I’ve been very up front with my disappointment in the Obama administration.  From the day of the announcement that Rahm Emanuel would be Chief of Staff to President Obama’s surrounding himself with Washington “insiders” – right from the start many of the decisions were not surprising – although disappointing to varying degrees.  I understand there are political realities that don’t get changed in one or two years, but some of the decisions were simply unacceptable.  And, the “fruit” of those decisions are coming home to “roost” as I’m writing this.  The democrats are in danger of losing their majority control of congress and will, most likely – at best, have much “thinner” majorities.  In the senate, anyone who’s been paying attention knows what that means for the next two years.  (in my heart, I honestly can’t believe there are enough Americans who would be fooled into voting for republicans to get them back into office –  but, nothing surprises me anymore.  Remember, no one’s talking about voting machines that could be rigged – just one of the many reasons I don’t trust republicans as far as I can throw them)

President Obama had the political “capital” when he took office to take on the republicans.  Essentially he “blew it” with his obsession with  reaching out to politicians who were OBVIOUSLY not going to agree to ANYTHING he wanted to accomplish.  In the process Obama allowed George W Bush and Dick Cheney to walk away from serious LAWBREAKING without even an investigation – a BLUNDER that will be creating problems for the American people for who knows how many years to come.  We need to, and SHOULD, know everything about the bank bailouts – and the connections of America’s leaders to the Wall Street firms bailed out, we need to know EVERYTHING about the illegal invasion of Iraq, the failures to enforce regulations, the TORTURE, the politicizing of the Justice Department, the illegal wiretapping, GITMO, why Osama bin Laden was allowed to escape Tora Bora – and, I could go on.  Our country is still REELING from the effects of Bush/Cheney and it could get a lot worse before it gets better (if it ever does!)

I’m beginning to think that the democrats themselves haven’t figured out the magnitude of the republican assault on our way of life – and the corporate “heads” behind it.  Essentially, that is what I’m wanting to “vent” about this evening – that is, the republican assault on America and Americans.  I have two grown daughters, a son entering his adult life, and two grandchildren (with more possibly on the way).  I’m very concerned with the country we’re leaving for them.  In fact, I’m starting to realize that those of us who value the America we grew up with in the 60’s through the end of the 20th century had better realize the fight it’s going to take to preserve anything close to “our country.”  People like Sarah Palin spouting “We want our country back” while participating in selfish, greedy, and racist groups don’t fool me one bit.  What she’s opposed to is a country where the middle class is vibrant, where people have good union jobs, and where there is a sense of community between the government and the governed.  But, unfortunately, with the help of our “liberal media” (which is controlled by right wing conservatives – if you need convincing I’ve got several posts in the archives with details) and a “right” wing Supreme Court there are many unsuspecting Americans who are buying the “Voodoo” Palin and others of her “ilk” (Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly, and the entire republican party sans “tea party) are selling.  The effects of these people combined with the “Citizens United” Supreme Court decision are fast becoming more than simply  a problem “on the horizon.”  America could find “herself” on the outside looking in as far as her relationship with the world community (which, I’m sure would be fine with Palin and the “I’ve got mine, screw you crowd”)

I started warning anyone who would listen about “Citizens United” almost from the day it was handed down by the Roberts’ Court.  President Obama warned of it in his State of the Union Speech..  Do you remember Samuel Alito shaking his head in disgust as Obama warned that foreign corporations would be influencing our elections?  Well, guess what – FOREIGN CORPORATIONS are doing everything they can to influence our election of 2010 – and, this is just the FIRST one since the decision.  People, this is going to get a LOT WORSE before it gets better (if it ever does).  Remember, it will take aggressive acts of congress to counteract the effect of this decision – and, would you expect that to happen once congress is filled with recipients of the secret donations of the corporations unleashed by this EVIL court ruling?  Even my sixth grade students could figure that one out.

Therefore, what we have here is a bunch of democrats who have been TERRIBLY disappointing since being given control of congress in 2006.  They are quick to point out why they can’t do anything before they try to do it.  Nancy Pelosi took “impeachment off the table,” presumably because she felt the senate wouldn’t convict if Bush/Cheney were impeached.  Little did it matter that they BOTH had clearly committed High Crimes and Misdemeanors.  For some reason it appears the democrats are afraid of confrontation with the republicans.  Despite this disappointment, the election of 2010 may be the most important election of my lifetime – I’ve been voting since 1968.  Why on earth would America reward the republicans for destroying our economy, ruining our military and our standing in the world, attempting to destroy the fabric of our very government, and standing in the way of EVERY piece of legislation proposed since the last election?  Now, I realize all the democrats had to do was to get rid of the filibuster – which would have taken a minimum of courage on their part – and they could have then passed legislation which would have gone a long way toward alleviating some of the more severe problems we face – but they didn’t do it.  President Obama COULD HAVE really brought the troops home from Iraq – we’d be TOTALLY out by now – but, he chose not to and instead chose to buy into the military “coolaid” – the same goes for Afganistan – very disappointing to say the least.  And, the list goes on – but, everytime I start going over this list in my head I think of the alternative – which is republicans.  The question keeps coming up – how could we possibly put them back in office?  Does the American public really want to make America a second rate nation?

