In my post 2012 election thinking I can’t help but ponder the years of the “21st century” and think of how the United States is at a defining point in our history.  Obviously, there’s a significant portion of our electorate having a difficult time accepting the FACT that someone who’s not “white” belongs in the “White House.”  That’s the only way I can imagine how a man like Mitt Romney, someone who prior to managing to get the republican nomination for president, was somewhat an outcast from the viewpoint of those on the “right.”  I look back at the primary battles and wonder how the republicans were able to feel so confident going into the election.  However, the reality is that they almost pulled it off.  And, the “permanent republican majority” as envisioned by Karl Rove and others was “oh so close” to reality.  Again, their problem was a candidate who needed to be kept away from any impromptu discussions with the press or any REAL town hall type atmosphere because of what  would likely spew from his mouth.  Kind of a reenactment of the George W Bush years.

In Bush’s case, unfortunately, they – with the support of the Supreme Court – managed to swindle the 2000 election (I can still hear Donald Trump calling for revolution when he ignoramusly prophesied that President Obama was going to win with a plurality of the votes – of course, he said nothing when Bush not only trailed Gore by a similar margin as to what Obama ultimately tolled against Romney – but, it took the Supreme Court to participate in the Florida voter suppression which turned the tide in Bush’s favor) and, with the help of voter suppression in Ohio, circa 2004, unleashed the Bush/Cheney fiasco on America which was the first time republicans were oh so near their nirvana.  And, if I’m being too coy for you – that nirvana is control of the courts, the media, the congress, and the White House – which, along with the Citizens United Supreme Court decision would be the finishing touches on their plan to completely remove any vestiges of the “New Deal” from the American scene and make it, to them, part of America’s history they’d like to remove from the history books.  Here’s the rub – if anyone out there thinks they are done with this plan – think again.

The power brokers behind people like Rove, Grover Norquist, Rush Limbaugh, Fox “news,” and essentially EVERYONE in the republican “upper crust” have been trying to squelch the New Deal since before it was enacted.  They’ve been operating surreptitiously for many years and I believe they thought they had it “made” when Bush/Cheney managed to get control of the White House along with a republican congress – but, they had no idea what a buffoon George W Bush would turn out to be – and, Cheney is such a despicable person that by the time his term was FINALLY up, his “approval rating” was nearer to ZERO than to the previous all time low of any incumbent VP.  Yes, the policies that emanated from the “Project for the New American Century” were disastrous and the people insufferable, but their HUGE bankroll along with their cunning “stacking” of our court system, corrupting of the Justice Department, their control of our “liberal media,” the undermining of our traditional government agencies, and an incredible willingness to lie (even to the extent of lying us into a “war” which cost America TRILLIONS in dollars and untold treasures in lives – not to mention all the lives and destruction to Iraq) put them on the precipice of a complete stranglehold of America’s government. Hence, as Rove put it – “a permanent republican ‘majority.'”

Even my wife is unnerved by my anti republican passion as I’ve always been an independent (until Bush took us into Iraq and I started to read about things you don’t find in our “liberal media”).  However, I will not discontinue my small part in attempting to bring the real intentions of the republican party to as many people as possible until I see a purging of these puppets that publicly represent their party from the scene.  Even one of my friend’s son works for our local republican congressperson back in Washington DC and he’s a great kid.  His Dad is an educator and a republican.  As far as I can tell, it’s because their family have always been republicans.  So was mine (at least on my father’s side) back in my youth.  I would have to say that, from all I’ve read, next to FDR my favorite president would be General Eisenhower although I have my qualms about him as well.   He would not be welcome in today’s republican party.  All you have to do is look at the map of the “red states” from the last election and do a little research and it’s easy to see there’s a strong racist wing to this party and until they get beyond that they will become more irrelevant –  or, at least I hope so – as time moves on.  As I think these things with any certainty in my mind, I’m brought back to the thought that Mitt Romney got 48% of the vote and I’m reminded that they’ll spend 5 or 10 BILLION next time if they think it will accomplish this goal. (the goal, by the way, our founders – who republicans love to quote – went out of their way to make virtually impossible.  The greatest fear of the founders?  Exactly what the republicans are attempting to pull off – control of all parts of government, including “the fourth estate” – which would negate the “checks and balances” they worked so diligently to put into our constitution)

Speaking of the constitution, there’s bound to be an intense discussion about the 2nd amendment in the near future and there should be one about the 4th amendment.  In each case it will be intransigent republicans and innocuous democrats who will likely prevent much progress.  First, and an issue that should be on everyone’s mind is the 2nd amendment and “gun control.”  I’m a school teacher in a high poverty school and the tragedies that continue to happen in schools are alarming.  While I constantly wonder what would compel someone to shoot kids, it seems to be happening over and over again.  I can sum up why nothing will be done to reduce the availability of hand guns and assault weapons by just writing: NRA.  The NRA has a stranglehold on the republicans (OK, many democrats as well) and the money they’re getting will continue their mantra “guns don’t kill people, criminals kill people.”  This has made me sick for years, and the tragedy that happened just this past week in Connecticut brought tears to my eyes.  Primary students for God’s sake.  And teachers (I’ll wonder if the vilifying of teachers plays a part in this kind of tragedy) – this is over the edge stuff for me.  In my own community (I live close to Portland, Oregon) just a few days prior to the Connecticut massacre there was a shooting incident at a local mall with 10,000 people Christmas shopping.  In that one “only” two were killed – I can’t believe I’m writing that – but, this issue is one that is tearing at the fabric of our nation.  The 2nd amendment was not intended to arm people to the hilt with assault weapons.  And, it’s clearly not a problem for “criminals” to acquire weapons in our society – even little middle school kids are brandishing weapons.  Yuk!

Then there’s the fourth amendment.  Guaranteeing the right to privacy.  Well, ever since 9/11 our government has been chipping away at our right to privacy.  One of my most egregious disappointments in President Obama is (and has been) his lack of follow through on his promise to “fix” the FISA bill that he so unexpectedly supported in 2008 during his run for president (that bill enabled companies like AT&T and Verizon to continue providing access to their “data” in the name of national security).  At the time, I wrote to his campaign and was assured that he would “fix” this bill once in office.  I’m convinced that not only he hasn’t followed through on that promise, but almost the opposite.  I believe our government is continuing to collect “data” through the compliance of the telecommunication companies and our phone conversations and emails are subject to government infringement at all times – this, of course, in the name of fighting terrorism.  I’ve claimed since 9/11 that if we continue to give up our liberties because of 9/11 then Osama bin Laden accomplished exactly what he was intending.  In both of these cases the impetus for societal decline comes from republicans with, unfortunately, democratic acquiescence.

I recently had a conversation (via email) with an acquaintance who lives on the other side of the nation from myself who believes the second amendment should be abolished.  I “get” why he and many others might think this, but I believe a push to do that would be even more harmful to “liberals” than the present situation.  The sad reality of 21st century America is that the number one manufacturing business in this country is weapons related.  There is enough money at stake that the special interests (gun lobby) could pull off the same sham, in my view, in regard to recruiting republicans as happened in the late 70’s and 80’s when the “Christian right” was fooled into thinking that by voting for republicans as a block they would stop abortions.  Of course, the reality of that fight is that should Roe v Wade be repealed abortions will continue to happen, just as they were happening prior to that Supreme Court edict – so as President Obama has proposed, the challenge with that issue should be to reduce the demand for abortions.  I would hate to see the republicans pull off their “takeover” of our government (that they profess to hate) through a backlash from an attempt to repeal the 2nd amendment.  However, a national dialogue about how to remove the abundance of assault weaponry and hand guns from our streets and neighborhoods would be welcomed by millions of Americans.  If that doesn’t happen after the tragedy in Connecticut then I don’t know when it will happen. (and, I can guarantee you it will be republicans and gutless democrats who  block this dialogue from initiating legislation)

In our capital money talks.  That’s the sad reality.  I’m sure the lobbyists far outnumber the legislators – and, many of the lobbyists are the legislators who lost their last election – but, know first hand how to manipulate the system.  I believe in the constitution, but I’ve come to realize that the politicians and their benefactors have been secretly cheating the American public for many years.  The illegal eavesdropping which  was accelerated by the Bush/Cheney regime is at an alarming level and, obviously the gun issue is way out of control.  The republicans will continue to support the wrong side of both of these issues in lock step.  That is why they need to be soundly defeated as their party presently exists.  And, until the likes of Mitch McConnell, John Boehner, Karl Rove, Rush Limbaugh, Grover Norquist, anyone named Bush or Cheney, and I could go on – the present day leadership – are totally removed from ANY position of authority, you can’t believe one thing that comes from their mouths.  They’ve been hoisting a lie on the American people for so long that, I’m sure, in their own minds their lies amount to the truth.  (Read “Family of Secrets” if you want to get a good pulse on republican lying – I’m presently reading it for the second time and believe it should be required reading for any American who wants an idea on what the CIA, FBI, eastern aristocracy, oil lobby, and republican elite have been hiding for the past 50- years from the American people)

While the republicans are being purged, the democrats need to rid themselves of the members who don’t believe in the fundamental values of the New Deal – the era which turned America into a world leader.  The reality is that the wealth and power gained post WW II has been too much for most of our politicians since then.  But, the republicans since Ronald Reagan have seemed hell bent on turning this nation back to second class status (actually, this all started prior to Reagan, but he was the one who brought the “right wing” assault on America to the “mainstream”).  The truth is that this is a two party government (from a practical point of view) so those who think along similar lines to myself have only to hope that the democrats will get some “stones” (as Bill Clinton puts it) and quit patronizing this republican agenda.  Let the republicans take us over the so-called “fiscal cliff” and trust the American people to support the “right” response to whatever that might bring – which will hopefully be less republicans in Washington DC.  And, start the dialogue about the issue of criminals armed to the teeth and the absurd availability of assault weapons and hand guns.  The personal freedom that needs a “boost” is the American’s right to privacy (not the right to own assault weapons) which I don’t believe many understand how deeply this has been infringed on since 9/11.  As with all other progress that has been made in this nation’s history which has advantaged middle class Americans the push for all of this will have to come from “progressives.”  And, the way our system is working today, the only way to get progressive change is to continue defeating republicans at the polls.

As the 2012 election votes for president were counted I forced myself to watch Fox “news” to get their “take” on what was happening, although I was switching back and forth from them to MSNBC.  Before I get to my thoughts about what I saw on Fox, let me be clear that neither outlet for “news” is “fair and balanced.”  However, what I saw on Fox was the beginning of all the “Monday morning quarterbacking” which is certain to follow a defeat which was funded by BILLIONS of dollars from Wall Street and the Oil and Gas industry.  (If you’re a skeptic, read this article)  Some estimates I’ve read have put the number of “Super PAC” TV adds opposing Obama and democrats at over $3 BILLION – which is both unbelievable and depressing to me.  I knew “Citizens United” was a bad thing, I just didn’t know how bad.  And, this is unlikely to change based on what I heard as I listened to the Fox “reporters.”  What was interesting to me was that Karl Rove as a MAJOR republican operative,  in control of somewhere close to a BILLION (or more) of those dollars,  was sitting at their table as part of their “news” team.  Talk about your pot calling the kettle black!

The tone I got from listening to the Fox anchor person was that the House of Representatives remains firmly in republican control and “why would they want to do anything different from what they’ve been doing for the past two years?” (which, of course, is obstructing President Obama at every turn)  Republican “pundits” were suggesting the problem with Romney is that he isn’t a “true conservative.” (this was bound to come out should he lose) Charles Krauthammer suggested the solution to the republican problem with the Hispanic community would be solved by nominating Marco Rubio – not even suggesting their (the republicans) policy positions is what turned off most of the Hispanic voters.  To me, it’s that attitude which makes me feel that today’s republican party should become irrelevant. They can’t seem to bring themselves to accept the fact that “non white” and non male voters can think clearly before entering a voting booth.  Apparently their barrage of negative political advertising (propaganda) was more effective with the white voters than the non-white. I’ve been discouraged by the number of my peers (older white voters) who accepted the lies perpetrated by Rove, Romney, Ryan, Fox, etc. without “fact checking” the integrity of the individual claims.  In my previous post I linked to a website that documented most of Romney’s lies and it took two pages of the website.

