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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I’m beginning this post roughly 10 days prior to the date put forth by President Obama and Treasury Secretary Geithner (August 2, 2011) as the “due date” for the increase of the so-called “debt ceiling” which apparently would restrict the government’s ability to borrow money should it not be implemented, therefore causing a default on the “full faith and credit of the United States.”  I certainly am not one who fully understands what all is involved in this debt “crisis,” and I have to admit that it will be interesting to see what happens – whether the “doomsayers” are correct should the U.S. “default,” or whether the “tea partiers” are correct that it will be “no big deal.”  I tend to think those on the President’s side are correct, but at this point in time I don’t believe anything or anyone until I see “it.”  One thing that I am certain of is that President Obama has continually IGNORED the advice of people who think like me, people who were instrumentatl in his election, and now he’s been backed into a “corner” (that I predicted when he allowed the “Bush tax cuts” to be extended) that will be very difficult to get out of.  In fact, I was thinking today that the only way out for Obama is for the republicans to refuse to make ANY agreement, thereby preventing Obama from another “negotiation” or “compromise” or whatever you want to call it where the republicans extract ANOTHER “pound of flesh” from the middle class and working poor in America – the very people I believed Obama would be the champion for when I supported him in 2008.

We (liberals) have evolved to the place where we’re already talking about “holding noses” to vote for Obama in 2012 for reasons such as the Supreme Court nominations republicans would make that would extend their “reign of terror” for decades.  It’s almost as if that is what Obama is counting on – he is busy kissing up to what he considers the “independent voters” (I’ve got news for him – I’m an independent voter) and to hell with his so-called “base.”  What has been apparent to me since almost before Obama took the oath of office and is now well understood by the “pundits,” Obama’s “base” is not like the republican base.  They’re not going to simply “rubber stamp” whatever he decides to do.  I have to tell you that the FACT Obama WILLINGLY included issues such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and who knows what else into the “negotiation” for raising the debt limit on the debt MAINLY created by his republican foes is unbelievable to me.  President Obama is acting as if that is an act of courage because he’s “taking heat from my party.”  Do you remember Rahm Emmanuel calling people like me “f___ing retards?”  He was not reprimanded – in fact, since that inglorious time I’ve heard Obama himself extolling “liberals” as idealistic.  I believe, for many “liberals” such as myself, (and, by the way, in the 1970’s I was considered a “conservative”) what President Obama is doing is harder to stomach than what George W Bush was doing.  Obama was elected to FIX the abuses of the Bush administration and you don’t have to look very far to see that many of them are still ongoing – PLUS all the “compromises!” (should we call it “selling the farm?”)

Here’s another irony.  Have you seen much reporting about how President Obama is talking to democrats?  I’m sure it must be happening, but all I see is Obama and Boehner or Obama and the republicans “negotiating.”  And, it appears that President Obama actually expects the republicans to come to a sensible agreement to solve this debt problem on a long term basis.  Are you kidding me?  That would be good for the president and evidently he hasn’t been paying attention to the FACT the republicans HATE him and their NUMBER ONE goal is to destroy his presidency.  Does anyone seriously believe they will agree to a long term solution to the debt problem that would insure Obama’s re-election?  Does anyone besides me remember all the racist signs and rhetoric of the “tea party” during the 2010 election cycle?  I know that America’s “liberal media” (you know, the media that’s controlled by Rupert Murdoch) refuses to even discuss the reality racism plays in the republican OBSTINENCE, but you don’t have to be a psychologist to see that it’s there, and in SPADES! (no pun intended)

