Shine Perrishing Republic

According to the Washington Post, one of the reasons the Democrats lost control of the Senate was friction between the Obama White House and the DNc, especially in regards to fund raising. The conventional wisdom is that nothing has really changed, that it's just going to be more partisan gridlock. That's like telling a morbidly obese person that another bag of potato chips can't do any harm. The fact that gridlock has become the norm can only be pernicious in a country with as many problems as this one. A political system that can't solve or face it's problems is in trouble, and may well be headed for doom.

The organizationl inepititude of the Democrats extends back nearly 40 years. After Nixon's resignation in 1974, it seemed there might be a resurgence of progressive politics in America. Instead, when the election of 1976 came around, all the Democrats had to offer was Jimmy Carter. It has become fashionalbe to say that in order to be a proper Democrat one must be a member of the Jimmy Carter Fan Club. Now, Jimmy Carter might be a very nice man, but he was also a very ineffectual leader, and his bad decisions led to the belief that "Democrats Can't Govern."

The basic failure of Barack Obama is that his real role model wasn't FDR of LBJ but Bill Clinton. Clinton is supposedly the only "successful" Democrat of the last half century although it seems in retrospect that the only thing Clinton succeeded at was getting re-elected to a second term.

What's going to happen next is fairly predictable. The GOP will install Jeb Bush as President in 2016, and I say install because no Democrat will be able to beat him. Not Hilary Rodham Clinton, who is now the person everyone hates, or creaky Joe Biden. Once in the White House, Jeb, like his father and brother, will launch a series of wars. Against whom, is not important, he'll just throw darts at a map. At this point, the dominant paradigm of low taxes and reckless warmongering, will probably sink the US economy. Europe already bankrupted itself propping up the US economy during Bush II's Presidency. China isn't going to back America. In fact if China and Russia get their heads together, they could sink the US dollar, and the US economy.

Ultimately, the USA will go down in history as just another empire that bankrupted itself in useless wars.

No Good Choices?

With a week to go before the midterm elections, I suspect that, whoever wins or loses, the real story for 2014 will be how the political discourse finally became incoherent. Consider, for instance, the Senate race in Iowa where GOPer Joni Ernst seems to be ahead. Ernst is a typical Tea Bagger, a paranoid gun fetishist who nevertheless is ahead because of her defense of social security. I hesitate to heap praise on someone like Ernst but I have to say that she offers a more active defense of social security than some Democrats. Does that seem weird? No weirder than when the Obama administration proposed cutting Social Security in the name of savings. It's unfortunate that the President has surrounded himself with Wall Street and Beltway insiders and has become increasingly isolated from the people who voted for him in the first place. If the Democrats lose, it will be because people don't buy the way the talk a lot of "New Deal" nostalgia on the campaign and behave like GOPers when they get elected.

Illegal Immigration Falling Off

Remember during the summer when the GOP and the Media were making a big deal about the surge of illegal immigration from Central America? Now media outlets are reporting a drop in illegal immigration. The credit supposedly goes to increased border security. Notice how GOPers are no longer talking about the "illegal surge."

The problem is that increased enforcement is only a temporary solution. We need immigration reform. But it seems that politics in America no longer tries to solve problems.

Ebola: The Red Death

The Ebola epidemic is being described as the biggest health emergency of our time. Once again the deprivation of the public health system by bad economic policies is making matters worse. Ebola is a disease that could be easily contained if there were enough resources. Like AIDS in the 80's which could have been stopped except that the right-wing political establishment labeled it a "lifestyle" problem. The neglect of public health is endangering everybody. Infectious diseases, like tuberculosis and whooping cough, that a few decades ago seemed extinct, are now returning. If these diseases come back, everyone will be at risk, regardless of wealth or status.

Why You Should Vote Democratic

With the unemployment rate below 6% and with gasoline prices falling to nearly $3 a gallon, it's fair to say that the economy is improving to as much as it could under the circumstances. With many so-called progressives continue to complain about how "disappointed" they are with President Obama, their complaining isn't going to do accomplish anything. The problem with the Left is that they have gotten into the habit of complaining without do anything.

The President's decision to delay action on immigration reform is a mistake to be sure. But stop and think what will happen if the GOP gains control of the entire Congress? There will be no immigration reform then. Sometimes, you have to take the lesser evil.

