Guest Blog by Gail Segreto - A Corporate-Coup

May 9, 2017  An opinion by Gail Segreto

Of course everyone is talking about the actions of the president.  And this is a big deal.  We have a president and his entire executive branch based on an illegitimate election. 

Today we have an investigation of the players at the White House and the president fired the person investigating them.  

The reason given is that this action was recommended by the attorney general because of how the Clinton investigation was handled.  But we must remember that Jeff Sessions had previously recused himself from anything related to the election.  So how could he make such a recommendation.  The entire executive branch is corrupt. 

Yes, this stinks.  But it is just one part of a very serious situation.  We are seeing the final stages of a coup.  This is not the usual sort of coup.  It has been developed and played out over several decades.  I am talking about the corporate takeover of the nation.  

A shift in values and how the government represents and rules the people usually comes radically and dramatically, with a revolution of some kind. This time it comes from a long process of re-shaping the people's values with a program of propaganda, and what we now call fake news.  

This started as an economic policy under Reagan.  He helped to establish ALEC, an organization to bring government and business together.  It became a powerful force for changing state and national legislation to be more favorable to business.  But like any organization that operates in secret, they became corrupt, or maybe ALEC was actually designed to be so.   ALEC corporate members provide legislators ready-to-go bills for things like "Right to work" where workers see their rights diminished, or the proliferation of for-profit educational companies that take high tuition fees and leave graduates without full services.   

We see more and more consolidation as companies merge into mega corporations, often to the detriment of citizens, especially when it comes to communication and the media.  

As this movement gained momentum they used some hot issues like abortion to create a division among citizens.  And then they could wrap any other idea inside the hot topic and link them together earning favor for any topic by association.  

They became experts in persuasion and the use of sound bites and in supporting the development of news media specifically supporting their goals while calling all others the "liberal media".  Demonizing the opposition has been a key strategy.   They began to cast doubt on any science that was not favorable to business.   And they gerrymandered districts to insure extreme candidates success while  passing laws to suppress the vote.

I am sure there are many republicans who believe in the old republican values of serving the people with the least amount of government interference.  But the philosophy has become extreme. A profit motive without regulations will never be beneficial to the populace. The evidence is overwhelming that business will take advantage of workers, putting their health and lives in danger; and of allowing dangerous products to remain on the market and even fighting the science that proves the danger.  

In the last 20 years business has become so bold that CEOs do not hesitate to pay themselves and top people in the company salaries and bonuses that are truly outrageous while demanding to reduce regulations so they can grow the company.. meanwhile the numbers living in poverty balloon. 

We are they only developed country in the world without health care for all.  This is because we are beleaguered by a corporate, for-profit health care system.

In 2008 our country was brought to our knees because the supposedly smartest economists in the country at the Federal Reserve, the SEC and the Treasury Dept did not see the collapse coming when I personally know of several dozen people including myself, who saw it coming.   But it was good for banks so these traitorous experts let it all happen. 

Then we had the great tragedy called the Citizens United decisions where the Supreme Court determined that corporations have the same rights as individuals and spending money is the same as free speech.   It has been an influence free-for-all since then. 

We have been kept in wars for 16 years with no end in sight and all for oil and the profits that come to the military industrial complex.  War is profitable.  We have a belligerent president flirting with war on 3 fronts and with a real possibility of a nuclear weapon in use.    But this is as much a distraction strategy as state department policy.

Now we have this narcissist of a president supported by the GOP and being used by the GOP to achieve their cold hearted goals to promote business and the wealthy at the expense of the majority of the people.  The combination is more awful and devastating than anyone could imagine.  

• The cabinet is filled with wealthy corporate figures with backgrounds in complete opposition to the goals of the departments they now head.   
• Family members of the president have wide ranging power and specifically directed to suggest how to restructure the government.  
• There is enormous potential for known and unknown conflict of interest with the president and several of his cabinet. 
• Media is demonized to an extreme and blocked out from some events.
• The executive branch is fighting with the judicial branch.  The president and his people make comments about changing libel laws and many other outrageous, statements.  
• The president threatens to shut down the government in September if congress does not give him a budget he likes and threatens to let the national health care system collapse too.
• And all this in an environment where lies are the norm, just alternate facts, and they are accepted and ok!
• The administration is under investigation for ties with Russia.
• Several current or past administration members have lied about contacts with Russia.
• The president openly admires world leaders with the worst human rights abuses.
• And now he fires the guy who is investigating him. 

