history.  They not only let bin Laden and his cohorts go, they used 9/11 as an excuse to go into Iraq – which was their main objective from the first day they took control of the White House – thus making the United States less safe since then – and for (based on what President Obama is doing) the foreseeable future.  The torture, the rendition, the killing of HUGE NUMBERS OF CIVILIANS, the “bring it on” attitude that President Bush was so proud of – and his supporters seemed to thrive from – has TOTALLY UNDERMINED everything the US worked so hard to achieve as far as its standing in the world – and worked TOTALLY as a major recruiting “tool” for al Qaeda and other extremist groups since the day we “toppled” Saddam Hussein’s government and DESTABILIZED the Middle East.   Republicans turned Iran into a MAJOR force in the Middle East and the world, yet complain bitterly about the very problem they created as if it’s Obama’s fault.  Moreover, listening to these Republicans politicizing the “underpants” bomber as a failure of Obama makes me want to PUKE. 

I even heard one guy today complain that it took Obama “three days” to make a public statement.  Well, it’s Christmas time and I haven’t been watching things too closely the past few days, but I wondered – does this guy want us to compare whatever Obama did to the actions of the Republicans under Bush?  I believe they should think twice before getting into that debate.   Shouldn’t we just be trying to come together as a nation with the intent to figure out how to make it as difficult as possible for terrorists to  succeed while still defending the core principles of our constitution – which the Republicans are likely to attack again (and, to be honest, I’m not too sure about the Democrats – let’s hope we don’t have another assault on the 4th amendment or something like that in response to this guy who evidently ended up burning himself in a very sensitive place).

There’s a lot about what President Obama’s doing that I just can’t accept.  If you’ve been around here much, you know what I mean.  I’ve pretty much channeled my energy from Bush and company to Obama and company – mainly because I’m still VERY UNHAPPY with the direction of MY (and, of course, your) government.  However, let me be clear – THE REPUBLICANS ARE NOT THE SOLUTION!  I’m convinced that there are many reasons why progressives are unhappy with President Obama – and they (we) should continue to express this unhappiness – in the hope that he will “come around.”  However, if that doesn’t happen, we need to make sure that NO ONE MISUNDERSTANDS THE DISCONTENT FOR REPUBLICANS!  Make no mistake, however UNSAFE we are today, whether it’s from the “underpants” dude, or wherever it comes from – the reason is BUSH/CHENEY/RUMSFELD and, essentially, the Republicans who enabled EVERYTHING they did for 6 years.

I, personally, would be willing to support progressive candidates in primary elections to unseat the so-called “blue dog” Democrats who are nearly as obstructionist as the Republicans themselves – that might send a sufficient message to Washington – but, if not, then maybe it really is time for a new political “progressive” party.  What we’re doing isn’t working – ie, the health insurance reform legislation where the Democratic Congress is voting against the will of something like 70% of the American public.  I could get excited about Dennis Kucinich leading a new Progressive (liberal) political party in America!  But, let’s not sit here and allow the “blame game” everytime one of these crackpots tries to commit a terrorist act on this nation.  The only reason I point out the blundering of the Bush regime at 9/11 is because these thugs will use anything to undermine President Obama and they’re “throwing stones from a glass house.”  While I want Obama to “chart” a different course than he’s chosen – I DON’T WANT TO UNDERMINE HIM!  I want him to succeed!  And, for any Republican who might read this, I wanted Bush to succeed as well.  I yearn for America to reclaim her role as an example of a nation which puts the interests of her people before the interests of her politicians and corporations.  I really could care less about which party it was (including a new one) that actually managed to do this.

I’ve been writing since almost before the inauguration about decisions Barack Obama was making that were, to me, “red flags.”  Well, many of these so-called “flags” are coming home to roost.  And, this was my purpose all along, I really hoped President Obama would start to listen to the people who elected him instead of the Rahm Emanuel’s and the Tim Geithner’s and the Larry Summer’s – because – kind of like how I feel with my students when one of them fails- we’re all in this together and IF OBAMA FAILS we all fail.  I’ve also written lately about my frustration with the “pundits” on the “left” who are willing to be the “mouthpiece” for the President – as if those of us who supported him are Democratic carbon copies of the Republicans who fell into line “lockstep” behind George W Bush.  I have listened with admiration to Randi Rhodes for several years and believe she is one of the better informed personalities on the public media – but, felt as if she was talking to me when she called callers to her talk show “stupid” because they were unhappy with the President.  In my view, as stated many times here, THERE’S A LOT TO BE UNHAPPY WITH!

I “get” the argument that if we don’t support Obama the alternative is the Republicans.  And, I’ve felt for some time that Obama’s administration has taken the tactic that just letting the Republicans implode would be enough to get support from the “left” as he directs most of his decisionmaking toward the “right.”  Yes, it’s a darned sight better than the previous administration, BUT THAT’S NOT SAYING MUCH.  To me, the argument that Obama is better than Bush is a non-starter.  I can’t think of a single candidate – well, yes I can – Sarah Palin – who would be worse than Bush (OK, McCain, Pawlenty, Romney, there’s a bunch who would be terribly bad – including GW’s brother Jeb) – it would almost be impossible to be worse than Bush.  Most candidates, whether Republican or Democrat, would have some of the best interests of the American people in mind – which would make them better than Bush.  But, just the topic of being “better than Bush” gets me to the MAIN GRIPE I’ve had since Obama first stepped into the White House.

George Bush and Dick Cheney are DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE for the deaths of – by many accounts -over one million people because of their misadventure into Iraq.  President Obama is essentially carrying out the “Bush doctrine” in Iraq.  I’m sure people like Rhodes would say the withdrawal has begun – which is true – but, the end result of the “withdrawal” from Iraq will be 50-75,000 “non-combat” American forces still stationed there.  The multi-billion dollar American embassy is not going to be left “wanting” for occupancy anytime soon.  If our generals have their way, we’ll have a significant force in Iraq for a generation.  Obama seemingly doesn’t have the “guts” to follow through on his campaign promise to remove the troops within 16 months of taking office.  Not only is President Obama continuing the Bush doctrine in Iraq he essentially enabled their lies and incompetence by blocking any investigation of the Bush/Cheney administration.

Republicans are still claiming that torture is OK – that, despite all the FACTS pointing to torture producing NO ACTIONABLE INTELLIGENCE torture is necessary to keep our nation “safe.”  Of course, there’s millions more – in my “humble” (well, OK, not so humble) opinion who agree with me that Bush, Cheney, and anyone else responsible for the heinous torturing (which led to many murders) during the Afganistan and Iraq fiascos MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.  This is not only for the long term good of our nation – making a statement that this behavior is TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE in America – but also for our standing with the rest of the world.  Whether we like it or not, we are the “leaders” of the “free world” and THIS WAS NOT A GOOD EXAMPLE to set!  Obama’s decision to look the other way will go down in history as a far worse decision than when the Trailblazers (Portland’s NBA team) drafted Sam Bowie instead of Michael Jordan.  It’s probably too late for him to change his mind – but, this decision was just a forerunner of what we were getting from our “progressive” President.

I heard the list of 90 accomplishments of Obama’s first year “the media doesn’t report” again today while driving around and listening to the radio – well, actually just heard some of them, but I’ve heard the list before – and, it’s true there are some accomplishments.  But, I would argue that there’s another side to many of these “accomplishments” – and, from a progressive point of view – that can be argued.  I’m not even suggesting taking on the “tea bagger’s” arguments, or the arguments of the likes of Limbaugh, Beck, Palin, and their ilk.  I’ve personally written all those people off – the only thing they’ve PROVED to me is that if their lips are moving, they’re lying.  In fact, as I’m writing this, I believe that after the enabling of the Bush crimes the thing that bothers me the most about our President is that he’s even negotiating with these thugs.  We had had enough of them when we voted him in, and weren’t looking for someone to worry about what they thought of the proposed solutions to the “Bush mess.”

The reality of Obama’s first year to me is that MILLIONS of Americans are out of work and our new administration seems to be all talk and no action when it comes to REAL solutions to the problem of unemployment.  And, I can guarantee you when they use the excuse of this health care legislation as the reason for no significant ADDITIONAL stimulus (to the insuffiecient stimulus package passed earlier in the year) IT’S NOT GOING TO FLY with millions of Americans.  And, when the working “stiffs” in this country who have been keeping the union movement afloat find out that the healthcare packages they’ve sacrificed wages for in tough negotiations are going to be taxed if the Senate health care bill becomes law – OBAMA’S GOING TO LOSE A LOT OF SUPPORT IN THE UNION MOVEMENT.  And, when the 40 MILLION Americans who are going to be forced to buy health insurance from the very companies who are presently ripping off the system – there’s going to be a lot of unhappy “progressive” campers on that one as well.  I’m glad President Obama trusts the health insurance companies to lower their rates after this bill goes through – forgive me – but I don’t trust them AT ALL!  I would prefer there was not trust at all in this bill – if the government had stuck to their guns (maybe with enough of a backlash they still will) on the public option and actually made it available to ALL AMERICANS – then you’d see progressives excited and mobilizing for the next “fight.”  There would actually be reason to believe the insurance companies would be facing REAL COMPETITION and our government was serious about reform.

One of Obama’s 90 accomplishments is that he’s “starting to get us out of Iraq.”  To me, his lack of willingness to show courage regarding Iraq (Most of our troops should be home already and ALL should be coming home – within the 16 months he PROMISED!) ranks right up there with his biggest failings.  And, the escalation of the Afganistan occupation is a gamble that could be even more devastating to the United States of America.  I think I understand the reasoning behind the move – but, it was definitely the “easy way out.”  I believe, personally, that we could bring our troops home and still not “abandon” Afganistan.  The $65 BILLION we’re going to spend on this newest “surge” (along with the money we’d be saving had Obama kept his promise to bring the troops home from Iraq) would do wonders in stabilizing Afganistan – and there are many who believe this could be done without a bunch of US troops over there killing people.  If I actually believed there would be a concerted effort to neutralize al Qaeda, it would make more sense to me (although we shouldn’t need the additional 50,000 troops Obama’s now committed to Afganistan to do that) – us remaining in Afganistan, but the Afgan people don’t want us there and it seems that Obama may be defying history thinking he can “nation-build” in the place often referred to as the “graveyard of empires.”

Finally, we hear about Rahm Emanuel making comments like “we don’t have to worry about the liberals,” Randi Rhodes calling progressives who disagree with Obama “stupid,” and Obama himself questioning members of Congress as to why they’re not happy with him (John Conyers for one – I’m sure there are others).  This attitude is going to be exactly what the Republicans will need to get rejuvenated.  THEY SHOULD BE HISTORY.  But, leave it to the Democrats to, in my opinion, be the ones who are “stupid.”  There are many more besides myself who will either sit out the next election or vote for something other than a Democrat.  I’m an independent and I voted straight Democrat the last time to send a message to the Republicans (obviously, they didn’t get the message – but neither, evidently, did the Democrats).  Ralph Nader is looking better and better to me.  The truth is that I’m getting up there in years, I don’t have the energy to become involved in the Democratic party to “change it from the inside” as some have suggested, and I continue to look for leadership that I can trust.  When I voted for Obama I had the upmost respect for him (still do in a lot of ways).  I’m choosing to believe the problems are coming from the people he’s surrounded himself with.  As soon as he chose Rahm Emanuel as his chief of staff I went “uh oh!”  And, nothing has happened to change my mind about that problem since.

