The other day I was driving around listening to the Randi Rhodes talk show on the radio, she being to Barack Obama what the right wing “talkers” were to George W Bush – that is, no matter what he does, “fall in line.”  On her show she was playing tape of Obama giving a speech in San Francisco last week poking fun at “liberals” who Rhodes called “whiners.”  I didn’t hear Obama use that term, although he may have, I only heard a small portion of his speech, but the words of Obama’s former chief of staff Rahm Emanuel calling “liberals” “f___ing retards” is as vivid in my mind as if he said it yesterday and Obama’s words reminded me of that comment.  And, I never doubted that Emanuel was just putting what Obama couldn’t say on the “public record.”  President Obama was sarcastically criticizing those on the left who were unhappy with his signature legislative “achievements” – the health care legislation, and the bills to “regulate” Wall Street. (of course, he continues to solicit money from those very same “liberals”)

Honestly, I just have to shake my head when I hear this stuff coming from our “progressive” president and his most ardent supporters.  I’m just guessing now, but those of us who REALLY were counting on the “change we can believe in” are simply idealists in the minds of the president and his closest allies.  I don’t question that Obama and his “contingent” are much smarter than I am, and I believe Rhodes is doing what she feels is best for the country – she always said, prior to Obama’s nomination that once the democrats made their choice the “rest of us” were obligated to “fall in line.”  Well, I was an ardent supporter of Obama, although I started noticing what I called the “red flags” well before he was elected, but I’m simply not “cut out” to “fall in line.”  I had minimal expectations and, to be honest, when I hear Obama sarcastically putting people like me “down” it makes me less inclined to care whether he gets reelected or not.

I say that knowing that I’m still likely to vote for him again, if for no other reason than I can’t imagine more republican nominations to the Supreme Court anytime soon.  John Roberts and Samuel Alito are going to be “thorns” in the side of those of us who are opposed to a corporatocracy for many years to come.  Listening to Obama for those few minutes the other day, I came away feeling that he still doesn’t “get” the urgency of what’s happening to this great nation.  He continues to surround himself with the “Wall Street crowd,” he seems as determined as ever to be some kind of “level head” in the face of all the partisan “bickering” – which would be a good thing if he wasn’t continually caving in to the republicans on virtually EVERY issue of significance.  I heard him just over a week ago, claim that Medicare and Medicaid (and by inference Social Security) wouldn’t be dismantled while he’s president.  The problem is that I just don’t believe him.  He keeps getting maneuvered into “corners” by the repubicans, and I don’t see anything that causes me to believe that’s going to change.  Remember, there was “no way” the “Bush Tax Cuts” would be extended.

President Obama has made some of the worst decisions I can remember in my lifetime since he took office.  I won’t dwell on the worst one, you can read all about it in the archives to this site, but when Obama pardoned Bush/Cheney he opened the “floodgates” to the partisan bullying we’ve seen from the republicans since that time.  He essentially said to them, if I (Obama) won’t stand up against TORTURE, lying the U.S. into war, illegal wiretapping of U.S. citizens, lying to congress, refusing subpoenas from congress, and what was tantamount to treason – outing a CIA agent, you (republicans) can essentially get away with ANYTHING!  And, just to prove that point, the (at the time) minority whip in the House, Eric Cantor, violated the Logan Act – CLEARLY – by making promises that the “republicans would have the Israeli’s backs” if they chose to “disagree” with the Obama administration.  That is a FELONY!  Was there even ANY investigation?  As John Boehner so aptly described democrats – HELL NO there wasn’t!

I had just about come to the conclusion that I needed to quit my criticism of Obama until I heard him sarcastically “put down” all us idealists who actually believed he was going to attempt to CHANGE the atmosphere in Washington.  It reminded me of many of the reasons I’m disenchanted with him – including the one mentioned above.  It made me think, how many more “compromises” with republicans will myself and the rest of America be “saddled” with?  I mean, just agreeing to extend the afroementioned “Bush Tax Cuts” has made the suddenly important deficit (I don’t know if you remember, but Dick Cheney proclaimed “Reagan proved deficits don’t matter” as he and the republicans were creating the foundation for all this deficit spending back in the early days of the Bush II administration) $400 BILLION more difficult to deal with – EACH YEAR!  And, this is far from the only place Obama is “siding” with the despicable republicans who “we the people” elected him to DEFEAT.

Some of this is my speculation, some of it is the result of all the reading I’ve done lately, but here’s a list of areas that I believe those (including me) WHINING liberals see as failures of Obama’s administration which he continues to defend:  Let’s start with the stimulus which was his initial “big accomplishment.”  Even I was able to understand that the stimulus was too small and that it was directed in the wrong direction – what was needed then, and, unfortunately is still needed was JOBS, JOBS, JOBS!  Yes, the stimulus saved many jobs, but it didn’t create anywhere near the amount of jobs the economy needed to move things back toward “full employment.”  I don’t even know what full employment would be, but I do know it’s WAY less than the 9% or so unemployment is at now which only represents a portion of those out of work – people who want to work and can’t find work.  Instead of FIGHTING for additional stimulus, Obama caved – I’m assuming he just figured the republicans would “filibuster” any program in the Senate – this seems to be the democratic “mantra” of late – if they’re not sure they can get legislation “through” they don’t even deal with it. (do you remember when “impeachment was ‘off the table’?”) 

The “compromise” over the tax cuts simply fueled the republicans into thinking they could not only get them made “permanent,” but they could get even LOWER taxes for their rich benefactors.  I guess my mind came up with this “frustration” now because of how recent it is – but, also as the “Ryan budget” was recently passed in the house, we were given ANOTHER glimpse from where these right wing fanatics are coming from and that made me feel even more insecure as to whether the democrats have the right man at the “top” to defend what’s left of the “New Deal” values I grew up believing in.  Ryan’s budget is clearly to me, setting up the future confrontation over making Bush’s tax cuts permanent by proposing even LOWER tax rates for those at the “top” of America’s earners.  By the time the next confrontation comes around, Obama will be bragging that he got the tax cuts made permanent as opposed to the lower rates Ryan was pushing for – making the tax cuts “permanent” will be declared a victory!

 I could have mentioned Iraq when it comes to disenchantment – nobody seems to be mentioning Iraq anymore, despite the FACT the U.S. is still spending BILLIONS there and there are STILL over 50,000 U.S. troops stationed there (non-combat troops, ha ha, wink wink).  I guess, if there are fewer casualities we can place however many soldiers we want anywhere in the world we want to put them – we ALWAYS can afford that!  And, I’m not convinced those troops are coming “home” from Iraq in July.  If you read Thomas Ricks’ book “The Gamble” you’ll see that generals like David Patreaus and others are pushing for American troops in Iraq for a “generation.” (20 years or so – do you remember John McCain comparing Iraq to Korea?)  We can’t afford domestic social programs in America, but we can damn well afford them in places like Iraq.  When people say to me there’s no difference between republicans and democrats – I want to argue with them – because there is a difference – but, crap like this makes them sound prophetic.

