Often times we hear the old harangue that history repeats itself. I have often written about how ignorance is not bliss, when it comes to ignoring the events that have preceded us. Lots to learn from the arrogant, the aristocrat, the peasant, the philanderer, the dictator and the demigod who has conquered and divided the best and the worst of us. But somehow, as humans our frailty or is it sheer self importance finds us , refusing to use the past to help us find our future.
But, for those of us who choose to remember a bit of our paranoid past, turn your history dial to the 1950’s when it was the Republicans led by one of the most anti-democracy self righteous phonies, ever, Senator Joe McCarthy who decided that the Communists were infiltrating our nation. Finding the right kind of enemy, Senator McCarthy and his illustrious self loathing parasite Roy Cohn, used fear and loathing and a fictitious slander of the Constitution and launched an attack on the liberals, the elite asking the question “Are You Now or Have You Ever Been a Member of the Communist Party?” The public bought this bill of snake oil goods and just as the search for UFO’s took hold in this nation, people were keeping a keen eye on their neighbors and even family members ready to call out the Red Menace. We were assured by the Republicans in the Congress, that THEY and only THEY could and would keep America 100% Red White and Blue.
And HERE we are in 2017, lo and behold, if history hasn’t pulled the wool out from under our feet. Once again we have a Communist scare taking place. BUT this time, the question being asked by the Republicans is “Why Are You Not A Communist, And When Will You Become One”. From Trump to Pence to Sessions to Nunes to Chaffetz to Kushner to Tillerson, and God and Vladimir Putin only know who else, the GOP has decided that Russian oil has replaced baseball, apple pie and white picket fences as the new symbol of democracy. The Republicans have sold their souls and the heart and soul of Americans just so they can hide some tax free dollars in an off shore account becoming wealthy and carefree as they destroy the cares and freedoms of you know, the average American chump. Ah, history you came back and no one even noticed what you brought with you this time! “Are You Now…”
