I’m presently reading “Bad Money” by Kevin Phillips who, in my mind, is one of the best republicans out there – although, I’m guessing he no longer chooses to be associated with the republican party.  The guy is brilliant, although his books are very tedious to me when I read them because they are so “heavy.”  This is the fourth or fifth book I’ve read on America’s economy and the meltdown of 2008 and it further convinces me that without drastic change this nation is headed for second class status in the not too distant future.  In fact, Phillips kind of parallels the decline of other “empires” to support the point that we, in America, are unknowingly repeating the history of the Dutch, the British, and other empires that have come before us.  I haven’t internalized the information in this book, and probably won’t, but his point about the decline of America seems even more real to me as I’m trudging through the pages.  I love this country and I wish I could say I thought he was “full of it,” but, I believe Phillps will be doing a lot of “I told you so-ing” somewhere down the road.  His reward for his brilliance?  I’m guessing he is persona non grata in the repubican circles where he once was a stalwart.

I wrote a bit about this in my last post – and, I’m not sure how much sense I made because all of this economic stuff is very hard for me to understand.  The collaterized debt obligations, the mortgage backed securities, the asset backed securities, the credit default swaps (and other “swaps”) all seem to go over my head.  All of these instruments (I believe it was Joseph Stiglitz who called them “weapons of mass deception”) played a significant role in the undermining of the American economy during the Bush administration – and, failure to better understand what they are and what they’ve done, in my view, would simply be stupid.  In fact, I believe many of our politicians aren’t reading the books available, because “Bad Money” originally came out prior to the 2008 meltdown (although the recession was “under way” despite the denials of Hank Paulson, Ben Bernanke, and other economists leading the way during the last of the Bush “years”) and Phillips (along with people like Joseph Stiglitz – and others) were warning about the bursting of the housing “bubble” long before it happened.

It’s as if somewhere along the line Wall Street determined that instead of producing “things” America could base its economy on producing “wealth.”  And, from their perspective, I’m sure they believe they’ve done and are continuing to do a very good job of this.  The average working “stiff” who’s pension plan is in a shambles, or is out of work with no “light at the end of the tunnel” apparently is just collateral damage.  Of course, the American public was largely aware of what was happening which led to the election of Barack Obama and a significant majority of democrats to the congress in 2008.  To say the ANGER has ramped up because the democratic solution to the economic crisis was a half response is an understatement in my view.  Most of the public is aware of the “anger” on the “right” – hence the “tea party” – because there is a concerted effort on the part of the “liberal media” (for those of you who’ve not been to this site – some of my prior posts explain how somehow “conservatives” are controlling this “liberal” media) to put these whackos on the news or the front pages of the papers.  But, make no mistake about the fact that there is a SIGNIFICANT amount of ANGER on the left.  Anger at the republicans – to be sure – this has been gaining steam since GW Bush lied us into Iraq – but, also anger at the tepid response to the misdeeds of these republicans by the democrats elected to reverse the wrongs committed by Bush/Cheney et al.  So, the republicans “got off” for their illegal behavior thanks to democrats wanting to avoid the “distraction” of holding them accountable and Wall Street is continuing to operate as if creating wealth from wealth is productive – as I’ve pointed out here many times since Obama’s inauguration; Business as usual!

Well, why wouldn’t producing wealth from wealth be productive you might ask?  The stock market has recovered almost half of what it lost after the near collapse of the entire financial sector of our (and the world’s) economy.  Companies like Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, Citigroup, etc. are back to reporting BILLION dollar earnings – per QUARTER.  All should be well, right?  I guess the question I have, and I believe Phillips would have along with Stiglitz (and many other economists, I’m sure) is what is the next “bubble” and when is it going to burst?  How many “bubbles” have to burst before the people running this country decide it really is the time for “the change we can believe in?”

One of the things that has perturbed “progressives” (liberals if you must) has been Barack Obama’s proclivity for throwing in to republicans with hardly a whimper of a fight.  Recently, there have been signs that maybe Obama is “getting it” and realizing that we are in a fight for the very “heart” of this nation.  I believe it would have been so because of the obstructionist policies of republicans and the OBVIOUS FACT they have a problem with a Black person occupying the WHITE HOUSE! – But, the Citizens United Supreme Court decision only made it clear how important this fight is.  And, the reality is that for the democrats to win the fight President Obama has to be leading the “charge.”  There is NO WAY they will win by campaigning away from Obama.  And, there’s NO WAY the democrats win if they continue to be fragmented to the point that they can’t defend their own positions in public against the barrage of attacks coming from the corporate right.  So it was doubly disappointing to hear the other day that Obama is already planning his negotiations with republicans after the midterms – almost as if a republican sweep of the upcoming elections will be a good thing.  Sometimes I honestly have to wonder who’s giving advice to our president!

For anyone who might read this and who doesn’t understand;  the “melding” of corporate interests with government is the foundation of fascist governments.  When you have a republican party marching in “lock step” – that is, there isn’t ONE OF THEM that I’m aware of who has the courage to speak out against the racist, authoritarian positions being put forth by one republican leader after another – especially this crew that call themselves the “tea party,” you have to wonder where their accusations of fascist or communist aimed at Obama come from.  If you feel precluded to do so, look up the phase political projection – that should give you a good idea of what’s coming at us from the “right.”  

The other day I heard that Michelle Bachman was going to run for Speaker of the House if the republicans take over in November.  Can you even imagine that?  Do you know who that woman is?  What the hell is going on with our country?  In my heart I have to believe that the voters will speak in the election and put these people “out to pasture” where they belong – but, I’ve grown not to trust any aspect of the process anymore.  The voting machines?  Well, we know they could be rigged.  If you don’t believe me and the two election of GW Bush wasn’t enough to convince you, take the time to research the democratic primary in South Carolina this past spring.  The guy who won wasn’t even a viable candidate, didn’t campaign, didn’t have ANY money, and defeated a statewide known candidate who actually had a chance to compete against the republican in the general election.  One way to prevent the possibility that democrats retain their majority?  Rig the machines!  One democratic voter after another in South Carolina claimed, after the primary, that they tried to vote for the other candidate, but the machines wouldn’t let them.  Republican corporations own and operate the voting machines that are used around the country, and many of them leave absolutely NO “paper trail” – so that it is evidently impossible to prove the rigging of the machines – although, several groups have proved how easy it WOULD be to rig them.

Kevin Phillips points out very clearly that the United States is in decline and we apparently aren’t going to do anything about it until it’s too late.  What might happen you ask.  Well, I believe he’s trying to get our leaders to recognize how close we are to having the rest of the world abandon the dollar as the world’s main currency.  The world is watching us and they can’t believe what’s going on in America.  Bush/Cheney was too much for them as well as us.  But, if we vote in the same ilk again the saying “fool me once, shame on you – fool me twice, shame on me!” becomes totally relevant.  Countries who have resources we depend on are watching carefully at what our voters do.  If they decide to abandon the dollar, the US economy is in bigger trouble than it now seems.  Additionally, other world leaders are looking for America to assume it’s leadership role in many areas.  For example, if we elect a congress that believes global warming to be a hoax and refuses to address our HUGE outlay of fossil fuel emissions into the atmosphere, many of them will do more than just shake their heads.  Remember, this is a truly global issue.  If we continue to treat the Muslim world as if they are ALL terrorists, our future looks dim (we can’t kill them all, we can’t defeat everyone in the world who doesn’t like us).  If we continue living beyond our means and consuming WAY MORE than we produce, we will be facing even more serious problems.  If our bankers on Wall Street continue to plague investors around the world with bogus investment instruments they will spend their money elsewhere.  America’s corporate interests are ripping off anyone and anything they can, including the American public, international investors, and America’s political system.  These corporations have teamed up with their foreign shareholders and officers to instigate an assault on the American political process, which, if successful – according to people like Kevin Phillips – will lead this nation to second class status in the world.

I’ll conclude this rant by pointing out that the American politicians have for years been “cheating” or “cooking the books” to make things look better to the American public than reality would suport – all the while losing the respect and willingness to cooperate of the world leaders who now control “the money.”  Inflation reporting has been “tweaked” in order to save the government money and make it look as if they are doing a better job managing the economy than we all know is true.  The dollar has been kept artificially “low” in order to make our exports (and our trade deficit) look better.  Two wars were waged with ALL THE MONEY kept off the books to make our deficit look smaller – and, ON AND ON.  In the mean time, “third world” countries (like Venezuela, Brazil, the middle eastern countries, etc.) with the natural resources America got so used to exploiting have nationalized their oil companies (and other natural resources) and have created “soveriegn wealth funds” with all the dollars we’re now spending for their expensive oil and other commodities.  Foreign leaders are beginning to look at our Wall Street Bankers and Hedge fund managers as “locusts” – according to Phillips’ book – and, they are beginning to “look elsewhere” for their investments.  The American voters started this drive toward “decline” when they voted in Ronald Reagan in 1980.  They exacerbated the problem with the election of George W Bush in 2000 (don’t get me totally wrong here, Bill Clinton was no saint as far as stopping this trend), and if they now turn to the “tea party” …… well, I think you can see where I’m (and possibly America) is going with this.

I’ve been very up front with my disappointment in the Obama administration.  From the day of the announcement that Rahm Emanuel would be Chief of Staff to President Obama’s surrounding himself with Washington “insiders” – right from the start many of the decisions were not surprising – although disappointing to varying degrees.  I understand there are political realities that don’t get changed in one or two years, but some of the decisions were simply unacceptable.  And, the “fruit” of those decisions are coming home to “roost” as I’m writing this.  The democrats are in danger of losing their majority control of congress and will, most likely – at best, have much “thinner” majorities.  In the senate, anyone who’s been paying attention knows what that means for the next two years.  (in my heart, I honestly can’t believe there are enough Americans who would be fooled into voting for republicans to get them back into office –  but, nothing surprises me anymore.  Remember, no one’s talking about voting machines that could be rigged – just one of the many reasons I don’t trust republicans as far as I can throw them)

President Obama had the political “capital” when he took office to take on the republicans.  Essentially he “blew it” with his obsession with  reaching out to politicians who were OBVIOUSLY not going to agree to ANYTHING he wanted to accomplish.  In the process Obama allowed George W Bush and Dick Cheney to walk away from serious LAWBREAKING without even an investigation – a BLUNDER that will be creating problems for the American people for who knows how many years to come.  We need to, and SHOULD, know everything about the bank bailouts – and the connections of America’s leaders to the Wall Street firms bailed out, we need to know EVERYTHING about the illegal invasion of Iraq, the failures to enforce regulations, the TORTURE, the politicizing of the Justice Department, the illegal wiretapping, GITMO, why Osama bin Laden was allowed to escape Tora Bora – and, I could go on.  Our country is still REELING from the effects of Bush/Cheney and it could get a lot worse before it gets better (if it ever does!)

I’m beginning to think that the democrats themselves haven’t figured out the magnitude of the republican assault on our way of life – and the corporate “heads” behind it.  Essentially, that is what I’m wanting to “vent” about this evening – that is, the republican assault on America and Americans.  I have two grown daughters, a son entering his adult life, and two grandchildren (with more possibly on the way).  I’m very concerned with the country we’re leaving for them.  In fact, I’m starting to realize that those of us who value the America we grew up with in the 60’s through the end of the 20th century had better realize the fight it’s going to take to preserve anything close to “our country.”  People like Sarah Palin spouting “We want our country back” while participating in selfish, greedy, and racist groups don’t fool me one bit.  What she’s opposed to is a country where the middle class is vibrant, where people have good union jobs, and where there is a sense of community between the government and the governed.  But, unfortunately, with the help of our “liberal media” (which is controlled by right wing conservatives – if you need convincing I’ve got several posts in the archives with details) and a “right” wing Supreme Court there are many unsuspecting Americans who are buying the “Voodoo” Palin and others of her “ilk” (Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly, and the entire republican party sans “tea party) are selling.  The effects of these people combined with the “Citizens United” Supreme Court decision are fast becoming more than simply  a problem “on the horizon.”  America could find “herself” on the outside looking in as far as her relationship with the world community (which, I’m sure would be fine with Palin and the “I’ve got mine, screw you crowd”)

I started warning anyone who would listen about “Citizens United” almost from the day it was handed down by the Roberts’ Court.  President Obama warned of it in his State of the Union Speech..  Do you remember Samuel Alito shaking his head in disgust as Obama warned that foreign corporations would be influencing our elections?  Well, guess what – FOREIGN CORPORATIONS are doing everything they can to influence our election of 2010 – and, this is just the FIRST one since the decision.  People, this is going to get a LOT WORSE before it gets better (if it ever does).  Remember, it will take aggressive acts of congress to counteract the effect of this decision – and, would you expect that to happen once congress is filled with recipients of the secret donations of the corporations unleashed by this EVIL court ruling?  Even my sixth grade students could figure that one out.

