Every day I find myself shaking my head as I wonder, “What has become of this nation I love?”  I am part of the “baby boom” of the late 1940’s and have vivid memories back into the early 50’s with strong memories of the 60’s.  I graduated from high school in 1965 at about the same time as the ill-fated “Gulf of Tonkin Resolution.”  The Viet Nam war took center stage for the first 8 – 10 years of my adult life.  I went from a high school graduate who had been brainwashed to think Viet Nam was a threat to America’s democracy – therefore I was temporarily a U.S. Marine (until I was given a medical discharge due to a bum knee) – to a protestor in the streets trying to get people’s attention that the war was not worth fighting (13 of my high school classmates – that I know of – paid the ultimate price for the Viet Nam fiasco).  I became turned off by the government that I realized was routinely lying to “we the people.”

As did many other of the “protestors” of the 60’s (and early 70’s) I found a job, got married, and raised a family.  Somewhat reluctantly, I got “pulled” into the middle class of America because I was in a generation of people who had a strong work ethic ingrained in our thinking.  And, America was “set up” for a population of people who were strong workers.  I’ve written about how the advancements of the 30’s and 40’s – the NEW DEAL – created an atmosphere which spawned the most remarkable middle class in the history of mankind.  Until I was in my early 40’s I hadn’t experienced unemployment, and thanks to the “Timber workers relocation act” signed by Bill Clinton in 1992, I’ve been teaching since my one encounter with being without work.

During my first stint in college, I remember working at the local paper mill during the summers and working with men and women who had been at the mill for 20 – 30 years (some probably longer).  The mill was unionized, the workers received a “family wage,” they had health benefits, and they were able to put their children through college if they were frugal in managing their budgets.  After I got out of college (the first time – in 1969) I still remember a friend of mine recruiting me to apply for a job at Hewlett Packard.  He had moved to the Northwest with the company and his respect for the way his employer treated him was immense.  At that point, I remember him telling me they had never laid ANYONE off without cause.  He told me they were a “family oriented” corporation.

I didn’t go to work for them and instead made an attempt to run a farm – therefore, I had no health insurance.  However, it was during this “season” of my life when my two daughters were born – both by C-section, and both with me not having health insurance.  The first one cost $3000 and the second (2 1/2 yrs. later) $5000 – all of which I was able to pay over time.  At the time, hospitals and insurance companies were all not for profit corporations.  Unions were strong, unemployment was reasonably low, and the middle class was flourishing.  There were issues, of course, that had their own significance, but generally – as I remember it – there was a general feeling of “we” in “we the people” at the time.  That all changed in 1980.

Ronald Reagan went from being a bad actor and a fringe political candidate to the presidency due to the expertise of the republican “operatives” which still, I’m sure, are alive and well in America’s political spectrum, the well planned support of the “liberal” republican third party candidacy of John Anderson by Reagan’s supporters (Anderson took votes from disenchanted democrats), and the Americans held hostage in Iran (coincidentally, the hostages were all released about the same time Reagan took the oath of office – some think there was a “deal” – I’ll let you figure that out on your own).  To me, this was when America exchanged an “I” for the “we” in “we the people.”  This is when “greed personified” hit the accelerator.  We could call the ensuing time in America since Reagan up to today as the revenge of the New Deal haters.

Now, I’ve been railing against this “war” on middle America since I started this blog.  However, my concerns hit high gear when I realized that President Obama wasn’t going to be the catalyst to lead the fight against this right wing push to negate ALL the benefits ushered in by the president most hated by the extreme right in America – Franklin Delano Roosevelt.  Many, I’m sure, were like me and hoping Obama would usher in the “New” New Deal – I mean, the problems he inherited from Bush/Cheney were extreme enough to justify SERIOUS action.  Instead, it looks as if what we got was a democrat who somehow wishes to be remembered more like Reagan.  This is, and has been, alarming to me and has pretty much put out the “fire” I felt – the compassion I felt – that “we the people” were going to reverse the excesses of George W Bush, Dick Cheney, George HW Bush, and Reagan himself – when Obama was elected.  I totally misread what “The change we can blieve in” meant.

The disappointment I felt – which was exacerbated when Obama’s chief of staff called me a f___ing retard, and then later when Obama himself went after “liberals” as being too idealistic – caused me to want to just go to my pasture quietly (I’m getting up there in age).  Yet, I keep thinking, my children are all young adults and now I have grandchildren – who all deserve more than what’s going to be left if “we the people” continue to allow this corporate takeover of America.  Probably my major frustration is the complacency of the adults in my life – many of whom still don’t know what “Citizens United” is.  But, I have to admit, the recent events in Wisconsin have fired me up again.  Maybe “we the people” are finally going to speak up.  I’m cautiously optimistic that “the change we can believe in” will find it’s way from the streets of Madison Wisconsin to the progressives in the rest of the nation.  But, you might ask, what about the “tea party” movement?  Isn’t that a “we the people” movement?

Well, to a certain extent I guess you could make that argument.  However, the differences between what’s happening in Wisconsin right now (and, hopefully all around the nation) and the “tea party” are profound.  First of all, the “tea party” is funded by and backed by the very corporate elite that they are supposedly against (although, based on the signs I’ve seen at their rallies, I believe there are other factors driving their movement).  For example, Scott Walker, the governor of Wisconsin who’s trying to ram through this bill to essentially decertify (eventually) public employee unions, received the bulk of his funding from the corporations who are trying to kill unions.  I know these politicians always claim there’s no connection between their funding and their decisions – but, that is so absurd to me.  Evidently, they’ve come to the conclusion that “we the people” are stupid.  Walker is a “tea party” all star; compare that with the HUNDRED’S OF THOUSANDS of everyday people protesting his authoritarian POWER GRAB.  Some of those protestors were funded by protestors in EGYPT who sent them pizzas!!!  I quit giving money to politicians after I saw the “real” Obama, but I’ve given money to organizations which are supporting the protestors in Wisconsin – and, I’ll give more when I get the opportunity.  I realize the Koch brothers (funders of the “tea party”) dish it out in the millions and my last “gift” was $20, but if there’s enough of us, we can fight back.

What most people don’t realize about what’s happening in Wisconsin is that there’s something more hidden in the bill which is being protested because, outwardly, it robs working class people of the right to collectively bargain.  Evidently buried inside this bill is a section giving this deplorable republican governor, who’s been funded by the Koch brothers (who own energy companies) and other corporate thugs, the right to unilaterally “sell” at whatever price he deems appropriate the public utilities and energy resources of the State of Wisconsin to “private enterprise.”  I’m not sure of what all Wisconsin has to be plundered by the Koch brothers and other BILLIONAIRE corporatists, but one thing I’m sure of is that Scott Walker won’t overcharge them when he sells Milwaukie’s power plant to whomever he chooses, or Green Bay’s Public utility, or any other of the “plums” in the sights of his benefactors at whatever terms he chooses.  The republican dream, privatize everything and NO UNIONS!  This guy Scott Walker will probably be a candidate for president if he can pull this off.

