I was driving around today and listening to Ed Schultz (liberal radio “talker”) ranting about how the workers in a Volkswagen Plant in Tennessee voted down an opportunity to join the United Auto Workers Union.  While I’m in total support for the workers’ right to join a union and while I “get” Schultz’ outrage at the influence the governor of Tennessee and their Senator Bob Corker played, along with local politicians who used extreme “scare tactics” to influence the vote, there was one main point Schultz made with which I would have to disagree.  Schultz was contending that the actions of Corker and the other republican (of course) politicians succeeding in blocking this attempt at worker’s organizing would be used as a “blueprint” in future situations and that this action (on their part) was unprecedented.  All I could think of as Schultz was saying all this was: “Don’t you remember Ronald Reagan?”  (This is probably the main reason he’s still considered “holy” by today’s republicans)

In 1981 Reagan, very publicly, BROKE the Public Air Traffic Controllers union (PATCO) and that, according to many (including this from an article on Alternet) has been the blueprint of the anti-union movement in America to this day.  If you don’t want to read the entire article, here’s a blurb: “the PATCO strike has become the pivotal event—both symbolically and substantively—in almost everyone’s understanding of the massive realignment of class power in the United States in the last few decades.”  Joseph McCartin’s book, “Collision Course: Ronald Reagan, The Air Traffic Controllers, and the Strike that Changed America,” makes my point: “No strike in American history unfolded more visibly before the eyes of the American people or impressed itself more quickly and more deeply into the public consciousness of its time than the PATCO strike. No strike proved more costly to break. And no strike since the advent of the New Deal damaged the U.S. labor movement more.”

Again, I’m not disagreeing with where Schultz’ heart is – I’m right there with him – it’s just that the work of people like Bob Corker and the other republicans in Tennessee is just a carryover of what Reagan set in motion more than three decades ago.  This was the turning point in the BATTLE to reverse the gains of workers and middle class Americans who had benefited from the progressive legislation of the New Deal since the days of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt.  Yes, there was a time in my lifetime when workers were valued more than stockholders – where there were clear dis-incentives to GREED among the “leaders” of America.  Reagan’s election is what set in motion the slow steady emergence of those who HATE the New Deal and what it stood for.

Lately, we’ve been hearing (or, at least, I’ve been hearing) an increased amount of dialogue centered on the disparity in wealth that has evolved in America to the point where you’re hearing references to the Marx/Engels theories on the inevitable self-destruction of capitalism.  Of course, any time anyone takes issue with republicans over the REALITY that America’s wealth is getting MORE and MORE concentrated at the top (the so-called 1%) and proposing solutions to the problem, we hear words like “socialist” or “communist” or some other irrational terms.  There are many in the republican party who, it seems, will not be happy until there is no social “SAFETY NET” left in America.  They want an end to every government program that benefits middle class Americans including Social Security and Medicare.  (Of course, they have no issue with the BILLIONS taxpayers put out on “corporate welfare” – including, for example, BILLIONS annually to the oil industry – as one example – not to mention [OK, I’m mentioning it] there’s a long list of multinational corporations which don’t pay a DIME in taxes while making HUGE profits)

So, since the day Reagan took office, workers have been losing ground with their wages and America’s middle class has been slowly voting in republicans (and corporate democrats) who’ve been chipping away at the gains made during the 1930’s through the 1960’s.  There was a lot of sacrifice made by LIBERALS over the years to gain things we take for granted today, things like: the 40 hour work week, overtime pay, child labor laws, Social Security, Medicare, environmental protections, food stamps, unemployment insurance, early childhood education, welfare, vacation pay, livable wages, workplace safety regulations, and I could go on and on.  From what I gathered, the issue in Tennessee that has Schultz so riled up wasn’t even being contested by the employer, Volkswagen.  In fact, from what I gathered, they were fine with this and were looking forward to a “council” with the workers and management that would be intended to make the plant more efficient – just like their union plants elsewhere around the world.  (In fact, the only other Volkswagen plant that isn’t a union shop besides in Tennessee is in China – it’s not hard to get the picture here)

