Melting Steele

Just over 100 days into the Obama Administration and America's right-wing Republican/Conservative legion is being fed a massive dose of propaganda. The line goes like this: "Americans have learned what the Democrats' promise of 'change' really means -- an assault on capitalism, free enterprise and fiscal responsibility," not to mention "individual liberties sacrificed at the altar of collectivism." That great heaving hulk of ignorance and arrogance that passes as "the silent majority" is being fed huge portions of historical revisionism and washing it down with a heady brew of distilled delusion.

Stupid America, at about 50 percent of the population– most affiliated with Republicans/Conservatives reeking of religiosity –are being told to vote Republican next election because the $787 billion stimulus package contained "pork" and allowed bonuses for AIG officers via loophole. That the stimulus package was made necessary due to nearly thirty years of Republican fiscal mismanagement, of unchecked greed and avarice of the financial class, of Republicans getting all they wanted and more since Reagan, matters not at all. Nor does the fact that the so-called "pork" accounts for less than a percent of total. Nor does the fact that the faulty "loophole" was made possible by the malfeasance of the Bush Administration by way of one of the greatest transference of wealth mechanisms (from the many to the few) ever devised viz., TARP.

Nope. Obama and his ilk are at fault. Ilk? Yes… that other half of the country receptive of "Obama Democrats' dangerous liberal agenda" hell-bent on "fleecing (Americans') freedom and values." According to the propagandists, the Democrats are responsible for the huge debt, the budget deficit and a "destructive tax, spend and borrow agenda." [All above quotations from Michael Steele, RNC chairman, in a letter requesting contributions to help win back both houses come next election cycle.]

The fact that "supply side" economics (lowering income tax and capital gains tax rates for the wealthy as well as reducing regulation even as federal deficit spending increases thereby spurring supply side investment) has been a Republican/Conservative mainstay for thirty years seems irrelevant. The fact that both size of government and spending has increased exponentially under Republican Administrations apparently is irrelevant. The fact that debt has soared under Republican rule isn't relevant.

As one Republican/Conservative pundit opines, "I would love it if the GOP dedicated itself to cutting government by two-thirds, leaving only a minimal social safety net, a big honking military and a few other bells and whistles for promoting the general welfare. My ideal ticket in 2008 would have been Cheney-Gramm. That's right, Dick Cheney and Phil Gramm: two old white guys who would crush our enemies and liberate our economy while shouting, 'You kids get off my lawn!' at the filthy hippies who would inevitably accumulate outside the White House like so much bathroom fungus."

That was Jonah Goldberg, a member of the Conservative Ignorami that passes itself off as the right-wing's intellectual brain trust. Just 100 days into Obama's Administration and the above is what you get from those who have been in power and fucking up royally for three decades.

The putative, reigning king of the Republican party, Rush Limbaugh, claims what is needed isn't the current GOP "listening tour" (The National Council for A New America) but rather a teaching tour where Americans will be taught to recite the above distortions and outright lies as profound truths. Can't happen? Think again, dear hearts, for it happened in the small town I live in; GOP fabrications of such ludicrous proportion that the Dems refused to believe anyone could believe such outrageous claims so did nothing to counter the distortions and were promptly voted out in a sweep of historical proportions; that, after nearly two decades of building the case of GOP atrocities against town residents that ultimately resulted in a Democrat majority for the first time in fifty years. The moral of the story? Don't underestimate the GOP's willingness to lie and the stupidity of the "average" American.

