“The Winds of Change are Upon Us”

What is the value of one American?  That varies from one individual to another and one moment to another in time.  It is whatever that one American’s vote is worth that puts just one person in office and in a position to exploit the system to his own advantage.  It just takes that one American to create what will, in turn, give unlimited power and privilege to that vote seeker which will put him in a position to claim all the spoils provided by the American taxpayer to a system of government that will promptly forget how he got there and lose sight of the fact that he is claiming the right to spend what has been entrusted to him as if all of it is a rightful entitlement to be disbursed as he may see fit, and at the expense of all those whose vote has been so freely given. 

I watch a lot of news programs about every conceivable aspect of what our government and all those who comprise that dubious manifestation of all those who profess to be doing something for us rather than to us.  They really do believe they are the anointed ones and Mr.& Mrs. America are nothing more than nameless and faceless conceptual creations that are there to do whatever they may deem their rightful prerogatives, any accountability to the benefactors be damned.  We, the American people, are nothing more than enablers to those who see the government and all its real benefactors as theirs to do with as they please.  You can bet that none of those who bothered to go to the polls will count for one scintilla of what public servants will do with the trust we have placed in them. 

Those who go to Washington, D.C. on the strength of our votes and our tax dollars have no shame at using what we have entrusted to them for their own personal ambitions, in whatever forms they may chose to take.  They almost appear to become intoxicated by their newfound membership in the club of the elite and powerful.  They will now rub shoulders with the 85 comprising the super rich who claim, with no shame whatsoever, an amount of money that is equal to that of the bottom 3.5 billion people in the entire world!  I would hazard a guess that it would be close to, if not impossible to identify any one of them who sees what they have taken with such abandon as anything to which they are not rightfully entitled, the source of their obscene wealth being totally irrelevant. 

While the common person, under penalty of law, gives their taxes to the government, ostensibly for myriad services that serve the common good, it is freely taken from them and re-channeled to the many vested interests who are the real benefactors of our government’s largesse to all those who grease the hands of those who do their bidding, more often than not at taxpayers expense. 

How did we come by a two-party system that, for all intents and purposes, is essentially the same?  They impoverish the bottom tiers of the population and pass their tax dollars to those in the form tax relief to the very rich, bailing out banks and financial institutions that have pillaged and plundered our nation’s economy.  They, in turn, pay less in taxes, engage in monopolistic practices and operate with fewer and fewer regulations there to protect the consumer public.  They operate in secret, make backroom deals and spy on us at will.  We, in turn, live in a flat-lined economy while the coffers of all the plutocrats simply bulge ever more with each passing handout from Uncle Sam.

 

Those we have elected to office, meanwhile, engage in ritual wailing and gnashing of their teeth because our national budget is out of control and we are overspending!  Alas, alack!  What misfortune faces us now?  Those of us who pay our taxes and live at the bottom of the food chain with barely enough to feed our families and pay our bills see what few social benefits we have evaporate right before our eyes.  Where has the unemployment insurance gone that was created to help those of lesser means to weather downturns in the economy?  Where have the food stamps gone that were put in place to help the least among us get through the tough times with barely enough to put food on the table for our children? 

What has happened to all those young people searching for a means to get into and graduate from college so they, in turn, just might have a shot at the American Dream by becoming a cut above all those living on a minimum wage?  Just ask any one of those aspiring professionals how much of a burden they are carrying and the constraints they live under for having taken the money from the government to finance their educations?  Is there any hope that their burden of debt will ever be paid off?  Then, just for the sake of watching the shock on their faces, ask those from the Ivy League Schools and environs sometimes frequented by the likes of Barack Obama how they managed to get through the system unscathed and financially sound?

Let’s face it, those who enjoy the most from all of those who have the least are the corrupt and compromised members of banking, law, hedge fund management, founders of successful companies, entertainers, senior managers and other scavengers who sit on the sidelines hoping, just hoping, one of the big boys will throw them a crumb once in a while in exchange for their loyalty and support. 

Call it what you will, but this country is owned by those of means and all those who serve them.  They are the wealthy, the privileged, the news media, the entertainment industry, the military services, the intelligence community, the military/industrial complex and all of those of lesser stature who routinely engage in feeding frenzies at the public trough.  Those who shape public opinion and appetites in their favor are the complete antithesis to anything resembling a democratic system.  It is a myth to think otherwise. 

Personally, I think the entire fable of how this country was founded is questionable.  How many of those so-called “Framers of the Constitution” were men of modest means?  How many of them lived in mansions on plantations and owned slaves?  How many of them lived on Elm Street and drove a one-horse carriage to the office every day?  How many of them worked by the sweat of their brow and supported a family living at the subsistence level?  How many of their philosophical progeny now work in the halls of government with the avowed purpose of limiting all forms of “democratic” behavior that has the potential to impede the continued exploitation of all that rightfully belongs to the American people?

Frankly, I see little difference between the “Conservatives” and the “Progressives.”  The former seems to have God on their side on every issue.  The latter seems to have an “enlightened and informed” view of society on every issue, as well.  The former operates from a base of divine enlightenment and the latter operates from their concept of what constitutes a perfect world.  Both groups seem to have plenty of money and privilege at their disposal.  It must be rather easy to leave all that behind and return to the comfortable surroundings to which each has become accustomed.  It is quite a different thing to take a stand and fight for what you know to be right and just.

At the end of the day we have Fox News to keep one side happy with the knowledge that they really are right all the time.  On the opposite side we have those who are secure in the knowledge their view of the world really is on the side of all those who are continually exploited by the system in one form or another.  If that doesn’t beg the question of having a multi-party system, I don’t know what does.  Both of what we have continually feed from the same troughs of corruption. 

We Americans, such as we are, always seem to be looking for something “different” to entertain us and to occupy our minds.  No sooner were the Christmas trees taken down and the liquor bottles put in the recycling bins than it was announced that Hillary Clinton was retaining one of the best political packs to launch her bid for the White House in 2016.  The euphoric exhortations from every corner of the Democratic Party, the White House, and the “progressive” community were deafening, almost to the point of hearing that she was about to be elected by acclimation.  This was just a reminder to saner minds that the entire spin machine was already in place to make sure she was the only viable Democratic candidate for President in 2016.  I don’t share that view. 

First of all, I perceive our two-party system as an accepted means of controlling the numbers of people seeking office and limiting their numbers to those who have already proven their prowess in how to play to the plutocrats that already own and control our system of government.  Their strategy is formulated and fostered by the club who seeks to further their own vested interests at the expense of the preponderance of Americans who will go to the polls and cast their votes in the next national election.

I don’t subscribe to the notion that the conduct and behavior of the Clintons in the White House, the Senate and the State Department are necessarily ancient history and should be forgotten, nor has the slate been wiped clean as their supporters would have us believe.  Bill Clinton’s conduct while President was reprehensible and he proved himself to be about as base and vulgar as one could imagine. 

From the tales that have circulated since she left the White House, Hillary could swear like a drunken sailor with the style and ease of a seasoned veteran.  She supported George W. Bush and Dick Cheney on going to war with Iraq and, frankly, I don’t think her performance beyond that has been particularly remarkable or impressive. 

