To your liberties (some of us might need to look up that word – “liberties,” no comprendre?, some of us may well be thinking, in hearing the unfamiliar term.)

We all know the aftermath of what occurred within just a few days of the Nine Eleven Terrorist attack. For one thing, the Patriot Act, a massive 1600 page document was swept off the desk of whatever official had it, and presented to Congress, whose members immediately voted for it.

Whatever was not to like about the Patriot Act? Like GE, it has brought Good Good Things to Life, like the Homeland Security Agency. Who could have survived the aftermath of Nine Eleven, without that caring agency issuing its color coded warnings, about whether we were at orange or red or the ultimate of ultimatums: Holy F___, put your head between your legs and kiss your behind good bye? I know no one in my family would have made it through those difficult times without those helpful warnings!

And lately Homeland Security has evolved into an entity that needs ever more cash as its programs decree the production of 2,600 tanks that can be offered up like door prizes to communities across the USA. MRAP Bearcats now are being approved for delivery to 67 counties in California! The value of these vehicles lies in their armor, so that in case of incoming IED attacks, whatever garage that the Bearcat is parked in will be ensured a safe zone! (At a cost of one million bucks a piece.) As Marin roads are perpetually clogged with traffic, the Bearcat won’t be of much value, unless some event occurs around 2:30 Am. But perhaps Homeland Security, using up some of the patriotic fervor now descending on the populace, will ask to develop a twelve million dollar helicopter to transport the Bearcat, so if the vehicle is needed during the day, the copter can sweep it up in its claws and air lift it to whatever part of the County where it is needed.

Although just last week, many of us were saying that oodles and oodles of money the Federal Budget arranges for both the military and Homeland Security need to seriously be cut back, as we would prefer to have Social Security checks in our old age, now such maudlin, self centered thinking will be considered “pre-Boston Marathon,” and we will find our friends and neighbors reminding us of what a true patriot would do in this crisis.

All this and much more. Pay particular attention to any FBI reports on whether the the internet an be linked in any way to the tragedy in Boston.

So yes, expect to hear plenty of patriotic speeches. And to watch the bravery by which the Congress protects itself – on C Span several weeks ago, two Congressmen were discussing how Washington DC is particularly vulnerable to attacks as so many out there hate the freedoms the nation’s Capital has. Although they left it unsaid, I was so struck by these men’s patriotic fervor that I rhapsodized for a moment about those freedoms and came up with quite a list: Like the freedom to allow the tax code to give up so many perks to billionaires that some billionaires own not one but two Senators. And those poor multi millionaires who can’t afford to purchase a Senator outright – well, they know that they can at least get a lobbyist to work to establish some act of Congress to offer their industry a leg up. Especially given that anthrax was arriving at various Congressional offices. I can envision any firms that manufacture drones to be especially patriotic in wanting to have each square inch of our nation patrolled by the mechanical eyes and droney weapons in the skies!

So now we have the killed and the maimed in Boston, the grieving families, and what better event to exploit for the purpose of patriotism than one like this? As reports come in about ricin being discovered, our patriotic media must only briefly remind us that at a time like this, true citizens put aside other concerns.

Would any true patriot now concern themselves with such petty matters as Social Security? And no doubt the media will be reminding us to put aside any concerns about the recent legislation that allows our Senators and Congress people to be insider traders. We can step away from the laments we have regarding the Big Banking World. And of course, we must especially forget the collusionary forces inside our government that have allowed Ben Bernanke to “loan” fifteen to sixteen trillions of dollars to the Big Financial firms across the world. Even now, some experts tell us some 4.7 trillions of those monies will never be repaid.

But not to worry, as none of this has any impact on any of us. (Bernanke actually made a similar statement to “Sixty Minutes” some time ago.) Except other than running up a defict, which has to be repaid.

So any true American realizes that it is not a time for snivelling. Rather the true Americans will realize the need to convert Social Security as well as all other social aspects of the budget to handle the budgetary deficit gap which is now a patriotic necessity. Snivel no more! As the new demands for increased military and increased Homeland Security are surely what it is going to take to ensure that we in the United States never experience such an event again, let us leave the heavy lifting to Congress, appreciate the sacrifices they will be making, as they determine which of our still existing but limited freedoms must be sacrificed so the terrorists can win!

