I’ve been reading a book which contains a series of lectures by Joseph Stiglitz, famed economist who once led the World Bank and was an adviser to President Clinton during the 90’s and I really want to write about it – my brain is swirling with thoughts along the lines of suggesting a path we could take in America to really move this country forward.  I feel as if I’ve written enough about why the republican party in America, as it exists today, should be ushered into the history books.  However, yesterday I saw that Attorney General Eric Holder is set to resign and this morning as I read a caption from the NY Times which pointed out there will be a fierce battle in the Senate to confirm his successor – and then listened to some “re-hashed” right wing commentary comparing Holder to the Black Panthers – well, here we go again.  I’ve got to write about the republicans and why they are a PLAGUE on this nation! (of course, would anyone who’s watched the past almost 6 years expect anything less from these obnoxious, obstructionist, puppets of the right wing corporate masters attempting to suffocate America with their agenda.

First of all, let me agree with an article I read in the “Nation” magazine – because, despite President Obama’s glowing remarks thanking Holder for all he’s done in his FORTY years of service (I’m pretty sure he had at least a “stint” on Wall Street) he’s got a couple of GLARING deficiencies, in my view, regarding history’s view from the rear view mirror.  In the “Nation” it was correctly pointed out that virtually NO ONE on Wall Street was held accountable for the devastating damage they did to MAIN STREET through their GREED induced folly during the first decade of the 20th Century which ultimately led to the financial crisis of 2007-2008.  Yes, I’m sure there are areas of accomplishment regarding investigations of the “fat cats” during the recovery from the so-called “Great Recession” which resulted from this misbehavior by so many on Wall Street (and knowingly too!) but I don’t think I’m alone in thinking that the above mentioned Wall Street “fat cats” are again up to their necks in the same kind of behavior – pre-crash and that it’s just a matter of time until the next “bubble” bursts.  I once wrote that Holder’s Justice Department spent more money attempting to prosecute a baseball pitcher for allegedly lying about steroid use (Roger Clemens) than they spent prosecuting Wall Street – at least that’s how it appeared to me.

Of course, the “Wall Streeters” won’t be the ones to take the brunt of the next downturn – just as many of them profited to the “tune” of BILLIONS from the last disaster.  It’s us unsuspecting dupes on MAIN STREET that depend on the oversight of government and the willingness of the Justice Department to enforce existing law as our “backstop.”  In my view, Holder did a lot of “looking forward and not back” in dealing with the aftermath of the Wall Street fiasco – just as he (and President Obama) did regarding my second point – the enabling of Bush/Cheney and therefore the republican party in its present form.

Everyone (including Bush and Cheney) knows that Waterboarding (among other atrocities committed in the name of “national security” during the Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld regime) are WAR CRIMES!  When President Obama and Eric Holder chose to “look forward and not back” regarding the misdeeds of GW Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, and many others, in my mind they were derelict in their duty.  The FACT that the president did it DOESN’T make it LEGAL!  However, based on the decisions that clearly were made early in Obama’s presidency, that FACT was turned upside down.  President Obama was elected to CHANGE the behaviors that turned GW Bush and Dick Cheney into the most UNPOPULAR obtrusive executives in American history.  Clearly, or at least it’s seemingly more so each day to me as I observe Obama’s presidency evolve, President Obama didn’t pursued President GW Bush and his deplorable “sidekick” because he had no intention of reversing the abuses of power that Bush/Cheney had imbedded into what I’ll term as “precedent” for the lack of a better imagination on my part.  Just saying “America does not torture,” for example, does not give a sufficient message to the rest of the world that we stand by our ideals.  Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld and others should have, at the minimum, faced open investigations into their illegal behavior – which also included NUMEROUS 4th amendment violations of American’s privacy as Bush/Cheney turned the FISA court into a laughingstock.  Not only has the illegal spying on American citizens continued under President Obama, but now we’re seeing him using statutes created during the early stages of Bush/Cheney to justify his actions in Iraq and Syria.

