Awake? Get Out Of Bed!

Are you "awake"? If so, you'll agree with this meme, too:

What's keeping you from standing up? Not sure anyone else feels the same way you do? You'd be surprised.

 "Once You're Awake--You Gotta Get Out Of Bed!"
words and photos by C.A. Matthews

I didn't feel very awake when we hit the road at 5:45 a.m. Why did I agree to attend this conference over two and a half hours away that started at nine a.m.? Oh, yeah, it sounded interesting, and I knew I needed a shot in the arm to keep myself going in this endless struggle to care about humanity and our environment in a world gone wild with a "I don't give a sh*t about you and yours, 'cause I've got mine!" mentality.

The Ohio Community Rights Network's Growing Roots and Rights For Just Communities conference was well worth the lack of sleep and long drive to Columbus. The discussions and keynote speakers were first-rate and the camaraderie of fellow activists and people-who-give-a-sh*t was invigorating. When one is feeling like nobody cares and nothing can be done to rid our country of corporate-owned-corrupt public officials, nothing is better for one's soul than learning how others are dealing with similar struggles in their communities and receiving a thumbs up for your efforts. 

The title quote above came later in the day at a wrap-up panel with all the guest speakers and was spoken by Kevin O'Donnell, an organizer with the Ohio Student Association, a youth-run nonprofit building a political home for people who are tired of seeing their friends and family thrown away by our system. Kevin is right--if we are awake (aware of what's going on and not swallowing the mainstream media's regurgitated corporate propaganda wholesale) then we need to get up and get moving and quit whining and complaining. Staying in bed isn't going to get things done.

Featured speaker Mari Margil, leader of the International Center for the Rights of Nature,  pointed out to us how all our current challenges share the same common denominators. Racism is intentional and legitimized, implemented to profit those in power. Gender discrimination is intentional and legitimized, implemented to profit those in power. Discrimination against nature is intentional and legitimized, implemented to profit those in power, as animals are seen as inferior to men and natural resources are to be used, no matter what the cost. Perhaps scariest of all is that discrimination against democracy is intentional and legitimized, implemented to profit those in power. 

See a pattern here? 

Who are those in power? Mari shared a telling quote from President James Madison on why he helped to create the U.S. Constitution:  "To protect the opulent against the majority." If you have to ask who the opulent are, then more than likely you're not in their club. But we in the majority have Pope Francis on our side when he declared, "The rights of nature do exist." And they have been passed into law in Ecuador, Bolivia, Australia, Nepal--and even within the US by members of the Ho-Chunk nation. They've added a Rights of Nature amendment to their tribal constitution to prevent fracking. Others are following suit.

"We have a democracy problem" was a refrain we heard over again during the day. We can't just sit around and do nothing to heal the corrupt system itself and expect any of our work on environmental issues, social justice issues, racial/gender justice issues, health care, labor issues, etc., to be successful. We can't take action in small, incremental, gradual steps, and expect any different outcomes than we've had in the past. Regulatory laws and institutions were set up to benefit those in power, and remember, we're not in their club. "It's not a broken system that needs to be fixed," said Toledoan for Safe Water organizer Markie Miller. "It's a fixed system we need to break!"

Just when I thought no one held out any hope of our re-establishing community rights, I learned about two ballot petitions circulating in Ohio to do just that. We could be voting to extend the right of democracy to all Ohioans--not just the corporations--before too long. More people are becoming awake than ever before, and even more are getting out of bed and going out into the streets and gathering signatures.

We feel alone, but in reality we're all just one part of one large movement that will bring the change we need to see in the world. "We are one cause with many fronts," said activist/lawyer Terry Lodge, and it makes sense. All our issues have a common cause that will be addressed eventually when we break open the fixed system and restore true democracy to the people--all people, not just some. One activist from Youngstown, whose group has experienced a multitude of legal set-backs getting their community rights initiative against fracking on the ballot, said it well: "You don't lose until you quit--so we don't quit!"

We don't quit. I might have that tattooed on my arm so I don't forget it. I could tattoo that phrase or perhaps a nice sunflower, a reminder that a tiny seed, apparently dead and dormant, can spring to life and blossom into a huge and beautiful living thing, given sun, rain and a little encouragement.