Obama has proved to be a poor match for America’s generals and the “military industrial complex” as we’ve witnessed him being “bullied” by the very people he’s supposed to be commander in chief of – all the while trying to look “strong.”  When the negotiations over the troop increase in Afganistan was happening, Obama should have FIRED all the generals involved – including Patreaus.  Now they’ve got us MIRED  in two disastrous occupations for the foreseeable future.  Hence, we recently had Vice President Biden being quoted (this was a month or two ago) saying our troops will still be in Afganistan in 2014!  And, America’s “liberal media” really noticed that, didn’t they?  Hardly a whimper. 

What about all the illegal wiretapping done by the Bush administration?  Do you honestly think it has ended?  If it had, I believe the Obama administration would have said something.  Do you think they’re being quiet on that “front” to make the “terrorists” think “big brother” is still “listening?”  Does President Obama really believe we need to be “data mining” the email and phone conversations of regular Americans to keep us “safe?”  Has he bought into the “fear card” used to prefection by the previous administration?  Does “extraordinary rendition” ring a bell with you?  That’s where America’s military turn over the so-called “enemy combatants” to other countries so that they can do the torturing for us.  That program is alive and well under Obama’s guidance.  Guantanamo is still open and will remain so, the “black hole” at the Bagram Air Base is still open and “doing business,” as is much more of the hated Bush activity that we voted Obama in to change.  President Obama is even defending some of the worst of Bush’s abuses in court – including the illegal wiretapping.

I’m a school teacher and I’m also close to retirement age, so the vilifying of teachers and teacher unions will have a minimal effect on me, but what it’s doing to America’s public school system could end up being tragic.  I knew from day one that George W Bush’s “No Child Left Behind” legislation was ultimately aimed at destroying public education.  Not only did it create an IMPOSSIBLE goal – remember, NO goal is reasonable if it’s unattainable – but, it FORCED virtually EVERY state in the Union to implement the so-called “high stakes testing” that is turning schools into testing factories.  It also has made Bush’s younger brother Neil rich as he’s managed to “cash in” on the testing craze created by his brother the former president.  I bring this up, because I don’t see much difference in Obama’s “Race to the Top.”  It still appears to me that President Obama is way to friendly with the “corporatists” – including the ones who would “kill” public education as it exists today in favor of charter schools which are non-union and are not saddled with the “unfunded mandates” that are making public education so frustratingly difficult.  I haven’t seen ANYONE who’s a national leader talking about backing off on all the federal requirements that are forcing schools to spend inordinate amounts of money in places that have minimal impact on the LARGE majority of students.  I’m actually not opposed to many of those programs, what I’m opposed to is passing legislation and then not paying for the outcome of the legislation – and then “blasting” the schools and the teachers (who work so hard for children) as being the problem.  And, I can tell you, it’s not just the schools and the teachers who expected more from Obama, it’s – in my view – a large percentage of the general public.

If you haven’t been following what’s going on in Wisconsin, you should be.  There is a great example of the pent up frustration spilling over from “we the people.”  I fully believe many of those walking in the protests in Wisconsin – where Scott Walker, the “tea party” governor – puppet of the Koch brothers – stripped teachers (and other public workers) of collective bargaining rights – after they had agreed to double digit cuts to their compensation to help solve the fiscal “crisis” in Wisconsin – many of the protestors are republicans and independents.  You don’t have to be a democrat to appreciate how hard teachers are working for the children in America.  President Obama had another “GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY” to show “progressives” whose side he’s on by joining in the protests in Wisconsin on the side of the everyday public workers.  Yet, he AGAIN, chose the “safe” side by staying completely out of it.  Instead of trying to mobilize a national response to the right wing ATTACK on working people and their rights to organize and collectively bargain – Obama chose to speak LOUDLY with his SILENCE.  I’ll leave that one at that, other than to say this was not surprising to me.

Recently it was reported that GE had profits of $14.2 BILLION last year and paid ZERO corporate taxes.  To make matters worse, GE received $3.2 BILLION in tax credits which amounted to the American taxpayers GIVING BILLIONS to one of America’s largest corporations in the midst of a budget crisis fueled by the huge deficits.  I didn’t hear a single word of meaningful outrage (that is, more than a publicity stunt – outrage that could ultimately amount to something happening to counteract America’s corporations from ripping off America’s taxpayers) coming from ANY member of congress or the administration – plus, it was then reported that the CEO of GE, Jeffrey Immelt, is one of President Obama’s leading economic advisors, the head of his advisory board on “jobs and competitiveness.”  Seriously, I hope Immelt does a great job helping Obama figure out how to best get people back to work, and I would agree that there should be a long term approach to this problem as well as dealing with the “here and now.”  I just think associating with people who represent the problem, continually, is making it more and more difficult for us liberals (“f___ing retards”) to support the president.  Why would you choose the CEO of a company making HUGE profits while exporting hundreds of thousands of jobs to other countries and specializing in collecting CORPORATE WELFARE, to chair an advisory board on job creation?  It might work out, I hope it does – but it LOOKS BAD!

“Citizens United” was not Obama’s or the democrat’s fault, but they had two years to do something about it before the elections of 2010 – and, they acted as if it was nothing special.  Well, we’ve already seen the effect it’s having on money being funneled into elections with no accountability as to where it’s coming from, we’re seeing large corporations now attempting to “brainwash” their employees on how to vote (it should be no surprise to anyone that Koch Industries is in the forefront of that campaign – setting the new standard of intimidating workers in their workforce into voting republican), and the lobbying “industry” is STILL growing at an alarming rate.  It appears to me that the long term democrats in congress and this president have taken the “if you can’t beat them, join them” approach to the problem of lobbying and corporate money in congress.  If Obama and what’s left of his democratic congress don’t SOON “get” what’s happening, 2012 will look more like 1912 when it comes to America as a corporate behemoth – and 1929 can’t be too far behind!

I continue to believe that Obama and the democrats still don’t understand why “we the people” are so upset with them.  They had close to a supermajority in Congress for the first two years President Obama was in office – they didn’t change the “atmosphere” in Washington when they had the opportunity.  The democrats failed to act responsibly in the senate – allowing the arcane filibuster rule to allow republicans to control the debate and continuing with the “backroom dealing” that so many people are tired of.  Democrats didn’t lose the house in 2010 because they went too far, they lost the house because of the discontent at how they FAILED to use the MANDATE of the voters of 2008 to begin to reverse the abuses of the Bush/Cheney administration. 