The outrage at the interference by the politicians in Tennessee which violated the neutrality of the vote on whether the workers would join the United Auto Workers is warranted, but I just think it needs to be kept in the proper perspective.  The “blueprint” for undermining collective bargaining and labor unions was established in 1981.  When Reagan BUSTED the PATCO union, there was something approaching 35% of America’s workforce being represented by unions.  Today, the total is something like 10% and it’s the lowest total since the beginnings of the Great Depression.  Do you see a parallel here?  Honestly, there’s so much in America today that is similar to the days before the Great Depression that it’s – well (I’ve got children and grandchildren)……..depressing!  I’ve talked on this site at length about the sophistication of the republican propaganda scheme and the sad (to me) reality is that they’ve succeeded in turning the word “liberal” into something that’s rarely spoken in public these days.  To those of us who call ourselves “progressive,”  changing the perception of that word would be a good place to start.  I’ve read MANY books on American history that confirm (OVER and OVER again) that the gains which have benefited the “working class” in this nation (and other nations as well) have come from LIBERALS!  Trust me, it wasn’t “conservatives” putting their lives on the line in the 30’s to gain those “rights” we all seem to take for granted.

It’s true that “we the people” vote these politicians into office who are convincing us to give up these hard fought for rights.  How do they do it?  Well, like I’ve said, the “liberal media” in America is virtually owned by a group of conservative corporations and the journalism in the so-called “main stream” of America’s media is so focused on being “fair and balanced” (to steal the thunder of none other than GOP TV – er, Fox “news”) that you have to look for people like Jeremy Scahill  and Naomi Klein of the Nation, or Greg Palast (I believe who reports for BBC – he can’t survive in America because he reports what’s actually happening) in alternative places in order to have any chance of having “real” information.  And, while I’ve been ranting against republicans (and will continue, it appears, for the foreseeable future) I’m not that thrilled with the alternative – the democrats.  While I hate to “pile on” President Obama (the republicans have been unbelievable in their attacks – they don’t need my help) he’s not the “change I believe in.”

In fact, one place I totally agreed with Schultz was; WHERE were the DEMOCRATS while the republican politicians in Tennessee were BASHING the union and using classic SCARE TACTICS and FEAR MONGERING to make sure any union “revival” didn’t happen on their “watch?” I’ll tel you where I think they were;  I believe the democrats are almost as scared of the republican controlled “liberal media” as the republicans.  If you’ve been paying attention you know that republicans vote in a “UNIFIED” block based on instructions from whomever (people like the Koch brothers and their cronies) is funneling them the HUGE supply of dollars made available thanks to the Supreme Court and “Citizens United.”  If, as a republican, you vote against the “block” according to your conscience, the result is a well funded “tea party” primary opponent – and, an empty campaign “coffer” – not to mention the tongue lashing from the likes of Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly, and the rest of right wing punditry.  They have an audience of MILLIONS of “low information voters” and, as a republican, “you can’t win without them.”  Democrats, I’m afraid, fear the same message machine – albeit to a lessor extent.  If you’re really outspoken like a Dennis Kucinich or an Alan Grayson or a Jeff Merkley or Sherrod Brown or Elizabeth Warren – you can expect the same forces to funnel UNLIMITED funds into a ruthless attempt to smear you into political oblivion!

