I watch these “tea partiers” in a bit of amazement, trying to get my mind around their “message,” but it makes so little sense that I keep coming back to the same place.  I’ve seen their signs – OVER AND OVER – and, the way they depict our sitting president can leave no other conclusion except they can’t stand a Black president.  When they say “we want our country back” – what the H are they talking about?  Back from who?  Didn’t president Obama win the last election with 53% of the vote?  I’m not all that “on board” with Obama’s first year in office myself, but my discontent has to do with disagreeing over some of his decsions.  Are these “tea partiers” so stupid that they don’t understand what impression they’re leaving when they carry signs depicting our president as a monkey?  Or as someone with a bone through his nose?  Come on, most of these people are reputed to be educated, older Americans.  I’ve even had a bit of a commentary going with one of the lessor known of the right wing “water carriers” for the corporatocracy the republican party is trying to cram down our collective throats, Lars Larson, and he made a comment that my “playing the race card” indicated my argument was weak.  This is EXACTLY how they operate – they put a racist sign in your face and when you call them on it, they claim you’re “playing the race card.”  This is classic psychological projection.

According to the theories of Sigmund Freud, psychological projection is a psychological defense mechanism whereby one “projects” one’s own undesirable thoughts, motivations, desires, feelings, and so on onto someone else.  That’s the only explanation I can come up with for these “tea partiers” – who have been incited by Fox “news,” Dick Armey and “Freedom Works,” and political windbags like Michelle Bauchman and Sarah Palin (OK, a little psychological projection on my part :o).  How else can you explain people who supported George W Bush and Dick Cheney calling Barack Obama a “fascist,” a “communist,” or a “socialist.”  (personally, one of my disappointments in Obama is that he’s not more of a socialist).  And, most of the other objections coming from these people are a bit curious – to say the least – as well.

Let’s talk about the budget deficit – which was heavy on the minds of many of the “tea partiers” based on reports I heard.  Now, there’s an area where I could easily agree with them.  However, where were these people from 2001 until 2009 when George W Bush turned a $250 BILLION dollar surplus (with prospects for paying off the debt in 10 years) into a $1.2 TRILLION dollar deficit – PER YEAR?  Of course, to make matters worse, Bush also drove the economy into the “ground,” leaving it teetering on the brink of another “Great Depression” when President Obama took the oath of office.  Obama had NO CHOICE but to stimulate the economy in an effort to re-energize the jobs market which was shedding jobs at the rate of close to a MILLION jobs per month when he took office.  In the eight years Bush was in office he had the worst job creation record in American history – well, since records started being kept in 1939 (this is according to that left wing “rag” the Wall Street Journal).  If Obama can cut the deficit in half in his first term it will be a miracle – but that will still put it at something over half a TRILLION dollars per year.   And, these “tea partiers” who either have NO MEMORY or are DISENGENUOUS will still be blaming the deficit on Obama.  I’ll say it again, where were these people when Bush/Cheney handed the surplus given to them by Bill Clinton over to the top fraction of one percent of earners in this country.  This was “Deja vu all over again” – like the Reagan tax cuts on steroids.

And, of course, one of the ways we reduce the deficit is to pay taxes.  Coming from a position years ago where I had no income I’m always grateful when I pay my taxes that I now have income.  This is a great country to live in and one of the reasons we have such a high standard of living is the taxes we pay for the services we receive.  It almost seems as if some of these “tea partiers” want to receive the services without paying for them.  The truth is that President Obama included a middle class tax cut in his “stimulus package” that reduced the taxes of something like 95% of wage earners in America.  I know that my taxes were less this year than they were the previous year under George W Bush.  It’s HIGHLY LIKELY that almost every one of the “tea partiers” (with the exception of the instigators – like Palin, Armey, Beck, Limbaugh) paid less tax last year than they did under Bush.  But, where were they when Bush was cutting taxes for the hedge fund BILLIONAIRES, the heirs to the Walmart fortune, the Wall Street bankers the “tea partiers” (OK, the taxpayers) bailed out (under Bush/Cheney/Paulsen) while leaving their taxes the same, and running up this huge debt?  None of this makes any sense – until you start looking at their signs.

There’s more.  These “tea partiers” and their “incitors” like to wave the constitution around as if they’re worried they’re losing their rights.  OK, I’ve got to ask the same question again – where were they during the Bush/Cheney administration?  I mean, I would have been right there with them while Bush/Cheney were suspending Habeous Corpus, wiretapping American citizens without warrants, torturing “enemy combatants” so that they would have to be held in detention without charge indefinitely because any evidence was corrupted and non-admissable in any civilized court of law, politicizing the justice department, outing a covert CIA agent (as punishment for someone telling the TRUTH about their lies), sending American troops into “harms way” based on lies, lying before Congress (and then refusing to even testify before Congress), and gutting the regulatory system leading to the Hurricane Katrina disaster, the Wall Street meltdown, and just recently the West Virginia mining disaster.  Where were the “tea partiers” when all of this was going on?

Can you just imagine the blowback during the Bush/Cheney administration had someone carried signs of George W Bush with a bone through his nose or some of these other signs (Yes, I understand those signs wouldn’t mean the same thing with a white president – so picture the signs suggesting an image of Hitler superimposed over the presidents face)?  I mean, I remember a woman being arrested in Denver Colorado at a venue where Bush was giving a speech because of something written on her shirt.  Yes, it was “anti-Bush” – but, it was simply words and SHE WAS ARRESTED!  The overt, blatant, RACISM coming from these “tea partiers” is getting over the top.  And, people like Larson who continue to encourage them – and then claim that people like me are using the “race card” is nothing more than the above mentioned psychological projection.  Now, I have no idea what kind of things Lars Larson, Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh (that’s a compliment for you Lars – mentioning you with the “big boys”) say in private – but their support and encouragement of these people carrying these signs on the public airwaves and throwing around their “code words” is race baiting – pure and simple.  And, Lars – while you’re telling me my argument is “weak” explain to me who they’re planning to “take THEIR country back” from.  Honestly, that is about the stupidest claim I’ve heard in my adult life.  Isn’t it MY country too???

You certainly didn’t hear me saying that about George W Bush – despite the FACT I went from disagreeing with him to loathing him by the time he left office (actually, the loathing was probably more aimed at Dick Cheney – but that’s a post for another day).  (come to think of it, when Bush was supposedly going after bin Laden – I was totally supportive)  It was very difficult watching someone who was proving himself incompetent on one situation after another.  But, the truth is that I never wished for him to fail.  I wanted Bush to succeed because we’re ALL AMERICANS.  His failures have had a huge impact on almost all of us (well, except for those people at the “top” who were the financial beneficiaries of his policies) – “tea partiers” included.  I honestly don’t blame them for being angry at our government.  However, allowing themselves to be sucked in to believing the problem is Barack Obama is BEYOND ABSURD!  When I listen to leaders like McConnell, Boehner, Palin, McCain (sadly, at one time I believe John McCain would have been the person – who we desparately need at this time – to speak some sense into this republican “nightmare”), Romney, and others incite these people with the racist signs – evidently thinking there’s enough of them to “take back the government” – I believe the republican party is in for a rude awakening come November.  Yes, people are angry – and, for good reason – our government is filled with corruption, but – despite my disagreements with Obama – our sitting president seems to be the only one in Washington acting like an adult these days.  His even-keeled demeanor, his steady push toward centrist solutions to our problems, and his brilliant political mind – I believe – is going to leave these “tea partiers” and, therefore the republicans who are inciting them, wanting as 2010 rolls on toward November.

I won’t relive my disagreements with Obama at this point, but I have to say that I’ve seen a much more confident – and combative – president since the health care “reform” was passed.  The republicans have managed to draw a lot of attention to themselves during all this debate – and it’s been lost on NO ONE that there have been less than a dozen republican votes for anything Obama’s proposed since he took office.  Therefore, as things start to turn for the better, even the “tea partiers” will be able to figure out why.  I believe President Obama has the republicans backed into a corner at this point.  They are going to vote against ANYTHING and EVERYTHING Obama proposes.  Next up will be the re-regulation of Wall Street.  As stated in my last post, Mitch McConnell is already setting up the battle lines in the senate.  If his republican “sheep” stay in line, we will soon have the republicans defending the Wall Street banks they bailed out during the last months of Bush/Cheney with another in their endless threats of filibuster.  I HOPE that the democrats come to their senses on this one and FINALLY allow them to REALLY filibuster – that is – roll out the cots (and the TV cameras) and have the “endless debate” which is what a filibuster is supposed to be.  As republicans filibuster reform of Wall Street, Americans will be reminded of who created the MESS we’re all dealing with in the first place!

I keep thinking I’ve written enough, I’ve gotten the frustration out of my system.  And, just think, even one of the people I included in a post (Lars Larson) actually stopped by to point out what an “elitist” I am.  That should be enough.  But, the truth is these republicans just won’t stop.  It should be clear they are going to continue twisting the English language in an attempt to fulfill their dream of a “permanent (endless) republican majority” as Karl Rove so adroitly put it.  Now, after losing the debate on the need to “reform” health care in America, they are attempting to protect the Wall Street banks – by pretending they’re not protecting the Wall Street banks.  Isn’t that just like them.  ALWAYS look the other way when a republican leader starts talking!

This morning, as I’m doing my daily diligence of reading the NY Times and Washington Post I read this quote by Mitch McConnell, the leader of the Senate (and one of those republicans who can’t totally keep it to himself how much he HATES the idea of a Black president succeeding) in an attempt to portray the democrat’s bank reform bill as a “pro Wall Street” bill – these guys have no scruples whatsoever:  “We cannot allow endless taxpayer-funded bailouts,” Mr. McConnell said in a floor speech. “That’s why we must not pass the financial reform bill that’s about to hit the floor. The fact is this bill wouldn’t solve the problems that led to the financial crisis. It would make them worse.”  He then went on to say that we should just let the banks “that are too big to fail” fail.  This is typical republican doublespeak that is essentially the reason I started writing in the first place.  THESE PEOPLE HAVE GOT TO GO!

What McConnell was really saying was the republicans want NO REFORM.  After all (of course they don’t want the “tea partiers” to know this) they are the ones who gutted the post Depression reforms that had stabilized our banks since the 1930’s.  The problem with those reforms, from the republican point of view, is that they limited the amount of “stockholder value” for corporations such as Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, Citibank, and the other “behemoths” which have emerged since Ronald Reagan led the purge of the New Deal regulations.  These banks are already back to cutting off “the fat hog” since being bailed out by – WHO ELSE – but, Hank Paulsen (former CEO of Goldman prior to taking the reins as Treasury Secretary under GW Bush), George Bush, and the very republicans who are now proclaiming that regulation would lead to “endless government bailouts of Wall Street.”

Of course, as with virtually every other republican “claim” as of late, the opposite is true.  I’ve only read excerpts of the bill which have been published in the NY Times or Washington Post or other places online, but it’s very clear the bill sets up a plan to not only allow these banks to fail – should they continue their reckless gambling with American taxpayer’s money – but, to actually sieze them in an orderly way designed to punish the directors, the officers of the companies, and the shareholders should the castastrophe of 2007 and 2008 be recreated, but protect depositors.  The “republican way” which is what 80% of Americans are angry about is to provide the banks with unlimited funds to bridge the disaster created when their gambling “debts” are called – as they were in the fall of 2008 as the foreclosure crisis hit high gear.  The result of “the republican way” has been a quick return to HUGE profits for these banks, a continuation of the very abuses they were performing prior to the “crash,” unbelievable “windfalls” for some of the hedge fund gurus who purchased large blocks of banking stocks when they were at the “bottom,” and a potential gold mine for republicans in campaign donations from Wall Street as they fight any regulation which might slow down the GREED on Wall Street – which has been out of control for years.

So, in the eyes of people like Larson (and, presumably Limbaugh, Beck, and the other paid propogandists of their republican masters) people like me, who are calling them for their doublespeak, are “elitists” because we point out the TRUTH that they are playing on average American’s fears in a way that provides HUGE dividends for their bank accounts.  And, the reality is that they’ve had a well planned “gig” since the 80’s to turn the minds of the American public away from their GREEDY politics by twisting the “wedge” issues and taking advantage of what they call the “weak” democrats.  Now, there is a point we (Lars and me) can agree on.  The democrats need to “grow a pair.”  Now that the republicans have succeeded in pushing “Citizen’s United” onto the rest of us, this situation is going to get worse – unless the democrats stand up and tell these republicans where to get off!