And, if you’ve heard the tape of the conversation Walker had with the reporter who “punked” him on a recent phone call, you know that the republicans look at all of this as “us against them.”  He was considering “goon squads” to stir up violence at the protests, he’s planned deceitful ways to dishonestly lure the missing democratic senators who are courageously BLOCKING his power grab, he speaks of liberals as the enemy, and he’s unapologetic about wanting to CRUSH unions (he even speaks of state workers as the enemy).  If you’ve been in hybernation you’ve probably missed this, but the republicans have been at war with the middle class for years and their plan is finally hitting the final stages.  They’ve got governors stationed all over America who are waiting in the wings to do the same thing Walker is doing.  Just as the protestors are calling Wisconsin “ground zero” in the fight against the corporatists, so is Walker and his supporters calling it “ground zero” in the fight to finally finish the job Reagan started when he busted the Air Traffic Controllers – Walker even refers to that as a kind of “watershed” in the plan to crush unions in his “punked” phone conversation.

I could go on and on about these republicans (or my disappointment in the democratic response to them), but I’ll close by saying that they’ve now got workers vs workers in their propaganda scheme.  Those without are seemingly siding with the corporatists to attempt to get MORE workers to be without – just like them – instead of banding together in a demand that the government step in and spend the money necessary to rebuild this nation and provide work for the millions who are getting beyond desperate.  People like the Koch’s win if the unemployed attack those who still have jobs as being the “privileged elite” which I WAS CALLED, indirectly by the governor of Michigan when he railed against school teachers who still have some remnants of benefits with their jobs.  I find it ironic that people who are worth BILLIONS like the Koch’s and people worth multi-millions like Rush Limbaugh think that I (who have a couple thousand saved “for a rainy day”) am part of the privileged elite.  And, I find it even more ironic – maybe disappointing – that there’s a single working class American who’s stupid enough to fall for their ridiculous propaganda.

Most republicans I know are republicans mainly because of the abortion issue.  What they evidently don’t know is the republican approach to issues other than forcing women to carry pregnancies to full term.  The other day I read a column by Charles Blow which addressed their attitude with something like “Love the fetus, hate the child.”  And, I see evidence of this every day in my classroom.  Why would you push for all children to be born (actually, I’m in favor of that with the exceptions that are reasonable which I won’t get into here) and then, at the same time, be cutting funding for prenatal care for poor women, cutting health benefits for children ANYWHERE, cutting back on programs like Head Start, Planned Parenthood, and public television which helps to educate MILLIONS of children? (My own children are in their thirties and they grew up watching “Big Bird”)  The republican party calls themselves the party of “family values,” yet virtually everything they propose makes it more difficult for MILLIONS of American families.  Again, what I don’t get is how ANYONE who’s part of America’s working middle class could fall for this.  Honestly, the only way I can rationally bring myself to understand how even the ACTUAL privileged elite (the Wall Street Bankers, the CEO’s, the people who are wealthy) buy into this is that they have been so brainwashed into replacing the “we” in “we the people” with an “I” that they are blinded to the realities their fellow Americans are facing at this point.  Republicans do a great job of creating public debates that hide their REAL agenda and I believe what is going on in Wisconsin is no different.  The people in Wisconsin need to be careful that they not only defend collective bargaining rights, but that they don’t give away their public utilities to the Koch’s and others!  And, the rest of us need to continue to support them in anyway we can.  Remember, it’s likely there’s a POWER GRAB coming to where you live – especially if your state is “governed” by republicans!

Anyone out there besides me wondering when “we the people” are going to wake up?  For over thirty years (that I can remember) the republican party has taken DEAD AIM at the middle class RIGHTS instigated by the Roosevelt administration in the 30’s and 40’s commonly referred to as the “New Deal.”  This legislation led to the “birth” of the greatest middle class the world has ever known – and, the same corporatists who opposed it then (well, maybe their “offspring”) are opposing it now and have been opposing it – to varying degrees since the first bill was passed and signed by FDR.  One of the worst “advancements” from the perspective of these corporatists was the legitimizing of the labor unions.

Labor unions fought hard for benefits that workers of today take for granted – in fact, we’re seeing today’s workers showing a willingness to give up these benefits in sort of a “bits and pieces” scenario orchestrated by republicans since the days of Ronald Reagan.  It started with PATCO (the union of the Air Traffic Controllers) and their attack on unions has now evolved to where (as I’ve been predicting for the past few years) public union workers – teachers, firefighters, policemen, social workers, nurses, etc. are in the “crosshairs” of the republican corporate minions.  In the news lately has been the public workers in Wisconsin who are putting up a valiant fight against a governor who got most of his financial support from out of state interests – such as the now infamous Koch brothers who are stirring up right wing authoritarian crap all over America.  It really has boiled down to the BILLIONAIRES vs. the rest of us!

Let’s try to get a little perspective here.  Governor Walker (a “tea partier”) in Wisconsin took the state into deficit (ala GW Bush, circa 2001) by pushing through tax cuts for those who didn’t need them and now he’s attempting to not only balance Wisconsin’s state books on the backs of the middle class state workers, he wants to eliminate their bargaining rights in the future – and, for good measure, he’s thrown in a couple anti-union “nuggets” designed to eliminate the unions once and for all – like voting yearly to recertify the union by its members.  As a teacher myself, I’m not surprised to hear right wing “talkers” claiming that I make too much money.  What’s surprising to me, and a bit depressing (as one of my close friends put it), how can so many of the “ditto heads” (of course, I’m now talking about those thoughtless people who listen to Rush Limbaugh) fail to see through Limbaugh’s disengenuous rhetoric – he reportedly makes $400 MILLION per year – and is attacking teachers who average in the $40 -$50 THOUSAND range across the country.  In my case, I have enough education to have a PHD (actually, I have a Masters degree plus a lot of other professional development classes).  I don’t complain about how much I make and I’m honestly not teaching based on the money – but, I do think I deserve a living wage.  These right wing thugs seem to want everyone in America working for minimum wages – WITHOUT benefits – that is, until they can eliminate minimum wages altogether (another of the “New Deal” accomplishments).

Here’s what bugs me the most.  It was the very people who are chipping away at the middle class who created the economic mess we find ourselves in.  People like the Koch brothers have been strong supporters of the “trickle down” economic “plan” of the republican party ushered in by Reagan because it’s saved them BILLIONS in taxes.  Evidently, these people who are the BILLIONAIRES can’t get enough!  (Now, I shouldn’t be painting with a “broad brush” because I’ve heard Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, and others at the “top” of the economic “ladder” calling for higher taxes on the “rich” themselves)  And, they are concentrated around Wall Street in one form or another – plus, they’re plundering the very government they say they hate for all they can get – it was Wall Street where the abuses took place which led to the present economic disaster.  What’s curious to me is how Wall Street crashes the economy, the government bails them out, they go right back to gambling with America’s treasury, and finance an onslaught on America’s middle class to avoid EVER having to pay for their own excesses!  I don’t get why this is so hard for even the “tea party” to figure out.  It’s not the union workers of America who’ve created this problem.