And, how is Wall Street going to be re-regulated when Obama’s two economic advisors were right in the middle of the de-regulation which caused the meltdown.  I believe that both Geithner and Summers have ties to Goldman Sachs which, while maybe not as strong as Hank Paulsen’s, are such that they should have been disqualified for their respective positions.  And, nothing that’s happened since Obama took over has caused me to change my mind on that “red flag” either.  In fact, I believe it’s probably Emanuel who’s giving Obama the advice that’s liable to get him in further “hot water” with the true progressives.  President Obama’s not only acting “Bushlike” in too many ways, he’s defending Bush abuses in court (such as the state’s secret claims Bush made in order to keep his illegal activities from the public).  Two of the things I felt were non-negotiables that we would get with Barack Obama as President were transparency and honesty.  If I could talk to the President in person I would ask: President Obama: how is defending “state’s secrets” transparency and claiming you didn’t promise the “public option” honesty?  (his promise of the public option is on tape, I’m sure)  I want President Obama to succeed enough, that I’m going to keep writing, because I’m convinced that at the present rate he will be a one term President.

I’m always trying to get a grasp on my own thoughts as I “ponder” what’s going on back in Washington DC.  Often times I’m not too happy with the way I express myself – thinking I could be much clearer.  I’ve been trying to find a balance to my sense that “blind loyalty” to any political candidate is TOTALLY WRONG – I mean, that seems to me to be the way the Nazi’s took power in the thirties in Germany.  I couldn’t stomach the Republicans and their blind loyalty to the administration of GW Bush and Dick Cheney.  I better understood why some of them were “staying in line” after reading “Angler” by Barton Gellman – Cheney got the “goods” on many of them while “vetting” potential VP’s prior to appointing himself as Vice President after GW was nominated in 2000 – but, I continue to watch in amazement as Republicans everywhere seem to cower from the potential rath of Rush (Limbaugh for those of you with your head in the sand) and support what seems to me to be very un-Republicanlike policy.  In fact, to me, the Republicans have become a bad joke – with leadership the likes of Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin, Dick Armey, Newt Gingrich, and a slew of others who spend every waking hour hiding their personal behavior from their politcal self-righteous clamoring to a “base” which seems to be continually shrinking – the Republicans stand for nothing anymore accept maybe NOTHING (a better way, maybe to put it is that they ARE AGAINST EVERYTHING – as long as Obama “fails”).

So, faced with that as the opposition, things should be mighty EASY for the Democrats, right???  Well, not so fast – if you’ve been following the so-called health reform debate – you’ve seen the American political system as it’s seemed to have evolved into almost a total embarrassment of special interest bribery.  I don’t know any other way to put it.  “We the people” spent an enormous amount of energy during the last election putting the first African American (we all thought he was a “true progressive”) into the White House signalling a supposed “break” from the past.  The promise:  “The change we can believe in.”  The chant:  “Yes we can” – presumably meaning “yes we can” have “the change we can believe in.”  Additionally, we worked double time to put a supposedly “filibuster proof” majority into the Senate on top of a huge majority of Democrats in the House.  It was all in place: health care reform, energy reform, the cleaning up of the Justice Department, the clean-up of the mess left behind by Bush/Cheney in all areas – including investigations of the illegal activity ensuring that their “stuff” would NEVER  again happen in America, and a “New” New Deal to jump start the economy which had been laid to waist in true “Herber Hoover style” by the previous Republican administration.

Funny thing happened on the way to the Legislative session:  Lobbyists!  Yes, Lobbyists were one of the “issues” we were “promised” would be cleaned up.  Well, at $1.5 MILLION PER DAY to defeat the health care legislation – the lobbyist cleanup is evidently on hold.  The result: well, the so-called health care reform (while evidently doing some reforming) will – unless changed drastically in the Senate-House conference (which isn’t even guaranteed to happen) – provide 30+ MILLION NEW CUSTOMERS to the very companies who are supposed to be reformed.  As the bill has moved closer to passage, the stocks of the companies who supposedly “oppose” this “reform” have increased over 30% in just the past couple of months!  That tells you how much they and their shareholders fear the “reform.”  Additionally, and I don’t believe many working “stiffs” in America understand this “benefit” – but, if you’re getting employer based health benefits, they are soon to be taxed to pay for this “reform.”  (the Senate and our “progressive” President just cant’ bring themselves to reverse the “Bush Taxcuts” on the “rich”)  I’m guessing my “benefit” from this “reform” will be a net increase of around $100/month over the $1300/month I’m already paying for insurance for myself and my wife.  So much for the “public option” which was going to give me the opportunity to “choose” a government run health plan which would be similar to medicare and have 30% less administrative costs compared to the private plans on the market – our congressional leaders couldn’t allow that to happen because this “public option” might REALLY COMPETE with the private insurers who are ripping Americans off to the tune of BILLIONS OF DOLLARS PER YEAR – and paying out the above mentioned $1.5 MILLION PER DAY – and, it shouldn’t take a brain scientist to figure out who’s benefitting from all the money!

In fact, that gets me back to my original thought.  My brother in law lives in Pittsburgh – I live on the West Coast – and he shared a thought from one of his friends with me that really put all my “searching” for the “grasp” on my thoughts I mentioned above into some clarity.  I really wish I could take credit for this – BUT I THINK IT IS RIGHT ON AND SHOULD BE MANDATORY  POLICY IN DC!  Congresspersons (both in the House and the Senate) should have to wear jackets or blazers when they are in ANY PUBLIC SETTING that have logos/labels sewn/ironed on them showing their “sponsors.”  That is, when they accept money from corporations they would have to put an acknowledgement of that on their jacket/blazer and wear it to work – therefore looking somewhat like outerwear NASCAR drivers perform in during races.  For example, Joe Lieberman would need a large moniker of Aetna on the back (or front – his or their? choice) of his jacket showing that they are one of his “sponsors.”  Max Baucus would have to have small monikers in order for all of them to fit on one jacket.  I suppose if they had too many “sponsors” they could be allowed to wear hats while Congress was in session.  Therefore, there would be no misunderstanding where their allegiances would lie during the legislative process.

Wouldn’t it be great to see a bunch of Republicans walking around with NRA stickers all over their coats, Tobacco company stickers, stickers for the corporations who have received all the no-bid contracts in Iraq and Afganistan, and stickers for the Wall Street banks they keep complaining about getting “bailed out.”  And, of course, the Democrats would have a lot less to lie about as they were explaining how the “Senate rules” were keeping them from passing this vital legislation in a way that actually benefitted the American people.  Somehow, I have the feeling that many of the members of the White House (yes, they’d be included in this plan) would have a lot of stickers representing “sponsorship” from Wall Street bankers along with big “Pharma,” and many of the large health insurance companies who are going to be “forced” to take on all these new customers.  And, what a contrast it would be to see both the Republican members of Congress and the Democratic members of Congress wearing the same stickers.  Maybe the size of the sticker could tell how “big” a “sponsor” each company was for each different Congressperson.

This would sure make for a colorful sight back in DC, wouldn’t it?  I wonder if there would be anyone without any stickers?  That would be really interesting.  When President Obama won the White House he promised, among other things, transparency.  I’ve been feeling that was “just another broken promise,” but, wouldn’t this be the perfect way to fix that problem?  To be honest, I’m really getting tired of trying to figure out why different representatives of the people continue to vote against the interests of the people.  I suppose most of them would say that “we the people” don’t know what’s best for us – politics are way too complicated and we need to just trust them to do the “right thing.”  I really wanted to believe that we were on that course when President Obama was elected.  However, right from the start, it’s been clear that “the change we can believe in” really meant more of the same – just a different party in control.  In fact, it almost appears to me that the Democrats would rather be in the minority.  There’s a lot less responsibility in the minority – it’s a lot easier to blame the opponents for everything that’s gone wrong when you’re in the minority.  They probably felt secure when this session started because the Bush administration had screwed things up so bad, that they could continue blaming them almost indefinitely for our problems.

The problem with that is the Democrats have managed to show their true – I don’t know if it’s dysfunctionality or lack of fortitude – colors during a time when America needs strong courageous leadership.  In my view, up to this point, we have seen neither from the Dems.  And, my brother in law’s friend has come up with the best way I’ve heard yet to publicize the problem.  I’ve long ago written off the Republicans.  They’ve continued to marginalize themselves since – well, really since the American public finally showed that they’d had enough with Bush/Cheney in the 2006 Congressional races.  I just haven’t been able to put a finger on why it bothers me so that the Democrats are in “control” – well, let’s take a closer look sequentially from 2006 – they not only didn’t end the war in Iraq, they voted for the “surge” (which many still are claiming was a success – but, I would point out that over 1500 Americans have died in Iraq since the “surge,” we are still “stuck” there while the Iraq’s political problems continue as they had pre-surge – it just put off the inevitable unless we keep a presence there for another 10 – 20 years! ughhh), Nancy Pelosi “took impeachment off the table” inexplicably (I didn’t even know that Congress could do that – either the administration committed “high crimes and misdemeanors” or they didn’t), the Democratic Congress enabled the illegal wiretapping of Bush/Cheney/ATT&T/Verizon by passing a watered down FISA bill, and they didn’t even question the motives of Hank Paulsen (former CEO of Goldman Sachs) as he bailed out Goldman Sachs and his other “buddies” on Wall Street after the Republican induced economic “meltdown of 2008” with $700 BILLION of taxpayer money. (I could go on – but, that should be enough for their first two years “in control”)

That’s before President Obama took over.  Since:  an undersized “stimulus package” which did some good, but didn’t do enough (even close) to stall the massive loss of jobs initiated by the Bush economic fiasco, refusal to investigate (and prosecute where warranted) the heinous illegal activities of the Bush/Cheney reign of terror on our Constitution, still refusing to bring the troops home the voters voted to bring home in 2006 (in fact, Obama is ramping up Afganistan while planning to leave 50-75,000 “non-combat” troops in Iraq WAY PAST THE PROMISED 16 MONTH DEADLINE TO BRING ALL THE TROOPS HOME), the Obama Justice department is defending the Bush illegal activities in court (including use of “state’s secrets”) while, as of this writing, still not doing ANYTHING overtly to correct abuses that occurred during the Bush years (ie – the ousted Attorney’s General by Karl Rove for pure political purposes – they (the ousted prosecutors) weren’t willing to abusively go after Democrats for political reasons – or were prosecuting Republicans ie – Carol Lam in San Diego who prosecuted Duke Cunningham and was hot on the trail of Congressman Jerry Lewis when she was dismissed (Lewis was never indicted – he was implicated in massive defense contractor “kickbacks”) – or the obscene prosecution of Alabama’s Democratic governor Donald Siegelman), and I could go on there as well.  (seems like a lot of “I could go on’s these days regarding incompetent governing)

The great success which will be the reason given for all of these “shortcomings” will be the “historic” health care reform.  Personally, I don’t think the American public – which the leaders in Washington DC obviously think are pretty much STUPID (actually, as I’ve recently written, I’ve been indirectly called “stupid” by Randi Rhodes – who is now acting as President Obama’s “mouthpiece” to the so-called “progressive base” – she is claiming that “we the people” don’t understand how the process works.  Well, my response to that is I think I do understand how the process works – AND THAT IS WHAT I/WE THOUGHT WAS GOING TO BE CHANGED when we voted for the “change we could believe in.”)  I know that I didn’t consider doing the same things the same way as the “change I could believe in.”  President Obama (and Rhodes) would have me – and the other “stupid” progressives – believe that there was no other alternative but to accept this WATERED DOWN health care reform bill which will make the insurance companies that much more powerful in the future.  I sincerely hope they’re right when they claim that this is just a “first step” and that it will all come together in the next 5 – 10 – maybe 20 years – but, I’m not too confident about the immediate future and, if this all backfires on them, I think they will be the ones who are considered “stupid.”  If they’re wrong we could conceivably end up reliving the “Bush years” which will be more than I can tolerate.  My brother in law’s friend has the best idea I’ve heard yet for the “change I could believe in” and that would be: Let’s put monikers on the outerwear of all Congresspeople advertising their “sponsors” to help us better understand their voting records!  That would give “we the people” a much better idea of why we are “stupid” when we want legislation which actually solves problems.  My guess is that our Congressional leaders would have to have different jackets for each bill, because there wouldn’t be enough room for all the “sponsors” on one garment! (ie – health care “sponsors for health care legislation, energy sponsors for energy legislation, etc.)

