I’ve been writing about some mysterious group of “invisible” people pushing the republican agenda for several years now.  Recently I started reading a book by Jeff Sharlet called “The Family” which I’m feeling should be required reading for all American adults.  I remember Sharlet being interviewed on MSNBC right after the book came out, but he’s been notoriously silent since then.  I’m beginning to wonder if the very topic he’s writing about has an influence on why his findings are not more “in the news” (as the news exists these days).  Let me preface everything I write this evening with the FACT that I’m a Christian who feels a personal connection to God through Jesus Christ.  That said, it has bothered me more, I believe, because I am a Christian as I see one person after another justifying HORRIBLE actions of our government on their belief in Jesus.  And, when you read this book, you get an even scarier picture of how serious is the “clamp” a group of radical fundamentalist Christians have on the doings of America’s government.

I’ve read two of Frank Shaffer’s books which expose the hypocrisy of many on the so-called “Christian right.”  Shaffer was at the forefront of the time when the Evangelical Christian movement was suckered into joining forces with the republican party thinking this would be the end of “Roe v Wade.”  There’s been this “bond” between republicans and Christians (which I’ve struggled to understand) ever since.  Here’s another of the scary parts to this scenario.  John Dean wrote in his book “Conservatives without Conscience” (writing about republicans in the Bush/Cheney administration who were more abusive to America’s laws and traditions than Nixon – essentially committing unconscionable acts) that many of the people “following” them were “blindly” loyal.  That is, they were believing all the lies without the slightest thought regarding questioning information being broadcast in ways similar to some of the worst regimes in the World’s history.  That would be painfully obvious to someone like me who is watching in wonder as the “tea party” complains about government abuse, corporate abuse, and essentially an abuse of the constitution that has brought this great nation through well over 200 years of struggle as of this writing – then they join forces with the republican party – the main source of the abuses – in the previous election as a revolt against the “system” with a demand for “change.”  (Of course, from my perspective, why would you join forces with the people who are the catalyst for the very things you’re complaining about and think you would bring about change?)  America itself is looking STUPID right now!

Things are really messed up and it’s difficult to figure out why.  However, as I’m reading Sharlet’s book the picture is becoming much more clear.  The “Family” is a group of – as mentioned above – radical fundamentalist Christians who run a house occupied by conservative members of Congress called “C” street in Washington DC.  They also have other “outposts” around our nation’s capital to promote their BRAINWASHING of prospective “Family members,”  plus, they have “cells” all around the world which are occupied by some of the most powerful people in some of the less desirable locations – including some of the most powerful Americans.  I could give you the list, but it’s long, it’s sobering (almost depressing), and it includes people you wouldn’t imagine being part of this group (including Hillary Clinton – I’m guessing Clinton is a “fringe” participant and is unaware of some of the basics of this group – at least I’m hoping that’s the case).

Publicly, these people are all about prayer.  In fact, their main OVERT activity is the national day of prayer which seems to be a regular part of every American politician who wants to be seen on a national level.  Sharlet’s book is a couple years old, but it would not surprise me if Barack Obama wasn’t participating in their prayer breakfast during the national day of prayer.  This all sounds great to us Christians, until you start to look under the surface.  Then it gets REALLY ugly!  The group’s leader, Doug Coe, has been traveling worldwide making alliances with persons in power for something like 40 years now (he’s the second person to head this group which began prior to the Great Depression).  These people (the “Family”) have, on many occasions, expressed admiration for Adolf Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, and other authoritarian personalities throughout history as examples to base their philosophy on.  They are not working toward “saving” the “little people,” (like me) they’re focused on the power brokers.  They claim they’re not in it for the money, but when you take a close look at their property and their travel schedules, you realize this is a BIG MONEY operation.  And, it’s all done in secret, and I’m guessing it’s all done without any connection to the IRS – the “Family” is – I’m assuming – considered a “CHURCH” – and, those in Washington DC have to know what is going on there, and they seem to think it’s OK. (which is a scary thought in it’s own right – it’s almost as if the “Family” members are daring our government to try to stop them)

These people not only admire the Nazi’s, they have a direct connection to those members of the Nazi party who were “left behind” in Germany after World War II.  In fact, in one part of the book Sharlet points out how Coe’s mentor, the original “Family” member (referred to as “Abram”) was involved with helping Nazi’s avoid prosecution after the War – then bringing them into the “Family.”  Coe made a connection to Indonesia’s dictator Suharno in the 1970’s and despite Suharno committing HUNDRED’S OF THOUSHANDS of murders, Coe welcomed him into the group – evidently admiring his philosophy on “power.”  The “Family” has a history of being involved in several of the South American tragedies where American forces facilitated coups to overthrow democratically elected governments because they were too “leftist.”  They seem to look upon the MILLIONS murdered by right wing dictators they’ve welcomed into their midst as simply “collateral damage” – claiming many were “communists” so they deserved to be killed.  What are their plans for those of us on the left in America?  As I’m reading this book I can see the “Family” is an integral part of the “invisible” force which has been dragging America to the right for the past 30+ years. 

Actually, the “Family” has been “at it” since the days of FDR.  (I’ve just been paying attention since Ronald Reagan was elected – you can bet he was part of this conspiracy)  They are among the most avid “haters” of the New Deal.  If you’ve been wondering why so many republicans are dead set on reversing the New Deal, a big reason is because the “Family” has a tight grip on the republican party.  One of the main members of “C” Street is Jim DeMint, the unabashedly racist Senator from South Carolina.  Last year I saw him at a “tea party” rally, standing right in front of a person carrying a sign depicting President Obama as a monkey with a bone through his nose and another sign which read “Kenya has an African Lion, the White House has a lying African” – and DeMint called the people patriots!  (there were plenty more racists signs within clear eyesight of DeMint – his message was just as clear)  These people could care less what’s best for the average American, they are all about power.  DeMint will always be famous for “admitting” the republicans wanted to cause Obama’s “Waterloo” right on the Senate floor.  People like DeMint are supposed to be governing, not doing everything they can to cause government to “FAIL” – and, in this case, for obviously racial motives.

53% of the American people voted for President Obama and you would have thought that he would get an opportunity to put in place the issues he ran on.  However, he came under attack from the day he was elected by the same people who relentlessly were “on” President Bill Clinton for the eight years of his administration.  Personally, I thought Obama would understand what was coming but it appears he didn’t – I’ve posted about that many times prior to tonight and you can check the archives if you’re interested.  Obama is essentially doing everything the republicans (and the “Family”) anticipated when he was elected, making their job all the easier.  The truth is that the republican party – with the “blessing” of the “Family” (meant as a pun) – have their eyes set on creating an authoritarian regime – the permanent republican majority that Bush/Cheney screwed up – that is elected by the unsuspecting public.  As mentioned above, they have a voting block of “conservative Christians” who vote for them blindly – not even thinking of all the un-Christian things they’re doing – the republicans can count on about 35% of the public voting for them NO MATTER WHAT THEY STAND FOR.  (as Shaffer so eloquently points out, these Christians still believe the republicans are opposed to abortion)  I personally have aquaintences I can’t even talk to anymore because they have been so completely taken in by the propaganda – spread by the likes of Beck, Limbaugh, Palin, Hannity, O’Reilly and the many others who are part of this conspiracy to repeal the New Deal.

Again, these people don’t believe in democracy, they believe in authoritarian power.  It’s ironic how they accuse Obama and other democrats of being “fascists” or “communists” or “socialists” or others that they actually secretly admire for the manner in which they obtained and maintained power.  You might be wondering how pervasive is this group?  Well, that’s a hard one for me to quantify at this point in time.  However, I can say after reading most of Sharlet’s book and putting “two plus two” together, the conclusion is a bit alarming.  Sharlet talks about how the evidence he uncovered – and, I guess at this point I need to say that Sharlet was a “brother” at a place called “Ivanworld” which is one of the “Family’s” properties in Washington DC and he managed to get a good look into their archives – so his information comes right out of the written archives of the group itself – the evidence shows there are “cells” of prayer groups all over the world and they include corporate CEO’s, heads of state, governors, senators, congressmen/women, and other rich and famous people – the “Family” targets  successful people (and, not just Americans for those of you wondering if “foreigners” are participating in our electoral process via “Citizens United,” read this book and you’ll no longer have a single doubt) – kind of the “trickle down theory” without the trickle down.

