Over the years I’ve been writing in this “blog” I’ve read many many books about the inner workings of the United States government, mostly over the past 30 years (although I love to read about US history in general), and the more I read the more I realize how corrupted our government has become by the selfish interests of the corporate elite in America who are buying favors in Washington DC.  I knew it was farcical when the governor of Michigan (I think), one of the new breed of right wing governors who are going after collective bargaining rights of workers  state by state, called teachers members of “America’s elite.” (I’m a teacher)  And, I’ve been fully aware of the republican party’s “buy in” of Joseph Goebbels’ “big lie theory,” and the propaganda war they’ve been waging – I just didn’t know, until it’s been sinking in recently, how ingrained this propaganda has been during my lifetime and how difficult it’s going to be to overcome the damage.  I’m reading the sequel to “Confessions of an Economic Hit Man” by John Perkins, I just finished “Vulture’s Picnic” by Greg Palast, I’ve read “The Wrecking Crew” by Thomas Franks, “The Shock Doctrine” by Naomi Klein, “The Family” by Jeff Sharlett, and “The Family of Secrets” by (I can’t remember the author’s name – it’s on my Nook), and many more books that ALL give the same picture.

There is a conspiracy of true “elitists” in America who are essentially “calling the shots.”  They are the “power brokers” at the head of what was once America’s corporate empire (imagine them referring to me as “elite”), but has evolved into a multinational corporate empire.  They have gained control of the inner workings of America’s government to the point where the “game” is so heavily tilted toward the “rich” that it’s just a matter of time, in my opinion, until “we the people” revolt.  In fact, that revolt appears to me to be in its initial stages as I’m writing this.  What should be a “wake up” to most Americans is that many people in the “rest of the world” are much more aware of the injustices of these corporations than America’s own public (because of the propaganda, which really seems to me at the brainwashing stage).  The thoughts that have struck me the most vividly in my recent readings are that, despite my continued DISDAIN for republicans (and justified, I might add), the evidence suggests that democrats have played a HUGE part in the deterioration of America’s middle class (and the middle class in untold numbers of nations around the world).

Many on the democratic “side of the isle” in American politics (including me on occasion) refer back to the administration of Bill Clinton as a success because during his eight years in office the American budget was turned from a HUGE deficit into a SIGNIFICANT surplus – with many (including me) expecting that surplus to be used to reduce the national debt.  Of course, that was not to be – but, is also a story for another day – what most democrats refuse to discuss are some of the decisions made during the Clinton presidency which have proven to be “game changers” in the “corporatocracy’s” assault on the middle class.  The best analogy I can think of is football – when the offensive line clears a hole “you could drive a truck through” – which is what the Clinton administration did for this corporate cabal which is attempting to control EVERYTHING!

What most people would refer to, should this subject come up, would be NAFTA and GATT – the “free trade” agreements which have subsequently been blamed for the departure of much of America’s manufacturing base to countries where labor can be found for next to nothing.  Workers in inhumane conditions working endless hours for pennies on the dollar compared to American workers and in an environment where there are no benefits to be paid by the corporations to the workers.  In fact, the only benefits involved seem to be the ones the corporations receive from the locations where they move their factories along with their ability to avoid the American tax code.  (Many of these corporate executives are the same people who are complaining about America’s national debt problem!)  As I see it, this is a very significant issue which has decimated many in America’s middle class by taking jobs they’ve held for years and essentially moving them outside our borders in an attempt to increase “shareholder value” AND corporate executive salaries and bonuses.  These trade agreements have played a large role in the now apparently accepted mentality that shareholders are more important than workers and that there is no such thing as excessive compensation for corporate executives.

That’s the most obvious of the, what I call, “foopahs” of the Clinton administration.  But, there’s a couple others that I believe might play an even larger role in the corporate takeover of America’s political process.  First was the Telecommunications Act of 1996.  At the time of this bill there were many thousands of small, medium, and large broadcast media outlets in America, with a somewhat thriving print media was well.  Now, I realize that the internet has had a profound effect on the print media, but the bottom line for me is that America’s newspapers were considered by the founders of our nation as the “Fourth Estate.”  That meant the fourth branch of government, the “connection” to the people which was supposed to keep us “informed” as to what is going on in the halls of Congress, the White House, and the court system.  Well, the newspapers have been dropping like flies since that date AND they have seen a contraction of ownership with the ability of people like Rupert Murdoch to gain a huge market share by buying up the competition.  I’m not a fan of the Wall Street Journal (I’ve subscribed to it occasionally over the years), but when I saw that Murdoch had been allowed to purchase it I could do no more than shake my head in disbelief.  What is this country coming to?  The man has proven himself to be a partisan through his political donations and through his other media outlets (especially “Fox news” which should be titled “GOP news”) and, I was convinced that the government would not allow one person to control so much of our media – yet, it was approved with nary a whimper.  I believe that over 90% of America’s media outlets are controlled by less than 10 corporations who are all led by republicans – hence our “liberal media” – this is the foundation of the great propaganda “machine” they’ve created.  And, trying to reverse this trend is like asking the fox to watch over the hen house – not an appealing proposition!

Yes, there’s another “foopah”  that I don’t think gets the amount of attention it should – mainly because the republicans are TOTALLY pleased by the results (they were actually very supportive of this one – and, I’m sure the others as well – so much for bipartisanship) and, I’m guessing, that the democrats would prefer to allow people to believe this was ALL the fault of republicans – and, that’s the repeal of the Glass Steagall Act.  If you’re not aware of what “Glass Steagall” is, it’s the name associated with a bill passed during the thirties under FDR (Glass and Steagall were the co sponsors of the bill) which essentially prevented the banks from becoming “too big to fail.”  That is, banks that were taking money from depositors (which was guaranteed against loss by the federal government) were not allowed to combine with Wall Street investment banks and they were also not allowed to combine with Insurance companies.  Three of the PRIME instigators of this “repeal” were Robert Rubin (then Clinton’s Treasury Secretary), Larry Summers (a Goldman Sachs big-shot and Clinton economic adviser and later Barack Obama’s chief economic adviser), and Timothy Geithner (another Goldman protegee, then assistant Treasury Secretary under Clinton, and now Treasury Secretary under Obama). It was Obama’s choice of Summers and Geithner that was one of my first “red flags” as I realized President Obama was not going to be the “change agent” I had understood him to be during his election.

It’s true these three worked in coordination with republican senator Phil Gramm to get this through, but the end result is probably not something democrats will be “crowing” about anytime soon.  You see, democrats (and, despite my “independent status” myself included) like to point out all the conflicts of interest that have devastating after effects on the general public and are done by republicans.  However, the repeal of Glass Steagall allowed Citigroup to become a HUGE conglomerate of insurance companies, banks, and investment houses (to give just one example) and one of the leading causes of the 2008 national economic collapse along with a chief recipient of the HATED TARP bailout orchestrated by Hank Paulsen (another Goldman Sachs protegee and CEO).  The sad reality is that Rubin, Summers, and Geithner went from the Clinton administration to key Wall Street positions and helped to create the aforementioned collapse.  Rubin is, to me, one of the worst examples of what’s wrong with our government and it’s ties to the corporatocracy.  He went from his position as Treasury Secretary (Glass Steagall was repealed in the final year of Clinton’s presidency)  to chairman of Citigroup with an ultimate payoff in the HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of dollars! (Rubin, Summers, Geithner, Paulsen ALL have a common “thread” which is Goldman Sachs!)

This should be evidence enough to cause people who are planning to support democrats in 2012 (including me) pause to think about how to go about this.  But there’s more – which only helps me to understand how deep this corporate infiltration of our government has gone (and, I encourage you to read any of the books I listed above if you haven’t already done so – there’s some “eye popping” information in them).  And, the really sad part for me – because I so enthusiastically endorsed Obama in 2008 and so much want him to SUCCEED – is there’s a plethora of evidence that President Obama’s administration is going along with much of the “coolaid” that I would certainly expect him to oppose.  (I’m only going to give a couple examples, but I believe Palast’s “Vulture’s Picnic” should be required reading for all American adults of voting age)

I’d start with the connections to Wall Street (Summers and Geithner among others) but let’s take a look at “big oil.”  Do you remember the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico a couple of years ago?  The so-called Deepwater Horizon oil spill?  If you want to get to the “truth” as to what happened there and the “truth” about BP – read Palast’s book mentioned above.  What’s significant to me is that a common thread among all these books is the willingness – in fact eagerness – of the big oil companies, with BP being possibly the worst offender – to essentially rape societies of their natural resources in such an arrogant way that I believe history will look upon them as the perpetrators of evil.  I don’t have space to go into the details, but when President Obama “negotiated” the apparent $20 BILLION dollar fund from BP to pay off the Gulf Coast people damaged by their negligent (probably criminal) behavior in the Gulf he chose Kenneth Feinberg as the administrater.  This man came with a “track record” of being “pro BP” in this case – based on his previous work – again, read “Vulture’s Picnic” if you want the details.  Palast estimates that Feinberg will minimize, by BILLIONS, the amount of money BP ultimately pays for destroying the Gulf of Mexico and essentially murdering 11 of their employees.  He will make it as difficult as possible for people who claim damages to collect and will use their desperation against them in the negotiating process to reduce BP’s exposure to their claims.  Just as many are wondering why no one has gone to jail for the Wall Street fiasco and the crimes of the Bush administration, well you can add the Deepwater Horizon oil spill to that list.

There’s another indication of Obama’s connection to the large corporate interests in his willingness to approve Nuclear Power plants despite ALL the evidence about their safety issues.  Palast uncovered some interesting evidence that you’ll find nowhere else about the power plants that teetered on the verge of meltdown in Japan following the earthquake there and Obama’s administration has approved government loan guarantees in the tens of BILLIONS for a couple plants in the South that could receive funding NO OTHER way because the “real” financial market wouldn’t touch a nuclear power plant with “a ten foot pole.”  As with many of the projects the U.S. has been funding over the previous 30 plus years, both in this country and around the world, the real purpose of the money is to pad the pockets of America’s largest corporations (many of which are now owned by foreigners to different levels).   Keep in mind one of Obama’s chief economic advisers is the CEO of GE, a major “player” in the construction of nuclear power facilities.

Republicans continue to “bash” Obama for “tearing down” our military, while we continue to spend hundreds of BILLIONS on defense related projects that are essentially useless.  That is the one manufacturing sector we have kept in this nation – defense spending.  The reality is that defense related spending has increased at the usual rate under President Obama.  President Eisenhower’s warnings about the military industrial complex have come true – and that seems to be an area where there’s bipartisan agreement – spending this nation’s wealth on the military while the roads, bridges, schools, etc. are crumbling and people are suffering from a HUGE jobs crisis.

I’m trying to stay “upbeat” and I’m planning on supporting and voting for President Obama (can you actually believe the alternative?) – and, voting against EVERY republican I have the opportunity to do so – but for the long term, I’m going to support movements like the recall Scott Walker movement in Wisconsin (that’s presently where what little money I have is going), candidates like Elizabeth Warren in Massachusetts,  Alan Grayson in Florida, and Dennis Kucinich in Ohio.  Progressive activists that “tell it like it is.”  I’m too old and broken down to physically join the “Occupy” movement, but I can tell you, from what I’ve heard from their leaders, I’m all in with their movement as well – I hope it springs forth with “vigor” (in the words of Teddy Kennedy) next spring (no pun intended :o).

The real truth is that I continue to hope that members of the democratic party would “snap out of it,” gain some backbone – and, put up a REAL fight for the “change we can believe in.”  I honestly think President Obama was thinking that if we could “go back” to the way it was under Clinton, people would be happy.  I believe the one thing that the populist movement on the “left” agrees with the grassroots “tea baggers” is that we don’t want to go back to “the way it was.”  Well, let me restate that this way; I think we want our leaders to go back to the way it was supposed to be.  Now, there’s plenty of room for disagreement over what that means, but I’m convinced what it doesn’t mean is lobbyists controlling Washington, backroom deals controlling Congress, AND the “Big Lie theory.”  I think there’s millions more Americans besides me who are sick of all the LYING!  America’s “leaders” have been lying so long, they believe their own lies as soon as the words come out of their mouths. It’s time for America’s people to demonstrate to the rest of the world how to reclaim a government gone awry PEACEFULLY.  If President Obama and the democratic party are smart, they’ll join with the people they supposedly represent in order to speed up this process!

Honestly, I fully realize I’m just a 6th grade school teacher and this “blog” is simply my place in cyberspace to vent my frustrations with the “powers that be,” but I have to say that over the few years I’ve been doing this, the republicans have been getting so far “out there” that I’m wondering what’s going through the mind of ANYONE who would vote for them.  And, I’m including the so-called “1%” in this, because ultimately their economic health depends on the economic health of the nation as a whole.  Some of the comments I’m hearing from republicans lately make me wonder how any of them could possibly be commanding a national stage in the first place.  There are some popularly quoted “quips” like Romney’s “Corporations are people my friend” (how could he be remotely considered as our commander in chief?), to Herman Cain’s “Blame yourself” when referring to people who’ve lost their jobs or their homes, to Rick Perry’s inability to remember his own “talking points,” to now “the Newt” commenting that the Palestinians have never had a homeland (that should speed up a middle east peace accord? – and, by the way, Newt – over the years – has made enough buffoonish comments that are certainly on tape – that the republicans can’t possibly be considering nominating him, can they????) and Mayor Bloomberg of New York suggesting one half of all teachers should be fired and the “good ones” should have double the class size so our students will get a better education! OH MY GOSH!!!

The ignorance of these people never stops amazing me.  And, yet our “liberal media” continues to “run them by us” in debate after debate so we can choose which one of them deserves to be the spokesperson for the corporate cabal that is trying to surreptitiously undermine  and – at the same time – take over our government.  They are close, oh so close – yet, this group of buffoons is all they can come up with in their attempt to complete what Karl Rove calls the “permanent republican majority.”  I continue to wonder why they’re relying on Newt, or Mitt, or Rick, or ???? (I still think they’re going to pick Jeb) to be the”front person.”  The best I can come up with is there are two possible requirements – one of which must be met for someone to “lead” the republicans.  They have to be either totally STUPID or they have to be MORALLY BANKRUPT and willing to stand in front of “whomever” and lie through their teeth.  And, the sad reality is that they are going to have the FULL FORCE of those corporations Mitt Romney pointed out are “people” funding their campaigns.

