So much to say, so little time (and energy) to say it!  Honestly, that’s how I sometimes feel as I watch the political “landscape” in America.  I have a friend (an interpreter) from Russia who, quite naturally, is very concerned with the “flare up” in Ukraine.  One of her parents is from Ukraine, the other from Russia – and she’s been in America for at least the past 20 years.  Watching the reaction of America’s politicians to this “crisis” is much more difficult for her than it is for me – although, it’s REALLY difficult for me.  If you’ve read my previous post you know how I feel about the republicans who are continuing the ENDLESS assault on our sitting president.  As far as I’m concerned, the republicans wore out their OBSTRUCTIONIST “welcome” long ago.  But, when there’s a world crisis like this – for the McCain’s and the Graham’s and the others to be – essentially – propping up Vladimir Putin as the picture of a “leader” and calling President Obama names that can only be described as “red meat” for their IGNORANT base – we’ve all got much to worry about that these people (republicans) even have an audience.  (My apologies to my republican friends – but, it’s just not “American” to do this – I don’t care who the president is)

Keep in mind that the republicans who are relentlessly attacking Obama are minions to America’s “military industrial complex.”  As we’ve witnessed in Iraq and Afghanistan, there’s not a WAR that doesn’t thrill them – (and their benefactors)  If John McCain would have had his way America would have “Bomb, bomb, bomb”ed Iran and probably North Korea as well.  Of course, they are very selective in who they want to “bomb” – do you remember Bush/Cheney funneling tens of BILLIONS of dollars to Pervez Musharraf in Pakistan so that we could become bogged down in Afghanistan for the past 13 years?  That’s the same Musharraf who was funneling portions of that money to the very people we were supposedly fighting.  Of course, you didn’t hear ANY complaints from the likes of McCain, Graham, and the rest of the republicans back then.

Seriously, despite my reservations about President Obama and his decision to allow Bush/Cheney a “pass” from their transgressions while in office (and, believe me, the rest of the world will be bringing up Iraq to Obama as he attempts to bring sanity back to the Ukraine crisis) as I listen to him in contrast to the McCain, Graham, Rand Paul, etc. etc. crowd, it’s as if President Obama is the “adult in the room.”  He’s going about addressing this Russian misadventure in a measured and thoughtful manner – as opposed to the “shoot from the hip” republicans.  I hope the American people notice this – I really can’t imagine that a MAJORITY of Americans would side with the likes of John McCain or Lindsey Graham.  I’ve been a teacher for 20 years and as a teacher you learn to read people’s eyes – and both McCain and Graham, when spouting the so-called “talking points” of the republican propaganda “machine,” appear to be totally aware of their own lies.  As the saying goes, if you repeat the lie often enough, even the liar starts to believe it’s true. (although, they appear to be cognizant of EXACTLY what they’re doing)

This relentless attack on our president from the “right” is turning so many people off to the political process that it might just succeed at its goal – which is to gain a stranglehold on America’s government by any means possible.  As absurd as many of the attacks are, they are succeeding in TURNING OFF a huge portion of America’s electorate and just might win another election because the “liberals” stay home.  I just finished reading the second part of Blanche Cook’s biography of Eleanor Roosevelt which is focused on the 1930’s in America.  The parallel to today’s challenges are startling.  This lying, greedy, selfish, business oriented group – called back then by historians the “Robber Barons” – is nothing new.  Some of the same battles we’re having or are going to be having today, were part of the routine during Roosevelt’s years in the White House.

While I’m hopeful that President Obama will succeed in calming the international “waters” (actually, I always hope our president succeeds – I even wanted George W Bush to succeed) I’m concerned that the parallels of his approach to government is leading to the same mistakes FDR made prior to WW II.  I’ll try to explain.

While Eleanor Roosevelt was pushing a LIBERAL agenda in the 1930’s, her husband (FDR) was terribly pragmatic on MANY issues of importance to those people who were looking for progressive change (sound familiar?).  In fact, FDR led America right back into recession in 1937 because he became focused on balancing the budget at the expense of expanded JOBS programs and investment in America’s PEOPLE!  Up until 1940 FDR refused to support “anti-lynching” laws, he refused to condemn Hitler as Hitler ramped up the Third Reich, he tried to cut spending in order to “balance the budget,” and he was “landing” way too close to “conservatives” for the likes of people such as his wife.  The end result was FDR turned off his “base” (liberals) and in the mid-term elections of 1938 his party (the democrats) were “slaughtered.”  Does any of this sound familiar?

