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!