The Clintons are what they are.  They are in it for the money, power and prestige.  It is a testament to their prowess and skill that they have managed to get as far as they have and to have burnished their image so an entire nation sees them as ready to mount the white horse and ride, triumphantly, back into the limelight.  They haven’t earned the renewed respect and admiration of the American people that is essential for such a quantum leap. 

We have the right to a couple in the White House that has the stature of the First Family.  Harry and Bess Truman may have been basic people, but they were honest, decent and down to earth.  Harry was a leader of principle and courage.  Bess was a dedicated and supportive wife.  That is more than I can say for the Clintons.

I, for one, believe we have had far too much testosterone in the White House for much too long.  Men posture too much and they are not always what we think they are.  Women, on the other hand, seem to be better listeners, studious and act on the basis of fact rather than supposition.  I think their time has come but we have better possibilities than Hillary Clinton.

Elizabeth Warren went to the White House and set herself to the task of creating a Department of Consumer Affairs, with the promise from Barack Obama that she would become the first Director of that endeavor.  However, typical of our resident chameleon at 1600 Pennsylvania, Barack Obama pulled the rug out from under that commitment and gave it to a man, about which little seemed to be known.  Senator Warren graciously accepted the decision and supported that effort during her remaining time in the White House. 

As soon as another opportunity arose that was compatible with her education, knowledge and experience, she set her sights on U.S. Senator from Massachusetts and won the office handily.  She has served with distinction, determination, strength, leadership and acumen.  She has garnered the admiration and respect of the country and those with whom she has served.  She has demonstrated a degree of honesty and resolve that few in the Halls of Government can duplicate.  She has all the attributes we need to clean up so much of what has been created by others who have gone before her in government.  She has consistently demonstrated courage and perseverance where others would have failed. 

Frankly, I do not believe we could find a better person to assume the mantle of the Presidency and to establish the precedent for a woman in the White House than Elizabeth Warren. 

My choice for a back-up would be U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar from Minnesota who has shown great promise for higher office by her intelligence, acumen, record of accomplishments and conduct during her time in office.

This country has suffered long and hard at the hands of a very corrupt government.  Moreover, President Obama has shown himself to be more a chameleon than a leader by his ability to talk out of both sides of his mouth and his complete adoration and accommodation of Bill and Hillary Clinton.  He has pandered to the rich and powerful plus the Republican power structure by his penchant for secrecy, Executive Orders and compromise at the expense of the Democratic Party and the multitudes who have suffered by his actions and which have adversely affected so many lives of those who could ill afford his folly. 

We need to demand a renewed sense of honesty, integrity and principled courage from our elected officials.  They all need to revisit their fundamental pledge and commitment to serve and defend the interests of the American people; not those of wealth, power and privilege, including the President, the Senate, the Congress, the Supreme Court and all the sundry departments and bureaus that have blossomed since the Founding Fathers affixed their signatures to the Constitution.  We, the people of this country, have had enough of being seduced by their rhetoric, their under-handed behavior, their thievery, their sense of entitlement and privilege.

The winds of change are upon us.  I see and hear it every day from people of all walks of life.  Their disdain is more than just a casual complaint.  Those of you who sit on high thinking you are putting one over on the people need to take stock of who and what you are, do your job and restore integrity and genuine service to the people of this country.

Cowboy Bob

January 28, 2014                

                                              

“Something Is Sticking In My Craw”

When I was growing up in Wyoming, the natives would use a particular phrase to describe their disdain and impatience about something that just would not seem to go away.  They would say, “There is something sticking in my craw.”  Having grown up with that particular pattern of speech, it seems appropriate to invoke it in this particular instance. 

Frankly, I have reached a saturation point where so much of what I see, hear and feel seems beyond repair that I have decided to publish this blog.  The title aptly embodies those feelings about various issues that really piss me off.   

1.                  The whitewashing of the entire Clinton Family.  I simply fail to comprehend, given that Bill Clinton demonstrated to the entire world just how sullied and low-life he was, why he is now revered as one of the “greatest presidents ever known.”  His tryst with Monica Lewinsky and her private lessons on the skin flute should have been more than enough to relegate him to the dust bin of human decency.  Instead, he lied to us without a modicum of shame and threw himself on the sword begging forgiveness from political and ethnic leaders as a way of showing us that he was sanitized and really a great man after all.  As if that weren’t enough, he got back in the good graces with some of the worst personalities in government and politics, totally decimated safeguards on the financial community that had served this country extremely well going back as far as the Great Depression.  He enlisted some of the biggest sharks in Washington, D.C., not the least of who were Phil Gram, Robert Rubin and Larry Summers, all of whom could not resist the smell of honest people’s money just waiting to be plundered for those whose greed and avarice knew no limits.  And, he got away with it!  That entire charade, of course, set the stage for the crash of Wall Street in the early years of the Obama Administration and the worst economic recession since the 1930’s.  His protégé quickly demonstrated that he was a willing student eager to please the big boys and show the nation just how adroit he was at screwing the American people without benefit of kiss.  Billy Boy, being the loyal mentor he was, wasted no time in transferring the most accomplished of his happy band of thieves to important and influential positions as chief political and financial advisors and confidents to the Obama Administration.   They taught the newest and youngest of their kind from the windy city of Chicago all the tricks of the trade, and they were off and running while the nation paid, and continues to pay, for their ability to ply their tricks of the trade. 

Billy Boy wasted no time in convincing George H.W. Bush that he was, in reality, a darling and the two of them have done a yeoman’s job of doing all sorts of illicit skullduggery with other people’s money, not the least of which is a virtual monopoly on anyone wanting to do business in Haiti that just might speed its recovery from that long-ago and almost forgotten hurricane.  Moreover, if that were not enough of his questionable skills, he sent over some of the biggest scions of industry and corporate raiders to “advise” the new president on how the game was really played, all the while blowing smoke up the backside of all those naïve but good souls who voted him into the White House.  And the so-called progressives were pleased. 

Hillary played the role of a United States Senator with some degree of aplomb, and set herself up to become President Obama’s first Secretary of State whose performance was, in the final analysis, a skilled part but lacking much substance.

 

The caveat of the entire role of the Clinton Family on the public stage was Chelsea’s career on Wall Street with a prominent hedge fund, for which I would imagine, true to the Clinton legacy, had to have been well paid.  The life of that career seemed rather short for reasons few, if any people, really understand.  The mystery remains. 

After all this, William Jefferson Clinton is now hailed as one of the “Greatest Presidents” in history!  If the history of that family does not prove the prowess of the media in white washing, I don’t know what does!  But for all of this, the so-called “Progressives” are deliriously happy, resulting in glaring speculation that Hillary is going to be our first female President!  Any rational mind must surely wonder why they are not held to account and called out for what they really are.  When, if ever, will truth matter in and around the environs of our nation’s Capital?  I am not making any book on that one. 

2.                  Giving Barack a free pass on every deception he has perpetuated against the American people, from his reverence for power, money and the military/industrial complex to his penchant for “Executive Orders,” “secrecy” and “compromise” with all of those he has sworn to oppose, whatever that means.

