Equality: For Whom and At What Price?

Equality is defined as the quality or state of being equal.  That is a notion that all Americans seem to revere and cherish as a quality particularly unique to us, as a people.  Now, I grant you that it is nice to think of it as a part of our fabric that is universally shared by all who claim to be “American,” whatever that means.  Contrary to the popular conception that we are one people, I view us as a collection of special interests, each with a different persuasion and a different agenda relative to our ethnicity and our economic, social and political interests.  Our history supports and gives credence to that fact, regardless of how much we may want to believe otherwise.

Before venturing further into this treatise, let me acknowledge the power and influence of religion on our perceptions of what equality means to each of us.  After all, the roots of what we perceive to be the America of today were first planted on the shores of this nation with the arrival of European settlers seeking a new life free from religious persecution.   I respect the religious beliefs of everyone, but I do not subscribe to the notion that religion is anything more than a system of beliefs.  None can empirically prove the existence of the Deity.  Each is what it is, predicated on a simple set of beliefs.  I do not believe, no matter how fervent one may choose to profess otherwise, that God does not talk to any of us nor do any of us enjoy favored status with a heavenly being.  At best, we can only ascribe to our concept of God what we would like to think are our own individual and collective virtues.  I reject out of hand any admonition that anything one may purport to be absolute is anything more than a simple belief.  The sheer brilliance of our Founding Fathers is reflected in the fact that they chose to establish this nation on a system of laws, not divine beliefs.  It is the rule of law that is supreme, a fact of our existence we should not lose sight of. 

I was born and raised in the State of Wyoming, coincidentally the motto of which is “The Equality State.”  The ideals embodied in that motto versus what I experienced growing up in that State clearly relegates the motto to an ideal, not necessarily a way of life.

My earliest recollection of what were the beginning of my life’s experiences are rooted in the foothills around Hart Mountain, Wyoming where my Dad was working as a laborer on the construction of an internment camp for Japanese Americans at the beginning of World War II.  That was my introduction to one of many definitions of what “equality” meant.  Later in life, when I was a university student, I was dating a Japanese American girl.  Rather suddenly, she was called home, causing us to break a date for the movies.  When she returned, she told me that her family had forbidden her to see me again.  I was stunned, but I later found out that her grandfather once owned a large truck farm in the Imperial Valley of California.  At the beginning of World War II, he and his family were removed from that farm and transferred to one of the internment camps for Japanese Americans.  As a result of that twist of fate, he lost his entire farm to a “real” American and never recovered from the loss.  His bitterness was firmly woven into the fabric of his family and the innocence of my intrusion into their family, I am sure, must have bordered on treason.  I never saw Nobuko again.  Their meaning of “equality” did not square with mine. 

During World War II, Mexican laborers migrated from Mexico to the sugar beet fields in the Big Horn Basin of Wyoming.  They were referred to as “Spics,” receiving a paltry wage for their back-breaking labor, isolated from the local social structure, and consigned to a rudimentary housing camp on the banks of the Big Horn River.  I often wonder what “equality” meant to them. 

Later and early in my adolescence, we lived in the small town of Thermopolis where I went to school and worked as a soda jerk in my Uncle’s drug store.  It was there that I first witnessed the station to which the Native Americans of the Arapahoe and Shoshone Tribes were consigned.  In those days, it was a federal offense to sell liquor to the “Indians.”  The only time we saw them in numbers was during the annual rodeo.  They would gather on the streets of town, many of whom would spend the entire time in a stuporous state induced by the consumption of bay rum, shaving lotion or vanilla extract.  I wonder what “equality” meant to them. 

There were two blacks living in that town with a population of around 2,500.  One was “Nigger Nate” who shined shoes at the local barber shop, and “Bob” who was the janitor at the local bank.  On one occasion I invited Bob to have lunch with me.  He reluctantly accepted, but it was difficult for him to accompany me into the café.  Once seated, he told me he could not stay.  I insisted that he remain, we had a nice lunch and became fast friends.  I often wonder what “equality,” meant to both of those men.    

Throughout our history, equality must have had a vastly different meaning to all of those who occupied a specific place in the pecking order of these United States of America.  I wonder what equality meant to the Chinese laborers who worked in the gold fields of California and were hunted for sport on weekends by the sourdoughs mining for the riches they hoped would emancipate them from their station in life.

The infamous expulsion of the Cherokees from the South and their “trail of tears” to the Oklahoma territories must have surely given new meaning to what equality meant for them. 

Then there are all of the Native Americans consigned to some of the poorest real estate in the nation, living at or below the subsistence level and relegated to obscurity from main stream America.  As they were brutally murdered, had their lands stolen from them, and died from starvation and exposure to the elements in the cold and brutal winters on the plains and in the mountains, I wonder what equality meant to them.  Their station in life hasn’t changed much over the years, and I still regard them as the real “forgotten” Americans among us.  The blatant failure of the U.S. Indian Service to invoke and uphold “equality” on their behalf has always and still remains a national disgrace.

There has been wave after wave of immigrants to the shores of this country.  Each came here seeking a better life free of poverty, and ethnic and religious persecution.  They started at the bottom, and through determination and hard work; most of them progressed up the social and economic ladder to take their places as full members of all this country had to offer.  Most of them were absorbed into the mainstream of this country, some later rather than sooner.  It was not all that long ago that the much coveted vote of the Latinos in this last election belonged to an almost invisible group of “bra ceros or wetbacks” who labored in the fields so we, mainstream America, could enjoy the luxury of cheap produce to grace our dinner tables.

I find it difficult to reconcile the concept of a nation founded on a dubious claim that God intended for them to reclaim and settle a “promised land,” by disenfranchising and brutalizing an entire population that had lived on and farmed that land for centuries.  As the land was reclaimed on the basis of divine will, the rightful inhabitants were marginalized and relegated to the status of second-class citizens.  Since then, there has been a relentless move to annex lands that were rightfully taken from Palestinians for the sake of a greater Israel, a nation that claims to be our closest and staunchest ally, yet has a history of spying on the United States, attacking a United States Naval vessel, the USS Liberty, in international waters and sapping vast economic resources from the people of the United States in order to subsidize their existence and to provide them with a defense establishment that is second to none in the Middle East.  Where is the notion of equality in all this?

We have an enclave of Cuban exiles living in the United States that exert tremendous financial and political influence in order to keep Cuba isolated from fully participating as an equal among nations.  It is yet another example of keeping the specter of phony subversion of another “boogey man” from undermining this nation.  Our politicians pander to that minority for the sake of shoring up their own political ambitions.  The rest of us fall for the ruse and look the other way.  As a matter of fact, through the courage and leadership of John F. Kennedy in dealing with the Cuban Missile Crisis, Cuba and Fidel Castro ceased to be a threat to the United States long ago.  However, the contrived threat to our sovereignty has kept the people of Cuba economically and politically marginalized as a full partner in the international community for over forty years!  What still remains their reality today should have been relegated to history a long time ago, their sovereignty should be recognized and they should be full trading partners with the United States and, indeed, the world.  I think the people of Cuba have been punished long enough for supporting Fidel Castro, today a frail and aged man.  He may have been the dragon of yesterday, but there is no fire coming from his nostrils today.  Had we embarked on a mature and enlightened relationship with Cuba, who knows how quickly they might have made the transition to a democratic form of government?  But, the money and politics of an enclave of nationalistic zealots have managed to trump common sense.  Where is the notion of equality in all this? 

Taking this dichotomy a step further and focusing on the economic reality of the United States, why is there such a vast disparity in the recognition and power of organized labor versus what is enjoyed by big business, international corporations and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce?  Hasn’t the time come to level the playing field so everyone has an equal place at the table?  Isn’t it time for us to infuse the concept of equality into the equation? 

Hasn’t the time come for this country to adopt a mature stance and think in terms of equality for everyone rather than pander to fragmented special interests and the agendas of an influential and powerful few?

It’s about time the tail stopped wagging the dog. 

Cowboy Bob

The Sagebrush Philosopher

November 17, 2012                

“If Not Now, When?”

Now that the dust is beginning to settle on Election 2012, we are beginning to see the real agenda of those in political power and the yet-to-see evidence that the reality of it all is beginning to settle into the minds of the American people. Our Commander-in-Chief is already touting his greatest stock in trade, Compromise, and what will surely be a continuation of his agenda to seduce the people who voted for him and to pander to those who sought to unseat him. I was moved to tears when he indicated that he is willing to “wash John Boehner’s car,” and “walk Mitch McConnell’s dog” if it will bring his much coveted “compromise” and “bi-partisanship” to the table. Distilled to its most basic denominator, it translates into “grab the petroleum jelly,” for his eternal quest for change is being renewed and cutbacks to government spending and entitlements will soon be upon us. He didn’t really mean all that stuff about working for the people who put him in office. He was just “funning y’all.” The progressives are ecstatic and corporate news media are in a complete state of rapture that their much coveted place of privilege and power with government, big money and corporate America is guaranteed.

