I started writing this blog (if that is what it is – I really don’t do “blogs”) when I reached the point of total frustration with the George W Bush administration and their incessant arrogance toward our constitution and the oath of office Bush/Cheney took to uphold it.  The purpose of my writing was simply to get out my frustrations – kind of an outlet where I could throw my thoughts out into the vast cyberspace where they would “sit” until I chose to “revisit” them.  I had no idea that people would actually find my little section of cyberspace – but, when I discovered that several hundred “visitors” per day were showing up, it motivated me to write more often.  And, as I go back and “revisit” some of my thoughts over the past four or five years, it reminds me that those of us “ordinary” people often times get things “right” more often than the “experts.”  To me, this is simply confirmation to what most people on “Main Street” know, and that is in America right now we have a system that is corrupt right to the core.

I just finished reading “Ratification” by Pauline Maier about the debate which led to ratification of the constitution of the United States.  As I was reading this book (by the way, if you like history, it’s a great read) I couldn’t help but focus in on how the “framers” were confident that the system was set up to prevent “factions” from gaining control and forcing their “will” on the minority.  The one aspect of today’s issues that they couldn’t possibly have forseen would be the lobbyists and the ability of lobbyists to buy congressional “influence.”  In today’s Washington D.C. there is the perverbial “revolving door” between members of congress and the lobbyists who do the “influencing.”  As far as I can tell, when members of congress lose elections they are rewarded with HIGH PAYING jobs working for lobbying interests that take “advantage” of their “inside knowledge.”  It’s become a cesspool of corruption which will undoubtedly continue to get worse, because it is the congress itself which has the power to make the necessary changes to the system.  Reminds me of the saying where the fox is guarding the henhouse.  The amount of money involved is staggering (nearly a BILLION dollars spent “lobbying” the health care debate) and the result could be a MINORITY faction (the wealthy) forcing their will on the MAJORITY!

The system is set up with the “checks and balances” which are supposed to prevent the corruption we’re experiencing as I’m writing this post.  That is, between the legislative branch of government (article 1), the executive branch (article 2), and the judicial branch (article 3) it was planned that no single “faction” could corrupt the original intent of the constitution which was to “establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.”  Should one branch of government get “out of control” (my wording) the other two branches were there to “check” the out of control branch and keep things on an even keel.  This has worked well for over 200 years, but is presently under assault. (OK, it’s often been under assault, but nothing like what’s happening today)

If you’ve read many of my previous posts you know that I’m beyond fed up with the republican party.  And, the reality of American politics is that we have a “two party system.”  Therefore, those of us “fed up” with the republicans have essentially nowhere else to turn than to the democrats.  That is exactly what happened in 2008 when Barack Obama was elected as the 44th president of the United States.  In fact, Obama was given a huge majority in both houses of congress upon his election and I don’t think I was the only American who thought the “Change we can believe in” would be something different from what has transpired.  Here’s the dilemma people who think as I do have to deal with; it’s the republicans who have managed to undermine the fabric of the constitution and the intent of the “framers.”  It’s President Obama who we have to depend on to rectify the abuses of the republicans. 

For several years now we’ve been hearing about the republican’s plan for a “permanent republican ‘majority.'”  This plan almost reached “fruition” during the Bush/Cheney regime, but George W Bush was such a buffoon that he “blew it” when republicans had both houses of Congress.  They were soon to have a “stranglehold” on the Supreme Court plus, during Bush’s term in office, republicans were also consolidating their control of the nation’s “liberal media.”  The media (at the time of the framers were newspapers) was considered the “fourth estate” of the government, by the constitution’s framers, as the ultimate “watchdog” of what the government was doing for “we the people.”  (I’m confident they didn’t visualize Fox “news” when they were putting in guarantees for a free press) I was certain that with Obama’s election this plan would be PERMANENTLY put to “rest,” but that has not proved to be the case.  In fact, the republicans have responded to the election of Obama with an even MORE aggressive attack on the middle class which voted Obama into office.  Remarkably, President Obama, who I had given high marks for his intelligence, has committed one egregious error after another – and, like those presidents in my lifetime who have made mistakes, he doesn’t seem to want to own up to what’s “happening.”  I continue to try to remain positive in my outlook, but it’s getting harder all the time.  I have to admit, I don’t even care to listen to Obama’s speaches anymore.  To me it’s just a bunch of hollow rhetoric – his obsession with bridging the “gap” between the “right and the left” is leaving me a bit sick to my stomach.