What could all this mean?  (in particular, if the “left” figures this out and fights back)  Well, let me refresh your memory (and mine) about a few of my concerns over the previous 3 – 4 years of writing on this blog.  Do you remember Blackwater?  Well, there is no doubt in my mind that Eric Prince, the founder and (former, I think – I believe he’s moved his family to Abu Dhabi to “get a break from America” – maybe avoid investigations?) CEO of Blackwater is part of this group.  He’s not mentioned in the book to the point I’ve read, but I believe it’s true.  Prince, as I stated well over a year ago was involved in a “cell” with the likes of James Dobson, Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, and a few others of the “conservative Christian” movement who were contemplating a “coup” in America during the Clinton presidency.  Probably unrealistic then, but less unrealistic now considering that Prince’s company – now called Xe services (to avoid the bad name Blackwater gained from murdering scores of Iraqi’s – and others) – is like a MAJOR private army.  They’ve got their own air force and navy.  They’ve managed to infiltrate the intelligence structure in America and – as I’ve been saying for some time – they are VERY dangerous!  Their mercenaries consist of some of the baddest soldiers for hire in the world – many coming from different countries in South America where they’ve been fighting guerilla warfare for generations.  I have no doubt that Blackwater and the “Family” are “connected at the hip.”

Then there’s people like Chuck Norris of “Walker Texas Ranger” fame – who was following Mike Huckabee around during the last election like a puppy dog.  If you don’t remember, Huckabee was the darling of the religious “right” until he made some comments that were so “off the wall” that his candidacy fell into the also ran category.  Huckabee seemed like an OK guy to me, but certainly not qualified to “right the ship” in America under the circumstances which existed during the last year of the Bush/Cheney nightmare.  Well, the reason I bring up Norris is because his racist nature came out full force once we had an African American in the “White House” and I will never forget listening to him claim that “if things get any worse” (he was apparently talking about the FACT America had elected a Black President) “there are thousands of armed cells around the country ready for a second American Revolution.”  He went on to suggest that Texas should suceed from the union and he was thinking of running for “president of Texas.”  OK, Norris proved himself to be just another of the thoughtless nutjobs out there fueling things like the “tea party” and other right wing fanatical organizations but he was promoting sedition and, like with many others in this “movement,” almost daring the government to stop them.  All of this being funded by the would be corporatocracy which leads us back to the Nazi references made in the Sharlet book toward the fundamental beliefs of those at the “helm” of the “Family.”

This is all very unnerving to me.  I keep hoping that I’m becoming just as much a “nutjob” as the people I’m concerned about.  However, the more I read about what’s going on under the surface in Washington DC, the more I’m reminded of the saying “Be afraid, be very afraid.”  Who am I afraid for?  As I’ve stated many times on this site, I’m afraid for my children and grandchildren.  I really don’t want to leave them a country that is a global poriah, a country that is under the control of a fascist corporatocracy, a country that is militaristically overextended beyond belief and seeking MORE, and a country that has abandoned the very beliefs which made it a great nation in the first place.  America is the target of the rich and powerful because of it’s great wealth and history.  The sad reality here is that America’s voting public is appearing to be amongst the most uninformed in the “free world.”  The “Family” and those they are associated with have been working on their scheme to overturn the New Deal since the 1930’s.  Their plan is gaining momentum, largely because of democrats who are either part of the problem or don’t “get it.”  I’m still trying to figure out which part of that puzzle President Obama fits into.  Certainly, I hope it’s the latter.  I hope he’s genuine in his desire for “bipartisanship” despite the sad reality that it is allowing the republicans to walk all over him.  If that’s the case, then there’s still time for a real “change we can believe in.”  And, that would be to lead the FIGHT against this force.  If it’s the former, then we are all in trouble.

Someone is going to have to be the “leader” here.  And, the fight is going to be difficult and it’s going to take several years.  The first step will be to work on changing the public’s perception of these right wing thugs who are stealing our treasury blind and threatening the very fabric of what made America great.  The New Deal was the driving force which created the greatest middle class in the history of the world.  It is under unbelievable assault – and, remember, FDR was fighting the SAME FIGHT and the same GREEDY corporatists we need to be FIGHTING today – except that this time those on the other side have gained control of the “mainstream” media and the Supreme Court.  They are controlling the message and the democrats are BADLY losing that battle.  I believe the American people ( a significant majority) are longing for someone to lead the charge to ACTUALLY change the climate in Washington.  Obviously, President Obama is not “getting” that.  A big part of the challenge will be people who have access to the public airwaves exposing groups like the “Family” and reporters “digging” into the “Family’s” past and present to let the American people know what they’re really up against.  I applaud Sharlet for his book, I suggest you read it if any of this post rings a “bell” with you.  How can the American voters support people who profess to be Christians but look up to Hitler and the Nazi’s when deciding how to guide their “Family?”  The “invisible” force behind the right wing extremism in the republican party could well be Doug Coe and the “Family.”  It’s time the “fourth estate” exposes them for what they really are.

I continue to wait for that LEADER to emerge from the “left” who has the guts to take on the establishment which is becoming even more entrenched as I write this piece.  Not only am I seeing more signs of democrats “caving” into republican whims, but I’m also seeing almost frightening signs of the democrats anxiety about holding republicans accountable for their misdeeds – which are probably felonies, but I guess we’ll never know because our policy since the election of Barack Obama is to “look forward instead of back.”  That policy led to Obama essentially pardoning the Bush/Cheney administrtation for illegal wiretapping, outing a CIA agent, politicizing the Justice Department, refusing to answer subpoenas to congress, initiating an illegal and unwarranted WAR, and authorizing TORTURE – just to mention the most noticeable transgressions.  So, I guess it will be no surprise when Eric Cantor is allowed to BLATANTLY violate the Logan Act by ASSURING the Prime Minister of Israel that he will make sure the republican congress sides with Israel AGAINST a sitting US President in American foreign policy.  His exact words were that the republcan congress would act as a “check” on the policies of the Obama administration.  Translated, that means Cantor is assuring Israel that the republicans will continue to do everything they can to undermine Obama and he’s assuring Netanyahu (Israel’s PM) they’ll support Israel in any dispute because ” the security of each nation is reliant upon the other.” (which is total Bull S#@% on it’s face – we would be just fine without Israel!)

Are these republicans going to continue DARING Obama to “man up” until he actually takes bold, firm action?  Are they indirectly trying to help him gather the courage necessary to do this job?  I’m not sure, but it’s WAY PAST the time to DRAW THE LINE!  Let me quote the website “Media with a Conscience” – “What Eric Cantor did on November 10th was illegal. He broke the law. The Law he boasted about violating is known as the Logan Act. This act makes it a felony for an American citizen ‘without authority of the United States’ to interact ‘with any foreign government or any officer or agent thereof’ with the intent to influence that government’s behavior on any disputes with the United States.”  This is the same Eric Cantor who claimed Nancy Pelosi should be subject to the Logan Act in 2007 when she met with President Assad of Syria (with the full knowledge of and approval of the US State Department).  She made no offers to Assad regarding disputes with America – therefore OK – and Cantor’s visit with Netanyahu was without any official sanction whatsoever – therefore a felony!  Simply put, he was simply blowing off his mouth and making an already EXTREMELY difficult situation (which was made unbelievably difficult by the actions of the previous republican administration) even MORE difficult (which hardly seems possible).  I believe you could go so far as to call Cantor’s actions TREASONOUS!