In a way it may be fortunate that Trump is here for this culmination of the corporate takeover.  He is so impulsive and ignorant on so many things that he is already tripping up.  The big question is if those who can take him down will do so.   I think they will run in circles for a long while but even when Trump is gone the corporate takeover may still resume.

It is up to the great masses of people in the USA to come together as one voice and say we want a government for and by the people. 

The Star of the Show - Guest blog by Barb Wyer

Who qualified as the "Star of the Show" at the BOCC meeting on April 24? Was it Ed Ehmann, central figure in the county commissioners' Love Fest, or was it Republican Chairman Tom Peterson, citizen-who-receives-special-treatment?

Perhaps in response to a recently circulated article about Mr. Ehmann's less-than-polite treatment of citizens who dare to criticize him, the county commissioners felt it necessary to wax eloquently in reassuring citizens just how fortunate they are that Ed virtually salvaged Elbert County from ruin, single-handedly.  Not only did the commissioners utilize nearly all the synonyms in the dictionary for savior, but more than twenty county employees were seated in the audience for back-up praises, if needed.

While all 3 of our commissioners, during their campaigns, vowed to investigate the many complaints lodged against Ed, it appears that these criticisms qualify as only so much fluff.  The commissioners voted, unanimously, to extend Mr. Ehmann's contract through December of 2018.

Or is Republican Chairman Tom Peterson more deserving of the "Star of the Show" award?  He was allowed the privilege (not granted to many folks) of violating county policy regarding public speeches and the accompanying protocol, three times during the BOCC meeting:
Utilizing Public Comment to talk about the "local and national Resistance movements" labeling them as "obstructionist." While county policy prohibits politicking during Public Comment, the commissioners seemed to enjoy his presentation, smiling from their chairs, and relishing the audience applause that followed.
Blurting out from his seat in the audience (podium-speeches-only rule applies here).
Speaking twice on the same topic (a privilege not customarily allowed).

Bolstered by his favorable reception from both the commissioners and the audience, Mr. Peterson then suggested that a list of citizens who submit Open Records Requests be made public, an idea with which Commissioner Thayer concurred. Per Mr. Peterson, citizens who have the audacity to access public records are "burdensome on the county."

Star of the Show.....Ed Ehmann or Tom Peterson?  Who wins the award?  Regardless of who goes home with the trophy, citizens clearly lost on several fronts.

Two Old Guys at a Tax March

The Invisible Indivisible Town Hall Meetings - Guest blog by Tony Corrado

Since Trump’s election, the Indivisible movement has created a weapon in seeking town hall meetings between district constituents and their elected members of congress. The ideological divide between Democrats and Republicans has never been more stark, than in the response to these town hall requests. 

In Colorado, the most vociferous and intense requests for meetings has been directed at Cory Gardner, our Republican Senator. Touting himself as a family values person, he has been busy hiding from constituents, who believe that health care, SCOTUS judges elected for life and the destruction of the American democracy are family values. Gardner, who flies to Washington DC every Monday and returns home on Friday, has continuously made himself unavailable to constituents. Protesters march outside his Denver office every Tuesday, and one protest meeting had over 2,000 persons in attendance at a meeting in which speakers delivered their concerns to a cardboard cutout of Gardner’s persona. Gardner has chosen to have telephone conferences in which he can hide from face to face meetings, spin his answers with impunity and generally not answer those questions that he considers “too hard”. 