I read somewhere today where many “liberals” feel that President Obama is “weak.”  I fully understand why they believe that, and I will leave that one to “history” to determine – there’s plenty he’s disappointed me on – but, I think the WEAK moniker DEFINITELY fits MOST of the democrats in Congress.  There’s too many of them “feeding from the same trough” as the republicans.  The main reason, it appears to me, that republicans have been bludgeoning one union shop after another since the day in 1981 when Reagan took the FIRST step is because most union members evidently tended to vote democratic (and, unfortunately, democrats have allowed them (republicans) to get away with it).  So, instead of attempting to address the issues in a way to draw workers to their point of view, the republicans used the destroy and conquer method.  Worse than this, to me, is the apparent FACT that democrats have pretty much given up the fight to restore America’s workforce to a status where collective bargaining is a considered and accepted right.  I’ve said this before, and the assault on unions bears it out well, it’s MUCH EASIER to give up rights than to get them back!  Republicans want to “stamp out” EVERY union in America.  The  recent “vote” in Tennessee clearly demonstrates, reversing the “trend” will not be easy.

According to economist Joseph Stiglitz, “The decline in unionization since World War II in the United States has been associated with a pronounced rise in income and wealth inequality.”  America’s middle class needs to quit arguing over issues like abortion and gay rights and focus on restoring the protections gained by our fathers and grandfathers during the Great Depression that gave us our great middle class.  The union vote in Tennessee was defeated through the traditional fear mongering and scare tactics routinely used by republicans to “get their way.”  It’s time for leaders (somewhere in America) to stand up for workers and say “enough already” to this kind of bullying.

I managed to stomach “Meet the Press” with David Gregory for about 15 minutes today and it just reminded me about how “low” we’ve gone as a nation in the past 35 or so years.  Our “liberal media” seems to be nothing more than entertainment.   Gregory was moderating a “discussion” on “Obamacare” (The Affordable Care Act) with Rob Portman, a republican senator from Ohio who sounded as if he came right out of the republican “sound machine,” and Chuck Schumer, the democratic senator from New York (I really wanted to say “from Wall Street”) – a corporatist democrat.  As I watched the show (and, it was difficult to keep from turning it off) I kept thinking that the political debate in America has been pushed so far to the “right” since the election of Ronald Reagan that people like Schumer are considered “liberals.”  While I’m no fan of the Affordable Care Act – in reality, it’s the Heritage Foundation’s answer to the health care crisis in America – I struggle to listen to our present day politicians “debating” this issue.  Republicans apparently against helping America’s working poor gain health care and democrats defending “Obamacare” out of instinct.  (Neither talking about the “single payer” solution that makes so much sense)

Because “Obamacare” is the “best we could get” after President Obama’s initial election victory, it seems as if we should be trying to make it work.  Republicans are doing everything they can to undermine the Affordable Care Act – even though it’s their brainchild – because their NUMBER ONE GOAL is for President Obama to FAIL!  While they could be debating the program and trying to work out solutions that make it better and easier for people to access, they are doing just the opposite.  I believe more and more people (I’m talking about media pundits) are (finally) coming to the realization that the idea of a Black person in the “White House” is the motivation that drives EVERYTHING the republican party does. (I truly hope this issue – race – is honestly discussed as we approach the 2014 elections) If I need to clarify;  I believe they (republicans) are attempting to make sure this (a person of color in the “White House”) doesn’t happen again!  (and, I wish the “liberal media” would quit tiptoeing around this reality)  Honestly, they (republicans) remind me of my sixth grade students who continue to refuse to do anything in class and seemingly expect me, as their teacher, to eventually quit expecting anything from them.  Well, I can tell you that the solution to this republican intransigence, as I see it, is not to ignore them, but to vote as many of them out of office as possible.

It’s true that with the help of people like the Koch brothers (who’ve finally been exposed for what the really are) the republicans have a very sophisticated plan to regain power in Washington.  They’ve gerrymandered many congressional districts across America (during the 2010 census) to ensure they keep a block of extreme right wing members of Congress with “safe seats.”  However, when it comes to numbers, as the saying goes, “there’s more of us than there are of them.”  By that, I mean if progressives and progressive leaning independents (like me) go to the polls in numbers, the republicans could easily become an afterthought within a few election cycles.