Therefore, what we have here is a bunch of democrats who have been TERRIBLY disappointing since being given control of congress in 2006.  They are quick to point out why they can’t do anything before they try to do it.  Nancy Pelosi took “impeachment off the table,” presumably because she felt the senate wouldn’t convict if Bush/Cheney were impeached.  Little did it matter that they BOTH had clearly committed High Crimes and Misdemeanors.  For some reason it appears the democrats are afraid of confrontation with the republicans.  Despite this disappointment, the election of 2010 may be the most important election of my lifetime – I’ve been voting since 1968.  Why on earth would America reward the republicans for destroying our economy, ruining our military and our standing in the world, attempting to destroy the fabric of our very government, and standing in the way of EVERY piece of legislation proposed since the last election?  Now, I realize all the democrats had to do was to get rid of the filibuster – which would have taken a minimum of courage on their part – and they could have then passed legislation which would have gone a long way toward alleviating some of the more severe problems we face – but they didn’t do it.  President Obama COULD HAVE really brought the troops home from Iraq – we’d be TOTALLY out by now – but, he chose not to and instead chose to buy into the military “coolaid” – the same goes for Afganistan – very disappointing to say the least.  And, the list goes on – but, everytime I start going over this list in my head I think of the alternative – which is republicans.  The question keeps coming up – how could we possibly put them back in office?  Does the American public really want to make America a second rate nation?

If you think that’s just bloviating on my part, let me give you a few facts that could change your mind.  First, the reality that we live in a time of global economics is inescapable.  If you don’t understand that you might as well stop reading right here and go back to being brainwashed by Limbaugh and company.  Most of the damage we focus on from Bush/Cheney is that which is obvious – like the invasion of Iraq’s effect on our military, the economic meltdown from lack of oversight during their 8 years in office, the irresponsible tax breaks for the rich which ballooned our national debt, the TORTURE and the image that left on the rest of the world of America (the list goes on and that’s why the investigations were so important – undercovering all the “stuff”).

 Well, there’s some afteraffects which are still to come and with the American “way” of waiting till a problem is a crisis before we deal with it, most people aren’t even thinking of some of the problems created by Bush/Cheney let alone talking about them.  I’ll just give you one example: oil.  Of course, everyone knows that both Bush and Cheney were “oil men.”  There is enough evidence to make me a believer that Dick Cheney’s secret “energy task force,” once entering the White House, was largely focused on taking over Iraq’s oil wells upon the Bush administration’s figuring out a way to justify an invasion.  So, aside from all the problems that created which we’re all aware of, what are some that are maybe still flying under the radar?  Well, let’s start with the FACT that America’s invasion of Iraq turned country after country in the world AGAINST us – even if they couldn’t come out and say it at the time.  Bush/Cheney’s arrogant attitude – as if America “ruled the world” – sent “shockwaves” through most middle eastern countries, not to mention Asian countries, and even some of our staunchest allies.  Keep in mind that the US produces only about a third of the oil it consumes and is, therefore, dependent on the oil producing countries – like Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Russia, Kuwait, Libya, Iran, Iraq, Somalia, etc – for the remainder of the needed oil supply.  To me, the logical solution to this problem would be to CHANGE the direction of our economy away from oil ASAP – but, do you really believe if republicans gain control of congress that will happen?

One way George W Bush propped up the American economy during his two terms in office was by allowing the dollar to weaken.  Combine that policy with America’s militaristic arrogance plus our dependence on foreign oil and now many of these oil producing countries are looking elsewhere for their customers.  In addition, while they’re waiting for the growth in China, India, and other developing nations (including the middle east nations as well) to catch up to their supply needs, these countries are accumulating American dollars by the TRILLIONS.  What does all this mean?

Well, without me trying to get everything I’m thinking out of my mind at once tonight, it means two really important things.  First, at some point down the “road” – and maybe nearer than anyone in Washington DC thinks – America could be facing a HUGE oil shortage.  Now, it’s hard to imagine that these countries holding all these dollars would purposefully sabotage the country where their dollars have the most value – but, what’s easy for me to imagine is these countries (who have created what they call “sovereign wealth funds” with the money) coming into America and converting dollars, which they’re worried about losing value, into ownership of “American” companies, real estate, and American politicians (I always think of Judge Alito shaking his head when I imagine that one).  These foreign governments HATE our leaders, but there’s still lots to like about America itself, so they will be BUYERS.  I’ll give you one example:  I’m writing this on an IBM laptop purchased a few years ago – maybe six or seven.  I recently purchased a newer version of the same laptop and it is now a LENOVO – IBM’s laptops are now owned by a Chinese company.

The Saudi’s have TRILLIONS of dollars – they have been, are, and will be investing in core American companies far beyond what the average person on the street will be aware.  News Corp – which is the parent company of Fox “news” and the Wall Street Journal – to name a couple of its holdings – is owned by an Australian right wing conservative with its second leading shareholder ($3 BILLION) a Saudi Sheik who is known to have supported Osama bin Laden’s al Qaeda.  We are so dependent on these people’s money that there’s little we can do about this – at least right now.   Sometimes I think that if I had the time (and the energy) I could write a book on how the republican party has undermined this country, how they are enabling their secret supporters to siphon TRILLIONS from our taxpayers, how they are purposefully attempting to DESTROY our very government and the strong middle class formed by the New Deal of FDR, and how before they’re done, they will have sold what’s great about America to foreign interests.  They’ve been BRAINWASHING the American public since the days of Ronald Reagan – and, their plan is close to complete for the “permanent republican majority” that’s been their vision for the last 30+ years.  I had thought George W Bush was such a bumbling idiot that he ruined the plan in 2008.  But, they’ve hardly skipped a beat.

It’s hard for me to imagine how they could say NO to EVERYTHING and still have any chance to win the upcoming mid term elections.  However, the American public elected President Obama and the democratic congress to do away with the ways of the republicans – using whatever means it would take (even if you had to suspend the senate’s rules regarding the filibuster, Harry! – I’m imagining he’s reading this).  The democrats have come up terribly short.  Yes, they’ve worked hard to get some things passed (even if their bills passed were disappointing like the so-called health care reform) but their willingness to look the other way from republican abuses of power – including WAR CRIMES – and cave to their obstuctionism was (and continues to be) unacceptable to millions of Americans – which is why there is the fear many will stay home from the polls this November.  I “get” that.  However, I believe we (progressives – er, liberals) have no choice but to vote for democrats because the long term affects of republicans in charge of congress at this delicate point in time could be worse than a depression.  I believe the rest of the world is watching what the American voter does and if we re-elect republicans after what they did to us and people in countries all over the globe – country after country will start looking elsewhere for their “allies.” (remember, the financial meltdown of 2008 was global and it was caused by America’s Wall Street banks and their reckless behavior and it affected MANY other nations)  We need to vote for democrats one more time and somehow get the message across to them that “The change we can believe in” is NOT republican-lite!

For the past couple of years I’ve been kind of alternating my rants between my disdain for the republican leadership and their collusion with corporate interests (some of whom are finally being exposed – like the Koch brothers) which have little to NO concern for the “least among us” and the democrats who seem to be almost paralyzed in their role as the opposition party whom those of us calling ourselves LIBERALS (progressives when we’re cowering from the right wing spin machine) MUST depend on as we attempt to prevent republicans from achieving their “permanent republican majority.”  Wow, I’ve got to stop and take a breath – that was a mouthful!  I have no problem attacking the republican leaders for their BLATANT hypocrisy – which is above and beyond the arrogant stage – while feeling a bit reserved about going after democrats for their cowardice in the face of one of the most important times in America’s history – lest someone might read this “blog” and misinterpret my critcism of President Obama or the democratic party he leads.

The republicans seem to be an endless stream of “material” as far as writing about why they should NEVER be returned to a position of authority under their present make-up.  I’ve stated many times here that I’m a long time independent and there have been many occasions where I voted for republicans.  But, that won’t be happening again any time soon.  First of all, the memory of the Bush/Cheney administration – or should I say the nightmare of – hasn’t worn off.  It will probably NEVER wear off.  There’s NO WAY I could ever condone the tax cutting which cut a huge hole in our deficit, the illegal wars – and the lying that got us entrenched there – that, to me, is UNFORGIVABLE, the torture – which they actually BRAGGED about – as if it did any good at all (and for any “right” winger reading this site, don’t bother trying to convince me it did – I’ve read accounts of the official interrogators who have claimed over and over again that all “actionable” intelligence gained after 9/11 came from traditional methods – the torturing was counter productive – not to mention it was acts of WAR CRIMES), Dick Cheney “outing” an under cover CIA agent – in my mind, an act of treason (plus Cheney shot his friend in the face while DRUNK and hid from the cops for 24 hours until he sobered up), and for those of you with short memories – not only did the Bush administration bludgeon our economy and encourage the risky behavior of Wall Street which caused the “Great Recession” but they were the culprits who instigated the BAILOUTS for the bankers who ripped us off. 

That would seem to be enough to turn any good American away from republicans, but there’s more.  The Bush administration was the administration which pushed for deregulation on steroids, and where there wasn’t deregulation there was a purposeful IGNORING of what regulations remained (leading to the West Virginia mining disaster and the Gulf of Mexico oil spill).  Bush signed a record number of “signing statements” arrogantly demonstrating that he was “the decider.”  To hell with the rest of us.  Yes, there’s more.  Bush/Cheney/Rove/Ashcroft/Gonzales/Addington/Bybee/Yoo and others PURPOSEFULLY undermined our justice department – attempting to turn it into a partisan wing of the republican party – complete with loyalty oaths from prospective new hires when they were applying for jobs.  That should be enough to scare you away from these people – and, by the way, present day republicans are again preaching the “Bush doctrine” if you listen closely enough – they just leave his name out of the conversation.  (I predicted over a year ago that the republican nominee in 2012 could be Jeb Bush – and I’m not ready to “back down” just yet)  I haven’t even talked about the illegal wiretapping – which is a BLATANT intrusion of our 4th amendment right to privacy, the attempted hijacking of habeous corpus (if you don’t know what that means, you really should look it up – that’s a “biggee”), the indefinite “prison” at GITMO, Abu Ghraib, the refusals to answer subpoenas to congress, etc. etc. – I think (at least hope) you get my point.

That’s just the previous bunch.  The present bunch is WORSE!  God help John McCain for saddling the rest of us with Sarah Palin.  McCain has proven to be such an opportunistic nitwit that it wouldn’t surprise me if someone told me he’s on the Sarah Palin “bandwagon” – despite the FACT she RUINED his chances in the last election (although his lack of intellect played a large part in his defeat as well – remember “The fundamentals of our economy remain strong” – or his top economic advisor calling the American people “whiners” for complaining about the economy?)  Back to Palin – this woman is dangerous.  I suppose if I had the opportunity to cash in on my fame I would do the same thing as her regarding “getting rich,” but she’s shown herself to be the PERFECT Pawn for the POWERBROKERS behind this republican ASSAULT on the American public.

How could that be, you might ask?  Well, Palin is uninformed enough and ambitious enough to not only say whatever people like Murdoch or the Koch brothers or Armey or whoever is behind this “tea party” movement asks her to say but she is also dishonest enough to start believing the FACT that she said “it” must make it true.  Therefore, you get someone who is spouting vile rhetoric in a manner which appeals to the uninformed “populists” out there (OK, Lars – you can accuse me of being an “elitist” again if it makes you feel better).  The result is a thoughtless block of voters who are shouting things like “kill him” in reference to our President, or “death panels” in reference to health care reform (which didn’t go nearly far enough due to people like Palin), or even questioning if our President is even a U.S. Citizen – all the while waving an American flag, as if that means they are patriots.  These people have been purposefully attempting to bring down President Obama’s agenda – remember he garnered 53% of the vote in the last election – Palin and “crew” want to “take their country back” from the MAJORITY who voted for Obama in the first place – how does that make any sense at all.

If President Obama’s agenda was so bad, you would think the republicans would have backed away and let it be enacted so that the results would prove their point.  The reality: they’re scared to death that a BLACK president will succeed, opening the doors to more people of color and possibly women holding the office of president in the future.  They liked the ALL WHITE boys club that has been in effect since the inception of this nation, but as Bob Dylan once said, “The times, they are a changin.”  Not only has Palin shown her racist nature, but people like Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity, Mitch McConnell, John Boehner, and I could go on and on with leading republicans – they’ve all shown little interest in being subtle about their racist attitudes.  And, then they hoist candidates on us like Rand Paul – who objects to the 14th amendment’s equal protection clause, evidently wanting to go back to the “separate but equal” days, Sharron Angle who wants to eliminate Social Security, Medicare, unemployment INSURANCE, and who knows what else – the lady is an IDIOT, there’s Joe Miller in Alaska who might be a topper to Angle, and then this lady in Delaware – Christine O’Donnell – who would impose her Christian values (hey, I’m OK with her having them – I’ve got my own Christian values – just don’t impose them on others) on the rest of us – including an interesting commentary on masturbation.  All I’ve got to say about that is once you’ve publicy put out your position on masturbation you should probably think about another profession besides politics.  Somehow, I have to believe the people of Delaware recognize the importance of this election enough to make sure this woman isn’t in Washington DC pushing anit-masturbation laws for the next 6 years.  I can hear all the jokes now, and I’m already sick of them.