To be honest, I’m really uncomfortable depending on the democrats to do anything.  As much as I admire President Obama as a person, I’m still concerned with his constant “reaching out” to republicans.  In a “perfect world” I totally realize that would be the way to go.  But, I don’t know if these republicans are worth being “bipartisan” with.  They’ve pushed the American political dialogue so far to the “right” that I think the democrats should be pushing it back – they have until November to accomplish this.  Now, I also fully understand that President Obama is a very intelligent person and I’m guessing he has a “plan” that he’s going to see through to the end.  My gut feeling is that he’s giving the republicans every opportunity to “shoot themselves in the feet.”  And, this Wall Street reform just might be the legislation which leads to that conclusion from the voters.  I’m actually kind of excited to see the public reaction to a republican filibuster of legislation designed to  “real in” Wall Street.  Of course, that’s what McConnell is trying to “set up” in his remarks on the Senate floor.  They are going to do what they always do and attempt to make their support for Wall Street look as if they want to just “let them fail” (McConnell, the same day of his remarks, was reportedly soliciting donations from the top 25 Wall Street bankers).  Isn’t that just like these republicans – people like Lars Larson calling people like me “elitist” while “kissing up” to those poor “blue collar” Wall Street billionaires!

Today as I was driving around getting stuff for the upcoming school week (teachers really do work long hours during the school year) I was listening to a rerun of “The Ed Schultz Show” on the radio.  Ed Schultz calls himself a “proud lefty” and, to me, he seems like a classic democrat from my youth who is unabashedly focused on pro working(person) issues.  Obviously, Shultz has an agenda.  Who doesn’t these days?  What is refreshing to me is how “up front” he is about it.  His theme is “where America  comes to talk” and, in contrast to the right wing “talkers” I’ve listened to (especially Rush Limbaugh – it’s all I can do to give Limbaugh a few minutes any more) Schultz welcomes “conservatives” to call his show and he actually lets them make their case – again, something I haven’t heard on shows like Limbaugh’s, or Glenn Becks, or the others – although I have to admit I just don’t listen to the “right” much anymore. 

Another thing that has drawn me to listen to Schultz when I can is that I’ve actually heard him criticize President Obama, although he clearly is an Obama supporter.  And, it’s true, from a “progressive” perspective I don’t believe there can be any doubt that President Obama is far superior to our previous president.  However, president Obama is NO LIBERAL from my perspective – and the people who are trying to paint him as such – in fact, as a socialist or communist or worse – are either disengenuous, ill-informed, or just plain lying.  Even the stimulus package – the one that ALL REPUBLICANS voted against, and then went back to their districts and started taking credit for the projects which were created, was tilted to the “right” with almost 50% of the bill providing tax cuts.  I guess the republicans didn’t like that because the tax cuts were aimed at the working class of America – people like this guy who was on Schultz’ show (a few days ago – the show I was listening to was a rerun from last week) claiming to be a conservative who drives a “route” and makes $40,000 per year.

This proved to be a very interesting conversation.  The caller (who, during the conversation, claimed he got a lot of his information from listening to Glenn Beck) had a list of seven reasons why Barack Obama is a socialist (I think that’s how he put it).  Essentially, the $40,000 per year driver was complaining that Obama’s liberal policies were ruining our country.  I’m trying to remember as much of the ensuing conversation as I can, because, to me, it showed the danger of these republican “talking heads” who are spewing deceit and inciting people I’ve heard  referred to as “low information voters.”  The guy on the phone with Schultz was very genuine, his fears were genuine, the problem was that he had no idea what he was talking about.  He had been listening to the likes of Beck, Limbaugh, and Fox “news” and taking what they say as the truth, without any attempt to verify what any of it.  It reminded me of a person I was very close to who I can no longer even bring myself to talk to – a person who, when I showed him evidence of something he heard on Limbaugh’s show as being false, he threw it on the ground in a rage making absurd claims about liberals.

The guy on the radio on Schultz’ show was doing essentially the same thing (of course, he couldn’t throw anything on the ground) and Schultz, showing great patience with him, debunked his “claims” one by one on an extended segment.  It was very interesting.  I don’t think I’ll remember all the names of the people he was talking about, but he was claiming that President Obama was surrounding himself with people who are Maoists, who are in cahoots with Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, and virtually every claim he made had an “ist” on the end of it.  It was after all of this that he admitted he was a devoted listener of Beck.  OK, like with my friend, I believe people can listen to whatever they want to listen to – but, this kind of crap being thrown around as “news” or reasoned opinion based on facts, HAS TO BE DEBUNKED.  Things are getting out of hand in this nation, because people like this truck driver should be the backbone of the democratic party.  It is people like him that President Obama is fighting for and yet they’re getting sucked into the right wing fear machine.

The first person this guy called a socialist in Obama’s “inner circle” was the person in charge of putting together the loan package which bailed out General Motors.  Somehow, the caller claimed he (I told you I wouldn’t remember the names) was not a capitalist.  Schultz pointed out (accurately) that the “bailout” was a loan which will be repaid and that the government intervention to save both Chrysler and GM saved countless thousands of American jobs and, correctly, pointed out that corporations borrowing money and then paying it back was part of our capitalist way of doing business in America.  What the caller couldn’t get his head around was why GM and Chrysler needed to be bailed out in the first place.  When Schultz pointed out how the Bush administration policies had led to a near collapse of our entire financial system and that the reason these companies had to borrow from the government was because there was no place else for them to borrow money at the time due to the reckless policies of the republicans who preceeded Obama the caller – as EVERY so-called “conservative” I ever talk to continued to BLAME the economic collapse on Obama’s liberal policies.

That’s where I had to give Schults a lot more credit than what I could have had in the same situation.  The caller simply identified the FACT that he was ILL INFORMED by blaming Obama for circumstances which were IN PLACE when Obama took office.  I listen to this CRAP all the time – and, from people who I somehow think should know better, some of them teachers – where they are simply listening to Beck, Limbaugh, Hannity, O’Reilly, Savage, Rove, and many others (in Portland there’s a guy called “Lars Larson” who’s of the same ilk).  And, despite the FACT that this caller (and my former acquaintance) should know better as educated adults, I don’t blame them.  To me these “say for pay” talkers are willing to do anything for the money they’re making (and, the estimates are huge with people like Limbaugh and Beck).   I don’t want to call them traitors, but they’re spewing lies for money, but as with all liars – after a point in time they start to believe their own lies are true.  They get so used to lying it just becomes a way of life.  They then fall into the category of pathological liars.  Somehow in American society we are allowing this phenomenon to exist – the right wing has garnered a stranglehold on the “liberal media” and, even the democrats seem to want to take them on with “kid gloves.”  What’s really alarming about this is that these “talkers” are minions of large corporations and now that the supreme court has enabled the corporations to dominate our political process through “Citizen’s United” we’re going to hear a lot more $40,000 truck drivers who listen to the radio while they drive around 50-60 hours per week and 90+% of what they hear is “right wing talkers” regurgitating the lies of Beck, Limbaugh, etc. – and, all the while believing in their hearts that they are being good informed citizens.

I give Schultz credit for having the discussion with guys like this, but not that many are going to call and too many will never hear anything except the deceivers and incitors on the “right.”  Just mentioning “Citizen’s United” reminds me of how dishonest EVERYTHING that comes from the “right” is.  You would think “Citizen’s United” would be about a bunch of “citizens” uniting to fight something.  So, how does it come out of the court giving corporations unlimited access to our political process?  And, keep in mind, most of these corporations are either foreign owned or are multi-national.  This from the political party which is clamoring about illegal immigrants.  Which is worse, a few illegal aliens picking fruit in America or Corporations based in China, the middle east, Russia, or elsewhere outside the boundaries of America controlling our elections through massive spending?  When the republicans put a name on something, you can almost bet their true agenda is almost completely opposite.

Here’s another one – which was involved in a local ballot measure recently in Oregon.  The ballot measure was intended to raise the corporate minimum tax in Oregon (the 49th lowest in the nation) from $10 per year (yeah, you heard that right $10) to the 46th lowest in the nation at $150.  Additionally, Oregon’s legislature wanted to raise income taxes on people earning $250,000 or more (I believe it was something like 1 0r 2%).  Well, republicans hate anything that includes raising taxes – even though this increase saved basic services to thousands of needy Oregonians – so in comes “Freedom Watch.”  This is a lobbying firm which is led by none other than Dick Armey the former majority leader of the House during the “Contract for (should read “on”) America in the 1990’s – led by Newt Gingrich.  This was the bunch, including Armey, who impeached President Clinton for having an affair, then had to resign from Congress when their affairs became public.  Anyway, “Freedom Watch” seems to show up in places where the rich people of this nation need protection against any kind of sensible taxation policy which would stem the incredible GREED cycle we’ve been in since the eighties.  Who’s “freedom” are they watching?  Well, you don’t have to check them out very far to find out they’re watching the “freedom” of large corporations in America.  I guess the question becomes, how much more freedom do the corporations in this nation need?  There seems to be no limits to the amount of PROFIT these companies seem to think they’re entitled to – all the while doing everything they can to keep guys like the one who called Schultz show thinking that the democrats are “communists” or “socialists” so that they can increase executive salaries, reduce workers wages and benefits, and show more profit for their stockholders.

In America today, according to what people like the guy calling Schultz’ show say, working people have been tricked into thinking shareholders are more important than workers.  The end result is that we are getting close to the point where we don’t make anything (except of course weapons) and even our elections are going to be at the mercy of foreigners.  Somehow “we the people” have to get the message through to these Americans who are buying this Beck, Limbaugh, and the rest’s “coolaid” that the future of this nation really is at stake.  It’s just that they have been duped into thinking the idea that most of America’s wealth being funneled to the top is good for them.  It’s hard for me to understand how any educated American could fall for that – how the republicans managed to get so many people thinking that we are a “each man/woman for him/herself” society.  I really don’t understand how so many Americans can just accept that President Obama caused all the problems we’re now facing when it’s just over a year since George W Bush was telling us that the taxpayers had to put up $700 BILLION for Wall Street because the economy was collapsing.  I keep asking myself;  how can people like the guy who called today blame the deficit on Obama when it was thrust on him by the Bush administration who didn’t even count the war spending as part of the budget?  How can they blame the lack of jobs on Obama when we were losing jobs at a rate of almost a MILLION per month when he took office?  Then I get back to that explanation I keep hearing, and that is Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck are appealing to low information voters for their support, and evidently there are millions of them in America!

I’m pretty sure that those who are sick of me harping on what a HUGE blunder President Obama made by PROHIBITING investigations of the Bush/Cheney administration consider it an act of retribution, reprisal, or even vengence.  I’m not going to go back and read my many posts on this subject, but I don’t believe I ever suggested prison or jail for the perpetrators (well, that might not include Cheney – I think I once suggested he be put in GITMO and waterboarded).  My concern has ALWAYS been, even if it hasn’t been apparent, the prevention of “reliving” history by ignoring it – and, probably MORE IMPORTANT, figuring out the places in our government that are in IMMEDIATE need of being fixed.  Take for example the “underpants bomber” (still makes me laugh thinking about it – although the potential was for something far from funny) who presumably burned up his “private parts” (using the vernacular of my granddaughter) in a failed attempt at blowing up an American plane approaching Detroit last Christmas.  What became apparent as the “evidence” filtered into our “liberal” media was that the intelligence community in America is still not communicating properly from agency to agency to the detriment of our nation. 

This SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED after 9/11 – because the terrorists who committed that CRIME were known to be in the U.S. for the entire year preceeding the attack.  The reason the perpetrators were roaming our land without being apprehended was due to the conflict, or whatever causes these agencies to be independent from each other (I’m speaking of the FBI, NSA, CIA, and other agencies affiliated with our counterterrorism program in America designed to prevent further attacks).  So, investigations of the previous administration could clarify what was done during the seven years prior to President Obama assuming office in early 2009.  How will we understand what decisions were made under Bush without thorough investigations of his administration.  When you look at the incompetence of our government’s prosecution of both the Iraq and Afganistan fiascos it’s easy to be concerned with the level of decisionmaking in other areas of our government.  In addition, the Bush/Cheney administration was very busy OUTSOURCING as much of what government does as possible on the ASSUMPTION that privat industry is more efficient.  You know, the theory that protecting large corporations such as Halliburton, KBR, or companies in the private health care industry – companies with CEO’s earning in excess of 10 – 20 MILLION dollars per year  – saves money because they are more efficient than our government.  Personally, I’d like to see more than republican speculation to let me know if that’s really true.