3.                  Although I voted for him, I am repulsed by Barack Obama’s lofty speeches and appearance of being on the side of the people when, in fact, he is an elitist of the worst kind, more often at the expense of the average American?

4.                  The broad-base of apathy and complacency on the part of the American people within the ranks of those who should be outraged and actively engaged in turning this country around.

5.                  Failure to recognize the fact that we have a two-party monopolistic political system that does nothing to open the doors for others seeking a shot at the presidency or a seat in any of the other houses of government.

6.                  Blithely accepting the power and influence of those seeking personal favors and influence from government rather than expressing public outrage at their backdoor and underhanded practices that spawn ever-increasing pain and suffering on the health and welfare of the common people. 

7.                  A corporate owned and managed press which is contrary to the intent of the Founding Fathers.  Why do we not respect and demand a “free and unfettered” press that serves the people, not vested interests, power and big money?

8.                  The lack of a system of government that insists on public ownership and supervision by the public of all institutions that are there to serve the interests of the people, not special interests, unimaginable wealth and centers of power? 

9.                  Focus on making this country a beacon for the world and mind our own business.  We have no reason to be the protector of the world and the impetus for moving this country, and all countries, towards world government.

10.              Why we revere anything “private” and “entrepreneurial” as the alpha and omega of everything good and progressive for the people, but have disdain for anything that suggests public ownership and oversight that will best serve the majority of the people rather than power and money?  Why is anything remotely labeled as “socialist,” “organized labor” and “progressive” attacked as evil and wicked, while rigging the system to favor those whose greed and lust for power know no limits?  

11.              Why we don’t demand anything that smarts of a “conflict of interest” or “self-serving” by everyone elected to public office from their personal conduct while in office.

12.              Prohibit any form of religion from interfering in our politics and limit participation in our politics to the population at large.  Lobbying has no place in our system of government.      

13.              Why we don’t insist that our government be an open book, for all to see, scrutinize and hold to account. 

14.              Why so few of our great academic minds choose to remain sequestered in the halls of ivy rather than taking an active interest as change agents in giving real meaning and purpose to this democracy, and what their knowledge could contribute to making the system more democratic and more responsive to the will of the people.

15.              Why do we tolerate continued financial support for big banks with interest-free loans from the Federal Reserve while re-building our infrastructure, valuable services that create jobs and support for the poor go begging? 

16.              Why do we tolerate the arrogance of a government that clearly is in the hip pockets of the super-rich, corporate capitalists, the military-industrial complex, largesse and sweet-heart support for those who have been elected to “serve” us in public office?   Why do we tolerate their blatant excesses in terms of compensation, perquisites and privileges (working half-time), secret meetings and deals behind closed doors that, by all rights, should be transparent, open to the public and against the law?

17.              Why have we allowed public figures to sell out the interests of the people by their penchant for “privatizing” every conceivable service imaginable so their “buddies” can make fortunes at public expense while the quality of those services go begging?

18.              Where are all the improvements to our infrastructure that we were promised?  Why is there little or nothing being done or demanded by those of us who have a right to expect that those promises will be kept?

19.              Why, when domestic industries and services are withering on the vine, do we fall for the hollow promises and questionable results that flow from “free-trade” agreements and the shipping of industries and jobs overseas?  How does that benefit the United States of America now and into the future?

20.              Why do we continue to give a free pass to those in power for deceiving us with sheer abandon and taking care of their rich and powerful cohorts?   

21.              Why do we tolerate the blatant deference to the rich, powerful and privileged while the needs of the common people of this so-called democracy go begging, with all the attendant suffering and pain they endure?

22.              Why do we blithely accept the corruption and self-serving practices of our elected officials and the so-called “justices” of the Supreme Court”?  We seem unable to discern the difference between “judicial review” and “legislating from the bench.”

23.              Where is the “free and unfettered” press prescribed by the Found Fathers that now is owned lock, stock and barrel by big business and serves as the mouthpiece for all of those who seek to shape public opinion and our appetites, rather than questioning and challenging their motives for advocating them? 

24.              Why do we tolerate so-called esteemed justices who blatantly interpret the law, the Constitution and the intent of the Founding Fathers that simply play to the most corrupting and powerful influences in our society, yet deprive the broader public of power that rightfully belongs to the body politic?  Just look at what they have done in terms of fair and open elections and all the safeguards to ensure that those elections are always open and free.  Let’s hear one for North Carolina!

25.              Why we are so deferential to wealth, power and privilege yet so willingly demonized those at the bottom of the food chain and the jobs they rely on for a living?  I thought we abolished slavery a long time ago. 

26.              Why are we so willing to “privatize” public services that are essential to the broader society and that serve as the foundation for a free and healthy democracy?  Who benefits vs. those who lose?

27.              Why do we invest so little treasure and knowledge in responding to the impending perils of “climate change” but subsidize fossil fuels and food producers who continue to pollute the environment and destroy the health of the people?

28.              Why do we tolerate the excesses of business interests while depriving those who work for a living with the right to engage in collective bargaining to ensure a fair and just work place and fair compensation for their labors?

29.              Why do we allow the hollow offers from television, movies, the internet and the myriad social networks to determine our basic values and what they have deemed to be fundamentally sound and moral for a civilized and functioning society?

30.              Why do we allow the religious institutions to operate as “tax-free” entities and amass wealth and influence without returning a sound moral compass and a clear voice to society that just might inspire us to reach for higher and nobler standards in our daily life, rather than reveling in the sewer that is sold to us as “entertainment?”  Surely there is a balance between what is good and decent vs. what is licentious and “free,” whatever that means?  

31.              What has happened to our fundamental belief in what is inherently good and decent about all we are as a people, and our insistence that the foundation for those virtues can only thrive in an environment where the common people are the bedrock of society, looking out for each other and supporting all that has been proven by the test of time to be the essence of the health and welfare of our nation? 

32.              And, last but surely not least, why have we chosen to focus on and talk to inanimate electronic devices rather than just talking to each other?  From my point of view, that remains the most bizarre mystery of all.       

 

Keep hope alive and let’s all pray for better days ahead.      

Cowboy Bob

January 19, 2014

"Overthrow the Speculators"

I refer my readers to the following article published today, December 30, 2013 on http://www.commondreams.org, titled "Overthrow the Speculators," by Chris Hedges.  It is an idea whose time has come and it makes more sense than anything I have read in a very long time.  If we are to take back Democracy for the people of this country, we have to engage in a serious challenge to the banks, corporate capitalists, and the massive empire of corruption that is strangling the very life-blood out of this country.  Moreover, it is aided and abetted by a corporately-owned news media that serves as the mouthpiece for big business and a government monolith, both of which own our "two-party" political system and all their minions who have reduced the common people to a status akin to that of indentured servitude.

We can no longer afford to simply wring our hands, go around in endless circles and lament that "the sky is falling; the sky is falling!"  It is time to stop our penchant for the numbing of our minds by seeking to be endlessly entertained, and to join the legions of those who have come to realize that only by being actively involved will we free ourselves from the bondage of the ever-burgeoning two-class society we live in today.  "Wishing will not make it so!"  