I could go on and on about republicans, but lets get back to the democrats.  Considering the weird people the republicans have put in front of the voters you would think this is going to be a “cakewalk” for the democrats.  However, they have been so UNINSPIRING that there is a real possibility the voters who put Obama in office will stay home from the election.  All the polls suggest that republicans are by far the most “likely” of the voters.  This in a country where there is no risk to voting – such as in Afganistan where you could be killed or maimed if you voted at some of the polling places (and, sadly and interestingly, people still voted in possibly greater numbers than Americans will).  I’ve been writing on this blog since almost the day Obama took the oath of office that voter TURNOFF could be a HUGE problem in the mid term election.  They didn’t listen.  Rahm Emanuel, who’s thankfully QUITTING as President Obama’s chief of staff, called LIBERALS like me “f__king retards.”  At the time, I was disappointed that Obama didn’t FIRE him on the spot.  Emanuel’s attitude is EXACTLY what’s been wrong with Obama’s administration and the democrats in congress.  Combine Emanuel with Larry Summers and Tim Geithner and it wasn’t hard to predict “business as usual” from the earliest days of Obama’s 1st term (and, possibly last if he keeps these people around).  My disappointments with our President have been well chronicled on these pages – if interested view the archive (I can’t believe I’m almost up to 300 posts) – but the reality is that he’s MUCH PREFERABLE to republicans, and he’s actually shown signs of “coming around” of late – better late than never.

Of course, not only do we have to put up with the democrats in the Senate, but so did Obama.  However, I just can’t bring myself to approve rewarding republicans for OBSTRUCTING every part of Obama’s agenda by voting them back into the majority as the punishment to democrats for being too passive.  In fact, based on what’s happened over the past two years, republicans should be voted out of enough of a minority in the Senate to prevent them from being able to block ANYTHING.  However, that last comment not being likely, I’m hoping for a continued democratic majority in the Senate and then the democrats removing Harry Reid from his position as majority leader (should he defeat Angle – I can’t believe it’s even possible that she would be a U.S. Senator).  With Reid out, maybe the dems could gather the courage to change the rules and either modify the filibuster provision or eliminate it completely.  With the Citizens United decision hanging over their heads the democrats need to take decisive action or they may end up being the party that is an afterthought when, by all rights, that role should fall to the republicans. 

If you haven’t figured out yet that the republicans have gained control of both the media and the courts just think first of the Citizens United decision and then secondly, think about if you heard or read ANYTHING about the demonstration in Washington last weekend by “progressives” which drew arguably a comparable or greater audience to the Glenn Beck “tea” fest on the anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a dream” speech on the Washington Mall?  When Beck’s crew was there and during the weeks before, that’s all we heard about.  I had to look around, but I found a picture of the crowd last weekend and it appeared to me to be every bit as large as Beck’s crowd – and, I only point this out for two reasons.  Again, almost NO ONE reported on it and secondly, for all the LIBERALS out there thinking about staying home because the dems are going to lose, MAKE SURE YOU VOTE.  And, I get the disappointment with Obama and the democrats (again, check my archives for the details) but, let me be clear; When I cast my democratic vote, I’ll be voting AGAINST republicans, not for democrats! 

If you are concerned about republicans taking over congress again and you’re reading this post – please tell someone else to make sure they vote.  And, if they’re disappointed in democrats, ask them to hold their noses and vote against the republicans like I’m going to do – trust that there’s a groundswell of people like me who are going to keep pushing for more progressive democrats – starting at the top with Obama.  If you don’t want to talk about it – email this post or something like it, to people who are on the fence and might not vote without a little prodding.  It really is time we “take back America,” and we need to take it back from the greedy corporate “heads” who are bankrolling these unsuspecting “tea partiers” so that their corporations can continue the pillaging of the American taxpayer in collusion with the republican party.

For years I’ve observed Americans (sometimes myself, I’m sure) casually commenting on how “ALL” of our politicians are LIARS.  Yet, up until recently, I’ve never given much thought to what that means – or what is the end result of our voters internalizing this “FACT” without hardly a second thought.  I guess what’s happening with me is I’m FINALLY having that “second thought.”  I’m even trying to make a distinction between “stretching” the truth and out and out BLATANT lying.  Those of us in America who’ve seemingly figured out how to solve all the problems seem convinced that whatever it is “we” think is “right” and what “they” think is wrong.  I’m saying this in the context that I’m as guilty as anyone from that perspective.  However, I TRY to draw the line with the out and out LYING as I continuously ponder my own perspective.

It’s hard not to be guilty of “stretching the truth” when one is giving one’s own opinions – everything is framed from the perspective of the experiences of the person expressing his/her thinking.  I mean, I often realize that with some of my opinions there seemingly is NO “truth.”  Like the saying “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”  We should be able to process each other’s opinions in a manner which increases everyone’s thinking.  That would be something in the neighborhood of the ideal.  Yet, in America at this time – at least in the political spectrum – it seems as if there is always a BATTLE going on for POWER – at any cost – with some individuals clearly ascribing to the “win at all costs” or “the ends justifies the means” approach to politics.

Unfortunately, in my view, this “environment” is mainly fostered by the republican party which has been “hijacked” by the so-called “tea party” and has been put under the “spell” of Rupert Murdoch (Australian right winger), Roger Ailes (Republican “hack”), Al Waleed bin Talal (Saudi sheik who funded bin Laden) and the other “lap dogs” (see there I go with my own “opinions”) of Fox “news.”  As someone who grew up in the 50’s and 60’s the idea of a “news” corporation being “home base” for a political party is UNTHINKABLE!  I keep wondering when Americans are going to come to their senses and solve that problem by tuning Fox OUT.  I mean, Murdoch is openly giving MILLIONS to republican political organizations and who knows how much he’ll spoon out secretively through “Citizens United.”  I can only stomach Fox “news” for short periods of time because the absurdity of what comes out of the mouths of people like Shaun Hannity, Glenn Beck, and Bill O’Reilly is shocking to me when I take the time to process what is really behind their lies. 

I’m getting impatient with adults I know who are unable to “get” what Fox is doing (along with Rush Limbaugh, Lars Larson, Michael Savage, and the rest of the right wing propaganda “machine”).  I mean, the last time I watched Hannity he was interviewing Sharron Angle, somehow the republican nominee for the senate in Nevada.  Talk about someone throwing their “guest” a bunch of “softballs.”  This was like SLOWPITCH softball and a paid advertisement for Angle.  They call themselves “news” people, but their “hidden” agenda IS NOT HIDDEN!  In this situation, it wasn’t long before Angle was “bragging” about how much money she raised by appearing on Hannity’s show and how that was the type of media exposure she was willing to submit to – spots where the interviewer would ask the “right” questions so that she could make her pitch for more campaign donations!  To me, this was UNBELIEVABLE – despite the fact I saw and heard it with my own eyes and ears.  I saw Sarah Paling on Hannity’s show once, and he was doing the same thing – it was almost as if he needed her approval prior to asking any questions.  In other words, Fox provides a service for the people they are promoting – NOT the audience. (keep in mind, there was a day when I would have voted for republicans – NO MORE!)

In fact, it’s sad what happens with the audience because I have personal acquaintences who actually believe this stuff (of course, almost everyone of them also believe Rush Limbaugh – I can’t even bring myself to listen to him at all anymore because the frequency of his LYING simply turns my stomach).  And, it turns unsuspecting people, who otherwise appear to be good hard working middle class Americans, into radical fanatics.  I’ll give you an example:  The other day I was driving home from work and there was a car in front of me with large letters all over the back (it was a van) which said, “Obama is not a Christian.  He approves the sins of abortion and homosexuality and he favors illegal immigration and the destruction of our county.”  Right under those words (in the kind of “stick on” letters you get at Home Depot for your mailbox) was a large sign that said “Jesus Saves” with a large cross between Jesus and Saves.  Next to “Jesus” was a Bush/Cheney bumber sticker and a “W” bumper sticker.  Now, that one really almost made me PUKE!

These people are not only hijacking the republican party, but they’re attempting to hijack Christianity – which, of course, is impossible.  It’s not impossible to get people such as the guy driving the van in front of me to buy into their CRAP, but it’s impossible to change a message of love into a message of hate – no matter how hard they try.  What is ironic to me would be the “Christians” – such as the guy driving in front of me – being so willing to PROCLAIM such an UNCHRISTIAN message!  At first, I was really angry at what I was reading on the guy’s car – but, when I calmed down I realized that maybe I should be praying for him – if I can somehow manage to keep from having my own faith hijacked.  What on earth is going on here?

People disagreeing with the President of the United States is nothing new.  I’ve been doing it for nearly half a century – and, it was part of America’s political environment long before I was a gleam in my father’s eye.  In fact, not much that is happening in America right now is new – except that we have a person of color as our President – and, anyone who believes that’s not an issue is, in my view, fooling themselves.  How could, for instance, the guy who was driving right in front of me believe all that stuff about Obama?  If he did a little research he would know that President Obama has been a Christian believer for over 20 years – say what you want about “The Reverend Wright” – if you’ve ever been in a Black church you know that we’re talking about some passionate believers.  And, to suggest that Obama believes in abortion is absurd.  Does he maybe have an issue with some people on how to best deal with the issue?  That would be a reasonable assumption.  But, the bottom line – at least as far as I can conclude based on my Christian faith – is that the person having the abortion is the one who ultimately will answer for the decision.  Obama’s desire to create an atmosphere where abortions are less in demand is a sensable approach in my mind to an issue that is just not realistically going to go away.

How does one explain going around with a “W” sticker on their car along side an out and out Bush/Cheney sticker and then criticize Obama for his stance on illegal immigration and gay rights.  Dick Cheney, who’s daughter is openly gay, is a proponent of gay rights and the Bush administration was pushing an immigration reform policy that was far more lenient than President Obama.  Do I have the answers?  Of course not – but, I’m convinced that people like this guy with the offensive stickers all over his car are reacting to what’s heard on the TV or radio.  I thought about following him just so I could interview him to find out where he got his “information” – but, decided that might be foolish.  However, I’d bet just about everything I have (not much) that the guy’s  a Fox viewer and listens to Limbaugh and/or Beck on the radio.  (possibly to the second rate “voices” such as Larson and Savage)

The end result is that people like this guy and many of our “fresh” politicians from the “tea party” are using the word “Jesus” to send a convoluted message to anyone stupid enough to listen to them.  Many people hear the word Jesus and automatically assume whoever’s using it must be telling the truth – without ANY FACT CHECKING!  Are you kidding me?  Does anyone out there really think Glenn Beck’s message is from Jesus?  Or is it more realistic that to Beck $35 MILLION isn’t enough – he wants to make more than Rush’s supposed $400 MILLION? 

I’m not totally sure what motivates these people.  Is it just to regain power?  Is it the money?  Or is there a deeper motive that involves some kind of authoritarian society that someone’s (somewhere) figured a way to achieve – by USING THE SYSTEM against itself?  Their plan? – since the days of Reagan was to apparently take over the air waves, control the courts, and then the legislative and executive branches of government.  I believe that “Citizens United” was the final “nail” in their plan – they’ve got the airwaves and the courts – that decision allows them to have a possibly insurmountable advantage on controlling congress and the White House in the future.  People like Beck, Limbaugh, Palin, Angle, and the others are very likely “pawns” in a scheme that may be extremely difficult to “undress” if the democrats lose their control of congress in November.  Even if they hold on, it will take a change in the democrats willingness to “fight” in order to turn back this corporate takeover of America.  The first step?  A willingness to be honest and transparent with the American people (one of Obama’s promises unkept – although, as of late I sense possibly a change for the better).  The goal?  Americans wouldn’t assume “ALL ” politicians are LIARS!