No, this writer didn't forget that Clinton, a Dem, presided for two terms. But, as written in this space prior, Clinton did more to undermine middleclass Americans than any Republican would've been able to accomplish; well, any Republican other than Ronald Reagan, that colossus of mental acuity that prompted his supporters to chant, "Let Reagan be Reagan" until the addle pated headcheese spoke off the cuff and it became glaringly clear that his faculties (never honed anywhere near sharp) were atrociously atrophied from lack of use. Hence, why he is Sarah Palin's patron saint; she soooooooooo gets him! As does the "working class," Joe-the-Plumber's crowd, their greatest complaints centering on paying too much taxes (transfer of wealth) for bloated government that hinders job development; jobs they so desperately need. Hmm…One of Reagan's first acts was to fire all air traffic controllers for striking thereby crushing a union to serve as warning to all other union members (Reaganism: Fuck the working class). One of Reagan's other acts was to pledge and carry through on Federal tax reductions which directly led to the increased need for localities to substantially raise school taxes (Reaganism: Thieve from the poor give to the rich). Granted, the Gipper did make Americans feel good about themselves. Well, at least those scrubbed clean, crew-cutted, flag-waving patriots felt better after enduring a decade-and-a-half of having their self-centered shortcomings and provincial views (anti-feminist, anti-black, anti-gay, anti-third world) taken to task by "filthy hippies" who had taken to heart all the bullshit the American public was spewing and, upon attempting to implement those grand sentiments via application in the real world, found the "Greatest Generation" were frauds; their parents liars for talking the talk but then wanting to break the legs of those whom would walk the walk. Don't forget one of the biggest marketing coups in American history was the transformation of the 70s one-world generation to the "me" generation; that generation, fixated as it was on global considerations as a restraint against American adventurism abroad, classified as narcissistic miscreants unworthy of all but scorn from the "silent majority."

Another point well worth noting: Nothing in American politics is actually about Republican v Democrat ideals. It's about the few aiding the fewer at the expense of the many; Capitalism the coin of the realm. Both sides of the aisle are to blame for the failed conditions of education, housing, employment, taxation, health care, etc etc as applied to the "average" American. Yet, "average" Americans continue to rally behind their favorite ideological façade as if either side truly were working on the average Americans' behalf.

Doltism is alive and well here in the United States of America, for sure. Warning: Don't ever, ever underestimate the power of stupid people to band together and thwart the best intelligence a species has to offer.

It's happening right now.

The Judean Candidate

Many were the warnings about Candidate Barack Hussein Obama, everything from him being the Anti-Christ to Marx Incarnate. This writer laughed out loud at the ludicrous paranoia of our lunatic fringe unfortunately on public display right there on Main Street, U.S. of A. Now I'm beginning to wonder if something wasn't amiss after all. Those that ponder such things understand that we heard what we wanted/needed to hear coming from the lips of "the one." Still 'midst the Reagan Revolution—an unending orgy of Liberty at the expense of Equality, followed by Bush the Lesser's orgy of Executive Power sodomizing Truth, Justice and the American Way –just over half the country were desperate for deliverance from Republicanism run amok.

By the time the election was held, we had anointed a savior in Barack Obama. He would heal the sick and right all wrongs. He would make wine out of water and the "bread" we need would appear, in abundance, out of thin vaporous air. He would bring America back into God's good graces; ironic seeing as George W. was/is an evangelical believer yet acted the devil while in office. (Or, was that Cheney's hand up his puppet ass?) No mere man could ever hope to assuage such expectation without immense disappointment.

But, this writer is not talking about what others expect of him, rather, what the candidate stated he would do and what he would be about.

Now, in just six weeks' time, gestation completed, Obama the butterfly emerges from the chrysalis. He moves to shore up the financial institutions that greedily gambled their wads away. We, the taxpayers, now need to pony up for that. He moves to provide "universal health care." We, all taxpayers, now need to pony up for that even as ultimately access to all treatments will be not be allowed for all and most likely not even for most. Obama reversed Bush Administration decrees on abstinence teaching but refused to reverse abortion non-funding even as he acceded to continued faith-based group funding. He moves to shore up our troops in Afghanistan by committing another 17,000 (bringing the total to around 60,000; the unsuccessful Soviets had 160,000 troops committed to Afghanistan). We, the taxpayers, now need to pony up for this misadventure even as the excuse of stopping al Qaeda and the Taliban rings hollow knowing as we do that all unilaterally described (Western definition) "terrorists" agree that Israel's abuses in Palestine is the root cause for "terrorist acts" and only by getting to the root will the problem be solved.

