I’ve spent the past couple years trying to explain the importance of “progressives” (liberals) taking back the initiative in the direction of the United States of America.  The more I write, the more I feel the sense of importance for this, the more I feel a sense of frustration as I watch democrats acting either in concert with republicans – or simply not “getting” what is happening – and, the more I wish that our leaders would somehow get in “touch” with the basic tenets that made this country the greatest nation in the “free world.”  And, let me emphasize here, what made us great in the first place wasn’t our military prowess – that was simply a tangiential “offspring” of the unity which was created during the late 30’s and the “New Deal.”  It is true that the United States pretty much took “center stage” after leading the defeat of the Nazi white supremist regime of the thirties – but, the mobilization of America into the world’s greatest military power was the result of the inner strength brought out during the fight for worker’s rights waged by America’s unions.  Our (I’m a “baby boomer”) father’s and grandfather’s (yes – mothers and grandmothers too!) turned this nation into an industrial power through the principle of corporations being loyal to workers and vice versa – something that is rapidly becoming a “thing of the past” in today’s America.

Getting “rich” quick – wasn’t the mantra when I was growing up during the 50’s and 60’s.  The head of the local paper mill or sawmill or whatever made a tidy sum more than the workers – maybe 5 to 10 times what the workers were making.  BUT NOT 500 TIMES!  It was expected that health care benefits were part of the “benefit package” for workers at most jobs ( of course, health care was much cheaper back then), and it was not unusual to see blue collar workers working for the same company for 30 years, 40 years, or even more.  I still remember when I had the opportunity to maybe go to work for Hewlett Packard in the 70’s that one of their “pitches” was they had NEVER laid off a single worker!  Their workers received a liveable wage PLUS a generous benefit package – and Hewlett Packard was very proud of their record in this regard.  Based on the feedback I got from my friends who worked there, the moral was quite high.  Companies like Hewlett Packard were proud of the FACT they employed American workers at liveable wages who were the “backbone” of their company.  This was the predominant “mindset” during the first 30+ years of my lifetime.  Then, along came Ronald Reagan and the “Reagan revolution.” (and, if you work at Hewlett Packard – a bit later, Caryl Fiorina!)

When I listen to republicans refer to Reagan it reminds me of the Texas conservative school officials who want to rewrite the history books to “teach” our children the “history” that fits into their dreams of how things should be.  Very seldom do I hear anyone “tell it like it is” when referencing Reagan.  In fact, lately I’ve gotten sick to my stomach listening to “conservatives” complaining about the budget deficits which are definitely PLAGUING this nation – of that one thing, by the way, I can agree with them.  I’ve been complaining about the budget deficits ever since Richard Nixon put the “borrow with no intention of ever paying it back” syndrome into routine federal policy – from a republican perspective.  I can still remember Nixon likening the budget deficit to having a mortgage on your house – and, suggesting how STUPID it was for the government to own so much property without “mortgaging” it.  (I don’t remember him ever saying anything about paying back the mortgage)

Of course, Ronald Reagan took this deficit spending to an entirely new level.  And, it was based on the usual republican rhetoric.  Jimmy Carter reduced Nixon’s deficit in half in his four years in office (if you check – the democrats eventually reduce the deficit – the republicans complain about it and then jack it up – AGAIN – in Bush 43’s case, he jacked it up so high that it may be next to impossible to get it back down to where it was when he assumed the presidency – republicans complaining about “Obama’s” deficit seemingly can’t remember Dick Cheney saying “Reagan proved deficits don’t matter.”) – Reagan promised to “cut taxes and balance the budget,” (stupid on its face) but seemed to get a “free pass” from republicans as the deficit ZOOMED into the HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS of dollars within his first official budget.  Of course, this was the direct result of the “trickle down” economic theory that Bush 41 best defined as “voodoo economics.”  Reagan also led the assault on America’s labor unions – he violated a campaign promise to the Air Traffic Controllers – and BROKE their union right on national TV – showing every unprincipled CEO in the country just how to do it – AND, showing them they would have the government’s support if they decided to break some unions.  They’ve been quite successful as less than 10% of America’s workforce is now unionized (in the 60’s it was something approaching 40%) – an astonishing feat to say the least – Reagan managed to get the very workers who were losing their benefits, their jobs, their futures, to vote republican.  I was amazed then, I’m still amazed now.  I actually have friends that I can’t even talk to about politics as they blindly express loyalty to the president who was most responsible for the FACT they are skilled members of a workforce that no longer needs – nor wants – their services.  And, it won’t surprise me if some of these people continue to vote for republicans – because they have been fooled into thinking that republicans are going to get Roe v Wade overturned.

So, how serious is this “battle” for America’s very soul that I – and millions of others – are so deeply concerned?  Well, just take a closer look at the BP disaster in the gulf – and the associated reports coming from all over the place on the abuses of the big oil companies.  Or, take a closer look at the two ENDLESS fiascos Bush/Cheney got us mired into and President Obama seems powerless to get us out.  How about a closer look at our very electoral process – I know we take it for granted that every vote counts in America – but, is that really true?  And, how about a closer look at our justice department – the one that was TOTALLY politicized during the Bush/Cheney regime?  I could go on and on here, but how about finishing with a quick look into the potential ramifications of the “Citizen’s United” Supreme Court decision and – to make all the “tea partiers” happy – a quick appraisal of the budget deficit; who’s fault it is and what can realistically be done to correct it?  That’s a lot of “stuff” to look at, but unfortunately there’s a lot more – we’re just limited by my time, my motivation, and my wish that you would actually read whatever I come up with without feeling like you’ve just finished reading a book.

OK, the BP Gulf of Mexico disaster.  If this one screw up doesn’t give you pause about the “Citizen’s United” decision, I’m sorry to say this, but you’re just not thinking straight.  This corporation has the $20 BILLION to put up to make themselves look better – and, hopefully make it easier for all the Gulf residents who are losing everything due to BP’s recklessness – plus they’ve got plenty to wage a PR campaign which will attempt to convince the public they are “civic minded” and “green” – what most people don’t know – they will be FULL TILT BOOGIE in our next election attempting to make sure that people like Joe Barton (the apologist), Michelle Bachman, and other republicans who are defending their “mistake” get re-elected.  Additionally, BP is showing its true colors as they refuse to allow anyone participating in the Gulf cleanup to wear respirators – despite the FACT hundreds of workers are getting sick from breathing the contamination  associated with cleaning up this HUGE mess!  Now there are reports coming out regarding other BULLYING tactics used by BP and other oil companies in situations where exploratory wells are being drilled and the contamination associated with their work is being denied or covered up.  The process called “fracking” – which gets the natural gas out from shale deposits – pollutes the water supplies of the regions around the wells with high levels of carcinogens.  I won’t go into anymore detail here – just Google it if you don’t believe me.  The point: these large corporations have put profits ahead of people – and our government, especially Bush/Cheney have enabled this behavior by eliminating government oversight.  The corporations are TOTALLY supported by the republican party! (and, the deomcrats don’t have the kahonas to say “enough already”)