Of course, they’ve had a long term plan in place for many years that has somewhat come to fruition.  They had the makings of their “permanent republican ‘majority'” in 2000 when the Supreme Court overturned the “will of the people” and, with the help of Jeb Bush being the governor of Florida, anointed George W Bush as president.  I’ve said many times on this site that Bush screwed up their plan with one blunder after another, but what he accomplished was to put John Roberts and Samuel Alito onto the Supreme Court which furthered the Koch led scheme immeasurably.  Many Americans have come to realize the devastation caused by “Citizens United” – The Supreme Court’s undoing of 100+ years of campaign finance regulation and enabling of the uber rich, people like Charles and David Koch – two brothers right out of the John Birch Society heritage, to have an unlimited influence on our present and future elections.  And, anyone who doesn’t understand that Citizens United opened the doors for foreign influence on our electoral process is either totally naive or stupid.  (unfortunately, many Americans STILL don’t have any idea what Citizens United is)

As I listened to Portman this morning, it was as if Charles or David Koch could have been the guest.  These two brothers have “invested” HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of dollars in buying our congressional “leaders” (I’m sure Portman is one of the recipients of their largess) and the reality is that if one republican votes against their interests, they can expect to be “primaried.”  The Kochs are the funding behind the so-called “Tea Party” – which is nothing more than a bunch of right wing corporatists, with overt racist tendencies, funding what they orchestrate as a “populist” movement.  The Kochs are in the same mold as “The Family,” which I’ve written about on this site and the Dominionist Christians – all of who believe in rule by the elite – the wealthy and powerful.  These are the people, by and large, who gave us “Trickle down economics,” in the 1980’s (I’ve always called it “Trickle up economics”) and have been able to continually gain strength – despite the failure of their ideas – through a sophisticated propaganda scheme.

This propaganda scheme was taken right from the philosophy of Joseph Goebbels, the propaganda minister of the Third Reich, and has been extremely effective.  If you take the time to listen to a variety of republican pundits, you will see clear evidence that they are practicing what Goebbels called the “Big lie theory.”  That is, if you repeat a lie often enough people will begin to believe it’s true.  Periodically, I’ll put my own beliefs to the test and force myself to tune into several different sources of what Fox “news” calls “free and balanced” reporting.  What you hear is a variety of different “pundits” pushing the same lie with the same “code words.”  While democrats seemingly attempt to counteract this, they are terribly less efficient liars.

Anyone who believes, for example, that Fox “news” is anything but a propaganda arm of the right wing of the republican party is simply fooling themselves.  Fox has managed to ingrain their propaganda so deeply into people’s heads that it’s almost impossible to reason with any “devotee.”  Today, David Gregory had the audacity to challenge Senator Portman’s claims (falsely, by the way) that the Affordable Care Act will cause millions of lost jobs by asking, why then did he recently vote against extended unemployment benefits.  Gregory pointed out there were something in excess of 50,000 Ohioans who lost benefits when the extended benefits expired.  Portman paused, as if to say – “how could you throw that question in” – and then tried to avoid any kind of sensible answer as he attempted (and successfully) to swing the argument back to the health care law.

The issue of immigration reform came up and Portman, true to being a republican, spewed – carefully – the republican position that there can’t be reform while President Obama is in office because “he can’t be trusted to enforce the law.”  OK, that argument is absurd on its face (and I refer you to my previous post for more on that) but, the point is these people are like a bunch of sheep and they all say exactly the same thing – it’s like they’re pre-programmed before every public appearance – and, people like the Koch brothers and their network of wealthy donors are the shepherds.  (many call them the “puppet masters”)  Almost as absurd, was Schumer’s suggestion that republicans vote to pass the law and stipulate that it won’t become law until after Obama is out of office.  Just further evidence that there’s not much FIGHT in the so-called leaders of the democratic party.  I thought, with friends like that, who needs ………….. you know the rest.

