Welcome to this, our 53rd issue of CS2. A few announcements are in order right at the top of our comments. Due to a pressing medical issue, I have been forced to postpone until sometime in the fall our Single-payer Public Forum right here in Kutztown. In light of the recent Supreme Court decisions, that makes me sad. But there is a Presidential and Congressional  election coming this fall so perhaps we can, as Mother Jones always said, raise a little hell. So when you read Ron & Rosie’s preview of the event this month titled Pennacchio Brings Health Care Fight to Kutztown, please keep in mind that we went to press before the postponement.

And raising some hell needs to happen with this issue. Apparently Democrats didn’t get the message from the 2010 election so they need another ass-whipping in Congress this fall. Because anybody who is so tone deaf that they think it’s smart to campaign on Mitt Romney’s Affordable Health Care Scam deserves exactly what they get. It’s simple math, friends. 35 to 40% of the electorate are Republicans or Conservatives. They hate the Affordable Health Care Scam. 15 to 25% are hard-core Liberals. Most of them hate the Affordable Health Care Scam because they understand who the bill really benefits. That leaves the 35 -40% of Democratic Party loyalists who are for the bill. When something is favored by 40% it loses by a landslide.

You see, folks, here’s the pitiful part about it: The party sycophants think what they’re told to think. If John McCain had been elected President and gave us the “Scam”, these very same Democrats would be calling it Wall Street insurance and a sell-out to the corporate interests. They’d be right. If John McCain was drone bombing four countries who’ve done nothing to us, they’d be in the streets. Hell, they wanted to impeach George W. Bush because he asserted the right to intercept and read our emails. What if McCain got elected and asserted the right to kill any American without access to a lawyer, a court, or even a warning about the nature of the charge? They’d be trying to impeach that S.O.B. wouldn’t they?

The point is that these clowns are not to be taken seriously. You might as well have some fun with them when they call you or knock on your door this fall.  You really can’t talk seriously with them because they are under the delusion that Democratic politicians are on the side of the people. I’m not kidding. They actually believe that. So have fun.  I did recently with a phone call from an organization known as Penn Environmental. A young girl was on the phone doing an excellent impersonation of Minnie Mouse. Perhaps it’s because I’m an old fogey, but this girl didn’t sound over 12 to me.

Unable to contain myself I cut into her spiel and asked:

“Are you over 12?”

“I’m a college student,” Minnie answered.

“And how long have you been with Penn Environmental?”

“I’m a new intern.”

“And why are you calling me?”

“I want to ask you to call your State Representative…”

“I don’t have a State Representative,” I said cutting her off.

“Why, did he die?” (Minnie was alarmed).

“No.”

“Is he sick?”

“Not that I know of.”

“Then what?”  (Minnie was perplexed.)

“I don’t have a State Representative and neither do you.”

“I have a State Representative.”

“No, you don’t.”

“What are you talking about?” (Minnie was beginning to suspect that she had a nut-case on the line.)

“Corporations have representatives. The people do not. You do not. I do not. The corporations are their bosses because they supply them with the money they need to keep their job. They work for them, not you and me. So if you’re calling to ask me to ask the representative of the Corporation to tell his boss to stop doing some naughty thing like fracking or drilling, you’re wasting my time and you’re wasting your time. I could advise you what you could do in this area that would be effective, but I don’t think you’d be interested judging by the fact that you’re interning for Penn Environmental. You’ve already chosen to be ineffective.”

Silence on the other end of the line.

I hang up.

Okay, so maybe I wasn’t very nice to the intern. I’ll accept that criticism. But the simple fact is that the game plan of the liberal Democrat is destroying this country by delivering it into the hands of the right-wing. They are far more responsible than the Tea Party for the trouble this country is in. I know that I told you previously that I would have my essay on this ready for this issue. But it is too important to rush. I want it to be comprehensive. It is clearly the most important thing I’ve ever written. Watch for it soon in CS2. It’s called How Liberal Democrats Are Destroying America.

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Okay, it’s bill paying time of the year at CS2. We need to raise $500.00 to assure CS2 continues to come to you monthly for the next year. If you value candid assessments of our politics above the ridiculous talking points of the two political parties, won’t you consider making a contribution to help defray expenses.  Please send a check to:

Chuck Brown/CommonSense2
P.O. Box 304
Kutztown, PA 19530

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I must apologize to Dory Hippauf and all our readers who are looking for part 2 of my interview with Dory Hippauf.  I simply cannot access the file on my recorder that has the interview in it. Neither can anyone else I’ve shown the recorder to. My apologies, Dory. But fear not, dear reader, Dory is still here. The magnificent First Lady of Fracking continues to educate us about the insidious network of greed merchants behind the scenes of the push to spoil our water and land so that China may have natural gas for its economy. Connecting the Dots: The Marcellus Natural Gas Play Players–Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission Swivel Chairs is a must read. As I like to say: If you’re not reading Dory Hippauf, you don’t know jack about fracking.