While, on the surface it seems ridiculous that anyone of these people could win a national election, “upon further review”…….Let me give you a quick example of what to expect.  (This example is so outrageous that it cost me $20 – the minute I saw the add I HAD to send $20 [I know $20 doesn’t seem like much, but to me, well….] to the campaign of Elizabeth Warren in Massachusetts – and I live in Washington state)  Karl Rove – the ultimate plaything of the corporatocracy which is attempting the coup de tat on America’s middle class, that is they are the one’s supplying him with BILLIONS to spend in an attempt to complete the “gaining control of congress” part of their scheme – recently published an add in Massachusetts where Warren is leading in the polls over Scott Brown for the US Senate (Teddy Kennedy’s old seat).  Warren has been at the forefront of the anti-Wall Street movement for years and was directly responsible for creating the consumer financial protection agency that the republicans in congress are refusing to staff because it will oversee the unsavory banking practices of the predatory lenders who are paying MILLIONS into the campaign coffers of the same republican senators who are blocking President Obama’s attempt to get this agency “off the ground.”  After the republicans made it clear they would not confirm Warren for leadership in this new agency, she decided to run for the Senate where she could continue her attempts at reforming our banking system and Wall Street in general.

I’m sure you can guess where this is going, but just in case I’ll get to the point.  Rove’s TV add would have the unsuspecting (OK Lars Larsen, here I go again) low information voter thinking that Warren was a strong supporter of Wall Street and that she was directly involved in and responsible for the financial collapse of our economy in 2008 (you know, when Rove was working for GW Bush et al) and that the TARP bailout was something she came up with (Rove was blaming Warren for EVERYTHING he and his boss was responsible for – along with Cheney/Paulsen/Rumsfeld/and the others – as if to say it was so bad it would disqualify her from office! – what he doesn’t say, of course, is that his purpose is to put the very people who ACTUALLY did cause the crisis back in POWER!) .  The first time I saw the add it just confirmed in my mind there is NOTHING these thugs won’t say or do in order to gain the stranglehold on POWER they’ve been scheming for since BEFORE the days of Ronald Reagan – although he’s the one who showed them how to turn the tide against the New Deal they all hate so passionately (it was reported that Rove bought over half a MILLION dollars of air time for this add – and, of course the TV networks just take the money with NO fact checking – UNBELIEVABLE!).  This is the best example yet I’ve seen of how republicans use the “Big Lie Theory” of Joseph Goebbels – chief of propaganda for Adolf Hitler during WW II – in order to actually convince people to believe the OPPOSITE of what is actually true.  If you read this and live in Massachusetts, as far as I’m concerned, you have an obligation to start talking to people about what’s going on in your state.  If the people of Massachusetts are anything like the good people of Wisconsin, the backlash from CRAP like this will GUARANTEE one more republican senator “bites the dust.”

Aside from the UNLIMITED amounts of money the republicans will have at their disposal (and most of it anonymous) you have to consider the other ANTICS they have become famous for when considering the gravity of the situation.  Remember, the only way George W Bush (a comparable buffoon to Rick Perry) won the presidency was through the CHEATING of his brother Jeb and his cronies during the 2000 election.  Al Gore won that election but was “defeated” by our right wing Supreme Court – as I’m writing this it’s hard for me to imagine that the rest of us at the time even accepted the validity of this decision.  And, things for MOST Americans (and many others around the world) have been going abruptly downhill since Bush was appointed president by the court.  Think that was an isolated case of rigged voting?  My mind is continually reminded of the South Carolina primary of 2010 when a Black man who didn’t even have the money to pay for the nomination fee for the US Senate democratic primary and, who didn’t campaign, won the primary from a known statewide democrat who had at least some chance to win the general election.  What am I suggesting?  The electronic voting machines used in many precincts in America are ALL the product of companies owned by members of  the republican “donor class” and they are easily HACKED.  That’s been proved over and over again.  (There’s even ample evidence to suggest that Bush “stole” the 2004 election as well with rigged voting machines and crony voter suppression antics in Ohio)  Additionally, republican voter suppression schemes are in “high gear.”  I’ve heard estimates they intend to block at least 5 MILLION (potential democratic) voters in 2012 from casting ballots!

I’m pointing this out to encourage anyone who’s been disappointed in Barrack Obama (that includes me) to make sure they plan not only to vote for him in 2012, but to encourage as many others of the “99%” to vote – and, to emphasize the importance of voting OUT republicans!  Now, I’ll be the first in line if we want to complain about democrats, but first things first here.  I’ve written many posts expressing my disappointment with President Obama, but I can tell you that I will WILLINGLY vote for him in 2012 and I’m going to campaign for him again.  There was a time when I wasn’t so sure of that, but as I’ve watched the republicans since Obama took office and continued to read books which expose the true inner workings of our government and especially the republican party, I could give a plethora of reasons why Obama’s reelection is the MOST important election of my lifetime!  Furthermore, it’s time for “we the people” to mobilize the start of PURGING congress of ALL REPUBLICANS – unless somehow some of them would stand up and REJECT the direction their party’s taken in the previous 30 years or so.   I’m starting to see signs of republicans who’ve been in positions of leadership in the past beginning to speak out (of course, they are then subject to intense ridicule from the republican “leaders”- which all I should have to say includes the likes of Rush Limbaugh, Bill O’Reilly, John Boehner, etc. etc.) but NOT ONE of them that’s presently holding public office, at least that I’m aware of, has the guts to speak out against the vile rhetoric and the middle class BASHING ways they’ve adopted as their policy.

For those of you who turn immediately to blaming democrats when your republicans fall under attack, there’s a sizable list of democratic congress people who I believe deserve to be replaced as well.  And, honestly, as a lifetime independent I wouldn’t care which party a leader was from if the republicans didn’t have the sheep herd mentality that they all vote together as a block – and the UNTHINKABLE to me is their open declaration that their FIRST priority is the defeat of President Obama – while our nation is in the midst of a terrible economic downturn.  I’ll say it again, I don’t see how anyone could vote to support ANYONE who would espouse that position.  Think about it.  What would be the motivation of someone who would WANT our president to fail?  How could they come to that position from BEFORE the day he took the oath of office (I actually heard that come from the mouth of Rush Limbaugh and republican members of congress before Obama was officially the president)?

Today while I was driving around I heard a portion of a News Conference President Obama held in which he was focusing attention on the recent battle over the reduction in Social Security taxes for the middle class workers in America.  As with EVERYTHING the republicans are blocking Obama’s attempt to extend the tax cut (he wants those making in excess of $1,000,000 per year to get a tax increase to pay for it) which clearly shows the “gap” between republicans and democrats.  That’s what the president wanted to discuss at the news conference and presumably what he was expecting to talk about.  Yet, what was the FIRST question asked by our “liberal media?”  It went something like “How do you respond to republican claims that you are being ‘passive’ (that’s my paraphrased word, because I can’t remember the exact word the “reporter” used) in foreign policy regarding the middle east?”  Obama’s seemingly terse reply brought encouragement to my mind, “Ask Osama bin Laden or the 22 Al Qaeda leaders who’ve been eliminated how passive we’ve been!” (Do you remember George W Bush’s famous quote about bin Laden – the supposed reason we were STUCK in two wars for 10 years or so? “I don’t know where he is, I don’t really spend that much time thinking about him.” – that should say it all about republicans and foreign policy)

I didn’t get the wording exact, but that’s how the republicans operate – I’m sure without knowing who asked the question, it was a republican “plant” at the news conference and the design of the question was to manipulate people’s impression of Obama almost subconsciously (with the added bonus of trying to deflect the actual reality that republicans – Bush/Cheney et al  acted EXACTLY like what the questioner was talking about) – through the use of leading questions.  What it made me think of is how weak their position is going to be when it comes to the actual campaign that is on the horizon.  One thing I’m beginning to really realize about Obama is that he’s much more the brilliant strategic politician than most people acknowledge.  I can see him backing whoever the republicans come up with for a candidate into innumerable “corners.”  I REALLY can’t imagine the American people are stupid enough or FORGETFUL enough to allow ANY republican ANY “standing” at all when the foreign policy issues come up in debates.  The contrast between Obama and GW Bush – when it is focused into debates or TV adds or whatever, will be STARK.  Yes, Rove (and others) will be busy with their “Swift boating” – trying to lie their way past their own records of incompetency – but, do you really think they want to have a discussion about bin Laden?  Do you think they want to re-hash the Iraq issue?  Do you honestly believe they want the truth about Afghanistan to become public knowledge?  Do you think they want a discussion about how America’s corporate enterprises have managed to avoid taxes by moving overseas – yet still have unabated access to America’s consumers (you know, the old “cake and eat it too” syndrome)?

These people (the republicans) are totally counting on FINISHING the DESTRUCTION of America’s economy and having the American people be so stupid as to put the blame on Obama so that they can get another BUFFOON into the White House and continue the corporate pillaging of America’s middle class.  Accomplishing this and gaining total control of congress will be the finishing touches on their “permanent republican majority.”  I’m reading the sequel to “Confessions of an Economic Hit Man” by John Perkins and it has finally dawned on me that America’s corporations are now doing to AMERICA what they’ve been doing to the rest of the world for the last half a century.  They’re purposely attempting to BANKRUPT this nation with the ultimate prize being their stealing as much of America’s resources as they can before “we the people” wise up to their scheme.  And, many of the corporate “heads” are already “stationed” in other places around the world so that they can avoid the backlash whenever it happens (and, it’s GOING to happen – hopefully, the Wisconsinites have ignited it and the “occupiers”are the next step – I really hope the backlash is non-violent)

As encouragement for you, if you’re reading this and don’t want people like Karl Rove or Rush Limbaugh or the Koch Brothers or insert a republican name (I could go on and on) deciding your future, to actively participate in the process of REMOVING REPUBLICANS from office let me remind you that – I mentioned above that 2012 is the most important election in my lifetime – the next president will likely appoint two more Supreme Court justices and if the republicans get two more on the court who are similar to Roberts and Alito (I remind you of “Citizens United” – if you don’t know the significance of that yet – FIND OUT!)  and as young as them (it’s a lifetime appointment) our children and grandchildren are screwed! I could go on and on about my disappointment with the democratic party over the past 5 years.  However, as I stated above – FIRST THINGS FIRST.  I’m convinced that until “we the people” recognize what the republican party has done (and is doing) to America this nation will continue it’s downward spiral.  There are people all over the world waiting for America’s public to wake up and get their heads out of their A##@*.

It’s true that under President Obama illegal wiretapping has presumably continued (the promised “fixing” of the FISA legislation never happened), torture is still happening (Google “Bradley Manning”), the troops came out of Iraq in 36 months (exactly on Bush’s timetable) not the promised 16 and I guarantee you there’s still a strong (and expensive) American presence in Iraq, Afghanistan has been escalated (for what – who knows? Presumably to appease America’s Generals), the so-called “Bush Tax Cuts” were extended, and we (liberals) have had to endure a president and congress tripping over themselves as they time and again try to appease these dastardly republicans who are willing to destroy the nation in order to defeat them (the republicans clearly understand that America’s voters HATE politicians who appear to be “weak” better than the democrats).

President Obama’s rhetoric is ramping up again in a way to encourage people like me, but then the reality strikes as Manning is FINALLY brought into court – after almost TWO YEARS of unthinkable inhumane treatment because he had the courage to allegedly attempt to expose the TRUTH about America’s foreign policy – and I have to admit that “MY” president is allowing similar atrocities as the last one.  The more I learn about the foreign policy of the country I love, the more disgusted I get.  The corporate “bosses” have a stranglehold on our politicians (I believe of BOTH parties) and the peaceful way to solve that problem is through the ballot box.   There is a way the “99%” could solve the problem:  First, vote out ALL republicans in 2012 and then purge our congress of corporate democrats in 2014! (Yes, that means voting for Obama is imperative) This will not be easy or quick.  Those behind this right wing assault on our nation (Koch Bros., Cheney, Bush, Haliburton, Blackwater, GE, Goldman Sachs, BP, Limbaugh, and I could go on and on) have an unlimited supply of cash, they’ve got control of the “liberal media,” and – as mentioned above – have a Supreme Court which is “on board.”  Plus, also as mentioned above, the republicans will say ANYTHING in order to get elected – they TOTALLY believe the end justifies the means!  The backlash in Wisconsin and the “Occupy” movements are hopefully just the beginning of America’s great working class rising up and setting the ultimate example for the rest of the world:  A peaceful rejection of authoritarian rule through the ballot box.

I haven’t been writing much lately, but I’m still reading book after book – and, the results are pretty much always the same.  The American political system is corrupted to the core with the republican party being the worst offenders, but the democrats – over the course of time – having their share of culpability.  I think that was a big part of the message initiated by the “Occupy” movement, that those of us in the “99%” aren’t happy with either party.  As I’ve said many times on this site, I’m personally tired of voting for the best of two poor options (I’ve been voting since 1968) – but, I have to add that presently the republican choice is so unpalatable to me that I will either vote democratic in 2012, or – in the case of an election with an unacceptable democratic candidate (like, for example, a “blue dog” democrat) I’ll write someone in.  Locally, I have good senators to support (Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell) and I’m praying that our “tea party” republican representative gets a viable opponent so she can be voted out of office.  My local state representative is a republican and he is the only politician who ever responds in writing to my queries (which I admire), but I just will not be able to vote for anyone who can’t publicly repudiate the despicable position of the present day republican party.

The latest book I’ve finished is titled “Perfectly Legal” written by David Cay Johnston and it does a great job of educating the reader on how America’s tax system has been tilted HEAVILY in favor of the “1%” the Occupy protestors are railing against at the expense of the “99%” they are supporting.  Honestly, that’s what makes it so hard for me to watch television accounts of the movement as police officers (clearly members of the “99%” the protestors are supporting) initiate violence against young PATRIOTS who remind me of myself and others back in the sixties when we got fed up with government lies regarding Viet Nam along with the realities of racism, sexism, etc. which led to the Civil Rights movement.  I’ve become old and “wobbly” so joining the “movement” hasn’t seemed appropriate to me (aside from a spiritual bond with the protestors) but I believe the “occupy” movement will be a turning point in the history books years from now as people look back on this era where the “robber barons” are attempting to be resurrected.  As I’m writing this I’m reminded of the great people of Wisconsin who will actually be considered the catalyst to the backlash which hopefully will result in the elimination – FOR GOOD – of this republican assault on our society and the NEW DEAL which they’ve been attempting to dismantle since the days FDR was getting the original legislation passed. (as an aside, if you agree with my thoughts, I encourage you to participate – at least financially – in the effort to remove Scott Walker as the governor of Wisconsin.  That will be a substantial victory for those who believe in the “99% – when I have extra cash, that’s where I’m sending it)

Make no mistake, the republican strategy is to take control of ALL aspects of this government they profess to HATE (but, curiously are willing to spend BILLIONS to control) with the intent to complete their assault on the “social safety net” originated with FDR’s New Deal in the 1030’s and accentuated with the “Great Society” of the 1960’s.  You don’t have to look very hard to see the evidence which makes that claim seem obvious.  Ronald Reagan (the deity to these republican right wing thugs) started the assault on America’s union workforce when he publicly broke the Air Traffic Controllers shortly after taking office.  Since then, Americans working in union jobs have dwindled down to something like 10% of the workforce from around 35% when Reagan was elected.  And, Reagan wasn’t elected to defeat unions – that was a side benefit for the “donor class” who supported him financially – he simply showed all republicans who’ve followed him how to get Americans to vote against their own self interest.  Read “Crazy for God” by Frank Schaeffer and you’ll be able to see how Reagan and the republicans tricked MILLIONS of Christians into believing voting republican was the way to overturn Roe v Wade.