There were many great panel discussions and another featured speaker, Dr. Melina Abdullah, that I might touch upon in future blog posts. In the meantime, you can watch videos of both featured speakers and learn more on these topics at the Ohio Community Rights Network website: http://www.ohiocrn.org.

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Here's a great quote we should take to heart, now more than ever:

“America is the wealthiest nation on Earth, but its people are mainly poor, and poor Americans are urged to hate themselves. To quote the American humorist Kin Hubbard, 'It ain’t no disgrace to be poor, but it might as well be.' It is in fact a crime for an American to be poor, even though America is a nation of poor. Every other nation has folk traditions of men who were poor but extremely wise and virtuous, and therefore more estimable than anyone with power and gold. No such tales are told by the American poor. They mock themselves and glorify their betters. The meanest eating or drinking establishment, owned by a man who is himself poor, is very likely to have a sign on its wall asking this cruel question: 'if you’re so smart, why ain’t you rich?' There will also be an American flag no larger than a child’s hand – glued to a lollipop stick and flying from the cash register.

Americans, like human beings everywhere, believe many things that are obviously untrue. Their most destructive untruth is that it is very easy for any American to make money. They will not acknowledge how in fact hard money is to come by, and, therefore, those who have no money blame and blame and blame themselves. This inward blame has been a treasure for the rich and powerful, who have had to do less for their poor, publicly and privately, than any other ruling class since, say Napoleonic times. Many novelties have come from America. The most startling of these, a thing without precedent, is a mass of undignified poor. They do not love one another because they do not love themselves.” -- Kurt Vonnegut

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 Our guest blogger updates us on life in America post-Snowden...

The State Of Affairs Five Years After Snowden

by Jack Warner

Five years ago, Edward Snowden made revelations that shook the entire world. Before then, people had no idea the extent to which their governments were spying on them. Illegal mass surveillance became the hot topic for months after the Snowden Leaks. There were heated debates that put to question the necessity and efficiency of mass surveillance. However, the question to ask is what significance and effect the Snowden Leaks have had after five years.

Changes in policy

Shortly after the Snowden Leaks, there was plenty of public outrage directed at the government. People felt betrayed and violated, and there were calls for accountability and reform. The pressure on the government was not only internal but also external from foreign nations that had been spied on. 

Although there were those within the government that tried to justify and support its actions, there were also those that felt that intelligence agencies had gone too far and needed to be stopped. Thanks to that, significant headway was made regarding policy reforms starting with the passing of the Freedom Act, which limited the powers afforded by the Patriot Act, into law.

However, five years after the Snowden Leaks there has been no significant progress made on anti-surveillance policies. If anything, there is a regression in policy. Currently, the government is pushing for policies that empower intelligence agencies. An excellent example would be Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Act, which allows for the monitoring of foreigners outside the US. That and the complete shutdown of net neutrality are examples of policies that point to a government that is unwilling to stop its illegal mass surveillance.

Increased awareness

At the time of the Snowden Leaks, most people understood that the government carried out surveillance activities to some extent. However, what people did not know is how powerful the intelligence agencies were and the extent to which they were being spied on. The leaking of the classified NSA and CIA files was an eye opener for most of the world.

After five years, people have an increased understanding of just how vulnerable and powerless they are in the face of surveillance agencies like the NSA and CIA. Additionally, it is becoming increasingly clear that the government has no intention of limiting the powers of these agencies. In fact, it would seem that the government is pushing for mass surveillance to be an acceptable norm, under the guise of ‘National Security’. Such increased awareness has also led people to take security as an individual responsibility, and more people are learning and adapting countermeasures against hacking and surveillance.

The growth of security countermeasures

Online privacy and security have grown into a hot topic in the five years after the Snowden Leaks. There is a growing wealth of information on cybersecurity as well as tools to use for the same purpose. Compared to agencies such as the NSA and CIA with their technological advancements and financial backing, individual countermeasures might seem insignificant. However, more people are learning how to make use of the available tools to make the best security possible.

