Republicans are like the itch that just won’t quit.  Really, I need some benedryll!  This “go round’s” puppets are Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, but those pulling the strings are the same thugs that forced the miserable years of the Bush/Cheney administration on the unsuspecting American public.  And, I say that with special emphasis on the Cheney part!  (In so many ways, GW Bush reminds me of Mitt Romney)  The big question for the upcoming election in my mind is that are we, the American voting public, as stupid as the republicans believe we are.  I mean, I think they should be embarrassed to put out two candidates with the issues of Romney and Ryan.  But, evidently, the Citizens United Supreme Court decision (and their control of the court – remember Bush v Gore 2000) allows them to feel as if the candidate is unimportant.  Those behind the scenes (such as Karl Rove, the Chamber of Commerce, the Koch’s, etc.) must believe their MOUNTAINS of money will be the deciding force in the upcoming election.

Here’s another way to look at this.  We’ve got two virtual KNOW NOTHINGS in the field of foreign policy now running around the country making stupid statements regarding President Obama, exactly at a time when the nation needs to show solidarity behind our president and those representing this country abroad, and seemingly trying to make matters worse.  The “Democracy” these republicans were so vociferous in supporting as they unseated Saddam Hussein and destabilized the middle east (and world for that matter) in their quest for more oil profits is showing its growing pains in the surrounding nations and, as with every other incident that has happened in the world since 2009 (except the positive ones) Romney, Ryan, and the rest of the republican party is BLAMING President Obama for all that goes awry!  Now, if you just take one moment to think about how absurd that is, then another moment to think about what that does to the U.S.’s image in the world (can you imagine how those in other places are wondering how people like Romney/Ryan/Boehner/McConnell etc. could possibly be “leaders” of the leader of the “free world?”), and then look back at the previous 3+ years and honestly consider the number of times the republicans have BLOCKED any progressive legislation from having a chance – you should be able to get the picture here.

Nothing the republicans do has anything to do with what’s best for the United States of America.  It’s ALL ABOUT what’s best for their “focus group” (the so-called 1%) AND regaining POWER.  It’s been less than 4 years since the republicans led the Wall Street elite’s plundering of our economy to the tune of several TRILLION dollars – and, they now expect “we the people” to put them back in charge by proposing the same OLD recipe for their GREED.  More tax breaks for millionaires and BILLIONAIRES – and, this time they’ll fix the tax code so that us “little people” can have more fairness (figure out what losing your mortgage deduction will do to your “bottom line”).  It’s just that Romney/Ryan are adding the caveat that they are pawns of the neocons behind the “Project for a New American Century”- ie, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, Dick Armey, Richard Perle, and a host of other right wing war mongers – virtually none of which actually ever wore a uniform in the military service to the United States.  The “talking points” coming from Romney/Ryan are like a bad dream from a broken record.  We’ve heard them all before – whether it’s about plundering our tax base for American’s wealthy (in their estimation it’s allowing the rich to “keep their” money) or liberating some unfortunate country which hates Israel and – this is important – has HUGE reserves of oil.  Romney/Ryan’s “cross-hairs:”  Iran!  These people are nuts – AND – they’re bound and determined to PROVE they can overcome all the obstacles our founders put into the constitution to prevent FACTIONS such as theirs from EVER gaining a STRANGLEHOLD on our government.  George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and the others were trying to save us from these neocons over 200 years ago.  Lets just hope and pray the original constitution’s intent holds up!

Romney’s recent “gaffe” – actually, for once telling the truth – where he commented on the now famous 47% of Americans who are evidently freeloaders living off the government dole – really tells it all.  It should, in reality, GUARANTEE that this man is UNFIT to lead America, but with all their Citizens United might – I have no doubt the republicans and Romney will march on with their arrogant lies aimed at suffocating the 47% (and the rest of the so-called 99%) with the right wing power grab which has been in the works since the days of Ronald Reagan.  I tried to watch the first presidential debate, but just as when I try to take in Fox “news,” or listen to the likes of Rush Limbaugh or Lars Larsen, I quickly get sick to my stomach hearing all the lies (republican “talking points” – right out of the Goebbels Nazi propaganda “playbook” – don’t believe me?  Just listen to several of the “talkers” on the same day – you’ll hear the same message with the same words coming out of their mouths – ie the big lie theory)  with no apparent mechanism (well, except for those of us who check out things on the “Internets” – one site, I think it was the Daily Kos, listed something like 27 lies coming from Romney’s mouth in 38 minutes of the debate) to rebut them.  I’ve always had a lot of respect for Jim Lehrer, and maybe how he moderated that debate was what he should have done, but in the parts I watched Mitt Romney was acting like a bully and Lehrer seemed defenseless.  I was able to IMMEDIATELY see holes in what he was saying and he was violating his “time” (I’m sure Obama probably did the same at other points in the debate) but, that’s not what caused me to almost “gag.”  For a man who’s been “promising” to “repeal Obamacare” as the first thing he does upon becoming president (I’m not sure he can even do that without the consent of congress) his defense of “his plan” which was implemented in Massachusetts while he was governor seemed to me a total contradiction (of course, that’s what Romney’s becoming famous for – all the contradictions – some people say there’s not an issue of which he hasn’t claimed to be on both sides)