It’s as if the corporate “heads” are saying, we can get people to do your job in China for 1/10 of what we’re paying you – so, see you later!  And, since they can’t hire Chinese workers to “man” the public employment picture, the next best thing is to bash these people so that they can join the “race to the bottom” that was started the day Ronald Reagan took the oath of office.  Can you believe this – now, teachers are making too much money!  In my state (Washington) a teacher who is just starting out with a MASTERS DEGREE earns around $30,000.  It costs them $50,000, or more, to get that Masters degree – but, what the heck – maybe what the Koch brothers want would be teachers working for minimum wages.  Maybe teacher certification will soon be a thing of the past – the jobs will go to those who will work for the least amount of wages.  And, with governors like Scott Walker in Wisconsin, they’ll have no rights to negotiate their contracts.  Can you just picture teachers punching in on a time clock when they come to work?  Is that where we’re heading?  And, if so, who’s next?

I can tell you who’s next.  It’s the old people.  They’re costing us entirely too much (even though some might say they put money into the Social Security trust fund – we need that money to keep Iraq and Afganistan going).  These big financiers can’t get their greedy minds off of the nearly $3 TRILLION in trust for America’s aging – who – like the Wall Street bankers – no longer produce anything of significance to America’s economy.  And, Medicare really is a huge problem, because the FOR PROFIT health care system is out of control.  To keep their CEO’s and stockholders happy, the insurance companies, various health providers (devices, drugs, etc.), and hospitals will need to continue jacking up the costs of health care.  It really doesn’t seem to matter whether the care is sensible or who gets the care – it only matters how much money these companies and executives MAKE!  And, yet where else but in America would you find a grass roots “tea party” standing side by side with corporate rip off artists claiming to be “populist” while being ripped off themselves by the very people funding their movement?  Talk about confusing irony.

All I can say at this point is “yeah for those in Wisconsin” who are taking the battle to the streets.  That is the real solution to this problem.  Richard Nixon used to refer to the “silent majority” when trying to defend his indefensible malfeasance – but, I think the day for the “silent majority” to stand up has arrived.  At least I hope so.  And, I believe the first example may be in Madison Wisconsin.  Bravo to all of them – all I can say is that I hope they succeed.  Whether they stop this legislation the republicans are attempting to ram through or not, I hope they move to recall this governor (who reportedly has presidential aspirations, ughhh!) as soon as possible.  I’ve heard they have to wait at least one year (that’s probably – he has to be in office one year) before they can start a recall.  I’d support that plus the recall of the republican legislators who are supporting him as well.

The bottom line here is that the Koch brothers and the rest of the right wing conglomerate which is trying to take over this nation has an UNLIMITED supply of money.  They have a stranglehold on our “liberal media” (have you noticed how difficult it’s been to get good coverage of protests involving estimates as high as 100 THOUSHAND protestors in Wisconsin?) and they have absolutely NO SCRUPLES!  Lying comes second nature to these people.  Every time I listen to one of them I’m reminded of the psychologist who was advising me on the significance of children lying.  He told me that if they are still lying at the age of 14 it becomes part of their character, and after they’ve told enough lies, they start to believe their own lies are actually true.  Listen to Limbaugh, Beck, Hannity, O’Reilly, Lars Larson, Michael Savage, or any of the rest of them for a bit.  It won’t take long for you to understand what I just said in this post.  They are dangerous just like the Nazi’s were dangerous in the early thirties – and, if “we the people” don’t stop them they will keep on their plan until they have us by where the “hair is short!”

Ultimately, win or lose, I believe what’s happening in Wisconsin will happen again all over America in this “year of the tea party.”  The people in the streets are the first encouraging sign I’ve seen since I figured out that President Obama was rolling over to the republicans.  When you do a little research on the Koch family and on the Bush family you get a really good picture of the leadership of the republican party.  Both families built their significant wealth through the oil industry and both families have a history of trading with our enemies.  George W Bush’s grandfather was supplying weapons grade materials to Adolf Hitler in the 30’s while the patriarch of the Koch family was busy building oil refineries in Russia for Stalin, enabling Russia to gain the economic strength to carry on the 50 year “Cold War.”  These families will do anything for money and they are pushing an agenda in America where those who think like they do will control all aspects of our society.   I hope and pray that the protestors in Wisconsin “stay the course” until this right wing whacko governor is FORCED to back down.  The rest of us need to be prepared to follow suit – because these republicans have a full fledged national plan – designed to create Rove’s “permanent republican ‘majority’.”  I have a feeling I’ll be saying this a lot in the near future, “On Wisconsin!”  (I noticed the captain of the Green Bay Packers was on the picket lines with the protestors – Charles Woodson – yeahh!)

Often times I hope that I don’t come across as arrogant as it sometimes feels.  Yes, I find myself constantly criticizing our national leaders and, yes, I’m just a sixth grade school teacher – but, I’ve had several “real world” “careers” prior to going into education and I’m often times amazed and dismayed as I watch my government leaders making the same kind of, what appear to me as, gutless decisions OVER and OVER again.  The other day I heard the rough details of President Obama’s budget proposal and the first thing that came to my mind was “Why do Democrats always start a negotiation at a place that would aggravate the “troops” if that’s where it ended?  Did Obama negotiate out this budget in his mind before presenting it?  Honestly, what on earth is going on here?  And, final question: “What’s the next compromise going to cost progressives?”

When you really sit down and think about things, the reason you vote someone into office is to change the course of “events” and to make GAINS for your “side.”  However, just as President Obama came away from granting HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS of WASTED tax cuts in his “compromise” with republicans last December as if he had “WON” something, he’s starting the budget debate from a position of defeat – yes, I said that right – he’s STARTING from that position.  God help us with what he ends up with!

We’ve just had BOTH parties agree that Americans shouldn’t have to pay higher taxes in an attempt to balance the federal budget (and, for people who think as I do, start paying down the accumulated debt).  We’re looking at the Wall Street bankers, the hedge fund managers, the corporate CEO’s who continue to THRIVE in this financially driven economy still finding ways to make MORE money and pay LESS taxes while producing products which do NOTHING for the betterment of our society.  Corporations which are willingly accepting lucrative (and sometimes “no-bid”) contracts from the GOVERNMENT moving their corporate headquarters overseas to avoid ANY taxes – yes, that’s correct, many of America’s (well, actually NOW “the world’s”) leading corporations PAY NO taxes at all – yet, they gain large portions of their incomes from government contracts!  And, what’s even more disturbing to me is that they want even MORE yet!

So, who can “we the people” depend on?  Well, I read an article in “The Nation” this morning which gives me hope and also gives me the answer to that question.  It is US that “we the people” can depend on!  In Wisconsin, the new REPUBLICAN governor is essentially pushing through legislation which would ELIMINATE collective bargaining rights (yes, you heard – OK read – that right, I’ve been telling you if you’ve been reading this blog that the republicans HATE unions, and that public employees are “next”) for all public employees with the exception of firefighters and policemen.  The Washington Post reported “The bill is expected to pass.”  Well, what would you expect the Washington Post to report?  The “Nation” (that pesky “liberal” publication which has been around since the days of the New Deal) reported that there were in excess of 10,000 protestors at the capital and their support was spreading.  This is what it’s going to come down to.  Are the workers of America going to stand together and stop this corporate siege of their rights?