I honestly believe that the good and decent people of this country want to see a massive assault on every conceivable form of self-indulgence and graft on the part of big money, big business and big government. The sheer magnitude of the problem is, however, so overwhelming that it is difficult to get a handle on how big and complicated the problems are. Moreover, to grasp what it will take to define what we face and develop a plan of action to combat it is, in and of itself, almost beyond comprehension. The agendas of the rich and powerful are further reinforced by the skills of big business, the entertainment industries and the image makers. They literally create and feed our appetites in order to grow and prosper at our expense.

I applauded the rise and success of the Occupy Wall Street movement, but it seems to have sputtered and stalled. The purity of what they stand for and the means for addressing it are noble and admirable. However, ideals and dreams are, at best, illusory. It is only when they become reality with a life of their own do they become forces with which to be reckoned. I just don’t see how the movement, or any other like it, can become a force for meaningful change and social justice without a strategy that is codified and a plan of action that becomes a clarion call to inspire people into action that is both effective and lasting.

So long as we are content to remain compliant and placid against those who seek to reduce us to serfdom and a lifetime of poverty, we play into their hands. It is from that they derive their strength and power. Those who are identified as the “working class,” the “working poor,” and the “impoverished:” live at their mercy. This land and all of its resources belong to all of us. We may contribute in different ways, but what we have, collectively, is all we have and it cannot be co-opted by a very few at the expense and suffering of the many.

We cannot rely on what those who are our adversaries choose to tell us, we must insist that they show us and prove to us that they are credible and share a common concern for all the people of this nation. They cannot rightfully claim a disproportionate share of our resources and expect the rest of us to be content with a pittance.

We can no longer sit around and hope that things will get better. We must see a real concerted effort to make our dreams a reality. We must have all classes striving for the same results, and a government that works for all of us. There are massive numbers of informed, well-intentioned people who share a deep and abiding concern about how to fix the many facets of our political, social and economic systems in order to restore them to robust health which will serve us with a commitment to a fundamental sense of decency and fairness that will apply to all of us. That storehouse of knowledge should not be allowed to remain dormant. We are not the proverbial “Chicken Little” going around in circles warning that “the sky is falling.” We are not locked in fear to the point that we have to tolerate and humor a system that is totally dysfunctional. But, for all that talent among us, we have yet to figure out how to approach an effective and meaningful way to redefine who and what we are, and to restore all that this democracy promised and should be. Difficult though that may seem, can we not look at the cup and see it half full rather than half empty? Can we not mine the human resources that exist among us and ask them to take up the challenge and put this country back on a path of hope for all of us? I think we can.

I see the following as just a few of the many examples of some of the major challenges to making ours a better system, rooted in forces that seem to exert a disproportionate influence and danger on why we cannot continue on the path we have chosen for ourselves in the last half century.

1. A dysfunctional and corrupt system of government.
2. A bankrupt and self-serving social system.
3. A massively corrupt and ominous financial system that serves the few at the expense of the many.
4. The influence of massive amounts of money in our national and local politics.
5. The restrictive and corrupting influence of a “two-party” system. By whose authority and wisdom are we limited to only two? Why should there be any restriction on the number at all?
6. The shroud of secrecy that envelopes every branch of our government and the work they profess to do on our behalf.
7. The rules and regulations adopted and exercised by every branch of government, ostensibly for the general welfare of the electorate but, in reality, are more self-serving of the privileged class they have become.
8. A “politically” dominated Supreme Court rather than one that ties current actions of government back to the Constitution and the Bill of Rights through objective and impartial judicial review.
9. The out-of-control defense and intelligence agencies that, again, are shrouded in secrecy, consume gargantuan sums of money and are obscenely self-serving in their relationships to private contractors and the political power that enables them.
10. A “free and unfettered press” that was intended to be independently owned and operated to ensure that government and its agencies would serve the citizens of this country, not corporate or absentee ownership.
11. A system of laws and regulations that would ensure a government that served the needs of the people, not special interests and the appetites of massive wealth.

The sheer genius of the Founding Fathers as set forth in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights put this nation on a course that would be the envy of the rest of the world. All that is codified in those documents should remain sacrosanct and serve as the bedrock for governing this nation for all time to come.

I just don’t see how we can continue much longer on the path where we find ourselves. That the system is broken is clearly apparent. That it no longer works for the common good is evident all around us. The only way to fix it is to embark on some kind of an assessment tied to what was intended vs. what we have today. We have the talent to do that. They are to be found in our universities and colleges among the academicians and students who are immersed in the study and knowledge of all the key disciplines that impinge on how government functions. There is no shortage of legal scholars, economists, social scientists and other disciplines tangential to carrying out such an audit.

We need to start by setting up an organization of academic minds in a non-partisan commission, the work of which should be tied to the Constitution and the Bill of Rights as the basis for such an undertaking. Moreover, those should be the guiding principles by which to evaluate what it would take to restore what we now have in place to what was originally conceived by our Founding Fathers. They would have the knowledge and experience to establish and organize the work of such a commission, and put in place the means for informing the citizens of progress on their work. Their fiduciary responsibility would be to the electorate, free of any encumbrances from outside influences or special interests.

I cannot believe that there are not a few millionaires and billionaires among us who are imbued with a sense of altruism and who would possess a sense of social responsibility and personal generosity sufficient to financially underwrite such an endeavor. Of course, they would have to maintain an arms length and impartial relationship to the Commission.

Obviously, as work progressed, it would become apparent that there would be dichotomies between what was seen as appropriate at the time of the founding of this republic vs. what may be required in order to be appropriate to the world of today, and how to effectively resolve those conflicts within the framework of the law.

I rather suspect that there is as much need to simply clean up the mess that we have inherited as to make dramatic changes. But, a good physician would never render a diagnosis and prescribe a regimen without weighing all the possible contributing factors. I wouldn’t pretend to have the background and skills to make any of this happen. But I do know that I share the same concern and a sense of helplessness and hopelessness that seems to be permanently woven into the fabric of this country. At some point, we simply have to stop wringing our hands and gnashing our teeth, and begin the job of turning this ship of state around. I just don’t see how we can keep it on the back burner much longer.  At some point we have to overcome the malaise that keeps us in the passive state, hoping that something can and will be done.

The sheer energy generated by the Occupy Wall Street movement and all those who have lamented the gargantuan difference between the wealth and power held by the top one percent and the rest of us has to be harnessed and translated into a plan of action to put us back on the course that was envisioned by a few visionaries over two hundred years ago. Words never acted upon eventually ring hollow and die with the wind. What those brave souls started is much too precious to end with a whimper and to simply die a slow, agonizing death. Time is simply no longer on our side.

If not now, when?

Cowboy Bob
The Sagebrush Philosopher
November 15, 2012

REPOST: “How Will I Betray Thee? Let Me Count The Ways.”

Given what is coming out about our newly "re-elected" President and what he is up to in terms of "deals" and "compromises" with Republicans and the power elite in our society, I think it is only approprite for me to re-post this blog, originally posted on October 4, 2012.  The mere fact that he would say, "I will wash John Boehner's car" or "Walk Mitch McConnell's dog if necessary" says it all.  Is that the posturing of a real leader and one who has just been handed a mandate by the American Electorate?  Is that the posturing of a leader who stands firmly with and in defense of the American people and those most disenfranchised from society?  I think not. 

At the end of the day, I am even more convinced that he is not a man of the people.  He is not one of us.  If anything, the "Grand Bargain" will prove to be another gift to "wealth, power and privilege" that will come at the expense of all those who supported him in this most recent election and are destined to suffer the most when it gets traction.

If this doesn't raise serious questions about the hammer-lock our so-called "Two Party System" has on our electoral process and, ultimately, every branch of government, I don't know what does.  We need and have a God-given right to hear from all contenders for public office.    

It is time to get serious, folks.  "Trust, like the soul, never returns once it is gone."

*******************************************************************************  


“How Will I Betray Thee? Let Me Count The Ways.”



The dust is settling on the first of a long-awaited series of presidential debates, preparatory to the national elections in November. Were there any surprises? Not really.

It was, at best, an exercise in mental gymnastics by the political elite who have been ordained as the only acceptable candidates for the highest office in the land.

The moderator, Jim Lehrer distinguished himself as consummate journalistic milquetoast. Retirement would seem to fit him better than returning for a cameo appearance in the real world of television news.

Mitt Romney wasted no time in re-affirming himself as an accomplished plutocratic whore of privilege who harbors nothing but disdain for those less fortunate than he and his silver-spooned upbringing. He impressed us all, once again, by his ability to lie with impunity and still expect anyone with a modicum of intelligence to swallow it all hook, line and sinker. At the end of the day he is as transparent as a window pane and hasn’t the sense to realize it. The absence of any semblance to a human soul is palpable. But, we can expect those who labor under the burden of an attempt at human thought, largely comprised of all the religious zealots of one persuasion or another, to savor his every word.

Then there was the sterling performance of our President-in-residence. He removed any residual confusion there might have been regarding a clear-cut example of oratory vs. debating skills. But, think about it. What can one reasonably expect from an amalgam of a background rooted in law, community organizing and politics? Seems like a recipe for failure to all progressives who were hoping to see him ride in on a white horse and immediately charm the nation. Didn’t happen, did it?