It has been said that "truth is mightier than the sword."  Is it not time to place "truth" above all the deception and manipulation we receive on a daily basis from every conceivable kind of "entertainment," "news" and "advertising" that only serves to increase the power of those who seek to destroy this country and all of the good and decent people who want, very much, to see it become the beacon of hope we believed it to be?

"Believe nothing you hear and only half of what you see."

Cowboy Bob
December 30, 2013

  

“Has American Democracy Run Its Course?”

I have always had a healthy respect for the Brits.  I am impressed by their sense of propriety and decorum but I am, also, impressed when I see their elected representatives in Parliament get their hackles up and really go for the jugular.  Propriety goes out the window, their voices go up several decibels and they call it for what it is, all of which leaves little to the imagination in order to discern the seriousness of the subject under discussion.

The other day, as I was watching Dianne Feinstein drawl on (as only she can do), and I suddenly became aware of the institutional hypocrisy and the blatant corruption that is so ingrained in the way our elected representatives in the Senate and the House carry on.  “My Esteemed Colleague,” “My Good Friend,” “My Fellow (whatever),” etc.  Frankly, they would carry more weight with me if they simply called a spade a spade.  I think more of us would pay serious attention to what they were saying or advocating on our behalf if they simply dispensed with all the obfuscation.  Any of us who takes the time and effort to know what they are all about probably shares our contempt with the others who suffer at their hands in one form or another.

·        The President seems handicapped by an imperial complex.

·        The Senate seems to suffer from much the same omnipotent malady as many of their historical predecessors. 

·        The House seems to suffer from a divinity complex, given that a significant number of them appear to seriously believe that God is on their side.

·        The Supreme Court either has a very mistaken notion of superiority or the majority has an identity crisis created by the long robes traditionally worn in discharging the duties of their office.   

What is more astounding is the extent to which we, the people, actually defer to those illusions, almost believing they are “our representatives” there for the sole purpose of  carrying out the will of the people.  Now, I ask you, how naive can we be?  Most of them are clearly established members in good standing of the biggest bunch of rogues and thieves to set foot in the hallowed halls of our government. 

At the end of the day, the Brits seem to have a better fix on whom and what they are all about than any of those we elect to serve in high places.  I think there is too much of a propensity in the fabric of Americans to simply shrug our shoulders, roll over and conclude there is little we can do about any given situation, so better to just make the most of it and go with the flow.  I would ask you, what has this flaw in our basic character gotten us?  The only ones who take to the streets are the young idealists who have been the most put upon by a social, economic and political climate that exploits them at every opportunity.  I think we could well do with a hell of a lot more hollering, protesting, demonstrating and other forms of disobedience than to remain complacent and let those who have the most continue to exploit those of us who have the least.  Where is the justice in all this?

The oligarchs, plutocrats, corporate capitalists, financiers, the military/industrial complex, the intelligence community, etc. are too busy making money from our resources, our ignorance and our complacency by reducing us to the status of indentured servants and destroying our environment.  And you can bet your last red cent, credit card or entitlement voucher that they are well aware of what they are doing, how to do it and how to circumvent the law and the will of the people in doing it.  Just because they live in mansions, recreate on yachts that would rival the Queen Mary and still have more money than they can spend does not mean they are any better than those who they exploit with impunity.  It is they who are the dregs of humanity, not those who suffer because of them. 

It is the super-rich and all of their minions who are the vilest among us.  They have no character, no integrity, no principles of decency, no charity, no sense of responsibility, etc.  The only concern that motivates them is their continued ability to make as much money as possible for themselves and their progeny, the rest of us be damned.  As Marie Antoinette once said of the starving peasants, our brand of affluent superiority must, also, wish for us – “Let them eat cake.”  Or, to couch those words in modern day terms, it might be more appropriate to say, “Let them eat pizza, burgers and fries, or whatever.”  You get the drift.

The term “free enterprise” is the most toxic frame of reference to which one could possibly subscribe in these perilous times for this country and, indeed, the industrialized world.  “Free enterprise” is nothing more than unbridled greed.  It sets the stage for unlimited exploitation of the human condition and the burden it puts on the backs of the most deprived upon among us.  It is the complete antithesis to a civilized society and the common people.  It is a euphemism for all they covet.  It has no limits and no sense of responsibility.  It is time to hold them to account, hold them to the law, to set limits on their authority and their ability to receive preferential treatment from our government, while those who elected them to office are told they must do with less so they can avoid paying their fair share of society’s tax burden.  They should be seriously restricted in their authority to commit the taxpayers and voters to anything that does not have the consent of the governed.

Freedom does not exist without accountability.  It is a symbiotic relationship any way you look at it.  Oversight must be provided by the people whenever it involves anything that affects the health and welfare of the people, and all the resources on which we depend, both natural and environmental.  Moreover, there must be consequences whenever any of those basic tenets are ignored or violated.

I would hope there are a few principled and dedicated people of intelligence, character and prominence who would take the time to carefully read the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, then expend some time and effort to compare what we have vs. what the Founding Fathers intended.  That exercise should be followed by a serious and detailed assessment of how and where we have taken the wrong turns, and what we must do to return to the basic intent of those documents.  Until that is done, we have little chance for real improvement.  Should that be the case, all the common people can hope for, as the oligarchs and their kindred kind continue their plunder, is for the rest of us to accept the crumbs we are given.  In return, the privileged among us will continue to harbor only a greater sense of entitlement for not having taken more for themselves from those who have so little to give.

All of the patriotic rhetoric not withstanding, I seriously question whether or not what we have come to believe is our brand of democracy is viable and genuinely democratic.  How much longer are we going to accept and support what we know, in our very bones, are the means for creating a two-class society with unfathomable wealth and luxury at one extreme, and unimaginable human poverty and suffering at the other? 

The time has come for the majority of Americans to demand greater participation in the cultivating, harvesting and use of all resources essential to the common welfare of this country.  At the end of the day, it all belongs to the collective “us;” not just to a select few.  Any product or service that is essential to the public interest should, also, belong to and be managed by the people.  There is no place for privilege or individual ownership in this equation.  Public resources and public services must, of necessity, be entrusted to and administered by the public.  If the public depends on it, it must be a public trust and the combined responsibility of the public.

Now I am certain there would be a great hue and cry of “socialism” from the proponents of a “free enterprise” or “market-based” system if any system were to become more egalitarian.  I would then deduce that they probably stands to lose much more than they can surreptitiously take from those to whom the resources belong.  If socialism is perceived as bad, what can be said for a free-enterprise or market-based system as it is currently defined and practiced?  I rest my case.  The test of time has clearly shown that a real democracy, based on the will of the people and the consent of the governed is far superior to one controlled by a select few that set themselves above and apart from the rest of society; those of wealth, power and privilege. 

One of the oldest and most successful cooperative endeavors in the world is the Mondragon Society based in the Basque region of Spain.  It is still being studied by some of the best social and economic minds in the world.  Given what the average American has endured since the glory days of Bill Clinton, followed by the double-speak of Barrack Obama, and an iron-clad and closed two-party political system that paves the way for and caters to those who hold the lion’s share of wealth and power in this country, it probably has considerable merit for further serious study by intelligent minds of a more egalitarian persuasion.