Iraq and Afganistan.  I’m sick of even writing about this – but, I must continue.  The other day I was listening to a republican friend of mine talking about “supporting the troops.”  That is, who is and who isn’t supporting the troops.  Keeping in mind that some of our troops have had 6, 7 or more tours of duty in these two MISTAKES, I find it hard to say “supporting our troops” is to continue to send them back OVER AND OVER!  Supporting our troops would be getting them the hell out of Iraq and Afganistan ASAP – and that’s not by the politicians timetable.  Obviously, President Obama didn’t have the resolve to do this like he showed in his campaign for the presidency.  The 16 months have come and gone and there are still something like 100,00 American troops in Iraq – not to mention all the contractors who are doing jobs our troops should be doing (at a fraction of the cost).  We, as a nation, are throwing away HUNDREDS of BILLIONS of dollars – essentially throwing good money after bad – to keep from having to face the REALITY that Bush/Cheney managed to get us mired into two VIET NAM like fiascos at the same time.  Of course, Bush/Cheney are proud of their efforts to this day.  Just a couple weeks ago I heard that GW was bragging (again) about authorizing torture and said he would do it again “to keep America safe.”  Well, his policies have kept us so safe that we’re on the verge of bankruptcy, we can’t seem to stop the bleeding, and ultimately our military will be ruined by these multiple tours of duty in countries where the people don’t want us there and there is no clear mission as to why we’re there – other than to prevent the impression that the United States of America “failed.”  I guess the present thinking is that if we can endure this for another 10 to 20 years maybe people will forget why we went there in the first place and we’ll be considered “winners.”  I honestly don’t understand the thinking – especially Barack Obama’s thinking – he’s gaining “ownership” of Bush’s blunders.  That, in itself, to me is stupid!

You don’t think the electoral process is a mess?  Did you pay attention to what just happened in South Carolina?  The guy someone (I’m guessing no one will investigate this either) paid his $10,000 dollar fee to enter the senate primary (democratic, of course), who didn’t campaign at all, who stands accused of a felony, won by almost 20% amid one complaint after another that voters would “touch” the screen of the voting machine and this guy’s name would come up instead of the name of the person they wanted to vote for (the person who, by the way, had a slight chance to unseat Jim DeMint – the racist, anti-Obama republican who is leading the attempt to make sure President Obama “fails”) and this guy – who when you listen to him speak you just shake your head that someone would have the balls to pull this off, and then shake your head some more that there is no investigation – he won with close to 60% of the vote (not all the ballots were cast on these machines that have ABSOLUTELY no paper trail).  Does this remind you of anything?  How about Florida in 2000?  How about Ohio in 2004?  How about Louisiana in this year’s democratic primary where areas favorable to the challenger to Blanche Lincoln had most of their polling places closed so that some people would have had to travel long distances to cast a ballot in a primary election?  This crap is going on everywhere.  The makers of the voting machines in question – which are EASILY hacked – are ALL republicans.  We seem to go on as if nothing has happened here.  But, we endured 8 years of Bush/Cheney due to voting irregularities in Florida (remember Bush’s brother was in charge of that election as Florida’s governor) – no investigation that I’ve ever seen was made public (I’ve heard the reason for that was to prevent undermining Bush’s presidency – because, most people know that Al Gore should have been president – and, the only saving grace there is that we didn’t have to endure Joe Lieberman as Vice President).  The Ohio irregularities encompassed kind of “all of the above” – the fraudulent machines, the limited polling outlets in places that were heavily democratic, and state officials who were directly involved in the Bush campaign.  When we conclude that our votes DON’T COUNT – and, that the politicians have “fixed” the elections beforehand – well, that’s when this great experiment of America’s self rule starts to unravel.  The brainwashing from the “right” started during Reagan’s administration, and the effect of it shows today when you listen to the irrational claims of members of the so-called “tea party.”  America’s middle class seems determined to vote themselves into eternal submission to the “corporate masters.”

I’ll try to make this one short – because if you’ve been around here long, you know how I feel on this issue.  The Justice Department.  During the Bush/Cheney years new members of the Justice Department had to take what amounted to a loyalty oath to the republican party.  This in itself was another of the crimes committed during their term in office which will apparently forever be “forgotten” (or forgiven from the point of view of Obama/Holder).  The Justice Department fired 9 US Attorney’s because they “failed” to adequately prosecute democrats – or, were prosecuting republicans.  There was a huge “to do” about this – but, no one was held accountable for undermining the very fabric our nation rests on – and, that is a NON-PARTISAN Justice Department.  Don Seigleman, the governor of Alabama was essentially jailed by friends of Karl Rove – preventing him from being reelected as Alabama’s governor – and, nothing has been done since Holder took over as Attorney General to make this right – again, it’s as if nothing happened.  And, of course, there are a litany of reasons the Bush/Cheney administration SHOULD have been investigated – not the least of which is WAR CRIMES – or WAR PROFITEERING – or LYING us into WAR – but, there hasn’t been even a whimper from Obama or the Democratically controlled Congress or Eric Holder to investigate this wrongdoing.  President Obama has essentially overturned the GREAT effort made in the 70’s, when Nixon went out of control, to prove that just because the president does it doesn’t make it legal!  Right now, our Justice Department is a mess, people are thumbing their collective noses at it, the airwaves are full of seditious language, the politicians are openly corrupt – and, it seems, our Justice Department is powerless to do anything about it.  As with the voting process, when we totally lose faith in our Justice Department, the foundation of our democracy is at the crumbling stage.

This all gets me back to the “Citizen’s United” decision handed to us all by the Roberts Supreme Court.  Obviously, both John Roberts and Sam Alito were good strategic picks for people like GW Bush – who believe in destroying our government and believe the “private sector” can do everything better.  Well, as stated above, BP is giving us a good view of that philosophy.  Or, how about the Wall Street banks?  Is 2008 so far in the rear view mirror that people have forgotten the reason our economy is still sitting on the edge of disaster due to the reckless GAMBLING that is going on with taxpayers money by corporations such as Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America (Merrill Lynch) and others?  And, by the way, they’re right back at it as if nothing has happened – selling collaterallized debt obligations with one hand, and betting they’ll fail with the other.  Let’s focus on the miltary industrial complex for a moment.  Do you want corporations such as GE, Boeing, Halliburton, Bechtel, Blackwater (Xe) and the like determining our members of Congress – or, our president?  Think about how little a couple HUNDRED MILLION is to one of these companies as opposed to what government oversight might cost them.  Believe me, there is only one thing on their radar screen – and that is maximizing PROFITS!  They could care less about the “good of the people,” yet, “we the people” continue voting in these thugs who are beholden to the corporate masters.  Do you really think things will get better, in this regard, now that these corporations can spend endless amounts of money to influence our electoral process?  To top all this off, and hopefully get your attention even more, congress is attempting to pass a law requiring corporations to identify themselves in any adds they might put on TV or radio or other forms of mass media.  Yesterday, I tried (again) to listen to Rush Limbaugh – and the experiment failed (again) – as he was railing against the idea that corporations being forced to identify themselves in their adds was some kind of communist plot (that’s my characterization of his words) – these thugs want to influence our electoral process AND they want to remain anonymous so that no one knows what they’re up to!  Unbelievable to me – ALL OF THIS – including our Supreme Court having the nerve to say corporations have the same rights as individuals (that’s what you call “having your cake and eating it”)

