I’m never short on being amazed at how ANYONE who’s not rich could support – or even believe – republican doublespeak.  Let me start off with a good example.  Once again, the republicans have magically regained control of the House of Representatives (with their sights firmly set on the Oval Office and the Senate for 2012) by railing against America’s national debt.  Of course, they NEVER get drawn into discussions about how we got to this point, but even MORE amazing is how they continue to support policies which ADD to the debt while complaining about it.  Just since the beginning of the current congressional session the republicans have proposed “cuts” of something in the range of $61 BILLION from this year’s budget – many from programs that provide benefits for low income women, or things like National Public Broadcasting (you know, Big Bird and Sesame Street – “liberal” things like that) – with virtually NONE of the cuts aimed at the Military Industrial Complex which is eating America alive from the inside out.  The curious result of their proposals – at least to me – is that, not only will their cuts have a minimal effect on the deficit, the estimate is they would cost ANOTHER 700,000 to 800,000 American jobs. (and, of course, that would further diminish government revenue – making the deficit even WORSE)

As I tell my students (6th graders) “Those who choose to ignore history are destined to repeat it,” and it seems that republicans with a bit of help from the democrats haven’t heard this saying.  For some reason, they continue to claim that “cutting spending” is the way to “balance the budget.”  Of course, they’re only talking about cutting things they don’t believe in.  Threaten to stop these wars we’ve been MIRED in for the past 10 years (can you believe we’ve allowed them to do this?) and they will scream BLOODY MURDER!  Talk about cutting back on the defense budget, or bringing troops home from the 50 or 60 countries we have them stationed in abroad and they’ll tell you we’ll be overrun by communists should we ever do that.  The only way the republicans would agree to a nuclear arms reduction treaty with Russia was if we spent another 40+ BILLION dollars on our own nuclear arsenal.  Are you kidding me?  How does that diminish the budget deficit.  Our nearly one TRILLION dollar military budget is sancrosanct, but for some reason we’ve got to get rid of Big Bird in an attempt to balance the budget!  Are “we the people” really as STUPID as the republicans (and by default, the dems too) take us for?

Oh yes, I mentioned the “dems” there – and, I’ve gotten to the point where I barely mention them, because – except for some awesome senators in the state of Wisconsin – the democrats seem to be just going along with “things as they are” in the hopes that the “ship” will “right itself” on its own – or at least that’s how it looks from my perspective.  Everytime I think of our president CAVING on the issue of tax cuts while listening to the proposed budget cuts – and ALL OF THEM (meaning the president and congressional “leaders”) talking about reducing the deficit – I honestly get a sick feeling in my stomach!  What are we in for in America?  What are we going to have to do to get the attention of these people?  I’ve been sending money to Wisconsin in the hopes that the people there will stay strong and outlast Governor Walker.  I continue to hope they will recall him and the republicans behind this terrible POWER GRAB as soon as legally possible.  And, the same goes for Ohio (my family originates from Ohio – what I’ve always considered a “blue collar” state – it’s shameful what the people of Ohio are doing) and the other states who’ve been overrun by these “RIGHT” wing republicans who hate unions, hate workers, and love money.  Does no one remember the sacrifices our parents and grandparents made in the depression?  Do we have to relive that experience to be able to appreciate what we once had – and, what is still close enough that we could get it again?

When are people going to stand up and point out that the problem is a lack of income.  Slashing government spending will only make the problem worse.  And, for those who’ve bought into the theory that cutting all these HARD fought for regulations on business will make things better for middle class workers, WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?  Take a closer look at what the governor of Wisconsin is trying to pull off!  Not only does he want the state employees working for less money and having virtually NO say in their wages and/or benefits – really, do you trust the man to be fair with the “workers?” – he’s stealthily trying to robb the state of Wisconsin of their public utilities and presumably energy resources.  And, long after whatever happens with the state workers gets “rectified” – if people like the Koch’s get their “hands” on the Wisconsin public utilities, gas lines, and energy resources – that will be irreversible.  I would have no problem with the people of the state selling those assets if that is what they wish – but, it’s my understanding that this part of the bill (like the union busting part) is a unilateral POWER GRAB by the governor which gives him unlimited freedom to heap unbelievable benefits on the very people who paid for his campaign.  Unfortunately, that kind of behavior is becoming the NORM in America!

As mentioned above, the democrats don’t seem to have much of a “grasp” on history either.  I really am dumbfounded that I’ve seen no sight of a single national democrat standing strong with the sometimes 150,000 protestors in Wisconsin.  Really, why isn’t President Obama there urging them on?  Think about that.  These people, and I guarantee you they’re not all democrats, are standing up for one of the most basic rights which came from the New Deal and that is collective bargaining.  You don’t have to be a democrat to understand the importance of protecting that hard fought right.  I’ve been saying for 2 years now (actually, now that I think of it, at least 4 years – since the dems won the Congress in 2006) that the democrats continue to confirm what the republicans say about them – they are spineless.  And, the republicans are like the bully in school who will keep PUSHING until the democrats FINALLY decide to PUSH BACK!

