A Call To Action Folks, I take up pen (one more time) because I am worried. It is clearer every day that there is a fundamental disconnect between the American people and its government. For our own good, it is time we step back and take a look around. We are being governed by an unelected President whose administration is by any measure more extreme than any in recent memory. Decades of hard work in areas as diverse as the environment, public health, privacy, energy conservation, world peace, the elderly, women's issues, workplace safety and more have been rolled back and undone with unprecedented speed. We are being robbed. The sad thing is, when viewed from a historical perspective, it not only makes sense, it is inevitable that we arrive at this place. The Tycoons are running the country for their benefit and they don't give a rat's patootie about you, your well being, or anything else not directly tied to the bottom line. I am not making an abstract point here. The amazing thing is that with three exceptions, the same crowd has been in charge of national policy since WWII. Look at the story about the family investigating the death of their CIA agent father that was in the press a few days ago. The 1975 White House officials who's memos regarding the case were quoted in the article are named Cheney and Rumsfeld who were Deputy Chief of Staff and Chief of Staff at the time. They, and others, have served in the Reagan and Bush Sr. administrations as well. At that point in time George H. W. Bush was Chairman of the Republican National Committee but within months Dick Cheney would submit his name to Gerald Ford as the person to replace CIA Director Colby who was seen as being too cooperative with the investigators on the hill. It is illustrative in that nearly 30 years ago, the power players in the White House were the same as now. Actually, with the exception of the Clinton years and the Carter administration the same crowd has been in the White House and running things since the 60's. Carter happened because the abuses of power that came to light as a result of Watergate were so extreme that the country was jolted. Clinton (like Kennedy before him) was elected in spite of his party by sheer force of political skill, smarts, and personality. Both were reviled by the Democrats in power at the time yet both succeeded in reaching the people. Other than that there is a clear history of the same small group playing musical chairs in the halls of power for decades. These folks were on watch during the Nixon saga, CoIntelPro, the CIA 70's abuses, the Junk Bond years (with the stock market boom and crash of the 80's), Iran Contra, the $550 billion Savings and Loan debacle (the largest transfer of wealth in US history - to the rich), and more. This is the group that Eisenhower was speaking of in his famous farewell speech when he coined the term "military industrial complex". "In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. br> We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together." Dwight D, Eisenhower - Farewell Speech, 1961 He had led the country through two wars and was in a position to know first-hand what he was warning us about. As a country we have failed to hear the warning. I am not unveiling some hidden conspiracy - there is no need for one. The news is reported day in and day out with the same names appearing regularly for decades and we just don't connect the dots. Our national press is controlled by fewer people than ever before. It has become a part of Big Industry and it is not terribly surprising that this story is not getting told as it deserves. Nor is it surprising that the President and his allies have had an easy time distracting us from covering his finances or spinning the story in his favor. There is ample evidence in the public record to prove that both the President and the Vice President were using Enron-like tactics to illegally boost profits in firms where Andersen was doing the books. George W. has managed to keep the press focused on the much fuzzier issue of a delayed SEC paperwork filing. We need to re-invigorate the spirit of American activism. We, the people, have the power to allow or disallow actions, policies, and events that we know are wrong. We musttake action now, while it is still legal to do so. Actions: Become aware. These things happen because we are too busy, distracted, or lazy to pay attention. Raise a stink. When you see obvious misbehavior or wrongdoing in high places, complain. Call your representative and let them know what's bugging you. Regularly. Get out the vote. The Tycoons get their guys elected in spite of the fact that society has mostly disagreed with their policies for 30 years. They do it by many means but the biggest weapon they have is a core constituency which votes. Always... (never mind that constituency is focused on issues irrelevant to the Tycoons). There is an off-season election in a few months - no doubt there will be serious issues on the table and a need to vote. Talk about this in your daily life. We all need to get active. Cynicism and apathy are tools of the Tycoons. Make an effort to see behind the curtains when reading the news. Why Iraq? Whay now? Who benefits? How come the Generals don't see it like Rumsfeld? Why not more solar? Who benefits? How many rights should we give up to be safe? Don't buy the silly reasons that pass for analysis like "George just wants to outdo his Dad" or "George wants to do the opposite of his Dad". In truth, George probably doesn't have that much to do with it - any more than Ford or Reagan did. Write letters to your elected officials - write a piece to add to this collection. It would be great to have a time-line of Presidential staffers through the years. We need to develop resources that help tell the tale. Finally, Please read and consider the following linked articles and writings: Beau Blue, poet, systems engineer, programmer, and really smart guy asks we 'How much trouble are we in?' and decides that "We're in it up to our eyes." and that the "The real danger is the theft of our rights." See 'How much trouble are we in?' Dan Gillmor, a very smart reporter at the San Jose Mercury has called us to action as a people because Big Media is intent on changing our fundamental rights to peruse and use information. See 'We Must Engage In Copyright Debate' Janis Ian, Folksinger and writer feels that the whole "intellectual property" debate is silly when it comes to downloading from the Internet. See 'The Internet Debacle' "I am of neither party nor yet a trimmer between parties. I have never submitted the whole system of my opinions to the creed of any party of men whatever in religion, in philosophy, in politics or in anything else, where I was capable of thinking for myself. Such an addiction is the last degradation of a free and moral agent. If I could not go to heaven but with a party, I would not go there at all." Thomas Jefferson" That's all for now... Gary Starkweather