CLARIFICATION: Actually, my brother in law heard Robin Williams on an HBO broadcast make the suggestion about the “sponsors” – no matter where it came from, I thought it was a great idea!

Somehow the “traffic” on this site has increased to the point where over 300 “visitors” have shown up on individual days.  I don’t advertise, I just keep writing because my concern for this great nation remains HIGH.  I started writing during the Bush “years” after my frustration with the invasion of Iraq and the mismanagement of Iraq and Afganistan would allow my silence to continue no longer.  Millions of Americans have expressed their displeasure with the direction of this nation and in 2008 Barack Obama won the most historic (in my view) election in the history of America.  The next few years will be critical as to the country people like me leave to our children and grandchildren.  At this point in time, the nation we have (from my perspective) is far from what we had as I grew up.  THE DETERIORATION HAS TO STOP!  And, it won’t do so if people like me continue to just go on about our business with our mouths shut.

So, I appreciate all those who have “happened” onto this site and I just want to wish all of you (no idea who you are) a blessed new year and a happy Christmas.  For me, it is Christmas itself, which drives my concerns about this country.  I listen to many “progressive” personalities on the radio and TV who have been (rightfully, in my opinion) totally turned off by the so-called “Christian right” who have been the “base” of the Republican party which I have a very difficult time aligning with what I read in the Bible.  Christmas SHOULD be all about Jesus Christ’s birth and what he taught in his 33 years on this planet.  People can argue all day, as far as I’m concerned, about the nuances of the Bible, but – to me – the word LOVE is the driving force behind the message of Christ.  “What you do for the least of these, you do for me” is one of the scriptures which has had the most profound effect on my thinking.  That is the thinking I wish would drive the decisions of our leaders in Washington DC.

 Obviously, we have a ways to go to get to that point.  But, it is the responsibility of “we the people” to make that happen.  My hope for the new year is that we send a clear message to the politicians in our nation’s capital that we will hold them accountable for their insatiable habit of taking open bribes from the large corporations who care not one bit for “the least among us.”  In fact, it would be these corporations and their “talking heads” – mainly Republicans, but Democrats no longer have ANY EXCUSES for their behavior – who are turning this nation into something that I don’t believe the people on either side “of the isle” want.  My wish for the new year is a United States of America that cares about the less fortunate and directs her great wealth in a way that demonstrates the message of Christ – which is that we care about the “least among us” and we’re prepared to focus on helping them.  There’s another saying that I find profound, “There but for the grace of God goes I” – which I think about everytime I see someone standing on the corner with a sign asking for help.  I’m not sure what got them, or us, to this place – but, in my view, it’s past time to deal with the issues – HONESTLY.

We’ve seen the worst of this nation as Congress has debated the healthcare bill – not even considering what most people believe is the REAL SOLUTION – a single payer “Medicare for all” plan that truly makes health care a right instead of a privilege.  We’ve seen people like Joe Lieberman, Ben Nelson, Mary Landrieu, other Democrats and THE ENTIRE REPUBLICAN PARTY put their own political interests in front of what is best for, not only the “least among us,” but also the middle class which “drives” this country.  There are many like me who are anxiously awaiting the strong leader who will stand tall against all these MONEYED INTERESTS who are shamelessly buying one congressperson after another.  THE SYSTEM IS CORRUPT to the core and it’s time for everyone to start calling it what it is.  While people like Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, and Sarah Palin continue to speak for the corporate interests which have turned what used to be employee friendly corporations such as Hewlett Packard into the conglomerate version of Ebeneezer Scrooge – things such as loyalty to employees, and family friendly work places are a THING OF THE PAST – unless “we the people” can change the mentality and expectation of this nation back to what it was after World War II.  The most valuable asset of corporations in those days was their employees.  In today’s world, if the employee isn’t fearing for the loss of his/her job, the corporate “heads” seem to think they aren’t “squeezing” hard enough.

So, as I’m wishing a properous new year to the few of you who visit this site, if you agree with me that the “mindset” of America needs to change back to one where the workers are valued and corporate profits – while important – aren’t the driving force behind every decision, please call or write someone in Washington to express your feelings.  If Republicans REALLY believed in “family values” they’d join with those of us who call ourselves progressives (I’ve always felt I was conservative) and demand the changes in Washington which would (REALLY) bring health care to all, which would prop up the right of middle class workers to form unions, which would support a higher minimum wage, which wouldn’t put our troops in harms way for personal or political gain, which would focus what money was available for “welfare” on the “least of us” instead of on the corporations who are already receiving “welfare” by avoiding taxes through their off shore schemes, and which wouldn’t be afraid to ask the American citizens to pay for our government services.  (in fact, pay off the debt that evidently some in Washington are comfortable with passing on to our children)  When the American people voted for Barack Obama they were overwhelmingly VOTING FOR CHANGE.  And, that change wasn’t just “not Bush,” it was change that would restore the middle class of this great nation as the “engine that drives” the government.  I’m guessing that until we get the “moneychangers” out of Washington DC, politics will remain “business as usual.”  Despite that depressing reality, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year anyway!

It’s getting close to Christmas and I’ll be spending a lot of time driving around in the next few days looking for “stuff” to put in the various stockings.  I keep telling myself that Christmas should be all about the birth of Jesus, but I always spend more time filling the stockings than thinking about what his birth meant to the world (both good and bad).  In this process (driving around) I’ll get a full ear of “talk” radio – mostly progressive (because I can’t stomach the other stuff for very long) – and I’m sure the debate will rage on regarding the impending health care legislation.  Today I heard impassioned pleas to just pass “anything” as a “start,” and hope that it will get “fixed” in the future.

Well, where have we heard that one before.  The memory of Barack Obama voting FOR FISA last year during the campaign is still FRESH in my mind.  I was very discouraged at that one and even wrote then Senator Obama an “impassioned” letter sharing my discontent with his decision.  As opposed to the letter I wrote this year regarding his (horrible) decision to “look forward” regarding the Bush/Cheney CRIMES, I got a response on his FISA position.  It was the same type of political pragmatism we’re seeing every step of the way so far in his administration.  He said (OK, I understand it was one of his surrogates responding – I don’t rate a direct response from Presidents) he would “fix” the legislation in his first year in office.  Well, I’m sure his explanation today as to why that hasn’t happened would be that the health care bill has taken up more time than anticipated.  The end result, in my mind, is that we are going to have to live with the watered down FISA legislation that is probably allowing Obama himself to continue the Bush wiretapping policies (I’ve yet to hear Obama address that issue directly – I fully believe they’re still “data mining” our phone conversations and emails).

So, we will be reassured this “flawed” health care legislation will get fixed.  I wish I could bring myself to believe that.  Maybe the Obama administration has some “secret” strategy in place to accomplish this – but, I’ll have to see it to believe it.  I realize that defeat of this legislation would be DISASTROUS to the President – and, I do want him to succeed, therefore, I guess it’s hold your nose and hope for the best.  If this backfires on Obama, the results will be far worse than the bill not passing.  My hope is that the progressives in the house make the same “stand” that Joe Lieberman made and make it clear that they won’t vote for the bill without the so-called “public option,” elimination of antitrust exemption for health insurance companies, and opportunities for a medicare buyin for those over 55.  This could be added to the bill (and some other parts stripped out) in the House/Senate conference and the bill could pass the senate on the final vote because it would only need 50 votes plus Vice President Biden.

Should the house do this and force a much better bill on both the Senate and the President, there could be a tremendous momemtum swing back toward President Obama and the Democrats.  The frustration is building across this nation as our congress muddles their way through this process unable to do the “will” of over 60% of the people, and I’m STILL PRAYING THAT I’VE GOT IT ALL WRONG.  I realize it’s not over yet -those of us who are turned off by what has transpired in the Senate – could be re-energized if the House progressive caucus comes through.  I believe they have to make it clear they’re NOT VOTING for the senate version of the bill to get this done.  The bottom line on this legislation is that the conservatives have succeeded (as usual) in turning the debate TOTALLY away from what would be best for this country – which would be a single payer health care system where EVERYONE was insured under a medicare for all like plan.  That would cover everyone and it would be A LOT LESS EXPENSIVE than what we presently have and there would be hope for all the Americans who are dying each year (estimates at 45,000/year) due to a lack of health insurance.  I know that between my mortgage and health insurance for my family I pay 60% of my gross income.  After taxes there “aint” much left over.

The House Democrats still have the opportunity to make President Obama look good on the health care legislation “strategy” – which was to take a passive role as Congress worked through the bill – but, I believe, this was a HUGE GAMBLE that didn’t need to happen.  I’m saying this from the point of view that if I have to live through another Bushlike experience with a Republican in the White House due to Democratic “stupidity” (that’s how Obama and his supporters are referring to the likes of me – stupid) – well, I just don’t know if I can handle that.  Even if the House “bails out” the President on this legislation the road ahead looks mighty “bumpy” to me – and AGRESSIVE LEADERSHIP will be required.  As I mentioned in my last post, THERE ARE A LOT OF GOOD AMERICANS OUT OF WORK!  And, many of them can’t even get interviews for new jobs.  THIS IS REALLY BAD!

Even if the health care bill somehow gets “saved,” and I want to make it clear that in my view the senate version is a DISASTER, the excitement will be short lived.  First of all, even under the best of scenario’s, the bill doesn’t take effect for several years – so the uninsured will remain uninsured, the underinsured will remain underinsured, the people being excluded for “pre-existing” conditions will continue being excluded, the rates will continue to skyrocket for the next few years, and the 45,000 people dying due to lack of coverage each year will continue dying.  Secondly and most importantly to millions of Americans – the HORRIBLE JOBS situation will hit the “center stage.”  Democrats will be right back on the “spot.”

They (Democrats) will have a short window to “stimulate” the so-called stimulus package which did a lot of good (more so in saving jobs than creating them from my understanding) but is falling further and further behind the enormous job losses of the past two years.  MAKE NO MISTAKE – the wounded economy and the TREMENDOUS JOB LOSSES are the result of the Bush administration’s FOLLY.  They were incapable of governing in virtually EVERY CATEGORY.  They bungled foreign policy by getting the US entrenched in two UNWINNABLE occupations (funded with credit cards) that seem endless and ruining our image around the world as the leader of the “free world.”  That should have been bad enough, but they bungled domestic policy from FEMA (Katrina), to the EPA, the Justice department, and – ultimately – the meltdown of the entire banking system and, therefore, the economy itself.  If the average American knew how many TRILLIONS of dollars were “pledged” to the large Wall Street banks to keep them “afloat” they would be even more outraged than they are.  Almost all of the responsibility for this lies at the feet of GW Bush and Dick Cheney.  However, to be fair, they’ve been gone for almost a year now, and the responsibility will be shifting Obama’s way – either in a good way – or bad – soon after the start of next year’s legislative session.

