In the past few months I’ve had the privilege of finding some “conservative” Christians that I, as a “liberal” Christian, can actually have a conversation about politics with – and, not have stuff thrown at me when I point out the “other side” of their arguments.  Usually, much of the “conservative” argument is based on our “liberal media” essentially being accused of “brainwashing” the American public.  Of course, in my view, the “liberal media” isn’t even close to “liberal” and the brainwashing is a reality, but it’s coming from the opposite direction from what “conservatives” have been able to dupe the American public into believing.  I’ve pointed out to my friends that, thanks to the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (signed by Bill Clinton) our “liberal media” has been “condensed” to essentially a group of corporations (that are not “liberal”) that you can count with your ten fingers.  There are many examples of how this “liberal” media is playing out in today’s America.  I’ll focus on a couple “biggies.”

Let’s start with the Affordable Care Act – AKA Obamacare.  I’ve been finding (not in the “liberal media”) lately examples of how this health care reform is actually working.  Now, as you might surmise, I’m not finding this in the “main stream” or “liberal” media.  I have to look for it.  However, most people who have access to health care through “Obamacare” are happy with their coverage, AND they are paying for it.  Both of those findings were WIDELY predicted to fall on the other side of the spectrum.  Now, here’s the rub – at least for me (because, I was always happy to see friends of mine in desperate need of health care coverage FINALLY be able to get it) – I haven’t heard any evidence of all the nay sayers talking about this.  None of the prognosticators who predicted the doom and gloom scenario want to own up to their WRONG predictions.  But, that’s today’s America, isn’t it.  Our “pundits” like to make their bold “predictions” but there’s NEVER any accountability for being so WRONG.  Yet, the Limbaugh’s, the Hannity’s, the O’Reilly’s, the Beck’s, the republicans in our Congress, etc. etc. will continue to BASH this reform – instead of working to make it better.

The sad reality is that had the “nay sayers” simply recognized the severity of the problem in the first place and helped to create the solution to 50 MILLION Americans without access to health insurance, I wouldn’t have to be writing this and our nation would be better for it.  For one thing, the so-called PUBLIC OPTION would have been part of the “reform” which would have opened up the opportunity for all Americans to eventually be part of a “Medicare for all” system.  Instead, we have a group of right wing politicians ostensibly trying to turn back the clock to a point where the nearly 10 MILLION Americans who now have access to health insurance would be back to where they were prior to the (rough as it was) roll out of the Affordable Care Act.  Even now, in the states controlled by right wing republican governors and legislatures, there are MILLIONS more Americans who are being blocked from health insurance due to their “leaders” refusing to accept the expansion of MEDICAID that is available to their residents.  According to the statistics, the expansion of health care is THREE times more effective in states accepting the expansion of Medicaid than in those refusing it.  I don’t see any other way to look at this than as a rich vs poor issue.  I really don’t understand how any politician can sleep at night knowing they are preventing large numbers of people from having access to health care for “political” reasons.  Ughhhh!

Then there’s the “military industrial complex” – America’s “lifeblood.”  I’m going to try to condense my thoughts on this subject because I could go on forever.  Presently, I’m reading “Dirty Wars” by Jeremy Scahill – I recommend this book to any American who’s interested in finding out MUCH that our “liberal media” has been (and is) hiding from us.  Of course, if you’ve been around my site much in the past few years, you know how I feel about the Bush/Cheney regime and their use of TORTURE during the fiasco’s in Iraq and Afghanistan.  I’m not quite half way through the book, but it clearly points out how America’s “liberal media” ENABLED the Bush/Cheney administration to have pretty much carte blanche in their so-called “war on terror.”  Of course, you NEVER hear our “liberal media” pointing out how the Bush/Cheney (and, I’ve got to add Rumsfeld) policies created WAY MORE terrorists than they ever killed or captured.  The sad reality of all this is that a few “grunts” who were untrained and used as patsies were the SCAPEGOATS from the Abu Ghraib scandal that Scahill shows clearly was the result of decisions that came right out of the White House and the Secretary of Defense office.  Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld – along with all their surrogates who helped to justify TORTURE – always (as our leaders evidently do) isolated themselves from the consequences once the effects of their decision to throw out legality, the Army field manual, the Geneva Conventions, and rational thought as they instituted their policy of “enhanced interrogations” during the Iraq and Afghanistan misadventures.  Our “liberal media” was evidently afraid to report on the facts at that time, and I’m still not hearing reporting on how the Bush White House made us (and the rest of the world) less safe with their reaction to 9/11.

You have to read books to find out most of the reality of the Iraq “war” – which was on the planning board of Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld/Wolfowitz/Feith and other “neocons” prior to Bush being elected (actually appointed) to office (by our Supreme Court).  Scahill, time and again, brings up examples of how America’s leading “investigative” reporters at the time reported EXACTLY what Bush/Cheney et al wished them to publish.  Those who didn’t were blackballed.  Honestly, there’s so much about Iraq that reminds me of Viet Nam that it makes me sick to my stomach every time I write about it.  The war mongers behind the Iraq invasion didn’t even have the “stones” – in their time – to serve during Viet Nam.  Cheney received at least 5 “deferments” from the draft and most of us know that GW Bush was put into a “rich boys” Air Force reserve unit in which he rarely attended (of course, the records of his “service” “mysteriously” disappeared sometime after he was elected president) and kept him from serving in Viet Nam.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I joined the Marines in 1967 during college and when I reported for basic training I was rejected due to a damaged knee – so I did not serve in Viet Nam either.  However, just growing up in that era should have been enough to cause these people to know better than to commit our young men and women to an illegitimate war theater.  And, of course, as President Obama is in his 5th year of putting up with right wing attacks – NO MATTER what the circumstances – our “liberal media” not only has failed to hold Dick Cheney to task for being “so wrong on so much that affected so many,”  they’re still giving him opportunities to spread his vile opinions on national TV.  Instead of informing America of his WAR CRIMES our “liberal media” is continuing to publish his WAR MONGERING!

Then there’s the darling of the “liberal media” John McCain (and his buddy Lindsey Graham).  These two are despicable characters if you don’t believe America’s rightful place in the world is promoting ENDLESS WAR!  Over the course of my lifetime, in almost every instance, when there is a foreign policy crisis happening America’s politicians have “pulled together” in a sign of unity to support our “commander in chief.”  We even did this in the run up to the Iraq invasion (well, I didn’t – but, I certainly didn’t hope President Bush “failed” – I simply felt invading Iraq was wrong – I didn’t understand all the implications until much later like most people).  The reality of that situation was that Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld/Wolfowitz/Feith/Addington/Yoo/Bybee/Rice and the other surrogates involved in the scheme – were lying to the American public and manipulating the intelligence community to use the 9/11 attacks as the “Shock” (I refer you to Naomi Klein’s great book “The Shock Doctrine”) to enable their attempt to gain control of Iraq’s oil fortune.  I’ll say this again – where was our “liberal media?”  Anyone who questioned the motives of the Bush/Cheney regime were removed from their job.  (ie Dan Rather [CBS], Phil Donahue [MSNBC], and Peter Arnett [NBC and National Geographic])

Of course, McCain and Graham were cheer leading the war effort beyond the actual time frame in which we were involved.  In fact, despite the FACT that President Obama simply removed America’s forces on a schedule negotiated by the Bush administration, I recently wrote about how both McCain and Graham were blaming the recent unrest in Iraq on Obama’s “timid” foreign policy and his “decision” to pull American troops from Iraq.  (of course, the “invaders” are a group of “jihadists” that McCain himself was pictured with about a year ago as he was encouraging them to overthrow a government he dislikes in Syria – once they changed their focus to Iraq the same group became the “enemy”)  Of course, our “liberal media” would lead you to believe that McCain and Graham are experts on the Middle East unrest – despite their HISTORY of being wrong on EVERYTHING.  (In fact, I still remember during the 2008 campaign McCain not knowing the difference between Sunni and Shia Muslims)

Now you’ve got McCain, Graham, and other right wing “pundits” criticizing President Obama in the face of the tragedy in Eastern Ukraine (what else would you expect?).  The problem I have with all this is why is this “liberal media” continuing to give these right wing war mongers and the pundits that support their propaganda scheme a constant platform?  Well, to me the answer is obvious and it’s why I ALWAYS put quotes around the words “liberal media.”  Our media is FAR FROM liberal!  In fact, this scheme to demonize “liberals” that has been going on since the hey day of Ronald Reagan has pushed the political debate in America so far to the “right” that I don’t even recognize the so called “liberals” – like, for example, President Obama.  In my mind Obama is no liberal (of course the most complimentary term the republicans use is “socialist”).  The Democratic party has swung so far right that it certainly doesn’t seem “liberal” to me.   Citizens United was the Supreme Court decision that pretty much cemented the philosophy that money RULES in America – and pragmatic politicians (democrats included) are showing that they TOTALLY understand success requires “feeding at the trough” of the corporate elite.  People like McCain and Graham (and the others) can say “whatever,” and I never see anyone going back and replaying their absurd comments that prove to be so wrong.

Just today, I decided to turn on the TV and I tuned into MSNBC only long enough to hear recordings of a constant babble coming from republicans (now, Al Sharpton wasn’t supporting them – he was actually reporting what was said and attempting to hold them accountable for their words) calling Obama all sorts of derogatory names because the Russian separatists in Ukraine shot down a Malaysian airliner.  Of course, this was a tragedy of major proportions and it was TOTALLY wrong – but, as expected, the only  words the right wing republicans could come up with were words aimed at blaming President Obama and further attempting to undermine our president’s credibility (they actually criticized him for being “thoughtful”).  I guess if you believe that two unwinnable wars at once aren’t enough, then today’s republican party is just for you.  (they seem to be pushing for the “big one” with Russia)Listening to today’s republicans makes me believe they respect Vladimir Putin (the thug) and disrespect Obama (“thoughtful” and, therefore “timid”)

I’m personally waiting anxiously for the day when America “wakes up” and votes these republicans out of office en masse.  Please don’t give me the “but democrats” argument – because, I’ll likely agree with you.  However, as for most of my adult lifetime, it’s voting for the better of two unpleasant options.  I do believe the democrats could be forced to move back to the left if “we the people” would – after getting rid of today’s republican party – turn our efforts on those in the democratic party who are prostituting themselves to the corporate money and interests.  With the right wing corporate interests controlling out “liberal media” and the unlimited ability to throw money at elections – via Citizens United – all of my idealistic “dreams” become less possible with each successive election cycle.  If republicans succeed in gaining total control of Congress in 2014. things could get a lot worse (for “we the people”) (also, keep in mind, our “liberal media” has been brainwashing Americans for 30+ years now on how deplorable “liberals” are.  I know many 40 to 50 year olds who’ve never heard anything else)

The media is supposed to be the “fourth estate” in America – that is, the ultimate check on the power of government.  “We the people” have allowed the “liberal media” to be controlled by corporate interests with profit motives instead of patriotic motives.  Our “reporters” have become, in many instances, more like entertainers.  And, too many of them, in my view, will say whatever they’re told – because that’s a requirement of keeping the job.  I wrote back when the so-called “Patriot Act” was passed right after 9/11 that “it’s easier to give up rights than to get them back.”  We are seeing the reality of that every day in America.  Our country is a military pariah around the world, our government is dysfunctional and corrupted by huge amounts of money from a few “billionaires,” our government is spying on her own people, and it now seems acceptable in the “liberal media” for one side to focus on the destruction of the other in a dishonest push for power, and – all the while – MILLIONS of Americans either believe the lies or feel helpless to stop this.  (think about how many issues had HUGE majorities of American’s support – like the public option, for example, or allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices, or get out of the wars, I could go on and on – and, yet Congress is unable to act in the public interest)  I firmly believe that until our “liberal media” becomes beholden to “we the people” instead of the corporate “masters” America will continue its decline!

