Go Big or Get Out.

I have spent the week involved in the usual human misery that populates my professional life, i.e. exploited children, workers, families, corrupt agencies, etc. And as usual, nobody seems to give a shit. They just don't. It has been that way for decades; whatever happens there are programs and agencies to take care of it. Wrong.

The unraveling of the social safety net in this country since Ronald Reagan took office was also attended by the largest transfer of wealth to the richest 1-5% of the population in human history. This seemed to escape people's attention as well. Tinkle the shiny object in folk's faces and they'll follow you anywhere.

Times are seemingly changing though since that black man became president, and watching conservatives howl like stuck pigs over his policies leaves me laughing.

I would love to see this go on forever, but the nice guy in me prompts me show some mercy. It is in this spirit of love that I say (on behalf of "liberals" everywhere) to them, please try not to fret. Everything in your worst nightmares will absolutely come true in the future, if it hasn't already. Here's what I mean.

To those who worry that Obama wants to turn the US into a European-style socialist state, you're right. He is. The US cannot afford a continued boom and bust cycle where only a few get rich and the rest of us get broke. These cycles corrupt our financial and government institutions. In a modern world, the US without labor protections, universal health care, effective public education systems and environmental regulations is less competitive with other countries. Europe and Asia are out-producing us, and their economies are stronger than ours. In the 21st century we must expect our leaders to honor their constitutional obligations to promote the general welfare, and that means that the fruit of American labor should go to the many and not the few.

To those of you who worry that Obama would tax you more, you're right. He will. The US cannot afford to continue to enrich the few with tax breaks while the majority of the people pay the piper, so to speak. As more and more government revenue streams into the economy, individuals earning a lot more than everybody else will pay a lot more than everyone else. Galt yourselves to the Randian Utopia where you can hold all of your money and curse the day when you could no longer lord over others with less. Get the fuck out if you can't understand why it is not unreasonable for the government to improve the lot of all Americans, and not just a few lucky people.

For those of you who worry that Obama is apologizing to the world for our past transgressions, you're right. He is. It's about time we took responsibility for releasing crusaders on the middle east that tortured their way into the hearts and minds of citizens all over the world. It will be generations to come before we are forgiven, if ever, and explaining how things will now be different is just a start.

There now, feel better? No?

Well, grab your guns, your Bibles and put your money where you mouth is then. I don't expect much in the way of actual action on behalf of the tiny minority of wealthy investors, management-types, politicians, preachers and media clowns that rank and file Republicans seem to want to go to the ramparts for. I am aware that Hannity and Rush got you guys frothy over Obama firing the president of GM as one indicator of the coming red menace, but they make 20 million or more a year pulling the strings on you stupid meat puppets, and it stands to reason that they will sacrifice you to the last man. Fact is, the Republican rank and file are about as militantly anti-socialist as they are militant anti-abortionists, in that they use firey rhetoric to call a legal procedure murder, but seem unwilling to take up arms against baby murderers when they know it's happening and where these killings take place.

It is hard for me to pay attention to moral cowards and bullies.