They’ve (republicans) been using “wedge issues” ever since that time to take the minds of voters off of what is really important to them – and, as pointed out in “Perfectly Legal” using the political power they’ve gained in the last 30+ years to STEAL TRILLIONS of dollars from the American taxpayers in the guise of “trickle down” economics.  The truth is, the trickle down “theory” should be called “trickle up” because since Reagan was in office the tax burden in America has shifted dramatically away from the “rich” and toward the “middle class,” and the wealth of this nation has “trickled” dramatically UP!  I’m not going to go into great detail about what’s in Johnston’s book (I would recommend you read it if you haven’t – it was published in 2005) but the middle class taxpayers have “taken it in the shorts” in almost every facet of the tax system.  The end result is the HUGE budget shortfalls that these same republicans are always complaining about (at least, now that Bush is out of office they’re complaining about it – it didn’t seem too important to them when he was president), less ability for America’s consumer class (the middle class) to consume – that puts a downward force on the economy, more cash in the hands of the “rich” and large corporate interests, and – probably most disgusting to me – a HUGE number of “American” corporations who have “relocated” into tax havens – you guessed it, created by and supported by our republican congress (and, not blocked by democrats) – many of them not only not paying ANY taxes, but actually receiving TAX REFUNDS!  These are the same corporations whose CEO’s were at the forefront of complaining about our “welfare state” when Reagan first came into office.

“Perfectly Legal” isn’t the only book I’ve read which makes it clear that the “welfare” problem in America isn’t with the poor ripping off the system (yes, that happens, but on a small scale) – it’s America’s corporate THIEVES taking tax dollars by the BILLIONS out of the system – dollars which have to be replaced by middle class workers or dollars which become more of the national debt that the republicans have somehow FINALLY become worried about.  (You’re right, you didn’t hear a whimper from them as Reagan and the two Bush’s were ramping up the federal budget deficit exponentially!)  What the book does is give a long list of specific details on how the tax system has become rigged in favor of the rich and more and more of the “burden” being put on the “poor.”  I’ll give a couple of examples.

First, I’m sure you’re aware of the FACT that republicans have been trying to undermine the American bureaucracy since the days of Reagan (and before).  George W Bush was the epitome of this strategy – putting people in charge of various government bureaus with the express wish to close them down or reduce their effectiveness.  And, in many instances, the congress has been willing to go along with the scheme (republicans have been in control of congress for much of the time since the early 90’s).  One area they’ve succeeded in is reducing the effectiveness of the IRS.  The reality is that most middle class and poorer taxpayers do their best to pay whatever the tax that is due – yes, that’s not always the case, but in a vast majority of cases it’s true.  The statistics of IRS audits for taxpayers who make less than $50,000 is that many errors made are inadvertent.  Also, it’s true that there are many taxpayers who make well into the six and seven digits for their income who don’t even file tax returns or pay NO TAXES as the result of being able to afford hiring a lawyer or accounting firm who specialize in tax loophole schemes – many of which are total frauds.  Yet, the lower income taxpayers are 8 times as likely to be audited as the higher income taxpayers due to congress’ protection of what they consider their “donor class.”  That is people who are able to “buy” their congress people’s “attention” rarely ever get audited.  Johnston points out several instances where people earning in excess of one million dollars per year actually taking out full page adds in major newspapers BRAGGING about not paying ANY taxes and STILL not being audited by the IRS.  Some of the explanation for that is reduced funding for the agency along with legislation written to protect politician’s “friends” from IRS scrutiny.  I could explain that better, but if it gets your interest to know about this, get the book and read it.

Another example is the result of a former Oregon Senator, Bob Packwood, who was the head of the Senate Finance Committee in the 1980’s (of course, now he’s a prominent tax LOBBYIST) proposing – and getting passed – a bill that essentially allows corporate executives to RIP OFF America’s taxpayers EVERY time they fly in the PRIVATE JETS!  Johnston uses the example of the CEO of GE flying with his wife to Paris for a vacation.  The CEO is required by this law to report the cost of a first class ticket on his/her taxes which amounts to something around $2000.  At the same time, the CEO’s corporation is allowed to deduct the actual cost of flying the plane from their taxes – in this case, the cost being around $70,000.  Therefore, the taxpayers are subsidizing the CEO’s trip to the tune of around $22,500 ($70,000 divided by the 35% corporate tax rate less the $2,000 reported).  This is just one of a HUGE number of ways the “1%” are entitled to rip of America’s middle class – who must make up the difference for the $22,500.  The other day I started looking at this in a way that hadn’t crossed my mind before.

If you’ve read Naomi Klein’s “Shock Doctrine” (If you haven’t, you should!) and John Perkins’ “Confessions of an Economic Hitman” (another “must read” in my view) you would understand America’s history of “lending money” to “third world countries” knowing they would be unable to repay and subsequently going in and establishing their own “rules” after default which all American corporations to rip off the natural resources of that country.  Much of this happened in the 70’s and 80’s in South American countries, which have since “wised up.”  Huge amounts of wealth were extracted from places like Chile, Venezuela, Argentina, etc.  Crises were created and led to a “solution” which greatly benefited the moneyed interests of the United States.  America’s corporations caused these countries to create HUGE amounts of debt, and then put the “squeeze” on them when they couldn’t pay their bills.  Well, look what’s going on in America right now.  We are frantically borrowing from who knows where and if we follow the path of the republican party it’s just a matter of time until we can’t conceivably “repay.”  I believe the “squeeze” is already “on” from the republican point of view.  When you look closely at how the tax system is set up and you look at what are now the overt interests of republicans (I mean, they don’t hide their allegiance to the “1%” at all anymore) you can see how they are participating in a plan to “squeeze” as much wealth out of America as they can before they simply leave the scraps for those of us in the “99%.”  The reports of the amounts of CASH that America’s corporate “heads” and the top earners in America are “sitting” on is staggering – it’s in the TRILLIONS.  And, due to their control of the “liberal media” most Americans haven’t a clue what’s happening to them.  They are frustrated, but they don’t know where to turn – AND they don’t know who’s behind the thievery that’s taking place.

More and more people are discovering that Fox “news” is nothing more than a front for the republican party and this ripping off of America’s middle class, but it’s even hard to figure out how to get information to get beyond the B___Sh___.  The other day when I was in Barnes and Nobel looking for books, it finally dawned on me that all these right wing pundits who’ve established their names on Fox are working with “ghost writers” who are part of the propaganda scheme to flood the market with books that are designed to further the republican “talking points.”  So, you have to be careful of what you read, and you have to accept the premise that the republicans are operating on the theory of Joseph Goebbels who was the Nazi chief of propaganda that “if you tell a lie over and over enough, people will start to believe it’s true.”  What makes the challenge of overcoming these people more daunting is the effect of the “Citizens United” Supreme Court decision which not only thrust unlimited amounts of corporate cash into our election process, but shows the importance of getting the right wing judges who’ve been appointed to the court since the days of Reagan off the court.  Should President Obama lose in 2012, the thought of a couple more “conservatives” on the bench makes me feel very uneasy for my children and grandchildren’s future.

So, the bottom line here is that corporate America has turned it’s greedy head right back on the American people which made it (the corporations)  powerful in the first place.  It was the working class of America which turned this country into the envy of the rest of the world, and it was the ideals America stood for which led to her status as the “leader of the free world.” (for example, the idea of torture is repugnant to the values I grew up with)  However, it has been the greed of corporations “run amok” that stands to take America back into second class status – although, I believe the actions of the good people of Wisconsin and all the young people at the forefront of the “Occupy” movement will ultimately prevent that from happening.  All this being said, I feel the 2012 election is the most significant election of my lifetime and if those of us in the “99%” band together, there’s a chance we can overcome the BILLIONS which are likely to be spent as the result of the Citizens United fiasco. (and trust me, despite the ugly face of Justice Sam Alito at Barrack Obama’s suggestion that foreign money will be infused into our electoral process because of that decision, there’s going to be substantial foreign money in this next election).  2012 basically boils down to US (the “99%”) vs. Corporations (republicans) and America’s future hangs in the balance!

I haven’t been writing for a while, I believe mostly because of my utter disappointment with the continuing demonstration by the democratic party that they are not “up to” the challenge of beating back the assault on our nation by the right wing extremists who are masquerading as republicans.  However, as a “remnant” of the anti-war movement and civil rights movement of the 60’s I have to say that what little I know about the “Occupy Wall Street” movement is starting to get my blood circulating again.  I’ve stated many times on this site that until “we the people” speak out in large enough numbers (or something to that “sort”) it appears to me that “business as usual” will simply continue in Washington.  Yes, having President Obama in office is better (by far) than any of the republican alternatives, but we still get all the lobbying, the back room “deals,” the secretive government, the wars, and essentially the endless corrupt government which is simply the pawn in corporate America’s game plan.  Seriously, have you seen many democratic “leaders” on the “front lines” with all the protestors?  I believe you WONT see them there until they can be guaranteed it won’t cost them their reelection (with the notable exception of politicians like Peter DeFazio of Oregon, who I heard in a local radio interview fully support the Occupy Wall Street movement).

I still remember as if it was yesterday the passing of the Citizens United Supreme Court debacle of a decision (which should have made clear to EVERYONE not only the importance of the next few appointments to the court, but the gravity of GW Bush’s appointments of two YOUNG corporatist cronies in Chief Justice John Roberts and Sam Alito who were at the heart of the Citizens United decision) and the relatively mild reaction that followed.  Now, people like Thom Hartmann – who had made me aware of the seriousness of the impending legislation prior to its passage – were prophetic in predicting the ENORMOUS consequences of the verdict (I personally cancelled my ACLU membership because of their stance supporting this decision which I found deplorable in its own right) and, to President Obama’s credit he brought it up in his State of the Union address shortly after the decision came down pointing out the inevitable consequence of FOREIGN money having a HUGE influence on all future American elections until this DISASTROUS decision is reversed – I may have embellished his remarks a bit but that was the gist as I remember it.  Yet, I can still visualize Sam Alito mouthing “no” to the President’s remarks as if he was actually concerned about where the corruption (MONEY) was to come from! (the reality is that where ever the flow of money is coming from, the corruption of our congress has been exponentially magnified since that decision).

There are some easy examples which should make this clear to you.  Take for example the case of Allan Grayson of Florida who was a first term democrat in the House coming from a republican district and a true man of honor.  Grayson is the representative who stood before the House of Representatives and explained that the republicans “health care plan” was “don’t get sick” and if you do get sick “die quickly.”  He also, within a short period after the Citizens United decision was passed, started initiating legislation to mitigate its affects – like requiring corporations to identify themselves when placing television ads, forcing them to get shareholder approval to spend millions on political advertising, etc.  Well, it was no surprise to me that Grayson was targeted and defeated by a “tea party” candidate who was backed by UNLIMITED funds and who had the support of “anonymous” advertisers who “smeared” Grayson with misleading and outright dishonest attack ads.  The end result was the HUGE transfer of “power” in the House from democratic control to essentially control by the “tea party” which is a bunch of right wing extremists who were funneled into office as a clear example of Citizens United support.

Russ Feingold was targeted in Wisconsin and defeated by a right wing extremist that for most of my life would have been considered nothing more than a “fringe” candidate.  But, we’ve all seen the damage done in Wisconsin by the unlimited funds of the Koch Brothers who are in the middle of much of the right wing assault on our nation’s government.  Wisconsin’s “Koch Brothers” governor, Scott Walker, was the leader in the republican movement to repeal workers’ collective bargaining rights, to fire teachers, firemen, and police officers,  to undermine public education, to privatize as much of Wisconsin’s state infrastructure as he can before he’s (hopefully) recalled in January of next year, and to repeal low income worker benefits such as the minimum wage.  Feingold was one of the few Senators in America who were independent of the big Wall Street “supporters” and was a fairly easy target in the new Citizens United era – makes me shudder just to write that (my favorite along with Bernie Sanders)!  Russ Feingold led the fight against the Bush partnership with Verizon and ATT&T who facilitated the  eavesdropping on American citizens without warrants or probable cause, he was opposed to the TARP bailouts, he opposed the HUGE Bush Tax cuts, and was basically a friend of the so-called 99 percent now being represented in the “occupy” movement going on all around the country.

Further evidence of the effect of Citizens United, if you need it, is apparent by simply watching the President and the democrats in congress as they shy away from showing any overt support for all the protestors in the streets.  One of my complaints about President Obama has been his unwillingness to show courageous leadership.  In my view, what we’ve gotten is a more refined version of Washington’s “political doublespeak.”  For example, recently Obama announced – as if some great decision had been made – that America’s troops were finally coming home from Iraq.  We’re nearly THREE YEARS into his presidency and the promise was 16 months.  And, I can GUARANTEE you, the ONLY reason they’re coming home is because the Iraqi’s don’t want them there anymore.  The Iraqi government refused to continue to give America’s soldiers “free reign” from a legal standpoint in Iraq – meaning no more of what was essentially diplomatic immunity.  After the first of the year our troops would be subject to Iraqi’s laws – which is unthinkable.  The military is following the very agreement for withdrawal that was negotiated by George W Bush – somehow Obama will attempt to put a face on this move that implies he’s bringing the troops home – but, it will be disingenuous at best.  No politician who wants to be reelected wants to face the wrath of the money potentially behind Citizen United “Super PAC’s.”  In the case of pulling the troops out of Iraq – we’re talking about the “Military Industrial Complex” that President Eisenhower so astutely warned us about back in the 1950’s!

