Are the American people as stupid as the republican party assumes they are?  As much as I hate to answer that question in the affirmative, I don’t know what else to say. (Well, actually, I can conjure up another possibility which I will reveal below) Today, on my way home from church I did my “usual” as I purchased a Sunday paper for my wife.  And, knowing the local paper is controlled by a right wing family it didn’t surprise me to see the headline: “GOP focus: cut deficit and don’t do stupid stuff.”  Now, this would be comical if I wasn’t certain that most of the people who purchase this week’s Sunday paper won’t put much thought into that headline.  In fact, I believe most will be regurgitating the “inference” that republicans are focused on cutting the deficit and they will have no idea why the reference to “stupid stuff.”

This follows the line of the latest in the GOP propaganda scheme as they’ve switched gears from blaming the bad economy on President Obama’s “failed policy” to taking credit for what appears to be the success Timothy Geithner (and others in Obama’s administration) predicted when the original “stimulus” was passed in 2009.  They pointed out that the recovery would be slow and, especially, the jobless recovery would pick up gradually over the next 4 or 5 years (which would bring us to NOW).  Of course, anyone who’s paid any attention at all to American politics over the previous 6 years knows the republicans are HELL BENT on destroying the Obama administration – EVERYTHING he is for, they are against.  They will give him credit for NOTHING!  And, through all this President Obama seems to be moving on an “even keel” and he’s even progressed to the point where he’s showing some combativeness regarding this republican OBSTRUCTION.  (arguably, the worst obstruction in American history)

So, now their focus is on reducing the deficit?!  YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING!  I’m sure there won’t be ANY acknowledgement that the deficit has been more than halved since Obama took office – despite all the republican opposition.  How convenient, to wait until the American people are actually beginning to realize that things are looking up to throw their arms into the air, start jumping up and down, and claiming:  “Look, we’ve reduced the deficit!” (and, I might add, that once they’ve assumed control of Congress – if things take a turn for the worst – I GUARANTEE you it will be Obama’s fault!) These are the same people who continue to run Dick Cheney onto GOP TV (Fox “news”) to defend TORTURE (claiming he would authorize it again) – the man who, as George W Bush’s Vice President (many say he was the most powerful Vice President in US history) claimed: “Ronald Reagan proved deficits don’t matter,” and, arguably, is as responsible as anyone for the ballooning deficits of the Bush/Cheney regime.  Evidently, deficits only matter when there’s a democrat in the White House.

Again, are “we the people” that stupid that we’re going to continue to listen to these people?  I get the newspaper’s headline.  Clearly, it’s time for the GOP to attempt to take credit for the reduced deficit (it’s been cut by something approaching $900 BILLION – from $1.4 TRILLION in Bush/Cheney’s last budget – the one inherited by President Obama to a projected $500 BILLION this year) because that’s how they do things.  They are not good at governing (just check the record of the Bush/Cheney years) but they are experts at OBSTRUCTING and OBFUSCATING.  The American people appear to be willing suckers for the republican schtick, it’s just that what they are REALLY “up to” is going to be EXTREMELY difficult to recover from once the general public “catches on.”

I just finished reading “Sons of Wichita” – a biography of the Koch family (ie the infamous “Koch Brothers”) and one of their great frustrations with the reality that they have to use the republican party as the “carriers” necessary to force their right wing (libertarian) agenda on the unsuspecting public has been all the “stupid stuff” (as referenced in my local paper’s headline) coming from republican surrogates.  Now, this shouldn’t be too surprising when you look at the reality that their “main men” (well, some women too) comprise people like Ted Cruz, Michelle Bachmann, Sarah Palin, Joni Ernst, Rick Perry, Louie Gohmert, and so many others in the so-called “Tea Party” movement.  People who have referenced things like “legitimate rape,” (Tod Aiken) and “even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to happen” (Rick Santorum and others) have made it more difficult for the Koch’s (and their network of “invisible” benefactors) to accomplish their goal of fulfilling Grover Norquist’s pledge to “reduce government to the size where it can be flushed down the bathroom drain.”

