Fool me once, shame on you.  Fool me twice, shame on me.  I keep thinking of that famous saying as I’m pondering another big push by the republican party to shackle us with another “phase” of the “cut your taxes and balance the budget” voodoo economics made famous by Ronald Reagan.  The problem is there is no “fool me thrice” to the saying.  We’ve already been fooled twice – SHAME ON US!  But as George W Bush once famously said as he was butchering this saying (as he did with so many sayings) “we won’t get fooled again.”  Or will we?  Well, I certainly hope not.  But, if you listen to the pundits, the possibility exists that we could get “fooled” again.  And by what this time?  Glenn Beck? Rush Limbaugh? (OK, Rush has been around since the first “fooling”) Sarah Palin?  Rupert Murdoch?  I have friends who call themselves “conservatives.”  I wonder daily if ANY of them have checked out these people who are trying to “fool” them for the third time.

The real irony of it all, is that the people buying into the “conservative” lie are at the forefront of those clamoring about the lack of jobs in America, the national debt, the trade deficit, the jobs overseas, the immigration problem, and on and on.  What they seem to be unable to do is CONNECT the republican party with its responsibility in all those areas.  Let’s just focus on the debt here – as long as the “getting fooled again” topic is front and center.  Now, I’m just going on memory here and I’m getting up there in years (OK, I’m admitting to being a bit forgetful on occasion) but I still remember Jimmy Carter HALFING the budget deficits left behind by the Nixon/Ford administrations – mostly Nixon, of course.  If memory serves me correct, I believe Carter cut the deficit from about 75 BILLION to 35 BILLION in his four years in office.  (both numbers miniscule by today’s standards) Carter is still ridiculed by many politicians because he REALLY wasn’t a member of the BELTWAY crowd.  However, he did some great things and had Reagan not reversed his CAFE standards for the auto industry and his “example” for a “green” energy future this country would be a darned sight better off today than we are.  Republicans are still arguing against the foresight Carter showed in the 1970’s.  If you can’t figure out why, well Carter was not the friend of “Big Oil.”  (Compare that to Bush/Cheney, Bush Senior, or Reagan – that in itself should explain a few things to even the most casual of political observer)

Reagan not only reversed the CAFE standards (even going so far as to encourage Detriot to build more gas guzzlers) but ridiculed Carter as the solar panels were removed from the White House shortly after he took up residency – just one of the many examples that Reagan SHOULD be remembered for (another would be UNION BUSTING).  To this day I can’t understand how any working American can even consider Reagan anything but a piriah as far as presidents are concerned.  (there’s a plethora of reasons for that last statement, but let’s just focus on the economic ones tonight)  Reagan won the White House using the normal republican trickery (funding John Anderson, the disenchanted “liberal” republican who took many votes away from Carter) and promising to “balance the budget and cut taxes.”  Of course, Reagan’s tax cuts benefitted – MOSTLY – the wealthiest of Americans as we got “fooled” the first time with the “trickle down theory.”  Reagan proceeded to take the budget inherited from Carter which was a year or two away from surplus and turned it into a HUGE deficit somewhere in the neigborhood of $250 BILLION per year over the last 5 or 6 years Reagan was in office.  (an increase of more than 5 fold from what Carter left him)  And, of course, George Bush senior took those deficits up another sizeable notch in his term as president.

So, the American people had apparently had enough of this skullduggery and elected the unknown Bill Clinton in 1992.  Now, to be fair based on my John Anderson statement regarding Reagan, I don’t believe Clinton would have won without Ross Perot’s entry in the race as an independent.  I was always convinced Perot took more votes from Bush senior than Clinton, but I have to admit never researching this because it was always a “moot” point in my mind.  To me, Clinton was too conservative in that he went along with a lot of republican proposals – despite their obvious and OVERT disdain for him and his wife.  The number of investigations during the Clinton years was mind numbing.  Again, you would have thought it would have sent a message to the American people of exactly where these republicans were coming from.  However, once Clinton started fooling around with Monica Lewinsky, he lost all credibility with just about everyone.  Clinton did leave us with a budget surplus of $250 BILLION – but, he also signed NAFTA, GATT, the Telecommunications act of 1996 (possibly the largest blunder), and the Graham, Leach, Bliley Act of 1999 which repealed Glass Steagall – the depression era law which prevented banks from getting “too big to fail.”  I’m adding most of this to make sure anyone who reads this understands I have some real issues with Clinton.  The bottom line though is there were 20+ MILLION jobs created during his two terms in office and the United States was on course to repay the deficit in 10 years when he left office.  Remember – and this is important – it took about 5 – 6 years before the deficit was “turned around” under Clinton and he showed a lot more will to do so than I’m seeing from President Obama at this point in Obama’s first term.

Now, we come to “fool me twice, shame on me.”  I realize that George W Bush probably didn’t even win the presidency.  He was annointed by the Supreme Court at the expense of 200+  years of voters choosing our leaders in America.  The circumstances surrounding the Florida debacle are such that at some point in this nation’s history the TRUTH will need to come out.  I believe that someone, somewhere, actually did recount the votes and it’s a big secret because we don’t like to make “waves” in American politics.  Despite the FACT Bush STOLE the presidency (and, was the WORST president EVER!) we got another HUGE dose of “cut taxes and balance the budget.”  Of course, in Bush’s case, the budget was already projected to end the deficit in 10 years the day he took office – so he had to CREATE a new budget DEFICIT!  And, boy did he create one.  With the help of Dick Cheney, who famously was quoted as saying “Ronald Reagan proved deficits don’t matter,” Bush left Barack Obama with a deficit of 1.3 TRILLION dollars PER YEAR when he left office.  And, of course, on top of that he left with the country teetering on the brink of depression so Obama had little choice but to increase government spending – to mitigate the damage all the while as people like Limbaugh, Beck, Palin, and the others were laying the blame of BUSH’S deficit at Obama’s doorstep.  This was just plain LYING in it’s purest form.  Unfortunately, for various reasons – many of which I’ve shared on this site over the past two years – many Americans are choosing to believe these unconscienable liars.

So now, what are we faced with?  “Fool me thrice?”  I realize the saying doesn’t go that far – and, well it shouldn’t.  After two times, shouldn’t that be enough?  Do we start questioning whether we’re STUPID or not – if we go the “thrice” route?  Is there anyone out there who can explain to me why “cutting taxes” will “balance the budget” this time?  I actually heard on the radio the other day a very genuine person call into the Ed Schultz show who was a conservative and confessed to listening to Beck and Limbaugh (and the others on the “right”).   The guy said he makes around $50 grand per year and correctly placed himself in the “middle class.”  What was shocking to me was his attempt to justify cutting taxes “for the rich” so that they can produce jobs for people like him.  I hate to say what I’m thinking about the guy, because he sounded like a great example of the unsuspecting American who believes people like Beck, Limbaugh and the others (around where I live the local blow hard is Lars Larson – these people will say ANYTHING for money) are telling the truth.  He also sounded like an excellent family man, a hard worker, responsible, everything good – except he hasn’t bothered to FACT CHECK these people.  He referred to the government as “them” – as if the government is the enemy – this because people like Beck, Limbaugh, Palin, and the others are referencing it as such.

WE ARE THE GOVERNMENT!  And, we’ve done a great job of being the government over the past 200 + years.  I don’t know where these people come off trying to destroy the government – maybe the “tea partiers” really want an anarchist society.  But, as far as I’m concerned, NO THANKS!  I’ve been putting up with the arrogance of republicans for far too long and it is very bothersome that when a democrat gets into the White House the “gloves” come off with these people.  Never mind all the racist rhetoric, or the mean spirited divisive talk, these people are trying to ruin our government as we know it with unabashed LYING.  The large corporate “heads” are sitting in the background licking their chops as the rest of us turn America into one huge mindless argument over irrelevent stuff.  It really is UNBELIEVABLE to me that it’s all come down to this.  Somehow, the “progressives” need to take to the polls in the fall and put a stop to these republicans once and for all.  I’ve been saying almost since the day President Obama was inaugurated that his decisions were turning his “base” off in droves and the result would be a mid-term election where MILLIONS stayed home.  (Obama’s chief of staff referred to me as a “f__king retard”) That is now a REAL possibility – but, if you’re thinking like me (I’m not that inspired by Obama’s centrist positions – plus I HATE that he pardoned Bush/Cheney et al) it makes sense to think of the alternative – and, that is nauseating.  Seriously, do you really want John Boehner as the Speaker of the House?  Third in line to the Presidency?  Ughhhhh!  (and, what if their vision of the next president is Sarah Palin?)

I’m going to “bite my lip” and, once again, vote against EVERY republican.  I have yet to hear ONE OF THEM stand up and repudiate the racist, mean spirited, disengenuous rhetoric of their leaders.  If the democrats allow the “Bush tax cuts” to be extended, I may never vote again – I will be sick to my stomach!  And, then we’ll have to listen to who knows how many years of the republicans blaming Obama for the deficits.  Really, are WE – the American people – REALLY THAT STUPID?  The other day I tuned into the Glenn Beck fiasco on the Washington Mall for about 5 minutes.  I’m serious when I say that I thought I was listening to a lay preacher going off on how America will be saved when we turn back to God!  Now, as one who’s been turning to God for years, I was a bit confused.  Was he talking about Jesus?  Was he talking about the same God I worship?  Or is there a special God for republicans or Fox viewers?  It really was very confusing – I had to turn it off (the same reaction whenever I attempt to force myself to listen to Beck, Limbaugh, or any of the rest of them).  I will tell you this, when the right wing starts using the term “God” in their proselytizing, hold on to you hats!  They’re rounding up the “troops” for an all out assault on our electoral process where a huge block of well meaning Americans are going to be voting against their own best self interests – guaranteed.  (yes Lars, these people would fall into the “low information” voters)  I’d really like to know how many in Beck’s audience would benefit from an extension of the Bush Tax Cuts for the top 2%.

These people have something like $500 Million to spend on a mid term election thanks to “Citizens United.”  I’ve pointed out the danger of that Supreme Court decision many times on this site and challenged the democrats to do something about it while they can.  True to form, NOTHING is apparently going to happen – except that the corporate interests are going to be WELL REPRESENTED in November’s election.  The FACT Karl Rove has his hands on $300 MILLION should be enough to get the democrat’s attention.  I’m getting a lot of emails from dems asking for “grass roots” money right now, but what they should be doing is cramming some legislation through Congress that puts some limits and accountability on corporations who choose to attempt to influence our elections.  At the very least, “We the People” should know who’s doing what!  I really am wanting President Obama to succeed, but I’m not sure he understands the importance of these next couple of months.  It’s time for a showdown with the republicans.  BUSINESS AS USUAL will result in devestation for those of us who are committed to a return to prominence of America’s middle class – millions of which are jobless.  The depression in Black Communities across America is unacceptable – but, it will take our president and the democratic Congress to do something about it – and waiting until the next congress is too late (and probably too little).  The 99ers?  Waiting to help them out until the next congress is also too late.  In fact, I wouldn’t have allowed a vacation for a single congress person without dealing with the plight of the 99ers at the beginning of August.  There are millions of Americans suffering financial hardship right now.  It will take agressive action from President Obama and the democrats in Congress – while they still hold the majority – to take a stand for what Jesus would call “the least of these.”  America, please don’t allow the republicans to fool us a THIRD time!  And, it appears that this time people like Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin are going to be claiming God is in favor of the Bush Tax Cuts.