President Obama couldn’t have played into their hands better had they been allowed to script the political dialogue the day he was elected.  Whether “we the people” ever get the TRUTH about what’s really going on in Washington DC or not remains to be seen.  I’m starting to believe that even my acquaintences who’ve been BRAINWASHED by Murdoch and his Fox “news” (Republican TV) will soon start to realize what’s been happening.  That, of course, will require the Obama administration to suck up the courage to begin investigations of the scandal that has reached MAJOR proportions in Great Britain and UNDOUBTEDLY will do the same here unless President Obama pulls another “look forward instead of back” routine as he did in the face of MULTIPLE legal transgressions by the administration that proceeded him.  Personally, I have to admit that I have NO CONFIDENCE that Eric Holder will do what he SHOULD and FULLY investigate EVERY part of Rupert Murdoch’s “empire” that’s in America AND hold Murdoch accountable for the GANGSTER mentality that clearly permeates his organization.  American corporations BRIBING foreign officials is a CRIME, yet I have no confidence that Holder will even investigate (let alone prosecute) Murdoch, even though we know that “NewsCorp” officials have been busy bribing officials in Britain for some time now.

I honestly don’t like “beating a dead horse,” but President Obama’s first sign of weakness was when he CHEATED the American public out of learning about the crimes committed by Bush/Cheney et al when he blocked ALL investigations of their administration.  Since that time they have put numerous Justice Department lawyers to work investigating Julian Assange of WikiLeaks for printing the TRUTH about American diplomatic practices – because, contrary to what most of us think, some of America’s diplomacy is deplorable.  And, of course, as an “outgrowth” of that “justice” we’ve seen Private Bradley Manning being essentially TORTURED for the past year apparently in retrobution for ALLEGEDLY being the source of the material which was leaked.  (does that remind you of Bush/Cheney? – you know, indefinite imprisonment with no charges, inhumane treatment, etc.)  Holder’s Justice Department couldn’t muster the courage to investigate Bush/Cheney, but they’re right on the front lines of justice with a prosecution of John Edwards for mishandling campaign funds (I’m not justifying Edwards here, just making a point) and, the other day, I read where there were ONE HUNDRED Justice Department lawyers involved on the Roger Clements case (which was declared a mistrial) that was about whether Clements lied to Congress about the use of performance enhancing drugs in BASEBALL!  Are you serious, Mr. Holder?  Alberto Gonzales could sit in front of Congress for days LYING about the undermining of the very department you’re in charge of and instead of going after him you chose to send ONE HUNDRED lawyers after Clements!  Karl Rove and Harriet Miers refused to answer subpoenas before congress and that’s OK, but Clements is the target.  Just writing this makes me sick to my stomach!

There’s more that’s troubling to me.  I’ve read where one of the “solutions” to the debt ceiling “deal” is to eliminate the tax credit for mortgage interest and for employer provided health insurance benefits.  In other words, the interest I pay on my home mortgage would no longer be deductible (a tax increase for me of something over $1000 per year) and the benefit I receive for health insurance would become taxable income increasing my taxes another $1000 or so per year.  Of course, the “Bush tax cuts” would remain in force and probably, knowing Obama, be extended even further than the “last” extention.  This would raise, supposedly, the same amount as if the “Bush tax cuts” had been allowed to end AS THEY SHOULD HAVE!  The bottom line will be those of us in the middle class will AGAIN bear the brunt of the problem, and those at the “top” will continue the “tax holiday” they’ve been on since Ronald Reagan took the oath of office in January of 1981.  By the time President Obama is done with this next “compromise” he won’t need the republicans to vote him out of office.  Certainly, independents who think along what are presently defined as LIBERAL ways, will stay home from the election in greater numbers than they did in 2010.  And, I think I understand why (as one of them).  As I implied above, I would rather know it’s coming from the opposition – and put up a FIGHT to stop it – (and, here I’m referring to BAD legislation) than to be blindsided by someone whom I supported.