As I watched President Obama’s acceptance speech I was reminded that I’ve come to look at his speeches as pure empty rhetoric – he proved in this election that he’s the consummate politician.  His organizational skills overcame the effects of Citizens United, but I can virtually guarantee you that the right wing republicans will continue their push for the so-called “permanent republican majority” Rove has so often referred to.  The obstruction will continue and the republicans are already blaming President Obama for it.  This right wing, monied, group that is in the background financing the republican “machine” MUST be defeated and we are depending on Obama to lead the way.  Mitt Romney’s gracious concession speech showed a side of him which was undetectable during this long campaign.  I believe that’s because he had to first get the republican nomination and then keep the “base” in line.  That’s the problem republicans face going forward – and Rubio won’t solve it – how do you keep the fringe element of the party happy and still get votes from the “middle.”  Believe me, there were many more “progressives” (liberals) besides myself who were disappointed in the direction chosen by Obama, but for me I was fired up to vote against Romney.  Had Romney been able to show himself during the campaign as he did as he conceded, that might have been different.  (of course, he mentioned the importance of honesty as he conceded, but didn’t follow his own advice as a candidate)

It’s clear to me that a significant majority of Americans want to preserve the ideals of the “New Deal” and are tired of the “I’m going to lower your taxes and balance the budget” mantra of the republican party – but, they also long for leaders who will fight for these principals.  Barrack Obama now has four years to lead this fight.  If he continues to pander for republican “bipartisan” support, his legacy will be forever tainted.  It just seems odd to me that so many of those of us out in the “heartland” can see this and Obama has not been able to do so.  I can tell you, from my perspective, I’m watching carefully those he chooses for his cabinet.  I’m assuming Tim Geithner will be replaced – I hope that it’s not another Wall Street insider as Secretary of the Treasury.  We’ve had Robert Rubin, Hank Paulsen, and Geithner in the past 12+ years and it’s been a “what’s good for Goldman Sachs” mentality at the Treasury department.  That has to end and it would be better if it was “sooner rather than later.”  I’m hoping Hillary Clinton remains as Secretary of State, but I’m guessing she’s about “worn out.”  Her replacement will be critical.

I have seen many signs that the “fight” is far from over.  Here where I live, within days of Obama’s victory, the local “progressive” talk radio station “changed its format.”  To Fox of all things (even though it’s sports).  We are now subjected (those of us who listen to this stuff) to right wing lying or nothing – yuk! Actually, I was surprised this didn’t happen sooner because the reality is that right wing corporations own 90+ percent of America’s airwaves and I’ve been surprised they “put up” with people like Ed Shultz, Thom Hartman, and Randi Rhodes – to name a few “liberal talkers.”  For me, I’m going to figure out how to get my satelite radio working in my car, but it’s clear to me the idea is to begin the “suppression of ideas” right away – they’re already thinking of 2016.  Keep in mind, this right wing cabal so many of us understand is “out there” but don’t know for sure who they are (the Koch brothers, the DeVoss family, the Coors family, the Walton family, etc.) have been fighting against the principles of the New Deal since World War II and they have BOATLOADS of money to spend in order to return things to “as they were.” (that is – before the uppity union workers managed to gain workers’ rights for MILLIONS of Americans, Social Security, Medicare, voting rights, health care, etc.)  They tried to suppress the vote in the 2012 election and that BACKFIRED, so now they’re going to try to suppress the available information available to progressives.  Prediction:  the internet is the next target.

I’m not trying to sound “doom and gloom,” I just want people to understand that these right wingers have been “pushing” this agenda since the days when maybe 10% of America would listen to them.  I believe the reality that a Black person could win the presidency has put them on “high alert” to the point where, as the idiot Donald Trump said, they believe it’s time for a revolution?????  Are you kidding me???  To point out how ridiculous Trump is – he was ranting about the electoral college and how President Obama was going to win that while losing the popular vote – when, at final tally Obama had over a 3 MILLION vote advantage when all was said and done.  What Trump probably doesn’t want to talk about is that George W Bush was the recipient of republican voter suppression tactics in Florida, circa 2000, and with the Supreme Court’s help won the White House with something around the “majority” Romney had over Obama with the popular vote.  These people will take any FACT and twist it to their purposes with NO REGARD for the TRUTH. (and, of course, that manipulation of our democracy lead to huge deficit spending, Iraq, torture, outing a CIA agent, lying to congress at will, undermining the very departments they were in charge of managing – ie FEMA and Huricane Katrina – I could go on)

Trump is still calling for Obama to release his college transcripts (did he do this with Bush? or Romney?) and suggesting that Hawaii was not part of the United States when Obama was born – or, maybe even still promoting the theory that he was born in Kenya.  Now, John McCain WAS born in Panama, but there was no outcry there – can you guess why?  It took less than 24 hours after Romney conceded and the Limbaugh’s and others like him were already spewing their racial hatred.  Can you just imagine how difficult it must be for them to realize that the “demographics,” as our population was referred to after the election, is only going to get worse for the republican party as it exists today.  If you look at the electoral map of the election, Romney won almost the entire south (I believe his choice of Paul Ryan cost him Florida where there are enough retired Americans to provide enough of a backlash to Medicare vouchers to defeat the voter suppression tactics of Florida’s right wing governor) and the Midwest as it stretches into Idaho – the land of the white supremists – a friend of mine sent me an email that showed that the top ten educated states (by number of college graduates over the age of 25) voted for Obama and the bottom ten (mostly in the south), with the exception of Nevada, voted for Romney.  Does that tell it all?  And, the sad reality is that the sections of the country voting for Romney show little or no signs of changing – in a way that would improve the lives of their own people.  Have you ever wondered why republicans are always promising to eliminate the department of education?

Here’s where progressives need to take a sober look.  Many are pointing out that people like Karl Rove, The Koch Brothers, Sheldon Adleson, the Wall Street bankers, the oil and gas industry, etc. WASTED BILLIONS trying to get what they perceived the proper puppet, Mitt Romney, elected.  Guess again!  They’ve got piles of money they haven’t even thought about.  People like me have a difficult time even imagining the fortunes of the richest elite in this nation.  Koch industries has annual revenue in excess of $100 BILLION!  The net worth of the two brothers is over $50 BILLION and growing – they can’t spend it fast enough on politics to hardly make a dent in their economic fortunes.  They’re not going away.  And, they’re already regrouping to figure out how to move FARTHER to the right and still brainwash America’s public into voting against the self interest of the middle class.  They won’t reduce the pressure on their congressional employees – that’s right, the tea party faction knows where their money is coming from – and the Kochs are only a small part of the wealthy elite in this nation who look upon us “little people” as exactly that.  The WAR for the heart and soul of America won’t end until the republican party, as it’s presently composed, becomes a distant memory.  And, they’re not going away easily.  Those of us on the “left” (I always thought of myself as a conservative on most issues until these modern republicans came along) had better take a deep breath and then brace for the next part of the fight.

My suggestion (as I stated before the election) is that we pressure President Obama to have the resolve to push back against the bullying tactics of the “tea partiers” in the House of Representatives.  Beyond that, the democratic party (unfortunately, that’s the only viable option available to those who oppose what the republicans are doing) needs to begin the process of finding strong candidates to challenge republicans at every step of the 2014 election.  To me, it was unthinkable that John Boehner had no opposition in 2012.  My family’s from Ohio originally, I know the people of Ohio don’t believe in Boehner’s agenda – it’s a true blue collar, “hard working folk” state.  The democratic party should make sure people like Boehner, Ryan in Wisconsin, Cantor in Virginia, and others have to defend their outrageous positions with the voters of their districts.  I believe in “life,” but this idea that Christians will vote republican because of the abortion issue is absurd to me (I’m a Christian).  In my mind, you aren’t “pro life” if you vote against pre-natal care for poor pregnant women, Medicaid (as a teacher in a high poverty school I see the benefit of health care for poor children all the time – their poverty is not their fault!), programs like child care assistance, food stamps, housing assistance,  Head Start (statistics say children do 75% of their learning by the age of 5), and national health care.  I’ve heard the republican positions characterized as “love the fetus, hate the child.”  Combining this with the republicans anti worker, anti union positions and their support of corporate welfare and lower and lower taxes and those who can afford the most – and, you can see their success will depend on a HUGE acceleration of their propaganda scheme.  Progressives didn’t gain much in 2012’s election, they just didn’t suffer the terrible potential of that “permanent republican majority” being imposed upon America.  The fight for the heart and soul of this great nation, therefore, continues!  President Obama’s legacy hangs in the balance – progressives need to push him toward greatness!

I started following politics closely in the late 1960’s as several of my high school classmates became victims of the Vietnam fiasco.  During the 30 or so years from the end of that terrible blunder until the Iraq blunder I found myself frustrated with the direction of American politics but pretty much silent about my feelings.  Additionally, during that time span I decided that Jesus Christ was a much better guide for my life than what I had managed on my own and I became a Christian.  So, I found myself often surrounded by people who were studying the same book as me but who had extremely different views on politics.  I didn’t (and still don’t) bring up the subject with most of them because, for whatever reason, most of them would fall into the “diehard” republican camp as far as their political preferences go.  Based on my observations over the years, that “partnership” is based on the “belief” by most of these Christians that the republicans are “pro life.”  I’ve gotten to the point where I get a queezy feeling in my stomach even as I write that.  I’m explaining this to preference my remarks (as they might find their way onto this post) as I’m pondering the state of this nation I so love – 4 days before what I feel is the most important election of my lifetime.

My red flags started waving in 1980 when the first “fringe” republican succeeded in winning national office with the election of Ronald Reagan (still seemingly considered a deity by most of today’s republicans).  I recognized that the political operatives who first came to light (at least to me) during the Nixon years were certainly mastering their trade (this included people like Roger Ailes who now plays a prominent role in the propaganda scheme which republicans seem to have mastered – the “big lie” theory of Joseph Goebbels of the third Reich – as Ailes is the head of Fox “news” – I always put “news” in quotes because you don’t have to look very hard to realize that they are anything but a news outlet).  The insiders in the republican “scheme” have become very adept at what they’re up to and their arrogance has amazed even me as I watch this 2012 election come to a close.  These people schemed to get Reagan elected in 1980 by backing “liberal” republican John Andersen’s third party bid (which took precious votes from Jimmy Carter) and by making a “deal with the devil” (Iran) to make sure the American hostages weren’t released until after the election.  In my mind, America’s “liberal media” still has not brought to light the significance of that action – let alone the other illegal actions of Reagan and his surrogates regarding Iran/Contra.  Republicans either own or have intimidated this “liberal media” to the point where none of their deception is “called out.”  In the years since Reagan’s time I’ve come to loathe the republican party as it has moved dangerously far to the “right” and has increased its willingness to follow the “end justifies the means” theory of politics – now to the extreme.

I believe this has been allowed to happen because their methods are so un-American that most of us can’t even get our minds around that they would have the “brass,” as Bill Clinton put it, to implement their present strategies.  The lying and unethical practices continue to grow and our aforementioned “liberal press” continues to lack the courage to call it what it is.  Fox “news” has succeeded in convincing way too many Americans that they are “fair and balanced” (again, do a little research and check out the “big lie theory” – it should be sobering for you) and they’ve turned the word “liberal” into something that seems almost like a “dirty” word to many.  I’ve even heard this word referred to in a derogatory manner by many of my Christian brethren despite the CLEAR evidence that Jesus Christ would be a “liberal” by the accepted definition of that term today.

With all this as background I’ll get to what inspired my thoughts for today.  I was driving to town and allowed myself to listen to an add from Mitt Romney.  I instantaneously reminded myself that he makes me as sick to my stomach as Rush Limbaugh – who I used to listen to when he first hit the airwaves in the 1980’s.  It took me a while to realize what Limbaugh was “up to” but it wasn’t hard for me to figure out that he often made racist comments.  That was what originally turned me away from even listening to him – but, occasionally I would give it another try and, as I began reading more to educate myself better on how our nation’s government was “really” working it would rarely take more than a few minutes before I’d be saying to myself (usually as I would be driving around) “That’s a lie” regarding one of his “assertions,” and “he’s a paid republican shill.”  Limbaugh’s lying prompted a couple books by Al Franken that called him on the lies and which should have reduced his audience – but, probably increased it instead (Franken, of course, is a liberal).  Then I thought, when Limbaugh only lasted one night on “Monday Night Football” because of his inability to hide his racist beliefs, certainly that would diminish his standing with Americans who I thought were moving away from racism – but, he’s continued to play to a huge audience.  Of course, with the 2008 election of Barrack Obama, Limbaugh has been on a mission since – to make sure that President Obama “fails.” To me his almost continuous OVERT racist comments are disgusting – and, it’s discouraging that his audience continues and his sponsors support him. (I’ve often thought that a good idea for a website would be one that identifies the sponsors of the political “talkers” on the airwaves – with a subsequent movement to support or boycott them based on the messaging of the “talker.”  Somehow, there’s got to be accountability for people like Limbaugh and the others who are part of this republican propaganda scheme)

Well, Romney seems to be cut from the same cloth.  Now, at times I’m sure Limbaugh was not a “fan” of Mitt Romney – but I have no doubts this is a “black and white” election for him.  However, Romney seems to have the same ability to lie without a second thought which must seem to be a strength for Limbaugh.  Today’s lie was him blaming the “gridlock” in Washington DC over the past four years on Obama.  I believe he’s suggesting that if Obama’s reelected that will continue because there’s no way the republican senate will stop their 24/7 filibuster strategy to make sure the president can’t pass anything he wants through congress (in fact, there was no mention of the record 380+ filibusters of the last four years in the senate – by republicans).  He’s now reportedly claiming that Chrysler, which was saved by Obama’s administration, is planning to move it’s operations to China (my first thought when I heard that was I wonder if that means Bain Capital is purchasing a controlling interest in the company?) – so far, I’ve heard two of Chrysler’s top executives openly refute that (one saying Romney’s “full of sh#t”) – but, he continues to say it to the unsuspecting voters of Ohio and Wisconsin.  Additionally, Romney has spewed out enough “code words” in this election cycle to make his racial attitude obvious – but, save for Chris Matthews of MSNBC I haven’t heard anyone who’s in a position to matter calling him and his surrogates on this.