Note:  I started this post last week and then left for a few days.  While I was gone, the “protests” in Wisconsin have grown in numbers – not only in Wisconsin, but presumably around the country (of course, the “liberal media” isn’t saying much about any “groundswell” – but, at least I can hope, can’t I?) and, on my return, I even read that President Obama had joined in solidarity with the protestors and FINALLY pointed out the obvious – THIS IS AN ATTACK ON UNIONS!  For those of you who tend toward the “tea party” who are evidently the major instigators of this recent PUSH to wipe the few remaining union workers in America into the ranks of the UNREPRESENTED at the bargaining table – in fact, I believe these people won’t rest until there is NO bargaining table – a little history lesson:  Thanks to unions – we have child labor laws, we have a minimum wage, we have a 40 hour work week, we have overtime pay, we have vacation pay, we have sick pay, we have (obviously, this is one of the things the opponents of unions wish to defeat) health benefits, we have maternity benefits, we have (in some instances) pension benefits, we have the RIGHT TO BARGAIN, and we have many other protections which those who represent the GREEDY corporate BEHEMOTH which is attempting to HIJACK America would love to ELIMINATE.

Close to where I live, in Oregon, the previous gubernatorial election was probably swung to the democratic candidate because the republican candidate (a former pro basketball player who was paid in the tens of millions when he was playing in the NBA) accidently spoke the TRUTH about his intentions to repeal the minimum wage in the vacinity of a microphone.  Kind of like the MaCaca mistake of George Allen in the 2006 Senate Campaign in Viginia.  Of course, he tried to double talk his way out of the statement, but the truth is that he (Chris Dudley) and the rest of the republican party are trying to push the workforce of this nation down as far as they can get them.  This has been going on for the past 30+ years, but with the “tea party’s” enthusiasm – plus leaders such as Sarah Palin and Scott Walker (the governor of Wisconsin who’s trying to essentially decertify the public employee unions in his state legislatively) who are willing to say ANYTHING the corporate MASTERS command, it’s definitely time for a counterattack.

I was encouraged that Obama got involved on the side of the protestors, but given his previous two years of pandering to the “right,” I refuse to get any more than cautiously optimistic that he’ll be an encouragement to these workers and the others around the country who are under assault.  Honestly, you’d think he’d intervene more directly.  These union benefits were won by our fathers and their fathers during the Great Depression and the Great War that followed it.  The union movement in America brought the middle class of this nation together into one of the greatest forces of WORKERS the world has ever seen.  Of course, that hasn’t affected these “right wing” corporatists who lost this battle in the 30’s and 40’s and have been trying to REPLAY it ever since.  When you look at the scenario that has unfolded, creating the mass unemployment in America today with the resulting HUGE number of Americans who are underemployed – you have to wonder what are the people who voted these “tea partiers” into office thinking?  They are republicans, and it has been republicans who have created this economy that is now based on Wall Street financiers making money with money.  They produce NOTHING of value to this country.  Meanwhile the middle class continues to dwindle in size to the point where there is an acute crisis going on in America and we have to wonder whether our “leaders” have noticed.  To them, Wall Street is healthy again!

Well, Main Street is falling apart – the people are losing their homes by the MILLIONS, the hiways are crumbling, the bridges are threatening to collapse every day during rush hour, and our government wants to CUT spending on things like the working poor, women (Oh my gosh – I’ll write something soon on the cuts that affect women – but, as a school teacher, I see directly the affect of cuts to womens’ health for the working poor, benefits like Head Start, benefits to homeless shelters, health benefits for children, etc. – this is unbelievable – and, I’m talking about Obama’s proposals – the republicans are FAR WORSE – hence my comment above on the absurdity of Obama starting the negotiation from a defeated position from the standpoint of the people who need the help the most – the result is the BIG LOSERS are – our low income children), Medicare and Medicaid, and education – we’re not even talking about spending on infrastructure any more.

It has been the republicans who have led the assault on what’s good in America.  They’ve been enabling those who would pilfer the wealth of this nation (I call them the greedy corporatists) at the expense of those at the “bottom.”  It’s as if they’re saying to those at the bottom, “You got yourself into that situation, YOU figure out how to get out of it!  It’s not the government’s job to help.”  That attitude wouldn’t be so absurd if they weren’t, at the same time, providing CORPORATE WELFARE in the TRILLIONS to the sugar daddies who continue to fund their campaigns.  What’s really bothering me is that the American people in sufficient numbers haven’t seemed to notice this.  However, what’s happening in Wisconsin may be the BIRTH of the kind of response these republican thieves deserve – and that’s the collective RATH of the middle class Americans who’ve been the victims of their PILFERING!  No one needs to get shot, there needn’t be any violent riots – the American middle class simply needs to let their leaders know that they have HAD ENOUGH!  In large enough numbers to get the “liberal media” to notice.

President Obama still has the oppportunity to be the LEADER who those of us who proudly call ourselves LIBERALS (I was a conservative in the early 70’s – that’s how far the “pendulum” has swung) worked to get elected in 2008.  However, this isn’t going to be a battle that is won or lost in the Wisconsin state legislature.  IT IS, HOWEVER,  a great starting point.  So, I hope Obama joins the BATTLE, but even if he chooses to continue on his frustratingly timid pandering of the same republicans who are attacking the very fabric of America’s middle class – the rest of us have HUGE power in numbers.  Hopefully, the “SEEDS” have been planted in Wisconsin.  I have a few suggestions – for whatever they’re worth.  Win or lose in the Wisconsin legislature – it would be great to see a RECALL movement of the governor and the state legislators behind this push to decertify the state workers’ union.  EVERY working person in America has a stake in that battle.  I would certainly donate what few dollars I have to their cause.  That would be a good start.  it would send the PROPPER message to the “tea party” who apparently hate unions more than the “classic” republicans (if that’s possible).

Then, let’s take this BATTLE to the other states who are part of the same conspiracy.  Somehow Ohio (that’s where my family originally came from before they moved west) voted John Kasich in as governor.  The guy is a true “right wing” whacko.  Ohio is a blue collar state which has been devastated by the jobs being sent to China and elsewhere outside the U.S.  For some reason they’re taking out their frustrations on democrats by electing people like Kasich and John Boehner as their main leaders.  A true, massive, revolt by the working folk of Ohio to Kasich’s attempt to do the same thing governor Walker of Wisconsin is doing would be truly inspirational to the rest of blue collar America!  Hopefully, our national democratic leaders will have the courage to join the BATTLE and take these people (the “tea party” and the republicans) on.  We will see whether democrats are cowering in the “face” of all the money which will undoubtedly be spent in 2012 as a direct result of “Citizens United,” or whether they will join those of us who are CRAVING for leaders who will take on this corporate TAKEOVER straight up.