I spent much of the last two weeks attempting to  oust one of the good ol boy’s in the good ol boy network here in Northern California.

I admit I probably exceeded my limit in patiently dealing with political parties and their faithful adherents.

Here are some impressions of my experience:

One: Local politics captures the energy and concern of mainly older people. Probably because young adults are too exhausted, what with working, having a social life and attempting to raise their children, it falls on the over-fifty crowd to make waves politically.

Two: Although it is my fervent desire to see a third party enter the scene and help change the way local political power is established, when there is a need to overthrow some local petty tyrant’s strangle hold, it does seem that choosing to help the Democratic Party makes sense.

But then of course, one is rubbing shoulders with all these wonderful people who are still so starry-eyed over Obama. If engaged in a political discussion, they will admit their hero has his flaws – “he didn’t do nearly enough on the BP issue,” and the clumsiness of the Affordable Health Care Act does weigh a bit on some of these people.

But for the most part, they are more affluent than my household, and probably have health care due to a spouse working for a corporation.

I guess they can afford to be pro-Obama. I can’t.

Their response to any of my statements of what a fix we are in, now that it is obvious that Globalization and the destruction of the middle class will continue unabated, regardless of which Party wins the bid in November, is always a dismissive one.

Rather than admit that the main issues that offered us our original reason for voting for Obama have been ignored or forgotten, they insist that he still intends to do good things, only he needs a second term to attempt them. “The Republicans were just so mean to him, so how could he accomplish anything with all that hostility!”

To hear them tell the story, the Republicans waylaid Obama, this small boy of a man, in a back alley somewhere, and threatened to kick in his rib cage if he didn’t give Geithner the top post at Treasury, and the Monsanto people their places at FDA, and Department of Agriculture.  To hear them tell the tale, he doesn’t possess any Presidential abilities,  only the  helpless and pathetic posture of a little kid against the big bully world of the trolls of Republicans.

It’s a given that the wars and the huge financial burden that our military defense establishment forever wangles for itself doesn’t seem to be on their radar. After all, “wouldn’t it be worse if Romney wins?”

The problem of Obama and his criminal appointments doesn’t trouble them. They believe sooner or later Geithner will be given the old heave ho. They haven’t yet looked into the economic situation carefully enough to realize that some fifteen to sixteen trillions of dollars were created digitally by Bernanke, then handed over to the Biggest of the Head Financial Honchos.  (This fact was discovered during the Fed Reserve audit that Bernie Sanders helped put into place.) They aren’t worried about how that money must be re-paid  from somewhere – mainly our Social Security Fund and our grandchildren’s futures.

Their main answer for almost everything: working harder for the Democratic Party will ensure that maybe not this election cycle, but someday soon, things will work out.  You just have to believe, as though we were all sitting in the theater watching “Peter Pan” and we audience members must simply clap very hard so that Tinkerbelle will continue to have her fairy powers.

When the words “working harder” are used, I immediately flashback to my desk in high school, with the book “Animal Farm” by George Orwell propped up and open. How clearly I can remember the whole scandalous section where some of the animals try to convince Boxer the cart horse that something is amiss on Animal Farm. Immediately, he reminds them that he, for one, will simply work harder.

Too bad if he remains unaware of what Napoleon has in store for him.  Of course, the next part of the tale would have to be revised, were Orwell alive and writing it out right now. No longer would Boxer, the cart horse,  merely be killed and then sold to the local glue factory. Now that whole saga would have to be explained differently, as aren’t  the glue factories all in Mexico now? So Boxer’s demise would have to be somewhat more elaborate.

But then, maybe not. One of the Congressional pieces of legislation that Obama did quickly sign off on was the act that allowed for horses to be killed in the USA rather than be sent down to Mexico to be made into shoe leather!

How far we have come on the road of “Change and Hope” – that one of the only pieces of legislation quickly settled was one allowing for horses to die here rather than a thousand or two miles away.

Of course my fellow local citizens don”t see themselves as Boxer. Like so many cart horses of the past, they too wear blinders most of the time. They are too busy “helping” their party to think back on that semester in High School when one of the world’s more brilliant satirists explained so clearly the end tale of modern day political hopes, dreams  and changes.