We’re finally there – the deficit that all the tea partiers are so worried about.  What is wrong with these people?  Where were they when GW Bush and Dick Cheney were running the deficit into the TRILLIONS?  It seems a bit too convenient to me that they all of a sudden are concerned – and, of course, they have no qualms in laying this deficit at Obama’s feet.  To me, that just shows either how disengenuous they are, or how ignorant they are.  For starters, while Obama has added some to the deficit (0ut of necessity – due to the failing economy) something like 1.3 TRILLION was a carryover from the Bush/Cheney disaster.  These “tea partiers” evidently weren’t listening when their HERO Dick Cheney was proclaiming that “deficits don’t matter” as he was “masterminding” the second of the two outrageous tax cuts Bush/Cheney pushed through their obedient republican congress (with a little help from a few “blue dog” democrats).  These “deficit haters” also hate Bill Clinton – but, do you think they remember that Clinton handed a $250 BILLION surplus to Bush/Cheney which would have paid off the national debt in something like 10 years had they “stayed the course.”  Bush/Cheney turned that surplus into something like a $400 BILLION deficit in less than two years – and, they kept piling it on for the remainder of their term in office.  And, remember that Bush/Cheney never ONCE counted a penny of the money spent on Iraq or Afganistan against the deficit – despite the FACT that every penny spent on those two fiascos was BORROWED MONEY!  So, I’ll say it again – where were all the “tea partiers” then?  Where was Rush Limbaugh then? Where was Sean Hannity then?  Where was Bill O’Reilly then? Where was Glenn Beck then?  Where was Sarah Palin then?  Where was Lars Larson then?  All these people who want you to think they are the uber patriots couldn’t even come up with a whimper then.  Of course, most of them were cashing in on the FACT Bush/Cheney’s tax cuts predominantly benefitted the wealthiest 1% (or less) of Americans.  Here’s an interesting fact I read recently;  something like one tenth of one percent (or less) of our workforce in America are represented by about 1500 people who make an average of 26 MILLION dollars per year (that totals about 400 BILLION per year in income).  The idea that they needed a tax cut as opposed to our nation balancing its “books” is beyond my comprehension.  I could go into this tax cut for the rich stuff all day (and, of course, I’m not rich) but, even the rich were better off during the Clinton years from the standpoint our nation was much stronger economically than it is today.  What good will all their extra cash do them as this nation crumbles at the seems?  When I was a kid, during the Eisenhower years, the rich paid something like 90% of all earning past a certain point in taxes – to discourage them from becoming greedy money mongers.  I don’t know what the correct amount should be – but we should definitely de incentivise the HUGE amounts of money being made on Wall Street with no apparent value to our economy.  Corporate CEO’s earning tens or even HUNDREDS of MILLIONS of dollars each year demonstrate the system is out of whack.  This is the result of 30+ years of “trickle down” (or voodoo) economics and that is what the “tea partiers” should be railing against.  I’m OK with people being upset with our huge national debt, our annual deficit spending, our trade deficits, all of that – it just bugs me to no end to listen to them rail against all that and then turn around and vote for the people who gave it all to us!  When America’s middle class is healthy again, America will be healthy again.  For that to happen, the “rich” will have to pay more in taxes and the “blue collar” workers will need to be paid “middle class” wages – plus, all Americans will be covered with health insurance.  And, our government will be overseeing the private sector and holding accountable those corporations who abuse the regulations which are designed to preserve our nation’s economic health and our environment.

While I have continued to WISH for President Obama’s success, I have been straightforward in my concerns about the direction of his administration.  The history of my concerns are well documented in the archives of this site.  That being said, the past few days have shown me how important President Obama’s success really is.  Some of the “stuff” coming out of the mouths of the oppositional party is UNBELIEVABLE.  I’ve stated many times here that I loathe (well, I might have used different language) the idea of choosing the “best” option of two bad options when I vote.  I’ve also said on several occasions that President Obama’s decision to allow George W Bush and Dick Cheney to walk away from all the damage they caused without even an investigation was TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE to me.  However, after listening to Haley Barbour, Sarah Palin, Dick Armey, and some of the other “right” wingers the other night respond to our president setting up a 20 BILLION dollar fund to help defray the costs of the BP oil catastrophe I couldn’t believe my ears – that in this great nation people with that lack of intellectual capacity could manage to worm their way into such powerful positions.

Sarah Palin was almost a “heartbeat” from the presidency.  Before I go on, John McCain will be forever remembered for unleashing this arrogant baffoon on the rest of us.  Can you even imagine if Palin were in charge right now (or McCain for that matter)? So, let’s start with her comments.  It’s been a couple days ago, so if you’re reading this I’m sure you’ve already heard this – but, it bears REPEATING!  Sarah Palin was on Bill O’Reilly’s show on Fox “news” and he was trying to throw her some “softballs” in order for her to show the nation what she would do to solve this BP oil gusher in the Gulf of Mexico.  I won’t go into all the details of her response, but the one that really STUCK in my ear was her comment about seeking help from the “Dutch.”  OK, if you didn’t hear this, hold onto your …… hat.  Sarah Palin actually said the “Dutch” have experience at plugging dikes!  I’m not kidding you, I heard this with my own ears.  I’m a school teacher and over the years you get proficient at reading lips as people are talking.  I’M SURE SARAH PALIN SAID THAT!

If that doesn’t get your attention, then there’s Haley Barbour – the governor of Mississippi and former Republican campaign chairman.  This guy is also a “piece of work.”  President Obama was down in Mississippi meeting with many of the Mississippians who have been adversely impacted by this catastrophe – walking side by side with Barbour as he was doing so – and promising them support so that they won’t be financially ruined by BP’s recklessness.  OK, that’s all well and good.  Then Obama goes on national TV and promises to get BP to set up a fund to pay for these losses without Mississippians (or victims from other states as well) needing to go through all the “red tape” normally required for claims such as theirs and, thus, eliminating possibly years of haggling for these people to be reimbursed for their horrible losses.  Then, unlike most American politicians, President Obama actually came through, and the next day there was a $20 BILLION (with a B) fund set up, to be administered by a third party, which will be used to pay the losses of these Gulf residents who are losing their way of life along with their income.  Additionally, Obama got BP to put up $100 MILLION for payments to oil rig workers who are likely to be unemployed until the investigations of the cause of this CATASTROPHE are completed.  Job well done, correct?  Well, according to Haley Barbour (remember, republicans owe a lot of campaign debt to BP and the other oil companies), this was a bad idea because it could cause BP not to be able to generate enough money to pay the claims that are certain to be coming – en masse!  You heard that right, Barbour said, getting BP to put up $20 BILLION was a bad idea because it could cause them difficulty in paying the claims of his citizens and those of the other Gulf states.  The logic of that comment was so absurd that I was almost embarrassed to write about it.  (I’m sure that last characterization will get an “elititist” accusation from good ole Lars Larson toward me)

How does Dick Armey figure in all this.  Well, he’s the “Freedom Works” dude who’s going around the country stirring up all the “tea party” candidates and then trying to rationalize the stupid remarks they keep making.  He, of course, was blaming the oil catastrophe on President Obama, and – at the same time – suggesting to Rand Paul, Sarah Palin, and some of the other “tea partiers” who are being crammed down our collective throats as some kind of “populist” uprising that they SHUT UP!  At least I’ll give Armey enough credit that he can tell when people are saying such stupid stuff that it’s going to come back to haunt them.  If I remember right, his comment about Palin suggesting the Dutch could put a finger in the dike was that she was probably thinking “I wish I hadn’t said that.”  While all this is going on Armey is also trying to defend the likes of Sharron Angle, the tea party (republican) candidate for Harry Reid’s senate seat as she claims that if she doesn’t win in November the voters still have the “second amendment remedy.”  I’ll let you figure out what that means!  These people really have a high opinion of themselves!