Up in the Clouds

The recent spate of celebrity hacking scandals shows the problem with "cloud based computing." Cloud computing, " sharing of resources to achieve coherence " is supposedly the big new thing in computing. What actually is happening is that big corporate interests, also known as the Enemies of Humanity, are forcing this on computer users. It's like a travel agency charging top dollar for a private suite, and then sticks you in a dorm where you have to share a bathroom with 50 other people. It's odd that techie libertarians who are so paranoid about government interference, are silent when corporate interests invade people's privacy.

Watching Ken Burns "The Roosevelts"

Last week PBS aired Ken Burns series "The Roosevelts" which was a revelation even to those who are knowledgeable about American History. It shows how the careers of Theodore, Franklin, and Eleanor Roosevelt were entwined with Progressivism, which a century ago was a bipartisan movement with adherents in both the Republican and Democratic Parties. The fortunes of the family were affected with the twists and turns of American politics in the early 20th century and the demise of Progressive Republicans after 1920. The Roosevelts were all complex and flawed people, to be sure, but overall they changed our lives for the better. The point is that history isn't made by "heroes" it is made by people. We must take charge of the situation ourselves and not keep waiting for someone to "make it right."

As Eleanor Roosevelt put it "You must do the thing you think you cannot do.”

From Hero to Zero

The conviction of Oscar Pitorius for the murder of his lover Reva Steenkamp is seeing as a turning point in public awareness for the problem of relationship violence. Of course the problem of domestic violence is often interconnected with the problem of gun violence, especially in countries with a permissive attitude toward gun ownership(like the US and South Africa.) Just a few months ago Ronald Lee Haskell killed his four children, his sister in law, and her husband. That shows the mentality of certain men, who are not only violent but anti-social and inhuman. We can see that in the gun nuts who say "Your dead kids don't come before my right to own guns." Considering that those kind of maniacs will probably kill even their own children, we can see how dangerous those kinds of people can be.

Time to Dump Gump

This is the twentieth anniversary of "Forrest Gump" and it's being treated like some kind of cinematic event. Personally I think "Gump" is one of the most detestable movies ever made. On the surface it's basically an excuse for the Great Baby Boomer Sell-Out; after that generation gave up on the dreams of "Changing the World" the only goals they had left were to make a pile of money and marry their High School crushes. But Gump had another purpose the slogan of "Stupid is as Stupid does" was a crucial point in the cultural dumbing down of America. How we went from "Stupidity is funny" to "stupidity is adorable" was largely due to what may be called "Gumpism." The Presidency of George W. Bush was based on him pretending to be Gump. The whole charade was a clever trick by the Big Media to pretend to love the ignorance and stupidity of the most backwards elements in the country (whom they actually despise, of course) while actually maintaining their sense of superiority. Now the same media is becoming infatuated Rick "shit for brains" Perry. Perry would make a worse President than GWB, but the only way that any President could be worse would be by destroying the country.

Maybe it's time that we remember to think with our brains.

Rigth-wing Venom Machine at Work

The killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson Mo shows how the right wing media spews hatred and lies. The whole mob of right wing bloggers and reporters have been spreading lies, such as that Brown stole cigars from a store (false), that he charged at Officer Darren Wilson, and even that Wilson suffered an eye injury (completely false). Once again, as Mark Twain said, a lie can travel around the world while the truth is putting on his shoes. The agenda, once again, is to stir up white fears about "black crime," because racism is the only domestic agenda that the Right has.

Remembering 1974

This year also marks the 40th anniversary of another tempestuous year, 1974. In this country it is most remembered for the resignation of Richard Nixon. People may remember the scandal but not the meaning, or the harm that Nixon did to this country. Those of us who still remember the late 60's and early 70's can recall that America was still hopeful and optimistic in spite of the Vietnam war, riots, and assassination. What really soured this country was Nixon's conduct throughout the Watergate scandal, the sight of an American President behaving like a two bit crime boss left a scar upon this country that has never healed. Nixon's career, from his first run for Congress, was built on slander and divisiveness, and he remade American politics in his own grotesque image.