I have no doubt that “we the people” will prevail in the long run – as I stated a few posts ago, “there’s more of us than there are of them.”  I’m just TOTALLY puzzled at how the democrats are seemingly incapable of fighting this corporate re-takover of America (yes, this is reminiscent of the early part of the 20th century).  It gained a “foothold” with the election of Reagan in 1980, and the corporatists have been “inching” along – dismantling the New Deal – piece by piece since.  They now, I’m sure, are feeling that their TOTAL success is “right around the corner.”  They can see “the light at the end of the tunnel” (And, for anyone not paying attention, “total success” to these corporatists includes the privatization of Social Security and Medicare and the elimination of Medicaid, the minimum wage, the 40 hour work week, and I could go on) 

In response to President Obama’s sarcastic putdown of the “liberals” who actually EXPECT him to be putting up an “FDR” type fight for the rights of the working class and poor in this nation, I have two questions.  First, I wonder: Have President Obama and the democrats heard the saying, “Those who ignore history are destined to repeat it?”  and, second – are “we the people” going to band together and actually put the control of this great nation back into the hands of leaders who believe in the principals of the New Deal?  I’ll finish by saying that I write these posts spontaneously, I could have pulled out some of the books I’ve read and brought up other issues of discontent with our president.  And, I “get” that I’m not going to agree with everything he does or every decision he makes.  Contrary to the republicans, I WANT the president to succeed!  (for the record, I wanted Bush to succeed as well) The most troubling aspect of ALL of this to me is not only the discontent, but Obama and his surrogates attacking the people who supported him while cozying up to the “ENEMY.”  To me, that’s the most disconcerting part of this “corporate assault on America’s workers” scenario which is unfolding right before our eyes.

As I watch the conflict which is imploding the United States of America internally play itself out, superficially it appears to be a conflict between republicans and democrats.  I’ve been watching the evolution of this for years, closely since especially in 2006 “we the people” voted for democrats in order to end the “war” in Iraq.  Of course, that “war” is still alive and well and who knows when it’s going to come to an end.  Then we voted in 2008 to reverse the abuses of the Bush administration and what we got was a continuation of the worst ones.  In the process of all this I’ve come to realize what the true conflict is and it’s the corporate interests of America vs. the aforementioned “we the people.”  Now, if you’ve been reading any of my many posts on the subject this would come as no surprise.  It’s just that the more I read about “what’s going on” the more I realize how many Americans DON’T understand the source of the actual conflict.

Over the past few days I’ve been thinking about why is it that I feel this is so important – that I keep writing about it.  And, the “it” is the corporate takeover of the American system of government.  Of course, the end result if “we the people” don’t “wake up” – and soon – will be what myself, and I’m sure almost every other American who has grown up in this great nation, thought (and thinks, for many) impossible, and that is the evolution of America into a fascist state.  Honestly, it feels to me as if we have one leg in the “pants,” so to speak already.  I think the reason this has become so profound an issue to me of late is because I’ve struggled over the past few years in my feelings of disgust for the republicans which go along with my feelings of disappointment with the democrats.  I mean, realistically, those are your options if you want to participate in the American political process – at least nationally. 

The republicans certainly make no secrets about where they’re coming from – it started back when I was in my 30’s with the “Reagan revolution” and it has hit it’s extreme level of absurdity with the recently passed republican budget, the so-called “Ryan budget,” by the “tea party” manipulated House of Representatives.  As I’ve been saying for years, they (republicans) have their sights set on destroying Medicare and Medicaid (at the moment) with the ultimate target being Social Security.  They won’t rest until they’ve reversed EVERY benefit the middle class received from Roosevelt’s “New Deal.”  The corporate elite don’t want “middle class” workers, they wan’t workers who are grovelling for every cent they can get and they want a workforce that exceeds the demands for available work – they want to push wages down to the point where we can be competitive with the OTHER second tier countries – and, even then, I don’t expect them to bring jobs back to America unless there’s a “bottom line” reason for them to do so.  Plus, they want a stranglehold on the government they “hate” so that true competition will never derail their ambitions.  Yes, you could sum all this up as MONUMENTAL greed!

For years now, and VERY apparent since 2006, the democrats have shown that they are “owned” by the corporate interests as well as the republicans.  This “battle” never should have gotten to the point it has – which, I might add appears at a critical stage to me, had the democrats been the “counter” force to the corporate ONSLAUGHT wrought upon us by the republican party since the days of Reagan.  And, they’ve (republicans) managed to brainwash the American public into believing their ABSURD argument about how “cutting taxes” for the rich and for corporations “creates jobs” and how “cutting spending” (in social programs, of course) will “balance the budget.”  Ryan’s proposed budget continues to do just that, CUT TAXES (even more than the “Bush tax cuts” – I tried to tell President Obama this is what would happen if he agreed to extend those tax cuts – you can NEVER “give” these republicans enough) for the wealthiest corporations and individuals, and attack the “safety net” for the average American that so many of our forefathers fought so hard to get in the first place – PLUS – as per usual with republican budgets – ADD TRILLIONS to the national debt.  Believe me, it will be much easier to lose these benefits they’re going after than is was to get them or than it will be to get them back if the republicans succeed.  It is for this reason that I believe my MAJOR disappointment is with the democrats – because, even though I’ve always been an independent, I’ve always figured that there was NO WAY they (democrats) would ever allow what is happening today in America to actually HAPPEN!  They (democrats) were supposed to be the “backstop.”

I’ve been trying to tell Barack Obama for over two years now that the republicans will keep PUSHING until he PUSHES back HARDER! :o)  I realize President Obama will NEVER know what I’m proposing – but, I’m going to keep speaking out in the hopes that someone is influenced and encouraged to speak out and so on – until the “wave” of unrest that has started in Wisconsin becomes a national phenomenom.  I also realize that “we the people” can’t wait for Obama to figure out what’s going on (I’m giving the president the benefit of the doubt and assuming he really is a “progressive” and doesn’t want to be the democratic president who was in office when the final nail was driven into the “coffin” of the New Deal) – one by one, those of us who are members of the working class in America need to encourage each other to participate in the process of “taking this country back.”  Doesn’t that sound like the “tea party?”  Well, if they weren’t funded by the corporate interests who are the “enemy” of “we the people” I could see a lot of room for discussion with many members of that “movement.” (Not the ones who are motivated by racism)

For example, I don’t believe dealing with the budget deficit and the national debt is a partisan issue.  And, saving Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security for the “long haul” wouldn’t be so difficult a problem that well meaning people couldn’t sit down and discuss the issues and “fix” them without the BILLIONS in lobbyists cramming the corporate “way” down everyone’s throats.  I mean, simply raise the limit on Social Security taxes to even $130,000 solves that problem.  And, I might add, raising taxes is not ALWAYS a bad idea.  Barack Obama would have done himself and every other working class person a favor had he done what I expected him to do and cancelled the “Bush Tax cuts” the day he was inaugurated.  There have been several opportunities to raise revenue that would have mitigated the present nightmare that almost every state in the union is dealing with as I type.  And, the result would be more people working and there wouldn’t be a big “fight” looming over “raising the debt ceiling.”