Had I even had an inkling that President Obama would utter the words that “Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are on the table” in 2008 I would have actively worked to stop his nomination instead of supporting him.  His willingness to buy into the “trickle down” philosophy of the republicans is difficult for me to even imagine.  I heard him say, out of his own mouth, after extending the HATED “Bush tax cuts” that this would lead to more jobs and would stimulate the economy.  Obviously, he’s spending too much time in meetings (and on the golf course) with republicans.  I believe all I have to say here is “where are the jobs?”  And, as I pointed out almost the SECOND I heard the bad news about Obama CAVING on the tax cut issue, “just wait until they turn the debt ceiling into an issue!”  At the time, I predicted their plan would be to go after Social Security and Medicare and I was concerned about Obama “caving” again.  To say I’m still concerned would be an understatement.

So, Is there a solution to this problem?  Well, as stated above, I feel that republicans in their zest to defeat Obama at the expense of the American economy, could solve the problem by refusing to do anything.  I believe the resulting chaos SHOULD be easy for the democrats to “pin” on the “tea partiers” in the House of Representatives – who are now in control of the republican agenda.  Should that not be the case, then “we the people” must rely on the democrats in Congress to stop any BAD deal from going through that includes cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.  When large corporate interests are sitting on TRILLIONS in cash, when the top ONE TENTH of one percent of Americans make over $300 BILLION per year and pay the lowest percentage of taxes in the history of modern America, and considering that Social Security and Medicare are NOT the problem and didn’t create the problem – they should NOT be part of the solution!  The reality is that it’s time for the democrats in congress to make a stand.  The reason a bunch of them were voted out in 2010 was because the American public HATES timid politicians.  These republicans will continue to push until the democrats decide to say “enough already.”  Just as in the “fight” for the “public option” in the health care debate, a large percentage of the population is AGAINST including Social Security and Medicare in this debate.  I can picture the 2012 election now, where republicans are blaming President Obama for “dismantling” Social Security and Medicare.  If President Obama can’t figure out how to do “the right thing,” then we’ve got to rely on the Democratic congress to do it for him!  This budget “crisis” should be “fixed” by the people who created it – the Wall Street bankers, the Wall Street elite, and the wealthy republican donors!

As I’ve tried to imply in my previous few posts, I’m paying less attention to what’s going on in America lately simply, I believe, because I’m getting worn out being disappointed with my country’s “leaders.”  I shouldn’t be – I’ve read several books recently on American history, and the polarization among leaders we’re experiencing in this nation today is nothing new.  And, the willingness of the parties with tangible interests in the “outcome” of, for example, the dispute over the “debt ceiling” to fabricate information to aid their cause is also nothing new.  Through America’s short history there’s been many a partisan “fight” which included fabrications by those involved in the disputes.  For example, looking at a major contemporary issue, today I looked up on the net info on the Social Security trust fund.  Now, anyone who’s been paying attention to American politics for any length of time knows that the republican party has been trying to get their GREEDY hands on all that “trust fund” money for MANY years. 

The original intent of the trust fund was to keep the program solvent (which it has) and to keep the politicians “hands” off the money.  It’s grown to be a large sum of money – by today’s estimates it’s grown to 2.6 TRILLION DOLLARS.  And, I’ve heard, like everyone else watching or listening to or reading the news that the Social Security trust fund is nothing more than a pile of IOU’s.  Also, today I read a column at Forbes.com, I think the author’s last name was Merrill, who was obviously a proponent of “privatizing” Social Security and who was claiming that there was no money in the trust fund – that it had all been borrowed.  So, what’s the deal?  Democrats say it’s solvent for the next 25 years.  Who’s telling the truth (if anyone)?

According to the Social Security’s own website, the fund is there and it will be there for that “another 25 years,” at which time, if there are no modifications to the system it would be able to pay out about 75% of the accrued benefits – not broke, but not completely solvent.  There are NO “IOU’s,” unless you consider the “special” government securities which the trust fund invests in as “IOU’s.”  (the securities are also purchased by state governments, retirement funds, and other large “conservative” investors) These are similar to US savings bonds, they are special securities that have always been paid back WITH INTEREST by the federal government.  Now, I’m not an expert on how our government functions financially, but they do generate money by selling savings bonds.  In fact, I can remember when I was a child (the fifties) it was considered patriotic to purchase savings bonds.  Many parents, mine included, purchased savings bonds for their children – I believe mine matured in 7 years and was then worth $50!  That is why, apparently, whoever’s in charge of the Social Security trust fund says the fund is solvent and backed by the “full faith and credit of the United States.”  Things are starting to make sense to me now.