Let’s be honest about this. We, as a nation, have been royally seduced by the so-called “two-party” system that dominates our local and national politics. Who said we, the electorate, are to be limited to a choice between those calling themselves “Democrats” and “Republicans?” Where were the rest of those seeking a shot at the highest elected office in the land? I, for one, feel if there should be an opportunity for all those who have the qualifications and the organization to set their sights on the White House; they should be at the presidential debates. Didn’t happen. By whose edict? It is tough not to conclude that the system is rigged against us, the people. It is difficult to place much stock in a system that so blatantly determines our priorities for us. Jill Stein, the presidential candidate for the Green Party and Rocky Anderson, presidential candidate for the Justice Party had every right to be there, and to be given equal time and opportunity accorded all the others. They are as well qualified as either of those who monopolized the stage in Denver. Every person in the United States who is qualified to exercise the power of his/her vote should not be denied that choice. Anything less is a gross affront by those harboring a mindset of perceived superior wisdom, the fallacy of which speaks to us every day.

Until last night, I thought President Obama had the election in the bag. After his lack-luster performance, I am not so sure. On the other hand, if lying works, we can all shudder at the prospect of Romney succeeding him. Either one will, at best, be more of the same and an ongoing national disaster. About all we can do is to wait out the next few weeks to see the final outcome of this charade.

Presuming Obama is re-elected, what can we expect from him in the next four years? Let’s begin by accepting the fact that he is no leader. He is a compromiser, an appeaser, a shill for power and money. Consensus is his game; courage is not. The result will always be mediocrity at our individual and collective peril.

Because of the only choice we have, I will vote for Obama simply because I see him as the lesser of two evils. But, make no mistake I have no reason to expect anything earth-shattering. So, what do I envision? Following are a few of the issues that have stuck in my craw.

• The Cabinet is likely to be stacked with more holdovers from the Clinton Administration.

• A strong influence by the scions of Wall Street and other power brokers in the field of banking and finance.

• A continued reliance on corporate capitalists for advice and counsel on the economy, both nationally and internationally, not the least of which will be the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

• Total disregard for the knowledge and experience among our group of some of the best economic and scientific minds in the world.

• Pandering to influential interests in health care, energy, trade, defense, intelligence, and other special interests.

• Secret meetings and trade deals with international interests seeking free trade agreements at the expense of American enterprise and the workers who make it all happen.

• The resurrection of the Simpson-Bowles Commission, engaging in compromises at the expense of long-established and successful programs comprising the nation’s social safety net, which the President has vowed to defend.

• Continuation of the tacit agreement between the White House and the Justice Department not to indict, prosecute or punish those guilty of crimes against the country and our national interests.

• Continued support for the military/industrial complex.

• Continued support for the persecution of those who dare to challenge the way our government does business without the advice and consent of the American people. I am thinking of those well-intentioned people who wear the badge of “whistleblower” with pride and dare to question the omnipotence of the institutions of government and business.

• The unilateral authority of the Executive Branch to order the assassination of those deemed to be a threat to national security.

• Minimal support for organized labor as an equal with the owners of business and commerce.

I had high hopes for President Obama, but it soon became apparent to me that those hopes would be proven illusory. The inspiration that infected thousands at Grant Park in Chicago proved to be rather fleeting. There has been too much secrecy in the way he does business. There has been a tendency to place far too much reliance on people of influence and prominence, but lacking in the integrity and commitment of the man to whom they are beholden.

President Obama simply has to come to terms with the fact that he has no equal; not on Wall Street, not in the halls of corporations, not in the Pentagon, not in Congress or the Supreme Court. He has been given the baton and sits at the pinnacle of power, a solemn gift bestowed on him by none other than the American people.

He seems to have never understood or simply lost sight of the fact that his job, as President of the United States, is unequivocally one of pure leadership. With leadership comes the ability and the will to take responsibility, listen to his advisors and then embolden himself to take charge and lead. The baton belongs to him and it is up to him to have the courage to lead with authority, conviction and inspiration. He has not done that. It is time he realized his own destiny and to fulfill that mission during the coming four years of his second term in office.

As I reflect back on history, I cannot imagine Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower or John F. Kennedy having to even so much as reflect on that fundamental fact of being President of the United States of America. Behaving as a compromising appeaser, seeking not decisive action, but consensus, is not what it is all about. This country is in dire straights and is begging for courage and the mettle to do what is right, with strength, determination and fortitude. He owes it to us, the American people, to do what he was elected to do. To hell with cronies carried over from the Clinton Administration. They are flawed merchandise. To hell with the criminals on Wall Street, the corporate capitalists, the super rich and the bellicose posturing of warmongers. He is duty bound to be a role model for all of us, manifesting the very best within us and knowing that we will take up his cause and follow him to the ends of the earth if that is what is required to save the spirit of this great nation. Popularity contests are the stuff of narcissistic fools; taking command and charge of the greatest office in the world has no equal. That, Mr. President, is what it is all about. Get used to it and, for God’s sake, take charge. You DO have what it takes if you will but recognize that very special gift and act accordingly.

Bow to no man, but never hesitate to take the hand of a man in need.

Cowboy Bob
The Sagebrush Philosopher
October 4, 2012

“From Tragedy May Come Opportunity"

Hurricane Sandy has come ashore with a force rarely imagined or seen by those living in and around the environs of New York and New Jersey. The sobering effect of nature’s wrath has reminded us of our immortality and insignificance in the face of the power of Nature. It has shaken the foundation of our very being and, hopefully, will wake us from the stupor of denying the reality of global warming and climate change, and expose the demonic influence of unlimited greed and the massive deception perpetrated against civilized people to which we have succumbed. Surely, it will open our eyes to the reality of what we have been a party to by allowing those who have no souls to pillage and plunder the finite resources of the planet, and to reduce human beings to an expendable resource that serve as sustenance for appetites than can never be satiated.

Perhaps this tragedy bears the truth of wisdom that can only come from learned minds and a common concern for all people, and the earth to which we all belong. Maybe we will, finally, defer to the truth of scientific knowledge and see the folly of those who discredit that which they know in their hearts to be the truth.

As the evidence and the suffering that has been unveiled for all to see becomes accepted fact, we will unite as one people to deal with what has brought this misfortune upon us and to harness the best within us to minimize the possibility of it happening again. Sad to say, it may prove to be a blessing in disguise.

The very nature of the world we live in and our penchant for accepting the products of those who seek to numb our minds in the interest of appealing to some of our basest instincts; we have become too much the conformist and too little the innovator. The pain and discomfort that often comes with the courage to be original or different from the pack is what the image makers and the appetite creators peddle so we will become the pliant consumers they work to create. To the extent we take the bait, they win. To the extent we dare to stand strong on our beliefs and values that contradict their onslaught to our senses, they are the losers. I think it has become glaringly apparent that the time has come for us to take control of our common destiny, their rapaciousness be damned.

We can no longer deny the truth of what we have been doing to the environment, for much too long, and our dependence on respecting nature and making it work for all of us; not just the gluttonous few. That will require us to assert not only our independence, but to acknowledge and accept our mutual dependence. The resource of all this planet holds belongs to all of us. It is up to us to respect that fact and to make it work for the common good. It is time to think outside the box. It is time to revisit and honor the famous words of George Bernard Shaw and made famous by Robert F. Kennedy: “There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why? I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?

We are going to have to set ourselves to the task of rethinking many aspects of the environment in which we live. Environmentally friendly forms of energy will have to assume front and center. Fossil fuels will have to be branded with the responsibility they rightfully bear for the evolution that has brought us to this perilous point in our history. The transportation systems that we rely on have to be rethought and may have to give way to means we never imagined. Architecture will take different forms than those we have traditionally accepted as the norm and that have shaped the towns and cities in which we live. Elevated trains may prove to be a better alternative than the subways that serve our large cities, but are more vulnerable to the crippling effects of massive storms. We may just have to adjust to a totally different perception of the world around us and embrace that which appeals less to our aesthetic tastes and more to the dictates of a new reality.

The massive rebuilding of towns and villages where most of the people live in the path of Hurricane Sandy may give us pause to rethink the shape and form structures will have to take in order to be less vulnerable to destruction and devastation but, perhaps, less aesthetically pleasing than that to which we have become accustomed.

The infamous Hurricane Andrew that hit the South Florida coast some time ago left not only massive devastation, but some clues as to how we might address the power of its force in the future. The structures that most withstood the force of that massive storm were not conventional homes built of flat vertical planes that challenged the strength and the force of winds, but were geodesic domes that permitted the wind to flow over the structures without succumbing to its power and force. The dome structures are not only less susceptible to the force of wind, but are much more energy efficient with the potential to have a much more pronounced effect on its consumption.

People who have had the courage to venture out of conventional homes and into dome homes have, admittedly, had a period of adjustment. But, for the most part, they have grown accustomed to the new style, comfort and cost of owning a dome.

Domes come in wood structures and concrete structures. Both are “futuristic,” compared to conventional homes. They are more energy-efficient and spacious than conventional homes. However, because of the more limited demand for those kinds of homes, the market has been less robust. I do not think those who produce these homes have necessarily focused on their potential as much as they have on their marketability. A significant increase in demand may well change that dynamic, as it should. A more stable market may produce more innovation in terms of style than we have seen to date.

Dome structures lend themselves very well to solar and wind power, both of which should enjoy resurgence in the wake of the super storms that we have recently seen and are likely to see in the future.