There used to be an unwritten rule in American politics that you don’t negotiate with terrorists.  Well, President Obama has shown us why that is such an important principle to stand on.  He’s been trying to negotiate with republicans who have ONE WISH – and that’s President Obama’s defeat in 2012 – since the first day he took the oath of office.  In fact, I’m beginning to think Obama’s given more time to the republicans in “negotiations” than he’s given to members of his own party.  The republicans, to me, are like terrorists.  It’s as if they are holding the entire future of America “hostage” in order to “get their way.”  How this could not have been obvious to Obama during the first two years of his presidency I don’t know.  He’s been caving  in to republican demands from day one – and, where has it gotten him.  Can you even imagine Obama’s legacy if he’s the president that presides over the undermining of Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid?  What is this man thinking? 

As I drive my car around I like to listen to “talk radio” and there are voices on the “left” who are trying hard to remain loyal to Obama, but it’s getting harder and harder.  If he “caves” on the issue of Social Security and Medicare I have no idea what the reaction of America’s middle class will be – but, I’m certain that Obama’s political career will be over.  In fact, at this point in time, I’m trusting the rank and file democrats in congress to be the ones to stop Obama if that becomes necessary.  I’ve been warning people about Obama since before he took the oath of office – and this despite the FACT that I supported him enthusiastically during the election.  I’m going to relist some of what I consider the egregious mistakes – but, as I said above, many of us on “Main Street” have seen what is wrong but it hasn’t seemed too productive to “shout it out.”  (I’ve written letters to Obama, emails, plus all the posts – like millions of other Americans – and, he seems to just “keep on keepin on.”)

Let’s start with the FISA bill that came up during the campaign.  Then Senator Obama voted in favor of the telecom companies who had been giving access to their phone lines and emails for the Bush administration to ILLEGALLY wiretap without warrants as required by the FISA law that had been in effect since the days of the Nixon abuses of privacy laws.  That was the only time I got any kind of response to a letter I wrote  him – I received an email response that indicated I wasn’t the only person upset with him and the email promised that, once elected, he would “fix” the FISA bill.  Well, of course, that not only hasn’t happened, I’m convinced the “eavesdropping” has continued under Obama.  Then, once elected when Obama started announcing his closest advisors I almost went into a state of shock.  If you look back in the archives of this site that’s when I started pointing out the “red flags” I was seeing – always hoping I was wrong.  I couldn’t believe President Obama would choose Rahm Emmanuel as his chief of staff.  Talk about your politician’s politician.  My first thought – how was Emmanuel going to mean “the change we can believe in?”  Then it was announced that Larry Summers – the man intricately involved with the dismantling of Glass Steagall during the waning years of the Clinton administration – one of the main underlying causes of the crash of 2008 – as his chief economic advisor.  I thought: “Are you kidding me?”  Then it was announced that Timothy Geithner would be Treasury Secretary – he was the head of the New York Fed at the time of the “crash” and intricately involved with the Wall Street banker crowd – again, I thought, “How will this lead to the change I can believe in?”

This was all bad and it all happened prior to the inauguration, but the HUGE BLUNDER happened right after the inauguration and, in my view, is the reason we’re even having all these absurd discussions about Social Security, Medicare, and the national debt today.  For some inexplicable reason President Obama chose to BLOCK all INVESTIGATIONS of the Bush/Cheney administration.  ALL OF THEM!  There wasn’t even a SINGLE congressional investigation of all the WRONGDOING that was committed during the eight LONG years of Bush/Cheney!  They authorized TORTURE; they OUTED a CIA agent; they undermined the Justice department (which, obviously, still hasn’t recovered); they refused subpoenas from congress; do you remember Alberto Gonzales – the United States’ Attorney General – LYING repeatedly to congress?  The aforementioned illegal wiretaps of Americans should have been investigated.  Entire government agencies were encouraged to ignore regulations on business – with results being the mine disasters in West Virginia and the Oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.  And, this doesn’t even go into the illegal war started with LIES in Iraq and all the fraud and waste by the “crony” no bid contracts given to their “buddies.”  There was NO INVESTIGATION of the war profiteering by senior members of the Bush administration – including Vice President Cheney and Defense Secretary Rumsfeld!  And there was no investigation of Hank Paulson’s TARP “bailout” which saved him and Goldman Sachs a lot of money!  Again, what was President Obama thinking?  Did he think this capitulation would endear him to republicans?  Honestly, I still believe this decision will someday be considered one of the worst decisions a president ever made.  The investigations that were called for after Bush/Cheney would have prevented MUCH of the chicanery the republicans have pulled off since.  Obama’s “looking forward” was like a large GO SIGN to the republicans and their strategy of becoming the party of NO.  One thing republicans understand very well is that the American public will never be enamored with leaders who seem either timid or weak – and, that’s how this decision made Obama look – take your pick, timid or weak!