 The person who was writing at Forbes.com (Merrill?) was lamenting that “had we privatized Social Security” we wouldn’t have to worry about whether or not the checks would go out on August 3rd (as President Obama postulated regarding possible effects of congress failing to “act responsibly”) – should the House republicans follow through on their threat to refuse the raising of the debt “ceiling.”  He’s (Merrill) saying the money would still be in the stock market and Seniors wouldn’t have to worry about it.  As I’m writing this, I’m wondering how some of these people manage to get jobs writing for business sites like that – honestly.  Of course, my first thought was – now, try to picture me responding to the Forbes.com author – “What do you think the stock market is going to do if the federal government defaults on its obligations?”  Again, I’m no expert – but the implication I took from that article was the guy was suggesting funds will be safe on Wall Street if the federal government defaults.  I’m going to try not to get too animated and simply say ARE YOU KIDDING ME?????

But, here’s another thought:  Do you think all these “tea partiers” (many who are collecting Social Security and enjoying the benefits of Medicare – I’m not kidding when I say I’ve met some devout “right wing” whackos who despise “government run health care” and “big government” while they are dependent on Social Security and Medicare – REALLY!) in Congress believe the way to destroy Social Security and Medicare is to force the government into default?  In reality, the Social Security trust fund IS backed by the “full faith and credit of the United States,” so if you attempt to destroy that “full faith and credit” maybe you could succeed.  Although, I believe there is a fundamental problem with that philosophy as well.

Fortunately, at present in my life, I’ve been able to pay all of my bills on time – for several years now.  However, there have been times in my lifetime (yes, I’m a “baby boomer”) when that hasn’t been the case.  And, guess what, EVERY time I’ve been late on paying a bill, the BILL DOES NOT GO AWAY!  So, should the “tea partiers” succeed in failing to raise the debt limit by the “due date” (actually, the due date has passed and Tim Geithner is juggling the books to forestall the issue) the problem won’t go away.  In fact, based on my previous experience, EVERYTHING will get worse.  I’m not claiming the world will stop revolving, but it makes total sense to me that the result will be that the debt will INCREASE because the interest on the TOTAL debt will increase, thereby increasing the annual budget deficit – that these republicans have suddenly become so worried about.  I really can’t see the United States simply saying that we won’t pay these debts – they’ll still be due – including the special securities owed to Social Security’s trust fund.  The “tea party” will simply have succeeded in proclaiming to the rest of the world that an irrational minority with the proper financial backing can bring America’s “great experiment” in self governance to its knees!  (by the way, as I was checking this all out, I found that many states invest in these “special government securities” as well, because they are so “safe.”  These “tea partiers” are really messing with a lot of trouble – national AND local – I actually heard Michele Bauchmann say defaulting on the debt wouldn’t be a big problem – It should be no surprise that she’s running for president on the republican side!)

In fact, it only requires a quick check on the internet to discover that the so-called “Obama budget deficit” of something approaching 1.5 TRILLION dollars for fiscal year 2011 is comprised of over $400 BILLION in interest payments on debt that accrued before he ever took the oath of office.  When you add over $400 BILLION for the “Bush tax cuts,” and over $200 BILLION for Iraq and Afganistan, it’s easy to see that the problem, while still significant, is much beyond Obama’s control (although, if you’ve read many of my previous posts, you know how I feel about him extending those tax cuts).  And, if congress decides to default on August 2, those interest payments could double – thereby making the debt problem MUCH more serious. (if you haven’t noticed, interest rates are at unbelievable lows at the time of this writing)  Oh yes, I must throw in here that the Social Security Administration has not contributed in ANY WAY to that national debt which is causing those huge interest payments – so why would it even be part of this discussion?