Take for example counterterrorism.  It has been rumored in articles and publications that I’ve personally read that virtual communities have been “spawned” in Washington for all the NEW companies bidding for the counterterrorism business.  This may or may not be effective.  But, shouldn’t there be an investigation to make sure we don’t have a huge “JUGGERNAUT” running wild and spending money as if that alone will prevent further attacks?  It didn’t seem to work in Iraq and Afganistan and it sure didn’t seem to be working last Christmas with Mr. Underpants.  Also, I know from several books I’ve read that Blackwater (now called Xe services) is still knee deep in our government intelligence business with a mini army capable of doing a lot of damage to someone or something if they wake up on the “wrong side of the bed.”  (Yes, that’s a strong “hint” regarding all this inflamatory rhetoric of a violent nature from the “right” which is what Blackwater is affiliated with)  Shouldn’t we be investigating how this group got so strong and if it’s really that great an idea to have them interconnected with our government – receiving BILLIONS in no-bid contracts?  That’s a main part of why I’m still calling for the investigations – because, I’m just not a fan of all this outsourcing of our government responsibility to corporations who answer to stockholders instead of the American public.

Not only the intelligence “business,” but what about departments in the government itself.  If you recall, for example, the U.S. Justice Department – to me, the department that holds everything in America together by keeping alive the hope (fantasy?) that we are truly a nation of laws – and that there is not a preference for the POWERFUL.  Most of us probably have our doubts about this – I’m guessing those doubts are “bipartisan” – so, wouldn’t a thorough and independent investigation of the Justice Department after all the politicization done during Bush/Cheney/Rove/Addington/Yoo/Gonzales et al make sense?  We don’t have to be putting people in jail here – although, it’s been a real curiosity to me how Alberto Gonzales was able to appear before committees of Congress LYING THROUGH HIS TEETH with virtually no consequence.  It almost seemed that our leaders decided that the ridicule he was subjected to as he left Washington was conseqence enough.  But, what damage does that do to the credibility of our Justice Department?  Also, the recent verdict against Bush/Cheney regarding illegal wiretapping.  Doesn’t that warrant further investigations?  I’m just not clear on the thinking that our leaders can violate the law without reprisal.

And, speaking of the wiretapping.  Really, shouldn’t that be further investigated just so we can continue to say that having our leaders uphold their oath to defend and protect the constitution is expected and is a sacred obligation?  In this case – in my view – it was a sacred obligation for Bush/Cheney to abide by the FISA law AND it’s just as sacred an obligation for the Obama administration to investigate what we now KNOW were violations of that law.  I’m guessing here that the violations haven’t stopped, thereby making it unlikely that the Obama administration will investigate – because, they’re probably still WIRETAPPING.  That being said, the FISA laws calls for penalties of 5 years in prison and humongous fines (well, humongous to me – like $10,000 per violation) for EACH VIOLATION!  Bush/Cheney allegedly violated this law THOUSANDS of times – once, now, proven.  Also, wiretapping American citizens without a warrant seems to me to violate the 4th amendment of the very constitution both Bush and Obama took an oath to defend.

Finally, the torture.  I’m sure you knew – if you’ve been around here at all – that I couldn’t leave that one alone.  I mean, it’s not even questionable whether or not laws were broken.  Both George W Bush and Dick Cheney (and others) have admitted on national TV to authorizing Waterboarding which directly violates our own laws, international laws, and the Geneva Conventions.  I’ve been confused from DAY ONE of the Obama administration as how they managed to justify letting this one go.  Aside from the FACT that both Bush and Cheney would possibly be found guilty of WAR CRIMES, there is so much to learn about what has been done by our government.  As it stands, our credibility with the rest of the world has taken a HUGE “hit,” and we all know that if a republican somehow finds his/her way into the White House anytime soon the torturing will continue (if it’s really stopped).  Regardless, I don’t understand what is wrong with the American public being given the TRUTH about what was done during an admittedly “dark” period in our history.  Remember, this saying is VERY TRUE:  “Those who ignore history are destined to repeat it.”  We’re seeing this in Iraq and Afganistan – Viet Nam, deja vu all over again – and, we’ll see it with torture thanks to Obama/Holter turning their backs on what really happened under Bush/Cheney.

That was going to be it.  However, as I was writing this post a coal mine in the state where I was conceived – West Virginia – had a HUGE explosion with the reported deaths of at leat 25 miners and probably closer to 30.  Now, I’m going to avoid making any assumptions here regarding the working conditions in this mine, but this just confirms the point I’ve been trying to make as I’ve been writing tonight.  Everyone knows that the Bush administration “gutted” one department of government after another.  I really have no idea to what extent that would cover the oversight of the mines in this nation.  However, over the years mining company after mining company have shown a tendency to put the profits of their mines ahead of the safety of their miners.  I’m not even suggesting (well, maybe I’m bringing up the possibility) that the mining company involved in this accident did this – working in coal mines is DANGEROUS – what I’m suggesting is that thorough investigations of what was done under Bush/Cheney are warranted in area after area.  They were not shy in stating that one of their goals was to gut government.  Hence their shifting obligations (like national intelligence) to private FOR PROFIT companies (companies which can make unlimited campaign donations now that “Citizen’s United” has been passed).  Isn’t it time the Bush administration’s policies were investigated, simply to make sure “we the people” know what damage they did to our government?  I wish I could get this thought out of my mind, but situation after situation continues to arise suggesting doing the investigations would be better for all Americans – all the speculation could stop and the FACTS would be KNOWN!

Final Note:  tonight I tuned into the last segment of the Keith Olberman show on MSNBC.  Olberman was discussing the comments of Tom Coburn, republican senator from Oklahoma at a recent town hall meeting with his constituents.  FOR ONCE a republican was quoted as saying something nice about democrats (in this case calling Nancy Pelosi a nice person – despite Coburn’s obvious political differences with her) and calling out Fox “news” for their campaign of MISINFORMATION.  While I don’t believe I have a lot of commonality with Senator Coburn politically, I GIVE HIM MAJOR KUDOS!  Maybe he’ll be a catalyst for other republicans who want to stem the tide of the radical discourse in this nation and actually try to put “heads together” to find manageable, workable solutions to the problems which are plaguing this nation at this time (instead of trying to destroy our president).  As I’ve said many times on this site – we need two viable, rational political parties – and, I’ve been wondering where the republican party that I grew up with (Goldwater, Rockefellor, Tom McCall, Bob Packwood, Eisenhower, Ford, ect.) has gone.

As I look back on my sixty plus years as an American citizen it becomes more apparent all the time how much propoganda I, and every other American, has been subjected to.  It seems to me that this propoganda accelerated to almost BRAINWASHING starting in the eighties as the republicans figured out how to gain a “stranglehold” on the White House and the media.  Republican operatives started their “dirty tricks” campaigns during the Nixon years, spawned by people like Donald Segretti and Lee Atwater, which led to the likes of Roger Ailes, and most recently Karl Rove.  The one thing we can be sure of is there are many more “dirty tricksters” who have managed to stay “under the radar” – and, more to come, thanks to “Citizen’s United” and our right wing Supreme Court – assuring us the republican philosophy of “the end justifies the means” will continue to be a part of America’s political process for the foreseeable future.  Corporate interests have managed to “trick” Americans into voting, or camaigning, against their own self interest over and over again during the previous 30+ years as the media has grown in power and been consolidated into a small conservative block of corporatations.     

Here’s an example of what I’m talking about.  Let me preface these next comments by saying that I’m not a fan of the recent “health care reform,”  But that’s a good place to start for me to make my point.  During the debate over the health care legislation I’ve been hearing endless claims about how we have the “greatest health care system in the world” from one republican after another.  Of course, they’ve also been making claims that the bill would “bring the government between you and your doctor,” that there would be “death panels,” that health care reform will “cause an increase in premiums,” and other frivolous and/or ridiculous claims en masse.  All of these claims are easily refuted, but for the sake of brevity let’s concentrate on our own system of health care.  In reality, our system that the republicans are claiming is the “best in the world” ranks around 37th by most non-partisan standards.  In fact, our infant mortality rate ranks 42nd internationally, worse than nations like Slovenia, Cuba, and Hong Kong.  As far as life expectancy, the United States ranks 47th worldwide with a life expectancy of 78.14 years and DECLINING!  We are the only  wealthy, industrialized nation IN THE WORLD that does not have a universal health care system.  One statistic after another defies the claims of the republicans and supports the claims of those who believe our system is essentially broken.  I’m choosing to give the benefit of the doubt to President Obama and the democrats that the “reform” bill recently passed will be a step in the right direction.  However, the truth is that we still have NO UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM – even after the so-called reform.

Another of the GREAT REPUBLICAN LIES is that we have a “free market system.”  I guess, at this point in time, you could say that it’s a free market system because our biggest banks are getting BILLIONS (maybe trillions) of FREE MONEY from the fed.  Corporate heads and their supporters are on a continual campaign for “lower taxes,” as if all the benefits they take for granted are paid for by someone else.  Just this morning I heard a republican congressman inciting a group of what are becoming known as “low information voters” by shouting out at a rally opposing health care reform, “Who’s going to pay for it?”  Well, if you follow the actual actions of republicans when they’re in office, they think nobody should pay for anything – we should just borrow EVERYTHING.  Well, relating to health care, WE’RE (that is, “we the people” – including those in the audience of the congressman doing the inciting mentioned above – I believe it was John Boehner of Ohio) ALREADY PAYING FOR IT – if what he’s referring to is the cost of health care.  This is such a specious argument on the part of the republican party – it’s predicated on the audience being poorly informed – because, people are going to the hospital NOW whether they have health insurance or not.  I’ll give the example of a person I know who had to have gall bladder surgery without health insurance.  The reality is that the 30 plus THOUSAND DOLLAR bill that the hospital graciously credited to “charity” is part of the health insurance bill for those of us who are lucky enough to still be able to pay our premiums.  The reason my acquaintance was without insurance is because the premiums are so expensive he couldn’t afford it on a truck driver’s wages.  The end result was someone going without treatment for a condition which could have been avoided with preventive care before it got “out of hand” and his life was in jeopardy.  So, not only are we already PAYING FOR IT – those of us with insurance that is – but, the bills are much higher than they should be due to ALL the people avoiding doctors due to their lack of ability to pay for the services.

The truth is that everything ultimately gets paid for – one way or the other.  So, in our “free market system” – which, I might add, at present is virtually the result of 30+ years of “trickle down” economic theory “spun” by republicans – we’ve eliminated welfare for the poor (well, most of it) while increasing welfare for the corporations exponentially.  For example, our oil companies in the past few years are making profits that are approaching the 50 – 100 BILLION per year neighborhood, all the while doing this as they receive corporate WELFARE from the federal government also in the BILLIONS.  And, everyone seems to be up in arms about the TRILLIONS promised to the Wall Street banks preventing companies like Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley Chase, Bank of America, etc. from collapsing by the weight of their own reckless “gambling” losses – but, the republicans are seemingly standing arm in arm to prevent the government from passing regulations aimed at preventing a recurrence (and, by the way, these companies are already back to the same GAMBLING that created the collapse in first place).  Our “free market” is set up to allow the large corporations to find cheaper places overseas to produce their products and then give them “free reign” on our markets without tariff one to sell the resultant products – because tariffs wouldn’t be “free market” policy.  The loss of jobs that has resulted from that “free market” thinking seems to be of no concern to the corporations, the republicans, and evidently to a lot of democrats as well.

There’s more.  (a lot more, but I’m limited in space and time :o)  How about the pharmaceutical industry.  The federal government provides grants to “big pharma” which allows for the research and development of what most of us “old” people understand to be much needed drugs.  Here’s the rub.  The government also protects these pharmaceutical behemoths to ensure them a huge profit “at the end of the day.”  While I’m not going to write anything about preventing anyone from making a profit – I’m at least smart enough to know that to stay in business you must make a profit – I don’t call what “big pharma” did when the medicare part “D” plan was negotiated during the now infamous Bush administration – you know, the defenders of the “free market” – “free market!”  The reality of that legislation was that the prescription drugs needed by our senior citizens are sold at prices through the medicare program that allow the recipients of these “benefits” to go into Canada, buy the same drugs on their open market, and return to the United States with, as the old McDonald’s adds used to say, “Change from their dollar.”  Doesn’t that seem ridiculous?  Does anyone besides me think that preventing medicare from NEGOTIATING a bulk price for the needed drugs is NOT “free market?”