The Kochs have reportedly already “invested” around $30 MILLION into the upcoming 2014 midterm (and, I use the term “investing” literally, because it’s a known fact they don’t “donate”) and they’re orchestrating the “investing” of many other MILLIONAIRES and BILLIONAIRES who believe that government shouldn’t exist (except for the military), they believe polluters should be governed by the “free market,” they don’t believe in taxes or any government regulation of business, and they will seemingly spend their entire fortune attempting to ensure we never have another person of color in the “White House.”  Can you imagine what they’re going to do in 2016 if Hillary Clinton runs for president?  If you haven’t noticed, they’ve already started their attempt to make sure that she never makes it back to the White House.  (or any other woman makes it there, either, for that matter)

What’s so hard for me to understand is that it’s still only 5 years since the Bush/Cheney regime hi-tailed it out of Washington DC with their “tails between their legs.”  With the help of this “liberal media” America’s voting public has a very short memory.  Of course, President Obama is not helping as he continues WAY TOO MANY of the Bush/Cheney policies for my liking (and, many other progressives) and, as I’ve stated here ad nauseum, he blocked the NEEDED investigations into Bush/Cheney misdeeds.  But, let’s, for the sake of brevity, just talk about health care.  I still clearly remember, in the 2008 primary season, Dennis Kucinich lobbying for a single payer health system, to the ridicule of his fellow democrats who considered that (totally practical) idea WAY TOO “liberal.”  Looking back, I think Kucinich seems like he was the “adult in the room.”

I’m re-reading “Chain of Command” by Seymour Hersch and I really don’t understand how any American could “long” for the days of the republicans who brought us endless war in Afghanistan and a “Viet Nam all over again” experience in Iraq.  Of course, the republicans who gave us this policy were the same ones who used deferments or connections to avoid the aforementioned Viet Nam fiasco – but, for some reason felt compelled to create a fiasco of their own.  Our “liberal media” has so much influence (and beholden) from the “military industrial complex” that I seriously doubt we’re anywhere near the point where anyone who might gain the “White House” would be able to have the courage to “call off” the “war machine.”  What would we do with the BILLIONS that would be saved by pulling the plug on that “vacuum” that is sucking the heart out of our taxpayers.  (I read a proposal the other day that Congress pass a law making college tuition FREE – to republicans, a truly educated society must be a scary thing)  We have so many other issues we could be focused on besides the military, but to listen to our politicians that would be total heresy – and, this goes for both of our major political parties.  Kucinich, with his message of universal health care and peace was the MAJOR target of the right wing in 2012 – and, they succeeded.  This year, my guess is that Alan Grayson of Florida, a true liberal, will have to fight MILLIONS of Koch money in order to hold his seat.  (if you’re reading this and have a job, think about sending him some money – I send it in $10 – $25 increments as I have it)

I could give you a long list of “progressive” issues I believe “we the people” should be focused on, but with a media led by the likes of Gregory, it appears the “road is long.”  I would challenge any “right winger” who might happen this way to look at the statistics regarding most of their fundamental complaints from a “prism” beginning with the election of Ronald Reagan.  Things like the deficit and the national debt – look at the statistics from 1980 until the present.  Look at the tax burden and how “we the people” have fared versus Reagan’s “friends.”  Look at the military and what’s happened since Reagan’s election (I know, you’re going to claim Reagan defeated the Soviet Union – that’s an argument for another day).  Look at education, regulations (especially with the financial sector), environmental issues, poverty, look at the middle class in general – compare it from then to now.

I’m not opposed to business, I’m not opposed to ingenuity and progress, I believe entrepreneurs should be rewarded for their success – it’s just the general accepted “mindset” that’s been allowed to permeate our society since 1980 that is so troubling to me.  Anytime you hear a “leader” reminding us of our history (from the “New Deal” through the 70’s) as a “we” society that created the greatest middle class the  world has “known” that “leader” is vilified by our “liberal media” with monikers such as “socialist.”  I believe the evidence is overwhelming that if “we the people” allow people like the Koch brothers and their “ilk” to succeed America will be on the way to second rate status.  Bush/Cheney did immeasurable damage to our “standing” in the world community and, it seems, the only ones who don’t understand what’s happening to our nation is US.  I know there’s a lot of people pushing back, but the truth is that without courageous leaders who will “just say no” to the corporatist interests America will continue to decline.  We definitely need innovative corporations, it’s just that we also need to return to the days when the workers are more important than the stockholders and the corporate executives are not rewarded for greed and self interest.  My point tonight is, with a “liberal media” featuring the likes of David Gregory, “don’t hold your breath.”