Then there’s the democrats in Congress.  The “occupy” movement represents the “99 percent” – which is basically the working class of this nation.  Yet, where are the democrats?  I’ll tell you where they are – standing on the sidelines calculating whether they have a better chance of WINNING by watching from the “sidelines” or by risking the “wrath of  Wall Street” by vigorously throwing their support to the protestors and attempting to address the WRONGS that have brought the protestors onto America’s streets in growing numbers (and, I predict, the numbers will continue to grow the more the “establishment” attempts to “defeat” the movement – I still can’t believe that a US Marine is lying in an Oakland Hospital with serious head injuries received for exercising the Freedom of Speech he thought he was fighting to preserve when he enlisted in the military – what the hell is going on here?)  I believe I can assure you with confidence that the very Wall Street corporations which are being protested have contacted EVERY member of congress to let them know what the consequence of their support for the movement will mean financially.  Not only will their pipeline to Wall Street money dry up quickly, but the money spent to defeat them will flow in HUGE unlimited amounts.  Remember, these large Wall Street corporations are earning money in the multi-BILLIONS of dollars and a few MILLIONS into an election is simply “the cost of doing business.”  You can tell Wall Street has taken notice because, about a week or two ago, I saw an article which pointed out how Mitt Romney (I guess he’s the Wall Street “pick” for the republican nomination for 2012) was in a photo with twelve of the richest Wall Street executives who were committing their financial support to his candidacy.

What that should show the democrats is that their tepid response to the right wing assault on our system of government is not “getting them anywhere.”  Especially in President Obama’s case, he’s shown a slight change in direction over the past month or so, since he went on the offensive for his “jobs bill,” and his approval rating has jumped upward significantly.  The money he won’t get from Wall Street because of this he wasn’t going to get anyway!

I can tell you that I believe this next election will require democrats to make a stand on who they support.  People are demanding FUNDAMENTAL change to the way our government works – a reversal of the 30+ years of “trickle down” economics and tax breaks “for the rich.”  The American people aren’t as stupid as our political leaders think we are.  Yes, many Americans are so busy trying to keep a roof over the head of their families that they only have time for the “sound bites” and the headlines.  But, they’re coming to realize that organizations like  Fox “news” are nothing more than propaganda wings of the republican party – and, they’re looking for REAL change.  That is what we thought we were getting when we voted in President Obama.

I don’t know a single person who voted for Obama thinking they were voting for a friend of the Wall Street bankers – or someone who would protract the wars (including the escalating of Afghanistan) – or someone who would continue the extraordinary renditions of “enemy combatants” and the illegal surveillance of Americans (he had promised to reverse the “FISA” legislation passed under Bush which gave immunity to the telecommunication companies who allowed “data mining” of American’s phone calls and emails) or, maybe worst of all, someone who would legitimize the Bush administration by BLOCKING all investigations into the illegal activity which included WAR CRIMES, TORTURE, and war PROFITEERING!

The problems which have spawned the “occupy” movement go way back before Obama.  It’s just that many people besides myself thought President Obama was the starting point to reversing the trend which was/is turning this nation into a corporatocracy –  which is the very definition of fascism.  You can find the data (proof) in unlimited places – I’ve read it in probably between 10 and 20 different books by different authors with different “bents” – material wealth has been moving in the EXACT opposite direction of what Ronald Reagan promised when he instituted the “supply side” “trickle down” economic policies of the 1980’s.  Huge amounts of capital have move UPWARD instead of DOWNWARD since 1980 – it’s staggering.  The tax code is now so rigged against the members of the middle class that unless drastic measures are taken we are destined to continue the slide toward “third world” status.  In ways that you have to “dig” into information, the middle class has become the “sugar daddies” of the top 1 percent the “occupy” protestors are complaining about.  I’ll give you a couple examples that I’ve uncovered recently in books I’m reading.

Back in the 80’s, during the Reagan assault on working people, a Senator local to me – Bob Packwood of Oregon – who was the chairmen of the Senate Finance committee managed to get passed a bill which ultimately allowed corporate CEO’s to purchase JETS and fly all over the world in them for personal use while only having to claim the cost of a commercial airline ticket as the “benefit” they received.  In fact, if they claim they’re using the corporate jet for “safety reasons” they only need to claim one half of the commercial rate as “income” for the private use of the jet.  So, for example, the executive might fly from New York to Paris for – let’s say – one thousand dollars.  On the other hand, it might cost the corporations forty or fifty thousand dollars to fuel the plane, maintain it, pay for the crew, etc. – which the corporation is allowed to deduct from their tax bill – which technically should be at a rate of 35%.  So, therefore, the taxpayers are subsidizing the corporation for tens of thousands of dollars each time the executive uses the plane.  And, can’t you just imagine the executive as a good “card carrying republican” complaining about the national debt all the way to the bank?  This is one of the ways corporations like GE make BILLIONS and, in addition, receive MILLIONS in tax subsidies from the government – while paying ZERO in taxes!

Take for example the Bush Tax Cuts and how they work with the so-called “Alternative Minimum Tax.”  This tax was originally implemented to ensure that people in the upper tax brackets would not be able to get away with paying NO tax.  Well, while I’m not a tax expert, I did read how subsequent to the “Bush Tax Cuts” many taxpayers falling in the “upper middle class” category – say those making between $75,000 and $250,000 – and those having multiple deductions – especially those with large numbers of children – are paying the bulk of this tax, while those it was intended for – people making over $1,000,000 are hardly affected by the tax at all.  Another example of the middle class taxpayers subsidizing the “rich.”  In fact, our entire economy has been getting more and more “tilted” toward the top “one percent” since the day Ronald Reagan took the oath of office. (if you’re interested in more interesting tax info – read “Perfectly Legal” – I can’t remember the author, but he’s a reporter for the NY Times)

Fortunately, large numbers of America’s middle class – including, I believe, many who previously called themselves republicans – are figuring out the gravity of the HEIST which has been taking place.  And, I guarantee you that people like Grover Norquist, Bob Packwood (now a “tax lobbyist”), Dick Armey, Karl Rove, Henry Paulsen (of TARP fame), the now infamous Koch brothers, Eric Prince, Dick Cheney, Don Rumsfeld, and I could go on and on – the people behind the scenes orchestrating this republican heist on America’s middle class taxpayers (you know, the people who profess to “hate” government so much they will do anything to control it) will not stop until WE THE PEOPLE stop them and it appears to me that we’re in the beginning stages of doing just that!  I believe the backlash to these thugs – the “Occupy” movement actually started on the streets of Madison Wisconsin last winter and will continue to grow no matter what the politicians might “wish.”  In my mind there is a CLEAR message here for both political parties:

I believe the message democrats should get from “Occupy Wall Street” is join up or GET OUT OF THE WAY!!!  The republicans?  Well, I see no hope for them in their present “state.”

 Note: I started this post several weeks ago, and – I guess – got a case of “why am I doing this?”  Kind of losing the motivation to keep writing.  However, as you read the post – the first part is the “THEN” and the final part (which I’m not sure what it’s going to be as I’m writing this) will be the “NOW.”  Let me preface whatever those remarks might be by saying that I’m a bit encouraged by the “push” from President Obama for the “Jobs Bill” and I’m hoping that he won’t “let up on the gas.”

I was in a bit of shock the other day when I saw the news that President Obama had “backed away” from EPA regulations that were intended to require America’s businesses to upgrade their facilities and reduce the amount of smog in America’s cities.  Just as He claimed that extending the “Bush Tax Cuts” last December would create jobs (it didn’t) he is now saying that enforcing these new standards – which are the result of many years of hard work by people concerned about our environment – would cost Americans jobs.  Honestly, it’s like President Obama is being advised by members of the republican “tea party” caucus.  I have no idea what this man is thinking, but he is clearly not up for the BATTLE that is necessary if this republican encroachment on our government is to be stopped.  I thought the “permanent republican majority” which has been the dream of republican operatives (behind the scenes operatives – like Karl Rove, Grover Norquist, Jack Abramoff, and Howard Phillips to name a few) since the days of Richard Nixon had been put to rest with the end of the “Bush era.”  I thought George W Bush had screwed things up so bad that no one would even look at republicans for years.  I just had no idea what Barack Obama was going to be doing as president.  And, this latest CAPITULATION is just further evidence that the democrats need to get another candidate for 2012 – AND FAST! (Hillary Clinton’s looking better all the time!)

What is so IRONIC and, to tell the truth, MADDENING about what is happening is that these republicans are attempting to destroy America’s government, while at the same time fleecing the taxpayers out of EVERY dime they can get.  This government they profess to HATE has such a pull to them that they are spending BILLIONS to gain TOTAL control of it.  Really, the question is becoming clearer to me every day;  Are the American people STUPID enough to allow this fleecing to continue?  The answer would be obvious to me if we had a leader in the White House who wasn’t continually trying to appease these thugs.  Why on earth he’d do another “back flop” I have no idea.  Extending the “Bush Tax Cuts” only led to the “debt crisis” – not more jobs.  Does he really think that allowing companies to continue polluting at the present rate (while climate change “EVIDENCE” mounts at a drastically frightening pace) will save jobs?  Is it his job he’s worried about saving?  Honestly, from my perspective, the more he tries to save his own job, the more likely he is to lose it in 2012.  I just have to wonder; who’s advising President Obama?  This is all getting a bit depressing!

President Obama and his advisers have to have read many of the books available to the general public.  Right now I’m reading “The Wrecking Crew” by Thomas Frank which should be, in my view, required reading for every person in America who wants to understand why our government is NOT working.  I’ve been pointing out the obvious for years now and trying to convince anyone who’s reading this “blog” or listening to my rants that we are in the middle of a WAR for the heart and soul of our nation.  The republicans who are “running things” on their side are clearly doing EVERYTHING they can to insure that our first Black president FAILS.  That’s the one thing they’ve been up front about from before Obama took the oath of office.  What I’ve been struggling with is the tepid response to their CLEAR racist attitudes by not only the media, but also the democratic party itself.  It’s like the democrats are incapable of understanding the stakes and what they need to do to counteract this disgusting “Juggernaut” which is PURPOSELY destroying our government.  When you read Frank’s book, it becomes clearer how serious this problem is.

I’ve known that republicans have been running up the national debt through their “Trickle down” fleecing of America’s taxpayers since the days of Reagan.  The statistics have clearly shown the shifting of America’s wealth in an UPWARD direction since Reagan took the oath of office.  Reagan started the public “assassination” of America’s union movement when he torpedoed the Air Traffic Controllers.  America’s union movement has been under increasingly intense attack since then and it’s been reported recently that, through “smoke and mirror” legislation the republicans are on the verge of dismantling the Post Office and one of America’s largest remaining unions.  We’ve seen the attacks by republican governors on organized labor in several states following the 2010 elections – action which was enabled by President Obama turning off his “base” to the point that they stayed away from the polls in the millions (that was stupid from the voter’s perspective, but I “get it”).  Now, I’ll be the first to admonish anyone for not voting – but, that result was predictable.  Obama has been making one decision after another that is like a body punch to his original supporters.  In the meantime, the republican “plan” marches on – and, the democrats aren’t fighting back in a way that makes me feel as if they “get it.”

In “The Wrecking Crew” Frank systematically documents one instance after another where republican presidents have installed “cronies” in positions of “leadership” in America’s bureaucracy with the obvious goal of destroying the very agency they have been charged to lead.  It’s happened in the EPA to the point that, as mentioned above, now even Obama is backing off on necessary regulations (evidently, to avoid yet another “fight” – do you remember that Obama’s most SEVERE blunder – pardoning Bush/Cheney/ Rumsfeld/ and the others because he didn’t want the “distraction?”) and showing no signs of attempting to repair the damage done by GW Bush, his Daddy, and the republicans before them.  The Justice Department has become almost a pathetic joke – they’ve got 100 lawyers prosecuting Roger Clements (a baseball player) who may have lied before Congress – and NONE prosecuting the Bush administration lawbreakers, Eric Cantor for violating the Logan Act in regard to comments made to Israel’s Prime Minister, both Bush and Cheney for admitting to authorizing TORTURE on national TV (and Cheney “outed” a CIA agent), and for refusing to use our legal system to prosecute the perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks.  The republicans have undermined the FDA and other agencies and they’ve been placing political hacks in government offices for years while driving out the “career civil service workers” who knew what they were doing – so that their (republican) claims of government incompetency could become true.  In other words, the republicans have been INTENTIONALLY placing incompetent people in strategic places for the PURPOSE of destroying our government  for over 30 years.

The question comes to my mind as to whether or not the democrats have noticed?  I certainly haven’t felt that President Obama has made it a priority to fix this problem.  This is why there are millions of democrats who are disgusted with Obama’s performance.  They’re smart enough to understand the “do nothing” aspect of the republicans in congress – they’re just so disappointed that Obama has been more interested in “compromising” with these people who have their own self interest in mind – and need to be DEFEATED not compromised with.  Honestly, that’s what I was voting for when I heard the phrase “Change has come to America.”  What’s the change?  Just the other day President Obama introduced another “stimulus” “jobs” bill to both houses of Congress.  Republicans showed their true colors by some of them refusing to attend – I can’t remember that happening in my lifetime (although it may have) and, I’m certain they will not go along with the “plan.”  Here’s my take from what little I saw of the “plan.”  It looked to me that Obama’s “plan” was more intended to save his job than to create jobs for those who are so desperately looking for work that will pay their bills.  Over half of the “plan,” if I understood it correctly, was in the form of tax cuts.  Those tax cuts apparently will be aimed at people such as myself, but I’m convinced that government spending is MUCH more stimulative and creates MORE jobs!

The fact Obama made the proposal (which probably falls into the “too little and too late” category) is encouraging and if it is the “stimulus” to get him leading the FIGHT against republicans, then I will be behind it 100%.  It’s just that Obama’s history is that he’ll allow it to be watered down to the point where it is ineffective in order to get something passed – and, in my mind, at this point in time it’s more important to galvanize the American public to REJECT as many republicans as possible than to get some lessor version of this bill passed.  I would have loved to see a more ambitious bill with a plan to campaign against the “do nothing” congress – similarly to Harry Truman in 1948.  Give the American public something to vote for – instead of something to vote against.  Make a proposal the republicans will clearly block and make the election be determined on whether the American public wants a government which supports the “commons” or one which says we are best when it’s “every man/woman for themselves.”  Obama has a perception of being “weak” and Americans will not vote for someone who gives that impression – the only way for Obama to win in 2012 is to energize the base on the left who surged at the polls in 2008.  Simply put, there’s more of us than there are of them!

This is the “NOW:” In the weeks that have separated when I started writing this post and tonight I’ve given considerable thought to my disappointment with President Obama.  He’s certainly not what I had imagined, BUT – he’s so much BETTER than anything the republicans might offer (I still think Jeb Bush might end up as their candidate – ugh! can you even imagine another Bush in the White House?) and he is, in my opinion, the most WELL MEANING president in my lifetime with the possible exception of Jimmy Carter.  Unfortunately, Obama could end up labeled with similarly to Carter unless he becomes more aggressive in the WAR being waged by the republicans.  THIS IS SERIOUS business!