I’ve been spending a lot of time lately thinking about “how did we get here” regarding the sorry state of affairs, politically, in America.  The answer I keep coming back to is Ronald Reagan.  Of course, to those on the political “right” Reagan is revered almost as a god.  In my mind, the reality is that the downhill slide for America started the day he was elected President of the United States.  Reagan was a bit actor who headed the Screen Actors Guild in the days of the McCarthy attacks on LIBERALS in the 1950’s and he BACK-STABBED several of his fellow union members by accusing them of being “communists” surreptitiously to J Edgar Hoover.  These were the days when the “Communist scare” was in full bloom in America, and Reagan showed himself to be one who would do anything to further his own “wagon.”  Once elected to the White House Reagan’s character did not change – he led the way for the so-called “trickle down economics” (I’ve always called it “trickle up”) that has been eating away at the fiber of America since Reagan’s first inaugural address.  Reagan was clearly a “me” first person and he managed to change this great nation from a “we” nation to a “me” nation.

Some of the notable accomplishments during Reagan’s term in office:  America’s debt crisis was put on steroids, the American “war machine” and the people who believe in permanent war managed to gain a stranglehold on the nation’s psyche, the “terrorists” who ultimately attacked the U.S. on 9/11 were armed to the hilt (by the Reagan administration), Saddam Hussein was supplied a plethora of weapons (including chemicals) to support a 10 year war with Iran (while, at the same time, Reagan and his cronies were supplying weapons to Iran in what became the Iran/Contra scandal), the bludgeoning of our nation’s government was begun with the propaganda scheme that “government is the problem,” – this privatization continues to this day (as with several of the other follies), the “white supremacist” movement was encouraged through the coded messages Reagan always managed to include in his speeches (most going over the heads of the bulk of us mortals), Rush Limbaugh and the right wing attack on our airwaves was initiated – including the adoption of Goebbels “big lie theory,” Education in America came under attack as if it was some sort of LIBERAL conspiracy – with the cost of college put on a course where, as of today, most middle to lower middle class students are shut out of the opportunity for higher educations unless they’re willing to take on HUGE debt – this attack on education metastasized during the GW Bush years with the “No Child Left Behind” legislation which traded our traditional form of education for one based on TEST taking – with the tests prepared by people such as Bush’s brother.

It was during the Reagan years that republicans took the “dirty tricks” philosophy of the Nixon era and polished them into a lethal propaganda scheme that has had middle class voters voting against their own self interests ever since.  I’m not an expert (in fact I’m operating here on my logical brain) on the “fairness doctrine,” but I do know that it was suspended under Reagan and when Congress attempted to pass it into law Reagan vetoed it.  (GW Bush, who – in my mind – was worse than Reagan, but basically following a similar agenda – also prevented the doctrine from being revived with the threat of a veto early in his administration)  Some, at the time, suggested the doctrine was a benefit to Reagan, but little did we know what lied (pun intended) in store regarding the proliferation of right wing “talk” radio.

So, how is this playing out in today’s political scene.  Let’s start with the deficit.  Virtually ALL my republican friends are right there with Fox “news” (and Roger Ailes – one of Nixon’s operatives) in blaming our burgeoning deficit on Barack Obama.  Naturally, they did almost EXACTLY the same thing when Bill Clinton was beginning his presidency.  Here’s how it works for them:  They create MASSIVE deficits and claim that “deficits don’t matter” (in the words of Dick Cheney) – UNTIL, they get voted out of office because they are unable to govern – then, all of a sudden, deficits do MATTER and the deficits are caused by the democrat in the White House.  For example, I still remember republicans BLAMING the TRILLION + deficits CREATED by the Bush/Cheney administration (along with an economy teetering on depression) on Barack Obama BEFORE he had even taken the oath of office.  Additionally, they blamed Obama for the BAILOUTS of the banks that was instituted by Bush/Cheney.  Since Obama took his oath of office, the republicans are so worried about the deficit that they threaten to shut down the government or – worst yet – default on America’s debt about twice a year.  What they’ve proved to me is that they HATE Obama and want him to fail (maybe it’s just they hate democrats) more than they want our country to succeed.  I just hope America FINALLY sees past the agenda of the republicans (and their “saint” Reagan) sooner rather than later.  (I guess when you consider this plague of “trickle down” economics has been here for over 30 years, it’s too late for the sooner part of that “hope”)

How about our military?  Well, Reagan put the defense department on steroids in his anti-communist mode, and we’ve never managed to get off the “juice,” as they say it in baseball.  I can’t imagine what would happen to our economy if we actually began to pull back on all the (mostly needless) military spending.  Take for example the Bush/Cheney fiasco where they lied America into an invasion of Iraq on false pretenses – just take a moment to think about how much safer we are – AND, the rest of the world is.  Nearly 5000 Americans died in that fruitless military adventure, countless thousands were injured, some estimates go as high as half a million Iraqi’s died with nearly 50% of their country displaced – and, of course, Iraq is still in disarray – yet the same militaristic group of what I call “chicken hawks” (Dick Cheney, et al – experts in their day at getting deferrals from military service) along with war hawks like John McCain and Lindsey Graham are “championing” another push into Iraq by America’s military.  (I’m sad to say that President Obama, with the support of people like McCain and Graham, has supplied the weapons the present insurgents in Iraq are using to destabilize the country – AGAIN – and, now we’re going to have to listen to the war hawks pushing us into fighting the very people we’re arming – we armed them so they could overthrow the regime in Syria and now the follie has come “home to roost.”  You can find pictures on the internet of John McCain posing with the very people he says are now a threat to America – as he was urging our President to provide them with weapons.)   Reality is not going to sink in to these people, it’s up to America’s voters to put them and their “ilk” “out to pasture.”

Reagan and his administration had virtually TOTAL disregard for our laws AND our Congress (sound familiar, ie Bush/Cheney?).  The Iran/Contra “affair” was a great example of how “wrong” America’s government has gone in the past 30 + years since Reagan’s election.  To suggest that Reagan “didn’t know” what was going on at the time has ALWAYS been ludicrous to me.  His surrogates – with the help of Israel – were selling HUGE amounts of weapons to Iran (our “sworn enemy” – all the while as we were arming Saddam Hussein who was fighting Iran – ugh!) and using the money to arm the Nicaraguan “Contras” a rebel force attempting to overthrow the Sandinista Junta which was a popular uprising that overthrew the dictator (and friend of U.S. corporate interests) Anastasio Somoza Debayle.  Reagan and most of his surrogates were guilty of numerous CRIMES, but virtually none of them paid a price for their actions as they were exonerated through political maneuvering (George HW Bush – who was clearly involved in the mess – pardoned anyone who still had legal issues prior to leaving office).  Just as Barack Obama failed to enforce our laws regarding the Bush/Cheney regime, so did Bill Clinton regarding daddy Bush and the others – I certainly don’t remember any further investigations after Bush 1 left office.  There must be some kind of “unwritten rule” regarding politicians similar to doctors and lawyers – we don’t go after each other.

To me, the end result of Reagan’s indifference to our laws was a repeat performance with the Bush/Cheney administration – only much more intense.  Those guys had NO LIMITS.  I’ve read enough to know that the CIA has participated in TORTURE in different ways over the years as they’ve been busy either undermining “socialist” regimes around the world or uplifting tyrannical dictators who are favorable to our corporate elite.  I’ve just had a really hard time swallowing that we would allow George W Bush and Dick Cheney to PUBLICLY acknowledge authorizing TORTURE on NATIONAL TV – both saying they have NO REGRETS – and our Justice Department just gives them a blind eye.  President Obama doesn’t need me “piling on” in criticism of his policies (one would never agree with everything unless a “blind follower”) but I’m not sure I will ever be able to forgive him for “looking forward instead of back” regarding what many refer to as the “Bush Crime family.”  In my mind, all of this is a culmination of the culture created by the administration of Ronald Reagan – between him and the two Bush presidents they’ve proved Nixon correct when he said, “if the president does it, it must be legal.”  Obama’s “looking the other way,” in my mind, was a blunder of HISTORICAL proportions!

The “privatization” thing is another rub for me.  Take health care for example.  When I was a young father all health care was not for profit.  I had two daughters born via “C Sections” at a time when I had no health insurance.  My wife was in the hospital for several days each time.  I was able to pay off the hospital and doctor bills in a matter of a couple years each time.  I still remember that the specialist brought in for the first surgery charged $175.  The hospital bill the first time was $3000.  It’s true that I was making around$3.50 per hour at the time, but paying off the bill was manageable.  With the advent of “for profit” hospitals and threats of HUGE lawsuits for doctors who screw up – among other factors – going to the hospital for any middle class American requires some form of Health Insurance.  Yet, the very people (republicans) who’ve been pushing the privatization agenda are the same people who are blocking national health insurance for all.  The number of people in America who end up with serious to fatal illnesses due to their lack of ability to pay for health care is a, in my view, national disgrace.  To me the Affordable Care Act (aka “Obamacare”) is the result of our national submission to corporate interests and a classic example of what happens when the lobbyists control legislation.  I look at it as “better than nothing” (I have friends who are going to the doctor now, who wouldn’t otherwise) but the result of a population that’s been brainwashed by the corporate elite in America that national health care is “socialism” and therefore BAD.  Reagan was at the forefront of this privatization movement, and MANY Americans continue to pay the ultimate price for this disaster.  Most Americans still believe we have the best health care system in the world.  The statistics say otherwise – and, decidedly so.

“Conservatives” are still hell bent on privatizing Social Security and Medicare.  Reagan predicted that Medicare would be the downfall of America – it would “curtail American freedom.”  He claimed that Social Security would “supplant private savings” as part of his attack on government – the same government he spent many years trying to control.  I often wonder why voters would vote in politicians who oppose government to run the government.  It makes no sense to me – unless you’re one of the people who would be happy if there was NO government.  It’s the people who tend to be part of the “Reagan revolution” that I’ve noticed complain loudly about the abusive banking system in America and, at the same time, decry politicians who attempt to regulate the bankers.  Many of the “Tea Party” republicans who emerged with the election of Obama voiced strong opposition to national health care all the while as they were defending their Medicare system.  Certainly makes me wonder.  The forces behind Reagan and his “trickle down” economics have been lambasting Social Security since before he took the oath of office by spreading misinformation as they attempt to help Wall Street ( who they proclaim to despise) get their greedy hands on the Social Security Trust fund.

I read the other day where these people (“conservatives”) have convinced nearly half of Americans under the age of 40 that Social Security will not be there for them.  This is despite the FACT that the fund is solid (with no help) for another 20 years or so and 85% solvent indefinitely if America stupidly does nothing to adjust the fund from present policy.  It would take nothing more than raising the “cut off” amount a few thousand dollars (that’s the amount of income where someone would no longer pay the FICA tax) to make Social Security solvent for the next (at least) 75 yrs.  If America’s middle class decided to “allow” wealthy Americans to pay on their income up to, say, $250,000 the system could be expanded significantly.  But, of course, that would “reek” of “socialism.”

I’ve written many times on this site as to how I’ve seen a marked increase in overt racism since the election of Barack Obama.  And, I’ve often referred back to Reagan’s initiating his campaign for the presidency at Philadelphia, Mississippi – near the exact spot where 3 civil rights workers were murdered in the 1960’s – with a pledged commitment to “states’ rights” and the so- called “Southern Strategy” of Richard Nixon as evidence that republicans have been courting the white supremacist vote since LBJ signed the Civil Rights Act in 1964.  It was obvious to me then (beginning with Barry Goldwater) and it’s obvious to me now.  Many “conservatives” I know seem to be astonished at the suggestion that republican politicians would use “coded language” to send messages that won’t be recognized by the general public but, in my view, it’s still happening.  (actually, I believe democrats do the same thing in the opposite way – America doesn’t seem ready, in my view, despite Obama’s election – to face the FACTS when it comes to race.  We like to pretend “all is well.”)  Reagan was really good at it – and, the public was very unsuspecting.  References to welfare queens, lazy Blacks (or poor people implying they are Black – when, in reality most are White), the aforementioned “state’s rights” (implying support for segregationists at the time), etc.  I still vaguely remember the “Willie Horton adds” used by George HW Bush as a way to infer that his opponent (Michael Dukakis) was “weak on crime.”  And, the beat goes on.

