I was driving around today and listening to Ed Schultz (liberal radio “talker”) ranting about how the workers in a Volkswagen Plant in Tennessee voted down an opportunity to join the United Auto Workers Union.  While I’m in total support for the workers’ right to join a union and while I “get” Schultz’ outrage at the influence the governor of Tennessee and their Senator Bob Corker played, along with local politicians who used extreme “scare tactics” to influence the vote, there was one main point Schultz made with which I would have to disagree.  Schultz was contending that the actions of Corker and the other republican (of course) politicians succeeding in blocking this attempt at worker’s organizing would be used as a “blueprint” in future situations and that this action (on their part) was unprecedented.  All I could think of as Schultz was saying all this was: “Don’t you remember Ronald Reagan?”  (This is probably the main reason he’s still considered “holy” by today’s republicans)

In 1981 Reagan, very publicly, BROKE the Public Air Traffic Controllers union (PATCO) and that, according to many (including this from an article on Alternet) has been the blueprint of the anti-union movement in America to this day.  If you don’t want to read the entire article, here’s a blurb: “the PATCO strike has become the pivotal event—both symbolically and substantively—in almost everyone’s understanding of the massive realignment of class power in the United States in the last few decades.”  Joseph McCartin’s book, “Collision Course: Ronald Reagan, The Air Traffic Controllers, and the Strike that Changed America,” makes my point: “No strike in American history unfolded more visibly before the eyes of the American people or impressed itself more quickly and more deeply into the public consciousness of its time than the PATCO strike. No strike proved more costly to break. And no strike since the advent of the New Deal damaged the U.S. labor movement more.”

Again, I’m not disagreeing with where Schultz’ heart is – I’m right there with him – it’s just that the work of people like Bob Corker and the other republicans in Tennessee is just a carryover of what Reagan set in motion more than three decades ago.  This was the turning point in the BATTLE to reverse the gains of workers and middle class Americans who had benefited from the progressive legislation of the New Deal since the days of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt.  Yes, there was a time in my lifetime when workers were valued more than stockholders – where there were clear dis-incentives to GREED among the “leaders” of America.  Reagan’s election is what set in motion the slow steady emergence of those who HATE the New Deal and what it stood for.

Lately, we’ve been hearing (or, at least, I’ve been hearing) an increased amount of dialogue centered on the disparity in wealth that has evolved in America to the point where you’re hearing references to the Marx/Engels theories on the inevitable self-destruction of capitalism.  Of course, any time anyone takes issue with republicans over the REALITY that America’s wealth is getting MORE and MORE concentrated at the top (the so-called 1%) and proposing solutions to the problem, we hear words like “socialist” or “communist” or some other irrational terms.  There are many in the republican party who, it seems, will not be happy until there is no social “SAFETY NET” left in America.  They want an end to every government program that benefits middle class Americans including Social Security and Medicare.  (Of course, they have no issue with the BILLIONS taxpayers put out on “corporate welfare” – including, for example, BILLIONS annually to the oil industry – as one example – not to mention [OK, I’m mentioning it] there’s a long list of multinational corporations which don’t pay a DIME in taxes while making HUGE profits)

So, since the day Reagan took office, workers have been losing ground with their wages and America’s middle class has been slowly voting in republicans (and corporate democrats) who’ve been chipping away at the gains made during the 1930’s through the 1960’s.  There was a lot of sacrifice made by LIBERALS over the years to gain things we take for granted today, things like: the 40 hour work week, overtime pay, child labor laws, Social Security, Medicare, environmental protections, food stamps, unemployment insurance, early childhood education, welfare, vacation pay, livable wages, workplace safety regulations, and I could go on and on.  From what I gathered, the issue in Tennessee that has Schultz so riled up wasn’t even being contested by the employer, Volkswagen.  In fact, from what I gathered, they were fine with this and were looking forward to a “council” with the workers and management that would be intended to make the plant more efficient – just like their union plants elsewhere around the world.  (In fact, the only other Volkswagen plant that isn’t a union shop besides in Tennessee is in China – it’s not hard to get the picture here)

The outrage at the interference by the politicians in Tennessee which violated the neutrality of the vote on whether the workers would join the United Auto Workers is warranted, but I just think it needs to be kept in the proper perspective.  The “blueprint” for undermining collective bargaining and labor unions was established in 1981.  When Reagan BUSTED the PATCO union, there was something approaching 35% of America’s workforce being represented by unions.  Today, the total is something like 10% and it’s the lowest total since the beginnings of the Great Depression.  Do you see a parallel here?  Honestly, there’s so much in America today that is similar to the days before the Great Depression that it’s – well (I’ve got children and grandchildren)……..depressing!  I’ve talked on this site at length about the sophistication of the republican propaganda scheme and the sad (to me) reality is that they’ve succeeded in turning the word “liberal” into something that’s rarely spoken in public these days.  To those of us who call ourselves “progressive,”  changing the perception of that word would be a good place to start.  I’ve read MANY books on American history that confirm (OVER and OVER again) that the gains which have benefited the “working class” in this nation (and other nations as well) have come from LIBERALS!  Trust me, it wasn’t “conservatives” putting their lives on the line in the 30’s to gain those “rights” we all seem to take for granted.

It’s true that “we the people” vote these politicians into office who are convincing us to give up these hard fought for rights.  How do they do it?  Well, like I’ve said, the “liberal media” in America is virtually owned by a group of conservative corporations and the journalism in the so-called “main stream” of America’s media is so focused on being “fair and balanced” (to steal the thunder of none other than GOP TV – er, Fox “news”) that you have to look for people like Jeremy Scahill  and Naomi Klein of the Nation, or Greg Palast (I believe who reports for BBC – he can’t survive in America because he reports what’s actually happening) in alternative places in order to have any chance of having “real” information.  And, while I’ve been ranting against republicans (and will continue, it appears, for the foreseeable future) I’m not that thrilled with the alternative – the democrats.  While I hate to “pile on” President Obama (the republicans have been unbelievable in their attacks – they don’t need my help) he’s not the “change I believe in.”

In fact, one place I totally agreed with Schultz was; WHERE were the DEMOCRATS while the republican politicians in Tennessee were BASHING the union and using classic SCARE TACTICS and FEAR MONGERING to make sure any union “revival” didn’t happen on their “watch?” I’ll tel you where I think they were;  I believe the democrats are almost as scared of the republican controlled “liberal media” as the republicans.  If you’ve been paying attention you know that republicans vote in a “UNIFIED” block based on instructions from whomever (people like the Koch brothers and their cronies) is funneling them the HUGE supply of dollars made available thanks to the Supreme Court and “Citizens United.”  If, as a republican, you vote against the “block” according to your conscience, the result is a well funded “tea party” primary opponent – and, an empty campaign “coffer” – not to mention the tongue lashing from the likes of Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly, and the rest of right wing punditry.  They have an audience of MILLIONS of “low information voters” and, as a republican, “you can’t win without them.”  Democrats, I’m afraid, fear the same message machine – albeit to a lessor extent.  If you’re really outspoken like a Dennis Kucinich or an Alan Grayson or a Jeff Merkley or Sherrod Brown or Elizabeth Warren – you can expect the same forces to funnel UNLIMITED funds into a ruthless attempt to smear you into political oblivion!

I read somewhere today where many “liberals” feel that President Obama is “weak.”  I fully understand why they believe that, and I will leave that one to “history” to determine – there’s plenty he’s disappointed me on – but, I think the WEAK moniker DEFINITELY fits MOST of the democrats in Congress.  There’s too many of them “feeding from the same trough” as the republicans.  The main reason, it appears to me, that republicans have been bludgeoning one union shop after another since the day in 1981 when Reagan took the FIRST step is because most union members evidently tended to vote democratic (and, unfortunately, democrats have allowed them (republicans) to get away with it).  So, instead of attempting to address the issues in a way to draw workers to their point of view, the republicans used the destroy and conquer method.  Worse than this, to me, is the apparent FACT that democrats have pretty much given up the fight to restore America’s workforce to a status where collective bargaining is a considered and accepted right.  I’ve said this before, and the assault on unions bears it out well, it’s MUCH EASIER to give up rights than to get them back!  Republicans want to “stamp out” EVERY union in America.  The  recent “vote” in Tennessee clearly demonstrates, reversing the “trend” will not be easy.

According to economist Joseph Stiglitz, “The decline in unionization since World War II in the United States has been associated with a pronounced rise in income and wealth inequality.”  America’s middle class needs to quit arguing over issues like abortion and gay rights and focus on restoring the protections gained by our fathers and grandfathers during the Great Depression that gave us our great middle class.  The union vote in Tennessee was defeated through the traditional fear mongering and scare tactics routinely used by republicans to “get their way.”  It’s time for leaders (somewhere in America) to stand up for workers and say “enough already” to this kind of bullying.

I managed to stomach “Meet the Press” with David Gregory for about 15 minutes today and it just reminded me about how “low” we’ve gone as a nation in the past 35 or so years.  Our “liberal media” seems to be nothing more than entertainment.   Gregory was moderating a “discussion” on “Obamacare” (The Affordable Care Act) with Rob Portman, a republican senator from Ohio who sounded as if he came right out of the republican “sound machine,” and Chuck Schumer, the democratic senator from New York (I really wanted to say “from Wall Street”) – a corporatist democrat.  As I watched the show (and, it was difficult to keep from turning it off) I kept thinking that the political debate in America has been pushed so far to the “right” since the election of Ronald Reagan that people like Schumer are considered “liberals.”  While I’m no fan of the Affordable Care Act – in reality, it’s the Heritage Foundation’s answer to the health care crisis in America – I struggle to listen to our present day politicians “debating” this issue.  Republicans apparently against helping America’s working poor gain health care and democrats defending “Obamacare” out of instinct.  (Neither talking about the “single payer” solution that makes so much sense)

Because “Obamacare” is the “best we could get” after President Obama’s initial election victory, it seems as if we should be trying to make it work.  Republicans are doing everything they can to undermine the Affordable Care Act – even though it’s their brainchild – because their NUMBER ONE GOAL is for President Obama to FAIL!  While they could be debating the program and trying to work out solutions that make it better and easier for people to access, they are doing just the opposite.  I believe more and more people (I’m talking about media pundits) are (finally) coming to the realization that the idea of a Black person in the “White House” is the motivation that drives EVERYTHING the republican party does. (I truly hope this issue – race – is honestly discussed as we approach the 2014 elections) If I need to clarify;  I believe they (republicans) are attempting to make sure this (a person of color in the “White House”) doesn’t happen again!  (and, I wish the “liberal media” would quit tiptoeing around this reality)  Honestly, they (republicans) remind me of my sixth grade students who continue to refuse to do anything in class and seemingly expect me, as their teacher, to eventually quit expecting anything from them.  Well, I can tell you that the solution to this republican intransigence, as I see it, is not to ignore them, but to vote as many of them out of office as possible.

It’s true that with the help of people like the Koch brothers (who’ve finally been exposed for what the really are) the republicans have a very sophisticated plan to regain power in Washington.  They’ve gerrymandered many congressional districts across America (during the 2010 census) to ensure they keep a block of extreme right wing members of Congress with “safe seats.”  However, when it comes to numbers, as the saying goes, “there’s more of us than there are of them.”  By that, I mean if progressives and progressive leaning independents (like me) go to the polls in numbers, the republicans could easily become an afterthought within a few election cycles.

Of course, they’ve had a long term plan in place for many years that has somewhat come to fruition.  They had the makings of their “permanent republican ‘majority'” in 2000 when the Supreme Court overturned the “will of the people” and, with the help of Jeb Bush being the governor of Florida, anointed George W Bush as president.  I’ve said many times on this site that Bush screwed up their plan with one blunder after another, but what he accomplished was to put John Roberts and Samuel Alito onto the Supreme Court which furthered the Koch led scheme immeasurably.  Many Americans have come to realize the devastation caused by “Citizens United” – The Supreme Court’s undoing of 100+ years of campaign finance regulation and enabling of the uber rich, people like Charles and David Koch – two brothers right out of the John Birch Society heritage, to have an unlimited influence on our present and future elections.  And, anyone who doesn’t understand that Citizens United opened the doors for foreign influence on our electoral process is either totally naive or stupid.  (unfortunately, many Americans STILL don’t have any idea what Citizens United is)

As I listened to Portman this morning, it was as if Charles or David Koch could have been the guest.  These two brothers have “invested” HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of dollars in buying our congressional “leaders” (I’m sure Portman is one of the recipients of their largess) and the reality is that if one republican votes against their interests, they can expect to be “primaried.”  The Kochs are the funding behind the so-called “Tea Party” – which is nothing more than a bunch of right wing corporatists, with overt racist tendencies, funding what they orchestrate as a “populist” movement.  The Kochs are in the same mold as “The Family,” which I’ve written about on this site and the Dominionist Christians – all of who believe in rule by the elite – the wealthy and powerful.  These are the people, by and large, who gave us “Trickle down economics,” in the 1980’s (I’ve always called it “Trickle up economics”) and have been able to continually gain strength – despite the failure of their ideas – through a sophisticated propaganda scheme.