I have to confess that I hold the Republican Party in contempt, largely because of the control they have given the Tea Party, all of whom I regard as religious demagogues, and what they have done to destroy the democratic foundations upon which this country was built.  By the same token, I have as much contempt for the so-called “Progressive Democrats” who manage to look the other way when our illustrious President engages in circumventing his official responsibilities and political promises with his penchant for compromise, bi-partisanship, executive orders and secret meetings.  We are manipulated as much by their failure to take him to task as we are by the tea baggers who disparage him.
 

We need a political system that includes all legitimate parties, open presidential conventions and clear limits on the discretionary power and privilege of those who are elected to serve us, and not just by those who exploit us and who set themselves above any accountability to the public.  We have, for much too long, tolerated and supported a situation where the cart is clearly before the horse.  We have the talent, the resources and the power to make this happen for our mutual welfare and benefit.  

We don’t need a corporately owned news media plying their biased propaganda by having news celebrities telling us what the news is all about and how we should perceive it.  They should be accountable to all of us whose collective wisdom far exceeds anything they have to tell us.  By the same token, there should be a common will to hold them to account for what they peddle.  Their first priority must always be to serve us, the people, not corporate America or the oligarchy.  We must be more proactive and less reactive in this scenario if we are to reclaim the rightful ownership by everyone who has a place on this piece of real estate called the United States of America. 

I dare say if one were to take the time and effort, it would quickly become apparent that the parliamentary system of government is infinitely superior, less costly, less cumbersome and less prone to corruption than anything ever conceived by our Founding Fathers (a significant number of whom were from the wealthy and privileged of their day).  Members of parliament are elected by popular vote of the people, serve at their pleasure, are more available to their constituents and manifest greater transparency in their conduct and service to those who put them in office.  I, also, am inclined to believe the cost of running for public office under that system takes much less time and requires considerably less money for their campaigns. 

If one were to undertake a serious study of the overall cost of a parliamentary system, I would be inclined to expect a significantly smaller cost per capita and less corruption than we witness during the laborious exercise we go through during every election cycle.  I would not be the least bit surprised to find that they, unlike our elected officials,  work many more hours, take fewer “holidays,” and accept fewer, if any, "brown envelopes" from those seeking their favor or providing aid to them in their pillage and plunder of the public treasury. 

We don’t need an imperial presidency.  The doors should be closed to those seeking preferential treatment in their access to power, privilege and money.  It should be standard procedure, in cases where there appears to be a conflict between an individual’s business interests, professional associations, or other compromises to refrain from being appointed to any office where a conflict of interest is likely to be an issue. 

We Americans need to learn to critically carefully assess those who have managed to convince us that they are paragons of virtue in every aspect of their lives, and to stop deifying them as if they were touched by the hand of God Himself. 

·        Bill Clinton is no different today than when he ran for the Presidency.  He became cozy with far too many of those who were instrumental in destroying safeguards on our financial industries that stood the test of time and which had served this country extremely well.  He is clearly in the camp of wealth, privilege and power.  They are the very ones who are doing everything they can to restructure the system so they take as much and give back as little to society as they can.  The fact that economic, social and political power is stripped from the rest of us is of no consequence.  It is simply part of the grand design used by those who want to revamp society to fit their perception of what it should be for them, and the few crumbs for all of those they have deemed to be of lesser importance to their concept of what our society should be.  Get real.  Bill Clinton is a national disgrace.  To have awarded him the Medal of Freedom was a travesty and an insult to the country.  I seriously doubt that Hillary’s aspirations for the Presidency are any different.  It is a small club and they look out for each other.  Their brand of ambition and greed has no limits.    

·        Barrack Obama ran and was elected as a Democrat.  He should reacquaint himself with what that label means.  He sure as hell couldn't claim to be one now.  I think we have had enough of his pandering to wealth, power and privilege.  All the while he tries to mesmerize and seduce us with his lofty speeches, he proceeds to give away the store to his political adversaries in the name of “compromise” and “bipartisanship.”  I think we have been screwed long enough by him and his adoring fans.  Those who call themselves “Progressives” need to re-assess the color of their stripes, stand with and for the common people of this country, and stop lining their pockets with favors and "brown envelopes" at the expense of those barely keeping their heads above water.  Not everyone is a fool and they damned well need to keep that in mind. 

·        Justices need to stay focused on adjudicating, not stacking the deck and raping the Constitution for the sake of rendering opinions that clearly benefit only the most despicable among us – the oligarchs, plutocrats, the corporate capitalists, the financiers, the military-industrial complex, ad nauseum. 

·        We, as the traditional beacon of hope for so many around the globe, have a moral obligation to devote every conceivable effort and resource we can garner to saving this planet and conserving its resources for all of us.  No amount of disparaging the greatest scientific minds we have, by those who only care about great wealth and power, can trump science and ignore reality.  Science is focused on what it knows and its ability to use that knowledge for the greater good. I would submit that is a far more noble endeavor than the endless pursuit of greed in all of its sullied forms.  

·        It is almost quixotic that those who are hell bent on taking all of us down the road to ruin somehow have managed to convince themselves that they and their progeny will eventually own and control the entire world.  It would seem all that wealth, power and privilege has managed to blind them to a reality we all share.  I got news for them; the odds are against all of us, in equal measure, including the likes of them.    

The Brits might just have a better mouse trap.  Although not at all probable, in the final analysis I think I would rather have a parliamentary system of government representing us in Washington, D.C., if we cannot or will not clean up the mess we currently have.  Any way you look at it, a reigning monarch in the throne room of a proper palace has an aura of constancy and stability.  If you ask me, it sure as hell beats Hillary Clinton in the Oval Office of the White House.

Don’t give up hope.  Have a Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year.     

Cowboy Bob

December 16, 2013    

    

   

                            

 

"The Finest Take On Our Current Times I Have Read To Date"

December 12, 2013


I have been deeply touched by every person who has taken the time and effort to read this blog over the years that I have been writing.  I cannot thank you enough for the time and effort you have accorded me by your kind and generous patience.  However, nothing I have written or could write would ever compare with what I have just finished reading.

I make no apologies for my view of the world and what I think should be an integral part of the fabric of every decent, kind, generous and compassionate person occupying space on this planet.

I would encourage each and every one of you to go to www.commondreams.org and read the following article published by TomDispatch.com today, Thursday, December 12, 2013  by one of the preeminent intellectuals and journalists of our time, Bill Moyers.  If his wisdom does not touch your heart and your very soul, then you are much the poorer for it.

I thank Bill Moyers for what he has committed to paper and I sincerely hope you will be equally moved by his words, as well.

My very best wishes to you.  Now is the time to get involved while we still can.

Cowboy Bob


Re:  Published on Thursday, December 12, 2013 by TomDispatch.com
       THE GREAT AMERICAN CLASS WAR
       Plutocracy Versus Democracy
       by Bill Moyers

“Crow Is Never The Diet Of Choice”

I have to confess that I am painfully challenged when it comes to anything electronic or that which exceeds the bounds of elementary computer mastery.  That particular handicap of mine was driven home, recently, in spades   

I began writing this blog in 2007 and I subscribed to Sitemeter in order to monitor activity on my blog, augmented by Blogspot for posting my blogs.  I felt gifted that I was even able to manage all that.  However, I recently discovered that there is a provision for “comments” which I had never seen before!  I opened it and, voila, there was a treasure trove of comments that I had never looked at from the time I started writing.  It was like Christmas multiplied many times over, and I enjoyed every word that greeted my eyes.  I was overcome by the kind and generous assessment of so many of you with what I had committed to paper.  It was, to say the least, a humbling experience. 