Here’s another thing I find interesting (and, since I’ve given President Obama some grief previously on this site, I think he deserves some credit for how he’s pushed this issue to the front).  While I was researching the debt I discovered that even during the last four years of the Clinton years the total national debt was increasing.  Well, they were telling us WE were running a surplus – which, technically, we were.  That is there was more revenue coming in than what was going out (do you remember, that was the original rationale for Bush’s tax cuts – the “people” could better spend that money) – EXCEPT for the interest.  When you calculate the interest, the total debt was going up about $100 billion in each of Clinton’s “surplus” years due to interest payments of over $300 BILLION (rates were higher then) which were not included in the “deficit” discussion.

George W Bush followed the same approach of not including the interest payments as part of the budget reportings so that his “deficit spending” – even though it was REALLY BAD – looke a whole lot better without the $300 – $400 BILLION in interest which was accruing each and every year he was in office.  To make matters worse, Bush/Cheney didn’t include the WARS in their budget projections and reports.  They included EVERY cent of the Afghanistan and Iraq FIASCOS on “supplemental” budget requests and that tactic made their deficits look smaller as well.  President Obama discontinued all these “accounting” misdemeanors and therefore his budget deficit looks HUGE compared to Bush/Cheney.  It’s larger, but when you consider how Bush/Cheney were hiding things, it’s not that much larger and – when you consider the economy Bush/Cheney left Obama with – it could be A LOT worse!

I’m pretty much unhappy with most of America’s political leaders (exceptions such as Bernie Sanders, Sheldon Whithouse, Dennis Kucinich, Alan Grayson, and Peter DeFazio to name a few) but it’s the people like the guy on Forbes.com who are driving this corporate takeover of our government who really bug me.  I have no idea where the guy got his information, but it doesn’t take long to look up the topic(s) when people like that are blasting one part of our government or another.  I’m OK with questioning what the government’s doing – in fact, I believe that is an obligation of America’s citizens – but, this effort to destroy the government for “privitization” is nothing more than a push toward fascism.  In this instance, Social Security’s trust fund really IS solvent – AND – despite the FACT there could be some kind of interruption in checks going out – should the “tea partiers” succeed in pushing the default – the debt (or assets, however you want to look at it) will still be there – presumably the change will be the interest on the debt will increase – and the checks will still be due.  Trying to “fix” government is one thing, trying to destroy it is quite another!  Since the day Grover Norquist made the famous quote about “drowning government in the bathtub” republicans have been busy trying to destroy the greatest national experiment of self rule in the history of the world, and it’s up to “we the people” to make sure they DON’T succeed!

I started writing this blog (if that is what it is – I really don’t do “blogs”) when I reached the point of total frustration with the George W Bush administration and their incessant arrogance toward our constitution and the oath of office Bush/Cheney took to uphold it.  The purpose of my writing was simply to get out my frustrations – kind of an outlet where I could throw my thoughts out into the vast cyberspace where they would “sit” until I chose to “revisit” them.  I had no idea that people would actually find my little section of cyberspace – but, when I discovered that several hundred “visitors” per day were showing up, it motivated me to write more often.  And, as I go back and “revisit” some of my thoughts over the past four or five years, it reminds me that those of us “ordinary” people often times get things “right” more often than the “experts.”  To me, this is simply confirmation to what most people on “Main Street” know, and that is in America right now we have a system that is corrupt right to the core.