This propaganda scheme was taken right from the philosophy of Joseph Goebbels, the propaganda minister of the Third Reich, and has been extremely effective.  If you take the time to listen to a variety of republican pundits, you will see clear evidence that they are practicing what Goebbels called the “Big lie theory.”  That is, if you repeat a lie often enough people will begin to believe it’s true.  Periodically, I’ll put my own beliefs to the test and force myself to tune into several different sources of what Fox “news” calls “free and balanced” reporting.  What you hear is a variety of different “pundits” pushing the same lie with the same “code words.”  While democrats seemingly attempt to counteract this, they are terribly less efficient liars.

Anyone who believes, for example, that Fox “news” is anything but a propaganda arm of the right wing of the republican party is simply fooling themselves.  Fox has managed to ingrain their propaganda so deeply into people’s heads that it’s almost impossible to reason with any “devotee.”  Today, David Gregory had the audacity to challenge Senator Portman’s claims (falsely, by the way) that the Affordable Care Act will cause millions of lost jobs by asking, why then did he recently vote against extended unemployment benefits.  Gregory pointed out there were something in excess of 50,000 Ohioans who lost benefits when the extended benefits expired.  Portman paused, as if to say – “how could you throw that question in” – and then tried to avoid any kind of sensible answer as he attempted (and successfully) to swing the argument back to the health care law.

The issue of immigration reform came up and Portman, true to being a republican, spewed – carefully – the republican position that there can’t be reform while President Obama is in office because “he can’t be trusted to enforce the law.”  OK, that argument is absurd on its face (and I refer you to my previous post for more on that) but, the point is these people are like a bunch of sheep and they all say exactly the same thing – it’s like they’re pre-programmed before every public appearance – and, people like the Koch brothers and their network of wealthy donors are the shepherds.  (many call them the “puppet masters”)  Almost as absurd, was Schumer’s suggestion that republicans vote to pass the law and stipulate that it won’t become law until after Obama is out of office.  Just further evidence that there’s not much FIGHT in the so-called leaders of the democratic party.  I thought, with friends like that, who needs ………….. you know the rest.

The Kochs have reportedly already “invested” around $30 MILLION into the upcoming 2014 midterm (and, I use the term “investing” literally, because it’s a known fact they don’t “donate”) and they’re orchestrating the “investing” of many other MILLIONAIRES and BILLIONAIRES who believe that government shouldn’t exist (except for the military), they believe polluters should be governed by the “free market,” they don’t believe in taxes or any government regulation of business, and they will seemingly spend their entire fortune attempting to ensure we never have another person of color in the “White House.”  Can you imagine what they’re going to do in 2016 if Hillary Clinton runs for president?  If you haven’t noticed, they’ve already started their attempt to make sure that she never makes it back to the White House.  (or any other woman makes it there, either, for that matter)

What’s so hard for me to understand is that it’s still only 5 years since the Bush/Cheney regime hi-tailed it out of Washington DC with their “tails between their legs.”  With the help of this “liberal media” America’s voting public has a very short memory.  Of course, President Obama is not helping as he continues WAY TOO MANY of the Bush/Cheney policies for my liking (and, many other progressives) and, as I’ve stated here ad nauseum, he blocked the NEEDED investigations into Bush/Cheney misdeeds.  But, let’s, for the sake of brevity, just talk about health care.  I still clearly remember, in the 2008 primary season, Dennis Kucinich lobbying for a single payer health system, to the ridicule of his fellow democrats who considered that (totally practical) idea WAY TOO “liberal.”  Looking back, I think Kucinich seems like he was the “adult in the room.”

I’m re-reading “Chain of Command” by Seymour Hersch and I really don’t understand how any American could “long” for the days of the republicans who brought us endless war in Afghanistan and a “Viet Nam all over again” experience in Iraq.  Of course, the republicans who gave us this policy were the same ones who used deferments or connections to avoid the aforementioned Viet Nam fiasco – but, for some reason felt compelled to create a fiasco of their own.  Our “liberal media” has so much influence (and beholden) from the “military industrial complex” that I seriously doubt we’re anywhere near the point where anyone who might gain the “White House” would be able to have the courage to “call off” the “war machine.”  What would we do with the BILLIONS that would be saved by pulling the plug on that “vacuum” that is sucking the heart out of our taxpayers.  (I read a proposal the other day that Congress pass a law making college tuition FREE – to republicans, a truly educated society must be a scary thing)  We have so many other issues we could be focused on besides the military, but to listen to our politicians that would be total heresy – and, this goes for both of our major political parties.  Kucinich, with his message of universal health care and peace was the MAJOR target of the right wing in 2012 – and, they succeeded.  This year, my guess is that Alan Grayson of Florida, a true liberal, will have to fight MILLIONS of Koch money in order to hold his seat.  (if you’re reading this and have a job, think about sending him some money – I send it in $10 – $25 increments as I have it)

I could give you a long list of “progressive” issues I believe “we the people” should be focused on, but with a media led by the likes of Gregory, it appears the “road is long.”  I would challenge any “right winger” who might happen this way to look at the statistics regarding most of their fundamental complaints from a “prism” beginning with the election of Ronald Reagan.  Things like the deficit and the national debt – look at the statistics from 1980 until the present.  Look at the tax burden and how “we the people” have fared versus Reagan’s “friends.”  Look at the military and what’s happened since Reagan’s election (I know, you’re going to claim Reagan defeated the Soviet Union – that’s an argument for another day).  Look at education, regulations (especially with the financial sector), environmental issues, poverty, look at the middle class in general – compare it from then to now.

I’m not opposed to business, I’m not opposed to ingenuity and progress, I believe entrepreneurs should be rewarded for their success – it’s just the general accepted “mindset” that’s been allowed to permeate our society since 1980 that is so troubling to me.  Anytime you hear a “leader” reminding us of our history (from the “New Deal” through the 70’s) as a “we” society that created the greatest middle class the  world has “known” that “leader” is vilified by our “liberal media” with monikers such as “socialist.”  I believe the evidence is overwhelming that if “we the people” allow people like the Koch brothers and their “ilk” to succeed America will be on the way to second rate status.  Bush/Cheney did immeasurable damage to our “standing” in the world community and, it seems, the only ones who don’t understand what’s happening to our nation is US.  I know there’s a lot of people pushing back, but the truth is that without courageous leaders who will “just say no” to the corporatist interests America will continue to decline.  We definitely need innovative corporations, it’s just that we also need to return to the days when the workers are more important than the stockholders and the corporate executives are not rewarded for greed and self interest.  My point tonight is, with a “liberal media” featuring the likes of David Gregory, “don’t hold your breath.”

I was driving home yesterday and I heard a very strange “sound bite” from John Boehner.  In essence Boehner was saying that the House of Representatives would not likely be voting on immigration reform because they “didn’t trust President Obama to enforce the law.”  OK, if you’re a practically thinking person who has any idea of how our government works, the statement was absurd on its face.  However, once I’ve explained why it’s absurd, I have to include my own reasoning to support Mr. Boehner.

Of course, anyone who’s been paying a “lick” of attention to American politics for the past 5 years knows that if President Obama is for it, the republicans (in unison) are AGAINST it!  I still remember when Arlen Specter, the republican senator from Pennsylvania, voted for the watered down stimulus package in Obama’s first year and Specter was “run out” of the republican party.  (republicans were supposed to make sure our Black president FAILS)  So, we wouldn’t expect any republicans to vote for immigration reform (even though they’ve been pushing for it ostensibly for years) if it would give any credit to President Obama.  Remember, the republican agenda isn’t for America – it’s all about making President Obama a “one term president” – er (it’s too late for that) making him FAIL!  The interesting part of Boehner’s argument is that during the Bush/Cheney reign the immigration problem hit its “peak.”  Much to the chagrin of many of President Obama’s “base” our president is doing a much better (and more efficient) job of enforcing the existing immigration laws than any republican in my memory has done with the result being a HUGE increase in the number of illegal aliens deported.  Does that give you “pause” as you ponder Boehner’s logic? (seems there must be a different reason, doesn’t there?)

We could discuss jobs, unemployment insurance, health insurance, food stamps, help for the needy in general – but, the reality is that republicans will NOT support any legislation which might move America forward because someone might interpret that as a success for our president.  I recently finished Bill Press’s book “The Obama Hate Machine” which does a thorough accounting of how President Obama has endured more scurrilous attacks than any other president (in a country famous for scurrilous attacks on presidents).  Therefore, it comes as no surprise that, along with every other needed legislation facing our nation, expecting republicans to agree to any worthwhile immigration reform qualifies as MAJOR wishful thinking.

By now you might be asking yourself, “How, then, could David be claiming to support John Boehner’s contention?”  Well, Boehner said, “I don’t trust President Obama to enforce the law.”  Well, (aside from the absurdity of that – as hopefully the above supports) I have a very real issue with President Obama’s enforcement of the laws.  Once I finished Press’s book, I started reading (for the third time – I seem to be re-reading many books lately) Seymour Hersh’s great book, “Chain of Command.”  If you haven’t read this book (I believe you should) it follows the Bush administration from their onset (actually, with tidbits from before Bush was “elected”) through much of 2004 with a focus on the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Bush/Cheney administration left a trail of illegal behavior “a mile wide” that, for some unexplainable reason, President Obama chose to make sure NEVER will be investigated with NO accountability for serious CRIMES!  That is why I don’t trust President Obama to enforce the law – I’m sure you can see that my reasoning differs from Mr. Boehner – and, I’ll try to explain to the extent that you can see that my point has validity where I’ve tried to show you Boehner’s claim does not.

Take for example TORTURE! (Yah, let’s start right at the top)  TORTURE is a WAR CRIME.  It’s not only a crime by virtue of international law it’s a crime by our own laws and, in addition, it’s a violation of the Geneva Conventions which the United States was instrumental in getting established over the years.  George W Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, and their “legal counsel’ went to great lengths to establish their “right” to bypass the Geneva protocols and ignore American and international law as they instituted their “enhanced interrogation” during the American invasions of both Afghanistan and Iraq.  Hersh is apparently one of the last of the “breed” of “investigative reporter” left in the United States, but he does a great job of laying out the reality that America’s troops (and “intelligence” officers) were routinely committing torture (by accepted standards) and, only the totally naive would fail to realize the authorization came from the Bush White House.

That George W Bush and Dick Cheney are guilty of WAR CRIMES is indisputable because BOTH admitted to authorizing WATERBOARDING on national TV.  (and, they both claimed, falsely, that it led to “actionable intelligence”)  Allowing this grievous violation of law to go unpunished is not only a blight on President Obama (and his legacy) but, it has been instrumental in America’s reduced moral standing in the world.  Here’s the point of view of Manfred Nowak, the “United Nations Rapporteur responsible for torture:”   on 20 January 2009, (Nowak) remarked on German television that, following the inauguration of Barack Obama as new President, George W. Bush has lost his head of state immunity and under international law the U.S. is now mandated to start criminal proceeding against all those involved in violations of the UN Convention Against Torture.  Law professor Dietmar Herz added to Novak’s comments by saying that under U.S. and international law former President Bush is criminally responsible for adopting torture as an interrogation tool.

“The evidence is sitting on the table,” Nowak stated. “There is no avoiding the fact that this was torture.” He pointed to the U.S. undertakings under the Convention Against Torture in which the country committed that it would criminally prosecute anyone who tortured, or extradite the person to a state that would prosecute him. “The government of the United States is required to take all necessary steps to bring George W. Bush and Donald Rumsfeld before a court,” Nowak said. (These statements are parts of THIS article)

Attorney Wolfgang Kaleck, who brought charges against Rumsfeld before German prosecutors stated that the Obama administration was “off to a good beginning” with its explicit renunciation of torture, but it has not shown how it will hold Bush, Rumsfeld, and others to account for their crimes, nor has it demonstrated its legally obligated duty to provide compensation to torture victims.  In fact, the only thing the Obama administration has demonstrated is that – as per Richard Nixon – “if the President does it, it MUST be legal!”  If you’ve been on this site much, you know that I’ve been lamenting that decision since the day Obama was inaugurated.  (Well, it took a few weeks before I realized that he was going to “look forward instead of back”)

Personally, I would never have voted for President Obama in 2008 had I any indication he was going to violate his oath of office and allow these egregious violations of our laws and international laws to go – not only unpunished – but, not even investigated!  And, look where it’s gotten our president.  Honestly, I don’t think Boehner would have a leg to stand on – in fact, I don’t think he would ever have been Speaker of the House had Obama done his duty.  You could feel a collective upheaval of “liberal” support for the president as he allowed Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld “off the hook.” (hence, the 2010 liberal abandonment of the polls – not saying it’s right, just saying…)

The “Change (most of us) could believe in” was holding those at the top accountable for their misbehavior.  The “pardoning’ of Bush/Cheney was followed by the continuation of the Wall Street Bailouts with nary a financial “wiz kid” prosecuted for gambling away the retirement accounts of countless Americans.  Obama’s refusal to “look back” was like pouring gas onto a fire as far as the right wing in America was concerned – and, the push-back on the president, as stated above, has no parallel in American history.