I’ve just finished reading Joseph Stiglitz’ “FreeFall” which is an excellent read about the “bursting” of the mortgage “bubble,” the response by both the Bush and Obama administrations, and America’s economy in general.  Let me preface anything I might say in this post with the disclaimer that I’m no economist and much of what I’ve been reading simply goes over my head.  I never finished “Bad Money” by Kevin Phillips – it was just too “heavy” for me – although what I remember about it is how inciteful Phillips was in his writing (actually, I’ve started re-reading it).  Essentially, pointing out how America’s reckless economic policies were headed for a fall – what Stiglitz refers to as the bursting of the bubble.  I did manage to get through Michael Lewis’ “The Big Short” which gave a great “snapshot” of the subprime abuses, the securitization of bad mortgages that were sold by the “too big to fail banks” by the TRILLIONS, the rating agencies who were virtually incompetent, the bankers motivated by GREED, and the small number of investors who got rich off of the backs of all the unsuspecting retirement accounts because they were smart enough to load up on “credit default swaps” – which I still don’t understand.

In my mind, economics should be simple.  It’s about the money supply in the nation.  The flow of money from one person’s hand to another’s in a manner which contributes to the well being of all.  The American economy is NOT healthy at this point in time.  I don’t care which president is trying to convince me otherwise, the evidence is overwhelmingly suggesting we have BIG – no HUGE – problems in America.  The “crash” which hit high gear in about September of 2008 – shortly after John McCain had proclaimed “the fundamentals of our economy remain strong” – OK, is anyone surprised at ANOTHER example of McCain being almost a comparable baffon to GW Bush? (God help him for unleashing Sarah Palin on the rest of us)is far from over.  The response of, first, the Bush administration and, then, the Obama administration suggest that we still have not elected leaders who truly believe in “the change we can believe in.”  Essentially, George W Bush abandoned EVERY economic principle his administration “touted” (we all know; not much of what they said meant what they said) by instituting the “TROUBLED ASSET RELIEF PROGRAM.”  This was an unimagineable “boon” to the banks who created the mess in the first place.  Essentially, telling these banks they were more important than EVERYONE else in America.  It still bothers me just to write this.  Then, along came President Obama and we got more of the same – debt relief for the Wall Street banks that not only got them off the hook for their cavalier behavior – but, allowed them to basically go right back to the same behavior – we taxpayers GAVE THEM BONUSES in the Billions for ruining our retirement accounts!  Unbelievable.

Compare this to Obama’s treatment of General Motors.  Not only was General Motors forced into a controlled bankruptcy where the stockholders lost EVERYTHING, but the CEO was CANNED!  The government essentially took over the largest car manufacturer in the WORLD!  Have you ever asked yourself why they didn’t take the same approach with Wall Street?  Have you wondered why all the shareholders of Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, and Citigroup came out with value in their shares?  These companies were BANKRUPT!  Traditionally, when banks become insolvent, the common  shareholders are wiped out (as in General Motors) and the preferred shareholders and bondholders fight over what’s left.  Why didn’t this happen with the Wall Street banks?  And, why were these executives who allowed this to happen not only still working but receiving bonuses in the MILLIONS?  Think about this – what kind of message did “we the people” through our gutless (or maybe shareholder?) leaders send to Wall Street.  I’m sure as I’m writing this they think they’re more important now than ever.  And, they may be right – because I believe the amount of America’s economy they control has increased significantly since this fiasco.

I’m going to attempt to process some of my many thoughts after finishing Stiglitz’ book – it is very intellectually stimulating – even for a non economics person as myself.   And, I’m going to try to focus on what was done after the “meltdown” because, for all intents and purposes, it no longer matters what happened prior to that.  Bush/Cheney are gone (certainly not forgotten, at least by me) and now President Obama and his “team” are “steering the ship.”  And, I “get” that you have to “steer the ship” gradually – you can’t “turn on a dime” – but, as I’ve been pointing out since prior to Obama’s inauguration (there I go, patting myself on the back again), his economic team left a lot to be desired.  In fact, you could make a significant argument that most of his economic advisors were “right in the middle” of the mess I would just love to leave at the feet of George W Bush.

Make no mistake, George W Bush and Dick Cheney were INSTRUMENTAL in creating the climate which led to the meltdown.  And, the TARP program conceived by Hank Paulsen was unforgivable in my mind.  That being said, when President Obama and his “team” entered the scene they pretty much took the same approach they took with Iraq – essentially a “Bush-lite” approach – that is, a continuance of the Bush policies with no noticeable changes.  The banks continued to receive government support – most people have no idea how much support they’ve been promised.  The Stiglitz book confirms what I had heard – and claimed on this site – that America’s taxpayers are potentially on the “hook” for TENS OF TRILLIONS in bad investments by these Wall Street behemoths.  Siglitz called the response to the crisis by both the Bush and Obama administrations as “muddling.”  Meaning, neither were willing to take dramatic steps to address a HUGE problem and then instituting policies which were INTENDED to return things to “the way the were” before the crash. (the sad truth: we’ve returned to the way we were before the crash)

Here’s the main problem with that approach.  Things were REALLY BAD prior to the “crash.”  When you look closer at the economic statistics for the previous 30 years the results are sobering.  When you combine that with the realities facing America’s society today, taking a “business as usual” approach to a problem like this is unacceptable.  (I want to say COWARDLY because so many of our politicians have been bought and sold by the large corporations who are attempting to hijack this nation – but, I’ll save that argument for another day)  Not only were the shareholders of many of America’s largest banks “bailed out” but there wasn’t ONE investigation of the whole mess that I’ve heard of – save for the one lawsuit brought against Goldman Sachs for essentially selling bundled securities with one hand while “betting” on their failure with the other!  I find that incredible in itself – and worthy of more than a casual investigation by the SEC – SOMEONE SHOULD BE IN JAIL for that one!

We’re listening to the Obama administration (with support from people like Paulsen, and Bernanke) claim that their actions in continuing the bank bailouts and the so-called stimulus package saved us from going into a “GREAT DEPRESSION.”  That may well be true, but for how long?  After reading “FreeFall” I can see a clear argument that we’re just putting off the inevitable.  (In fact, I’ve even heard people claim that we’re NOW in a depression) Yes, the banks are (and have been since early in Obama’s Presidency) back to their misbehavior – gambling with cheap money provided by “we the people.”  They have developed some VERY BAD habits – and it’s going to be HARD to get them to change without getting rid of many of the people controlling the institutions (they have millions to spend on politicians so they might remain secure in their jobs).  The time to do that (getting rid of the execs) was when the banks were insolvent!  These people are now working behind the scenes to bring republicans back to power so they can have further free reign on this economy.  They are skimming profits in the TRILLIONS and many Americans – including the tea partiers – are blindly getting ready to open the floodgates to the treasury AGAIN by voting republicans back into control of Congress!  What’s that saying about the meaning of the word INSANITY?

According to Stiglitz (and this is just a small “snapshot” of his book) the shareholders of Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Bear Stearns, etc. – the banks that were insolvent – should have been eliminated through an organized bankruptcy and the executives should have been fired.  Stiglitz also agreed with me (and many others) that the Obama “stimulus” package was too small, included tax cuts that were not “stimulative” enough, and – in effect – targeted too much money in the wrong direction.  This was an opportunity for America to address some of the glaring challenges that MUST be dealt with in the next few years.  For some reason, we Americans keep wanting to increase our already overblown living standards when we’re CLEARLY creating a NON-SUSTAINABLE economy and society.  How desperate are we going to have to get before the majority of Americans are going to be willing to face our REAL problems in a REAL way?

What I hadn’t thought about as I was clammoring for more money for infrastructure in Obama’s stimulus package was that if we simply rebuild what we have we are in essence planning to continue doing things the same way for the foreseable future.  For example, should we be funneling stimulus funds into rebuilding existing roads or into creating more MASS TRANSIT in our cities?  Rebuilding our existing roads simply encourages us to continue using fossil fuels at a rate that is unsustainable.  Maybe, after the “meltdown” that should have been a time for change.  Since the meltdown (this might be my inference and not part of the book) President Obama has opened up more “offshore drilling” leases when an emphasis on more wind power, solar power, and other forms of renewable energy would be money better spent with our children and grandchildren in mind.  Are we simply going to pass these problems on to them?

Stiglitz book was way to “much” for me to discuss in one post, but another point it clearly made was the contrast between the “market” economists and the Keynesian economists.  Essentially – no-regulation vs regulation.  He makes a compelling argument about the absurdity of the devotees of Milton Friedman – called the Chicago economists – their philosophy referred to by Natalie Klein as the “shock doctrine” – where they look for these catastrophic situations to cramm their greedy, self centered ideas on the “masses” with the resulting rush of money to the people at the “top.”  History and statistics both do not support what the “right wing” continue to claim is the answer to our “woes” – a “market” economy.  Since the days of Reagan – real wages in America for the middle class has gone DOWN!  We have experienced one bubble bursting after another in the past 30+ years and everytime this happens the “rich get richer” and the “poor get poorer.”  I’m just wondering when America is going to wake up to all this?

Republicans (with the help of some democrats) have been chipping away at the New Deal regulations which – while being enforced created a stable American economy – since Reagan moved into the White House.  Until the mid nineties these “too big to fail” banks like Goldman and Citigroup would have been impossible.  Robert Rubin (Clinton’s Treasury Secretary) and Larry Summers (Obama’s economic advisor) were instrumental, along with republicans like Phil Gramm, in repealing regulations such as Glass Seagull from the books allowing companies like Citibank to acquire insurance companies, securities firms and investment firms.  Rubin left Clinton’s administration to become CEO of Citigroup (the conglomerate he helped make possible), Hank Paulsen was the CEO of Goldman Sachs prior to creating the TARP bailout program, and Summers was a true Wall Street – Goldman type insider as well.  This has been an assault on the American taxpayers by people who believe they are more valuable and brighter than anyone else in the country – as Stiglitz calls them, “risk managers who are unable to manage risk.”  The people who support this type of policy (mainly republicans) are proposing more of the same.  And yet, we’re hearing in the news that America’s voters are going to put them back into office.

These people complain about the deficit (well, actually they weren’t complaining when Bush was in office) and then push for a continuance of Bush’s “tax cuts for the wealthy” – which is tax cuts for the top 1 – 2 percent – suddenly and apparently no longer worried about the deficit.  Personally, I hope the democrats allow all the tax cuts to expire – including the ones aimed at me – which would cut about 3.7 TRILLION from the projected deficit in the next 10 years.  At some point the American public is going to have to come to grips with the FACT that if you want something you should pay for it.  Arguing about what is wanted – that is, what republicans would want vs what I would want – if that was the choice – will be left for another day.  The point I’ve tried to make this evening is that of late – whoever’s steering the ship of America’s economy isn’t turning the rudder very far democrat or republican.  Until we stop cowering to the Wall Street bankers, America will continue to slip toward being a second rate nation!  While we’re all busy telling ourselves that “we’re the best” at everything – the rest of the world is passing us by – and wondering what’s gone wrong with the American people?  If we allow the “tea party” to influence our political process we could very well be headed toward isolationism – involuntarily!

I have to add at this point – the democrats in the senate are not even willing to have a “fight” with republicans over “tax cuts for the rich” – so the chances of “the change we can believe in” actually happening grow dimmer with each passing day.  This when their argument could simply be that during the Clinton years – before the taxcuts – the economy produced over 20 MILLION jobs while after the tax cuts it produced about 3 million – what the hell are the democrats afraid of???  If you haven’t read any of my previous posts, check the archive for what I’ve written about the failure of President Obama to allow investigations of the Bush/Cheney administration.  In my mind – one of the GREAT blunders of any American president.  Ultimately, if Obama’s term as president ends with failure, that will be the decision which paved the way for all the other shortcomings.  Feeling a need to depend on democrats to overcome this republican assault on America is DEPRESSING!

I believe John McCain managed, in 2008, to reduce his legacy to two words, “Sarah Palin.”  He unleashed this woman on America, a small percentage of Americans are “on board,” the democrats are almost acting as if they wish she would run for president, and my feelings are that as much as the woman turns me off – be careful of what you wish for.  While I do think her candidacy, if it managed to evolve into the republican nomination, would “wake up” the left – I’ve seen so many “dirty tricks” over the years by republicans that I think the democrats laugh off her prospects at their peril.  Remember Ronald Reagan – he was a fringe candidate until someone in the background figured out how to get him elected.  George W Bush – just Google some of his misstatements if you haven’t figured out what a bafoon he was – the republicans figured out how to get him into the White House despite the fact he LOST the election of 2000 and arguably the election of 2004 as well.  So, the more I hear democratic “pundits” scoffing at Palin and some of the outrageous things she’s doing and saying the more it makes me nervous that she could have a material effect on the upcoming elections.  (and, keep in mind – as stated here many times – the effects of “Citizens United” are still undetermined, but in my mind I feel confident in guaranteeing you the people who are in favor of that decision will also be in favor of Palin, SCARRY!)