Remembering 1914

This year, 2014, has been a tumultuous one in its own right. But this is also the 100 anniversary of the outbreak of World War I. Much has been written about the war and its impact, which is still being felt today. One very clear point is the danger of needless escalation. What happened in 1914 should have only been a regional war between Austria-Hungary and Germany. It only became a World War because the "great powers" Germany, France, Britain decided to jump in. They were motivated by a fatal combination of arrogance and overconfidence: they were sure that the war would be over by Christmas and that they would win. It turned out to be the second most destructive war in history in which there were no real winners.

Today, the GOP is trying to push the US into an aggressive military posture which could have serious consequences. Foreign policy needs to be based on careful consideration, not aggressive bluster. If we need to fight, that's one thing, but war should only be the last option.

Mark Twain Revisited

PBS re-aired Ken Burns' documentary on the life of Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens). Twain's works, and his persona, have come to be overlaid with nostalgic sentimentality but a closes look at his writings show a much more complex reality. His novels, "Tom Sawyer" and "Huckleberry Finn" on close reading, are actually about children discovering the cruelty that underlies everyday reality. Some have criticized Twain for not fully confronting the issue of racism but within the context of 19th century the only White Americans who truly have a clear conscience on the issue were a small group of hard core abolitionists. Most white Americans failed to deal with the issue: the ex-Confederates invented the "Antebellum" myth which their descendants cling to this very day. Most moderate whites gave up on social reform by the end of the 1870's and embraced a culture of financial speculation (which parallels what's happened to America during the last four decades of the 20th century). Twain was no different from most people of the time although he did not become a total sell out. Twain always continued to denounce racism and imperialism as well as advocating voting rights for women. Twain embodied a time and place; 19th century America in all its promises and failures.

Rick Perry: Show of Force or Farce?

Rick Perry is actually thinking about the Presidency in 2016. Apparently he's got the eye of the Washington Media who have declared him to be "handsome" (Perry does bear a marked resemblance to "Jump the Shark" actor Ted McGinley). So Perry gets to "swagger" around like he's got a cactus stuck up his ass. Now he want to take on the "illegal immigration crisis" by sending the National Guard to the Mexican border. This move will cost up to $12 million a month. This from an administration that begrudges every penny spent on education and healthcare.

The Congressional GOP isn't any better. They turned down the President's request for $3 billion (about what was spent in a day's fighting in Iraq). Then they GOPers went on vacation without passing any bill. It's obvious that the GOPers don't want to solve the problem, just have at as a campaign issue. If they get away with it then this country is probably hopeless.

The Death of a Dream

The recent announcement by Microsoft that it is cutting 18,000 jobs is the Death of the Silicon Valley Dream. The Silicon Valley dream is really just a memory of the 80's when the computer boom was getting underway. As the rest of the economy was struggling, Silicon Valley became the vision of new technology and a new industry, where you could earn a six figure salary while wearing Birkenstocks to work and taking breaks to play hackey sack. The dream started to fade after the tech crash of 2000. Now workers in computers and info tech are facing the same uncertainty as everybody else. Remember when the BlackBerry was the must have techie gizmo? Now the company that makes BlackBerry is also struggling. We seem to have reached the ultimate absurdity of planned obsolescence, buying techie gadgets that are obsolete by the time they hit the market.

The Plot to Destroy the Middle Class

There's a growing body of evidence that the American middle class has been declining for decades. It used to be true that Americans had the best standard of living and that American blue collar workers lived better than the white collar workers in the rest of the world. Now that's no longer true, with persistent unemployment and rising costs of just about everything from housing to healthcare. The prevailing economic theory which is just to let the rich get richer at everybody's expense will only make matters worse.

In other advanced countries it is the middle class that has always supported the welfare state. In those countries people realize that government has a role in maintaining social equality. In the US on the other hand, the "Age of Affluence" during the fifties and sixties convinced most middle class americans that they didn't need a welfare state. The made it possible for right wing propagandists to spread lies and distortions about the welfare state and even to turn the word "welfare" into a pejorative term.

In reality the age of affluence came to an end during the recession of 1974-75. It's been downhill ever since for most Americans with economic and social stagnation making it harder for people to get ahead or even maintain their standards of living. Yet people continue to hold to a mentality of "affluence" even though fewer and fewer people enjoy it. We no longer have a system of class but of caste; social mobility is only possible for a few members of the upper middle class who manage to move into the upper class (like Mark Zuckerberg).