There’s also the lying our nation into a war, there’s an outing of a CIA agent, there’s the bludgeoning of one government agency after another, there’s the total politicizing of the Justice Department along with “loyalty oaths” (to the republican party) for new hires as Justice (That’s grossly illegal) and on and on.  So, I do agree with John Boehner about my lack of trust that President Obama will follow the law.  It’s just that he’s following the immigration laws to a tee!  I wonder if Boehner wants President Obama to “follow the law” regarding Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld and TORTURE?  I would suggest to the president that it’s not too late and maybe allowing the investigations of Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld would get Mr. Boehner’s attention!  (I’d love to hear him complain the Obama WAS following the law!)

I recently finished reading “A Cruel and Shocking Act” by Philip Shenon – a book about the “Secret History of the Kennedy Assassination.”  I don’t want to get into the details of the book other than to say that it appears to me most of the people who’ve “investigated” the Kennedy murder have, for whatever reason, glossed over many of the details.  Shenon, it seemed to me, didn’t seem too motivated to do anything more than show that the “Warren Commission” was not a complete investigation and give the evidence that our FBI and CIA lied to the Commission.  There wasn’t much probing.  As soon as I finished the book, I had to re-read “The Family of Secrets” by Russ Baker, who, in his research into the “Bush dynasty” provides MUCH MORE information as to what COULD HAVE happened leading up to Kennedy’s murder.

The reality is that the Warren Commission was FULL of Kennedy “haters” and it’s hard for me to understand why so many who’ve “investigated” this murder haven’t been able to put this all together.  Shenon did come to the conclusion that the CIA lied to the Commission, but maybe if he had read Baker’s book he’d have looked a bit further at all the evidence.  The main reason I feel a need to discuss this is because the WEB of “Eastern elite” and oil interests along with America’s “intelligence” community which MIGHT have “outed” Kennedy is a bit unsettling to me.  I’ve written on several occasions that I believe the evidence strongly suggests CIA involvement in Kennedy’s death (probably his brother as well) and, in addition, they were ostensibly behind the scheme to get rid of Richard Nixon – all with the compliance of J Edgar Hoover and the FBI.  We Americans don’t WANT to believe that the “inner workings” of our national government would be like the KGB of the Soviets we were all TAUGHT to hate as we grew up, but the reality is that our CIA has been involved in one Assassination after another around the globe since its inception in 1947 and what should make us think they wouldn’t ply their “trade” at home?  Especially against someone like JFK who they literally DESPISED.

The part that seems so incredible to me is that Baker – without doing anything more than leaving the reader to make inferences – “connects the dots” among the WEB of people around Dallas Texas who were part of the CIA and the oil industry (and, conveniently in Dallas at the time of the assassination).  He also gives a compelling argument as to why one person in the “web” after another stood to gain from the removal of Kennedy from the White House.  In November of 1963 it was assumed that Kennedy was going to win re-election in 1964 and there were MANY people who didn’t want that to happen.  Keep in mind that President Kennedy was pushing for the elimination of the oil depletion allowance – a government subsidy to the oil industry that was, at the time, a multi-MILLION dollar boon.  And, since its inception, the CIA has been intertwined with the oil industry as – first, the nation realized after WW II the importance of oil to our military “might,” and secondly, the multinational nature of the oil business allowed for the CIA to “plant” operatives around the world in disguise as “oil executives.”

Baker’s book is focused on George HW Bush in relation to the Kennedy murder and the evidence STRONGLY suggests that Bush was a member of the CIA almost from the day he graduated from Yale and their Skull and Bones secret society (and was involved to some extent in the relationship between a CIA operative I’ll mention shortly and Lee Harvey Oswald – prompting Bush to concoct a phony alibi for his whereabouts on the day Kennedy was killed).  In fact, a long list of CIA agents has come directly from that same group (“Skull and Bones”).  I really suggest that anyone interested in understanding the inner workings of America’s government read “A Family of Secrets” – it’s one of the more eye opening books I’ve read (I’m reading it for the third time – and, after reading Shenon’s book I’m getting even more out of it).

I can’t get into all the details due to time and space constraints, but George HW Bush was an associate of a guy named George de Mohrenshildt, who was – by all evidence – a covert CIA agent (just as Bush) and he was the guy who befriended Lee Harvey Oswald upon Oswald’s return to the U.S. from Russia (at the request of other CIA “people”) – where he defected for a couple of years.  The “inner circle” of people that Bush and de Mohrenshildt were associated with is like a “who’s who” of America’s right wing aristocratic “Eastern establishment” families connected to the “military industrial complex” and “intelligence.”  (Oh yes, and the oil industry) These people HATED Kennedy, and just as they did with Franklin Roosevelt, they felt JFK was a “traitor to his class.”  If you read the book, I think you’ll end up with the same inferences I’ve made about how “Poppy Bush,” along with a number of other famous Americans who are expert at “covering their tracks” when it comes to their misbehavior, were probably somehow involved in the conspiracy to murder Kennedy  – along with many issues besides this. (for example, they are experts at laundering money – which I believe has led to the present day financial “world” that has been enabled to the point they control so much MORE than those of us who they consider “peons” will ever understand – ie, Cayman Islands, Bermuda, Switzerland, etc.)

The part of all this that intrigues me the most is that many of these same people and their “offspring” are behind the right wing “cabal” I’ve been writing about for several years now that I believe is trying to undermine the very “fabric” of the American republic.  George W Bush was a great example of their “scheme.”  The guy’s been a proven FAILURE his entire life, yet he was thrust upon us as our president by the power of this invisible group of people who are happy to be “covertly” operating out of the public eye.  (If you were paying close attention during the 2012 election republican insiders, when commenting on a possible Romney/Ryan administration, were saying, “We just need someone to sign our bills”)  I still believe that the “right” thought they had their “permanent republican majority” with “W” in office – he had a republican congress – but, he had difficulty putting a complete sentence together and committed one buffoonish act after another that temporarily “upset their apple cart.”  Presently, we’re seeing to what extreme ends they will go in order to get that “cart” upright again.  (I even think they might try to do it with another Bush – Jeb in 2016)  I believe they think their unlimited “budget” causes them (the republican “right”) to believe they can get anyone elected – remember, George W Bush had a history of drug and alcohol abuse, womanizing, and failures at one venture after another – including allegedly being AWOL from the National Guard – only to have his “history” “wiped clean” by republican insiders loyal to his “Poppy.”

We’ve seen over the past 30+ years the emergence and re-emergence of people like Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, Douglas Feith, and others who keep showing up in positions of power and continue to cram the “military industrial complex” that Dwight Eisenhower warned us about “down our throats.”  With the demise of the Soviet Union these people needed a “reason” to continue America’s unbelievable expenditure on “defense” and 9/11 seems to have been the perfect “tonic.”  It wasn’t hard for me to understand, especially after all the books I’ve read, why GW Bush was pushing the militarism (and, the tax cuts, and the “defrocking” of the internal workings of our government, and the “corporate welfare,” and the…….. OK, I hope you get my point) but I continue to struggle to understand why democrats (and, of course, Barack Obama) seem to want to keep us on the same “path.”  The “no investigations” of, not only Bush/Cheney by President Obama but also Reagan/Bush by the Clinton administration into obvious criminal activity continues to befuddle me.

“A Family of Secrets” helps me to at least postulate why “The change we can believe in” seems to be “republican lite” at best.  When I think back to the days of Iran/Contra I clearly remember wondering why President Reagan was never asked to testify and was never implicated.  Additionally, I thought it was strange that then Vice President Bush also “got off ‘Scott free.'”  Upon reading Baker’s book (A Family of Secrets) it became increasingly clear to me that George HW Bush was right in the middle of the entire Iran/Contra scheme.  This was CIA/Eastern elite establishment/oil industry/John Birch Society/etc.,etc., behavior at its “finest.”  And, when you learn a bit about the “secret society” that is represented by the Yale “Skull and Bones” graduates – which includes a “who’s who” of right wing politics in America in the last 100 or so years, it’s not hard to imagine people feeling it’s their “duty” to LIE to Congress or any other investigative body.

America’s CIA has been “cloaked” in secrecy since its inception.  I believe their unlimited budget is TOTALLY secret – even to members of congress.  I’m convinced that even what little oversight exists in congress, there is an “unwritten” rule not to probe into their actual practices.  If “we the people” actually knew what our CIA had been doing “in our name” over the past 66+ years, I think most people (at least the fair minded people) would be disgusted and shocked.  I also believe their (the CIA’s) power is WAY beyond what any of us “normal” people can even imagine.  As mentioned above, I have often wondered why President Bill Clinton essentially “pardoned” George HW Bush of any involvement in Iran/Contra shortly after taking office.  In my mind, you have to be what I’ve termed a “low information voter” (I invite you back Lars Larsen) to believe that George HW Bush and Ronald Reagan were not involved in Iran/Contra.  In fact, it’s not hard to find compelling evidence about their “deal” with the Iranians to prevent the so-called “October Surprise” they thought might derail the Reagan election – that’s when, reportedly George HW Bush met with Iranian officials and paid them off to keep the hostages (if you don’t know what I’m talking about, Google the 1979 hostage crisis in Iran) until after the election.  Curiously to me, but evidently not to our “liberal media,” the hostages were released as Reagan was taking his first oath of office. So, why the “looking the other way?”

Think I’m nuts?  Well, check out who was implicated in the Iran/Contra “affair” and what happened to them.  I’ll help you out, it was a “who’s who” of Reagan appointees, and  once president George HW Bush was in office he pardoned them (some, he waited until he was leaving office – and, of course, many of the “culprits” keep “popping up” in government offices – several of them appointed by Bush II).  They say the “apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” and just like his Dad, George W Bush pardoned “Scooter” Libby who “outed” Valerie Plame – a covert CIA agent – presumably to make sure Libby remained “loyal” to his bosses who the prosecutor implied were involved (he suggested further investigation was needed, and, of course, it never happened).  “And the beat goes on.”

I’ve always wondered a couple things when trying to understand why Clinton, a democrat, didn’t push for investigations of George HW Bush that would have uncovered much of the shenanigans of our CIA and clearly would have “pointed fingers” at both Bush and Reagan (maybe a repeat of why Lee Hamilton, the chairman of the House committee investigating Iran/Contra, chose not to proceed with the investigation during Reagan’s presidency while having evidence that implicated both “Poppy” Bush and Reagan – ostensibly to “protect” us from another “Watergate type” scandal).  Well, my first guess as to why this keeps happening is that the CIA might have a “heart to heart” with every new president (or anyone else “snooping” in their “turf” – you know, the kind of talk where they say “If you repeat any of this conversation I’ll deny it and………….”) explaining how America’s government “really” works.  Need more evidence?  It’s not hard to find, but click here for some eye popping details.  Do you think it’s possible the CIA reminds incoming presidents of what happened to JFK and Richard Nixon? (ALL the “Watergate burglars” were CIA operatives – Baker’s evidence suggests Nixon was expertly “set up”)

I’ll finish this rant with a topic, if you’ve been reading my posts for any length of time, you’ll be familiar with.  So, after all of the aforementioned, along comes President Barack Obama.  A constitutional lawyer (actually professor at the University of Chicago) and a progressive running on “The Change we can Believe In!”  What was one of his first acts in office?  He, essentially, pardoned George W Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, and everyone else involved in the despicable lies that got us enmeshed in Iraq, the incompetence that left us stuck in Afghanistan, the conspiracy to undermine our government which left countless agencies in “ruins,” the “outing” of a covert CIA agent, the wiretapping of our own citizens WITHOUT warrants, and on and on – PLUS the TORTURE issue!  (guess who’s doing the torturing – read “The Shock Doctrine” by Naomi Klein and you’ll clearly see the path that leads right back to our CIA – there they are again!)  So, have you asked yourself, “Why would President Obama pardon all these CRIMES?”  Honestly, I’d like to ask President Obama that question to his face!