Actually, with the advent of the “Tea Party” – which I believe has totally morphed out of control based on the original “grassroots” intentions (I’m trying to be generous here – suggesting that when the Kochs, Dick Armey, and Fox “news” got involved, the movement was for all intents and purposes “hijacked”) – the republican party has moved dangerously “right” and, it appears to me, is simply looking at a matter of time until it is extinct as a national political force.  Either it will split into two groups or it will become an after thought in American politics.  To me, the “Tea Party” represents those republicans who’ve been listening to the likes of Rush Limbaugh since he was introduced (again, during the Reagan era).  In my mind, anyone who claims Limbaugh is not a racist hasn’t spent much time listening to him talk.  (actually, I don’t listen to him anymore – I have in the past – but, occasionally I’ll check in and, like clockwork, he’ll make some absurd claim that is often based in racism or some other ism and I change the dial shaking my head – wondering how he could have so many “ditto heads” listening to him.  Yet, there’s the answer isn’t it – ditto heads – that, in itself lets us in on the intellectual propensity of his loyal audience.  (I had to add the word “loyal” there, because I just admitted that I listen once in a while just to reaffirm my view of him.  Like it or not, Limbaugh has SIGNIFICANT influence on the republican party, and, therefore, on this nation which I love.)

I recently retired from the privilege of teaching in a low income public school and I will be grateful for the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of young people as long as I can still breathe, but I have to add that Reagan began a covert assault on public education that continues to this day.  I NEVER questioned that I could improve as a teacher over the years or that our schools can (and must) improve, but the “Reagan revolution” led to the privatization efforts of the “right wing” that is continually attempting to undermine our public school system and, in my view, (as with so many of their schemes) redirect the money in an effort to create opportunities for PROFIT.  One thing that was clear to me for many years is that public schools (despite all the publicity about unions – and, of course, teacher unions are at the forefront of the republican assault on unions) are “sitting ducks” in the face of political attacks.  MOST involved in the public schools are TOTALLY focused on helping their students.  In school like the one I was so fortunate to be able to spend the last 20 years of my working life, as a teacher, you feel as if you are fighting for the lives of the students.  While I understand the importance of students being able to demonstrate their learning via tests – especially at the lower grades where I was teaching (6th grade) – I believe focusing measurements on HIGH STAKES tests that happen once per year makes no sense.  In my school, a large majority of the population was “non-white” while ALL the “high stakes” tests were seemingly written by those who would fall into the category referred to as “WASP’s” – White Anglo Saxon Protestants.  The schools, almost as a matter of self survival, (even thought most inside the schools would hate to admit this) MUST focus on preparing the students for the tests.  Which, of course, leads to a tendency to “teach to the test.”  I always tried to tell myself I wouldn’t do that, but when your school relies on student test results for funding, it’s impossible to “look the other way.”

Additionally, when Reagan was originally elected governor of California, colleges in that state offered FREE tuition.  Reagan was at the forefront of the “push” to pull funding from higher education (along with many other programs that I will leave the discussion for another day – essentially, a philosophy of “starving” public agencies apparently to make them look bad as a way to promote the privatization strategy) so that today, as mentioned above, higher education – while a necessity for the better paying jobs in America – more-so in the years to come – is becoming too expensive for many talented and deserving young people.  Our colleges and universities remain the best in the world, but more and more of the students may be coming from foreign countries if this trend continues.  Based on the family situation I grew up in during the 50’s and 60’s – in today’s climate I would be unable to afford college.  In the 60’s it was achievable for virtually anyone who wanted to attend.  Additionally, today the remnants of the Reagan years refuse to even lower the interest rate on the money most students must borrow if they want to attend college by blocking attempts in Congress by democrats like Elizabeth Warren to reduce the interest payments on the HUGE amount of debt carried by America’s recent college graduates (and students in general).

I’ve been writing for almost 10 years now on the dangers of America’s republican party since GW Bush lied our nation into the Iraq fiasco.  I feel bad that it took me so long to figure out how serious the problem really is – because, I still remember feeling as if Reagan was turning us into a nation that encourages selfishness (in the name of “self reliance”) and greed (encouraging the “get rich quick mentality that permeates our business world and financial “sector”).  I always believed that Americans would ultimately reject this philosophy and do it resoundingly at the ballot box.  And, in a way they have – Barack Obama has soundly won the last two presidential elections.  However, I TOTALLY underestimated the covert strategy of the right wing of the republican party and the sophistication of their plan.  They have gained control of so many “local” governments, state governments, and governorships – and they were able to pull off a “coup” during 2010 by gerrymandering enough “safe” republican districts that they might be able to continue this OBSTRUCTIONIST policy for several more election cycles.  On top of that, GW Bush – despite all his failings – managed to get two CORPORATIST justices, (Roberts and Alito) who are young and will be “haunting” liberals for a generation, into a position of CONTROL on our Supreme Court.  Decisions like Citizens United (I’ve been writing about this since the day it was passed) threaten the very fabric of America as “we the people” know it.  Combine that with activists who are right out of the John Birch Society (The now infamous Koch brothers) who have UNLIMITED ($100 + Billion in personal wealth) financial capability along with a willingness to spend it in a way that puts our republican form of government at risk, and you have a MAJOR political crisis.

There ARE more of “us” than there are of “them,” but they have the expertise to manipulate (and control) the so-called “liberal media,” they’ve “bought” countless politicians and, anyone who’s paying attention knows that any republican who “strays” from their right wing agenda will face a well funded “primary” opponent AND their funding will dry up.  The network of “associates” of the Koch brothers stretches around the globe.  I’m just finishing a book titled “The Creature from Jekyll Island” which, among other things, laments America’s headlong descent into a “one world government” (my words).  The author is, in my mind, seemingly right out of the libertarian – John Birch Society type – mold.  I find it quite ironic that the people who seem to be pushing to make what he fears a reality would be the Kochs – who, it seems to me, come from a similar basic philosophy.  (he constantly is referring to his belief in the need for a “free market”)  How these people can manage to get so many Americans to vote for their agenda is an act of magicians – I continue to believe that their days are “numbered” – but, at the same time, I realize how powerful they are.

The solution, to me, despite my belief that America needs two HEALTHY political parties to restore this nation back to health, is for a LARGE majority of voters to commit to voting AGAINST republicans until this right wing, corporatist, greedy, corrupt (yah, I get that the corruption is bipartisan) anti-worker group of “sheep” are purged from the party.  As a Christian I’ve found it difficult in the present atmosphere to find “conservatives” who I can have a civil discussion of the issues with – for, many years.  However, of late, I have a couple of friends (one who asked me to read the Jekyll Island book), who are BOTH solidly republican (well, one tells me he votes against democrats – similarly to me voting against republicans) who I can have dialogues with and HONESTLY express our beliefs to one another without emotional outbreaks, chairs flying, etc.  I firmly believe that at the end of each discussion we all grow and, for certain, it is nice (and welcome) to be able to share views of disagreement without ANY disrespect involved.  That is what I believe our goal for our national political scene should be.  I believe today’s republican party must “go” before we can have a political dialogue that respects the intentions of those who so brilliantly created a system of government which has stood the test of time longer than any other example of self government in the history of the world.

During one of our discussions the other day, one of my friends told me that the reason Rush Limbaugh (and, by inference the republican party) wants President Obama to FAIL is because they don’t believe in his agenda.  My response was (is and will be) a significant MAJORITY of Americans voted for Obama – if republicans REALLY believed that his agenda would fail, the sensible solution is to let him pass his agenda (as democrats did with GW Bush) and when it fails, use that failure in the next campaign as they argue for  whatever their solutions to our plethora of problems would be.  (I didn’t throw in that MOST of the problems are a direct result of Bush/Cheney’s agenda, but I could have :o)  By obstructing EVERYTHING Obama attempts to do, the republicans leave (at least with me) the impression that they FEAR Obama’s agenda would WORK, and, should that happen, they would be on the outside looking in for another generation (remember FDR?)  What they are betting on is that enough voters will either be turned off by their antics and refuse to vote or, worse yet, through media manipulation they can fool people (again) into thinking they actually have good ideas and  “plan” for our nation.  One thing that is painfully clear to me and is why I keep encouraging anyone who will listen to me to vote AGAINST republicans is that today’s republican leaders would rather see President Obama FAIL (and, therefore, the country as well) than to see America SUCCEED!  And, it all started in 1980 when America was tricked into voting for Ronald Reagan.  If you’ve read this far (bless you :o) – please encourage at least one other person to vote against ALL republicans until the right wing fringe has been purged from the leadership of the party.

I’m winding down my career as a teacher and have been trying to find the time to comment on the terrorist attack on two police officers in Las Vegas last weekend – and, the curious lack of coverage I’ve managed to hear as I listen to my satellite radio while I’m driving too and fro from work (I can’t force myself to watch “network news” anymore).  I’m going to leave this post with a link – click here if you’re interested – that says it all (in my view) – regarding the right wing’s reaction to (and ownership of) two crazy right wing Christian, racist, tea party fanatics committing an act of suicide terrorism.

As a teacher in a public school I want to write about how absurd America’s cowering to the NRA and others in the s0-called “gun lobby” seems to me while schools are attacked almost weekly.  Along with the terrorist attack in Las Vegas and ALL the other gun related MURDERS in America these days, it says a lot about how totally corrupted our system of government has become when “we the people” are completed unable to address this issue due to the political cesspool commonly referred to as Washington DC and our Congress.  More to come …………………………

In my last post I went off on Chris Matthews of MSNBC for his ill informed rant attacking President Obama and Eric Shinseki because of a VA Hospital which was lying about the wait time for its patients – and, apparently other medical issues for our service personnel which became public.  I pointed out that, first of all, anyone paying attention for any length of time KNOWS that our Vets have been getting SCREWED since the Viet Nam war, and secondly, if anyone in America cares deeply about our troops its Eric Shinseki.  It’s the “same old same old” with people like Matthews; “shooting from the hip” to get the headlines and thinking later (that is, if there’s ever any thinking later).  I listen to MSNBC on my car radio and it’s really discouraging to hear people who should know better going off like Matthews.  This attempt at making the news instead of reporting it is, in my view, one of the reasons America finds itself in this perennial political circus – almost as if those in the media are simply there to stimulate “scandals” because of the HUGE amount of money it generates for their corporate interests.

Well, today I thought Matthews did himself one better, as he lamented the Obama administration’s decision to negotiate the release of Bowe Bergdahl, an American Army Sergeant who has been held in captivity by the Taliban in Afghanistan (or Pakistan) for the past 5 years.  There are NO clear facts about the circumstances relating to Bergdahl’s capture – although, if you listen to those on the “right” he’s being portrayed almost as a traitor.  Of course, no one knows exactly what happened to our soldier, but I’ve heard only a few (these are actual people in the military) who are speaking positively about “getting him back.”  To get him back, the Obama administration enacted a prisoner exchange with 5 prisoners (Taliban leaders) who’ve been incarcerated at Gitmo for the past TWELVE years with NO charges being filed against them.  Keep in mind, there’s NEVER been a WAR declared in Afghanistan – we supposedly went there to get Osama bin Laden and members of al Qaeda who were responsible for the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in 2001.

