I was watching the Lawrence O’Donnell show last night and what happened in the first segment is the epitome of why you will never get what you want from the government.  The show was a carry over from last night where a republican Senator Glenn Grothman called the protestors in Wisconsin “slobs”.  Mr. O’Donnell along with most of the rest of the country was shocked that the Senator would use that type of language to describe his own constituents and gave the senator an opportunity to apologize.  He had 4 protestors on to give the senator a chance to apologize.  He refused, not once, but several times.  Grotham ended the segment by saying that he would not apologize (click here to watch the clip).  So what exactly did this little episode show America?

There are many members of the government that do not give a damn about how you feel.  They don’t care if they insult you.  They don’t care if some of you are hungry.  They don’t care if you can’t find a job – you still need to give up your unemployment benefits.  Finally, with the current Wisconsin debate referenced above, the majority of Republicans and tea partiers don’t care if you get a wage that can feed your family.  According to them, you should have no right to bargain for a fair wage.  Republicans continue to vote unanimously for tax cuts for big oil and other mega-corporations while voting to take away your current and future benefits. For many Republican politicians the time is now for the ultimate power grab at the expense of the citizenry and the Republicans (and mega-corporations who are driving them) are taking full advantage of it.

The second segment was scarier than the first.  O’Donnell talked about the overtly corrupt process used by Republicans to ram a union-busting budget bill down the people of Ohio’s throats. 

Can't see the video, click here

As we can see, the power grabbing Republicans are even turning on their own party members.  If they don’t care about throwing their fellow Republicans under the bus, why should you think they care about you?

With this backdrop, what exactly are we expecting the government to do for us as a people?

Welfare is under attack.

Social security is under attack. 

Medicare is under attack. 

The ability to bargain for a fair wage is under attack.

I’ve said it before and I will keep saying it – this is more class warfare than racial warfare. 

Will the Democratic Party come to the rescue and save the day?  Get real.   The Republicans fight dirty and they fight hard.  They know that they have a very limited opportunity to pass their agenda before the next election cycle and they are taking every advantage of it.  The Tea Party is constantly pushing them to do even more for the mega-corporation and the private sector. Wherever Republicans have power and control they are wielding it viciously.  On the flip side, in the cities and states with democratic majorities nothing is being done.  Many Democrats are not fighting dirty or fairly – they are not fighting at all.

Wisconsin is the wakeup call.  This episode of Lawrence O’Donnell is the cold slap in the face.  The poor and the middle class must wake up and start fighting back.  Protesting the corruption of the government is mandatory, but in addition people must acknowledge the corruption and start doing for self.  The poor and middle class must learn the rules of the game and learn to win.  The Black Man Survival Guide is committed to sharing everything we learn to help the common man live a good life for himself and his family.  As a community project we need you to share your knowledge with us.  The more we know and the more we share the better chance we have of being successful. 

The revolution is coming.  Do you know what side you’re on?

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