The other day I almost had to gag when I saw John Boehner “agreeing” with me on the subject of the economic advisors to President Obama.  Boehner called for Obama to “fire” Tim Geithner and Larry Summers.  Now, I started with the “red flags” regarding both Geithner and Summers prior to Obama’s inauguration, and I have to say that I’m a bit more than uncomfortable having any position that even resembles Boehner’s.  Of course, Boehner made this “demand” while claiming to put forth a “new” republican economic policy letting all us unsuspecting citizens know what they’ll (republicans) be up to should they somehow TRICK America’s public into voting them back into office.  I’m certain that if you’re reading this blog you know before I point it out that Boehner’s miracle cure for the deepening recession is to extend the “Bush Tax Cuts,” which have saved the richest 1% of Americans something like a half a TRILLION dollars in the ten years since it was originally thrust upon us.

Republicans are campaigning against EVERYTHING while at the same time ginning up the darkest RACIST side of every possible American they can fool into thinking they actually have the “average” citizen’s best interests at heart.  Now, that claim – having the average citizen’s best interests at heart – in and of itself is so absurd that you would think it would be hard to find anything close to a majority of Americans who would support it.  I mean, how can you continually cut taxes for the rich accelerating our national deficit and claim to be supporting “Joe the Plumber?”  I’ll tell you how – by LYING – Pathologically LYING!  One thing that’s clear about the republican leadership is that they have no consciences.  The other thing that’s clear – and I’ve been pointing this out since the presidential campaign – the republican leaders are OVERT RACISTS!  I will never forget John McCain referring to Barack Obama as “that one” during one of the debates – and feeling a deep sense of shock and SADNESS that our media TOTALLY looked the other way.  Do they really think that no one noticed?  Do the republicans really believe that the minority groups in this country are just going to happily welcome them and their mean spirited, racist positions back into power if they can somehow pull off getting control of Congress?

We are witnessing something that should be frightening to all fair minded Americans – and that is a media conglomerate which is totally in “bed” with a political party.  Fox – as I stated the other night (and many other times) being run by an Australian right winger with the backing of BILLIONS from a Saudi “prince” who arguably has funded Osama bin Laden – is busy manipulating the minds of their many viewers into thinking things like President Obama was born in Kenya, or he’s a Muslim, or he was educated in a Madrassa (Harvard?), or – worse yet – that SARAH PALIN might be remotely qualified to hold national political office.  They are in the middle of a MASSIVE brainwashing campaign and, unfortunately, I’m still seeing an appropriate response from only a very few leaders who would associate with the word “progressive” or “liberal.”  The republicans did a masterful job of undermining our government during the 30 years since the inauguration of Ronald Reagan, but most specifically during the long, tedious, vicious years of Bush/Cheney.

Vicious to harsh a term you ask?  Well, do a little reading on Abu Ghraib, GITMO, Bagram, the history of our incursion into Iraq, what they did to virtually EVERY department in our government, the economy (I really don’t understand how a single American can fail to place this economic DISASTER we’re all enduring on Bush/Cheney’s doorstep? – Yes, I agree President Obama hasn’t made the best decisions – but, he inherited something approaching an impossible challenge – especially in the face of a Senate saying NO to EVERYTHING because of the filibuster rule and recalcitrant, obstructionist republicans), and how about our military?  Do you think we’re now prepared for an emergency should it arise?  The good men and women of our military have been going back and forth to Iraq and Afganistan for almost 10 years now.  It’s not unusual to hear of soldiers on their 6th or 7th – maybe more – deployment.  During the so-called “surge” they even lengthened the deployments to 15 months and reduced the amount of downtime soldiers were home in order to have enough troops to keep the “surge” going.  And, now – of course – I fully expect these troops to come home (should we actually start bringing them home – FOR REAL) to a public which ignores them and a military which short changes the medical needs they most certainly must have.  I’m guessing it SHOULD cost as much as prosecuting the occupations of Iraq and Afganistan to take care of the REAL medical needs of our troops once they’re home.  I’m already hearing “horror stories” about soldiers having to FIGHT just to get the medical benefits that should be “no brainers.”  The government is going to resist labling as many of the disabled soldiers as disabled as they can get away with – sound familiar to those around during Viet Nam?

We had something like 200,000 homeless Viet Nam Vets on the streets before Iraq happened.  That number – especially considering the after affects of the Bush/Cheney economic disaster – should grow exponentially when all the PTSD and maimed Iraq and Afganistan war veterans hit the streets.  Do you remember that at the height of the Iraq “war” Bush/Cheney attempted to cut wages and benefits for our troops?!  All the while telling me that I wasn’t “supporting the troops” in my quest to get them brought home.  Something’s terribly wrong here and now we, as a nation, are being asked to put these thugs back into power.  I say, NO WAY!!!!

You can go back and read some of my previous posts to see that I’m not a “rubber stamp” for Obama.  In fact, I have many issues with him (I’m presently reading a book called “FreeFall” by Joseph Stiglitz which is not at all complimentary to the economic decisions of the Obama “team” and supports my contention that Geithner and Summers were just a continuation of the Wall Street “business as usual” crowd that we thought we were voting out) but, the best strategy I can see is to attempt to get Obama to actually change his policies to reflect “progressive values” before it’s too late – and to do everything possible to VOTE AGAINST REPUBLICANS!  I’ve been an independent voter all my life, but in 2006 I started voting against ALL REPUBLICANS because of their stance on the war and the OVERT corruption of the Bush/Cheney “crime family” as it was so often referred to.  Despite what Obama and his supporters are touting, we are not out of Iraq yet – and, I believe the “doublespeak” will continue in an attempt to make us believe that all “non-combat” troops are REALLY home so that we can leave a bunch of them there for years to come.  In fact, the alternative to that might even be worse.  How would you like our interests in Iraq protected by Blackwater? (Now calling themselves Xe services)  If you’re not sure what that might entail read Jeffrey Skahill’s book titled “Blackwater.”  It’s a depressing “eye opener” to what’s going on behind the scenes in “conservative” America.

What I’m saying is that until we get some courageous “conservatives” to step up and condemn the racism that is running rampant among the leadership of the republican party the American public should simply REJECT ALL OF THEM!  As an independent, at this point in time, I wouldn’t even vote for an honorable one unless I was certain that person had the courage to vote his/her conscience on issues instead of this LOCK STEP BLOCK that is reminiscent of some kind of totalitarian minded society.  I really don’t understand why even conservatives can’t see that.  When in the history of the United States of America has one party simply done everything they can to STOP any ideas from one president from having a chance to take hold?  If Obama’s ideas are so bad the republicans should back off and let them pass so that they can fail in view of everyone.  Why do you think republicans don’t want anything to even have a chance to succeed?  OK, is it sinking in?  Rush Limbaugh has put it best for the republicans.  They simply CAN’T allow a BLACK president to succeed!  They MUST do everything in their power to insure that Obama FAILS!  Now, think about that if you’re an average American.  Are we just the collateral damage to their fear of a person of color having a chance to succeed?

Can’t you just see John Boehner and Mitch McConnell in leadership roles in our Congress?  Honestly, the thought going through my mind at that possibility is “Are Americans that stupid?”  Does that mean that it’s really possible for someone like Sarah Palin to get nominated by these people?  Is this just the “first wave” of the fallout from “Citizen’s United?”  It has been reported that Karl Rove has a corporate generated fund of $300 MILLION just for the purpose of returning republicans to control of the next congress.  Think about how much the BP’s, and Hewlett Packard’s, and Goldman Sachs’, and United Health’s, and I could go on and on – of this world will invest to help us “decide” who our leaders should be.  There are already reports of republican backed groups buying up ALL the air time right before the mid terms in strategic locations.  Think for a moment about the influence of these TV commercials on our busy society.   How many people do you know who are fact checking the claims from politicians (on both sides of the isle)?  I’m personally not finding many.

Getting back to Fox “news” – Rupert Murdoch is donating by the millions to the republican party as I’m writing this.  If that doesn’t get your attention I don’t know what will.  I have talks continually with my peer group (baby boomers) and people are either unsuspecting or turned off by the process.  In either case – setting up a situation where those of us in the age group most responsible for the calamity of the past 10 years will be leaving an America to our children that is fast becoming unrecognizable.  If we don’t stand up and stop these republicans we deserve what we get – the problem as I see it is that – OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN don’t!  I’m going to end by reminding anyone who’s reading this that the repblicans are proposing the same old “cut taxes and balance the budget” CRAP that they’ve been cramming down our throats for the past 30+ years.  If you agree with me, please say something to at least one other person about how ridiculous that is and remind them of what the stakes are here.  Send this page to someone – or just do something.  The republicans are counting on “progressives” standing aside and allowing them back in.  We can’t do that – once the election is over, maybe we can get President Obama to do the one thing I can agree with Boehner on – and that is get a new economic team in place!  Who knows, that could lead to the “change we can believe in!”

Sometimes I feel I’m just going around in circles writing about essentially the same thing from a plethora of different angles.  The United States of America is under attack and it’s coming from within – that’s basically my premise.  And, the scariest part of all this to me is that almost everyone I know has no idea what’s going on.  The other day I heard Bernie Sanders – referred to on the program he was a guest on as “America’s Senator” – put it well when he said the “right” wing of America is playing a “shell game” to distract the attention of the American voters in a brazen (my description) attempt to undermine the electoral process in the next election.  I couldn’t agree more!