When I look at some of the accomplishments of President Obama it is apparent that his heart is in the right place – AND – if the republicans weren’t so THUGGISH I would probably admire his attempts to “bridge” the gaps between “conservatives” and “liberals.”  However, what I believe Obama, the democrats, and most observers are failing to come to grips with is the underlying motivation of the republicans.  Should they “pull off” their “plan” the United States will have taken a HUGE step backward in many ways from a social point of view AND the republicans will be ENABLED to create a stranglehold on our democracy (yes, it’s a republic) that will take MANY years to overcome.  First, and foremost, the control of the Supreme Court will become devastating for those of us who believe the United States is a “WE” nation and not a “ME” nation.  With FIVE votes they got the “Citizens United” decision enacted – which was the most disturbing court decision in my lifetime (well, maybe short of Bush v Gore).  If a republican wins the White House in 2012 within four years they’ll have potentially 7 seats on the court with a majority of them YOUNG (as justices go).

Republicans are attacking UNIONS at an alarming rate and with an alarming tenacity and they have initiated VOTER SUPPRESSION legislation in almost HALF of America’s states.  I’ve heard reports suggesting their target is to prevent as many as FIVE MILLION voters from voting in the next national election – and, if you can’t figure out which segments of the population they’re going after – well, I don’t know what to say.  Republican supporters have a stranglehold on America’s media (yes, that pesky “liberal media” they keep telling us about) and they’ve been using it to overwhelm the American public with their Goebbel’s (Nazi propaganda “chief”) like propaganda scheme.  Check my archives if you aren’t sure what I mean by that (or just watch a few different media programs on the same day and ask yourself if it’s a coincidence that ALL the republican “talking heads” on ALL the different programs are spewing the SAME “point” using the SAME keywords – ie “talking points”)

Obama’s “push” for his “Jobs Bill” is commendable, but there’s a lot more that could be done to energize the people who originally helped him get elected.  I’ve paid some attention to “Occupy Wall Street” and have been encouraged by the outcry of the protestors who are asking the EXACT correct question: Why are they being arrested for protesting and NO ONE has even been investigated for the Wall Street ABUSES which have torpedoed our national economy?  Why haven’t any of the “leaders” in America who have been BLATANTLY thumbing their noses at the very constitution they took the oath of office to protect been held accountable – like Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Gonzales, Rove, and anyone else in their administration who lied to Congress (really, is it worse for a baseball player to lie about using steroids than an Attorney General to REPEATEDLY lie about undermining our Justice Department, or for the president’s top adviser to LIE about “outing” a CIA agent?), authorized TORTURE, LIED us into a WAR, and/or PROFITED from the WAR they lied us into?  And, speaking of the Wall Street bankers who got off “scott free” what about Hank Paulsen?  Why was there never an investigation into the so-called TARP bailout – which saved Paulsen’s former company, Goldman Sachs, who was at the forefront of causing the “meltdown.”  Did anyone besides me wonder how much money Paulsen saved for HIMSELF by instituting the BAILOUT?

So, what I’m saying is that it’s great that President Obama seems to be on the “offensive” over the jobs bill – but, the issues that need to be addressed are much greater than that.  He MUST keep the “pedal to the metal” on that bill, because there’s nothing more important to the American public right now than knowing that the government is going to intervene in this jobs CRISIS.  However, if the Obama administration would show some backbone in allowing investigations of all the wrongdoing that preceded their administration enthusiasm would be created on “Main Street” (probably not Wall Street).  However, this is a “class war” and, as of now, the “one percent” is winning – but, the 99 percent are seemingly beginning to awaken.  I believe the best campaign ad President Obama could produce would be Dick Cheney answering questions about torture and war profiteering in a court of law!

I’ve stated this many times, but I believe it bears repeating; I WANT President Obama to SUCCEED!  Here’s one of the main areas where I believe he miscalculated.  It has recently occurred to me that Obama was expecting LIBERALS to “fall in line” – in the words of Randi Rhodes – just as the republicans have managed to do and WILL manage to do – even with the dearth of candidates to select from.  What you’re hearing now in “liberal” circles are comments like “Obama’s the best of the options” – with nowhere near the excitement his candidacy held when people were believing that “Change has come to America!”  I’m still trying to figure out what Obama meant by that.  Was he seriously thinking that initiating DIFFERENT proposals from the republicans would constitute what his base considered “change?”  Did he really think that the backroom “deals” which went down during the health “reform” debate would not be noticed?  Something that was unbelievable – at the time – to me, was Obama’s agreement through indifference to his former chief of staff Rahm Emmanuel’s comment calling liberals “f___ing retards.”

President Obama has made some significant achievements along the way, but I believe his foopahs far outweigh his “brownie points” and he’s running out of time to appeal to the likes of people such as myself.  What is becoming painfully real to me is that President Obama has NO INTENTION of appealing to me, and those MILLIONS of Americans who believe as I do that the New Deal is the foundation that made this country great, leaving us with that horrible choice of the best of two unappealing options when the 2012 election rolls around.  And, personally, I believe the republicans are playing Obama like a cheap fiddle and have something like a surprise candidate up their sleeves that will totally excite their base and put Obama’s presidency in dire straights.  Every day, I’m becoming more convinced that those behind the scenes in the republican party, realizing Obama’s “wounded” state, are going to turn to Jeb Bush as the “reasonable” candidate – and the collective sigh of relief from republicans of any sensible mentality that none of the FRINGE candidates being paraded around the country at present will be the nominee will cause EVERYONE in the republican party to forget that Jeb is a BUSH!  Ughhhhh! (Please read the Bush Dynasty by Kevin Phillips if you need any more motivation than just the potential Supreme Court nominees if you need motivation to vote for Obama)

Take for example the recent republican “frontrunner,” Rick Perry from Texas (that’s right, GW’s successor as governor of Texas).  The guy is making similar outlandish claims as to what a great governor he is – but, when you look deeper, about the only place where his decisions lead the nation is in administering the death penalty to criminals.  I cringe when I listen to my republican friends quoting the Fox propaganda that Perry is some kind of “education” guru.  Texas is at or near the BOTTOM of the United States in most meaningful statistics relating to their education system.  Perry is no different than GW Bush in that he would love to see public education eliminated in its present state.  What does that mean, you might ask?  Well, for starters, Perry’s part of the anti-union, anti collective bargaining group of republican governors who have been busy helping the national republican party overcome the annoying realities of remnants of the New Deal where workers actually had a say in their working conditions and compensation.  Honestly, I’m struggling to understand why it’s taking so many Americans so long to figure out what is happening here.  The reality is that MOST American citizens are WORKERS or employees or whatever you want to call them – and, taking their rights away SHOULD be a MAJOR losing proposition for any politician.  Perry has also stated that he believes Social Security and Medicare are UNCONSTITUTIONAL, and he has THREATENED the head of the Federal Reserve Bank should he institute policy aimed at encouraging economic growth and job creation in America.  The FACT Perry threatened to lead a succession movement in Texas should not be lost on anyone (does that make you wonder why he’d want to lead a government he so despises?) and the hypocrisy of Perry’s condemnation of the “stimulus” money while taking OVER 17 BILLION dollars worth and using it to help stabilize a teetering state economy should make it clear where he’s really “coming from.”

Personally, as stated above, I believe it’s only a matter of time until the republicans are “looking elsewhere” for their candidate – and, it should be obvious to anyone watching the past few years that if it ends up being Mitt Romney, the “tea party” enthusiasm will be like a campfire that’s just been doused with water!  Keep in mind, the NUMBER ONE republican goal for 2012 is that President Obama would be a one term president.  Unfortunately, I believe that Obama’s “centrist” positions and constant attempts to “compromise” with the “tea partiers” has made it all the more possible for their dream to come true.  For example, I know that Obama is assuming that I’m going to vote for him (even though he doesn’t answer my letters of protest to some of his decision-making :o), but do you think he’s given much thought to the “Black Community?”  Does he think Blacks are going to vote for him simply because of the color of HIS skin?  Personally, I believe that is not only a mistake, but also demeaning to the Black community as well.  All the while we’ve been enduring this endless “debate” in Washington over things like the “debt ceiling” and such, the cities in America continue to deteriorate.  The roads and bridges continue to deteriorate.  The schools and public buildings, especially in the less affluent sections of America, continue to deteriorate.  And, I’m convinced there’s MILLIONS of Americans ready, able, and willing to help turn things in another direction.  But, what is missing?

I’ll tell you what I believe is missing: LEADERSHIP!  Maybe the best way I can explain what I’m thinking about this VOID of leadership can be summed up by telling what happened at a town hall meeting a few years ago when I confronted my then democratic representative in congress.  He gave his “shpeel” and I happened to be standing right next to where his assistant put the mike when it was time for comments and questions from the audience.  The year was 2007 and democrats had just taken control of the House of Representatives.  My congressperson, Brian Baird, had just returned from a trip to Iraq and our military leaders had convinced him to vote for the “surge” because we “owed it to the Iraqi’s.”  Of course, democrats had just been voted control of the house because the American public wanted troops OUT of Iraq (we’re still there 5 years later – does that say it all about what the American public wants versus what it gets from its leaders?) but I could see that would be a futile argument.  So, I pointed out to Mr. Baird MANY of the illegal deeds of Bush/Cheney not the least of which was all the LYING that got us embroiled in Iraq in the first place along with the TORTURING and I suggested IMPEACHMENT.  There were about a thousand people at the meeting, it was on local TV (that’s where I got the “flaming liberal” moniker) and the crowd burst out into LOUD and spontaneous applause and even cheering.  Baird was a bit taken aback and he pointed out that the Senate would never convict.  I responded that was irrelevant – the House’s duty had nothing to do with conviction, their obligation was to charge the president and vice president if they’ve committed “high crimes and misdemeanors” – failing to act due to what the senate MIGHT do, well that was political cowardice (loud cheers again) at which time I was removed from the mike and there was no further response coming from Mr. Baird.

I use that example because it appears to me that President Obama has acted in a somewhat similar “paralyzed” manner, evidently anticipating the republican obstructionism before it happens – allowing that to influence his positions and propositions accordingly.  For example, it has appeared to me that President Obama has done some negotiating amongst himself and his advisers prior to putting forth his proposals – thereby ALWAYS appearing to be negotiating from a position of weakness!  Like, “there’s no chance they’ll agree to this, but maybe we can get this” type of thinking.  Of course, those of us watching on the “sidelines” have long since realized they (republicans) aren’t going to agree to anything – unless they’re convinced their job is on the line.  That is, there is NO CHANCE they are going to agree to ANYTHING which might allow Obama some success – their stated (repeatedly) objective is that he would FAIL, but the president MUST make the RIGHT proposals just the same.  It is the voters who can help him get the CORRECT agenda through – by now, he should understand that the republicans ONLY want him to FAIL – and, he’s playing right into their hands.

Since Obama has been president I have seen little to suggest he is cognizant of the desperate conditions in America’s cities among people of “color.”  The unemployment rate among Blacks is estimated to be nearly twice the national average – approaching 16%.  The rate of unemployment among younger Americans is around 25% by some figures I’ve seen.  Everyone knows the issues with people losing their homes and MILLIONS of workers being UNDEREMPLOYED.  The president MUST demonstrate more empathy for this situation and FIGHT for MORE stimulus to generate JOBS, especially in the downtrodden areas of America’s cities (OK, there are MANY rural areas that need an infusion of capital as well). I’m not suggesting the Blacks will abandon President Obama, but what I’m saying is that it would be just as wrong for him to leave the impression with Blacks that he’s taking their support for granted as it is that he’s left that impression with liberals (such as myself).

Yes, we’ve got a republican House which is not going to agree to ANYTHING which attempts to spend government money to stimulate employment (especially for Blacks and Latinos) and, even if something made it through the House, Mitch McConnell and the republicans in the Senate would continue to abuse the “modern” FILIBUSTER rule (you no longer must stand on the floor of the Senate and talk endlessly – evidently, that would be too tiresome for our “elite” Senators) to make sure that there is NO help for our economy prior to November of 2012.  That all being the case IS NOT reason for Obama to FAIL to ATTEMPT pushing through programs designed to stimulate job growth.

While I believe a large portion of the American public are either uninformed about the realities of the political quagmire in Washington DC, or too busy trying to help their families keep their heads “above water,” or simply disinterested, or brainwashed by the likes of Fox “news,” Rush Limbaugh, etc., I also believe that there are millions across the country waiting to do what the people of Wisconsin have done in response to republican abuses of power.  What we need is a courageous leader – and, by default it either needs to be President Obama – or he should step aside and allow other democrats to fill the void.  Obama MUST take a course of action similar to the Truman strategy by putting forth legislation which the republicans will vote down, but that he can then campaign on, not only for himself in 2012, but almost more importantly AGAINST the republican obstructionsists in congress!  He had the opportunity to show the American people their (republicans) true colors when he took office, but he chose to look the other way from all the illegal activity of the Bush administration.  That was a “green light” for these republicans and their supporters who NOW will say anything – with ABSOLUTELY no regard for the reality of what is happening.  Republicans were blaming Obama for the deficit prior to him taking the oath of office – and, he hasn’t figured out that the only acceptable response to them is to FIGHT back!  I’ve said this many times; This is a WAR for the heart and soul of America. (I hate to admit this, but Hillary Clinton was right when she stated that Obama would not be “up” to dealing with the ferocity of the republican party)

In my view, a great place to start would be proposals to deal with the terrible job situation among “minorities” in our inner cities.  The cities need to be rebuilt and modernized and their are MILLIONS of Americans in those cities who desperately need jobs.  Many others besides myself have been HARPING on the need to modernize our infrastructure NATIONALLY since Obama was elected.  In 2008 it was estimated the cost of bringing our roads and bridges up to code would be 2.2 TRILLION dollars.  That would have generated MILLIONS of jobs and BILLIONS or TRILLIONS in government revenue (you know, the one thing republicans don’t want to see happening).  And, these proposals don’t need to be financed by borrowing more money (although that would be preferable to the austerity measures being discussed in congress as of this writing).  There’s a couple easy ways to generate money that SHOULD be acceptable to the VAST majority of Americans.

