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.