Then there was the adventurous duo of George W Bush and Dick Cheney (with a lot of help from Don Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, Douglas Feith, and others – all supposedly “free market” proponents) getting us MIRED into two foreign occupations which could go on endlessly (or so it seems – Viet Nam, deja vu all over again?)  EVERY PENNY spent on both Afganistan and Iraq have been BORROWED – but that’s not the total RUB for me here.  How about all the NO BID contracts?  Contracts to the very firms that (at least) Cheney and Rumsfeld were the CEO’s of prior to their “service” for our nation – with both “earning” in excess of $100 MILLION dollars in their “estates” which were sequestered in some “innocent” trust account somewhere.  What’s “free market” about no-bid contracts?  Especially to your “own?”  I really don’t understand why no democrats have found this curious enough to investigate.  In fact, during the Iraq fiasco it was reported that $10 BILLION came up missing, and no one seemed too concerned about that.  Maybe that’s what they mean by “free market.”  I’m sure whoever ended up with the $10 BILLION is thinking along those lines.

While there are lots of examples of how the rhetoric doesn’t match the actions – hense, my interpretation that “we the people” are being BRAINWASHED – the final one I’ll bring up is the budget deficit.  This is a republican favorite.  Don’t you just love how they set the democrats up – and keep walking away with all the CASH?  (there’s that republican “free market” at work again)  During my lifetime (I started paying attention to politics in the mid sixties) it has been one republican president after another PILING up huge deficits – and then blaming the democrat who tries to “fix” the problem for the problem itself.  Nixon was the first.  I still remember him saying that it was silly for the government to own so much property and not have a debt.  He likened it to the mortgage that American homeowners have on their houses.  When he left office, as I remember it (well, actually Ford is the one who left office after finishing Nixon’s second term for him) the deficit was something like 75 BILLION per year – and that was SHOCKING to a lot of people like me.  Jimmy Carter came along and halved it – but, in the process turned off the left wing of the democratic party leading to Ronald Reagan.  Reagan, of course, was the president who instigated the “trickle down” theory of “free market” economics (the Milton Friedman diciples).  I can still remember Reagan promising to “cut taxes and balance the budget.”  Well, his eventual running mate George HW Bush gave that approach the appropriate name, “Voodoo Economics.”  However, the public fell for it (I suppose, looking back, it sounded really good) and by the time Reagan was done, and Bush the first who followed, our national debt had gone from something close to 700 BILLION (following Carter) to 5 TRILLION!  For those of you who don’t do math in your head, Reagan and Bush I increased the debt EIGHT times. 

For all that I didn’t like about Bill Clinton, one of the first things he did was attempt to reverse the deficit spending which was out of control when he took office.  The last year deficit of the Bush I was something approaching 400 BILLION DOLLARS.  Everyone knows (well, if you don’t you should) that by the time Clinton left office – despite the Lewinsky affair and other problems, including RELENTLESS attacks from republicans (this vitriol didn’t start with President Obama) – the budget was in surplus by about $250 BILLION with projections that we could wipe out our national debt in 10 years.  Well, the result of Clinton’s fooling around was another Bush (put into office by the Supreme Court) and a dose of “trickle down” economics on steroids.  George W Bush wasn’t satisfied with one huge tax cut to benefit the “upper crust” of our taxpayers, he managed to get TWO TAXCUTS through the republican congress – leading to an immediate reversal of the budget surplus into the greatest era of DEFICIT SPENDING in our nation’s history.  Combining Bush’s taxcuts with his warmongering on credit cards and deregulation of big business and he snuck out of Washington “with his tail between his legs” after virtually undermining the very fabric of our economy.  Bush’s damage was done with nary a whimper from the republican congress which controlled capital hill for most of his two terms in office.  He left our new president, Barack Obama, with a deficit of OVER A TRILLION dollars, a GREAT RECESSION, a Wall Street in turmoil, an auto industry crumbling toward bankruptcy, and the remnants of his republican congress who were blaming it all on Obama before he took the oath of office and pledging to vote NO on any reforms.

Actually, after all the damage the republicans caused under Bush you would have thought there would have been a bit of remorse for all the 401K’s which were decimated and a bit of a sense of obligation to help restore our economy to something that resembled what was once the greatest middle class the world had ever seen.  But NOOOOOOOO, that was not the case.  The propoganda didn’t just continue – it escalated – and is continuing to escalate every step of the way as President Obama attempts to “right the ship.”  In fact, as the health care legislation was in the final stages in the House of Representatives, the republicans showed their TRUE COLORS when they started throwing racial insults at Black members of the democratic party, homophobic insults at Barney Frank – an openly Gay member of the House, even spitting on one Black member of congress as he approached the House to cast his vote for the bill.  These are people who will no doubt benefit from the bill, but who have been BRAINWASHED by the likes of Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Bill O’Reilly, Sarah Palin and others to believe that anything that comes out of this White House is going to RUIN our country.  It is these talking heads who are at the forefront of the propoganda machine.  I believe this was a political calculation back in the eighties (Rush Limbaugh and others with the so-called “talking points”) which has gotten WAY OUT OF CONTROL.  They have now stirred up a FRINGE element which is getting to the dangerous point.  I believe it’s just a matter of time until something tragic happens – something MAJOR – of course, that’s not to say the killings from the fringe “right” since Obama took office aren’t tragic – it’s just that I believe they are thinking BIGGER than what has happened so far.  These people remind me of the true meaning of the word TERRORIST – and, at some point in time our government is going to have to deal with them HARSHLY.  These republicans have GLEANED trillions from our taxpaying middle class in the past 30+ years, and they have an insatiable appetite for MORE!  Despite the fact our troops are STUCK in Iraq and Afganistan, the real WAR is right here at home – it’s a WAR WITHIN!  That is what John F Kennedy warned us about in the sixties.  If this great nation ever is destroyed, it will come from within.  And, it appears to me that the republican party is trying to destroy America from within.  Those of us who see this happening are depending on the democrats to win this WAR.  The outcome, it appears to me, is still undecided.  The “tea party” people are shouting “We want our country back” while people like me are wanting to shout the same thing.  They can’t handle a person of color in the White House, and people like me can’t handle a timid government that allows it’s leaders to function in a corrupt system that favors the wealthy.  I hope this somehow gets resolved without violence – but, it appears to me that the propogandists on the “right” will stop at nothing in an attempt to undermine Obama and regain their dream of a permanent republican majority!  (for those who think that’s not likely, read the Supreme Court’s “Citizen’s United” decision)

One final afterthought – a depressing one at that (sorry) – If you haven’t heard of Blackwater (now calling themselves Xe services) look them up.  They are FULLY ALIGNED with the right wing fringe which is getting out of control as I’m writing this piece.

It’s spring break.  I spent a couple days away from everything – the news that is – and, when I came home I openend up my online edition of the NY Times to see an article about President Obama titled: “Obama to open Offshore areas to Oil Drilling for the first time.”  Now, this was no big surprise to me.  If you’ve been reading my thoughts of the past couple of years you know that I’m not one of the people claiming our president is a socialist, or anything of that ilk.  In fact, I’ve been lamenting that President Obama is much farther to the “right” than I had anticipated when choosing to support his bid for the presidency in 2008.  To me “The change we can believe in” was far different from what Obama was actually delivering.  Despite my age (which would qualify me for early social security benefits) I still have something of a memory left.  So, I can vividly remember some of the “promises” made during the 2008 campaign.  Of course, I’ve been around long enough to know what promises made in political campaigns mean – usually just words – but, that kind of leads me to my point.  Part of the “Change I could believe in” was a hope that the promises made were actually true.  I don’t want to “lambast” Obama here, that is not my point for this post, I just need to frame my thoughts for the evening, however they might emerge here, (I never quite know what I’m going to write) by saying that I believe a lot of what we’re getting is “politics as usual” in America.  It would be stupid to suggest that Obama’s direction is not a “change” from GW Bush’s.  To me, that just went without discussion – any democrat would have been a significant change from Bush/Cheney.  Heck, even the republicans weren’t mentioning the names of Bush/Cheney during the previous election.  Personally, I was hoping for a fundamental change in the way we do politics in America.

That all being said, the intense rhetoric being thrown around after the passage of “health reform” pretty much supports a lot of what I’ve been claiming to be the problem with the republican side of the “isle” since before Obama took the oath of office.  If you listen too much to these people you would think that America is doomed as a nation.  They are throwing – with little apparent knowledge of the terms they’re using – words like “socialist,” “communist,” “fascist,” and even “racist” at President Obama in what appears to me to be a desperate attempt at preventing the American public from discovering the truth about the real damage caused by what I call the Great American Heist (I’d write a book with that title, but I’m not a writer of books and I’m sure someone would beat me to it anyway).  What is the “Great American Heist?”  Well, if you’ve not been paying attention (or listening to republican talking heads), it’s what has happened to the 12 trillion dollars the American taxpayers have lost above and beyond the services received for their tax payments over the previous 30+ years since Ronald Reagan was “thrust” on the scene.  It’s the blatant “filtering” UP of America’s great wealth to less than 1% of America’s population.  It’s the “bludgeoning” of America’s Great middle class which resulted from FDR’s “New Deal.”  It’s been no secret that Republicans hated the New Deal, they hate unions, they say they despise government – all the while as they’re using government to provide themselves with “corporate welfare” – while, ostensibly decrying “real” welfare (welfare intended for the poor, that is), they claimed social security was a communist plot, medicare was – according to Reagan – socialized medicine that would “curtail America’s freedom, and – of course – the civil rights movement has been a “raw spot” for republicans since the 60’s.  Astonishingly, republicans now HATE “health reform” that will bring health insurance benefits to over 30 million Americans in a way that is WAY TOO REPUBLICAN for me.  None of this makes too much sense to me.  If you listen to the “mainstream” media, however,  you would almost think the republican perspective has merit.

Let me try to clarify a point I’ve been making since Obama’s campaign for the presidency.  It became clear to me prior to Obama winning the democratic nomination that racism is MORE alive and well in America than, certainly, I had thought.  I teach 6th graders and one of the things that is encouraging to me about them is they seem to be pretty much “color blind.”  Now, there’s a lot of issues I don’t like that I’m seeing with the 11 – 12 year old children I teach – but, the fact they seem to predominantly judge each other based on something other than the color of their skin is a positive for me.  That’s still not the case, evidently, with MANY adults in this nation.  During Obama’s campaign against Hillary Clinton I was definitely surprised to see race to be as much of an issue as it seemed to be.  Foolishly, I guess, I had allowed myself to believe that ALL the racists were in the republican party.  Obviously, that was pretty naive (I was going to write stupid, but naive made me feel a bit better) on my part.  However, once the national campaign unfolded and it was Obama/Biden vs McCain/Palin the contrast between the two parties became very apparent – I mean, if our media would do the research they’re paid to do, they would have connected Palin to the Alaska Successionist Party which is affiliated with the John Birch society so that some of her references to “taking back America,” or “real Americans” would have allowed them to make an accurate description of her position on race (maybe there would have been a reaction other than silence from Palin  as she stood quietly while her supporters shouted “kill him” in reference to Obama).  And, the issue of race has not gone away since Obama’s inauguration – as I’ve been saying for some time now, I don’t believe it will until there is a fundamental EXPOSURE of the leaders of the republican party.  The imperical evidence is EVERYWHERE, but, somehow, the “journalists” in this nation don’t seem to want to “go there.”  This so-called “health reform” is a great example to show the true motivation behind the “party of NO!”  In the sixth grade we teach our students the importance of “inferring” – so, bear with me because I’m going to assume if you’re reading this you understand that concept.

