I really shouldn’t watch TV.  Today, after I got home from school (I’m a 6th grade teacher – semi retired) I foolishly turned on MSNBC when Chuck Todd was demonstrating, again, to me, that he plays a great pawn for the Obama haters and the right wing establishment.  Honestly, in the part of the show that really caught my eye – where they (Todd and the pundits he had on with him) were lamenting the Donald Trump “phenomenon” and all the ways it could destroy the republican party – I couldn’t help but be reminded of how Todd allowed himself in the 2014 election to be a pawn for Mitch McConnell (and, I have to say, I’m not sure if it was intentional or not).  Here he (and the others) were speculating on how the republicans could get rid of Trump without destroying their party – while, in my view, continuing the curious obsession the American media has with actually propping Trump up.

Really, that’s all I hear about when I force myself to catch a bit of “news.”  It’s Trump this, Trump that, and Trump, Trump, and Trump.  And, Mr. Trump is correct.  He doesn’t need to spend a penny on advertising – the cable networks are providing him with 24/7 FREE advertising.  Plus, I don’t see evidence that the very people who are lamenting his candidacy the most on TV “get” that they are playing into his hands.  Just as many of these same people have (correctly) pointed out that Trump is playing into the hands of the so-called “terrorists” with his offensive, racist, bigoted rhetoric.  It’s no wonder America is in such a state.  Traditionally, we were supposed to be able to “trust” the “fourth estate” – meaning the media, to provide information to the public.  These people are dead set on providing entertainment, and when they get sucked in, boy “Katie bar the door.”

I listened the other day to Bernie Sanders commenting on Trump’s anti-Muslim rhetoric along with sharing his experience regarding a visit he had with leaders of the African American community in Baltimore and suggesting how “we the people” might address the deplorable conditions many are enduring in America’s inner cities.  As I listened to Sanders all I could think was that his rhetoric was too sensible, too practical, and was aimed at actually beginning the process of helping America’s middle class and those in poverty (47 MILLION) address the need to change the direction of this country in a way that honors workers and focuses on restoration – not only of the middle and lower classes, but of the infrastructure that is the foundation of any strong society.  What Bernie is saying and proposing SHOULD be what is broadcast on all the news shows and news wires.  Not, the offensive rhetoric of Mr. Trump.  Yes, Trump is gaining “steam” – but, the sad reality, to me, is that the media who’s complaining about him is the source that’s propping him up!  If he was FORCED (like every other candidate) to pay for advertising to get his message out, we wouldn’t be forced to listen to this garbage.  Makes me wonder what the REAL motivation of the media pundits really is???

Of course, Todd couldn’t leave it at that.  He had to bring on a pundit to report on the testimony of the Secretary of Defense (I believe his name is Ash Carter) before a Senate committee this morning.  The only thing I know about that committee (I listened to about 20 minutes of the testimony) is that John McCain is on the committee.  I almost gagged listening to McCain essentially berating Mr. Carter because America has not placed “boots on the ground” back in Iraq and Syria.  Of course, if you’ve listened to McCain much, that would not be a surprise – and, it wouldn’t take much to point out that he gets (got) it wrong EVERY STEP OF THE WAY regarding the destabilizing of the Middle East.  McCain has a history of incompetence that goes all the way back to Viet Nam.  So, I have to wonder, why do people like Todd – and, in this instance MSNBC – continue to give McCain and his ilk “cover?”  Why do what they say have any credence?  As I forced myself to watch Todd comment on the situation in Syria it was no surprise to me that he gave one subliminal hint after another that our government policy is – well, he just shook his head in a non-verbal slam.

I’m convinced with people like McCain and Todd (and others – including Trump) being given this presumption of credibility our nation is destined to end up in another stupid phase of Bush/Cheney’s “endless war.”  Yes, our corporate behemoth and our war mongers will go to any length to make this happen.  It’s as if Osama bin Laden knew EXACTLY how America would react to 9/11 and people like Trump, McCain, and media personalities like Todd and outlets like MSNBC just continue to make his point.  Be very afraid!  To me, Chuck Todd is either a shill for the republicans or a stooge who has no idea how he’s being played.