Let’s start with Wall Street – you know, the place where politicians “fear to tread.”  A 25% of one penny tax on each share traded on Wall Street would generate much of the money needed to jump start the economy – plus, it might discourage SOME of the speculative trading that is manipulating the market and putting so many long term investors (like retirement funds, etc.) in jeopardy of losing money. Along with that, repeal the “Bush Tax Cuts” and use the funds to first finance the jobs bills and then to reduce the deficit.  Additionally, President Obama could come to his senses and bring ALL the troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan – along with many of the troops stationed in so MANY places around the world.  Of course, bringing all these troops home would simply make the jobs crisis even greater, so America would have to make a national commitment to modernize and become competitive in the GREEN economy that is clearly where the future growth lies.

Right now, we are allowing the Chinese and other foreign nations to use our technology to take the lead in manufacturing things like solar and wind energy equipment.  We’re going to run out of fuel (for our cars and trucks) at some point – and, are we going to allow people like Rick Perry and Sarah Palin to talk us into ignoring the climate change issue – until it’s too late to do anything about it?  There, in my opinion, are MILLIONS of people – just like myself – “chomping on the bit”to get behind a leader who aggressively pursues policies designed to jump start and enlarge our workforce (middle class) and “tackle” the environmental issues that will put our nation at peril should we continue to ignore them.  President Obama could bridge the partisan divide through proposing progressive actions that would ignite his “base,” thus giving the American people the opportunity to solve these massive problems through collective actions – yes, that’s correct – stop negotiating with republicans!  The “Change I can believe in” doesn’t include ANY ideas that have been put forth by republicans!  The sooner Obama realizes this is “WAR”  the better his chances for re-election!

Honestly, I’m not trying to be presumptuous here – but, let’s call this a history lesson for anyone out there who might happen this way and who’s not at least in their 50’s.  I want to make sure that the political discussion as we approach the 2012 election isn’t constant ridiculing of the republican candidates (even though I would probably be one of the first to say they deserve being ridiculed) thinking they have no chance of being elected.  I’m in my mid 60’s and I can still remember the election of 1980 as if it happened yesterday.  It was a turning point in American history that, until it is REVERSED, will continue to yield disastrous results for working class Americans and the health of America itself.  Unfortunately, it appears to me that many people who consider themselves republicans have no idea what damage the extremists who’ve absconded with their party are causing.  I have stated many times that in the 1970’s I considered myself a conservative, yet when people around me listen to my thoughts today they call me a “flaming liberal.”  If that’s the case, I wear that “liberal” designation proudly.  When I listen to the likes of Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, John McCain, Sarah Palin, Scott Walker of Wisconsin, John Kasich of Ohio, what’s his name of New Jersey, Paul Ryan, and now Rick Perry of Texas – I can do nothing but shake my head.  This really is reminding me of 1980 only in “spades.”

Ronald Reagan was a “fringe” candidate – no one gave him much chance of actually winning the presidency – and Jimmy Carter was a centrist who “lost” the “base” of his own party (sound familiar?).  We all know the end result of that election (or, at least we should know) and republicans continue to speak of Reagan as if he was the “second coming.”  Reagan, aside from the fact that MOST of the claims about him are ridiculous in relation to the reality, was a terrible President.  He JUMP STARTED America’s spiralling debt crisis (yes, that’s right – the very same people who are clamoring about the “debt ceiling” are Reagan worshippers), he increased both federal spending and TAXES several times all the while TRIPLING the national debt, he authorized an illegal war in South America – the antagonism from which we still are despised by many in that part of the world – along with supporting corporate theft of the natural resources of many of these South American countries while installing mercilous dictators in the region.  It was Reagan’s administration which funded both Saddam Hussein (including providing him the gas he used on his own people) and made secret deals with the Iranians (to help fund his war in Nicaraugua) and who simply pulled out of Lebanon after 100+ Marines were murdered.  Reagan’s idea of a challenge for our military was invading Granada!  Reagan was the president who empowered people like Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Oliver North, etc.  For those who believe the best way for America to “lead” is by force, I suppose Reagan gave a lot of false bravatto.

Here’s the part that people who believe someone like Sarah Palin or Michele Bachmann or – maybe even worse – now, Rick Perry could NOT make it to the “Oval Office,” please don’t ignore history.  The republicans have three major “things” going for them as they are now clearly “ramping up” for the coming election (and, that doesn’t even include the FACT that they HATE President Obama and can’t stand the idea of a man of color living in the WHITE HOUSE).  First, they have UNLIMITED amounts of money, coming from who knows where – thank you John Roberts and Samuel Alito (et al) for “Citizens United.”  I’ve been warning about this since the day it was enacted (actually, a bit before that thanks to Thom Hartman who was “right on top” of that court case long before it was actually enacted)  Don’t underestimate what can be done with campaign “chests” that hold BILLIONS of dollars. 

Second, do you remember Bush v Gore?  Do you remember Ohio in the 2004 presidential election?  Were you paying attention to the senate primary in South Carolina in 2010 where a “non-candidate” mysteriously “won” the democratic nomination – virtually assuring a win for the republican?  Have you been paying attention to the reports by Brad Friedman at Bradblog.com about the republican’s ability to “hack” the electronic voting machines?  In other words, the republicans will cheat to win – they’ll do WHATEVER it takes to win – the “end justifies the means” in their eyes.  I’m sure they’d call me a whimp for expecting anything different.  All I can say is that our entire system is dependent on clean elections – and, that is not part of our recent history, thanks to republicans.  (If you haven’t noticed, the recent armada of right wing governors like Walker and Kasich are instituting voter suppression tactics in state after state – intended to disenfranchise as many of the “poor” – presumably democratic – voters as possible)

Finally, republicans will SAY ANYTHING in order to get elected.  I’ve written on several occasions about their using Goebbels’ (Hitler’s propaganda “chief”) “Big Lie Theory” as they’ve been brainwashing the American public since the days of Reagan (and probably before – I started noticing it with the introduction in the mid to late eighties of Rush Limbaugh and his “ditto heads” – just the FACT he calls them that should let them know what’s happening to them!)  Just the reality that members of this great country who have embraced the tactics of the Nazi’s are gaining momentum in their quest for power is a bit unnerving to me.  It really makes me wonder how deep the conspiracy goes.  For example, how many of the upper echelon in the media are “on board” with this scheme?  I have no idea, but it would be somewhat reassuring it we knew that someone with authority was looking into it.  (that reminds me of my GREAT dissappointment with Obama when he BLOCKED all investigations of Bush/Cheney – and, apparently what’s been happening since)

In summary, they’ll do ANYTHING to get elected.  Back in 1980 they pulled off a brilliant “third party” scheme by running a liberal republican (John Anderson) as a republican “backlash” to Reagan’s nomination.  Of course, it was Reagan’s campaign which secretly funded Anderson who took WAY MORE votes away from Carter by luring disaffected democrats than he took from Reagan (This time, you might see republicans secretly trying to encourage Ron Paul to run as an independent!).  Also, Reagan, with the help of William Casey, (future head of the CIA) made a deal with the Iranians to keep the American hostages until after the election – thereby preventing the so-called “October Surprise.”  The hostages were actually released moments after Reagan took the oath of office – and, of course, our “liberal media” hardly suspected anything.  You see, these republicans are willing to do things that are so UNBELIEVABLE, that most people simply don’t even have it cross their minds as a possibility.  And, the lying has become so routine that I think even the liars are starting to believe their own lies.  You have to understand that when 5 to 10 DIFFERENT pundits (or candidates) are using the EXACT SAME “talking points” that it’s not a coincidence.  SOMEONE is orchestrating the republican message from BEHIND THE SCENES – Propaganda 101.   They have a LOT of money and a lot of POWER!  So, I say to the democrats and those who call themselves “progressives” or “liberals” you might want to realize there’s a WAR for the heart and soul of America underway and presently, it appears that only the republicans (the aggressors) understand this!

What’s even more scary is that leading candidates such as Michele Bachman, Rick Perry, and Sarah Palin (probably others) are “dominionists.”  These are people who believe that the powerful and successful people should rule the world and they use a convoluted interpretation of Jesus Christ to FOOL Christians into following them.  Click HERE for a good descripion of what dominionism is if you’re not familiar with it – or, as I’ve suggesed several times on this site, read the book “The Family” by Jeff Sharlet.  If it’s not a sobering read for you, then you’ve been listening to too much Rush Limbaugh or watching too much Fox “news.”  Trust me on this – if any of these three wins the nomination for the republicans, they will have UNLIMITED corporate funds in the 2012 election.  The republicans will pull out all the STOPS in order to get them elected.  Not only for their HATE of Barack Obama, but because any of these candidates will “TOE THE LINE.”  It’s hard for me to believe that the country I grew up in could have deteriorated to the point where there could even be a discussion along these lines.  But, believe me, those on the left had better take 2012 SERIOUSLY or the consequences could last for generations.  Citizens United will not be overturned unless democrats win BIG in 2012 (plus develop some spine) and that will require a “Wisconsinlike” grass roots movement all across America.

There is so much at stake in 2012 that it causes me to shudder just thinking about it.  However, the MAJOR reason anyone who considers themselves ANYTHING but a republican (and, honestly – most republicans should be thinking about this as well) should vote AGAINST republicans in 2012 is the SUPREME COURT!  I can’t even imagine what America’s future would look like with two more right wing ACTIVIST judges like the FIVE we have there now.  The Citizens United decision is the most ANTI-DEMOCRATIC anything I’ve witnessed in my 60+ year lifetime.  Not only have republicans been chipping away at the “New Deal” and “Great Society” for the past 30+ years, they’ve been secretly conspiring to control the courts, the media, and their next goal is Karl Rove’s “permanent republican majority.”  And, seriously, can anyone imagine Michele Bachmann or Sarah Palin in charge of America’s military?

I’ve read books and articles by economist after economist who almost all state that “austerity” is – using my summation – a “fools bargain.”  It’s EXACTLY the wrong approach to “what ails us.”  I pointed this out before the original stimulus was passed (I’m not trying to toot my own horn here, I had read this from many different “quarters”) that it was TOO SMALL!  That’s when the obsession with “compromise” that is destroying Barack Obama became obvious to me – I even wrote him a three page letter explaining why he was wrong (are you surprised I got no response?).  Now, government stimulus is needed probably even MORE than it was then and can you imagine republicans agreeing to anything that would stimulate the economy that wasn’t limited to tax cuts for rich people?  I often try to imagine how bad things would have to get before someone like Bachmann or Palin or Perry would recognize the need for government stimulus – it’s almost the same as how bad would the climate crisis have to get before they realize that Global Warming is real?

Unfortunately, (I do remember a time when there were honorable republicans) this is what the republican party represents to me: greed, selfishness, mean spiritidness, racism, and the inability to govern.  Obviously, from my vantagepoint, none of this is good.  Even my friends who have been lifelong republicans and feel the OBLIGATION to defend their “party” do so somewhat jokingly – because they know in their hearts that the “leaders” are WRONG!  They understand that the wealthy in this nation should be paying more taxes.  They understand that our military is OUT OF CONTROL.  They understand that at some point America has to be fiscally prudent – they just don’t want to admit that it has been republicans who have created the debt crisis which the “tea party” is so willing to destroy our economy over.  (and, believe me, just the FACT they were willing to threaten to NOT raise the debt ceiling will have lasting ramifications should Americans continue to vote these “quacks” into national office – Michele Bachman is STILL claiming she wouldn’t raise the debt ceiling!)

What my republican friends do seem to understand it that until America solves the JOBS crisis, our economy is in trouble.  Virtually EVERY one of the books and articles I mentioned above has said the same thing; the government is the “spender” of last resort.  When the economy is this down, it is the government which needs to step in and infuse money into the economy that goes directly towards creating jobs.  Our infrastructure is crumbling (we knew this at the time of the original Obama “stimulus” so he should have put up more of a fight to deal with the problem THEN) and there is a HUGE need for new “21st Century” businesses to form.  Businesses that deal with the Climate issues, the environmental issues, the peak oil issue, the coming water issue, and I could go on – this type of innovation could easily be spurred through government spending (grants, tax incentives, etc.) – but, we’re saddled with a republican party that says NO to anything that might solve problems – because their NUMBER ONE priority is to defeat Obama in 2012.  If the American public fails to understand the true republican agenda in 2012 our children and grandchildren will pay the price!  (I should add that if the democrats don’t “get” that this is a WAR for the heart and soul of America – they will lose in 2012.  One thing Americans don’t like is passive “leaders.”)  Oh yes, one more thing – as republicans are continuing to search for a “viable” candidate, I will just restate here that almost two years ago I started warning about the next “Bush.”  I still believe that Jeb Bush could be the person they turn to in order to block the “tea party’s” attempt to gain the WHITE HOUSE – people like Karl Rove fully understand how difficult it would be to elect a Michelle Bachman or Sarah Palin or Rich Perry.  I can see republicans getting very excited about Jeb Bush as the “moderate” alternative.  It’s hard for my stomach to take that I’m even writing about another Bush!

You don’t have to read many of the posts in this blog (if that’s what it is – to me, it’s my online journal where I “vent” my …….?) to know that I’m very disappointed, dismayed, frustrated, angry, worried, – pick a word – about the direction of this great country that I love.  I’ve been watching for the past 30+ years as, from my perspective, the greatest nation on earth has evolved from a “we” nation to a “me” nation and, in the process, seems to be following the path of previous world powers who have self destructed due to “man’s” seeming inability to curb the natural tendency toward GREED. I, like many I’m afraid, took for granted that the circumstances we seem to find ourselves in now, based on the past, were “off the table.”  The idea that our government would become a benefactory for the rich while looking the other way from “the least of these” seemed an impossibility to me.  Being a lifelong independent I never conceived that I would get to the point where if I saw an “R” after a politician’s name it would rule out my support for them.  If you know anything about the Pacific Northwest, where I’ve lived my entire life, Tom McCall was a republican.  He, I’m sure, is “turning in his grave” at the actions of his party today.

After George W Bush arrogantly invaded Iraq, on what were obviously convoluted premises – that were “bought – hook, line, and sinker” by America’s “liberal” media – I realized that in some small way I had to, at a minimum, educate myself on “what’s going on here.”  Subsequent to that invasion I started looking for – and finding – books, and other information, written by people of varying degrees of bias – but understandable – about the true “going’s on” of our government and the “powers” that are influencing it.  What I have discovered has been startling to say the least and is what has motivated me to write.  I’m also no longer simply sitting and listening to people, who speak as if they’re informed, giving out what I’ve discovered is misinformation – leading to a few “heated debates.”  The level of LYING that has permeated our press and is coming from the mouths of our elected officials – who, I believe, don’t think twice about it because there are NEVER consequences for their LYING – is beyond belief.  The result is bad from just about any way you want to look at it.  Many people still believe that those in positions to have influence are telling the truth – hence, I run into situations such as the one I wrote about in my previous post, where a grown, educated, retired successful businessman – who happens to watch Fox “news,” and listen to Rush Limbaugh – believes that President Obama is responsible for HALF of the nation’s national debt.  This is propaganda and BRAINWASHING at it’s scarriest and most damaging level.  It is what has resulted in the radical right wing “tea partiers” who are attempting to destroy America’s economy and the severe partisan divide created in order to prevent the nation’s first Black President from succeeding.  That is one place they have been honest – in saying their TOP PRIORITY is that President Obama FAILS!