The tragedy of Sandy has already demonstrated a sense of urgency for government agencies to focus on the potential of the marked changes that will be required in order to respond to the power of nature we are likely to face in the future, and to minimize the havoc they bring down upon us.

The manufacturers of domes need to devote more time and effort on the appearance of what they have to offer. Brown as the universal color does not necessarily have a broad base of appeal, nor do buildings that are asymmetrical and look more like strange creatures than an attractive place to live. Being outrageous may be attractive to the eccentric with a desire to challenge convention, but I would hazard a guess that those tastes will be less in demand than will a rendition of what can be more attractive and appealing to a broader range of tastes. I would hope the industry would not only seize this opportunity but demonstrate more creativity in the face of this challenge.

I believe the government should step to the forefront and demonstrate a sense of urgency in addressing the massive destruction of homes in the path of Sandy. A task force of those involved in new and innovative architecture and building materials should be asked to address the new demands that have resulted from this natural disaster. The blend of architecture with solar and wind energy seems like a natural marriage.

The government should seriously consider the merits of subsidized loans for those who opt for more functional forms of architecture and energy than we have seen in conventional homes. Government must serve as the catalyst for innovation that focuses on what most effectively serves the needs of people, but addresses environmental concerns as well. That kind of thinking has served us in the past and it surely can do so in the future.

From what has been a brutal act of nature could well hold the potential for improving our relationship to the environment and to the economy. I think this is a golden opportunity to breathe new life into banks and other locally owned financial institutions. The vultures of Wall Street and “too-big-to-fail” have reaped more than a fair share of the nation’s wealth by playing to and controlling our political establishment. The people deserve more and, frankly, I have much greater trust in local institutions and the people who live and work there than I do in some remote behemoth laying in wait to suck more of the life-blood out of our economy in order to satisfy their insatiable greed. The time has come to reign in their excesses and to become more responsive to the nation as a whole.

In the wake of this terrible tragedy may well lay a new beginning that will better serve us all in the future. The power and creativity of one, united people can and should dwarf the evil of all those who sit in high places and sap the vitality from those who play by the rules and believe in a system that serves us all.

The national elections have clearly shown what a sham the entire political process is. Big money, corporate power and corrupt politics have carried the day. I sense that the nation has had enough of the lying, deceptive advertising and mud-slinging to last a life time. We have every right to claim the government and the political process as an asset that belongs to the people and is not up for sale to the highest bidder. I would like to think that the sobering effect of Sandy will throw light on this issue, as well.

All political parties have a right and an obligation to stand on local and national stages during elections and tell the people what they stand for, free of the enslaving effects of massive amounts of money, legislative largesse and a Supreme Court that should hang its collective head in shame for the way they have sullied the highest court in the land.

The time has come for the nation to take back what is rightfully ours – an honest political process and the resultant clean government that logically follows. By the same token, fad must give way to practicality and compatibility with the limitations of this planet. The time has come to recognize and give legitimacy to the inescapable fact that we can no longer afford to have it “my way,” and yield to the reality that it now, of necessity, must be “our way.” A concomitant requirement is that we must learn to live with less and respect the realities of what life on this planet demands of each of us. A good start may be to adopt a new “convention” as a fundamental tenet to the way we live.

The lesson of Sandy may well be to “think differently, live differently and behave differently” for our common welfare, and let the image makers and the creators of our national tastes go fly a kite. There is a sense of urgency to this tragedy, but the bigger concern to us all should be how our political, social and economic systems serve us.

Whoever is elected to the Presidency, he must be absolutely transparent in every aspect of his administration. No more secret meetings. No more backroom deals. No more pandering to wealth and privilege as a means to remain in office. We, the people of the United States of America, have had quite enough.

Barack Obama may be the lesser of two evils, but any trust I may have in the man is on hold until I see whether or not he will continue his appeasement of the opposition and his pandering to big money, at the expense of all those to whom he has held out the promise of “change.” His words ring hollow and his notion of what “change” means is becoming a bit shopworn.

Cowboy Bob
The Sagebrush Philosopher
November 6, 2012

“Tell Me What I Want To Believe; Not What I Need To Know”

I think a lot about what we are as people. What are our origins? What makes us tick? Why are we so much the same and yet so different? Why are we so kind on the one hand and so cruel on the other? In the final analysis, why do we talk “us” so much and practice “we” so little? Why are wisdom and knowledge so difficult to come by, and prejudice and bigotry so easily internalized? Obviously, the questions go on ad infinitum, but the mystery always remains.

I believe that wisdom and knowledge are the result of a very long and arduous process. It is a time span that goes back to the time of the ancient sages and philosophers. Wisdom and knowledge are the products of an arduous process of contemplation, study and discourse devoted to finding answers to what we ponder, yet never seem to master. It is the intellect that always transcends emotion. It is the question that remains and the answer that is elusive.

As I reflect back on history and look around me today, I am persuaded that the history of mankind is a series of peaks and valleys; our high points and our low points; our finest hours and our darkest moments. The aftermath of World War II seems to have been one of our finest hours. From the apex of all the good that followed the end of that war, we seem to have descended into a period of progressive darkness. Scholars who once devoted their entire lives to the pursuit of knowledge, truth and wisdom seem to be a dying breed. They are fewer in number and listened to far less by the masses. The halls of academic excellence that used to be their environs have given way to institutions of technical skills. The pursuit of knowledge has taken a back seat to the mastery of the products and tools of the electronic age. We have become addicted to and dominated by gimmickry that does as much to entertain us as to serve us. Instead of being intellectuals studying and pondering the wisdom of the ages, we are obsessed with the pursuit of every conceivable form of hedonism and materialism imaginable. We don’t want to commit to the rigors of working for anything that will further the frontiers of knowledge and produce a better life for everyone. Rather we seem to have fallen prey to the notion that we have an inherent right to have “fun” and all of the material paraphernalia that goes with it. It is all about us; the rest of the world be damned.

We honestly seem to harbor the belief that we have an inherent right to exploit the human condition, reduce them to abject poverty and deny them a fair share of the world’s resources simply because we have some twisted notion that we are simply “entitled” to more, without any rational basis to support that system of beliefs. Evil and its sinister progeny are all around us and we systematically deny its existence. It is hard to define and at what point do we simply become assimilated into it. How much do we have to consume before it becomes vulgar?

Just stop the noise machine in your own head long enough and listen to the price others pay for the system of beliefs that tells you that you have a right to their suffering and sacrifice because the system has conferred that right on you, quite by accident and the fate of history. Do you really believe you are invincible and immortal, or do the mirrors that reflect your existence simply deceive you? Immorality is just as elusive today as it has always been, and always will be.

I don’t see any virtues in the plutocrats, oligarchs, financiers, bankers, politicians, corporate capitalists and all the other rapacious predators that seem to have consigned the rest of us to a form of human bondage they deem to exist for the sole purpose of serving their every whim. They are the real parasites of our time and they deserve to be regarded with the same contempt and disdain we harbor for their kindred spirits from the sewers and the wharf pilings. They don’t warrant our admiration and respect. They are what they are. They cannot be believed nor trusted. They thrive and prosper at our pleasure, not theirs.

I, also, happen to believe that Our Divine Creator intended for the fruits of this planet to be shared equally by all of us. None deserves more because of who they are, nor do those who have less because of who they are deserve less. Governments should exist to ensure the integrity of that fundamental social contract. To the extent that it does not fulfill that role, then it should be periodically modified and ratified to ensure that it does.

I, also, believe that most people have an idea of what constitutes a fair and just social contract. Admittedly, we have a plethora of experts on the “divinity” who have no trouble in telling the rest of us what it is that “God” wants from us. From my perspective, I would have to say that “He” hasn’t done a very good job of picking the cadre of minions and scholars to spread the word to the rest of us. Although I choose to believe in God, so far He has never spoken to me. Moreover, I doubt that “He” has ever spoken to any of the millions who profess to talk to “Him” on a regular basis.

We now have a presidential candidate who holds himself out as a paragon of divine virtue. He is the product of a lunatic who tried to form a religion from the secrets of the Masonic order, and was summarily murdered in Palmyra, New York for his licentious behavior. His followers fled west with their myriad wives, their divinely ordained practice of polygamy, and all of the rituals and temples of grandeur that would convince the rest of us of its divine origins. The vestigial remnants of multiple wives and polygamy can still be found in the backwaters of the desert west and southwest. Meanwhile, back in the mainstream of true believers, we have the fundamentalists, the evangelists, the Tea Party, the fringe loonies of one sort or another and a whole host of others who profess to be in the mainstream and enjoy a special place with God. Each has a slightly different take on what that mystery is all about, many have managed to become filthy rich and have garnered broad public support for their various stances relative to Our Divine Creator. Some of the more notables are Sarah Palin, Michelle Bachmann, Glenn Beck, and other forms of sordid celebrity. Now I ask you, what sane mind could possibly believe any or all of this nonsense? I cannot help but wonder if today’s politicians did not originate from the ranks of a zealous clergy of an earlier time. There is an eerie similarity to their rhetoric and language. Religious zealots, demagogues and true believers all give me pause for concern. We seem to have a bumper crop that has spawned in the last few decades, and have found a home in politics. Now we have to live with the din of their endless exhortations of the wrath that is about to come down on the heads of those who simply mind their own business. Intelligence has given way to irrational extremism in its many forms, all using the tools of lying, deceit, double-speak, and limitless exhortations about their inside track to divine revelation. There isn’t one of them who could tell the truth even if their very life depended on it. They are the ultimate “believers,” totally incapable of any semblance to critical analysis or original thought. They are the fools the majority of us have to suffer. Sadly, the din of their endless admonitions that, in some small way, resemble human speech, numbs the minds of those who genuinely want to keep the ship on an even keel by creating a stable government that will truly serve the common good, not those who have some warped notion of superiority that entitles them to a life of gluttony without limits.