I’m very concerned whether or not President Obama’s pragmatic “centrist” approach to our problems will actually provide the “change we can believe in.”  When I voted for him I understood “change” to mean something “different.”  I wasn’t thinking different from Bush – I was thinking different from what’s transpired the past 30+ years.  And, yes – the health care legislation is a monumental task which is long overdue – it’s just that legislation for the sake of legislation, to me, isn’t necessarily the change I can believe in.  Yes, it’s change – but I’m really hoping the major change, regarding health care, isn’t taxpayers funding 30+ million more customers into the insurance companies that most Americans agree are the problem in the first place (come on House progressives, we need you NOW!).  If change is a return to the days of Bill Clinton, that is not what I expected – I would have voted for Hillary if I was in favor of that (remember it was during the Clinton years we got NAFTA, the telecommunications act, and the repeal of Glass Steagall – all major contributors to today’s problems).  Reminder: “real” unemployment (according to Robert Reich) exceeds 17% – near depression levels.

I was honestly expecting someone more in the line of FDR – someone who would directly challenge the “moneychangers,” someone who would implement drastic measures to combat the unemployment disaster left behind by George “Herbert Hoover” Bush, and someone who would re-regulate the banking system before Goldman Sachs et al got out of control again (check out the statistics on the derivatives trading by the FIVE REMAINING large Wall Street banks in the past year).  And, there’s no time to even talk about Iraq and Afganistan tonight – yes, Obama’s plate was full, but that’s even more reason to want dramatic action.  It’s true that the President can’t do anything without the Congress, but it’s also true that it’s not the Congress who should be taking the leadership role in solving the problems.  We are relying on the House to save the health care bill, it’s time for President Obama to take the lead on the unemployment problem!  Randi Rhodes might call me stupid, but I honestly believe if President Obama doesn’t get more “connected” to the people who voted him into office, we will not only fail to have the change we can believe in, the future of this nation will continue to be slipping in a downward direction.  And, please don’t misunderstand my criticism, I REALLY HOPE OBAMA SUCCEEDS!

Somehow more and more people are finding this site in the middle of cyberspace.  I have no idea how it happens, but it inspires me to keep writing, just in case someone would read something here and send it somewhere where it might do some good.  OK, you’re right, that’s a bit presumptuous – and, I’ll probably keep writing just because it makes me feel better as I observe the government of the country I love get consumed by corporate money.  Today at church, I spoke for a few moments with a couple REALLY GOOD MEN who have been out of work for several months (one of them for over a year).  These are skilled people, both in their fifties (both grandparents), and both in the same terrible situation which includes MILLIONS of good American citizens.  Neither of these guys can get an interview for a job –  both believe that their age prevents them from competing with the 300 or so applicants applying for every opportunity which comes along.

Both of these men have been a part of what I call the “Christian wrong” – most people call it the Christian “right.”  I say this because I’ve been fighting to keep my spiritual  beliefs in the face of an assault on our government by a group of people who use Christianity as a “tool” in enlisting millions of Americans who believe abortion is murder to unknowingly vote against their own self interests – thus turning many “liberals” totally against Christ (who was definitely, in my view, not a Republican).  They got swept up into a Republican party which is now showing it’s true colors (and, I’m not sure if my friends “get it” yet – despite the horrible shape of the economy) with loyalty oaths and a “lockstep” opposition to President Obama which will leave these two men and MILLIONS MORE LIKE THEM as victims if they succeed in causing our President to “fail” – as Rush Limbaugh so willingly puts it – as far as fixing the economy decimated by the previous administration.

The Republican party got derailed in its attempt to dismantle the New Deal of FDR – they’ve been working on this since the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980 – through the incompetence of George W Bush and Dick Cheney to cap off 30+ years of the ridiculously stupid “trickle down” economic theory which trickles “up” money from our economy into the hands of the corporate heads.  I say that with the caveat that it was just a matter of time until the “come-uppence” resulting from the corporate GREED permeating EVERYTHING the Republican party stands for became reality.  I mean, can you imagine where we’d be if John McCain and Sarah Palin were at “the controls.”  I watched McCain “blubbering” on the Senate floor the other day and it gave me shivers to think he could have been the President.  It’s hard for me to imagine anyone worse than Bush/Cheney – but, the Republicans managed to outdo themselves with the combo of McCain/Palin.

When I think about how Sarah Palin is backstabbing everyone she’s ever  been in contact with – and blaming her problems on the nearest person to her, worst than the sixth graders I deal with in school – I picture in my mind having a Vice President who’s got more ambition than brains backstabbing the person who picked her for the job and I just have to shake my head and be thankful they didn’t make it.  If you’ve been around here at all, you know that I’m not too happy with President Obama,  but again, CAN YOU EVEN IMAGINE THE ALTERNATIVE?  And, with McCain in his mid seventies – Sarah Palin as President would be the Republican icing on the cake – that would GUARANTEE the demise of this great nation.  I mean she’s still going around proving she is TOTALLY UNQUALIFIED for national leadership EVERY TIME SHE OPENS HER MOUTH.  And, she comes up with some real childish ways to express her dissatisfaction with just about everyone.  The last picture I saw of Sarah, she was sitting on a beach in Hawaii with a McCain sun visor on with the “McCain” crossed out!  Talk about your cheap, low, ungrateful human being.  I mean, without John McCain, Sarah Palin would still be stuck in that “job” she apparently wasn’t too committed to up in Alaska.  This woman saw the opportunity for MONEY and showed herself to be a TRUE REPUBLICAN (and she’s got the very person she keeps backstabbing – McCain – to thank for all the money she’s making)!

That all being said, my two friends at church nodded approvingly when I mentioned that I thought it was time for the “New New Deal” that many of us “progressives” thought we would be getting with President Obama.  This is why I’ve been trying to point out my frustration with his “centrist” tendencies – RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING of his Presidency.  This is why I’ve recently written a couple posts regarding my frustration with Obama’s supporters – most notably Randi Rhodes – for their attacks on the disenchanted “liberals,” “progressives,” or whatever you want to call them (and me) – I suppose the likes of Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, etc. would call us socialists, communists, or some other ill-conceived and incorrect term – in an attempt to deflect the national discussion away from the real solutions to MAJOR PROBLEMS.  Attention Democrats:  there’s a lot of us!

Unfortunately, the Obama administration and the Democratic party are so humg up on the health care bill presently being watered down into something that can get out of the senate that they’re taking what I call the “same old same old” approach to “fixing” the jobs problem in America.  We keep hearing the same rhetoric I’ve heard over my adult lifetime which has included several recessions – as if this is just another recession.  They’ve claimed that, in fact, in some circles that the recession is “over.”  Of course, this is because both the Obama administration and the Democratic party AREN’T THE CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN.  Yes, they’re a darn sight better than the Republicans – as stated above – but that’s not helping my friends or the other MILLIONS OF WORKERS WITHOUT JOBS!  And, what kind of jobs will they find once things REALLY turn around.  I can tell you that both of my friends are adjusting their expectations DOWNWARD in order to have any hope of finding work.

Here’s the thing that I’ve been trying to get across to anyone who would listen for the past year (people at my school go the other way when they see me coming :o) – the American public is desperately wanting statemenlike LEADERSHIP.  My big disappointment with President Obama is that he is the politician’s politician.  I guess I was kidding myself when I supported him.  There were warning signs – for example, the vote to support the FISA legislation which essentially enabled the illegal Bush wiretapping – but, I like many others fell for the great oratory skills and the promise for “change we can believe in.”  I honestly took that to mean a TOTALLY different direction for our government.  A “new” New Deal.  And, with the exception of the present Republican leadership, I believe Obama could have (probably still could – although it would be a lot more difficult today) sold the idea of a real government “push” to rebuild this nation’s infrastructure and “jump start” the job market. 

Yes, Obama’s stimulus package has helped – but there’s still something in excess of 17% of the workforce without jobs!  Government statistics continue to be used to mask the problems so that people think things are better than they really are – but, that is a losing proposition in itself.  Eventually, the reality of the situation will become apparent to all of us.  As the Geithner’s, and the Summer’s, and President Obama himself assure us that a jobs turn around will happen in the “next two years” I cringe at the thought of what that will do to my friends and people in their situation.  I just can’t believe that American’s have become so selfish that if the President used his “bully pulpit” to appeal to those of us with jobs – that there wouldn’t be widespread support of a program to put people to work.

Yes, people like the Republicans, the likes of the Limbaugh’s and Beck’s and O’Reilly’s will oppose ANYTHING!  But, the time is right to expose them for what they are.  This is a war for the future of this nation!  Are we going to just go on allowing the corporations who aren’t even, many of them, based in America to control our politicians – and their agenda?  Somehow, I believe with courageous leadership – leadership willing to take on the corporate “heads,” you would see a national unity form which hasn’t existed in this nation since before Viet Nam.  WE ALL BENEFIT WHEN THERE IS FULL EMPLOYMENT!

Here’s the problem with continuing with the present course.  THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE GETTING REALLY UPSET.  While Randi Rhodes, Rahm Emanuel, and other supporters of President Obama are calling people like me “stupid” because we don’t blindly support the President, public opinion is swaying away from Obama.  And, worse than that, I heard a recent poll where 44% of the people would prefer President Bush.  THIS SHOULD BE ALARMING TO ALL DEMOCRATS.  This supports much of what I’ve been predicting for the past year.  This is why I’m concerned that Obama didn’t allow investigations of the Bush torture policies, the wiretapping, etc.  For all the Democrats who believe the Republicans don’t have anyone to even challenge the President, I believe they are the ones who are STUPID!  We could conceivably be reliving the horror of the Bush Presidency sooner rather than later – and “looking the other way” could be an even BIGGER PROBLEM! (as I’ve said many times on this site – I hope I’m wrong)

I know they’re thinking, “who could possibly challenge the President?”  Sarah Palin? Don’t be absurd – there’s no way that nightmare could happen.  Well, I’m totally with them on that one – but, remember that Ronald Reagan was considered a “fringe” candidate when he first appeared on the “stage” so don’t get too “cocky” Democrats regarding Palin (although, I just can’t force myself to imagine that one).  How about Mitt Romney?  Well, he’s a better bet than Palin, but also – I’m sure the Democrats believe there’s no circumstance where he would defeat Obama.  And, Tim Pawlenty – another NO!  There’s not a lot out there on the Republican side of things – which may be why Obama is taking so much for granted.  I believe that just confirms my claim that he’s all about being a politician instead of a statesman – and, I think the Obama “camp” might not be thinking things through clearly enough.

The poll that showed people wishing Bush (arguably the worst President in our nation’s history) was back – confirms, at least in my mind, a nightmare that – as far as I know (and, I don’t read all the blogs out there), I’m the only one pointing this out.  There are a lot of Republicans who believe they chose the “wrong Bush” when GW was nominated in 2000.  And, I’m sure when he left office in virtual disgrace after bungling Afganistan and then lying us into Iraq – which was also BUNGLED – on top of RUINING OUR ECONOMY, OUR GOVERNMENT BEAURACRACY, AND OUR STANDING IN THE WORLD, most people – especially Democrats figured it was safe to say that we’ve seen the last of the Bush clan!  Well, all I have to say to President Obama is that if he continues to ignore the plight of my friends (probably too harsh –  but, from their perspective, that’s what it looks like), if he continues to “play” to the “center,” if he continues with the same old approaches to the same old problems, he will continue to turn off progressive voters and he’ll possibly be responsible for headlines that read something like: It’s President Obama himself who (could be) responsible for another Bush Presidency (Jeb)!  The thought makes me gag!