Now, mind you, of the all the human frailties that any of us can commit, I regard taking anyone for granted to be one of the worst.  I feel ashamed that I have allowed this to miss my attention for so long, and I sincerely apologize to all of you who have been victim to my ignorance.  But, take some solace in knowing it was not deliberate. 

I write my blog, not for any recognition or praise that might follow.  Rather it is an expression from the heart and mind, such as they are.  Without all of you who have been so generous with your time in reading and reflecting on those words, my efforts would have been for naught. 

Starting off on a better foot, I sincerely wish each and every one of you a joyous and happy holiday season, and may the coming year be filled with renewed hope and promise for all who share a genuine concern for their fellow man and preservation of the fragile planet we all share.   

All the best.

Cowboy Bob

November 30, 2013      

“We Can Do Better If Only We Will”

Every once in a while we have a run of unusual weather in this part of the world.  The customary grey clouds have taken a brief respite from the sky.  The trees are barren from their loss of any residual bits of vegetation.  Instead, we are blessed with clear skies and brilliant sunshine.  The ground is atypically dry and covered with a light blanket of frost that lingers in shaded spots during the day.  It is a reminder of how, in the final analysis, we really are just living creatures being treated to a glimpse of an infinite universe.  It is easy to be deluded into believing all is well with the world.  But, a dose of the daily news and the talk shows staffed by pundits of every persuasion reminds us that it is quite the contrary.  God’s miracle of bright sunshine on a frosty landscape is only a reminder of how finite we are compared to what He can do with all He has it His disposal in the universe.  Mortal man, take note.  In the final analysis we are really nothing.  The magnificence of the wonders of how decent we, as human beings are, is dwarfed by the pervasive evil that surrounds all of us, and just how small we seem to be in our efforts to move into the sphere of wonderment which is our common lot.  It is the persistent pall that hangs over us all. 

God is at peace in His Heaven while we consume the flesh of each other in our persistent efforts to satisfy a greed that is never satisfied. 

I happen to believe in the inherent decency of mankind.  I don’t believe that anyone enters this world less than a perfect example of the work of our Creator.  What lies ahead may well tarnish his being and compromise his soul, but we begin with perfection as our birthright.  Rather, it is what we do to each other and the insults that await us that make us fall from grace and do the unspeakable to each other without remorse.  We become ugly and rationalize that which we become but were never intended to be.

I cannot recall a time in my life when I have looked out on a landscape of living beings who have managed to sell their very souls to the darkest bidders for every conceivable kind of materialistic and hedonistic pleasure imagined by the human mind.  Instead of wonders of Creation, human beings are viewed as just another expendable commodity and consumable resource to be devoured in the pursuit of those who just cannot get enough at the expense of all those who have so little to give.

A decorum that once set limits on our darker natures has vanished.  Rather, the only norm of conduct is simply whatever the traffic will bear.  There are no more boundaries within which we are expected to live for the good of everyone.  There isn’t even a faint attempt to reign in those excesses.  And those who are at the bottom of the “social” ladder are their victims.  We all intuitively know that but do so little to try and right all those wrongs.  We just look the other way and continue with our feeding frenzy at the expense of other less fortunate souls.

We talk a good story but I see few genuine moral compasses that keep us pointed in the right direction.  I, particularly, am deafened by the particular influence of religion in all this.  They have fallen silent on a message of hope, peddling instead ecclesiastical bull dung in their futile attempts to seduce the lesser among us into believing they have our best and most desirable interests at heart.  And we remain mute as we drink in every word they utter and covet every perverted admonition they peddle.  They have managed to convince us that they hold forth knowledge.  Yet, they can empirically prove nothing.  All they have at their disposal is a battery of assertions; empty beliefs they euphemistically call “gospel.”  Knowledge is arduous, believing is folly.    

I ask myself, “Where is all the love, forgiveness, compassion, concern, understanding, redemption, and all the other superlatives that are supposed to be at the heart of their message?  Instead, they peddle fire, brimstone, damnation, discrimination, prejudice, and eternal hell for all those who dare to question what they have chosen to simply “believe.”  Where is the proof? 

I subscribe to the notion that we are all responsible for who and what we are.  No amount of rationalization can cleanse us of the darker aspects of what we become.  That is on our plate.  That is our burden.  I don’t believe that anyone comes into this world inherently bad or beyond redemption.  Nor do I believe that all we carry with us to death necessarily vanishes from our souls either.  The burden of our humanity is our greatest challenge that carries with it the responsibility for a level of introspection and reflection few of us ever master, but which most of us sorely need on our journey throughout this life. 

I cannot identify one religion that even comes close to the level of perfection that all forms of religion profess but which few actually practice.  Otherwise, why do we have a plethora of hypocrites and so few saints among us?  How is it that we manage to rationalize the darker side of our nature with such ease and condemn our transgressions with such difficulty?  The religious institutions that are there to guide us in this effort seem to have managed to overcome that liability with a minimum of effort. 

I find it rather incredulous at the amount of time and effort that has been spent on us over the ages regarding the basic need of humans, as living beings, to simply reproduce.  That would seem essential to the propagation of the species.  Moreover, decorum would suggest that the process should be a personal matter between two consenting adults.  How it has become an issue for public consumption and perverse pleasure takes it out of the realm of what, in my opinion, it should be.  On the other hand, it isn’t much of a stretch when you have members of the clergy immersed in pedophilia, those who advocate and practice polygamy, those who promote violence and discrimination, and those who have sold their souls for the almighty dollar and hold themselves out as paragons of virtue.  These are but a smattering of those who profess to be messengers of God.  All seem to have rationalized and codified all they need to feel righteous in the pursuit of their evil.  It should come as no surprise that they have so little credibility and those who used to listen to their messages of hope and salvation have turned to the more visceral forms of pleasure.  Then there are those who practice the most brutal and suppressive forms of politics, all in the name of the Almighty they ostensibly revere and who have the audacity to honestly believe “He” (whoever that is) actually communicates with them!  At the end of the day, it is Buddhism and the simplicity of its purity that wins - hands down.

I am most aggrieved by my own chosen faith, the Catholic Church, into which I came from a more generalized form of Christianity, but chose for the sake of familial homogeneity brought on by the institution of marriage.  Do I regret it?  Not in the least.  Am I comfortable with what I have learned about all its forms of perfection and dismayed by all its imperfections? Of course. The piety which it professes and the reality of its being have been a challenge, but I am reminded of the wise words of one who said, referring to any commitment in life, “Is it not better to stay and strive to change it from within than to simply condemn it from without?”  That fits for me and it is the path I try to follow, reserving the right to engage in constructive criticism where appropriate, balanced by the knowledge that there is nothing stronger and more potentially dangerous than a simple belief.