The week, however, was topped by Texas republican congressman Joe Barton as he APOLOGIZED to Tony Hayward – BP’s CEO – for the Obama administration’s “shakedown” of Hayward’s company.  If you haven’t heard this one, you need to google it and listen to it word for word.  This was beyond UNBELIEVABLE!  It was just icing on the cake for those of us who have been lamenting the cozy enabling relationship the republican party in America has had with the Corporate elite for the past 30+ (or more) years!  Of course, with these republicans, President Obama can’t win for losing – ANYTHING he would do would be met with obstinent objection!  That’s why EVERYONE is referring to republicans as the PARTY OF NO!  But, this disaster is BIPARTISAN!  It will surely be republicans and democrats (and independents and others) alike who suffer because of this BP MAN MADE disaster!  I’ve listened to republicans (and democrats) suggest that Obama “take over” BP, I’ve heard people suggest he enlist the military in stopping this leak, and the suggestions go on and on.  The reality is that there is no way President Obama can close this leak.  In fact, I believe it is in everyone’s interest that BP remain a viable company – giving them the incentive to figure out how to stop this thing.  From what I can surmise, the only way they are going to do that is through one of the two relief wells that are being drilled as I’m writing this.

So, the nation should be cheering the FACT President Obama is looking out for the interests of those being directly affected by this disaster.  Surely, the $20 BILLION will not be the total liability of BP.  But Obama made it clear there was no “deal” that went along with it.  This is just a fund that will prevent all these good people in the Gulf from having to fight through the courts for years to get their money (and, hopefully, put less of the money in the pockets of lawyers).  No one is precluded from suing BP, and BP will still be held liable for ALL the damage and for ALL the regulatory malfeasance.  Additionally, I was totally encouraged by Obama’s appointment of a person with the direct purpose of “cleaning up” the Minerals Management Service.  (Maybe, we’ll even get an investigation into how all this came about – remember the Bush/Cheney crew?)  This gets me back to Joe Barton.  How the Hell is anyone who’s able to get elected to Congress so INSENSITIVE that they would make the comments Barton made.  I mean, I thought the man was going to shed some tears for poor old BP!  He actually said he was ASHAMED of his government for FORCING (yes, he used the term “shakedown”) BP to put up $20 BILLION to cover the initial claims.  All I can say is that in my mind (and, I’ve given President Obama more than his share of grief from this “blog”) – great job by our president – TOTAL STUPIDITY by Joe Barton.

If the democrats can’t do something for the upcoming election with the words that are coming out of these republican’s mouths, then I guess they don’t deserve to be in office.  President Obama still has the opportunity to go on the offensive against these thugs.  While I’m pleased with the way he’s handling this present situation (can you imagine being in his shoes – all the CRAP Bush/Cheney left behind – including this Gulf crisis [remember, it’s the Bush/Cheney deregulation that opened the door for this kind of reckless corporate behavior]) I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forgive him for “looking forward instead of back.”  These republicans don’t deserve the time they’re getting on the news – any time they get should be answering questions about all the abuses of the previous eight years.  However, knowing Obama to be a pragmatist, I believe he’s taking the proper approach to this BP disaster.  Money won’t fix the damage being done to some of the most valuable parts of our nation, but it’s what he can do to keep the people there “going” until better solutions can be found.  Our government is not going to stop this well from spewing the millions of gallons of oil it’s putting into the Gulf each day – so, holding BP accountable – yet, keeping enough incentive for them to actually stop this thing ASAP – is the practicle way to go.  I believe most Americans see this, and maybe just letting republicans talk about the BP  catastrophe is the way to expose them for the insensitive thugs they are.  People like Joe Barton, Sarah Palin, Haley Barbour, and Michelle Bachman ( I didn’t even include some of her crazy comments – she called the $20 BILLION fund a “redistribution of wealth”) will most likely keep their lips moving, and – in the process – hopefully, what Obama should have done at the beginning of his presidency will happen anyway – the republicans will be exposed for the greedy, corrupt, corporate kissups that they are! 

Although I’m sick of writing about how important investigating the Bush/Cheney regime (was) is, this BP oil catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico just further accentuates why this is still SO IMPORTANT.  Why the Obama administration doesn’t “get” this is beyond me.  They are slowly taking “ownership” of a lot of the Bush/Cheney “baggage” because of the short attention span of Americans in general – along with a public media which is simply part of the corporate takeover of our political process.  The root cause of this oil spill very likely, in my view, goes back to the first days of the Bush/Cheney administration.  The ink was barely dry on the original “oaths” (OK, the words were barely spoken) before Dick Cheney had the corporate heads of the different private energy firms in his office for SECRET talks on a new energy “policy.”  Of course, despite all the secretiveness since then most people agree that this group was dedicated to eliminating government oversight from the energy business.

Ken Lay of the now infamous Enron Corporation, which was ripping average Americans off for every penny they could squeeze out of them, was part of the meetings.  And, considering Lay was allowing Bush/Cheney the use of his private jets during the campaign, you can bet that he was a significant part of the “plan.”  Of course, we’ll probably never know how much he was part of the plan because shortly after his indictment for his part in the Enron scam he mysteriously turned up dead.  Now, I know all you anti-conspiracy people out there think nothing “untoward” could have happened – that it was just a coincidence that just before Lay was scheduled to be imprisoned he had a heart attack which prevented him the opportunity to make a deal with the prosecutors – I just thought the lack of investigation was curious.  Of course, the Bush administration had a stranglehold on the justice department by this time in their first term.

Another major “player” in those “talks” were top representatives from BP.  Wouldn’t it be nice to know what they were discussing?  Considering the potential number of OTHER waivers “out there” I think this is something that is of the gravest of national interest – to find out what kind of CRAP was going on behind the scenes regarding deregulation of oil drilling, coal mining, natural gas exploration.  How much of our national heritage was “mortgaged” so that these large energy companies could “have their way” with our environment.  I don’t know – is the Gulf of Mexico enough to get the attention of these chicken hawk democrats?  FINALLY?  How many other serious problems are out there for us to discover and Obama to “own” because he doesn’t want the distraction of investigating what abuses went on during the two terms of his predecessor?  You would have thought the economic meltdown would have been enough.  And, bringing back more memories of Bush/Cheney, there are signs that BP and its supporters are starting to suggest that BP is “too big to fail” and will ultimately need to be rescued by the government!

Hell, BP is acting as if they are bigger than the government.  Tonight I saw a report that BP is still refusing to allow the cleanup workers to wear respirators because “it doesn’t look good.”  Are you kidding me?  And, they’re still manipulating the news coming from the gulf and the pictures coming from the gulf.  So, my question is, how far have these HUGE multi-national corporations infiltrated our system of government?  Are we headed back to the bogus, rigged voting machines again – I mean, WHAT NEXT?  Who has control of this nation’s government?  I would think those in the Obama administrtation would be figuring out SOON that the pragmatic approach might not work with these people.  Talk about your liars!  This BP outfit is right up there.  I mean, what is it?  1000, 5000, 10,000, 50,000 barrels per day?  Tonight, I heard a report where BP themselves claimed that in a week or two they will be able to capture up to 80,000 barrels of the oil which is GUSHING into the gulf.  Does anyone besides me find that a bit interesting – they’re going to be capturing more than twice what they’ve been claiming is “spilling?” (don’t they have to pay a fine for each barrel?)