In speaking to several of my peers (I’m of the “retirement age”) many have come to the conclusion that the corruption in our nation’s capital is so pervasive that there’s nothing we can do but throw up our arms and attempt to go along with our lives.  To me, if that’s the reality, then the “puppeteers” behind this right wing cabal have succeeded.  I feel a sense of responsibility because it’s my generation who’ve taken so much from America and are now apparently unwilling to “give back.”  The “forces” represented in today’s political climate by the right wing “eastern elite billionaires,” the oil industry, the CIA and their surrogates have become the “backbone” of our present day republican party – but, were “fringe elements” of society until the election of Reagan.  They are all about “me” and disparaging to anyone who believes in “we.”  This “web” of right wing extremism started getting “spun” as FDR was implementing the “New Deal,” and has evolved to the stage where they can see “the light at the end of the tunnel.”  As so clearly pointed out in “A Family of Secrets” they are passing their greed and arrogance to the law from generation to generation.  I’m just hoping we will find the leaders necessary to stop these people “in their tracks” before it’s too late!

I’m going to get this thought started while it’s still fresh in my mind (I just returned from the Verizon store).  I’m sure there’s MANY other Americans out there who would agree with me that allowing the government, with the help of the telecommunication carriers, to “spy” on the normal everyday communication of MILLIONS of Americans is WRONG.  I believe it is unconstitutional.  However, this all started with the so-called Patriot Act of 2002 and has morphed into something that is completely out of control as of the beginning of 2014.  I stated back then, and I’ll reiterate, it’s so much easier to give away RIGHTS than to get them back.  I believe many Americans besides myself felt that by electing Barrack Obama in 2008 many of the egregious overreaches of the Bush/Cheney regime would be reversed – ESPECIALLY, the government eavesdropping on its citizens.  Apparently, the problem has progressively gotten worse, and the “transparent” promises of the Obama campaign have turned into one of the most secretive administrations yet.

In a society where there is true transparency one would think that “whistle-blowers” would be honored and even encouraged as a true “backstop” against government and/or corporate overreach.  Yet, during the Obama presidency we’ve seen Bradley Manning tortured for over one year (and subsequently receiving a stiff prison sentence) for leaking information to Wiki Leaks that simply stated the truth about America’s foreign policy.  (the first sign that “transparency” wasn’t such a priority)  Then came Edward Snowden who “leaked” the NSA spying information (and continues to do so) that caused many in Washington’s “Beltway” to label Snowden a “traitor.”  My response, at the time, was “are you kidding me?”  First of all, there were several (including me) who had been paying attention to this issue and knew the “spying” was going on (just not the extent of it) because it was easy to put “two plus two” together.

Then Senator Obama alarmed many of his supporters (including me) in 2008 when he supported the FISA bill passed in Congress that gave Verizon and ATT&T immunity from CLEARLY many FELONIES as they willingly gave the NSA access to what should have been private phone conversations and emails.  I actually protested with a letter to Obama’s campaign and got a response which PROMISED that Senator Obama would “fix” the FISA bill once he was elected president.  Of course, as time went by and I saw no indication any “fix” was going to happen, I realized that President Obama, once in office, was allowing the illegal spying to proceed.  As I recall, there was a court decision that supported the viewpoint of those of us who claim this action violated the 4th amendment to the constitution, but I don’t believe the subject would have garnered ANY public discussion without the efforts of Mr Snowden – who had to actually leave the country in 0rder to inform the rest of us what OUR government was “up to.”

I’ve been constantly amazed at all the Americans who “wrap” themselves in the American flag and proclaim constitution this and constitution that – for example, I can’t tell you how many people I know who believe the constitution gives them the “right” to own assault weapons and magazines that hold 50-100 bullets – yet support the Patriot Act.  (It’s like selective commitment to the constitution – as people imagine it)  NRA members are BLOCKING attempts at even requiring the registration of guns while jumping on the “traitor” bandwagon in relation to Snowden.  What has happened to common sense?   In my mind, at some point, Edward Snowden will become an honored public figure.  He continues to give us information as to how far beyond the imaginable our own government has gone in their attempt to convince us all they’re “making us safer” in the “war on terror.”  I believe it was Franklin Delano Roosevelt who proclaimed, “We have nothing to fear, but fear itself.”  And, the paranoia which has engulfed the United States since the infamous 9/11 attacks has essentially turned this nation upside down.  We have responded in the very way Osama bin Laden expected – and, it’s (this paranoid response) continuing to weaken the “fabric” of America from within.

Those in the “Military Industrial Complex” which we were so prudently warned about by none other than Dwight Eisenhower – the general who led us to victory in WW II – are, and will continue – profiting on the paranoia which has been spread amongst the American public by none other than our “leaders.”  Bush/Cheney were expert at this as they, on the one hand, ginned up our response to one terrorist attack by committing our nation to TWO unwinnable OCCUPATIONS of nations on the other side of the world and then, on the other hand, they supported and participated in the corporate profiteering from these two occupations which has pilfered TRILLIONS from the American economy almost directly into the hands of themselves and their supporters.  (there are numerous books you can read which will leave you with the same result they left with me – Bush/Cheney NEVER intended to prosecute bin Laden – he gave them the excuse to implement their “plan”)  Bush/Cheney not only preached fear on the American public as a way to set up their corporate warmonger friends for unbelievable profits, they used fear and terror tactics themselves in Iraq as they attempted to “privatize” the Iraq economy to further benefit their “cronies” (with estimates in the MILLIONS  of Iraqi’s victimized by their actions)

For example I’ve read several accounts of how Vice President Cheney gained over $100 MILLION from his association with Halliburton and their seemingly unending NO BID contracts from the defense department in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Halliburton, under Cheney (he was CEO from 1995 until he became Vice President in 2000) operated as if “above the law,” just as Cheney did as VP and before, including opening a Halliburton office in Tehran Iran (that’s right, the Iran Cheney wanted to “bomb”) while Cheney was CEO which was a violation of the “Trading with the Enemy Act” – although Halliburton claimed their “innocence” because it was actually a “shill” (my description) subsidiary with a “base” in the Cayman Islands. (yuk)  Additionally, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld reportedly profited just as handsomely based on his previous employment with entities such as Bechtel.  Douglas Feith supposedly, as did many other Bush/Cheney “cronies,” “retired wealthy” based on the “privatization” of the Iraq “war” and his (and others’) willingness to PROFIT from it.  When you see the long list of Bush related people (including his father and grandfather) involved in the corporate no-bid “merry-go-round” involved in Iraq and Afghanistan it makes your stomach curdle (well, if not yours, mine).  The Bush family has a history of war profiteering that goes back to the 1930’s when Prescott Bush was providing war related materials to Adolf Hitler as the Third Reich was preparing for their “Blitzkrieg” of Europe.

Getting back to my main point tonight, it’s the SECRECY that pervades Washington DC – both the government and the multinational corporate interests who are profiting from America’s militarism – that allows this abomination to continue.  “We the people” are already facing a sad reality that our “liberal media” has been consolidated into the “hands” of about 9 multinational corporations which are anything but “liberal.”  If we allow our government to intrude on our privacy by making our phone messages and emails available to the government (and, who knows who else?) we are heading for what can only be termed a “slippery slope.”  America became a world leader of the “free world” through the efforts of LIBERAL activists who gained momentum during the “New Deal” administration of Franklin Roosevelt.  The “right” in America has been FIGHTING the gains made by many of our grandparents and great grandparents (depending on your age) since Roosevelt’s first “radical” initiatives – mostly all aimed at building a vibrant MIDDLE CLASS of hard working “blue collar” workers.  We’re seeing today (2014) the same “class” of people who were called the “Robber Barons” trying to take us back to that time period.  Just check their (the “right’s”) message – they’ve been focused on making the word “liberal” an abomination to the point where even liberals don’t use the word anymore – that’s part of the propaganda “plan.”

And, for those of us who want to prevent the “right” (people like Charles and David Koch, Sheldon Adleson, Mitch McConnell, Paul Ryan, Dick Cheney, untold numbers of CEO’s and executives of the multinational corporations who are spending wildly to control our legislatures, and the list could go on and on) from succeeding in turning the clock in America back a hundred years or so (that’s what they accomplished with Citizens United) this NSA spying issue is MAJOR!  I’m constantly shocked at how far this right wing “cabal” has managed to “get” in the days since Ronald Reagan “flipped the switch” on America’s political scene.  I keep thinking “we the people” will “wise up,” but the sophistication of the “opposition” and the economic viability (they’ve got UNLIMITED funding) they possess constantly reminds me that unless “we the people” can somehow get the “masses” to “wake up” to what are the intentions of the “right” the possibilities are scary.

That’s why today, as I was walking out of the Verizon store, I couldn’t help but think that the “hammer” possessed by the opposition is getting heavier all the time.  I’m reading books as fast as I can, I’m talking to as many people as I can, I’m giving money (very small amounts – like $20 at a time) to the few people in politics I believe “get it,” (people like Bernie Sanders, Alan Grayson, Elizabeth Warren, Jeff Merkley, and various web based organizations) and, yet, here I am giving money to Verizon (have been for years) and getting sucked into their “2 year contracts” so that I can have one of their “smart” phones.  I’m beginning to think they’re really “stupid” phones – because I’m giving them money (and, by the way, their service borders on arrogance – yet, their store was jammed with people – you have to WAIT a significant amount of time in order to give them your money!) while I KNOW that they are passing on the “data” that is generated by my “smart” phone to some HUGE data base that can be accessed by who knows who based on who knows what! I continued to wonder;  Are we Americans financing the destruction of our own republic through unknowing reliance on companies like Verizon who are helping to dismantle our constitution?  All progressives need to decide in 2014; “how important is our constitution?” and, if we decide (and, I hope we do) that it’s important, then, “What do we need to do in order to protect our right to privacy and the 4th amendment?”

I’ll end this by saying that, unfortunately, this is an issue where I don’t feel any sense of confidence that progressives can rely on democrats to “come to the rescue.”  Obviously, President Obama has performed dismally in standing up for the 4th amendment.  We need another FDR to emerge in the next couple of years – someone who will “take on” the corporate interests who are leading the assault on these basic privileges we’ve evidently taken for granted to the point where we may loose them.  FDR, in response to attacks from the corporate “right,” famously said, “They hate me, and I welcome their hate.”  My hope was that President Obama would have the same fighting spirit – but, that hasn’t been the case.  Somehow, this issue and issues like “Citizens United” need to be resolved at the ballot box – and it will be up to progressives to put these issues into the public domain so that if Americans choose to abandon their traditional values it won’t be unknowingly.

One of my favorite reads is “The Hightower Lowdown” a newsletter written by Jim Hightower and full of REAL progressive MAIN STREET common sense.  I just finished the latest version and Mr. Hightower makes a compelling case (much better than I have done) for what is being termed a “Financial Transactions Tax” (FTT). This would be a miniscule (0.5%) “sales tax” on shares traded on Wall Street.  I was originally introduced to this idea by Peter DeFazio who suggested a more modest tax (honestly, I hope Wall Street lives to regret “panning” DeFazio’s proposal) of (I think) 0.25% back when the TARP bailouts were still fresh in everyone’s mind.  According to Hightower a FTT would net the American economy somewhere in the range of $350 – 400 BILLION each year – and, it would come essentially from the speculators who are using high powered computers to trade large amounts of stocks sometimes by the seconds (and, of course, the same people who are responsible for the TRILLIONS of taxpayer money spent to “bail out” Wall Street).  That is, they buy a huge volume of some stock and almost instantaneously resell it with a razor thin margin that nets them HUGE profits based on the quantity of the transaction.

The reality of all these “speculative” transactions is that they produce NOTHING of benefit to our economy.  And, as Hightower so expertly explains, while they are paying NO tax on their transactions, the rest of us are paying up to 8 to 10 percent on the things we purchase.  These “bankers” have become about as popular (or maybe even less popular) than the politicians they’ve purchased in Washington DC.  They are the ones who’ve been manipulating the political scene since the arrival in Washington of Ronald Reagan to the point where they’ve eliminated any discussion of “increased taxes” from the political arena.  They’re busy trying to “reduce the size of government to where it can be flushed down the bathtub drain” while, at the same time PILFERING BILLIONS if not TRILLIONS of dollars from MAIN STREET in America.  I don’t know about you, but I see something terribly wrong with this picture.

Just stop and think for a moment: why would they want to “shrink government to the size where it could be flushed down a bathtub drain?”  To me, the answer is easy.  Government is the ONLY  chance those of us on MAIN STREET have of keeping these people in “check.”  In reality, they want NO regulation of their business practices – even though they’re GAMBLING with, by some estimates I’ve seen, over 50% of America’s wealth.  To me, that’s ridiculous on its face, and after enduring the last “crash” it seems to me that it’s “high time” to “reel” these people in.  And the FTT seems as if it’s the logical first step on how to do it.  Kind of an easy way to ask these people to repay the money they’ve been pilfering from our economy for the past 30 years.