Currently, the best approach to effective cybersecurity is to rely on multiple cybersecurity tools and devices. Of course, one’s choice of countermeasures affects the effectiveness of security. For instance, although a VPN is one of the most powerful cybersecurity tools available to the market, you should use tor over VPN for the added security. Additionally, instead of relying on Operating Systems that have been proven to be flawed, you should install Tails OS, which is currently the most secure and private OS.

The Bottomline

While people may be powerless against the government, especially regarding the policies, there are still ways to guarantee individual online security. The awareness created by Snowden Leaks provides enough ammunition in the fight for online privacy and security. Even as various advocacy groups fight for policy changes, people still remain vigilant by using all available information and security tools to protect their information from the unlawful eyes of overpowered government agencies.

Bio: Jack Warner:is an accomplished cybersecurity expert with years of experience under his belt at TechWarn, a trusted digital agency to world-class cybersecurity companies. A passionate digital safety advocate himself, Jack frequently contributes to tech blogs and digital media sharing expert insights on topics such as whistleblowing and cybersecurity tools.

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Power to the people and not the corporations!
***

From Friends of the Earth:

Add your name: Stop the assault on the Endangered Species Act and protect our vulnerable wildlife.

In the 45 years since it was enacted, the Endangered Species Act has saved some of our most threatened species from the brink of extinction, including the gray wolf, green sea turtle, sea otter and bald eagle.

In fact, the ESA is one of the most successful environmental policies in U.S. history. It has saved 99% of its designated protected species.

But now, the GOP in Congress and Trump’s administration are trying to gut this landmark environmental law. As you read this, the House of Representatives is debating nine bills that would undercut the ESA. And the Department of the Interior is considering public input on its plan to strip key protections for our wildlife. We need your help to stop these attacks!

Tell the Department of the Interior: Don’t gut protections for endangered species!

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is proposing three rule changes that would effectively gut this bedrock legislation for imperiled species. This undermining represents the most significant threat to the ESA in its 45-year history: weakening protections for threatened species, removing opportunities for public input and making it harder to hold wildlife agencies accountable for their actions.

Hundreds of unique, vulnerable species and their habitats are under attack -- all so the Trump administration can rubber stamp the projects of corporate polluters -- pipelines, drilling and fracking. This plan would even allow Big Oil to drill in a species' habitat without consulting scientists or wildlife agencies.

Our coalition needs 100,000 people to speak out and DEMAND that Secretary Zinke protect the United States’ wildlife and wildland over corporate interests.

Add your name: Stop the assault on the Endangered Species Act and protect our vulnerable wildlife.

From the rusty patched bumble bee to the red wolf, endangered species play a critical role in maintaining a healthy environment. And by protecting wildlife, we also protect the environments it inhabits, and the communities that depend on those environments -- from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to the Midwestern plains.

But Congress and the Trump administration want to sacrifice all of that just so the fossil fuel industry can make even bigger profits.

After more than 50,000 Friends of the Earth Action members like you told the Department of the Interior not to raise fees on many of our most popular National Parks, it walked back its proposal. This shows that even with the Trump administration, public pressure works. Now, we need to build on that success -- before it’s too late for endangered species!

Add your comment now: Stop the Trump administration from letting Big Oil wipe out endangered wildlife!

Standing with you,
Nicole Ghio,
Senior fossil fuels program manager,
Friends of the Earth Action

***

In 41 days, we will show our leaders that we refuse to accept gun violence as a normal part of life in America. In 41 days, we can make history by achieving the highest youth turnout in a midterm election ever. Between now and November 6th, we’ll be pushing harder than ever. If you’re already registered and ready to vote, don’t stop there -- now is the time to get others ready. We are launching #TurnoutTuesday, a March For Our Lives mission to unite young people around the same get-out-the-vote action every Tuesday from Oct. 2 until Nov. 6th. Sign up to join March For Our Lives for our first training call and we’ll give you all the info you need to lead these efforts in your community.

Sign up to join us for #TurnoutTuesday!

Keep your ears open for a MFOL announcement in the coming weeks about our final push to motivate young people to vote this November.

Remember: The last midterms had the lowest youth turnout ever. This time, we must make our voices heard where it counts. Let’s do this.

