walking in circles

Growing up in the 1950’s my Great Uncle Shrul was known as the richest man in the world according to the Braff/Katz families. In the 1950’s the world as my family knew it was the city of Pittsburgh. At the family poker games once the peach schnapps was served and all the home made corned beef was eaten as the chocolate cake was nothing more then a few crumbs my relatives would listen intently to the richest man in the world, Great Uncle Shrul. My little sister and I would always manage to be awake on those late Saturday nights walk downstairs from our bedroom just in time for the food. We both could share in the delicious home made goodies but had to retire to the living room to eat. Our home was a very tiny row house so anything said in the dining room was immediately heard in almost every other room in the house. When my Great Uncle Shrul spoke it usually got very quiet and he (as if he was a monarch) would spend a few minutes pontificating upon the world as he saw it. One continuous theme he bleated was about dumb people and keeping them dumb. He would say, “if you have money, as I do, the only way to keep being rich is to never allow those around you to even come close to your wealth. Dumb people only want what you have and never know how to earn it. Let them think they can be like you but make sure you trick them into only walking in circles. If they find the path straight ahead you might become the dumb one and a follower.”  Many relatives not wanting anything from Great Uncle Shrul would boo and hiss, but there were enough cousins living off his dole to castrate themselves in his direction with yes’s and you are so right’s.

I amaze at our current cultural/political world of the United States over the past half dozen years. I am astonished at the power FOX News have as they consistently tell lies with no fact to back them up and yet how many gullible people believe them. I am confused as to the power of Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity or Sarah Palin all wealthy folk who speak as if they are the poor and down trodden and only they can help the helpless find their way. I am frustrated when jerks and dupes like Louis Gomhert, Michelle Bachmann Mike Huckabee state clearly that they either speak for God or God has spoken to them telling them who is a true patriot. I am flabbergasted when Judges from the state Supreme Courts or the US Supreme court see no harm in promoting the Christian Bible or Jesus as God of America. And I am so worried that, just as my Great Uncle Shrul belched at our family poker game, when the billionaire Koch Brothers bribe politicians to undermine health care/immigration/climate change/equality for women and gays keeping the poor poor and dumb dumber.

What has been happening to this great nation of ours. There is a concerted effort to create a divide in this country to keep the wealthy richer and the poor in poverty. There is great energy to encourage we vs they even when those who think they are the we are the they. Selfish has dominated the actions of a few and somehow there is a majority supporting it. And where are the smart people? Where are those of us who see this highjacking of America taking place? I hear that the Republicans have a chance of taking over the Senate and maintaining the House; how the hell can that happen? I read that Americans think a party that denies liberties. freedoms and equality will do a better job for America. The same people who will earn less, have less access to health care or jobs or education will vote for the men and women who hate them. I am sad that my Great Uncle Shrul was correct when he said, “…keep them walking in circles…”