I was reading the Washington Post today and there was an article about a Palin speech in IOWA (hint, hint – do you think she’s got her eye on 2012?) where she “hits Obama and GOP establishment.”  Regarding the “GOP establishment” she’s pushing for the republican “leaders” to get behind all these right wing “tea party” candidates, such as Sharron Angle in Nevada, Rand Paul in Kentucky, Christine O’Donnell in Delaware, Joe Miller in Alaska – who wants to end social security, medicare, and unemployment insurance, and others who HATE government.  They HATE government so much that they want to run it – presumably so they can eliminate as much of it as they can.  Of course, that’s what George W Bush and Dick Cheney were doing – or at least attempting to do.  They were eliminating regulations, but they couldn’t manage to avoid the temptation of using government to funnel as much of America’s tax dollars as possible to their “friends” – like Halliburton, Blackwater, KBR, Wall Street (Goldman Sachs, AIG, Morgan Stantley, et al), BP, and I could go on and on.  In fact, Alaska got a heaping share of America’s tax dollars while Palin was governor – remember the “bridge to nowhere” that she supported until it was necessary to come out against “earmarks” as the republican candidate for VP (as if republicans didn’t do earmarks)?  The regulations they eliminated are the ones put in place during the “New Deal” designed to protect “we the people” from things like the “Great Recession” which is happening as I write this.

Just as these right wing candidates should be easy targets in the upcoming election, Palin should be a “sitting duck” of a candidate should she choose to run.  Maybe she’s just cashing in on her “fame” and raking in as much money as she can – that is the republican way – if there’s money out there to grab – GRAB IT!  To hell with the FACT that ONE IN SEVEN Americans are stuck in poverty, we’ve lost ELEVEN MILLION jobs since the day George W Bush took office, and over 50 MILLION Americans (and counting) are without health insurance.  Government is not for them, it’s for the rich who will someday decide to trickle some of their cash down to the needy.  That’s what Palin calls government from the bottom up – as with most republicans, if they (republicans) say something, look in the opposite direction for the truth.

However, some of what she says should be looked at closely and someone, somewhere, should cause her to give a thorough explanation of her remarks.  For example, in her speech in Iowa Palin said, “It’s the voters who will stop these leftist policies, the voters will stop this fundamental transformation of America that’s not good for America. It’s the patriots who will restore America.”  Of course, she’s referring to the policies President Obama has been attempting to initiate – but, more often than not – prevented from doing so by a minority of 41 Senators and a spineless democratic group of senators.  (and, by the way, wasn’t it these same voters who put President Obama in office in the first place?  Or, do the people who voted for him not count as “patriots?”)  She goes on to say, “It is time for renewal and a restoration of constitutional principles, and it may take some renegades going rogue to get us there.”  What the hell does she mean by that?  When is someone going to call this woman on this inciteful rhetoric?  In the 2008 election she was inciting her crowds to the point where they were shouting “kill him” referring to then Senator Barack Obama.  Someone needs to get this woman under control!

Keep in mind that Chuck Norris – of “Walker Texas Ranger” fame – another of the whacko right wingers in this country, was quoted as saying there are thousands of “cells” of people ready to “act” when the time is right (again, presumably against Obama’s administration – what this “act” would be Norris left to our imagination).  Sharron Angle, the whacko candidate for the Senate in Nevada made referrence to “2nd amendment remedies” when talking about “progressive” policies of the democrats and Obama should people like her not be elected.  I’ll let you make the connection between what all these nut jobs are saying. 

Personally, I don’t think President Obama has gone nearly far enough to the “left.”  For me, and I believe many other people who would be considered his “base,” he’s way to moderate.  I don’t see any reason to even talk to these people on the “right” fringes – they are NUTS!  But, they’ve got a LOT OF MONEY, they’ve got their own private army (Blackwater – now called Xe services to minimize publicity from their murderous activities in Iraq and Afganistan), and they’ve been ginning up people who think that Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, and Fox “news” tell the truth.  Plus, Fox “news” and Rupert Murdoch are part of their “team.”  I’m honestly starting to look at these people as the “enemy” instead of people I disagree with.  Unfortunately, the democrats don’t appear to have much of a mechanism (besides “we the people”) to counter this right wing onslaught.

Remember also, both the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections were arguably won with the use of HACKED, or rigged, voting machines.  How far have we come since then.  Well, I can’t answer that any more than to say that the issue of rigged voting machines has certainly made its way to the back pages of the country’s dialogue.  Does that mean the problem’s been solved? Or, does that mean that we’re just going to get “hammered” again when we’re not looking and end up with another illegitimate president?  (re: George W Bush)  This is a WAR for America’s heart and soul – I know, if you’ve been reading many of my posts, I keep pointing this out – but, it’s the progressive leaders of our country who have to realize this.  Lately, I’ve been a bit encouraged by some of the “progressive” talkers on the radio who are framing the issue more along these lines.  Ed Schultz (and others) has a “march on Wahsington” scheduled for October 2nd and I’m hoping this type of rhetoric is used at that rally.  Somehow, despite the disappointment with some of President Obama’s decisions, the progressives (OK, I’m going to say it – LIBERALS!) in this nation need to wake up.  The way to get Obama’s attention isn’t to allow people like Angle, Paul, O’Donnell, Miller, and the others to invade our Senate for the next – what could conceivably be a miserable – 6 years.  Remember how bad it was enduring GW Bush and Dick Cheney?  Well, this could rival that.  We would then have a democratic president negotiating with these fanatical people with the hope of getting something done.  What’s the saying? “Don’t hold your breath.”

Do you find it interesting that many on the “left” are saying virtually the same thing as Palin in regards to her activities and the “religious right’s” attempt to take over our government?  For example, couldn’t “the voters will stop this fundamental transformation of America that’s not good for America. It’s the patriots who will restore America.” be coming from a liberal who wants to stop people like Palin?  Doesn’t their assault on the 1st, 4th, and 14th amendments of our constitution make you want to say “It is time for renewal and a restoration of constitutional principles?”  And, when she talks about the “will of the voters” is she forgetting that 70 MILLION voters voted President Obama into office instead of her and the shamed McCain?  When are the American people going to wake up to the fact that people like Sarah Palin and her ilk can’t stand having a person of color in the “White” house ?  None of her arguments make any sense, yet she continues to rake in the millions and is given credibility on the Aussie and Saudi run Fox “news” channel.  Give the woman credit for doing a great job of being greedy, but – as a leader – let’s hope not.  The fundamental values that made this nation great are the very ones that Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Fox “news,” and the other right wing whackos want to destroy!  Again, this is a WAR!

As I stated previously, there seems no end in sight to things to write about – especially considering that what motivated all this in the first place was my frustration with the direction of this nation during the Bush/Cheney administration.  I was clear at the inception of President Obama’s administration that I was not going to be a “rubber stamp” for his policies, a claim that I believe I’ve clearly lived up to.  I started pointing out the “deficiencies” as I saw them from day one of his first term in office.  Now, we’re approaching the dreaded midterms of any president’s first term and the republicans are beating the drums as if they will retake control of congress.  I have to say that I still have enough confidence in America’s voters to believe that is mostly “Fox” hype – but, just in case, I feel compelled to express myself about that possibility AGAIN!  That is, I’ve repeatedly pointed out how degenerate the republicans are – and the “tea partiers” are worse – and that we are in a battle for the soul of this nation.  This battle is the WAR of significance that America is engaged in and, unfortunately, I’m worried that the republicans have succeeded in getting the democrats to focus their attention toward the “wars” in Iraq and Afganistan.  Seriously, candidates such as Sharon Angle and Rand Paul shouldn’t be that difficult to defeat – unless you are the present day SPINELESS democratic party which doesn’t seem to understand the fight they’re engaged in.

Do you remember how Scott Brown “snuck up” on the democrats and took Ted Kennedy’s seat in Massachusetts which had been in democratic “hands” for over half a century?  In essence, the democrats took the voters in Massachusetts “for granted.”  They simply assumed they would win and they basically defeated themselves – doing untold damage to their party in the process.  Well, I’ve been pointing out the problems with the Obama administration and the democratic caucus in the senate taking the “progressives” for granted since before President Obama took his oath.  They have been turning good people off to the entire process.  If the democrats lose, it will be almost by default.  There is no way that people like Angle and Paul will garner majorities of the voters in their states – even Paul being in such a “red” state as Kentucky – if the democrats had not been so SPINELESS over the past two years there would be no way for these “whack jobs” as they are being called (sometimes even by republicans) to win public office.  If you’ve ever listened to this Angle lady she is the Nevada version of Sarah Palin.  Don’t get her anywhere near a live microphone because she’ll say something REALLY stupid!  It will be like having a neighborhood “soccer mom” who knows NOTHING about the real workings of our government – helping to run our government.

Many of the “tea partiers” are preaching for an end to social security, medicare, and other government programs which serve as “insurance” for MILLIONS of Americans who have been paying into the programs for years.  Angle was quoted (I actually heard her say this) as saying there should be no unemployment benefits for people out of work because it causes them to not look for work.  Obviously, she’s never been in that situation – I actually know nothing of her own circumstances – but, I’m guessing she’s in a pretty stable family situation financially.  Based on what I heard her say, she has no idea that unemployment benefits are INSURANCE benefits which are part of what the employers pay for their employees.  Is this woman advocating that employers shouldn’t have to pay any benefits for their employees?  That’s what it sounds like to me.  Eliminate social security, medicare, and unemployment benefits.  I also believe she would be opposed to public education (one of the main drivers that has made this nation what it is – in fact, I’m guessing it’s even possible she has received some of these benefits herself), health reform, and the reform of Wall Street.  I believe she was one of the people who referred to the money that President Obama got BP to put up for the benefit of all the people adversely affected by the deepwater horizon oil spill as a shakedown.  Both her and Rand Paul agreed, in regards to BP’s destroying of much of the Gulf’s fisheries, etc., that “accidents happen” as if our president was exceeding his authority by expecting BP to pay for their reckless behavior.

What is frustrating to many “progressives” is the UGLY possibility that the very people who created the HORRIBLE mess we find ourselves in will actually get back in “power” by taking control of congress (I suppose we’d find out real soon whether President Obama had the courage to stand up to them in that instance).  Yet, they are having a hard time getting behind the democrats who seem to be too much like business as usual – with a democratic “twist.”  That is, still all the backroom deals, still all the influence of lobbyists, still all the stomach wrenching “cave-ins” to the money people,  and still the taking for granted of the base.  As with Scott Brown in Massachusetts, I’ve believed for some time that the “base” is not willing to be taken for granted.  They are expecting the democrats to roll up their sleeves and take up the battle.  Does anyone else besides me feel as if the democrats wouldn’t notice they were about to be run over by a truck until the truck was right on top of them?  Makes me crazy – going back and forth between my realization that the PROBLEM is definitely the mean spirited, greedy republicans to seeing the PROBLEM as the SPINELESS democrats who are simply willing to do anything to make it look as if they’re getting stuff done – but, NEVER really making a principled stand!

How could it be so difficult to defeat a party which created MASSIVE debt in this country over the previous 30+ years? – this is documentable! Why is it so hard to defeat a party which is STILL trying to provide tax cuts for the WEALTHY who don’t need them AND is willing to hold tax cuts for the other 98% of Americans as hostage to their wishes?  Why is it so hard to defeat a party which still believes that TORTURE is acceptable and provides “actionable intelligence” when ALL reputable FACTS point in the opposite direction?  Why is it so hard to defeat a party which claims to be “resting” on the constitution yet so willingly defies it (again, PROVABLE)?  Why can’t democrats make a focused argument against a party which undermined the very fabric that holds this nation together which is our justice department?  How can democrats not defeat a party which condoned a CIA agent being “outed” for political retribution or encouraged members to defy subpoenas from congress (without consequence, I might add – see, Karl Rove and Harriet Myers)?  I could go on – but, all of these issues are UN-AMERICAN and they’re being PUSHED by people who aren’t American – Rupert Murdoch (Australian right winger) and his Saudi Sheik who’s funneled $3 BILLION into Murdoch’s “News Corp” – the parent company of Fox “news?” (If you’ve been under a rock for the past 10 years it was Saudi’s who attacked us on 9/11 – you would never know it because we are so addicted to their oil)

President Obama and the democrats need to take stock of what they’re doing – AND FAST!  There should be no way these republicans could get anywhere near a majority in Congress.   If the democrats don’t start exhibiting the willingness to take on the fight – this country, as we’ve known it for the last 50 years, is “at risk.”  I have no idea how much “Citizens United” will impact us in future years, but the time to overcome it is NOW and democrats appear to be running scared from it from my vantage point.  I’ll give you a quick senopsis on how you’ll know if they’re up for the battle.  If the dems give in on the tax cuts and President Obama goes along – we can “throw in the towel” for at least the next few years.  I still don’t think many Americans realize how dangerous that decision is to our future and our country as we know it (I’m talking about the Citizens United Supreme Court decision).  Unfortunately, by the time they realize it, it could be too late.

