America, where we do not learn from our mistakes.

Part of the problem I have with the Left-leaning main stream media is the disconnect it has with the goings-on among the real Right-wing electorate. When pundits sit at their desks discussing the power struggles going on in this country right now, they direct most of their focus at the elected officials who wear an R on their sleeve. The Left-leaning media does not hone in on their supporters. These pundits put things in context of an America which does not want to dive back into the ditch of the Bush years. A vote to the Right in the mid-term elections most likely will send us back into the old habits which got us into our present predicament to begin with.

The notion that we know where the mistakes were made cannot be any clearer. Those of us in the Center and on the Left seem to find solace in that ever popular quote, "Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it." It's a good soundbyte. It does make sense. The problem is, the real world doesn't think that way, especially if the eyes looking out on the world are firmly planted in the head of someone Right-leaning. There is an alternate universe with a skewed version of reality chomping at the bit, hungry for control of this country.

Pundits need to take a vacation. They need to spend some time living in disguise among the entrenched Right wing zealots. Shreveport is just such a place, as is East Texas. I say, pack your bags and come on over here. You'll be shocked at what you learn after only a day or two among these southerners.

They do want the Bush years back and it has nothing to do with paying attention to the mistakes of the past. The mistakes are forgivable in their mind. Why? Because it fed into their paranoia. They could sleep at night knowing there was someone in the White House who wanted to kick some ass and who wouldn't let some Liberal pantywaist bring homosexuals into their churches and blacks into their neighborhoods. For them, our strength lies in our military, not our populace or our resilience. W gave them the out of sight, out of mind comfort. On top of all of that, the angst right now is deeply associated with the loss of an election, stirring up emotions only seen when two college football teams face off in the Southeastern Conference. They don't have the cajones to stand up against the corporate corruption and greed ruining our communities. They would rather have a job that kills them from the inside out than a government who fights for them to make the workplace safer and holds big business accountable for their misgivings. Our Left-leaning media does not know this group of people all that well. Unfortunately, I'm living among these kinds of people, distraught at the notion that I am living in some sort of personal Hell. We need to stomp these people out and shout them down the same way they go about handling us. The fight is on and we need to step up our efforts.

So while it might sound nice to be optimistic about the Democratic agenda and our success in previous elections, it has no bearing on what this country really wants, even if they want to drive us into a wall. It's a wishy washy way of thinking. The gloves need to come off. Barack Obama said it best in his speech the other day when he endorsed Harry Reid.

"We know how the movie ends when the other party is in charge. You don't have to guess how they'll govern, because we're still living with the damage from the last time they were governing...and they are still singing from the same hymnal. They haven't changed. They want to do the same stuff."

Unfortunately, Barack Obama still has faith in the American people. I do not. He thinks that Americans know that the policies of the previous administration will be remembered. He needs to recognize that the dialogue has been hijacked by the Tea Party and the spin has already begun on history barely even old enough to grow mold yet.

But even his quote targets elected officials and not the electorate. Don't get distracted, folks. We are up against more than a few idiots advocating chickens in exchange for health care and making lemonade out of children born out of incest. Their followers spew the same crap. We are up against the threat of idiocracy.

"Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it."

And repeat we shall.

Again and again.

Until we learn our lesson.

Or until we poison ourselves and our planet in the name of our own selfish interests.

But by then, it's probably going to be too late.

Bush Still Can't Give A Speech

Bush has been President for almost eight years and he was a governor before that. After eight years, this guy still can't give a speech. He still makes many of the same mistakes and fumbles words like Clifford Franklin (See The Replacements) fumbles a football. If you saw his speech on Tuesday about the economy, perhaps you noticed how he kept looking down to read something that lasted only a few minutes. He rushed through the parts about how he thinks things are still good and that people are still spending money as if he thought nobody would notice.

I think all those years of boozing has taken its toll. This is what alcoholism can do to your brain folks. His memory is mush. Even a nervous college jock with sweaty palms and a speech impediment could perform better as a public speaker. Now I think I understand why people voted for Bush because they saw him as someone they'd like to have a beer with. It's because they were alcoholics with slurred speech too. They could relate.

At least whoever wins the next election can stand up in front of an audience and talk off the cuff as though they know what they are saying. Course, McCain has already made a couple of stupid blunders. Obama speaks calmly and slow, but rephrases far too often to be deemed an eloquent public speaker.

Bush Family Dinner Commercial

A commercial has been on the air over the last few years and only seems to play late at night. It starts with an image of President GW Bush on a stage surrounded by listeners. One audience member, a young woman, asks a question about if the Bush family ate together around the dinner table, hinting at values surrounding families who spend time together. Bush jokingly says something along the lines of only eating at the dinner table so as long as his mom wasn't the one cooking.

Then Barbara Bush comes on the screen, obviously not laughing. She talks about how families who eat around the dinner table together have children who are less likely to smoke, use drugs, or drink alcohol.

What? Are you kidding? Who are you talking about again?

A lot of good those dinner table values did for those two screw ups. They picked the wrong family to serve as an example. GW was an alcoholic and rumored to have used cocaine. Jeb is also no saint.