I just finished reading “Ratification” by Pauline Maier about the debate which led to ratification of the constitution of the United States.  As I was reading this book (by the way, if you like history, it’s a great read) I couldn’t help but focus in on how the “framers” were confident that the system was set up to prevent “factions” from gaining control and forcing their “will” on the minority.  The one aspect of today’s issues that they couldn’t possibly have forseen would be the lobbyists and the ability of lobbyists to buy congressional “influence.”  In today’s Washington D.C. there is the perverbial “revolving door” between members of congress and the lobbyists who do the “influencing.”  As far as I can tell, when members of congress lose elections they are rewarded with HIGH PAYING jobs working for lobbying interests that take “advantage” of their “inside knowledge.”  It’s become a cesspool of corruption which will undoubtedly continue to get worse, because it is the congress itself which has the power to make the necessary changes to the system.  Reminds me of the saying where the fox is guarding the henhouse.  The amount of money involved is staggering (nearly a BILLION dollars spent “lobbying” the health care debate) and the result could be a MINORITY faction (the wealthy) forcing their will on the MAJORITY!

The system is set up with the “checks and balances” which are supposed to prevent the corruption we’re experiencing as I’m writing this post.  That is, between the legislative branch of government (article 1), the executive branch (article 2), and the judicial branch (article 3) it was planned that no single “faction” could corrupt the original intent of the constitution which was to “establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.”  Should one branch of government get “out of control” (my wording) the other two branches were there to “check” the out of control branch and keep things on an even keel.  This has worked well for over 200 years, but is presently under assault. (OK, it’s often been under assault, but nothing like what’s happening today)

If you’ve read many of my previous posts you know that I’m beyond fed up with the republican party.  And, the reality of American politics is that we have a “two party system.”  Therefore, those of us “fed up” with the republicans have essentially nowhere else to turn than to the democrats.  That is exactly what happened in 2008 when Barack Obama was elected as the 44th president of the United States.  In fact, Obama was given a huge majority in both houses of congress upon his election and I don’t think I was the only American who thought the “Change we can believe in” would be something different from what has transpired.  Here’s the dilemma people who think as I do have to deal with; it’s the republicans who have managed to undermine the fabric of the constitution and the intent of the “framers.”  It’s President Obama who we have to depend on to rectify the abuses of the republicans. 

For several years now we’ve been hearing about the republican’s plan for a “permanent republican ‘majority.'”  This plan almost reached “fruition” during the Bush/Cheney regime, but George W Bush was such a buffoon that he “blew it” when republicans had both houses of Congress.  They were soon to have a “stranglehold” on the Supreme Court plus, during Bush’s term in office, republicans were also consolidating their control of the nation’s “liberal media.”  The media (at the time of the framers were newspapers) was considered the “fourth estate” of the government, by the constitution’s framers, as the ultimate “watchdog” of what the government was doing for “we the people.”  (I’m confident they didn’t visualize Fox “news” when they were putting in guarantees for a free press) I was certain that with Obama’s election this plan would be PERMANENTLY put to “rest,” but that has not proved to be the case.  In fact, the republicans have responded to the election of Obama with an even MORE aggressive attack on the middle class which voted Obama into office.  Remarkably, President Obama, who I had given high marks for his intelligence, has committed one egregious error after another – and, like those presidents in my lifetime who have made mistakes, he doesn’t seem to want to own up to what’s “happening.”  I continue to try to remain positive in my outlook, but it’s getting harder all the time.  I have to admit, I don’t even care to listen to Obama’s speaches anymore.  To me it’s just a bunch of hollow rhetoric – his obsession with bridging the “gap” between the “right and the left” is leaving me a bit sick to my stomach.

There used to be an unwritten rule in American politics that you don’t negotiate with terrorists.  Well, President Obama has shown us why that is such an important principle to stand on.  He’s been trying to negotiate with republicans who have ONE WISH – and that’s President Obama’s defeat in 2012 – since the first day he took the oath of office.  In fact, I’m beginning to think Obama’s given more time to the republicans in “negotiations” than he’s given to members of his own party.  The republicans, to me, are like terrorists.  It’s as if they are holding the entire future of America “hostage” in order to “get their way.”  How this could not have been obvious to Obama during the first two years of his presidency I don’t know.  He’s been caving  in to republican demands from day one – and, where has it gotten him.  Can you even imagine Obama’s legacy if he’s the president that presides over the undermining of Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid?  What is this man thinking? 