To me, Wisconsin probably is “Ground Zero” in the fight to save the labor unions of America.  It’s definitely “you know what or get off the pot” time for the working class of America.  It had begun to feel hopeless as we watched Obama extend the Bush Tax Cuts, refuse to end the two disastrous occupations – thus, continuing the BRUTAL treatment of our troops by sending them into Iraq and Afganistan OVER AND OVER again, and cave in TIME AND AGAIN to what should have been an impotent republican minority during his first two years as president.  Despite the “mess” Obama inherited, no one was confused as to who caused it when he took office.  His pandering to republicans and his lack of will to hold them accountable for ANYTHING they did during the Bush administration created a lot of confusion in the mind’s of many Americans who simply pay attention to the sound bites and the headlines.  Plus, this timidness reenergized the republican party into what is now something far more dangerous than when Bush was president.  As far as I’m concerned, Obama allowed the republicans to get out of control, and it’s up to him to lead the fight to put them back where they belong (in the minority) 

If President Obama doesn’t “step up” during this next few months, he will have a minority of democrats in both the house and the senate in 2012 – if he’s reelected.  I think the question is becoming, does President Obama simply want to be president, or does he want to be a great and courageous president.  Well, he won’t have a better opportunity than the impending battle for worker’s rights (and, I can guarantee you, Social Security is on these “tea partiers'” horizon).  And, it’s very apparent that “we the people” have to push him in the “right” direction.  The protestors in Wisconsin have made a good start.  The rest of us need to support them financially and spiritually.  And, then, when it’s our turn to fight the republican onslaught against the workers of America – we need to do the same thing (I live in Washington, and anticipate something similar happening here).  Shut the schools down, close the government offices down, and gather in numbers at the state houses to not only protest these draconian attacks on worker’s rights, but to protect those rights for those Americans who will come after us.  The protestors in Wisconsin are walking in solidarity not only for their own cause, but for the cause that was first fought for in the 1930’s.  Ironically, it’s the SAME greedy corporate thugs who are on the other side of the picket line today as who were there at the height of the Great Depression.  What’s the saying?  “The more things change, the more they stay the same!”

I’m always confused as to whether or not I should focus my thoughts on the “plan” of the republican party to usher in a corporatocracy in America or on the democrats who are either complicit in the “plan” or are simply incapable of banding together to put up a good FIGHT!  And, of course, then there’s the dilemma of either supporting President Obama who’s hard at work trying to make deals with these republicans who are trending farther and FARTHER to the “RIGHT,” or taking the “high road” and finding some unelectable candidate to support who tells it like it is – sort of like the Ralph Nader dilemma of 2000.  The end result of the second of those two choices could be something like a Sarah Palin, or Paul Ryan, or – as I’ve been predicting for two years and now seems more plausible – a Jeb Bush as our next president – with the resulting disaster of MAJOR PROPORTIONS, not the least of which would be their choices to the Supreme Court.  To put it mildly, almost all the “thrill” of President Obama’s election has turned sour.  I feel as if I’m back in that place – where, honestly I think I’ve spent my life – looking to support the least bad of two choices.

Recently, a couple friends of mine who are in their 70’s (and watch Fox – unfortunately) asked me how happy I am now with President Obama “the socialist?”  I hadn’t seen them since before the mid term election and they were apparently gloating, because they are life long republicans without a clue as to what the republican party has become since their working days (again, they watch Fox – that should explain it all).  They, and all the other people around them (I was at a golf course) were quite surprised when I announced that President Obama was too conservative for me!  I’m pointing this out because I believe that one thing that is truly bipartisan in America right now is an uninformed public.  Now, I’m not trying to suggest that I’m informed and all these other people aren’t, because a few years ago I realized how “fooled” I’ve been over my lifetime.  I have tried to keep up with “what’s happening” but, like the rest of America, I always felt I could trust the “liberal media” to be somewhat unbiased and working as the “fourth estate” of our government which was the intention of the founders.

In my mind, what America’s media has evolved into is simply more entertainment.  From my perspective, I saw this happening beginning in the days of Ronald Reagan.  Recently, Reagan fans were celebrating his 100th birthday as if he was some sort of national icon.  It’s really hard for me to understand that.  This “celebration” does give, however, one good example of what I’m trying to say in this post.  Ronald Reagan was a good orator, there’s no question about that.  However, he wasn’t a good president – there can be little question about that either.  The people who support him simply ignore all the negative accomplishments and dwell on the “myths.”  For instance, Reagan was not responsible for the demise of the Soviet Union.  I could write an entire post (or posts) on that subject, but it’s the OPINION of many that he was.  However, if you look at the facts, it’s hard to connect them with that reality.  (Unfortunately, the United States – as I’m typing this – is embroiled in Afghanistan, much to the “glee” of people like Osama bin Laden – the same place which helped bankrupt the Soviets – this could end up being the “mother” of all examples of the saying “those who ignore history are destined to repeat it)  Now, it’s true that Reagan’s administration armed and supported bin Laden and the other “mujahadeen” in the 10 year struggle to get the Soviets out of Afghanistan (along with the Saudi’s and other Arab nations), and that Afghanistan accelerated the Soviet’s demise, so if you follow the original argument that Reagan was responsible for the demise of the Soviets, and if this Afghanistan fiasco America is now MIRED in ends with the same result (America goes broke – that’s a joke isn’t it, America’s already broke for all intents and purposes) I guess you could then say Reagan was responsible for the demise of America, too.  That’s because, it was Reagan and his admistration which armed bin Laden and they’re still using weapons supplied by us – now, against Americans – to this day.

Well, actually, I do believe Ronald Reagan is largely responsible for the demise of America.  But in a far different way than simply looking at the horror of Afghanistan.  Honestly, I don’t even recognize this country that I’ve grown up in.  And, I guess I’m saying that from the perspective that logic tells me a nation as blessed as the United States should continue to progress and, given the responsibility we EARNED after World War II, you’d think we would embrace that role as non-negotiable.  Additionally, considering what the United States proved it was capable of during the second World War, it’s hard for me to understand how the American public could be so susceptible to FEAR.  When you think about that, terrorists rely on FEAR to gain success.  If that really is true, then why would our government be complicit by virtually encouraging the American public to FEAR a small band of radical terrorists located thousands of miles from our shores?  Since 9/11 we’ve been slowly allowing the basic tenets of our society to erode in some kind of strange attempt to protect us from a few thousand fanatics located in Pakistan or other far away lands. I’m digressing.

Here’s some “things” that can be traced back to the Reagan administration.  For starters, the “trickle down” or “supply side” theory of economics – called “voodoo economics” by George HW Bush (one of the few times I agreed with him) – unquestionably began with Reagan.  Even his original budget director, David Stockman, calls the tax cutting which has been the MANTRA of the republican party since Reagan, IMMORAL.  His reasoning is sound.  All we are doing is putting off the inevitable – we’re telling our children and grandchildren we’ll let them pay for our excesses!  It is obscene and it’s been going on for over 30 years now, and recently, even President Obama claimed that extending the “Bush Tax Cuts” would create “millions of jobs.”  That is PURE HOGWASH, and, in my view, NONE of the “leaders” of our country have the guts to face up to the reality of the mounting debt situation.  (The “tea partiers” hate the debt, but they don’t want to pay for anything besides the military either!)  The national debt was less than ONE TRILLION dollars when Reagan took office, and after 30+ years of his economic policy “ruling the day” it is now up to over FOURTEEN TRILLION dollars!  Republicans will blame that on democrats SPENDING too much, but if you check out that reality, you’ll find that republicans are the big spenders as well (the only thing resembling sound fiscal policy in my lifetime has come from democrats – well, I barely remember Eisenhower) This should be enough to convince people Reagan was no saint, but there’s plenty more.