The sad reality of this election is that it will be decided on where America stands on the race issue.  Unfortunately, this is an issue that many of us thought was FINALLY going to be headed toward the scrap heap of history – but, no matter how this election turns out, it’s obvious to me that race continues to be a major issue in this nation.  I’m presently reading “Bonhoeffer – Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy” by Eric Metaxas about the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Christian pastor who led the German opposition to Adolph Hitler from the time he gained power in 1932 until Bonhoeffer’s death when he was executed for his part in an assassination attempt on Hitler himself.  I have to admit that it’s a rarity I would read a book recommended by Glenn Beck and Mike Huckabee, but this is, for me, an I can’t put it down book – and, I’m sure there must be something I’m missing in this book because Beck and Huckabee, to me, at least to the part I’ve finished so far, are part of what the book is warning about.  It was the Christian church in Germany that allowed itself to get tricked by the Nazi’s into helping them gain a stranglehold on Germany and turn the fledgling German democracy (the result of their defeat in WW I) into a dictatorship.  It’s exactly the government/church/corporate partnership that I see Bonhoeffer opposing – that could be on the horizon in America today (and the sad reality is that it’s the republicans who are claiming Obama would be the – you name it – socialist, Maoist, communist, fascist … fill in the blank – If you don’t understand their [republican’s] tactics – look up the meaning of ” political projection” by clicking here).  The republicans have virtually “enlisted” the so-called “Christian Right” as a voting block which allows them to do a plethora of “un Christian” things politically, and get away with it – because many “conservative” Christians seem to be willing to blindly believe the liars like Romney, Limbaugh, Rove, Hannity, etc.

I can’t even imagine the words “President Romney.”  (this man has 137 Cayman Islands tax shelters – not to mention his Swiss Bank accounts and tax shelters in Bermuda – that alone should make him unqualified to lead this nation – without even considering his racist attitudes – don’t believe me, click here to find out about racial code words in Romney’s strategy AND he’s the biggest liar to run for president in my lifetime!) I’m sick of the republicans in congress putting their selfish interests ahead of the interests of the nation.  And, I think the worst part of it all for me is that they couldn’t do anything without the blind support of the “Christian right.”  (personally, I call it the “Christian wrong.”)  If you read this between when I post it and election day and you agree with me, try to encourage someone who might not vote to go to the polls.  In my state, Washington, it’s been reported now that republican operatives are going door to door, in democratic leaning areas, “volunteering” to hand deliver ballots to the polls (two guesses where those ballots are ending up).  UNBELIEVABLE – yet, in Oregon republican operatives have managed to gain positions counting ballots and have been caught “red handed” filling in republican votes into places on ballots voters left blank.  The voter suppression tactics have been widely reported nationwide and recently it was revealed that the Romneys have a vested financial interest in one of the main voting machine companies.  The CRAP just continues to show it’s ugly face!  Republicans managed to get a Supreme Court which passed the Citizens United decision (millions of Americans are still unaware of the impact of that decision – despite the flood of anonymous adds hitting the airwaves this year) and, while a Romney victory won’t cause me to lose my own faith – history will show that America’s “conservative” Christians of 2012 could parallel the German Christians of 1932 if Romney wins! (The German leaders played off of hatred toward Jews while the American republican leaders are playing off of hatred toward Blacks)

I can’t bring myself to imagine that the American public could ever elect someone like Mitt Romney as president and it’s even harder to imagine, after what republicans did to this nation in the years of the Bush/Cheney regime, them gaining control of both houses of Congress – REALLY, can the American voting public actually be that stupid? (this morning, while driving around, I heard a tape of people being interviewed at a “tea party” rally – essentially, racism and uninformed ignorance at it’s highest and at it’s ugliest – and, I thought, “the sad reality is that it is possible”)  Well, I won’t allow myself to believe this is even potential reality until it actually happens, but the truth is the republicans have a BILLION (the estimate I heard this morning is over $3 BILLION) or more dollars to spend on fabricated advertising (remember, their mantra is the end justifies the means, and the lies are pouring out at a record pace – even for American politics) and they’ve got a “ground game” designed not to get out the vote, but to prevent as many “left leaning” voters as possible (by some estimates as high as 5 MILLION) from casting their ballots.  It really is a clever scheme and there’s not much “we the people” will be able to do about it should they “pull this off.”

The last few days I’ve been wondering how, with such a dearth of candidates on the republican side, President Obama could find himself in a position where this is even a possibility – and, remember the 2000 and 2004 elections – in both instances Bush/Cheney “winning” through skullduggery as opposed to the ballot box (and, yes, if there’s any republicans reading this post – I “get” that Bush got a majority of the votes in 2004, but the evidence STRONGLY suggests that he DIDN’T win Ohio – which would have given the election to Kerry via the electoral “map”)?  Well, the truth is that I’ve been writing since almost the day Obama took office about how many of his decisions were “turning off” the people who so actively supported him;  believing in “the change we can believe in” or “Change has come to America.”  Pardon me, but Tim Geithner wasn’t “change,” Larry Summers wasn’t “change,” and Rahm Emmanuel?  Are you kidding me – he’s the epitome of the “backroom politician” the “Washington insider.”  The lobbying industry wasn’t restricted – it has flourished.  And, I’ll disagree with Mike Pappentonio that Eric Holder is the worst Attorney General EVER, but only because he follows Alberto Gonzales – he of the two days of purgering himself in front of Congress on national TV – but Holder’s record has left many a liberal wondering if he doesn’t believe in the Nixon theory of justice?  If the president (or any other prominent politician or business person) does it, it MUST be legal!

Now we’ve got the republican candidate for president advocating a return into Iraq, I’m sure bombing Iran, and advancing the Bush/Cheney formula for destabilizing the Middle East (and the rest of the world) exponentially.  The words come flying out of Romney’s mouth, seemingly intended to fire up the neocons on the “right” in America – with little or no interest as to how they’re interpreted internationally.  Seriously, the guy is a buffoon, but he’s seemingly got a chance because so many on the “left” are so turned off by the whole process (and, as I’ve been saying for almost 4 years now – there’s a significant portion of America who just can’t handle a person of color in the “White House.”). I’m beginning to think that many liberals are thinking the fastest way to get to a point where we are actually addressing the pressing issues of the day is to elect Romney so we can get the impending disaster with the economy over with – hopefully, hastening the day when we are actually FORCED to deal with issues like Climate Change, Peak Oil, Water shortages (of course, a Romney victory virtually assures us that the large aquifer in middle America will become contaminated by the Keystone pipeline –  which will do NOTHING for America’s dependence on foreign oil, but will almost certainly continue the degradation of our environment), and income inequality – to name a few.

One of the scariest realities of this upcoming election for me, no matter who wins, is that our broadcast media has evolved to the point where it’s synonymous with prostitution.  Seriously, when you think about it, what motivation do the media outlets have to legitimately report on this campaign?  It’s in their TOTAL financial interest for this to be a “horse race” whether it is or not.  Do you really think all those “moneyed interests” would be funneling in dollars by the truckload – to people like Karl Rove or organizations like the Chamber of Commerce or “Freedom Works” – so that they can FLOOD the airwaves in “battleground states” with expensive advertising if this election was a runaway? In my own state (Washington) we have a Koch brothers funded Scott Walker clone running for governor and it was reported today that the largest newspaper in the state is running full page adds for this right wing anti-union candidate free gratis.  Honestly, I can’t believe what I’m seeing.  The republicans are apparently correct in believing that the voting public is totally ignorant as to what is happening.  It’s like a SUCKER PUNCH that could affect this nation for generations (I don’t see how, for example, Citizens United will get overturned with a republican victory in this election – that Supreme Court decision could go down in history as the turning point in America that allowed the undermining of our republic.

I’ve come to the place where I don’t trust the polls, I don’t trust the voting process in my own country.  It’s a known FACT that many of the voting machines (in strategic places) are owned by republican controlled corporations and they’re easily HACKED.  The number of reported instances where voters voted for one candidate and the machine tallied a vote for the opponent are too numerous for me.  In Ohio we KNOW that the shenanigans are continuing – fewer voting machines in urban (democratic) districts, restrictions on early voting, illegal and confusing directions for voter registration rules, misleading advertising with scare tactics aimed at suppressing the vote, and I could go on.  Let’s suffice it to say – AGAIN – the republican mantra is “the end justifies the means.”  Power any way possible.  And, should they pull this off, all people like me will be whiners and not “patriotic.”  (I still remember the 8 long years of Bush/Cheney).

So, what is the solution?  All I can do here is report on what I’m doing.  First and foremost, I’m encouraging everyone who wishes to discuss politics to reject the republican party OUTRIGHT until the moderates such as Colin Powell are back in the forefront.  There are a few republicans speaking out now about “their” party – which they recognize is no longer “their” party – and, I totally respect that.  There really was a day when both sides could work out solutions to problems in a bipartisan fashion.  I spent an hour and a half calling to support the democratic candidate for governor in Washington (being opposed by the aforementioned Koch brothers puppet) and I’m supporting the candidates for congress who I believe to be true progressives.  I don’t have much money, so it goes out in 20 to 25 dollar amounts to people like Elizabeth Warren, Sherrod Brown, Allan Grayson, and organizations like Act Blue and Moveon.org.  And, then as I guess what you’d have to call a member of the Christian “left,” I’m praying that America rejects the candidacy of two men (Romney/Ryan) who are the best representatives of WHAT IS WRONG with America I’ve ever seen (in my lifetime) make it to the top of a national ticket.

While I was listening to the comments of the “tea partiers” who were ranting against Obama (mostly with racist innuendo) I realized that many of the speakers were part of the 47% who Romney railed against as he was attempting to get multimillionaires to unload parts of their fortunes into his campaign coffers.  It hit me once again that the racial bias of these people is stronger than their awareness of their own self interest.  Honestly, their racist attitudes makes me want Obama to be reelected EVEN MORE.  I want my grandchildren to grow up into a nation that is purging itself of the racial hatred that has plagued it for the past 200+ years.  And, it’s the rest of us who have to make this a reality, because just as Jackie Robinson had to “take it” as he broke the “color barrier” in sports during my early childhood years, Obama can’t come out “swinging” on this issue – because these very racists will accuse him of “playing the race card” if he calls them on their despicable behavior – from the outright slurs of the “tea party” to the “code words” bountied about by Romney, Ryan, and their closest supporters as they attempt to “feed” their “base.”  Believe me, they fully UNDERSTAND the sentiments of their supporters – even though they will never say so in public.

Finally, my intention, should Obama prevail and be reelected, is to continue to “push” him and our other leaders to have the courage to FIGHT for the progressive values that made this nation great in the first place.  It has NEVER been the right wing “conservative” forces who have moved America forward – it has ALWAYS been liberals (often times radicals) who have shed the blood and toil necessary to overcome the obstacle of fighting BIG MONEY and their selfish interests as you look back on our history.  The more I read, the more I feel that people like Romney, Rove, Norquist, Limbaugh, Hannity, McConnell, Boehner, and other “conservatives” are attempting to take us back to the “Gilded Age” when corporations had a free hand in regard to how they dealt with their workers, the environment, and their obligations to “the commons.”  People like the Koch brothers don’t want government giving them any “obligations.”