The ranks of the clergy are replete with examples of hypocrisy at its worst and virtue at its best.  Sadly, the darker side of human nature seems to have prevailed because of the denial of our human makeup at a tremendous cost to a belief that, somehow, celibacy made one more pleasing to God than simply being a good and decent person.  Marriage serves a good purpose and it should be an integral part of the lives of the clergy in the Catholic Church.  I cannot see where being a good husband and father has dampened the religious calling of legions of good men to different Christian faiths.  But, the pageantry and power coveted by so many men of the cloth in the Catholic Church seems to have been a much stronger calling.  Ambition and reverence for power seems to have won the day, but it certainly has not dampened the sheer force of hormonal energy.  But, at what cost?  One need only look at the damaged lives strewn over time, created by secrecy and lust tempered with a false sense of piety.  Yet, to this day, we still defer to the notion that celibacy is preferable to procreation.    

Then, we come to those who feed on the stuff of Ecclesiastes at the bottom of the food chain.  One only has to look at those who claim to be members in good standing of the Tea Party, followed by your garden variety of politico in every environ and haven to be found in Washington, D.C.  No group can peddle chapter and verse of God’s Will with greater aplomb than politicians comfortably seated in the halls of government in order to plunder and pillage in the name of the will of a higher power.  None are better at pandering to the great wealth of our nation’s oligarchs, financiers and former government officials.  It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to spot them a mile away.  Despicable is my word of choice, but there ought to be one better.  I refer to those legions of self-professed hypocrites who know absolutely nothing about religion but believe everything it has ever peddled, and which gives respectability to their personal biases and prejudices that underscore what they know, with absolute certainty, is the word of God Himself.  Critical thought and analysis is “verboten.”  All it takes to become a member in good standing is a set of beliefs, no matter how shallow, vile or destructive they may be, so long as they are compatible with, not what they need to know but what they choose to believe.  That is their one-way ticket to redemption and the carte blanche claim to every kind of political largess they can allege as their inherent right.  Meanwhile, those who have the least are left to suffer the most.  After all, is that not God’s will?       

Then there are the barons of Wall Street, the august members in seats of power on the political spectrum to be found in government institutions ostensibly there to serve us and to be role models for a better society.  We have a sacred and protected two-party political system.  We have the White House and all who live and work there.  We have the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the Supreme Court, all living like kings and queens supported at the expense of the broader world of “serfs” who only want their fair share of their democracy and an equal shot at the spoils that spring from it.  What they, as taxpayers, cannot provide is garnered from the legions of lobbyists, myriad numbers and kinds of special interests, the military-industrial complex, the vast array of financiers, oligarchs, plutocrats and all of the other unsavory characters who have managed to worm their way into the national treasury.  Every conceivable kind of thief, philanderer, moral reprobate, and political hack that make the “system” work can be found somewhere within the Beltway.  Do we hold any of them to account?  Do we bind them to any standards to ensure their honesty, integrity and performance?  Not on your life. 

The most glaring example of how bold they have become was the recent and perverse comedy staged at the White House when the President and chief minion of William Jefferson Clinton awarded him the Medal of Freedom.  If that doesn’t prove to a numbed-down nation of citizens just how corrupt and self-serving the “people’s” government has become, I don’t know what does.  Bill Clinton gave away the safety and security of our financial and banking systems with the stroke of a pen and, also, reminded us that the term “fellatio” does not actually refer to any form of Italian food or work of art.  Yet, it is he who is held out by every kind of mass media known to us that he was a great president and our greatest living statesman.  Now I ask you folks, if that doesn’t confirm the reality of our lazy minds and shallow beliefs, I don’t know what does.  A preponderance of us actually believes all that crap.  Yes, we really do need a “free and unfettered” press to protect us against our proclivity to plunge headlong into a terminal case of calcified cranial tissue.

Let us not forget that this democracy belongs equally to each and every one of us.  It is a treasure we cannot afford to take for granted or to simply care for on an “as needed” basis.  It is a high-maintenance treasure we must nurture if it is to remain viable and healthy for us and all generations to come.  We must carefully guard and protect it from predators of all kinds; all those who claim privilege and power based on their self-perceived and claimed right to every entitlement imaginable.  It is the antithesis of “self” and the champion of “we.”  It is not for sale to the highest bidder, but rather the property of us all.  It is our individual and collective responsibility to ensure it will always be there to serve our mutual interests and the common welfare for us all. 

We, as individuals, must confront the perils to what we want to be as civilized people.  We must reclaim a sense of decency, justice, fair-play, and tolerance, a shared concern for everyone and the attendant affects they have on us as individuals.  We have to protect our individual rights but, also, our social responsibilities.  Our collective wealth must be shared equally with everyone valued as individuals. 

We must relearn respect for the great minds, the talented artists and learned scholars who have the means to delve into bodies of knowledge that will keep this planet we call home safe and viable for ourselves and all of those yet to come.  Our treasures are not there to be plundered for a few but, rather, to be the life-blood for us all.  Personal initiative is to be encouraged, but our common welfare must be a sacred obligation we have for one another. 

The temporal value of things must be kept in perspective for what they are.  Our human component must be kept paramount in our list of priorities lest we become like a pack of wild predators that see only opportunity in those of lesser means.  We must always remember that it is the blood of a patriot that saves a nation; not the blood of a nation that saves the wealth for a few. 

We live in the most perilous times I can recall in my entire life.  Nothing is to be taken lightly and each of us must remain vigilant against the most pervasive evil one could ever have imagined.  We must be careful not to allow the pursuit of pleasure, the acquisition of things and our own vested interests to dominate our lives.  We must join with others who share a common goal of preserving what we have and improving on what is yet to come. 

We must relearn the value of mastering the art and science of critical thought instead of memorizing shallow opinions.  We must relearn the value of intellectual pursuits and the ability to apply the results of those exercises to more noble actions.  We must relearn the value of talking to each other, touching each other, and seeing each other that only can come from the warmth of another person.  Let the texting and all of the other empty forms of social networking we have come to rely on die.  We will learn much more of lasting value from each other than we ever will from those who have made billions off gadgets that only numb our brains and give us nothing of value in return.  We are alive; they are not.  We can think ahead and conceptualize; they cannot.  We were created to be all we are and more.  They were created for one purpose only, with a limited life and valued only until the next model hits the market.  Who needs that?  Moreover, who wants that?                                           

Our most formidable enemy is those who believe it will never happen to them.  They are the ones who denigrate all of the great minds throughout history whose curiosity and determination are more attuned to the reality of our lives.  We are the repository of a broader scope of thought that takes in all that is around us and all of what we can imagine.  Theirs is a life of lifeless things.  Ours is a life of amazing wonder.

If you want to change your life forever, simply set yourself to the task of doing something nice for someone else.  Hold a door open for someone.  Pay the difference for something that another might not have, but thought he did.  Say “hello” to someone who would never have imagined that you would.  The sheer surprise by the recipient will warm the very cockles of your soul.  The residual feelings within you will stay with you longer than you think. 

At the end of the day, get to know humanity all over again.  See the beauty and worth in every individual.   Feel his pain and share in her dreams.  Share the burden of fighting for all our dreams, hopes and aspirations.  When the sun sets on the total worth of all of that wonderful effort, the magnificence and value of all we are and can be will change you forever.  Moreover, it will sow within you the desire to preserve the very best about us and renew our collective hope for a future yet to come, giving each and every day new meaning. 