Well, what many democrats are worried about is an impending republican “takeover” of the Senate in 2014’s election (similar to the 1938 mid-term elections) which will allow them even more room to ensure that our sitting president “fails.”  Of course, my fear is that should this scenario “play out” President Obama will continue his agonizingly frustrating attempts to “placate” the very republicans who won’t rest until he’s considered a worst president than Bush/Cheney.  (Of course, knowing that history will have somewhat of a data driven sense of accountability, that seems impossible – with the exception of books written by republican apologists)  Unfortunately, it is Obama’s attempts at bridging the “gap” between the right wing of the republican party and his own base that is turning off LIBERAL voters and could lead to another disaster this coming November.

Many besides myself predicted what happened in 2010 (the republicans gained a stranglehold on the House of Representatives along with many state governorships and legislatures) because of Obama’s attempts to be a centrist.  This is where I so identified with Eleanor Roosevelt – and, I believe a majority of “every day” Americans do as well – we DON’T want to placate the right wing republicans.  We want to DEFEAT them.  We want them to crawl back under their rocks.  The problem, as I see it, is that with the help of a Supreme Court which somehow declared “Corporations are people my friend” and unleashed the corporate bank accounts on our electoral process, along with Obama’s continued attempts to stand in the “middle,” (which, I have to add, under normal circumstances would, at least by me, be considered admirable)  has led to a circumstance where, despite the democrats advantage in NUMBERS, (I feel) the republicans have the advantage in money and strategy.  The ONLY way democrats will “hold serve” in the Senate and continue to make gains in the House, is if they understand this is a WAR for the heart and soul of this nation.

President Obama needs to, along with democrats, draw a clear distinction – with no compromise – between the republican agenda and their own.  Democrats need to define their positions CLEARLY and push for popular support – they need to make the upcoming election meaningful.  Too many times I’ve felt as if the line between who I was “for” and who I was “against” was razor thin.  That MUST change if the democrats wish to defeat this right wing assault on our nation.  The republicans (with the help of the “liberal” media) have pushed the debate so far to the RIGHT that people like me don’t see much benefit in many of the democratic positions.  For example, I’m refusing to send ANY money (I don’t have much) to President Obama or many other “liberals” until the final decision on the Keystone XL Pipeline and the “Trans Pacific Partnership” (TPP) have been made.

The truth is, I don’t trust the democrats to have the GUTS to block these propositions.  I’ve read enough about the Keystone pipeline to realize their is NO significant benefit to “we the people” for this pipeline being completed, but there is SIGNIFICANT probability that it will create environmental problems that COULD border on catastrophic.  And, the trade agreement, TPP, is just further “recipe” for fewer jobs for our middle class workers and higher trade deficits for our nation.  More than likely, HIGHER profits for American “multinational” corporations which they will “invest” in places like the Cayman Islands in their seemingly unending effort to avoid paying American taxes.

All of this is the natural progression of a political system that allowed Ronald Reagan into the White House almost 35 years ago, and for some reason, despite all the national debt problems, trade deficit problems, jobs problems, social safety net problems, (and more) “we the people” still have failed to recognize that we MUST REJECT this “me me” philosophy and return to the “we” philosophy that created the greatest middle class in the history of the world following WW II.  For 30 years after the end of the second WW there was a strong degree of bipartisan agreement in America that we were obligated to “pull together” in an attempt to support the Civil Rights movement, end poverty, provide education to all, “fix” the environment, and support our people from “the bottom up.”  It was Reagan who pioneered the “Top down” approach (at the time they called it “trickle down” economics – I’ve always called it “trickle up”) to government and it was his administration which began the assault on the “New Deal” which pulled America out of the Great Depression.

Bush/Cheney ALMOST put us into another Great Depression and I’m beginning to think that until that happens again people might be willing to continue voting in republicans.  I hope I’m wrong on that last sentence – but, I believe we need a STRONG leader in the White House who relishes the challenge of fighting off the big money coming from the Koch brothers, Wall Street, and many in America’s so-called 1%. (I realize that many members of America’s financial elite are not affiliated with the republicans – or, at least today’s right wing version)  I get why President Obama wants to bridge the gap between “right” and “left,” but until he remembers that he was voted in to implement “The change we can believe in” and, if it’s not too late, lead the FIGHT against this right wing juggernaut, liberals will continue to be turned off.

