I haven’t been writing for a while, I believe mostly because of my utter disappointment with the continuing demonstration by the democratic party that they are not “up to” the challenge of beating back the assault on our nation by the right wing extremists who are masquerading as republicans.  However, as a “remnant” of the anti-war movement and civil rights movement of the 60’s I have to say that what little I know about the “Occupy Wall Street” movement is starting to get my blood circulating again.  I’ve stated many times on this site that until “we the people” speak out in large enough numbers (or something to that “sort”) it appears to me that “business as usual” will simply continue in Washington.  Yes, having President Obama in office is better (by far) than any of the republican alternatives, but we still get all the lobbying, the back room “deals,” the secretive government, the wars, and essentially the endless corrupt government which is simply the pawn in corporate America’s game plan.  Seriously, have you seen many democratic “leaders” on the “front lines” with all the protestors?  I believe you WONT see them there until they can be guaranteed it won’t cost them their reelection (with the notable exception of politicians like Peter DeFazio of Oregon, who I heard in a local radio interview fully support the Occupy Wall Street movement).

I still remember as if it was yesterday the passing of the Citizens United Supreme Court debacle of a decision (which should have made clear to EVERYONE not only the importance of the next few appointments to the court, but the gravity of GW Bush’s appointments of two YOUNG corporatist cronies in Chief Justice John Roberts and Sam Alito who were at the heart of the Citizens United decision) and the relatively mild reaction that followed.  Now, people like Thom Hartmann – who had made me aware of the seriousness of the impending legislation prior to its passage – were prophetic in predicting the ENORMOUS consequences of the verdict (I personally cancelled my ACLU membership because of their stance supporting this decision which I found deplorable in its own right) and, to President Obama’s credit he brought it up in his State of the Union address shortly after the decision came down pointing out the inevitable consequence of FOREIGN money having a HUGE influence on all future American elections until this DISASTROUS decision is reversed – I may have embellished his remarks a bit but that was the gist as I remember it.  Yet, I can still visualize Sam Alito mouthing “no” to the President’s remarks as if he was actually concerned about where the corruption (MONEY) was to come from! (the reality is that where ever the flow of money is coming from, the corruption of our congress has been exponentially magnified since that decision).

There are some easy examples which should make this clear to you.  Take for example the case of Allan Grayson of Florida who was a first term democrat in the House coming from a republican district and a true man of honor.  Grayson is the representative who stood before the House of Representatives and explained that the republicans “health care plan” was “don’t get sick” and if you do get sick “die quickly.”  He also, within a short period after the Citizens United decision was passed, started initiating legislation to mitigate its affects – like requiring corporations to identify themselves when placing television ads, forcing them to get shareholder approval to spend millions on political advertising, etc.  Well, it was no surprise to me that Grayson was targeted and defeated by a “tea party” candidate who was backed by UNLIMITED funds and who had the support of “anonymous” advertisers who “smeared” Grayson with misleading and outright dishonest attack ads.  The end result was the HUGE transfer of “power” in the House from democratic control to essentially control by the “tea party” which is a bunch of right wing extremists who were funneled into office as a clear example of Citizens United support.

Russ Feingold was targeted in Wisconsin and defeated by a right wing extremist that for most of my life would have been considered nothing more than a “fringe” candidate.  But, we’ve all seen the damage done in Wisconsin by the unlimited funds of the Koch Brothers who are in the middle of much of the right wing assault on our nation’s government.  Wisconsin’s “Koch Brothers” governor, Scott Walker, was the leader in the republican movement to repeal workers’ collective bargaining rights, to fire teachers, firemen, and police officers,  to undermine public education, to privatize as much of Wisconsin’s state infrastructure as he can before he’s (hopefully) recalled in January of next year, and to repeal low income worker benefits such as the minimum wage.  Feingold was one of the few Senators in America who were independent of the big Wall Street “supporters” and was a fairly easy target in the new Citizens United era – makes me shudder just to write that (my favorite along with Bernie Sanders)!  Russ Feingold led the fight against the Bush partnership with Verizon and ATT&T who facilitated the  eavesdropping on American citizens without warrants or probable cause, he was opposed to the TARP bailouts, he opposed the HUGE Bush Tax cuts, and was basically a friend of the so-called 99 percent now being represented in the “occupy” movement going on all around the country.