Michael Bennet, our Democratic senator, has made face time available and his staff has given meetings to the Indivisible movement protesters. Some will argue that is easier for Bennet since he is a Democrat and not the target of such intense pressure. I would argue that this is a falsehood since Bennett is under extreme pressure from Indivisible to support the Gorsuch filibuster even though he considers Anshutz and Gorsuch, “personal friends”. It is this very fact, the position that friendship should prevail over the will of the people, that has brought Bennet into the controversy. His constituents do not want Gorsuch and they also want spineless Democrats to stand up for Progressive values in the same manner that the Tea Party has done in the past. 

Both Bennet and Gardner are the recipients of large sums of dark money. Koch bother’s money is a major factor in Gorsuch’s nomination. Anshutz money is equally corrupting to the process. Both Senators have breached their oath of office to defend the constitution, Bennet by not rejecting Gorsuch after the Republicans stole Obama’s nominee seat, and Gardner, by voting straight party on every issue Trump has put forth. Both are in real danger of losing their upcoming elections, especially to primary opponents. 

Bennet is up for re-election in 2022 and Gardner in 2020. It is convenient for these two “establishment” politicians to view the Indivisible movement as a flash in the pan that will eventually moderate as the members once again align themselves with Party nominees. However, this calculation is extremely dangerous for both Republican and Democrat candidates. 

First, the Indivisible movement has the ability to support primary candidates of it’s choice, not just those candidates having party support. They will support the primary candidate of their choice based on ideological reasons.

Second, the Indivisible movement will not align itself automatically with either party. Many of the Indivisible movement members see themselves as Bernie Sanders supporters and Sander’s supporters are creating a separate political entity. It is important to realize the Sander’s following as well as the Indivisible movement may move to support a major party candidate, but it will occur because that candidate represents their values; not because the establishment wants to continue to pick winners and losers.

People finally sense the danger of dark oligarchs and staunch ideologues controlling American politics. They also see the power of grass roots organizing and displays of protest power. This sense of empowerment is not going to be given away easily.  American democracy is on trial, and both of these Senators need to face their constituents at respective town halls.

Trump Keeps Losing So Why Do I Feel So Bad?

Imagine that the American Health Care Act was a gigantic rocket on a launch pad.  It was advertised to be the most superb rocket ever designed.  Once fired it was going to shoot up into space and deploy countless anti-Obamacare Republican Tie? fighters.  They would destroy the imperial edicts of the evil former president and anything that  was left of the collapsing  health care boondoggle would be blown to smithereens! It would be a beautiful display and everyone on the ground would be crying tears of joy as they chanted, "We Love Trump Bigly!" Unfortunately, when the countdown got to the end and the launch button was pushed, a huge flag popped out of the nosecone that read, “Just kidding!"

For millions and millions of Americans (some counts as high as 24,000,000) people let out a huge sigh of relief.  People were slapping each other on the backs and giving each other high-fives.  And that celebration went on for at least several minutes before everyone began to start feeling like crap once again.  Sadly it only took that long for people to realize that in the Age of Trump, it will take hundreds of these types of failures to bring his reign to its much anticipated end.

This realization should come as no surprise to anyone that has attempted to do something that is very large in scope and fraught with difficult tasks along the way.  I liken it to overcoming poverty and becoming the first person in a family going on to graduate from college.  Or maybe for you it is more akin to fighting a chronic illness.  For every step you make forward there is the realization that the fight is not over and that there are greater hurdles to face in the near future.  Some of these challenges may appear out of nowhere and they may have never been anticipated.  It is hard damned work.  Despite the criticism from the right that progressives need trophies for every success they may encounter, we are acutely aware that the only reward is in the future and possibly the seemingly far off future will only come when Trump is gone and the bleak shadow of corporate control of our once great democracy has been thwarted.

We feel badly because we care deeply.  We want to have a second chance at leading our country back to its rightful place as the world’s strongest democracy.  We know we became complacent and that the mistakes we made in our past are now exacting a price from the present.  We fear for the children who must face the challenges of the future.  We are beside ourselves with angst about the health of our planet and its environment.  In short, we have become painfully aware of the seriousness of now.  It is only logical that we will be on an emotional roller coaster until such time as we take our country away from plutocrats and ideologues who have hijacked the system.

This is the time where we must channel our remorse into resolve.  This is the difficult task of converting fear into courage.  This is the moment when we must rise above selfishness and replace it with altruism.