Thank you for standing with us.

-Emma González

Town Hall in Small Town America

Here Comes Mr. Jordan… 

A Town Hall in Small Town America

photos and words by Cindy A. Matthews

A town hall for Congressman Jim Jordan (R-OH) took place outside on President's Day, a pleasant winter's morning in the central Ohio town of Marion. The sun by 10:30 a.m. had burned away the morning's fog which blanketed the rural areas of Ohio's fourth congressional district. We drove fifty miles through the fog from our town to see our congressman and to ask him questions about the ACA and other topics. Others had driven more than two hours one-way to the town hall in what qualifies as one of the most gerrymandered districts in the United States.

The scene that greeted us in front of the Warren G. Harding Home Presidential Site was simply inspiring. A crowd of 300+,  featuring individuals of all ages, genders, races and physical abilities, packed the front lawn of President Harding's modest late-Victorian era abode on Mt. Vernon Street. An accurate crowd estimate is hard to give since the myriad of signs springing up on poles made for a forest of color and blocked my view of the edges once we had immersed ourselves into the group. Chanting and cheering had already begun when we squeezed in closer to the front porch to find a good spot to observe. 

The energy soared as Congressman Jordan exited the front door of the historic house in shirt sleeves only. Picture this: February 20th in Ohio and it's 60 degrees Fahrenheit--no one is wearing a parka or snow boots or more than a "Make America Great" cap. (As an aside, I experienced several snowstorms and bitter cold in February while growing up in Ohio in the 1970s. Does this spring-like weather two months early mean there's no such thing as "climate change" as Jim Jordan and the Republican Party claim?)

The questions about the Affordable Care Act revealed Jim Jordan's position for better or worse on health care. He stated at one point that "health care is bad for business." Business people making big profits are more important than saving lives or preventing the suffering of his fellow Americans in the representative's opinion. He also stated he did not like how his able-bodied 27 year old son had to pay higher private health insurance premiums because other people's young adult children are sometimes sicker with diseases like M.S. or cancer. It wasn't "fair" since his son is "healthy" and shouldn't have to subsidize other "non-healthy" Americans' health care.

A woman standing next to me with a child in a wheelchair said, "Obviously, Mr. Jordan does not understand that people do not choose to have cancer or M.S." The booing and jeering began. Mr. Jordan's self-centered position did not go over well with vast majority of the crowd, so he made sure one of his supporters (wearing an NRA cap) carrying a "Defund Planned Parenthood" sign got a chance to praise the congressman for his anti-abortion position. Mr. Jordan, in turn, stated he was proud to have voted to remove all funding for abortions from any government aid the U.S. provides throughout the world.

A brave sixteen-year-old took a chance to speak his mind. He wanted to know what the congressman would do to make sure there is clean water and a healthier Ohio for his generation in which to raise their families. Mr. Jordan stated he doesn't believe the Environmental Protection Agency is necessary. The young man afterward told me he lives in Jim Jordan's home county in Ohio where the fossil fuel industry has left polluted streams and rivers. Without the EPA to hold these industries accountable, where will their clean drinking water come from in the future? Mr. Jordan's lack of concern could be interpreted that he simply doesn't care since he has moved on from his fossil-fuel-fouled home county and lives a comfortable life elsewhere.

There were many questions that simply did not get answered, as one second the congressman was standing on the front porch of the Harding home and the next he had vanished back inside. Many of the crowd grumbled this had been a typical town hall for Jim Jordan--he comes in late and leaves early before any of the tough questions are voiced. He chooses the Warren G. Harding site because it looks "presidential" and good on television. Mr. Jordan tries to tie his own "small town America" image to the one Harding affected in 1920 when he announced his candidacy from the very same front porch. (For anyone not familiar with the scandal-riddled, short presidency of Warren G. Harding, Laton McCartney's The Teapot Dome Scandal: How Big Oil Bought the Harding White House and Tried to Steal the Country  makes for excellent reading. You can read a fantastic review of its main points in the article below Town Hall Helps.)

Janet Garrett and the 16 year old who asked a great question.