It’s true that the Koch’s provide support for charities – it’s just that they don’t want the federal government interfering in how they distribute ANY of their “income.”  The problem I have with their attitude is that it puts them in the category of those who want to “take” without giving their fair share back. The “commons” (ie roads, schools, police, firefighters, social workers, etc. etc.) benefits everyone and it is reasonable to “get” that they (Charles and David Koch) receive more benefit from the “commons” than us average “folk.”  Instead of trying to destroy government they should, in my view, be trying to work with the rest of us to make it better.  (Remember, the republican mantra is to bankrupt our government by reducing it to a size that can be “flushed down a bathtub drain” or something along those lines)  As I try to teach my sixth grade students that they should explore multiple viewpoints when drawing conclusions about what they believe, I look forward to the day when our government can function on that principle.  I just don’t think it’s possible under today’s republican leadership.  And, I fully realize my “hopes” that people like the Kochs would work to make government better are impossible under Obama, because the reality is they come from the John Birch Society crowd and are leading the charge of the racists “among us.”

I believe President Obama is smart enough to have realized by now where he went wrong in his first term (of course, I don’t expect him to agree with “liberals” on every issue) and I believe during his second term those of us who believe in the principals of FDR’s “New Deal” have an opportunity to PUSH Obama and the democratic leadership to restore some of the basic principles of America that have eroded since the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980.  The areas I believe need to be addressed I think will be supported by a large majority of Americans – despite the republican opposition.  Single payer health care – seriously, why would we want a FOR PROFIT health system – that’s part of the Reagan legacy that’s undermining our country – republicans continue their push to privatize EVERYTHING.  Elimination – or strict controls – on lobbying in Washington DC (and elsewhere).  Break up the “too big to fail” banking conglomerates.  Close down the Cayman Island, Bermuda, Swiss Bank loopholes in our tax system and stop encouraging companies to move their factories overseas.  Cut the military budget and get out of Afghanistan – start spending money to help educate and feed people in need.  REPEAL CITIZENS UNITED.  Investigate those in our military or CIA who were/are committing torture – including those who authorized it (ie Bush/Cheney – better late than never).  Investigate Hank Paulsen/Goldman Sachs and the TARP bailout – with accountability to those who are recklessly GAMBLING with the money of our retirees.

I could go on and on – but, I don’t think you’d get much opposition to ANY of those proposals.  The American election of 2012 ultimately will decide the near term conflict between unbridled corporate power and the rights of “we the people!”  Seriously, it’s time to determine if people like the Koch brothers are going to set the agenda in this great nation.  How much do “we the people” value the privileges we’ve been enjoying since our parents and grandparents shed their blood to cement the social contract of the New Deal into the lifestyles of average Americans?

Republicans are like the itch that just won’t quit.  Really, I need some benedryll!  This “go round’s” puppets are Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, but those pulling the strings are the same thugs that forced the miserable years of the Bush/Cheney administration on the unsuspecting American public.  And, I say that with special emphasis on the Cheney part!  (In so many ways, GW Bush reminds me of Mitt Romney)  The big question for the upcoming election in my mind is that are we, the American voting public, as stupid as the republicans believe we are.  I mean, I think they should be embarrassed to put out two candidates with the issues of Romney and Ryan.  But, evidently, the Citizens United Supreme Court decision (and their control of the court – remember Bush v Gore 2000) allows them to feel as if the candidate is unimportant.  Those behind the scenes (such as Karl Rove, the Chamber of Commerce, the Koch’s, etc.) must believe their MOUNTAINS of money will be the deciding force in the upcoming election.

Here’s another way to look at this.  We’ve got two virtual KNOW NOTHINGS in the field of foreign policy now running around the country making stupid statements regarding President Obama, exactly at a time when the nation needs to show solidarity behind our president and those representing this country abroad, and seemingly trying to make matters worse.  The “Democracy” these republicans were so vociferous in supporting as they unseated Saddam Hussein and destabilized the middle east (and world for that matter) in their quest for more oil profits is showing its growing pains in the surrounding nations and, as with every other incident that has happened in the world since 2009 (except the positive ones) Romney, Ryan, and the rest of the republican party is BLAMING President Obama for all that goes awry!  Now, if you just take one moment to think about how absurd that is, then another moment to think about what that does to the U.S.’s image in the world (can you imagine how those in other places are wondering how people like Romney/Ryan/Boehner/McConnell etc. could possibly be “leaders” of the leader of the “free world?”), and then look back at the previous 3+ years and honestly consider the number of times the republicans have BLOCKED any progressive legislation from having a chance – you should be able to get the picture here.

Nothing the republicans do has anything to do with what’s best for the United States of America.  It’s ALL ABOUT what’s best for their “focus group” (the so-called 1%) AND regaining POWER.  It’s been less than 4 years since the republicans led the Wall Street elite’s plundering of our economy to the tune of several TRILLION dollars – and, they now expect “we the people” to put them back in charge by proposing the same OLD recipe for their GREED.  More tax breaks for millionaires and BILLIONAIRES – and, this time they’ll fix the tax code so that us “little people” can have more fairness (figure out what losing your mortgage deduction will do to your “bottom line”).  It’s just that Romney/Ryan are adding the caveat that they are pawns of the neocons behind the “Project for a New American Century”- ie, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, Dick Armey, Richard Perle, and a host of other right wing war mongers – virtually none of which actually ever wore a uniform in the military service to the United States.  The “talking points” coming from Romney/Ryan are like a bad dream from a broken record.  We’ve heard them all before – whether it’s about plundering our tax base for American’s wealthy (in their estimation it’s allowing the rich to “keep their” money) or liberating some unfortunate country which hates Israel and – this is important – has HUGE reserves of oil.  Romney/Ryan’s “cross-hairs:”  Iran!  These people are nuts – AND – they’re bound and determined to PROVE they can overcome all the obstacles our founders put into the constitution to prevent FACTIONS such as theirs from EVER gaining a STRANGLEHOLD on our government.  George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and the others were trying to save us from these neocons over 200 years ago.  Lets just hope and pray the original constitution’s intent holds up!

Romney’s recent “gaffe” – actually, for once telling the truth – where he commented on the now famous 47% of Americans who are evidently freeloaders living off the government dole – really tells it all.  It should, in reality, GUARANTEE that this man is UNFIT to lead America, but with all their Citizens United might – I have no doubt the republicans and Romney will march on with their arrogant lies aimed at suffocating the 47% (and the rest of the so-called 99%) with the right wing power grab which has been in the works since the days of Ronald Reagan.  I tried to watch the first presidential debate, but just as when I try to take in Fox “news,” or listen to the likes of Rush Limbaugh or Lars Larsen, I quickly get sick to my stomach hearing all the lies (republican “talking points” – right out of the Goebbels Nazi propaganda “playbook” – don’t believe me?  Just listen to several of the “talkers” on the same day – you’ll hear the same message with the same words coming out of their mouths – ie the big lie theory)  with no apparent mechanism (well, except for those of us who check out things on the “Internets” – one site, I think it was the Daily Kos, listed something like 27 lies coming from Romney’s mouth in 38 minutes of the debate) to rebut them.  I’ve always had a lot of respect for Jim Lehrer, and maybe how he moderated that debate was what he should have done, but in the parts I watched Mitt Romney was acting like a bully and Lehrer seemed defenseless.  I was able to IMMEDIATELY see holes in what he was saying and he was violating his “time” (I’m sure Obama probably did the same at other points in the debate) but, that’s not what caused me to almost “gag.”  For a man who’s been “promising” to “repeal Obamacare” as the first thing he does upon becoming president (I’m not sure he can even do that without the consent of congress) his defense of “his plan” which was implemented in Massachusetts while he was governor seemed to me a total contradiction (of course, that’s what Romney’s becoming famous for – all the contradictions – some people say there’s not an issue of which he hasn’t claimed to be on both sides)

To me, it’s just the height of arrogance that a man like Romney would be running for this office in the first place.  A recent report I read listed his “holdings” in the Cayman Islands at 137 different business investments.  You don’t have to do much research to figure out why any American would locate their business or their investments in places like the Caymans – and, keep in mind Romney’s got Swiss bank accounts and business investments located in Bermuda as well – and, probably elsewhere.  The MAIN reason businesses locate in these places is to avoid regulation and TAXES.  Now, I’m not suggesting any of what Romney’s doing is illegal (although I’ve read several books suggesting that the “rules” are “pushed” in almost all of these “setups” and the IRS just doesn’t have enough manpower to adequately police it – not to mention that many of the holders of these accounts are large donors to that great congress of ours which has been virtually bought and paid for by the 1% of which most of the rest of us are getting REALLY tired) – what I am suggesting is that it’s hard for me to understand why any working class American would vote for someone who doesn’t believe in this nation enough to invest their money right here at home!  I “get” how all this works, I just don’t “get” how “we the people” would want someone like Romney – a direct representative of the very people who almost destroyed our economy in 2008 to “run” this country – it makes NO SENSE at all to me.

I read the biography of Steve Jobs and I’ve had the pleasure of hosting teachers from China in a student exchange program over the past few years (both myself and my wife are school teachers).  The teachers come from one of the cities hosting the factory (I believe it’s called Fox Com) where Apple makes their iPhones and iPads.   Recently I read where Apple is hoarding something approaching 100 BILLION dollars over seas – unwilling to return this money to the United States until they can do so without paying taxes.  I’m pointing this out because I believe Apple’s mentality and Romney’s are quite similar.  And, to me, it’s totally outrageous.  Apple is ABUSING the Chinese workers (some of the stories are horrific) and making HUGE profits by assembling their products with what almost amounts to slave labor and then shipping their products to the United States and selling them.  The Chinese teachers and students were purchasing Apple products here because the products are cheaper here than in the very town where they are assembled!  After all this – and Apple has made obscene profits – they still want to avoid taxes on the money that should be reinvested in America (actually, they should have to treat their workers better in China first and foremost AND be willing to pay American taxes to support the country which allowed for their success in the first place).  I’m sure if we had the “TRUTH” about Romney’s Cayman Islands business accounts we would see some parallels – albeit a bit smaller – to Apple’s arrogant greed.  Again, not illegal – but, why would “we the people” want our leaders coming from this mindset?

I will end this by saying that I believe the very things that turn my stomach about Mitt Romney are what makes him valuable to the puppeteers of the republican party.  He will say whatever he’s told to say.  He will give any audience what they want to hear.  Last year I heard a quote from a leading republican insider, I believe it was Grover Norquist, when addressing republican donors concerned about what at the time was a dreadful group of candidates for the republican nomination for president, and he said “All we need is someone to sign the legislation we get through congress.”  Of course, the plan is to have control of both houses of congress, the White House, and the courts. (the secret part of the plan is that the so-called “liberal media” is controlled by right wing corporations – so, they’ve already got the “4th estate,”  they’ll NEVER tell us that)  That plan appears to be unraveling, but even in my state (Washington) – considered a “liberal” state, the Koch brothers recently “funneled in” over $4 MILLION in an attempt to get a “Scott Walker clone” into the governorship of the state of Washington.  Will it work?  Well, in our state, that’s a lot of money and it will allow the republicans to buy up most of the available advertisement time on the TV’s.  Nationally, people like Karl Rove, the Chamber of Commerce, and Dick Armey (with “Freedom Works”) are expected to spend upwards of a BILLION dollars on stealth advertising designed to get republicans elected by any means possible.  We’ve seen the repeated LYING by both Romney and Ryan at the top (OK, most will concede that the lying is bipartisan – it’s just that I’ve never seen it as blatant as with these republicans) and I don’t expect anything different from those down the “food chain.”  It really is time for “we the people” to put an end to this version of the republican party.  The way to do that is at the ballot box in November! Failure to do so could lead to a disaster which can best be described as a revisiting of the 1920’s!

I’ve written here and pointed out to as many people as who will listen to me how Mitt Romney represents ALL that is wrong with America, and yet – it appears he’s going to be running for President of the United States with an enormous MONEY BELT thanks to “Citizens United,” a voter suppression drive focused on two or three key states, and a national media that is too timid to actually do the work to “discover” the Romney “offshore empire.”  This is a man who would be president, yet is unwilling to invest in the country he longs to “run.”  Well, all that being said, Romney – to very few people’s surprise – chose a running mate who might “one up” him on ALL that is wrong with this great nation.  Not only is Paul Ryan a right wing, “tea party” type republican member of the most unpopular Congress (maybe) in America’s history (approval rating approaching single digits – right down there with Dick Cheney), but he’s apparently the “poster child” for the members of Congress who manage to become MULTI MILLIONAIRES while “taking care of” the “people’s business.”  The last report I heard was that Ryan’s most recent reporting in regards to his “net worth” put it somewhere approaching the TEN MILLION dollar territory.  Now, ask yourself, how does a US Congress person with a salary of something around $200 THOUSAND per year, get to the $10 MILLION mark in just 13 years?  The numbers really don’t add up – and, to all my right wing friends out there who’ve been railing against congressional “leaders” who’ve become millionaires while in office – I fully expect you to do the normal republican “thing” – like you’ve done with Romney – and “look the other way” now that Ryan’s been proposed for the national “ticket.”