The reason you need to “infer” what’s really happening is due to the republican’s great willingness to LIE.  So, let’s look at this so-called “government takeover of health care,” or “socialized medicine” that they’re so “up in arms” about.  Aside from those two claims we’ve endured endless claims about “death panels,” about the government coming “between you and your doctor,” about government “funding abortions,” and on and on.  So, what is the reality that caused EVERY republican in both houses of congress to vote against giving 30+ million more Americans access to health care.  The bill doesn’t include the “public option” that progressives demanded, it gives tax breaks to small businesses to help them provide health care for their employees (that’s good isn’t it?), it closes the “doughnut hole” for seniors which was costing our senior citizens billions of dollars for medications, the bill preserves the private insurance companies (as stated – providing them MILLIONS of new customers), the bill prevents companies from excluding customers based on “pre-existing” conditions,  OVER 200 amendments in the bill were proposed by republicans (in fact, it’s being reported that the bill resembles the Massachusettes plan initiated by then republican governor Mitt Romney), the bill extends the life of Medicare for something like 10 years – giving more time to solve the medicare solvency problem, the bill requires insurance companies to pay out 85% of premiums in benefits (I suppose that’s not one of the republican amendments because it could cause a reduction in CEO pay – although I’m sure they’ll find a way around the requirement), and it has many provisions designed to reduce the need for expensive medical procedures.  The bill is a very CONSERVATIVE approach to the health care crisis in my opionion.  It provides needed benefits to untold MILLIONS of Americans – so why not a single republiccan vote for the bill?

This is where the inferencing comes in.  In fact, the republican response to the passage of this bill further lends “inferential” evidence to what I’ve been saying for well over a year now.  The republicans now are going to be betting everything on REPEAL of the legislation.  Bouyed by the Supreme Court’s decision in “Citizen’s United” – opening the “floodgates” of corporate money into the impending elections – it appears the republicans are going to make a strong “push” to gain enough seats in congress to REPEAL the bill.  (that seems foolish to me on two fronts – first, that’s a lot of seats and second, it further makes my point more obvious)  Instead of giving the bill a chance to work, they want to repeal it – and, I believe the reason for that is they think the bill will work!  It’s a very republican-like bill.  Now, if it was up to me, congress would simply have passed a “medicare for all” buyin with the necessary tweaks to insure the key proponents of this bill.  The American public would have then had the opportunity to “choose” between the existing insurance market and a buyin to medicare.  The simple argument could have been made to republicans that if government programs are so bad, the insurance companies would have nothing to worry about (in fact, at one time, I believe I heard President Obama himself make that EXACT argument)

Why then, if it’s a republican like bill, would the republicans be so united against it?  Well, the real truth is that the thought of a Black president succeeding is simply unacceptable to republicans.  I believe they are well aware that “whites” (I’m one of them) will soon be a minority in America – that is, compared to the combined total of all other members of our “melting pot.”  Evidently, they think the only people who should be “qualified” to be president are “white” people.  You know, like GW Bush, Dick Cheney, Mitt Romney, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton (well, Clinton’s a whole different story), and – GOD FORBID – Sarah Palin!  (hence the redundant claim from republicans; “We want our country back” – as if it’s gone somewhere)  The republicans are smart enough to understand the consequences of Barack Obama pulling this nation out of the crisis created by Bush/Cheney.  They weren’t smart enough – or courageous enough (keep in mind there wasn’t ONE republican COURAGEOUS enough to vote against their leadership on this republican – like bill) – to stand up to Bush/Cheney as the two of them were virtually destroying our economy and our standing in the world.  But, now they’re standing strong against President Obama in a united effort to prevent a person of color from “fixing” their BLUNDERS!

I mean there’s a plethora of evidence to support my contention based on Obama’s cautious approach to governing in a crisis that the only legitimate reason for their constant barrage of NO’S is the color of Obama’s skin.  I’m not the only “progressive” minded person out there who’s dissapointed in the decisions of our new president.  That’s why it’s so surprising that not one republican has “crossed the line” so far to support Obama’s PUSH for bipartisanship.  Let me give you a list of things I’m not too happy about, but the republicans should be:  First (and foremost in my mind), Obama essentially pardoned Bush/Cheney and a bunch of others once taking office (similarly to Nancy Pelosi taking “impeachment off the table” when it clearly should have been on the table).  I’ve been “harping” on this since day one of the Obama administration.  Not only did Obama let Bush off the hook, he’s been defending his illegal activity in court.  To make matters worse for Obama on this one, Judge Vaughn Walker ruled today that the Bush administration violated the FISA act (they did this many times – probably thousands) when they illegally wiretapped the Al-Haramain foundation after the 9/11 attacks.  Obama’s justice department was trying to carry on the claim that the “state’s secrets priviledge” essentially allows the government to hide it’s illegal activity by claiming we’re at war (you can see why Bush/Cheney wanted the never ending “war on terror”).  In my mind, President Obama has opened himself up to “own” a large part of the Bush fiasco, not only by continuing Bush policies, but by defending those policies – clearly illegal policies – in court (there are many more instances besides the illegal wiretapping).  So, how do you explain the republicans being upset with Obama for this? (of course, to me, a better question is why would Obama even do this?)  Could it be the color of Obama’s skin?  But, hold on, there’s a lot more evidence to support my contention.

Take Iraq and Afganistan for example.  If we were getting the “change I could believe in” we would be out of there by now.  Obama has been in office for almost 15 months now – so, actually – based on what I heard him PROMISE during the campaign – it would be another month until our troops would be out of Iraq – TOTALLY.  He did claim that he wanted to “finish the job” of getting Osama bin Laden in Afganistan – but, I didn’t interpret that as on OK for another Bush-like “surge” – only this time in Afganistan, with a seemingly endless occupation of two Arab countries.  Honestly, I believe the republicans, the generals, the military industrial complex in America should all be VERY HAPPY with Obama.  People like me – not so happy.  Obama has essentially CONTINUED the Bush policy in Iraq – with little or no modification.  The so-called withdrawal plan was negotiated by the Bush administration and, I believe, is not even a withdrawal plan.  I REALLY hope I’m wrong on this one, but I have the worst feeling that our “non combat” troops (now there’s a republican misnomer for you) are going to be in Iraq indefinitely.  And, we are apparently going to spend the next several years “nation building” in Afganistan while the Afgan government and people – who don’t want us there – glean what they can from our occupation of their country.  Hamad Karzai may have had some potential when he was first put in office in Afganistan, but that day has long since “expired.”  The seven years of the “real” Bush policies soured the Afgans on America, and we should just quit sending “good money after bad.”  Yes, we need to somehow deal with al Qaeda, but this is not the solution.  We have brilliant minds in our government who need to go back to the drawing board on finding and eradicating al Qaeda – but, not through these endless occupations of Arab nations which is just making the United States more vulnerable on several fronts.  We need leadership here instead of Obama trying to impress the “right” that he’s a “tough” commander in chief.  That all being said, based on Obama’s continuance of their policies, why are republicans so venemous toward him?

Then, today it’s the oil drilling off our coast.  Really, from the “progressive” perspective, it’s just one republican-like move after another.  What’s that old saying?  “If you try to please everyone, you please no one.”  Somehow, I’m forcing myself to believe that Obama’s smarter than that – but, it certainly seems like a relevent saying, doesn’t it?  I still remember Obama’s chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, calling people like me fu__ing retards, evidently for our “idealistic” yearnings.  Of course, Obama hasn’t received a republican vote yet, although I saw an interview on TV last night where he said quite clearly that he will continue to reach out to republicans.  I guess maybe his strategy is to back them into a corner by giving them legislation that makes it even clearer where they’re coming from when they vote against it – or, maybe give them legislation that forces them to vote with him (and, all the while him assuming us progressives will just “be there” when he needs us).  The bottom line is that one decision after another coming from Obama’s White House is either centrist, or maybe even “right” leaning.  If there was a “moderate” republican left in Congress with any guts whatsoever, he/she would be right along side the president.  Given Obama’s intellect, I have to concede that he must have a plan that goes beyond my ability to imagine for defeating these thugs.  In the end, the result could be the same as would have happened had he followed my lead (now, there’s some arrogance for you) and that is the republican party – in its present form – in dissaray.  At this point I’m guessing they would vote no if Obama proposed extending the Bush tax cuts! The bottom line – I’ll quit mincing words – is there’s no logical explanation for all the NO votes, all the vitriol coming from the “right,” besides republicans feeling it’s more important for our government to fail than for a Black president to succeed!  OK, I’ll say it – the republican party is “infested” with of a bunch of racists.  Not all of them, mind you, but the ones who aren’t racists are not showing the courage necessary to stand tall – and SPEAK OUT against the Limbaugh’s, the Beck’s, the O’Reilly’s, the Boehner’s, the McConnell’s, the McCain’s, the Palin’s, the Grassley’s, and all the others who are lined up SOLIDLY against a president of the United States like nothing that’s ever happened in this nation before.  If Obama was doing what I wanted him to do, this vitriol would be more understandable – although, I believe the end results would be better legislation and a clear message to America and the world that the United States is a nation based on the rule of law – but, based on his pragmatic, conservative, and cautious approach to serious problems left behind by Bush/Cheney et al – the only reasonable explanation for the republican reaction of “Hell No you can’t” is OVERT racism!

I have mixed emotions as I begin this post.  First, it was VERY encouraging seeing President Obama in what appeared to be “attack mode” as he was responding to the republican response to their LOSS on the health care debate.  It is TOTALLY discouraging seeing a republican party that is beyond OUT OF CONTROL with leaders who are OVERT racists.  They’re having a much more difficult time holding their TRUE feelings inside as they watch what could be – and hopefully is – the total DEMISE of the republican party as it exists today (could it be their “Waterloo?”).  There have been many more Americans besides myself who have been disappointed (in my case, virtually turned off) by President Obama’s persistent “reaching out” to republicans in order to get “bipartisan” support for legislation which OBVIOUSLY was not there.  This bill could have been law a LONG TIME AGO had our president figured this out – and accepted it.  Hopefully now, he understands that there is an internal war going on for the very foundation of the United States of America.  The republicans have morphed into a bunch of surrogates to people like Roger Ailes (the head of Fox “news”), Glenn Beck, Bill O’Reilly, and a bunch of other “talking heads,” but MOSTLY Rush Limbaugh.  I can’t imagine how any thoughtful adult in today’s America could want to allow that bunch to determine national policy.

This should have been way more OBVIOUS to democrats, and especially the president.  I mean, the republicans chose an overt RACIST to be John McCain’s running mate in the last election.  Sarah Palin started all this “revolutionary” rhetoric when she was claiming that Barack Obama “hangs out with terrorists,” emphasizing his middle name was “Hussein,” and using one code word after another to assure her audience that she was well aware that her opponent was BLACK.  And, of course, we had John McCain who is a much more covert racist, although he put up a good fight in years past to oppose a holiday for Martin Luther King.  McCain had the code words all right, they were just more subtle than Palin’s.  I’ll never forget the debate where McCain referred to Obama as “that one,” and – for all intents and purposes – got away with it.  There was barely a “whimper” from some in the media – but, just that comment alone should have been reason for much more SCRUTINY on McCain’s motives.  And, both McCain and Palin continued “inciting” the crowds as people in their audience shouted things like “kill him” while they were implying that Barack Obama was something less than “one of us,” or a “real American.”

So, now look where we are.  President Obama chose, once in office, to look the other way from OBVIOUS illegal activity coming straight out of the White House during the Bush/Cheney years – presumably to avoid flaming the racist fires even more as he took over the reigns of our government.  I’m sure he didn’t want the “distraction” it would have caused.  Well, notwithstanding all the reasons it was PARAMOUNT to show the world that we are a nation of laws and not men, WE STILL HAVE THE DISTRACTION.  And, I would claim that the distraction is far worse than it would have been had Obama done the RIGHT THING and allowed for the investigations.  Not only would we have been given insight into what our government had been up to, but ALL AMERICANS would have a clear vision of what the right wing of the republican party is pushing as official policy.  I shudder when I see all these working class Americans lined up as “tea party” protestors – TOTALLY being used by the repubulican leaders who could care less about them and as they are trying to create a nation of corporate GREED gone WILD!