I recently had a good friend, well intentioned, who reminded me that one of the things I fought for during my stint in the United States Navy was our right to vote, and my right to exercise that right. If lounging in peacetime Hawaii was war, I could take another tour of duty. But, I don’t denigrate the seriousness of voting. We do have a solemn duty to exercise that right, regardless of our political persuasion, an obligation I have never shirked.

However, given the hammer-lock our two major political parties have on government, and the obvious collusion exercised to keep other political voices from sharing their forum, I chose to vote for the Green Party candidates for President and Vice-President. Why? Because they are both women; a change in the political ranks of our top elected officials I happen to believe is long overdue. Moreover, they are likely to be free of “testosterone overload,” something that seems to plague the thousands of male members comprising the majority in the various branches of our government. There is probably less need for posturing and strutting by women as if they were members of the superior sex. Where did that notion come from? Think about it. When you were a little child needing comfort and nurturing, where did you get it? Highly unlikely that it came from Dad. But when it came to your prowess on the field of Little League or the polished floor of a basketball court, who shouted for you to take out the opposition in the pursuit of victory? Less likely that it was Mom. When it came to soothing the pain of hurt feelings, who was it that calmed the troubled waters and made it all right with the world once again? Think about it.

I really do hope we, as a nation, will manage to right the wrongs of the past. I hope we will be able to quell the plague of chronic greed and unbridled deception from which this nation suffers. I hope I will live long enough to see basic human decency an integral part of who and what we are as a people. I hope I will live long enough to see, once again, “that shining city on a hill,” the beacon of hope for all of us, in equal measure. I hope I will live long enough to see genuine compassion for each other, as fellow human beings worthy of God’s grace; (something I choose to believe but don’t know for certain) in absolute terms.

Like it or not, we really are our brothers keepers. As the world’s population increases that will become an inescapable fact of life. When that time comes, those who cannot honestly earn their share of the pie will, out of necessity, simply take it, by whatever means are necessary.

Cowboy Bob
The Sagebrush Philosopher
October 29, 2012

"How Will I Betray Thee? Let Me Count The Ways"

The dust is settling on the first of a long-awaited series of presidential debates, preparatory to the national elections in November. Were there any surprises? Not really.  It was, at best, an exercise in mental gymnastics by the political elite who have been ordained as the only acceptable candidates for the highest office in the land.

The moderator, Jim Lehrer distinguished himself as consummate journalistic milquetoast. Retirement would seem to fit him better than returning for a cameo appearance in the real world of television news.

Mitt Romney wasted no time in re-affirming himself as an accomplished plutocratic whore of privilege who harbors nothing but disdain for those less fortunate than he and his silver-spooned upbringing. He impressed us all, once again, by his ability to lie with impunity and still expect anyone with a modicum of intelligence to swallow it all hook, line and sinker. At the end of the day he is as transparent as a window pane and hasn’t the sense to realize it. The absence of any semblance to a human soul is palpable. But, we can expect those who labor under the burden of an attempt at human thought, largely comprised of all the religious zealots of one persuasion or another, to savor his every word.

Then there was the sterling performance of our President-in-residence. He removed any residual confusion there might have been regarding a clear-cut example of oratory vs. debating skills. But, think about it. What can one reasonably expect from an amalgam of a background rooted in law, community organizing and politics? Seems like a recipe for failure to all progressives who were hoping to see him ride in on a white horse and immediately charm the nation. Didn’t happen, did it?

Let’s be honest about this. We, as a nation, have been royally seduced by the so-called “two-party” system that dominates our local and national politics. Who said we, the electorate, are to be limited to a choice between those calling themselves “Democrats” and “Republicans?” Where were the rest of those seeking a shot at the highest elected office in the land? I, for one, feel if there should be an opportunity for all those who have the qualifications and the organization to set their sights on the White House; they should be at the presidential debates. Didn’t happen. By whose edict? It is tough not to conclude that the system is rigged against us, the people. It is difficult to place much stock in a system that so blatantly determines our priorities for us. Jill Stein, the presidential candidate for the Green Party and Rocky Anderson, presidential candidate for the Justice Party had every right to be there, and to be given equal time and opportunity accorded all the others. They are as well qualified as either of those who monopolized the stage in Denver. Every person in the United States who is qualified to exercise the power of his/her vote should not be denied that choice. Anything less is a gross affront by those harboring a mindset of perceived superior wisdom, the fallacy of which speaks to us every day.

Until last night, I thought President Obama had the election in the bag. After his lack-luster performance, I am not so sure. On the other hand, if lying works, we can all shudder at the prospect of Romney succeeding him. Either one will, at best, be more of the same and an ongoing national disaster. About all we can do is to wait out the next few weeks to see the final outcome of this charade.

Presuming Obama is re-elected, what can we expect from him in the next four years? Let’s begin by accepting the fact that he is no leader. He is a compromiser, an appeaser, a shill for power and money. Consensus is his game; courage is not. The result will always be mediocrity at our individual and collective peril.

Because of the only choice we have, I will vote for Obama simply because I see him as the lesser of two evils. But, make no mistake I have no reason to expect anything earth-shattering. So, what do I envision?
Following are a few of the issues that have stuck in my craw.

• The Cabinet is likely to be stacked with more holdovers from the Clinton Administration.
• A strong influence by the scions of Wall Street and other power brokers in the field of banking and  finance.
• A continued reliance on corporate capitalists for advice and counsel on the economy, both nationally and internationally, not the least of which will be the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
• Total disregard for the knowledge and experience among our group of some of the best economic and scientific minds in the world.
• Pandering to influential interests in health care, energy, trade, defense, intelligence, and other special interests.
• Secret meetings and trade deals with international interests seeking free trade agreements at the expense of American enterprise and the workers who make it all happen.
• The resurrection of the Simpson-Bowles Commission, engaging in compromises at the expense of long-established and successful programs comprising the nation’s social safety net, which the President has vowed to defend.
• Continuation of the tacit agreement between the White House and the Justice Department not to indict, prosecute or punish those guilty of crimes against the country and our national interests.
• Continued support for the military/industrial complex.
• Continued support for the persecution of those who dare to challenge the way our government does business without the advice and consent of the American people. I am thinking of those well-intentioned people who wear the badge of “whistleblower” with pride and dare to question the omnipotence of the institutions of government and business.
• The unilateral authority of the Executive Branch to identify and order the assination of those deemed to be a threat to national security.
• Minimal support for organized labor as an equal with the owners of business and commerce.

I had high hopes for President Obama, but it soon became apparent to me that those hopes would be proven illusory. The inspiration that infected thousands at Grant Park in Chicago proved to be rather fleeting. There has been too much secrecy in the way he does business. There has been a tendency to place far too much reliance on people of influence and prominence, but lacking in the integrity and commitment of the man to whom they are beholden.

President Obama simply has to come to terms with the fact that he has no equal; not on Wall Street, not in the halls of corporations, not in the Pentagon, not in Congress or the Supreme Court. He has been given the baton and sits at the pinnacle of power, a solemn gift bestowed on him by none other than the American people.

He seems to have never understood or simply lost sight of the fact that his job, as President of the United States, is unequivocally one of pure leadership. With leadership comes the ability and the will to take responsibility, listen to his advisors and then embolden himself to take charge and lead. The baton belongs to him and it is up to him to have the courage to lead with authority, conviction and inspiration. He has not done that. It is time he realized his own destiny and to fulfill that mission during the coming four years of his second term in office.

As I reflect back on history, I cannot imagine Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower or John F. Kennedy having to even so much as reflect on that fundamental fact of being President of the United States of America. Behaving as a compromising appeaser, seeking not decisive action, but consensus, is not what it is all about. This country is in dire straights and is begging for courage and the mettle to do what is right, with strength, determination and fortitude. He owes it to us, the American people, to do what he was elected to do. To hell with cronies carried over from the Clinton Administration. They are flawed merchandise. To hell with the criminals on Wall Street, the corporate capitalists, the super rich and the bellicose posturing of warmongers. He is duty bound to be a role model for all of us, manifesting the very best within us and knowing that we will take up his cause and follow him to the ends of the earth if that is what is required to save the spirit of this great nation. Popularity contests are the stuff of narcissistic fools; taking command and charge of the greatest office in the world has no equal. That, Mr. President, is what it is all about. Get used to it and, for God’s sake, take charge. You DO have what it takes if you will but recognize that very special gift and act accordingly.

Bow to no man, but never hesitate to take the hand of a man in need.