I’m not for a minute suggesting that there aren’t significant ways to cut the spending of our federal government.  But, is anyone else out there amazed that our leaders continue EVERY discussion of “cutting spending” with this phrase, “Everything but the defense budget is on the table.”  You’ve got to be kidding me!  That’s where MOST of the WASTE occurs and our leaders continue to look the other way as the lobbyists keep funneling unlimited amounts of CASH into their campaign coffers so that they continue this militaristically absurd philosophy.  And, it’s going to get FAR WORSE now that the republicans have managed to get John Roberts and Sam Alito on the Supreme Court to make decisions like “Citizens United.”  That’s the WORST Supreme Court decision in my lifetime and I believe it may ultimately be regarded as the worst decision in the history of the court.  I’ll never forget Samuel Alito shaking his head as President Obama was pointing out that the decision would allow FOREIGN MONEY to FLOW into our election process.  Seriously, is Alito that DUMB to actually think there won’t be foreign money involved in all the non-traceable TV adds we’re going to be BOMBARDED with in the elctions to come?  GE, which now has $14 BILLION (plus the $3.2 BILLION in tax credits) to spend in upcoming elections in order to continue policies which allow large corporate interests to make BILLIONS and pay NO TAXES – gained over half of their income “overseas.”  Is Alito trying to tell us that multinational corporations aren’t “foreign?” 

Do you remember Rupert Murdoch – who owns NewsCorp (Fox “news,” Wall Street Journal, NY Post, etc.) – paying over $1 MILLION to the republican party in 2010?  Well, he’s an Australian and the second most prominent shareholder in his company is a Saudi Prince who helped fund Osama bin Laden pre 9/11 (and probably since).  Do you really want Aussies and Saudi’s influencing our elections?  If we really knew how many of America’s corporations had been bought up by foreign interests it would, I’m sure, make those of us who are “Mad as Hell” about this even MADDER!  Karl Rove alone was entrusted with something approaching half a BILLION dollars for the MID TERM election through “secret” corporate “donations.”  I’ve heard estimates that Barack Obama is planning on raising over ONE BILLION dollars for the 2012 campaign.  Where do you think all this money is coming from?  And, is it any wonder that the legislation that does make it out of congress is continually slanted toward the corporate interests and away from “we the people.”  I didn’t think it would take long for BOTH parties to be sucked in by “Citizens United” and it didn’t – I believe that politicians who want to succeed in 2012 will believe they HAVE to take the corporate money to have a chance.  That is, unless …………

Unless, “we the people” rise up and DEMAND “the change we can all believe in!”  Sound familiar?  Isn’t that what we thought we were voting for in 2008?  I’m hoping that Wisconsin will be ALWAYS remembered as the place where the “push back” started.  I believe that if somehow we can overcome the propaganda campaign that’s been levied on the American public for the past 30+ years we can get more and more people every day to realize that the problem is the takeover of our government by the corporate interests.  I urge anyone reading this to send what you can to “Wisdems” to help with the recalls in Wisconsin.  We ALL need to keep the momentum going – until Scott Walker himself is recalled after the first of next year (he can’t be recalled until he’s been in office at least one year – so after January 6th, all “bets” are off :o)  Call me idealistic, but I believe “conservatives” and “liberals” could sit down and figure out the best way to solve the problems of today if we could somehow get rid of the lobbyists and the corporate “shills” (like Walker) in addition to overcomomg our “need” to have enough of EVERY weapon ever designed to kill EVERYONE in the world several times over.

The democrats of Wisconsin have shown the rest of us that there are still people out there who are willing to stand up for what’s in the best interests of our fundamental middle class values – the values that permeated America for most of my lifetime.  Even under George W Bush I didn’t imagine how far the republicans were willing to push “things.”  However, Scott Walker and the other right wing governors who are taking their dismantling agenda from state to state have demonstrated that the “gloves” are truly off.  While I’m angry at the democratic leadership in Washington DC (mainly in the Senate) and in President Obama’s “caving” into republicans and the military on issue after issue, I’ve been re-energized by those Wisconsinites.  And, I believe it’s not just Wisconsin democrats who are opposed to Scott Walker and his hijacking plan for their state – I believe when “push comes to shove” there will be plenty of republicans lined up against him as well.  I’m pretty old, but not so old that I can’t remember a day when republicans and democrats could come to agreement on important legislation.  Unfortunately, today’s republican party has shown itself to be nothing more than a “middleman” to a HUGE corporate RAID on America’s treasury!

I have been clear from day one of this site that I will not be a cheerleader for any politician based on what “party” they belong to.  I’ve repeatedly pointed out that I eagerly voted for and supported President Obama during the 2008 campaign – despite a few concerns that “popped up” during the process. (like his vote for the FISA bill and his seemingly enthusiastic support for the TARP bailout plan of the Bush/Paulson administration)  I mean, even with my disappointment with Obama, can you imagine John McCain and Sarah Palin tackling the issues of today?  And, what if McCain had a heart attack or something debilitating?  Sarah Palin as President of the United States.  I’m just pointing this out because I feel it’s my obligation to participate in any discussion regarding the issues (of course, I “get” that my participation in this discussion moves it NOWHERE, it only makes me feel better) and, I’m not encouraging anyone else who’s unhappy with Obama to vote third party, don’t vote, or worse yet – vote republican, I’m just sharing my disappointment that the status quo is continuing to rule the day in Washington DC.  I think Obama has succumbed to that “evil” force (DC’s “status quo”) to the point where we have to accept he won’t be able to get out from under the weight of some of his more curious decisions while still in office.  Just the same, the alternative is repulsive and Americans need to realize the stakes in the upcoming 2012 election.

Before I delve into that topic, a quick history lesson.  When Franklin Delano Roosevelt took office he immediately went on the attack against the corporate powers who were willing to sacrifice the well-being of the average American for their own greedy economic self interest.  (and, the reality proved that Roosevelt’s “New Deal” was better for “them” in the long run anyway)  Even with the “radical” approach Roosevelt took to the “Great Depression” it took years to pull America out of its funk with the help of World War II which really was the “glue” which pulled people together.  In the end, after the war, America’s middle class grew to be the envy of the rest of the world and the “target” of the right wing “CABAL” which was formed from the privileged elite that had driven America into depression in the first place.  It’s the same thing we’re facing today, a group of wealthy individuals who rule major corporations which are “too big to fail” and who have a sense of GREED beyond the average person’s comprehension which allows them to think that if there’s more out “there” for them to “get” then they should have the “right” to get it.  They are smart, they are powerful, and they will stop at nothing to get what they want.  Additionally, they feel no sense of obligation to the “commons” that they so willingly use with an astonishing unwillingness to pay for.  Roosevelt knew these people would fight him and “hate” him, and he “welcomed their hate.”  That’s where I believe President Obama has “missed the boat.”

