An Open Letter To President Obama

Dear Mr. President,
As a first generation American, and a Veteran who served his country when the war was fought in rice paddies, I voted for you twice. In your tenure as President, I've watched you manage to accomplish many great things, even when confronted daily with unparalleled, partisan obstruction. Many of your policies were instrumental in bringing this country back from the precipice of the financial collapse of 2008. You managed to bring the perpetrators of the greatest attack on America since Pearl Harbor to justice. You managed to bring health care to millions of Americans, where it was unavailable or who before, were unable to afford it.

That being said, I'm reminded of the passage; "Those who fail to learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat it". Yes, you saved America from financial collapse, yet none of those on Wall Street OR in Government agencies who shared responsibility for the collapse have had to pay for their crimes. In fact, since then, they've only become bigger and emboldened. Since then, legislation and regulations designed to prevent such things from happening again have been removed. Lobbyists for these institutions and subversives in Congress have allowed the dismantling of these crucial financial safeguards...and history again is repeating itself as I write this letter.

Now, you're pushing very hard for a very bad trade deal. A deal that's great for other countries, a deal that's great for corporations and the rich, but in all seriousness, a death sentence to hard working middle class Americans who can ill afford to suffer the low wages and job losses this TPP deal will bring. I've been around for 60+ years, and I've yet to witness ANY trade deal in place that has benefited America's working class. As I see it, NAFTA was the first nail in the middle class coffin...TPP will be the final nail. This isn't just opposition rhetoric...these are hard to swallow FACTS from the hard hit working class.

Yes Mr. President, It's good in most cases to look forward and not dwell on the past. But when the negatives of history are destructive, irrefutable and remain present...looking past them so nonchalantly is not a good idea. And while you're in your last years as President, I ask that you revisit your decisions to "not look back", and to correct the issues that remain as a cancer on this nation. Holding Wall Street responsible for their criminality, subversion of our system of Government by corporate lobbyists, and the perception that our Supreme Court has been bought by the oligarchy... and we the people are left hopelessly holding the bag.

Yours Truly,
A First Generation American and Veteran

America's Most Important Struggle Since Our Declaration of Independence From England

Whether you choose to believe it or not, in the year 2015, America faces it’s biggest challenge since gaining independence from England. The patriotic forefathers of this great nation came together at great peril to their very survival and forged a document based on the ideas of freedom, dignity, and self determination. For years they toiled under the brutality of the government of England. A government that imposed the unyielding will of the King on the colonies. These patriots knew that if they lost their struggle to rid themselves of this brutal tyranny, all would be lost.

Today America faces the same challenge. Not from a King, but rather from it’s own government. Today, our elected officials have willfully forgotten that they represent the people who elected them to office. Representatives, who line their own pockets with money from corporations and special interest groups that demand a quid pro quo return on their “investments”.

Everyday, the American middle class, the people who built this great nation with blood, sweat, and tears, struggle to survive the hardships and indignities brought upon them by their elected officials, whose only concern is to do the bidding of those able to pay a great deal of money for it, because their salaries and perks, that they voted for themselves, from tax payer monies, are apparently no longer sufficient.

Poverty, greed, a toxic environment, toxic food, racism, marginalization of immigrants, and a monetary system rife with unfairness and criminality. Things that should have disappeared from this country long ago, yet remain today. The problems America faces are ones faced by our forefathers over 200 years ago. For the most part, nothing has changed. The rich and privileged have the advantage, and the poor and working class constantly struggle to survive, while our elected representatives, who are charlatans at best, turn a deaf ear. Their political stature has blinded them and made them deaf to the will of everyday Americans.

We petition, we hold rallies and town meetings, we protest in the streets, and still nothing changes. At what point do we arrive at the realization that our government no longer cares what we want? At what cost, will the Will of the People finally be heard?

The forefathers of this great nations who fought for freedom and justice, and against tyranny by forces of the King were labeled traitors. If We the People attempt the same, if we the people yet again rise up to take a stand against the tyranny and the oligarchy, we too will be labeled traitors and subversives by our government. WE ARE NEITHER, but our government refuses to take us seriously, and will eventually force our hand to stand up, and die if we must, for our beliefs, and for the preservation of this great republic for which many have given their lives to preserve. Those elected officials who are deaf and blind to the will of the people, think they are safe in their congress of tyranny on the hill. THEY ARE NOT!