What’s a “shell game?” you might ask.  Well, it’s when someone uses trickery to get you to believe you’re seeing one thing when you’re really seeing something entirely different.  I’m sure most people who would happen onto this site have seen the person with the three half walnut shells with the “prize” in one of them moving them around to the point where you can only guess which one actually holds the prize.  Even though the “moving” was done right before your eyes, most of the time people guess the wrong shell.  And, that’s exactly what the “right” wing (republicans) are attempting to do in the next election.  They are trying (and, apparently quite successfully) to get the attention of the American public off of the failures of the Bush/Cheney administration – with the help of 6 years of a republican congress – and onto things like an Arab “Mosque” – which really isn’t a Mosque – being built right next to “ground zero” – which really isn’t next to ground zero.  They (the republicans) are making a “convincing” argument that our government deficit is way to high and the solution is to extend the tax cuts for millionaires (commonly referred to as the “Bush Tax Cuts” – curiously, the same argument which got us into this mess in the first place and evidently there are still people “buying” it).  At the same time, they are arguing that we can’t afford to extend unemployment benefits for those LAZY Americans who’ve been out of work since the beginning of the “Great Recession,” or another “stimulus” bill designed to create jobs because it would “balloon” that horrible deficit created by Barack Obama.  In fact, the republicans have even torpedoed a bill designed to open up credit for small business owners in America presumably because it’s not “paid for.”  All of these decisions come on the heels of the one vote where republicans chose the path of bipartisanship and that was for the continued funding (with TOTALLY borrowed funds) of the occupations in Iraq and Afganistan.  (They’d also have us believe that “gay marriage” is a bigger threat to our nation than these arrogant occupations of foreign lands)

This stuff is all, at least in my mind, so BRAZENLY absurd, that I find it hard to fathom MY country could have degenerated to the point where these republican positions could even gain any traction at all in the media.  But, that of course would presuppose that the media wasn’t “in bed” with them.  While you could say that claiming the media is in bed with the republicans is a stretch, I believe it’s safe to say that Fox “news” has WAY MORE influence than they should for some unexplainable reason and who they’re “in bed” with politically is a secret only to the really ignorant voters.  The fact that Fox is now OPENLY pouring MILLIONS into republican campaign coffers (I can’t remember a time in my lifetime when something such as this would have been at all acceptable) while receiving BILLIONS from the Saudi Prince who is the NUMBER TWO shareholder in “Newscorp” after Rupert Murdoch – the Aussie who owns the place doesn’t seem to be an issue with many.  (remember, the 9/11 attacks were instigated MAINLY by Saudi’s and funded by Saudi “charities” including from the “prince” – allegedly – who is the Saudi shareholder in Fox)  And, the FACT that Roger Ailes – a republican political hack – is the head of the “news” portion of Fox doesn’t seem to turn too many heads in America these days either is also QUITE curious.  To me, that all speaks for itself as far as the “attack” I referred to in the initial paragraph of this post.  How they’re pulling off this “shell game” – when it should be so obvious what is happening – ought to go down in history as legendary in the area of successful political PROPAGANDA.  (I AM hearing more and more comparisons with 1930’s Germany and these republican tactics all the time – just not in the so-called “mainstream” – where investigative reporting seems to be a “thing of the past”)  I honestly believe there is a huge portion of America’s voting public who have no conception regarding the importance of the media as the “fourth estate” based on the constitutional design of our founders.

One of the worst parts of all of this, in my view, is the long term “after effects” of this political ginning up of HATE to gain votes in the short term.  Take for example the issue of the “Mosque” a few blocks away from “Ground Zero.”  It’s actually a “community center” with a couple floors (I believe there are 11 floors total in the building) set aside for prayer.  The building is an old abandoned Burlington Coat Factory which has sat vacant since 9/11 or thereabouts.  The person who is putting this all together is a well respected member of the New York community and one of the purposes of the “community center” is to bring people together.  Additionally, if you took a cab from Ground Zero you would have to travel something like four block to get there.  In the process you would pass a couple strip clubs which apparently are more acceptable to the memory of those who lost their lives on 9/11 than a community center – to republicans, anyway.  I mean the whole thing is beyond absurd on its face. 

But, here’s the rub.  This “Mosque” fiasco is getting worldwide media attention.  We still have troops in Iraq and Afganistan – and, despite President Obama’s claims to the contrary – the only decipherable purpose of our mission in Afganistan is “nation building.”  Over and over, in both situations, we hear that our troops are trying to win the hearts and minds of Muslims.  Yet, here in America, the very people who put us in that situation – the republicans – are ginning up HATE against Muslims.  Today, in the New York Times there were a couple of Op Eds which put it much better than I ever could.  The first – and one of the best articles I’ve read in some time, was by Frank Rich – if you haven’t read this guy’s stuff, you should.  Click here to read his article – it clearly points out the hypocrisy of republicans like Sarah Palin, Newt Gingrich, and others seeking short term political gain at the expense of long term ill will toward America.  Nicholas Kristof has another interesting perspective on the topic which you can read by clicking here.  I’m pointing all of this out because there are compelling arguments that the postitions being put forward in public by the republican party are so detrimental to the best interests of this nation that you could call them unpatriotic.

Now, I realize that the Bush/Cheney administration was calling me “unpatriotic” as I campaigned against the occupations of Iraq and Afganistan for the past 7 or 8 years.  However, I believe these republicans are now doing what they actually – and absurdly – were accusing people like me of several years ago.  Yes, Osama bin Laden might have been opposed to what I was saying because one of his goals was to SUCK the United States into an endless war that would totally drain our economy – and, withdrawing the troops when I proposed doing so (actually, I opposed Iraq prior to any troops going in) would have TOTALLY foiled bin Laden’s plan.  The difference from people like me calling for the withdrawal of our troops and what the republicans of today are doing is that they are stereotyping Muslims in an attempt to spread HATE while I objected to an illegal war of choice – IN THE LONG RUN, based on this republican attack on the community center – we are going to have to answer for all the HATE mongering against Muslims – who are by a HUGE MAJORITY – a very honorable and peaceful people.  The American public needs to somehow be educated on why there are now so many young Muslims ready to commit suicide in order to attack the United States.  The republicans, from the day Bush/Cheney lied us into Iraq have been giving Muslims more and more reasons to HATE America, and now they’ve (republicans) actually increased the antagonism over this “community center!”  Let me put it another way, the republicans have been the best recruiting tool ever for bin Laden and Muslim terrorist orgnizations.  And, I haven’t even discussed what a terrible attack on our 1st amendment of the constitution this anti “Mosque” propaganda is, which seemingly is also going unnoticed in many “Fox” circles.

Here’s the reality of life in America right now – if you disband the shell game and focus on the “stuff” that really matters.  We are in the middle of the “Great Recession” which still could slide into the second ……… you know what (I don’t want to say it :o).  Our congress – both republican and democrat – should be instigating New Deal type job creation legislation to get the MILLIONS of Americans who want work to be going back to work – ASAP!  We have an energy crisis which was originally addressed by the president everyone seems to love to hate – Jimmy Carter – way back in the seventies.  He instigated CAFE standards which, if allowed to stand, would have gone a long way toward reducing our dependency on foreign (Saudi) oil by today.  He placed solar panels on the White House in an attempt to influence the country toward a “green” energy future – back in the SEVENTIES – and was ridiculed by Rongald Reagan who, soon after entering the White House, had the solar panels removed.  Instead of still listening to these obstructionist republicans, we should be focusing our national will on reducing our need for imported oil and creating a “green” energy policy which will lead to a rebirth of manufacturing jobs in America.

Reagan led the assault on our economy with his “Voodoo Economic” plan – which the republicans are still pushing to this day.  This “plan” jump started the HUGE deficits and set the stage for the “false economy” which we’ve been living on – bubble after bubble – in America since.  Reagan pioneered the era of union busting led by the republican party which has reduced the number of union jobs in America to less than 10% from something approaching 40% when he took office.  If you look at the “real wages” statistics since Reagan entered the White House, the blue collar, middle class workers in America have taken it on the “chin” for the past 30 years.  Republicans complain about democrats wanting to “redistribute” the wealth – but they’ve done exactly that over the 30 years since Reagan’s inauguration – only the money has “trickled” to the top one percent of the wage earners in this country instead of “down” as was promised.  CEO earnings have skyrocketed from 25 times that of their employees to something approaching 300 times that of their employees.  Everyone is aware of the OBSCENE bonuses Wall Street bankers earn by gambling money put in investment pools by everyday workers and showing not the slightest remorse when they’ve virtually ruined the retirment accouts of MILLIONS of hard working Americans – THEY STILL GIVE THEMSELVES THE BONUSES!  Instead of focusing on “Mosques” our national leadership – republicans and democrats – should be focusing on how to get more wealth into the hands of the hardworking middle class in this country – that is what will make this nation healthy again – at least economically.

Republicans are talking about Mosques or gay marriage while the two occupations they started continue to go on and on and on and …….. well, you get the point.  Let me be clear here.  First, despite President Obama’s pronouncements to the contrary, all of our “combat troops” are not home from Iraq.  Somehow, Obama and his advisors have found a way to describe the 50,000 troops still in Iraq as “non combat.” (Shame on them and shame on Randi Rhodes for buying into their propaganda – let’s call it republican-lite) What are they (the non-combat troops) doing there then?  Certainly, the Iraqi troops should be trained by now if they’re ever going to be trained – shouldn’t they?  This is what we – and our congress – should be talking about – and, that is getting ALL our troops HOME from these two failed fiascos!  Clearly, the “writing is on the wall” that Obama is trying to figure a way to keep our troops in Iraq while being able to say they’re not there.  Is anyone besides me seeing the “contractor” red flags going up BIG TIME?  And, I’m starting to think that maybe we’ll be out of Afganistan in my lifetime, if I live another 20 years!

America’s inner cities are falling apart at the seems.  The unemployment rate for Blacks in this country is depressing – something like 3 to 4 times worse than the national average of almost 10%.  Do we hear any kind of dialogue coming out of Washington DC over the plight of those in the Black community?  Hell no – we’re hearing a bunch of bunk over a COMMUNITY CENTER that should be totally non-controversial.  What is it going to take to get the attention of our president and the democratic congress on this one?  Are we going to wait for our inner cities to erupt again like in the 60’s and 70’s before we do something?  Why are the democrats allowing these republicans to control the debate?  When is someone going to stand tall and take these obstructionist republicans on straight up?  Unfortunately, I believe the person who has to do this is President Obama, and I’m not seeing any signs that he’s up to the task.

I just finished reading “Ghost Wars” by Steve Coll and I’ve started “Freefall” by Joseph Stiglitz and both books seem quite informative and neither book is an encouragement to me about the decisions of Barack Obama.  Yes, he’s a darned sight better than the present day republicans, but – in my mind – he’s also the reason we’re even having this debate.  I mean, how can it even be possible that the voting public would be considering putting the republicans who’ve been fleecing them for 30 years back into power?  Here’s how – as stated above, we’re (America) under attack from within – and, the attack is coming from the corporate elite which is represented by the republican party.  Unfortunately, “we the people” must rely on the democratic party to stem this “tide.”  And, I continue to wonder whether or not they even recognize the severity of the situation or are they in cahoots?  We know that the corporate money is going to BOTH parties – and the only conclusion I can come to at this point is that the democrats have taken too much of that corporate money to fight back – or, they just don’t have the guts for the battle.  John Dean nailed it when he called the republicans “conservatives without conscience!”  The democrats need to understand that when drawing the “battle lines” or the “war” is lost already!  (I’ve just started the Stiglitz book, but he agrees with me (indirectly) that President Obama’s refusal to investigate the Bush/Cheney administration was a BLUNDER of MAJOR magnitude – in my mind a “game changer.”)

One last thing – I never seem to include ideas about what can be done about all this if you agree with me.  Today, I’ve included links to a couple very good articles from the NY Times.  If you feel the urge, email the address to this page to others – the farther we can carry this discussion the better in my mind.  When I started this writing I never expected anyone to find the site.  That being said, it seems that there are a few hundred who have done just that.  If more people are speaking out and reaching more people – well, who knows what might happen?