On The Daily Show (originally aired 3 March 2009) Obama video clips appeared side-by-side with clips of George W. Bush each stating what the mission objectives are/will be in Iraq; Bush, as regarded the Surge influx of troops; Obama, as regards the mission once combat troops are withdrawn. The words are identical except for two; Bush used support Iraqi troops while Obama said assist Iraqi troops. We, the taxpayers, will have to continue to pony up boucoup bucks for years to come and, as was prophesied prior to the war, probably forever more as the United States desires that reserve of oil (continuing the legacy of the Truman Doctrine of U.S. national security trumping any/all foreign sovereignty's right to their own resources) even as it provides a strategic military base in a volatile region.

So much for what constraints were put in place to strait-jacket any Administration coming into office. Well, any Administration that wasn't Republican. After all, lest America forget (and that is already happening), Republicanism shorn of moral restraints brought us to the financial fleecing we're experiencing. Republicanism has been predicated on a rapacious Machiavellian philosophy of unrestrained "free markets" making the few rich richer, a few more that weren't rich getting to become rich and everyone else, the vast majority, can continue to pay the price of that heralded (and might this writer add, fabled) "individualism" Republicans so cherish. What's "individualist" about being a Ditto Head? Speaking of the heavyweight "leader" of the Republican Party, Rush Limbaugh, is he not the epitome of non-restraint? of gross excess? of utter stupidity passing as profundity? Republicanism is a bad joke being played upon Americans; albeit the less intelligent Americans which, if truth be told, comprise half the nation (just think Larry the Cable Guy writ large). Such has been in charge of governance for most of the last 25 years. We're in a huge mess because of Republican (and Republicanized Democrat) rule. This mess leaves a pile of excrement behind that will keep Team Obama cleaning up through its first term at least. Soon enough it will be made clear that after wrestling with budgetary limits and deficit spending that cannot continue trending the way it has been for decades, Obama's Administration will be forced to scale down his promises to the American people to the point of being ineffective except for semantic hedging against truth; e.g. "I promised a tax break for 95 percent of working Americans and delivered." But, the fact that the break will be for an amount that won't float anyone's boat (about $50/month) the American middle class will sink ever deeper into the muck while the rare few— the Phoenix Class –rise anew from the ashes of their outrageous pillaging with fresh wings our money will pay for.

Pundits applaud Obama's team for having hit the ground running in a time of unprecedented crises, having already guided a Stimulus Package through passage in both houses, having gathered a forum for health care reform, education reform is upcoming and even with such pressing domestic needs, foreign affairs was put on high priority with Obama's naming of George Mitchell as special envoy to the Middle East to mediate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Mitchell has already met with the principals. Well, at least the ones America decides are the principals having chosen to ignore, Hamas, the democratically elected representatives of Gazan Palestinians. Which is what Israel demands. The same ploy being employed again, as it has been for over forty years, Israel decrying the lack of participants for peace talks as they murder, imprison and torture any Palestinian who is brave enough to stand for peace and justice and a homeland uninhabited by settlers (whose presence is in defiance of International Law against settling occupied territory; especially land occupied via pre-emptive war as was the 1967 Six Day War).

Indeed, Obama's Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel, has stated his predilection for the "Shock Doctrine" methodology detailed in "The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism" by Naomi Klein used to devastate "the people" while enriching "the few." The Israeli citizen is quoted as saying, "You never want a serious crisis to go to waste...Things that we had postponed for too long, that were long-term, are now immediate and must be dealt with. This crisis provides the opportunity for us to do things that you could not do before." The article goes on to say, "Mr. Emanuel noted, correctly, that the U.S. largely squandered the opportunity the oil shocks of the 1970s presented [*] to make serious, long-term changes in its energy habits -- a failure that has returned to haunt the nation today." Further, Emanuel stated, "The lesson holds true in foreign policy as well. Only the 1973 Arab-Israeli war, and its shock to the Middle East status quo, made it possible for President Jimmy Carter to move in and negotiate the historic Camp David peace accords between Egypt and Israel."

We all agree we're in crisis mode. Now, let's consider the following points in that context:

• First, recall candidate Obama's complete silence regarding Israel's rampage in Gaza during which Israel destroyed much of the infrastructure and the residences for tens-of-thousands even as it murdered 1,400 and injured some 5,500 wounded purportedly to avenge 24 Israeli deaths in the prior 7 years of Qassam rocket fire from those whom are determined to defend their homeland.
  