I was driving home yesterday and I heard a very strange “sound bite” from John Boehner.  In essence Boehner was saying that the House of Representatives would not likely be voting on immigration reform because they “didn’t trust President Obama to enforce the law.”  OK, if you’re a practically thinking person who has any idea of how our government works, the statement was absurd on its face.  However, once I’ve explained why it’s absurd, I have to include my own reasoning to support Mr. Boehner.

Of course, anyone who’s been paying a “lick” of attention to American politics for the past 5 years knows that if President Obama is for it, the republicans (in unison) are AGAINST it!  I still remember when Arlen Specter, the republican senator from Pennsylvania, voted for the watered down stimulus package in Obama’s first year and Specter was “run out” of the republican party.  (republicans were supposed to make sure our Black president FAILS)  So, we wouldn’t expect any republicans to vote for immigration reform (even though they’ve been pushing for it ostensibly for years) if it would give any credit to President Obama.  Remember, the republican agenda isn’t for America – it’s all about making President Obama a “one term president” – er (it’s too late for that) making him FAIL!  The interesting part of Boehner’s argument is that during the Bush/Cheney reign the immigration problem hit its “peak.”  Much to the chagrin of many of President Obama’s “base” our president is doing a much better (and more efficient) job of enforcing the existing immigration laws than any republican in my memory has done with the result being a HUGE increase in the number of illegal aliens deported.  Does that give you “pause” as you ponder Boehner’s logic? (seems there must be a different reason, doesn’t there?)

We could discuss jobs, unemployment insurance, health insurance, food stamps, help for the needy in general – but, the reality is that republicans will NOT support any legislation which might move America forward because someone might interpret that as a success for our president.  I recently finished Bill Press’s book “The Obama Hate Machine” which does a thorough accounting of how President Obama has endured more scurrilous attacks than any other president (in a country famous for scurrilous attacks on presidents).  Therefore, it comes as no surprise that, along with every other needed legislation facing our nation, expecting republicans to agree to any worthwhile immigration reform qualifies as MAJOR wishful thinking.

By now you might be asking yourself, “How, then, could David be claiming to support John Boehner’s contention?”  Well, Boehner said, “I don’t trust President Obama to enforce the law.”  Well, (aside from the absurdity of that – as hopefully the above supports) I have a very real issue with President Obama’s enforcement of the laws.  Once I finished Press’s book, I started reading (for the third time – I seem to be re-reading many books lately) Seymour Hersh’s great book, “Chain of Command.”  If you haven’t read this book (I believe you should) it follows the Bush administration from their onset (actually, with tidbits from before Bush was “elected”) through much of 2004 with a focus on the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Bush/Cheney administration left a trail of illegal behavior “a mile wide” that, for some unexplainable reason, President Obama chose to make sure NEVER will be investigated with NO accountability for serious CRIMES!  That is why I don’t trust President Obama to enforce the law – I’m sure you can see that my reasoning differs from Mr. Boehner – and, I’ll try to explain to the extent that you can see that my point has validity where I’ve tried to show you Boehner’s claim does not.

Take for example TORTURE! (Yah, let’s start right at the top)  TORTURE is a WAR CRIME.  It’s not only a crime by virtue of international law it’s a crime by our own laws and, in addition, it’s a violation of the Geneva Conventions which the United States was instrumental in getting established over the years.  George W Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, and their “legal counsel’ went to great lengths to establish their “right” to bypass the Geneva protocols and ignore American and international law as they instituted their “enhanced interrogation” during the American invasions of both Afghanistan and Iraq.  Hersh is apparently one of the last of the “breed” of “investigative reporter” left in the United States, but he does a great job of laying out the reality that America’s troops (and “intelligence” officers) were routinely committing torture (by accepted standards) and, only the totally naive would fail to realize the authorization came from the Bush White House.