This all being said, I have to admit that I’m feeling a bit encouraged by the fact the democrats – despite my deep reservations about the legislation – PASSED A HEALTH REFORM BILL.  It’s not that the bill is a be all end all, because most people agree that it’s not.  It’s just that they didn’t quit, and they actually did something that  resembles governing.  It looked to me as if Nancy Pelosi decided to make sure something was accomplished and I liked the way she (and the rest of the democrats) maneuvered the bill through once Scott Brown became the 41st NO vote in the Senate.  Of course, as I’ve been saying for almost a year, all they had to do – in reality – was to give ALL Americans the OPTION to buy into a medicare like plan that would pay a fair amount to doctors and hospitals with incentives for health providers to help people stay healthy.  Just the same, the democrats – better late than never – FINALLY did something.  And, I share the hope of many that this action will spur them on to “bigger and better” things prior to the next election.  Of course, that would be even more unusual because the recent history of our congress is that even LESS gets done during an election year.

Do you get the sense that the democratic members of congress are “getting” the reality of “Citizens United?”  Maybe they’re understanding the best way to fight the impending ONSLAUGHT of corporate money in the upcoming election is to actually accomplish some things that “we the people” want before then.  I mean, it was astonishing to me that the congress couldn’t put a “public option” in the health care legislation when over 70% of Americans wanted that.  Of course, those 70% didn’t include the pharmaceutical giants or the health insurance behemoths, and, evidently, they have more sway with our congressional leaders and the White House than the rest of us.  Now congress is faced with the “task” of re-regulating Wall Street.  The big banks are already funneling their HUGE amounts of campaign donations toward republicans in a shameless attempt to persuade the PARTY OF NO to attempt to block any restrictions on their gambling with taxpayer money (right now, they’re getting money from the Fed at 0% interest).  I think it must have been Wall Street that came up with the saying “Heads we win, tails you lose.”  It must be nice to be able to lose BILLIONS and still get a handsome bonus – not to mention the seven figure salary!  Do the republicans really DARE to side with Wall Street on this one?  Stay tuned, should be interesting to say the least.  (and, I guess I should add; are the democrats either stupid enough or spineless enough to fail to act on this OVERWHELMINGLY popular and NECESSARY issue?)

Most of all I’ve been encouraged by seeing President Obama acting much more agressively to the obstructionists.  I’ve stated before that the “looking forward and not back” regarding the misdeeds of Bush/Cheney was a “deal breaker” for me – but, I VERY MUCH WANT PRESIDENT OBAMA TO SUCCEED!  I believe if he’ll start pushing a progressive agenda without deference to the republicans who have proven that their “tax cuts solves everything” philosophy is a MAJOR LOSER and that their new philosophy of help our President to fail is only popular with the tea baggers and racists, then he’ll rise again in the polls.  I also believe that if Obama takes the republicans on STRAIGHT UP – democrats won’t necessarily have the disaster pundits are predicting for them in November’s congressional elections.  Wouldn’t it be a GREAT MESSAGE to send to republicans – to put them FURTHER in the minority?  Do you think that might wake them up that this radical authoritarian agenda they’re pushing has NO PLACE in America’s politics?  President Obama could push through the Wall Street regulation, a green energy bill, and an ADDITIONAL STIMULUS bill that would put people back to work, and he could gain solid backing by a LARGE MAJORITY of Americans.

I just can’t bring myself to believe that in 2010 there are enough Americans who will “buy” the TEA PARTY “soup” to effect the outcome of an election.  Obama’s placating of republicans has been turning off both independent voters (like myself) and his “liberal” base.  The ONLY way to reenergize these people is to take up the BATTLE against these republicans.  That’s why Obama was elected.  It’s not just me who had had enough of Bush and his cronies.  If President Obama wants to really be the LEADER of this nation, he will make it clear that what those people stand for has no place in American politics any more.  Some of this tea party CRAP really reminds me of some of the stuff we had to endure in the sixties when the civil rights movement was in full force.  It’s as if Bush/Cheney (both draft dodgers) missed serving in Viet Nam, but they didn’t hesitate to send hundred’s of thousands of America’s finest to Iraq for their own personal gain.  Neither Bush nor Cheney were noted for their racial sensitivity, and now we’re again seeing American heroes like John Lewis enduring racial epithets on the steps of congress with republican lawmakers urging the perpetrators on.  To me, all of this is like “Deja Vu all over again.”  I’m hoping Obama is in a position – and frame of mind – to continue to attack these guys.

What could possibly derail President Obama?  Well, I’m still not sure why he’s made some of the decisions he’s made – so, short of finding out that he’s still wiretapping, or that the secret prisons are still torturing prisoners, or some other foo pah – hopefully Obama is now on track to “take it to” the republicans.  I agree that we need republicans, it’s just that we don’t need republicans who are sucking up to people like Limbaugh, Beck, and Ailes.  The other day a former speech writer for Bush, David Frum, was fired from the conservative American Enterprise Institute for telling the truth about the republican’s refusal to negotiate with democrats on the health care legislation.  The bottom line: in today’s republican party you either “toe” the party line, or you’re “persona non grata.”  Does anyone besides me find it ironic that these same people are very loose in throwing terms like “fascist,” “communist,” “socialist” around at President Obama?  I heard a republican the other day claim that Obama’s creating a “totalitarian” nation!  These people really do need to be DEFEATED!  Hopefully President Obama has finally figured out that he’s the one who MUST lead the way in doing this.

There was a time in my lifetime when republicans actually acted as leaders.  People like Barry Goldwater, Everett Dirksen, Mark Hatfield, Bob Packwood, George Romney, Nelson Rockefeller, Dwight D Eisenhower, and even Richard Nixon could never exist in today’s republican party.  I’m no John McCain fan, but if you’ve followed his career you can see the stark difference between “then and now.”  He was once considered the “maverick,” because of his willingness to work “across the isle,” but, nowadays you see him spouting the “party line” in an attempt to show all the tea baggers that he’s worthy of their vote in a disgusting display of someone who doesn’t have the courage to stand up for what he believes.  Makes me sick even writing this.  I do believe, however, that totally DEFEATING these THUGS will lead to a restoration of a republican party that just might actually be “compassionate conservatives” which is what the voters thought they were getting when they elected George W Bush.  (OK, I “get” they didn’t elect him – he was appointed by the Supreme Court – but, just the same, the people who did vote for him thought he was compassionate and conservative.  0 for 2!)

 President Obama made all of this much more difficult than it should have been.  A friend of mine pointed out that Obama needed to “reach out” to republicans in order to show America what they are REALLY like.  I understand that line of thinking, but I just think that full investigations of Bush/Cheney et al would have done a much better and more thorough job of getting that done.  And, it would have allowed for this healthcare debate to have been over long ago (especially had they taken the medicare for all approach and gone right to reconciliation to pass it in the senate).  So, in the interest of helping Obama and the democrats further marginalize these republicans I’m suggesting they pass STRICT regulations of Wall Street – which would include a .0025 cents PER SHARE tax on all trades (that’s a QUARTER OF A CENT), they should also pass a SECOND stimulus bill – that is 100% aimed at job creation, and a “green energy” bill that ACTUALLY puts us on a course aimed at reducing our dependence on fossil fuels – SOONER RATHER THAN LATER!  If they have the courage and the brains to do that, I TOTALLY believe the people in this nation who are not infromation deprived will be ENERGIZED to send an even STRONGER message to the likes of John (hell no you can’t) Boehner, Mitch McConnell, John McCain, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, and the rest of them.  If I could talk to President Obama (after I pointed out to him his folly in “pardoning” Bush/Cheney :o) I would tell him, an agressive progressive agenda for the rest of 2010 will guarantee the republicans to still be the party of “NO” in November!!!

In my last post I expressed my disappointment in the health care proposal which, last evening, was passed by the United States House of Representatives.  It was a “better than the status quo” solution to the health care crisis which is in the process of destroying the American economy (with, of course, a lot of help from eight years of GW Bush/Dick Cheney) – or, at least, that is what the democrats are promising and I, for one, hope they are correct.  I’ve also spent a lot of time on this site, which was originated because of my displeasure with the aforementioned Bush administration, pointing out what I believe are President Obama’s shortcomings since taking over at the White House.  However, last night as the debate played out its final moments in the House of Representatives – the outcome of which was pre-determined, the distinction between the democrats and republicans was STARK.  I was at school correcting papers from my sixth graders and had the opportunity to watch pretty much the entire process and I came away wondering how any decent minded, thoughtful, caring American could support the republicans and their RADICAL fearmongering that TOTALLY exposed their HYPOCRISY which seemed to be on steroids.

Now, I fully realize that virtually ALL OF US are hypocrits to some degree or another.  In fact, while not a “fundamentalist zealot,” I am a confirmed, devout, Christian (I guess you’d have to say I’m part of the “Christian Left”).  I agree that life begins at conception (I’ve seen actual evidence of this), I have always supported an economic policy aimed at a balanced budget, I believe in traditional American values (that’s pretty subjective though, isn’t it?), and I agree that the “disintegration” of the family is at the core of America’s present problems.  Does that sound conservative to you?  It has always felt conservative to me.  However, ALL my friends and acquaintances who listen to people like Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Fox “news,” etc. consider me a flaming LIBERAL!  I can only surmise the reason for this is that I take the teachings of Jesus seriously.  The republican leaders of this nation actually remind me of the Pharisees.  Now, there’s no one out there who reminds me of Jesus (except Jesus himself), but these republican leaders seem to be doing everything they can to undermine what Jesus stood for, what he taught, and, of course, many of them use his name to do that.  I believe that is what bothers me the MOST about this debate over health care.  (other than the fact that my own apparent need to sit in “judgement” on republicans causes me to feel a sense of hypocricy over my own actions – I do understand the Bible says “Judge not, lest ye be judged” – quite the dilemma)

Listening to the republican side of the argument last night – despite, in my mind, that both sides were being disengenuous at best – the republicans made my stomach queasy.  And, after reading so many books detailing what they did during the “Bush years” – when they had the opportunity to address the health care crisis in America – was what made their every word seem like “HYPOCRISY” on steroids, as mentioned above.  Let’s just analyze their argument against this healthcare reform legislation against their own record of the past 10 years:

One argument: We can’t afford it – healthcare reform will cost “a trillion” dollars and lead to massive national debt.  Do I really need to elaborate to point out the hypocrisy of this one?  Where were their complaints about the national debt when they were passing tax cuts for the top 1% of this nation totalling over 2 TRILLION dollars with no mention of a way to pay for it?  Or, the championing of two ill conceived wars which have already cost this country over one TRILLION dollars and that has been paid for with 100% BORROWED FUNDS.  Where were their complaints about that?  Or where were their complaints about the Medicare “part D” program they themselves rammed through congress which added almost 400 BILLION to the debt and prevented senior citizens from having the ability to negotiate as a group for lower drug costs?  Why weren’t they complaining as George W Bush and Dick Cheney were saying “Ronald Reagan proved deficits don’t matter” as they DOUBLED the national debt in their eight years in the White House?  Were they saying nothing simply because Bush/Cheney were republicans?  Or did this concern over the national debt just strike them as important once President Obama took office?  And, of course, you won’t hear republican number one accepting the REAL RESPONSIBILITY for the present debt crisis as something they brought on by their over DEREGULATION during the years from Reagan to Bush II.

Here’s another one of their arguments from last evening: “This is a total government takeover of the health care system.”  Do these people live in their own absurd universe or something?  Now, I have to add here that what I’ve been proposing since day one is exactly what they’re complaining about here – well, sort of.  And, that would be the opportunity for ALL AMERICANS to be able to buy into a “government run health care system” if they would choose to do so.  The reason I’m unhappy with the democrats is because they had an easy solution to this health care problem and chose to take an ill conceived route that hopefully will someday end up in the correct place.  All the democrats had to do was to allow all Americans the opportunity to buy into Medicare – with a few modifications which would allow more favorable payments to doctors and hospitals.  That was it.  Anyone wanting to keep or buy private health insurance would still have that option.  And, based on the republicans CONSTANT rant that anything the government does is MUCH MORE INEFFECTIVE than the private sector, there shouldn’t have been much concern by the private companies that the government could effectively compete with them.  Of course, that wasn’t the case and the insurance lobby and the pharmaceutical lobby “invested” over a BILLION dollars to make sure there was no “government takeover of the healthcare system.”