I wrote about Randi Rhodes the other day pointing out that in my opinion we would all be better served if she would discontinue being the Democratic version of the “spin machine” we’ve been listening to from Republicans for the past so many years. Well, I didn’t quite put it that way, but after listening to her on the way home from work today RANTING at progressives who are frustrated with President Obama – and SPINNING his accomplishments as if he was the “ANSWER” to all of our problems – and then calling them (and by logically “connecting the dots” ME) Stupid – I feel compelled to write again.  Now, I’m not so naive as to think that Randi is going to read this post, but I had a LOT OF TRAFFIC after the last one, leaving me to believe that either there are a lot of people who agree with me, or a lot of people who disagree but are unwilling to make a comment (so far – since I’ve started this site – I’ve only had one person comment – I’m not sure what I’d do if people started commenting because I think I would be compelled to respond and that could take more time than I have).  Suffice it to say that I TOTALLY DISAGREE WITH RHODES and I’ll do the best to explain why.  In my market she’s not live, and should I call her it would lead to some serious yelling on her part to rationalize Obama’s Presidency as being something that it obviously is NOT!

Let me start off by saying that there is no disputing President Obama is far better than our previous President (well, DUH), and that a McCain/Palin administration would have been intolerable.  Every time Sarah Palin opens her mouth either ignorance or outright lies come out – and she is showing her true colors, even to Republicans, on her present I’m going to get rich while “the irons hot” tour as she sells her “book of lies.”  I mean, tonight it was reported that she had her hair “done” at a book signing in Utah and the hairdresser had to agree not to speak – unless Palin spoke first – before she could fix her hair.  I mean, that’s real populism for you.  Then there’s John McCain, you know the guy who was claiming the economy is strong after the first year of the present MAJOR RECESSION was almost over.  He not only couldn’t tell the difference between a healthy economy and one in “meltdown,” but he didn’t know the difference between a Sunni and Shia – I suppose, with McCain, that didn’t matter much because he was the reincarnation of Goldwater during Viet Nam.  His mantra:  “Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb Iran!  OK, I get it – those people are arguably NOT ALL THERE (I’m trying to be as polite as I can).

However, that does not mean that progressives are OBLIGATED to be happy with Obama – as Rhodes would have it.  There were a series of callers who tried to point out that the Democrats could be in trouble at the rate we’re going in the next two elections and that Obama’s leadership is WEAK!  Rhode’s response was that Obama had done 90 wonderful things – starting with the stimulus bill which “saved the economy,” and including comments about how he’s (now) beginning to bring the troops home from Iraq (kind of like he’s “already” bringing them home – I’ll comment more on that shortly), and how he’s implemented a sensible (that’s my word, I can’t remember her exact word – but it was a word of TOTAL support) plan for Afganistan – and she added, which he promised in the campaign – and I’ll add more to that also.  Regardless, as Rhodes was going down Obama’s list of achievements – I can’t comment on all of them because I’m not aware of all of them, but I can tell you there were several where her vision of his achievement was either pure spin or fantasy.  This is what the Beck’s, the Limbaugh’s, the Hannity’s, the O’Reilly’s and that bunch did endlessly for Bush – and, personally I’m sick of it no matter what side it’s coming from.

As stated above, there are accomplishments, to be sure – but there are also some disturbing decisions that I (and, evidently, others) believe outweigh many of the accomplishments.  And, I’m saying all this in the “frame” that we could have supported another Democrat who would also have been better than anything the Republicans could put forth in all 90 of these areas.  I was voting for CHANGE and I’ll try to point out how I believe we’re getting something TOO CLOSE to more of the same.  (were I to have a “second chance” to support someone, I would have thrown my support toward Dennis Kucinich)  As we’re watching the present health care debate turn into an embarrassing example of the Democrats inability to govern – one of my first “red flags” concerning President Obama was his eagerness to “forgive” Joe Lieberman after the election – demonstrating that ONE VOTE in the caucus was more important than sending an immediate message that things will be different.  In other words – giving Lieberman a committe chairmanship was one of the first signs of “business as usual” – not “change we can believe in.”

And, how has that turned out.  Well, Randi Rhodes would tell us to just keep calling our congress people and lie to the pollsters when they call and tell them we support Obama when we are unhappy with him – again, supposedly, because the Republicans get happy when Obama’s poll numbers go down.  For me, that’s an unacceptable reason to lie ( in fact, one of the reasons I voted for Obama was the promise of transparency – which has also gone down the drain).  Don’t think so?  Well, the White House since Obama moved in has tried to keep records of who’s visiting a secret and, prior to the decision on Afganistan, according to Greg Mortenson – who probably knows more about Afganistan than anyone else in this country – there were nine SECRET meetings as they were formulating policy.  I’m sure Rhodes would call that practical politics (and, based on our recent history, I’m sure that’s accurate) I call it BUSINESS AS USUAL.  It was very Bushlike – there was no public input, they supplied the public with strategic leaks along the way, and a “this is the way it is” announcement of the next American “surge” was the result.  Seemed like Obama trying to be a strong “Commander in Chief.”  Ughhh!

Keeping on the secrecy subject, President Obama and Eric Holder – his Attorney General – have been defending the Bush illegal wiretapping policy in court.  Now, I can’t think of ONE GOOD REASON why they would be doing that.  They’ve even defended the use of “state’s secrets” in court – a “loophole” Bush CLEARLY ABUSED – which allows the government to virtually hide anything from the public with a simple claim that can’t be challenged AT ALL.  It’s arbitrary, it’s un democratic, it’s absurd that in America it’s even happening, and the only reason I can figure out Obama would defend it is because he wants to be able to use it himself at some point.  And, as far as the defending Bush on the illegal wiretapping, well, I’m not altogether sure that President Obama’s not continuing the same policy.  Do you remember when he PROMISED to “fix” the FISA legislation that he so INCREDIBLY voted in favor of during the campaign?  Have you seen any sign of him wanting to “fix” it?  I don’t think so, and I believe the reason is that he’s continuing the policy.  I’m not sure how Randi would rationalize that, but it JUST DOESN’T WORK FOR ME!  I have three children and two grandchildren with possibly more on the way – and the thought of my generation obliterating the fourth amendment of the constitution – at the expense of their privacy – makes me sick to my stomach every time I think about it.  If I was talking to Randi, I would tell her none of that other stuff (those 90 things she mentioned) means much if we continue to allow our government to abuse our constitution. 

 Along those lines, what about President Obama turning his back on his oath of office by letting Bush/Cheney et al OFF THE HOOK – for horrific crimes – INCLUDING WAR CRIMES?  How do you spin that one?  I’ll tell you how I think they spin that one – THEY DON’T TALK ABOUT IT – they don’t want anyone to talk about it.  THERE ARE NO INVESTIGATIONS of these numerous crimes.  Everyone knows (they admitted it right in front of our eyes on national TV) that both Bush and Cheney authorized WAR CRIMES.  You don’t believe me?  Well, let me give you (again) the scenario:  Both President Obama and Eric Holder stated that “no one is above the law in America,” – that’s number one, then they also said, “if there’s evidence of a crime it will be investigated agressively” – that’s number two, then they said, “Waterboarding is torture” – that’s number three, then there’s the FACT that waterboarding is a war crime according to the Geneva Conventions AND waterboarding is a war crime based on our own criminal justice system – plus both George W Bush and Dick Cheney admitted on TV that they had authorized this crime – AND FINALLY, President Obama INEXPICABLY said we will “look forward instead of backward” thus letting these criminal thugs off the hook and violating his very own words.  And, waterboarding wasn’t the worst thing that resulted in their authorization of “enhanced interrogations.” (don’t you just love the way the Republicans use the English language?)  Without the investigations Obama and Holder are refusing to allow we will never know how many innocent civilians were MURDERED during these enhanced interrogations or, for that matter, just in the detention policies which were carried out at our behest.

I mean, with the secret “rendition” prisons, we’ll never know what happened to the people who “disappeared.”  Of course, our CIA is famous for being involved in programs where people just disappear.  There have been reports of complete truckloads of prisoners suffocating en route from the war “theatre” in Afganistan to the so-called “rendition” sites (which, by the way, still exist – under Obama).  But, of course, they don’t matter because Bush/Cheney had labled them “enemy combatants” – something less than a human being.  The people resonsible for all of this can rest comfortably knowing that President Obama doesn’t believe in “looking backward.”  As I’ve stated on this site before, if that policy somehow becomes legal precedent THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER CRIME.  You see, to prosecute illegal activity, YOU HAVE TO LOOK BACKWARD – you can’t prosecute someone breaking the law UNTIL THEY’VE BROKEN IT!  (I imagined myself yelling just as Randi does on the air – as I said that)  On top of all that there’s also the lying us into war, the outing of a CIA agent (with all the right wing use of the word “treason” lately – outing a CIA agent is really treason), the war profiteering, the contractor abuses in Iraq (including mass murder), the pilfering of our economy by the Wall Street banks, the hijacking of our justice department, and there’s more – I hope that is enough to make my point.  OF COURSE the investigations would create a stir – and maybe a huge distraction – BUT HOW IS THAT A REASON TO IGNORE OUR LEGAL SYSTEM – and Obama’s and Holder’s OBLIGATION to uphold their oath of office – where they promised to defend the constitution?  How does a President get to decide which laws to enforce and which ones to ignore?  How is that any different from what we had?  I’m sure Randi could find a way to justify this, because Obama’s a Democrat – that just doesn’t work for me and, I believe, WAY MORE OTHERS than she or the Democrats understand.

I’m sure the President’s plan – which is supported by the Democrats in Congress (and Rhodes) – is to not talk about this stuff and just let it fade away into the “sunset.”  Well, it will NEVER totally fade away, and I believe there will be times somewhere “down the road” where the consequences of this decision become readily apparent.  I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “those who choose to ignore history are destined to repeat it.”  Well, I believe we’ll be repeating this history at some point in the lifetimes of our children and/or grandchildren.  And, Randi Rhodes (and, I’m sure people in the White House) calling people like those who called her show today, and myself, “stupid” will get the Democrats smaller majorities in both houses of Congress and potentially lose the White House as early as 2012.  Rhodes “poo pooed” a caller for suggesting this today – as if to say that concern about the next couple of elections by Democrats is also “stupid.”  I honestly thought Randi Rhodes was smarter than that.

As Rhodes is trying to suggest that she’s got it all figured out and her audience is stupid and doesn’t understand the “process” of politics – all the while TOTALLY IGNORING the points I’ve mentioned above as being legit problems for Obama – the lack of principle involved in decisions ranging from endorsing Lieberman to enabling Bush/Cheney – let me just address a few of the “Obama accomplishments” she mentioned that I can remember (there were 90 – my memory’s not that good and I don’t want to write that much).  First, she mentioned one of Obama’s accomplishments as “already” starting to bring the troops home from Iraq.  TALK ABOUT SPIN!  That is absurd.  First of all, I don’t want to be too cynical, but it almost feels as if he’s FINALLY bringing troops home from Iraq because HE NEEDS THEM IN AFGANISTAN!  Just a reminder, THEY WERE ALL SUPPOSED TO BE HOME WITHIN 16 MONTHS!  THAT WAS A PROMISE!  Well, it’s supposed to take one month to get each division out of the country and there are 15 divisions over there, it’s been 11 months and we’re JUST STARTING!  I think Rhode’s is assuming we’re STUPID!  Not only is Obama not going to meet his deadline of getting the troops out in 16 months – he’s simply allowing the Bush negotiated WITHDRAWAL plan to play itself out.  NOT AN OUNCE OF COURAGEOUS LEADERSHIP THERE.  We’ve been trying to get the troops out of Iraq since the 2006 election (well, for most of us way before that – but that’s the first election where Democrats were put in charge SPECIFICALLY TO END THAT OCCUPATION!)  And, I’m not sure how Rhodes is going to justify the 50,000 to 75,000 troops who will be remaining in Iraq indefinitely (I suppose if we get entangled in Afganistan deeply enough they’ll have to bring all the troops home) – this is not the “change I can believe in.”