Hillary Clinton and President Obama have been gallantly trying to rejuvenate the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.  What might the damage done by Cantor be – who knows?  But, just the idea that these republican leaders continue to brazenly try to undermine a sitting U.S. President is getting a bit too much for me.  Personally, I care too much for the future of my children and grandchildren to think that destroying this nation so we can be assured we won’t have another Black President anytime soon is an acceptable political strategy ….. obviously, those affiliated with Cantor, Beck, Limbaugh, etc. would disagree!  Come on now, I’m not at all that happy with a lot of what Obama is doing, but I still believe in the process and I believe we are “a nation of laws and not men.”  My deepest disappointment in Obama was his pardoning of Bush/Cheney.  Because of that we’ll never know much of the mischief they were up to.  We’ve already had a major mine disaster and major oil spill that trace right back to the lax regulatory policies of Bush/Cheney, our former president is selling his book by BRAGGING that he authorized WATERBOARDING and that it was legal because some hand picked lawyer told him so, and now we have Cantor assuring Israel that the republicans have their “backs” in any dispute with the president – the man they are going to make sure FAILS!  Is this all a bad dream?  Can this be happening in America?

Here’s what is likely to be continued frustration for the rest of the year.  Remember, until January the democrats STILL have a significant majority in congress.  There is a lot they could get done which would make up for some of the timid behavior of the past 4 years.  However, I honestly don’t think they have it in them.  I’m beginning to think that the demcrats in congress need to be replaced – and, as I stated in my previous post – if Obama “caves” on the “Bush Tax Cuts” which is seeming more and more possible each passing day – the democrats need to find another nominee in 2012.  What could they do you ask?  Well, for starters, they could MAKE SURE that the 99ers are taken care of.  The unemployment benefits for those unable to find work for the past two years is running out.  And, despite Sharron Angle’s claims to the contrary, most of these people aren’t NOT working because they’re lazy – the truth is they can’t find work.  They need support which would include extended benefits and retraining in many instances.

Then there’s the so-called “Bush Tax Cuts.”  As I’ve been stating since Obama took office, I believe they should have been repealed – ALL OF THEM!  I “get” why they don’t want to repeal the tax cuts which affect people like me – I spend the money, it puts money into the economy and due to our economy being consumer driven, it’s important that consumers have money to spend.  However, I’m really tired of the “right wingers” clamoring for more tax cuts and at the same time complaining about the deficit.  The Bush Tax Cuts were instrumental in creating the HUGE deficits of the past 10 years.  If you’re reading this I don’t have to remind you that Bush’s tax cuts took a 250 BILLION dollar surplus and almost instantaneously turned it into the largest annual budget deficits in the history of this nation!  To top it off, Bush/Cheney BORROWED every cent for the Iraq and Afganistan occupations and kept almost $200 BILLION off the books each year by using supplemental budget requests.  The reality was that Bush/Cheney STUCK Barack Obama with a $1.2 TRILLION annual deficit when he took office and an economy making deficit reduction nearly impossible without exacerbating the “Great Recession” Obama inherited.  The Bush Tax Cuts and the Wars in Iraq and Afganistan account for more than 50% of the record deficits and I, for one, would welcome the president eliminating all three albatrosses – although it is apparent he’s not going to do any of the “above” any time soon.  Therefore, the “progressive” hope has to be that he holds firm on eliminating the tax cuts “for the rich.”  (that is, those making in excess of $250,000 individually or $500,000 as a couple)  I’ve heard estimates as high as 80% of Americans favoring allowing the top tax rate to return to where they were under the Clinton administration, but, then, over 70% of America favored a PUBLIC OPTION in the healthcare reform debate, and Obama caved on that one.  The reality is that the republicans are going to FIGHT for those “tax cuts for the rich” even at the expense of eliminating the middle class Bush tax cuts – we’re fast approaching the moment of truth for Obama.  (The republicans have been proving for the past two years they can control Washington’s agenda whether in “power” or not)

Of course, the republicans will attempt to switch the debate to Obama RAISING TAXES on the middle class if he doesn’t cave – and they do have control of America’s “liberal media” – which is what I believe Obama and the democrats fear (that’s a topic for another post) – but, don’t you think it’s time the democrats start putting their collective heads together and figure out how to outsmart the repuclicans and all their shills?  I believe there’s a pent up anticipation for the day when the democrats FINALLY throw down the gauntlett and shout out “I’m mad as Hell and I’m not going to take this any more!”  The question then becomes, “what can they do?” to combat what will clearly be more republican obstructionism.  I say there’s a simple solution.  All funding issues begin in the House of Representatives which still has a significant democratic majority (until January) and ALL THEY HAVE TO DO is originate and pass a middle class tax cut in the House – which mirrors the so-called Bush tax cuts for those earning less than the above mentioned standard of $250,000 and send it to the senate.  Should the senate republicans choose to FILIBUSTER the bill, the democrats would have two options. 

First, (and the preferable one to me) would be to get out the cots and the TV cameras and force the republicans to do an old fashioned filibuster where they are forced to keep talking until they’re blue in the face – all the while in front of the American public which would be adversely affected if they would prevail (although, failure would considerably reduce the deficit) in stopping the “tax cuts for the middle class.”  And, the democrats would need to do a great job of framing the debate in exactly those words – the republicans blocking a tax cut for 98% of working Americans.  The second, and less favorable (to me) – but, probably more practical – option would be to pass the bill in the senate using reconciliation – EXACTLY how the republicans passed the initial Bush Tax Cuts in the first place.  Don’t even give them the option to vote on extending the tax cuts for those in the upper 2% of America’s workforce.  By taking this stand and forcing their will on this issue as a “parting shot” democrats could accomplish the most important success they need at this point in time.  They would be sending a message to their “base” that they are ready to do battle with the republicans and they “get” that the message from November 2nd isn’t for them to move even FARTHER to the “right” but, to begin the process of bringing America back toward the left where you’ll find her best years.  We need to strengthen America’s middle class before it’s too late.  For anyone who’s a baby boomer or older reading this – we’re fighting for our children’s and grandchildren’s futures.  We can’t allow this republican corporatocracy to return America to the days of the 1920’s when corporations and their elite feasted on the labor of America’s workers who were left with nothing but the scraps.  That situation is in NO ONE’S best interests – ultimately, even for the interests of the greedy corporate heads behind the repubican shills.

And this gets us back to republicans like Cantor who will do or say anything to gain “power” in their “cause.”  (whatever it might really be) These people have no scruples as to what comes out of their mouths – listen to a BUNCH of them on any particular day and you will hear the same CODE WORDS, designed to “catapult the propaganda” using the words of George W Bush, spewing from mulitiple mouths.  As if ten of them had the same crazy thought all at once.  They will push their agenda as far as the American public will allow, and listening to some of the “exit poll” data from November 2nd, they are effectively brainwashing America’s public.  It’s time for the battle to be “waged.”  The democrats really are looking like a bunch of whimps – and, as I’ve stated on this website many times – the one unforgivable trait for an American politician is showing “weakness.”  Bush/Cheney BLATANTLY violated one American law after another – confident the democrats didn’t have the guts to call them on it.  I thought Obama would surprise them – but, he surprised me and “looked forward.”  (in my mind, he looked the other way!)  Now, you’ve got a republican congressman committing what could arguably be called TREASON.  Here’s the reality as I see it, If Obama and the democrats allow Eric Cantor to BLATANTY violate the Logan Act without consequence we might as well look elsewhere for our leadership!  Nancy Pelosi took “impeachment off the table” when she took over as the Speaker of the House.  Do you really think the republicans will return the favor in kind?  The democrats “blinked” when investigations were warranted, now we’re about to get investigations on steroids in the republican controlled House exclusively aimed at undermining Obama’s Presidency.  Cantor’s actions, to me, are just one more example of republicans daring democrats to act like adults knowing ahead of time they don’t have what it takes to do so!