This past week I went north to visit my brother who was part of the original “hippie” movement which I subseqently (and apparently) “joined.” (this was all based on comments from others, I still haven’t totally figured out what being a “hippie” meant) Many of “us” have “grown up” since those days and seemingly are all set to retire as the “baby boomer” generation which hit the scenes as emerging adults in the 60’s.  In the discussion at my brother’s home we came to the conclusion that “hippies” were, at least to a certain extent, the result of America’s youth objecting to the Viet Nam War and the Civil Rights plight of the Black community at the time.  “Hippies” hit the streets en masse to protest the war in Viet Nam and  stood side by side with our black brothers and sisters in protest of the segregationist policies that had been “normal” in America since the days of the Emancipation Proclamation – commonly referred to as the “Jim Crow” era.  The war ended, the Civil Rights Act was passed, and we all melded into the society we were at odds with – many of us thinking that our government had received two important messages from “we the people” regarding adventurism with our military and racism.

Turn the clock ahead 40+ years and it seems as if we are at “deja vu all over again.”  My opposition with the plans of the Bush/Cheney group to “adventure” into Iraq stemmed from my experience of graduating from high school as the U.S. was ramping up its fiasco in Viet Nam.  I remember making the comparison to no avail – as the people around me were all excited we were “FINALLY” going to rid Iraq of the terrible Saddam Hussein.  None of them had an answer to the question: “what next?” after Hussein was removed from power and, as it turned out, neither did the Bush administration.  There’s a famous saying: “Hindsight is 20/20” which we seem to be violating OVER AND OVER again in regard to our military adventurism.

Considering Bush and Cheney were famous for pulling all the “strings” necessary to avoid their own participation in Viet Nam you would have thought they understood the futility of invading another country with no mission and no clear enemy.  To this day, after almost EIGHT LONG YEARS of futility in Iraq I’m still wondering when our government is going to CLEARLY define the mission and if they will EVER know who the enemy is (was).  If you’ve been on this site much you would know that the “coincidence” of Bush/Cheney being “oil people” and Iraq having one of the largest oil reserves in the world is just too much for me.  It will be difficult for me to find a better reason why THEY orchestrated this NIGHTMARE although they’ll never admit to it.  They’ve admitted to authorizing TORTURE, but they’re not going to admit to going after the oil – because, like in every other phase of this misadventure, the American government was OUTSMARTED by the Iraqi’s (Arabs, Muslims, you fill in the blank).  There was no way the Iraqi’s were going to allow Bush/Cheney to plunder their oil.  People around the world must be wondering how stupid are the Americans going to get before they come out of this funk?

We are the nation which others around the globe have been depending on as the “bastion for freedom” and the stalwarts in the battle for “human rights.”  Yet, we have CLEARLY violated the most basic human rights of people on a random basis, we have succumbed to the very fear the terrorists are attempting to inflict on us, and we are showing signs of a willingness to abandon our most basic principles as a result of this fear.  Most of our leaders are as corrupt as any you can find anywhere these days – taking money by the bushelfuls from one corporation after another – almost as if it’s a “right of passage” for them once elected – and, “we the people” are being successfully divided by a media which has motives centered on corporate interests at the expense of what used to be principled journalism.  In fact, we now, in addition to all of this, have a group of religious fanatics in America who sound dangerously similar to the religious fanatics whom they hate.

In what now feels like a desperate attempt to “turn things around” (the “change we can believe in”) the youth in America in concert with the “left” mobilized and overwhelmingly elected Barack Obama – the first American President who wasn’t “lilly white.”  The result of that “victory” was our military presence in the Middle East and Central Asia didn’t “dim” a bit.  Despite President Obama’s claims to the contrary – I got an email today claiming our troops are out of Iraq – our “footprint” in these two disasters (Iraq and Afganistan) is still WAY TO DEEP as far as I’m concerned.  Obama is essentially following the phased withdrawal plan negotiated by George W Bush – UGHHH! – with 50,000 “non-combat” troops remaining after nearly 20 months of Obama’s presidency – remember, he PROMISED ALL the troops would be home in 16 months or less (I never heard the term “non combat” once in the campaign) – and, Afganistan has seen something like an additional 50,000 troops since Obama took the oath of office.  On top of all this the issue of race has reared its ugly head in a big way since Obama began his first term and I’m still waiting for the mobilization of people unwilling to “go back” to the days which the republicans would evidently want us to return.  They’re (republicans) running a candidate for the senate in Kentucky, for example, who has openly called for a return to the days of segregation.  So, for those of us who thought we were beyond all of this – well, surprise, surprise.  The difference between now and the 60’s is that most Americans don’t seem to be noticing what the republicans are up to!

What’s bothering me the most this evening as I ponder all of this?  Well, I’m seeing more and more people willing to “bend” the constitution in ways that meets their own personal needs with little forethought to the longterm consequences.  In fact, (my brain is working as I’m writing this) I believe short term gain at the expense of long term consequences is becoming the norm in America.  In my mind, when it gets right down to it, that is what originally motivated me to start writing.  I have children and grandchildren – and, I’m not at all happy with what it appears too many of us are willing to leave them.  Additionally, I’m hearing a lot of rhetoric aimed at pointing out one problem or another with little evidence that many Americans have the desire to “come together” and sacrifice for the “cause.”  Most of us have our “special interests” and to hell with everything else.  (I suppose when enough of “us” have homes which are “upside down” maybe then we’ll start paying attention)

To me, the war that America needs to focus on is the one RIGHT HERE at home – the internal war for the heart and soul of this nation.  I’ve said it many times on this site, I believe the “right” wing faction of this country needs to be DEFEATED!  For some strange reason we have a lot of working people who have allowed themselves to align with the republican party which resembles the same party that existed pre Great Depression.  It’s almost as if republicans are wanting to lead us back into another period of depression – only with the attitude that the working people of this nation don’t have the determination or will of those who led the union movement of the 30’s and 40’s.  I honestly hope they’re wrong, and I hope that America’s middle class comes to their senses prior to having to find out the answer to the last question – but, some of the stuff I’m seeing is alarming – not surprising considering the Supreme Court’s decision titled “Citizens United” which has given America’s corporations (and, effectively multi-national corporations plus politicians willing to sell their souls for money) free reign on our electoral process.  The “right” has already bankrolled something in the amount of $500 MILLION just for this next congressional election.  If they manage to pull off helping the republicans regain control of both houses of congress – I believe the republicans long desired “permanent republican majority” will be on the horizon.

It’s almost as if the democrats are content to argue amongst themselves instead of doing whatever they can to stop this onslaught while they still have control of congress (I continue to hope the American public isn’t stupid enough to allow the republicans back in, but – to be honest – the democrats are less than impressive to me in the fight they’re putting up).  The “mainstream” democrats continue to speak unfavorably about people like Dennis Kucinich and Alan Grayson, saying they are “out there” when people like that are the ones who have a grasp on the severity of the problem.  It’s leaders like Kucinich and Grayson who appear to understand the gravity of the situation and who are able and willing to “stand” on principle when making decisions.  As I’ve stated before, the dialogue in America should be about right vs. wrong instead of “right” vs. “left.”

“Tea baggers” and “liberals” should be able to agree on the sanctity of the constitution.  All Americans should be willing to stand up and say no when our leaders start to chip away at the fundamental rights so many before us have given the ultimate sacrifice to protect.  What originally got my attention before I started this blog was the willingness of the Bush administration to willfully defie the fourth amendment of the constitution and warrantlessly wiretap American citizens.  Then, it became apparent that there were too many congresspeople from BOTH parties willing to go along with this.  That was the first sign to me that we, as a nation, were responding to 9/11 in a way Osama bin Laden could only dream about.  Then came the UNBELIEVABLE “repeal” of Habeous Corpus!  And, again, leader after leader saying NOTHING!  Fortunately, even today’s Supreme Court couldn’t go along with that one.  The “Patriot Act” (don’t you just love how they “frame” these intrusions?) and other legislation which came out of Bush’s republican controlled congress continued to push the “bar” on our basic freedoms – resulting in Abu Ghraib, GITMO, Bagram, and other “black holes” where pretty much anything was allowed as far as treatment of detainees – including several documented cases of MURDER – none of which, to my knowledge, have ever been investigated.  No one in America should be willing to tolerate this crap – republican, democrat, “tea bagger,” or anyone else!  Once we allow the “chipping away” to begin, it’s really hard to get it stopped.  (Example, Obama defending Bush positions in court!)

Through a lack of will by democrats to hold Bush/Cheney accountable we now have examples of the above issues, plus TORTURE, outing a CIA agent (I still can’t believe that one didn’t get more public outrage), politicizing the Justice Department (for anyone who thinks this is “minor” – without a non-partisan Justice Department this nation FAILS), and refusals by administration officials to answer subpoenas all as precedent.  And, now we have the republicans attacking both the 1st amendment and the 14th amendment to the constitution because they want to limit the rights of certain people even more!  Republicans are the “experts” at ginning up HATE through “wedge issues” and they’ll get as much traction as they can over the gay marriage issue in California and a Muslim group building a community center in New York – orchestrating the “facts” to meet their political needs which appears to be to “divide and conquer.”  In the process of gay people and Muslims exercizing their rights as Americans, republicans won’t hesitate to attack our constitution as being too “liberal.”  In the case of the so-called “Mosque” in New York, when I researched the reality of what was causing such a stir I realized the LYING by republicans was, as usual, OFF THE CHARTS!

This “Mosque” is really a COMMUNITY CENTER being put into a building (the old Burlington Coat Factory) which was essentially abandoned after 9/11.  The building is 2 blocks from “Ground Zero” as the republicans claim, if you’re a BIRD!  Us humans, however, would have to walk about four or five blocks to get to the “Mosque” from the remains of 9/11.  That’s the second lie.  The first lie is the claim it’s a “Mosque” – although there is a spot planned for people to pray on the top two or three floors of the building, we’re talking about a community center that evidently republicans don’t want because it’s owned and operated by Muslims.  How are they planning to amend the constitution?  Is the plan to exclude Muslims from the first amendment?  Sometimes I think these republicans are operating in sinc with bin Laden.  They nearly bankrupted our nation after 9/11 acting in FEAR, now they’re trying to undo our first and fourteenth amendments, they’re still supporting endless war in Iraq and Afganistan, and on top of all that they are openly trying to cause a sitting president to FAIL.  The republican response to 9/11 must have exceeded Osama bin Laden’s wildest hopes and dreams! (yes, for any “right winger” who happens on this site, I agree, too many democrats went along with Bush/Cheney et al) 

I’ll end with a couple questions.  Is anyone noticing this?  Does anyone REALLY care?  In the sixties there were MILLIONS of “Hippies” and others in the streets protesting the government policy.  I applaud groups like Move on who are attempting to mobilize people, but are there too many like me who are old and too tired?  Or like many of the young people I see who are either too busy or too distracted to notice?  When we lose touch with what it took to gain our basic freedoms we will be vulnerable to losing them!