Republicans are publicly claiming President Obama is “weak” because of his unwillingness to send troops to fight the Russians (unbelievably as that seems) – but, in my mind, the real reason they believe he’s weak is because he’s allowed them to walk all over him – and, he keeps “reaching out” for that elusive “grand bargain.”  If they are right, he’ll cave on Keystone XL. he’ll continue his support of the TPP, and he’ll ultimately keep trying to reach an agreement (any agreement) on the budget that will turn democrats off.  (like agreeing to cuts in Social Security and Medicare)  If he wants democrats (and independents) to support him he needs to take the FIGHT right at the republicans.  Hit the road and lead a populist assault on the republican ideas!  When it’s clear that President Obama is against Keystone and the TPP and for increases in Social Security and Medicare his supporters will mobilize.  Take those FIGHTS along with fighting for JOBS, INVESTMENT in infrastructure and people and BARNSTORM America – I believe he still has time to be considered a STRONG president and set the precedent for a generation of progressive ideas as America (and my children and grandchildren) progress into the 21st century.

I’m going to try to catch a thought tonight and finish it in the next few days.  I was reading on the front page of the newspaper I buy my wife every Sunday (for the ads :o) about how the Russians have “invaded” Ukraine and our fearless American leaders are “up in arms” over this violation of Ukraine’s “sovereignty.”  Honestly, it almost makes me gag listening to the likes of John McCain, Rudy Giuliani, Rand Paul, Lindsey Graham, and the other republicans pandering to our war machine.  I can only imagine what every civilized person around the world – outside of the United States – would be thinking of our “holier than thou” righteous indignation at the Russians.  Seriously, the American voters proved to me what a short attention span they have when they returned republicans to control of the House of Representatives only two years after Bush/Cheney “high tailed” it out of Washington DC.  That’s the same Bush/Cheney who INVADED Iraq and TOTALLY destabilized the Middle East while AT THE SAME time keeping America’s military stuck in Afghanistan with NO apparent “plan” for the last SEVEN years of their regime.

It’s true that Iraq and Afghanistan were foisted on President Barack Obama like a bad dream, but the reality is that Obama seemed in no hurry to get America out of Iraq (he basically followed the prearranged schedule negotiated by the Bush crew) AND  we’re STILL in Afghanistan as I’m writing this – with some reports suggesting we could remain there for another TEN years! (ugh)  So, where do you think America’s leaders stand in the world community influentially as they criticize the Russians?  I can tell you the first thought that came to my mind was – who outside of America’s borders even care what 0ur leaders think on this subject?  By now, EVERYONE who can read a book knows how ridiculous American foreign policy has been since the day Bush/Cheney took office.

Now, I will say that I consider the actions of President Obama a step in the right direction from Bush/Cheney, but it appears to me that he’s beholden to the same “liberal media” that seems to be in the “pocket” of America’s “military industrial complex.”  Let’s face it, America’s media conglomerates (like GE and News Corp) don’t have a history of promoting peace.  And, the people who are actively BUYING America’s politicians don’t seem to have a tendency to encourage reducing America’s “war machine.”  While we’re busy cutting things like food stamps, unemployment insurance, Social Security (so far, they’ve failed at this one), Medicaid, Medicare, taxes for the rich, etc. we seem to have an UNLIMITED budget for WAR.  Yet, we also seem to be the first in line to dictate to the rest of the world to “do as I say, not as I do.”  Do you really think “foreigners” are that stupid?

The truth is that by all measures that ordinary people should use to evaluate a society America is on a downward spiral.  Our education system is losing ground (and, as a teacher, I believe the “fixes” being proposed will ensure we continue in the wrong direction), our health care system is embarrassingly bad compared to the wealth of our nation, our middle class is losing ground to the so-called 1% every year (and, yet there seems to be enough voters to keep “trickle up” economics “in play”), we clearly have MAJOR racial issues in America along with an increasing percentage of people living in poverty (again, despite being the “wealthiest” nation on earth), and EVERYONE knows that our national legislature and political system is CORRUPTED to the core.  We have a CIA that has a history of TORTURE and assassination – in order to provide governments (dictatorships) friendly to American corporate interests, and, presumably, Americans wonder why the international community could care less and less what we think.