And, if you don’t think I have a point with the rigged voting machines, take a good look at last weeks South Carolina democratic senate primary.  That was one of the most bizarre “happenings” I can remember.  You can call me whatever you want, but I believe the very democratic republic we’ve all come to know and love is UNDER SIEGE!  If you’re having trouble connecting the dots, I’m just pointing out these multinational corporations (including BP, the ones who make and rig the voting machines, and who knows which others) have run amok!  And, the republicans are the WATER CARRIERS of whoever is leading the way.  People like Rush Limbaugh, Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity, Lars Larson, and the republican “sheep” have proven they’ll do or say anything for money (tonight, Haley Barbour – governor of Mississippi – was renewing his call for more off-shore drilling).  I’ve come to expect this from them.  It’s President Obama where I continue to look for leadership.  FIND OUT WHAT THESE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN UP TO!  Trust me, there are a lot more disasters out there waiting to happen.  (in fact, I believe the “bubble” on Wall Street is “inflating” again – those guys have barely slowed down)

Every bill that President Obama and the democrats attempt to pass is met with this obstinate opposition from the “party of NO.”  The ONLY way to expose the motivations of these people is for Congress and/or the Justice Department to FULLY investigate what they did during the eight years of Bush/Cheney.  We know about the Minerals Management Service – literally in “bed” with the oil drilling people being “regulated.”  We know that the head of Massey Mines in West Virginia managed to buy a judge – allowing Massey to “skirt” safety regulations.  We know that a CIA agent was “outed” – most likely by a sitting Vice President.  We know that the entire Justice Department was politicized – as was virtually every other department in government.  We know there is a “revolving door” – between government regulators and the companies they are supposedly regulating – fostering corruption.  We know that we were lied into a horrendous war in Iraq and that our leaders at the highest levels authorized WAR CRIMES!  This is just SOME of the stuff that comes off the top of my head THAT WE KNOW.  (when I say “we,” I mean anyone who’s taking the time to read a few books and “fact check” a few “claims” of government officials)

The political debate in this country HAS TO CHANGE!  President Obama has allowed the republicans to get the “upper hand.”  Just the other day in my own home town there was, of all people, MITT ROMNEY ramping up for 2012 with all the lying accumen you would expect from an over ambitious republican hack.  Everytime I hear one of these thugs blaiming the deficit on Obama it makes me want to puke.  Of course, Obama’s lack of willingness to hold republicans accountable for their previous DISASTROUS decisions, allows people like Romney to get away with this.  What’s amazing to me is there is more than a handful of Americans who would listen to that and give it any credibility whatsoever.  But, the bottom line is Americans do want a persident who is perceived to be tough – and, President Obama is struggling with that concept at this point.  I would just tell him that rhetoric is not how you show how tough you are.  It is through your actions.  And, Obama needs some decisive actions at this point!  If this BP oil spill isn’t enough to cause President Obama to investigate the Bush/Cheney regime, then it aint gonna happen!

I have not hidden the fact that I enthusiastically supported Barack Obama in his presidential campaign.  I have been very open with my absolute disdain for the direction the republican party has led this nation for the past 30 years.  And, I’ve been unable to hide my disappointment with our new president since before he was inaugurated.  Tonight, I’m not going to go over all of those frustrations – AGAIN – but, will probably touch on many of them in trying to make my point.  If you’ve been a frequent visitor to this site you know that Obama’s turning his back on all the wrongdoing of the (correctly labeled – in my view) “Bush crime family” was intolerable.  I suppose the underpinnings of why that was SO INTOLERABLE might come out in my vent this evening.  It is so clear in my mind, but so difficult for me to put accurately into just a few hundred words.  But, as I (along with the rest of America) watch the Gulf Coast TREASURES – which are irreplaceable – DESTROYED by the epitome of what has been wrong with America since the day Ronald Reagan took office I can’t help but think about all the situations “we the people” have simply accepted as “politics as usual” while “going about our business” of “surviving.”

The American public has been (very subtly) BRAINWASHED.  The republicans have been SHAMELESSLY pushing a lie for over 30 years – and, they’ve gotten so good at it – they often times come across as authentic – even to those who understand what they’ve been up to.  Thomas Frank puts it better than anyone else I’ve read in his great book “What’s the Matter with Kansas?”  He points out how the republicans have been exploiting the abortion issue (with no intention to prevail – it’s just a tool for them – my interpretation) to get good “blue collar” people to vote for the destruction of everything they hold dear.  These are the very people who were at the head of the line when the battle for America’s middle class was in full swing.  This is where the major labor unions were formed, the auto industry blossomed, and truly earned the right to be called America’s heartland.  Well, since the days of Reagan they’ve been voting “red” despite the fact the results are destroying everything they sacrificed so much to create in the first place.  It’s the corporate mentality which they overcame originally, which they have now succumbed to.  As Frank puts it regarding the anger that is “pent up” in places like Kansas, “Their grandstanding leaders never deliver, their fury mounts and mounts, and nevertheless they turn out every two years to return their right-wing heroes to a second, third, a twentieth try.  The trick never ages; the illusion never wears off.  Vote to stop abortion; receive a rollback in capital gains taxes.  Vote to make our country strong again; receive deindustrialization.  Vote to screw those politically correct college professors; receive electricity deregulation.  Vote to get government off our backs; receive conglomeration and monopoly everywhere from media to meatpacking.  Vote to stand tall against terrorists; receive Social Security privatization.  Vote to strike a blow against elitism; receive a social order in which wealth is more concentrated than ever before in our lifetimes, in which workers have been stripped of power and CEO’s are rewarded in a manner beyond imagining.”

One of the great ironies from Frank’s book is when one of the Kansan’s he interviewed said, “We’re tired of everything being wonderful on Wall Street and terrible on Main Street.”  Frank goes on by saying incredulously “Let me repeat that, they’re voting republican to get even with Wall Street!”  That, in a nutshell, points out how dramatic the BRAINWASHING of America has been.  And this will not be easily changed (which is the “change I can believe in”) and it WON’T be changed by anyone trying to be a “dealmaker” or someone trying to be “bipartisan.”  I can (and have, and probably will) guarantee you that the republicans won’t give up an “inch” of the ground they’ve managed to take over these thirty years without a guargantuan FIGHT.  This is a WAR for the soul of this nation – and, with the BP oil spill Obama has been given a golden opportunity to take the offensive and do what he should have been doing from day one.

I’m sure some of you have chuckled (I’m trying to be kind) as I’ve continually tried to give our sitting president advice.  Obviously, he’s not taking advice from people like me.  But, here I go again! :o)  Let’s just look at the situation in the gulf to see what a magnificent opportunity Obama has.  First off, I have to say that it grieves my heart that it had to get to a situation like this, but it’s there now and the worse thing Obama can do is continue his tepid approach to decision making and his reluctance to take on republicans – for WHATEVER reason.  That HAS TO STOP or Obama is a one term president and we’re all doomed for another Bush – or some facimilie in the White House.  And, picture another republican in the White House with “Citizen’s United” in full swing – if that’s not a scary thought to you – you’ve either drank the republican’s “coolaid” – or you’re just not paying attention.  BP is the prime example of what “Citizen’s United” is thrusting upon our political system – and, if you think they won’t be TOTALLY involved in the next U.S. election, well, I’ve got a bridge I’d like to sell…….

From the start of this disaster BP has been LYING (typical republican tactic) through their TEETH about what happened, about how much pollution is escaping the well head (they have to pay a fine for every barrell of oil that escapes – that fine should be in the BILLIONS by now), BP’s been bullying the fishermen who are desperate for income that has been destroyed by the oil slick – so they are trying to help contain the spill, but not allowed to wear respirators because of appearances (something like nine fishermen ended up in the hospital because of breathing the fumes of the oil and the dispersent material being dropped on the spill by BP – which is evidently only making the disaster worse), BP is creating a paperwork nightmare for impacted people along the coast who are trying to recoup lost income from the spill, they are doing everything they can to prevent news reporters and photographers from getting close to the scene, and the other day it was reported that they have “bought off” Google and Yahoo search engines to redirect searches to their website where they can – you guessed it – spew out MORE PROPAGANDA!