I’ve been suggesting for years there is an “invisible cabal” of wealthy people pushing the republican party farther and farther to the “right” and, over the previous 4 or 5 years the “Koch Brothers” have lost their anonymity – although, many of the benefactors in their network remain mostly “invisible.”  However, their agenda is “right out front” for all (who care) to see, and it really is a bit scary. (Unless, I suppose, you’re one of the benefactors – who appear to be people who are totally overcome by GREED!)  Take for example, the new republican congress which is soon to have total control of the legislative branch of the federal government (and, by the way, this “Koch empire” has meticulously and brilliantly – I hate to give them that – gained a foothold of control in a majority of state legislatures and governorships across America).  What will be their first activity?  Something designed to move “we the people” forward?  Something that would benefit a great majority of Americans?  If you believe that, I’ve got a bridge………….. (you know the rest)

The first actions of the new republican congress will be to pass a bill authorizing the Keystone XL Pipeline.  Now, for those of you that yawn and go, “ya what?”  Well, just take a moment to think about why this would be the republicans first action.  Before, I get to the “benefits” of this pipeline (which will be carrying the DIRTIEST form of petroleum) ponder this:  The Koch Brothers – the two guys most responsible for the FLOOD of “dark money” that has spurred the republicans into their new-found Senate majority – stand to profit by $100 MILLION (based on reports I’ve read) from this pipeline.  Republicans will claim it’s a “job creator.”  What they won’t tell you is that in the long run it will create about 50 (or less) permanent jobs.  Of the few thousand temporary jobs it will create – as it’s built – many are already there – meaning, people will simply be relocated while this pipeline is under construction.

Republicans will also claim, “we need the oil to push down oil prices.”  Well, that one should be a simple one to answer – shouldn’t it, based on the FACT that oil prices have dropped in half over the previous 6 months and are at their lowest level in almost 10 years.  Fuel efficient automobiles, solar power, wind generation, electric cars, etc. is what will (actually is) bring oil prices down.  Using less oil is the best solution to the oil crisis.  And, presently (and ironically) under President Obama’s “watch” America has become (again) the world’s largest oil producer helping to push prices down and supplies up.  Now, I “get” that President Obama probably had little to do with the present price of oil, but, if you’re going to blame the Bush/Cheney deficits on him – because it’s “under his watch” then you’ve got to give credit for what happens that’s positive “under his watch.”  I’m sure the republicans will figure a way to take credit for the drop in oil prices as well as the reduced deficit as mentioned above.

Finally, to “hammer” home my point – that I believe the republicans believe the American people are stupid – this Keystone XL Pipeline won’t even create oil that is sold in the American market.  What it will create is a toxic waste that “we the people” are left to deal with, dirty oil that is sold to places like China and India, and the potential to pollute the Ogallala aquifer in the heartland of America from which untold MILLIONS draw their water – including a significant number of farmers in the Midwest. (click HERE if you want to read more about the aquifer and the danger posed by the XL pipeline)  Obviously, republicans believe the American public won’t care about their push to create another $100 MILLION for the brothers Koch – I hope they’re wrong, but they did just “win” the midterm election.  (call me a cynic, but it does bother me that only 36% of America’s voters exercise their great privilege)

I’ll end by saying, the democratic party hasn’t given many of us “liberals” much to shout about in recent years.  I’ve personally been frustrated (over and over) by their apparent lack of courage to stand for their own convictions.  For example, in 2006 Democrats were voted into control of Congress because “we the people” wanted an end to the Iraq “war.”  Well, not only did the war not end, but a “surge” was the result.  The war profiteering was not investigated, the TORTURE was not investigated (until recently), and the CRIMES of Bush/Cheney et al were not investigated.  Jump ahead to 2015 and it will be the democrats those of us who oppose this “dirty oil” pipeline (the oil originates in Canada – why don’t they refine it and deal with the waste up there?) must depend on to stop the project and PROTECT the precious water supply of those in the Midwest.  Maybe the abuses of this “right wing” cabal haven’t gotten severe enough to “get people’s attention” – I just worry when the time comes that people realize what the Koch’s and their surrogates are up to the damage will be hard to reverse.  Personally, I don’t believe the American people are “stupid.”  I believe the American people are victims of a sophisticated propaganda/brainwashing scheme that is designed to return the USA to the Gilded Age.  (Read Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “The Bully Pulpit”)