Too Optimistic?

That is what one blog reader thinks I am. After reading my last blog in which I echoed the thinking of one of the great commentators of our time, David Brooks, the reader wrote:

"I wish I could believe in your optimistic vision of a groundswell movement that will arise and renew and re-energize the best American values and cure the ills of our political system. My experience of the American system is that it swings from one extreme to an another and it manages to balance out the extremist views only over long periods of time and only after much distress and pain.

Ameirican industrialists fought for half a century against the right of workers to organize to fight oppresively low wages and horrible working conditions yet by mid 20th century, after a World War and a Great Depression, when unions finally gained legal rights, labor used their new found power to force their employers into accepting unreasonable settlements that hastened the decline of American industry and ultimately led to the bankruptcy of the American automobile industry.

Now the pendulum has swung in the opposite direction. The weaslth of the nation is once again in the hands of 1% of the population, just as it was in 1929 before the crash. This time however, big business and other private interests have built a powerful fortress to protect their dominance including a network of Lobbyists who spend vast sums of money to support politicians who support their self-seeking interests,"grass roots" organizations financed by ulta-conservative billionaires and a nationwide media empire powerful enough to dwarf the bully pulpit of any sitting president. In the process they have created a political party that has moved so far to the right they are convinced that the business of the United States is business and nothing else matters. Any position that conflicts with this ideology is trash, compromise is out of the question and the opposition party is an enemy to be destroyed if possible and defeated at all costs.

Yet, to my great astonishment, in the wake of the worst economic upheaval since the Great Depression - the American voter has overwhelmingly rejected an administration that has struggled against intractable opposition to right the ship and protect the interests of the middle class and the planet on which we all live. Sorry Ted, I cannot believe that help is on the way and the nation will right itself anytime soon. The American people have spoken and they have said, things will have to get a lot worse before we figure out what to do about it".

Like to know what you think. I remain optimistic and believe that out current president can take us through. He does need our support and that of the feint hearted democrats in Congress. The predictions are that the republicans, afraid of the tea party, will move right and continue to blockade progress on jobs, energy, immigration and climate change. We, friends can not let that happen. Please think how you may get involved to have your opinions count!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING
and
MAY GOD BLESS AMERICA