I’ve written many times about the “invisible” cabal that is attempting to take over America’s government from the right (actually, it might be better to say trying to destroy our republic from within) – using the auspices of the republican party as their “vehicle” – and, as every day passes, I see more and more evidence they are creeping their way toward success.  Unfortunately, the democratic party seems to be unwilling or unable to understand the gravity of what is going on.  I recently wrote (again) about “the family” – a group of right wing zealots who believe in the authoritarian principles of people like Hitler, Stalin, and Mussolini and their authoritarian approach to leadership in the name of Jesus Christ as the secret to “gaming” the American system of government – and they (the “family”) have their “tentacles” into the circle of people “inhabiting” the upper echelon of the WORLD’S wealthiest “leaders.”  This group has been slowly expanding since the day Franklin Roosevelt first initiated the “New Deal” in the 1930’s (as they reviled the pro-labor policies of FDR), and they are well on their way to reversing every last benefit Roosevelt pushed through for America’s middle class and its “working poor.”  In my youth (the 1950’s and 1960’s) America’s government was centered on a “bottom up” approach to the “general welfare” of “we the people.”  In 1980 the “top down” approach was thrust upon an unsuspecting public.

It took until the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980 for those behind this movement to gain ANY traction as “mainstream” politicians and leaders.  Of course, Reagan famously initiated the so-called “trickle down” economic philosophy of the “Chicago Boys” who were the devotees of Milton Friedman.  Still, those directly involved in “the family” remained “under cover.”  In fact, Doug Coe, the man who succeeded the original family “guru” (Abraham Veriede) demanded his “followers” operate in TOTAL secrecy.  To this day I don’t believe many in America’s general population understand this group is behind the “National Prayer Breakfast” that EVERY president seems obligated to attend (along with some of the worst dictators in modern WORLD history – men like Suharto from Indonesia or Pinochet from Chile, to name a couple examples) so that America’s public can continue to be fooled into thinking that our leaders and the World leaders who attend actually “follow Jesus.”  That’s the part that’s the most offensive to me because I guess you’d have to classify me as a “liberal” Christian.  These people have “duped” a large portion of America’s “conservative Christians” into blindly supporting them, despite their militaristic, selfish, and “un Christian” actions.  I spend a lot of thought trying to figure out where the above mentioned “tentacles” of this movement have already reached, and the more I find out the more anxious I become, especially for my children and grand children.

So, tonight I was watching Mike Papantonio on “Free Speech TV’ who has a show called “Ring of Fire” (if you’re not familiar with this man, please “Google” Ring of Fire TV or Ring of Fire.com) and he reminded me of the damage being done by a group called ALEC – the “American Legislative Exchange Council.”  I have NO DOUBT this DESPICABLE group is “connected at the hip” to “the Family.”  When you start uncovering the depth of the right wing “thrust” into America’s “heartland,” you quickly realize these people have unlimited funds, they are smart, they are patient, and they appear to me to be without conscience.   ALEC (I’ve written several times before about them and you can easily find out all you need to know with a quick internet search) is a group connected DIRECTLY to the wealthy “leaders” who comprise “The Family” and they write “legislation” for the state and local legislators around America who manage to get elected (almost ALWAYS republicans – but, I don’t think democrats are totally innocent on this “atrocity”) but don’t know how to govern themselves.  The legislation ALEC “provides” for these hapless legislators comes directly from the board rooms of the corporate interests that fund the group.  Papantonio listed a few of their “clients.”  Walmart, Federal Express, Exxon, Coca Cola, “big pharma,” the tobacco companies, and essentially, anyone with a vested interest in reversing the successes of the “New Deal” and successive progressive programs.

Of course, the obvious public “fight” they’re “pushing” is the privatization of Social Security, the voucherizing of Medicare, and the elimination of Medicaid.  They are attacking (and have been attacking) every remaining remnant of the labor unions in America for years – focusing now on Teacher unions, Police unions, Fire Fighters unions, and basically any public employee union still in existence.  Their attention is slowly swinging toward the few remaining “private” unions and they won’t rest until there’s nary a union left in America.  In fact, it was the union movement in the 1930’s which motivated Veriede to begin this anti union “movement” in the first place.  Of course, as an anti worker “movement” they had little trouble finding funding from wealthy business owners who wanted to quash America’s labor force “in the name of Jesus.”  (Just the thought of these people makes my stomach queezy)  Somehow, since the days of Reagan, they’ve got this solid group of “conservative Christians” who continually enable their bad behavior because they’ve convinced the “Christian right” they are opposed to abortion – and, that issue alone has allowed them to surreptitiously do a lot of “un Christian” stuff!