Why the American middle class allowed this to happen to them? Partly because it's difficult for people to change their way of thinking.

The Final Nail in the Coffin

The final proof that the Bush administration's rationale for invading Iraq was a pack of lies appears in an article by Knut Royce in the Huffington Post titled "Remembering the Hoax That Helped Launch the U.S. Invasion, and Later Disintegration, of Iraq". As Royce puts it

The forged reports alleged that Saddam Hussein had been secretly buying the raw material to build an atomic bomb, uranium ore, and became George W. Bush's most compelling selling point for the invasion some eleven years ago. Many intelligence officials and members of his administration at the time suspected that, at the very least, the intelligence was questionable.

And as we all remember Condi Rice was running around scaring everybody with visions of mushroom clouds. The thing is that the documents, known as the "Italian letter," were bogus. As Royce puts it

The documents were crafted by rogue Italian intelligence officers who wanted to peddle them to unsuspecting countries, including Britain and the U.S. -- or anyone else with cash. The centerpiece, or The Italian Letter, was a July 27, 2000, letter purportedly written to Saddam by the president of Niger, an impoverished African country. It allegedly formalized an agreement reached by representatives of both countries three weeks earlier for the supply of 500 tons of uranium ore, also known as yellow cake. The Italian intelligence service, SISMI, first alerted the CIA to the alleged transaction on Oct. 15, 2001, when America was still reeling from al Qaeda's attacks. But it gave no details, such as the tonnage being purchased, and provided no documentation.

Ultimately, the Bush admin. wasn't relying on facts but on fear and hysteria. And the rest is history.

Another FUBAR Courtesy of the GOP

What is so grotesque about our political culture is how the GOP causes problems and then gets to escape the blame by a lot of macho wipe posturing. The recent "surge" of Central American immigrants is a case in point. GOPer politicians are demagoguing the issue which they themselves caused by (1 blocking immigration reform (2 underfunding
the immigration service (3 pushing "free trade" agreements like NAFTA and CAFTA. Anybody who talks about "sealing the borders" is pandering the boneheads who comprise the political "base" of the GOP. Who do they get away with it? It helps that the right wing corporate media acts as nothing more than a GOPER propaganda machine.

Democrat Ineptitude Syndrome

The general concensus is that the GOP is going to win big in this year's elections. How's that possible given their dysfunctional and negligent conduct? Because the Dems are even worse. They're like the Iraqi army that doesn't put up a fight. Case in point the Highway Trust Fund is about to go insolvent. The Gopers act like there's no problem, the Dems are proposing an increase in the sales tax on gasoline. This while gas prices are soaring to the highest levels in years. The Obama admin. blew its chance years ago when it should have made repeal of the Bush tax cuts in the rich its top priority. Now they Dems are proposing a tax which will fall hardest on ordinary people. Which will allow the Gopers to paint the Dems as "tax and spenders." No wonder the Dems lose even when they should win.

You Want A War? Pay for It!

As Iraq continues to disintegrate into violence and chaos, mainly due to the ineptitude of its government, the same neo-conservative mafia that sold the disaster of Iraq--Woflowitz, Bremer, Feith-- are all over the media, urging a new American invasion of Iraq. The fact that these liars are getting a platform by the media shows what the real agenda of the corporate interests who own the media. It turns out that Lara Logan is back at CBS. You'd think that with her track record she'd be relegated to appearing on infomercials. That CBS would take her back shows how low the standards of the mainstream have sunk.

Let's get one thing clear: Iraq was never ours to lose or win. This campaign is being waged by the GOP in order to rally its base by turning the Iraq war into some kind of "lost cause." Those people who are so anxious to go to war should answer this question: how are you going to pay for the war? Bring back the draft, impose credit controls, bring back the draft?

Think about that!

Another Faith Based Horror

If someone wrote a history of all the crimes and atrocities of the Roman Catholic Church, how many volumes would it be? Recently, in the Irish town of Tuam there has been discovered a mass grave containing the remains of hundreds of children. This was on the grounds of a "Mother Baby Homes" that the Catholic Church used to run. The matter is still under investigation, but these children apparently died at the home.