As I drive my car around I like to listen to “talk radio” and there are voices on the “left” who are trying hard to remain loyal to Obama, but it’s getting harder and harder.  If he “caves” on the issue of Social Security and Medicare I have no idea what the reaction of America’s middle class will be – but, I’m certain that Obama’s political career will be over.  In fact, at this point in time, I’m trusting the rank and file democrats in congress to be the ones to stop Obama if that becomes necessary.  I’ve been warning people about Obama since before he took the oath of office – and this despite the FACT that I supported him enthusiastically during the election.  I’m going to relist some of what I consider the egregious mistakes – but, as I said above, many of us on “Main Street” have seen what is wrong but it hasn’t seemed too productive to “shout it out.”  (I’ve written letters to Obama, emails, plus all the posts – like millions of other Americans – and, he seems to just “keep on keepin on.”)

Let’s start with the FISA bill that came up during the campaign.  Then Senator Obama voted in favor of the telecom companies who had been giving access to their phone lines and emails for the Bush administration to ILLEGALLY wiretap without warrants as required by the FISA law that had been in effect since the days of the Nixon abuses of privacy laws.  That was the only time I got any kind of response to a letter I wrote  him – I received an email response that indicated I wasn’t the only person upset with him and the email promised that, once elected, he would “fix” the FISA bill.  Well, of course, that not only hasn’t happened, I’m convinced the “eavesdropping” has continued under Obama.  Then, once elected when Obama started announcing his closest advisors I almost went into a state of shock.  If you look back in the archives of this site that’s when I started pointing out the “red flags” I was seeing – always hoping I was wrong.  I couldn’t believe President Obama would choose Rahm Emmanuel as his chief of staff.  Talk about your politician’s politician.  My first thought – how was Emmanuel going to mean “the change we can believe in?”  Then it was announced that Larry Summers – the man intricately involved with the dismantling of Glass Steagall during the waning years of the Clinton administration – one of the main underlying causes of the crash of 2008 – as his chief economic advisor.  I thought: “Are you kidding me?”  Then it was announced that Timothy Geithner would be Treasury Secretary – he was the head of the New York Fed at the time of the “crash” and intricately involved with the Wall Street banker crowd – again, I thought, “How will this lead to the change I can believe in?”

This was all bad and it all happened prior to the inauguration, but the HUGE BLUNDER happened right after the inauguration and, in my view, is the reason we’re even having all these absurd discussions about Social Security, Medicare, and the national debt today.  For some inexplicable reason President Obama chose to BLOCK all INVESTIGATIONS of the Bush/Cheney administration.  ALL OF THEM!  There wasn’t even a SINGLE congressional investigation of all the WRONGDOING that was committed during the eight LONG years of Bush/Cheney!  They authorized TORTURE; they OUTED a CIA agent; they undermined the Justice department (which, obviously, still hasn’t recovered); they refused subpoenas from congress; do you remember Alberto Gonzales – the United States’ Attorney General – LYING repeatedly to congress?  The aforementioned illegal wiretaps of Americans should have been investigated.  Entire government agencies were encouraged to ignore regulations on business – with results being the mine disasters in West Virginia and the Oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.  And, this doesn’t even go into the illegal war started with LIES in Iraq and all the fraud and waste by the “crony” no bid contracts given to their “buddies.”  There was NO INVESTIGATION of the war profiteering by senior members of the Bush administration – including Vice President Cheney and Defense Secretary Rumsfeld!  And there was no investigation of Hank Paulson’s TARP “bailout” which saved him and Goldman Sachs a lot of money!  Again, what was President Obama thinking?  Did he think this capitulation would endear him to republicans?  Honestly, I still believe this decision will someday be considered one of the worst decisions a president ever made.  The investigations that were called for after Bush/Cheney would have prevented MUCH of the chicanery the republicans have pulled off since.  Obama’s “looking forward” was like a large GO SIGN to the republicans and their strategy of becoming the party of NO.  One thing republicans understand very well is that the American public will never be enamored with leaders who seem either timid or weak – and, that’s how this decision made Obama look – take your pick, timid or weak!

