It will probably take me a week or two to finish this post (thought) but, as today is day one of the “government shutdown” I wanted to put a couple thoughts down before I lose them.  First, I really hope that President Obama and the democrats in congress don’t “blink.”  I started predicting this kind of shenanigan shortly after Obama took office because of his consistent pandering to the “right wing” of the republican party.  He failed to allow the (PROPER) investigations that SHOULD have happened post Bush/Cheney.  That, in itself, sent the ENTIRELY wrong message to the republicans, who at the time, should have been looking at a generation in the minority.  Subsequent to that, President Obama has “caved” time and again in his search for the “grand bargain,”  in the process only succeeding in deflating his “liberal” base.  I think it should be apparent to all that you can’t bargain with the likes of people who are funded by a small group of MULTIBILLIONAIRES who could care less about the people on Main Street.  The so-called “Tea Party,” therefore, has unlimited funding and their supporters have scared the hell out of every rational thinking republican in congress to the point where they (the rational republicans – if there are any left) are acting like the “sheep” that made up the Third Reich in Germany in the 1930’s.

Should President Obama do as he did with the “Bush Tax Cuts” and “compromise” with these blackmailing thugs, what do you think will be next?  Just look at their laundry list of “wishes” and you should get the point.  They want less regulation on all things “carbon,” (hello Koch brothers) they want the Keystone XL pipeline, they want the end of the Affordable Care Act (referred to as “Obamacare”) – with nothing to replace it (and, by the way, people like me aren’t too happy with “Obamacare” because it’s the republican solution to our health care problems – instead of a single payer “Medicare for all” system – they (republicans) hate it because they don’t want our “colored” president to get credit for anything – even if they agree with it – I’m going to say it – they’re RACISTS!) – they want Social Security and Medicare “privatized,” they would just as soon get rid of Medicaid (it’s for poor people), they want the end of public education, they want the end of the minimum wage (even though they’ve succeeded for years in keeping it too low), they won’t rest until the last union in America is a memory, and they want permanent war.  (That’s the “route” many of them are using to get so rich it’s OBSCENE).  Obviously, Obama should have never pandered to these thugs in the first place – but it’s definitely time to TAKE A STAND!!!

In my last post I tried to give readers an idea about Naomi Klein’s great book “The Shock Doctrine.”  In a “nutshell” the book documents the corporate, CIA, government, and “Chicago boys” partnership that has bludgeoned the economies of nation after nation around the world.  I suggested that those who “believe” in Milton Friedman’s “free market” philosophy and are behind the ensuing “movement” (which includes today’s republicans) were applying their theory on the United States in a more “stealth” manner than the sudden “shocks” they’ve imposed on other countries around the world.  Economic shocks that devastated one country after another and led to increased poverty, disease, and totalitarian states in places where people’s “free will” was thwarted.  Places like Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Bolivia, Brazil, Indonesia, Poland, Russia (post Gorbachev), Iran (in the 1950’s), and most recently in Iraq – these are countries whose economies and middle class citizens have been destroyed post “shock doctrine.”  (sound familiar – it’s just that in America it’s happening piecemeal – so far) Well, I’m beginning to think that I have understood this all wrong (and, honestly, I hope I’m wrong about these thoughts) – here’s what’s been churning in my brain today:  Are the “tea party” republicans really going to take America “down” by forcing a default on our nation’s debt in the next few weeks?  That would create the kind of “shock” the “Friedmanites” drool over and have imposed on these other countries – I’m asking myself, why not here?  There’s way more profit they can “squeeze” from the middle class in America than they’ve already got!

As I’ve stated many times on this site – these right wing thugs control our “liberal media” so, with them having their “say” in congress, what’s to stop them?  Most of the “tea party” obstructers live in “gerrymandered” districts that provide them with a free ticket back to their destructive “seats” no matter what damage they cause to the rest of us with the help of the funding from their rich benefactors.  Already, we’re seeing the results of their “ways” as the so-called sequester has become, evidently, America’s new way of government budgeting.  Of course, it has no material effect on any of these “tea party” thugs, it simply makes things more difficult for the “least among us.”  I have to say, it hasn’t had too much effect on me either, but – as a sixth grade teacher in a high poverty school – I’m seeing the effect it’s having on MANY children (I’m assuming this is happening across our land) who are stuck in families that have had support pulled from them due to our need to (continue our wars but) cut their benefits. (including, unbelievably, FOOD STAMPS)  Our media will NOT do its duty to be reporting the TRUTH about the devastation that’s going on in our own nation – because it doesn’t affect them and they’re “employees” of the very culprits who are at the head of the problem.  Kind of like hoping the fox WILL protect the hen house – and we all know how that story ends, don’t we???