Another “accomplishment” I heard Rhodes mention was reducing the influence of lobbyists in Washington – or something like that.  I almost gagged.  I thought to myself, “Are you kidding me?”  “Have you been paying attention to this health care debate?”  1.5 MILLION a day being spent by lobbyists to defeat this legislation.  Now, I understand that’s not Obama’s fault.  BUT DON’T TAKE CREDIT FOR REDUCING SOMETHING THAT HASN’T BEEN REDUCED.  And, speaking of the health care debate and lobbyists, except for a tax foopah – we’d have Tom Daschle as the lead person on the health care issue from the White House – a lobbyist for the health care industry who’s probably lobbying against it right now.

And, yes, the economy is in a weak (and tenuous) recovery from the “Great Recession” caused by the incredibly STUPID supply side economics crammed down our throats since the days of Ronald Reagan and put on “steroids” under GW Bush – and we SHOULD be thankful for that.  However, there are many besides myself who felt right from the start that the “stimulus” bill was WAY TOO SMALL and the middle class tax cuts were WAY TOO HIGH A PRICE to pay for three Republican votes.  With Tim Geithner and Larry Summers at the “helm,” as far as I’m concerned the economic policy of this White House looks way too close to “business as usual.”  There is talk that is encouraging, but talk is cheap and it’s usually followed by the excuses as to why “progressive” measures can’t get through the senate.  However, I believe fiscal issues can be passed using reconciliation – as Clinton did with his original budget.  The unemployment CRISIS in this nation far exceeds the response it’s getting from our leaders.  How can you even claim the recession is “over” when there’s 17+ percent UNEMPLOYMENT?  I’ll tell you how, Wall Street was so far down that it is giving false evidence that we’re “on the upswing.”  It’s Wall Street which is on the “upswing” and all the rhetoric that “jobs are the last thing to turn around” and “it’s going to take a couple years for employment to rebound” is UNACCEPTABLE!  The stimulus should have been bigger and our leaders should have the courage to talk directly to the American people and challenge them to come together – with those of us working making sacrifices to pay for the needed programs to get those of us without jobs WORKING AGAIN.  Letting the “Bush taxcuts” just expire instead of eliminating them, spouting the old “you don’t raise taxes in a recession” while corporation after corporation are hiding taxes overseas, refusing to even consider things like a hike in the gas tax or other ways to raise more revenue which could be funneled right back into the economy – Obama has surrounded himself with the “same old same old” type of advisors – so, it’s no surprise we’re getting the same old same old type of policy decisions.  Yes, Randi – this is better than the Republicans, but it’s not the change I was looking for!

Finally, tonight Rhodes defended Obama’s decision to put another 30,000 troops into Afganistan as a (I can’t remember her exact word) wise or prudent decision.  This was one of the accomplishments she was “quoting” as she was yelling at a disenchanted progressive while calling him “STUPID.”  Well, after reading several books on the Afganistan occupation and getting a good accounting of the folly of the Bush administration – again, I’m sure this will be a huge improvement over what they were doing – I don’t think anyone could screw it up worse than Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld.  And, yes it’s true that the US has abandoned Afganistan at least twice – once after the Soviets withdrew in 1989, allowing the Taliban to take over – and after the 9/11 motivated invasion – which was nothing more than an excuse for the neo-cons to enable their dream invasion of Iraq.  The damage to the American image HAS BEEN DONE – and may be irrepairable.  Certainly, accomplishing what Afganistan needs in 18 months isn’t even optimistic – to believe that could be done WOULD BE STUPID – we are going to be stuck there for AT LEAST 5 and probably 10 years – or until we become TOTALLY BANKRUPT!  So, I believe major disagreement with Obama’s decision is TOTALLY UNDERSTANDABLE and NOT STUPID! 

Yes, President Obama did say in the campaign that he wanted to focus on Afganistan – that this was the necessary war.  He said this in the context (I remember listening to his words carefully) of NEEDING TO FINISH THE JOB OF CAPTURING OR KILLING OSAMA BIN LADEN!  He was clear on that – and, in my view, for Rhodes to put it any other way in defending the President, is TOTAL SPIN!  What Obama has proposed is pure NATION-BUILDING!  I’m not even sure I totally disagree with that – BUT CALL IT WHAT IT IS!  And, challenge the American people to PAY FOR IT!  If they support this, they should be willing to pay for it – at the very least.  Actually, there should be a draft if we’re going to make this commitment.  HOW MANY TOURS ARE we going to ask these troops to make.  This won’t be ending in 18 months as Obama implied – THERE’S NO WAY, NO MATTER WHAT RANDI SAYS!  And, she’s talking just like the people in the White House – as if the American people are stupid.

The callers that Randi Rhodes laid into this evening were pointing out that President Obama is not showing agressive statesmanlike leadership in the White House.  This heath care debate has been poorly planned and is headed for a “I’ll take whatever I can get – whatever Joe Lieberman will allow” finish – which is not going to play well with the Democratic “base,” NO MATTER WHAT RANDI SAYS.  And, it’s true that President Obama isn’t following through on his campaign promises – IN MORE THAN ONE INSTANCE.  When Randi is calling these people stupid, what she’ suggesting is that “more of the same old same old” is acceptable to the people who voted Obama into the White House.  Evidently in her case that is accurate – but not in the case of several of her callers tonight, not in the case of myself, and – I believe – not in the case of potentially millions of “progressives.”  We weren’t looking for a moderate, left leaning, master politician.  We were looking for a strong, statesmanlike leader – who has the guts to use the “bully pulpit” of the White House to fight the Republicans and the notion that “business as usual” is OK – AGRESSIVELY.  We might be a bit idealistic, it’s obvious that we’re still a bit naive, but I’d like to tell Randi Rhodes: calling progressives who are disenchanted with President Obama STUPID is STUPID!  You don’t seem to understand the magnitude of the problem which is being created by his milk toast approach to defeating Republicans.

Last evening I had the privilege of listening to Greg Mortenson, the author of “Three Cups of Tea” which is one of the more profound books I’ve read in the past few years.  The book depicts the ordeal Mortenson went through in the process of co-founding the Central Asia Institute which has to this date built about 130 schools in Pakistan and Afganistan and is now REQUIRED READING for ALL US military personell being dispatched to Afganistan.  There have been 300 MILLION copies sold worldwide and the book’s been on the NY Times “best seller” list for 149 straight weeks.  My intention was to write this evening about Afganistan, President Obama’s “gamble” in the “new surge,” and Mortenson’s perspective on the prospects for success in that desolate country.

However, there never seems to be a shortage of topics to write about regarding the internal politics in present day Washington DC.  I phrase it in that manner because I fully believe there are many beside myself who yearn for the day when the political climate changes in our nation’s capital away from politics via “stranglehold” from multi-national corporations.  And, the worst part of it all for me is the fact that many of these corporations who are BUYING our politicians – and EVERYONE knows that’s what’s happening – aren’t even US based corporations.  For example, Haliburton has moved their operations overseas in order to avoid paying US taxes and face US regulators.  If I was a professional journalist I would research how many of the corporations buying favors from our US Senators and Congressmen/women have tax “havens” in the Cayman Islands and elsewhere.  This, of course, was encouraged by the likes of Tom Delay and other Republican “leaders” when they had a stranglehold on power in our Congress – but, you don’t hear much complaint from Democrats – now that they are in “power” or the White House – about the HUGE amount of money that is being absconded by these corporations who don’t want to pay taxes BUT DON’T HESITATE TO PAY OFF OUR CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS from their ever expanding profits.  And, they’re doing it right in front of our “noses,” as if to say FU to the American public!

This climate in Washington is creating a soap opera like scenario as the so-called “health care reform” legislation moves toward final “passage.”  This entire process HAS BEEN A BAD JOKE!  Arguably, the major focus of the public’s “ire” should be directed at the Republicans who have evolved into the most obstructionist political party I could have ever imagined.  They appear to me to be on the verge of blocking the health care legislation – OR WORSE YET watching something get passed which will be cause for celebration in the board rooms of every health insurance company in this nation.  Which brings me to my point – THE DEMOCRATS!

If you’ve spent any time at all on this site you know that I’m becoming MORE AND MORE disenchanted with the President and the Democrats in Congress – EVERY DAY!  My disappointment has more than one “angle.”  I won’t go into my feelings about the President I strongly supported in the last election in too much detail tonight.  Suffice it to say that I’m concerned that he is MORE THAN WILLING to accept ANYTHING he can get through the Senate and call it a “political victory” regarding health care (and other issues as well).  He’s being advised by the consumate politician in Rahm Emanuel who has “same old, same old” written all over him.  Not the “Change I can believe in.”

And, then there’s the Democrats in Congress.  With an 80 vote majority in the House and a 60 member caucus in the Senate you would think they could ACTUALLY DO THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE.  Even after over 500 MILLION DOLLARS was spent to buy off Congress and BRAINWASH the public the polls still show a huge majority of Americans favoring health care reform which – AT A MINIMUM – includes a “ROBUST” public option which I fully believe the average American understood to mean they would have the option of buying into – like a Medicare for all type option.  Of course, the REALITY is that this was NEVER an “option” and the “public option” was always going to be a minor part of this legislation – available only to a small number of uninsured people whom the insurance industry wanted no part of.

Even with that, the Democrats can’t come through for anyone but the very corporations who they’re supposed to be “reforming.”  What’s incredible to me is that as this whole scenario unfolds it has become clear that TRUE HEALTH CARE REFORM would be a single payer plan which would fulfill Senator Kennedy’s lifelong dream and the wishes of a large majority of Americans to insure health care as a right in America and not a privilege.  Paying someone 30+% to “stand between the patient and the doctor” MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE!  (don’t you just love it when Republicans claim that a government run health system would put the government between the patient and doctor?) This whole concept is the result of the Reagan “revolution” which has enabled UNBELIEVABLE corporate abuses since 1980, which has decimated the middle class in our nation, and which now threatens the economic viability of America going forward.  These Republicans are going to keep “pilfering” until there’s nothing left to “pilfer,” and apparently the Democrats – as presently constituted in Washington – are going to allow this to happen.

Which  brings me to my “MAIN RUB” of the evening.  JOE LIEBERMAN.  I pointed out before President Obama was inaugurated that it was a huge mistake to allow Lieberman a committee chairmanship in the Democratic caucus.  When Al Franken was sworn in and the Dems then had the “magical” 60th vote – I COULD SMELL SOMETHING “ROTTEN IN DENMARK!”  Lieberman must have lit up like a roman candle on the fourth of July – knowing how much his a#* was going to be “kissed”.  And, he’s been “playing” the Democrats ever since.  You have to keep in mind that I’m not the only “outsider” who’s feeling as if COURAGE is in SHORT SUPPLY in Washington DC.  Harry Reid’s been “kissing up” to Lieberman since the election – AS IF LIEBERMAN IS GOING TO “COME THROUGH” and actually be that 60th vote.

