I was reading One Pissed off Liberal's diary, (Lie to me- go ahead and lie to me) in the rec column this AM and as usual, found his post to be dead on. I know that in this time of general euphoria we're supposed to turn the other cheek, let bygones be bygones and be grateful for the occasional bone thrown our way.
I don't think so.
You see, Change was what was promised. On Friday Mitch McConnel was on C-Span saying nice things about Mr. Obama from the well of the Senate. I was dumbfounded. An endorsement from the Walking Dead. That's just downright scary.
Can't be a whole lotta "change" if I'm seeing the beginnings of a lovefest flowing out from the Repugs. What's up with that?
The number one answer on Change.org was asking the PE to investigate and try the junta of the past eight years. The response has been unrealistic and totally equivocating. Perhaps it's because we still need the 'Pugs to help get legislation through during the honeymoon period. Indicting the the previous Executive and his minions would visit calumny to the minority party and subject it to public scorn and derision. They would no longer be disposed to be helpful . Welcome to filibuster city!
That's why, (at least for a while) our beloved past criminals will go scott free. They'll be standing at the Hague long before we empanel one of Conyer's committees stateside. I guess it's OK to air our laundry to the world, rather than risk the wrath of representatives of the Ignorati.
Here's Pissed off Lib
The real power never really changes hands. I am afraid that is the situation we have here. I fear the Obama presidency will amount to little more than a face-lift. It’ll look better, smell better and play better on the Tee Vee. But make no mistake – The warmongers and the thieves are still in charge. And they are not going to do ANYTHING for us but placate us just enough to keep us from rising in rebellion. They better pray that they are better at calculating where that line is than they have been at anything else
Excellent point. In addition to placating the Repugs with get out of jail free cards and useless tax incentives, we continue to give money in the wrong places, (also known as Bailout part two). 350BN more to banks, with "stricter controls". Then, 350BN for tax cuts, ( the least productive use of funds) and a we'll see what to do with the rest as far as green, mortgages and infrastructure.
If it sounds a bit backwards to me and you, why doesn't it resonate in the Capitol? Why did we build a Taj in Baghdad? We had money for that, yet the bridge falls down in Minneapolis. We can afford to ramp up in Afganistan, yet and single payer health is "unaffordable". Lobster is served at Inaugural Balls, but the welfare checks are about to stop for California's most needy.
When Mr. Obama called for change, we responded with our votes, our time and a few remaining dollars. If "change" doesn't come for the uninsured with congenital heart failure, if change doesn't mean an end to military adventurism, if change doesn't mean ending the tax cuts as promised and if change doesn't revitalize our industrial core and get people working at decent wages, then we'll have to change things ourselves.
Recently the JCS in Washington approved special units of our military to be billeted and trained stateside for readiness in the "event of domestic civilian unrest". Sobering news, that. I guess at some point they plan on revisiting the scenario of McArthur and the Bonus Marchers.
Guess I'm not the only one thinking down the road. Guess I'm not the only one contemplating dispensing with withering rants and diatribes, rising from the computer and snatching up torch and pitchfork to march, to demand an end to biz as usual. It's been done before and Constitutionally, we have the same right. After all, We are the People.
Will I be struck with the broadside of a ceremonial sword for showing up in Lafayette Park with a placard? Or will Mr. O send Michelle across the street with donuts and coffee ala Eleanor Roosevelt?
Bottom line is this. The Captains of Investment Banking and Finance are at the helm of a sinking ship, a no exit, damned if you do, damned if you don't. Joseph Heller had an accurate description as I recall. Bailouts are prolonging the inevitable. In the final analysis, the scheme is intended to bankrupt the Treasury and get every dime before we're no longer the reserve currency of the world. BTW, that's just around the corner, now that the mainland Chinese economy is listing and taking on water. If/when China and the Saudis get discouraged with the monthly intake of T-bills, it's really over. I mean Really Over.
A consensus of the Bottom Feeders Round Table is to vacuum TARP #one back into the Treasury, Tarp #two to general funds and watch the fun begin. Wall Street may implode, it may not. But if we fund from below, propping our local banks and thrifts as needed, we'll stay liquid enough for now. Let's focus on some WPA style programs and get going, insure our folks publicly, bring ALL our troops home now and from everywhere and focus on what's in front of us.
Let's give Dr. Martin Luther King's 1967 vision of the world a try and lets hold him dear in our thoughts especially tomorrow. John Lennon could "Imagine". So can we and I hope our President Elect can too.