John F. Kennedy, perhaps one of our greatest presidents said: “Those who make peaceful revolution impossible, make violent revolution inevitable.”

I am loath to say; “Should our pursuit of those ideals set forth in our Constitution yet again require a revolution to achieve them, the blood spilled by our patriots in our next war against tyranny, will not refresh the tree of liberty, it will drown it!

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Let me first start out by saying that the Internet is a wondrous thing! It's a great research tool, a great shopping tool, and a great communication tool in general.

But...as I was perusing the daily news I had a gut wrenching epiphany. I thought to myself "What if the Internet existed in 1776"? My conclusion? We'd probably still be a British Colony...because NO amount of words ever toppled a government. NO Op-Ed column or blog ever defeated an invading army, and no email, Tweet, or Instant Message ever managed to stand in front of, or stop, a rolling tank...

So while it is wonderful to see the millions of posts on the Internet, the ever mounting opposition to tyranny, fascism, and overbearing government, NOTHING will ever take the place of people actually getting up off their asses and going down into the streets to protest...ACTUALLY DOING SOMETHING...other than sitting at a keyboard.

While it may be true that "the pen is mightier than the sword", what is also true is that:

"ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS (or Internet posts)"

An Open Letter to Senator Elizabeth Warren

Dear Senator Warren,

It is my firm belief that Americans are tired of the status quo! We are tired of party heads shoving down our throats bought and paid for candidates whose agendas are to maintain the status quo, and who continue to support the corporate kleptocracy that is Wall Street, all while trying to convince the American people they are on our side. We are not as stupid as some would have them believe.

While many of us LIKE Hillary Clinton, and believe that there was a time she was a viable candidate for the office of the Presidency...that time has passed. The unfortunate, or fortunate realities of "politics" now indicate to many that she is not the best Democratic candidate. Her stances on international issues as well as her stance on financial issues, when examined lead us to believe she will in fact be another status quo candidate. And while MANY believe she got a raw deal relative to her tenure as Secretary of State, the picture is clear. She will be damaged by the unrelenting pounding from the right, and we believe it will be a distraction of such a magnitude, that most of her time will be spend on defending her past.

The sad commentary that most of us realize relative to elections in America is that elections are no longer a matter of electing the right person for the job, but rather to elect the lesser of two evils...and yes...it IS a sad commentary on America. You on the other hand, break that cycle. It was apparent to many that you really ARE on the side of the middle class...and not just another status quo politician.

We want someone who is not afraid to stand up for the common American. Someone who will fight for us...and frankly...You Ms Warren, are who many of us Americans feel is that person. I understand that as a member of the Senate, you are fighting for the people you represent and that is a good thing. However, there is a bigger picture. Your country, the entire country not just your state needs you! We believe that YOU will be the one to right the course of this country that has been lost and adrift on the perilous seas of democracy. We believe it is YOU who will be instrumental in saving us from the treachery of pirates and blaggards disguised as patriots. Many of us feel we need YOU to fight for America...ALL of America!

It is therefore my wish, and the wish of MILLIONS of other Americans that you reconsider and run for the Office of President of the United States.Thank you for your time.

Respectfully,
George Legeros

The Government Shut Down, The Constitution, and Self Evident Truths

Using the Constitution and the term "self-evident", I have attempted to put into context, the events of the last few days relevant to our Governments shut down. The remedy of which, has never been more unambiguous.

"Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed"

The forefathers knew exactly what they were talking about. This is a truth that is self-evident.

"That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."

Have we not reached this point? Has not the dysfunction of our Government risen to the level of untenable?

"Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed."

The course on which we've been set by our elected officials can in no way be construed to be in the best interests of "We the People", and has placed this nation in incontrovertible peril.

"But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security."

The deliberate peril to our nation caused by right wing, idiologically driven

 elected officials has become self-evident and requires a resolute and expeditious response from “We the People”. Our inaction will surely result in the demise of this great nation.

America's Last Chance...DON'T BLOW IT!

The right wing agenda has been set. THEY WANT the sequester to kick in. They KNOW this will destroy this country and the only ones who will be able to survive the economic downturn are the rich elitists.