Further evidence of the effect of Citizens United, if you need it, is apparent by simply watching the President and the democrats in congress as they shy away from showing any overt support for all the protestors in the streets.  One of my complaints about President Obama has been his unwillingness to show courageous leadership.  In my view, what we’ve gotten is a more refined version of Washington’s “political doublespeak.”  For example, recently Obama announced – as if some great decision had been made – that America’s troops were finally coming home from Iraq.  We’re nearly THREE YEARS into his presidency and the promise was 16 months.  And, I can GUARANTEE you, the ONLY reason they’re coming home is because the Iraqi’s don’t want them there anymore.  The Iraqi government refused to continue to give America’s soldiers “free reign” from a legal standpoint in Iraq – meaning no more of what was essentially diplomatic immunity.  After the first of the year our troops would be subject to Iraqi’s laws – which is unthinkable.  The military is following the very agreement for withdrawal that was negotiated by George W Bush – somehow Obama will attempt to put a face on this move that implies he’s bringing the troops home – but, it will be disingenuous at best.  No politician who wants to be reelected wants to face the wrath of the money potentially behind Citizen United “Super PAC’s.”  In the case of pulling the troops out of Iraq – we’re talking about the “Military Industrial Complex” that President Eisenhower so astutely warned us about back in the 1950’s!

Then there’s the democrats in Congress.  The “occupy” movement represents the “99 percent” – which is basically the working class of this nation.  Yet, where are the democrats?  I’ll tell you where they are – standing on the sidelines calculating whether they have a better chance of WINNING by watching from the “sidelines” or by risking the “wrath of  Wall Street” by vigorously throwing their support to the protestors and attempting to address the WRONGS that have brought the protestors onto America’s streets in growing numbers (and, I predict, the numbers will continue to grow the more the “establishment” attempts to “defeat” the movement – I still can’t believe that a US Marine is lying in an Oakland Hospital with serious head injuries received for exercising the Freedom of Speech he thought he was fighting to preserve when he enlisted in the military – what the hell is going on here?)  I believe I can assure you with confidence that the very Wall Street corporations which are being protested have contacted EVERY member of congress to let them know what the consequence of their support for the movement will mean financially.  Not only will their pipeline to Wall Street money dry up quickly, but the money spent to defeat them will flow in HUGE unlimited amounts.  Remember, these large Wall Street corporations are earning money in the multi-BILLIONS of dollars and a few MILLIONS into an election is simply “the cost of doing business.”  You can tell Wall Street has taken notice because, about a week or two ago, I saw an article which pointed out how Mitt Romney (I guess he’s the Wall Street “pick” for the republican nomination for 2012) was in a photo with twelve of the richest Wall Street executives who were committing their financial support to his candidacy.

What that should show the democrats is that their tepid response to the right wing assault on our system of government is not “getting them anywhere.”  Especially in President Obama’s case, he’s shown a slight change in direction over the past month or so, since he went on the offensive for his “jobs bill,” and his approval rating has jumped upward significantly.  The money he won’t get from Wall Street because of this he wasn’t going to get anyway!

I can tell you that I believe this next election will require democrats to make a stand on who they support.  People are demanding FUNDAMENTAL change to the way our government works – a reversal of the 30+ years of “trickle down” economics and tax breaks “for the rich.”  The American people aren’t as stupid as our political leaders think we are.  Yes, many Americans are so busy trying to keep a roof over the head of their families that they only have time for the “sound bites” and the headlines.  But, they’re coming to realize that organizations like  Fox “news” are nothing more than propaganda wings of the republican party – and, they’re looking for REAL change.  That is what we thought we were getting when we voted in President Obama.

I don’t know a single person who voted for Obama thinking they were voting for a friend of the Wall Street bankers – or someone who would protract the wars (including the escalating of Afghanistan) – or someone who would continue the extraordinary renditions of “enemy combatants” and the illegal surveillance of Americans (he had promised to reverse the “FISA” legislation passed under Bush which gave immunity to the telecommunication companies who allowed “data mining” of American’s phone calls and emails) or, maybe worst of all, someone who would legitimize the Bush administration by BLOCKING all investigations into the illegal activity which included WAR CRIMES, TORTURE, and war PROFITEERING!