We need to do our best to celebrate our victories, never losing sight of the larger prize.  This is the time when we must take care of ourselves so that we remain strong in the greater campaign.  We must reach out and help those who have become discouraged and are feeling defeated.  We owe this to what Lyndon Johnson referred to as our Great American Society.  This is what we must do in order to make America what it was designed to be, not dismantle it into President Trump's perverted vision of greatness.

So the answer to the initial question of this blog posting, "Trump keeps losing so why do I feel so bad?" is painfully clear.  The reason we feel so bad is that we are coming to grips with the knowledge on just how far we have fallen and just how far we have to go.  Stay strong, brothers and sisters.  Together we will prevail.

The Truth about Governing through Fiat with Executive Orders

Fifty-five days into his term, President Donald Trump has issued fifteen executive orders.  He has issued eleven presidential memorandums.  He has issued a total of four presidential proclamations.   In contrast and focusing on executive orders alone, In 2009 Barack Obama issued 39 of those in the first year of his presidency. While it is unlikely that Trump will keep up this fevered pace to exert his leadership style on the the office of the presidency, if he were to keep it up, he would be on pace to sign 150 of these orders in his first year alone.  During his eight years in office, President Obama signed a total of 277 executive orders. 

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/01/23/obama-executive-orders/

Quick math reveals that Obama signed 34.5 executive orders per year. I cite as my source: The Federal Register from the National Archives,

https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/executive-orders/2009-obama.html.  In fairness to the current president, he has signed two less than our 44th President, but two of his executive orders have already been challenged by the Federal Court system.  He just cannot seem to clear the bar when it comes to the constitutional mandate that you cannot ban entrance into the United States based on a religious test.

So why do I bring this up?  The answer to that, of course, springs from the "Fractured Fairy Tale Vault" of the right wing conservative media which has demonstrated a real difficulty with the facts over the past decade.  If you have not read these following articles, I suggest you do.  The first is from February 12, 2014 by the folks over at the respected conservative think tank, The Heritage Foundation (also the originators of Obamacare, by the way). http://www.heritage.org/the-constitution/report/executive-unbound-the-obama-administrations-unilateral-actions.  

The title is a classic:

"An Executive Unbound: The Obama Administration’s Unilateral Actions."

Cue the spooky organ music and have a tape of Vincent Price laughing insanely in the background.

Or this gem, using the same operative language from  June 21, 2012 in the Washington Post:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/charles-krauthammer-obamas-amnesty-by-fiat--naked-lawlessness/2012/06/21/gJQAa5PltV_story.html?utm_term=.232d72ee64be.

Charles Krauthammer: Obama’s amnesty-by-fiat — naked lawlessness. 

Or this peach from Breitbart News:  

'More Flexibility': Obama to Govern by 'Executive Fiat' in Second Term, 

This one was designed  to scare the pants off of all good conservatives everywhere.  I mean, who needs a legislature when you have a pen and a good imagination?  Am I right?

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2013/01/21/government-by-executive-fiat-to-explode-in-obama-s-second-term/

So why did they all warn us of the destruction of America by an imperialist liberal African-American POTUS?  Because they found a debate term on the right they thought they could parlay into an advantage for the conservative movement.  All they had to do was tell their minions who followed fake right wing news sites that President Obama had signed over 900 executive orders.  Had he done that, of course, he would have been an actual imperialist.  But of course he was not, and he signed fewer executive orders than many of his predecessors.  

According to Dictionary.com Fiat has a very short yet precise definition. "Fiat is an arbitrary decree or pronouncement, especially by a person or group of persons having absolute authority to enforce it." Let that be the framework on which we proceed

Obama is no longer POTUS.  President Trump has vowed to undo all of the unholy things President Obama unleashed with his magic pens of executive orders.  But as I mentioned above, Trump will eclipse Obama with his executive orders if he continues on his current pace.  Of course, the major difference between the two men is that Obama is a constitutional lawyer, the product of arguably the greatest law school in the country.  His executive orders did not stray from the U.S. Constitution and so were not knocked down by the Judicial Branch of the United States government for breaking the law. Donald Trump is a reality television star and a dubious businessman with no knowledge or understanding of the United States Constitution. Trump is not doing quite as well on that front and quite honestly is just getting started, if you could even call it that.