Cowboy Bob
The Sagebrush Philosopher
October 4, 2012

"Just How Secure is Social Security?"

Subject: Interesting Facts About Your Social Security

Just in case some of you didn't know this.  It's easy to check out.  It doesn't matter whether you are Democrat or Republican.

Interesting Facts:

Social Security Cards, up until the 1980s, expressly stated that the number and card were not to be used for identification purposes. Since nearly everyone in the United States now has a number, it became convenient to use it anyway and the message, NOT FOR IDENTIFICATION, was removed.

Our Social Security:

Franklin Roosevelt, a Democrat, introduced the Social Security (FICA) Program. He promised:

1.) That participation in the Program would be completely voluntary.  It is no longer voluntary.

2.) That the participants would only have to pay 1% of the first $1,400 of their annual incomes into the Program. Now the amount is 7.65% on the first $90,000

3.) That the money the participants elected to put into the Program would be deductible from their income for tax purposes each year. It is no longer tax deductible

4.) That the money the participants put into the independent 'Trust Fund' rather than into the general operating fund would only be used to fund the Social Security Retirement Program, and no other Government program. Under Lyndon B. Johnson the money was moved to The General Fund and Spent.

5.) That the annuity payments to the retirees would never be taxed as income. Under Clinton and Gore up to 85% of your Social Security can be taxed.

6.) Since many of us have paid into FICA for years and are now receiving a Social Security check every month we now find that we are getting taxed on 85% of what has been paid into the fund.

The money we paid to the Federal government to 'put away' may be of interest:

Q: Which Political Party took Social Security from the independent 'Trust Fund' and put it into the general fund so that Congress could spend it?
A: It was Lyndon Johnson and the Democratically controlled House and Senate.

Q: Which Political Party eliminated the income tax deduction for Social Security (FICA) withholding?
A: The Democratic Party.

Q: Which Political Party started taxing Social Security annuities?
A: The Democratic Party, with Al Gore casting the 'tie-breaking' deciding vote as President of the Senate, while he was Vice President of the US

Q: Which Political Party decided to start giving annuity payments to immigrants?
A: Jimmy Carter and the Democratic Party. Immigrants moved into this country, and at age 65, began to receive Social Security payments. The Democratic Party gave these payments to them, even though they never paid a dime into the program.

Then, after violating the original contract (FICA), the Democrats turn around and tell you it is the Republicans that want to take your Social Security.  Although I still think that is the game plan, I believe it is predicated on the premise that the Republicans want to avoid having to pay back the liability that was created by violating the "trust" and using the funds for purposes other than what was originally intended when the Social Security Program was established.  To allege that Social Security is totally funded seems a bit of a stretch.  Rather, the government has an outstanding liability to the Social Security Fund that will be required in order to restore integrity to the fund.  This only confirms that both major political parties feed from the same troughs of corruption and big money. A crook by any other name is still a crook.

A solemn trust should be treated for what it is --- an inviolate commitment between the government and the people that can only be changed by approval from the voters.

Nowhere will you find the Social Security Act labeled as a “Presidential, Congressional or Political Slush Fund”.

I still operate under the belief that a “democracy,” is a system of government “of the people, by the people and for the people,” where the actions of the elected must be approved by the electorate, regardless of their political persuasion. Did I miss something?  Truth and responsibility should be applied equally, not selectively. 

Cowboy Bob
The Sagebrush Philosopher
September 18, 2012

“We Are Beyond Procrastination; If Not Now, When?”

The lights have been extinguished. The bunting has been taken down. The emptiness of space echoes hollow. The lofty speeches and inspirational rhetoric have fallen silent. All has been consigned to the ages, eventually to become faded memories and, ultimately, forgotten. The political conventions in Tampa and Charlotte are nothing but historical events in the vast labyrinths of time. It is now up to us to make something meaningful, lasting and good from the promises embodied in the endless exhortations, all of dubious sincerity and of questionable value to a nation of people, gripped by a pervasive fear of the unknown, and a feeling of helplessness to do much about it. Never, in the history of this nation, have we been so devoid of a moral compass to guide us, one that will ensure that each among us will be accorded their just dues as members of this republic. We are gripped with a pervasive greed and corruption on a scale never witnessed since the days of the Great Robber Barons. Never have we had cause to be totally suspect and fearful of the motives of those who, ostensibly, were elected to serve us.

Our two major political parties are completely compromised. They serve not us, but the most evil and avaricious among us. Every conceivable manifestation of the worst traits of mankind is evident in our everyday lives. We are without leadership and statesmanship to guide the ship of state and get us back on course. Right is dismissed as the folly of those who naively believe in the best about us. Wrong is blithely accepted as just a part of our everyday lives. Within our complacency lie the seeds of our ultimate demise. Those who perpetrate the transgressions against the people are never identified and held to account for their egregious and despicable conduct against us and all we stand for. The fox is guarding the chicken house and telling us, the victims, what and how much will be tolerated by the systems they deem appropriate for our common welfare.

The system is rigged against us. Every facet of our lives works, not for us, but against us. Every institution and branch of government summarily ignores the common welfare and plunges headlong into everything that will serve their interests at the expense of the common good. And they get away with it! Those who call them out on what they do to us, rather than for us, are identified within the system as the enemy of the people. The forces of what were put in place to protect us are now aligned against us. Those of us who dare to insist on what is right are demonized and cast as enemies of the people. The sophisticated instruments of surveillance are aligned against those who dare to speak out and peacefully demonstrate against a system that is there to serve those who have anything but our best interests in mind. The most basic of our rights as citizens of this country; the right to vote, is literally being stolen from us lest we use that right in an effort to bring order and our democracy back into line with what was intended by the Founding Fathers. The jury is still out as to how successful they are likely to be.

I have written exhaustively about the lack of leadership in our system of government. All of that information is there among my previous writings for the interested reader to explore and draw his own conclusions. It would be redundant for me to attempt to recapitulate the extent to which we have been betrayed by both of the major political parties and those who profess to serve those of us who elected them to office.

The Republicans are hell bent on pillaging and plundering our entire political, social and economic systems for the benefit of the super rich at the expense of those who work for a living. They have perverted our system of government, and the social and economic systems that were once there to ensure opportunities for everyone to share equally in the prosperity and opportunities of this great nation. All they claim for the general welfare of everyone, at the end of the day, simply ends up in coffers to feed their insatiable appetite for more and more, but less and less for those who labor in their service. They have laid claim to a divine right that intends for them to enjoy a life of luxury and plenty, based on all they have stolen from the mouths of those who hunger for an honest portion of our national treasures. The price they exact for their service to those who own and feed the system is serving as their minions against those of lesser means who rely on a system of justice and fairness. They mock human decency.

Democrats, who were once seen as the champions of the average and the working people of this country, now depend on the same largesse as their Republican cousins. They, too, must rely on returning favors to the rich and powerful in exchange for their own political, economic and social survival. They, too, have become masters at the art of deceit, seducing us into believing they stand for something more noble and altruistic on our behalf. They share a place at the troughs of corruption and greed with their kindred spirits from the loyal opposition. Both profits handsomely from those they profess to serve and from whom they exact more in order to fuel the engines of their ambitions.

The tools of deception and manipulation are shared by both political parties. Both have become masters at leading us to believe they are there to serve us. Neither is credible.

Wyoming folk wisdom used to say, “A man is only as good as his word.” That should serve as a cardinal lesson for President Barack Obama. I would ask you, how many of those who claim their place in the service of this country and the people who put them in office have measured up to that standard? How many people have been held to account for their part in illegal wars? How many of those people have been held to account for the part they played in gaming our system of finance and banking for their own personal gain? How many promises made by our leadership have resulted in criminal charges and indictments for their conduct as public servants?

Name me just one. They have managed to define the rules by which they will play and our government has dutifully complied, thereby enabling every last one of them to get off Scott free as they gamble with our wealth and plunder the national treasury. Who among those elected to public office have served as their loyal enablers while they engage in outright fraud against the people and the nation they are sworn to serve?

Credibility is defined as “when one’s actions are consistent with his words.” How many of the myriad prominent and influential servants of the people could actually pass the smell test?

This country is on the brink of catastrophes unthinkable in our recent past. We are facing the ominous consequences of global warming. We are facing the prospect of widespread famine and a life of scarcity. We are facing the growing consequences of outsourcing the engines of our economy through unfavorable trade agreements and currency manipulation. We are starving our national treasury of the resources necessary to meet the challenges of an ominous future because of our inability to see through and beyond the grand deception of what the super rich claim to be rightfully theirs. We are depleting the tax revenues necessary to ensure the viability of the social network required to take care of the needs of the common people of this country. We are feeding a military apparatus that is totally out of control by buying into the ever-present notion that there is a real threat to our national security behind every tree. The military/industrial complex is siphoning off resources that could be better used to alleviate the real human suffering among our own, rather than the bogey man about to consume us all.

I don’t see much hope for things to get appreciably better after this next election. The two-party system is pretty well insulated from any real consequences for their behavior against those of us who have supported them in the past. Because I see the Republicans as the worst of the alternatives, I will vote for the least of the alternatives among the Democratic Party and hope for the best.