It was only a few short months ago that Rahm Emanuel referred to people like me as “f__king retards” with no blowback whatsoever from his boss, President Barack Obama.  Now, you’ve got the press secretary – that’s the man (or lady) who stands before the press each day in the White House and “communicates” presumably to the American people through America’s journalists (what there is left of them anyway)for the president.  Yesterday, Robert Gibbs (the press secretary) one upped Emanuel by going after the “professional left” regarding their criticism of the policies coming from this White House which so many of us put so much into electing.  I’m assuming the “professional left” would be the talkers and the pundits who are considered “progressive” and who are starting to say the same things people like me (a sixth grade school teacher) have been saying since the first days of Obama’s presidency – of course, they are saying them in a much more public manner.  And, before I respond to Gibbs’ comments, let me make a couple things PERFECTLY CLEAR – first, under no circumstances will I consider voting for a republican until they’ve cleansed their midst of the right wing fanatics who are presently running their party – NOT ONE!  (and, I’ve always been an independent) Second, as stated many times on this so-called blog I believe MISTAKE number one by President Obama was surrounding himself with PROFESSIONAL politicians who were (and still are) mired in the SAME OLD SAME OLD of the Washington DC, “beltway” mindset.  The latter of the two points is the one which is threatening to bring down the democrats in November – because of the projected LOW VOTER TURNOUT which I’ve been warning them about for well over a year – and, based on what was said today – THEY’RE STILL NOT LISTENING!

Mr. Gibbs based his “point” on the premise that comparing Obama to Bush is INSANE, and the difference is so stark that everyone should be happy.  To begin my response to that PREPOSTEROUS statement I will just say that if the Obama administration was expecting the kind of “lock step” response to their policy making that allowed GW Bush and Dick Cheney to create the mess we now find ourselves in – well, that to me would be INSANE!  (as long as we’re throwing overblown adjectives or objects or whatever around).  Now, I don’t have access to all the video of the campaign, and I’m getting up there in years so my memory is not the best – but, I was pretty glued into the campaign that Barack Obama ran in 2008.  I hope he’s not now suffering from the same problem as people on the other side, which would be forgetting there’s footage of virtually everything he promised during that campaign.  And, one of the main things I remember him promising was that we we’re NOT going to back down from the anticipated FIGHT to reverse the WRONGS committed by Bush/Cheney and “business as usual” in Washington DC.  In fact, I’m convinced to this day that there were millions of Americans who voted for Obama simply for that reason – that is to REVERSE the WRONGS of the previous lawbreaking administration and bring the will of the people back into the process.  One area that both left and right can come together on is the desire to ensure that our laws are fairly enforced without prejudice for someone’s position – even if it’s a president or vice president committing the attrocities.  MUCH work was done during Watergate to PROVE that the fact the president did it doesn’t make it legal!

So, President Obama turned off millions – in my view including many of the “independent” voters like myself – when he for all intents and purposes PARDONED George W Bush and Dick Cheney – men who publicly admitted to committing WAR CRIMES plus saying they’d DO IT AGAIN!  (as if to rub it in that the democrats didn’t have the “stomach” for the “fight”)  For me – as I stated at the time – this was a “deal breaker.”  Since the moment I heard Barack Obama state that we were going to “look forward and not back” my enthusiasm for his presidency has waned.  Yes, his administration is a darned sight better than the alternative – but, in my view, it’s far from what is needed to reverse the downward sprial we, as Americans, find ourselves in.  If you’re uncertain how I feel about Obama’s opposition, just read some of my posts in the archive about the republicans – they are unthinkable.  They personify GREED, the ones with any integrity personify disengenuousness to the hilt – but, the leaders at the top are just flat out liars, and they’ve shown a CALLOUS disrespect for the working people in this nation who are unemployed, underemployed, or fearing for their jobs.  They’ve created a culture where it’s acceptable for employers to instill fear of losing your job into the workplace.  They hate unions and they are doing and will continue to do EVERYTHING they can to destroy every union left in this great nation – a nation that was brought to that greatness on the backs of the union workers of the 30’s, 40’s, 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s.  It was Ronald Reagan who gained immortality in the republican party because he led the “UNION BUSTING” charge which hit full tilt during his term in the 80’s.  By giving Bush/Cheney a “get out of jail free card,” as far as I’m concerned President Obama only GUARANTEED these people will be doing the same GARBAGE as soon as they can FOOL the American people one more time (or hack the voting machines).

Where else has President Obama come up short according to the evidently dreaded left (his base, for crying out loud)?  Let’s start with the stimulus.  Before the senate even voted on the stimulus package – which is PROVING to have been TOO SMALL – I (along with many of the “liberals” Obama’s administration is now attacking) was PLEADING for the democrats to hold out until they could get a package somewhere in excess of ONE TRILLION dollars – without the tax cuts and with more job creating infrastructure repair in the “plan.”  This was the first of several major “ACCOMPLISHMENTS” that Obama, Gibbs, and even Randi Rhodes on the radio today as I was driving around, are “harping” that the “liberals” should be happy with.  The truth – at least to me – was that this was the first indication that the “change we could believe in” was going to be the same old Washington way with democrats in charge instead of republicans.  Again, I much prefer the democrats at this point – but, where was the fight Obama talked about in the campaign?  He – and the democratic leadership – CAVED to get three republican votes.  That should have been the place where the “lines in the sand” were drawn.  Of course, the democrats would have had to be willing to start the investigations that were so IMPORTANT of Bush/Cheney at the same time – but, that was the time to call the republicans on their obstructionist behavior.  Right from the start.  Stop the government if necessary until the proper bill which would actually have been the one to “hang their hats” on was passed.  This was the first in a series of “watered down” better than nothing legislation – without the FIGHT that so many of us were wanting.  We are tired of the way Washington is/has functioned – and that is the change most people were longing for!

There’s more.  How about Iraq and Afganistan?  Let’s start with Iraq.  President Obama clearly stated that he would bring ALL the troops home within the first 16 months of his presidency.  I don’t remember one word about “non combat troops!”  The whole idea of non “combat troops” bugs me everytime I think about it.  First, I don’t believe there is one American non combat troop in Iraq save for the chaplains and maybe cooks (although I believe they’ve outsourced the cooking to KBR or some other company which Dick Cheney has stock in).  The bottom line for me – this “we’re leaving 50,000 ‘non combat’ troops behind” is just the same old “doublespeak” we’ve been getting for the past 8 years.  Coming from Obama, for me, it’s DOUBLY disappointing.  Essentially, President Obama has simply followed the withdrawal plan negotiated by George W Bush!  There’s NO OTHER EXPLANATION!  Makes me sick to my stomach to even write that.  All I can say is that isn’t what I voted for and that’s not leadership in my LIBERAL view!  Then there’s Afganistan.  Yes, President Obama said resources would be shifted to Afganistan – but, he also said it was for the purpose of “finishing the job” of capturing Osama bin Laden.  Well, bin Laden is in Pakistan (if he’s still alive) and clearly what Obama is trying to do in Afganistan is what would have to be called NATION BUILDING.  That’s not what people voted for.  Yes, get bin Laden – in my view even if we have to go into Pakistan.  If they’re harboring the man, then they’re harboring terrorists and bin Laden is fair game, in my view, wherever he is – any country that allows him a “haven” is fair game in my view – despite the time difference from when he attacked us.  However, the “surge” in Afganistan is clearly not designed to get bin Laden.  Obama has bought into the generals view that we can accomplish in Afganistan what no one else has been able to do for the previous 4000+ years.  To me, and many othe LIBERALS, this is just good money thrown after bad – with MORE of our FINEST young men and women giving their lives for a futile cause – in another country which doesn’t want us there.

Health care?  Yes, the democrats finally got a bill passed (thanks mainly to Nancy Pelosi) but, I will honestly be surprised if this bill is not a “boon” to the health insurance industry – which was allowed to spend ONE BILLION DOLLARS lobbying congress as the bill went through the “process.”  I for one feel these lobbyists usually get their money’s worth – and the bill would never have passed had they not approved of it.  The deal making that openly took place during this process was obscene and set the democrats back big time.  President Obama CAVED on the public option and other parts of the bill which would have benefitted many more people in order to get “something passed.”  Well, I suppose something is better than nothing, but when you have 75% of the American people on your side – I believe that is the time to have the FIGHT that so many of us have been wanting to see – even if the bill failed.  I would have MUCH PREFERRED to see Obama and the democrats stand firm for a ROBUST public option – one that every American could buy into – and go down to defeat with the idea that the “culprits” were exposed who stopped it and we work to get them defeated in the next election.  Really, the “base” was “fired up” when Obama took office – but, one “same old same old” deal after another has been deflating.

Transparency.  How does the lack thereof affect the public’s perception of the Wall Street reform?  President Obama promised the most transparent White House in history and the evidence in his first year and a half was anything but that.  The behind the scenes deal making is going on as always and that, in itself, undermines much of what the President has accomplished.  While I’m very hopeful that the Wall Street “reform” will actually be Wall Street reform I have to admit I’m skeptical.  Too much money is flowing from Wall Street to Washington for the congress people of either party to do what they should do to “real in” Wall Street.  And, the lack of transparency just leads to people wondering if the bill (like health care “reform”) will actually stop the Wall Street abuses.  From my vantage point, the Wall Street banks like Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, etc are right back doing the same crap they were doing prior to the “meltdown.”  The “too big to fail” banks are still “too big to fail” – so, I guess we’re all just left to ponder whether there’s going to be another meltdown as these banks are hoarding TRILLIONS of dollars while small businesses across American can’t get the credit they need to expand – therefore stifling job growth.

And, what about just having a FIGHT with the republicans instead of kissing up to them?  When is enough enough?  When are we going to draw the line and point out that the issue here isn’t one of right vs left – but, right vs wrong?  These people are showing themselves as racists and greed mongers.  Why do we continue to act as if they are legitimate?  I honestly thought this nation had gotten past a lot of the garbage being spewed by republicans, but obviously I was wrong.  When one party is obstructing EVERYTHING and spewing fear and hate, they need to be CALLED OUT!  Who better to do that than the leaders we worked so hard to elect.  There ARE a few really good PROGRESSIVES in the House of Representatives and Nancy Pelosi is working her way back into my good graces (remember, “impeachment is off the table?”), but the White House has left some of them “out to dry” in their tepid response to the obstructionist behavior of the senate.  I guess they feel that the American public is too stupid to understand what is happening.  Based on Gibbs’ remarks, I’m feeling the Obama administration doesn’t understand what’s happening.  The “liberals” Robert Gibbs is attacking are unhappy, but they’re not the problem.  The problem for President Obama is the FACT so many independent voters who were excited to FINALLY have someone in the White House who was going to change the way business is done in Washington DC are disappointed in the FACT that business is still being done AS USUAL!  The only way for the republicans to win in November is for these independents to stay home.  I’ve been predicting this for well over a year – and, now I believe it must be sinking in at the White House.  But, instead of going after the “right” as they should, Robert Gibbs follows in Rahm Emanuel’s footsteps by bad mouthing President Obama’s supporters!  That, to me, is what is stupid! 