The Catholic church created a culture of hypocrisy and denial, in which young women grew up in ignorance of human reproduction. When some of these young women ended up getting pregnant, they faced social ostracism produced by the same culture. The so called "Mother Baby Homes" were really a part of a child trafficking scheme run by the Church itself. And the church was also receiving subsidies from the Irish government. So much for "faith based" social services.

300 Farting Gopers

The GOP and the right-wing media are actually attacking the Obama administration for sending 5 detainees to Qatar in order to secure the release of Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl. These are the same people who actually defend Ronald Reagan for sending missiles to Iran to secure the release of American hostages, but that was back in the '80s so they hope that nobody will remember. Congressional Gopers are feeling on the upswing after they forced out Erik Shinseki out of the VA. Entirely lost in the matter is that funding for the VA is set by the House of Representatives which is controlled--by Gopers! It seems reminiscent of the farting cows who caused a barn in Germany to blow up back in January by emitting methane gas. GOPers do the same thing--except that they pass gas through the mouth instead of the rectum.

It Matters Even If It Doesn't

The bigwigs of global capitalism are meeting in London for a conference on "inclusive capitalism." Lynn Forester de Rothschild, the hostess of the event, said "It's true that the business of business is not to solve society's problems," but added that "But it is really dangerous for business when business is viewed as one of society's problems. And that is where we are today." It is naïve to think that anything constructive will emerge from the London shindig. It's importance lies in that the richest of the richest now realize that the situation cannot continue. Change occurs slowly. It's been said that it takes three generations to change a system, whether in politics, economics, or anything; one generation to doubt it privately, another generation to question it openly, and a third to rise up and attack it. For the past three decades, we have lived with the ideology that there is no alternative to the "rich getting richer," even though it growing numbers of people have come to question it privately. We now have gotten to the point that the ideology is coming under open assault. The task is to replace the current system.

Another world is not only possible, it is urgently needed.

Don't Cry for Her America

The Monica Lewinsky affair continues to be an obsession with right-wingers (Rand Paul himself tried to dredge it up recently). Now Lewinsky herself has come out with article in Vanity Fair(vanity all right.) She doesn't have anything new to say, other than using the rhetoric of victimhood to make it sound like we should all feel sorry for her. In reality, one is struck by the utter self absorption of the piece, as if feeling aggrieved were the only sense of "specialness" that is left for Lewinsky. We gather that she wanted to lead a "sex in the city lifestyle," but apparently that didn't happen. When you consider that there are people going hungry, Lewinsky's problems seem rather trivial.

'Tis dangerous when the baser nature comes
Between the fell and incensed points
Of mighty opposites.

Wm. Shankespeare, Hamlet, V.ii.60-62.

Dreams of Jeb

It goes to show how the moral and intellectual emptiness of the GOP that their dream candidate for is Jeb Bush. It seems astonishing that after all this time the GOP can't do any better than bank on the faded "glory" of the Bush clan. Even the Bush matriarch, Barbara, is on record as saying that there have been "enough Bushes." But Jeb, has adopted a moderate stance on immigration reform, which means he's the only Repub who could "rally the base" and attract moderate and independent supporters. That of course pre-supposes that the hard right will come to their senses.

The possibility of a Jeb Bush candidacy doesn't seem terribly thrilling. But Bush I and Bush II weren't taken all that "seriously" at first." The Bushes may not be inspirational or profound but they possess a ruthless and relentless desire to win. If Jeb were to get into the race he might very well get the nomination.

The problem is that the GOP doesn't have anyone else to offer. Absent Jeb Bush, the front runner would be Mitt Romney. Didn't he stink out the joint in 2012? But he's the only other Repub with the clout to win the nomination and the regular election. Rick Perry still thinks he has a chance, but that just shows how big a moron he is.

The campaign of 2016 is going to come down money. Some estimates are that the presidential campaign of that year is going to exceed 1 billion dollars. That probably means there will be no insurgent or "dark horse" candidates that year. And that says a lot of what has happened to American politics.

Are These People Hopeless?

I've never agreed with those who say that America is inherently racist. It's true that America does have a racist problem but I thought we were making progress. I was going to write about Cliven Bundy, the "militia" leader who's been illegal grazing cattle on public (that is our land) and got into a confrontation with Federal authorities. Bundy
has revealed himself to be a racist claiming that Black people were better off under slavery.