This would be a bad joke, if it wasn’t so serious.  Now, I can’t imagine that the Romney/Ryan “ticket” can win in November – but, as I realistically look at how much MONEY is being funneled through our “liberal media” by Romney and his “Super PAC’s” I don’t think for a minute that anyone except those small time “players” on the internet, etc. will actually vet these two money grubbers – Romney and Ryan.  Romney’s got the Swiss Bank accounts (generally used to launder money – or avoid taxes), he’s got the corporate subsidiaries in the Cayman Islands and  Bermuda’s which are also “tax havens” for the rich who don’t want to “pay their fair share” – you know, the “I’ve got mine, screw you” crowd, and who knows what else.  Romney’s got a record of raising money when he was at Bain Capital from sources that evidently anyone running for President would not want the general public to know about.  As his wife was quoted as saying “you people have seen all the tax returns you’re going to see.”  Will we have to wait until AFTER the election to find out what he’s hiding?

Then there’s Ryan with the apparent “cashing in” on inside information while serving on the banking committees in Congress – the most egregious example was selling his banking stocks just a couple days prior to the announcement of the TARP bailout (which he, by the way, vigorously defended and voted for – again, this will be another example of the “tea partiers” selective “hate” regarding those who voted for the bailouts – with Ryan it will be OK because he says he’s a conservative) after secret meetings with Hank Paulsen and other Treasury officials.  Forgive me Lars Larsen for saying this – but Romney/Ryan TOTALLY support my “low information voter” claims that I’ve been making since the days of George W Bush.  Their actions stand almost 180 degrees from their rhetoric and the traditional values of the republican party.  They’re thieves, not politicians!  Yet, they’re not Obama, so republicans will support them!

And, just a little aside here – one other reason I believe they even have a chance is due to the Obama administration’s lack of will to hold these “upper crust” people (not just Romney/Ryan) accountable for their greedy, selfish, un-American  personal policies.  I’ve written ad nauseum about my disappointment in President Obama’s “looking forward instead of back” stance regarding Bush/Cheney and their illegal activity while draining this nation of it’s greatest resources for eight miserable years.  That turned more people than I believe many understand TOTALLY away from politics.  Additionally, I’m not aware of a single “financier” (like Romney) who’s been sent to jail for the abominable behaviors on Wall Street that led to the so-called TARP bailout of the nation’s “too big to fail” banks – behavior which is continuing as I type.  (for example, the architect of the “bailout,” Hank Paulsen, stepped in just in time to save his former company [have you ever wondered what kind of financial interest he had in doing this? – I have many times] Goldman Sachs – who were prime instigators of all the “derivatives” and “swaps”and all the other creative mechanisms designed to make them EXTREMELY rich without producing ANYTHING and with not the slightest regard to all the “fallout” when their schemes went awry)  This lack of action on Obama’s part, I believe, is potentially his biggest obstacle going into the 2012 election.  Statistics I’ve seen show that a HUGE number of “unlikely voters” favor Obama – it’s just that his response to the republican “NO” machine has turned people off.  There are many like me who feel that when the leaders of the nation can feel comfort as they violate our laws we are in SERIOUS trouble.  The “tea party” took over the House of Representatives because LIBERALS stayed home in 2010 – it was predictable – I hope they come to their senses prior to this coming November because, despite the shortcomings of Obama, this republican “machine” is something that should be worth getting off the couch to vote against.  That’s right, I’m suggesting that if you read this and you’re disappointed in President Obama VOTE AGAINST THE REPUBLICANS!

I’ve been an independent voter my entire voting life (over 45 years) and I REFUSE to vote for another republican until that party is purged of people like Karl Rove, Newt Gingrich, the Koch Brothers, Sheldon Adelson, Rush Limbaugh,  Mitch McConnell, Sean Hannity, John Boehner, Grover Norquist, and of course Romney/Ryan as their leaders.  Romney/Ryan are simply the mouthpieces of the moneyed interests who are spending the BILLION or so dollars to defeat President Obama – and, it doesn’t take a brain scientist to figure out there’s a “cost” to accepting all that corporate money.  But, lest I ask you to reread the beginning of this post, Romney/Ryan are part of the culture which is represented by the offshore accounts and subsidiaries in places outside the U.S.  What’s interesting to me is listening to voters complain about all the jobs being exported and then saying they’re going to vote for job exporters!  It’s comparable to the “tea party” haters who were so violently opposed to attempts to provide “universal healthcare” – because it was “socialist medicine” and then saying “don’t touch my medicare.”  And, now many of those same people apparently are planning to vote for two people (Romney/Ryan) who are dead set on “touching” their medicare.  All of this is so ridiculous that it only supports my contention that America is being run by “low information voters.”  (there are some estimates that the average intelligence of America’s voting public is 6th grade – I hope that’s wrong as I’m a sixth grade teacher and, at the minimum, I teach my students to get their information from AT LEAST two sources).

Begrudgingly, I have to give the republicans credit.  They’ve become experts at marketing and using their expertise along with a TOTAL willingness to LIE – plus they have a stranglehold on the medial outlets in America – this gives them a HUGE advantage in manipulating the voting public.  They leave no stones unturned – again, you have to give them credit – they’ve managed to get control of the Supreme Court, they’ve got the aforementioned voter suppression efforts going that by all the estimates I’ve seen should prevent upwards of 5 MILLION democrats from voting this year, PLUS they’ve got ownership in the corporations which provide the electronic voting machines that are used in WAY TOO MANY precincts across America and can be easily HACKED in a way that can swing an election illegally with no “paper trail.”  The republican creed and the Mormon creed go hand in hand – “The end justifies the means.”  Lying is OK, cheating is OK, if it gets you the desired result.  Republicans are attacking women, African Americans, Latinos, unions, public workers – well over half of America’s population, yet with all the lying and cheating they’ve got a reasonable chance to win.  The way that will happen, if it does, will be all the voters who would otherwise vote for Obama STAYING HOME on election day.  I truly hope I’m wrong on this one because, the consequences of Romney winning in November will be disastrous for America’s middle class  and finish the job of destroying the “New Deal” that was put into “high gear” in 1980 with the election of Ronald Reagan.  Worst yet, it will put a right wing stranglehold on the Supreme Court which will last for a generation – making it even harder to overcome the corporate/government partnership in the years to come!

I’m having a hard time motivating myself to write because it’s so hard for me to watch – and believe – what’s actually going on in this nation (USA) I love.  I’ve been voting since the late 1960’s and I clearly remember my Mother and Father debating over President Eisenhower (my Dad) vs Adlai Stevenson (my Mom) in the 1950’s.  Over the course of the many books I’ve read since I got so upset with GW Bush and his flagrant invasion of Iraq  that I felt I needed to “reeducate” myself, I’ve discovered that I would be in my father’s “camp” and probably could be called and “Eisenhower republican.”  However, that would – today – and does, put me in the “flaming liberal” category.  In fact, if you read the earlier posts in this “blog” my frustrations with our president Barrack Obama has been that, to me, he’s been too cozy with republicans and their ideas – evidently failing to understand their number one credo – “If Obama’s for it – we’re against it” – PERIOD!  The part that brings my frustration home to me is that the republicans could do no better than Mitt Romney – and, now all the “Romney haters” (like Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, Rush Limbaugh, etc., etc.) are falling in line because they HATE Obama more.  What America is going to have to face after this election – no matter how it turns out – is the severity of the population who believe (strongly) the “White House” is ONLY for “white people.”  Mitt Romney should be the “poster child” for ALL that is wrong with America – not just the racism – and, yet – by most polls – he has a chance to win the presidency.

Romney has a republican establishment that has fallen totally in line with his candidacy and they are clearly willing to throw “EVERYTHING but the kitchen sink” at the electorate in order to win in November.  There are the deep pocketed “Super PAC” funders – Sheldon Adleson, David and Charles Koch (they’ve promised to spend upwards of $400 million on this election), Donald Trump, the DeVoss family, the Coors family, the Walmart family, etc. – and these Super PAC’s will spend over a BILLION dollars to unseat Obama (what do you think their motivation is?  Really, the stock market has doubled in his term in office, corporations are hoarding record amounts of cash, Wall Street continues to get away with GAMBLING America’s wealth on “creative” financial “bets” with little to no push back from the Justice Department – really, there must be an explanation why they HATE him so).  Additionally, republicans have been conspiring to suppress the vote for several years now and their efforts are “coming to a head” as we approach November.  In fact, one republican congressman in Pennsylvania BRAGGED that the voter suppression law which got passed there should be enough to help Romney carry the state.  What the hell is going on in America? that this kind of stuff is being allowed to happen right before our eyes.  The whole world looks to us to be an example of government of “we the people” and the republicans are attempting to make a mockery of that thought.

Back to Romney – and I could go on and on about this guy.  Honestly, I’ve never seen a politician who comes close to him in regards to a willingness to say whatever the group in front of him wants to hear.  I remember when he was the republican champion of Planned Parenthood (when he was campaigning in Massachusetts) – supporting “A Woman’s right to choose” and other issues that, I believe got him close to a 100% rating by them.  He is now trying to get that rating down to ZERO with a reversal of VIRTUALLY ALL of his important positions (in fact, I’ve come to the conclusion that Romney has NO POSITIONS when it comes to public policy).  The level of his lying during this year’s campaign (including the republican primaries) has pushed the bar, as I’ve seen it, for all the politicians I’ve witnessed in my lifetime. (Did you know that Mormonism justifies lying if it gets you the desired results – that is “the end justifies the means” so, in Romney’s eyes, I’m sure this lying is “all good” – you know, “I approve this message”)  Romney has taken this part of his religion to heart – FOR SURE.  Then there’s the issue that won’t go away – Romney’s taxes.  I for one believe the reason he won’t release his tax returns is because there is potentially incriminating evidence there should they be scrutinized in detail by the democratic “hit squads.”  I’m not just talking about the embarrassment he’d like to avoid regarding all the foreign accounts that, at the bare minimum, would show someone who’s using every legal maneuver to avoid ALL the taxes he can.  My understanding is there’s accounts in Swiss Banks, Bermuda, The Bahamas, and the Cayman Islands.  I’m not going to go into detail here, but every book I’ve read that talks about these tax havens points out how this is where the wealthy of America “stash” their “cash” in order to avoid paying taxes on it.  Many of the “schemes” are “legal” but many prove to be “shot down” by the IRS when detected.  Do you get the feeling Romney is REALLY HIDING SOMETHING?

Of course he is – in fact, I believe that if he is forced to publicize returns prior to the republican convention he could jeopardize his standing in the nominating process.  I hope the democrats keep up the pressure for him to disclose his returns.  If there’s nothing to hide – then this campaign can get onto other issues that are more important to every day Americans.  I believe republican insiders are going to increase the pressure for Romney to do this – because, in my view, he will be unelectable if he continues to refuse.  At first, I was thinking the returns would just be embarrassing for Romney, but I’ve now come to the conclusion there’s a lot more to them – including more details about how Romney got so rich and who suffered because of his actions at Bain Capital.  I have even heard reports that suggest Bain received Capital from some REALLY shady sources that Romney is probably also trying to HIDE.  Romney is CLEARLY part of the so-called 1% and he stands for everything that will make things even better for them – at the expense of “you people” as Romney’s wife refers to us “commoners.”  You know what – I’m perfectly OK with him having all his money (assuming it was gained legally), but I don’t want a president who represents the interests of what people like me might refer to as “you people” – the “other” you people – those who control almost 50% of America’s wealth as it is (we’re talking about a few thousand people here) and who have been benefiting from our “trickle down” economy since the 1980’s.  The curious thing then is why do a large portion of the 99% apparently feel that “Romney’s the man.”