After the town hall abruptly ended, we were invited to a short meeting of like-minded individuals at the Marion Public Library located just around the corner from the historical site. There we discussed how unsatisfied we have been at the lack of leadership on Mr. Jordan's part and how he seemed to follow the Tea Party faction's talking points without listening to the actual questions or concerns of his constituents. Much frustration was expressed over how health care is seen as a for profit pursuit instead of a human right, in direct contradiction to the Hippocratic Oath. 

Two individuals who plan to run in 2018 against Jim Jordan spoke briefly--Janet Garrett of Oberlin and Andrew Mackey of Union County. It's heartening to see progressives  ready to unseat the Tea Party congressman. They want to work on tackling the Ohio fourth district's toughest problems, namely providing help for those suffering from opiates addiction, gaining permanent health care coverage and building affordable homes for all who have suffered under the cloud of NAFTA and the neglect of elected officials like Mr. Jordan.

 ***

photo by Adrian J. Matthews

Town Hall Helps

Now that we've shown you what a town hall can be like, here are some helps and articles to give you an idea of how you can take action at a town hall or similar event near you. Let us know how it went--please send in your stories, photos, drawings and poetry about your experiences. Our Revolution Continues is a blog about you, the ordinary American who expresses a progressive viewpoint. Please share it! 
Email: thebernieblog2016@gmail.com 

An extensive listing of  Congressional town hall meetings this month:

https://townhallproject.com/

Tips on how to prepare and act at your representative's town hall or other public event: http://www.aflcio.org/Blog/Organizing-Bargaining/Tips-for-Attending-Your-Member-of-Congress-Next-Public-Event-or-Town-Hall 

ACA Congressional district data: https://www.indivisibleguide.com/resources-2/2017/2/16/congressional-district-aca-data
 
Lawmakers feel the heat as resistance shows up in droves to town halls:
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/02/18/lawmakers-feel-heat-resistance-shows-droves-town-halls

Republicans elected officials are avoiding town halls: http://readersupportednews.org/news-section2/318-66/42006-duck-and-cover-more-than-200-republicans-are-skipping-february-town-halls-with-constituents

The voters are not having the lies about the ACA at town halls: http://readersupportednews.org/opinion2/277-75/41927-republicans-are-still-lying-about-obamacare-and-americans-arent-having-it

Town hall chanting:   
https://www.facebook.com/TheHill/videos/10154558255549087/

Pubic servant bothered by his constituents: http://www.houstonchronicle­.com/local/gray-matters/article/Poor-John-Cornyn-His-pesky-constituents
     

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The Teapot Dome Scandal Redux?

by Adrian J. Matthews

Almost one hundred years ago Big Oil decided it would use the United States government to make massive profits at the expense of the environment. Doesn’t that sound familiar?

By the time the 1920 elections rolled around, Democrat Woodrow Wilson’s presidency had been tarnished by the United States’ unwilling involvement in World War I. The country was in a mood for change, and the Republican Party aimed to supply it. Strong GOP contenders for the presidential nomination emerged. They included war hero General Leonard Wood, Herbert Hoover, and Governor Calvin Coolidge of Massachusetts. Another candidate with less favorable odds was Warren G. Harding, a little-known senator from Ohio.

Enter two fabulously wealthy oilmen, Harry F. Sinclair, owner of the Mammoth Oil Company, and Edward L. Doheny, a man known as "The Rockefeller of the West" and owner of the Pan American Petroleum Company. These were men with prime resumes for corruption and graft who decided they could stand to become richer yet. Their opportunity came at the Republican convention, held that year in Chicago. Sinclair was already a major donor to the Republican Party and had tremendous influence as a consequence. Doheny’s reach extended from his oilfields in California to deep into Mexico, where he meddled freely in politics to preserve his oilfields from seizure by the Mexican government. They, and other interested oilmen, compiled a list of requirements they’d want from a Republican government, should it be elected. At the top of that list were the incredibly lucrative Navy reserve oilfields –

Wyoming’s Teapot Dome and two oilfields in California, Buena Vista and Elk Hills.