I was looking at some of the archives of this site as I continue contemplating why I still feel this need to write – and, it does help that somehow people from all over the world find the stuff and evidently read some of it (usually close to 200 per day – no idea where you all come from).  However, as I look at most of the posts, the main theme continues to be that today’s version of the republican party, in my view, MUST be defeated.  I was listening to some of the statistics recently on how they’ve (republicans) convinced over a third of America’s “likely voters” that President Obama is an illegal alien, they’ve convinced many Americans that the deficit was created by the Obama administration, something like 55% of Americans, according to a poll – that I believe was contracted by a democratic supporter, think President Obama is some form of a SOCIALIST, and I could go on and on.  All of this stuff should be ABSURD on its face if we had a general public that got their information from more than one outlet (and, I would recommend against Fox being one of the outlets).  The bottom line to me, and I’ve been harping on this for close to four years now, the American public is the victim of a MASSIVE brainwashing scheme by right wing republicans who come dangerously close to acting like the Germans of the early 1930’s.  President Bush even leaked the strategy when he said, “You see, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda!”  This is what the republicans have been doing since the days of Lee Atwater and Ronald Reagan. 

They’ve convinced the American public that we have a liberally biased press (despite the FACT right wing corporations own virtually all of what remains of our “free” press), they’ve turned the word liberal into a word that even democrats don’t use anymore – the new word is “progressive.”  They’ve managed to convince America’s public that they are the austere party, believing in balanced budgets, all the while they and their cronies have been massively raiding our treasury with corporate welfare and tax breaks for people who don’t need it.  In fact, when you look closely at the tax cutting policies of the republicans and who benefits, it’s an amazing job of propaganda that they’ve managed to pull this off over the last 30+ years – while the national debt has ballooned to 13+ TRILLION DOLLARS and they continue to “get away” with blaming this debt on democrats.  They suckered us into two unending OCCUPATIONS which have done the EXACT OPPOSITE of what they claimed would happen – do you remember the “we’ll fight them over there so we don’t have to fight them over here” slogan?  Well, the chances of “THEM” coming over here go up every day that we continue to send good money after bad in a futile attempt to accomplish something that civilization has been unable to do for over 4000 years.  If you don’t “get” that last sentence read some of my posts about our fiascos in Iraq and Afganistan.

My main point here is that the republicans are pathological LIARS and there seems to be no end in sight to their lying.  And, I’m talking about the leaders like Mitch McConnell in the senate, John Boehner in the House and the right wing “water carriers” such as Rush Limbaugh (who, believe it or not,  virtually EVERY republican kisses up to), Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly, Lars Larson, Michael Savage, and the host of others on the front lines of spreading the “message.”  The “message” isn’t designed to inform anyone, it’s designed to keep this country DIVIDED so that these people can reclaim their position at the “top” – where, the money and power is.  Our country spends roughly 56% of its budget on WAR and these republicans and their mouth pieces are intent on that continuing.  Have you ever asked yourself why the United States needs to spend more money on WAR than all the other countries in the world combined?  Where has that gotten us?  The corporate cronies of Bush/Cheney walked away (well, actually I believe they’re still doing this) with TENS OF BILLIONS of dollars in WAR PROFITEERING during the previous 8+ years of Afganistan and Iraq. 

I’m still shaking my head that no one seems even the slightest bit interested that upwards of TEN BILLION dollars just disappeared in Iraq – with no explanation and, WORSE, no investigation.  I read almost three years ago that Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld each had profited to the tune of over $100 MILLION from the invasion of Iraq and, yet, no one seems to have the slightest curiosity about this.  I still remember the republicans wasting 8 years “investigating” the Whitewater land deal that the Clintons were involved in – which was a deal that affected virtually NO ONE and was over an investment of TEN THOUSAND dollars.  I find it curious the issues the republicans feel appropriate for investigation and despicable the issues the democrats choose not to investigate.

The point:  republicans will continue to rip off the American public until someone stops them.  It’s like an addict – their GREED is out of control.  Just picture some of them when they get a position in the White House and they get their calculator out and figure how simple it is to become extremely RICH!  Of course, the corruption in Washington is not one way – I believe you would have to look extremely hard to find a handful of congresspersons who are not beholden to corporate special interests.  So, it should not be a surprise that these people are highly unlikely to “police” themselves when they’re all getting rich – almost as if it’s a “birthright” once they get elected to congress.  Even when they ultimately get voted out of office, there’s a lobbying job for just about all of them, or some other “cushy” job working for someone that they had dealings with while in office, all of which pay way more than they made as legislators.  Yes, the system is messed up – BIG TIME – but, in my view, the republicans are the MAIN CULPRITS – and defeating them and their TOXIC agenda is the first step in the long process of “cleaning up” Washington, DC.

I know that their PROPAGANDA is not going to stop – so, I guess that’s what motivates me to continue harping on the point that “we the people” MUST get them out of office.  Yes, many democrats need to find new work as well – and we need people as legislators who are beholden to the people at the bottom – not the top.  Of course, the people at the “bottom” need the people at the “top” to be successful, but government’s purpose isn’t to make it easier for corporations to screw their workers.  Government shouldn’t be helping corporations to outsource jobs.  Government shouldn’t be providing corporations with the incentives to break unions, pay no taxes, or contribute to a society where the discrepency of income from the bottom to the top becomes OBSCENE.  The “workers” are what turned this nation into the envy of the rest of the world and corporate America’s war on workers is what is leading America toward second class status in the eyes of the rest of the world.

I believe politics in America should be about issues.  As I wrote in my previous post, while democrats didn’t agree with the “Bush Doctrine,” enough of them were willing to “cross the isle” to allow Bush to implement his policies.  THEY DIDN’T WORK!  In fact, Bush/Cheney left behind – on their last day in office – arguably the WORST mess ever passed on to a new president.  While I’m not a fan of many of Barack Obama’s decisions (I’m actually pissed about some of them) I can’t even imagine where we’d be if John McCain and Sarah Palin had been elected.  I honestly don’t understand how any American would be willing to cast a vote that potentially could have put Palin “a heart beat from the presidency.”  Bush proved to be virtually incompetent in EVERY way (although I’m sure history will put much of his failures at Cheney’s “feet”), John McCain has proven what a wishy washy puppet he is since his nomination – plus he made statement after statement in the campaign which indicated an incompetence approaching Bush, but Palin was off the charts.  Yes, some of her comments were absurd – even laughable except for the seriousness of the situation, but her knowledge and experience were marginal as Alaska’s governor let alone possibly taking the reins of the US government – that makes me nervous even today as I write this.  How could someone like that get so close to that position?

Just the thought should wake up a lot of “progressives” (I always thought I was a conservative – but, by republican standards of today I’m definitely a LIBERAL) to what could happen if they check out due to their disenchantment with Obama.  I’m trying to figure out how I can communicate my frustration to our sitting president with some of his decisions yet, in good conscience, become active again prior to November’s election.  I mean, can you imagine Sharron Angle in the senate?  Now, I’m a Christian, but it scares me when someone starts talking about how our government is a violation of the “First Commandment.”  You read that correctly – NOT – the first amendment to the constitution, but the first commandment against idolatry.  She is opposed to virtually EVERY government program such as social security, medicare, food stamps, etc. because “it causes people to depend on government when they should be depending on God for their provision.”  I’m not opposed to anyone who CHOOSES to depend on God for his/her provision, but honestly, if the people of Nevada vote this lady in we’re all in trouble.  Her RIDICULOUS comments are endless.  She will only talk to members of the press whom she can provide the questions – so they “get out the message correctly.”  Makes me shudder to write this!

The list goes on of the so-called “tea partiers” who are invading the republican party.  Rand Paul, republican senate candidate from Kentucky (attempting to replace Jim Bunning – famous for leading the fight against unemployment benefits – and, for sleeping during hearings) is another good example of the “tea party’s” invasion of the republican party.  The first thing he did after winning the primary was to start “outing” himself by stating his racist views.  Now, I’m sure he doesn’t think he’s a racist, he just believes that if businesses, or renters, or presumably anyone wants to discriminate based on race it should be constitutional.  As I read his EXACT comments the thought came to my mind that he’d support segregated schools again, white only drinking fountains (if the “owner” so decided), and more.  Of course, these tea partiers (including Palin) will go to extremes to convince anyone who might listen that they’re not racists – all the while either holding – or standing next to -a sign that depicts president Obama as a monkey, or someone with a bone through his nose, or worse yet – to me – in the same vein as Hitler.  In fact, Palin and her husband were associated with the successionist party in Alaska which was affiliated with the John Birch Society.  If you don’t know what that means, google it!

I realize I’ve suggested that some of the corporate alliances between republicans and our biggest businesses remind me of what I read about in studying the Germans prior to the Nazi regimes of the 30’s – and, it was hard for me not to harp on the similarities I saw between the definition of a fascist and the actions and demeanor of Dick Cheney, so I “get” that “all’s fair” in politics.  But, don’t go around obviously portraying signs, comments, and speeches that reflect racist views and then deny your a racist.  These republicans are now busy “refining” their “positions” to better “fit” in the “main stream” of America – not, for some act of heroic integrity, but instead to attempt to fool as many people as possible into voting for them not knowing their REAL positions on sensitive issues.  I wonder how many of Angle’s supporters, for example, understand that she is in favor of ending Medicare, or Social Security?  I believe a lot of these “right” wingers have become very complacent in their acceptance of the privileges we have as Americans and they seem all too willing to give some of them up.  The problem with that is there are a lot of people who’ve died for those privileges and there are MILLIONS more who expect our nation to go forward following the RULES set forth in the constitution.  The republicans are now calling for repeal of parts of the 14th amendment (and, I’m guessing these calls will increase after proposition 8 was repealed in California), they’ve willingly stood by as Bush/Cheney bludgeoned the 4th amendment – with government now wiretapping its citizens, they willingly allowed congress to pass the patriot act which was one of the first indications that we, as a nation, didn’t have much will to fight the terrorists – we just give in and respond to fear mongering at every turn.

As I’ve stated many times on this site, I believe we’re in a fight for the very soul of this nation.  The republicans have us focused on the “WARS” in Iraq and Afganistan while the REAL battle is right here at home – they are trying to undermine our system of government from within.  They call anyone like myself a “traitor,” or when I was calling for the troops to come home (long ago) I was “not supporting the troops,” when I said Bush/Cheney should be impeached for committing WAR CRIMES the republicans passed legislation that could have called me (and the many others saying the same thing) “enemy combatants.”  These people have bled our treasury, they’ve disgraced our nation, they’ve committed unthinkable atrocities (Abu Ghraib, GITMO, Bagram, etc.), they’ve undermined our justice system, they’ve ruined our economy, and crazy as it seems they’re back PROPOSING more of the same!  President Obama, as I’ve said OVER AND OVER on this site, committed one of the great blunders of ANY American president when he blocked the investigations of the Bush administration.  Had he not done that we wouldn’t be having this conversation – the republicans would have been publicly exposed for the thugs that they are.  Evidently Obama surmised that most Americans understood that and the investigations weren’t needed – that decision is the MAIN one I’m trying to forgive him for.  Then there was Rahm Emmanuel calling “liberals” “f__king retards.”  If I could talk to Emmanuel now I’d ask him “whose the retard now?”

