The Audacity Of Supremacy

Reaganomics has failed America: The Trickle Down Theory will never create prosperity for all Americans.

A culture of privilege and wealth without active civic responsibility infected this country thirty years ago and if not corrected, it will bring an end to the United States of America, the America that our forefathers saw as a beacon of light and hope for all humanity.
The Reagan Administration ushered in a new breed of self-serving Republicans called Neo-Cons in 1981 and America has been on an economic downward turn ever since. President Ronald Reagan welded a power in America never seen before. His presidency was the marriage of a professional actor with the role of president, a winning combination in a country that idolizes screen and stage actors.
The trickle down theory was borne out of this administration. With this theory, the Neo-Cons were able to convince the American public that if they would allow the owner class the privilege of not paying taxes, as is required by our Constitution, that they would create jobs for all, and the whole country would grow and prosper as the accumulated wealth of the upper class trickled down onto the middle and lower. This theory to date has failed miserably. Reaganomics has brought the quality of life down for most Americans because it has had a reverse affect; rather than wealth trickling down, money has been whisked up and away from the middle and lower classes creating a huge income gap.
Union busting also became the preoccupation of this new Corporate Republican Party. The battle to retain and acquire bargaining power for the public and private workers stepped up and the demonetization of hard working Americans had begun. Curiously, three unions left alone by the GOP prospered and gained enormous power, The American Medical Association, The American Bar Association and The National Rifle Association.
Deregulation of private industries and reversal of laws and policies put in place to protect and serve the nation began during this presidency and the affects have been devastating.
In his book titled, Tear Down This Myth, Will Bunch illustrates how the right wing has used the legacy of Ronald Reagan to strengthen the failed ideology aptly-named, trickle down economics. In 2008 all GOP candidates for president claimed Reagan’s mantle, showing us that the misconceptions of the Reagan Presidency remain. For all intent and purposes Reagan has become their god.

Shutting-Up The Free-Thinkers: Keith Olbermann, Right-Wing Media and The New GOP

Countdown with Keith Olbermann #1 Rated News-Opinion MSNBC

Allow me to ask a question. Do you believe that the First Amendment applies to all citizens? The firing of Keith Olbermann host of Countdown number one rated news opinion show on nighttime only, left-leaning MSNBC should be a wake-up call to all, not only liberals, progressives and Democrats who believe that the First Amendment must be protected and up-held.
It appears that many factors have led up to this decision to fire Olbermann by the recently merged-media monstrosity of MSNBC and Comcast, among them Keith’s recent suspension for donating money to the Democratic Party, staff and ownership changes, and Kieth’s supposed own wish to move on.
If we compare the size of Keith Olbermann’s personal contribution to the untold amounts of money that the SCOTUS has allowed the Republican party to accept without disclosure laws allowing them to gather funds from corporations and individuals at home and abroad in secrecy, then we must cry foul! You might say to yourself that the Democrats are free to also use this dissimulation but you would be wrong.
The Democrats do not have a history of acting this way; they represent the people and this fact has become perfectly clear since the Republican’s 112th Congress has begun. The 112th lack of respect and total disregard for the American people’s well-being is palpable. In session only three days they threaten the very fabric of our society by attacking our social programs. Social Security, in place to help seniors no longer in the workforce and the disabled are now on the chopping block as well as the Affordable Health Care Act, the first comprehensive and inclusive health care plan ever to be signed into law. This Bill signed into law, is just one of many and will be considered President Obama’s crowning achievement. The GOP want it gone! In only three session days, the 112th congress has also attacked Woman’s rights to choose and make overt threats and innuendos that they will unfund much needed and relied upon programs that for many of our seniors and working poor families such as Medicare and Medicaid are crucial to their survival.
This new version of the Republican Party, is made up of a combination of corporatist, Tea-Party advocates, right-wing Christian Coalition extremists and left-over Neo-Cons from the Reagan Presidency. Democrats, Liberals and Progressives must stand up and unite or America will become what we all fear most, a Plutocratic Theocracy and the right-wing controlled media is well on its way to bringing this nightmare to fruition.
The FCC’s egregious decision to allow the merger of the two media giants, NBC Universal and Comcast makes the newly formed network one of the most powerful right-leaning media outlets & communication networks in the world. Consider, if you will the fact that this organization is privately owned and not in any sense of the word, apolitical. Which is why Keith Olbermann’s firing Friday night on-air with little warning to him or his faithful audience -forward thinking progressive, liberals and Democrats is an indicator of the right-wing wish for forbiddance of liberal political thought and expression in America.
As far as his personal wishes to move on, this blogger will wait to hear from Keith Olbermann. Right now there is much speculation and concern for Keith and his Countdown staff. It also did not go unnoticed that the only Sunday show that mentioned the abrupt removal of Countdwon from MSNBC , was CBS Sunday Morning.

In Pictures: Tahrir Square Clashes As EGYPT Struggles For Democracy

In Pictures: Tahrir Square Clashes slideshow…

I would like to introduce you to Leonard Danna. He was my father-in-law, my worst critic, and my greatest mentor.

Leonard Danna was born in 1910 in Buffalo, New York to a soon-to-be single mother. His father abandoned his family to go play the French horn with John Phillip Sousa’s band in 1912. This really affected Leonard’s view on raising children because he raised not only his five kids, but every kid brought home to meet him. Everyone was welcome at the Danna house.

Leonard met his father for the first time while he was playing in the yard in front of his home in Buffalo. The stranger walked up to Leonard and said, “Hello Leonard, I’m your father.” Little Lenny shouted, “No you’re not!” and kicked the big man in the shin and then ran into the house, salty tears stinging his little face and eyes.

It would be many years before Leonard saw the man again. Leonard always said of his father, ” He was a great musician, but a lousy father.”

Lenny survived the 1918 influenza pandemic, the streets of Buffalo, and two heart surgeries, one in 1973, the other in 1986. He had a strong spirit and philosophy that affected everyone around him. With Leonard you either wanted to emulate him or you were green with envy; he had an aura about him.

He also had a fierce determination to exercise. “Eat real, exercise, and stay away from the doctors!” was one of his all time favorite sayings. Leonard swam across the Niagara River Parkway to Fort Erie, Canada right next to the Peace Bridge when he was 19 years old. Talk about survival of the fittest!

After falling in love with a beautiful young blond secretary named Bernice, they married and had a wonderful, loving family. Leonard lost his wife in 1991 to cancer, the robber of so many, and had to continue on his own. He would never even consider finding another mate. Bernice was irreplaceable as far as Lenny was concerned.

When my father-in-law was 90, my husband Rick brought him up to Buffalo to visit an “old girlfriend.” They went to her little apartment, she served them coffee and cookies, and they reminisced for a while. After the little visit Leonard and his son stood in front of the elevator door. Lenny shook his head and said to his son, ” She was old!” Age is relative in this life; you are truly as old as you perceive yourself to be.

I saw him at the library one day sitting at a round table alone, writing furiously in a little composition book with a black and white cover. “What are you writing?” I asked him. “My memoirs!” Leonard said as he looked up from the table. “Really, are you writing about me?” I asked. “I haven’t gotten to you yet!” was his reply.

Leonard A. Danna died in 2006 at the young age of 96 and he is sorely missed by his family who surrounded his bed with love of family and respect as he parted this life.