Recently, however, Donald Sterling the real estate tycoon and owner of the LA Clippers, was caught on tape making hateful remarks about Black people. This is from someone who employs many African Americans. I guess, that's why racism persists. It serves to foster a sense of "white solidarity" between rich fat cats like Sterling and small time losers like Bundy.

We Can Stop Taking David Brooks Seriously

David Brooks is one of those conservative pundits who seem to hold himself a cut above the typical yack mouths who appear on, say, Fox News. Last Sunday, however, his performance on Meet the Press, calls into question whether he's really that bright. Brooks, in a rambling attack on the administration's foreign policy, accused President Obama of having a "manhood problem." Now, it's clear that Brooks probably gets paid by the word, so he has to keep thinking of stuff to say just for the sake of it. But if he comes across like a boor, maybe he should hire a ghost writer. Or if he really thinks it's a "manhood" problem, he should go to Donetsk and face down the Russian army by dropping his pants.

The Problems of Longevity

It's ironic that with everyone living longer the problem of caring for the elderly is posing challenges for our society that unfortunately are not being addressed. Personally, I don't think that the challenge of providing the elderly with decent care should be based on purely economic considerations. The obsession with "productivity" in practice amounts to trying to get more revenue with fewer workers. Standard economics does not consider that making, for example, teachers work with more students or nurses attend more patients might actually degrade the quality of service. This is a question we need to address because we are all headed there someday.

How Rational is Reason?

If there is an "Libertarian" publication I suppose it might be Reason magazine. Ironically, it shows the follies of Libertarian thinking. The recent article "Libertarianism Is More Than Just Rejecting Force" by Sheldon Richman which supposedly deals with the issue " Are there distinctly libertarian grounds for disapproving of racist conduct that does not involve the use of force?" Libertarians supposedly oppose the use of force against anyone anywhere. Who could argue with that? The problem always comes when applying abstract principles to the complicated realities of the actual world. Richman concludes that:

" Libertarians should have no trouble condemning racism in terms of their political philosophy while emphasizing that nonviolent racism can and, under appropriate circumstances, should be met only by nonviolent — and specifically, nonstate — countermeasures."

Let's remember how many people were beaten, tortured and killed trying to engage in non-violent resistance against racism.

The deeper problem is that Richman doesn't mention the reality of racism; how it wasn't simply a matter of "liking" or "disliking" certain groups of people, but rather of maintaining people in a subordinate position; whether as slaves, as "second class" citizens, or simply as scapegoats for the established regime. Richman's article is another example of the Libertarian tendency to ignore concrete reality and wander into an abstract fantasy land.

Are You Outraged Yet?

Back in February there was widespread outraged when Ethan Couch, the son of a wealthy Texas family, got of with probation even after he killed four people while driving drunk. His lawyers invented some kind of cockamamie "affluenza" defense which is absolute garbage. Except when it justifies the rich getting away with literal murder. Now there's a case even more revolting. Robert H. Richards IV , heir to the DuPont chemical fortune, sexually assaulted his infant daughter but served no jail time. How's that for special treatment?

It is clear that the rich have gotten out of control, when they can kill and rape with impunity. It's clear what we need to do: bring down the rich!

Repub Racism Log: Donald Rumsfeld

Donald Rumsfeld, whose role in the Iraq debacle has been documented elsewhere, said that a "trained ape" could a better job than President Obama. He was talking about the lack of a status of forces agreement between the US and Afghanistan. The curious thing is that Rumsfeld had to choose that kind of language. Keeping track of racist comments made by Repubs could become a full time occupation. But not a very pleasant one.

Naming the Problem

There's a saying that seeing the problem is half the solution. Another aspect might be naming or describing the problem. One reason why people have trouble accepting the reality of climate change is that it is commonly called "global warming." It's true that average global temperatures have risen and continue to rise, but to people suffering through this year's brutal winter might well think "This is global warming?" People find it difficult to perceive phenomena on the global level. This can lead to "Frog in the Boiling Water;" phenomenon. If a change takes place gradually people might not notice a change that is taking place until the catastrophic changes have taken place. Perhaps it would be better to emphasize the reality of global climate change, and point out the clear evidence that is taking place.