However, folks, we simply cannot rest on our laurels after the polls close in November. We have to join ranks and work to completely purge our government and all that is subsumed under that label of the massive corruption that has such a stranglehold on our society and our country. The two major political parties have not served us well. It is imperative that we take stock of the alternatives and work together, shoulder to shoulder, to clean up the corruption and restore confidence in the system that is there for all of us, not just a select few.

We need to seek out an effective way to take stock of all that is wrong with the way we do business, as a nation, and what means we have at our disposal to clean up the mess that impedes our ability to do a better job of governing. There are great minds out there we can look to who would be honored to be a part of such an effort. Those first to be excluded from a part in any such effort are those who may be seen as “sages” from the past in government service. They are flawed merchandise. We need a fresh perspective with a sincere desire to do what it takes to restore trust and confidence in our government.

Whatever is done must be grounded in the Constitution and only bona fide changes to the documents that created this democracy could be regarded as legitimate. The goal should be to improve what they put in place and to which we have subscribed for over 200 years.

What we do know, at the outset, is that the system is badly broken and is being exploited by those who would seek to radically change the intent of what they created. What we do know, however, is that Lady Liberty needs a tune-up and that can only be accomplished by credible individuals with the knowledge and the dedication to restore confidence and trust in what they created.

Every aspect of what is now subsumed under the mantle of our Federal Government should be subject to meticulous scrutiny that would ferret out conflicts of interest to what was originally created. That should include the institutions we have in place, the intent in creating them, how they function and the efficacy with which they have been used to govern this country, with an eye to making whatever changes would legitimately restore confidence in government. The House, the Senate, the Executive Branch, the Supreme Court, the Federal Reserve System, the entire Military Organization and all other “services,” and agencies that have been created up to the present time.

Paramount to such an endeavor should be (a) to get money out of politics, (b) to re-establish a completely independent press, free of ownership or control by any outside influence and whose sole purpose would be to “serve as the watchdog on government in the service of the American people and (c) to reinforce the role of the Supreme Court to that of judicial review and intent, totally free of any attempt to invoke political considerations or personal bias on the part of the justices, and (d) to forever break the stranglehold of the two-party system of government. In my view, the number of justices serving on the court should be increased in order to prevent the egregious performance we have seen with the current 5 to 4 majority rule. It might even be worth reconsidering the process and term limits whereby justices serve on the court.

I would begin by bringing together the leadership of the Green Party, Rocky Anderson of the Justice Party, and Buddy Roemer who recently tried in vain to launch a new political party leading into the coming election. From that forum, I would seek out the great contemporary minds who have proven to be genuine statesmen and stateswomen, above politics and vested self-interests. Some of the greatest minds in our history are with us today, particularly in constitutional law, economics, international relations, journalism, and other tangential disciplines that could and should be part of any such undertaking.

That group should create the method by which a diagnosis of the state of Lady Liberty is determined, and what methods and options should be explored in order to return her to the revered place she once held as a beacon to all of us in our efforts to create what was envisioned as the greatest form of democracy in the world. From the diagnosis should flow the plan of action to restore her health. That the patient is not yet terminal, albeit rather close, is cause for hope.

At some point we have to acknowledge that the evolution of our system of government has not necessarily been the best we could do. Values and behavior that was once considered reprehensible is now commonplace. Just because we have been complacent and less than rigorous on insisting that we preserve the integrity of our system of government does not excuse the fact that what we have today is far from what this country deserves. It is not to say, either, that any such endeavor will be anything but arduous and will require the highest standards of personal and professional integrity. At some point we have to collectively say “enough is enough.” We either fix it, not only for ourselves, but for future generations to whom we have a solemn obligation or we all go down with the ship. No amount of sugar-coating will change the severity of what we face. Time is not on our side. That is an inescapable fact of life, and no amount of wishing or selfish interests can change what we face. That greed is an insatiable appetite is an established fact. If we can’t stop it, then we must cut the head off the hydra and defer to the intellectuals and scientific minds that have it within their power to look beyond today and see a better future.

I took a shot at this subject and published a blog on December 24, 2010 titled “A New Federalist Party.” It isn’t a bad piece of work.

Lastly, I have been pondering how we like to think of ourselves as “One nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all.” If we are, indeed, one people, why do we persist in defining ourselves as subspecies of “Americans?” Why do we have African Americans, Mexican Americans, Cuban Americans, Latin Americans, and every other color and stripe of American, each with his own agenda of what their particular subgroup wants from the system? I cannot help but wonder how the “Native Americans” must feel amidst all these classifications, given that the United States Indian Service historically consigned them to the poorest real estate on the continent, classified them as savages and rarely, if ever mentions them as a part of the human race? We all share some responsibility for relegating them to the status of “America’s most forgotten people.” If we honestly seek to become one people, then why can’t we start working together toward a common future that will accrue to the benefit of us all?  

Cowboy Bob
The Sagebrush Philosopher
September 13, 2012

"Is This Class Warfare?"

Well, the recent announcement of Paul Ryan as Mitt Romney’s running mate should come as no surprise to political minds that are the least bit savvy. They are a good fit. Theological scholars dismiss any pretense of a religion that is the hallmark of Romney’s system of beliefs. Ryan, on the other hand, holds out his professed membership in one of the oldest Christian religions as proof that he is a true believer that only wants what “God” has deemed to be in the best interests of the American people. For anyone who actually believes either or both of these religious demagogues and their zealous followers, I have a slightly used bridge for sale -- at a bargain price.

Any astute person need not labor for long to identify the fallacy of what this particular brand of politics is likely to visit on the people of this country, already trampled into the ground by the sheer evil of those seeking to pound the last nails into the coffin of what is left of our fragile democracy – a government of the people, by the people and for the people. Yeah. Tell me another one. Given all that this sinister movement peddles, I ask you, where are the “people” in this equation? As I view the total economic and social devastation of the last forty years, I see only a wasteland of what used to be the finest and best about us.

If one will take the time to look back in history, the genesis of this plague that is upon the land will become glaringly apparent. Every fascist totalitarian system of government has emerged promising utopia for the society upon which it is built. They articulate a new and better order for the masses. They garner the popular support of the very ones they end up persecuting. The “new order” has no problem readily solidifying the support from those of wealth and privilege. They have no problem gaining the support of the zealots who, in one twisted form or another, believe they have a favored position with their divine creator. They preach “God” and practice a demagoguery that blames the disenfranchised for every ill which they claim has created the havoc from which their concept of society suffers. They are the ones who have no trouble brutalizing the least among them, who persecute them, who incarcerate them, who exile them and, yes, in some instances execute them. History shows that this is all done within the context of creating a more perfect society. It is utterly incredulous that any sane mind could possibly comprehend, and any civilized soul would not reject out of hand.

It all begins with a radical and simplistic ideology, from which emerges a charismatic leader who articulates a belief system that convinces a broad base of the population, motivated by greed and power, that he is the personification of all that will make life infinitely better and more perfect for all true believers. He will rout out the dead beats that are nothing more than parasites on those who have worked and sacrificed to make their world a better place. Mob rule sets in and feeds the mission. The rich and powerful join the movement. The military establishment aligns itself with the movement against those who are the objects of its disdain. The religious dimension has no trouble believing that God talks only to them and champions their efforts to cleanse society of those who have not seen the light, and are the thankless takers from good and virtuous people. They are the ones who have had to support and subsidize the indolent and marginal producers in their otherwise perfect world.

From this wellspring of self-proclaimed superiority and its attendant malice comes the simplistic and absolute concept of a perfect world that fuels the fires of their self-proclaimed system that ultimately becomes a cause. Knowledge and reason become their sworn enemies. Discourse is soon reduced to slogans. From all this comes such paragons of virtue and enlightenment as Dick Cheney, the Neocons, Herbert Norquist, Mitch McConnell, John Boehner, Eric Cantor, Rush Limbaugh, Fox News, the Tea Party, the Fundamentalists, and all those who suffer from varying degrees of calcified cranial tissue that makes them want to plunder and destroy out of sheer ignorance and an insatiable greed. They are the disciples of Ayn Rand, and the others who see only what they want to see, believe only what they want to believe, rather than what knowledge might otherwise dispel. They are the epitome of a self-imposed ignorance fueled by an ingrained hatred that only seems to make them more embittered.

This is the stuff of Wall Street, Corporate America, opponents of science, destroyers of the environment and those who know no limits to their plunder of Planet Earth. Among them are those who comprise organized efforts such as the Chamber of Commerce of the United States, who buy and sell our entire political establishment, those who pander to the purveyors of all that goes into a bloated military establishment for which there is no rational basis and from which there is no escape. These are the ones who operate in the shadows, have conceived of and spawned an intelligence and security apparatus that is shrouded in secrecy and drains billions of dollars from our economy, based on an insidious fear that, in most instances, can only be asserted, not proven. Their ability to fan the fires of fear gives them the power to solidify their position in the “new order.” This has given us a plethora of agencies, the most prominent being the Department of Homeland Security which has become such a behemoth that it seems to have a life all its own. All this comes at tremendous cost to our economy and the social fabric that might well better serve the common good.

