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Lessons from Chairman Mao--vote while you still can 

 

On August 8, 1966, the party's Central Committee passed its "Decision Concerning the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution", defining the Cultural Revolution as "a great revolution that touches people to their very souls and constitutes a deeper and more extensive stage in the development of the socialist revolution in our country."  The document pointed to the bourgeoisie who remained in governmental positions and their efforts to undermine the efforts of the government.  In the context of modern American politics, this could be seen as a cleansing of the "Deep State".  The document states: 

"Although the bourgeoisie has been overthrown, it is still trying to use the old ideas, culture, customs, and habits of the exploiting classes to corrupt the masses, capture their minds, and stage a comeback. The proletariat must do just the opposite: It must meet head-on every challenge of the bourgeoisie [...] to change the outlook of society. Currently, our objective is to struggle against and crush those people in authority who are taking the capitalist road, to criticize and repudiate the reactionary bourgeois academic "authorities" and the ideology of the bourgeoisie and all other exploiting classes and to transform education, literature and art, and all other parts of the superstructure that do not correspond to the socialist economic base, so as to facilitate the consolidation and development of the socialist system."

The current American administration, while not heading in the direction of "socialism", is using many of the same techniques to gain control of the judicial branch of government and to discredit scientists, journalists, and any other people who might stand in the way of their expansion of power.  Using techniques perfected by totalitarian regimes, they are actively trying to undercut the guarantees which balance the will of the majority and the rights of the minority.

In both Germany and China, the opposition awoke too late, and the consequences of their inaction were disastrous.

Vote while you still can.

 

GOP stands for Greedy Old Pickpockets 

Why I am suggesting that the GOP actually stands for Greedy Old Pickpockets.?

In June, House Republicans released a proposal that would balance the budget in nine years — but only by making large cuts to entitlement programs, including Medicare, that President Trump vowed not to touch. 

This budget serves as an expression of Republicans’ priorities at a time of rapidly rising deficits and debt. Although the nation’s growing indebtedness has been exacerbated by the GOP’s own policy decisions — including the new tax law, which most analyses say will add at least $1 trillion to the debt — Republicans on the Budget Committee said they felt a responsibility to put the nation on a sounder fiscal trajectory. 

So, if you are retired (or soon to retire) and have paid into Medicare and Social Security for your entire working life, why would you ever consider voting for a Republican ever again?  So, if you are retired or cares about someone who is or will be retired, don’t send these pickpockets back to Washington.  And VOTE.

What to do 

Welcome to the sideshow--the title is stolen from a Todd Snider song

 

We all know that the elected President is an uncouth jerk who lacks almost every quality required for the leader of a democratic society.  I’m tired of talking about him.  As our country moves toward a crude and corrupt amalgam of self-aggrandizement and oligarchical self-enrichment, I become ever more sure  that we have to find a way to contain the capricious and dangerous occupant of the Oval Office.  I am weary of being angry and searching for answers to the question, “What, as one individual, can I do.” 

While the notion of impeachment has a certain appeal, clearly nothing will happen as long as the Republican majority in Congress and the Senate continue their support of the President.  His removal from office will only come, I believe, as a result of the next presidential election (unless his involvement in criminal overnmentmoney laundering is discovered).  But to prevent further damage to our nation and its democratic government, the elected representatives who enable and support him need to be removed from office.  So, what can I do?  I can and will support and vote for my current Congressman and for the Connecticut Senator who is coming up for re-election, but that changes nothing for they are already clear in their opposition to the excesses of the current regime. 

How do I and other concerned citizens reach out to people from other states and convince them of the danger Trump and his GOP supporters pose to our democratic institutions?  How do we combat the destructive influence of the Citizens United decision? 

Suggestions?  Please post.