Then there’s Chris Matthews – he comes on the same channel a bit later than Todd.  The frustrating thing to me about Matthews is that I know he should know better.  I’m just finishing a book written in the late 80’s by Hedrick Smith titled “The Power Game” in which Matthews is quoted repeatedly while he was a member of Tip O’Neil’s staff during the Reagan administration.  Additionally, I’m getting emails from Matthews wife who is running for Congress as a Democrat back in Virginia (or Maryland) which causes me alarm at some of the things I hear on his program.  The same day I’m referring here to Todd and his comments regarding Trump, well Matthews – and conceivably EVERY other member of the cable “media” – were “on” the same subject – for the entire length of their programs.  The part that was revealing to me as I tried to stomach as much of the Matthews program (called “Hardball”) as I could handle was when Matthews referred to, essentially, how entertaining the election cycle was going to be due to the “Trump phenomenon.”

Matthews, of course, was referring to all the “nuances” this Trump candidacy exposes regarding our political process and how it will (and is) affect(ing) the republican party.To him, it seems as if it’s entertainment and more viewers.  One of the pundits on his show (I can’t remember her name, but what I do remember is that she’s a writer for “The Nation” – a true liberal publication) was not amused by Matthews references to how Trump makes this next election cycle entertaining.  She clearly understands the ramifications this has on our nation and the importance of the next election and how we shouldn’t be focused on “entertainment” – especially in the broadcast “news” media.  Trump has been proven correct when he suggests the American voting public is “stupid.”  People like Matthews who have some level of a “bully pulpit” (I have no idea the level of his program’s viewership) should, in my view, be focused on the real issues and, from a true pundit’s point of view, how to best address them.  NOTHING Trump does or says is aimed at REALLY addressing America’s true issues – in fact, I believe it’s not hard to argue that Trump is making the solutions to our REAL issues more complex.

The thing that Trump is obviously good at is USING the media to generate excitement with the insignificant number of people who might be inclined to follow someone who has a racist, misogynist, anti-labor, demagogue, militarist message.  When you total it all up, I believe Trump has a following of around 10% (or so) of America’s voting public.  Why would we want to broadcast this as an exciting movement to our allies around the world at a time like this?  Honestly, there’s NO WAY it happens without the cooperation of our “liberal media.”  Clearly, Trump understands that sensationalism sells.  I’ve just focused on Todd and Matthews here, but there appears to be a long list of people trying to crowd into the line broadcasting nearly every word Trump spews at this point.  I had to turn the TV off the day I’m mentioning, but – on a so-called “news cast” – they were actually waiting for Trump to give a stump speech, somewhere in New Hampshire, and were going to broadcast it as if anything the man says is “news.”  This is all so unbelievable to me that I’m having a hard time accepting that it’s actually happening.  I keep thinking, is this simply a bad dream?

Of course, it would be the “family values,” “pro life,” “conservative,” republican party that would be the launching post for someone like Trump.  I mean the guy has screwed over who knows how many thousands of people in his multiple business BANKRUPTCIES, he’s on his third marriage (I’m not judging, I’m just “sayin”), he’s a casino owner (seriously, think about that one all you “Tea Partiers”), and he basically would be incompetent regarding how our government works! (OK, I realize that puts him in the same category as Reagan and GW Bush and many others – I’m sure my good friend, who I often have breakfast with on Saturdays would include Obama on that list)  He continues to generate “excitement” among the “base” with one outlandish (and racist) “proclamation” after another – seemingly, every time his “poll numbers” start to decline well, here comes another bombshell comment that we can count on people like Todd and Matthews parsing for days, and in some cases weeks.  This is all getting to the level of the absurd!

A couple weeks ago we had a HOME GROWN Christian TERRORIST shoot up a Planned Parenthood office in Colorado and, based on the “news” you would think it never happened.  A police officer (who was also a pastor), a Iraq war vet, and a young Mom were KILLED along with 9 people injured, and – basically – this act of terrorism managed to bypass our “liberal media.”  Of course, the massacre in San Bernadino has garnered the media’s attention – with the help of Trump’s anti-Muslim comments – 24/7.  I guess because this HOME GROWN TERRORIST was a Muslim, that made the San Bernadino murders more “newsworthy.”  Our media outlets have managed to get the FEAR FACTOR ginned up to bright red because of San Bernadino, but I certainly don’t remember the same results after Sandy Hook, or Umpqa Community College, or Virginia Tech, or – well, I could go on and on, because there’s been more mass shootings in America this year than days!  Yet, people like Todd and Matthews (and, of course, the Fox “news” people are worse along with just about every other broadcast outlet  – with the exception of Free Speech TV) would have us focused on San Bernadino (I don’t have to tell you the reason at this point – I hope) along with the racist comments of Donald Trump!