And, please, don’t give me the response that this would hurt everyone.  Even in the days when I was trading a small number of shares of stock (more than most people I know) a 0.5% tax would have been inconsequential.  The issue arises for the day (or minute) traders who are seriously GAMBLING in the market (which would include the large Wall Street firms like Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, etc. – the “too big to fail” monstrosities created via the deregulation boom started by Reagan) with money gleaned from Main Street.  It’s still hard to believe, in my mind, how “we the people” have allowed ourselves to buy into the so-called “trickle down” theory of economics.  How many “bubbles” need to burst, or how many downturns do we need to experience in order to “get it?”  Or, do we actually need another Great Depression to figure out that the Wall Street bankers (I liken them to the “Robber Barons” of the early 20th century) are incapable of social responsibility without a little “help?” (regulations)

There is a concept known as GREED.  It is a very real and powerful entity.  It was the cause of the great crash of 1929 and it will rear its ugly head again if we let it.  You might not be my age, but back in the 1950’s – with a republican president (Dwight Eisenhower) the top tax rate for people in the “1%” was something in the range of 90%.  It would be the same today as saying after your first MILLION in income, your tax rate will be 90%.  Now, I’m not even advocating going back to that (although, the republicans seem to want to turn the clock back in every way except tax rates  – do you find that curious at all?) rate of taxes, but I do believe there should be a disincentive for GREED and hoarding of cash.

During the days of Tom Delay in the House of Representatives, the “green light” was issued for the formation of all the tax “havens” in places like the Cayman Islands.  Corporations were almost encouraged to move their manufacturing facilities to overseas locations where they could find cheap labor and working conditions minus regulations.  They’re trying to reverse engineer the same situation (they want no taxes and no regulations for business) here in America.  Many people call it the “race to the bottom,” and I still know a large number of my own acquaintances who don’t even understand what is happening.  The stories about the greed and arrogance of the people on Wall Street are endless, yet “we the people” continue to vote in politicians who enable the “Robber Barons.”

Of course, we all know that virtually EVERY republican in Congress has taken a “no new taxes” pledge and they know they will be “primaried” if there’s even a hint they would vote for such a thing.  So, the question becomes, how do we get this Financial Transaction Tax past the roadblock that would be republicans in Congress?  Well, if you’ve been around here much you would know my answer;  vote out EVERY republican possible during the 2014 election and replace them with democrats (or republicans) who are committed to legislation that would make the FTT a reality.  And, that’s just a start – in my view.

The next step is to INCREASE taxes on the incomes in the upper realms of earners in America.  The stated purpose of the higher taxes on the higher earnings back in my youth was to encourage those with the high earnings to invest that money in areas that worked for the “common good.” (that was the basis for all the tax deductions which still exist today) In those days America was more of a “we” nation – I’ve stated many times that Ronald Reagan pushed us in the direction we find ourselves today – which is more of a “me” nation.  For example, corporations were encouraged to re-invest profits into their businesses to make them more efficient and also to invest in the backbone of their businesses – their workers.  Today, it seems the goal for CEO’s is to figure out how to gain higher levels of compensation and, clearly (or at least it seems to me), stockholders are more important than workers.  Through the rollback in “taxes on the rich” which was set in motion by Reagan, our corporations have become more focused on short term gain than the long term interest and health of their companies.

I don’t buy the argument that the possibility of huge incomes is the “motivator” of innovation.  Innovation was happening at a tremendous rate prior to Reagan’s assault on the American “fabric” created by the New Deal of FDR and carried on through the administrations of Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson.  In reality, it was until Reagan hit the scene that America had a “bottom up” economy.  Yes, there were “bumps in the road,” but America’s work force was on a steady growth pattern until Reagan hit the scene and started cutting taxes for the wealthy (and, increasing them on the rest of us) and leading the anti-union crusade – which has existed until this day.  There was an old saying back in the day when I was part of a basketball team: “You’re no better than the last man on your bench.”  While I realize that is idealistic when related to society, it’s clear to me that the health of a nation begins at the bottom.  Government should be focused on helping those at the bottom – because that helps ALL of the rest of us.  When those at the bottom have jobs they have money – and, when they have money they spend it – which (obviously) fuels the economy.  Mitt Romney stashing a QUARTER BILLION (based on estimates I’ve read) in the Cayman Islands to avoid taxes is NOT stimulating the economy with that money – he’s hoarding it.

I could go on and on here (like, double the cut-off of payroll taxes for Social Security, create a “Medicare for all” health care “net” – repeal “Citizens United”) but I’ll leave this as a vote for what I read in Jim Hightower’s “Lowdown.”  Support congressional members who will help to enact a Financial Transaction Tax on every stock transaction on Wall Street.  A Financial Transaction Tax is a great way for Wall Street to begin repaying America’s taxpayers for the money they’ve pilfered from our economy.  As I write this, institutions like Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley (and others) are still getting ZERO percent money from the Federal Reserve Bank and using it to make HUGE profits at the expense of the very taxpayers who are supplying it.  The Wall Street bankers believe in austerity for everyone but themselves.  The FTT is a great way to send them a CLEAR message from Main Street.  Enough Already!!!

Some of my thoughts (concerns) are becoming more clear as I continue to observe the “functioning” of America’s (what I believe to be) dysfunctional government.  I’ve been lobbying for the demise of the present day republican party (as it’s presently constituted) while at the same time lamenting the “tepid” nature of the democratic party.  The democrats want things to “return to ‘normal'” so bad I’m guessing some of them are experiencing attacks of hives.  The problem is they seem to believe in the “I want my cake and eat it too” theory.  Here’s the rub, the republicans aren’t going to “give” them what they want.  The inside of the republican party has been hijacked by what used to be called the “right wing fringe.”  For example, the Koch brothers are right out of the John Birch Society – a group of white supremest, anti communist fanatics who attacked Dwight Eisenhower as a “liberal” and a “communist sympathizer.”  The Kochs are funneling untold amounts of their fortune (a fortune nearing $100 BILLION) into America’s political system via “Citizens United” with the money going to republicans who are willing to “toe the line.”  (you’ll notice republicans all vote the same ALL THE TIME!)

Then there’s the “religious right.”  (I call it the religious wrong)  These are the “Christians” who are proponents of the “prosperity gospel” and who have adopted the propaganda techniques (as have the rest of the republican “leadership”) of Joseph Goebbels – the “minister of propaganda” for the Third Reich in Nazi Germany.  I’ve written several times about “The Family” – a group of “conservatives” in congress (mainly republicans) who believe in the Christian dominionists.  These are people who believe that the rich and powerful should rule the rest of us.  They use the word “Jesus” to convince Christians to support them and, as Jeff Sharlet points out in his book “The Family” and, I’ve read elsewhere, these dominionists have adopted the authoritarian principles of some of the world’s most ruthless dictators and aligned them with Jesus.  They’ve been working to “free” the rest of us from the “burdens” of the New Deal of FDR (“burdens” like: Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, unemployment insurance, the 40 hour work week, child labor laws,  unions, environmental protection, civil rights laws, food stamps, I could go on, but I’m sure you’ve got the idea) since 1933 when Roosevelt began the fight against the “Robber Barons.”  (guess on what side today’s republicans fall)

So, here’s the latest “frustration” for me.  Just recently, a “bipartisan” group of congressional “leaders” “came together” on a budget “compromise” that was immediately “blasted” by the right wingers (mentioned above) and applauded by many democrats.  This is a great example of what I see as the problem.  There was LITTLE in the “compromise” for democrats to be applauding except that something FINALLY got done.  I’ve been worried for some time that President Obama was looking for any excuse to sign something that was “bipartisan.”  Senator Chuck Schumer from New York hailed it as a “step in the right direction.”  In a nutshell, that’s the problem I see with democrats and that’s why I’m so concerned for what lies ahead for our children and grandchildren.  To them, any bargain is the “grand bargain.”  Today I got an email from a pro-Obama group hailing “how far we’ve come” since the republicans “shut down the government.”

That’s really why I’m so leery of supporting democrats, even though I often feel it’s the only “choice.”  While the democrats are busy patting themselves on the back for getting a “budget deal,” I have no doubt the republicans are “cooking” up the next “crisis.”  That will probably come with the next time the debt ceiling needs to be raised.  In reality, that’s a much larger “stick” for republican whack jobs to “wave” around than threats to “shut down the government.”  (Now that there’s a budget bill passed they’ll be proclaiming how they passed a budget to prevent democrats from “shutting down the government” – I’ve written often how they use authoritarian propaganda techniques, but look up the meaning of political projection – republicans are expert at this)  I can virtually guarantee you that when it’s time to “raise the debt ceiling” there will be political hostage theater at its republican finest.  What will they be after?  Well, my guess is that Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid will be back “on the table” – even though that ‘s the only “benefit” (getting those programs “off the table”) that many progressives see with the recent budget compromise.

While the message should be about a political party that refused to extend unemployment benefits to the long-term unemployed and is focused almost entirely on preventing MILLIONS of Americans from having “affordable health insurance” along with an endless argument for lower taxes for the rich, it will be back to Social Security and Medicare.  I’m telling you, these people (the right wing republicans) won’t quit.  The only way to stop all this is to VOTE them out of office (at least under present circumstances – and, I hope things don’t continue to deteriorate to the point where the “down and out” resort to other means).  Democrats need to understand that placating republicans is a LOSING battle EVERY TIME!  And, progressive thinking Americans need to make sure they send a message to democrats that those who are “feeding from the same trough” as the republicans are “next.”  America’s government is CORRUPT beyond belief, and it’s up to “we the people” to “fix” this.  We still have the right to vote, and we need to use it to clean up the MESS in Washington DC.

Take the “Affordable Care Act” for example.  When this bill was before Congress there was a national consensus of about 75% favoring what was called a “Public Option.”  Essentially, that would have given Americans the choice to buy into a Medicare like government run health care system.  If you were paying attention, you know that there was over $1 BILLION spent lobbying Senators as the law became more and more cumbersome and less and less acceptable to the American public.  The lobbyists for the Insurance companies succeeded in preventing the “Public Option,” the lobbyists for the Pharmaceutical industry succeeded in maintaining high drug prices, and “we the people” got something that the best you can say about it is that it’s “better than nothing.”  I have friends who desperately need health insurance and, as of January 1st, they will have it.  But, you’ve still got republicans (who, by the way, came up with the idea of how this bill was written in the first place) doing everything they can to undermine the bill (instead of helping to fix it) and they are going to great extremes to “poison” it with the public.

I read a statistic today that two of our bastions of the “liberal media” have not written ONE article that is positive about the so-called “Obamacare” while they’ve sent a constant barrage about the problems with the roll-out.  However, in my small little place in this world, I’ve already witnessed several people who have gone without seeing a doctor since the so-called “meltdown” of 2008 when their businesses collapsed – due to the reckless behavior of Wall Street and our financial “leaders.” (Alan Greenspan was cheering on the sub-prime mortgage mess until it imploded and he, along with most of the “leaders” who’ve been in charge of America’s treasury, on “both sides of the isle,” have been in cahoots to remove regulations put in place during the Great Depression designed to prevent exactly what happened in 2008)  What makes me (and many others) so angry is that it’s the people like my friends who will soon have health insurance because of the Affordable Care Act (and, despite the FACT they’re NOT Obama supporters, they are very thankful that they can go to a doctor again and not have to worry about bankruptcy) who are taking the “brunt” of this Wall Street MISBEHAVIOR while the Wall Street bankers and the politicians who do their “bidding” are back to business as usual.  In fact, while my friends have been suffering the effects of this crisis for over 5 years now, it didn’t take the bankers and politicians more than a few uneasy months to get back to doing what they do.

And, while – when I say “politicians” I’m talking about BOTH parties – (like it or not, practically speaking America is a TWO party government) the reality to me is that the WORST of the two is the republican.  At least some of the democrats show a spine and a fighting spirit aimed at helping “the least of these.”  (a few examples: Bernie Sanders (from Vermont), Alan Grayson (from Florida), Jeff Merkley (from Oregon), Sherrod Brown (from Ohio), Dennis Kucinich (from Ohio – a victim of Citizens United money spent by the Koch brothers and gerrymandering designed to defeat him), and Elizabeth Warren (from Massachusetts) and there’s a woman from Texas running for governor that appears to be a strong democrat – I can’t think of her name – again, evidence that there’s a few “fighters” out there)  The sad TRUTH all “progressives” (liberals) must face is that the “moneychangers” who are backing this republican vendetta on our system of government (remember, their stated objective is to “reduce government to the size where it can be flushed down the bathtub drain”) have unlimited monetary resources – and they’re using them in very effective ways.