To me, it’s just the height of arrogance that a man like Romney would be running for this office in the first place.  A recent report I read listed his “holdings” in the Cayman Islands at 137 different business investments.  You don’t have to do much research to figure out why any American would locate their business or their investments in places like the Caymans – and, keep in mind Romney’s got Swiss bank accounts and business investments located in Bermuda as well – and, probably elsewhere.  The MAIN reason businesses locate in these places is to avoid regulation and TAXES.  Now, I’m not suggesting any of what Romney’s doing is illegal (although I’ve read several books suggesting that the “rules” are “pushed” in almost all of these “setups” and the IRS just doesn’t have enough manpower to adequately police it – not to mention that many of the holders of these accounts are large donors to that great congress of ours which has been virtually bought and paid for by the 1% of which most of the rest of us are getting REALLY tired) – what I am suggesting is that it’s hard for me to understand why any working class American would vote for someone who doesn’t believe in this nation enough to invest their money right here at home!  I “get” how all this works, I just don’t “get” how “we the people” would want someone like Romney – a direct representative of the very people who almost destroyed our economy in 2008 to “run” this country – it makes NO SENSE at all to me.

I read the biography of Steve Jobs and I’ve had the pleasure of hosting teachers from China in a student exchange program over the past few years (both myself and my wife are school teachers).  The teachers come from one of the cities hosting the factory (I believe it’s called Fox Com) where Apple makes their iPhones and iPads.   Recently I read where Apple is hoarding something approaching 100 BILLION dollars over seas – unwilling to return this money to the United States until they can do so without paying taxes.  I’m pointing this out because I believe Apple’s mentality and Romney’s are quite similar.  And, to me, it’s totally outrageous.  Apple is ABUSING the Chinese workers (some of the stories are horrific) and making HUGE profits by assembling their products with what almost amounts to slave labor and then shipping their products to the United States and selling them.  The Chinese teachers and students were purchasing Apple products here because the products are cheaper here than in the very town where they are assembled!  After all this – and Apple has made obscene profits – they still want to avoid taxes on the money that should be reinvested in America (actually, they should have to treat their workers better in China first and foremost AND be willing to pay American taxes to support the country which allowed for their success in the first place).  I’m sure if we had the “TRUTH” about Romney’s Cayman Islands business accounts we would see some parallels – albeit a bit smaller – to Apple’s arrogant greed.  Again, not illegal – but, why would “we the people” want our leaders coming from this mindset?

I will end this by saying that I believe the very things that turn my stomach about Mitt Romney are what makes him valuable to the puppeteers of the republican party.  He will say whatever he’s told to say.  He will give any audience what they want to hear.  Last year I heard a quote from a leading republican insider, I believe it was Grover Norquist, when addressing republican donors concerned about what at the time was a dreadful group of candidates for the republican nomination for president, and he said “All we need is someone to sign the legislation we get through congress.”  Of course, the plan is to have control of both houses of congress, the White House, and the courts. (the secret part of the plan is that the so-called “liberal media” is controlled by right wing corporations – so, they’ve already got the “4th estate,”  they’ll NEVER tell us that)  That plan appears to be unraveling, but even in my state (Washington) – considered a “liberal” state, the Koch brothers recently “funneled in” over $4 MILLION in an attempt to get a “Scott Walker clone” into the governorship of the state of Washington.  Will it work?  Well, in our state, that’s a lot of money and it will allow the republicans to buy up most of the available advertisement time on the TV’s.  Nationally, people like Karl Rove, the Chamber of Commerce, and Dick Armey (with “Freedom Works”) are expected to spend upwards of a BILLION dollars on stealth advertising designed to get republicans elected by any means possible.  We’ve seen the repeated LYING by both Romney and Ryan at the top (OK, most will concede that the lying is bipartisan – it’s just that I’ve never seen it as blatant as with these republicans) and I don’t expect anything different from those down the “food chain.”  It really is time for “we the people” to put an end to this version of the republican party.  The way to do that is at the ballot box in November! Failure to do so could lead to a disaster which can best be described as a revisiting of the 1920’s!