Additionally, the courts have been STACKED with right wing nut jobs for the past 40 years.  Antonin Scalia is known for “hanging out” with the likes of Dick Cheney, the Koch brothers, and others of their “ilk” but you never see him recusing himself from issues which he’s got an obvious conflict of interest.  I can’t even put into words my disappointment and disgust with Clarence Thomas.  The man has no scruples – he just does what he’s told.  I actually defended him in conversation when he was seeking Senate confirmation, and now I realize all the “stuff” brought up against him by democrats who were, at the time vilified in the press, was real.  He should never have been confirmed and, based on his associations with right wing thugs and his wife’s, he should be removed from the court.  And, then there’s Roberts and Alito – the two of them have violated their word regarding “judicial activism” given during their confirmation hearings to the point of great alarm in my mind.  Essentially, they lied to congress and we all know they’ll NEVER be held to account.  The result, so far (of their legislating from the bench), has been (just to focus on the two most egregious decisions to me) Citizens United (which could totally destroy our democracy) and the gutting of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (which will allow the disenfranchisement of millions of American voters).  “Citizens United” has allowed UNLIMITED and SECRET spending in our election process (everyone should be aware of the damage that’s already been caused, and understand the BILLIONAIRES have just begun to figure out how to abuse that “privilege” even more-so) and, at the same time, the voter suppression legislation was “laying in wait” for the court’s assault on the Voting Right’s Act  and  all those right wing and RACIST republican Secretary’s of State across America (who, again are being bankrolled by these “invisible” BILLIONAIRES) that are hell-bent on SUPPRESSING the voting rights of minority voters, students and young people, and the elderly – especially in areas where people might vote democratic – have already “kick started” their plan – jettisoning it into “high gear.”

Combine these two troubling issues (the “liberal media” – controlled by and living in fear of the right wing “conservatives” – and the stacked court system) and you should be able to see how there’s a scenario where this small minority in the House of Representatives may really attempt to take the rest of us “over the brink.”  There’s little we can do to provide them the same kind of “accountability” they’ve been imposing on “Main Street” since the days of Ronald Reagan.  Apparently, there’s either no courageous republican’s left in the House, or there’s more right wing “whack jobs” out there than the rest of us realize.  My district, (Southwestern Washington) has a republican representative whom I’ve contacted on several occasions and who I believe, under better circumstances I could support (she really seems to be a nice and honest young lady).  However, she goes along (like the rest of the republican “sheep”) with EVERYTHING  they do – it’s EXPECTED!  Well, I’m soon to write her to let her know that in the 2014 election I will do EVERYTHING I can to help WHOEVER the democratic candidate is – to DEFEAT HER!  I’m really sick of politicians who base their votes on the MONEY they can count on from the BILLIONAIRES.  And, it will be difficult to DEFEAT her, because they will fund her reelection bid due to her willingness to support their EXTREME agenda.

This whole government thing has finally come to a HEAD and, as I stated above, our president has NO CHOICE but to STAND FIRM and reject ANY “compromise” the republicans might try to cram down his (and our) throat(s).  It’s not only time to tell them where to “get off,” but maybe the investigations of Bush/Cheney that were blocked 5 years ago should happen now.  I don’t believe there’s a statute of limitations on prosecuting torture and murder.  I doubt there’s a statute of limitations on prosecuting war profiteering, but even if there is, don’t you think the American public should be made aware that the very people who took us into Iraq made HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of dollars from their fiasco?  Obviously, I not only feel (DEMAND) that President Obama STAND FIRM, I would love to see him finally FIGHT BACK!