He may have been able to overcome that blunder had he not continued to capitulate.  Do you remember the “Stimulus” bill?  Well, it was at least half a BILLION dollars too small and it had too many tax cuts – money that could have been directed toward job creation – precisely because Obama wanted some republican votes for the bill.  When he had close to a super majority in congress it was imperative for him to show the leadership necessary to get his agenda passed – IN TACT!  Unfortunately, his EXTREME desire to “compromise” with these republican “terrorists” showed it’s “ugly face” right off the bat.  And, this continued through the painfully dragged out “health reform” legislation that included the same backroom dealing people were sick of and a capitulation to its most important ingredient – A ROBUST PUBLIC OPTION!  Since the passage of the “Affordable Health Care Act” my health insurance has increased over 25% in cost – that’s in less than two years!  Obama undermined his own constituency in the House of Representatives on this one – and, now look at what he’s dealing with.

Then, to top this all off, last December President Obama “negotiated” an extension of the “Bush Tax Cuts.”  (that fell into the unbelievable category for me) These tax cuts had added something approaching 2 TRILLION dollars to the national debt in the previous 10 years and I actually heard these words come out of Obama’s mouth shortly thereafter – “Extending these tax cuts will stimulate the economy and add jobs.”  Again, I thought: “Are you kidding me?”  To make matters worse, in all the negotiating I remember Obama pointing out that the Social Security “tax” (FICA) that comes out of our checks (those of us lucky enough to be working) would be reduced by 2% for the next year further “stimulating” the economy!  When I heard that I wondered; “Has this president read any of the history behind the Social Security system and its trust fund?”  That system and it’s money was NEVER intended to “stimulate” the economy – it was SUPPOSED to be HANDS OFF!  Now, we have a democratic president who’s allowing himself to be backed into a corner through his “negotiating” with terrorists (republicans) and the other day I even heard him say that Social Security is “on the table.”  My thoughts; “What the hell does that mean?”  or “He’s at it again!”

Had Obama simply let the Bush Tax cuts expire and had he actually brought the troops home from Iraq within the 16 months he PROMISED (there wasn’t time or space to get into that one this evening) half of this budget “crisis” would have been solved.  (he should have repealled them as soon as he was in office)  Obama can’t go back and make the original “stimulus” bill the size it should have been, but he could choose to join the fight working people are waging across America against the corporate elite who are, with the conspiratorial help of the republican party, trying to gain a stranglehold on our nation’s government.  If “we the people” lose this next battle – and, here I’m talking about 2012 – turning things around will become exponentially more difficult.  The republicans and their “sponsors” have control of a majority on the Supreme Court (hence, the deplorable Citizens United decision), they control the vast majority of the media (Fox “news” should be called Republican TV or GOP TV), and they’ve got a reasonable chance to gain control of both houses of congress in the next election (I don’t think many Americans have truly internalized the effects “Citizens United” will have on future elections). 

If President Obama turns off even more of his “base” by “negotiating” Social Security and Medicare with these republicans it’s even possible there could be a republican president in 2012.  After Bush/Cheney I thought “there won’t be another republican elected to national office for maybe a generation.”  I hope I’m wrong, but I feel that if President Obama ends up including Social Security in the debt “negotiations” the opposite could become true. (remember, Social Security has NOTHING to do with the debt – it hasn’t caused a DIME of debt since its inception and it’s SOLVENT for the next 25 years if we can keep the politician’s hands off of the trust fund – plus it wouldn’t take much “tweaking” to make it solvent for the next 75 years)  Honestly, I’m finding myself feeling incredulous that the subject of Social Security “on the table” could even be happening under a democratic president!  What on earth is America coming to?????