I’m seeing a bit of a shift in the demeanor of President Obama – but, I’m certainly not feeling the sense of urgency I believe the democrats, and him as the leader, should be publicly displaying.  If I was the leader in Congress there’s NO WAY either house would have gone on vacation without passing the bill for the so-called “99ers,” or the bill to provide access to credit for MILLIONS of small businesses nationwide.  It really is time for “the change we can believe in” and that doesn’t mean to continue with business as usual in Washington DC!  If the democrats don’t figure out, AND FAST, that there are MILLIONS of voters who need them to give us a reason to support their agenda, then the weak turnout in November will be a boon to republicans.  And, as far as I’m concerned, the democrats will have no one to blame but themselves.  I personally would be OK with the republicans blocking everything if I just felt the democrats were making it as uncomfortable for them to do so as possible.  Let’s have some REAL filibusters!  You know – get the cots out!  Force these thugs to vote down EVERYTHING in public.  Make it clear to your constituency that you’re doing everything you can – AND IN THE OPEN – to support the people in this nation who are hurting.  Make a public fight for a jobs program to fix the infrastructure of the nation – and, give the republicans a PUBLIC FORUM from which they can make their plea for more tax breaks for the top 1% of Americans.  Then, if the people vote them in, we deserve what we get!

I got started writing on this blog (if that is what it is) during the dreadful years of Bush/Cheney as they abused their position (granted them by the Supreme Court) as the leaders of this nation.  After 9/11 I, like most Americans (and the rest of the world), was all in favor of going into Afganistan and taking out or capturing Osama bin Laden and as many of his al Qaeda thugs as possible.  What happened instead was an unbelievable shock to me and has turned out according to my worst fears – and that is the neo-con invasion of Iraq (of which the planning began long before the Supreme Court’s now infamous Bush v Gore ruling).  Now, we could argue endlessly over why the Bush administration decided on this course of action – for example, oil – but, the reality is that for people like me it brought back Viet Nam memories all over again.  Of course, most of America’s “leadership” have been shying away from the comparison ever since – however, the reality of the situation is like, as I just stated, Viet Nam all over again.  And, to make matters worse, the Bush administration allowed Afganistan to be sucked into a Viet Nam all over again scenario as well – so, Bush/Cheney managed to “one-up” Lyndon Johnson.  To compound these blunders we’re still MIRED in each occupation and the pathetic economy (also a gift from Bush/Cheney – and their republican brethren) is allowing these fiascos to continue “under the radar.”

If you remember, we voted to end the Iraq blunder in 2006 only to be greated by an UNBELIEVABLY ARROGANT president and a spineless democratic congress.  I gurarantee you that time will validate all the Americans who’ve been PLEADING for our leaders to bring the troops home for the past 4 – 5 years – only to have their pleading fall on deaf ears.  I included in my previous post that I actually confronted (at a town hall – and to rousing cheers from the audience I might add) my own DEMOCRATIC congressperson (Brian Baird) who chose to vote for Bush’s surge because he felt “an obligation to the Iraqi people.”  Thank God, the man has chosen not to run for office again – although, I’m not convinced the potential replacements have any more backbone than he had.  Here’s the real rub for me – which, I guess, is what keeps me writing.  The republicans are hell bent on totally destroying America as it was shaped after the “New Deal” of FDR – and, they’re not secretive about it – so, it can’t be a big surprise to the democrats.  “We the people” have only the democrats to depend on to stop these people and they’re either “feeding from the same trough” or they just don’t have the guts to deal with all of this garbage.

What am I calling garbage you might ask?  Well, let’s break it down.  First of all let’s talk about the economy and the disaster of 2008 which was the direct result of GREED on Wall Street beyond imagination.  These Wall Street bankers produce NOTHING of consequence for our nation – yet, they control something like 60+ percent of the money in the economy.  And, clearly – to them, that is not enough.  They want MORE!  I won’t go over how obscene these people were (and still are) in their need for MULTI MILLION DOLLAR BONUSES and salaries any more than to say that (paying HUGE bonuses after receiving the TARP bailout) was about as good a slap in the face of America’s “Main Street” as you could get.  I’ve watched our government change from a “bottom up” enterprise in the 60’s and 70’s (my youth) to a “top down” enterprise since the days of Ronald Reagan.  Bill Clinton put a temporary slowdown on the trend, although many of the decisions where he “gave in” and “compromised” with republicans actually accelerated the trend toward the corporatocracy which is looming for all of us at this point in time.  In fact, it was under Clinton that the Telecommunication companies were allowed to “consolidate” – which was a MAJOR blunder, and it was also under Clinton that the Glass Steagall act was repealed opening the doors to the “too big to fail” Wall Street banks (I’m not going to get into NAFTA and other “free trade” agreements passed under Clinton – a topic for another day).  These “too big to fail” companies “TANKED” our economy by recklessly encouraging banks to make foolish home mortgages and then both trading them as “AAA” investments while at the same time betting against them with the so-called “credit default swaps” – all the while making BILLIONS on the fees from both sides of the transaction while secretly saying “screw you” to the investors (many of them Americans with 401-K retirement accounts).  In fact, there was a group of bankers from Goldman Sachs called before congress to explain why they were eagerly selling investments they secretly labled “shitty” in interoffice emails to investors who believed they were buying “conservative” securities!

So, you might think that this was about all they did to hurt Americans on Wall Street.  However, Wall Street is much bigger than just the banks – although the “banks” (they are also investment brokerages) do control most of the money.  But, since the days of Reagan (and, for sure, Clinton gets no pass here) America’s corporations have been outsourcing jobs at an alarming rate.  And, with the help of the republican congress during the period from the “Contract for (on) America” in 1994 (enter Newt Gingrich and Tom DeLay) until the republicans lost control of congress in 2006 “we the people” actually were PAYING many large corporations to move their manufacturing facilities to other countries.  Of course, they received “cheaper” labor and we allowed them to bring the products back and sell them without tariffs of any kind – contributing to record trade deficits and record job losses.  The job losses during the Bush/Cheney era are staggering when you look at the statistics.  America was losing close to a MILLION jobs a month when George W Bush’s term FINALLY expired.  (do you find it as curious as me that the republicans are still spouting the same absurd policies which will just make the rich richer to this day?  And, even more curious to me is the ignorance of the people who believe them – I often wonder how many Americans NEVER fact check ANYTHING)

Well, I’m talking about “garbage” policies and I just mentioned Tom Delay – so, let’s talk about the Cayman Islands.  Record numbers of American corporations base their operations there in order to avoid paying something exceeding 50 – 100 BILLION in taxes each year.  These are corporations which are making huge profits doing business in America – but “want their cake and eat it too.”  Just google the Cayman Islands and Tom Delay and you’ll find several reasons why republicans with any moral compass at all should be abandoning these thugs.  And, yes – the democrats should be eliminating this option for all these corporations.  In fact, the tax evasion through corporate WELFARE that seems OK with republicans plays a HUGE part in the deficit problem that they suddenly became interested in once Bush/Cheney were out of office (they aren’t eager anymore to repeat Dick Cheney’s quote from 2003 that “Reagan proved deficits don’t matter”).  When scores of large American corporations, who are making profits in the BILLIONS, are paying NO TAXES it shouldn’t surprise you that things are messed up.  These republicans seem to me to be trying to recreate the 1929 Crash (2008 wasn’t good enough for them) and I believe there are millions such as myself waiting for a more definitive STAND to stop this fleecing of our national treasury from the democrats.

I will say that I’m starting to see signs that maybe the dems are figuring out that their “milk toast” approach was a loser.  And, President Obama seems to be more combative of late – and, less concerned with “kissing up” to republicans.  I really hope I’m right on that one – because, his behavior was a bit curious, to say the least, over his first year and a half in office.  The other day I heard a clip that was hilarious and RIGHT ON as President Obama described the idea that the republicans want to “take back the reins” of government.  If you haven’t heard it click here – I’ve chosen to take this as our president is getting a bit more “feisty,” which we are in desperate need of!  And, the senate today passed a bill to provide relief for the many states which are wallowing in the downturn created in 2008 by Wall Street (and Bush/Cheney) with Nancy Pelosi, miraculously, calling the House back from their summer vacation to vote on the bill next week.  These are positive signs from my perspective.

But, what about all the people who can’t find jobs – the so-called 99 ers?  This gets me back to what disturbs me so much about republicans.  They’re still pushing for tax cuts for the top 1  or 2% of America’s wage earners (those making over $250,000 per year) with NO POSSIBLE way of paying for it – an addition of HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS to the deficit while blocking unemployment benefits for the “99 ers” and loan guarantees for small businesses which cannot presently get access to the capital they need for expansion of their businesses.  The money invested in the “99 ers” is the most effective “stimulant” the government can produce for the economy because the dollars go right back into the economy bringing a return approaching $1.70 for every dollar spent.  To me, a NO BRAINER!  To republicans, just another NO!  Anything that might stimulate the economy and create jobs they are going to vote against because they are so hell-bent on defeating our black president.  They throw out all kinds of disengenuous rebuttals everytime someone calls them on their racist behavior, but as the saying goes “if it looks like a duck, it’s a duck.”  I mean, their argument that providing extended benefits for these long term unemployed will “increase the deficit” is beyond PHONY to me – and, the fact that there are MILLIONS of good American citizens suffering (more than they are simply because they can’t find work) due to the economy the republicans crashed in the first place – turns the hypocracy of their argument into another fresh example of their MEAN SPIRITED nature.  (Remember, their tax cuts would increase the deficit something like $750 BILLION over ten years while the extended unemployment benefits would temporarily increase the deficit in the $30 billion range with a boost to the economy shortly after the money was disbursed – the fact we’re even having this argument seems crazy to me)

Finally, I listen to one small business owner after another expressing their allegiance to the republicans.  I just have to wonder where they’re getting their information.  Are they even noticing the damage the republicans have done to their ability to do business?  And, what about this recent bill intended to open up the credit markets for America’s small businesses?  Does it bother them that the republicans are even filibustering that?  The really sad thing here is that the republicans claim that the policies of the Obama administration won’t work.  If that were the case then you’d think they would just stand aside and allow President Obama and the democratic congress to pass most of what they want to pass – and, then watch it fail.  That is, in fact, what happened during the eight years of GW Bush.  Let the policies stand on their merits.  The republicans won’t allow that to happen – presumably, in my mind, because they know that the policies will stimulate the economy and they – the republicans – will be out of office for at least a generation if President Obama “succeeds.”  They’re attempting to remove success as a possibility.  That is why they are so open about wanting our sitting president to FAIL!  I still am amazed that so many Americans will actually sit back and allow something like this to happen.  I disagreed with virtually everything Bush/Cheney did for eight long years – but, they were allowed to do it.  The policies themselves are what brought the republicans down.  However, MANY MANY corporate heads, K street lobbyists, recipient of the no-bid contracts under Bush/Cheney, and on and on “CUT OFF A FAT HOG!”  And, clearly, they want back at the trough!  That’s why they’re proposing the same old same old.  What is so sickening to me is that the republican actions have nothing to do with what’s best for America, it’s all about regaining power (and by extension – all the money) at ALL COSTS!  I truly hope that President Obama realizes before it’s too late that his administration has come up really short in combatting these people who have thrown out the “rule book” in their attempt to undermine his agenda.  This, as I’ve stated many times on this blog, is a WAR for the heart and soul of America.  We will eventually heal from the Iraq and Afganistan “adventures,” but the damage from letting these republicans back in power could leave a much deeper “wound” that might NEVER heal!