Lynn Petrovich is the Poet-Laureate of CS2 health care writing. How many people could write about the arcane financing of the for-profit and nonprofit hospitals showing the consequences of each and make it interesting and exciting.  Only Lynn can do that. She grabs the reader by the shirt collar and doesn’t let go.  She combines a wonderful sense of humor with sarcasm and a palpable sense of rage that virtually jumps off the page at you when she’s describing the insane nature of our health care system. Hey, when I die, I want Lynn to write my obituary. I’ll bet she can even make dull old me interesting. You must read Lynn’s wonderful two part series titled Occupy the Nonprofit Hospitals. Part 1 is The Outrage: Money, Money Everywhere But Just a Drop for Healthcare. Part 2 is The Basically Bogus Bankruptcy of Hoboken University Medical Center.

Darree Sicher, this year’s winner of the Kutztown Outstanding Citizenship award, is here with a remarkable piece on some of the dedicated people in the anti-fracking movement. Darree didn’t sit on her butt and write this piece. She went out and talked to the individuals involved including Jason Bell and the Tour de Frack.  That’s Jason on his bike on our cover. Thank you Darree for this wonderful and thoughtful piece. You’ll want to read Rally Cry: The Future of Fracking, Water and Community.

Did you ever feel like screaming “Stop the World I Want to Get Off”? I believe that at one time or another, Karen Voytas has. The only difference is that Karen actually went out and did something about it. No, she didn’t stop the world. But she did create  her own little  oasis from a troubled world. Meet this remarkable woman in Building Your Oasis in a Hostile World.

A heartfelt thanks from me to James Patrick for taking the time to pay homage to a giant of our times: Ray Bradbury. When Ray died last month, I felt there was far too little attention paid in the mass media to this great American writer. Ray was the formative writer of my youth. He could create a sense of wonder like no other. His descriptions in his short stories of traveling carnivals were compelling. He caught all aspects of the carnival: the wonder, the excitement, the dinginess and the horror lurking beneath the surface.  And was there ever a writer who caught and depicted the young adolescent so perfectly? He nailed it so well that when reading him in my youth, I felt that Ray knew me better than anyone. He’s one of only two science fiction writers (okay 3 if you count Kurt Vonnegut  as a science fiction writer) to be honored by having his works published in The Library of America series. Thanks again, James, for writing this piece: Ray Bradbury (1921 – 2012).

This month CS2 publishes a really important piece by Rudy Avizius titled New World Order Blueprint Leaked.  It’s a real eye-opener! It’s based on a leaked copy of an investment chapter for the Trans-Pacific Partnership. It has been verified as authentic by Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch. It is a chilling read because it shows just how far the corporate takeover of America and the world has gone. Rudy continues to show us month after month why he is a rising star at CS2.

Chris Robinson is here with two pieces this month. First, he reports on a Green Night Out forum in which the topic was Why Unions Are Losing the Class War. Then he tells us about a stand taken by The Green Party of Philadelphia titled Greens Stand Against the Sale of Philadelphia Gas Works.

Several months ago Walter Brasch wrote an article that we published labeling some critics of Joe Paterno in the aftermath of the Penn State scandal as “sanctimonious hypocrites”.   At the time, that characterization did not sit well with Karen O’Mara Voytas.  Now that the trial is behind us, Karen has decided to offer a different perspective than Walt’s with Say It Ain’t So, Joe.

Speaking of Walter Brasch, I have one thing I want to say to him. “Thank you Walt,  for not dropping pigeon shoots as an issue.” I know at least one County Democratic Party Chairman who would like to sweep that disgusting practice under the rug for fear of losing votes. Ain’t that a Democrat: Take no stands other than “we’re not Republicans” and hope that’s enough to win the election. Thank you for not caving to the pressure and standing up for morality and against animal cruelty. Readers, support Walt for standing up for what’s right. Check out: Pennsylvania Politics Continues to Override Humane Actions. Walt is also here with a second piece this month titled The Snipers at the Jersey Shore about those wonderful folks at Aqua America.

Jack Lindeman is here with a wonderful poem titled Epitaph For a Winner. It’s written in memory of  E. J. Corkrey. Jack is also here with another edition of his “stream of consciousness” literary and cultural criticism titled Everything That Is Worthwhile.

Thoughts on the election of 2012 continue this month in CS2 with two pieces. First, Paul A. Heise is here with Let the Campaign Begin. Then Harriet Rauenzahn follows with Gargle Clears His Throat.

G.K. Thomas is one poet who has grown on me since I’ve begun publishing CS2. This month is no exception. Pagan Thoughts is another poem of wonder about life’s meaning.

Well, that’s it for this issue. Until next month try and stay cool and

Keep on keepin’ on.

Charlie