He may have been able to overcome that blunder had he not continued to capitulate.  Do you remember the “Stimulus” bill?  Well, it was at least half a BILLION dollars too small and it had too many tax cuts – money that could have been directed toward job creation – precisely because Obama wanted some republican votes for the bill.  When he had close to a super majority in congress it was imperative for him to show the leadership necessary to get his agenda passed – IN TACT!  Unfortunately, his EXTREME desire to “compromise” with these republican “terrorists” showed it’s “ugly face” right off the bat.  And, this continued through the painfully dragged out “health reform” legislation that included the same backroom dealing people were sick of and a capitulation to its most important ingredient – A ROBUST PUBLIC OPTION!  Since the passage of the “Affordable Health Care Act” my health insurance has increased over 25% in cost – that’s in less than two years!  Obama undermined his own constituency in the House of Representatives on this one – and, now look at what he’s dealing with.

Then, to top this all off, last December President Obama “negotiated” an extension of the “Bush Tax Cuts.”  (that fell into the unbelievable category for me) These tax cuts had added something approaching 2 TRILLION dollars to the national debt in the previous 10 years and I actually heard these words come out of Obama’s mouth shortly thereafter – “Extending these tax cuts will stimulate the economy and add jobs.”  Again, I thought: “Are you kidding me?”  To make matters worse, in all the negotiating I remember Obama pointing out that the Social Security “tax” (FICA) that comes out of our checks (those of us lucky enough to be working) would be reduced by 2% for the next year further “stimulating” the economy!  When I heard that I wondered; “Has this president read any of the history behind the Social Security system and its trust fund?”  That system and it’s money was NEVER intended to “stimulate” the economy – it was SUPPOSED to be HANDS OFF!  Now, we have a democratic president who’s allowing himself to be backed into a corner through his “negotiating” with terrorists (republicans) and the other day I even heard him say that Social Security is “on the table.”  My thoughts; “What the hell does that mean?”  or “He’s at it again!”

Had Obama simply let the Bush Tax cuts expire and had he actually brought the troops home from Iraq within the 16 months he PROMISED (there wasn’t time or space to get into that one this evening) half of this budget “crisis” would have been solved.  (he should have repealled them as soon as he was in office)  Obama can’t go back and make the original “stimulus” bill the size it should have been, but he could choose to join the fight working people are waging across America against the corporate elite who are, with the conspiratorial help of the republican party, trying to gain a stranglehold on our nation’s government.  If “we the people” lose this next battle – and, here I’m talking about 2012 – turning things around will become exponentially more difficult.  The republicans and their “sponsors” have control of a majority on the Supreme Court (hence, the deplorable Citizens United decision), they control the vast majority of the media (Fox “news” should be called Republican TV or GOP TV), and they’ve got a reasonable chance to gain control of both houses of congress in the next election (I don’t think many Americans have truly internalized the effects “Citizens United” will have on future elections). 

If President Obama turns off even more of his “base” by “negotiating” Social Security and Medicare with these republicans it’s even possible there could be a republican president in 2012.  After Bush/Cheney I thought “there won’t be another republican elected to national office for maybe a generation.”  I hope I’m wrong, but I feel that if President Obama ends up including Social Security in the debt “negotiations” the opposite could become true. (remember, Social Security has NOTHING to do with the debt – it hasn’t caused a DIME of debt since its inception and it’s SOLVENT for the next 25 years if we can keep the politician’s hands off of the trust fund – plus it wouldn’t take much “tweaking” to make it solvent for the next 75 years)  Honestly, I’m finding myself feeling incredulous that the subject of Social Security “on the table” could even be happening under a democratic president!  What on earth is America coming to?????