War Heads Blundering Forth

The House of Representatives has just approved a 1 billion dollar aid bill to Ukraine. Except that the Ukrainians want 15 billion. This is from the same Congress that has cut the guts out of Education and Science research, and that won't even fund the construction of roads and bridges. The same conservative blowhards who yell "American Supremacy," are making this country backward and retrograde. Do they think that the greatness of America lies in their big mouths?

Once again we are being duped by people we know nothing about. The Ukrainian nationalists who supposedly hate everything about the Soviet Union, yet insist on maintaining a border that was drawn up by the Soviets. It's time we developed some street smarts about dealing with other countries.

The Crimea Is None of Our Business

The recent "revolution" in Ukraine and the possibility of a war in Crimea calls for some historical perspective. Remember how back in 2004 the "Orange Revolution" was supposedly going to turn the Ukraine into a shining beacon of democracy? In reality, the Orange Revolution turned into political infighting and corruption and the Ukraine has become a political and economic basket case. Now conservative politicians in Europe and the US are trying to start a new cold war with Russia. War mongering is the only position those people can adopt. After two expensive and failed wars in Iraq and Afghanistan how could anyone consider a war over the Ukraine unless they're insane, which many conservatives probably are.

There are also talks about the US "bailing out" the Ukraine to the tune of several billion dollars. This is after deep cuts to food aid programs. People will starve here in America while billions are being squandered to prop up a corrupt regime in the Ukraine. Isn't that appalling?

Right-Wing "Newspeak"

George Orwell, in his novel 1984, created a language called "Newspeak" which the totalitarian rulers of Oceania used to distort the people's thinking processes and make it easier for them to accept the regimes lies. Even though Orwell was using an exaggerated form of the actual distortions of language employed by the Soviet Union, recently right wing extremists have begun to engage in similar distortions of thought and language.

The recent waves of homophobic legislation, from Russia to Nigeria and Uganda, as well as the recent bill in Arizona that would legalize discrimination against gay people, is being promoted by a coalition of right wing groups. Many of these are the usual suspects, the Family Research Council and the National Organization for Marriage, as well as other groups that claim that homophobia is a manifestation of "religious freedom," names like the "Liberty Counsel." This basically is the twisted logic of these creeps; that "religious freedom" gives them the right to persecute other people. The Oceania regime, who's secret police called itself the "Ministry of Love," was just as repulsive.

"Stand Your Ground:" Licence to Kill

Michael Dunn, a 47 year old white man who murdered a black teenager, has been convicted of attempted murder but the jury hung on the question of murder. This was clearly a case of racial violence, Dunn has a long history of making racist statements. It should be obvious that "Stand Your Ground" laws pander to white fears of "black crime," and encourage racial violence by whites against blacks. The sickness of racism continues to fester.

Guilt by Accusation

The recent resurgence of sexual abuse accusations against Woody Allen by his former adopted daughter Dylan Farrow, brings back an old convoluted scandal from 20 years ago. Mia Farrow, who had a relationship with Allen from 1982 to 1980, adopted Dylan and 10 other children, in addition to 4 biological children she has birthed over the years. In 1987, Farrow gave birth to a son Ronan, who was presented as the son of Woody Allen, but Farrow now claims he's actually the son of Frank Sinatra, to whom Farrow was married from 1966 to 1968 and who was 30 years older than Farrow.

Concerning the allegations made by Dylan Farrow, she was examined by a medical team who concluded that the allegations were untrue. Even though we've been told to "Believe the Victim," we should keep in mind that these cases are extremly complex, and we should be very reluctant to condemn people wihtout conclusive evidence. In added twist, another of Farrow's adopted sons, Moses, not only denies Dylan's accusation but also claims that Mia herself was often physically abusive toward her children. And we must believe the victims, right?

The question of sexual abusive has been plaguing the legal system since the 1980's when the McMartin case in California first led us to believe there were pedophiles under every bed, only to have the charges collapse when brought to the light of day. We could make a major research project about people who have been convicted of sexual abuse, and then the convictions have been overturned. In all matters we should not assign guilt simply on the basis of an accusation.

The Decline and Fall of National Review

Climate scientist Michael Mann is suing the National Review and one of it's contributors Mark Steyn. Steyn, a professional blowhard and Islamophobe known for making the rounds of Rush Limbaugh and other such shows, compared Mann to pedophile Jerry Sandusky. The remark was totally off base; just the kind of scurrilous attack that blowhards like Steyn habitually make. Many believe that a protracted battle could ruin the National Review financially.