A few days ago I forced myself to watch a bit of Glenn Beck.  This was really hard for me.  It has become clear to me that he’s marching toward the head of the “pack” of the paid shills for whoever is behind this right wing corporate takeover that is continuing to gain steam in America.  I’ve long been writing about how it’s my belief it started (at least noticeably to me) during the days of Ronald Reagan.  I’m beginning to believe it started well before that, it’s just that Reagan was the perfect “actor” to take center stage in the White House to further “their” message – whoever “they” are.  Well, as irony would have it, there was Beck spewing out a theory – using puppets – that the “left wing conspiracy” was/is funded by George Soros (the main target of these projectionist nutjobs) – Soros supposedly acting behind the scenes and using different politicians and political commentators to further HIS message.  Soros, in the background, “pulling the strings” of these people on the front lines who are leading this country into some form of fascism (I couldn’t keep watching long enough to get all the details at this point – it was creepy)  This is CLASSIC on the part of Beck and his benefactors.  Accuse the opposition of EXACTLY what they, themselves, are doing in order to divert attention from their REAL goal – which is appearing more and more to be a fascist corporate takeover of our government.

Then, after thinking about what he was doing for a bit, it dawned on me that this is just another part of the right wing propaganda scheme that I’ve been railing about for years.  Essentially, Beck is saying the same thing I’ve been claiming – only he names the conspirator “behind the scenes.”  I have been unable to put a face to what is happening “behind the scenes” of the republican/right wing “conspiracy” – but, talk about your projection!  I keep wondering if Beck is just playing this devious game and he’s giving hints to the “left” as to what is REALLY happening to them – with some kind of huge bet somewhere as to if or when they are going to “get it.”  Beck has an arrogant confidence that by the time the “left” figures this out it will be too late.

The person I’ve heard with the best perspective on all of this is an auto mechanic, of all people, named Tom Dwyer in Portland, Oregon – who advertises on the local “progressive” radio station.  As I listen to him, I continually wonder – where are our leaders?  If auto mechanics and 6th grade teachers can figure out what’s going on, why can’t the democrats who are in leadership positions do the same?  I believe the answer to that question would be clear if we could simply “follow the money.”  Let me elaborate.  (I honestly believe there is a pent up desire in America to get behind whoever decides to stand tall against this “invisible” enemy – people, from “both sides of the isle,” feel “it” – it’s just hard to figure out what “it” is)

I will begin by reiterating what I’ve been saying for several years now.  We, in America, are at war.  And, the war which has the most profound influence on the future of this nation is not in Iraq or Afganistan, it’s right here at home.  It’s the WAR for the heart and soul of this nation.  I’ve gotten to the point where I’m almost obsessively consuming non-fiction books on how our government is functioning – I began reading about Iraq in 2004, then Afganistan, then the economy, and along the way several books opening my eyes to different inside aspects of how America is being governed.  I can tell you, the more I read, the more “chilling” it gets.  In fact, I’ve got to take a deep breath in an attempt to lay out a small portion of these thoughts in some kind of sequential order so that they make sense.  Let’s start with Barack Obama.

I got excited about a presidential candidate for the first time since RFK in the 2008 election.  I made a lot of assumptions as I supported Obama and, looking back, the “red flags” began prior to his election.  The first one was when he voted for immunity for the telecoms who were illegally wiretapping American citizens.  I was so upset about that one that I wrote a three page letter to Obama’s campaign staff.  I don’t remember if I got a direct response, but I do remember Obama promising to “fix” the “FISA” bill once in office.  One of many promises BROKEN!  To many on the “left” this didn’t appear to be too big a deal, but to me it was one of the first “hints” that Obama was more “republican-lite” than truly “progressive.” (can I use the word liberal here?)  later, as soon as I found out that President Obama was defending the Bush wiretapping in court, I knew this one was a lost cause – and, frankly, I was very surprised he didn’t get much “blowback” from the “left” for this.  Additionally, Obama was right in the thick of the TARP bailout – although, thankfully, that MUST be put on Bush and Paulsen.  I was OK with the government loaning GM and Chrysler money to save millions of blue collar jobs and an auto industry which was in danger, but allowing the Wall Street Banks to “get away” with risking this economy, and plundering TRILLIONS from America’s pension funds and taxpayers – with virtually NO accountability – was unthinkable to me.  Of course, we sent a message that not only are these Wall Street thugs “too big to fail” – but, they’re “too important to fail” and therefore the HUGE bonuses for ruining MILLIONS of Americans’ lives.  Remember, the CEO of GM was “canned” and the government took ownership subject to TARP money being paid back – not ONE Wall Street executive was fired from any of the “too big to fail” banks and the Obama administration clearly backed off “nationalizing” any of the banks.

I took Obama to be incredibly intelligent during the election (and, I still believe he is) but I had to wonder what he was thinking when he surrounded himself with Wall Street and Goldman Sachs alumni in his new administration.  I shuddered when it was announced Rahm Emanuel was to be his chief of staff and Obama kept in tact Bush’s “war machine” in the pentagon.  While I certainly prefer Secretary Gates over Donald Rumsfeld as Secretary of Defense – NEW BLOOD was needed.  How do you change a policy with the same people who created it?  This is the course President Obama chose for both the economy and the two UNWINNABLE wars he inherited.  Now, he – and the REST OF US – are paying a price for these (and some other curious) decisions.  The “tea party” has been energized and the – OK, I’m going to say it – liberals are TOTALLY turned of by our democratic president.  It was much easier for me to be disappointed with Bush/Cheney, because I didn’t expect any different.  However, the “change I could believe in” wasn’t republican-lite.

Obama and his supporters will point out all their “accomplishments” – which there are some notable examples – but, none of them have come without a significant “cost.”  Our president started by negotiating the “stimulus” package down to an amount that was sure to leave too many Americans unemployed in a futile attempt to get “bipartisanship.”  This created a lot of criticism from Obama’s own “base” because WE (I say “we” because I was pointing out the folly of a too small package before it was voted on myself) understood that the need was for more money aimed at creating jobs through rebuilding our infrastructure.  I honestly don’t understand how that couldn’t have been obvious to Obama and his advisors.  The president then gave away the ability to negotiate with “Big Pharma” before the health care legislation was even written – apparently, to avoid a fight – which didn’t end up being avoided.  It’s been one example of pandering to the “right” after another in his tenure in the White House – over and over to the dismay of LIBERALS (there, I said it) like me.  In fact, Emanuel – as I’ve pointed out here several times – referred to Obama’s liberal base as “f___ing retards.”

So, in an attempt to gain support among a bunch of republicans and racists who really do want someone “white” in the White House, President Obama has alienated much of his base.  And, now it’s being reported that Obama is willing to CAVE on the so-called “Bush taxcuts” because of this apparent republican “landslide” in the midterm election.  He still hasn’t figured out that there’s more of us than them – UNLESS we stay home on election day.  I’ve voted every election since 1968, but I’m really tiring of voting for the less of two “evils.”  President Obama is not convincing me – nor are a large protion of the democratic party – that if we truly “follow the money” from the corporate heads who want control of our government – that  much of the money won’t lead right back to the democratic party.  People are tired of what I call “half – legislation.”  That is, stuff that’s supposed to look good, but really is just more “business as usual.”

Before I lay back into the republicans, let me take the “health care reform” for example.  I’m trusting what I hear that there’s some good in the bill.  But, at this point, there’s NO CHANCE the “public option” will be part of the “reform” by the time everything “kicks in” (if it does kick in) – and, without that the problem is FAR FROM SOLVED!  It seems as if the people who recognize this reality the most are the potential supporters of the president.  Abandoning the public option, abandoning a sufficient stimulus package, abandoning strict Wall Street reform, refusing to hold anyone accountable for wrongdoing in the name of our government – all of this is DEFLATING Obama’s base.  And, he’d better figure this out before he does one more stupid thing.  The most recent rumor is that he’s going to cave on the “Bush tax cuts” and I’m predicting that if Obama signs a bill extending the tax cuts for the rich, he will be a one term president FOR SURE.  I will work to make sure he’s not nominated again if he does that.  My personal preference was for him to repeal all of the tax cuts (including those intended for me) once he took office.  Extending them will be political suicide for the president.