Reagan and his administration secretly, and in direct defiance of Congress, sold arms to America’s “sworn enemy” Iran, ostensibly to gain the release of hostages held by Hezbollah in Lebanon, but covertly to generate secret funds which were sent to Nicaragua in support of the RIGHT WING Contras who were attempting to overthrow the left wing, ELECTED, Sandanista Junta which had overthrown the Samoza regime that had controlled Nicaragua for over 40 years.  Take a breath :o) (Samoza was removed during Carter’s presidency, some 5 years before the Sandinista’s were elected) I know little of the history of Nicaragua, but I clearly remember the arrogance of the Reagan administration as they defied the will of Congress and then repeatedly lied in the hearings which were intended to uncover their misdeeds (to a large degree, these are the same people involved in ramping up the invasion of Iraq).  Reagan was never indicted, but the simple conclusion would have to be that he was complicit in clearly ILLEGAL activity, or he was totally INCOMPETENT and had no idea what those in his “inner circle” were up to.  The latter option, which was conveniently the one publicly “accepted,” was never believable for me. (The great irony of all this is that after releasing the “hostages” through the agreement with Iran, Hezbollah simply took more hostages – for a “net gain” of ZERO for the Reagan administration in “negotiating with terrorists”)

Yes, there’s more.  In the late 1940’s Reagan was a bold supporter of the New Deal and Harry Truman and democrats like Hubert Humphrey.  Obviously, something very major happened.  Recently, I heard a speech he gave in 1948 which would imply that Reagan was a strong supporter of the American worker and unions.  Yet, one of the first significant things he accomplished in his first term was to publicly decertify the Air Traffic Controller’s union – leading to the attack on unions which is still in force today.  And, this attack has been quite successful – from the perspective of the anti-union employers, but very devastating to the American workforce.  America’s workers have seen a steady decline in real income from the day Reagan took office.  And, American’s who are members of a union have dropped from around a third of the workforce in 1980 to approaching 10% today.  With the help of a media which has allowed itself to be totally manipulated by politicians and corporations many of America’s voters are still voting for republicans while their job has gone “overseas” or their paycheck has gone “south.”  All the while Wall Street is “booming” and America’s corporations are sitting on a cash reserve in the trillions as millions of Americans are either unemployed or under employed.  Yet, republicans continue their quest to wipe ALL unions from the face of America’s economy.  Next, it’s the public employees unions (including police, firefighters, teachers, etc.)  I’ve already seen articles and ads suggesting that, for example, NOW teachers are making too much money! (I’m a teacher – for many years I’ve listened to people say teachers are underpaid [I didn’t agree with that either] but, now that we’re looking at a LENGTHY recession, those that “have” are looking for whatever “target” is still “standing” – and that includes police and firefighters who routinely risk their lives for public safety.  These union members PAY for the benefits they receive) Following Reagan’s lead, today’s republicans are leading the “race to the bottom” – although, it doesn’t include them!

In my view, Ronald Reagan ushered in what I’ve always called the “me generation.”  I even started predicting in the 1980’s that this problem would continue to “mount” until we somehow reached a breaking point if it wasn’t stopped in it’s tracks.  This is when the “privatization” started.  Reagan claimed that “government was the problem.”  Since his time I’ve marvelled at how republicans have continually complained that government is the problem while they want to control it and when they do control it they FLEECE the taxpayers of every cent they can get.  Reagan placed, essentially,  the “tax and spend” label on democrats – and, either the democrats are just inept at fighting back, or the media has helped them (republicans) pull this off – but, just looking at Reagan himself should bring some light on how ridiculous this is.  Reagan actually raised taxes more than any president I can remember in my lifetime.  His tax increases on people like me offset the tax cuts for the upper income Americans.  Plus, during Reagan’s term, spending actually INCREASED.  The bottom line was that the “rich” benefitted from his tax cutting, and the middle class were the losers.  This was the time when the deterioration of America’s middle class gained it’s “roots.”  Also, GREED became “politically correct” – an attitude which continues to survive.  “Welfare” was replaced with “corporate Welfare!”

Reagan’s legacy has lived on in subsequent administrations.  George HW Bush went from criticizing Reagan when running against him in 1980 to embracing the “voodoo economics” to the tune of a couple TRILLION added to the deficit in his one term of office.  So, the deficit went from less than a TRILLION when Reagan started to something over 6 or 7 Trillion by the time Clinton became president.  Despite Clinton getting the economy back under control, he was BLASTED by the media which was, again, being manipulated by republicans (they have continually gotten better at this, until now they are experts!) for his entire 8 years in office.  Yes, he messed up with his personal choices, but the onslaught of unfounded charges was unprecedented.  And, then along came the Supreme Court’s choice for president George W Bush.  How will we ever forget him and his right hand man Dick Cheney.  This gave a startling viewpoint of the bias of our “liberal media.”  Bush/Cheney undermined the debt problem with the economy by putting “trickle down” economic theory on steroids.  Cheney’s famous quote, “Reagan proved deficits don’t matter” will live in infamy – possibly as “the straw the broke the camel’s back” as far as America’s standing as world leaders.  Bush/Cheney evidently intimidated the press to the point where they could “get away” with almost anything.  There was hardly a whimper (at least that made national news for any period of time) at the FACT that Bush/Cheney turned a $250 BILLION surplus into a $300+ BILLION deficit in a matter of months.  Corporations such as Enron were fleecing America by the BILLIONS and Bush/Cheney were presumably complicit – although I can’t remember a single investigation of them after Enron’s demise which depleted retirement accounts of millions of Americans.  Contrast that with EIGHT years of coverage of the failed Whitewater land deal in which the Clinton’s lost $10 THOUSAND and nobody else was harmed.

Cheney outed a CIA agent, “enemy combatants” were tortured by the droves (some murdered), Americans were illegally wiretapped by the scores (or more – who knows), the Justice Department was turned into a partisan arm of the republican party, regulatory agencies ignored their duties and allegedly were even partying and MORE with the very people they were supposed to be regulating (leading to incidents like the Massey Mine disaster and the Deep Water Horizon oil spill which has polluted the Gulf of Mexico – and, now the gas fracture extracting in the Northeast which is polluting large aquifers),  and companies like Halliburton and Blackwater are relocating to places like Dubai in order to avoid investigations of their misdeeds and PAYING taxes.  Again, where is the so-called “liberal media?”

