from delusion to illusion

i watch with a sense of disbelief- that a man as apparently shallow and willing to mislead the public is the nominee of a major party for the highest office.  I then realize that this is clearly not an accident, that the billions of dollars invested in this man is for some reasons- important to someone.  I can only guess since i would not invest the price of an Internet postage stamp i that campaign (that was humor, there is no Internet postage stamp but there should be one- to retire the deficit- 1/10 of a cent on commercial mailings- would also put an end to spam as we know it).  I watched the man- as if it were a bad actor hamming it up on the stage- speaking something about- "you didn't build that"  as an insult to...ahhh so dismaying- the spectacle, lying to the public and living the lies.

If he believes what he is saying then he may be delusional since in most regards he has spoken these same ideas as his own articles of faith.  If he lying then he does it poorly, Ronald Reagan was much better- he would croon " nuclear war" in that sonorous baritone and people supported build 10,00 new nukes when we needed -none.  Reagan's wars were little things- dress rehearsals really.  Romney's war would be big- biggest in history- and would likely exceed the hundreds of thousands lost in Iraq because we may never find such easy pickings in the world anywhere again.  His initial foray was to get the US in a War with Israel against Iran- possibly two nuclear powers.
Ryan as VP means less delusional theories from the ticket, and more illusions- the sleight of hand that convinces people that the rights they have must be sacrificed for the common good, but the common good is defined as helping the rich keep their money, avoid taxes. Speaking as one who would likely benefit, i say this is larceny after thrust-- putting a burden where it least belongs.  There are privileges in this society such as buying and selling derivatives. A market that is early as big as the rest the economy.  One trader recently earned $3 Billion in one year.  There is a great way to raise revenues without taking Grandma's pension-- tax an activity that we limit to a privileged few who are making an un-Godly profit from doing nothing but passing paper back and forth from one friendly bank to another- betting for example that the economy will loose more jobs than it gains this year--or that mortgage failures will increase, housing will fall--then there is my other favorite- the spammer fee.  See-- with a little creative thinking we can increase revenues, educate our children, give food to hungry children,  reduce our deficit and not steal from the most vulnerable-- something we gave them for a lifetime of doing just what we asked of them.

Democracy Lost

We of such strength, mocked by voices of fear, instilling greater fear.  We are shackled by a changed past, captive like the bound man - stumbled Blind in Gaza- the loss of a vision, an acuity of faith in tomorrow.  We have let ourselves become trapped in the mix of love and hatred, greed and scarifice, wisdom and narrow sight, the melange of America.
Oh America, you were never perfect always though perfectly human.  In an era of unbridled greed you stole lives from Africa made an industry of kidnap and rape, enslaved for no reason except greed- Africa bled into you and you became richer in ways you did not then know.  Then you raised smokestacks and invitations to war- island of freedom born in blood,only to turn to live by blood money; even to this day.
You have helped put the world up to its neck in bullets and watch with subdued curiosity when parts of it begin to drown; we are Godfather of armies of child soldiers, the patron saint of warlord theocracies.  When hurt so badly, when our towers fell; we exorcised a small demon by a great trough of wealth--where the war machine fed until it was glutted; we shook the world because we trembled in fear, and would hear nothing but fear.  Even until the sweet song of freedom re-echoed from the courage we had kept, even as tyrants and terrorists fell to justice.

Now, there is yet the grim reckoning of the skin trades-- "leaders" hatching plots to close the doors to freedom to the Brown and Black south, open doors to a new North Atlantic crossing where the sun kissed its children more gently--so sad. To deny learning and opportunity to our children, to balance the equation of skin-- have we not yet  learned, the life within is the gift not the wrapper...

There is a Democracy found in the turned pages of history, it was not born with America, Founders did not trust their people, their partners in the revolts; Democracy was found in Shay's Rebellion, in the ante-bellum noise of rattled chains and prayers; in the blood given for freedom denied by rich to poor.  Democracy that has now been lost to a culture of dinosaurs, big devour little, strong consume the weak. Wither the America found in the winds of change that came from last breaths of heroes, gone to the auction block in the marketplace of gold and greed.

There is hope against even the most overwhelming enemies- hope despite the obedience of so many to such false prophets as these: a current batch, a plague- disciples of selfishness.  A democracy is a web of reliance, upon self, upon others, upon an innate and shared sense of justice.  A recognition that life is precious and fleeting, in its every part a unique opportunity to expand possibilities into a better world for everyone. That we have lost it is a source of sadness and fuel--for a more determined reach, a more solemn grasp-- for all that we know can be taken from us, if we allow, if we fail to stand for the principle of unity--that in unity we are greater than any can be alone.