So, when I point out this nation (America) is on the “slippery slope” toward fascism, that’s what you should FEAR!  It really is time for the United States of America and her wannabe leaders to stop playing into the hands of terrorists around the world.  Also, it’s time “we the people” take a deep breath and realize how privileged we are and how the liberties granted us by our founders were hard fought and can only be given away – no one will take them away.  People like Trump and the other republicans running for the 2016 presidential nomination are like “wolves in sheep’s clothing.”  If we allow them to succeed America will be on its way to becoming a corporate dominated (I know, we’re almost there already) fascist state.  I would say to Chris Matthews, Donald Trump’s rhetoric is NOT entertaining, it is downright scary.  Many people have no idea what could lie ahead – and, in my view, that’s the role of our “liberal media” – not to be attempting to “be like Fox” – and, their laughable “fair and balanced” – and, not to be entertaining us (meaning “we the people”), but to be educating us to the real ramifications of what Trump (and the other republican candidates) represent.  As I said above, I’m not sure Chuck Todd understands how he’s being used by republicans, but I know for sure that Chris Matthews knows better!

America is thirsting for a change of direction that exposes the rip offs of the past 35+ years (remember, Ford pardoned Nixon, Bush 1 pardoned Reagan and the Iran/Contra bunch – which likely included himself, Clinton looked the other way regarding Bush’s role in Iran/Contra and Obama blocked ALL investigations of GW Bush/Cheney et al’s wrongdoing) and the sad reality is that America has become divided into the “haves” and the “have nots.”  Sadly (and predictably) the “haves” don’t seem to have any limits as to what they “want” (regarding sucking the wealth from the middle class) and the republicans (and some democrats) are willing to enable this behavior because they’ve been purchased by the very people who are destroying this nation.  Bernie Sanders is speaking DIRECTLY to the issues that have created this great economic inequality – but, you wouldn’t know it because, evidently he’s not very entertaining.  He’s also PULLING Hillary Clinton farther to the left – so, you’d think that if our media really is “liberal” they’d be at least covering something regarding Sanders and Clinton.  Our “liberal” media needs to wake up before it’s too late.  I can tell you with assurance, should people like Todd and Matthews (if that’s their goal) manage to prop up Trump or one of these other “clowns” (remember, the republican “field” for president has often been referred to as the “clown car”) to actually make it to the White House, the next few years WON’T be very entertaining!

I’ve had my issues with President Obama over his 7+ years in the White House, but I’ve always wanted him to succeed.  I’m thankful he’s the president right now and neither Mitt Romney or John McCain managed to defeat him in either one of the last two presidential elections.  It’s like there’s “an adult in the room” regarding the mega issues facing America in today’s messed up world.  And, in my view, the most serious issues are not defeating ISIL, but instead defeating the RIGHT WING extremists in America who are pushing this nation closer and closer to a fascist state.

Many people I know think a person is crazy when the idea that America could become a fascist state is broached.  They think anyone comparing our leaders to those of past generations leading fascist governments (ie Mussolini or Hitler) are way off base.  However, I’ve been following the disintegration of the republican party since the days of Ronald Reagan and I’ve been reading book after book on what is REALLY happening in this nation, and the reality does not look good.  In previous posts I’ve given examples of the definition of fascism – mainly focusing on what I call the “Mussolini line” – which is the corporate/government partnership.  It’s hard to deny that America is trending dangerously in this direction already.  I started clamoring the warnings within days of the Supreme Court’s dangerous and divisive decision titled “Citizens’ United” – which was the work of Mitch McConnell and his “ilk.”  That happened around the time President Obama was elected and by now most “progressives” understand how very dangerous that decision is.