Just the other day the congress and President Obama reached an agreement on a budget for the rest of 2011.  Just the fact they were going through this process at this time is a testament to the timid nature of today’s democrats.  During the previous two years they had a strong majority in both houses of congress, yet we ended up with watered down bills that were the “crowning” achievements of Obama’s first two years in office to go along with no budget for 2011, the continuation of the “Bush tax cuts,” and not only the two wars Bush left Obama with, but now we’re getting sucked into a third.  Obviously, President Obama and today’s democrats haven’t paid much attention to the history books – OR – they are so afraid of the corporately controlled media that they have become unable to act on traditionaly democratic principles – OR – they’ve been bought off by the large corporations and their lobbyists as well. (unfortunately, I believe the latter is the most likely reason for the situation we find ourselves in as a country)

I haven’t seen the details of the recently agreed to budget proposal, but some of the “hidden requirements” the republicans were throwing in which had nothing to do with the budget, were repulsive.  One of them included the end of the free lunch program in the public schools.  Now, as a teacher who reads a lot of books about contemporary issues, I’ve been aware of the republican party’s attempts to undermine public education for years.  That was the main purpose of “No Child Left Behind.”  It was absurd on its face, yet I could see the schools weren’t set up to defend themselves in the political realm.  The only entities able to defend public schools are the teacher’s unions – which, if you’ve been paying attention, are directly in the “crosshairs” of republican destructionists.  If they (republicans) can destroy the teacher’s unions, the public schools will be like “sitting ducks.” So, I’ve watched for several years as this scenario has been unfolding, but when I heard that republicans were targeting the free lunch program, their heartlessness and ruthlessness became even more vivid to me.  In my school, almost 80% of the students rely on the “free lunch” program for most of their food.  They get breakfast and lunch every day – sometimes, I’m not sure of how much else they get (at least some of them).  Why would the leaders of the richest nation on earth go after the poorest of the children?  Even I thought this was beyond their parameters.

The republicans also want to eliminate health care for poor pregnant women (prenatal care), Head Start – which benefits countless poor children, Medicaid – which supplies health care for poor children, the S-Chip program – also designed to provide health care to children, yet they want to make sure NO ONE gets an abortion and the pentagon gets EVERY cent it can.  Now, please don’t misunderstand me here, I’m not a believer in abortion – I’ll save my personal opinion on that because as a male I’ll never be in the positions to have to make that choice – and, I would hope that the procedure would be rarely relied upon, but the idea that we want EVERYONE to have their babies, but we won’t support the health care of the babies born into poor families is beyond my comprehension.  This seems to be the mantra of today’s republican party – go after the most vulnerable – and, during my lifetime I’ve always counted on democrats to make sure the republicans can’t succeed at this quizzical goal.  What I’m concerned about the most these days is that I no longer feel I can depend on the democrats to put up a firewall against these republican attacks on “the least of these” as Jesus put it.

They (republicans) have succeeded in moving the “bar” of the debate in Washington so far to the right that any “compromise” accomplished by Obama and the democrats always seems to me as a “cave in.”  Take for example the “Bush Tax cuts” that, when Obama was elected I thought he would repeal immediately.  Instead, what we ended up with is their extension for another two years, and I can almost guarantee you beyond that.  President Obama has had opportunity after opportunity to say “ENOUGH” already to these right wing corporatists, but he continues to seemingly feel that any agreement he can squeeze out is better than nothing.  What continues to happen is that the republicans continue moving the above mentioned “bar” so far in their direction to the point that, as a former conservative (1975), I’ve now become “liberal.”  This latest budget proposal didn’t even consider the FACT that what this economy needs is MORE people working and how MORE government spending aimed at green energy and infrastructure would be the fastest way to employ millions of desperately unemployed workers.  Instead, what we ended up with is democrats “agreeing” to “only” something around $40 BILLION in “cuts” from social programs which will make hardly a dent in the budget deficit while leaving the MASSIVE military budget as sancrosanct – AGAIN!  This is what has been happening my entire adult life.  The military industrial complex that President Eisenhower warned against is eating this nation alive, economically, from the inside out.  And, their power is now such that no one in Washington DC (save for maybe Bernie Sanders and Dennis Kucinich) dares to “mess” with them.

Here’s the problem as I see it.  President Obama, a good man who I don’t think for a minute doesn’t mean well, right from the start of his administration (I’ve been pointing this out since day one) has signalled to the republicans that they can “tromp” all over him.  The day he blocked ALL the investigations of Bush/Cheney – stating he didn’t want the distraction – he told the republicans they could get away with anything they wanted – there would be no push back.  Honestly, I’ll never understand the thinking behind that decision, but – as I stated at the time – it was a deal breaker for me.  I have totally lost my enthusiasm for President Obama.  His words have become empty rhetoric for me.  It’s like someone totally focused on looking “presidential” without taking any risks.  And, the results of this are going to continue to get worse – unless, miraculously, there is such a groundswell of populist support for “progressives” that somehow the republicans are turned back out of power in 2012.  I’ve written before of the importance of a democrat being in office in 2012 if for no other reason than the upcoming supreme court nominations.  But, if the democrats lose the senate, I’m not sure what kind of nominations Obama would make should he be reelected.

The democrats will probably not run someone against Obama because that would increase the chances of a republican in the White House in 2012 – and, think of who that might be.  Sarah Palin?  Mike Huckabee?  Mitt Romney?  Haley Barbour?  Newt Gingrich?  Donald Trump?  Tim Pawlenty?  Scott Walker?  Are you kidding me?  Can you imagine ANY of these people running the government of the United States?  Well, I couldn’t imaging the “tea party” gaining a stranglehold of congress after the election of 2008 either.  But, the democrats took a situation – the mess left behind by Bush/Cheney – and turned it into a “gold mine” for the extreme “right” of the republican party by patronizing to the “middle.”  I predicted from the earliest days of Obama’s administration, beginning with the pardoning of Bush/Cheney, that “progressives” would be turned away from the polls – and, that’s exactly what happened in 2010.  Now, with the full force of “Citizens United” behind them, the republicans are planning on retaking the senate and the White House in 2012 and implementing the “permanent republican majority” imagined by Karl Rove during the heyday of the GW Bush administration.

