Loren Adams, 19
December 2010
The lead story for 2011 by my crystal ball will be the
continued betrayal of the nation by the Republican leadership. In an effort to score
political points, they will block any legislation that will have any potential
of boosting Obama’ poll numbers – as they did the previous two years.
After all, their clearly stated objective is to deny Barack Obama a second term – their solitary goal for the next
two years. Yes, in fact, their actions are treasonous. When party is placed
over country, how else could one describe it?
Capture of the House poses a deeper problem for the White
House than mere obstructionism. Now the extreme right is awarded power of
subpoena, and Darrell
Issa has promised to lead several investigations into the Executive –
most of which will be witch hunts designed to derail the President and lead to
possible impeachment, the right’s favorite fantasy.
While Rome burns, Nero fiddles. While America burns,
Republicans meddle. As in recent years, nothing is ever accomplished for the
public good, only for the party. And this “benefit” never trickles down,
because the entire system goes down in flames. Their goal of party over country
naturally will lead to deterioration. The result of Republican policies is the poor
getting poorer and the rich do too. Like Harry Truman explained, “If you want
to live like a Republican, vote Democrat.” The ultimate harvest of
Republicanism is poverty. The nation is already riddled with signs of decay and
decline; 2011 will just be another step in that direction.
EUROPEAN DOMINOES
Greece was the first domino to fall. Germany has limited
resources and tolerance to shore up its European allies. Ireland was next
– requiring $100 billion in bailout money. Portugal and Spain are to
follow, and Spain is one of the “biggees” – with a population a little
smaller than France, Italy, and Great Britain. After Spain, other major
European nations may face similar. It may turn out the U.S. Dollar is a safer
currency than all others despite our economic woes.
BABY BOOMER SUICIDE TREND
The bubble generation born after World War II is becoming a
problem to succeeding generations. Younger workers perceive they cannot support
the large Boomer set. It’s perhaps just another tragedy of human existence
– that one generation would find itself in conflict with others due to no
fault of its own.
The trend has yet to materialize, but I foresee a high
suicide rate among Baby Boomers who’ve lost their retirement savings due to a doggedly
poor economy and who, in time, will feel unappreciated and unwelcomed by their
children and grandchildren.
Baby boomers, in comparison to preceding generations, are
characteristically repugnant to pain. Therefore, being put away in a retirement
home to finish life is equivalent to a slow, painful death – a condition
many baby boomers will reject. They will opt to end life early through whatever
means available rather than face confinement. In addition, the quandary in
becoming a burden on their offspring and workers from a younger society will
only incentivize the baby-boomer to end life prematurely. So, not only will the
boomer set face rejection because of economic factors, since the bubble created
by its large size will heavily tax the younger generations, but from personal
rejection created by the same. For all time, rejection is the strongest factor heightening
suicide, so the mass-rejection by the younger generations due to the heavy lift
caused by the aging boomers will naturally lead to untold thousands of suicides.
The divisiveness and strife between age groups will be evident as the post-World
War II generation attempts to step into retirement. Add to the mix a poorer
America, it’s easy to foresee.
BARACK OBAMA’S PENCHANT TO PLEASE & APPEASE
Unless Barack Obama finally decides to place courage,
conscience and conviction over compromise, consensus and conciliation, the
nation and the Democratic Party will continue to slide. But he seems about as
obstinate in his passive ways as Bush was in his pugnacious.
The most recent example of unilateral surrender was Obama’s
announcement to freeze federal employees’ wages and salaries for two years. Did
Republicans request the concession while bargaining? No. Obama, as he has done so
many times before, acted unilaterally just in HOPE that Republicans would
reciprocate (which they never have and never will). Meanwhile Democratic
supporters scratch their heads in disbelief and ask why Obama damages his own
base to the nation’s peril. The anger mounts, not from the right, but from the
left. Rachel
Maddow gave an interesting take on the Obama penchant to please and appease:
The “base” is Obama’s weak link which threw the 2010
election to Republicans, and his former supporters had good reason for sitting
it out. The man continues to disappoint his base, thereby damaging his own
chances for a second term. Many are remorseful for not electing Hillary Clinton
in his stead. At least she would have had the balls to fight for good causes
and not compromise with radicals vowing to destroy any prospect for good. What
would she have done had they tried to character assassinate her – as they
have him? “Turning the other cheek” would have meant more like “mooning” them.
She knows what they’re up to and is not afraid to destroy them. In contrast,
Obama seems to remain stubbornly passive, which is very disappointing to the
voters that put him in power.