In fact, what we’re ending up with from this “historic” bill is a plan that FORCES another 32+ million “customers” into the health insurance providers who’ve been supposedly fighting this bill all along.  You, as I did and am, might wonder why the insurance companies would fight against 32 MILLION new customers?  Well, I believe the answer to that question is that they weren’t fighting against it.  I’m guessing these companies got pretty much what they wanted out of this legislation.  They are still in tact, they’re waiting for a BUNCH of new customers who will be subsidized by the taxpayers, and I’m guessing there will be no sudden depletion of their bottom lines.  In fact, I believe the total risk here is on the government’s side.  I’m as certain as I can be that the insurance “board rooms” are already busy figuring out how they can “get around” anything in this legislation they don’t like.  The bottom line with this bill – contrary to what the republicans are HYPOCRITICALLY saying – is that it STRENGTHENS the “FOR PROFIT” healthcare system that is creating a huge DRAIN on our economy.  I’m hoping and praying that President Obama is correct that the bill will bring down costs and provide insurance for another 30+ million uninsured Americans.  But, what this bill AINT is government run health care (although the government is going to be right out there getting blamed for whatever “ills” show up as the legislation is implemented)

Still another argument against the legislation by republicans last night: “The American people are solidly against healthcare reform.”  I heard this one OVER AND OVER last night from almost every republican who spoke.  All I could think of as I listened to them was “here we go again” with another propoganda campaign designed to say something over and over again until people start thinking it must be true.  EVERY POLL I’ve seen on health care would suggest that if people are not solidly behind this legislation it is because it doesn’t go far enough.  When this process started almost 75% of Americans wanted a “robust public option.”  The general public understood that to be what I proposed many times and earlier in this post – something like a medicare buyin option for ALL Americans.  In fact, early on in this debate, about 56% of ALL RESPONDENTS wanted a single payer healthcare system!  So, as usual, the republicans are LYING again!  You know – when their lips are moving – THEY’RE LYING!  Now, it’s true that there are a few recent polls which can be manipulated in a way that would appear to suggest that there is not a strong majority in favor of healthcare reform – but, those figures ALWAYS represent the monstrosity of a bill the Senate ended up passing – which is technically what is law as I’m writing this post – waiting for the house “reconciliation” modifications to be acted on in the senate.  No matter what the democrats end up with it’s not going to be what the people wanted, and it’s CERTAINLY not going to be “healthcare for all” as they’re touting it.  The democrats aren’t being genuine here either, but their exaggerations PALE in the face of the republican “Lie machine.”

Finally, probably the most absurd argument:  “This is a soviet style reform, a communistic form of health care.”  This is the republicans attempting to appeal to the most ignorant and biased among us.  Now, I personally HATE this tactic – which is translated into the so-called “tea party” movement and ends up morphing into racist and homophobic attacks on members of congress who are supporting the bill.  This is the tactic espoused by the likes of Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Bill O’Reilly, Michael Savage, John Boehner, Mitch McConnell, Sarah Palin, Newt Gingrich, John McCain, and seemingly ALL of today’s despicable republican party.  All I can say is it angered me to watch video of John Lewis and one of his Black colleagues being showered with racial epithets as he walked to the capital to cast his vote for this legislation.  This is a man who was almost beaten to death in the first Selma to Montgomery “March” almost 45 years ago to the day as he fought for civil rights alongside Martin Luther King – both TRUE AMERICAN HEROS – and these “tea baggers” are throwing “N bombs” at him because he’s in favor of national healthcare reform – probably reform which will benefit some of them.  Barney Frank received a rash of homophobic slurs, and they even blasted a Texas Congressman of Mexican decent with hispanic slurs.  Really, all of this tells me all I need to know about the “validity” of their “communist” claim – I had just hoped we had matured past this kind of CRAP in America!  Obviously, I was wrong.

This healthcare legislation, as far as I’m concerned, is MAJORLY flawed.  I’m not all together confident it’s going to work in the manner the democrats are anticipating.  For one thing, I believe there is still WAY TOO MUCH trust being given to the very insurance companies which are supposedly being “reformed.”  There is no “government run healthcare option” as part of the bill – which I understood President Obama to be “promising” as he ran for President.  Also, he promised there would be no “mandate” – if you remember – well, if I remember – that was a Hillary Clinton proposal.  And, the thought that I will be taxed on my health benefits which are used to pay for the insurance I purchase – which costs me an additional $600 per month above what my employer provides (I include my wife) simply makes me feel my health care costs will be rising instead of going down.  Hopefully, as I say about much of what Obama “accomplishes,” I hope I’m wrong.   But, getting back to the republicans – THERE ARE CLEAR LINES being drawn here.  The republican arguments MAKE NO SENSE!  The republicans made a conscious decision to oppose health care reform – not because it wasn’t in the interest of the American people – but, because they want President Obama to FAIL at all costs.  They would have us ALL FAIL in order to make sure that America is not led by a President of color.  I believe the one tradition republicans still hold true to is they want a “White Anglo Saxon Protestant” in the White House.  And, they’re willing to do or say ANYTHING in an attempt to make sure violation of that “principle” never happens again!

It appears that the painstakingly LONG debate over health insurance reform is coming to an end.  My gut instincts tell me that this bill will be a real “cop out” to what was possible, but I “hear” the democrats who are claiming it’s just a “start.”  Yes, there is historical precedence to suggest that, over the course of time, this bill can be improved.  I guess I’m just suffering from the disappointment in realizing that our Congress, and very possibly our White House, are already in the “pockets” of multi-national corporations – whether democrat or republican.  Otherwise, it’s hard for me to “get” why they didn’t just simply open up Medicare – with a few modifications (including the “improvements” of this bill – like “pre-existing conditions,” etc.) – to all Americans, with those presently buying insurance from the private market having the “option” to buy into the “government run healthcare system.”  Certainly, all those on the right who claim that the government can’t do anything right would simply have had the option to NOT buy in.  Those who would want to be a part of that should have had the “option” to purchase “government run healthcare” had they been so inclined.

Why would I be concerned about the corporate influence on this bill?  Well, putting two plus two together, I’m already thinking about the effects of the so-called “Citizens United” Supreme Court decision which has “opened the flood gates” of political finance to corporate interests – many of which won’t even be United States owned corporations.  If the BILLION or so dollars spent by the health care lobby could “mitigate” this legislation to “save” it for the FOR PROFIT health care industry, just think what lies in store in the years to come.  President Obama and the democrats are assuring us that the bill will be “strengthened” in the years ahead.  I’m just not so sure that they can guarantee that.  In fact, the members of the House are using a process called “deem and pass” to get this legislation from the House back to the Senate.  And, why would they use this parliamentary trickery for the ultimate vote on the bill?  Well, from everything I’ve heard, it’s because the members of the House ABSOLUTELY don’t trust the members of the Senate – AND FOR GOOD REASON, I might add.  I don’t think hardly anyone trusts the members of the Senate – on either side of the “isle” – at this point in America’s history.  I believe this “deem and pass” procedure guarantees the House that if the Senate doesn’t pass the bill as sent to them, there will be no bill.  In other words, the members of the House are stating that they will not take the chance that the Senate health care bill could possibly end up being law – without modification.

And, one member of the house after another seem to be saying that this bill is “better than the status quo,” and that’s the only reason they’re voting for it.  When you’ve got a super majority in Congress, that is not a ringing endorsement of the democrats ability to get legislation passed through Congress.  I will say this, since the first of the year I’ve seen a BIT more willingness on the part of democratic leaders to simply disregard the republican party as they should have from the day President Obama was elected.  I suppose the argument could be made that Obama needed to show the republicans “for what they are,” and it took all this “reaching out” to an unwilling constituency to do so, but, as I’ve been stating for over a year there was a much easier way to accomplish putting these republicans in their place.  For the sake of wanting to avoid beating the “dead horse” I’ve been beating for the past year on the need for investigations, I’ll leave it at just that hint of what the real solution was – read my earlier posts if you’re not sure what I mean by that.  But, while all this “negotiating” has taken place in the past year, I have to add that millions of Americans are without work, with no prospects for the immediate future because of the fight for this mediocre, at best, health care legislation.  I’m simply going on what trust I have left in the President that this legislation is going to help a lot of Americans.  But, if the democrats lose control of Congress, and ultimately Obama loses the White House over this – I’m very hopeful that won’t happen – the negative consequences could far outweigh the positive ones (whatever they might be – to me, very unclear at this point).  Honestly, it’s very hard for me to trust any American politician at this point in time.

We can expect the large corporate money to begin flowing almost as soon as this bill gets signed by the president.  I believe the first attempt will be to elect republicans who pledge to repeal it.  Of course, if Obama’s new found “spunk” which he’s shown in the last month or so is genuine, then they will have to beat him to get it repealed – even if they could somehow miraculously take back the Congress.  Realistically, I believe the worst that could happen for the democrats is to lose their TIGHT GRIP on congressional majorities – but, no one knows what effect unlimited corporate spending might do in the next election.  For example, if the pharmaceutical industry could afford to pay the man who negotiated the Medicare Part D fiasco under President Bush a bonus of over a BILLION dollars, think about how much they are going to spend to prevent congress from “fixing” this bill in the future.  For them, the “status quo” was much more preferable to the government suggesting there should be regulation on how they or the insurance companies operate.  I mean, do you honestly believe there was no public option because it wasn’t a good idea?  Combine the money of the insurance industry with that of the pharmaceutical industry and you have the ability to far outspend any candidate that is not “BEHOLDEN” to them.  Do you really think the members of congress committed to health care as a right, and the end of FOR PROFIT health care are going to have much of a chance against these corporate behemoths?

Add to this that the congresspersons who will be willing to suck up to these corporations will more than likely be just as willing to suck up to the oil lobby, the coal lobby, the NRA (probably already doing this – but, just picture the amount of money these lobbies can now spend to promote their interests), and anyone else out there who will offer them financial support.  This is why it was so important to take these people on STRAIGHT UP right NOW!  Passing the “option” for ALL AMERICANS to be able to buy into Medicare could have been done with 50 votes in the Senate, wouldn’t have required 2700 pages (or whatever the actual amount of the bill ends up being), wouldn’t have intruded on anyone who is happy with their private insurance, and MORE IMPORTANTLY would have allowed our government to spend the time that was needed on CREATING JOBS for the MILLIONS of Americans who are still anxious to go to work, with NO JOBS in sight.

With an “infrastructure” that was estimated to need something like TWO TRILLION dollars to bring it up to code, and over 10 MILLION men and women out of work – the combination for a “short cut” to solving this unemployment problem was right in front of our politicians eyes.  Yet, we had to spend over ONE YEAR arguing about a health care bill which will end up being almost TOTALLY diluted from the “ideal,” and we still have a treasury secretary saying that unemployment is going to go up further before it starts to come down consistently.  There is no doubt that Barack Obama is FAR BETTER than anything the republcans have (or had) to offer – but, there are a lot of “ifs” on the road ahead.  I for one have grown tired of the rhetoric.  I’ve been looking for action since he took office – and, yes, stuff has been accomplished – but, almost all of it is far less than what could have been had Obama taken a STRONG STANCE against the republican party from day one.  Just the other day, there he was on Fox – kissing up to Republcans again.  I’m going to hope that all of this works out for the better, but this is not the “change I can believe in.”  It feels like a cross between “Bush – lite” and “Clinton – lite.”  Not much seems different to me – even though there are a bunch of democrats who are going to be claiming they’ve passed a “historic” health care overhaul.  I think Dennis Kucinich put it about right on the other day when he announced he was dropping his opposition to the plan.  It’s not what he wanted, it’s not “real” health care reform, it’s more than likely a windfall to the big insurance companies which will make them even more difficult to legislate against in the future (that last part was my thoughts), but he didn’t want to stand in the way of the final bill – he was voting for it simply because President Obama convinced him it was better than the status quo.  Personally, I’m pretty disappointed that the main selling point of the health care bill is that it’s “better than the status quo.”  Is it possible that “Citizen’s United” has actually gotten the attention of democratic leaders?  I sure hope so.  It would be nice to see democrats spend the rest of this year fighting for jobs, Wall Street regulation, and a green economy – and, against republicans.  If they don’t make a significant impression on the electorate in the next few months, their political futures may well be determined by the very corporations they’ve been unwilling to “take on.”

