Tell Santa To Give Mr. Obama A Backbone

In 2008 then Presidential Candidate Obama promised a banquet of progressive legislation to deal with the horrible economic situation created by George W. Bush and the Republican Party. Since Mr. Obama’s election, however, he has demonstrated an unwillingness or inability to confront the bullies who are blocking his path to the groceries. As a result his failure to stand up to the Republicans he is serving us peanut butter on white bread. He is correct in saying that peanut butter sandwiches are better than nothing, but they are also less than what he promised, less than what we need, and less than what we want. He now has Bill Clinton trying to persuade us that caving in to the Republicans on budget busting tax cuts for the wealthy is a desirable compromise. The pundits are also weighing in on this subject. They are saying that Mr. Obama should follow Bill Clinton’s example by swinging to the right and seeking compromises. And how did the Republicans reward Bill Clinton for trying to work with them? They impeached him!

This is not the Republican Party of Dwight Eisenhower, Everett Dirkson, or even Ronald Reagan. There is nothing this Republican Party will not do to further its partisan interests. It has absolutely no conscience. It is more than willing to sacrifice the economic health of this country, its middle class and those who are unfortunate enough to be unemployed. The Republicans even think it is acceptable to get tax cuts for the rich by threatening to reject a treaty that will make the world a little safer and help us reduce our spending on defense. Two years from now the Republicans will blame Mr. Obama for the huge deficit created by those tax cuts for the rich. They will also use that deficit as an excuse for cutting Medicare, Social Security, and every other social program.

Independent voters may say they want the President to work with the opposition party, but they also want a President who has some principles and the courage to fight for what is in the best interests of this country. What we need from President Obama is more FDR and less Casper Milquetoast. He should stop attacking the members of his own party and start casting the blame where the blame belongs. One of the most difficult things George H. W. Bush faced when he ran for President was the perception that he was a wimp. Many of us are now beginning to think that Mr. Obama is a wimp. Sooner or later he must make a stand. If he does not make that stand this man who excited us with his vision will preside over an administration of broken promises and false hopes.

The middle class is the heart and soul of this nation. In 2008 most people voted to restore an equitable, productive society that required all people to pay their fair share. The voters were, in fact, rejecting the trend that concentrated the wealth into fewer and fewer hands. They wanted to make this country productive again and return it to the prosperous times when the people who made the products could afford to buy those products! Achieving this is no easy task. It is going to take a leader with vision and courage.

Now is the time to fight the good fight. We want no less than an all out effort, and we deserve no less than that! ENOUGH WITH THE DAMN PEANUT BUTTER!

Stand Up To The Bullies!

When Ronald Regan cut the income tax on the rich by a third the income of the wealthiest individuals of the nation soared. The national debt also soared and the income of the remaining ninety percent of the nation remained flat. When George W. Bush further reduced the taxes on the rich the income of the wealthiest individuals increased again. The surplus Mr. Bush had inherited from Bill Clinton was then turned into a huge budgetary deficit, job growth fell to the lowest level it had been since World War II, and the income of those who were fortunate enough to still have jobs remained flat. Obviously, enriching the rich does not stimulate the economy or create jobs. Tax cuts for the rich increase size of our national debt without giving us anything in return. Yet here we have the Republicans threatening to block the SALT treaty, which would reduce nuclear arms, if the tax cuts for the rich are not extended. The Republicans also threaten to block an extension of unemployment benefits for those who have suffered the most from Bush’s recession, and to block an extension of tax cuts for the middle class if the tax cuts for the wealthy are not also extended.

This places President Obama in a difficult situation. The Republicans are holding the best interests of this nation hostage. They are demanding a ransom to be paid to the wealthiest individuals of the nation regardless of how much harm paying that ransom may cause. President Obama obviously feels that the harm that would result from the Republicans carrying out their threats is greater than the harm of foisting off a huge debt to our children. I can understand why he is making this decision, but I think he is wrong.

The rules of the senate allow the Republicans to act like bullies. Those rules allow them to extort money from the nation for the moneybags who contribute to the campaigns of Republican candidates. Caving in to bullies only makes them bolder. Sooner or later President Obama must stand up to them. Sooner is better than later. Now is the time to make the Republicans reveal just how morally and intellectually bankrupt they have become. This is not a matter of ideology it is a matter of greed versus patriotism and common decency!

Waiting to stand up to the Republicans will only make matters worse. The only way to make a bully listen to reason is to bloody his nose. Unfortunately the voters of this nation were foolish enough to reward the irresponsible behavior of the Republicans by giving them control of the House of Representatives. In other words, the bullies are becoming stronger. The voters must be shocked into reality. It is time to take the battle into the streets, to use the bully pulpit, and to show the voters what is at stake. Appeasement does not work. The extortionist tactics of the Republicans must be stopped now. Believe me the cost of trying to stop them later will be much higher!