Papantonio gave a long list of the agenda being pushed by ALEC and their funders.  To me, as a person who believes in the middle class and the “blue collar” members of our society, this is unnerving to say the least.  ALEC is writing legislation to, as I mentioned above, kill unions and America’s right to form unions, they want to do away with the minimum wage, overtime pay, sick pay (in places they’ve passed – or attempted to pass – legislation making it illegal to offer sick pay to workers), child labor laws, vacation pay, workplace safety laws, environmental protection laws, public schools, food stamps, unemployment insurance, they want to prevent workers from being able to sue employers that cheat them, and I could go on and on (I recommend you check out “Ring of Fire TV” on “Free Speech TV).  The sorry truth is that the people behind “The Family” and ALEC have unlimited funds and they are savvy enough to be able to convince America’s work force to continually vote against their own self interest.  I want to say something negative about America’s “low information voters” but the truth is that this right wing “cabal” has a stranglehold on America’s so-called “liberal media” as well, and this media has absolutely no scruples!  (Tonight, I was watching Jon Stewart as he mocked the right wing’s attempt to equate the problems with the roll out of “Obamacare” with President Bush’s folly in the Hurricane Katrina disaster.  Stewart “gets it” – he’s the only member of the “media” – he’s on “Comedy Central” – who shows the roll-out of the right wing propaganda “machine.”  Showing one “pundit” after another (Fox “news” centered – of course) repeating the same “talking point” with the Goebbels philosophy of “repeating the same lie over and over until the people [the above mentioned “low information voters”] believe it’s true.

It’s as if these people (“The Family,” ALEC, “conservatives”) are trying to bring back jobs to America by reducing our workforce to one that is competitive with the Chinese workers through what many (including me) call a “race to the bottom.”  And, of course, this isn’t all on republicans as I’ve stated many times on this site.  (After all, NAFTA and GATT were signed into law by Bill Clinton) I just believe the republicans behind this “movement” are much more sophisticated than the democrats and they remind me of the tale of the turtle and the hare.  The democrats win an election (as in 2008 and 2012) and this group just keeps PLODDING along as if they didn’t notice.  They’ve got a plan and they’re “sticking to it.”  Their solution to the FACT there are way more democrats (and democratically leaning independents) than republicans is to find creative ways to keep democratic (leaning) voters from the polls.  And, they’re very good at what they’re doing.  As I said, they control our “liberal media,” they’ve got control of the courts, they’ve “gerrymandered” their way into a fairly safe position in the House of Representatives, they’re close to having a majority in the Senate, the Citizens United Supreme Court decision has given their “deep pockets” exponentially more power, and they just need to find a candidate for president who can put a coherent sentence together.  GW Bush “had it” (the presidency AND both houses of congress) but bungled his way out of office in disgrace, but with their “hold” on our media and their willingness to put power ahead of “we the people” they’ve already created a political environment in Washington DC where it’s as if Bush/Cheney never existed.  (Evidently, with the comparison of the “Obamacare” roll-out to Hurricane Katrina, their “historical revisionism” is being accelerated as we get closer and closer to 2016 – it shouldn’t be too long and we’ll be hearing that the Iraq war was worth the toll in lives and treasure – ugh!!)

In fact, after Bush/Cheney screwed up the plan (the “permanent republican majority”) so bad, this “cabal” with the increasing help of ALEC has been “turning up the heat” in places where most people don’t even notice.  They are inching away at control of state legislature after state legislature with some EXTREMELY worker UNFRIENDLY legislation that they’re getting passed – in places, almost unnoticed – because they’ve gone into the local political districts around the nation and taken full advantage of their understanding of our system.  The irony is that a “movement” that overtly operates with a “top down” approach to government (that is, they know what’s best for the rest of us – “trickle down”) is slowly gaining strength from a “bottom up” strategy aimed at gaining power.  It was this “local” legislative strategy, for example, which allowed republicans to gerrymander in NUMEROUS house districts that are now “safe” for republicans no matter how bizarre their representatives behave in congress.  As long as they “toe the line” there will be plenty of money to get them re-elected.  And, of course, they all know that as soon as they “stray” from the “party line” there will be a “primary challenger” who will have access to all the money.

As I’ve said many times, if this group is successful in creating their “permanent republican majority” (in the words of Karl Rove), it will be very difficult to “turn the tide.”  Things like this blog (and others) will come under attack just as “liberal talk” has been virtually removed from the public airwaves.  Very few people I know have any concern, for instance, that a company (Clear Channel) essentially owned by Mitt Romney’s Bain Capital, has a near monopoly on the political “talk” you can access on the radio airwaves.  They’ve canceled station format after station format (liberal talk, that is) since Romney’s defeat in the last election to little or no notice that I’ve seen from the general public.  Our truckers, and others who are “on the road” a lot are still being “fed” by the likes of Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Lars Larsen, and others who are more than willing to say whatever they’re told to say for their fat paychecks.