If the working class of this nation doesn’t rise up and fight for its rights – and I mean during the next two years – the outlook for America’s economy and “we the people” will be bleak.  There seem to be no end of people like the Scott Walker’s, the Rush Limbaugh’s, the John Boehner’s, the Mitch McConnell’s, the Bill O’Reilly’s, etc., etc., who will do anything for money.  And, there’s no shortage of money coming from the corporate elite who are secretly planning to turn the United States into a corporate run entity.  They have control of the media, they have control of the House, they have control of the courts, they still have a strong influence in the Justice Department (remember, under Bush/Cheney the Justice department was turned into a republican “tool”), they have the funding that will come thanks to “Citizens United,” and they only need to take three seats in the senate to have control of both chambers – UNLESS, the American workers band together and vote AGAINST this republican CABAL!

For those of us who are deeply disappointed in President Obama, we need to vote against the republican opponent – the FACT that Obama is not a “change” agent as he portrayed himself aside, he’s a major improvement over ANY candidate the republicans can put up!  To me, the question seems to be how hard will I have to hold my nose to vote for him.  I can guarantee you that this year’s budget debate was only a prelude of things to come.  The republicans have their “sights” set squarely on Medicare and Medicaid and the NEXT major target, once they’ve undermined those two programs – and “privatised” them (like they try to “privatise” everything) is SOCIAL SECURITY.  They were repealed during the Bush administration, but that doesn’t stop them at all (can you imagine the blow to progressives if, after turning back Bush’s attempt to undermine Social Security, the republicans succeed while a democrat’s in office?).  And, if they can find a slimy way to accomplish their goal, they will be fine with that.  Republicans have shown what they’re about since the 2010 elections in places like Wisconsin, Ohio, Idaho, Michigan, Indiana, and other states where they are trying to undermine the last bastion of progressive unity able to put up any kind of fight against their newfound financial strength from the “Citizens United” decision of the Roberts court – collective bargaining.  Destroy the unions, privatise everything (including public utilities and schools), and essentially eliminate the ability of any organized group to combat them in the future – thus the “permanent republican majority” I mentioned above (and, have written about many times in the past).  Today, I have to admit, Hillary Clinton was correct when she pointed out in the campaign that Barack Obama was not “up to” the challenge he’d be facing from the republicans.  The two things I’m hopeful of:  first, President Obama would realize that this is a WAR for the heart and soul of America and – like it or not – he’s the leader of the progressive side of the “battle” – and, he’d start drawing some “lines in the sand” with the republicans (I hope it’s not too late already) and, secondly that the groundswell of populist “BLOWBACK” that started in Wisconsin would continue to grow and that the workers of America would stop allowing the Fox “news” people and the republicans to divide them in a way that allows the wealthy elite to complete their takeover of this great nation.  I have to admit that those who are on the “other” side are relentless, they will stop at nothing to get to their goal, and they have a well thought out plan that they’ve been scheming on for years.  However, the thing I can rest on is there are more of us (middle class workers) than there are of them – once people see past their lies!

Final thought:  I’m reading a book on the history of the CIA and I believe more Americans should be discovering about our “secret” history that is hidden from mass view by a complacent or complicit media.  I just recently completed a book on the history of the Bush family – and it’s connections to the CIA – and, all I can say is the more I read, the more concerned I am as to the direction of this great nation.  It seems as if the easy thing to do is “look the other way” and pretend “all is well.”  If the books I’m reading (and there’s a lot of them) are anywhere close to accurate – well, all I can say is that ALL IS NOT well!

I believe that for many years now many Americans, myself included, have been taking for granted all the middle class benefits that our parents, grandparents, and great grandparents fought for and achieved following the “Great Depression.”  I still remember the stories I heard when I was a child (in the 50’s) about how my grandfather opened up a vacant lot he owned to his neighbors in Mount Gilead Ohio so they could grow a “community garden,” therefore producing much needed food for people who were “scraping by” every day of their lives.  Both my grandfather and grandmother were school teachers who graduated from Slippery Rock College (I know it exists because the University of Washington used to announce scores of their football games during halftime of the Husky games during football season) but who didn’t teach because the pay for teaching was so low at the time.  My grandfather took a job as a policeman and he was one of the fortunate few who had a job.  However, in those days, instead of beating up on those who were working, their community banded together and tried to lift up those who weren’t fortunate enough to be working.  Oh, for the good ole days.

However, as I continue my quest to read as many books as I can regarding the history of this great nation and the workings of our government (which is – or should be – “we the people”) it becomes painfully clear that the “forces” that created the terrible climate in America that was the “Great Depression” still exist today.  And, they’re REARING their UGLY head with a vengence.  These forces are mostly “invisible,” but we get glimpses of who and what they are as situations such as the UNION BASHING that has evolved to the public sector stage in places like Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan, Idaho, and – if these “invisible forces” have their way – every other place in America, gain more public notoriety and, with that, public scrutiny.  For example, the Koch brothers were not even close to “household names” prior to the revelation of their financing the ruthless Scott Walker into the governorship of Wisconsin – despite the MILLIONS of dollars they’ve put into the right wing political movement in America over the past 40 – 50 years.  As I stated in my previous post, I honestly believe the Koch’s will someday go down in American history (unless they succeed in rewriting American history to their liking) in the same category as Benedict Arnold.  These people are out for themselves and they have NO INTEREST in what is the common good in this nation.

A quick “Google” search for the Koch’s gives us all we need to know.  Let’s start by saying that Fred Koch, the “Koch brothers” father founded the John Birch Society.  If you don’t know what that is, well….. look it up.  It gives a clear picture as to why they are so ADAMANT that President Obama FAIL.  The brothers David and Charles funded the CATO institute and the Heritage foundation, two “think tanks” right in the middle of the right wing PROPAGANA scheme the republicans have been drowning the airwaves with since the days of Ronald Reagan (and, yes, given a tremendous boost the day Bill Clinton signed the Telecommunications Act of 1996 into law).  In 2004 they funded “Americans for Prosperity” – which should be Americans for the Koch’s prosperity, but I digress – which funneled over $40 MILLION into the just completed MID TERM elections to lead the way in bamboozling the American public that if the Koch’s pay lower taxes, and if America is purged of unions and workers making a living wage, then our economy will be revitalized.  One of the “pledges” the politicians they BUY OFF  make is to oppose the regulation of greenhouse gasses.  Well, Koch Industries creates a lot of “greenhouse gasses,” so I guess this should surprise NO one.  What SURPRISES me, is the general lack of knowledge by “we the people” – the ones who SHOULD be making the decisions in our republic – about people like the Koch’s and their willingness to destroy the foundation of America for their  GREEDY self-interest. 