Except for the most HAWKISH of Americans people in the United States have wanted Gitmo CLOSED for many years.  Most Americans don’t believe in randomly capturing people (which is exactly what happened in Afghanistan in the early part of the “war on terror”) and even more believe that people shouldn’t be incarcerated indefinitely without charges being filed.  Essentially, in the case of Gitmo (and other “black holes” created during the Bush/Cheney regime) America threw out her constitution and her belief in human rights in exchange for torturing “enemy combatants” (and, remember, if the president considered someone an enemy combatant – they essentially lost all normal human rights most of us take for granted) and keeping people locked up for over a decade with no plan for what to do with them.  Gitmo – along with Abu Ghraib and the other places the Bush/Cheney crowd sent “prisoners” to be tortured or, in some instances, murdered – have left a stain on the United States of America that will take a LONG TIME to remove.  And, with people like Matthews in important places in our “media world” we may never shed the disgrace that, I’m sure, is how we’re considered by most civilized people around the world.

President Obama, to his credit, pointed out that it’s really IRRELEVANT the circumstances in which Bergdahl was captured.  If he deserted, as some have claimed, then he will be held accountable upon his return to the states.  At this point it’s no more than pure speculation as to what REALLY happened five years ago in Afghanistan.  What’s important is that our military code of honor says that we DON’T ABANDON any soldier, no matter what!  If a soldier is captured, we are obligated to remember them and try to get them back.  That’s exactly what our president just did.

Matthews is all up in arms because we “gave up” the five members of the Taliban (remember, it was al Qaeda who attacked us) who he claims could “kill Americans.”  The fact they’ve been held for over 12 YEARS with no charges being filed doesn’t seem to resonate with him.  Additionally, as I listened to him, I got the feeling he was suggesting we keep these people for the rest of their lives – of course, we are scheduled to bring home ALL “combat” troops from Afghanistan by the end of this year, and it would create an even GREATER firestorm of international condemnation if we choose to keep these “enemy combatants” after there’s no enemy!  That is, these five and any others who have been held for all these years with no charges need to go back to their homelands.  I not only “get” that they might be dangerous, I believe they are probably way more dangerous than when they were captured because we’ve taken twelve years of their lives because our president at the time decided that they had NO RIGHTS!  What’s gone on at Gitmo has been shameful.  How could anyone who’s been put through that NOT be angry?

Several years ago there was a report that lasted about one news cycle about either two or three “enemy combatants” at Gitmo who managed to hang themselves – with their hands tied behind their backs, their feet tied, and a wad of cloth crammed down their throats so far that no human could survive for more than a minute or two.  I didn’t hear Matthews complaining then – that was still during the Bush/Cheney era.  There are multiple reports of “enemy combatants” MURDERED during “enhanced interrogation.”  Is that what he thinks should be done with these “prisoners?”  Bush/Cheney were paying people to identify “enemy combatants” and the large majority of them should NEVER have been in any captivity!  Where has Matthews been on all of this.

Worst of all, the last comment I heard Matthews make tonight as I was driving home was preposterous – although, I’m sure the right wing chicken hawks were cheering in the isles.  He suggested the solution to his concern that the prisoners released might “kill Americans” was to get them with drones!  I’m not kidding!  This guy’s got a screw loose upstairs!  It’s precisely the type of thinking he’s putting out which has blackened the reputation of this great nation and is turning us into military pariah!   Matthews has even had sensible guests to interview who’ve tried to talk some sense into him, and he lashes back out at them – irrationally.  I have no idea what is motivating this man, but as far as I’m concerned he needs to have a vacation from his show called “Hardball.”  (Remember, Matthews and most of the politicians who created this fiasco – Iraq and Afghanistan – never served a day in the military – or in the case of GW Bush, had his daddy get him into a “rich boys” Air Force reserve squad where there’s NO EVIDENCE that he even attended many of the meetings)

Matthews’ arguments are intellectually lacking and lazy – it’s like he’s too lazy to actually research the issue so that he has information which is accurate.  Instead, it’s as if he’s trying “gin up” the masses as if he was a member of Fox “news.”  Seriously, we only need one outlet doing that ( I say that facetiously because, if it was up to me, Fox “news” – and people like Matthews – would be a thing of the past – maybe it’s ratings time???).  I can guarantee you that once there’s FACTS to go by, the only way you’ll hear a whimper out of Matthews is if he can find some little shred of evidence that Bergdahl actually deserted his post.  Short of that, should the FACTS prove him to be the buffoon he appears to be, he’ll move on to other topics and we’ll never hear a retraction.

For some reason Matthews has joined the people who seem to be looking for any reason to attack our sitting president.  As I’ve stated many times on this site, I have my own issues with Obama, but when it comes to foreign policy decisions, the tradition in America is for Americans to stand together.  It took several years of folly in Iraq before the public turned on President Bush, and President Obama was left a mess that I wouldn’t wish on anyone.  In this case, and in the case of General Shinseki, I believe America would be much better served by waiting to find the FACTS – in both “scandals” – and pulling together regarding the solution.  I certainly believe that those who are essentially proponents of abandoning our soldier who was a prisoner in Afghanistan, would be setting a precedent that would be a much WORSE scenario than what will be the case – NO MATTER – what the circumstances of Sergeant Bergdahl’s capture.  For six months in 1967 (until I was medically discharged due to a bum knee) I was a member of the United States Marine Corp.  I was going to be what were called at the time “90 day wonders” and was destined for duty in Viet Nam.  I can tell you that had I thought my country would even consider abandoning me had I been captured by ANY enemy for ANY reason, I would not have been interested in volunteering.

I believe Americans should be thankful that one of our troops who was in “enemy hands” is now free and on the way home.  Let the “cards” play out as they may regarding what he did or didn’t do while serving his country in Afghanistan (I don’t even know how many times he was deployed there – there’s a lot most of us – including Matthews – DON’T KNOW)  What I do know is that America will be a better place when media people like Chris Matthews start reporting news instead of creating it!  This guy is out of control and his diatribes of the past few days are making me sick to my stomach!

Personally, I look forward to the day when there is no more Gitmo and all the “prisoners” have either been released or had the opportunity to answer to charges  If they’re guilty of some provable offense, then so be it – but, the idea of holding people captive for a lifetime because someone labels them an “enemy combatant” is dangerous territory for a “free” society to tread!  When was it OK to hold someone indefinitely because someone – like Matthews – thinks they MIGHT commit a crime?

Nothing surprises me any more as I watch the political disaster in America continue to unfold.  The latest fiasco has been the PUBLICITY that our veterans have been getting short shrift when it comes to health care and their access to the VA system.  In fact, I believe that today Eric Shinseki stepped down as Secretary of Veteran Affairs in the traditional Washington DC charade that the way to solve problems is to blame someone and hope the “scandal” cures itself.  I can no longer stomach listening to the likes of Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity or Fox “news” or pretty much anyone on the “right” in America, but I have to say that as I listened to Chris Matthews of MSNBC (I have a Satellite radio in my car) ranting about how someone’s “head needs to roll” I just had to shake my head.  We don’t have REPORTERS who report news anymore – what we have are entertainers who pose as reporters –  who attempt to MAKE the news.

Honestly, I don’t see how anyone who’s been paying attention to America’s Veterans and their plight could have possibly been surprised by the news that Vets are waiting up to four months for health care appointments.  And, of course, it’s the republican “scandal hawks” who are right at the front of this “SCANDAL” (that they are largely responsible for creating) probably suggesting President Obama be impeached – I’m sure it’s HIS fault!  And, really, I guess the likes of Limbaugh, Hannity, O’Reilly, McConnell, McCain, and the others aren’t enough – for the “shoot from the hip I want a headline” approach to politics – we have to put up with people like Matthews trying to be some kind of “breaking news” reporter pushing out a good man (Shinseki) who should be given the resources to attempt to FIX a problem that has been going on for as long as I can remember.

Here’s what I remember about how republicans address the issue of Veterans.  They send them (MULTIPLE TIMES) into “harms way” and then complain about budget deficits when it’s time to actually FUND the VA and provide the resources for our VETS to get the treatment they deserve.  I seem to remember, just a few months ago being asked to support (through an online petition)  a bill put forth by Bernie Sanders which would have provided significant additional funding for the VA and it was BLOCKED by the FILIBUSTER KING Mitch McConnell and his republican sheep.  If I remember correctly, at that time, the republicans were more concerned with our national debt (largely produced by them) than our Veterans.  I mean VA problems have been MAJOR since the days of Viet Nam.  (I don’t have much money, but I’m regularly donating small amounts [$20 -$25] to Vet groups around the country who are CONSTANTLY making me aware that our veterans are DESPERATE for more public support – this has been going on for years!)

In fact, it’s my understanding that part of the “problem” is that President Obama has found ways to increase the availability of the VA health care system to over a MILLION more Vets than were able to access it before he took office. (Feel free to correct me if I’m wrong – I’m old and operating on memory)  Obviously, the funding has not increased with the additional numbers of Vets seeking services.  It only stands to reason that the system would be breaking at the seems!  They need more doctors, nurses, and support personel – PLUS, I’m sure, MORE FACILITIES and, in general, MORE MONEY.  I still remember seeing articles on Vets sitting in rat infested rooms at Walter Reed when GW Bush/Dick Cheney were sending them into harms way TIME AND TIME again!  And, these wars have been ongoing for more than a decade.  Why would anyone – especially someone like Chris Matthews – express such outrage when the problem becomes public.  And, of course, the knee jerk reaction is to get rid of Shinseki.  I guess, my question then: who’s going to replace him?  It seems to me that you couldn’t get a more committed advocate to the plight of Veterans – and, probably, the REAL issue – that the republicans that sent all these good young Americans into Iraq and Afghanistan have refused to provide the financial resources to provide them with the best of care that they deserve once they’re home – will be swept under the rug – with the help of democrats and people like Matthews who throw out this disingenuous self righteous knee jerk blame game with NO thought to the problem – or, a willingness to ADMIT that they should have been ON THIS for the past several years – certainly, since the plight of the Vets at Walter Reed became public info 10 years ago.  My guess is we’ll get the same “under the rug” solution this time – it’ll just be someone else besides Shinseki at the helm!

In today’s America, it doesn’t matter what the problem is – you’re going to get irrational, unrealistic attacks against our president from the “right” (republicans) – and, in this case – true to form – spineless inaction or complacency from the democrats.  Personally, I’m sick of it!  The other day I read an excerpt from a speech Elizabeth Warren gave in Oregon at a fund raiser for Jeff Merkley and her message was similar to mine – FIGHT BACK!  I’ve been saying this since the day President Obama BLUNDERED by pardoning the Bush/Cheney regime in the name of “preventing the distraction” – this is a WAR for the heart and soul of this nation.  We are NOT a nation (or at least we weren’t until Bush/Cheney arrived) that openly tolerates TORTURE (OK, I know our CIA has been tolerating torture – or regimes that practice it – since the Korean War – in various places around the world.  What we in America don’t know about our own government is disgusting.

I have to believe that there are MANY Americans who are part of the so-called 99% that understand that our Veterans have been getting screwed since (at least) the days of Viet Nam.  For some reason, we can’t get the government (which is us – isn’t it?) to pony up for those who return from our (needless) wars with every possible injury one can think of.  I mean the statistics on homeless veterans is staggering and disgraceful, yet we rarely hear it mentioned in the news – yet people like Matthews seem surprised when a report comes out critical of the VA.  Now, I understand that where people working for the VA were falsifying documents – they should be fired and/or prosecuted.  Evidently, they’ve been watching our Congress and came to the conclusion that, in America, it’s OK to LIE!  I’m OK with holding every person who was “cooking the books” accountable for their actions.

What bothers me is that so many people IMMEDIATELY came to the conclusion that General Shinseki had to “go.”  The vets I’ve listened to think the world of him.  They seemed to be saying the same thing I’m thinking.  Give General Shinseki the resources to fix the problem.  That would require our Congress to quit arguing about the debt when it comes to our Veterans and their after care – mainly health care and mental health care – plus, to me, addressing the homeless problem.  I can tell you that it was clear to me that the Bush/Cheney administration didn’t make one complaint about what the Iraq fiasco and the Afghanistan disaster did to our budget and our national debt.