As I looked at the headlines regarding the Russian invasion of Ukraine, naturally there was John McCain and Lindsey Graham at the forefront of BLAMING Barack Obama for America’s role in “allowing” this to happen.  As if Obama could do anything to stop it – just as the Russians had to sit by and watch America invade Iraq in 2003.  Today, I even had to listen to some of the republican “talking heads” call Vladimir Putin, Russia’s President, a “leader.”  Seriously, listening to Rudy Giuliani calling Putin a “leader” while attacking our own president during a time of crisis is to me, well almost treasonous! Are these republican “leaders” so STUPID to actually think that attacking our president (of course, they attack Obama reflexively – the issue is irrelevant)  and lauding Putin is helping ANYTHING???  Tonight on TV I saw John McCain doing a fairly good impression of Rush Limbaugh (when Limbaugh stood before the CPAC convention bouncing up and down urging his propaganda on the “conservative” minions) as he almost came our of his suit claiming that this Russian action is the result of our “feckless” foreign policy.

All I can say is that if our foreign policy is “feckless” it’s the result of the difficulty of recovering from the damage caused by the invasion of Iraq, the quagmire in Afghanistan, and the near endless attacks on President Obama since he accepted the unenviable job of reversing the ILLS of the Bush/Cheney regime.  It seems to me that whatever the United States SHOULD be doing in this situation will get lost in the CONTINUED partisan rancor that the republicans have thrust toward Obama since the day he was elected.  They announced before President Obama took the oath of office that their one goal was that he would FAIL.  To me, if they continue this rancor, they should be THROWN out of office.  Honestly, anymore, when I’m forced to listen to republican “leaders” I get sick to my stomach!

It’s true, in my mind, that if Obama had done things differently, America would be in a better position to criticize the Russians.  However, my reasoning – which I’ll get to – is FAR different than McCain’s, Graham’s, Giuliani’s, or the other republicans spouting off with their illicit rhetoric.  If you’ve read many of my previous posts, you know what I’m going to say.  Obama SCREWED up when he allowed the Bush/Cheney administration to walk away from Washington with no consequences.  The natural conclusion to that action would be that Obama was planning to continue enough of the policies of his predecessors that he gave them a “free pass” on some serious illegalities.

I will only bore you with a few of the examples:  Let’s start with TORTURE.  Everyone in the world, as of now, understands that America, the beacon of “Human Rights” in the “Free World” allowed the overt commission of TORTURE in violation of her own laws and international laws – including the Geneva Conventions.  Then there was the outing of a CIA agent, almost certainly by Dick Cheney.  We’ve prosecuted others for leaking “classified” information related to the CIA, but it seems Dick Cheney was considered “above the law” by the incoming Obama administration.  Do you think this is where they began to see Obama with the “weak” label? (he apparently didn’t want the “distraction” of all the investigations) Of course, in relation to all the above, what about LYING America into the Iraq “war?”  Shouldn’t that have been thoroughly INVESTIGATED? (along with all the other misdeeds of Bush/Cheney)  There was the politicizing of the Justice Department (they’re still cracking down on the “little guys” and letting the “big fish” go), the plundering of our economy (TARP), and I could go on.  Obama BLOCKED investigations into all of the above – and more!

And, by doing so, Obama brought all this republican intransigence on himself.  They really do remind me of the sixth graders I teach.  They need clear – “black and white” – boundaries.  President Obama essentially INVITED the republicans to attack him relentlessly – to fill the VOID of what SHOULD have been a PROLONGED series of INVESTIGATIONS of Bush/Cheney which would have exposed the republicans for what they really are (I’m talking here of the inner circle of republicans which was behind the Iraq invasion and the right wing assault on the very fabric of our nation – the people who HATE what’s left of the New Deal)

In conclusion, however, LET ME BE CLEAR, the words of people like John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Rudy Giuliani, Rand Paul, among others I heard today, in a concerted effort to ATTACK a sitting president during a national foreign policy crisis is UN AMERICAN!  The American VOTERS need to put these people out of office.  They are so obsessed with making sure we never have another Black president that they could care less about the well being of this nation.  They’ve assaulted our workers (by refusing any kind of “jobs” legislation), our economically disadvantaged (by reducing our social safety net), our public employees (as they attempt to eliminate every union in the country), and NOW THIS!  When are the American people – republican, democratic, and independent – going to WAKE UP, and see these people for what they are?  I’ll say it again, listening to them today calling Putin a “leader” and attacking our president – made me SICK TO MY STOMACH!