It is estimated that the Koch’s generate $100 BILLION per year in revenue from Koch Industries.  This is why I’ve been RAILING against the “Citizens United” Supreme Court decision of a couple years ago which has given people like the Kochs unlimited access to the manipulation of our political process – we’re seeing the results as I type – with the authoritarian POWER GRAB in Wisconsin being at the forefront of the ASSAULT on workers.  I don’t see many comments on my “blog” because it’s just my own journal thrown into cyberspace as I try to help myself cope with and understand the unraveling of this great nation that I love – right before my eyes.  However, at one point Lars Larson dropped by and gave my site a “right wing” perspective with a couple comments.  If you don’t know, Lars is one of the “right wing talkers” who willingly participate in this great Goebbels like propaganda scheme the republicans have been cramming down our throats since Rush Limbaugh hit the scene in the early eighties.  I always say, these are the people who will do ANYTHING for money – even destroy the “fabric” of this nation.  One of the points of contention Lars had with me was my reference to “low information voters.”  Of course, he implied that I must be putting myself in some kind of elitist category.  Well, the more I read, the more I realize that creating “low information voters” is a MAJOR part of their plan.  (who is “their?” you ask – I’m referencing that “invisible” right wing CABAL that is orchestrating the corporate takeover of America’s government BEHIND THE SCENES)

Not only did Lars Larson tell me that I must be considering myself an elitist because I’ve chosen to find out what him and the people funding him are up to, now I’m being accused of being part of the “privileged elite” by republicans because I’m a school teacher.  I read the other day, I believe it was in the New York Times, where school teachers were referred to as “glorified babysitters.”  While I believe this movement to destroy the middle class in America is vile, I have to admit the people behind it are good at what they’re doing.  And, now I’m talking about people like the Kochs – the Lars Larsons of this world are just the paid schills.  (granted, the shills like Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity, and maybe others are very highly paid shills)  Think about it; the Koch’s have $100 BILLION annually in revenue – it doesn’t make much of a dent in that to find the “price” of these shills and the politicians they are in concert with (I honestly shudder when I think of politicians making a pledge to oppose regulation of ANYTHING before taking office, let alone a subject as important to the future of this nation as greenhouse gasses – any politician who’ll make that pledge, well – what pledge would they not make for the right price?  You’re right, this is depressing)  The reality here, when the politicians have been so corrupted that they’re representing TEACHERS as being the problem of our economic demise, we are in a BAD WAY!  And, despite Lars Larson’s opposing view, I continue to say that the only way the Koch’s, Larson himself, and the politicians like Scott Walker can “pull this off” is to be preaching to “low information voters.”  People who do what I used to do and that is NOT fact check their dishonest words.

What logic is there in the argument that people who are BILLIONAIRES need tax breaks, we can send our military into unlimited war zones around the world, Corporations should pay NO TAXES, and teachers and other public sector workers are the reason for our budget deficits.  What kind of person would believe that argument on its face?  Well, the first thought that comes to my mind would be the person who watches Fox “news” and doesn’t vet the information they’re allowing into their heads.  In the past few weeks I’ve been doing a personal “experiment.”  I’ve asked a number of adults – mostly adults with college level educations – two questions: the first; What is “Citizens United?” and the second; “Who is Roger Ailes?”  Maybe you can guess the results, but just in case, let me give them to you.  NOT ONE person I talked to knew the answer to either question.  So, if they don’t know, for example, that the “president” of Fox “news” is a Republican operative who’s been involved in more than his share of “dirty tricks” over the years, I guess it’s more understandable that they are being “hoodwinked” by Ailes and his cohorts at Fox.  Maybe some of these people wouldn’t be bothered by having a known PARTISAN political operative leading a “news” outlet – but, just the same, none of them had to worry about that point because they don’t know who he is.  And, despite most of them expressing dismay at how our political system has been corrupted by politicians being “bought off,” none of them understood the gravity of what the “Citizens United” decision means to future elections.  Therefore, if my experiment is anywhere close to a national reality, it looks to me as if the political corruption is going to get a lot worse before it gets better.  (and, the “low information voter” claim is a real problem in America right now)

In fact, managing to change the system is at the “fox guarding the henhouse” stage, it appears to me.  Our sitting president chose not to “rock the boat” upon assuming office, and every day he fails to take up the charge to implement “the change we can all believe in” the more difficult the situation gets.  The reality as I see it does not look good.  Yes President Obama has implemented a few pieces of legislation that fall into the “better than it was” category (or, at least on the surface that is what it appears) – but, on closer examination our replacement of President Bush gives me, at least, pause.  Let’s just look at a few issues that I expected Obama to “turn around.”  We can start with Guantanimo (GITMO).  I remember on his first day in office announcing that GITMO would be closed within ONE YEAR.  That was over two years ago and it’s still going “STRONG.”  (today, it was announced that the trials of Shiek Mohammed and the others which were scheduled for New York would instead proceed as the “military tribunals” originally scheduled by the Bush/Cheney administration) OK, let’s give him that one – there’s some problems he must not have anticipated (including, many people feeling that the use of TORTURE would possibly cause so much evidence to be thrown out in a “fair trial” that the accused terrorists would be declared “innocent”).  Well then, what about Iraq?  He did say he would have ALL the troops home withing 16 months, didn’t he (of course, after a few months in office we heard Obama making the distinction between “combat troops” and presumably “non-combat troops” as the justification for keeping half of the “pre-surge” numbers there)?  Well, it’s been 27 months and there’s still over 50,000 troops in Iraq and probably approaching 100,000 “contractors.”  We’re (the country that can’t afford to help our long term unemployed) dumping 2+ BILLION dollars per WEEK into this quagmire.  And, honestly, I don’t have my hopes up that the troops (and contractors) will be home by July (the latest “promise”).  What Obama said in the campaign, regarding Afghanistan, was that he was going to “finish the job” of “getting bin Laden.”  What we’ve ended up with is “surge” #2 and a fool’s attempt at nation building in the “graveyard of empires,” the nickname Afghanistan has earned over thousands of years.  The last I heard, Vice President Biden was “assuring” someone that we would be getting out of Afghanistan in 2014!  Are you kidding me? (and, unfortunately, I don’t believe even that)

This “right wing CABAL” which I believe is taking over the United States’ government – covertly – will be perfectly happy with a PERPETUAL war in Afghanistan, Iraq, or anywhere else they can justify spending TRILLIONS on our military industrial complex.  Obviously, President Obama is not up to taking on this established force.  Considering the evidence (again, I’m reading a lot of books, the latest being “Family of Secrets” about the Bush clan) that the CIA was involved in the outing of JFK, the undermining of Richard Nixon’s presidency, the defeat of Jimmy Carter, and the assasination of several foreign leaders who weren’t acceptable to our corporate “CABAL” that is fiercely commited to the military and to oil – it wouldn’t be too far fetched to me to believe that President Obama decided not to take that battle on – DESPITE the reality that SOMEONE has to take it on to save this nation as it existed in the eyes of the founding fathers!  I’m still wondering; has anyone asked Barack Obama if he’s cancelled the warrantless wiretapping of the Bush administration?  He promised to “fix” the FISA bill which he curiously voted FOR when he was running for president – as I’ve said several times on this site, that was the first “red flag” I had on Obama – but, as of this writing, I’ve heard nothing to tell me that anything was done to correct the overreach allowed by that bill.  I would remind anyone reading this blog – it’s much easier to give up rights than to get them back once they’ve been given away.  The idea that it’s OK for our government to be “data mining” our emails and phone conversations without warrants is an abominable idea to me.  I really don’t understand why there hasn’t been more of an outcry.