So, obviously, our president and the democrats are not without problems when we “follow the money.”  Their actions would indicate that they’ve bought the coolaid from the corporate heads as well – especially the “military industrial complex.”  But, they pale in the wake of what we just witnessed with the republicans and the “tea party.”  I’ve seen the figure $4 BILLION as the amount “invested” in the previous mid term election.  I presonally find that hard to believe.  And, I find it hard to believe that Americans of ALL political persuasions don’t care where the money came from.  The idea that BILLIONS are being spent from UNNAMED sources should get EVERYONE’S attention.  Do you really think that much of that money didn’t come from foreign “investors?”  I’m a little uneasy having Saudi Prince’s, Chinese business people, or business people from any country outside our borders “investing” in our politicians.  Is anyone here having trouble imagining why so many American manufacturing jobs are disappearing?  Does anyone besides me worry about our large corporations sharing their technology with countries like China and India – who don’t think twice about stealing the “secrets?”  Does anyone really believe that these people aren’t smart enough to take America’s trade secrets and turn them into future advantage?  It’s the same old make a dollar today at the expense of many dollars tomorrow approach to everything in America.

Getting back to Beck and his diabolical scheming to convince Americans that Obama is the fascist, he’s got unlimited funds coming from somewhere and people had better not continue looking the other way as he performs his duties.  This man is DANGEROUS!  He’s inciting unlimited numbers of Americians who believe he’s an honest commentator.  The divisiveness that is being driven by Beck, and some of the others such as Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh – which is fueling the “tea party” movement, is reminiscent of former times in America – most recently in the 1920’s leading up to the Great Depression.  The parallels of the rise in corporate power, the HUGE desparity in wealth between the “rich” and the “poor,” and the greedy policies coming from Wall Street are earily similar to the “big crash” of 1929.

What’s even more scary to me is some of the inferences you can make about the republican party (and, unfortunately, some of the democrats as well).  I’m presently reading a book which is titled “The Family” by Jeff Sharlet.  The book describes a group of American leaders – mostly congress people – who are bonded through a fundamental extremist view of Christianity and who’s group history dates back to the 1930’s.  They have been funded by and have been supporting America’s corporate elite in a FIGHT against the New Deal policies of the Roosevelt era which brought the U.S. out of the Great Depression since Roosevelt’s first days in office.  Today’s version of this group are the ones accusing President Obama of being a fascist, yet the group is founded on principles espoused by Adolph Hitler himself.  The groups founder is quoted in the book several times as admiring the fascist governments of Germany and Italy.  Additionally, these people are grounded in a history of racism.  They have reached full steam ahead in the “right’s” overt attempt to ensure that President Obama fails.  We’ve heard the words from Rush Limbaugh, Sarah Palin, Beck, and most recently Mitch McConnell – the republican leader in the senate – publicly stated that the republicans NUMBER ONE goal is to make sure Obama is a one term president.  I’ve been following politics for a long time and there has been many major political differences among the parties in my lifetime, but I’ve never seen such an attempt to undermine a sitting president.  The bottom line is that we all succeed if the president succeeds.  Disagreement is one thing, purposely blocking every initiative in an attempt to destroy him is quite another.  (of course, Obama seems to be playing into their hands with his constant pandering – which wouldn’t seem so bad if 20 MILLION Americans weren’t unemployed or underemployed)

I invite anyone to read “The Family,” or to read Robert Reich’s “Aftershock,” or Kevin Phillips’ “Bad Money” and you will get a good view of the parallels between the corporate power grab of the 20’s and what is happening today.  The American people are proving to be poor students of history which is likely to sentence us all to repeating it – hence, another Great Depression.  That is my biggest disappointment from the recent turn of events on November 2nd.  The “tea party” professes to be a grass roots “populist” movement – but, they’re funded by some of the largest corporations in America and they will be totally beholden to the lobbyists in Washington once they take their spots in the new congress.  (actually, it should be fun watching the republicans fighting amongst themselves) I mean, some of the people the republicans elected were LOBBYISTS and FORMER congresspeople – talk about your mixed message.  The bottom line here is that the people behind this movement have a history of racism and Nazi sympathy.  They’re quick to throw out the accusations toward Obama, but when you look beyond the surface you have to wonder what are the American voters thinking.  I’ll say this to President Obama, if you don’t start standing up for the people who elected you and FIGHT this republican corporate takeover of our nation, you will go down in history as one of the worst presidents in history.  The American public didn’t vote you into office to placate republicans.  They voted you in to CHANGE the course of our government.  I believe it’s not too late to reenergize the liberal base, but it won’t happen if the president caves on the Bush tax cuts!  And, if the left doesn’t demonstrate a willingness to fight people like Beck, Limbaugh, and Palin they will succeed in destroying what’s left of the New Deal.  It was the New Deal which created America’s great middle class and these right wing power brokers have been attempting to dismantle it for approximately 70 years.  Members of the “Family” believe in authoritarian government (theocracy) – and include many now at the head of the “tea party” movement and sitting members of congress.  For those on the left who think Beck, Palin, and the “tea party” are a joke, I suggest you take a deep breath and prepare for the fight of your life!  They are the  perfect shills for whoever is behind this movement!

I started writing about the consequences of President Obama’s futile attempt at “bipartisanship” from the beginning of his term in office.  I also pointed out the FOLLY of surrounding himself with Washington AND Wall Street INSIDERS as he began his historic administration.  I, along with MILLIONS of other LIBERALS (progressives – we seem to have given up that word “liberal” in the face of the republican propoganda machine), began pointing out the “mistakes” as they were unfolding only to be referred to as “f___ing liberals” by Obama’s chief of staff Rahm Emanuel.  When Emanuel received no consequence for lashing out at the “base” I knew we were in BIG TROUBLE.  And, I wish I could put this differently, but I’m just now getting a grasp at how big the trouble is.  I’m feeling that President Obama and those surrounding him got EXACTLY the WRONG message from the recent midterm election.

Now that I’ve seen the president in action for almost two years I have to admit that I almost anticipated this.  He’s already reaching out to republicans in a way that I’m guessing will allow them to succeed in getting the “Bush tax cuts” extended.  Remember, if they’re extended for even two years the republicans will be chomping at the bit in 2012 to get them “permanently extended” then.  This will be another in what’s appearing like a long line of “deja vu’s all over agains.”  (OK, I “get” that was a bit awkwardly put)  And, if we haven’t reached depression stage with our economy by then, we’ll be even more on the “brink.”  I think I’ve already written this, but if Obama “caves” on this one, he won’t even get the democratic nomination for re-election.  What’s TOTALLY ironic to me is the so-called “tea partiers” railing against the deficit, yet supporting the tax cuts, the wars, and all the corporate welfarism that runs Washington DC.  It makes about as much sense as when Ronald Reagan first proposed the idea:  “I’ll cut taxes and balance the budget.”  Voodoo economics then, voodoo economics NOW!

President Obama has cringed when he’s been dubbed “republican-lite” by those of us who really want him to succeed and he, along with his supporters like Randi Rhodes, are quick to reel off a list of accomplishments that would separate him from republicans.  Yes, he’s headed in a different direction in the overt decisions of his administration, but when you look a little deeper, it’s a lot closer to “business as usual.”  That is what has the “liberals” upset and that is why they stayed home in November.  Personally, I voted in November, but I’m thinking this is maybe a necessary “correction” (I’m an optimist by nature) because most of the democrats who were “purged” from Congress (with a few notable exceptions – and, I have to add here that, in my mind, Alan Grayson of Florida is one of my favorite politicians.  Talk about your congressperson with the guts to speak the truth as he sees it – without fear of losing his seat – which he lost.  But we need more leaders willing to speak their minds without putting re-election ahead of their values) were the so-called “blue dogs.”  The democratic party is in need of a remolding to get it back to Main Street and away from Wall Street.  If Obama doesn’t figure out what’s really happening, and FAST, the struggle to save this nation from the suffocating grip of multinational corporations will become even more daunting.