So, while I continue to lament the FACT the ONLY place I can turn, realistically, for a “worker friendly” solution to this problem is the democratic party, I hope that more and more people will gain an awareness that our political system, which during my lifetime seemed stable, is teetering on the brink.  People like the Koch brothers, the Walmart heirs, the DeVoss family, the Coors family, the many CEO’s on Wall Street who believe they are actually producing something as they trade in money and manipulate the commodities most of us depend on – for obscene profits – essentially, those who form “The Family” for most of my lifetime have made up the “fringe” element of America’s political scene.  Many come from organizations like the John Birch Society, the Klan, and other extremist right wing organizations.  I have always felt that one of America’s great strengths was that people like this had a right to free expression of their ideas.  I just never would have guessed to what lengths they would go to gain ultimate power.  Their clear willingness to follow the “end justifies the means” approach to political power along with their enormous financial resources has put them in a position to “game” the system set up by our founders.  All through the book “The Family” there is evidence that, to these people, “democracy” is an ineffective way to “govern.”  They are attempting to succeed at the biggest fear of our founders – and that is to “beat” the principle of “checks and balances.”

The ENDLESS attacks on the president (the same thing happened during Bill Clinton’s presidency) allow these people to control the government even when they are on the “outside.”  Clinton ended up agreeing to legislation that, looking back, couldn’t have been more effective for this “cabal’s” interests than if he was a republican himself.  The “free trade” agreements, the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (which has allowed the right wing to control our “liberal media” – and contract it into the interests of about 9 corporations – the last time I checked), and the deregulation – the worst of which was the repeal of Glass Steagall – all were Clinton “successes” which helped to lay the “foundation” for the mess we find ourselves in today.  Now, republicans are blocking EVERYTHING, and a president’s natural ambition is to push an agenda forward.  As I appeal to people to educate themselves as to what is REALLY happening, my fear is that in the desire for the so-called “grand bargain” President Obama will agree to something that will simply (and unknowingly) push this agenda closer to its ultimate goal.  And, trust me on this one, a “grand bargain” that sacrifices advancements to programs like Social Security and Medicare is NO BARGAIN at all!  This is a WAR for the heart and soul of America, and I pray that the American middle class and working poor will “wake up” before it’s too late – and vote these people (republicans) out of office!

I’ll end this “rant” by asking the question: “How can any working class American support a party that is working OVERTIME  to insure that MILLIONS of Americans have NO ACCESS to health care?”  This all makes absolutely NO SENSE to me!

If you’ve been reading my thoughts on this blog for any length of time you know that the driving “force” behind my thinking is the IMPORTANCE of purging republicans from our national (and state) legislature(s).  I’ve been an interested observer of the American political scene since the election of John Kennedy in 1960.  (I remember my parents arguing about Eisenhower v Stephenson in the 50’s, but I was too young to give it more than a passing thought).  Kennedy was assassinated during my junior year of high school and I still remember all the students in tears and the school sending us home due to the tragedy.  I could go on and on with all the memories, but over the past 10 years I’ve read MANY books that have uncovered the underlying “scheme” of the “modern” republican “conservatives” – and, to me, it’s FRIGHTENING.  I’m presently re-reading “The Family” by Jeff Sharlet and it’s sobering, to say the least.  I won’t go into detail tonight about my concerns (you can read some of my previous posts in the archives) any more than to say that I believe those “pulling the strings” in the background of republican politics are undermining the American values that my parents and grand parents fought so hard for after the stock market crash of 1929.  The depression years spawned Roosevelt’s “New Deal,” which led to the “Great Society” of Lyndon Johnson and Kennedy AND advances to America like Medicare, Medicaid, the Civil Rights Act, and the Voting Rights Act. (to name a few advances)  Republicans have been busy trying to UNDO the New Deal and its aftermath since its inception.