On my way home from work tonight I listened to “progressive talker” Randi Rhodes extolling the virtues of what President Obama has done along with the democrats – and, it’s definitely a darned sight better than what any republican might “offer.”  Yet, the progressives – er liberals (why can’t we say that word?) are LONGING for the day when our government is run differently – benefitting the people at the bottom more than the people at the top.  We voted Obama into office along with ALMOST a filibuster proof majority in Congress to END “TRICKLE DOWN” economics FOR GOOD!   They are better, but we still have 50,000 troops in Iraq (which Rhodes tonight admitted are going to be there indefinitely – like Korea) – that isn’t progressive leadership, that’s caving into the military industrial complex.  Rhodes NEVER talks about how Obama BLOCKED all investigations of Bush/Cheney – including investigations of WAR CRIMES as if we’re supposed to just be happy that he’s better than republicans.  That decision alone could come back to haunt us all over and over again in the future – I mean, republicans are still arguing the virtues of Bush and how all the “complaints” against his policies were unfounded – President Obama made those claims credible to millions of Americans.  President Obama chose Tim Geithner and Larry Summers as his top economic advisors and, as Joseph Stiglitz put it (and me and many others), we’ve been “muddling” through this recession ever since.

President Obama’s first “cave-in” to republicans was on the original “stimulus” package which (I argued this on the site before it was passed) was WAY TOO SMALL and had too many “middle class” tax cuts that could have been spent more wisely.  It’s almost as if Obama wanted amunition to beat the republicans at their own game (still claiming he cut taxes for 95% of Americans – which is true) instead of taking them on and PROVING to the American public that we have turned the corner from their “voodoo economics” for good.  As was predicted by many at the time, the jobs part of the stimulus needed to be much greater and we’re paying the price for that mistake today.  Rhodes (and Obama) point out (accurately) all the jobs which were saved – but, they don’t readily talk about how even Geithner predicted that this was going to be a “jobless” recovery in its first stages – which, to me, is an unacceptable approach to spurring our economy back to health.  As Stiglitz points out in his book “FreeFall” the Obama administration is attempting to restore us to the economy we had before the crash instead of making the changes necessary to move us forward in the future.  And, it does appear to me that the large Wall Street banks such as Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley are back to similar behavior as before the meltdown – only, now they’re working with virtually “free money” from the Fed – getting money @ 0% interest from taxpayers and then GAMBLING it in the different markets.  Chances are good, in my view, that they’re simply creating the next “bubble.”  Everyone should know by now that these “bubbles” eventually burst, and the result is devastating to many unsuspecting members of the middle class.  Wall Street walked away from the last disaster with BILLIONS in undeserved bonuses while MILLIONS of Americans saw their retirement accounts demolished – and, yet we’re back to business as usual.

My message to the president and to people like Rhodes who seem to be cheerleaders for anything he does is that “we the people” – at least the base that helped Obama win his present job – are not so stupid.  We’re not “f___ing retards” as we were so aptly annointed by none other than Rahm Emanuel – another of the problems dragging down President Obama – we had high expectations and being different than republicans really wasn’t it.  Rhodes tonight was again talking down to “progressives” who were trying to express their frustration with democrats – I think she feels that any negative talk simply helps the “right wing” in their attempt to regain control – but, she and the president need to understand that there are many more besides myself who are up for this fight – that is the fight to stop these republicans for good – but, we aren’t looking for republican-lite.  It was the New Deal which catapulted America to its position as leader of the free world and this 30 year republican assault on all that was good about it MUST BE reversed.  I still remember the audio of Franklin Roosevelt claiming that he “welcomed the hatred” of the right wing who were attacking him – I would love to hear something similar coming from Obama’s lips.

Of course, the solution to all these problems I have with our president and the democratic congress IS NOT to elect republicans – especially “tea partiers.”  I’m encouraging everyone I know to vote and vote against republicans.  The ideal solution would be to give the democrats a filibuster proof majority in the Senate and then there would be no more excuses.  But, since that is unlikely to happen, somehow we have to convince our president that we are expecting him to stop negotiating with these people and confront them – it’s just basic moral principle at stake.  Is our government going to be focused on “the least of these” in Jesus’ words, or are we going to continue to provide WELFARE for the corporate elite in so many different ways?  We know they are going to cry SOCIALIST at any attempt to cut off their flow of free money, but we have to cinch up our belts and band together for the fight.  The reality: there are many more workers – er middle class Americans – than elite corporate heads.  It might take a couple years to get this point across to the American people, but with Fox “news” on the air, it obviously won’t happen without a concerted focused effort by democrats being led by Barack Obama.  Social Security, Medicare, universal healthcare (still a dream), unemployment benefits, working wages, a green economy – all these things and more hang in the balance.

I keep looking at the number of posts I’ve made to this site thinking, “that’s enough.”  Then, I read the news, read another book, or in general just keep paying attention to “what’s going on” in this country that I love and another “thought” pops into my head.  Tonight I have so many thoughts that I’m not sure where I’m going with them.  I’m soon to complete “FreeFall” by Joseph Stiglitz which is a very intellectually stimulating book – all about our economy and the sorry state it’s in and the lack of direction it’s getting from “both sides of the isle.”  For sure I’ll be writing about that – if not tonight.  Then there’s the so-called “Mosque” two blocks from “ground zero” which is actually at least 4 blocks from ground zero, which isn’t a Mosque – but a “community center,” and which has been used by the republican party as their latest divisive tool for hate mongering and fear mongering.  The whack job in Florida who’s planning to burn the Korans – well, I wouldn’t even consider writing about him – the guy has a congregation of 50 people – but, the job the media has done to turn this guy into “major news” represents a lot of what is wrong with America right now – in my view – so, I could write about either him, or just write about that entire scenario.  I’ve written somewhat extensively already about “Citizens United,” the outrageous Supreme Court decision handed down by the Roberts Court which threatens to ruin this nation – and, I believe the reality of that decision is becoming clearer as each day passes and as republicans buy up TV time – in advance of the upcoming election – in an OVERT attempt to manipulate our electoral process.  That could be the most “needy” of the possible topics (I’m still finding almost all people – educated professional people – who I ask that DON’T even KNOW what Citizens United is!)  And, the list goes on (and on and on and on and……. I think you get my point)

Oh yes, it was reported today in the New York Times that a Federal Appeals Court ruled that detainees who had been tortured in CIA overseas prisons – such as Abu Ghraib, GITMO, Bagram, and some of the “extraordinary rendition” sites in places like Egypt and Morocco had no right for a “day in court.”  A three judge panel had found that detainees had the right to sue with “particular pieces of evidence” which were subject to the “states secrets” provision of legal precedence withheld (I don’t believe this, “state’s secrets,” is a law – it’s just an established “privilege” which American administrations have “pushed” to expand over the years with Bush/Cheney pushing the hardest – that is until Barack Obama apparently decided to “carry the torch” for them – ughhhh!) – that is, keeping information “secret” which could have an adverse effect on national security.  However, the Obama administration successfully argued that the entire case should be wiped out – essentially, these victims of TORTURE, have no legal redress against the VILLAINS who were TORTURING them!  I voted for Obama, I sent him money, the thought of republicans regaining power makes me sick to my stomach – BUT, his continuation of this CRAP – that is, following Bush policies in these despicable ways – just removes any enthusiasm I might have for his presidency.  I understood this deplorable, un-American stuff coming from an administration with Dick Cheney at the helm (for all practical purposes) – But, not from someone I so enthusiastically voted for.  I really do want my money back from Obama!  Barack Obama is doing everything he can to MAKE SURE there is NO ACCOUNTABILITY for the illegal activities of George W Bush and Dick Cheney.  The man who promised TRANSPARENCY is fighting for an expansion of the “states secret” privilege beyond anything we’ve seen in the past – UNBELIEVABLE!

Do you think that’s it?  Well, there’s more for all of you out there who got confused by President Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize.  His administration has authorized the C.I.A. to try to kill a United States citizen suspected of terrorism ties, blocked efforts by detainees in Afghanistan to bring habeas corpus lawsuits challenging the basis for their imprisonment without trial, and continued the C.I.A.’s so-called extraordinary rendition programof prisoner transfers.  This is all carryover from the Bush/Cheney agenda – not what I personally would call “The change I can believe in.”  Think about Iraq – President Obama went on national TV to tell us all that the “combat mission” in Iraq is over – all the while 50,000 troops remain.  He also said those troops will be home by the end of next year -and, if you believe that I have a bridge I would like to sell you.  Some how, I get the feeling that President Obama was convinced that he should take the “If you can’t beat them, join them” approach to dealing with our national security.  For some reason he’s more concerned with appeasing the republican backlash he’d get if he truly deserved that Nobel Peace Prize – if he had the GUTS to actually have brought the troops home in the 16 months he promised and left the restoring of Iraq to the Iraqi’s where it belongs.  There is no shortage of information out there which depicts the pressure any US President faces from the “military industrial complex” which Dwight D Eisenhower warned would be the “enemy within” if left unchecked.  It appears President Obama has decided to leave the battle to “real in” our corporatocracy which is basically a “WAR MACHINE” for a future president.  We all know that won’t be a republican – so, what kind of “choices” are we left with for the foreseeable future.

Essentially, that dearth of choices is what is getting somewhat depressing to me.  Radio personalities Ed Schultz, Randi Rhodes, Thom Hartman – all on the progressive side – make a good point that expressing disappointment with the “failings” of Obama should be done in another way than voting in the same people who created this HORRIBLE MESS that we Americans find ourselves in – both economically and politically.  It HAS taken about 30+ years of this supply side economics (so well described by George HW Bush as “Voodoo Economics” back in 1980), and this “creeping” military takeover of our economy has been gaining steam for the last 10 years for sure – and, probably for another 30 before that – so, it stands to reason that cleansing ourselves of this UNACCEPTABLE government behavior will take more than a couple of years.  Idealy, we should be planning how to give President Obama a more “progressive friendly” congress – that is, getting rid of the Ben Nelson’s, Blanche Lincoln’s, Mary Landrieu’s, and the others who sided with republicans on health care and other critical issues Americans want addressed by our leaders.

I listened to President Obama’s recent press conference – and, he is a brilliant man who was very impressive to say the least.  I so want to jump back on the bandwagon.  Then stories like him and his Attorney General Eric Holder blocking the rights of people who’ve been brutally beaten and tortured by the Bush/Cheney people and I just shake my head in wonderment – thinking, WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY COUNTRY?  Give these people their day in court!  One of the plaintiffs was held for 7 long years in at least 3 different “black hole” prisons – run by the United States or our designates – and, brutally tortured before being released because he wasn’t even involved with terrorism at all (not to suggest that if he was it would be OK to slice open his penis and pour hot water on the wound in an attempt to get hime to “tell them what they want to hear”).  What are we afraid of?  I seriously doubt that any of the so-called secrets are any worse than what people all over the world are imagining happened based on all the information out there.  I mean, I read one book about Abu Ghraib where the “enhanced interrogators” came into the prison, took an Iraqi citizen into their “interrogation room,” and left him hanging DEAD on a hook on the wall – leaving his body for the poor saps who eventually took the rap for the whole fiasco – Lindy England and the others – to clean up.  And, NO INVESTIGATION!

Then there was the three Arabs found hanging DEAD in their cells at Guantanimo prison.  Somehow they had been dead for several hours before being discovered by guards who were walking the corridors of the prison every 15 minutes.  They had managed to tie their own feet together, then get up on a box, put the noose around their own necks, tie their own hands behind their backs, and, oh yes, also cram a wadded up cloth down their throat to the point where it had to be cut out after the bodies were found.  All three of them did this themselves, and all at the same time.  Oh yes, I forgot to mention, earlier all three had been taken to a separate “enhanced interrogation” facility off the GITMO (Guantanimo) grounds prior to their surprise discovery.  And, despite all this information – the Obama administration quashed any thought of an investigation – you know – that pesky “state’s secret privilege” where our government continually covers up it’s illegal behavior by claiming “national security” would be harmed by investigating.

You see, that’s not the “change” I voted for!  Many of the things that are bothering me and motivating me to write are differences of opinion.  Issues that I believe well meaning people should be able to debate in an attempt to find better solutions to major problems.  But, this turning our back on legal and moral issues which will have a LONG TERM negative effect on our entire country is really bothering me.  I’m honestly thinking that if Barack Obama doesn’t have the courage to stand up against this barrage of corporate power attempting to take control of this entire nation then I can’t bring myself to support him any longer.  I REALLY don’t understand the fear of investigating what our government has done wrong – when they’ve gone “over the line.”  Our CIA has a history of abuse and I realize that Obama’s trying to protect them – but, at what expense?  We are supposed to be a NATION OF LAWS and not men, but what kind of a legacy is Obama leaving if he continues with his present behavior.  His attempts to spur the economy on are “short term” policies – these decisions where he’s allowing this misbehavior to go unchallenged threaten to damage the credibility of this nation for generations.