“Grass roots” is a great notion, and it can be very powerful.  But, you need leaders to guide the “ship.”  Take the “tea party” for example.  They had a convention with something like 600 people attending.  Their movement has been inspired by corporate cronies with unlimited funds to spend on advertising, TV personalities with mammothly egotistical agendas, and Americans who – whether you want to believe this or not – just can’t handle someone who’s not “white” in the White House.  Unfortunately for those of us who are shaking our heads that this phenomenom could reach such “heights” in present day America, President Obama has taken the wrong turn at almost EVERY intersection when confronting this.  I’ve been listing these things for almost two years, but I’m going to do it again (relax, I’ll try to be a bit abbreviated :o) because if Obama doesn’t start fighting back, those on the left need to begin looking for a different leader – YOU HAVE TO HAVE A LEADER!  (That’s where I believe the “tea partiers” are going to fall short – I think their agenda is likely to conflict with the “republican” agenda, and the fallout could be very interesting to say the least – remember, their de facto leader is Sarah Palin)

I wrote about this to the point that I probably turned off some of the 300 or so of you reading these posts (I still find it hard to believe anyone found my spot in cyberspace) – but President Obama’s decision to BLOCK all investigations of the Bush/Cheney administration will go down in history as one of the major presidential BLUNDERS of all time.  That decision alone GAVE the debate back to the republicans.  It was like showing blood to a shark in the water.  It showed Obama to be indecisive and basically spineless – not up for a good fight.  He said at the time he wanted to “look forward instead of back” – which is absurd on its face – I’ve pointed out that using his logic (and he’s a constitutional lawyer) there would never be another crime committed in America – because you have to look back AFTER THE CRIME’S BEEN COMMITTED!  He also said he didn’t want the “distraction” of all the investigations (and, there would have probably been an endless stream of them because the fraud, abuse, and outright lawbreaking was routine in the Bush/Cheney White House).  Well, what Obama got were way more “distractions” anyway.  (not to mention the “distractions” Obama’s going to be facing with a republican chairing the House government oversight committee in the next congress)  He (and the rest of us) would have been much better off had the “distractions” been focused on what Bush/Cheney did illegally instead of on Obama caving in on one piece of legislation after another.

Let me refresh your memory.  Obama took office with two wars being mismanaged, the economy was on the precipice of disaster, the government itself had been essentially dismantled, jobs were being lost at a rate approaching 1 MILLION per MONTH, and the previous president was leaving town with his “tail between his legs.”  I’m dead serious when I say that in the last few months of his presidency George W Bush looked like a “deer in the headlights.”  I’m not even sure he realized the magnitude of destruction he had imposed on America and the rest of the world.  In fact, it was Bush’s Treasury Secretary Hank Paulsen – former head of Goldman Sachs who was intimately involved in the risk taking abuses which led to the “meltdown” – who created the TARP bailout that so angered MILLIONS of Americans.  It was forgivable for Obama to vote for the bailout as a senator, but it was unforgivable for him to then ally himself with Tim Geithner (also intimately involved in the process leading to the crash) and Larry Summers (another Goldman Sachs alum who was instrumental in the repeal of Glass Steagall which allowed the Wall Street banks to become “too big to fail”) and then BLOCK all investigations into the impropriety of what was being done in the name of (and to) the taxpayers.

By abandoning what should have been a process to uncover ALL the wrongdoings in an attempt to make certain they didn’t happen again, President Obama opened himself up for the absurd criticism which has led to, as of the mid term elections, upwards of HALF of American voters believing it was Obama who engineered the TARP bailouts.  I realize this is an indictment of what I call the “low information voters” in America (there’s your opening Lars), but the president is the LEADER!  The investigations would have made things clear.  Also, they possibly could have uncovered ahead of time the malfeasance which led to the mine disaster in West Virginia and the Deep Water Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.  In both of those instances, culpibility goes right back to regulatory agencies “in bed” with corporate interests in such a way to save them money at the risk of their employees lives.  To me, that is ALL unacceptable!  Now we have energized republicans sans “tea partiers” clamoring for less taxes, less regulation, less government, and – oh yes – a balanced budget.  And, for good measure, they’re not only happy to be bumbling through TWO wars indefinitely, they want to increase instead of decrease our nuclear arsenal and many of them would love to invade Iran!

It gets worse.  I realize that the republicans could care less about how America is viewed by the rest of the world, but the reality is that it’s very important and we are in a state of accelerating decline.  It’s almost as if we’re shooting oursleves in the foot and we’re wondering how it happened.  For anyone reading this who is unaware of the economic realities of the day, much of America’s HUGE debt is held by foreign nations.  The dollar is tenuous, at best, in it’s role as the leading international currency.  And, America and it’s voting base seems to be oblivious to the potential of this impending disaster (and that would be the world turning away from the dollar).  We have become a nation of consumers and we’ve evolved to consumers who have to borrow to purchase goods.  2008 seems to have been the breaking point of our ability to continue borrowing so that we could keep consuming.  However, we’ve also – since the days of Reagan – been actually promoting American businesses to locate “over seas.”  Well, not only have the jobs been going over seas but so has our technology – which is the real prize in the eyes of the Chinese, the Indians, and others.  Keep in mind, once they build their own economies sufficiently, they have PLENTY of consumers.  Combine this with America’s imperialistic tendencies which are turning nation after nation off and I hope you can see the writing on the wall.  The cycle of greed that seems to have a grip on the corporate elite in America is choking the rest of us, it’s risking our position as the “leaders of the free world,” and – combined with “Citizens United” and the republican propoganda machine which controls our media – it’s threatening to leave our children with a nation in ruins.

Because of Obama’s decision to “look forward instead of back” we now have a bunch of extreme right wing “whackos” energized to bring our government to a halt.  They don’t want to “fix” the health care bill (which SHOULD have included a “PUBLIC OTPION” for ALL) they want to repeal it.  They don’t want to make sure the “too big to fail” banks don’t screw us again, they want to repeal regulations protecting us from them.  25% of the voters in the recent election were over 65 and now we’re looking at a scaling back or repeal of Social Security and Medicare.  They want to destroy public education, arguably the MAIN REASON America has reached such lofty heights.  (This hit “full steam ahead” with “No Child left Behind” and unfortunately is continuing to accelerate under Obama – we give schools mandates, we just don’t give them the resources necessary to carry the mandates out)  As someone approaching 65 I’m actually ashamed that these older Americans have been taking from this country for their entire lives and now are voting against the very programs which have benefitted them.  Of course, they don’t want to take away benefits now, just from their children and grandchildren.  I honestly don’t get it.  These people won’t believe in issues such as Climate Change until New York or Los Angeles is under water.

Worse than those “challenges” facing “progressives” in the coming two years, by “looking forward” President Obama has allowed George W Bush and Dick Cheney to travel this great nation essentially BRAGGING about authorizing TORTURE.  Again, in the eyes of the world now, we’re a nation that believes in TORTURE!  All the “human rights” posturing aside, I can’t believe we’ve evolved to this.  Does Obama really believe that by him saying we won’t TORTURE anymore that it makes it so?  Come on here!  TORTURE is a WAR CRIME!  It not only violates our own laws and international laws, it violates the Geneva Conventions which we were instrumental in setting up as the supporters of “human rights.”  The other day I was forced to listen again to George W Bush ADMITTING to authorizing WATERBOARDING and then claiming that by doing so he “saved lives.”  That is complete BULL S#*@!  EVERY professional interrogator I’ve heard interviewed or read has pointed out that waterboarding gets NO actionable intelligence.  Khalid Sheik Mohammed was providing actionable intelligence UNTIL he was waterboarded (183 TIMES!) after which he began trying to tell the interrogators anything to get them to stop.  Aside from that – waterboarding is a WAR CRIME!  If you do it, or if you authorize it, you have committed a WAR CRIME!  As far as I understand the legal system, it’s as simple as that.  Obama has created an environment where Bush is comfortable traveling from city to city bragging about this.  Again, UNBELIEVABLE to me.