If you’ve been on this site in the past you know that I’ve been lobbying ad nauseum for the investigations of the Bush/Cheney administration and all their alleged illegal activity.  That has been my MAJOR disappointment with President Obama (although there are others as well) and, my last post gave my position about the effect on our nation of all the lying that has become rampant on our airwaves.  Well, there’s further reasons why these investigations need to happen – and probably more, going back to at least the Reagan years (and, yes, if you’re a republican hack – I would include the Clinton years in this as well).  The reports of what has been done in the name of the United States of America – secretly – need to be made public before the internal healing that needs to take place in this nation is possible.  For example, if you read “Shock Doctrine” by Naomi Klein you will realize that torture by Americans wasn’t “invented” by Bush/Cheney (this FACT, in my view, does not make them innocent of what they authorized).  Now, I’m hearing reports that one “right wing” group is “rewriting” the Bible – to give it a “conservative” bent, I just read yesterday that someone in Texas is proposing rewriting history books to put “conservatives” in a “better light,” (I put conservatives in quotes because who knows what that word means anymore?), and you’ve got people like Karl Rove and Dick Cheney running around attempting to rewrite the history of their failed administration so that somehow the “history books” will consider the Bush administration’s invasion of Iraq, the torture, and the failed economy (among other blunders) in a positive light.  I haven’t read Rove’s book, but I’m fairly confident that he’ll even find a way to claim that the Bush administration did “all it could” to help New Orleans during the Katrina hurricane, and to keep us safe by TORTURING “enemy combatants.”  The ONLY way to make sure this HOG WASH is stopped, is for a formal investigation of Bush/Cheney – and, like I said, it would be good to go all the way back to Reagan.  What is going on behind “closed doors” with our government?  Do we give these people some kind of sanctity when electing them to office?  I’m confused!

Why is this so important to me?  Well, have you ever heard the saying “Those who choose to ignore history are destined to repeat it?”  This isn’t my biggest fear, it’s a certainty – that by letting the Bushites “off the hook” President Obama has virtually guaranteed torturing by the United States of America is going to continue (in fact, I wonder if it’s not continuing as I write this – despite Obama’s claims to the contrary – why else would he block investigations of certain war crimes?).  The people of the United States have been under a barrage of propoganda for most of my adult life (I’m eligible of social security).  I started noticing it during the Reagan years with the advent of the right wing “talkers” on the radio – people like Rush Limbaugh – who were “spouting” what became known as “talking points” – where several people hit the airwaves saying EXACTLY the same thing OVER AND OVER again, until it was considered “truth” in the “mainstream media.”   The republicans figured this out, and they’ve become very good at it.  On occasion, it’s appeared to me that the democrats were trying to emulate them, but they’ve never managed to get into the same league as the republicans.  I’m not saying the democrats aren’t good at lying, but this is like men versus boys when we’re comparing the democrats’ lying ability to the republicans.  And, for some reason, our “liberal media” seems hell bent on ignoring all of this.

However, just the other day I was encouraged along these lines when I read an article in the Washington Post by Howell Raines that was a stinging rebuke of Fox “news” – which is owned by Rupert Murdoch (an Australian right winger) – with a strong minority interest from some sheik who resides in Saudi Arabia (where else?) – and which is run by Roger Ailes – who is nothing more than a republican hack.  Ailes was in the mold of Karl Rove back in the days of Richard Nixon and is now doing everything he can to undermine the President of the United States as an “arm” of the republican party masquerading as a “news” outlet.  While I have been ranting about Fox (and, I’m sure many other obscure people on the web), and they’ve been the “target” of Keith Olberman of MSNBC, for the most part Fox has gotten a “pass” on what is clearly BIASED partisan “reporting.”  Raines’ article is the FIRST thing I’ve read by someone who could be called part of the “main stream” media that has had the GUTS to call Murdoch and Ailes out for what they’re doing.  What has happened to unbiased reporters who are beholden to no one?  Does anyone else out there worry that there could be some kind of “conspiracy” to remove the “fourth” branch of our government – which is an unbiased, meddling, investigative media acting as “watchdog” for all of us?

Fox has given a platform to people like Dick Cheney (and his repulsive daughter Liz), Rove, Glenn Beck (another repulsive one), Sean Hannity and Bill O’Reilly (I guess repulsive is in vogue at Fox), and these people are using this “stage” to undermine the very government that we all depend on.  And, they must be considered quite powerful, because I almost get the feeling that the reason Obama and the democrats continue attempting to placate republicans is because they’re worried about how they will to be portrayed on Fox.  The end result of all this is we have two wars going on that the people seem to be powerless to stop – two wars which are bleeding our nation’s “coffers” while we’re debating as to whether we can afford to provide health care for our own people.  Again, I’m confused about how we have so much compassion for the Iraqi and the Afgan people, but so little for our own.  Doesn’t make ANY sense to me.

Just for the sake of argument, let me share a bit of “knowledge” I’ve gained recently in my bibliophilia (love of books).  Let’s start with 9/11 because recently I’ve heard both Karl Rove and Dick Cheney (among other former “Bushites”) continuing their “fairy tale” that they kept America “safe” during their 8 years in the White House.  They’re not even, at this point, acknowledging that 9/11 happened while they were in office – the usual “storyline” is to blame 9/11 on Bill Clinton.  (again, the fact we even have to listen to these liars is reason enough to hold the investigations as far as I’m concerned, but now Rove is doing this overseas!)  OK, if you’ve read many of my posts, you are aware that the NSA, the FBI, the CIA and the other intelligence branches were at odds with each other – kind of in a “turf war” during the “run up” to 9/11.  The NSA had a “bead” on the first two hijackers soon after they entered the country – phone numbers, addresses, etc.  In fact, there was no need to violate FISA to follow these two, because their whereabouts was no mystery.  And, the others would have been easy to follow had they followed the first two.  Part of the “angst” between the different “intelligence” branches was due to Donald Rumsfeld.  The guy could make a laughing hyena angry!  By the time Rumsfeld was in office a couple months all these agencies were at each other’s “throats.”  So, for starters, the reality is that the terrorists who flew the planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were in this country and “noticed” by th NSA soon after Bush took office.

Additionally, Bush and company were warned about al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden by the “transition team” of the Clinton administration.  They knew where he was and they knew what he had done.  In fact, they soon began “negotiating” with the Taliban to get the Taliban to “out” bin Laden in return for the US recognizing the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afganistan (I’ll tell you in a bit what Bush and company really wanted from the Taliban).  Now, what most people don’t know is that the Taliban were fully supported by our WONDERFUL “ally” Saudi Arabia – because their form of “Islam” mirrored the Saudi’s – an extremely fundamental interpretation of the Koran – Wahhabism.  Remember, 15 of the 19 hijackers came from Saudi Arabia – and, of course, the Taliban had no intention of “giving” us bin Laden.  Was our real motivation to get bin Laden?  Well, when you look a little farther, it makes you wonder.

The United States was in negotiations with the Taliban to get the rights to build a gas and oil pipline accross Afganistan to Pakistan so that we could get the oil and natural gas from Central Asia – and bypass Russia in the process.  (you can imagine how the Russians looked at this)  Keep in mind who was in the White House at the time.  Both George W Bush and, MORESO, Dick Cheney were emersed in the oil business prior to taking office.  Just think of what a “gold mine” it would have been for Cheney’s former company (remember he still had MILLIONS of shares of their stock in a “trust”) Halliburton if the United States could have pulled off getting this pipeline.  We’re talking about a multi-billion dollar deal – that was right up Halliburton’s “alley.”  Which do you think was more important to the US – getting the pipeline or getting bin Laden?  Additionally, Condoleeza Rice was a director for Chevron for the eight years prior to joining Bush/Cheney and they also had a significant interest in the US getting this pipeline.

Up to that point bin Laden’s attacks on the United States had come on foriegn soil.  Bush, Cheney, Rice, and all the others were warned ahead of time – MULTIPLE TIMES – that bin Laden was going to “strike” America – and, they ignored each warning!  In fact, do you remember how the Bush administration and all the cheering republicans were condemming the French because they wouldn’t go along with the invasion of Iraq when Bush/Cheney broke off the chase for bin Laden?  Well, about one month prior to 9/11 the French intelligence authorities gave the Bush administration intelligence on Zacarias Moussaoui, a Frenchman who was suspected of being the 20th hijacker, and who had been in flight training with the other hijackers.  This, like all the other clues, was not acted upon.  So, do you really think these guys should be going around now claiming they kept us safe?  I’m not claiming that it was a “slam dunk” to “connect the dots,” I’m just pointing out that Bush/Cheney/Rice and the others DIDN’T connect the dots, and SHOULDN’T be “bragging” about keeping America safe.  The worst attack in our history happened on their “watch.”  Again, investigations would eliminate all this speculation and Americans would KNOW the truth.

Well, there’s more.  Remember the Saudi’s?  Of course, virtually everyone knows that bin Laden is from one of the wealthiest families in Saudi Arabia.  Supposedly, he lost his citizenship in the mid nineties.  If so, how does he continue to fund a worldwide terrorist network?  How does the saying go? Three guesses and the first two don’t count.  I don’t think this will surprise you, but these Saudi’s are about as brazen as our republicans in their “underworldlike” dealings – so, is it any wonder that they’re such good “buddies” with Bush/Cheney?   How good? you might ask.  Well, the connection between the former president – I should say presidents – named Bush, is startling.  It’s like the Bush family is connected at the hip with the bin Laden family.  Both George HW Bush and George W Bush are, or have been, directors of an “American” investment company called the “Carlyle Group.”  This group includes former cabinet officials of the first Bush administration, and other prominent republicans from administrations past, and one of their prominent investors comes straight from the bin Laden family.  Additionally, George W Bush was a director of an energy company called Harken which encountered financial difficulty (everything Bush touched prior to being president, it seems, turned to “stone”) and was bailed out by a Saudi investor directly connected to Osama bin Laden (and recruited by GHW Bush).  Now, some might suggest that because there were about 50+ sons of Mohammed bin Laden who was the patriarch of the bin Laden fortune, and that they’ve “excommunicated” Osama bin Laden, that there’s no connection.  However, the truth is that these other brothers, in conjunction with other prominent Saudi’s have established banks, businesses, charities, and other fronts all over the world which have been, and still are, funneling Osama bin Laden all the money he needs to run his al Qaeda organization.  Essentially, the Saudi’s are saying to the United States, we’ve got the oil and the money, what are you going to do about it?  They do it very discreetly, but has anyone noticed that bin Laden is still alive and well despite supposedly being a target of the United States now for over 10 years? (even if bin Laden would be dead, as some suggest, al Qaeda is stronger now than when they pulled off 9/11)

Back to the investigations.  Am I the only one who wants to know the who and why of bin Laden being allowed to escape from Tora Bora?  This could lead to an entirely different discussion.  Like, how about Bush/Cheney switching “gears” and sending all of our “assets” into Iraq at a still untold expense that could conceivably TOTALLY bankrupt this nation – based on lies and cherry picked intelligence.  Did Bush’s connection to the bin Laden family have anything to do with this?  Why did the Saudi’s get a “free pass” when almost all of the hijackers and the mastermind of the attack come from their nation?  Does anyone out there really believe that the 9/11 attacks weren’t funded by the Saudi’s?  There’s a Saudi named Khalid bin Mahfouz who was helping to fund bin Laden for years before 9/11 and he had something like 50 banks, businesses, etc. all over the world which he used to launder money going to the terrorists (this info is based on a book by Jean-Charles Brisard and Guillaume Dasquie called “Forbidden Truth” – a couple French reporters who attempted to “connect the dots” from all these Saudi businesses to bin Laden’s terrorist activites) and bin Mahfouz was by no means the only Saudi supporting bin Laden.   I believe investigating all of this, RIGHT OUT IN THE OPEN, is a necessity for the survival of this nation. 

Are we going to continue pretending that we’re the “bright light” of the world, why our leaders are committing crimes against humanity behind our backs?  I don’t think most Americans understand that our standing in the world has been virtually destroyed by Bush/Cheney and, as long as we continue to believe the propoganda we’ve been “fed” for the past 30+ years, America will be moving toward second class status.  Just because our leaders keep hammering it into our heads that “we’re the best” doesn’t make it so.  Our nation is being destroyed from within by the corporate greed that is totally out of control, and people around the world hate us because of actions of our government that most people in America don’t even understand.  For some reason President Obama decided that knowing the truth wasn’t in the best interests of the American people.  I’m assuming he felt the “distraction” would sidetrack his agenda of health care and his attempts to “jump start” the economy.  To me, that is short sighted.  America became great through courageous leadership during World War II and the next couple of decades.  I don’t believe America can return to true world leadership until we prove that our leaders are not above the law!