Well, Lieberman is coming through – for the Republicans who managed to get him elected in Connecticuit!  I REALLY WONDER if the voters of Connecticuit are having second thoughts about voting this THUG in – instead of Ned Lamont.  Had Lamont been elected whatever the Senate ultimately comes up with would BE MUCH BETTER than what they’re going to get snivelling after Lieberman’s vote.  Personally, I hope someone like Bernie Sanders or Russ Feingold votes against what they’re now proposing to KILL IT.  The Democrats are now on the spot as to whether or not they will continue to “kiss Lieberman’s a#*.”  If they do, THEY ALL DESERVE TO BE VOTED OUT OF OFFICE!  Joe Lieberman is the MOST DESPICABLE politician in my lifetime!  There’s a lot of Republicans who turn my stomach – but Joe Lieberman wins the BENEDICT ARNOLD award as far as I’m concerned.  And, trust me, he’ll play his “60th vote” position TO THE HILT!

I still can’t get it out of my mind watching him CONSTANTLY standing behind John McCain and Sarah Palin during the last election with that “chesire cat” grin on his face.  One of the first “red flags” for me regarding President Obama was when he encouraged the Deomcrats to keep Lieberman in their caucus – I was like, “uh oh” that move had NO PRINCIPLE TO IT.  You know, anything to get that magic number of 60.  However, what they’ve proved is that the “filibuster proof” caucus MEANS NOTHING.  The Democrats are proving to be just as “bought” as the Republicans – they just put on a better “face” about it – but it’s getting close to the point where their – what I call in my 6th grade classroom – LAME EXCUSES won’t cut it anymore.  What are these people afraid of?  Obama won with a significant majority.  His popularity soared once in office.  upwards of 75% of the American public supported health care reform with a ROBUST public option (actually, the polls I saw showed that nearly 60% favored single payer).  So, in summary, we empowered Democrats to pass health care reform and emerged with Joe Lieberman holding them hostage. Michael Moore put it perfectly: SICKO!  Both major political parties are PROVING, during this health care debate,  that WE NEED A THIRD -AND MAYBE FOURTH – POLITICAL PARTY in the United States.

The last post I published on this site affirmed my commitment to avoid the tendency to just agree with anything President Obama does, even though I have to admit that I was a STRONG supporter of his candidacy during the campaign.  I’m a middle school teacher and to and from work I listen to “progressive” radio – I feel an obligation to listen in an attempt to help them combat the near monopoly that so-called “conservative” talk radio enjoys, giving us the likes of Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly, Michael Savage (maybe the worst I’ve heard), and others who remind me of the boss I worked for in my first job out of college (long before I started teaching).  I’ll never forget something he said.  This was a small electronic manufacturing business which relied on an agressive sales force to market our product (which was a good product) nationally.  Anyway, this guy made it clear there was nothing he wouldn’t do for money.  I won’t share some of the things he mentioned, but suffice it to say he listed some pretty deviant (in my mind, I’m a bit old fashioned) possibilities.  Now, I’m not suggesting the above mentioned radio personalities are deviant in any way (although I must admit it wouldn’t surprise me) – I’m just suggesting they would SAY ANYTHING – even at the expense of our nation, if it would increase their “bottom line.”

Ever since the first day Obama took office I have hoped that the so-called “progressive” members of the media wouldn’t just jump on the bandwaqon and give us a re-run of Bushitis, only from the Democratic perspective – Obamaitis, that is – rubber stamping any and all decisions Obama would make.  And, to a certain degree, that’s not happening.  I like to watch Keith Olberman on MSNBC – and, while he’s obviously biased toward the Dems and Obama, he’s perfectly willing to call them out on their Bushlike shortcomings – which there seem to be many.  Where I’ve  been a  bit dismayed is from one of my favorites on the radio, Randi Rhodes.  I’ve listened to her (when she’s managed to be on the air) for several years now and, yes, she’s probably the most “left” of the top progressive radio personalities.  She’s upfront about her bias, and actually challenges her listeners to “fact check” anything she says before deciding whether or not to believe she’s telling the truth.  Actually, that in itself, is a bit refreshing in a “genre” where OPENLY LYING seems so “in.”  Think I’m exaggerating?  Listen to Limbaugh or Beck sometime for just a few minutes.  Take notes on a few things they represent as fact, and then “fact check” them.  Their willingness to tell  BOLD FACED LIES is outrageous, to say the least.  And Limbaugh (well, Beck too, I just don’t listen to him as much) is such a dispicable racist.  The other day I heard him referring to the black community as “them” while explaining why President Obama was so bad for blacks – while, at the same time, demonstrating an incredible state of denial as to his own knowledge of what has created the problem blacks in this country are enduring in the first place.

Getting back to Randi Rhodes:  lately I’m getting VERY CONCERNED that she’s becoming a mouthpiece for President Obama.  Finding a way to justify virtually every decision he makes.  This would be VERY BAD to me if it continued.  The other day Rhodes was interviewing an expert on climate change who was following the “summit” that is going on in Copenhagen as I type this entry.  The man was pointing out how President Obama and the United States aren’t doing nearly enough to take the lead in the fight against “global warming.”  Rhodes pretty much took offense to someone with “liberal” credentials even criticizing our President (the guy – I can’t remember his name – is a reporter for “the Nation” magazine – definitely a liberal publication).  Just as she’s doing with the economy, the “surge” to Afganistan, the lack of investigation of the previous administration, Iraq, and health care – she’s starting to sound like a mouth piece for the Democratic party.

Let me suggest where her efforts would be better spent, because Rhodes is definitely someone who I believe “gets it” as far as the damage that’s been done to this country by the Republicans and GW Bush, Dick Cheney, and – for that matter – the whole trickling down bunch since Ronald Reagan.  Let’s start with the meeting in Copenhagen.  The reporter from “The Nation” isn’t the only progressive unhappy with Obama’s “stance” regarding climate change.  There’s a car mechanic who advertises on the Portland Oregon progressive station I listen to who is very unhappy with Obama’s apparent endorsement of (I think) 450 parts per million as the accepted limits on CO2 in the atmosphere – when scientists say that we should be limiting these emissions to no more than 350 ppm.  I really admire this small businessman who’s willing to spend his advertising money encouraging people to be active participants in our democracy – as progressives.  In this as in other areas where it appears that Obama is willing to accept “anything” that looks like we are “progressing,” there are many people who are concerned that what he’s exhibiting (myself included) is a lack of courageous leadership.

While I certainly hope that President Obama turns out to be a “guru” on turning this economy around, I believe the “jury’s still out” for sure on this.  Yes, the evidence is overwhelming that the so-called “stimulus” package that was passed – watered down with unneeded tax cuts for those of us who still have jobs in order to get three Republican votes (which turned into two Republican votes when Arlen Specter was forced to join the Democratic party for political survival due to the Republican’s backlash toward his vote with the Dems) – this “package” definitely played a large part in putting off this nation dropping into a deep depression.  However, I’ve claimed from the start that this “package” was far too small to actually have the effect that the people on “main street” need in order to ramp up employment in this nation in a way that benefits the blue collar middle class.  They are finally talking about ways, now, to use the TARP money – which was used to enable the INCREDIBLE GREED of the largest Wall Street banks – to actually do what was originally intended – which is to get money into the hands of small businesses in this country (too late for many already) and homeowners facing foreclosure – a crisis which hasn’t ebbed yet and is eating away at the value of the main asset for millions of American middle class families – their homes.  Yes, what Obama did was far superior to anything McCain/Palin would have done – we’d surely be in a depression had they somehow managed to win – BUT, WE’RE NOT OUT OF THE WOODS YET, and President Obama still will be required to take on the Republicans to do something drastic to turn things around.

According to Robert Reich, a man I truly respect, the real unemployment rate in America is something north of 17% – there is a staggering number of Americans who no longer are “statistics” they’ve been out of work for so long.  I have good friends, in their 50’s – who have been good productive workers, with advanced skills, for 25 – 30 years, and they can’t even get an INTERVIEW!  So, we shouldn’t be patting Obama on the back because he’s better than the alternative, we should be pushing him to stand TALLER against this Republican obstructionism which is UN-AMERICAN at a time like this – AND PUBLICLY CALL IT WHAT IT IS – and use the bully pulpit of the Presidency to CALL THESE PEOPLE OUT!  We have over TWO TRILLION dollars worth of infrastructure repair needed just to bring our hiways and bridges UP TO CODE!  Why are we waiting to spend the money?  Because a bunch of Republicans who robbed our treasury of trillions will complain about budget deficits?  After what they’ve done?  That shouldn’t be too hard an argument to overcome if taken directly to the American people.  We need people like Randi Rhodes pushing this President to live up to the progressive ideals that got him elected.

 Lately I’ve heard Rhodes applauding Max Baucus of all people – I guess he looks good for his age.  Well, the guy has taken over 3.5 million in “donations” from the health care industry which he’s a leader in “reforming.”  What we’re going to end up with, unless the backlash to this Congressional fiasco is large enough to convince these bums they will all be voted out if they can’t do the will of the people they serve, is a “reform” package that forces 30+ million customers into the insurance company’s plans, taxes the benefits of those of us who have employee based health care plans, creates even larger profits for the insurance companies – thereby making it even more difficult to “fix” the “fix” because they’ll have even more than the 1.5 million dollars per day they’re spending now to defeat “reform, and pushes the most expensive customers of the insurance companies into medicare in an attempt to make their folly look like “historic” legislation.  Randi Rhodes’ optimism for this plan honestly befuddles me.  I’m getting to the point where I believe the “status quo” might end up being better than this Congress’ “solution” which will be forever “stained” by this huge amount of money spent in order to kill the legislation.  Why are we constantly seeking “compromise” with people who have proven that their main interest is the undoing of our federal government?  I JUST DON’T GET THIS – and we need the people who have a “voice” to be speaking on behalf of the 45 million uninsured, the millions unemployed, the children who are going to get a sub-standard education if the huge projected cuts continue, state by state.  WE, AS A NATION, ARE IN DESPERATE NEED OF COURAGEOUS LEADERSHIP!

I won’t even get into the Iraq and Afganistan fiasco’s in detail, but suffice it to say that I’ve heard comments from Rhodes where she is actually defending Obama’s decisions (or lack thereof, depending on your perspective I guess) in these occupations.  Obama is making a HUGE gamble by escalating the Afganistan occupation and, I believe, the claim we would be bringing our troops home in 18 months was disengenuous at best.  Maybe it was calculated, but there’s no way we will be able to “get the job done” (whatever that is) in that timeframe, and pulling out then with the work “undone” will be far worse than doing the right thing now and bringing our troops home from both Afganistan and Iraq and concentrating on getting our own “house in order.”  That would take tremendous courage because the President would be accused of being “weak” by the likes of Dick Cheney and all the other unworthy critics from the “right” who bungled us into this mess in the first place.  They remind me of people who would leave the mess in the toilet for someone else to flush!  Of course, the solution to that problem would have been to allow the investigations which SHOULD HAVE GONE AHEAD as soon as Obama took office regarding ALL THE ILLEGAL ACTIVITY, including torture – which the Bush/Cheney administration is KNOWN to have committed.  I feel so bad for our troops who will be making their 6th maybe 7th tour into this “graveyard of empires” with little hope for anything but creating more hatred against the United States of America, and more devastation to themselves and their already disintegrating families.  I’m really disappointed that Obama made this decision and possibly moreso that Randi Rhodes is finding ways to rationalize it.

