We are facing the most incredible times in America. Some say this is the beginning of the end, others say it's a new beginning. I believe this is neither a new beginning nor is it the end. Today, this year we are witnessing history repeat itself. The politicians that have taken over Washington D.C. are taking a meat ax to the very system that has sustained the middle class from falling into poverty. There are those who have loathed the social contract fabricated by progressives for the last 100 years, and now is their time to act. They are not acting on a whim, this has been building ever since the social contract was incepted. It has been strategic and underground until 30 years ago when the first blow was swung. "Starve the beast" was the rallying cry by these operatives. Make the programs eat away at itself through reducing revenue to it, then when the debt becomes unsustainable, they will take the final blow.
Back in the 1940s through 60s, these gluttonous capitalists were underground, building a strategy to take down the social contract. During that time, progressive Republicans were elected, like Dwight D. Eisenhower. These Republicans understood that the social contract was good for America. Unions were good for America and labor was the backbone of America. These were good times in our country. The American economy was built on a strong foundation, manufacturing, not derivatives and other financial instruments meant to increase profits of bankers and investors without really producing anything of worth. But while the good times were rolling for progressives and American citizens, the ravenous capitalists were conspiring beneath the radar, sending out direct mailings to other conservatives and moderates, manipulating facts and figures about the social contract.
These capitalists do not believe in fair capitalism. They believe in consolidation of financial wealth and political power. They have taken over the conservatives and became the neo-conservatives. It's these neo-cons who are pulling the strings of politicians. They have no soul, they do not care about the employees, they only work for their own self interest.
These underground neo-conservatives during the 1950s knew the progressives were the enemy of their political and financial power grab. The progressives ripped their power away and gave stability back to the people, and they remember the one progressive that started it all, President Theodore Roosevelt. They remember him, because he beat them back by the brow on their foreheads. President Roosevelt was the first progressive on the scene in the 20th century. Teddy "the trust buster" Roosevelt he became known as to the public. Teddy Roosevelt took on the most financially powerful industries in this country, he took on JP Morgan, he took on the Rockefellers and he took on the entire railroad monopoly and he beat them back from taking control of the American economy and our government.
Teddy Roosevelt believed in something, he believed that those who worked deserved a living wage. President Roosevelt said Before the Convention of the National Progressive Party in Chicago, August, 1912. "We stand for a living wage. Wages are subnormal if they fail to provide a living for those who devote their time and energy to industrial occupations. The monetary equivalent of a living wage varies according to local conditions, but must include enough to secure the elements of a normal standard of living--a standard high enough to make morality possible, to provide for education and recreation, to care for immature members of the family, to maintain the family during periods of sickness, and to permit of reasonable saving for old age."
"The present conditions of business cannot be accepted as satisfactory. There are too many who do not prosper enough, and of the few who prosper greatly there are certainly some whose prosperity does not mean well for the country. "
"Our aim is to control business, not to strangle it--and, above all, not to continue a policy of make-believe strangle toward big concerns that do evil, and constant menace toward both big and little concerns that do well. Our aim is to promote prosperity, and then see to its proper division. We do not believe that any good comes to any one by a policy which means destruction of prosperity; for in such cases it is not possible to divide it because of the very obvious fact that there is nothing to divide. We wish to control big business so as to secure among other things good wages for the wage-workers and reasonable prices for the consumers."
"Wherever in any business the prosperity of the business man is obtained by lowering the wages of his workmen and charging an excessive price to the consumers we wish to interfere and stop such practices. We will not submit to that kind of prosperity any more than we will submit to prosperity obtained by swindling investors or getting unfair advantages over business rivals. But it is obvious that unless the business is prosperous the wage-workers employed therein will be badly paid and the consumers badly served."
These words of President Roosevelt ring clearer and clearer each and every day. Almost 100 years ago it seems the problems were the same then as they are today. The American people are working longer days and longer weeks for the same wages. The American people can no longer afford to send their kids to college or in some cases can't even afford to get sick. Teddy was disgusted that businesses were lowering wages and increasing profits back then. Today, they just leave the country entirely to low wage countries. The men he fought against back then are rearing their heads again. You see, the conservatives back then never saw Teddy coming, they weren't prepared. Today they are stronger and more organized.
The neo-conservatives have told the people don't be jealous of the millionaires that ship your jobs overseas, you can be like them someday, you can be a millionaire too. But these same neocons want you to be jealous of the union member making a couple more dollars an hour than you and has a pension. They want the working class to fight for the scraps and drive down wages. The neocons have told the small business owner not to worry about the big box stores, you can be like them someday, only to be found out that, that big box store just bought out all the competition, now the small business owner can't compete and must close shop.
The American people need a President with the same vision, the same backbone as President Theodore Roosevelt. We need that today, more than at any time in recent history. We need a President willing to take a stand, a President to "speak softly and carry a big stick". The rules of government may have changed (filibuster) since the days of President Teddy Roosevelt, but the game is the same. The robber barons of yesteryear are trying to control this economy again. They are trying to take control of our courts, our congress and our commons.
This isn't a new beginning, this isn't "Morning in America", this is history repeating itself, and we need to fight back again. We need a voice. We need a fighter in the White House.
After President Obama's speech regarding the 2012 budget, I was hopeful that he has the vision. Now he needs to act on his words, stand firm and protect the American people from the greedy capitalists and corporations who do not have the best interest of America in mind and create a fair version of capitalism that works for all people and businesses.
President Obama needs to be the country's Theodore Roosevelt now!