This is a chart from Nate Silver's site, www.538.com:

An alternate definition of Executive Fiat in the age of Trump requires a bit of explanation.  Before being elected as POTUS, Trump was certain that Executive Fiat was an Italian sports car that Barack Obama drove around the White House lawn. Since then Trump has convinced himself that "Executive Fiat" is a "fantasy decree" that has no basis in constitutional oversight.  He has come to believe also that Executive Orders are  best derived  during sleepless nights as he is roaming the White House with the Presidential Advisor, Steve Bannon dressed as the ghost of President Andrew Jackson. The duo simply "Tweet" a plan into being.  The only thing that can throw a monkey wrench into this is when Reince Priebus has successfully hidden Trump's phone.  

The G.O.P. has a problem on its hands.  The very arguments that they have used to both tarnish and diminish the accomplishments of former President Obama are coming home to roost.  The new definition of Executive Fiat is now, "Rule by Twitter." Also known as, "Rule by Seeing What Floats."

Colorado’s Democratic Future - Guest Blog by Tony Corrado

By Tony Corrado

Congratulations to Morgen Carroll for her election as Chairwoman of the Colorado Democratic Party (CDP). She most certainly will be an improvement over Rick Palacio as she brings legislative experience and a new, progressive energy to the party. However, she also brings baggage to the position and only time will tell if she can move above her professional, establishment mindset as well as her ability to move from paid lobbyist positions to true progressive leadership which the CDP desperately needs.

Many will immediately take exception to this posit by virtue of Carroll’s recent support to the progressive and Indivisible movement positions. By analyzing her oil and gas positions as a Colorado State Senator, the warning signs are present. Carroll has supported a bill that gave preferences to oil and gas companies that agreed to provide methane burning at the onset of their drilling. In essence, the bill provided incentives for better performance. While this is commendable, it is far from sufficient. She failed to support a reduction in fracking nor does such a position address the immense waste of our most precious resource, water. A progressive leader would have required oil and gas companies to recycle all fracking waste water and therefore reject the high pressure, deep injection currently used to dispose of this hazardous and deadly waste product. At $50.00/barrel, the oil companies have almost $25.00/barrel of profit from which to fund all conservation efforts.

In addition, a bill was initiated in the legislature to ban oil and gas wells that were located within 300 feet of residences and public buildings. Such a bill would have acted to preserve real estate values, reduce unhealthful emissions and meet the needs of many front range communities. The bill was killed due to a lack of legislative support. This lack of true leadership does not bode well for the CDP, as we have a governorship as well as state wide legislative elections coming in 2018 and we need a leader, in the manner of Bernie Sanders, not an establishment politician leading the CDP.

There is another litmus test for progressives, such as myself, and that is the elimination of Super Delegates from the National Democratic Party. As the thwarted Bernie Sanders campaign has demonstrated, we, the citizens, do not need “elites” to decide who they will support. It is likely that Carroll will support a move to have all of Colorado’s Super Delegates pledge to vote for the candidate that garnered the most popular votes statewide. Again, this is an improved and more enlightened position, however, it remains insufficient. We need a leader that will work at the national level to eliminate the concept of Super Delegates. This must be accomplished before the 2020 election cycle. Will Carroll prove she is a leader by championing this issue or will she bow to establishment pressures to “get along” and advance her long term political career goals?

There is one final point to be made. The Indivisible movement has been effective, and with continued leadership, will continue to be effective. We are seeing previously apolitical persons voluntarily run for office from school boards to Congress. We have seen the Indivisible movement crowd fund candidates that would not have received nearly as much political attention of funding support such as Ossoff in Georgia and Zinke’s congressional replacement in Montana. It is vital to the future health of our democracy that the Indivisible movement not allow itself to be co-opted by the Democratic parties, either local, state or national. Will Colorado lead or follow?