That all being said, I’ve also lamented that the only place people like me have to turn in this battle for what I call the heart and soul of our nation is the Democrats.  I’ve done my share of criticizing President Obama with the caveat that I hope he SUCCEEDS.  (despite my obvious disagreement with GW Bush – again, you can check the archives – I NEVER hoped he would fail!)  When the president succeeds, all of America succeeds!  The reality, however, from my perspective (I guess I’m a liberal based on the evolution of political jargon over the years), is that President Obama has not been the “progressive” that many of us thought we were voting for in 2008 (and 2012 – in fact, many in 2012 were, I believe, doing what I did – and that’s voting against the candidate with 137 Cayman Island tax “havens” – Mitt Romney).  I started expressing my concerns about President Obama from the start of his presidency when I claimed his blocking the investigations into the ILLEGAL activity of the Bush/Cheney regime was a TERRIBLE decision, and quite possibly a violation of his oath of office – he promised to defend the constitution and the laws of the land.  Certainly, everyone knows that authorizing TORTURE (just one of the illegal transgressions of Bush/Cheney) is illegal and violates our laws and our constitution.  Of course, there was more, and I’ve always been suspicious of the lack of will to uncover what was REALLY happening under Bush/Cheney by Obama and his Attorney General Eric Holder.  (In my mind I’m questioning: “Are they doing the same stuff?”)

I clearly remember our president promising the most transparent administration EVER, yet it appears what we’ve ended up with is one of the most secretive.  Now, while the republicans are busy attempting to undermine President Obama’s “signature” achievement (“The Affordable Care Act” ie “Obamacare’) they haven’t shown much interest in uncovering the NSA abuses that were clearly initiated under Bush/Cheney and, apparently, continued (or accelerated) under the Obama administration.  This is very “unnerving” to me and, I believe, one of the reasons why so many Americans have “thrown up their arms” in disgust and can see little or no difference between republican or democrat.  Democrats have had the GOLDEN opportunity since 2006, when the American public finally realized the folly in Bush/Cheney’s ill advised invasion of Iraq, to take the “high road” and push America in the idyllic direction so many of her citizens (including me) are so anxious to see.  Instead, the Democrats appear to be “feeding from the same trough” as the republicans (just getting a bit less food – ie MONEY from the lobbyists) – and have managed to draw up only enough courage to make it look as if they’d like to be progressive – it’s just that in today’s America that means battling the so-called “liberal media” and losing that FUNNEL of money coming from the “money changers.”  The recently exposed SPYING of the NSA (even though people like me have been pointing out the probability this has been “ongoing” since the day Obama took the oath of office) is a grave threat to the principles this nation was founded on!

It never ceases to amaze me that “conservatives” are continually attacking our president because he’s attempting to help MILLIONS of Americans gain access to our health care system (without those of us lucky enough to have health insurance paying their way – when emergencies arise) and claiming that a population that is armed to the teeth is protected by the second amendment of the constitution – all the while claiming President Obama wants to take away “our guns.”  However, from the “right” there is nary a whimper about the government spying on its citizens – well, at least there wasn’t until Edward Snowden made his disclosures that have our president and many in congress in a tizzy.  Evidently, they believe the 4th amendment to the constitution should be purged as a result of 9/11.  Honestly, I believe this is an area where our president is vulnerable – probably not legally because of the so-called “Patriot Act” Bush/Cheney rammed through congress post 9/11- but, if you’re one who thinks as I do, I wasn’t voting for someone who would continue the abuses of the Bush administration.

On this issue, I now believe Obama chose not to investigate the illegal wiretapping of Bush/Cheney because he felt the necessity to continue it.  I’m sure the “weight of the nation” and its safety feels a lot different when it’s “on your shoulders.”  Regardless, I believe our leaders are bound by their oaths of office to follow the constitution unless it is amended by “we the people.”  Obviously, during this “21st century” such a thought seems inconvenient to our leaders (on both sides of the isle).  Does anyone besides me find it ironic that our government will spend MILLIONS attempting to prosecute people like Wiki leaks’ Julian Assange or the aforementioned Snowden for exposing the truth about the functions of America’s government while giving tacit approval to TORTURE?  In Snowden’s case he’s ignited a long overdue debate in America on the propriety of our government spying on its own people and even its allies abroad.  Evidently, that “transparency” Obama talked about during his campaign should have said something like: “What the American public doesn’t know won’t hurt them.”  Or maybe that should say, won’t hurt us – meaning the government officials who are behind this spying.  Since 9/11 all any government official has to say to justify illegal government activity is that it’s done in the interest of “national security.”

I’ve mentioned many times on this site that as far as I can tell, the more money we (America) spend on “national security” the less secure we are.  We now live in a country where the politicians from both sides of the isle operate by a policy that is promoted via FEAR.  It was FDR who so eloquently said, “We have nothing to Fear but Fear itself,” and, evidently those who have been working endlessly to undo Roosevelt’s “New Deal” are using that very strategy to generate their success.  Unfortunately, the democrats have been somewhat a rudderless ship for several years now and I feel they’ve adopted the same strategy.  In their defense I have to say that what they (democrats) are mostly suggesting I (we) be afraid of is the looming “permanent republican majority” that is the brainchild of the invisible cabal of BILLIONAIRES behind the right wing attempt to take over our nation (from within).  However, President Obama’s administration is justifying their continued authorization of this spying as being necessary for the “national defense.”  Despite the FACT the 4th amendment of the constitution clearly is being (and has been untold times) violated.