I was in church tonight and we were praying for our local and national government.  We were praying for unity.  I was praying with the rest of our congregation and people from churches throughout the community in which I reside.  I really want that – but, I realize that, as Christians, we can’t just idly sit by and watch politicians – many who have gained power via the voting “block” of the “Christian right” – destroy the fundamental premises of our nation which were fought for and pushed to the “surface” by “liberal” Christians over MANY, MANY years.  It’s ironic to me, that the Civil Rights movement in America was spurred on over many years by “liberal” Christians (from the days of the original constitution) and now we have a block of “right wing Christians” supporting a political movement that is clearly founded on RACISM.  This faction, I’m convinced, believes in Friedman’s “shock therapy” approach to forcing a minority “will” on people who just don’t “understand.”  Their shock therapy philosophy is leading us, as a nation, into one self inflicted crisis after another.  (evidently, until the rest of us get so “turned off” by the entire process that we just let them have their way)  There is no way to achieve UNITY in our nation as long as the media and “we the people” allow those who are behind this “shock” treatment of our government  and us (meaning, again, “we the people”) to even be considered part of the mainstream of political thought.

They’ve used a brilliant strategy to “hoodwink” the rest of us over the past 40+ years and they’re not going away.  The racists and the greedy corporate executives will always be a part of this (and probably every) society, but it’s up to “we the people” to push them back under their “rocks.”  The administration of GW Bush/Dick Cheney put the “free market” movement on steroids (keep in mind, Democrat Bill Clinton allowed this to “simmer” during his administration and he made several unthinkable blunders – the Telecommunications Act of 1996, NAFTA and GATT, and the repeal of Glass Steagall all of which played right into the hands of those “invisible” BILLIONAIRES sponsoring this “tea party” assault on our system of government) and Obama’s unwillingness to reverse the EXCESSES of Bush/Cheney has allowed him (and the rest of us) to be “backed into a corner.”  The ONLY way out is to FIGHT our way out – and, I was just lamenting this to my 24 year old son – I hope (and pray) we do it at the BALLOT BOX.  The alternative is not healthy for our children and grandchildren – who deserve a better America than what we are apparently willing to leave them – those of us who are the “baby boomers” and have benefited so much from the struggles of our parents and grandparents.  I keep asking myself: “How can we Americans who’ve benefited so long and so much from the “New Deal” and “Great Society” allow the “tea party” to gut it for our children and grandchildren?”

Obviously, I’m feeling a bit passionate tonight.  What I thought would take several days (or more) to write, came out in a matter of about an hour.  I’m going to post this as written and I apologize for any “foo-pahs” in my writing, but I feel this one is best uploaded “as is.”  If you feel as I do, follow Thom Hartman’s advice and get active.  This story is going to end bad if the American public continues to allow the “tea party” to run ruff shod over the rest of us.  President Obama won the last election (handily) and, except for the gerrymandering the democrats would have re-taken the House.  The republicans seem to dismiss that as an unfortunate “bump in the road” – but irrelevant as to their “plan.”  This reality is unimaginable to me.  I keep asking myself: “How could we allow our country to fall to such depths?”

It’s time for LIBERALS, progressives, independents, and pragmatic republicans to get off their collective BUTTS and pull together to rid this nation of these obstructionist racists from the “tea party” and pull together to actually find practical solutions to America’s mounting list of problems.  I sit in church with many people who I know have opposing political viewpoints to me, but I’m sure that – without the vitriol – we could find ways to make our system work as it was intended by our founders.  Unfortunately, many of these good people still think Fox is a “news” outlet.  Somehow, the depth of the propaganda scheme needs to be EXPOSED to America’s “mainstream.”  These “tea party” republicans are working to “game” the system all the while as they claim to be following the constitution.  The hypocrisy and the lying about EVERYTHING has pretty much numbed most people I know – but, the reality is that it’s NOT OK and it’s time we all said so with our ballots.

Well, I’ll end by saying the MAJOR fear of our founders when they created the brilliant system of “checks and balances” in our constitution was EXACTLY the republican “nirvana” – which is one “faction” controlling the entire system of government.  (Karl Rove calls it the “permanent republican ‘majority'”) As Thomas Jefferson would say (at least I believe this is what he would say) “we the people” are the final “check” and it’s up to us to rein this thing in so that sensible people will have a chance to once again “rule the day” in Washington DC.  (I “get” that’s a HUGE undertaking, but the first “step,” in my mind – is voting OUT every republican possible – until the “tea party” is purged from their caucus)  Here’s a good way to start – write President Obama and DEMAND that he not give even an INCH to these blackmailing hostage taking political racist hacks!