That George W Bush and Dick Cheney are guilty of WAR CRIMES is indisputable because BOTH admitted to authorizing WATERBOARDING on national TV.  (and, they both claimed, falsely, that it led to “actionable intelligence”)  Allowing this grievous violation of law to go unpunished is not only a blight on President Obama (and his legacy) but, it has been instrumental in America’s reduced moral standing in the world.  Here’s the point of view of Manfred Nowak, the “United Nations Rapporteur responsible for torture:”   on 20 January 2009, (Nowak) remarked on German television that, following the inauguration of Barack Obama as new President, George W. Bush has lost his head of state immunity and under international law the U.S. is now mandated to start criminal proceeding against all those involved in violations of the UN Convention Against Torture.  Law professor Dietmar Herz added to Novak’s comments by saying that under U.S. and international law former President Bush is criminally responsible for adopting torture as an interrogation tool.

“The evidence is sitting on the table,” Nowak stated. “There is no avoiding the fact that this was torture.” He pointed to the U.S. undertakings under the Convention Against Torture in which the country committed that it would criminally prosecute anyone who tortured, or extradite the person to a state that would prosecute him. “The government of the United States is required to take all necessary steps to bring George W. Bush and Donald Rumsfeld before a court,” Nowak said. (These statements are parts of THIS article)

Attorney Wolfgang Kaleck, who brought charges against Rumsfeld before German prosecutors stated that the Obama administration was “off to a good beginning” with its explicit renunciation of torture, but it has not shown how it will hold Bush, Rumsfeld, and others to account for their crimes, nor has it demonstrated its legally obligated duty to provide compensation to torture victims.  In fact, the only thing the Obama administration has demonstrated is that – as per Richard Nixon – “if the President does it, it MUST be legal!”  If you’ve been on this site much, you know that I’ve been lamenting that decision since the day Obama was inaugurated.  (Well, it took a few weeks before I realized that he was going to “look forward instead of back”)

Personally, I would never have voted for President Obama in 2008 had I any indication he was going to violate his oath of office and allow these egregious violations of our laws and international laws to go – not only unpunished – but, not even investigated!  And, look where it’s gotten our president.  Honestly, I don’t think Boehner would have a leg to stand on – in fact, I don’t think he would ever have been Speaker of the House had Obama done his duty.  You could feel a collective upheaval of “liberal” support for the president as he allowed Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld “off the hook.” (hence, the 2010 liberal abandonment of the polls – not saying it’s right, just saying…)

The “Change (most of us) could believe in” was holding those at the top accountable for their misbehavior.  The “pardoning’ of Bush/Cheney was followed by the continuation of the Wall Street Bailouts with nary a financial “wiz kid” prosecuted for gambling away the retirement accounts of countless Americans.  Obama’s refusal to “look back” was like pouring gas onto a fire as far as the right wing in America was concerned – and, the push-back on the president, as stated above, has no parallel in American history.

There’s also the lying our nation into a war, there’s an outing of a CIA agent, there’s the bludgeoning of one government agency after another, there’s the total politicizing of the Justice Department along with “loyalty oaths” (to the republican party) for new hires as Justice (That’s grossly illegal) and on and on.  So, I do agree with John Boehner about my lack of trust that President Obama will follow the law.  It’s just that he’s following the immigration laws to a tee!  I wonder if Boehner wants President Obama to “follow the law” regarding Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld and TORTURE?  I would suggest to the president that it’s not too late and maybe allowing the investigations of Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld would get Mr. Boehner’s attention!  (I’d love to hear him complain the Obama WAS following the law!)