For example, just think for a moment on what motivation a company like BP would have to be spending MILLIONS on advertising about how great life at the “Gulf” is – several years after they were responsible for pumping MILLIONS of BARRELS of oil into some of the most pristine habitats in the world.  If you haven’t figure it out, let me help you – it has NOTHING to do with you or me using their products.  Simply put, BP understands that the media outlets that are receiving their CASH are most UNLIKELY to do ANY reporting of the real damage they’ve done to the Gulf of Mexico understanding that BP’s funnel of MONEY would then stop “flowing” their way.  Corporate interests in America are SOLELY focused on their bottom line and the media outlets (which have the same focus) are NOT going to “bite the hand that feeds them.”  I could give other examples of this sophisticated way of large corporations buying “insurance” against negative publicity through “public service” advertising.  (One more example: I could never understand why large accounting companies like Arthur Andersen would advertise on national TV to an audience that would NEVER need their services – until, I read how they were surreptitiously helping large corporate interests (like Enron) dodge their tax bills – their “advertising” was simply insurance against “investigative reporting”)

Then there’s what I believe is the biggest problem (unless you’re one of the right wing republicans) – and, that’s “Citizens United.”  If you’re still in the “dark” on what Citizens United is – I’ll explain:  it is the WORST Supreme Court decision in my lifetime.  Citizens United essentially OVERTURNED at least 100 years of attempts by politicians to control the effect of MONEY on politics.  The court not only overturned the McCain-Feingold legislation (called “The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002) which was an attempt to control “soft money” in political fundraising (I believe this was meant to put limits on the amount of money that could be raised) and “issue advocacy ads” – which are now bombarding the TV in a seemingly endless attempt by special interests to influence unsuspecting voters – but, they unleashed a barrage of money from corporate interests into the political “arena” with no requirement for accountability.  Not only is the political advertising we’re watching MISLEADING (I’m being nice with my “phraseology” here) – but, it would take a TOTAL fool to believe that there’s NO foreign interests in our elections after Citizens United.  The very corporations which have been designated as “people” by our right wing Court are MULTINATIONAL corporations.  Does it take a genius to “get” this?

I still CLEARLY remember President Obama, in his State of the Union address, shortly after Citizens United became “law,” pointing out how this decision would unleash FOREIGN MONEY into our political process.  As he said this the cameras were on Samuel Alito – one of the guilty parties in rendering this decision – who was shaking his head as if to say “no way.”  Well, this is my response to Judge Alito: WAY!!!!  And, the worst part is Mr Alito – thanks to you and Judge Roberts  (both of you claimed you were opposed to “activist judges” – yet, this is the MOST activist decision in my lifetime) “We the people” have NO IDEA where all of this money is coming from!  (Well, we know people like the Koch brothers and Sheldon Adleson are spending money in the HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS – but, there was over $3 BILLION spent in the last election and that amount will continue to rise – and “we the people” will have to continue to WONDER where it’s coming from.  (my conservative friends claim it’s coming from George Soros – my contention is that we don’t know and we SHOULD)  Honestly, I don’t know how Judge Alito and Judge Roberts sleep at night.

I’m going to end this latest “rant” with a thought generated from my weekly discussion with a friend who is a conservative Christian and with whom I love to discuss the “issues of the day.”  We disagree on many things, but we can talk to each other – and, our conversations allow each of us to grow.  This morning he made a point that I believe is extremely valid (in response to my continued amazement as to why “working class” Americans would continue to vote in republicans) – and, me not being a democrat (I definitely lean that way) I believe democrats should heed.

When a republican (like my friend) thinks of someone who votes for a democrat, they immediately feel that person is “pro-abortion.”  I think he’s correct and, I believe the democratic party needs to address that issue STRAIGHT UP!  (there are so many issues we could ALL agree on)  In my heart, I have to believe there are very few people who actually “BELIEVE” in abortion.  I think the issue goes much deeper than that, and I’m not going to delve into it more at this time, but it’s an issue that underlies our politics whether we want to believe that or not.  There’s a huge difference between being “pro-abortion” and being “pro-choice.”  I’m not even sure where I fall on the issue other than to fully understand the FACT that when something requires food and oxygen to survive it is a living thing – and, there’s no way I’m “pro-abortion.”  I know of circumstances that really give me pause – based on “life’s reality” experienced by people very close to me who’ve had to “face” this “choice” – but, I also know no issue should be based on skirting the FACTS.  My last point is that, if my friend is correct, (and, I believe he is) that this issue is a roadblock for people even discussing progressive solutions to problems, then it should be addressed.  Poor children shouldn’t be denied food (Food Stamps) because voters vote republican over the issue of abortion.  (and, my friend is correct that: this is a republican AND democratic problem and to suggest otherwise if foolish and will get us nowhere)

And, if my friend happens to read this, I apologize for using the phrase: “whack jobs” above – it just came out!

I’ve been “railing” against republicans on this site since I educated myself on the true origins of our invasion of Iraq during the Bush/Cheney regime (an act of illegal, dishonest belligerence that will evidently go sans accountability due to President Obama’s unwillingness to honor his pledge to uphold the constitution and the laws of the land) and I’ve been reading as much as I can in an attempt to better understand our national issues and what might be done to solve them.  Repeatedly, I’ve stated I’m a lifelong “independent” voter – although, since the days of the “Reagan Revolution” I’ve tended to be a supporter of democrats by default.  About 3 years ago the district I live in voted a young lady who is a republican to the House of Representatives (Jaimie Herrera Beutler).  As I do often (also, with the Senators from my state – Washington) I email her regarding my concerns over certain issues.  The more I do this, the more I realize why so many Americans are getting TURNED OFF by the “state” of our political system.

I’ll give a good example of what I mean.  I have many friends who are in their mid to late fifties to early sixties who’ve found themselves unemployed – some for the first time in their lives.  Some of these good people are losing homes they’ve lived in for over 20 years – or being forced to sell homes they’ve been in since the home was built many years ago.  I’m not even sure of how many of these people will be affected by the federal government cutting off extended benefits for the long term unemployed – I just think of them every time that issue comes up.  To me, with what I’ve learned about the “meltdown” of 2008 (which is when many of these people saw their lives turned “upside down”) and the people responsible along with the government’s response (Trillions of dollars sent to Wall Street) I have a very difficult time understanding why Congress would fail to extend these benefits – at least until our “jobless rate” gets below 5 or 6%.  Keep in mind, when the government statistics say unemployment is at 7% – I believe the ACTUAL rate of unemployment is closer to TWICE that amount.  And, that doesn’t even take into consideration the number of people who are under-employed.

So, I sent an email (which was generated from an online solicitation) to Representative Herrera encouraging her to (and knowing that as a republican she can’t) vote to extend these benefits.  In return I got the usual “canned” response to the inquiry that her staff puts together in an attempt to appease those who might contact her.  (I’m sure this is the “normal” way of doing “business” for every person in Congress) However, this time her response included a “mini lecture” on the need for further deregulation of the banks as a way to stimulate job growth – suggesting that was what should be done and inferring a no vote for the extended unemployment.  The day I received her response was the day AFTER I finished Joseph Stiglitz’ “FreeFall” – a detailed book which clearly explains the cause of the crash of 2008 (bursting of the “housing bubble”) and critiques the government response.  In a “nutshell” Ms Beutler’s response made me a bit angry.  So, I decided I would clarify my position for her.

What followed was me finding her website (the URL she included in her response was not valid – which I found curious on its own merits – why would a sitting member of Congress not know her own web address?) and, this time, writing an EXTENDED response that was not generated from an online source.  I pointed out to Ms Beutler many of the deregulations that have been enacted since the “Reagan Revolution” have led to this “bailout” and several others preceding it (if you’re as old as me you probably remember the “Savings and Loan crisis” which happened in the 80’s – and, curiously enough – one of the Bush brothers was right in the middle of that one too).  To suggest that the solution for the 1.3 MILLION Americans who will lose unemployment benefits is more deregulation is ABSURD.  I shared that thought with Representative Beutler.  I also reminded her that every dollar “invested” in unemployment benefits returns almost twice that amount ($1.70) to the economy.  People spend that money.  We have a consumer based economy – when you pull that money out of the “system” it will lead to LESS CONSUMERS!  (and, likely, more unemployment)

When I finished with my latest correspondence with my representative, as usual, I felt better.  Even though I know there’s disagreement, I felt as if I’m doing my small part to be part of the “process.”  As I teach my 6th graders, I want them to grow up to be responsible, productive, participating members of our society.  We “get” to govern ourselves – with that goes responsibility.  I’m often frustrated by the lack of will of my peers to participate in the process more than reading (or listening to) the “talking points.”  Well, the response I got from Ms. Beutler pretty much says it all – explains why so many people just “hunker down” and try to take care of their “own space.”  I got the EXACT same “canned” letter back from representative Beutler that I had just “taken apart” in my response to the first one.  Even though I know they don’t read the mail (they “require” you to identify whether you’re a Mr., Ms., or Mrs., and you MUST give a topic before they’ll accept an email – evidently, to make it easier to get that “canned” response out quickly) I held out hope that someone would notice that my response was TO THEIR response.  Of course, that would put me into the naivete or idealistic or optimistic, or FOOLISH category, wouldn’t it?

While writing this post, my son happened into my study and I listened to his frustration at being a very bright young man who works hard and is, at least to this point, confined to the world of minimum wage jobs.  In his case, some of the issue is his own doing, but he makes very valid points about how the corporate interests are prohibiting workers from unionizing and how they do everything they can to prevent workers from even gaining benefits – like health insurance, vacation pay, sick pay, overtime pay, etc.  The “bosses” feel empowered to intimidate workers and creating the atmosphere that you could lose your job, at the bosses discretion, at any moment.  I’m seeing this same attitude being “pushed” into the education community.  I’ve been a teacher for over 20 years, and the attacks on public education are “ramping up.” The republicans I’ve been “railing” against have aligned themselves with the extreme “right” elements of our society and we’ve been “slipping” backwards since the day Reagan moved into the White House.

In my heart I keep telling myself, for instance, if she could vote her conscience, Representative Beutler would not withdraw support for all these workers (I’m guessing a large percentage of them are over 50) who are about to become even more financially desperate.  I believe she MUST send these “canned” responses (which are pre-programmed for her by her “bosses”) in order to receive the money that will allow her to be re-elected.  Any deviation, I’m sure, means a well funded “primary” opponent.  People like the Koch brothers, the Coors family, The Walton family (Walmart heirs), the DeVoss family, Karl Rove and his supporters, etc., etc. – have adopted the authoritarian principles of leaders who bring disgust to the minds of Americans my age (I’ll let you figure out who I’m talking about).  I’ve written several times about “The Family” (Read Jeff Sharlet’s “The Family”) a group of “conservatives” who proclaim authoritarian principles in the name of Jesus.  These people have enough money to make it EXTREMELY difficult to stop them – they are behind the “Tea Party” movement and the now OVERT attempts to finish dismantling the remnants of the New Deal of FDR.  Along with the “dominionists” in the Christian community, they have “hijacked” the republican party – so, even if Representative Beutler wanted to support extending benefits to the long term unemployed, it would be political suicide.  The people behind the scenes of the present day republicans don’t believe in any unemployment benefits, let alone extended ones.

But just think what that means for the rest of us.  If we keep voting these people (republicans with the “sheep” mentality) we’ll continue to lose the benefits our fathers (and mothers) and grandfathers (and grandmothers) fought so valiantly for back in the 30’s and 40’s – and, some of us fought for in the 60’s.  This was a “we” nation in my youth – up until the so-called “Reagan Revolution” and we’ve been losing more and more ground to the selfish few at the top of the “wealth ladder” ever since.  For the Christians who blindly vote republican because of the abortion issue I would just say look around you at the people who are going to be even worse off because our republican congress won’t extend benefits to the long term unemployed.  While I’m sure there are some “deadbeats” “gaming” the system, most of the people in this situation are genuinely desperate for work that is not there.  Instead of cutting their benefits we should be finding ways to stimulate our economy by creating jobs that would allow them to regain their self-respect.  I went through this in the early 90’s and will be forever grateful for the employment security department which “retrained” me so that I could then teach 6th graders.  In my mind, anyone who doesn’t understand the value of supporting our workers as they are necessarily retrained – due to circumstances beyond their control – is either not paying attention to reality or they’re watching Fox “news” or listening to the likes of Rush Limbaugh.  If you fall into that category – with all due respect – SHAME ON YOU!

If you read this and it’s not yet time for Congress to recess (that’s right, they’re planning to go home to their warm and wealthy homes and leave these struggling workers in the “lurch”) call your congress person and  let them know what you think.  I will tell you that I’ve called Representative Beutler’s office and the person on the phone realized I wasn’t a “cookie cutter” republican and they hung up the phone on me – without letting me finish my point.  So, I send the emails in the hope that if there are enough emails sent, maybe she’ll listen to reason and find the courage to stand up to whoever is pulling the strings for her party.   The recent budget “compromise” (that President Obama is encouraging congress to pass) doesn’t make cuts to Social Security and Medicare (a bottom line issue for most “progressives”) but it leaves this issue out and, additionally, prevents additional taxes on corporations and the wealthy (at least as I understand it – which, evidently, is the only way to have any chance for republican support) So the bottom line is, How can we, as Americans, support a party that is focused on tax cuts for the wealthy but opposes unemployment benefits for workers?  I really don’t understand how people can vote for them (republicans).