I think that what’s bothering me the most about all of this – because, I do believe eventually American’s will figure out what’s happening and take the action necessary to correct it, is that these radicals have been so obstinate and voiciferous – and, so willing to make OUTLANDISH and ridiculous claims and political “stands” that they’ve maneuvered the dialogue completely away from reason.  This morning I was reading an Op Ed in the New York Times by Joe Nocera who was apologizing for calling the “tea partiers” in the House of Representatives “terrorists” (which I had called them as well – with no apology!) and, in the process, stated – almost as if it’s becoming part of our collective self conscience – that “entitlements are fueling the deficit.”  To me, unless you would qualify that to say that our “entitlements” to the large corporations – such as their tax loopholes, the support for them sending their manufacturing plants overseas, their foreign “tax havens,” along with HUGE tax breaks for people earning amounts of money that someone such as myself can’t even imagine – is what you’re talking about, the statement is absurd.  Of course, what Nocera was referring to were things like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Food Stamps, Unemployment insurance, Head Start, School lunches for impoverished children, public education, and on and on.

Do you remember a couple years ago in some midwest state – where fire departments were “privatized” and some poor sap didn’t pay his fee (whatever it was – something like $75), and the result was a fire department which watched his house burn to the ground as his punishment for not paying the fee?  Is that what we want America to be like for our children and grandchildren?  We’ve allowed a concerted conspiracy to brainwash the so-called “low information voter;” that is, the person who reads the headlines, watches cable “news,” and doesn’t have the time or inclination to fact check what he/she hears.  The word “liberal” has been turned into a “dirty word” by the Limbaugh’s, the Hannity’s, the O’Reilly’s, the Savage’s, the Boehner’s, the Bachmann’s, the Palin’s, and everyone else who does the “bidding” for the secret right wing cabal which is orchestrating this disaster from behind the “scenes.” 

America was turned into the envy of the rest of the world through the courageous acts of the Roosevelt “New Deal,” plus the 40 years which followed, and there seem to be MANY ordinary Americans who have been somehow led to believe that the New Deal (and Great Society of the Johnson years) is the problem – by the very people who’ve been against the New Deal since the days when it was enacted.  I’ve said this before on this site – it’s not the worker’s rights gained from the New Deal that’s the problem with our economy – it’s REVISITING the days of the ROBBER BARONS which everyone should be concerned with.  Presently, the result of the “tea partiers” managing to turn raising the debt ceiling into an “issue” is a stock market which is now teetering up and down  just like it did in the late 1920’s.  There are so many parallels today to what happened back then that people’s “alarms” should be on “high alert.”  However, what we have are politicians who are attempting to figure out how to place the blame on the “other guys” so that they can be re-elected.  It has been apparent to me since before President Obama took the oath of office that the republicans are willing to take our economy into the “abiss” if that’s what it takes to defeat him in 2012.  Unfortunately, the president and his advisors apparently haven’t picked up on this.

Should we go into another depression, how can I say this?  The BUCK STOPS HERE!  That’s my message to President Obama.  I honestly don’t know if it’s too late for him to “turn it around,” but – as they say – “there’s no time like the present.”  This idea of being the transformative democratic version of Ronald Reagan was absurd on its face from the gitgo.  Something like 20 MILLION Americans who want to work are unemployed or underemployed and the president is arguing with republicans over the debt ceiling.  He continues to allow himself to get drawn onto their “turf.”  If he could somehow (and, again, I believe it may be too late) bring himself to realize that the American public wants their “leaders” to be figuring out how to spur on the JOB market – and FOCUS on that, he may be able to salvage some of his presidency.  I personally believe that he should have refused to even get involved in the argument over the debt ceiling.  It was congress’ responsibility to raise it – Obama should have been speaking ONLY about job creation – and, then if they didn’t agree to raise it there could be no question where the “fault” would lie.  Congress has been routinely raising the debt limit for over 90 years – it was a fabricated and STUPID argument!

One thing the debt ceiling “crisis” did accomplish was to uncover the TRUTH that the stock market continues to be a shell game with the day traders and hedge fund managers making HUGE amounts of income (that’s taxed at ridiculously low percentages) based on GAMBLING (I guess a better word might be speculating – but, to me, they’re the same).  That was one of the first, and biggest, frustrations I’ve had with President Obama since he was inaugurated.  He surrounded himself with Wall Streeters right from the beginning so it was no surprise that Wall Street flourished in his first couple of years, because they went right back to doing the same CRAP that they got bailed out from at the end of the Bush/Cheney regime.  We continue to have a nation where corporations are more beholden to stockholders than they are to their workers.  Until that conundrum is reversed America will continue its downward spiral toward becoming a second rate nation.  What our “leaders” in Washington apparently fail to understand is that what made this nation great was a flourishing middle class.  Until it thrives again, this country will continue to be unhealthy and its economy will continue to be shakey.

There is hope, however.  Just a few days ago the “masses” in Wisconsin demonstrated to the rest of us what is possible if the “grass roots” organizes and pulls together to actually FORCE the politicians to take notice.  In the now infamous “Wisconsin recall elections” two previously strong republican districts recalled their state senators and replaced them with democrats.  It’s true the democrats came up short in their attempt to take back control of the Wisconsin state senate, but the accomplishment was significant when you look at the “total picture.”  There was HUGE amounts of corporate money spent to defend the republican positions which saved the senate majority for the republicans, but there were HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of people from all over America who participated in the hurculean effort to send a STRONG message to people like Wisconsin’s governor who has made a full throttle attack on workers collective bargaining rights – rights that, as mentioned above, I had taken for granted were an integral “right” for America’s workers.  Obviously, if “we the people” are unwilling to defend those rights, there are “those” who would take them away.

The good news about Wisconsin, and what I believe either has or will have the attention of republicans, is that these recall elections were ALL in strong republican districts.  The clear momentum of where Wisconsin’s people are would have clearly given control of the state to democrats had this been a statewide election.  Therefore, I believe Scott Walker – Wisconsin’s “Koch Brothers” governor – is in a very tenuous situation.  I’ve already given my first donation toward the effort to recall him once he’s been in office for a year.  That is the REAL message that’s going to come from Wisconsin.  And, I hope that President Obama is watching.  The Wisconsinites are “fighters.”  They are saying “enough already” to the republican assault on our basic worker’s rights.  The recall of Walker is going to be exciting (I’m really hoping that Russ Feingold – one of my favorite US senators who was victomized by the “tea party” movement ends up running against Walker in a recall election) and I believe there is no doubt that Wisconsin voters who are angry with Walker will have NO TROUBLE gaining the signatures to cause a recall election.  The good people of Wisconsin are demonstrating to the rest of America what is necessary to combat the republicans and Citizens United.  People like me are sending money in $10 to $20 at a time – but, as one person said, “there’s more of us than there are of them” – speaking of the corporate interests that are funding people like Walker.  Koch industries generates income in the BILLIONS, so this is going to be a difficult FIGHT – because the “right wing” has control of the Supreme Court which gave them a HUGE benefit in the Citizens United decision (giving coporations the right to spend UNLIMITED amounts in our elections – ughhh!).  As I’ve been saying for several years now, the REAL war Americans should be focused on is the one right here at home – where the republicans and their corporate benefactors are attempting to gain a stranglehold on our government.  If they succeed, what people like Scott Walker in Wisconsin or John Kasich in Ohio are doing is just the “tip of the iceberg.”  I’m grateful for the people of the state of Wisconsin who are leading the “fight,” and I’m just praying that working class Americans across the country will “take note.”  I’ll end this post by saying the person who I believe is the MOST important person to take note of what’s happening in Wisconsin is BARACK OBAMA!

Here’s today’s “question of the day.”  How do you “kick the can down the road” when you’ve said you won’t “kick the can down the road?”  Well, you’ve got to be an American politician to pull this off.  William Shakespeare must be turning in his grave at the crass absurdity of America’s “political theatre.”  The republicans manufacture a “crisis” with the so-called debt ceiling, President Obama pretends to “one-up” them by asking for “significant cuts,” and the “tea partiers” claim there will be no deal if ANY taxes are raised and if there’s no (absurdly STUPID) balanced budget amendment included in the “package.”  What do they end up with?  Essentially with NOTHING other than a vague bill which will allow the two parties to argue over who got the best of the other until the next election.  And, I might add, a continuation of the feeling by the people who I come in contact with each and every day that “if only we could replace ALL OF THEM!”

Let’s start with President Obama, who’s the main person I heard saying “We’re not going to just kick the can down the road.”  For some strange reason our president still seems to believe that these republicans will negotiate with him “in good faith.”  I honestly don’t know what it will take for him to “get it,” but it’s really getting a bit “late in the game” for that to happen.  These “good faith negotiations” he continually seems to get cornered into continue to produce similar results – and, I can’t think of ONE time when the results were good.  This “debt crisis” example is the classic.  Just last December, President Obama gave “the farm” to the republicans when he refused to simply allow the “Bush tax cuts” to expire.  That action alone would have trimmed a significant portion off of the deficit which republicans have recently become so worried about.  And, as far as “increasing taxes in a recession” is concerned – does our president actually believe that these spending cuts (mostly aimed at the disadvantaged among us – as Jesus would say, “the least among us”) are going to have a stimulative effect on the economy?  If you remember, Obama himself said that extending the “Bush tax cuts” would lead to more job creation and would stimulate the economy.  When, I keep wondering, is reality going to set in with our president.

Unfortunately, I believe President Obama’s blunders have become almost too much to overcome.  If you’ve been following this debate you’ve heard many on the “left” say that the democrats have “lost the battle of the dialogue.”  That is, they’re arguing TOTALLY on republican “turf.”  What President Obama often portrays as a “success” is unthinkable to many people who believe as I do.  His debates with the republicans are so far to the right the question regarding the outcome is always “how bad is the result going to be.”  Some of my acquaintances are finally beginning to see why I’ve so adamantly been arguing about the folly of Obama allowing the Bush/Cheney administration a pardon for all the illegal activity EVERYONE knew they were committing.  That was where President Obama lost the “high ground” in the dialogue and that’s when the republicans figured they could run “rough shod” over him.

I’ve listened to Obama’s closest supporters suggest that he got what he wanted out of this debate – and, I might add, considering the circumstances I certainly hope they’re correct – for example, one of Obama’s staunchest supporters, Randi Rhodes (liberal “talker” on the radio) claims that should the republicans and the “super congress” (set up to recommend further “cuts”) try to extend the “Bush tax cuts” beyond 2012 they would have to include at least 4 TRILLION dollars in spending cuts of which half would come from defense and none would come from Social Security or Medicare.  She considered that a brilliant move on Obama’s part.  I guess from where I’m sitting I would have preferred to have allowed them to expire last December (actually, I thought Obama should have repealed them upon entering the White House, but that’s a story for another day) and therefore dispense with all the political “one-upsmanship” which has turned the political dialogue away from the real issues of this nation.

I’m assuming that President Obama has heard Mitch McConnell, Rush Limbaugh, and the rest of them on the “right” claim that their MAIN priority is for Obama to fail.  It has become painfully apparent (as the Stock Market is teetering on another “freefall”) that the republicans are TOTALLY willing to tank the ENTIRE American (and probably world) economy thinking America’s voters stupid enough to place the blame on Obama’s shoulders.  Now, I’ve been very critical of our president, but from the standpoint that he continues to attempt to “bargain in good faith” with these people who ONLY care about his demise.  It shouldn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out they are not going to agree to ANYTHING which would appear to show Obama in a good light.  Is it because he’s black? Or just because he’s a democrat and today’s republicans wont have anything to do with ANY democrat?  I don’t know the answer to that, but the solution is to VOTE the republicans OUT of office in as significant numbers as possible.

I have been an independent all my life, but these past 30+ years has made it extremely difficult to even consider voting for a republican.  And, since the inception of the “tea party” – well, just let me say that I fully believe there are many republicans out there who have no idea what’s going on with THEIR party.  I’ve been associating with some republicans this summer as I try to play a little “senior golf” during my vacation and it really grieves me to see the level of propaganda they’ve “bought” into “hook, line, and sinker.”  One of the guys (and he’s a college graduate) the other day, when talking about GW Bush said, “I think he’s a nice guy.”  I asked, “What makes you think that?”  And, he (incredulously to me) answered “I don’t know, I just think he is – that’s all.”  Honestly, I’m losing my patience with grown adults who “volunteer” to be “low information voters.”  These guys I golf with are “faithful” Fox “news” brethren – and, even when you give them “facts” they won’t look at them.

 For example, one guy the other day decided to attack Obama in my presence – thinking I would come to his aid.  Well, if you’ve read my blog, you know the answer to that – but, I decided to hold him accountable for the GARBAGE coming from his mouth.  He said, “When George Bush left office the national debt was $7 TRILLION.  OK, I’m sure if you’re reading this you know how absurd that is – but, I decided to go to the Treasury’s website and print out copies of the national debt since 1950.  Of course, when you look at the OFFICIAL statistics the widest gap between expenditures and revenues occurs during the presidencies of Nixon/Ford, Reagan, HW Bush, and W Bush/Cheney – with the last (two) more than doubling the debt in their eight years.  In FACT, the actual debt when President Obama took the  oath of office was well over 11 TRILLION and, like other republicans, my golfing friends refuse to accept the dire circumstances Obama inherited.

I’m writing this because I’ve seen so many people with the same brainwashed mentality of these retired men; good people who worked their entire lives, and who believe that those at Fox “news” are telling the truth.  The propaganda is flowing from all directions and MOST of it is coming from the direction of those behind the Fox travesty and the “think tanks” funded by the Kochs, Mellon Scaife, DaVoss, and other extremely wealthy right wing Americans.  About two weeks ago I even read an Op ed in the New York Times written by the one and only Grover Norquist making public his EXPECTATIONS of the “oath” apparently all republican members of congress took to REFUSE to raise ANY revenue in the attempt to “balance” the federal government’s “books.”  Remember, Norquist is the man who famously was quoted as saying he wanted to “starve” the government of taxes until it could be “drowned in a bathtub.”  Norquist and the people he represents have UNLIMITED amounts of money, they are greedy beyond belief, and they are ruthlessly threatening republicans that if ANY of them support a tax increase – OF ANY KIND – they will fund a primary opponent against them – in other words, unless you comply with “me and my people” (That’s my version of Norquist speaking) you will lose your next election!