I will pull no punches here – let’s start with racism.  I can’t even bring myself to listen to Limbaugh anymore – but, I’ve done it enough to understand that his racist attitude is very deep.  Did you watch any of the “tea party” rallies during the 2010 election?  It was like racists crawling out from under their rocks all over America.  John McCain even got away with calling Obama “That one” during one of the presidential debates in 2008 – it’s just the topic on one wants to talk about – but, it’s VERY REAL!  A Black president was just more than the “RIGHT WING” could stomach – and, I have to tell you, many of these people are “blue dog democrats.”  Then there’s the so-called “liberal media.”  That’s a good one – as the “right wing” was taking a stranglehold on America’s media conglomerates they made sure that they brainwashed America’s unsuspecting “subjects” into believing their media outlets were “liberal.”  Of course there’s the Fox “news”  which is “fair and balanced.”  This all makes me sick to my stomach as I’m writing  because the reality is the “right wing” is very good at what they are planning to pull off and, if “we the people” don’t get excited about stopping them the USA is going to have the “permanent republican majority” that will give people like Karl Rove, the Koch Brothers, and the rest of the right wing a “wet dream” that could last for years.  If Romney somehow manages to win in November just the reality of him adding one or two more right wing Supreme Court Justices will have a serious impact on my children AND grandchildren – these are lifetime appointments and there will be little to nothing “we the people” will be able to do to reverse this.  Just consider the effect Citizen’s United is having on the process – it unfortunately took democrats three years to realize how devastating that decision would have on our electoral process (again, I believe we’re talking about a ONE BILLION dollar advantage for the GOP in the upcoming election – they are not only going to spend whatever it takes to get the “White House” but they’re going after Congress as well).   You’re talking about a Court which appointed GW Bush and passed Citizens United with the makeup it now has – what do you think will be the result with a couple more right wing Justices? – that will give the court SEVEN “conservative” justices!

Should the republicans manage the trifecta –  the “White House,” the House, and the Senate – in November, those of us who call ourselves “progressives” or “liberals” will be in the same “boat” we’ve been in for the past few years, and that’s depending on democrats to reverse this trend toward a total corporate/government partnership (yes, that’s the definition of fascism).  Unfortunately, 2006 is still clear in my mind.  The Democrats were voted into office to end the “war” in Iraq – and we ended up with the “surge” (we lost another 2000 troops AFTER the democrats regained control of congress).  The democrats didn’t even have the courage to CONSIDER impeachment of GW Bush and Dick Cheney for their war crimes and other assorted “misdemeanors.”  Once Obama took over the “White House” democrats continued to allow the republicans to control the agenda through the OBSCENE overuse of the filibuster rule in the senate and Obama’s pandering for republican votes.  My point here is that I don’t have a lot of confidence that the democrats will have what it takes to confront the abuses that are likely to occur in a “Romney” administration.  The other thing I’m sure of:  after totally ABUSING the filibuster rule – if the republicans regain control of the senate they will CHANGE THE RULES so that the democrats will be unable to block their agenda.

There’s an old saying – “be careful what you wish for” – and, I believe it applies in “spades” to the republicans nominating Mitt Romney as their “leader.”  Republicans have unleashed unprecedented attacks on this democratic president and the one who preceded him (Bill Clinton) when, in fact – based on the statistics I’ve seen, they have enjoyed unbelievable growth in their wealth under these two presidents.  That gets me back to my questioning why they are so adamant about wanting to defeat President Obama (remember, according to Mitch McConnell and others – it’s been their NUMBER ONE GOAL!): The stock market’s doubled since Obama took office, General Motors and Chrysler are thriving (do you remember Romney suggesting they NOT be “bailed out?”), Osama bin Laden is DEAD (I suppose republicans have found a way to give Bush credit for this – you know, the president who so famously said: I don’t know where he is, I just don’t spend that much time on it). the economy has produced OVER 4 MILLION jobs despite the republican intransigence, the Iraq “war” is over (although, I didn’t like how Obama did it – the fact is – HE DID IT – republicans wanted to keep our troop presence there indefinitely as in Korea) Do “We the People” really want to relive republican rule – in a more extreme form – in the aftermath of Bush/Cheney?  PPPLLLLLeeeeeeeaase!

I do not doubt that republicans understand what a poor choice Romney is – but, I believe they’ve become so consumed with gaining unbelievable control of our system – control our founders attempted to make almost impossible – that it matters little to them who’s representing the party in the “White House.”  In fact, Romney’s penchant for saying what his audience wants to hear, I’m beginning to think, makes him an ideal candidate for those who are pulling the “strings’ behind the scene (ie the Kochs, Adleson, etc.).  All they need is someone who will “toe the company line,” say what he’s told to say,  and sign the documents they are planning to put on his desk from congress.  That leads me to my final thought of the evening – I continue to believe the best course anyone who lives in America can take if they do not want the so-called “permanent republican majority” is to revisit in their minds what the Bush/Cheney administration did to this nation – and, then just realize the “forces” behind them have actually “doubled down” because of our president from “Kenya.”  The only reasonable course I can see is to VOTE AGAINST every republican that shows up on your ballot until that party is purged of these right wing “whackos” who have managed to take over America’s “Grand Ole Party.”  There’s a lot of work to be done in “pushing” the democrats back in the “other direction,” but the first order of business, in my view, is to turn today’s republican party into a “bad memory.”  Really, what has become of the Eisenhower republicans????

I’m going to attempt to share some recent thoughts without trying to sound arrogant or conceited.  However, I’m constantly amazed at how it seems America’s leaders are seemingly always at least one step behind the “eight ball” on issues which seem obvious to us “little people.”  For example, the recent political dialogue (especially coming from the “progressive” side) is dominated by conversation regarding “Citizens United.”  The reality is that Citizens United was a Supreme Court decision of over three years ago.  President Obama referred to it in his initial state of the union address.  I can still visualize Sam Alito shaking his head as if to say “no way” when Obama pointed out that the decision opened the floodgates to foreign money (unlimited foreign money) affecting the outcomes of our future elections.  What I couldn’t understand, at the time, was the lack of response from the rest of the democratic party who should have realized right then what this decision meant for them.   We saw the initial wave of this in 2010 with the defeat of the democratic house by the so-called “tea party” radicals who have specialized in putting up a road block to EVERY attempt by the Obama administration to reverse the effects of the Bush/Cheney cabal that virtually destroyed our economy, our military, and our standing in the world.  I (with, as I’ve explained many times on this site, the help of Thom Hartman) was writing about what Citizens United meant long before it was mentioned by Obama.  The democrats are finally in full tilt repeal mode now that they are understanding the reality that decision thrust onto the American political scene.  It may be too late.  That’s why I’m thinking in terms of this post as American politics 101 – and, hoping it doesn’t sound too arrogant.

The reality of Citizens United – which too me has been apparent since the “get go” – is that it’s definitely made Karl Rove’s (and Grover Norquist’s,  the late Paul Weyrich’s, the Coors family, the Scaife’s, the Koch’s, and the rest of the republican insiders) “permanent republican ‘majority'” a possibility.  It’s one reason I have been so frustrated with President Obama, because I felt he wasn’t recognizing the reality of the WAR the republicans are FIGHTING.  I’ve been mentioning (over and over) how the republicans already have control of the Supreme Court (and, for all intensive purposes the lower courts as well) and they’re planning on Citizens United giving them the boost to get both houses of Congress and the White House in the 2012 election.  What will be different this time from 2000 when Bush/Cheney where installed (by this right wing Supreme Court) is that the 1996 Telecommunications Act has had over 15 years to “mature” and now our “liberal media” is controlled by a small number of right wing corporations.  Not only do these media conglomerates benefit financially from republican control of our government – ie tax policy, etc. – but, Citizens United offers opportunities for cashing in on political advertising that, to them, is like a MAJOR dream come true.  The political divisiveness and “free market” mentality that is being crammed down our collective throats will lead to a bonanza of advertising revenue for these media conglomerates which will completely trump their obligation to be the “fourth estate” which our founders were counting on to keep government from straying from the will of the people.  The frustrations those on the “left” are feeling will have little to no effect on the media’s desire to continue cashing in on this “Citizens United” bonanza.  (it’s all about corporate profits, isn’t is?)

There seems to be NO checks on what the “Super PAC’s” can say in their advertisements and, unfortunately, we do live in a society that is dominated by “low information voters” – there I go again Lars (you’ll have to visit my archives to understand that comment) – and, the right wing political propagandists understand how to message these voters much better than the so-called liberals.  (Just for the record, after reading “Eisenhower in War and Peace” I’ve come to realize that I’m an Eisenhower republican – which, in today’s world, makes me a flaming liberal)  The republican brain trusts are using the methods originally devised by Joseph Goebbels – the head of Nazi propaganda during the second World War – which Goebbels called “The big lie theory.”  The theory goes like this – if you repeat a lie over and over enough times, people will then come to believe it’s true.  This is the foundation of the “republican talking points.”  It’s the “mantra” of Fox “news.”  If you don’t believe me, on the same day tune in to several different political broadcasts where you find “conservative” commentators.  I’ll guarantee you that they’re all using the exact same code words and the exact same message (yes, democrats have tried to copy this strategy, but they are woefully unable to compete in the arena of bold faced lies).  It’s almost as if these people are programmed from some central computer center.  What this should make clear to you is that there’s a covert cabal of people driving the “conservative” message and the “messengers” are simply people who will say anything for the right price.  What’s good for America has nothing to do with their message – it’s all about gaining a stranglehold on power and making sure us “little people” stay in our places.  This cabal, in my view, is made up of mainly the heads of large conglomerates who are making obscene profits at the expense of the American consumers and taxpayers – and, their specialty is convincing working class people to vote against what is their own best self interests.

The point here that is becoming clearer to me and making me more concerned with the direction this is all headed is that the power of the media is potentially suffocating any “backlash” that might be aimed at reversing the plan of the Roves, the Norquists, the Koch brothers (they’re a big part of the “payers”), Rush Limbaugh and the other paid mouthpieces for the “right wing,” along with politicians like Mitch McConnell and John Boehner who demonstrate absolutely no personal integrity.  And, I have to add here that I believe the intensity of their “movement” was driven up exponentially when a Black man entered the “White House.”  President Obama doesn’t  like to (and can’t) talk about this – but, his presidency has ignited the latent racists in America who were evidently OK with an occasional mayor or senator being elected – or for Blacks to entertain “Whites” as sports heroes; but, being president? – that was just too much for them – and, there’s more Americans out there who can’t vote for Obama simply because of the color of his skin than just about anyone wants to talk about.  Too me, it’s obvious.  I really can’t remember another time in my lifetime or my readings about American history when the opposing party was so outrageous as to publicly say their NUMBER ONE GOAL was to insure our president fails – with little to no blow-back from the media.  This is what led me to understand the depth of the opposition to our Black president.  Not only the corporate driven republican party, but the corporate driven media wants a “white man” in the “White House.”

And, who did they come up with?  Mitt Romney – are you kidding me?  Yet, they are so opposed to Obama that MANY “conservatives” will hold their noses and vote for maybe the most two faced, spineless politician to hit the national scene in my lifetime.  Having Romney as a candidate confirms, in my eyes, that the republicans believe they can purchase this election no matter who is running at the top of their ticket.  All they need is someone who’s willing to sign the laws they legislate and say the things they expect said – and, Romney is perfect for that role – he’s the best at telling people what they want to hear that I’ve seen yet.  He’s a Mormon elder, yet acts as a republican puppet!  As a (left wing) Christian myself, I can’t tell you how many people I know who think Romney is a member of a cult and who have said they can’t stand him, yet they’re going to vote for him because they’ve been convinced America’s “first priority” is defeating President Obama (yes, unfortunately they get their “news” on Fox).  Whether this “tact” continues the downward trend of our once great nation is irrelevant to them – and, I honestly don’t think they’ve thought past what it would mean to have another republican in charge – they’ve just been convinced that Obama is the problem (the other day, one of them actually told me “Obama caused the housing crisis”).  Most are republicans who still don’t understand the damage that was done by Bush/Cheney during the 2000-2008 term they held the White House.  Many believe Obama is not an American, many blame him for the deficits, and I could go on.  They watch Fox “news” and they believe what they see and hear when they watch it.  What is unnerving about this is that if somehow Romney wins in November the other broadcast outlets are likely to move closer to the Fox model instead of away from it (they are all multinational corporations).  The only way to reverse this trend is to DEFEAT republicans – which is what I’ve been espousing since the first day Obama took office (in fact, since before that).  For the sake of our children and grandchildren (this comment is meant for those “baby boomers” like me) this “defeating republicans” MUST begin with Mitt Romney.  The “right wing” direction of the Supreme Court MUST be changed!