One of my long-departed Grandfathers left me with one very profound pearl of wisdom.   “When a man waves the Bible in your face, keep your back to he wall.”  Truth may be elusive but it is the greatest gift of all.  May it always have the power to become your personal goal and our common bond. 

Cowboy Bob

The Sagebrush Philosopher

November 28, 2013   

                    

              

  

“Where Is Our Shame, America?”

Just when I thought we could not sink further into the mire, an entirely new set of subhuman behavior rises from the cesspool of living things to remind me of just how fragile we are as civilized people. 

As if the concerted action by the Republicans in Congress to impede approval of the Federal Budget, followed by their collective efforts to refuse approval of the Debt Ceiling, we are greeted by their concerted action to stick it to the poorest among us by cutting back on food stamps and reducing the most impoverished within us to yet another low in their standard of living, such as it is.  Typical of some of our most distinguished faux Democrats representing us in the White House, the Congress and appointees to various commissions, there are backdoor conversations going on relative to cutbacks in Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.   All of this is justified by the incestuous relationship between Republican demagogues and plutocratic Democrats to effect further reductions in government spending, alleging there is an increasing need to create more jobs and get people back to work.  Clearly, a patent exaggeration that has no basis in fact.  Rather, it is precisely what the Republicans advocate if you listen to their rhetoric.  The tune and the lyrics have not changed.      

In case any or all of them may have forgotten, who among them have been the greatest advocates and facilitators of free trade (i.e., Clinton, Obama, and their cadre of minions), enabling the plunder of the nation’s financial resources by Wall Street (i.e., Rubin, Summers, Geithner), and corporate capitalists, all aided and abetted by a compliant news media and a gluttonous corporate system totally out of control.  Then, of course, there is the burgeoning military/industrial complex.  The irony of this ruse is that it is they who have caused the plunder of our nation’s wealth that has caused the precipitous drop in jobs and the soaring increase in the number of the nation’s poor and underprivileged, all creating the increased demand on our nation’s resources.  Contrary to what we are led to believe, it is not due to the the majority of Democrats.  Rather, that result can be laid squarely at the foot of the Republicans.  And, not to break a long tradition of dutiful compliance, mainstream America remains indifferent and unmoved by what is going on around them.  Complacency is so easy on a full stomach, a good sleep in a warm bed and the solace of a regular and secure job.

The super rich see astronomical increases in their share (not necessarily fair) of the nation’s wealth, all the while brazenly going to the people’s government with beggars’ bowls in hand, seeking only a mild rebuke for their criminal behavior instead of being called out and prosecuted for their egregious assault on the public institutions of the American people.  Any way one may choose to view their conduct, they continue, with impunity, to claim ever greater proportions of the nations’ resources, all the while reducing the opportunities for a fair share of the nation’s wealth accruing to the average citizen by shipping jobs overseas and moving their fortunes into offshore banks.  Led by our first plutocratic President, William Jefferson Clinton, they are the champions of free trade agreements that are negotiated and ratified in secret which, in reality, usurp the proper authority of governments, and suck the life-blood out of domestic commerce and industry to the lasting peril of the disenfranchised and working people of this country.  No government should have the authority to negotiate and adopt free trade agreements without prior approval from the voters in a general election.  Otherwise, we are simply giving away our national sovereignty and control of our economy to foreign governments.  To me, that sounds terribly contrary to a democratic, free and open society which we believe in and extol so eloquently. 

I dare say few, if any, of those vile proponents have ever known a hungry day in their lives.  It is time to introduce them to that facet of human existence which they have created, but which they so vociferously deny and which they dismiss in such a cavalier fashion.    

If we had a real president rather than an obedient plutocrat, he would have been on a soap box a long time ago, raising holy hell in demanding a more equitable system so every American could reasonably expect a fair share of the American Dream.  Instead, we got the Tea Party zealots and, if history repeats itself, we could once again see more extreme measures advocated by their collective ignorance residing in the House.  We may not see tattooed numbers on their arms, or incarceration in internment camps, or wooden bowls from which to eat and into which they defecate, compounded by a standard diet in order to feed the maximum number at the lowest possible cost to the “taxpayers.”  But, it happened at the hands of the Third Reich and the mistaken notion that they were the “super race.”  It happened before and with the schism that exists between the “haves” and the “have-not's” in this country, I have no doubt that it could happen again.  All the characteristics indigenous to the super-rich and the privileged today are becoming more ominous.  Until our better angels rise to the occasion, I see their warped value systems as something to be taken seriously.  As was once so aptly stated, “The evil that men do shall proffer so long as good men do nothing.”  The silence of an indifferent majority among us is deafening. 

I have a particular disdain for the Tea Party and all that it represents.  There is not one scintilla of real intellect among them.  They are incapable of original thought or reflective analysis about anything.  If anything, they seem to be proud of their much coveted ignorance.  They live by the credo, “Tell me what I want to hear, not what I need to know.”  They spout “freedom” and “scripture” as if they know what they are talking about.  After all, God has imbued them with a zealous need to spread the Divine word far and wide, and to subdue the “nonbelievers” by whatever means is necessary.  As for scripture, given that the interpretation of those written works occurred over several centuries, I rather doubt that any of them can be given any credence today.  All they stand on is nothing more than a motley collection of admonitions that serve their own personal and political ambitions, honesty and integrity be damned.  They are a disgrace to politics (such as it is) and to basic human decency, the meaning of which is probably totally alien to the majority of them, as well. 

The time has come for real statesmen and stateswomen to stand up and be counted.  There is a real sense of urgency to opening the coffers of state and to dispel the growing hunger and despair from the lives of all those good and decent people who only want to survive with a modicum of respect, and an honest shot at the opportunities and the legacy that used to be afforded to all the people of this country.  Is that too much to ask?  I think not.           

If we cannot bring change to the needy, we need let those who are impeding that long over-due change feel the pressure of the population.  The good among us have to stop procrastinating, get serious about how grave our political system is and set themselves to the task of changing the entire system for the better.  Our “one-party” political system, rather crudely divided between conservatives and liberals, no longer passes the means test – for any of us.

I would be the first to admit that our entire system of social, political and economic intercourse has been hopelessly corrupted by the appetite brought on by out-of-control avarice and greed.  However I, also, believe there are pockets of people in our society who know the meaning of honesty, integrity and personal commitment by virtue of their academic allegiances, who could be called on to serve the better aspects of our society.  They are people who, in my estimation, are generally more influenced by and aligned with the principles of their profession.  They are more likely to have the confidence of the people.  They are not likely to be found among those who own our government, which the majority seem to use as their personal slush funds and party favors. 

What we think of as “our” government has been co-opted by so many vested interests that to even try and isolate what is and what is not a legitimate part of that “elected” government would boggle the minds of the most astute among us.  We deserve better and it is time we demanded better. 

For those of you who are at the mercy of these villains who claim respectability by their membership in government, stand your ground, be proud of who and what you are, and don’t let the bastards get you down.  You are not alone.      

Cowboy Bob

November 4, 2013