If you think that’s just bloviating on my part, let me give you a few facts that could change your mind.  First, the reality that we live in a time of global economics is inescapable.  If you don’t understand that you might as well stop reading right here and go back to being brainwashed by Limbaugh and company.  Most of the damage we focus on from Bush/Cheney is that which is obvious – like the invasion of Iraq’s effect on our military, the economic meltdown from lack of oversight during their 8 years in office, the irresponsible tax breaks for the rich which ballooned our national debt, the TORTURE and the image that left on the rest of the world of America (the list goes on and that’s why the investigations were so important – undercovering all the “stuff”).

 Well, there’s some afteraffects which are still to come and with the American “way” of waiting till a problem is a crisis before we deal with it, most people aren’t even thinking of some of the problems created by Bush/Cheney let alone talking about them.  I’ll just give you one example: oil.  Of course, everyone knows that both Bush and Cheney were “oil men.”  There is enough evidence to make me a believer that Dick Cheney’s secret “energy task force,” once entering the White House, was largely focused on taking over Iraq’s oil wells upon the Bush administration’s figuring out a way to justify an invasion.  So, aside from all the problems that created which we’re all aware of, what are some that are maybe still flying under the radar?  Well, let’s start with the FACT that America’s invasion of Iraq turned country after country in the world AGAINST us – even if they couldn’t come out and say it at the time.  Bush/Cheney’s arrogant attitude – as if America “ruled the world” – sent “shockwaves” through most middle eastern countries, not to mention Asian countries, and even some of our staunchest allies.  Keep in mind that the US produces only about a third of the oil it consumes and is, therefore, dependent on the oil producing countries – like Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Russia, Kuwait, Libya, Iran, Iraq, Somalia, etc – for the remainder of the needed oil supply.  To me, the logical solution to this problem would be to CHANGE the direction of our economy away from oil ASAP – but, do you really believe if republicans gain control of congress that will happen?

One way George W Bush propped up the American economy during his two terms in office was by allowing the dollar to weaken.  Combine that policy with America’s militaristic arrogance plus our dependence on foreign oil and now many of these oil producing countries are looking elsewhere for their customers.  In addition, while they’re waiting for the growth in China, India, and other developing nations (including the middle east nations as well) to catch up to their supply needs, these countries are accumulating American dollars by the TRILLIONS.  What does all this mean?

Well, without me trying to get everything I’m thinking out of my mind at once tonight, it means two really important things.  First, at some point down the “road” – and maybe nearer than anyone in Washington DC thinks – America could be facing a HUGE oil shortage.  Now, it’s hard to imagine that these countries holding all these dollars would purposefully sabotage the country where their dollars have the most value – but, what’s easy for me to imagine is these countries (who have created what they call “sovereign wealth funds” with the money) coming into America and converting dollars, which they’re worried about losing value, into ownership of “American” companies, real estate, and American politicians (I always think of Judge Alito shaking his head when I imagine that one).  These foreign governments HATE our leaders, but there’s still lots to like about America itself, so they will be BUYERS.  I’ll give you one example:  I’m writing this on an IBM laptop purchased a few years ago – maybe six or seven.  I recently purchased a newer version of the same laptop and it is now a LENOVO – IBM’s laptops are now owned by a Chinese company.

The Saudi’s have TRILLIONS of dollars – they have been, are, and will be investing in core American companies far beyond what the average person on the street will be aware.  News Corp – which is the parent company of Fox “news” and the Wall Street Journal – to name a couple of its holdings – is owned by an Australian right wing conservative with its second leading shareholder ($3 BILLION) a Saudi Sheik who is known to have supported Osama bin Laden’s al Qaeda.  We are so dependent on these people’s money that there’s little we can do about this – at least right now.   Sometimes I think that if I had the time (and the energy) I could write a book on how the republican party has undermined this country, how they are enabling their secret supporters to siphon TRILLIONS from our taxpayers, how they are purposefully attempting to DESTROY our very government and the strong middle class formed by the New Deal of FDR, and how before they’re done, they will have sold what’s great about America to foreign interests.  They’ve been BRAINWASHING the American public since the days of Ronald Reagan – and, their plan is close to complete for the “permanent republican majority” that’s been their vision for the last 30+ years.  I had thought George W Bush was such a bumbling idiot that he ruined the plan in 2008.  But, they’ve hardly skipped a beat.

It’s hard for me to imagine how they could say NO to EVERYTHING and still have any chance to win the upcoming mid term elections.  However, the American public elected President Obama and the democratic congress to do away with the ways of the republicans – using whatever means it would take (even if you had to suspend the senate’s rules regarding the filibuster, Harry! – I’m imagining he’s reading this).  The democrats have come up terribly short.  Yes, they’ve worked hard to get some things passed (even if their bills passed were disappointing like the so-called health care reform) but their willingness to look the other way from republican abuses of power – including WAR CRIMES – and cave to their obstuctionism was (and continues to be) unacceptable to millions of Americans – which is why there is the fear many will stay home from the polls this November.  I “get” that.  However, I believe we (progressives – er, liberals) have no choice but to vote for democrats because the long term affects of republicans in charge of congress at this delicate point in time could be worse than a depression.  I believe the rest of the world is watching what the American voter does and if we re-elect republicans after what they did to us and people in countries all over the globe – country after country will start looking elsewhere for their “allies.” (remember, the financial meltdown of 2008 was global and it was caused by America’s Wall Street banks and their reckless behavior and it affected MANY other nations)  We need to vote for democrats one more time and somehow get the message across to them that “The change we can believe in” is NOT republican-lite!