The decline of the National Review itself illustrates the decline of American conservatism itself; from the intellectualism of William F. Buckley, it passed on to glib propagandists like Jonah Goldberg and Rich Lowry, and then to venom spewing morons like Mark Steyn. You could say it went from dumb to dumber.

Narrowcasting and Narrow Minds

If the history books are any indication it was the invention of printing that made the first information revolution possible, and that put information in the hands of ordinary people. Throughout the 20th century radio and television created the mass audience, that not only entertained the public but also allowed a public forum for the discussion of issues and ideas. Within the last 20 years, the growth of the internet and portable media players have created the phenomenon of "narrowcasting."

The term "narrowcasting" isn't new, supposedly it was coined in the late 60's. In the 1970's we saw the use of right-wing AM radio shows to push conservative politics. The establishment of Fox News, a propaganda channel pretending to provide news, is the ultimate example of narrowcasting. Supposedly people can now only listen to the media that they like, but they never have to listen to anybody else. That is why people can still believe that President Obama is a Kenya born Muslim and the Global Warming is a conspiracy invented by "evil scientists." The fans of right wing media have given up control of their brains to the owners of the conglomerates. That's what they should be worried about.

Pinning the Blame

Robert Gates in his recent book accuses the Obama administration of "lacking passion" for war and of being guided by "political" considerations. As if the invasion of Iraq had any but a political rationale: insuring that GWB would get his second term. He also complains that Obama officials didn't show enough "respect" to the top brass. Gates also complains about having to testify before Congress. Gates' real problem is that he resents living in a democracy and would probably feel happier serving a military dictatorship.

It's clear that Iraq and Afghanistan are going to implode eventually and it's also clear what the right wing narrative is going to be; to blame everything on the Obama administration. President Obama's real mistake was in keeping Gates on as Sec. of Defense. We have already sacrificed enough in lives, in a ruined economy and a polarized political climate. To warmongers like Gates we should ask the question, why should we destroy America in the name of militarism?

Chris Christie's Sleazy Regime

Chris Christie became governor of New Jersey in 2009, showing the blustery bullying style that is so appealing to the Tea Partiers. Since assuming office he has been known for waging war on public education and for threatening his opponents with baseball bats. Except during Hurricane Sandy (Oct. 2012) Christie suddenly realized that he had a use for the Federal Government after, as a source of reconstruction aid. That led to attacks by ultra-rightists and Tea Baggers that Christie was a "traitor." Christie himself hasn't changed but the Tea Party has continued descending into deeper insanities, and so Christie now looks like a "moderate."

That may not matter much longer. It has been recently revealed that three Christie staffers deliberately close lanes on the George Washington Bridge that connects Fort Lee N.J. to New York City. The culprits were Bridget Anne Kelly, a top Christie aide, and David Wildstein and David Samson, members of the Port Authority appointed by Christie.
The targets of the bridge closures were Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich and State Senator Loretta Weinberg, both Democrats and Christie opponents. Kelly, Wildstein and Samson are out and Christie denies any knowledge of the incident. But investigations are just getting under way.

The closure of the George Washington Bridge is the sort of thing we would expect in a corrupt third world country. This shows how much the GOP and the Tea Party have degraded this country.

We So Do Not Need This

Calling out instances of racism is not at all amusing, in fact it's rather like cleaning out the bath tub; ugly and unpleasant. Still, racism of the garden variety, knocking other people to make yourself look good, continues to proliferate. Amy Chua, the infamous "Tiger Mom," and her husband Jed Rubenfeld have published a book called "The Triple Package" which argues that some ethnic groups are better than others, Jews, Chinese, Nigerians, Cubans, Nigerians, do better than others because they "feel superior" to others and because they have more impulse control. There's no real discussion as to why Cubans are "better" than Mexicans or Puerto Ricans, or why Nigerians are better than other African nationalities. I also suspect that Chua's Sinitic supremacism isn't going too well with Japanese or Koreans. Chua and Rubenfeld may think they're so smart but their arguments would only convince stupid people.

What's disturbing is that racists have become more flagrant. They make offensive and stupid statements and act like they're being very brave. It seems that the discussion of race in this country is going backwards than forwards.