Now, I’m not suggesting that Obama’s actions in the aforementioned Middle East countries is not warranted, I’m just pointing out that the rationale for doing so leaves me a bit queezy in the stomach.  I’ve been writing since 9/11 about how “it’s much easier to give up liberties than to get them back.”  President Obama’s administration is giving us a great example of why I feel so strongly in this area.  The spying, for instance, is in direct conflict with the 4th amendment to the Constitution.  It is my view that the government is required to have “probable cause” for each intrusion into and American’s privacy.  This invasive spying on U.S. citizens, along with proving that “if the president does it, it must be legal,” will be historical black-marks on both Holder’s legacy and the legacy of the president – in my view.  Of course, in today’s America, our leaders can justify anything in the name of “national Security.”

And, while I’m at it, let me point out that, at least from where I’m sitting, Holder (and Obama) have not only FAILED to live up to the pre-election promises of transparency, but have allowed themselves to drift dangerously in the wrong direction regarding transparency and the press.  Edward Snowden shouldn’t have felt the need to leave the country to expose the illegal spying of the NSA and there are numerous examples of the Obama administration, through Holder’s Justice Department, infringing on the Freedom of the Press by threatening to or actually putting reporters in jail if they refuse to divulge their sources.  This is a threat to our society that most people are failing to even notice.  Our “liberal media” (if you’ve read many of my posts, you get the sarcasm) is bad enough without the true investigative reporters (the few that remain) facing government intimidation should they actually report the TRUTH about what is happening in our nation’s government.

So, I’m OK with criticism of Attorney General Holder – it’s just that I’m put off with the nature of the criticism from the “right.”  The name calling and innuendo from Fox “news” and the likes of Rush Limbaugh goes right back to the race issue that they can’t seem to overcome.  (and, of course, they will claim the “race card” comes from the “left” – classic projection-ism)  And, when I hear reporters predicting a HUGE fight in Congress as President Obama attempts to get Holder’s replacement confirmed in the Senate – I just have to shake my head in disbelief.  Of course, anyone who’s been watching American politics recently would expect nothing else – SADLY!

The reality: Obama was elected by a majority of the people.  It’s the president’s responsibility to nominate Holder’s replacement.  Suggesting there will be a MAJOR confirmation fight before a nominee is even chosen says it all.  NO MATTER what President Obama does, he’s going to receive FLACK and OBSTRUCTION from republicans.  They could care less what they are doing to “we the people” – it’s all about attempting to make President Obama look bad as if that will allow them to push one of their leading “whack jobs” into the White House in 2016.  (I’ve been predicting for 4 years – Jeb Bush!  Can you even imagine our choice in 2016 being Bush v Clinton? America is seemingly “stuck in the mud”)  The total irony of republican strategy if indeed they block Holder’s replacement is that Holder has pledged to stay on the job until his replacement is confirmed!  You would think, if republicans believe Holder is worse than Stalin – as some on Fox “news” have alleged – they’d be anxious to approve his successor.  Maybe because of republican obstruction Eric Holder will last the full eight years of Obama’s administration.  Wouldn’t that just be the new normal in this dysfunctional government?

I will conclude by saying that there ARE many good things Holder has accomplished.  It’s just that the picture isn’t TOTALLY “rosy.”  The instances I’ve mentioned above, in my view, are significant.  My hope is that whoever replaces Holder will “look back.”  I would still love to see the TRUTH of what was done during Bush/Cheney exposed to America and the world FORCING us to actually own up to our failures as a nation and attempt to reclaim our position as “the leader of the free world.”  Combining our enabling of the Bush/Cheney crimes, our condoning of the Wall Street “bandits,” and our refusal to publicly refute the “Bush doctrine,” we are “asking” for endless war.  I personally don’t believe that is the mindset of the vast majority of the American public.  Sadly, in the coming mid-terms too many (especially progressives) won’t vote and things could get dangerously worse.  However, whoever is Obama’s Attorney General STILL has the option to proceed against the terrible wrongs committed by Bush/Cheney.  I don’t believe there is a statute of limitations on WAR CRIMES!