I have mixed emotions as I begin this post. First, it was VERY encouraging seeing President Obama in what appeared to be “attack mode” as he was responding to the republican response to their LOSS on the health care debate. It is TOTALLY discouraging seeing a republican party that is beyond OUT OF CONTROL with leaders who are OVERT racists. They’re having a much more difficult time holding their TRUE feelings inside as they watch what could be – and hopefully is – the total DEMISE of the republican party as it exists today (could it be their “Waterloo?”). There have been many more Americans besides myself who have been disappointed (in my case, virtually turned off) by President Obama’s persistent “reaching out” to republicans in order to get “bipartisan” support for legislation which OBVIOUSLY was not there. This bill could have been law a LONG TIME AGO had our president figured this out – and accepted it. Hopefully now, he understands that there is an internal war going on for the very foundation of the United States of America. The republicans have morphed into a bunch of surrogates to people like Roger Ailes (the head of Fox “news”), Glenn Beck, Bill O’Reilly, and a bunch of other “talking heads,” but MOSTLY Rush Limbaugh. I can’t imagine how any thoughtful adult in today’s America could want to allow that bunch to determine national policy.
This should have been way more OBVIOUS to democrats, and especially the president. I mean, the republicans chose an overt RACIST to be John McCain’s running mate in the last election. Sarah Palin started all this “revolutionary” rhetoric when she was claiming that Barack Obama “hangs out with terrorists,” emphasizing his middle name was “Hussein,” and using one code word after another to assure her audience that she was well aware that her opponent was BLACK. And, of course, we had John McCain who is a much more covert racist, although he put up a good fight in years past to oppose a holiday for Martin Luther King. McCain had the code words all right, they were just more subtle than Palin’s. I’ll never forget the debate where McCain referred to Obama as “that one,” and – for all intents and purposes – got away with it. There was barely a “whimper” from some in the media – but, just that comment alone should have been reason for much more SCRUTINY on McCain’s motives. And, both McCain and Palin continued “inciting” the crowds as people in their audience shouted things like “kill him” while they were implying that Barack Obama was something less than “one of us,” or a “real American.”
So, now look where we are. President Obama chose, once in office, to look the other way from OBVIOUS illegal activity coming straight out of the White House during the Bush/Cheney years – presumably to avoid flaming the racist fires even more as he took over the reigns of our government. I’m sure he didn’t want the “distraction” it would have caused. Well, notwithstanding all the reasons it was PARAMOUNT to show the world that we are a nation of laws and not men, WE STILL HAVE THE DISTRACTION. And, I would claim that the distraction is far worse than it would have been had Obama done the RIGHT THING and allowed for the investigations. Not only would we have been given insight into what our government had been up to, but ALL AMERICANS would have a clear vision of what the right wing of the republican party is pushing as official policy. I shudder when I see all these working class Americans lined up as “tea party” protestors – TOTALLY being used by the repubulican leaders who could care less about them and as they are trying to create a nation of corporate GREED gone WILD!
This all being said, I have to admit that I’m feeling a bit encouraged by the fact the democrats – despite my deep reservations about the legislation – PASSED A HEALTH REFORM BILL. It’s not that the bill is a be all end all, because most people agree that it’s not. It’s just that they didn’t quit, and they actually did something that resembles governing. It looked to me as if Nancy Pelosi decided to make sure something was accomplished and I liked the way she (and the rest of the democrats) maneuvered the bill through once Scott Brown became the 41st NO vote in the Senate. Of course, as I’ve been saying for almost a year, all they had to do – in reality – was to give ALL Americans the OPTION to buy into a medicare like plan that would pay a fair amount to doctors and hospitals with incentives for health providers to help people stay healthy. Just the same, the democrats – better late than never – FINALLY did something. And, I share the hope of many that this action will spur them on to “bigger and better” things prior to the next election. Of course, that would be even more unusual because the recent history of our congress is that even LESS gets done during an election year.
Do you get the sense that the democratic members of congress are “getting” the reality of “Citizens United?” Maybe they’re understanding the best way to fight the impending ONSLAUGHT of corporate money in the upcoming election is to actually accomplish some things that “we the people” want before then. I mean, it was astonishing to me that the congress couldn’t put a “public option” in the health care legislation when over 70% of Americans wanted that. Of course, those 70% didn’t include the pharmaceutical giants or the health insurance behemoths, and, evidently, they have more sway with our congressional leaders and the White House than the rest of us. Now congress is faced with the “task” of re-regulating Wall Street. The big banks are already funneling their HUGE amounts of campaign donations toward republicans in a shameless attempt to persuade the PARTY OF NO to attempt to block any restrictions on their gambling with taxpayer money (right now, they’re getting money from the Fed at 0% interest). I think it must have been Wall Street that came up with the saying “Heads we win, tails you lose.” It must be nice to be able to lose BILLIONS and still get a handsome bonus – not to mention the seven figure salary! Do the republicans really DARE to side with Wall Street on this one? Stay tuned, should be interesting to say the least. (and, I guess I should add; are the democrats either stupid enough or spineless enough to fail to act on this OVERWHELMINGLY popular and NECESSARY issue?)