So, the problem (technically) isn’t mainly Obama – it’s clearly the republicans who are leading us onto the edge of another Great Depression in their desire to MAKE SURE President Obama “fails.”  The question is – and, in my mind, has always been, how do you deal with this?  The 2012 election is still a year and a half away and there’s no guarantees that democrats and independents are going to figure this out by then.  Remember, I’ve been pointing out the problem with “Citizens United” since the day the Supreme Court decided the case.  That is a HUGE obstacle for democrats – we’re already seeing Karl Rove infusing MILLIONS into Wisconsin to stop the recall elections there (I really hope Rove fails!) – and there are something like 18 “tea party” like governors around the country who are passing voter suppresion laws aimed at Blacks and poor people (and students) with several more waiting in the wings (some reports estimate as many as 21 MILLION people could be turned away from the polls in 2012, enough to change the results)  – all receiving unlimited funding for their campaigns from people like the Koch’s, Rove, DaVoss, Norquist, and all the corporations funneling money into the elections through the above mentioned Citizens United decision which gave corporations (unbelievably) “free speech” rights as if they were individuals.  (Didn’t John Roberts rail against “legislating from the bench” in his confirmation hearings?)

While I’ve stated above the problem (technically) isn’t Obama’s – I believe with all my heart that there will be NO solution until we have a leader who will COMBAT these republicans.  Tonight, I was watching Keith Olberman on Current TV (If you haven’t checked it out, you really should – there’s one “pundit” who will criticize BOTH sides! – when appropriate) and one of his contributors is Jeffery Scahill of “The Nation” magazine (by far, the best liberal magazine in America).  Scahill wrote the book “Blackwater” which was one of – if not – the first to expose Eric Prince and his right wing militia for hire.  Scahill tonight was reporting on new evidence about the TORTURING that took place under the orders of George W Bush, Dick Cheney, and Donald Rumsfeld – Olberman showed video clips of EACH one of them ADMITTING to authorizing TORTURE (waterboarding) – in one clip, George W Bush tried to pin the responsibility on the “lawyers,” but, it’s clear that he HAD TO know that waterboarding is a BLATANT violation of the Geneva Conventions which the United States is a signatory to.  I was glad to hear Scahill point out the hypocrisy in President Obama’s FAILURE to allow investigations of the torturing that took place under Bush/Cheney while even going so far as to defend them in court – and, it was not clear to me that the practices have been totally abandoned since Obama took office.

Do you wonder why average people like myself and my friends who all seem to be republicans can agree on one thing – EVERYONE in Washington is corrupt (Well, I’d excuse a few – but, not many) and our Judicial System is rigged.  No one from Bush/Cheney et al has EVER been held accountable for their misdeeds, not ONE Wall Street banker has gone to jail over the 2008 meltdown (shouldn’t there have at least been some investigations), and it was pointed out tonight by Scahill that Obama’s administration is actually defending Donald Rumsfeld in court as he’s being sued by an American who was illegally imprisoned in Iraq for over 9 months with no charges ever filed – PLUS, during that nine months he was TORTURED!  The undeniable conclusion one must come to here is that what we’ve got is an endless case of “politics as usual.”  The democrats and republicans create a crisis, argue for a couple months, do virtually NOTHING, play golf together, and then hit the airwaves to convince the public “who won.”

The sad reality is that most people  in the general “public” know that “we the people” ALWAYS lose!  Therefore, getting back to my original point of the evening, it appears to me that “the can got kicked down the road.”  Maybe as Randi Rhodes claims there is some secret provision of the bill that will ultimately allow President Obama to “win,” although I believe there’s an equal chance of something overlooked by democrats which will allow republicans to “win.”  But, if you watched the Stock Market lose almost 5% today (over 500 points on the Dow Jones Industrial averages) it becomes clear that, while we’ll have to wait to fully find out who “won,” we’re already seeing who LOST!  I have friends who have 401 k’s and are on the verge of retirement – I believe they stand to lose (A LOT), I know people who are “long term” unemployed – not because they’re lazy as Michele Bachmann puts it, but because there’s NO WORK for them – while discussing this “crisis” I’ve heard NOTHING about creating jobs (in fact, I haven’t heard the word jobs mentioned since the republicans regained control of the House).  I took produce from my garden to a local homeless shelter just the other day and one of my former students greeted me there – I’m not going to list all the ways she’s losing from this diabolical political theatre – and, I could go on and on.  I guess the politicians involved feel the can wasn’t “kicked down the road” because when the “crisis” was “ended” they all had their re-election plans firmly established.  I can feel it already, the political propaganda is going to reach new heights in the next year and a half.  You just have to wonder, what will the human toll be on all of these politicians “winning?”

Is it any wonder that people around the world are undoubtedly shaking their heads in disbelief as they await the outcome of this fabricated “debt crisis” which President Obama has allowed himself to get cornered into?  Now, if you’ve been around this site at all you know that I have had MANY disappointments with Obama, whom I supported eagerly in 2008.  You can check the archives if you wish, but I’ve been railing against one capitulation after another – wondering if President Obama actually believe(s)d that the republicans, especially the “tea partiers” (who were carrying signs depicting him in all sorts of racist ways during the campaign) – who appear to be “running the show,” would ever “negotiate” in good faith with him.  The reason I put the “d” after the above reference to the word “believe” is because you would think by now that President Obama would “get it.”

It seemed obvious to me after the extension (the UNBELIEVABLE extension, I might add, from my perspective) of the “Bush Tax Cuts” – tax cuts which should have been repealed the day Obama took office – that the next “crisis” would be over the debt ceiling and, I predicted at the time, it would be the time when the “right wing” would “go after” Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid (little did I know that Obama, himself, would put all three programs “on the table”).  Despite the FACT that none of those programs (especially Social Security) are at the heart of the deficit problem, republicans have managed to manipulate the discussion away from the REAL causes of the “debt crisis” onto the remnants of the New Deal that they hate – and, President Obama has been MOST ACCOMODATING!  That all being said, tonight I hope to funnel my thoughts to where I believe the problem actually lies – if for no other reason than to give myself a little sanity in the face of a situation where the government of the country I love appears to be TOTALLY dysfunctional!

I recently finished a book about the presidency of James K Polk and I’m reading “A Team of Rivals” about Abraham Lincoln and written by Doris Kearns Goodwin.  What I’ve learned from both of these books is the backbiting in Congress, the people more concerned about their own futures than that of those they represent, the biased press, the insubordinate members of presidential cabinets and the military – all issues Obama is being forced to deal with while trying to bring America out of the “Great Recession” – NONE of this is new.  Both Polk and Lincoln had to deal with the insolent name calling, the disregard for the national interest due to personal issues and biases, and “in a nutshell” the Congress which the framers so wisely set up with ALL the members of the House of Representatives being elected EVERY two years.  That does give me hope that these “tea party” whacos can be voted out as quickly as they were voted in.  (of course – and, I might add, unfortunately that may depend on President Obama becoming more “progressive” in his response to their insolence).

So, what I’m trying to say is that I believe this entire “crisis” is the result of a minority on the republican side of Congress.  It kind of reminds me of when the Spotted Owl was used to get the Federal Government to stop overcutting the forests of the Pacific Northwest (at the time I was a “sawmill worker”).  The “tea partiers” are using the reqirement that Congress raise the debt ceiling as a means to “get their way” regarding their political and ideological agenda which would otherwise have NO CHANCE of passage in Congress.  They are essentially saying “We’re willing to crash the entire economy in order to get what we want – PERIOD!”  The problem, of course, is that “what they want” is TOTALLY unacceptable to the vast majority of Americans.  And, they are doing this “hostage situation” in a way where they believe Obama can be held accountable for the damage, should it become reality.

Now, I truly hope the American people are not so stupid – and, I hope that Obama FINALLY stops “negotiating” with these right wing thugs.  As I’ve stated MANY times on this site, one thing that is TOTALLY unacceptable to the American public is a leader who shows signs of weakness.  Obama is attempting to take the “role” of the “adult in the room” with Boehner, McConnell, Cantor, and the rest of these heartless republcans, but it’s become EXTREMELY important that he REFUSES to allow them to control this debate – even if it leads to an American “default.”  Of course, the “tea partiers” are “pooh poohing” the idea of default, as if it’s “no big deal,” but even if they’re wrong, Obama MUST NOT allow them to control this debate.  They are a LARGE part of the problem, and it’s become obvious there’s going to have to be some “pain” suffered by the rest of us in order to get RID of them.

The reason I say they are a “large part of the problem” is because what is probably a LARGER part of the problem are the corporations who have put these whackos in office and given them their “talking points.”  That is the real scarry part of what is happening right now in America.  Despite the fact America may default on August 2nd, there is NOTHING more important than getting CONTROL of the Multi-national corporations which are attempting – through this coalition with the right wing republicans – to gain a stranglehold on the government of the United States of America.  We’ve all heard recently how the Koch Brothers have bought their way into the state houses and governor’s mansions in NUMEROUS American states – such as Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Idaho, Florida, New Jersey, Ohio, to name a few off the top of my head – and how these governors and state legislatures are attempting to undermine the rights of workers to organize, they’re trying to sell off state owned assets to private corporate cronies (ie – I expect the Koch’s to own the “Public” utilities in Wisconsin if the recalls don’t stop governor Walker – and, at “firesale” prices), and they’re attacking state workers such as teachers, firefighters, policemen, nurses, social workers, etc. as “greedy.”  In fact, I still recall the governor of Michigan (I believe he was from there) pointing out that teachers are “the privileged elite.” (as a teacher myself, I didn’t know whether to be offended or to go “wow!, I never thought I’d make it to that level)  I guess, to these right wing governors, the fact myself as a teacher can still (barely) pay my mortgage payment means I’m overpaid.  And, the Koch’s are just the “tip of the iceberg.”

Not only are America’s “top” corporations “investing” BILLIONS in America’s congressional “leaders,” but they’re busy sidestepping their patriotic duty to pay their “fair share” of taxes while they’re “cutting off a fat hog” in the recent “recovery” as the rest of us are listening to their minions argue over the debt ceiling.  I recently read a report about how out of the “top” 100 of America’s corporations 85 have “subsidiaries” (around 2500 “subsidiaries” in all) in foreign “tax havens” where they are able to “shield” upwards of $100 BILLION per year in taxes that SHOULD be paid to America’s treasury (for anyone who’s math challenged, that amounts to close to ONE TRILLION over ten years).  What makes matters worse is that these corporations are receiving something in excess of $85 BILLION in government contracts and MOST of them pay either NO TAXES or a VERY low percentage of their profits in taxes.

One example that many people are familiar with would be GE – one of America’s leading defense contractors.  Last year their profit was approximately $15 BILLION – yes, that’s BILLION with a capital B – and they paid ZERO in American taxes.  Yes, we can all probably agree that “this is bad,” right?  Well, on top of that, they received over $3 BILLION in government subsidies – You’ve got that right, they not only paid NO taxes, but “we the people” gave them OVER $3 BILLION that we probably had to borrow from China.  Did I mention China?  Well, if ALL that wasn’t bad enough, it was announced today that GE is moving their giant X-Ray business and headquarters to China, “To take advantage of that emerging market.”  Finally, GE’s CEO Jeffrey Immelt is President Obama’s top advisor on his economic advisory board – supposedly the leading advisor on creating jobs.  Does this all sound convoluted, or am I just not seeing things well?

So, we have a congress that is totally dysfunctional and is being run by a “faction” of “tea partiers” who are funded by people like the Koch’s (who have a long history of anti-middle class, pro business, anti-environment, AND racist postions – the Koch’s father was a founding member of the John Birch Society) and advised by people like Grover Norquist (he the one who coined the phrase that the republican goal should be to “starve the government” until it is so small “it could be drained in the bathtub”), and pursuing Karl Rove’s “permanent republican ‘majority.'”  Washington DC has been virually OVERRUN by various lobbyists who are funneling UNBELIEVABLE sums into the coffers of the only people, theoretically, who can fix this problem – both houses of Congress – we have a Supreme Court (I haven’t even mentioned them yet tonight) who determined corporations to have “free speech” rights as if they were individuals, and we have a “socialist” president who looks more like a conservative republican to someone like me who “came up” in the 60’s.

In my mind, the greatest American president was Franklin Delano Roosevelt who was the president who originally put this corporate vehemoth in its place.  The “New Deal” was the turning point in American history which led to the greatest middle class in the history of the world.  Roosevelt’s administration supported policies that have transformed worker’s rights far beyond the shores of this great nation.  What is so sad to me is how many Americans have NO CLUE as to what happened in the 30’s and 40’s in America which set the foundation in place for many of the privileges which many of us take for granted today.  Since the inauguration of Ronald Reagan the extreme “right” in America has been pushing so hard to reverse the “New Deal” that the dialogue has shifted so far to the “right” that people like me who were once considered either conservative or moderate are now “flaming liberals.”  And, I can tell you this – I haven’t changed much.  The present debate in congress would have been UNIMAGINEABLE just a few short years ago.  Reagan and his followers have successfully transformed a significant portion of America into a “me” society from what was clearly a “we” society when I was growing up and in my formative years.  I have to tell you, from my vantage point, this has been a terrible trade off.

My hope is that the present FABRICATED “crisis” (raising the debt ceiling has NEVER been an issue in my adult lifetime – other than giving the minority party a chance for some “political posturing”) will FORCE the president and the democratic party to REVISIT their “roots.”  This republican POWER PLAY is so radical and severe that I’m hoping AT LAST we will see President Obama “draw a line in the sand.”  The FACT that America’s “full faith and credit” lies in the balance is not sufficient reason to continue allowing these radical whaco’s to continue bullying their way in congress.  Combined with their corporate “sponsors” they managed to essentially disable the health reform legislation in Obama’s first term (now, they’re trying to defund it), they’ve managed to say NO to virtually EVERY attempt by President Obama and the democrats to get us out of this recession (their stated FIRST PRIORITY is that President Obama – as Rush Limbaugh put it again today – FAILS – and, by the way, I can’t remember a time in my lifetime when a political party was so out front in their willingness to take the entire nation “down” so that a president in the opposing party would “fail”), and now they’re using raising  the debt ceiling (for debt they largely created) to hold the president and America hostage to their minority agenda.  Well, in the end, I believe these right wing republicans have made it easy for Obama to succeed (against their stated wishes).   I believe that if President Obama wishes to succeed, all he needs to do is say NO to the “tea party” republicans!