Additionally, with the help of the news media’s lack of willingness to challenge our republican “leaders,” the Bush/Cheney administration were not only allowed to abandon the “hunt” for bin Laden and the shift of America’s “military might” into Iraq, they were almost encouraged to do this.  Few people I talk to have any clue that people like Cheney, Rumsfeld, Feith, Eric Prince, and others connected with the Bush/Cheney crew profited in the HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of dollars from the Iraq invasion.  I’ve seen not ONE story reporting the WAR PROFITEERING that has gone on (and is still going on) in, not only Iraq, but Afghanistan as well.  Just to be perfectly clear, WAR PROFITEERING is about as low as it gets in my view.  We had soldiers DYING in Iraq for a lack of armour, yet the people who put them there were making HUGE profits and showing NO REMORSE for the tragic loss of life (and, in many cases, limb).  If you remember, Bush/Cheney let the coffins come home with not even a representative there to show the deserved respect, and troops languished in sordid conditions at Walter Reed Army Hospital – sometimes rat infested rooms – with NO ONE from the administration even having a clue to what they were enduring – because, no one even visited the wounded troops!

Under the Bush administration, until the democrats took control of congress, veterans benefits were actually being cut – while the troops were doing EXTENDED tours in Afghanistan and/or Iraq.  That was unbelievable to me.  Some of these vets have been over there close to TEN times at this point.  All the while, the rest of us are squabbling over the size of the TAX CUTS!  And, the democrats don’t get a pass here – the extension of the “Bush Tax Cuts” was UNTHINKABLE!  Just the FACT that the Bush administration cut taxes at the same time they were sending troops into “harms way” was beyond belief.  That sent a message to the American public that the cost of this war they were CAUSING was to be borne totally by the TROOPS – I’ll never forget Bush’s answer to the question, “How can the American public best support the troops?”  He simply said, “Keep shopping.”  It makes my stomach queezy to this day to even think about that.  EVERY CENT of the cost of these two HORRIFIC occupations has been BORROWED.  Yet, where is the public response?  From what I can tell, there is no response anymore.  The public has evidently accepted that we’ll be in Afghanistan at least until 2014 and who knows how long we’ll be entrenched in Iraq.  (I’m guessing we’ll stay in Iraq until someone like Moqtada al Sadr leads an Iran type revolt similar to the “hostage crisis” of 1979. 

I’ve shut off my TV as far as the news is concerned – I’m reading books.  Anything I can find that is written by a good investigative reporter.  As an educator (albeit 6th graders) I’m trying to teach my students to think for themselves and to find information from multiple sources before making judgements.  When I practice that myself, I continually come to the conclusion that the press in America should no longer be considered the “fourth estate.”  I keep thinking of the time when I actually watched Fox “news,” before it dawned on my what they were doing.  They have HAMMERED the term “fair and balanced” down our collective throats (if you haven’t read any of my posts linking their propaganda philosophy with that of Joseph Goebbels, the head of Nazi propaganda – check out the archives – it really is interesting to see the similarities).  I’ve come to the conclusion “Fair and Balanced” really means offsetting the truth with an equal number of lies!  And, it’s true the media can’t change policy – but, as far as I’m concerned they’re – at best – cowering in the face of an out of control government.  It’s clear to me that President Obama will not “lead” us toward the “change we can believe in” if he’s not forced.  I don’t see “we the people” demanding it until the press reports the TRUTH about what America is “up to.” (Egypt policy would be a good starting point – now that the “torturer in chief” is in charge there)  Obama’s Attorney General is agressively going after Wiki Leaks for publishing the TRUTH about American diplomacy and they TOTALLY ignored the misdeeds of Bush/Cheney et al.  The FIRING of Keith Olberman, I’m sure, has embedded the message into journalists’ minds that the “corporate masters” will tolerate only so much reporting of what is actually happening in America! (you didn’t see any outrage from the political “left” over Olberman’s FIRING because he was critical of them as well as critical of the “right”)

I was reading the financial news this weekend and saw that Comcast’s “takeover” of NBC Universal (now NBCUniversal – to signify the “unity” between the two corporations) has been completed.  So, we now have an even more contracted “media” since Bill Clinton signed the Telecommunications Act of 1996.  And, the “whimper” we heard for a day or so about Comcast FIRING Keith Olberman died as quickly as I’m sure the executives from both companies figured it would die.  And, “the beat goes on.”  They even did this in what has become the usual “way,” – by firing Olberman on Friday – he announced it himself on his show which airs at prime time on Friday evening – let me correct that – it aired – so one more notch has now been firmly established on the measuring stick of those who are attempting to facilitate the takeover of this nation by purely right wing corporate interests.  I’ve been watching this privitization for over 30 years – and, it’s getting to the point where I have to force myself to think about other things because I’m not seeing much of a clamoring by the American public about what is being lost.

The great irony to me is that the people behind this “takeover” – and, now I’m not talking about Comcast – specifically – but, the corporate execs who appear to be in cahoots to destroy this nation’s government as it evolved after the “crash” of 1929 – use the very principles they are attacking to defend their attack!  That is, they claim to be “taking our nation back” (whatever that means – or should I say, from whomever that means – very confusing to me) and fighting for the freedoms set forth by the founding fathers.  And, honestly, about the only freedom I can see them fighting for set forth by the “founding fathers” would be the right to own slaves – seriously, what else could they be talking about?  I mean, it can’t be freedom of speech – despite the willingness of those on the left to ignore the vitriol – this act by Comcast to fire Olberman is just one example in a long line of the “right wing” slowly gaining a STRANGLEHOLD on America’s media.  The results of the Olberman issue remains to be seen – that is, how it affects the content coming from others who are critical of this corporate vendetta on America’s government.  But, the sad reality is that right wing or right leaning corporations control essentially 90% or more of the media outlets in America.  Newspapers are dying, and the “4th estate” is getting to the point where it is so politicized that it’s important function as the watchdog of the government is fast becoming non-existent.  I mean, where was the media questioning Bush/Cheney during the ramping up of the Iraq invasion.  There was plenty of evidence showing the faulty intelligence – and plenty of people opposed to the invasion – but, the media was intimidated (or something) from reporting it.

Where was the media when Bush/Cheney abandoned the fight against Osama bin Laden and ACTUALLY allowed his escape from Tora Bora into Pakistan – in fact, I’ve read several accounts that claim the CIA actually helped facilitate bin Laden’s and his al Qaeda followers’ escape into Pakistan – with the blessing of Tommy Franks and the American military.  Why do we have to read this in books written by Pakistani journalists?  What has happened to America’s media?  And, what is to happen to America if this problem isn’t addressed?

If you’ve read anything about Karl Marx’s theories of “socialism” you might recognize that he predicts capitalism will essentially self destruct through GREED of the “bourgeoisie.”  There becomes more and more “proletariat” (poor people) as the “bourgeoisie” (rich people) gain more wealth and “The industrial and political supremacy of the bourgeoisie threatens it (capitalism – my insertion) with certain destruction” – “on the one hand through the concentration of capital and on the other through the rise of a revolutionary proletariat” (is anyone paying attention to what’s happening in Egypt?)  I read this with the understanding the working class (or people without employment) will only take the “crap” from the “bourgeoisie” for so long.  In the United States, for some reason, we’ve been almost encouraging a shifting UPWARD of wealth since the days of Ronald Reagan.  What is going to have to happen to wake up our “leaders?”