So, we’re stuck with democratic leaders who are supporting Bush/Cheney illegal actions in court (warrantless wiretapping), supporting secrecy in government by defending the “State’s Secrets privilege” in court – something abused beyond belief by Bush/Cheney, who backed off of sufficient stimulus in the face of republican opposition at the beginning of Obama’s term, who willingly dropped the “Public Option” despite support from almost 75% of the public, and on and on.  The democrats have shown no willingness or capability to “take on” the republican propaganda machine.  Give the republicans credit – they are “out messaging” the democrats as if it’s men against boys.  The problem is that due to their lack of resolve during the past two years, they are going to need MORE resolve in the next two.  And, the initial indications I’m seeing since the mid terms is NOT good.  I’ve heard leading democrats already willing to throw in the towel on the tax cuts – I’ve pointed out here several times, just let them expire.  It’s time for Americans to start paying for the services we need – including TWO WARS!  The so-called “Deficit Commission” – who’s leaders made an initial report yesterday – have drunk the republican “coolaid” before any negotiations take place!  Republicans have somehow convinced the American public that taking care of the “rich” is the government’s main function.  It’s like we’re headed to 1929 ALL OVER AGAIN!  The battle against this impending corporatocracy will require courageous leadership.  It will require politicians who are not bought and paid for by the very interests who are undermining our nation.  It will require politicians far more courageous than those presently leading the democratic party.

I’m going to end with a couple thoughts – thoughts that will kind of lay out the prospects of what lies ahead for the next two years.  Within a couple weeks the so-called 99ers will lose their unemployment benefits.  Are the democrats going to make a stand in the lame duck session?  That alone will tell us a lot.  And, of course, with inaction the “Bush tax cuts” will expire.  I am in favor of letting them expire – I don’t believe the democrats have the guts to do so (that would raise mine and probably your taxes).  Short of that, they could propose IN THE HOUSE the extension of tax cuts for anyone making less than what seems to be the “in” cut off for “rich vs poor” – $250,000 – and send it to the senate – putting republicans in the senate on the spot to either vote for tax cuts for 98% of Americans or against it.  I seriously doubt that this president and this democratic congress has even the will to do something like that – which is arguably supported by 80% of the public – because they are cowering to the response by Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Bill O’Reilly, and the other right wing “talkers” who would figure out a way to demonize leaving those at the top out of the picture.  Those two issues will pretty much define, in my view, what we – as progressives – face for the next two years. 

A couple of days ago I started reading “Obama’s War” by Bob Woodward and I’m finding the book intriguing to say the least.  I’ve been railing against republicans since President Bush tragically blundered this nation into the quagmire of Iraq – essentially destabilizing the entire world in the process.  Not only did Bush abandon the real fight against al Qaeda in Afganistan – in my view, he purposely allowed Osama bin Laden and his forces to escape certain defeat at Tora Bora in order to enable his real intention all along which was to find a way to invade Iraq.  Thusly, the United States of America has been mired in two unwinnable, poorly managed, extremely costly wars going on ten years now.  For those of us old enough to remember Viet Nam – it’s Deja Vu all over again.  Of course, not only did Bush/Cheney screw up our foreign policy, but they did a royal number on our economy at home as well.  They left Barack Obama arguably the WORST MESS any president in history has faced upon his first day in office.  Which brings me to my point for the evening – despite Obama needing to pull out some kind of miracle to resuscitate our economy he has two INCREDIBLY complex WARS to deal with that somehow have managed to get lost in the “tea party” headlines of the past year or so.

I’m just about a third of the way through this book, but as I read it I’m just getting more and more angry with the republican party, and unfortunately the large number of Americans who seem willing to turn the “reigns” back to them in congress.  When you start looking at the nuances of what these people are doing, it really is feeling traitorous to me.  Now, I’m not talking about the “man on the street” because most Americans don’t seem to have the time to look beyond the headlines.  And, the republicans have figured out that they can buy their way past the obvious hollow message that lies behind the so-called “talking points,” which is what we hear on Fox or the other media outlets who’ve bought into the “fair and balanced” nonsense.  America is STUCK in two wars – BOTH the work of incompetent republican policy decision making – and these people are doing everything they can to UNDERMINE a sitting American president.  I honestly can’t imagine this happening during a time of peace – yes, it’s OK to have disagreements and attempt to persuade the public that one position is preferable to another.  But, that’s completely different from CONSPIRING to cause an American president to FAIL.  And, that’s exactly what the republicans have been doing since day one of this administration.

I’ve often thought the main reason they’re doing this is because Obama is Black, although when I consider what they’d be doing had Hillary Clinton won the White House I don’t think it would be much different.  The bottom line with them is that the well being of this nation is secondary to their selfish, greedy desire to have POWER.  All you have to do is look at the amount of money being spent – SECRETLY – by large corporate donors and then think logically: “Why are these people willing to spend MILLIONS for a mid term election?”  The answer is disgusting – the republican party, in concert with who knows which large multinational corporations – are attempting to undermine the very foundation of our representative democracy through a concerted, well financed campaign of mis-information aimed at undercutting President Obama’s ability to change the direction of our nation from the Bush/Cheney/Reagan attempt to turn America into a corporatocracy.

President Eisenhower warned us all about the power of the “military industrial complex” back in the fifties – cautioning the American people to not allow this “behemoth” to get out of control.  Well, it’s out of control and it’s going to be very difficult to get it back under control – especially if the American people don’t rise up and demand an early end to the “Citizens United” era – which is coming at us like an out of control freight train.  I’ve been warning about this since the day the decision was announced.  Actually, I (and other listeners of Thom Hartman – “progressive” radio “talker”) heard about the pending possibility some weeks prior to the decision, but when it happened, and I took just a casual look at the implications, I reacted in almost horror.  My thoughts: “This can’t be happening in the America I’ve been living in for the past 60+ years!”  But, yes it can.

I can still see Samuel Alito sitting in the Supreme Court section of the congress during Obama’s State of the Union speech when Obama warned of the severity of this decision and the need to “fix” the problem.  The Supreme Court had essentially overturned 100 years of campaign finance laws – actually going way beyond the decision in front of them – yes, Lars if you’re reading this, your right wing judges are the most ACTIVIST judges I’ve seen in my lifetime – and, they opened the doors to FOREIGN corporations having a major influence on our elections.  (ANY influence they might have is TOO MUCH!)  As Obama was correctly pointing this out, there sat Alito shaking his head and mouthing the words “no way.”  Despite the unprofessionalism Alito displayed by doing so, the reality is that we have already been inundated by an indeterminable amount of foreign money in this, the first election cycle since the HORRIBLE decision.  The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Karl Rove (who’s controlling something approaching a half a billion dollars), and the other “Supre PACS” who don’t have to disclose where their money is coming from are undoubtedly receiving funds from foreign sources.  Hell, News Corp, run by Rupert Murdoch with its second leading investor ($3 BILLION) coming from a Saudi Arabian sheik have OPENLY funneled several MILLION dollars to various republican committees and right wing candidates.  Murdoch is an Australian and the Saudi sheik has ties to Osama bin Laden (that is, he’s helped finance bin Laden in the past) but this isn’t getting much play from our “liberal media.”  The sad truth is that we’ll probably never know where all the money’s coming from – but, $4 BILLION spent on a midterm election is obscene.