In reading Stiglitz book, I believe Obama is showing the same tepid behavior with the economy he’s showing with the military.  Yes, he’s doing some things different and he’s changed the direction of the “ship” somewhat.  But, many of his decisions seem aimed at keeping us in the “business as usual” category.  The world is changing around us – other countries are looking to the US for leadership.  Many of the other nations in the world were as anxious for the end of Bush/Cheney as most Americans were.  But, they weren’t expecting a new administration which – in the areas of long term concern – would continue the policies of Bush/Cheney.  In many ways, I believe the Bushlite description is appropriate.  I will write more about that soon, as I’m close to finishing “Freefall” – which I highly recommend to anyone wishing to have a better understanding of where our economy’s been, where it’s headed, and where Joseph Stiglitz thinks it should be headed.  I’ll end tonight by saying that republicans are now in the process of turning the word “progressive” into a negative term via our media – if democrats want to defeat the “right wing” in America, they’ll need to “fight fire with fire.”  And, the battle HAS to start at the top.  President Obama won’t be able to lead the democrats to victory by defending illegal Bush/Cheney policies in court!

As an English teacher I guess I have to be impressed at how our politicians manage to creatively use the language.  And, this is one issue that I see as definitely “bipartisan.”  I could go on and on about what took place during the Bush/Cheney era or how if a republican says one thing – look in almost the opposite direction for the truth, but let’s just focus on today’s politicians and the pundits who so reverently follow them.  The one thing that’s BUGGING me the most tonight is the FACT that what I started predicting months ago (OK, there goes my ego again) is rearing its ugly head.  Believe me, I want to be wrong on this one – but just as the I can’t remember who said it said, I DON’T THINK SO! :o) 

The groundwork is being set as I’m writing this for the United State’s CONTINUED presence in Iraq for the INDEFINITE future.  Some who read this might believe that is a good thing.  I’ll try to explain why I believe it’s not – but, first lets get to the evidence that is beginning to show up already.  First, President Obama (remember, I’m doing everything I can to be on his side – and I DO hope he succeeds) has declared the war is over and our “Combat troops” have been ALL removed.  I call that disengenuous, you could call it Obama keeping his promise (even though he’s a few months late) to withdraw our troops within 16 months of taking office.  It really does sicken me as I watch them call the remaining 50,000 American troops (and who knows how many “contractors”) “Non-combat troops.”  I would really like a definition of a “non-combat troop.”  Is that a troop that hasn’t had combat training?  Are they not carrying weapons?  What are they supposed to do if they are attacked?  To me, these are all questions I hope Obama addresses as he explains why they are still there and how he can say he’s withdrawn the troops when they ARE still there.  Realistically, if you look at the history of this fiasco, Obama and his administration have done nothing more than manage the agreement negotiated by the Bush administration.  Seriously, and again I’m an Obama supporter, if he claims any credit for this it is a false claim in my mind.  What was the courageous leadership in just continuing with the Bush “doctrine?”

President Obama, I’m sure, will claim that the “non-combat” troops will be home by the end of next year.  Again, this is according to the “plan” negotiated by the Bush administration.  But, do you really believe that?  We have an embassy the size of the Vatican in Bagdad.  Do you really believe we’re bringing all the troops home?  Instead of “non-combat” troops are we going to be stuck with the “contractor” route to keep this fiasco going?  Check out what these contractors are making compared to our troops.  Read “The Gamble” by Thomas Ricks and you’ll see why I don’t believe for an instance that our troops are coming home.  How are we paying for this continued presence in Iraq?  Evidently with the money that should be going to the “99ers” here in America – those who haven’t been able to find work for the past 2+ years.  Or how about this TRUTH – the money we’ve ALREADY spent in Iraq is enough to fund a single payer health care system in the United States for EVERYONE for 10 years!  Where are our priorities?

Writing anything about President Obama that is “negative” makes me feel a bit uneasy – because the alternative is so starkly BAD!  I honestly can’t even imagine how the American public could consider putting the republicans, who are desperately trying to dismantle our government, back into power.  How can a single American worker who’s lost his/her job, is in danger of losing a job, or is struggling with the reduced wages from the job they need to be thankful for as they look around at all the unemployed workers even consider voting republican?  I’m to the point that I’m calling that STUPID!  But, as I listen to one after another of the “tea partiers,” or the good American workers who have gotten sucked in by the Beck’s, Limbaugh’s, Savage’s, Larson’s, Hannity’s and the other’s lies I realize there is a powerful propaganda machine working in this nation that should be getting EVERYONE’S attention.  Additionally, I often think the “tea partiers” – or at least many of them – are upset about the same things I am – they’ve just allowed themselves to be convinced that it’s all Obama’s fault – therefore enabling the obstructionist behavior of the republicans which is just making matters worse.

We might not be officially in a depression but I can attest that it is depressing having one party full of pathological liars and another party of “whimps” who are disengenuous at best about their intentions.  Many of us on the “progressive” side of the “ledger” thought we were voting in someone who REALLY believed in the “change we can believe in.”  He convinced us that “Yes we can” take on the corporations and the special interests who have MUCKED up the political process in America to the point where the “little guy” is becoming a huge group of unemployed, and talented, workers scrounging for the next day’s bills!  But what did we get?  (and, to people like Randi Rhodes who continue to be cheerleaders for President Obama – yes, he’s a darned sight better than anything the republicans have to offer – but as the saying goes, “that aint saying much.”)  We evidently elected a president who is very sensitive to offending the people on the right wing in America who HATE him simply because of the color of his skin.  That speech President Obama gave telling us that the “combat mission in Iraq is over” about made me gag!  And, unfortunately, as I’ve said on this site many times, there’s a lot more to be concerned about if you’re a “progressive” regarding our president and the democrats.

Before I go on, let me just add a couple thoughts about that speech on Iraq.  To listen to President Obama you would think that George W Bush was some kind of genuine, caring, person who simply had a “disagreement” over policy with our new president.  One of the main reasons I voted for President Obama was his clear opposition to the Iraq invasion, his PROMISE to get us OUT in 16 months or less, and his clear criticism of the Bush/Cheney regime.  Since taking office Obama has approached this subject with “kid gloves.”  He even went so far as to STOP all investigations of the Bush/Cheney fiasco.  Other than the public’s desperate “need to know” regarding what ACTUALLY transpired during those 6 years that Bush screwed up this occupation and invasion, Obama’s refusal to allow investigations almost certainly DOOMS the rest of us to another misadventure in the future.  As I’ve said, I never thought our leaders would make this type of MISTAKE again after Viet Nam, but Ohhhhhhh was I wrong on that one!  Some of the “things” we’re “doomed” to repeat (and, maybe already are repeating) are contractor abuses, torture or prisoner abuses, and abuses in the way we medically attend to our troops once they are out of the theatre of war.

There’s an old saying that goes something like: “if you try to please everyone, you end up pleasing NO one!”  That is the sense I get from our president.  His Oval Office speech seemed to be aimed right at the middle, certainly attempting to placate the “right.”  I mean, as stated many times on this site, Obama is simply following the path set forth by President Bush in Iraq.  And, you would think, after listening to his speech that the “surge” was some kind of successful policy.  In fact, I’m sick of hearing people claim the surge was successful.  I think John Boehner went so far as to make sure Obama wasn’t able to take any credit for the surge.  Who in their right mind would want it?  These people are still deluding themselves that there is some kind of “wonderful” solution on the horizon in Iraq.  The reality?  Not ONE of the political objectives – the MAIN OBJECTIVES of the surge when Bush laid it out – has been met.  NOT ONE!  On top of that, you NEVER hear people like Boehner talk about the additional 1500 AMERICAN TROOPS who have died while our political leaders are desperately trying to save face – remember Viet Nam, anyone?  And, in the mean time America has TOSSED AWAY about 400 – 500 BILLION dollars which is desparately needed at home.  It almost feels to me that our political leaders feel a stronger obligation to the people of Iraq than to the people of America – ie  the “99ers.”

This disengenuousness of the Obama administration goes way beyond Iraq.  I’ll just list a few examples – feel free to disagree or add other examples – let’s start with transparency.  Lately, it seems as if Obama has recognized the great hypocracy between his campaign pledge and the reality of his presidency when it came to transparency.  However, the “backroom” deals have been flowing as if Rahm Emanuel found Nirvana!  You remember Emanuel, he’s Obama’s chief of staff who referred to liberals as “f__king retards.”  I pointed out that he was a HUGE mistake from the day Obama appointed him.  The “chorus” of people agreeing with me is growing larger every day, and it will be interesting to see how “loud” President Obama allows this “chorus” to get before he takes a different coarse – and FIRES Emanuel.  To me, Rahm Emanuel is the epitome of the backroom politician – and, as the saying goes, “you get what you pay for.” So much for transparency!

Then there’s the economy.  I’m presently reading “FreeFall” by Joseph Stiglitz, I’ve read “Conscience of a Liberal” by Paul Krugman, and “The Big Short” by Michael Lewis – all of them referencing the meltdown of the economy which started in 2007.  Stiglitz is the least complimentary of President Obama due to Obama’s similar actions regarding the economy to those he followed in Iraq – that is, following what was laid out by Bush/Cheney.  Basically, Obama showed no courageous leadership here, either.  Now, I’m talking about the bailout of the Wall Street banks and not the stimulus package.  Although Stiglitz agrees with Krugman (and me – you can check out my “predictions” in the archive regarding the “puny” size of the “stimulus package”) that the stimulus package was WAY too small and not targeted enough toward actual “stimulus.”  Stiglitz also agrees with my contention that was being made prior to Obama taking the oath of office, that hiring Tim Geithner as Treasury Secretary and Larry Summers as his “chief economic advisor” was a HORRIBLE decision.  (I don’t remember my exact words, but I do remember that I referred to it as a “business as usual” decision)  True to form, Obama was “advised” to continue the bailouts started by Hank Paulson which, according to Stiglitz, are leading to problems much more severe than than the alternatives had we “faced the music” right up front.  The shareholders of those “too big to fail” banks should not have been bailed out – and therefore the bankers themselves wouldn’t have been able to dish out the lavish bonuses – TO THEMSELVES – the memory of which is still threatening to create HUGE damage to this country.  On top of all that, we will never know the details of this meltdown, because Obama stepped in to block ALL investigations of the Bush administration.  I wonder, is there anyone out there besides me who would like to know how many shares of Goldman Sachs Hank Paulson was controlling when he stepped in to “save” them?  According to Stiglitz, Paulson even funneled BILLIONS through AIG in order that they could pay off “bets” made by Goldman – money that went straight through AIG to Goldman.

I could go on and on – Bush/Cheney BOTH admitted to authorizing WAR CRIMES on national TV – Obama stopped the investigations.  Karl Rove and Harriet Meyers (and others) refused to answer subpoenas to Congress – Obama blocked investigations.  Dick Cheney “outed” a CIA agent – Obama blocked investigations.  Alberto Gonzales lied REPEATEDLY before Congress – you guessed it, Obama blocked investigations (anyone besides me find it ironic that a baseball player has been charged with perjury for allegedly lying about steroids while Gonzales was lying about the very functioning of our justice department?) and then there’s the lying us into war, all the war profiteering, the out and out stealing of funds authorized for Iraq, the illegal wiretapping, and the tearing down of EVERY department of government the republicans could destroy – including the MMS (Minerals Management Service) which abdicated it’s oversight regarding the deepwater horizon disaster in the Gulf and the mine shaft disaster in West Virginia.  I will never understand what was gained by blocking the investigations of all these wrongs!

I think what President Obama and some of his supporters don’t understand is that people like me are disgusted with the PROCESS of government.  I actually want to see republicans and democrats speaking to each other civily and negotiating the best legislation they can in good faith with the average American family in mind as they do so.  This AINT gonna happen as long as “K street” runs rampant in Washington DC, corporations have unlimited access to our electoral process (Citizens United), and the cost of gaining political office is out of the reach of the average citizen.  There is a “war within” going on in America and those of us at the “bottom” are counting on the demcrats to carry the torch for us – we expect them to be the leaders.  Instead, it appears they are in collusion with some of the evil that is making everyone crazy.  The one who has to stand tall in all this is President Obama – and, the fight won’t be won until the present day leaders of the republican party have been “put out to pasture,” it’s that simple in my mind!