• Next, recall all the points above regarding the vast sums of money to be collected from the American people (a transfer of wealth or redistribution of same) to bail out Capitalism on a world-wide scale and the Chief of Staff's Shock Doctrine statement.
  
• Now, amidst this greatest crisis since the "Great Depression" realize that President Obama visited the Caterpillar company; the makers of those same bulldozers that have been systematically demolishing Palestinian homes in the West Bank to make room for more settlements; the same piece of heavy equipment used to murder an innocent American, Rachel Corrie, eye-witness to Israeli attempted genocide of Gazans; a company the American "Left" has put high on its shit-list (now add into this mix the above mentioned stances on abstinence teaching, abortion non-funding and faith-based group funding).
  
• Even as Envoy Mitchell and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visit the area in hopes of restarting the peace process, Team Obama considers the Palestinian Authority— quickly losing any/all authority as representatives of Palestinians as it allows Israel's daily abuses against a viable homeland –the ONLY legitimate Palestinian representatives with whom they will speak; democratically elected Hamas excluded because Israel demanded they be considered "terrorists" and the United States accommodates that propaganda-torqued view.
  
• The double standard discussed in an earlier blog entry regarding the hypocrisy of Obama's stance on nuclear proliferation as such escalation applies to the budding Iranian civilian nuclear program though not to Israel's clandestine program with an estimated 200 nuclear warheads and missile launch capability already on line and ready to go.
  
• The agreement to send Israel the weapons necessary to maintain its illegal, brutal occupation of Palestine in exchange for $30 billion over the next 10 years.
  
• The Obama Administration's silence as to Israel's use of white phosphorus; its use in Gaza with such dense population, a war crime.
  
• The Obama Administration's silence as to the recent announcement by the Israeli government that 73,000 new illegal settler residences will be created in the West Bank as well as the silence over 1,500 homes recently bulldozed by Israeli troops claiming the homes were built without permits even as Palestinians cannot get permits to build homes on the very land they own; this confiscated land to be used for further Israeli settlement in Jerusalem's Arab quarter thereby making a two-state (or any Palestinian sovereignty) solution impossible.
  

More than a poke in the eye of the Left; it's a real gouging. A message, wouldn't you say? And this writer must wonder if it isn't Rahm Emanuel behind the effrontery to the very people that made an Obama presidency a reality.

Which leads to this question: Have you ever seen The Manchurian Candidate? It is a 1962 movie based upon the 1959 fiction novel by Richard Condon. It's a paranoid depiction of "brainwashing" by sinister Communists that hope to get control of the American government through assassination of the President by his trusted mind-rinsed VP after being subconsciously triggered into becoming a killing machine. In the present instance, it isn't his VP that Obama needs to worry about, it's Rahm Emanuel, the Judean Candidate. Brainwashed you say incredulously? Ask yourself, where else is such "mind-rinsing" used to churn out ranks of subsumed Brown Shirts for the Capitalistocracy of America but in prestigious universities like Harvard and Yale?

Obama and Emanuel are Harvard grads. Obama is basically carrying out a pro-Israeli agenda even as his Chief of Staff kicks the Left in its ass, gouges its eyes and mugs for the camera like Il Duce as if this was a WWF Smackdown. Obama the transformative man transforms into Obama the Bird of Prey warrior when it comes to denying Palestinians their due, or staying the course in Iraq, or plunging into the quagmire of Afghanistan, or chastising corporate leaders for taking tens of billions of dollars worth of bonuses (a finger-wagging doggie treat for the People) while delivering trillions of taxpayer dollars to those same monied few without absolute terms of repayment, or when defending our way of life (a way of life made possible only by Capitalism's rape and pillaging of the Third World that continues to this very moment).

The Obama above isn't the Obama for whom we voted. Not by our standards, but his very own conveyed as they were in his many speeches, his own words. President Obama now slavishly serves Corporatist and Israeli agendas. How to explain such an inexplicable turnaround if not for the Queen of Hearts (subconscious trigger) having been played by Chief of Staff and Israeli citizen, Rahm Emanuel?

[*] The "oil shock of the 1970s" was the Arab world's unified [OPEC] response to Israel's 1973 pre-emptive Yom Kippur War.