Obviously, the people of Wisconsin have decided to push back (can you believe they had Russ Feingold as a US Senator and allowed him to be defeated by a “tea party” candidate?  I guarantee you, he would have been right at the front of the line in this debacle).  The other day I sent my 5th $20 donation (OK, I admit I’m not a big time donor) to the cause in Wisconsin.  One of the donations went to “Act Blue” a democratic affiliated group which had put an ad together for Wisconsin TV supporting the protestors.  By the time I got home from school and checked my email, then submitted my donation, they had raised over 200% of their goal – demonstrating to me the support for these Wisconsin protestors nationwide.  So, again, where are the national democratic leaders?  Are they all afraid to actually make a stand for something?  Do they really believe if they let the republicans obliterate what’s left of America’s union movement they’ll be a viable political party?  I can tell you that if the democratic leadership doesn’t enter this FIGHT I’ll be even less inclined to support them in the future.  I would love to see the two senators from my state, Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, show up in support of the teachers, firefighters, policemen, nurses, social workers, etc. who are fighting for their most basic rights.  In fact, I can’t believe that these rights aren’t something legally GUARANTEED!

There’s a lot to like about President Obama, but – to me – the shortcomings are in vital areas which will leave LASTING untold damage.  He just seems as if he’s reluctant to accept that there’s a WAR going on for the SOUL of America.  It appears to me that Obama feels that he can just kind of “trudge” along and everything will work itself out for the better in the long run.  Well, I believe when it comes to governing, some guidance is in order.  Yes, some good things have happened (although, many of them were “watered down” to get some kind of superficial appearance of “bipartisanship”), but the general direction of Obama’s presidency has been alarming.  The latest issue isn’t even public yet, but I’m absolutely certain President Obama will “negotiate” the cutting of some programs that are sancrosanct to democratic constituents – and, he’ll find some way to present the LOSS as a WIN.  Just as he did after CAVING on the so-called Bush Tax cuts.  As I’ve stated on this site many times President Obama started his administration in the WORST possible way by first, hiring a crew of Wall Street insiders to fix the problem created by Wall Street insiders, and then – EVEN WORST YET – pardoning Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld/Rove/Gonzales/Addington/Yoo/Bybee (who’s now a federal judge)/Blackwater and Eric Prince/all the torturers of the CIA/those who refused to answer congressional subpoenas/ and anyone else involved in the mafia like atmosphere of the Bush/Cheney administration.  I’m always amazed as I listen to Randi Rhodes, one of America’s “progressive” talk radio hosts, as she on the one hand supports anything President Obama has done (calls people like me “stupid” for not “getting in line”) and then complains about how so many republican misdeeds have gone uninvestigated – let alone unpunished.  Well, the sad reality is that it’s Obama’s justice department now – he’s the one who didn’t want the distraction!  As I said at the beginning of his term, the distraction will ultimately be worse by empowering these thugs to believe democrats are spineless – and, now look at where we are.

I’ve been listening to people say “all politicians are liars” for almost my entire life, and I can’t make a sound argument to refute the statement.  But, the extent and the brazenous of the lying coming from republicans since the days of Richard Nixon has steadily been on the increase – which is hard to imagine after Watergate.  But, what democrats have proved is that if they don’t agressively defend their principles, the republicans will continue to erode them (the principles) and they keep coming back like a bad dream.  The resignation of Richard Nixon didn’t stop the dirty tricksters – it just caused them to be more cautious in their planning.  The huge deficits of the Reagan years didn’t stop the tax cutting hawks – they’re still claiming they’re going to “cut taxes and balance the budget” – and, they’ll continue until the democrats push back hard enough to convince the American public as to how much they’ve been DUPED!  I mean, the painfully difficult years of George W Bush didn’t stop this latest round of ASSAULT on America’s middle class – which has been at the heart of the republcan agenda since the days of FDR.

I thought the election of Barack Obama was going to be an historic turning point in the WAR on America’s middle class and the “have nots.”  I have been terribly disappointed.  I did vote in the recent 2010 election, but my enthusiasm was gone.  And, when Obama CAVED on the “Bush Tax Cuts” I realized the man has no resolve for the real FIGHT that is being waged – kind of one-sidedly.  I’m anticipating an assault on Social Security this year and don’t feel as if Obama will stand firm on that – although, maybe the protests in Wisconsin will give him a hint as to where his “base” is going to “draw the line.”  I believe the “base” is going to “draw the line” whether Obama joins the FIGHT or not.  But, make no mistake, this is a FIGHT.  If we the people allow Scott Walker (and the Koch’s) to win this battle, there will be another even more grevious one right behind it.  There are something like 20 “Right wing” governors ready to do the same thing being done in Wisconsin – Ohio has already CAVED.  As far as I’m concerned, if President Obama can’t find the time to support the protestors in Wisconsin, he shouldn’t run for a second term!  To any democratic member of congress out there; What are your chances in the future once the republicans have obliterated what’s left of America’s union movement?  Instead of letting this happen, you should be fighting to make it easier for workers to organize.