At a time when one of our two political parties is more focused on the “FAILURE” of our president than the SUCCESS of our nation, it’s hard for me to understand why so many in our nation, and more particularly in our “liberal media,” don’t understand the gravity of the problem.  As I watch the political scene while the republicans are “ginning” up hate and fear in an atmosphere where that’s EXACTLY what our so-called “enemy” would want them to be doing, I have to wonder if the person who’s got me more concerned about the U.S. devolving into a fascist state, Donald Trump, isn’t correct.  I’ve heard him claim on more than one occasions that “The American public is STUPID.”  Each time I’ve heard him say that, almost by the next day his poll numbers go UP!  Go figure.  He accused the voters of Iowa of being stupid (apparently because he had temporarily fallen to #2 in the polls at the time) and the next day his “numbers” were up.  (Of course, I only had to think of the lady Iowa elected to the Senate last year to realize he’s more than likely correct).

In my naive, optimistic heart, I can’t bring myself to believe the people who are supporting the “Tea Party” and Donald Trump really understand what they’re supporting.  I’ve got friends who, well, it’s been a couple years since our discussions, when I pointed out the racist nature of the “Tea Party”  and they were unable to understand this.  They consider themselves “conservatives” and somehow were identifying with the “Tea Party” with what I called “selective vetting.”  They were unable to connect all the racists signs and hate signs that appeared at all the anti-Obama “Tea Party” rallies – before President Obama had done more than take the oath of office – as racist induced.  I’m not sure what they’re thinking at this time (if you’ve ever had a conversation with someone who considers what they hear on Fox “news” as actually being “news” you know what I mean when I say it’s difficult to even have a conversation with them about politics) but Donald Trump is a bit less covert than the usual republican racist candidate.  (If you’re not old enough to remember, Ronald Reagan – the messiah to the right wing – [and, I’ll have a lot more to say about him on a soon to be posted rant – had his “kick off” to his presidential campaign – the first successful one] – in Philadelphia Mississippi – most of my “conservative” friends are still, to this day, unable to understand the significance and the imagery sent to racists of that choice for a political “launch pad.”   For a “counter example,” President Obama launched his campaign in Springfield Illinois at the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln.)

Let’s consider Trump here for a bit – and, remember, something like a third of the “likely republican voters” are supporting him at this time, and the other “candidates” (are there really any candidates?) say they will support him should he manage to gain the nomination.  Trump started his campaign with a vicious attack on Mexican Americans and claiming he, if elected, will round up 11 MILLION “illegals” and deport them from the country.  (Of course, when asked how he will do this his answer is something along the lines of “it’s a secret,” or “I’m smart,” or – honestly – I’ve got no idea how he’s going to do this.)  He is also going to end (so he says – I’m really curious if “we the  people” will let him) “birthright citizenship” – meaning, if you’re born in America that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re a citizen.  I’m really not sure what he means by that, but my suspicion would be he wants to maybe take away President Obama’s citizenship – as he’s been at the forefront of the so-called (and disgraceful) “birther” movement.  But, that’s not all!

Donald Trump, of “The Donald” as some refer to him, will “register” all the Muslims in America.  Not sure what he’s planning to do with this “registry” – but, is this even starting to remind you of anything?  Have you studied any recent world history?  Do you know anything about the Third Reich and the rise of Hitler in the 30’s and how he came to power?  I know it sounds far fetched – but, I’m just saying – if it looks like a duck, call it a duck!  And, how do you think he’ll get “rid” of ISIL?  If “we the people” should allow someone like this to even gain a nomination to our nation’s highest office what kind of message do you think this would send to the rest of the world?  We’re already in the process of destroying ALL the good will we EARNED through the defeat of Germany in the two “World Wars” – through the actions of previous republican presidents (ie – Reagan and GW Bush/Cheney) and the despicable rhetoric that permeates the present day republican campaign “trail.”  (It’s not just Trump)

Of course, while I’m writing this post I hear that now Trump has proposed blocking America’s border to ALL Muslim’s “until our leaders figure out what the hell is going on.” (or something along those lines)  I even heard him say (which, supposedly he later “backtracked” a bit – it that’s possible for Trump) that American citizens who worship the Muslim faith and who are traveling abroad should not be allowed back into the country.  Supposedly, he’s going to propose some kind of religious “test” for people going through customs who are legally coming into this country.  (Of course, Jeb Bush proposed something similar, only it was to let in the Christians!  What’s with these guys – do they really not understand what they’re proposing?)  And, what about the members of our military who are Muslims?  Will they be prevented from coming into the country from, say, fighting in the Middle East?  When discussing all this Trump even likened his thinking to the internment camps Japanese Americans (another part of our shameful history) were placed in during the second World War as being an option for Muslims.  You know, good enough for FDR, good enough for Donald Trump – I guess!