I'm not exactly sure when it happened, but IT HAS HAPPENED! The right wing elected officials have implemented what can be seen as the textbook definition of a subversive agenda:

Subversion:

A systematic attempt to overthrow OR UNDERMINE a government or political system by persons working from within; also the crime of committing acts in furtherance of such an attempt.

The right wing is hell bent on overthrowing this representative democracy and allowing the elitist millionaires to proliferate their oligarchy. So I ask you...Where are our patriots?...Where is the outrage?....Have the citizens of this great nation been made so blind by the quest for an unattainable American dream? A dream that can ONLY come true if you're a millionaire! A dream MADE UNATTAINABLE by legislation enacted by corrupt politicians who seek to keep the poor and middle class sheep poor and weak and the elitist rich in power!

The table has been set by the right wing, to allow the sequester to kick in and destroy ANY gains made in the last 4 years, making their publicly stated political manifesto of blocking our Presidents policies by any and all means, and at any and all costs, thereby destroying any chance of the viability and survivability of the middle class.

This will I'm afraid, become the new SHOT HEARD ROUND THE WORLD!

It is a sad state of affairs that the American poor and middle class must be in a near death situation before they're able to wake up from their delusion of having a government of, by, and for the people. Americans should be preparing to sacrifice their own lives to save this once great nation if they are to survive. America's greatest enemy isn't in some foreign land waiting to invade our shores. NO...Our greatest enemy is subversion, and the perpetrators are our so called elected officials who refuse to do the will of the people, the people who elected them to office!

Citizens...if you're not prepared to fight for your liberty...to fight for your freedom...to fight for your your way of life RIGHT HERE AT HOME...IN THESE UNITED STATES...If you're not prepared to give your life for your country and your fellow citizens, then this IS NOT your country and you don't belong here! We need to take back this nation from the robber barons and their inept and corrupt congressional minions...This is your last chance America....DON'T BLOW IT!

Well...Here's Another Fine Mess We've Gotten Ourselves Into...

As a veteran...I want my country to be safe. I want America's people to be healthy, educated, and prosperous. I believe in a good and just government of the people, by the people and for the people... NOT corporations. While run by people, corporations are not lifeforms, they are not human, and therefore they are not people. I also believe in the Constitution, so I don't want my gov snooping on it's citizens without just and/or probable cause. The patriot act, warrant-less wire taps, etc, that were first put into place during the Bush administration, then expanded upon by the Obama administration, are in my opinion, violations of our rights provided for by the Constitution. I understand the need for expediency and I understand that we live in a different world where terrorism has become ubiquitous, but expediency doesn't mean its OK to circumvent the Constitution on merely the "notion" of national security.

I believe the patriot act should either be repealed in it's entirety, or amended to remove those provisions which were put into place in the name of national security but which violate our rights as provided for by the constitution.

The very fabric of America is being torn apart by senseless gun violence and yet there are those railing against what they perceive to be violations of the second amendment. I would however caution you to worry MORE about the rights that have already been abridged by this so called patriot act than the rights secured by the second amendment.

Our elected officials have been made moot and are now no more than a laughing stock because of partisan ideology, ineptness, and the subversive practice of accepting millions of dollars from outside special interest groups seeking favor of elected officials and attempting to subvert our political system from within. In other words...buying elections.

Our supreme court, the supposed keeper of justice, has become the poster child for political activism. Our once great economy and the economy of the entire world was brought to its knees by corruption, greed, deregulation, ineptness, and blatant misrepresentation on the part of wall street, banking, AND those government agencies charged with their oversight.

Americans are suffering because we have unsustainable debt, mounting poverty, mounting unemployment, and an ever widening gap between the haves and the have nots. Our health care system is the joke of the world. We spend the most for health care and receive the least. This is the legacy of for profit health insurance. The REAL death panels we were warned about.

Corporate greed has destroyed America's ability to manufacture by off shoring those jobs in the name of profit. One of the biggest shames of America is that we have plenty money for war yet none for Americans who are in need and dare I say the direst of straights. Many presidents before have warned us about the military industrial complex becoming too powerful but their warnings went unheeded and yes muted because of powerful MIC lobbying of elected officials.

“When fascism comes to America, it won't be in the form of armies marching in wearing uniforms. No...it will come in the form of ideologues, wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.”