Corporate interests continue to conspire about ways in which they can gain even MORE control over the electorate in America.  As I’ve stated many times on this website, they are using the classic Goebbels propaganda techniques to FOOL working class Americans to vote for their own self destruction.  And, the reality is that the American workers, African Americans, Americans of Latino descent, and basically the unemployed and underemployed are only going to “take” so much.  That stands to reason.  Anyone who believes an uprising can’t take place in America is fooling him/herself.  Now, don’t get me wrong here – I believe we’re a long way from something such as what’s happening in Egypt – but, not necessarily that far from MAJOR unrest in America’s cities similar to the 1960’s.  There are a lot of people feeling a sense of frustration at what appears to be a hopeless situation regarding the “change we can believe in.”

We are now hearing many of the “progressive” voices in America speaking more “nicely” about our president than they were prior to the mid term election.  Do you wonder why that is?  I believe that there are many, such as myself, who continue to hope that President Obama will somehow morph into the progressive “champion” we thought we were voting for in 2008.  But, a close look at reality gives a much different view – and, I believe many people are no longer looking at him in that “light” but, instead, are comparing him to the alternative.  Because the reality of 2012 is going to be upon us before we know it.  My view of President Obama has evolved to thinking of him trying to be the democratic version of Ronald Reagan.  He seems to have an obsession with bridging the civility gap between the “right” and the “left.”  And, I’m not going to claim that isn’t something which is important.  However, I keep reminding myself of the saying “don’t put the cart before the horse.”  Some of the consequences of this obsession of his could prove to be immense – and, very difficult to recover from – for “we the people.”

First of all, and I won’t dwell on this anymore than I already have (check the archives if you’re interested) – the act of (for all intents and purposes) pardoning George W Bush and Dick Cheney from their illegal actions and those of their cohorts was UNTHINKABLE to me.  Not only did it send the WRONG message to everyone, especially the republicans, but I believe it has allowed people in Obama’s administration to feel comfortable in “crossing the lines” of civility themselves.  Take for example soldier Bradley Manning who was accused of turning over the classified information to “Wiki Leaks” which led to the disclosure of the TRUTH about American diplomacy around the world and other information.  For almost a year now he’s been held in conditions which can only be described as “cruel and unusual” and really amount to TORTURE.  So President Obama’s claim that we don’t “TORTURE” was simply more hot air coming from his mouth.  The “black hole” at Bagram Air base in Afghanistan is still alive and well and essentially taking the place of Guantanamo’s detention facility for U.S. “enemy combatants.”  And, interestingly (at least to me) the person the US is attempting to “broker” as the “interim” leader of Egypt’s “transition” to “democracy” (do you get my cynicism?) is the same person who was in charge of TORTURING all the “enemy combatants” who the United States transferred to Egypt under the “extraordinary rendition” policy of GW Bush – and, evidently a program continuing even today.

Further, after the cave-in on tax cuts the democrats were able to get some “token” legislation passed in the recently past “lame duck” congressional session – like the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in the military.  However, the price was HIGH and possibly much HIGHER than most people think.  We’ll find out a lot more about President Obama in the upcoming clashes, which are CERTAIN to happen, with the rejuvenated republicans in congress.  Start with the debt limit.  What is Obama going to give up in this next “compromise.”  Keep in mind the last “compromise” over the tax cuts ended with the repulbicans getting EVERYTHING they wanted and Obama and the democrats getting a few “scraps.”  (trust me, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’s” days were numbered either way – and the 13 month “extension” of unemployment benefits did nothing for the “99ers”).  What’s amazing to me is how the democrats always come away bragging about the “scraps.”  I’m honestly nervous about the next “compromise.”

In the process, President Obama came out of the “negotiations” claiming that these tax cuts were going to create “millions of jobs.”  Sound familiar, I still remember Reagan making that claim and at the same time saying he was going to “balance the budget.”  I’ve stopped wondering when the politicians will stop dreaming about this theory (“trickel down” or “supply side” if you will), I just keep wondering when the American public is going to come to their senses and are they going to do it before things get so bad for those at the “bottom” that we have our streets ablaze in violent reaction to greedy politics.  Why do these people keep getting voted into office?  Now, I realize I’m not the only one who was fooled by President Obama – but, to be honest about this, I still remember him drawing reference to Reagan at one of the debates so I shouldn’t be so surprised.  Democrats took offense to it at the time, but no one thought he was really thinking about being the democratic version of Reagan – at least I didn’t think that.  The other day I heard him tout the stock market’s recovery as a sign that the economy is “recovering.”  Well, to all my friends who are “99ers,” who are skilled workers, who’ve been members of the workforce for over 30 years, who WANT to work (sorry Sharron Angle and the other tea partiers – they’re not lazy), wall street’s success while, at the same time, they can’t even get an interview doesn’t cut it!  And, when we read that America’s corporations are sitting on TRILLIONS in cash reserves and are still not hiring people because, presumably, of a lack of demand – I hope you can see the problem here.

Obama and the democrats had the opportunity when he took office to REALLY change the environment in Washington DC.  Yes, they passed some legislation which was much different than what would have come from a republican administration and congress.  But, they did a HORRIBLE job of meeting the challenge of the “JUST SAY NO” republican senate.  The democrats in the senate not only couldn’t get good legislation through, they – in the process – undermined their supposed “colleagues” in the House – helping to dissuade the liberal “base” from voting in the mid-term elections and causing many members of the democratic caucus in the house (and some in the senate) to lose their seats.  The theory that came across – any legislation is better than nothing – allowed the republicans to TOTALLY manipulate the situation and now we’re stuck with a republican led House which is going to do everything it can to fulfill the wishes of Mitch McConnell, Rush Limbaugh, and John Boehner (among others on the “right”) and that is to make sure President Obama fails.

Additionally, what’s next on the horizon for these “right wingers?” I’m certain it’s Social Security!  Will they go after it as the price for an extension of the debt “ceiling?”  Will Obama “cave” again?  These are the questions I have for the almost immediate future.  I can say this – and I don’t get out of my corner of the nation much – but, I have friends who are surviving on Social Security and who are die hard right wingers who’ve bought the Limbaugh and Beck medicine and they will be very ANGRY if Social Security becomes the victim of today’s political “wars.”  I talked to a couple of them yesterday and even they can’t understand why the limit on income which is taxed isn’t raised to easily “fix” any potential problem that could occur in 30+ years.   So, President Obama will get another opportunity to make a stand, this time over Social Security.  The question becomes, will he cave and allow wall street to get their seemingly insastiable greedy hands on at least a portion of the trust fund (which republicans have already borrowed – ughhh!)  Without Keith Olberman, the number of “reporters” who will even dissect this issue has diminished to the point where if any “change” happens on a Friday – possibly the only people who will find out will be the ones looking at issues beyond what they see on Fox “news.”