So, the only conclusion one can make from all of that is that republicans don’t worry about the debt when sending troops to war, only when they come home wounded and need expensive health care.  Isn’t it time that the American public bands together and says “enough already” to the republican party as it exists today.  General Shinseki was given the blame for the breakdown in the system when it was the republicans who refused to give him the necessary resources to expand it in the face of the HUGE influx of veterans created by the Iraq and Afghanistan “wars.”  To me, this is just more of the “Deja Vu all over again” syndrome that I felt the day George W Bush let Osama bin Laden go in Tora Bora shortly after the American invasion of Afghanistan so that he could LIE the American public into supporting his ill-advised invasion of Iraq.  Shinseki was the General who tried to talk sense to Bush/Cheney before the above referenced invasion of Iraq.  If anyone was a supporter of our troops it was Eric Shinseki.  He was unceremoniously “retired” by Bush/Cheney for disagreeing with their prewar assessment (and, he was proved right over time) prior to the Iraq invasion and now he’s the victim of the numerous casualties that made it back home from that war.  (Click here if you want to read more) If you want to place blame – put it where it belongs!

I’m presently reading a book by Seymour Hersch, “The Price of Power: Kissinger in the Nixon White House,” which is focused on Henry Kissinger and his years in the Nixon administration.  Just another attempt on my part to grasp a better understanding of “how we got here” in relation to this America I love which seems to be self-destructing.  I still remember JFK warning us about the “enemy within” and that is precisely what will undo our standing as the “leader of the free world” if “we the people” don’t soon come to our senses and reverse the “tilting” to the “right” which began under Nixon but hit “full throttle” with the election of Ronald Reagan.  Studying the Nixon administration is VERY interesting and Hersch does a great (and thorough – over 1000 e pages) job laying out all the details that went into the Nixon White House.  As I’m reading the book (I’m about half way through at this point) I can’t help but feel that everything I’ve read in the past suggesting it was the CIA that “did Nixon in” is true.  Nixon AND Kissinger were motivated by “self” and they both appear to me, as I’m reading this, as  being paranoid to the “nth” degree.

In fact, Kissinger’s self-serving manipulation of people REALLY reminds me of what I’ve read about Dick Cheney.  It’s really a bit scary the more I find out about some of the people who’ve been “in charge” of our nation in the past 40 years.  I can see clearly why the “founders” were so adamant about putting “checks and balances” into the constitution and it worries me more as I wonder how many Americans really understand that the present day republican strategy is to circumvent those checks and balances any way they can.  Their beliefs will NEVER garner a majority without somehow “jobbing” the system – and, the expertise in doing that seems to have gained serious momentum during the Nixon years.  In the Nixon White House both the President and Kissinger were not only terribly disingenuous with “we the people” but, also with their own cabinet members.  It’s really much easier for me to see where Nixon could have received the mantra “Tricky Dick” from his own team members!

Take for example Viet Nam.  Now, for the sake of full disclosure, I have to admit that by the time Nixon took the oath of office I was officially part of the “anti-war” group that he so despised.  I had actually enlisted in the Marines in 1967 only to be discharged after the doctor took a second look at my shattered knee during the final physical.  It took me about another year to realize that the United States was lying about every part of this “fiasco” and, as my high school classmates began to die in Nam I became a member of the protesting students of the “day.”  As I read this book and see the evidence of how Nixon and Kissinger manipulated the media, their own associates, and anyone else interested into thinking they were extracting us from the ill-advised “war” all the while as they were ordering expansion into Cambodia and Laos which only accomplished accelerating the number of human victims to their quest for a political saving grace I feel a return of the anger which engulfed me in the late sixties and early seventies.  Despite the fact I was medically discharged from the Marines without participating in the war, Vietnam had a profound impact on my life.  It angers me to this day that Kissinger and Nixon were not only lying to the American public, they were lying to a large portion of their own cabinet.  The hundreds of thousands of lives lost were nothing more to them than “collateral damage.”

Nixon was so paranoid that he was wiretapping EVERYONE including HIMSELF!  Of course, it was the public’s learning of the “White House tapes” that ultimately did Nixon in – regarding his legal confrontation over the Watergate break-in and ensuing coverup – but, based on all I’ve read over the past few years, it’s reasonable to me to conclude that the CIA (in cahoots with the elite Eastern “oil” establishment) were at the very least “anxious” to get Nixon out of the White House.  Nixon had his close inner circle while important members of his cabinet – Secretary’s of Defense and State, for example – were reduced to superficial roles that included periodic humiliation at the hands of Nixon and Kissinger during any type of significant negotiation – it seems as if both Nixon and Kissinger were more worried about making sure they got credit for any successes than the successes themselves.  Neither man was shy about taking credit for someone else’s idea and they weren’t shy about finding out what others were thinking.  Not only was Nixon wiretapping his own cabinet members and their assistants, but he was wiretapping news reporters and Kissinger suspected Nixon was wiretapping him as well.

Additionally, as has seemingly become American custom, members of Nixon’s cabinet (and Nixon himself) considered political survival and expediency over principal in virtually every tough situation they faced.  For example, it’s hard to estimate how many human beings died as the result of Nixon and Kissinger’s attempt to “save face” in Viet Nam – in a war they were obligated to end (based on their own “promises” and the voters “wishes”).  (Remind you of anything??? ie Iraq and Afghanistan?)  Nixon and Kissinger were involved with the SALT 1 negotiations which were attempting to curb the spread of nuclear weapons – where they ended up accelerating the “arms race” instead of curbing it, they were involved in actually blocking Soviet Union and Egyptian attempts to create peace in the Middle East (anything that The Soviet Union was involved with was “taboo” – again, sound familiar?), they were actively pursuing the overthrow of democratically elected governments around the world (ie Salvador Allende in Chile – this seems like a broken American “record” – as today we are apparently doing the same thing in Ukraine – that is, supporting a tyrant in order to block a democratically elected government that is unresponsive to “our” wishes – some estimates suggest our CIA undermining as many as 50 elected governments since WW II), and, at home, they were doing everything in their power to curb the rights of protestors to freely assemble and express their frustration with the “Military Industrial Complex.”

Many of the “operatives” who were getting their “feet wet” in the Nixon White House are among the right wing extremists who are taking America further “down the drain” as I write this piece tonight.  One of the most powerful is Roger Ailes who has become the head of GOP TV – sometimes referred to as Fox “news.”  I guess it will be up to History to determine the damage this one member of Nixon’s “dirty tricks” team has been able to cause over the years.  Fox is, as far as I can tell, (as a leader of the republican “sound machine) a proponent of the Joseph Goebbels’ “Big Lie Theory” which was the propaganda scheme which propelled the Third Reich into power in 1930’s Germany.  The philosophy: if you repeat a LIE over and over enough times, people will believe it’s the truth – is clearly the basis of Fox’s “reporting” and, unfortunately, the American public STILL has too many unsuspecting dupes to cause a backlash that will (I believe eventually it will happen) put Fox, and those associated with it, out of business.

In Nixon’s quest for a “second term” – it seems reelection was the motivation behind almost every decision (and, yes, I “get” that our system is “infected” by acceptance of that “strategy”)- led to fiasco’s around the world that were almost as disgusting as the Nixon/Kissinger actions re Viet Nam.  For example the Nixon/Kissinger fear of the Soviet Union led them to make terrible decisions regarding the Middle East (Jordan) and Africa leading to many unnecessary casualties and turning many people against America (needlessly).  Then there was Pakistan and the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of Bengali’s in the early 1070’s as Nixon and Kissinger turned a “blind eye” to what the Pakistani leader Aghar Khan was doing because he was their “conduit” into China – which Nixon and Kissinger felt was critical to winning the 1972 election.  One decision after another led to massive casualties in places most Americans would never even imagine being, and it was all based on political expediency.  I’m sure many in America today would argue that this was simply “politics as usual.”  I would argue that the Nixon/Kissinger belief that the “end justifies the means” is morally bankrupt and the very image of America around the world, as other “leaders” have followed the same “strategy,”  has been undermined regarding our standing as the “leader of the free world.”

It was during the Nixon/Kissinger years – I believe – that the expertise in manipulating the press became routine in American politics.  It was the attempt to control “leaks” which led to much of the illegal wiretapping that was ordered out of the White House and carried out by our FBI and, unfortunately, I believe The Bush/Cheney regime took up where Nixon/Kissinger left off and we’re seeing remnants of that same policy today under the presidency of Barack Obama – as “whistleblowers” are attacked by our Justice department.  This is the Justice Department that was clearly targeted during the George W Bush/Dick Cheney regime (again, many of the Nixon “holdovers” were in that administration) as a potential political “ally” instead of being the non-partisan source of impartial justice it was designed to be – and, I haven’t seen much evidence that the department has been “fixed” under Obama/Holder.  It doesn’t seem to matter what party controls the White House, but the word “transparency” seems to be nothing more than the hope of us naive liberals.  It’s almost as if a willingness to accept DISHONESTY is a requirement for participation in America’s government.  (what the people don’t know can’t hurt them – right?)

So, in the quest for a second term President Nixon pissed off just about everyone (including Kissinger, based on his memoirs).  Both Nixon and Kissinger were busy trying to take credit for all the “great” decisions that led to the 1972 electoral landslide win for Nixon.  In fact, it was Kissinger’s enormous ambition that led Nixon to “turn” on him as they “sparred” over who should get credit for their “foreign policy successes.”  Of course, when all the “you know what” hit the fan after Watergate, neither Nixon nor Kissinger were so eager to take credit for many of the REAL decisions as they became public.  (like the wiretapping) All the taping exposed what was REALLY going on in their White House, and it wasn’t “pretty.”

“Conservatives” were unhappy with the rapprochement with China because they felt we “gave away” Taiwan, the SALT 1 treaty with The Soviet Union actually accelerated the arms race, they (Nixon/Kissinger) blew a chance for an Egyptian/Israeli peace accord because of their paranoia re The Soviet Union,  hundreds of thousands of people around the world lost their lives because of Nixon and Kissinger’s willingness to support tyrants, and, as all the wiretapping evidence emerged, even members of their own party had a hard time supporting them.  Sadly, the “Nixon tapes” showed Nixon to be a racist, anti-Semitic, and alcoholic, and seemingly a paranoid “madman.”  It’s really kind of scary reading about some of the possible scenarios that were considered in the meetings with his closest advisers.  I guess ambition is a required “quality” of people who reach the highest levels of our government – but, what I’m most tired of is the lack of moral principal from people who publicly profess their self righteousness as the reason people should support them.  (I “get” that this is truly a bipartisan issue)

We need more reporters like Seymour Hersch who meticulously investigate and report what they find – accurately.  I checked on other books he’s written (I’ve read “Chain of Command” and heartily recommend it) and see there is one that delves into the private life of President Kennedy – apparently not so complimentary.  It will soon be in the pile of books next to my bed on the  “to read list.”  If you’ve been around my blog much, you know that I have been a strong ANTI-REPUBLICAN proponent since the day George W Bush ordered troops into Iraq.  However, you won’t find me arguing in favor of many democrats either. I’m coming to grips with the reality that my main motivation to argue against the republican party is that its “base” seems to be the “Christian ‘Right'” which really gives me pause.  I have a hard time understanding how anyone who calls themselves a Christian can support a political party that stands for what the republican party stands for – I believe most of the “rank and file” Christians have no idea what republican “leaders” are really up to.  (I’ve got to emphasize again, I’m not arguing in favor of the democratic party!)