Most of all I’ve been encouraged by seeing President Obama acting much more agressively to the obstructionists. I’ve stated before that the “looking forward and not back” regarding the misdeeds of Bush/Cheney was a “deal breaker” for me – but, I VERY MUCH WANT PRESIDENT OBAMA TO SUCCEED! I believe if he’ll start pushing a progressive agenda without deference to the republicans who have proven that their “tax cuts solves everything” philosophy is a MAJOR LOSER and that their new philosophy of help our President to fail is only popular with the tea baggers and racists, then he’ll rise again in the polls. I also believe that if Obama takes the republicans on STRAIGHT UP – democrats won’t necessarily have the disaster pundits are predicting for them in November’s congressional elections. Wouldn’t it be a GREAT MESSAGE to send to republicans – to put them FURTHER in the minority? Do you think that might wake them up that this radical authoritarian agenda they’re pushing has NO PLACE in America’s politics? President Obama could push through the Wall Street regulation, a green energy bill, and an ADDITIONAL STIMULUS bill that would put people back to work, and he could gain solid backing by a LARGE MAJORITY of Americans.
I just can’t bring myself to believe that in 2010 there are enough Americans who will “buy” the TEA PARTY “soup” to effect the outcome of an election. Obama’s placating of republicans has been turning off both independent voters (like myself) and his “liberal” base. The ONLY way to reenergize these people is to take up the BATTLE against these republicans. That’s why Obama was elected. It’s not just me who had had enough of Bush and his cronies. If President Obama wants to really be the LEADER of this nation, he will make it clear that what those people stand for has no place in American politics any more. Some of this tea party CRAP really reminds me of some of the stuff we had to endure in the sixties when the civil rights movement was in full force. It’s as if Bush/Cheney (both draft dodgers) missed serving in Viet Nam, but they didn’t hesitate to send hundred’s of thousands of America’s finest to Iraq for their own personal gain. Neither Bush nor Cheney were noted for their racial sensitivity, and now we’re again seeing American heroes like John Lewis enduring racial epithets on the steps of congress with republican lawmakers urging the perpetrators on. To me, all of this is like “Deja Vu all over again.” I’m hoping Obama is in a position – and frame of mind – to continue to attack these guys.
What could possibly derail President Obama? Well, I’m still not sure why he’s made some of the decisions he’s made – so, short of finding out that he’s still wiretapping, or that the secret prisons are still torturing prisoners, or some other foo pah – hopefully Obama is now on track to “take it to” the republicans. I agree that we need republicans, it’s just that we don’t need republicans who are sucking up to people like Limbaugh, Beck, and Ailes. The other day a former speech writer for Bush, David Frum, was fired from the conservative American Enterprise Institute for telling the truth about the republican’s refusal to negotiate with democrats on the health care legislation. The bottom line: in today’s republican party you either “toe” the party line, or you’re “persona non grata.” Does anyone besides me find it ironic that these same people are very loose in throwing terms like “fascist,” “communist,” “socialist” around at President Obama? I heard a republican the other day claim that Obama’s creating a “totalitarian” nation! These people really do need to be DEFEATED! Hopefully President Obama has finally figured out that he’s the one who MUST lead the way in doing this.
There was a time in my lifetime when republicans actually acted as leaders. People like Barry Goldwater, Everett Dirksen, Mark Hatfield, Bob Packwood, George Romney, Nelson Rockefeller, Dwight D Eisenhower, and even Richard Nixon could never exist in today’s republican party. I’m no John McCain fan, but if you’ve followed his career you can see the stark difference between “then and now.” He was once considered the “maverick,” because of his willingness to work “across the isle,” but, nowadays you see him spouting the “party line” in an attempt to show all the tea baggers that he’s worthy of their vote in a disgusting display of someone who doesn’t have the courage to stand up for what he believes. Makes me sick even writing this. I do believe, however, that totally DEFEATING these THUGS will lead to a restoration of a republican party that just might actually be “compassionate conservatives” which is what the voters thought they were getting when they elected George W Bush. (OK, I “get” they didn’t elect him – he was appointed by the Supreme Court – but, just the same, the people who did vote for him thought he was compassionate and conservative. 0 for 2!)
President Obama made all of this much more difficult than it should have been. A friend of mine pointed out that Obama needed to “reach out” to republicans in order to show America what they are REALLY like. I understand that line of thinking, but I just think that full investigations of Bush/Cheney et al would have done a much better and more thorough job of getting that done. And, it would have allowed for this healthcare debate to have been over long ago (especially had they taken the medicare for all approach and gone right to reconciliation to pass it in the senate). So, in the interest of helping Obama and the democrats further marginalize these republicans I’m suggesting they pass STRICT regulations of Wall Street – which would include a .0025 cents PER SHARE tax on all trades (that’s a QUARTER OF A CENT), they should also pass a SECOND stimulus bill – that is 100% aimed at job creation, and a “green energy” bill that ACTUALLY puts us on a course aimed at reducing our dependence on fossil fuels – SOONER RATHER THAN LATER! If they have the courage and the brains to do that, I TOTALLY believe the people in this nation who are not infromation deprived will be ENERGIZED to send an even STRONGER message to the likes of John (hell no you can’t) Boehner, Mitch McConnell, John McCain, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, and the rest of them. If I could talk to President Obama (after I pointed out to him his folly in “pardoning” Bush/Cheney :o) I would tell him, an agressive progressive agenda for the rest of 2010 will guarantee the republicans to still be the party of “NO” in November!!!