When did all the virtues that made us a good and decent people and that gave us a sense of trust and respect for one another die? When did it become acceptable to engage in every conceivable method of deception and manipulation in order to feed the rapacious appetite of our basest instincts and glutinous greed? When did those practices become the norm in every branch of government, in the world of banking and finance, in the boardrooms of corporations, and in every other institution that was once the bedrock and foundation of our ability to honor, respect and treat others as equals with a legitimate right to their part in the ownership of a fair and just society? When did our churches cease to be the moral compass for us all, only to morph into a mouthpiece for hatred and disdain heaped on those who they deemed to be little more than parasites on society? By what Divine revelation and authority did their demagoguery become a mark of virtue?

A wise man once said, “Trust, like the soul, never returns once it is gone.” Trust is a precious gift that should be respected and revered by those who seek it. What happened to the value we once placed in that trust? Frankly, I simply no longer trust or respect any of those who serve at our pleasure, be it in government, commerce or all the other institutions of society that are there to, ostensibly, serve us and to maintain the health of and welfare of our nation.

I don’t fault those for whom the methods shaping our attitudes, tastes, values, etc have succeeded. In the end, they are the ultimate victims. However, I do fault those purveyors of the very sophisticated and refined methods that are used by those who seek to manipulate and control our perceptions of the world around us and who seek to create the system of beliefs and our appetites for all they want us to assimilate and covet. It is a very sophisticated science that is routinely practiced in every aspect of our daily lives. We feed on what they peddle and they profit from it, very handsomely.

Ours is not a system of government. It is a system of corruption. The Executive Branch is corrupt; the Legislative Branch is corrupt; the Judicial Branch is corrupt; agencies that operate in the shadows of secrecy are suspect; the mainstream news media are compromised and anything but objective or guardians of the public interest. Those who feed the corrupt in exchange for their favors are corrupt. The entire system is rigged in favor of those who have no sense of decency; those who plunder from the national economy for their own ambitions and personal gain.

Why is our sitting President revered by the press for being such a great President? Where, I ask you, has he stood firm on one single issue of principle calling for real leadership? Where and on how many occasions has he sold out the working people of this country in favor of the oligarchs, plutocrats, corporate behemoths and all of the attendant sycophants lusting for ever more from their never-ending pillage of this country? Where is the transparency and openness with the American people he promised? Why does he seem to have such an ingrained fear of the veto pen? The answer to all this is “Because he is not and never has been one of us. He is one of them!” He is the proverbial compromiser who keeps feeding the alligators, hoping they will eat him last.

As for the Legislative Branch, except for a few very notable exceptions who have a genuine fix on the responsibilities and dedication real statesmanship requires, they are just as corrupt, if not more so, than their kindred souls in other branches of government. They are just greater in numbers and more adroit at clouding the issues.

Then, of course, we have the august sages of the Supreme Court. Judicial integrity seems to have eluded the majority of the current crop of black robes. To think of themselves as anything but legal harlots is a stretch, if you ask me. They aren’t even subtle as to the going price for one of their “considered opinions,” that will cater to their particular brand of political bias. I refer you to George W. Bush and the super rich behind Citizens United, for openers.

I have developed an ingrained mistrust of those to whom we have entrusted our future. I just don’t see much consistency between their words and their actions. In the final analysis, the bottom ninety-nine percent is clearly regarded as the bottom feeders in our social and political systems. They are the mushrooms kept in the dark and fed excrement by those who sit at the top of the food chain. They are the fodder for their canons. They are expendable in their grand scheme fed by limitless wealth and unchecked power. At the end of the day, they count for little or nothing.

It is time for the love fest between Barack Obama, Eric Holder, Wall Street and the alumni of the Clinton Administration to come to an end. We have had enough of their seductive rhetoric and a free pass on every transgression against the nation they are sworn to serve. Where were their voices and actions when the “Occupy Wall Street” movement was met with civilian law enforcement fronting for the power elite against those engaging in peaceful demonstrations? Their only “crime” was to protest against the myriad injustices being perpetrated against those who, rightfully, want their fair share of the wealth, abundance and opportunity this nation is sworn to deliver. Although there seems to be a growing number who believe otherwise, we are not a nation of royalty. We are a nation of free people with every right to a fair share of all that is produced by their role in the wealth of this republic. That goes for equality and fairness in every dimension of our lives.

It is time for labor organizations to regain the equal treatment and opportunity under the law on a par, and with the same guarantees, as those who now reap obscene profits from their success in minimizing the rightful role of labor for the American worker to that of a token effort, at best. It is time to stop the rhetoric that it is government that is responsible for the deficits we are racking up. Where is the accountability that should properly be laid at the feet of every sordid and greedy profiteer that holds himself out as a pillar of decency? You cannot have equal opportunity by starving our public education system while the coffers of the private schools, colleges and universities amass endowment funds that would have been the envy of kings and queens of earlier times. You cannot have equal opportunity when we permit lending predators to reduce our young people to a state of indentured servitude and a lifetime of debt. You cannot have safe and secure communities by stripping them of law enforcement, fire and safety personnel sufficient to guarantee that basic human right. These few examples, alone, clearly state the case that we are, indeed, a two-class society. Call it what you will, but it is an inescapable fact that “a rose by any other name is still a rose.”

My first inkling that the winds of change were upon us was when the so-called “all volunteer armed forces” was adopted. That opened the doors to those who would become the fodder for the canons owned by the elites who stood to profit, handsomely, from the blood, sweat and tears of those who would “volunteer” out of sheer economic necessity. Meanwhile, those from homes among the bastions of wealth and privilege went off to the Ivy League Schools to learn the skills needed to plunder and exploit our country, much like those who begat them, in order to preserve and enhance their massive wealth gleaned from the sacrifices of those who labor in their service. Enough blood has been shed by the oppressed in the service of the oppressor, the only result of which is yet more contempt and disdain for those whose labors they procure for a mere pittance.

The question has been asked, “Is this class warfare?” That is not the question that appeals to those in polite company. My retort? You damned right this is class warfare, and it is time to bring it to a screeching halt! And all those we elect to public office have a solemn obligation to support that cause with determination, honor, integrity and dedication. Anything less is an affront to the national conscience. That isn’t rocket science, folks, that is just plain old common sense.

It is time for that change, my friends, and I am referring to real, honest change and not just more of the bovine scatology that has been the only fare known by far too many and for much too long. We are, after all, a nation of laws, and everyone is supposed to be equal under those laws. The time has come to educate the “scum class” to that basic fact of life in these United States of America. A good start might be to create an opportunity for more than just the “knighted” two-party system that dominates our local and national political agendas. I dare say you could probably begin by entrusting that charge to a few of the outstanding scholars who have been disenfranchised from their educational pursuits by the alleged “mounting deficit” facing this country. We might just discover that there are, indeed, better alternatives that demand a forum and our support. Tell Romney, Ryan, the Tea Party and Corporate Capitalists we categorically reject, out of hand, all the hollow promises they make. Theirs is no utopia. It is just more for them and the same or less for the rest of us. They know it and so do we.

All politicians, regardless of their ilk, need a cardinal lesson in the virtues of basic honesty and simple truth. That would take us a long way down the road to a better future.

Cowboy Bob
The Sagebrush Philosopher
August 19, 2012

Permit me to share a few vignettes from my earlier life that may cast some light on why I feel so strongly about what we, as a nation, are experiencing and the fear of what we might yet become.

• When I was a small boy, my Dad worked as a ranch hand south of Cody, Wyoming. At the end of the tourist season, he was one of the hands assigned to help move the horses to winter pasture. My Mother and we three kids were to meet him after the horses were safely moved. We waited in a tourist cabin. My Dad failed to meet us and my Mother did not have the means to contact him. As a result, what money she had did not last long. We were reduced to eating oatmeal for three days, with no sugar and milk. I know what it is to be hungry and the fear of an uncertain future.

• Later, my Dad was working as a ranch hand on a ranch owned by an heiress of the Heinz 57 Fortune. Her son, who was the same age as me, arrived in a private railroad car from Philadelphia to spend the summer with his mother. I was designated to be his playmate for the duration of the summer. We became good friends and, on one occasion, we had lunch in the dining annex to the main house. Following lunch, “Georgie” asked me if I would like to see his room. His mother was standing near by and reminded him that “the hired help were never allowed in the main house.” So much for that excursion into the world of the wealthy, and a stark reminder, at the ripe old age of 9, that I was, in the final analysis, just another member of the “hired help.” I know what is to be reminded of a lower station in life.

• On the Easter Day of my 7th year, I recall getting out of bed early and searching the house for the Easter baskets that were traditionally left by the Easter Bunny, all to no avail. My Mother was sitting at the kitchen table, her head buried in her hands, crying. She had to tell us there was no such thing as an Easter Bunny (she had no money). I know what it is to have the joy of a childhood mystery shattered by the reality of poverty.

• Every year my Mother’s sister in California would pack up all of the clothes her two children had outgrown, and send them to us in a large cardboard box. I remember the joy of seeing and wearing all those clothes. I know what it is to experience the happiness created by the thoughtfulness of someone who cared.

• My entire formal education was underwritten by the G.I. Bill. It took me through my baccalaureate studies, and a Public Health Scholarship took me through my Master’s studies. I know what it is to have the emancipating experience of a government funded education in exchange for my four years of military service. I know the feeling of a grateful heart because of a nation of people who genuinely cared.