We now have people who have benefitted from the pro-corporate atmosphere attempting to buy their way into office.  For heaven’s sake, in California alone it is reported that Meg Whitman is spending more than $100 MILLION of her own “fortune” to gain the governors mansion and Carly Fiorina (the CEO of Hewlett Packard – where the employees played “Ding Dong The Witch is dead” from “The Wizard of Oz” in celebration in their factories on the day she was fired – after she sent 30,000 GREAT American jobs overseas to China and India and ruined the workplace atmosphere of that company) is reported spending over $50 MILLION of her personal “fortune” in an attempt to win Barbara Boxer’s senate seat in California.  All of this should be getting people’s attention, but the sad truth is – I believe, and I’ve been predicting this almost from day one of Obama’s administration – Obama’s placating of the “right” has turned off so many voters that it is now possible for a return to power of republicans in congress – this because so many democrats have returned to the state of apathy Obama temporarily woke them from in 2008 and republicans have the corporate backing due to the Citizens United decision.  In reminding you (and me) of all the times I’ve predicted what is going to happen, I’m really not trying to be arrogant – my point is that if I, as a sixth grade school teacher, could figure all this out – then why is Obama keeping “advisors” who’re calling people like me retards?  I believe that when all is said and done it will be Rahm Emanuel who’s considered the “retard.”  (any guesses to when he’s fired?)  The sooner President Obama realizes this, the better for us all.

Fool me once, shame on you.  Fool me twice, shame on me.  I keep thinking of that famous saying as I’m pondering another big push by the republican party to shackle us with another “phase” of the “cut your taxes and balance the budget” voodoo economics made famous by Ronald Reagan.  The problem is there is no “fool me thrice” to the saying.  We’ve already been fooled twice – SHAME ON US!  But as George W Bush once famously said as he was butchering this saying (as he did with so many sayings) “we won’t get fooled again.”  Or will we?  Well, I certainly hope not.  But, if you listen to the pundits, the possibility exists that we could get “fooled” again.  And by what this time?  Glenn Beck? Rush Limbaugh? (OK, Rush has been around since the first “fooling”) Sarah Palin?  Rupert Murdoch?  I have friends who call themselves “conservatives.”  I wonder daily if ANY of them have checked out these people who are trying to “fool” them for the third time.

The real irony of it all, is that the people buying into the “conservative” lie are at the forefront of those clamoring about the lack of jobs in America, the national debt, the trade deficit, the jobs overseas, the immigration problem, and on and on.  What they seem to be unable to do is CONNECT the republican party with its responsibility in all those areas.  Let’s just focus on the debt here – as long as the “getting fooled again” topic is front and center.  Now, I’m just going on memory here and I’m getting up there in years (OK, I’m admitting to being a bit forgetful on occasion) but I still remember Jimmy Carter HALFING the budget deficits left behind by the Nixon/Ford administrations – mostly Nixon, of course.  If memory serves me correct, I believe Carter cut the deficit from about 75 BILLION to 35 BILLION in his four years in office.  (both numbers miniscule by today’s standards) Carter is still ridiculed by many politicians because he REALLY wasn’t a member of the BELTWAY crowd.  However, he did some great things and had Reagan not reversed his CAFE standards for the auto industry and his “example” for a “green” energy future this country would be a darned sight better off today than we are.  Republicans are still arguing against the foresight Carter showed in the 1970’s.  If you can’t figure out why, well Carter was not the friend of “Big Oil.”  (Compare that to Bush/Cheney, Bush Senior, or Reagan – that in itself should explain a few things to even the most casual of political observer)

Reagan not only reversed the CAFE standards (even going so far as to encourage Detriot to build more gas guzzlers) but ridiculed Carter as the solar panels were removed from the White House shortly after he took up residency – just one of the many examples that Reagan SHOULD be remembered for (another would be UNION BUSTING).  To this day I can’t understand how any working American can even consider Reagan anything but a piriah as far as presidents are concerned.  (there’s a plethora of reasons for that last statement, but let’s just focus on the economic ones tonight)  Reagan won the White House using the normal republican trickery (funding John Anderson, the disenchanted “liberal” republican who took many votes away from Carter) and promising to “balance the budget and cut taxes.”  Of course, Reagan’s tax cuts benefitted – MOSTLY – the wealthiest of Americans as we got “fooled” the first time with the “trickle down theory.”  Reagan proceeded to take the budget inherited from Carter which was a year or two away from surplus and turned it into a HUGE deficit somewhere in the neigborhood of $250 BILLION per year over the last 5 or 6 years Reagan was in office.  (an increase of more than 5 fold from what Carter left him)  And, of course, George Bush senior took those deficits up another sizeable notch in his term as president.

So, the American people had apparently had enough of this skullduggery and elected the unknown Bill Clinton in 1992.  Now, to be fair based on my John Anderson statement regarding Reagan, I don’t believe Clinton would have won without Ross Perot’s entry in the race as an independent.  I was always convinced Perot took more votes from Bush senior than Clinton, but I have to admit never researching this because it was always a “moot” point in my mind.  To me, Clinton was too conservative in that he went along with a lot of republican proposals – despite their obvious and OVERT disdain for him and his wife.  The number of investigations during the Clinton years was mind numbing.  Again, you would have thought it would have sent a message to the American people of exactly where these republicans were coming from.  However, once Clinton started fooling around with Monica Lewinsky, he lost all credibility with just about everyone.  Clinton did leave us with a budget surplus of $250 BILLION – but, he also signed NAFTA, GATT, the Telecommunications act of 1996 (possibly the largest blunder), and the Graham, Leach, Bliley Act of 1999 which repealed Glass Steagall – the depression era law which prevented banks from getting “too big to fail.”  I’m adding most of this to make sure anyone who reads this understands I have some real issues with Clinton.  The bottom line though is there were 20+ MILLION jobs created during his two terms in office and the United States was on course to repay the deficit in 10 years when he left office.  Remember – and this is important – it took about 5 – 6 years before the deficit was “turned around” under Clinton and he showed a lot more will to do so than I’m seeing from President Obama at this point in Obama’s first term.

Now, we come to “fool me twice, shame on me.”  I realize that George W Bush probably didn’t even win the presidency.  He was annointed by the Supreme Court at the expense of 200+  years of voters choosing our leaders in America.  The circumstances surrounding the Florida debacle are such that at some point in this nation’s history the TRUTH will need to come out.  I believe that someone, somewhere, actually did recount the votes and it’s a big secret because we don’t like to make “waves” in American politics.  Despite the FACT Bush STOLE the presidency (and, was the WORST president EVER!) we got another HUGE dose of “cut taxes and balance the budget.”  Of course, in Bush’s case, the budget was already projected to end the deficit in 10 years the day he took office – so he had to CREATE a new budget DEFICIT!  And, boy did he create one.  With the help of Dick Cheney, who famously was quoted as saying “Ronald Reagan proved deficits don’t matter,” Bush left Barack Obama with a deficit of 1.3 TRILLION dollars PER YEAR when he left office.  And, of course, on top of that he left with the country teetering on the brink of depression so Obama had little choice but to increase government spending – to mitigate the damage all the while as people like Limbaugh, Beck, Palin, and the others were laying the blame of BUSH’S deficit at Obama’s doorstep.  This was just plain LYING in it’s purest form.  Unfortunately, for various reasons – many of which I’ve shared on this site over the past two years – many Americans are choosing to believe these unconscienable liars.

So now, what are we faced with?  “Fool me thrice?”  I realize the saying doesn’t go that far – and, well it shouldn’t.  After two times, shouldn’t that be enough?  Do we start questioning whether we’re STUPID or not – if we go the “thrice” route?  Is there anyone out there who can explain to me why “cutting taxes” will “balance the budget” this time?  I actually heard on the radio the other day a very genuine person call into the Ed Schultz show who was a conservative and confessed to listening to Beck and Limbaugh (and the others on the “right”).   The guy said he makes around $50 grand per year and correctly placed himself in the “middle class.”  What was shocking to me was his attempt to justify cutting taxes “for the rich” so that they can produce jobs for people like him.  I hate to say what I’m thinking about the guy, because he sounded like a great example of the unsuspecting American who believes people like Beck, Limbaugh and the others (around where I live the local blow hard is Lars Larson – these people will say ANYTHING for money) are telling the truth.  He also sounded like an excellent family man, a hard worker, responsible, everything good – except he hasn’t bothered to FACT CHECK these people.  He referred to the government as “them” – as if the government is the enemy – this because people like Beck, Limbaugh, Palin, and the others are referencing it as such.

WE ARE THE GOVERNMENT!  And, we’ve done a great job of being the government over the past 200 + years.  I don’t know where these people come off trying to destroy the government – maybe the “tea partiers” really want an anarchist society.  But, as far as I’m concerned, NO THANKS!  I’ve been putting up with the arrogance of republicans for far too long and it is very bothersome that when a democrat gets into the White House the “gloves” come off with these people.  Never mind all the racist rhetoric, or the mean spirited divisive talk, these people are trying to ruin our government as we know it with unabashed LYING.  The large corporate “heads” are sitting in the background licking their chops as the rest of us turn America into one huge mindless argument over irrelevent stuff.  It really is UNBELIEVABLE to me that it’s all come down to this.  Somehow, the “progressives” need to take to the polls in the fall and put a stop to these republicans once and for all.  I’ve been saying almost since the day President Obama was inaugurated that his decisions were turning his “base” off in droves and the result would be a mid-term election where MILLIONS stayed home.  (Obama’s chief of staff referred to me as a “f__king retard”) That is now a REAL possibility – but, if you’re thinking like me (I’m not that inspired by Obama’s centrist positions – plus I HATE that he pardoned Bush/Cheney et al) it makes sense to think of the alternative – and, that is nauseating.  Seriously, do you really want John Boehner as the Speaker of the House?  Third in line to the Presidency?  Ughhhhh!  (and, what if their vision of the next president is Sarah Palin?)

I’m going to “bite my lip” and, once again, vote against EVERY republican.  I have yet to hear ONE OF THEM stand up and repudiate the racist, mean spirited, disengenuous rhetoric of their leaders.  If the democrats allow the “Bush tax cuts” to be extended, I may never vote again – I will be sick to my stomach!  And, then we’ll have to listen to who knows how many years of the republicans blaming Obama for the deficits.  Really, are WE – the American people – REALLY THAT STUPID?  The other day I tuned into the Glenn Beck fiasco on the Washington Mall for about 5 minutes.  I’m serious when I say that I thought I was listening to a lay preacher going off on how America will be saved when we turn back to God!  Now, as one who’s been turning to God for years, I was a bit confused.  Was he talking about Jesus?  Was he talking about the same God I worship?  Or is there a special God for republicans or Fox viewers?  It really was very confusing – I had to turn it off (the same reaction whenever I attempt to force myself to listen to Beck, Limbaugh, or any of the rest of them).  I will tell you this, when the right wing starts using the term “God” in their proselytizing, hold on to you hats!  They’re rounding up the “troops” for an all out assault on our electoral process where a huge block of well meaning Americans are going to be voting against their own best self interests – guaranteed.  (yes Lars, these people would fall into the “low information” voters)  I’d really like to know how many in Beck’s audience would benefit from an extension of the Bush Tax Cuts for the top 2%.

These people have something like $500 Million to spend on a mid term election thanks to “Citizens United.”  I’ve pointed out the danger of that Supreme Court decision many times on this site and challenged the democrats to do something about it while they can.  True to form, NOTHING is apparently going to happen – except that the corporate interests are going to be WELL REPRESENTED in November’s election.  The FACT Karl Rove has his hands on $300 MILLION should be enough to get the democrat’s attention.  I’m getting a lot of emails from dems asking for “grass roots” money right now, but what they should be doing is cramming some legislation through Congress that puts some limits and accountability on corporations who choose to attempt to influence our elections.  At the very least, “We the People” should know who’s doing what!  I really am wanting President Obama to succeed, but I’m not sure he understands the importance of these next couple of months.  It’s time for a showdown with the republicans.  BUSINESS AS USUAL will result in devestation for those of us who are committed to a return to prominence of America’s middle class – millions of which are jobless.  The depression in Black Communities across America is unacceptable – but, it will take our president and the democratic Congress to do something about it – and waiting until the next congress is too late (and probably too little).  The 99ers?  Waiting to help them out until the next congress is also too late.  In fact, I wouldn’t have allowed a vacation for a single congress person without dealing with the plight of the 99ers at the beginning of August.  There are millions of Americans suffering financial hardship right now.  It will take agressive action from President Obama and the democrats in Congress – while they still hold the majority – to take a stand for what Jesus would call “the least of these.”  America, please don’t allow the republicans to fool us a THIRD time!  And, it appears that this time people like Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin are going to be claiming God is in favor of the Bush Tax Cuts.