On my way to work today I happened to be listening to MSNBC (which is apparently the new destination of Brian Williams) as they were patching in to a news conference being held by House Republicans – really, no idea what the intention was – as, starting with John Boehner and then a line of representatives I only know are part of the republican caucus, they one by one hammered on President Obama (what else is new???) for his threatened veto of a defense appropriations bill that was initially, at least by Boehner, represented as a boost in funding for our troops – those in “harms way” and those at home, including veterans in need of health care at VA hospitals.  Honestly, it sounded so bad that one would think President Obama just has it out for our troops.

However, when one of the members (of the House) said, what I’m sure they were later told was too much to say in public, that among the reasons they were pleading with President Obama to actually sign the bill, was because it would defund Planned Parenthood AND “Obamacare” while, at the same time, accusing Obama of, for the first time in American history, vetoing a defense authorization bill for “political reasons.”  As I listened, all I could manage to think was – first, are these people serious? and second, they must actually believe the American people are completely stupid.  Then, as I did a mind reality check, I was reminded (in my mind) that our “liberal media” has been letting these people get away with this kind of disingenuous dishonesty for the past 30+ years.  And, sure enough, not a word of criticism from Williams or his “guest” pundits about the absurdity of this “press conference.”

America has been on a downward spiral that has been fueled by an organized effort from the business community to destroy the power of the middle class since before the days of Ronald Reagan (although, I’ve been contending for years that Reagan’s election was the “tipping point” in showing the right wing “conservatives” how to turn good hard working Americans against each other through the masterful use of wedge issues and a willingness to adopt the “end justifies the means” strategy used by power brokers throughout human history.  The scariest (and most offensive) part of all this, to me, is how “we the people” have allowed our media to be hijacked by multi-national “conservative” corporate interests who have convinced enough unsuspecting Americans that our media is “liberal” while they’re using it to brainwash a large segment of the population so that corrupt congressional “members” can “get away” with what Boehner and his minions did today.  You could tell by the sound of their voices that several of them were simply repeating “the company line” as they stammered through their part of the charade.

If you haven’t picked up on my “drift” yet, well think of what the chances are that President Obama will agree to defund “Obamacare” (or Planned Parenthood, for that matter) as the ransom for getting republicans to pass a “bipartisan” defense appropriation bill.  This is exactly why I’ve been saying for years now that this republican party – as presently constituted – needs to go.  I realized they have gerrymandered many districts to the point that Donald Duck could run and get elected as long as he quacks republican when asked for his party affiliation – but, there are enough opportunities for Democrats to re-take the House (and the Senate – and, by the way, I’m no Democrat – I’m only acting like one because these republicans are doing everything they can to destroy our government – and, in the process turn this great nation into something resembling a third world country) and begin the process of reshaping this nation in a way that resembles what those of us who are “baby boomers” were privileged to enjoy in our formative years – the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s.  If we don’t figure this out SOON and turn the so-called “pendulum” toward the left, what we leave to our children and grandchildren will be shameful.

Those my age – I’m approaching 70 – have spent our lifetimes benefiting from the fight for workers rights, the fight for civil rights, the fight for basic human rights, not to mention all the infrastructure that was the result of the New Deal, the Eisenhower years, and the Great Society – roads, dams, schools, the post office network, plus an easily affordable education with college accessibility, and I could go on and on.  In 1970 approximately 33% of America’s workforce was unionized and blue collar workers could raise a family and send their kids to college.  The tradition in America was that the “elders” were leaving a better place for their children and grandchildren.  Not so much anymore.  Unfortunately, in my view, many of those who are standing in the way of much needed rebuilding and reform are my peers who’ve benefited so much from what transpired in the 30’s and 40’s.  In their defense, they have been the victims of a sophisticated propaganda scheme (right out of the “rule book” of Joseph Goebbels, the propaganda chief in Nazi Germany) that has been brainwashing them most of their lives, but certainly with a focused intensity  from this right wing “push” since the days of President Reagan.

Things that were part of the fringe extreme when I was younger are pushing their way toward the “mainstream” with the help of people like Rush Limbaugh and organizations like Fox “news.”  Of course, in neither instance do you receive anything that resembles “news” – but the reality is that this morning I was listening to what many consider the “hedge” to Fox, MSNBC, and I see them as essentially doing the same thing with a little bit different “bent.”  The reality this morning was that anyone listening (or watching) Williams could easily come away with the idea that President Obama is “against our troops” by vetoing (which I’m sure he will and I certainly hope he does) the defense authorization bill.  Not a single word was mentioned by any of the “pundits” about the absurdity being presented.  And, at least while I was listening, not a single “reporter” at the scene questioned the republicans on that point.  You would think there’d be at least one who would ask a question something along the lines of “how many times and how many ways have you attempted to defund “Obamacare?”

I recently finished reading “Who Stole the American Dream?” by Hedrick Smith (I HIGHLY recommend this book) that lays out in great detail how we got to this dangerous place in our history.  I’ll be writing more on that book soon, but suffice it to say that what we’re seeing today is the culmination of a strategy that was initiated in 1972 by a future Supreme Court Justice (Lewis Powell) when he wrote a memo to the Chamber of Commerce giving a pathway for business interests to overtake the labor movement and gain a stranglehold on political power in the United States.  Essentially, since that memo was written, we’ve seen what has morphed into today’s dangerous spread between those at the “top” and those at the bottom.  As predicted by Marx when he was analyzing the natural demise of capitalism, the numbers at the top is continually getting smaller while the numbers at the bottom continue to grow – in the last few years almost exponentially.  And, of course, that would explain the shrinking middle class that seems to be the topic on more and more people’s minds of late when there’s a discussion about American politics.

Here’s the almost depressing reality of what I listened to today.  “We the people” have no other choice but to rely on our media to act as the “fourth estate” – as outlined by the founders of our nation.  By allowing the corporate conglomerates to gain a stranglehold on the information presented to “we the people” (and, make no mistake, President Clinton is the one who signed the Telecommunications Act of 1996 which allowed this to happen) the American people are losing their ability to make cogent well thought out decisions as we decide who will govern us.  I look forward to the day when America’s leaders represent Main Street instead of Wall Street.  Unfortunately, I believe the first step in this process is a clear repudiation of the republican party.  I “get” that so many Americans are turned off by the democratic party who don’t seem to have the spines to defend their own fundamental policies.  In 2014 democrats acted as if President Obama was their opposition.  Obviously, they should have run defending his record and their fundamental beliefs.  Once voters send the needed message to republicans, they need to turn their frustration directly at the democrats.  America’s political folly is creating a generation of young people who actually believe government can’t work and who are so turned off by the whole mess that they won’t participate.  Trust me, they are smart enough to understand how STUPID today’s “press conference” was – that is, those who are still paying any attention to how our country functions politically.