BP lied during the process of getting permits for this well, they had no plan WHATSOEVER of what to do if it went bad, and the people in the Minerals Management Service who signed the waiver were put there by who else? You guessed it – Dick Cheney!  So, we’re back to the “golden opportunity” President Obama has to “right the ship” as far as his leadership and his presidency.  It’s true that taking on the republican establishment will cause a major “uproar” (Obama stated he didn’t want the distraction when he orginally declined to investigate the “Bush Crime family” – maybe saving his own presidency will be enough to motivate him into action here).  You’ve heard, I’m sure, of the old saying that “all roads lead to Rome?”  Well, in today’s environment, all disasters lead to Bush/Cheney.  The problem is perception.  As long as Barack Obama continues to cower from a confrontation from the administration most people consider the worst in American history – his administration will be possibly taking their place by the time his first term is up.  I wish I could put it nicer – but, that’s the way I see it.  So, the advice?  It’s time for the advice (and if you know President Obama, why don’t you just ask him to read it once?  Maybe give Rahm Emanuel a day off)

First, admit to some mistakes.  Here’s a good one to admit to.  The Minerals Management Service should have been purged of all the Cheney cronies FROM DAY ONE!  That may have prevented the ridiculous waiver process which was clearly out of control as Obama took the oath of office.  Let’s be real here!  How many more wells are being drilled as I write this with other worthless, potentially disastrous waivers.  This is a PRIME example of what happens when the government convinces itself that these corporate CEO’s are smarter and more dedicated to the public good than the CAREER public servants who are true servants and not trying to skimp at every corner.  Then say something like: “There’s nothing more we can do about this disaster than work as hard as we can to get this well capped and clean up the mess – however long that takes.”  Next point out, “We have to find out how serious this problem is, so we’re going to investigate the process which led to this well, AND ALL OTHER WELLS, to uncover any other unsafe wells – so that relief wells can be started immediately, and we can uncover any illegal or immoral activity going on in the MMS.  Anyone found guilty of committing crimes will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law – and that includes the leadership of BP and/or any other entity wishing to drill for oil off the shores of the United States of America.”

Then bring up Google and Yahoo search engines.  Say something like, “I am authorizing Congress to subpoena the executives from both Google and Yahoo to question whether they have actually allowed themselves to be ‘bought off’ in regard to manipulation of material facts on their search engines.”  I personally don’t know if that’s illegal, but I believe the general public has a right to know how or why BP managed to get to the top of the search engines with a site showing how they’re “helping.”  President Obama, remember the transparency you were so “FOR” during the campaign?  Now’s the time to kick it into high gear.  And, take this opportunity to “hit a home run.”  Promise the American people the thorough investigation of what was going on during Bush/Cheney – or are you going to STUBBORNLY force all of America to find out all these disasters one at a time – like this oil spill – with you on your heels every step of the way?  “We the people” have been outraged by all of this crap for years.  We elected you thinking you would do something about it.  Honestly Mr. President, you didn’t come across to me as someone who was afraid of a good fight.  I still think it’s your advisors.  Take a moment to reflect on their advice – and, if it’s been them pushing you farther and farther toward the “right,” GET RID OF THEM!  And, sooner rather than later.  I’m out of school in two weeks, I’d be glad to VOLUNTEER to help for about two and a half months (you’d have to pay for my plane ticket and room and board – I am a school teacher after all).  There’s millions of other Americans who could probably give you better advice than me.  I would start by posing a question: President Obama, EVERYONE is asking the same question: “Where’s the outrage?”  And, not just toward this oil spill.  Toward the republican’s thirty years of ripping off the American taxpayer with one scam after another – as Thomas Frank puts it “blue collar workers voting republican to get back at Wall Street!”  The republicans have succeeded in that ridiculous propaganda scheme because the democrats don’t have the courage to stand up to them.  We’ve allowed illegal wiretapping without consequence, we’ve allowed torture without consequence, we’ve allowed an entire war built on lies WITHOUT CONSEQUENCE, I could go on and on – but will end by saying and now THIS!  The destruction of one of our most pristine treasures by one of the bulliest of corporations.  Mr. Obama, this crap won’t stop until you, or SOMEONE who’s in a position of influence, stands tall and says ENOUGH ALREADY!  And the outrage will be demonstrated by your actions, not your words!

The BP oil “gusher” should pretty much HOG the news cycles until August (and beyond) – unless a miracle happens and they get the spill stopped prior to finishing the “relief well” which, from everything I can surmise is the only REAL solution to the problem.  (makes one wonder – well, I should say it’s making me wonder – why the relief well wasn’t part of the REQUIREMENTS for BP when they originally drilled this nightmare.  The oil has now reached some of the “pristine” beaches of Florida – and, what I believe a lot of people don’t understand is it’s a MENACE to many more beaches than the ones already under attack.  So, I “get” that in today’s America, this is what we’ll all be talking about.  President Obama is going to do everything he can to make sure he doesn’t relive the Bush “Katrina” disaster, but, as I’ve stated many times on this site – I believe it’s time for President Obama to get some new ADVISORS!  His tepid approach to just about EVERYTHING is not “what the doctor ordered.”  And, the republicans are really good at taking advantage of this – they are going to do EVERYTHING in their power to make Obama look as bad as they can. (despite the consequences on our nation of their lack of support!)

Of course, we’ll never convince the right wing “sheep,” (or should I say “ditto heads”) that the regime of Bush/Cheney is largely to blame for ALL of the things going wrong right now – so, that shouldn’t even be part of the discussion from Obama’s quarters.  If President Obama doesn’t go AGRESSIVELY on the attack – AGAINST REPUBLICANS – soon, I believe his presidency is doomed.  (Well, that being said, I still can only think of one credible republican candidate for 2012 and his name is Bush – and, God help us if we get another one of “them” in the White House)  Bush/Cheney gutted the tax system leading to the HUGE deficits which so many “Tea Partiers” are up in arms about (blaming Obama, of course), Bush/Cheney led us into two interminable, disgustingly illegal and immoral occupations – which Obama apparently doesn’t have the “stones” to pull us out of, it was Bush/Cheney who GUTTED their regulatory system leading to WHO KNOWS HOW MANY more situations which could turn into another “Deep Horizon” disaster (I don’t know if you remember, but the regulators at the Minerals Management Service were doing drugs and having sexual orgies with the people they were supposedly regulating regarding the oil rigs – this was during the “family values” era of Bush/Cheney) – so, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to find out how many “requirements” were waived on this “Deep Horizon” rig, and worse than all of this is the general legacy Bush/Cheney left behind of the US as the world’s new Soviet Union – our CIA being compared to the KGB around the world – complete with our leaders authorizing TORTURE and, therefore, WAR CRIMES!