Obama’s advisers are telling him he needs to appeal to
independent voters to be re-elected. Wrong. And the only way to appeal to
independents, they claim, is to act more bi-partisan. Obama’s consultants could
not be more wrong, the idiots.
Independent voters follow an energized movement. So, if the
right is energized and the left is demoralized, which side do they follow?
Obama’s flaw is on is left flank, not the right or middle. In 2008 Obama’s
supporters were like his political bride, because they absolutely adored him
and were willing to do anything to see him succeed. Independent voters swung to
Obama because his left flank was energized. But after taking office, Obama
– upon advice from idiots – swung right trying to appease enemies pushing
crazy, lunatic ideas. It was like taking a ball bat to his followers –
the very disappointed young bride. How many times must a wife be beaten by her
own husband before she ups and leaves him, then files for divorce? Or kicks him
out of the house – or in his case – the “White House”?
A more accurate metaphor would be a wife raped by a knife-wielding
intruder in front of a passive husband who makes a feeble attempt to negotiate by
granting concessions to the rapist ranging from the wife’s heirlooms to the
pledge not to prosecute for rape and robbery in exchange for absolutely nothing.
George W. Bush and his entourage raped America – sent it over the cliff
politically, internationally and economically (not to mention the treason,
torture and war crimes). Then Obama, the new husband, arrives and not only
prevents the world from investigating Bush’s rape crimes, but chastises the
wife from ever seeking justice at home. They should all be locked up.
THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT DRIVES AMERICA FURTHER DOWN
As in last year’s predictions, the religious right plays a
pivotal role in America’s decline. The utter hypocrisy is quite visible to
outsiders but blind to believers. There are no honest mirrors in rightwing
religious homes. All they see is redemption or forgiveness for themselves while
seeing condemnation and judgment for others outside their narrow parameter.
Unfortunately, the religious right’s influence on American
politics and policies is significant. All are affected whether recognized or
not.
The double standard is evident to those outside the mindset.
A significant internal segment of the working class is counter-influenced by
religious propaganda which has the effect of killing any hope of decent
livelihoods in the broader America, because the dogmatized do vote against
their own best interests, and thus the overall workpool suffers. It only takes
one or two heartthrob issues for workers under a religious spell to act to
their own personal disadvantage, and here are some of the triggers: GAYS, GUNS,
GOD, ABORTION, DISPLAY 10 COMMANDMENTS ON PUBLIC BUILDINGS, PRAYER IN SCHOOL,
etc. Therefore, it’s not relative if the fundamentalist worker happens to be
out of work and dependent on unemployment benefits for support – such as groceries
and basic survival. They will, indeed, act against their best interest for the
basic reason they’re mesmerized by myths and madness.
The religious right is, in fact, opposed to extending
unemployment insurance in this down economy. America’s long-standing marriage
to religion (namely, the current virulent kind) is truly its Achilles’ Heel.
The toxic element is religion hijacked by the right which
dupes the masses into believing unfairness is somehow fair and fairness is
“socialism” or some other wretched label dredged up from the McCarthy Era to
vilify any push to remedy a social ill. While the Republican Party is Robin
Hood in reverse, right-wing religion is Jesus Christ in reverse. Both are now
joined at the hip to form a movement destructive to America’s future. In
actuality, what the duo aims for is not fairness, but favoritism – a
social disorder so anti-Christian, their revered Leader would lead the charge
in opposition.
The right can never see the wrong in shortchanging workers
while concentrating wealth into the hands of the obscenely rich — to the
detriment of the whole financial system. They never saw it coming in 1929; they
don’t recognize it now. It’s as if they WISH the world would fit their magical
myths. The prince is praised while the pauper is pummeled — in direct
contradiction to Christ’s precepts. Tax-cuts for millionaires are preferred
over unemployment checks to the poor.
Robbers of bubblegum from a convenience store get longer
sentences than banksters stealing billions, but somehow that's okay with the
righteous.
If the vast majority of Americans do not have the purchasing
power for appliances, vehicles, homes, clothing and other goods, the entire
house of cards comes tumbling down. How simple is that to fathom? Yet they
cannot see — blinded by greed and cultism. Jim Jones’ followers weren’t
stupid; they were hypnotized into committing mass suicide by a charismatic
figure — like a Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh or Sarah Palin. The present
analogy is not too far off. National suicide comes from internal influences, as
Abraham Lincoln forewarned.
SUMMARY: 2011 will continue the downward spiral of American influence
— started as a result of the failed, treasonous Bush administration that
came to power in a stolen election 2000. In long-range history that will be the
accepted pivotal point of decline, not 9/11 or some other event yet to come.