But, there’s more.  If you were as unhappy as I was that President Obama and his Attorney General Eric Holder chose to “look the other way” from the crimes of the Bush/Cheney administration (Obama called it “looking forward and not back”) there is mounting evidence suggesting that the reason for this was that Obama himself was comfortable with Cheney’s idea of the “imperial” presidency and didn’t want to give up the POWER.  EVERYONE knows that both Cheney and Bush authorized TORTURE, along with Donald Rumsfeld and with the blessing of their legal staff who chose to make ludicrous legal claims designed to justify what was clearly unacceptable behavior in the eyes of our laws and the “eyes” of the rest of the world.  Here’s another sad reality, the extraordinary rendition program of the Bush/Cheney reign of terror continues under Obama.  What happens here is that the CIA and the American military leave it for our “allies” to do the torturing of the suspected “enemy combatants.”  And, the actual torturing continues right on our own soil, as the Marines continue to hold Bradley Manning under inhumane circumstances in Quantico Virginia.  He virtually hasn’t seen the light of day for almost a year and reports now are that he’s stripped naked for seven hours a day (what would normally be sleeping time – but, when you’re in a 6 x 12 cell for 23 hours per day – when is “sleeping time?”)  President Obama is clearly aware of Manning’s treatment, that he’s been denied his habeas corpus rights, and, apparently, the US government with Obama’s blessing is going to let him “rot” in this cell until he’s broken down mentally – as they did to Jose Padilla who was accused of aiding terrorists during the peak of the Bush/Cheney fear mongering post 9/11.  I can picture the conversation I’ll be having with my grandchildren when they’re old enough for an adult discussion where I’ll be explaining to them that “we USED to be a nation of laws and not men!”

There is not a question in my mind as to how intelligent President Obama is and I can only guess as to what the CIA and the military “advised” him as he took office regarding what “might” happen if he “bucked” the status quo.  I also believe he is WAY more intertwined with the corporate elite and Wall Street than I had anticipated.  Of all the things he “caved” on I really thought he’d NEVER cave on the “Bush taxcuts,” so, obviously, I miscalculated my allegiance profoundly.  The lobbyists continue to flourish in Washington DC, the military industrial complex continues to grow while programs like Head Start, SChip, and Medicaid are cut (supposedly – and disengenously – to “balance the budget”).  The democrats and our president continue to “compromise” with their compromises leading to the republicans getting most of what they want while giving up very little.  That is, it’s like the democrats are in retreat.  Except in places like Wisconsin!

Today is the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. giving his life while standing in solidarity with the garbage workers in Memphis, Tennessee.  People are gathered all around the nation to show solidarity for the workers of this nation and the movement which took hold in Wisconsin when governor Scott Walker deviously repealed the bargaining rights of public sector workers in his state – the state, ironically, where the first public worker unions were formed over 50 years ago!  This movement is what I would have pictured President Obama leading when I voted for him – but, alas, he apparently wants nothing to do with it.  It’s just another way he’s showed us he’s more of a politician than a national leader of a reform movement.  America has slid dangerously close to the conditions which fostered the “Great Depression” and apparently, our leaders need another disaster like that to happen before they realize that (as I once heard Obama say) “change comes from the bottom up.”  Well, maybe if enough everyday Americans show solidarity toward labor and laborers, our democratic leaders will “jump on the bandwagon.”  Regardless, my renewed hope is that the true middle class of America will rise up and reestablish our government as one that is focused on the general welfare of its people (not its corporations).  I’m hopeful that the worker will again become more important than the shareholder, that corporations would again pay their fare share of the tax burden needed to keep this nation strong and vibrant, and that GREED would no longer be rewarded by America’s political leaders.  It’s time to break up the too big to fail corporations, it’s time to hold those who’ve moved their operations overseas to save on taxes to account for “taking” more than they “give,” and it’s time to reverse this terrible trend toward the United States of America being a militaristic conglomerate!  The only way this will happen will be if the protests in Wisconsin continue to grow all acrooss America and “we the people” take action at the ballot box to cleanse EVERY member of congress who’s sold out to the large corporate enterprizes – republican and democrat – from office.  We need congressional leaders who are committed to reversing, repealling, whatever it takes – overturning the “Citizens United” Supreme Court decision and we need to make sure we elect Presidents who will NEVER nominate justices such as John Roberts and Samuel Alito who are shills for big business (I hope you’re as uncomfortable as I am with foreign money determining who wins our elections).

Finally, we need to be working harder at creating an electorate of well informed voters – instead of “low information voters.”  That means spending more money on education and not less.  That means teaching students to think for themselves, how to find and “vet” information so that they can make informed decisions (that don’t have to agree with mine), and that means – in my view – it’s time to stop this insane test, test, test of America’s students – even in 6th grade (which I teach – 11-12 year old kids mind you) – and broaden the subjects they are exposed to.  In my school district students no longer have courses such as wood shop, metal shop, home economics, etc. because it’s so “important” that they pass the state mandated tests.  I “get” that students who are planning on going to college need to be able to pass tests, and they need to be in college prep classes – especially in high school – but, the idea that every student is going to college remains absurd to me (I always tell my students – and, this is the truth – the smartest guy I know is the man who fixes my car).  If we’re teaching students to think for themselves, how to find information and check it for its validity, and how to work hard every day I believe the rest takes care of itself – for each individual student.  If we want to have required testing let’s make it real.  How about high school students (who have to pass tests in my state to graduate) needing to pass tests related to civics and the constitution.  Require our students, at a minimum, to pass the same test immigrants need to pass to gain citizenship in America.  That would make more sense to me and might lead to less “low information voters.”  Unfortunately, at this point in time, I believe both of America’s political parties would fear a nation of well informed voters!  I’ll end this by saying that unless “we the people” stop taking all the benefits our forefathers fought to gain – for granted – we will certainly lose them.  There is a concerted effort in the U.S. which is reaching its “full steam ahead” stage, aiming to usurp the basic rights of “we the people” if middle class Americans aren’t willing to do what’s necessary to stop it.