The problems which have spawned the “occupy” movement go way back before Obama.  It’s just that many people besides myself thought President Obama was the starting point to reversing the trend which was/is turning this nation into a corporatocracy –  which is the very definition of fascism.  You can find the data (proof) in unlimited places – I’ve read it in probably between 10 and 20 different books by different authors with different “bents” – material wealth has been moving in the EXACT opposite direction of what Ronald Reagan promised when he instituted the “supply side” “trickle down” economic policies of the 1980’s.  Huge amounts of capital have move UPWARD instead of DOWNWARD since 1980 – it’s staggering.  The tax code is now so rigged against the members of the middle class that unless drastic measures are taken we are destined to continue the slide toward “third world” status.  In ways that you have to “dig” into information, the middle class has become the “sugar daddies” of the top 1 percent the “occupy” protestors are complaining about.  I’ll give you a couple examples that I’ve uncovered recently in books I’m reading.

Back in the 80’s, during the Reagan assault on working people, a Senator local to me – Bob Packwood of Oregon – who was the chairmen of the Senate Finance committee managed to get passed a bill which ultimately allowed corporate CEO’s to purchase JETS and fly all over the world in them for personal use while only having to claim the cost of a commercial airline ticket as the “benefit” they received.  In fact, if they claim they’re using the corporate jet for “safety reasons” they only need to claim one half of the commercial rate as “income” for the private use of the jet.  So, for example, the executive might fly from New York to Paris for – let’s say – one thousand dollars.  On the other hand, it might cost the corporations forty or fifty thousand dollars to fuel the plane, maintain it, pay for the crew, etc. – which the corporation is allowed to deduct from their tax bill – which technically should be at a rate of 35%.  So, therefore, the taxpayers are subsidizing the corporation for tens of thousands of dollars each time the executive uses the plane.  And, can’t you just imagine the executive as a good “card carrying republican” complaining about the national debt all the way to the bank?  This is one of the ways corporations like GE make BILLIONS and, in addition, receive MILLIONS in tax subsidies from the government – while paying ZERO in taxes!

Take for example the Bush Tax Cuts and how they work with the so-called “Alternative Minimum Tax.”  This tax was originally implemented to ensure that people in the upper tax brackets would not be able to get away with paying NO tax.  Well, while I’m not a tax expert, I did read how subsequent to the “Bush Tax Cuts” many taxpayers falling in the “upper middle class” category – say those making between $75,000 and $250,000 – and those having multiple deductions – especially those with large numbers of children – are paying the bulk of this tax, while those it was intended for – people making over $1,000,000 are hardly affected by the tax at all.  Another example of the middle class taxpayers subsidizing the “rich.”  In fact, our entire economy has been getting more and more “tilted” toward the top “one percent” since the day Ronald Reagan took the oath of office. (if you’re interested in more interesting tax info – read “Perfectly Legal” – I can’t remember the author, but he’s a reporter for the NY Times)

Fortunately, large numbers of America’s middle class – including, I believe, many who previously called themselves republicans – are figuring out the gravity of the HEIST which has been taking place.  And, I guarantee you that people like Grover Norquist, Bob Packwood (now a “tax lobbyist”), Dick Armey, Karl Rove, Henry Paulsen (of TARP fame), the now infamous Koch brothers, Eric Prince, Dick Cheney, Don Rumsfeld, and I could go on and on – the people behind the scenes orchestrating this republican heist on America’s middle class taxpayers (you know, the people who profess to “hate” government so much they will do anything to control it) will not stop until WE THE PEOPLE stop them and it appears to me that we’re in the beginning stages of doing just that!  I believe the backlash to these thugs – the “Occupy” movement actually started on the streets of Madison Wisconsin last winter and will continue to grow no matter what the politicians might “wish.”  In my mind there is a CLEAR message here for both political parties:

I believe the message democrats should get from “Occupy Wall Street” is join up or GET OUT OF THE WAY!!!  The republicans?  Well, I see no hope for them in their present “state.”