To me, Iraq was Deja Vu all over again regarding Viet Nam.  In fact, as it’s turned out Bush initiated TWO Viet Nam type fiasco’s that are taking MANY years to get out of (the old “peace with honor” routine America seems to think is a “right” and was the driving force behind the Nixon/Kissinger “strategy” in Viet Nam) – as I’m writing this, we (America) have been MIRED in Afghanistan for 13 LONG years – and counting.  The “leading characters” in the Bush war “machine” were men who got their “feet wet” in the Nixon White House – Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney (among others).  It’s almost as if they learned NOTHING.  Not only did the Iraq and Afghanistan wars bring back bad memories for me, but they (the Bush/Cheney regime) included the wiretapping and the attacks on the press (and the war protestors) as well.   Amid all the lawbreaking, Nixon famously said, “If the President does it, it MUST be legal.”  It took a major effort to prove him wrong, but Cheney and Rumsfeld didn’t seem to “get the message.”  The Bush/Cheney administration took the lawbreaking to new heights and, of course, (with the infamous words, “we’re looking forward instead of back”)  Barack Obama set “we the people” back 40+ years in our attempt to hold our leaders to the same standard that we hold ourselves.  (do you find it as ironic as I do that republicans are complaining that Obama’s not enforcing the laws?  That’s one issue where I can certainly agree with them!)

The bottom line here, to me, is that the “dirty tricks” of the Nixon administration (I didn’t even write about the “Plumbers” – the operatives hired to secretly break into places they shouldn’t be) have become routine in American politics.  The philosophy of “The end justifies the means” is simply normal republican operating procedure.  Since the days of Nixon/Kissinger the illegal activity of the republican party has mushroomed.  From Iran/Contra to outing a CIA agent to authorizing TORTURE to MULTIPLE examples of LYING to Congress (Kissinger was not shy about that one) the Nixon administration set the tone for a party that seems almost Mafioso to me.

Again, I’m finally gaining some clarity in my own thinking;  How can someone who believes in Jesus support an organization with those credentials (republicans)? However, Barack Obama’s first “Chief of Staff,” Rahm Emanuel, referred to LIBERALS as “f@#*ing retards.”  Those of us who think in terms of Jesus have a struggle to find a political philosophy – in today’s America – that is inspirational.  Personally, I refer back to the days of the “New Deal” and see a nation whose government was working from the “bottom up.”  That would be a very welcome sight to me after enduring almost 45 years of the (top down) “Trickle Down” philosophy of government.  People like Elizabeth Warren,  Bernie Sanders, Jeff Merkley, and Alan Grayson are out there (and they’re democrats) but they are even fighting the leaders of their own party who are basically (at least in my eyes) a little bit less “corporatist” than their republican brethren.  If that doesn’t change, I fear for our (my) nation!

I’ve spent a lot of time recently thinking about how I could write something that reflects why I seem to be so “against” the republican party.  Right now I’m reading a book by Seymour Hersch about Henry Kissinger and his role in the Nixon administration – which simply confirms again that I believe republicans have continually been WORSE than democrats for our nation.  I’m also in a Bible study on the book of Romans which has helped me to understand that my biggest concern about the republican party is that the so-called “Christian right” is the “base” of the party.  Paul’s words in Romans confirms (at least to me) that the actions of the “Christian right” is turning more and more people off to the message of Jesus, which, Christians we’re supposed to support.  That all being said, the words of the Los Angeles Clipper’s owner Donald Sterling this past week – allegedly racist comments to his girlfriend suggesting that she not “bring blacks to my games” – and, the overwhelming reaction to them has really given me “pause.”

While I TOTALLY agree that Sterling’s words were “abhorrent” as many in the National Basketball Association characterized them – I just have to wonder where everyone’s been as we’ve watched the emergence of the “Tea Party” during the years of Barack Obama’s Presidency.  Where was all the “media attention” when people like Jim DeMint (then a sitting U.S. Senator) were speaking to a “Tea Party” crowd in Washington D.C. where there was a seemingly plethora of signs depicting Barack Obama in a wide range of racially derogatory manners?  Why didn’t anyone notice, in the Presidential debates of 2008, John McCain refer to then Senator Obama as “That one.”  I could go on and on, I’ve heard anywhere from outright racist comments to an unending flow of “code words” as I’ve listened to people like Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck, not to mention the many REPUBLICAN politicians who have been unable to hide their HATE of this president.

The now infamous “Koch brothers” – who were busily hiding “under the radar” until President Obama was elected – have been totally UNABLE to hide how they “really feel” about a Black president in the “White House.”  Despite the FACT that their net worth has essentially DOUBLED during Obama’s presidency (from $50 BILLION to over $100 BILLION!) they continue to push the message that Obama is a “socialist” or a “fascist” or a “communist” or he’s “bad for business” or etc. etc.  From my perspective, I’ve got some complaints myself about President Obama, but you would think that virtually EVERY where I’ve been disappointed, people like the Koch’s would be cheering our president.

However, the sad REALITY is that the Koch brothers and (presumably) many of their “brethren” who are helping to supply the endless supply of “Super Pac” money (enabled by our right wing Supreme Court via the “Citizens United” debacle of a decision) to right wing republicans are directly “out of” the remnants of the John Birch society.  Charles and David Koch’s Dad was a founding member of the John Birch Society which called President Eisenhower a “communist.”  I hope you can see how far we’ve come as a nation – today’s republican agenda is pretty much answerable to these two brothers.  When one of the Kochs was on a Libertarian ticket for the presidency back many years ago (I believe it was David Koch) their “philosophy” rang “true” with maybe 1 or 2 percent of Americans.  They’ve been “pressing” their agenda ever since.

And, anyone who doesn’t understand that the Kochs are dangerously smart, in my opinion, are fooling themselves.  They’ve managed to “fund” several “think tanks” that spend their time promoting the Koch’s right wing libertarian philosophy, they’re busy doling out HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of dollars to right wing “Tea Party” candidates as  they continue to push the republican party farther to the “right,” and – probably worse – they’ve funded a group which goes by the moniker ALEC which has infiltrated state and local legislative bodies across America to “provide” pre-written legislation to legislators who (presumably) are unable to write their own stuff.  For example, ALEC is the “force” behind the “Stand your ground” laws passed in something like half of America’s states which allowed George Zimmerman to get away with murdering Trayvon Martin.  They are firmly behind the ANTI- WORKER initiatives which are taking away worker’s rights in one state after another (see, Scott Walker in Wisconsin).  They are funding politicians from the local levels all the way to the national level.  In my mind, they are without peer in the area of political power grabbers.

The other thing I have to mention about the Kochs and their affiliation with the John Birch Society is that “Birchers” are famously part of the white supremacy movement in America.  I subscribe to a group called the Southern Poverty Law Center which is the most significant force against the “white supremacist” movement I’m aware of in America and they point out some glaringly scary statistics since the election of our first Black President.  The “white supremacist” groups have grown at an alarming rate.  (I would suggest you check them out, and if you feel the same way I do, give them your financial support)  So, getting back to my main point – the Koch brothers are much more significant to the future of this nation than Donald Sterling and, yet, you rarely hear anyone in the so-called “liberal media” pointing out the racist nature of their actions against Obama.

In reality, most people knew what kind of person Sterling was long before his jilted girl friend (who must be 40 – 50 years younger than him) decided to make public his ranting during a “lover’s quarrel.”  I can only imagine that he chose not to respond to some kind of blackmail threat on her part and now he’s a piranha in the world of professional basketball.  I “get that” and I’m in no way attempting to defend Sterling (I thought he should have been “gone” long ago) – but where’s the uproar over the racist remarks of Rush Limbaugh, for example?  In my mind, he’s much more OVERT and dangerous than Sterling.  Limbaugh has an audience of millions and Sterling is an owner of a basketball team.  I agree that the NBA has done the “right thing” in banning Sterling, I just don’t understand why the silence against all the other “personalities” who are making racist comments?

Until “we the people” understand that that assault on our fundamental values goes much deeper than one ignorant sports BILLIONAIRE this kind of stuff will continue.  Again, Sterling is “small potatoes” compared to the Kochs!  Why is their racism tolerated?  Why is Rush Limbaugh tolerated?  Why is Sean Hannity tolerated?  Why is Bill O’Reilly tolerated?  Why is Mitch McConnell (republican senate minority leader) tolerated?  and John Boehner and John McCain and Lindsey Graham, and on and on?  Why is the assault on average American workers tolerated?  I think I know the answer – because “we the people” are so fragmented by irrelevant issues that we continue to tolerate a political process that is TOTALLY corrupted by money to the point where our “liberal media” is participating in our own demise.  Isn’t it time for “we the people” to STAND UP and return to the general attitude that America is a “we” nation?  I believe there will soon be a time, either voluntarily or through necessity, that “we the people” will be demanding a return to the principles of the “New Deal.”  (That’s exactly what the Kochs and their compatriots HATE)  A big part of that process will be the result of America deciding that for us to grow as a nation we MUST acknowledge that the battle against racism is not OVER and it goes way DEEPER than the words of Donald Sterling!

Since the days of Richard Nixon republicans have been busily cramming a “secret” agenda down the throats of the American people.  (I believe both Ronald Reagan and George W Bush were much more damaging to America than Nixon, but that’s a story for another time)  And, the Christian movement was commandeered by the false promises regarding the abortion issue.  So, many Christians are supporting a political party in which they have no idea what’s going on behind the scenes.  (to my republican friends, I’m not lobbying for democrats)  This racism in the republican party is NO SECRET to anyone paying attention.  I’ll end my rant tonight by asking again – why such a “stir” for the words of Donald Sterling when the words of Limbaugh, Hannity, O’Reilly, and the rest of the republican “front,” (which includes the actions of the Kochs and their brethren) which are much more racially damaging, continue to go unchallenged?

Well, as most people  (I listen to) who are tuned into the political scene have been predicting, the McCutcheon v Federal Elections Commission decision has been rendered by our Supreme Court in a way that may take our focus off of the HORRIBLE Citizens United decision of a few years ago (maybe the debate will be which is worse?).  I can still see in my mind Samuel Alito shaking his head as if to say “no way” as President Obama shared with the nation in his first inaugural address the disaster which was Citizens United.  Here was one of the two “I don’t believe in judicial activism” judges appointed by George W Bush – the other was Chief Justice Roberts  – rendering a decision that made other “judicial activism” decisions of the court seem insignificant.  At the time, I was thinking that Citizens United could be the key component of the right wing republicans succeeding in achieving their “permanent republican majority.”  The dearth of republican candidates for president has stalled their plan – but, the court has been busy doing its part to make sure that America becomes some sort of oligarchy – and, the really sad part of all this is that “we the people” are liable to vote this on to ourselves!  Yikes!

Since Citizens United we’ve seen the court join the right wing fight to suppress the vote by GUTTING the Voting Rights Act of 1965.  The right wing state governments were on the edge of their seats waiting for that decision and they had their suppression tactics “in play” within days of the court’s action.  So, at that time, the “plan” evidently was a MOUNTAIN of money funneled into “non-profit” SUPER PACS by the likes of David and Charles Koch and their group of peers (billionaires) along with an OBVIOUS plan to STIFLE the vote in areas where voters are likely to vote for democrats (all of this with a very subtle support coming from our “liberal media”).  It’s a very sophisticated strategy.  And, now to add to the “party” (from the republican perspective) comes the McCutcheon decision which will allow RICH PEOPLE to spend something like $3.6 MILLION per election “cycle.”  (still not sure what that means?  Every two years? or every 4 years???)

As I understand this decision, it will allow wealthy people to influence MORE of our politicians.  I realize Justice Roberts argued that there is no connection to this ruling and more corruption in our political process.  That makes about as much sense to me as Alito claiming that Citizens United would not open our election process up to foreign money – FLOODS of foreign money.  What is even scarier to me is that Justice Clarence Thomas (who rarely says ANYTHING) argued there should be NO restrictions whatsoever on campaign finances (evidently, they left in place some limits on the amount you can “invest” in one individual politician).  That leaves me the impression that what he (and Roberts) are thinking is that, because there’s more of us (the so-called 99%) than “them,” the only way to “level the playing field” is for the “1%” to be able to spend their way to victory and suppress the vote – so the wealthy can continue to compete in our elections!  They (the court) apparently see NO connections with allowing the unleashing of unlimited funding to politicians and the resulting corruption which disgusts most Americans.  (a couple years ago, I wrote a post suggesting [thanks to my brother in law] that members of Congress should be REQUIRED to wear clothing similar to race car drivers with PATCHES identifying ALL their “SPONSORS” – the larger the “donation” the larger the patch!)