That gets me to the “what can we do about it” part of this post.  And, of course, that last sentence would be aimed at anyone who shares my concern that this is a WAR for the heart and soul of America.  The ramifications of a republican victory in November could change the course of American history for a generation or more.  Regaining power in the face of Citizens United ALONG WITH a “liberal media” that is controlled by the RIGHT WING will be EXTREMELY difficult.  The best chance to “regain power” (remember, it’s the congress which passes the laws, spends the money, etc. – the president can only propose legislation) is to take back the congress.  I hope you can see there are two parts to this equation.  Romney MUST be defeated, but without a progressive congress President Obama is like the lion in the Wizard of Oz – “fighting with one hand tied behind his back.”  The Koch’s, the Scaife’s, the Coors family, and the other corporate forces are the same people who drove us into the depression of the 1930’s.  And, they’ve been fighting the “New Deal” since the first day FDR was elected in 1932.  They won’t go away.  They have unlimited amounts of money (remember, David and Charles Koch are worth more than $50 BILLION and their conglomerate, Koch Industries, generates over $100 BILLION of revenue EACH YEAR!), they have a history of supporting racist organizations (ie John Birch Society), they’ve been fighting unions since the thirties (yes, it all started with their parents – this “me” philosophy is family tradition in too many wealthy American families), they oppose public education, and ironically much of their income is the result of the very government they seem to hate.  Keep in mind, corporate profits have been prolific during this “Great Recession” (which is the result of Bush/Cheney economic warfare on America’s middle class), but apparently that isn’t enough.  Reports are that America’s corporations are, as I’m writing this, hoarding TRILLIONS in cash – with little to no incentive to let it “trickle down” back into our economy.  Clearly, there’s more to this than the money, which is why it’s imperative for those on the “left” to mobilize everyone they can to make sure these “republicans” don’t succeed in November (and beyond).

I can’t think of a single reason why any American who believes this is a “we” society should consider voting for a republican.  In fact, and I’ve always considered myself an independent voter – I’ve voted for many republicans over the years, I believe “we the people” need to make it clear to EVERYONE that this republican agenda of, as Scott Walker of Wisconsin was quoted, divide and conquer is REJECTED and republicans will be REJECTED until that agenda is REPUDIATED.  And, it must be repudiated by the leaders of the republican party and people like the Kochs and others who base their philosophy in racism MUST be marginalized – as they were until the 1980’s when the election of Ronald Reagan brought them out from under the rocks where they were hiding since the Great Depression.

Seriously, why would the so-called 99% want to revisit the Depression?  It makes no sense to me.  So, “we the people” have to forgive President Obama for his blunders as he attempted to bridge the gap between the right and left after he was elected.  He, and his advisers, failed to recognize the seriousness of the republican “divide and conquer” strategy.  I believe many on the left felt that the defeat of Bush/Cheney meant these republicans would “go away.”  It was obvious to me (and many others) that the republicans would be coming back stronger than ever – especially once Citizens United became law.  This is the very reason I was so frustrated that Obama BLOCKED all investigations into the Bush/Cheney illegal activity.

Now the democrats are scrambling to fight off being marginalized themselves and I believe President Obama finally “gets it” based on the “ferocity” of his attack adds on Mitt Romney.  For the rest of us who don’t want a corporate takeover of our government (that’s fascism) we’d better talk to as many people as possible between now and November and make sure they vote for democrats – in EVERY election.  (remember, republicans believe they’ve got voter suppression laws in place to prevent over 5 MILLION voters from voting – in strategic “swing” states – their plan is thorough and they will win without an all out effort by us “little people”)  Vote for NO republicans!  This is a WAR for the heart and soul of this nation, and if the republicans can get Mitt Romney elected (the man has “flip flopped” on EVERY issue and he is the poster child for the very people – Wall Street financiers – who created the financial crisis of 2007-2008 – he’s actually proposing even LOWER taxes for the wealthiest among us – to me, Romney as the republican candidate is the height of republican arrogance) they will have proved that they CAN get anyone elected with their corporate CASH and they will have a stranglehold on our government for the foreseeable future!

The more I read, the more I realize this right wing “cabal” that is threatening the very foundation America was built upon, is no recent phenomenon.  Of course, when reading about FDR, the Great Depression, and the New Deal, you can’t help but be exposed to the greedy, mean spirited, right wing corporate “leaders” who fought long and hard to prevent unions from collectively bargaining working conditions and wages, they fought to prevent the government from taking action to put Americans to work during the New Deal and beyond, they did everything they could to prevent equality for women, blacks, etc., they’ve tried to – for many years – undermine public education, and I could go on.  The re-emergence of this group – I guess you could equate the modern version with the so-called robber barons of the early 20th century – has turned me from being an independent voter to an ANTI republican voter – because, there is nary a whimper coming from the leadership of the republican party to all the hate mongering, the divisiveness, and the greed that seems to be at the forefront of republican policy as we proceed in the second decade of the 21st century.  It’s almost as if they want to take us back to the second decade of the 20th century.

Presently, I’m reading Jean Edward Smith’s biography of Dwight D Eisenhower “In War and Peace” and it is a great reminder to me that in my youth there were many republicans who people like me – generational “middle class” – could admire and support.  In fact, the more I read about Eisenhower, the more I appreciate what a decisive, brilliant president he was.  And, as I’m being reminded as I read this book, Eisenhower faced the same right wing thugs in his day – in his own republican party – as President Obama is facing today (with today’s republican party).  In fact, it was Eisenhower’s insistence on standing on principle that led him to form a coalition with the democrats, led by Lyndon Johnson in the Senate, that placed him in rarefied air as far as American presidents are concerned.  Just two of his accomplishments which were made without the support of many in his own party (mainly the right wing obstructionists) and which have been paying immeasurable benefits to all Americans ever since were the construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Interstate Highway System across America.

Eisenhower laid the “seeds” that “sprouted” into the Civil Rights movement in the 60’s and he had the courage to stand firm against the anti communists headed by Joseph McCarthy.  The American middle class has been benefiting from Eisenhower’s courage ever since, and now we find ourselves almost being overwhelmed by the same people he managed to marginalize.  The reality seems to be that these right wing extremists JUST WONT GO AWAY!  And, they are very smart and over the years they’ve discovered how to manipulate public opinion to the point where they are now expert at this and, compared to the democrats, it’s like “men against boys.”  A good example of what I’m talking about is how the people behind this movement fully understand what the framers of the constitution intended and they’ve figured out how to “get around” their (the framer’s) intentions.  Take as an example the Supreme Court.  I’ve always considered the court to be an honorable place for people who might have “conservative” or “liberal” leanings, but ultimately they have the best interests or the general public in mind as they have interpreted the constitution over the years.  Not many people understood what was accomplished by the “right” when they got John Roberts and Sam Alito confirmed to the court.  That led the way to “Citizens United”- a boondoggle of a decision I’ve been writing about since the day it came down (I have to give credit to Thom Hartman – he was the only member of the media who understood the significance of this decision before it happened – and, sadly, ALL of his predictions are coming true).  In Mitt Romney’s famous words the court, in “Citizens United,”  determined that “corporations are people, my friend.”  (those were Romney’s exact words)  The decision stated that money is “free speech.”  Essentially, there are no limits on how much money a corporation may spend to influence the outcome of an election.  OUCHEE!!!!!

We’ve now had one complete election cycle (the 2010 midterms) and half another (the 2012 national election cycle) to see the effect of “Citizens United” on the very foundation on which our government was based.  It’s not hard to understand why republicans will not vote to challenge this decision and why democrats are FINALLY scurrying around trying to figure out how to counteract it.  The money is POURING in to those who would advocate for the large monied interests in America and beyond.  Yes, I said beyond – it’s beyond my imagination how anyone could fail to see that foreign interests how have a HUGE say in who is going to govern in this country that I love.  To me, it’s stupid to fail to see this as most large corporations in America are what you’d have to call “multinational” corporations.  They have HUGE interests overseas AND they have many shareholders from overseas and, in some cases, even though they’re “American corporations” they are OWNED by people from overseas.  Hopefully, you get my point.  And, even if that wasn’t the reality, to me it’s just as bad to be under the control of people like Charles and David Koch, Sheldon Adleson,  and other multi billionaires who have the ability to “invest” hundreds of MILLIONS into the election – overtly – in order to get the policy decisions they desire.

Let’s just briefly look at what that might mean.  Charles and David Koch are worth collectively something north of $50 BILLION and they run a corporate conglomerate that has a revenue stream above $100 BILLION annually.  Additionally, they come from the farthest reaches of the right wing.  Their father was a founding member of the John Birch Society – a group that I had hoped had gone away after all the Civil Rights battles of the 60’s.  However, having a black president seems to have a lot of people coming out from under their hiding places in a way this country hasn’t seen for a long long time – if ever.  The John Birch Society was among a group that accused Eisenhower of being a “communist sympathizer.”  They were overt racists and were opposed to every good measure that became part of American society as a result of the New Deal of FDR and the administrations which followed – all, reaffirming the value and importance of a strong middle class.  They were able to come out from under their rocks once Ronald Reagan won the “White House” and they’ve been building momentum ever since for the so-called “permanent republican majority.”  They figured out the way to do this is to get a stranglehold on one party in our two party system, figure out how to gain power, and then DESTROY the system!

So far, it’s been hard to keep up with these people because it’s been easy to think they are still in the “margins.”  However, in my view, they’re one election away from possibly having the American public “where the hair’s short” for a generation.  If they are able to turn the money advantage into a return to the “White House” (I put that in quotes because I’m sure you can understand that, to them, it’s a literal term – and having President Obama living there is almost more than they can handle) and more control of congress, it’s going to be hard to get them out.  They will then control ALL three branches of government (the framer’s wanted to make this virtually impossible – but they didn’t envision political hacks like Roberts, Alito, and Scalia who are unashamed republicans who are willing to “fall in line” as the saying goes) plus, what most people fail to realize, they have control of the “liberal media.”  In fact, that Americans mostly believe we have a liberal media is a testament to the propaganda ability of this group that is behind the scenes orchestrating Romney’s campaign, the “tea party,” and the information “we the people” are privy to.

To me, the most significant reason to vote for President Obama in November is the Supreme Court.  These are appointments for life, and the “Citizens United” decision made it clear as a blue sky that more political right wing hacks on that court means a tougher battle in restoring the middle class as the driving force in this nation.  Scott Walker put the strategy well that republicans are using to pull this “heist” of our nation’s government off:  he was quoted as saying “divide and conquer”  in Wisconsin would allow his right wing agenda to trump those who favor worker’s rights, etc.  I still remember in 2008 how Obama was vilified for pointing out how republicans were using “wedge issues” to get middle class people to vote against their own self interests.  I see it all the time as a Christian who regularly attends church services.  The republicans have convinced America’s conservative Christian community that they’re the “pro life” party and they’ve used the abortion issue for years to cause people to vote for politicians who they should despise.  I’m not interested in getting into that discussion here, only to point out that the republicans, far more than the democrats, are willing to say anything that gets them into power – the end justifies the means.  And, they walk in “lockstep” which, to me, is the clearest sign that the party has degenerated to the point where they’re all simply mouthpieces (paid mouthpieces) for this invisible cabal that I feel is so close to achieving their goal of having  and iron tight grip on America’s political system and government.

Why is the Supreme Court so important?  Well, just the other day they decided that a law in Montana (which had been law for somewhere around 100 years) which forbid corporations from participating in their local and state elections  was unconstitutional.  The court evidently was saying that “Citizens United” is the law of the land and no state may challenge it.  The most interesting part of this decision to me is the FACT that the members of the court have had almost four years to see the effect “Citizens United” is having on our electoral process and they decided to take it one step further.  Evidently, the members of the court are buying into the idea of a corporate/government partnership.  I’ve written several times about how this is fundamental definition of fascism.  I’ve been writing since Obama’s election that we’re in a WAR for the heart and soul of America and the only defense “we the people” have at this time to fight back is the democratic party and President Obama.  I believe the gravity of the situation is FINALLY setting in with America’s “progressive” leaders – I just hope it’s not too late.  “Citizens United” has given the people who’ve been railing against the New Deal since the first day FDR was elected a “light at the end of the tunnel.”  The first step in reversing “Citizens United” is refusing to vote for another republican until that decision has been overturned. If Mitt Romney is somehow elected president (remember, with all the money and the voter suppression which is going on as I write this, it’s a distinct possibility) the Supreme Court will anti working class for at least a generation!  Despite all the wishy washy statements we’ve heard over the years, seemingly in conflict with himself, one thing is clear about Romney:  He’ll do whatever he’s told to do by this “invisible” cabal.