I started writing on this site after my frustration with America’s government boiled over with the (to me) unbelievable invasion of Iraq in 2003 and the subsequent FIASCO that found America’s finest (our troops) being ordered to essentially dismantle a nation which was ABSOLUTELY no threat to America’s national security.  In fact, during the years of Ronald Reagan, many of the perpetrators of our Iraq “strategy” were supplying Saddam Hussein with weapons and support as Iraq and Iran tried to destroy each other.  Since the day I started reading books as a way of informing myself about the ACTUAL actions of my government, I’ve been progressively more disenchanted with the “truth” as I’ve been able to discover it.  Most of my “rants” have focused on the, in my view, un-American actions of the republican party – and, more specifically, they were generated from the illegal and immoral actions of the Bush/Cheney regime.  There are books upon books which point out, in disgusting detail, the mismanagement and unethical actions that led to the FIASCO’S in Iraq and Afghanistan.  For example, over the years I’ve been convinced that Bush/Cheney had no intention of EVER capturing Osama bin Laden – the 9/11 attack simply gave them the “green light” to invade Iraq as they had been “planning” for several years in their “Project for a New American Century” meetings.  (see “The Shock Doctrine” by Naomi Klein)

This all being said, somehow I’ve forced myself to attempt a “bipartisan” approach to my disappointment with my own government.  While, as I’ve stated many times, I feel I have no choice but to rely on democrats to undo the misdeeds of Bush/Cheney (and the “Reagan Revolution” before them), I’m sadly coming to the conclusion that America’s government – both parties – is so “infested” with corruption that it’s almost depressing thinking about it.  The democrats seem to be satisfied with the “status quo” no matter what that might be.  I’ll try to explain.

In 2006 the American people voted out the republican control of Congress in a CLEAR vote against a continued occupation of Iraq (and seemingly endless occupation of Afghanistan).  What we got for our efforts was the so-called “surge” and at least another 1500 American troops (and untold numbers of Iraqi’s) perished as a result of this “face saving” strategy (for those of you who are my age – Viet Nam era – do you see the parallels here?).  One thing that has become crystal clear in my adult lifetime – America is incapable of admitting mistakes.

In 2008 “we the people” voted in a Democratic Congress (by large majorities) and President Barrack Obama.  During that election cycle the American economy was undermined by the “money changers” who are feeding the American politicians by the BILLIONS of dollars.  The campaign slogan of “Change you can believe in” implied to me a reversal of the disastrous (and, in some instances, illegal)  policies of the Bush/Cheney regime.  As the Bush/Cheney group was leaving their “free market” “conservative” “capitalism” philosophy behind, they were bequeathing TRILLIONS of precious American taxpayer dollars on America’s financial/gambling sector known as Wall Street.  The most Socialist transfer of wealth I’ve seen in my lifetime – only with the wealth going from us at the bottom to those at the “top.”  With two illegal and poorly managed wars and a disastrous financial meltdown leading to the so-called “Great Recession” you would think it would have been quite easy to implement the “change we can believe in.”  For heaven’s sake, “Main Street” was losing close to a MILLION jobs per month in the last 8 or so months of the Bush/Cheney years.  (and I’ll add some additional thoughts later about the trillions going to Wall Street)

What we got was almost three more years in Iraq – in essence, the Obama administration carried out the withdrawal from Iraq which was negotiated by the Bush administration prior to their taking office.  While we eventually got most of our troops out of Iraq, there was no courageous leadership shown by President Obama in the process.  And, as far as Afghanistan is concerned, it’s almost 2014 – as I’m writing this (we’ve been there for almost 13 YEARS) – and, we are still entrenched in the country known throughout history as the “graveyard of empires.”  (with some reports suggesting there’s a plan for another 10 years of occupation – yikes!) I guess we didn’t learn much as we (and Osama bin Laden) ushered the Soviet Union into their demise largely due to a failed “mission” in Afghanistan.  (Honestly, it seems to me that not many of our “leaders” have learned much from HISTORY – as the saying goes, those who ignore history are destined to REPEAT it)

And, regarding the bailouts of Wall Street – we, basically, got the same response from President Obama as he took control of the nation’s “reins” regarding the economy.  Instead of allowing the “too big to fail banks” to FAIL – and go through the normal process corporations which are bankrupt go through – our government continued with the TARP bailouts and funneled the rest of Hank Paulson’s $700 BILLION plan (which was just the “up front” portion) to stabilize the banks – with assurances of TRILLIONS more to cover their future liabilities.  Additionally, these banks got even BIGGER and the Federal Reserve bank has been pumping them full of cash at the rate of nearly ZERO percent interest for the 5 years since the “meltdown.”  Now, it’s pretty hard for me to blame that on Bush/Cheney.

When President Obama decided that he had the “power” to block ALL investigations of the wrongdoing (which we all knew about) of the Bush/Cheney crew I couldn’t believe my ears.  I believe the words he used were “we’re going to look forward instead of back.”  I’ve written before many times what a TERRIBLE decision that was – practically, legally, and morally.  From the practical viewpoint Obama has seen five years of unfettered attacks from republicans determined to assure that he FAILS.  Now, really, do you think that would have been happening if ALL the misdeeds of Bush/Cheney had been put on display for the entire nation to “digest?” (that would include the lying us into war, authorizing torture, outing a CIA agent, undermining the Justice Department, purposely eliminating regulations (which led to mining disasters and the deep water oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexic0), and the aforementioned TARP bailout to list a few of the misdeeds)  Really, the republican congress is STILL “investigating” Ben Gazi – what was Obama thinking?  From a legal point of view – how can a president justify “looking forward instead of back?”  That would be the end of all crime.  Here’s how it really works – you MUST look back to determine if crimes have been committed.  If I get a traffic ticket and plead “not guilty” – how can I be prosecuted if someone doesn’t “look back?”  The message Obama sent was exactly what so many of us tried to make sure never happened again during the Watergate fiasco – and that was when Richard Nixon said, “If the President does it, it MUST be LEGAL.”  It took a lot of “bipartisan” work to prove the statement FALSE – yet, President Obama, in my view, undermined that entire process with his “pardoning” of Bush/Cheney. (along with “pardoning” Wall Street)

Then there’s the moral aspect to this.  I’ll let you connect the dots regarding the moral aspect of “looking forward” regarding the wars (and the torture), lets focus on the TARP bailouts for that one.  I knew almost immediately that I was going to have some issues with President Obama when he chose Tim Geithner as his Treasury Secretary and Larry Summers as his chief financial adviser.  Geithner was instrumental in creating the atmosphere that caused the “crash” of 2008 in the first place as head of the New York Fed – it was like hiring the FOX to fix the HEN HOUSE!  And, Summers was instrumental (along with Robert Rubin) in very republican like deregulating during the Clinton administration – including the disastrous repeal of Glass Steagall (a depression era regulation designed to prevent the “too big to fail banks”) and preventing regulations on derivatives.  Plus, I’ve heard no one speculating on Paulson’s motives for devising the HARP bailout in the first place.  Let’s take a closer look at that aspect of this disaster.

Paulson was Bush’s Treasury Secretary and a former head of Goldman Sachs.  He waited until Lehman Brothers (investment bank) collapsed to act in attempting to prevent a total collapse of the financial system via the TARP bailouts.  To this day I believe Paulson is claiming he did this for “Main Street.”  And, I have to add that I’m not educated at all (other than a few books – including Joseph Stiglitz’ “Freefall”) on economics, but I’m pretty sure Paulson had a personal “stake” in saving Goldman Sachs.  According to Stiglitz, had the government allowed Goldman Sachs and the other banks who were “over leveraged” – I hope I’ve got that summation correct – to go into “receivership,” the executives would have been purged and the stockholders would have been the big losers.  The bondholders would have become the stockholders.  Again, hoping I’m explaining this correctly (“Freefall” is a hard book for someone like myself to read because it presupposes a higher knowledge of economics).  What I’ve wondered since that time is what level of stockholder in Goldman Sachs was Paulson?  How much did he personally stand to lose had they failed?  Was he really that concerned with “Main Street” as he egregiously VIOLATED his “Free Market” principles?  (Ironically, it’s the people who supported Paulson and the republicans who are so willing to throw the term “socialist” at President Obama – go figure)

If you read “Freefall” and then listen to (or read Paulson’s point of view today) you can see where the problem lies.  In a recent article I read on the internet (you can read it yourself by clicking here) Paulson is claiming there’s another “crisis” on the horizon.  As I read his article he’s placing the blame (still) for the “bubble” that “burst” in 2008 on the government and now government agencies like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  Stiglitz also sees another “bubble” disaster on the horizon, but he sees the problem (more as I do) as the government excusing Wall Street’s reckless behavior and encouraging them to believe (companies like Goldman Sachs, Citibank, Morgan Stanley, etc.) they are too big to fail and that “we the people” will bail them out again the next time.  It didn’t take them long to be right back doing the same “creative” money making (laundering) schemes that created the problem in 2008.  The arrogance of taking the BILLIONS in up front bailout money and issue HUGE bonuses in the face of HUGE failures seems to have made more of a negative impression on Stiglitz than it did on Paulson.  According to Stiglitz (and other authors I’ve read) the “cost” of the bailouts is considerably larger than the initial $700 BILLION.

Paulson says that the money’s been repaid and then some, Stiglitz contended there’s a liability in the TRILLIONS that isn’t apparent as we look at the TARP bailouts from the “front page” perspective.  Again, I don’t understand anything more than it’s obvious to me the Wall Street “elite” are squeezing as much wealth out of this nation as they can before the rest of us “wake up.”  They’re “investing” BILLIONS in our politicians – to the point (as I stated above) the level of corruption in Washington DC is almost suffocating – it’s depressing!  This is the aspect of all of this that disappoints me the most.  Allowing the top (less than 1%) tier of Americans to continue to control the agenda is NOT the “change I can believe in.”  Obviously, this is NOT Obama’s fault – it’s just that I believed he understood the gravity of the situation and that he was committed to stopping it (I’m beginning to feel, as of this date, he’s getting there – although it may be too late).  When Hank Paulson suggests there’s another crisis on the horizon – well, there’s a republican who says something I can agree with – just for completely different reasons.  I’ve stated many times on this site, I believe there’s a “war” for the heart and soul of America being waged and it’s almost as if one side (middle class America) still doesn’t realize it.

We (America) have become a nation that is almost unrecognizable to people like me. (and, I guarantee you, the rest of the world is looking at us like WHAT IS GOING ON?)  We’ve got a major party that’s blocking food stamps, unemployment benefits, trying to eliminate overtime pay for workers, cutting back on early childhood education, opposing “welfare,” and FOCUSING their efforts on making sure 50 MILLION Americans don’t have access to health care.  At the same time, they’re in favor of tax havens for the wealthy in places like the Cayman Islands (their last presidential nominee has something like 137 “tax shelters” there), they support enormous subsidies to corporations making HUGE profits (corporate welfare – I’m sure you can see the irony on this one), and while they’re calling our Democratic president a “socialist” they’re propping up large banks with BILLIONS of taxpayer money (isn’t that the epitome of socialism?).   And, maybe worse for me, we have the opposition party that’s willing to go along with much of this (the democrats have put Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid “on the table” in budget negotiations – unthinkable from my perspective).  When you read “Freefall” you see that America’s hypocrisy goes much deeper than our internal issues.  Just one reason why we’re losing our standing world wide (and the price for these actions is going to be greater as time goes by) is how we dealt with America’s banks creating a WORLD WIDE crisis.  In the aftermath our banks have been “fed” by the Fed (OK, it’s a pun) at nearly ZERO per cent with a flood of capital – while in “third world” countries where the crisis spread (our banks were selling their garbage securities to unsuspecting buyers world wide) capital necessary to reverse the damage of the “bubble’s bursting” has been as high as 50%.  We throw money at the problem (almost free money) while telling them to “tighten their belts.”  Again, this part of the problem seems “bipartisan” to me.  Our “leaders” seem to have a superiority complex that those in other nations are very much tiring of!

So, what do we do?  Is there a solution?  Well, eventually there will be a solution – it just seems to me the question is how much trauma do “we the people” want to endure before getting there?  I continue to believe “step one” is voting out ALL (practically speaking – as many as possible) republicans from national legislatures and state legislatures (I’m OK with a different party to replace them – remember, they replaced the Whigs back in the days of Abraham Lincoln – somehow, I don’t think he’d recognize today’s “republicans”).  I’m sure you can see the same issue with this solution.  That leaves us with Democrats.  Honestly, they would need to be on notice that “feeding from the same trough” ie – surviving off of donations from large corporations – isn’t in the interest of their job security.  Somehow, “we the people” need to get a level of reporting in our media so that we KNOW who’s taking money from whom and what issues are they voting for.  I’d love to see a “channel” dedicated to just that.  Exposing the corporate “sponsors” of our politicians.