Yes, this oil disaster is HUGE – but, it will be stopped at least by August.  The Bush/Cheney legacy will continue on for untold years and Obama’s reaction to it will FOREVER stain his presidency.  I’ve been pointing this out since the first day I heard of the “we’re looking forward instead of back” policy of President Obama and Eric Holder.  In fact, I couldn’t help be turned off by the incredible hypocrisy watching Holder last week pointing out that the justice department was holding a thorough civil and criminal investigation of the BP oil spill and “if laws were broken, there will be prosecutions ‘TO THE FULL EXTENT OF THE LAW!'”  That is EXACTLY what Obama PROMISED on the campaign trail – regarding TORTURE – and, Holder, in his confirmation hearings certainly led me to believe he would not turn his back on TORTURE!  I guess the FACT it was AUTHORIZED by the highest leaders in our land made Obama and Holder a bit nervous.  Well, now it’s all coming back to haunt them – AGAIN – and, it will continue to do so FOREVER – if they don’t do something about it!

I usually have a lot of respect for Keith Olberman, but the other day when he brought up the subject of GW Bush admitting that he had authorized TORTURE he said something like “now that he’s admitted it, shouldn’t we do something?”  Well, earth to Keith – go ahead and have someone check the records – both Bush and Cheney admitted to authorizing WATERBOARDING shortly after leaving office – and both said the same thing Bush said again the other evening – “I’d do it again!”  (as far as I’m concerned, the media has been part of the problem because NO ONE’S complaining that our leaders were allowed to break innumerable laws with not even an investigation)That’s precisely my point – Mr. President!  If you don’t get with it and “take the bull by the horns” here – we’re going to have a republican in the White House again – sooner rather than later – and, when they start torturing again – it’s going to be YOUR FAULT!

Do you remember Iran/Contra?  Bill Clinton chose to “look forward” (maybe that’s where Obama got that HORRIBLE idea) letting people like Oliver North, George HW Bush, and even Ronald Reagan (Oh yes, and Clinton himself very possibly) “off the hook” for sanctioning an illegal “war” which involved drugs, guns, and lots of OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE!  Well, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that many of the “culprits” in the Bush 43 “crowd” were part of the Iran/Contra affair.  These people clearly believe the laws are made for us “little people.”  And, President Obama has forever (unless he comes to his wits – now that he has a second opportunity) sanctioned not only Nixon’s RIDICULOUS claim “if the president does it, it must be legal” which so many people spent so much energy to prove wrong, but also Bush/Cheney’s assumption that the laws don’t apply to them.  The saying goes, it’s MUCH easier to give up rights than to get them back – and, we’re seeing that with President Obama.  He is so reluctant to give back the abuses of the Bush/Cheney White House that he’s actually been “seen” in court defending them – like regarding illegal wiretapping and, just recently, refusing habeous corpus rights to “detainees” at Bagram Air Base in Afganistan.  And, for those of you who are not following this – the rest of the world – especially the Muslin portion of it – sees Bagram in the same light as Abu Ghraib and GITMO.  Obama’s lack of decisiveness is fueling the resurgence of the republican party and deflating the “left” which went to so much trouble to get him elected. 

I’m honestly feeling that President Obama is going out of his way to prove to the “right” that he’s not “weak.”  The problem with that “strategy” is that Obama needn’t prove anything to them.  And, they are salivating at his attempts to do this.  I can only imagine what is being said in the republican “caucus” meetings on capital hill.  By attempting to show that he’s not weak, President Obama is coming across exactly as that – WEAK!  And, the democratic congress isn’t helping him much.  I don’t believe President Obama has the time that FDR had to “get it together” in relation to the FIGHT against America’s “right wing” and the corporatocracy which is threatening to set this nation back almost 100 years.  It’s time for our president to LEAD!  As I’ve said many times on this site (if you don’t believe me I’ve archived every post) the REAL WAR is right here in America.  It’s the war for the direction of this nation.  Are we going to just let the corporations and the republicans who support them “have their way” with us?  When Obama was elected I, for some reason, thought that he understood that all too well.  “The change we can believe in” wasn’t just switching from a republican to a democrat in the White House.  I just assumed that all the “liberties” Bush/Cheney took with the executive branch of our government would be reversed.  That has certainly not been the case, and to make matters worse, we still have Bush/Cheney going around BRAGGING about committing WAR CRIMES knowing that our new president doesn’t have the guts to hold them accountable!

Obama gets plenty of “flack” from the “right.”  I really wish I didn’t feel compelled to write stuff like this.  However, I continue to hold out a slim hope that maybe President Obama will see what’s happening to his presidency, and as a result, to the rest of us who so willingly supported him in 2008.  Yes, it’s a tough spot to be in.  The challenges are overwhelming.  But, Obama keeps making one tepid decision after another – all, seemingly with the desire to make peace with the “right,” and it’s  NOT “what the doctor ordered.”  If you’ve been reading my posts for any length of time, you know how I feel about the Bush/Cheney regime.  I had pretty much given up on Obama’s opportunity to hold Bush/Cheney accountable for the OBVIOUS lawbreaking they were responsible for.  However, George W Bush’s recent remarks supporting TORTURE should be enough to get President Obama to start the investigations of EVERYTHING they did which is suspect!  I don’t even care if Bush/Cheney end up in jail – I just want The United States of America to be able to say – with conviction – WE DON’T TORTURE!  If a whole bunch of government officials need to be convicted of this crime to make this point – then, SO BE IT!

We all know (or should know) that to be a successful president in America one has to be “presidential.”  And, who determines what “presidential” is?  Well, as far as I can tell, it’s the media.  Now, we could have a discussion all day long as to whether or not our “liberal media” is really liberal, but the reality for President Obama is that perception becomes reality.  This is where the republicans are “light years” ahead of the democrats – and, if they (the democrats) don’t wake up soon, we’re all going to find ourselves in a mess far worse than the one we’re dealing with today – and, I’m not necessarily talking about the BP oil spill here.

I have tried to point out many times how the “right wing” instituted a plan, by my best calculations during the Reagan years – but, possibly prior to then, for a “permanent republican majority.”  Karl Rove, in all his arrogance, went public with this plan during the miserable years of the Bush/Cheney administration.  In fact, the Bush/Cheney administration should have been enough to put an end to such a diabolical plan forever, except for one part of the plan which most people won’t be talking about – and there’s a good reason they won’t.  Our “liberal media” – which is controlled by the likes of GE (not your liberal bastion), Fox (need I say more), Disney (if you don’t think they are tilted STRONGLY to the right – look up a bit of political history on Walt Disney), and a very few others who ALL depend on the corporate “advertising” dollars which often times leave me scratching my head – won’t bring it up.  As a quick example, take BP’s advertising that they are an environmentally “friendly” company.  On one ad after another I end up wondering what on earth are they trying to sell me?  Then it sinks in – NOTHING!  They are providing DOLLARS for the very media outlets which they need “on their side” during “times like these.”  Still not sure what I’m talking about?  Well, if a “news” network becomes dependent on the advertising dollars of  a company like BP, are they going to REALLY do “investigative” reporting on a spill like the “Deepwater Horizon” GUSHER?  You’ve heard the saying I’m sure, “don’t cut off the hand that feeds you.”  It’s like the government collecting taxes on the sale of cigarettes and alcohol.  They depend on the revenue so they have to make it look like they’re encouraging people to stop smoking and drinking, but they really need that MONEY!  It’s the same with the broadcasting outlets.  They depend on the advertising of the corporations who are buying “protection” from intrusive reporters telling the rest of us what is actually going on “out there.”