I’ve been pointing out for years that the American republican party and their “cohorts” (ie – Fox “news,” Rush Limbaugh – and his underlings – yes, I’m talking about you Lars Larsen – and, all the paid “pundits” who will espouse the so-called “talking points” for money) have been practicing Joseph Goebbels’ “Big Lie Theory” for years.  That is, if you publicly repeat a lie often enough (and in enough different settings) people will believe it’s the truth.  That’s how they’ve managed to turn the word “liberal,” for example, into a somewhat toxic word in the American political discourse (when EVERY good advance in our history, that benefits “we the people” has come from liberal activists).  They’ve succeeded in brainwashing the American public to believe that our corporate media (owned by right wing corporations almost entirely) is “liberal.”  Now, they’re hammering “we the people” that our president, Barrack Obama, is “weak,” while Donald Trump is “strong.”

When you put all this together, and you consider that Karl Rove, for years, has been proclaiming the forthcoming “permanent republican ‘majority,'” – I hope you can see where we’re going here.  I really don’t think the republican “establishment” will allow Donald Trump to gain the nomination (although a fitting conclusion to expelling him from the party would be he would run a “third party” campaign – wouldn’t that be interesting?) but, the reality is that the other “candidates” aren’t a whole lot better.  From my vantage point, these people (including the financiers who are doling out the “big bucks”) are quietly moving America in the direction of a fascist state.  Donald Trump’s despicable rhetoric is not the reason I’m saying this – although, he brings reality to light.  They’ve been surreptitiously leading us in this direction since the days of Ronald Reagan.  I believe that when Reagan talked about government being “the problem” it was because these people despise “democracy.”  They are on record as saying the fewer people who vote, the better they do.  Their attack on the right to vote has been endless.  They DON’T HATE government, they simply want to CONTROL it, lock, stock and barrel.  As I mentioned above, if it “talks like a duck, quacks like a duck, call it what it is – a duck!”  Donald Trump is simply exposing the republican’s plan to turn America into a fascist (corporate run) state!

If you’re a progressive, or even a moderate (or a rational republican) and you don’t rush to the polls to vote against this attack on the foundation of our nation in the next election, SHAME ON YOU!  I’ve said many times on this site – I’m not pro-democratic – it’s just that the republicans as they are presently constituted MUST GO!  We the people MUST vote as many of them out of office as possible.  And, we need to replace them with progressive minded public servants who are obligated to “we the people” and not the moneyed interests who have so terribly corrupted our present Congress.  And, this idea that every democrat or every republican vote in “lock step” with their party – is TRULY un-American!  That also, (and, by the way, that’s the creed of these republicans no matter who gets the nomination) is one of the things that originally got me visualizing 1930’s Germany (or Italy or Spain) when I heard about the “pledge.” (my own congressperson – a republican – was threatened with censorship for voting her conscience on five occasions out of over 500 votes!)

Every day people recognize how serious the problem is, they just have no idea how to solve it – it does seem impossible.  I’ll say it once more – the first step is to vote out as many republicans from Congress as possible and make sure none of these wack jobs running for their nomination for president in 2016 wins.  Then the job of “we the people will be to transform the Democratic party back into the progressive organization it was during the New Deal and the Great Society.  In other words, America’s middle class needs to stop getting snaffooed by right wing wedge issues and stop voting against their own best interests!  For those of you who were fooled years ago by Ronald Reagan, I’ll have a post soon that “tells it like it is” regarding the right wing’s “messiah.”  It was his election, in my view, that set the stage for the predicament that we now find ourselves.  It’s time to start talking about Reagan’s presidency TRUTHFULLY!