While I’m on this topic, here’s more that should be in the national discussion about Edward Snowden’s revelations.  Snowden was working for a “private” corporation as he was gathering all his information – you know, part of the republican attempt to privatize every last corner of our nation.  Booz Allen Hamilton is a “defense contractor” that is owned by the Carlyle Group which has the fingerprints of government officials (mostly “conservative” republicans) who are the mainstay of the “merry go round” in Washington where officials trade their integrity for the millions waiting in the wings once out of office through the corporate cabal that is fundamental to the issues I’m constantly writing about.  Do we really want all of our personal information being monitored by those who believe the rich and powerful should rule the world.  All you have to do is “Google” (I even hate to make that suggestion anymore, because I think Google falls into a similar category) Booz Allen or Carlyle Group and you’ll find where their “tentacles” are attached.  Really, it’s a bit scary.  (Booz Allen and Carlyle, for example are closely connected to Bain Capital – the “private equity” firm of Mitt Romney)  With a little creative thought I think you can get the picture here.

So, instead of going along with all this in the name of “National Security” I believe President Obama and the democrats should (and should have been) bring(ing) this invasion of our privacy to a halt.  Furthermore, the attacks on Snowden and the journalists who were his conduit are frightening in themselves.  One of the major problems in America right now is that our “liberal media” (if there is anything left of it) is quaking in its boots because of the backlash it can expect from any REAL investigative reporting.  (For example, Greg Palast, a true investigative reporter, has to work through British media) Honestly, isn’t that what true investigative journalists are supposed to be doing?  Many times I’ve pointed out that Bill Clinton’s support of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 was, to me, heresy.  The result has been the shrinking of the number of media outlets to the point where just a handful of “conservative” corporations control our “liberal media.”  Just recently I asked Sirious XM why a station I listened to (that gave me access to Randi Rhodes) was no longer available and their response was that it was cancelled through an agreement with “Clear Channel;” essentially saying this one corporation owns ALL the available “talk radio.”  I’ll try to make this short:  Clear Channel is owned by Bain Capital (yup, there’s Mitt Romney again) and they’ve been cancelling “liberal talk” all across America since their guy was defeated last November. These corporate interests want to shrink the message available to the general public.

In my mind, the democrats are just exacerbating the situation when they enable the clamping down on “whistle blowers.”  How many more Snowden’s will there be based on the reaction to his “outing” our NSA for its illegal activity?  And,  I recently read the reporter who funneled Snowden’s message is now overseas due to his fear of retribution from our political establishment.  This scenario (reporters being intimidated along with whistle blowers) is being repeated all too often in today’s climate.  Americans had better soon wake up to what is happening as our nation’s very foundation is being chipped away.  I’ve said many times that freedoms (or rights) are much easier given up than reclaimed.  What’s been happening in America over the last 30+ years has seemingly become acceptable to many due to their “busyness.”  Many people I know (and they are mostly college educated) repeat Fox “news” lies as if it’s the truth.  When challenged, they become defensive and “don’t want to talk about it.” The feeling that America has evolved from a “We” society (post New Deal) to a “Me” society (post Reaganomics) is disheartening.  We (Americans) must share the blame for allowing this to happen and we share the responsibility to reverse this “trend.”

Surely, there’s problems with “both sides of the isle” in America, but when you take a close look at what’s happening on the “right,” the consequences of allowing them to “win,” to me, is dire.  Yet, I have a hard time supporting democrats like Obama who are continually seeking some kind of grand bargain – that apparently includes a continuation of NSA spying, drone attacks,  and “compromises” to things like Social Security, Medicare, Food Stamps, unemployment insurance, Head Start, and I could go on – with republicans.  I look forward to the day when America’s leaders are truly focused on “The General Welfare” of ALL her citizens!  (wouldn’t it make sense, for example, for our leaders to ACTUALLY demand adherence to things like the 4th amendment AND to be attempting to “fix” the problems with Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and the “Affordable Care Act” rather than fighting/arguing over their existence? – OK, I digress – and, I’ll end this rant right here – after suggesting you check out an “independent” senator named Bernie Sanders.  He’s one politician that, it appears to me, is not “owned” by corporate interests – if that’s possible)