The more I get involved in “paying attention” to our political “scene,” the more I just end up shaking my head.  This summer I’ve had the opportunity to be around people who inhabit golf courses – people who have been very successful in business – and people who seem to be watching Fox “news” en masse.  Now, in the interest of focusing on the golf I haven’t said too much to many of them – and, some actually seem to be “progressive,” but, it’s getting increasingly difficult for me to listen to people I love and respect blame everything in the world on President Obama.  Today, one of the people in my group was sharing about a medical procedure his sister went through that was very expensive (it worked) and one of the guys in the group (I didn’t know this one too well) commented something like “Thanks alot Obama for ‘Obamacare,'” very sarcastically as if President Obama is the reason the procedure was expensive.  I’m just getting so tired of this ignorance from grownups that I’m losing steam.  Most of these guys are still unaware of the “objective” of Fox – even after the Shirley Sherrod mess – and, I for one, can’t seem to even talk to them about it without them going off on “liberals.”  In fact, the ones I talked to had no more than a passing knowledge of the entire Sherrod incident and they still think Fox is a “news” outlet and they believe EVERYTHING they hear from the likes of Glenn Beck, Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity, and the others on Fox.

What’s worse for me is that when I do drum up a conversation with these guys (as much as I can stomach – because I’m not going to proselytize some liberal “solution” to them, I just like to hear what they think) almost everyone of them is a “ditto head.”  These are all college graduates – the kind of people Beck, Limbaugh, and the others would classify as “elitists,” yet they’re buying into these liars hook, line, and sinker.  When “pushed” a bit about the state of politics in America the response usually is that it’s a mess and “I don’t want to talk about it.”  For me, it’s hard to disagree with the first statement and difficult to accept the second.  Yet, I certainly don’t have the answers – thus I end up back here writing in an attempt to “vent.”

My son is 21 and has ABSOLUTELY no interest in “politics.”  Neither does a SINGLE one of his friends his age.  When I quizzed my son the other day about “civics” we came to the conclusion that I, as a sixth grade teacher, expose my students to more “civics” than he got by the time he graduated high school.  Part of that was he wasn’t engaged in high school, but the bottom line is there are a large group of young people in this nation who simply take our freedoms for granted and have NO CLUE what went in to getting them.  I brought up with my son the Shirley Sherrod incident to help him understand the willingness of our media to BRAINWASH our citizens.  His comment: “Well, they can’t brainwash me because I don’t watch that stuff.”  My comment to him was “they’ve already succeeded in brainwashing you because you are destined to be one of the “low information voters” (if he ever votes at all – which is questionable – he certainly doesn’t view voting as a privilege at this point) and they’ve prepared you to be part of the ‘permanent underclass.'”  His response, something like “yah, whatever.”

I’m writing this because I’m feeling the effects of “Citizens United” coming on like a freight train.  I’ve been watching these conniving republicans since I was in my 20’s (I’m now in my 60’s) and they’ve been slowly working their way to this point – the place where their “permanent republican ‘majority'” could become a reality.  And, I’m not sure where my frustration lies the most.  Of course, to me, the republicans are despicable – and, I’m talking about the leaders of today who are doing this surrepticiously (years gone by, there were many a republican I respected and voted for).  The national media has become almost non-existent – which, of course, has been part of the republican plan all along and they are close to accomplishing their goal of controlling it.  In fact, I believe they’ll continue to call it the “liberal media” far after they’ve gained control of EVERY media outlet in this nation.  But, then comes the real culprits to me.  The DEMOCRATS!  They’re the ones we’ve been depending on to stop this “freight train” since 2006 and sometimes I wonder if they even have a clue as to what is transpiring.

In 2006 the American public voted the republicans out of power in the congress in order to end the illegal occupation of Iraq.  George W Bush, in all his arrogance, went right on the offensive with his so-called “surge,” and the dems put up nary a whimper.  In fact, the “surge” couldn’t have happened without the consent of the democrats.  Since that time the “experts” have been trying to further BRAINWASH the American public that the “surge is working” because, ultimately, the level of violence did subside in Iraq.  However, we don’t hear a lot of talk about the FACT that over 1500 Americans have died in Iraq since the inception of the “surge,” NONE of the political objectives have been met, the Sunni STILL HATE the Shia and there’s virtually NO discussion of the Kurds in negotiations to set up an Iraqi government after the last election, and al Qaeda will invariably still do everything they can to ramp up the violence when necessary in order to keep America’s troops in this UNTHINKABLE situation.  The bottom line:  it’s 2010, the dems have had control of congress for four years and the republicans are still stopping virtually every bill aimed at helping America’s middle class while voting eagerly for every measure that prolongs this occupation and the one in Afganistan!  GET A CLUE DEMS!  I knew we were in trouble when I heard my own democratic congressman announce he was supporting the “surge” (he told me – in public – that he was “concerned” for the Iraqi people) about the same time Nancy Pelosi announced “impeachment is off the table.”

I won’t go into my reaction to those two decisions (if you’re interested, visit the archives), only to say that it sickens me to listen to our congress battling over things like healthcare reform, (a green) energy policy, climate change legislation, Wall Street reform, job stimulus, unemployment benefits – all defeated or tremendously watered down because of the republican obstinence in congress – but, when it comes to the defense budget, the occupations of Iraq and Afganistan, and anything else that has to do with WAR we see the bipartisanship which President Obama seems so interested in facilitating.  In other words, we’ve got the same old corporate military influence on our political process which has had the House and Senate by the “short hairs” since the days of Ronald Reagan (actually, it probably started in the days of Nixon – that’s when Milton Friedman hit the scenes with his “shock doctrine” as per Naomi Klein or “free market” voodoo as per most republicans who’ve “bought the coolaid.”

As our leaders lead us further off “the cliff” – as if there is only one direction the great United States of America can travel – it seems that no one in Washington DC even stops to think of why do most of the people in the rest of the world HATE America?  This hatred is spreading like a cancer spreads in an unsuspecting body.  And, our leaders just keep going along with the corporate GREED mongers who have no regard for ANYTHING but the almighty dollar (and, trust me on this one, when it comes to the point where the dollar is no longer the currency of choice these people will switch their “loyalty” in a milisecond).  How we’ve allowed ourselves to become subservient to the “corporate masters” is beyond me.  These people are OPENLY trying to ensure our sitting president will FAIL and only a small percentage of the public even seems to be paying attention.  I mean, I find it beyond astonishing that people like Rush Limbaugh (the defacto head of the republican party – I can’t believe I’m even writing that – have you ever seen what a bold faced liar this guy is?), Glenn Beck, Hannity, Lars larson and the others can openly conspire to cause our president to FAIL without seemingly the slightest repercussion.  Do the “conservatives” really want our nation to fail?  Are they so opposed to a black president (actually – you could call him white, couldn’t you? – after all his Mom was a good Kansas girl) succeeding that they’d have the whole nation fail?  All I can say is what is wrong with these people?  I can’t imagine a president being elected by the people and the minority attempting to undermine him/her.  But, that seems to be what is happening as I write!  Isn’t this all of our country?

I’m really getting tired of writing, but I have children and grandchildren and I’m disgusted at the country my generation seems to be OK with leaving for them.  In my mind, most of the damage was done by George W Bush and Dick Cheney plus the republicans in congress who’ve bought into the “lock step” approach to EVERYTHING.  Just pause for a second, remembering these are the very people calling President Obama a socialist or even fascist, what does doing things in “lock step” remind you of?  Really, think about that for a moment.  And, if and when a republican might somehow step out and tell the truth about what’s happening – Oh my gosh, here comes Limbaugh, Beck, Hannity, Larson, and the rest to make sure that person is on every right wing “black list.”  One thing that will be very interesting – I haven’t seen the “fallout” yet – but, the other day I read an article by David Stockman in the New York Times (an Op Ed) titled “Four Deformations of the Apocalypse, and subtitled,”How My Republican Party Ruined the American Economy.”  I’m sure he’s getting lots of hate mail or worse by now, but Stockman was the original “supply sider” in the Reagan administration.  He clearly pointed out the falacy of the tax-cutting free spending (on the military – this possibly being my inference, I’ll have to go back and re-read – in fact, I’ll just link the article HERE so that you can read it if you’d like) republican philosophy of the previous 30+ years.  Stockman is certainly not someone I agree with, but his honesty was refreshing to me and in this article, at least, I felt his explanation was RIGHT ON!  I’ll let you figure out what he would have done differently from today’s republicans, but the bottom line is the DAMAGE has been done – and, proposing MORE TAX CUTTING (as republicans are doing) is INSANE!

I honestly am starting to believe that until we get some REAL conservatives to start calling out these republicans on their GREED and CORRUPTION this nation will continue its downward slide.  It feels to me as if the rest of the world is holding its collective breath wondering when the American people are going to stand up and put an end to this nonsense and reclaim the position so many people died to create.  We can’t be the leaders of human rights when we’re violating them with regularity – and then, when exposed, doing NOTHING about it.  We can’t claim any MORAL high ground with the rest of the world when we’re allowing corporate interests to BULLY us and every other country in the world around with all their money – remember, the Wall Street meltdown effected people worldwide and, yet, there was nearly NO ACCOUNTABILITY for the people who caused the problem.  And, our military adventures in Iraq and Afganistan are ruining our image in the world as a bastion for freedom.  We are sacrificing our own freedoms out of fear of terrorists (isn’t that a victory for them? – isn’t creating an atmosphere of fear their goal?) – today, republicans, who were quick to allow our fourth amendment (warrantless wiretaps) to be “shredded” during the Bush/Cheney fiasco proposed elimination of portions of our 14th amendment – evidently to create more illegals who they can deport in some magical “roundup” of Latinos.

I’ll end this post by saying the real fear – it seems to me – is embedded in the republican leadership and they are using it to “divide and conquer” as the next election looms.  I often wonder what it is they’re so afraid of.  Is it homosexuals having basic human rights?  They’ve won a few elections already using that one.  Or is it guns?  I’ve personally seen several TOXIC emails come across my own inbox claiming that President Obama is going to take everyone’s guns from them – I’m sure that’s a “winner” with a few million people who believe what these guys claim.  However, I personally believe – based on the assault on Obama’s presidency and now the suggestion that the 14th amendment be repealed (this because of the injunction on the Arizona immigration law) The thing republicans fear the most is having a white minority in America!  I’ve heard reports that it is just a few years until the majority of Americans will be “non-white” and, it appears to me the republican party (which is almost ALL WHITE) is trying to make sure they don’t become an afterthought.  Well, the way they’re going about it makes them deserve to become an afterthought in my view.  Shipping the Black people back to Africa is not an option, so I guess we’re going for the “next best thing” which would be to ship the Latinos back to their countries of origin.  I honestly don’t understand how anyone can vote for these people.