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)