Stiglitz makes a compelling argument to work toward a “balance” between government regulation of business (mainly Wall Street) and the need for “free markets.”  We all need for corporations to be financially profitable.  It just doesn’t help our nation to have a shrinking few controlling the vast majority of America’s wealth.  CEO’s are not the backbone of America.  This country was turned into the greatest nation on earth with a thriving middle class of productive WORKERS.  Yes, we are evolving and our economy is evolving, but anyone who’s thinking (and I’ve written extensively that many are) that America (and the world) is best governed by the wealthy elite is fooling his/herself.  The gates on their gated communities tells us they believe they are “above” the rest of us.  I believe they are wrong.  To me, if we in America, don’t soon remember what elevated our nation to a leadership position in the world, and soon, those gates will come tumbling down.  Supporting the opportunity for success and wealth is good, supporting greed is NOT!  Somehow, “we the people” in America need to come together to support a “bottom up” approach to government.  Until we do that, I feel we will continue our descent towards second rate status.  Presently, we are a classic example of an “empire” in decline.  This all seems so surreal to me, I will continue my attempt at understanding the root cause of why this is happening to my country.

I’ve written many times about the “invisible” cabal that is attempting to take over America’s government from the right (actually, it might be better to say trying to destroy our republic from within) – using the auspices of the republican party as their “vehicle” – and, as every day passes, I see more and more evidence they are creeping their way toward success.  Unfortunately, the democratic party seems to be unwilling or unable to understand the gravity of what is going on.  I recently wrote (again) about “the family” – a group of right wing zealots who believe in the authoritarian principles of people like Hitler, Stalin, and Mussolini and their authoritarian approach to leadership in the name of Jesus Christ as the secret to “gaming” the American system of government – and they (the “family”) have their “tentacles” into the circle of people “inhabiting” the upper echelon of the WORLD’S wealthiest “leaders.”  This group has been slowly expanding since the day Franklin Roosevelt first initiated the “New Deal” in the 1930’s (as they reviled the pro-labor policies of FDR), and they are well on their way to reversing every last benefit Roosevelt pushed through for America’s middle class and its “working poor.”  In my youth (the 1950’s and 1960’s) America’s government was centered on a “bottom up” approach to the “general welfare” of “we the people.”  In 1980 the “top down” approach was thrust upon an unsuspecting public.

It took until the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980 for those behind this movement to gain ANY traction as “mainstream” politicians and leaders.  Of course, Reagan famously initiated the so-called “trickle down” economic philosophy of the “Chicago Boys” who were the devotees of Milton Friedman.  Still, those directly involved in “the family” remained “under cover.”  In fact, Doug Coe, the man who succeeded the original family “guru” (Abraham Veriede) demanded his “followers” operate in TOTAL secrecy.  To this day I don’t believe many in America’s general population understand this group is behind the “National Prayer Breakfast” that EVERY president seems obligated to attend (along with some of the worst dictators in modern WORLD history – men like Suharto from Indonesia or Pinochet from Chile, to name a couple examples) so that America’s public can continue to be fooled into thinking that our leaders and the World leaders who attend actually “follow Jesus.”  That’s the part that’s the most offensive to me because I guess you’d have to classify me as a “liberal” Christian.  These people have “duped” a large portion of America’s “conservative Christians” into blindly supporting them, despite their militaristic, selfish, and “un Christian” actions.  I spend a lot of thought trying to figure out where the above mentioned “tentacles” of this movement have already reached, and the more I find out the more anxious I become, especially for my children and grand children.

So, tonight I was watching Mike Papantonio on “Free Speech TV’ who has a show called “Ring of Fire” (if you’re not familiar with this man, please “Google” Ring of Fire TV or Ring of Fire.com) and he reminded me of the damage being done by a group called ALEC – the “American Legislative Exchange Council.”  I have NO DOUBT this DESPICABLE group is “connected at the hip” to “the Family.”  When you start uncovering the depth of the right wing “thrust” into America’s “heartland,” you quickly realize these people have unlimited funds, they are smart, they are patient, and they appear to me to be without conscience.   ALEC (I’ve written several times before about them and you can easily find out all you need to know with a quick internet search) is a group connected DIRECTLY to the wealthy “leaders” who comprise “The Family” and they write “legislation” for the state and local legislators around America who manage to get elected (almost ALWAYS republicans – but, I don’t think democrats are totally innocent on this “atrocity”) but don’t know how to govern themselves.  The legislation ALEC “provides” for these hapless legislators comes directly from the board rooms of the corporate interests that fund the group.  Papantonio listed a few of their “clients.”  Walmart, Federal Express, Exxon, Coca Cola, “big pharma,” the tobacco companies, and essentially, anyone with a vested interest in reversing the successes of the “New Deal” and successive progressive programs.

Of course, the obvious public “fight” they’re “pushing” is the privatization of Social Security, the voucherizing of Medicare, and the elimination of Medicaid.  They are attacking (and have been attacking) every remaining remnant of the labor unions in America for years – focusing now on Teacher unions, Police unions, Fire Fighters unions, and basically any public employee union still in existence.  Their attention is slowly swinging toward the few remaining “private” unions and they won’t rest until there’s nary a union left in America.  In fact, it was the union movement in the 1930’s which motivated Veriede to begin this anti union “movement” in the first place.  Of course, as an anti worker “movement” they had little trouble finding funding from wealthy business owners who wanted to quash America’s labor force “in the name of Jesus.”  (Just the thought of these people makes my stomach queezy)  Somehow, since the days of Reagan, they’ve got this solid group of “conservative Christians” who continually enable their bad behavior because they’ve convinced the “Christian right” they are opposed to abortion – and, that issue alone has allowed them to surreptitiously do a lot of “un Christian” stuff!

Papantonio gave a long list of the agenda being pushed by ALEC and their funders.  To me, as a person who believes in the middle class and the “blue collar” members of our society, this is unnerving to say the least.  ALEC is writing legislation to, as I mentioned above, kill unions and America’s right to form unions, they want to do away with the minimum wage, overtime pay, sick pay (in places they’ve passed – or attempted to pass – legislation making it illegal to offer sick pay to workers), child labor laws, vacation pay, workplace safety laws, environmental protection laws, public schools, food stamps, unemployment insurance, they want to prevent workers from being able to sue employers that cheat them, and I could go on and on (I recommend you check out “Ring of Fire TV” on “Free Speech TV).  The sorry truth is that the people behind “The Family” and ALEC have unlimited funds and they are savvy enough to be able to convince America’s work force to continually vote against their own self interest.  I want to say something negative about America’s “low information voters” but the truth is that this right wing “cabal” has a stranglehold on America’s so-called “liberal media” as well, and this media has absolutely no scruples!  (Tonight, I was watching Jon Stewart as he mocked the right wing’s attempt to equate the problems with the roll out of “Obamacare” with President Bush’s folly in the Hurricane Katrina disaster.  Stewart “gets it” – he’s the only member of the “media” – he’s on “Comedy Central” – who shows the roll-out of the right wing propaganda “machine.”  Showing one “pundit” after another (Fox “news” centered – of course) repeating the same “talking point” with the Goebbels philosophy of “repeating the same lie over and over until the people [the above mentioned “low information voters”] believe it’s true.

It’s as if these people (“The Family,” ALEC, “conservatives”) are trying to bring back jobs to America by reducing our workforce to one that is competitive with the Chinese workers through what many (including me) call a “race to the bottom.”  And, of course, this isn’t all on republicans as I’ve stated many times on this site.  (After all, NAFTA and GATT were signed into law by Bill Clinton) I just believe the republicans behind this “movement” are much more sophisticated than the democrats and they remind me of the tale of the turtle and the hare.  The democrats win an election (as in 2008 and 2012) and this group just keeps PLODDING along as if they didn’t notice.  They’ve got a plan and they’re “sticking to it.”  Their solution to the FACT there are way more democrats (and democratically leaning independents) than republicans is to find creative ways to keep democratic (leaning) voters from the polls.  And, they’re very good at what they’re doing.  As I said, they control our “liberal media,” they’ve got control of the courts, they’ve “gerrymandered” their way into a fairly safe position in the House of Representatives, they’re close to having a majority in the Senate, the Citizens United Supreme Court decision has given their “deep pockets” exponentially more power, and they just need to find a candidate for president who can put a coherent sentence together.  GW Bush “had it” (the presidency AND both houses of congress) but bungled his way out of office in disgrace, but with their “hold” on our media and their willingness to put power ahead of “we the people” they’ve already created a political environment in Washington DC where it’s as if Bush/Cheney never existed.  (Evidently, with the comparison of the “Obamacare” roll-out to Hurricane Katrina, their “historical revisionism” is being accelerated as we get closer and closer to 2016 – it shouldn’t be too long and we’ll be hearing that the Iraq war was worth the toll in lives and treasure – ugh!!)

In fact, after Bush/Cheney screwed up the plan (the “permanent republican majority”) so bad, this “cabal” with the increasing help of ALEC has been “turning up the heat” in places where most people don’t even notice.  They are inching away at control of state legislature after state legislature with some EXTREMELY worker UNFRIENDLY legislation that they’re getting passed – in places, almost unnoticed – because they’ve gone into the local political districts around the nation and taken full advantage of their understanding of our system.  The irony is that a “movement” that overtly operates with a “top down” approach to government (that is, they know what’s best for the rest of us – “trickle down”) is slowly gaining strength from a “bottom up” strategy aimed at gaining power.  It was this “local” legislative strategy, for example, which allowed republicans to gerrymander in NUMEROUS house districts that are now “safe” for republicans no matter how bizarre their representatives behave in congress.  As long as they “toe the line” there will be plenty of money to get them re-elected.  And, of course, they all know that as soon as they “stray” from the “party line” there will be a “primary challenger” who will have access to all the money.

As I’ve said many times, if this group is successful in creating their “permanent republican majority” (in the words of Karl Rove), it will be very difficult to “turn the tide.”  Things like this blog (and others) will come under attack just as “liberal talk” has been virtually removed from the public airwaves.  Very few people I know have any concern, for instance, that a company (Clear Channel) essentially owned by Mitt Romney’s Bain Capital, has a near monopoly on the political “talk” you can access on the radio airwaves.  They’ve canceled station format after station format (liberal talk, that is) since Romney’s defeat in the last election to little or no notice that I’ve seen from the general public.  Our truckers, and others who are “on the road” a lot are still being “fed” by the likes of Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Lars Larsen, and others who are more than willing to say whatever they’re told to say for their fat paychecks.

So, while I continue to lament the FACT the ONLY place I can turn, realistically, for a “worker friendly” solution to this problem is the democratic party, I hope that more and more people will gain an awareness that our political system, which during my lifetime seemed stable, is teetering on the brink.  People like the Koch brothers, the Walmart heirs, the DeVoss family, the Coors family, the many CEO’s on Wall Street who believe they are actually producing something as they trade in money and manipulate the commodities most of us depend on – for obscene profits – essentially, those who form “The Family” for most of my lifetime have made up the “fringe” element of America’s political scene.  Many come from organizations like the John Birch Society, the Klan, and other extremist right wing organizations.  I have always felt that one of America’s great strengths was that people like this had a right to free expression of their ideas.  I just never would have guessed to what lengths they would go to gain ultimate power.  Their clear willingness to follow the “end justifies the means” approach to political power along with their enormous financial resources has put them in a position to “game” the system set up by our founders.  All through the book “The Family” there is evidence that, to these people, “democracy” is an ineffective way to “govern.”  They are attempting to succeed at the biggest fear of our founders – and that is to “beat” the principle of “checks and balances.”

The ENDLESS attacks on the president (the same thing happened during Bill Clinton’s presidency) allow these people to control the government even when they are on the “outside.”  Clinton ended up agreeing to legislation that, looking back, couldn’t have been more effective for this “cabal’s” interests than if he was a republican himself.  The “free trade” agreements, the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (which has allowed the right wing to control our “liberal media” – and contract it into the interests of about 9 corporations – the last time I checked), and the deregulation – the worst of which was the repeal of Glass Steagall – all were Clinton “successes” which helped to lay the “foundation” for the mess we find ourselves in today.  Now, republicans are blocking EVERYTHING, and a president’s natural ambition is to push an agenda forward.  As I appeal to people to educate themselves as to what is REALLY happening, my fear is that in the desire for the so-called “grand bargain” President Obama will agree to something that will simply (and unknowingly) push this agenda closer to its ultimate goal.  And, trust me on this one, a “grand bargain” that sacrifices advancements to programs like Social Security and Medicare is NO BARGAIN at all!  This is a WAR for the heart and soul of America, and I pray that the American middle class and working poor will “wake up” before it’s too late – and vote these people (republicans) out of office!

I’ll end this “rant” by asking the question: “How can any working class American support a party that is working OVERTIME  to insure that MILLIONS of Americans have NO ACCESS to health care?”  This all makes absolutely NO SENSE to me!