Recently a couple court trials reminded me of why I’m so disenchanted with my government.  Yes, I’m definitely going to vote for President Obama in November, but it will be mostly a vote against the republicans and Mitt Romney.  There are some clear reasons why I believe “The change we can believe in” isn’t quite here yet.  The first case I want to mention is the recent trial of John Edwards that ended in a not guilty verdict on one of the six counts he was charged with and a mistrial on the other five.  To be honest, it wouldn’t surprise me if the Obama Justice Department went after a new trial, but that would just further make the point I’m trying to get across with this post.  As a person who would have supported Edwards, I too was shocked and appalled that he would carry on the affair and still think he might win the Democratic nomination for president or, short of that, get the call for vice president.  In my mind, Edwards deserves the disgrace he’s brought upon himself.  But, to have our Justice Department – in their evidently curious way – include him in their choice of selective prosecutions – well, it’s just as shocking to me.  To be right up front here, I expected an entirely different approach from the Justice Department once Obama took office.  That was one of the main reasons I voted for him.  He’s a constitutional lawyer and I expected him to restore the Justice Department to it’s rightful place as a “beacon” of our nation’s integrity.  When people question the fairness of our legal system, the entire nation is at peril.

The other case that has really bothered me is the trial of Roger Clemons, former ace baseball pitcher (whom, by the way, I was never a fan), for lying in front of congress as to whether or not he took steroids when playing baseball.  My original thought: of course he took steroids – during the period in question steroid use in baseball was rampant.  So, let’s just assume that Clemons lied.  My response:  Is that worth the time of a reported 100 Justice Department lawyers to prove it in a court of law?  Are you kidding me?  Here’s the real rub with this, because I agree you shouldn’t lie anywhere, let alone after you’ve taken an oath to tell the truth and your sitting before a committee of our national congress.  This, again, is an ugly case of selective prosecution.  Clemons is a BASEBALL player, Alberto Gonzales was the Attorney General of the United States and I watched him lie through his teeth REPEATEDLY in front of Congress regarding the political purging of State Attorney Generals by the Bush administration with nary a whimper from our Justice Department.  Why did Gonzales get a “free pass?”  And, there’s plenty more reasons to wonder why our governing legal entity chose Edwards and Clemons to make their stand.

Let’s start with George W Bush, himself.  Evidently, he learned from his father how to violate America’s laws (that he swore to uphold) without accountability.  Honestly, based on what I’ve seen in my lifetime, there must be an unwritten rule among people who assume the role of president to leave “well enough alone.”  I’ve watched President Ford pardon President Nixon (who I now believe was a victim of the right wing of his own party), I watched Ronald Reagan CLEARLY violate laws in the Iran/Contra “affair” and not have to do anything more than say “I can’t remember,” I watched George HW Bush violate laws in the same scandal as Reagan with no accountability – he’s got questions that should be answered that go back to the days of JFK, and then there was GW Bush and Dick Cheney who BOTH on national TV admitted to authorizing TORTURE – waterboarding –  (among other crimes) and, again, not the slightest amount of accountability.  Now all these cases were pre-Obama except for Bush/Cheney and I expected nothing less than detailed investigations of what went on during their “reign.”  However, Barrack Obama was not in office for long before he declared we were going to “look forward instead of back.”  What that evidently meant was there would be no investigations or, where warranted, prosecutions of the Bush administration – much to my dismay (and to the dismay and disgust of millions of Americans and people around the world that want to believe the United States really does believe in the protection of basic human rights – and a legal system which applies EQUALLY to all).  I’ve stated more than once on this site, if you took Obama’s position (looking forward and not back) to all crimes – well, there would be no more prosecutions.  YOU HAVE TO LOOK BACK to hold people accountable for their behavior!  Evidently with Edwards and Clemons (and, make no mistake – with you and me) “looking back” is OK – just not with Bush/Cheney and America’s “elite” class.

I repeatedly pointed out on this blog what the result would be of the above choices of President Obama.  For some reason, he must have thought (or been advised) that investigating the Bush/Cheney administration would be too much of a distraction and would cause a “backlash” of some degree interfering with his planned agenda.  Looking back, it should be easy to see the folly of that kind of thinking.  First of all, the republicans NEVER had any intention of allowing Obama’s agenda to get through congress.  The “backlash” was already “etched in stone.”  (In fact, I’ve said the only way he could have mitigated the “backlash” would have been through the investigations which would have exposed the “real” republicans)  All they (republicans) needed was 41 votes in the Senate – which they had right from day one.  And, for those who think Obama had at one point the 60 votes he needed, they weren’t being realistic about who Joe Lieberman or Ben Nelson or Blanche Lincoln really are.  (Once Teddy Kennedy died, that all became a moot point anyway) The time to go after the REAL republican agenda was the first day President Obama took office.  What we’re seeing now is that President Obama is finding himself in the position of having to do now what he should have done then.  The problem with that is it’s too late to hold Bush/Cheney accountable for the torture, the violations of FISA, the outing of a covert CIA agent, the TARP bailouts, the lying America into the Iraq fiasco, the blunderous policy in Afghanistan, the purging of the Justice department (where new hires had to take the equivalent of a GOP loyalty oath), the deregulation of our financial system, the Housing crisis, and I could go on and on.  What Obama accomplished by “looking forward instead of back” was allowing the republican spin machine to convince a significant portion of America’s voting public that he actually created this MESS – and for the perpetrators to “get away with their crimes!”

It didn’t help the president when he selected Rahm Emmanuel as his chief of staff – the consummate Washington “insider” – and then filled his “inner circle” with Wall Street cronies like Tim Geithner, Larry Summers, and as Attorney General Eric Holder.  For me, Holder has turned out to be the ultimate disappointment.  This particular post obviously is aimed at him along with the president.  I have often wondered what was the real motivation behind their timidity toward republican accountability.  Were they thinking that by being “nice” the republicans would return the “favor” and cooperate legislatively?  Is that what led to the constant “caving” as Obama sought “bipartisanship?”  I have to say that if that was the thinking, they are more naive than me (and, I’m right up their in the “clueless” category).  I predicted within a couple months (the posts are still on the site if you want to check) of Obama’s inauguration that he was risking being a “one term” president by taking this course of action.  Unfortunately, one of my other predictions has already come through, and that was the 2010 disaster at the polls for the democrats.  The American people just don’t want presidents who are indecisive – even if it’s just in appearance.  The progressives didn’t vote for republicans or tea partiers in 2010, it’s just that many didn’t vote at all.  I voted (I always vote :o), but it was easy to predict what was going to happen.  I just don’t understand why President Obama and his advisers couldn’t see this coming.

Now, I have to say that President Obama has proven himself anything but indecisive in many instances – ie  saving the auto industry in America (and, make no mistake about this – his 2012 opponent and the rest of the republican party was willing to throw GM, Chrysler, and what would have been Ford “UNDER THE BUS” in 2009 – that was a bailout that worked and was necessary to save MILLIONS of American blue collar [and white collar] jobs – and, it was orchestrated solely by the Obama administration) –  the decision to FINALLY get Osama bin Laden took more courage than the republicans showed for the 7 years following 9/11 that Bush/Cheney ruled – think of the outcry if the raid that killed bin Laden had failed – that was a decisive decision! (I’m predicting republicans won’t want to talk about this – remember, when Bush/Cheney were in office the famous Bush quote “I don’t know where he is, I really don’t spend that much time on him” regarding the perpetrator of 9/11 said it all to me.  9/11 gave Bush/Cheney and their supporters from the “Project for a New American Century” the reason to invade Iraq and push our defense spending [these people are mostly executives from the defense oriented industries] into the stratosphere)  I believe the president has come to “grips” with this “perception problem” and lately  has been attempting to “reconnect” with his “base” (people like me) with some very populist rhetoric.  The problem he has for 2012 (which I’ve also predicted) is that many of his original supporters don’t trust his rhetoric anymore.

What I’m trying to point out here is how misguided some of the decisions of the Obama administration have been and how they have done nothing positive for Obama or America, but how they are threatening at this point to allow republicans to regain control of our government – and, with the help of Citizens United – this time it could be a stranglehold.  I have to say that those behind the scenes who are controlling the republican agenda are having a clear struggle finding their mouthpieces – GW Bush had difficulty putting a complete sentence together most of the time and I’m not sure if Mitt Romney might not be a step down in that regard.  I can only hope that should Romney prevail in November (the thought makes my stomach queezy) that his incompetence as a political thinker and his clear lack of leadership ability will be so obvious that it will derail the “next” attempt of Karl Rove and people like Grover Norquist to impose their “permanent republican majority” on America.  I’m worried that Citizens United could allow enough money into our political process to actually destroy the foundation of our republic according to the “whims” of America’s corporate elite.  (remember, they count their money in the BILLIONS and they still want MORE)

The problem progressives have with a situation that should be a walkover (ie  1% vs 99%) – is the amount of money that’s going to come down in 2012 (we’re already seeing signs of this – Scott Walker was able to spend close to $100 MILLION to defend himself against the recent recall – think about that, $100 MILLION for a $200 THOUSAND/year job).  How much do you think the so-called Super PACs will spend to defeat Obama?  And, remember; there is virtually NO accountability for these PACs.  We’ll never know who’s infusing the money and there is no requirement for truth to be any part of their message.  I don’t expect Eric Holder to step in and attempt to insure there is NO foreign money involved, that NONE of the PACs are affiliated with a candidate (let’s face it, Obama will have his own “Super PAC”), and that people follow the intent (whatever that is) of the law.  Holder is continuing the Bush/Cheney/Gonzales tradition that the Justice Department is there to hold us “little people” accountable.  (I’ve often wondered, who in our government did Roger Clemons piss off? Why did they choose him? Why is lying about steroids worse than authorizing multiple tortures – some resulting in death? or outing a covert CIA agent? or sending troops to war based on lies?)  Clearly, the Obama/Holder tie to Wall Street has been a detriment to President Obama’s administration politically (it’s turned off massive numbers of “progressives”) and it hasn’t resulted in much positive from Wall Street itself in return – the reports are that Wall Street is SOLIDLY backing (financially) Romney.  Mr. President, do you see what “nice” is getting you?

Here’s where I stand.  Despite my disappointment with President Obama in many ways, as I’ve had to do for the 40+ years I’ve been voting, I’m picking the better of two imperfect options – and, Barrack Obama is such a HUGE upgrade from Mitt Romney that my inner self is telling me the American people are, despite my discussion of “low information voters,” not STUPID enough to go back to the “republican way” four short years after what they did to this nation.  Honestly, if that happens, I think I will go into a state of depression.  It was all I could do to stomach 8 long years of GW Bush, knowing that him and his cronies were ROBBING the American taxpayers of TRILLIONS of dollars that could go to education, infrastructure, good will to the many hungry people around the globe, and a list of things that is too long for this post.  The entire world was upbeat when Obama took office, and it’s like the air has been slowly leaving the balloon since those first erroneous decisions.  And, for some reason, presidents can’t admit mistakes – evidently we’ve convinced ourselves that OUR presidents MUST be perfect – but, based on the recent rhetoric of Obama, I believe his mistakes have finally set in.  I believe he’s FINALLY realizing this political battle is a WAR for the heart and soul of America.  Are we a nation whose strength emanates from the bottom? Or, are we going to continue the fantasy of “Trickle Down” imposed upon us 30+ years ago by Mr. Reagan (who, by the way, would be a liberal by today’s republican standards)?  Mitt Romney is proposing TRILLIONS in additional tax cuts for him and his buddies at the top – are “we the people” stupid enough to say “yes?”  (remember, not only is the health of our economy at stake in 2012, but if we get a couple more Supreme Court justices like John Roberts and Sam Alito, the damage of Obama’s missteps could last for more than a generation!)

The bottom line:  People like me, who consider themselves liberal (progressive) – honestly, it was only about 20 years ago that I would have called myself a “moderate conservative” – had better become active in trying to help President Obama get reelected – plus get a majority in the House and a larger majority in the Senate – or the future for our children and grandchildren will take a huge move in the wrong direction.  I’m sending what little money I have to people like Elizabeth Warren in Massachusetts, Allan Grayson in Florida,  and, in my case, the democratic candidate for governor in my state (Washington).  The republican opponent is a Scott Walker clone – and, the reality is there seems to be no shortage of candidates willing to do the bidding of the Kochs and people like them – “we the people” had better get educated so at the very least we know what we’re voting for (or against).  The Walker types are coming at us in droves and there is a national “plan” the right wing of the republican party has to pull off this “takeover” of our government right down to the state levels – state by state.

I’ll end by saying, as a teacher, EVERY person I work with has a college degree (most have Masters degrees), and based on my informal polling, the number of people who don’t even know what Citizens United is makes me very nervous.  Many of the teachers in my school are watching Fox “news” and believing it’s really news.  To me that is really scary!