So, let me remind you of the “plan” coming from the likes of Karl Rove and others of his “ilk” who talk about the “permanent republican majority.”  They have a scheme to circumvent the system of “checks and balances” set up so brilliantly by our founders.  This (McCutcheon) decision clearly shows their strategy is working and that the corporate interests (usually referred to as “The Koch brothers” or “billionaires” or the “1%”) are TOTALLY represented by our Supreme Court.  And, keep in mind, all these RIGHT WING justices are on the court FOR LIFE!  I guarantee you, they will keep making these types of suffocating decisions (in regards to us peons and our “democracy”) for a generation – kind of a lasting legacy of the Bush/Cheney regime.

They (“conservatives”) also have a stranglehold on our so-called “liberal media.”  In fact, so much so, that I’m sure a majority of Americans (possibly even a majority of people who read my posts) actually believe our media is LIBERAL (after all, don’t they – the media – keep pointing this out to us?  Doesn’t that make you wonder?).  Nothing could be further from the truth.  I’m finally hearing a bit of “blow-back” from Chris Matthews and others on MSNBC (he’s at least figured out and gained the nerve to call out the racists and their sophisticated use of “code words” on his show “Hardball” as the Obama assault “marches on”) – but, by and large, most in the media accept the ridiculous claims of “fair and balanced” by Fox and some of their surrogates as “mainstream.”  What was once the “main stream media” seems paralyzed by the power of the right wing owners of the media conglomerates.  (do you remember CBS reflexively FIRING Dan Rather because he (correctly) challenged George W Bush’s bogus military record? What message did that send to other reporters?)

Then there’s the control of the House of Representatives (essentially, by the radical “tea party” whack jobs) – possibly in republican “hands” for the foreseeable future thanks to a brilliant scheme of gaining control of state houses in 201o and GERRYMANDERING enough House districts to make it extremely difficult for democrats to retake control of the House.  For example, in 2012 the democratic House candidates garnered something on the order of 1.7 MILLION more votes than republicans, yet still had a significant minority in the “people’s” part of congress.  It will take a MAJOR backlash to republican obstruction to reverse control of the House.  And, I guarantee you that Citizens United, McCutcheon, and the gutting of the Voting Rights Act are all part of the scheme to make that MORE difficult – if not impossible.

Let’s regroup here:  The Courts are in republican control, the “liberal media” isn’t liberal at all, there’s a TON of MONEY coming from wealthy individuals who believe in government by the few that can now be INVESTED in a plethora of politicians who are “for sale,” and by all accounts in 2014 republicans have a reasonable chance to regain control of the Senate.  (The Kochs have already spent over $7 MILLION attacking the democratic senator in North Carolina and evidently there isn’t even a republican candidate yet to oppose her – that says it all)  Should republicans succeed in gaining a majority in the Senate, then the only missing link to their strategy is the White House.  And, they are already (it’s not even close to the 2014 midterm yet) spending MILLIONS to attack Hillary Clinton on the assumption that she will run for president as a democrat in 2016.  These people (republicans like Charles and David Koch) don’t seem to even pause to take a breath.  They have HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS, they are getting up in years, and they seem to be willing to spend whatever it takes to gain their “dream”

Speaking of Hillary Clinton, are you getting the picture as to their “plan.”  With the Court giving them free reign with their money, the media afraid to call them on their despicable behavior, with the House willing to do the bidding of the monied elite who are going to be funneling even more money into their campaign “coffers,” and – should they “pull it off” – with control of the senate, all they need is one win of the White House and “we the people” could be STUCK with republican DAMAGE to our system of government for the foreseeable future. They (republicans) would have – in their minds – rendered “checks and balances” as a moot point.  They would control EVERYTHING!

Their plan would be that we (liberals) would be unable to mobilize enough support to stop their “permanent republican majority” through a combination of their control of “all of the above.”  I can’t even get my mind to understand what part of their scheme is the scariest.  My first thought is that the control of the media – and the willingness of our media outlets to allow complete falsehoods to be broadcast repeatedly as what I can only surmise as a sophisticated propaganda scheme – might be the biggest threat to stopping them should they gain control of every aspect of our government ( I want to add here, Thank God for the internet – but, it won’t surprise me when they exert control over the messaging there – for example, it would be easy for them to “shut up” people like me).  But, when you combine that thought with the idea that the “1%” can spend almost unlimited sums – in different ways – to influence our political process and their plan for VOTER SUPPRESSION is working – ALL of it (their “scheme”) makes me a bit nervous.

I keep telling myself that the republicans don’t have a candidate for office that isn’t so weird that they could NEVER win a national election – so, if democrats continue to win the White House – eventually, the majority of the Supreme Court could be changed to something more resembling the “will of the people.”  However, for some reason, I keep thinking that republicans with all their money might just believe they could cram another Bush down our collective throats and they might talk Jeb Bush into running in 2016.  I keep having this nightmare that a Bush v Clinton presidential race in 2016 could possibly turn off enough LIBERALS to actually – with all these other issues considered – give the republicans a chance to regain the White House (the thought of another Bush as president makes my stomach queezy – probably somewhat similar to republicans looking at the possibility of another Clinton).

Which brings up the thought with which I will close.  I’m convinced all the obstruction (and everything republicans do) has a very specific “stealth” objective.  That is, along with the voter suppression moves they’re making around the nation, I believe they think (and, they’re probably correct) that by “muddying” the political “waters” to the point where “we the people” believe our government is incapable of functioning, even more people will be turned off and will withdraw from actively participating in the process.  For those of you who remember Paul Weyrich (famous republican strategist), he famously said, “As a matter of fact our leverage in the elections quite candidly goes up as the voting populace goes down.”  He was talking about how republicans should want LESS VOTERS!  Their present “plan” clearly follows Weyrich’s “advice.”  Overtly, they are trying to restrict access to the polls for MILLIONS – covertly, they are trying to turn people OFF by the MILLIONS.  In the end, they are working “overtime” to reduce the number of Americans voting and if liberals don’t vote the republican strategy which includes McCutcheon, Citizens United, and a gutted Voting Rights act will lead to their success!  If you’re reading this and you don’t want multinational corporations running America’s government, participate somehow in the process of voting the present day republican party into the history books!

As an afterthought – if you want a perspective that is not beholden to corporate interests (remember, even MSNBC is owned by GE) check out Free Speech TV.  It’s definitely NOT part of the “liberal media” that sucks up to Fox “news” and America’s corporate oligarchs.

So much to say, so little time (and energy) to say it!  Honestly, that’s how I sometimes feel as I watch the political “landscape” in America.  I have a friend (an interpreter) from Russia who, quite naturally, is very concerned with the “flare up” in Ukraine.  One of her parents is from Ukraine, the other from Russia – and she’s been in America for at least the past 20 years.  Watching the reaction of America’s politicians to this “crisis” is much more difficult for her than it is for me – although, it’s REALLY difficult for me.  If you’ve read my previous post you know how I feel about the republicans who are continuing the ENDLESS assault on our sitting president.  As far as I’m concerned, the republicans wore out their OBSTRUCTIONIST “welcome” long ago.  But, when there’s a world crisis like this – for the McCain’s and the Graham’s and the others to be – essentially – propping up Vladimir Putin as the picture of a “leader” and calling President Obama names that can only be described as “red meat” for their IGNORANT base – we’ve all got much to worry about that these people (republicans) even have an audience.  (My apologies to my republican friends – but, it’s just not “American” to do this – I don’t care who the president is)

Keep in mind that the republicans who are relentlessly attacking Obama are minions to America’s “military industrial complex.”  As we’ve witnessed in Iraq and Afghanistan, there’s not a WAR that doesn’t thrill them – (and their benefactors)  If John McCain would have had his way America would have “Bomb, bomb, bomb”ed Iran and probably North Korea as well.  Of course, they are very selective in who they want to “bomb” – do you remember Bush/Cheney funneling tens of BILLIONS of dollars to Pervez Musharraf in Pakistan so that we could become bogged down in Afghanistan for the past 13 years?  That’s the same Musharraf who was funneling portions of that money to the very people we were supposedly fighting.  Of course, you didn’t hear ANY complaints from the likes of McCain, Graham, and the rest of the republicans back then.

Seriously, despite my reservations about President Obama and his decision to allow Bush/Cheney a “pass” from their transgressions while in office (and, believe me, the rest of the world will be bringing up Iraq to Obama as he attempts to bring sanity back to the Ukraine crisis) as I listen to him in contrast to the McCain, Graham, Rand Paul, etc. etc. crowd, it’s as if President Obama is the “adult in the room.”  He’s going about addressing this Russian misadventure in a measured and thoughtful manner – as opposed to the “shoot from the hip” republicans.  I hope the American people notice this – I really can’t imagine that a MAJORITY of Americans would side with the likes of John McCain or Lindsey Graham.  I’ve been a teacher for 20 years and as a teacher you learn to read people’s eyes – and both McCain and Graham, when spouting the so-called “talking points” of the republican propaganda “machine,” appear to be totally aware of their own lies.  As the saying goes, if you repeat the lie often enough, even the liar starts to believe it’s true. (although, they appear to be cognizant of EXACTLY what they’re doing)

This relentless attack on our president from the “right” is turning so many people off to the political process that it might just succeed at its goal – which is to gain a stranglehold on America’s government by any means possible.  As absurd as many of the attacks are, they are succeeding in TURNING OFF a huge portion of America’s electorate and just might win another election because the “liberals” stay home.  I just finished reading the second part of Blanche Cook’s biography of Eleanor Roosevelt which is focused on the 1930’s in America.  The parallel to today’s challenges are startling.  This lying, greedy, selfish, business oriented group – called back then by historians the “Robber Barons” – is nothing new.  Some of the same battles we’re having or are going to be having today, were part of the routine during Roosevelt’s years in the White House.

While I’m hopeful that President Obama will succeed in calming the international “waters” (actually, I always hope our president succeeds – I even wanted George W Bush to succeed) I’m concerned that the parallels of his approach to government is leading to the same mistakes FDR made prior to WW II.  I’ll try to explain.

While Eleanor Roosevelt was pushing a LIBERAL agenda in the 1930’s, her husband (FDR) was terribly pragmatic on MANY issues of importance to those people who were looking for progressive change (sound familiar?).  In fact, FDR led America right back into recession in 1937 because he became focused on balancing the budget at the expense of expanded JOBS programs and investment in America’s PEOPLE!  Up until 1940 FDR refused to support “anti-lynching” laws, he refused to condemn Hitler as Hitler ramped up the Third Reich, he tried to cut spending in order to “balance the budget,” and he was “landing” way too close to “conservatives” for the likes of people such as his wife.  The end result was FDR turned off his “base” (liberals) and in the mid-term elections of 1938 his party (the democrats) were “slaughtered.”  Does any of this sound familiar?

Well, what many democrats are worried about is an impending republican “takeover” of the Senate in 2014’s election (similar to the 1938 mid-term elections) which will allow them even more room to ensure that our sitting president “fails.”  Of course, my fear is that should this scenario “play out” President Obama will continue his agonizingly frustrating attempts to “placate” the very republicans who won’t rest until he’s considered a worst president than Bush/Cheney.  (Of course, knowing that history will have somewhat of a data driven sense of accountability, that seems impossible – with the exception of books written by republican apologists)  Unfortunately, it is Obama’s attempts at bridging the “gap” between the right wing of the republican party and his own base that is turning off LIBERAL voters and could lead to another disaster this coming November.