To make matters worse – and, if you’re paying any attention at all – Mitch McConnell, apparently in an attempt to stay lockstep with Rush Limbaugh, recently announced that the NUMBER ONE priority of the republicans is to assure that President Obama is a one term president.  Limbaugh, on numerous occasions, has publicly declared that the top priority of the republican party is the make sure that President Obama “FAILS.”  Are you kidding me?  Let me remind anyone who’s sensible out there, we’re still in TWO WARS!  When in American history has one political party been going out of their way to insure a president FAILS in the midst of two wars.  Let me be clear here, I believe that trying to insure that a president fails is bordering on treason – especially during wartime.  If the president fails, the people fail with him.  This is udder nonsense, yet, with all the money pouring in from special corporate interests thanks to “Citizens United” it is possible the republicans will retake control of one or both houses of congress (I really hope that doesn’t happen) meaning their OBSTRUCTIONISM will become even worse. (I started this post prior to the election night – we now know the republicans have a solid majority in the House)

Do you remember the endless “investigations” during the eight years of Bill Clinton’s presidency?  Well, that’s what is likely to happen.  The irony here is that had Obama followed my advice and allowed ALL the investigations which were warranted upon the departure of the Bush administration in 2009 we wouldn’t be having this discussion.  I hope the president has learned something here and I hope it’s not too late.  We are in THREE wars – and, in my view, the most important one is right here at home and it’s for the heart and soul of this nation.  I can’t even imagine a nation with Sarah Palin as a true national leader, but if the democrats don’t figure out what’s happening, we could all be in trouble.  I’m old enough to remember that Ronald Reagan was a marginal, at best, national candidate – but, with the help of the right wing manipulation machine and some short sighted democrats he managed to take the White House and this dreadful 30+ years of undermining our government at the expense of America’s middle class and FOR the benefit of the large corporations – just like in the 1920’s – was thrust upon us.  Honestly people, do we need another GREAT DEPRESSION to figure out what’s happening?  Does the American public have NO sense of HISTORY?  We’re repeating Viet Nam (twice) thanks to republcans and I’m wondering are we going to repeat the depression?  Ughhhhh!!!!

Back to Woodward’s book.  It is even more clear to me as I’m reading this that the republicans in the Bush White House conspired with the military leaders, prior to their anticipated defeat in 2008, to tie the hands of the incoming president.  Now, I believe Obama could have followed through with his plan to TOTALLY remove ALL American troops from Iraq by NOW – except that he would have had to renege on the withdrawal agreement Bush made with the Iraqi’s prior to the election.  In doing so, Obama would have created a major conflict with the military leaders such as General Patreaus who was part of a scheme to force Obama’s hand into keeping the troops there.  In fact, I’m convinced that when the end of 2011 comes around they (the military leaders) have a further scheme to keep the so-called “non-combat” troops there indefinitely.  I hope I’m wrong on this, but only time will tell.  At the same time, these military leaders were more than happy to have the troops being pulled out of Iraq funneled into Afganistan – where, I believe they would be willing to stay indefinitely as well.   You have to remember that many of America’s Generals are still stung at the thought of Viet Nam and America’s withdrawal without “victory.”  I guess they have a hard time accepting the FACT that in recent memory, our civilian leaders seem to have the propensity to put them in untennable circumstances.  However, I’m convinced they just don’t want to leave without being able to claim “victory,” whatever that might be.  Does anyone know what “victory” is in Iraq or Afganistan?  In Iraq, Moqtada al Sadr is ultimately going to be an integral part of that nation’s leadership and Iran and Iraq are going to be almost united.  This is TOTALLY due to Bush/Cheney’s decision to invade – but, the republicans will find a way to blame Obama.  The reality, as I see it, is there is no “victory” from the original goals of the U.S. in Iraq.  (and that’s not even with me putting in my cynical “two cents” about how I believe it was mostly about the oil)

Afganistan is called the “graveyard of empires” for a reason.  Somehow our leaders are convinced that we can do something that hasn’t happened in 4000 years.  This is where what I’m reading in Woodward’s book is making me even angrier about this war and the incompetent way it’s been prosecuted.  I’m convinced that the military is forcing decisions on Obama because they understand the political realities he’s facing as the first Black American president.  He’s young, and arguably “inexperienced” – although no more inexperienced than any of his immediate predecessors with the possible exception of George HW Bush.  He’s got an economy in virtual ruins and a near depression to deal with domestically, so having a major FIGHT over policy in Iraq or Afganistan would not be prudent.  And, if there’s anything obvious about Obama it’s that he’s prudent (sometimes frustrates me, but considering the alternative I find that character trait quite worthy).  As I’m getting into “Obama’s Wars” it’s becoming painfully obvious that the military leaders provided him with only options that were palatable to them.  That is, they PURPOSELY failed to give the president a wide range of options which would include withdrawal.  It’s like these people are suffering from major TUNNEL VISION when it comes to how to bring these “wars” (I really believe “occupations” is the correct term) to a conclusion.  They’re almost CHALLENGING Obama to take them on – Patreaus has done a masterful job of putting himself in a place where most Americans think he’s a military genius and he’s the reason for the reduction of violence in Iraq.  As I read this book, I’m seeing him more as a conniving, manipulator who will do whatever it takes to force a decision onto his superior that HE wants.  Patreus want to be the one calling the shots – and, he’s very sneaky in the way he goes about his “business.”

So, now Obama’s lost his large majority in Congress and the “you know what” is hitting the fan.  The next two years should be interesting – and, the “tenor” should be somewhat clear soon.  Are Obama and the democrats going to continue “caving” to the right wing – I mean it could look pretty bleak from their standpoint – or, are they going to show some spine?  People like me have been BEGGING for the spine to show up for almost two years now (actually, since 2006 with the democrats – yet, we’re still in both Iraq and Afganistan – and, the dems still don’t “get it”).  I realize they think they’ve done that (been courageous) – but, the reality is that Obama surrounded himself with a bunch of “business as usual” people at the beginning of his administration and any change has been superficial.  I said soon after he was in office, if he didn’t figure this out, quit pandering to republicans, and take an agressive progressive approach to the “problems of the day,” he was headed toward a one term presidency.  By now, maybe that looks good to him.  But, if he really wants to be the catalyst for the “change we can believe in” the intensity of the “fight” must be accelerated and SOON!  Obama and the democrats didn’t lose ground in this election because their policies were too bold (which is how the republicans will characterize this) – they took a good ole fashion “whippin” because their policies were too timid – they showed almost NO spine. 

 The stimulus package was too small – and, it shouldn’t come as a surprise now – because if I could figure this out at the time, then Obama’s team should have been able to do so.  Going along with the TARP bailout and supporting a resurgence of Wall Street was STUPID under the circumstances – and the re-regulation was too weak.  Abandoning the “public option” instead of strengthening it – in the face of nearly 75% public support (now, there’s bipartisanship with the public) was STUPID – if you can’t take a stand there, when can you?!  (the dems couldn’t even take a stand on tax cuts prior to the election – it was as if they were worried what a principled stand would do to their chances)  The backroom dealing that went into the health care legislation simply exposed the democrats as being republican-lite in their corrupt connection to the insurance industry and other corporate interests.  Also, Obama negotiated a similar deal to Bush’s Medicare Part D fiasco with the Pharmaceutical industry simply to buy their withdrawal from the “debate.”  That looked REALLY bad!  The opening up of offshore oil leases just in time for the Deep Horizon oil spill was a major blunder and, I could go on.  Tonight, I was watching Chris Matthews (not one of my favorites) on MSNBC giving analysis of the republican gains in the midterm election, and he said something that I started saying over a year ago.  “I’m tired of the rhetoric – I want to see action.”  I want to see leaders who will stand up – LITERALLY – for the rights of the middle class in America which has been under assault from the right wing since the Nixon years.  Until these democrats figure this out, I believe America continues to decline.  The greed of the republicans and their supporters seems to have no bounds.   

One final depressing note is that this is just the first “salvo” of the “Citizens United” era. If strong action isn’t taken soon to reverse that decision, we Americans could find ourselves in a situation that once seemed impossible.  Nothing scares me more than the successful “marriage” between large corporate interests and our federal government.  The “war” for the heart and soul of this nation hasn’t been lost, but people on the left had better wake up soon or the challenge could become more than daunting!  The republicans have shown they have no boundaries in their quest to regain control of our government and if they succeed again in 2012, with the help of Citizens United, I guarantee you they will pull out all the stops from that date onward to make their “majority” permanent!