Let me end tonight by saying that, as I was driving home from school tonight, Randi was talking about the TARP fiasco (boy, there’s a lot of fiasco’s out there, post Bush, aren’t there).  Evidently, there’s a Congressional investigation going on into Bank of America’s “sweet” deal in gaining control of Merrill Lynch using TARP funds to do it.  Rhodes was pointing out, quite accurately, the incredible circumstances around that deal which was orchestrated by Hank Paulsen, Bush’s Treasury Secretary – who was only two years removed from being the CEO of Goldman Sachs at the time of the meltdown.  In FACT, Paulsen played a large part at Goldman in the abuses which led to the meltdown.  And, I believe the circumstances played out a bit differently than the way Rhodes presented them, but the result would be the same.  I believe the failure of Goldman’s main rival, Lehman Brothers, led to the immenent failure of Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley and Paulsen had to act fast to save his (I’m sure) huge interest in Goldman.  These present ivestigations are interesting, but they’re not aimed at the real scandal which was the actions of Paulsen and Bush.  This is just one part of the Bush administation where I’ve been lobbying heavily (albeit to about 50 – 100 people nightly via this website) for full investigations of the Bush administration.  The TRUTH is that something on the line of 5 TRILLION dollars was absconded from the American public during this orchestrated “meltdown” and the money went somewhere.  I’ve been amazed that the new adminstration seemed not to have the least bit of curiosity as to where that money went, and a minimal desire for any accountability – just as in the torture, the illegal wiretapping, the outing of a CIA agent, the lying us into war, and the bludgeoning of our economy in general.  I believe we would all be better served, due to her position, well earned over the years, as a voice for progressives, if Randi Rhodes would be demanding accountability from President Obama, instead of being his “mouthpiece.”

When the candidate I supported won the Presidential election for the first time in my adult lifetime I was excited.  I cried the night I heard Barack Obama’s acceptance speech once the election’s results were “official.”  I’ll never forget calling one of my VERY BEST FRIENDS, a man who still carries a bullet too near his heart to have it safely removed – FROM THE VIET NAM ERA – as a member of the United States Air Force, a man who taught himself how to read in the Air Force by reading the Bible and who now is a pastor in his own little “inner city” church – some 20 years after his retirement from the military, a man with whom I taught for some 10 years in public school as we focused our lives on helping 6th grade students from “tough” circumstances learn that they were important, and a man who has endured a lifetime of discrimination because of the color of his skin.  This man is one of my hero’s and I couldn’t wait to ask him what he thought of our new President.

His first words to me were something on the line of:  “I never thought I’d live long enough to see this day in America.”  And I, although without the perspective of my good friend, felt essentially the same.  My country has demonstrated that the ideals ALL OF US were taught to believe lie at the foundation of the constitution were REAL.  For months I had anxiously awaited the moment with a sense of anticipation and also a sense of fear.  The Democrats had stepped out at a very important time in history and I, despite being a lifelong “independent,” was proud to watch what was happening, was sending what little money I could to Obama and other candidates (in the hope of helping to create the so-called magical 60 vote Democratic caucus in the senate), and was talking to anyone who would listen about how bad I thought an Obama defeat (and therefore a McCain/Palin win) would be for our nation.

I, like millions of other progressive minded Americans, had endured the 8 years of Bush/Cheney with a mounting sense of anticipation as to when it would “finally be over.”  I started reading books regarding the Bush decisions to abandon Afganistan in favor of invading Iraq, warrantlessly wiretapping his own citizens, authorizing torture and endless incarceration for “enemy combatants” – many of which were obviously victims of a flawed policy in the manner they were captured – and some even ended up dead, reducing taxes during wartime thereby necessitating huge deficits and inadequate support for our troops, and virtually obliterating what was a vibrant economy when he took office to the point where many people (including myself) were making comparisons – and legitimately so – to Herbert Hoover and the American economy of the 1920’s leading to the “Great Depression” as Bush was leaving office.

I tempered my joy regarding Obama’s historic victory by pledging that I would NOT give him the same blind loyalty which the Republicans gave Bush – a loyalty which allowed for much of the abuse leading to the massive folly that Bush will be remembered for – a loyalty which essentially “trumped” the traditional American institutions of “checks and balances” brilliantly designed by our forefathers as a way to prevent exactly what Bush/Cheney were trying to impose on America – the unitary executive.  That is, the Republicans were attempting to create a circumstance where they would have what they called the “permanent Republican majority.”  Control of the White House, both houses of Congress, the court system (along with the justice department), and probably most significantly THE MEDIA.

In fact, one of my original disappointments with Obama was his refusal to expose the abuses of the Bush/Cheney administration through investigations.  But, my point here is that I was really excited that he was our President (still am – just a bit discouraged) and that Bush was not our President (or that McCain/Palin were not the new administration).  If you’ve been on this site before you know that I’ve kept my pledge to avoid the blind loyalty and I’ve become progressively more impatient with our new President.  I have been, and will continue to be, critical of many of his decisions for a simple reason.  I honestly disagree with them and I believe President Obama is taking a way too pragmatic approach to dealing with our problems.  In my mind the opportunity was there at the start of his Presidency to TRULY make some SIGNIFICANT changes in the direction of this nation.  It appears to me that President Obama is using the same set of “bandaids” to fix the same old problems – therefore insuring we’ll (or, worse than that, our children and/or grandchildren will) be fixing these same problems again at a time that is still to be determined.

That being said, I can’t even imagine how bad it would be in this country if John McCain had become President.  The guy thought our economy’s “fundamentals” were strong as depression was hovering on the horizon and he couldn’t tell the differnce between a Sunni and a Shia as he was acting as some kind of expert on the Iraq war.  Evidently his military service where he was – like Bush – the recipient of position based on his father’s success and, also like Bush, a virtual failure at everything he did – this was supposed to make him some kind of military expert.  The only thing he did well while in the military was crash a lot of planes.  He came within about five spots from being at the absolute BOTTOM of his class at Annapolis – a class of almost 900 Midshipmen.  In my mind, NOT PRESIDENTIAL MATERIAL.  Of course, then he (a man with a history of cancer) chose the most INCREDIBLY UNQUALIFIED vice presidential candidate EVER in Sarah Palin.  I can’t even imagine what it would be like to have Sarah Palin as our commander in chief.  And, there’s still Republicans out there who refuse to admit the obvious – that Sarah Palin as a nationally prominent politician is a JOKE – A BAD JOKE!  John McCain’s INCREDIBLE decision to thrust her into the national spotlight will place him with a special place in political infamy.  It has given her the opportunity to become rich – which she’s taking full advantage of (and, I don’t blame her – I’d probably do the same) – and it’s giving the radical right wing fringe (and Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck) someone who’s dumber than them that they can “champion.”

So, when people remind me of the alternative to Obama when I complain about his decisionmaking it is true that he is LIGHT YEARS better than anything I can imagine from the Republicans.  He is “nudging” us in a different direction, and I suppose when you take a practical look at the makeup of our Congress it’s easy to see how one might say “this is the best we can do.”  However, I’m not buying that and I refuse to think that way.  I’m still waiting for someone who will use the so-called “bully – pulpit” to push a real progressive agenda.  One that will reverse the “Reagan effect” on our government and totally change the mindset and the expectation of our people. 

At the rate we’re going we will continue to accept lobbyists buying off our Congress people “right before our eyes.”  This health care debate has been quite an education for anyone who’s been closely watching it.  When the industry which is supposedly being reformed is spending upwards of a million and a half dollars PER DAY to defeat the “reform,” and when the senators who block the “reform” every step of the way are receiving contributions in the MILLIONS from the very companies and businesses they’re attempting to regulate – SOMETHING’S TERRIBLY WRONG and passive pragmatism won’t cut it.  For example, I heard tonight that the so-called (watered down) “public option” was being “abandoned” in exchange for lowering the eligible age for Medicare to 55.  I thought, “these guys are going to find a way to allow the insurance industry which is giving them millions to ‘win’ while making it look like they’ve done something substantial.”

Now, I’m in the over 55 category and under 65 – which is the present Medicare eligible age – so maybe this will be a benefit to me.  However, what I think it will do is create MORE PROFIT for the health care industry by pushing the older, more vulnerable customers, into the Medicare system while FORCING MILLIONS OF YOUNGER AMERICANS to buy what one person I listened to tonight termed “their crappy products.”  I’m sure Obama, along with all the other “leaders” in Washington will claim this to be historic legislation – and, to be sure, I hope they’re right and I’m wrong – but, when you think about it, the REAL SOLUTION would be to open up Medicare to EVERYONE and cut these cutthroat, profit oriented MIDDLE MEN completely out of the health care picture.  THAT WOULD BE THE REAL PRACTICAL APPROACH to the health care dilemma in America – but it wasn’t even “on the table.”

This is just another example of trying to do something that “looks good” but doesn’t “rock the boat” too much.  Keep all the big companies and Wall Street happy.  It appears to me that from the Washington DC perspective the “heartland” of America is on Wall Street.  I could go on – for example, the Iraq policy of Obama – ABSOLUTELY NOTHING CREATIVE OR COURAGEOUS – simply letting the clock tick as we “allow” the Bush negotiated policy to “run out.” (and, in this case, I believe we are all in for a surprise when we see how many Americans are staying in Iraq and for how long)  Then there’s the deficit issue.  Bush/Cheney left a budget deficit of something like 1.2 to 1.5 TRILLION DOLLARS for their last budget – which of course is the budget Obama’s been forced to deal with in his first year – for those who don’t know, IT’S STILL HAPPENING.  Obama could have taken a courageous stand regarding the “Bush tax cuts” and REPEALED THEM UPON ENTERING OFFICE,  but no, he’s going to just allow them to run out – AGAIN nothing courageous or different in my mind.  And, I could spend volumes writing about Afganistan – which I believe could be Obama’s “waterloo” as one racist senator from South Carolina tried to make the health care bill.  Many of Obama’s supporters will be deflated from the original decision, but come 2012 when we’re still “mired” in Afganistan it will no longer be Bush’s fiasco, it will be Obama’s “blunder.”  In fact, I’m sure that with most Americans, the “surge” in troops into Afganistan has made it Obama’s occupation at this point already.

I could spend my time writing about how disgusting the Republicans are – and, believe me, as every day passes I’m amazed at how they become even MORE DISGUSTING to me – which, based on how ridiculous they have been,  should be IMPOSSIBLE.  But, they seem to continue outdoing themselves.  For example, just the other day I heard Mitch McConnell – the minority leader in the Senate – along with John Boehner of the House complaining that the “Democrats were trying to ‘cut’ Medicare,” and saying how bad this was.  Then, I got home tonight, and there they were again complaining that the “Democrats were trying to ‘expand’ Medicare!”  It’s like a roller coaster with these guys.  The only thing you can count on is that they will oppose EVERYTHING – especially if they think it might lead Obama to be considered a success – that is proposed by Democrats.  They are enough to make me gag.  The sad thing is that we need a vibrant opposition party and these guys are heading for political oblivion.  If they get back in power, we’ll all be IN BIG TROUBLE.  However, despite the absurdity of the Republicans, I still refuse to be blindly loyal to President Obama!  I REALLY want the change “we can believe in” for my children and grandchildren – NOT MORE (ALMOST) THE SAME!