Many besides myself predicted what happened in 2010 (the republicans gained a stranglehold on the House of Representatives along with many state governorships and legislatures) because of Obama’s attempts to be a centrist.  This is where I so identified with Eleanor Roosevelt – and, I believe a majority of “every day” Americans do as well – we DON’T want to placate the right wing republicans.  We want to DEFEAT them.  We want them to crawl back under their rocks.  The problem, as I see it, is that with the help of a Supreme Court which somehow declared “Corporations are people my friend” and unleashed the corporate bank accounts on our electoral process, along with Obama’s continued attempts to stand in the “middle,” (which, I have to add, under normal circumstances would, at least by me, be considered admirable)  has led to a circumstance where, despite the democrats advantage in NUMBERS, (I feel) the republicans have the advantage in money and strategy.  The ONLY way democrats will “hold serve” in the Senate and continue to make gains in the House, is if they understand this is a WAR for the heart and soul of this nation.

President Obama needs to, along with democrats, draw a clear distinction – with no compromise – between the republican agenda and their own.  Democrats need to define their positions CLEARLY and push for popular support – they need to make the upcoming election meaningful.  Too many times I’ve felt as if the line between who I was “for” and who I was “against” was razor thin.  That MUST change if the democrats wish to defeat this right wing assault on our nation.  The republicans (with the help of the “liberal” media) have pushed the debate so far to the RIGHT that people like me don’t see much benefit in many of the democratic positions.  For example, I’m refusing to send ANY money (I don’t have much) to President Obama or many other “liberals” until the final decision on the Keystone XL Pipeline and the “Trans Pacific Partnership” (TPP) have been made.

The truth is, I don’t trust the democrats to have the GUTS to block these propositions.  I’ve read enough about the Keystone pipeline to realize their is NO significant benefit to “we the people” for this pipeline being completed, but there is SIGNIFICANT probability that it will create environmental problems that COULD border on catastrophic.  And, the trade agreement, TPP, is just further “recipe” for fewer jobs for our middle class workers and higher trade deficits for our nation.  More than likely, HIGHER profits for American “multinational” corporations which they will “invest” in places like the Cayman Islands in their seemingly unending effort to avoid paying American taxes.

All of this is the natural progression of a political system that allowed Ronald Reagan into the White House almost 35 years ago, and for some reason, despite all the national debt problems, trade deficit problems, jobs problems, social safety net problems, (and more) “we the people” still have failed to recognize that we MUST REJECT this “me me” philosophy and return to the “we” philosophy that created the greatest middle class in the history of the world following WW II.  For 30 years after the end of the second WW there was a strong degree of bipartisan agreement in America that we were obligated to “pull together” in an attempt to support the Civil Rights movement, end poverty, provide education to all, “fix” the environment, and support our people from “the bottom up.”  It was Reagan who pioneered the “Top down” approach (at the time they called it “trickle down” economics – I’ve always called it “trickle up”) to government and it was his administration which began the assault on the “New Deal” which pulled America out of the Great Depression.

Bush/Cheney ALMOST put us into another Great Depression and I’m beginning to think that until that happens again people might be willing to continue voting in republicans.  I hope I’m wrong on that last sentence – but, I believe we need a STRONG leader in the White House who relishes the challenge of fighting off the big money coming from the Koch brothers, Wall Street, and many in America’s so-called 1%. (I realize that many members of America’s financial elite are not affiliated with the republicans – or, at least today’s right wing version)  I get why President Obama wants to bridge the gap between “right” and “left,” but until he remembers that he was voted in to implement “The change we can believe in” and, if it’s not too late, lead the FIGHT against this right wing juggernaut, liberals will continue to be turned off.

Republicans are publicly claiming President Obama is “weak” because of his unwillingness to send troops to fight the Russians (unbelievably as that seems) – but, in my mind, the real reason they believe he’s weak is because he’s allowed them to walk all over him – and, he keeps “reaching out” for that elusive “grand bargain.”  If they are right, he’ll cave on Keystone XL. he’ll continue his support of the TPP, and he’ll ultimately keep trying to reach an agreement (any agreement) on the budget that will turn democrats off.  (like agreeing to cuts in Social Security and Medicare)  If he wants democrats (and independents) to support him he needs to take the FIGHT right at the republicans.  Hit the road and lead a populist assault on the republican ideas!  When it’s clear that President Obama is against Keystone and the TPP and for increases in Social Security and Medicare his supporters will mobilize.  Take those FIGHTS along with fighting for JOBS, INVESTMENT in infrastructure and people and BARNSTORM America – I believe he still has time to be considered a STRONG president and set the precedent for a generation of progressive ideas as America (and my children and grandchildren) progress into the 21st century.

I’m going to try to catch a thought tonight and finish it in the next few days.  I was reading on the front page of the newspaper I buy my wife every Sunday (for the ads :o) about how the Russians have “invaded” Ukraine and our fearless American leaders are “up in arms” over this violation of Ukraine’s “sovereignty.”  Honestly, it almost makes me gag listening to the likes of John McCain, Rudy Giuliani, Rand Paul, Lindsey Graham, and the other republicans pandering to our war machine.  I can only imagine what every civilized person around the world – outside of the United States – would be thinking of our “holier than thou” righteous indignation at the Russians.  Seriously, the American voters proved to me what a short attention span they have when they returned republicans to control of the House of Representatives only two years after Bush/Cheney “high tailed” it out of Washington DC.  That’s the same Bush/Cheney who INVADED Iraq and TOTALLY destabilized the Middle East while AT THE SAME time keeping America’s military stuck in Afghanistan with NO apparent “plan” for the last SEVEN years of their regime.

It’s true that Iraq and Afghanistan were foisted on President Barack Obama like a bad dream, but the reality is that Obama seemed in no hurry to get America out of Iraq (he basically followed the prearranged schedule negotiated by the Bush crew) AND  we’re STILL in Afghanistan as I’m writing this – with some reports suggesting we could remain there for another TEN years! (ugh)  So, where do you think America’s leaders stand in the world community influentially as they criticize the Russians?  I can tell you the first thought that came to my mind was – who outside of America’s borders even care what 0ur leaders think on this subject?  By now, EVERYONE who can read a book knows how ridiculous American foreign policy has been since the day Bush/Cheney took office.

Now, I will say that I consider the actions of President Obama a step in the right direction from Bush/Cheney, but it appears to me that he’s beholden to the same “liberal media” that seems to be in the “pocket” of America’s “military industrial complex.”  Let’s face it, America’s media conglomerates (like GE and News Corp) don’t have a history of promoting peace.  And, the people who are actively BUYING America’s politicians don’t seem to have a tendency to encourage reducing America’s “war machine.”  While we’re busy cutting things like food stamps, unemployment insurance, Social Security (so far, they’ve failed at this one), Medicaid, Medicare, taxes for the rich, etc. we seem to have an UNLIMITED budget for WAR.  Yet, we also seem to be the first in line to dictate to the rest of the world to “do as I say, not as I do.”  Do you really think “foreigners” are that stupid?

The truth is that by all measures that ordinary people should use to evaluate a society America is on a downward spiral.  Our education system is losing ground (and, as a teacher, I believe the “fixes” being proposed will ensure we continue in the wrong direction), our health care system is embarrassingly bad compared to the wealth of our nation, our middle class is losing ground to the so-called 1% every year (and, yet there seems to be enough voters to keep “trickle up” economics “in play”), we clearly have MAJOR racial issues in America along with an increasing percentage of people living in poverty (again, despite being the “wealthiest” nation on earth), and EVERYONE knows that our national legislature and political system is CORRUPTED to the core.  We have a CIA that has a history of TORTURE and assassination – in order to provide governments (dictatorships) friendly to American corporate interests, and, presumably, Americans wonder why the international community could care less and less what we think.

As I looked at the headlines regarding the Russian invasion of Ukraine, naturally there was John McCain and Lindsey Graham at the forefront of BLAMING Barack Obama for America’s role in “allowing” this to happen.  As if Obama could do anything to stop it – just as the Russians had to sit by and watch America invade Iraq in 2003.  Today, I even had to listen to some of the republican “talking heads” call Vladimir Putin, Russia’s President, a “leader.”  Seriously, listening to Rudy Giuliani calling Putin a “leader” while attacking our own president during a time of crisis is to me, well almost treasonous! Are these republican “leaders” so STUPID to actually think that attacking our president (of course, they attack Obama reflexively – the issue is irrelevant)  and lauding Putin is helping ANYTHING???  Tonight on TV I saw John McCain doing a fairly good impression of Rush Limbaugh (when Limbaugh stood before the CPAC convention bouncing up and down urging his propaganda on the “conservative” minions) as he almost came our of his suit claiming that this Russian action is the result of our “feckless” foreign policy.

All I can say is that if our foreign policy is “feckless” it’s the result of the difficulty of recovering from the damage caused by the invasion of Iraq, the quagmire in Afghanistan, and the near endless attacks on President Obama since he accepted the unenviable job of reversing the ILLS of the Bush/Cheney regime.  It seems to me that whatever the United States SHOULD be doing in this situation will get lost in the CONTINUED partisan rancor that the republicans have thrust toward Obama since the day he was elected.  They announced before President Obama took the oath of office that their one goal was that he would FAIL.  To me, if they continue this rancor, they should be THROWN out of office.  Honestly, anymore, when I’m forced to listen to republican “leaders” I get sick to my stomach!

It’s true, in my mind, that if Obama had done things differently, America would be in a better position to criticize the Russians.  However, my reasoning – which I’ll get to – is FAR different than McCain’s, Graham’s, Giuliani’s, or the other republicans spouting off with their illicit rhetoric.  If you’ve read many of my previous posts, you know what I’m going to say.  Obama SCREWED up when he allowed the Bush/Cheney administration to walk away from Washington with no consequences.  The natural conclusion to that action would be that Obama was planning to continue enough of the policies of his predecessors that he gave them a “free pass” on some serious illegalities.

I will only bore you with a few of the examples:  Let’s start with TORTURE.  Everyone in the world, as of now, understands that America, the beacon of “Human Rights” in the “Free World” allowed the overt commission of TORTURE in violation of her own laws and international laws – including the Geneva Conventions.  Then there was the outing of a CIA agent, almost certainly by Dick Cheney.  We’ve prosecuted others for leaking “classified” information related to the CIA, but it seems Dick Cheney was considered “above the law” by the incoming Obama administration.  Do you think this is where they began to see Obama with the “weak” label? (he apparently didn’t want the “distraction” of all the investigations) Of course, in relation to all the above, what about LYING America into the Iraq “war?”  Shouldn’t that have been thoroughly INVESTIGATED? (along with all the other misdeeds of Bush/Cheney)  There was the politicizing of the Justice Department (they’re still cracking down on the “little guys” and letting the “big fish” go), the plundering of our economy (TARP), and I could go on.  Obama BLOCKED investigations into all of the above – and more!

And, by doing so, Obama brought all this republican intransigence on himself.  They really do remind me of the sixth graders I teach.  They need clear – “black and white” – boundaries.  President Obama essentially INVITED the republicans to attack him relentlessly – to fill the VOID of what SHOULD have been a PROLONGED series of INVESTIGATIONS of Bush/Cheney which would have exposed the republicans for what they really are (I’m talking here of the inner circle of republicans which was behind the Iraq invasion and the right wing assault on the very fabric of our nation – the people who HATE what’s left of the New Deal)

In conclusion, however, LET ME BE CLEAR, the words of people like John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Rudy Giuliani, Rand Paul, among others I heard today, in a concerted effort to ATTACK a sitting president during a national foreign policy crisis is UN AMERICAN!  The American VOTERS need to put these people out of office.  They are so obsessed with making sure we never have another Black president that they could care less about the well being of this nation.  They’ve assaulted our workers (by refusing any kind of “jobs” legislation), our economically disadvantaged (by reducing our social safety net), our public employees (as they attempt to eliminate every union in the country), and NOW THIS!  When are the American people – republican, democratic, and independent – going to WAKE UP, and see these people for what they are?  I’ll say it again, listening to them today calling Putin a “leader” and attacking our president – made me SICK TO MY STOMACH!