I really do understand that I sometimes am very awkward in making my point (I guess that’s why I’m still a school teacher and not a journalist).  However, the point here is that our “liberal media” is not liberal at all!  And, our democratic (and democratically elected) president is on the wrong side of the “fence” as far as the media is concerned.  Yes, I realize the “right” wing pundits keep cramming the thought into our collective minds that President Obama is getting a “pass” from the “liberal media,” but when you take a closer look at things that doesn’t appear to be the case.  For example, as far as I can tell, this “tea party” movement who portray our president in very insulting ways, is the result of all facits of the media giving them credibility when they have deserved virtually none (led, of course, by Fox).  I mean, why all the attention when less than a thousand people showed up at their “national convention.”  There’s Elks club meetings I can remember going to with my father with more people attending than that!  The common theme among these “tea partiers” is “we want our country back” – and, as I’ve said many times here – back from what?

These people don’t deserve page eighteen let alone page one of any responsible news outlet – but, our “liberal media” seems to have pushed them right up to the front of the national political debate.  I haven’t heard much outrage either that their “darling” candidate for the Senate from the great state of Kentucky, Rand Paul, is in favor of repealing parts of the civil rights act of 1964, or that his response to the deep horizon “gusher” was “accidents happen.”  (and, of course, this deepwater horizon DISASTER hasn’t slowed down Sarah Palin’s cries of “drill baby drill” hardly at all)  As I see it, the only way people like this and the other fringe candidates the republicans will be “throwing” at us en masse this coming November might win, would be if the press looks the other way (as Obama did with Bush/Cheney – I have to “throw” that comment in because it bugs me just as much as what our “liberal” media is doing) or if we get the same voting machines we had in 2000.

Getting back to being “presidential” and President Obama, he took office at a time when any reasonable person would have said “NO THANK YOU.”  I mean, the economy was headed for a possible second run at a Great Depression, we were entrenched in two endless occupations that the previous president made as difficult to extract from as possible, we were looking at a TRILLION plus deficit for the forseeable future, and the very government Obama was elected to “head” had been GUTTED by the Bush/Cheney regime who prefer NO GOVERNMENT to even limited government.  Can you imagine what these guys would be up to if there was no government?  They tried to get our social security trust fund (and, trust me, they’re not through trying to get their hands on ALL that money) but had to settle for about HALF of all the invested retirement income Americans had trusted into their care – OK, they (we) trusted it into the care of Wall Street, but they (we) assumed our government was OVERSEEING Wall Street to prevent the banks from stealing our money.  I mean, do you think the TRILLIONS “lost” in 2007 -2009 went up in smoke?  Awe, come on now, SOMEBODY ended up with all of it!  It’s just that us peons will NEVER know who it was.  We’re still depending on our government to PROTECT us from these predators – but, they either seem terrified to do so or they’re the predators!  (Don’t forget, both Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney – just to name a couple of the worst – reaped profits in the HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS from the Iraq fiasco – and Hank Paulsen, the Treasury Secretary who did the TARP bailout of Goldman Sachs et al, was the CEO of Goldman Sachs when they were running amok!)

President Obama is in this very difficult situation.  He’s the calm, reserved, passive type – or that is what it seems – at a time when “we the people” need a LEADER!  We need someone to call “ENOUGH ALREADY” on Wall Street, on the republican party (as it exists today), and on the media conglomerates who are threatening to bring down the very government that has lasted for well over 200 years.  Yes, the BP oil GUSHER is a good place to start for Obama.  But, the bottom line is that the “right” wing is trying to portray him as some kind of WEAK indecisive person who’s overmatched by the job he is holding.  As stated above, I’m not sure ANYONE could handle the job he was given.  But, I’ll try to give him some advice AGAIN!

It’s probably too late to start the investigations of Bush/Cheney – so, we’re likely to have to “file” that MISTAKE as one of the ALL TIME blunders of an American President.  If there’s any way Obama could manage to turn that one around, it could certainly “change” the conversation – but, even I’m thinking it’s too late (makes me sick to say that – worse yet, tonight I watched Eric Holder in Louisiana talking about the deep horizon spill saying “anyone who committed a crime will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law” – where the hell was he when Bush/Cheney were admitting to authorizing WAR CRIMES after leaving office?).  That “off my chest,” the situation with BP opens other opportunities.  Now, I realize that President Obama must be careful here because BP supposedly has the equipment and expertise (that was really hard to write) to at least get the relief well drilled by AUGUST!  So, DRASTIC clean up measures MUST be taken – whether they work or not.  I mean this oil could be in the South Pacific if they don’t get a handle on it soon (boy, can you imagine how angry the BP shareholders must be – a few cheap “fail safe” devices and they’d be reaping profits from a reservoir that conservatively holds 100 MILLION barrels of oil!)  Mr. President, call in every available POSSIBLE mitigating force (aren’t there huge tankers that can syphon the oil right out of the sea?) and FIRE some people in the Mineral Management Service!  FORCE Congress to pass a bill that will allow citizens to hold BP accountable for the damages – ALL OF THEM – from this spill which is the direct result of their negligence.  And, include Halliburton in all of that!

That’s just for starters.  Next, BRING THE TROOPS HOME!  Get us out of Iraq and then Afganistan!  Stop spending 200 BILLION dollars per year in those endless occupations which have NOTHING to offer us except more casualties and more stress to our military.  Make a case to spend the money to keep our long term unemployed from the homeless shelters, a “New” New Deal to create more jobs, and money to the states which will keep teachers, firefighters, policemen, etc. working (Yes, I’m a teacher – but, I’ve been at it long enough that it won’t be me that loses his/her job – sadly, it’s the young, vibrant, energetic teachers fresh out of college who will be taking the brunt of all these layoffs).  Take on the republicans (and your own “blue dog” democrats) regarding Wall Street.  We desperately need Glass Steagall restored.  The more I read about the “meltdown” and these unscrupulous bankers (including those innocuous “credit default swaps”) the more I’m bothered by our government’s seeming inability to “reel” them in.  I’ll have more to say about this soon, but these people are greedy, selfish, and they serve no redeaming value to our economy – they simply MAKE MONEY!  And, that’s about it!  Tax these hedge fund manager’s profits as ordinary income, place a small tax (.0025) on each stock transaction, increase the income tax rate for income in excess of 5 MILLION to 50%, and in general let these people know that they are not in charge of this nation.

There’s many other things I could throw out tonight, but the last one is to reverse the telecommunications act of 1996.  Break up all these media conglomerates.  I can’t think of anything that is more UNHEALTHY for this nation than to have 8 or 9 corporations controlling the vast majority of “news” sources.  Plus, many of the “owners” aren’t even Americans!  Where’s the “tea party” outrage over the FACT that their “sugar daddy” corporation – Fox “news” – is owned by foriegners (including a Saudi prince)?  They’re so damned worried about “immigration” that they have turned their back on one of America’s leading cable TV outlets being owned by foriegners.  That makes ZERO sense to me.  I’d like to see THOUSANDS of smaller broadcasting companies competing in the marketplace than what we have – NOBODY I know trusts the media – at all!  They are supposed to be our FOURTH ESTATE – after the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government.  The republicans figured out a plan to take that part of our “system” over 30+ years ago, and it’s been like a STEALTH bomber flying over enemy territory – people have hardly noticed what’s happening.  The end result is that Fox “news” will be doing everything it can in the coming weeks to portray President Obama as “unpresidential” because they are committed to him failing.  The disasters, ALL OF WHICH were the result of Bush/Cheney, are becoming overwhelming – and, the way out of this MESS isn’t by coddling republicans in an attempt to gain “bipartisanship.”  The bipartisan “ship” won’t sail until the republican party is exposed for the greedy, corrupt, mean spirited bunch they are!  The sooner President Obama realizes this, the better his chances of mobilizing America behind the challenges we now face which could either make or break us in the immediate future and the more he looks “presidential.”