Rejecting the other candidates for various reasons, Sinclair and Doheny worked and spent hard to transform Harding from an obscure outsider into the nominee for his party. They succeeded. In the election Harding became the 29th president of the United States. Thanks to their substantial campaign contributions, when Harding formed his cabinet he agreed to allow Doheny’s old buddy, Albert Bacon Fall, to become Secretary of the Interior. Needless to say, Doheny had an ulterior motive for this placement.

Fall was a man of the West through and through. He had been a prospector and mine owner, and he owned the sprawling Three Rivers Ranch in New Mexico. Articulate, volatile, bullying and vindictive, Fall was elected to the US Senate in 1912 and for years ran New Mexico as a virtual private fiefdom. Under his watch graft and corruption became endemic in the state, yet such was the Republican party’s power in New Mexico, Fall remained unchallenged.

Once appointed, Fall immediately began work on his side of the arrangement. As the name implies the Naval reserve oil fields were intended for use by the United States Navy in future wars, and as such came under the control of the Secretary of the Navy, Edwin Denby. Fall found Denby to be agreeable and pliant. After a little persuasion the Navy reserves were transferred to Fall’s control and then leased to Doheny and Sinclair, in return for which Fall received his nice payoff.

Just as an indication of the wealth these oilfields generated, the Teapot Dome field was worth $495 million in 1920 dollars. The equivalent value today would be almost $6 billion.

It should be noted that Fall cared nothing for the environment. His attitude was one which is still seen in the West today – first come, first served; take what you want and all you want. If there’s nothing left for the next guy, too bad. At the Teapot Dome inquiry he would later utter something that epitomized his attitude. “Sir, if you have a milkshake and I have a milkshake and my straw reaches across the room, I'll end up drinking your milkshake.”

Fall was all for opening up every resource and exploiting them until they ran out. He is on record as saying, “I don’t know how succeeding generations will do it. Maybe they will use the energy of the sun or the sea wave – but they will live better than we do.”

Unusually prescient and ultimately flawed. The environmental impact of the pollution caused by Big Oil is having a terrible effect on humanity, and future generations look unlikely to live "better than we do" – if they live at all.

Fall hated the new conservation movement with a passion, since in his view it deprived him and his rich oilmen buddies of those juicy natural resources. Again, this resonates with what we see today, with the imminent disbandment of the Environmental Protection Agency and the checks, however limited, it places on industry. Fall frequently butted heads with Harry Slattery, head of the Forestry Commission, who was suspicious of Fall’s machinations where the Naval oil reserves were concerned. Slattery had succeeded Theodore Roosevelt’s disciple Gifford Pinchot, the first conservationist to have a major influence in government, and was justifiably worried for the future of the country’s natural beauty.

Slattery had cause to be alarmed. Fall’s plan would be nothing short of

devastating where the environment and Native American rights were concerned. On Fall’s agenda were the opening up of the reservations, the forests, and the whole of the Alaska Territory to exploitation by private industry. He’d already struck at the Navajo Reservation in the Four Corners area. In June 1922, he decreed millions of acres of Navajo land to be public lands. In effect, it gave the oil companies the green light to exploit the area as they pleased. All royalties gained from the oilfields would fill the coffers of those cash-starved Western states and the Federal government – but nothing would go to the Navajo tribe. (Standing Rock, anyone?)

It was no secret in Washington that Fall aimed to bring the US Forest Service under his purview, but Fall had made another enemy in the shape of Henry C. Wallace, the powerful Secretary of Agriculture. Wallace detested Fall and his plans to exploit the nation’s natural resources. With Wallace’s pressure brought to bear, Harding backed away from any idea of giving Fall the Forest Service and distanced himself.

Fast forward to the modern day, and we still see the tremendous influence Big Oil has in government. Corrupt practices abound.(If only today's recently auctioned-off Wayne National Forest could be kept safe from the frackers.)
 
President Trump recently signed legislation to repeal a regulation that would have required energy companies to disclose their payments to foreign governments. That this is no new thing under the sun can be seen when we compare it with Edward L. Doheny’s direct meddling in Mexican affairs. The legislation signed off by Trump is the first time in sixteen years that the Congressional Review Act (CRA) has been used to repeal a regulation and only the second time in the two decades during which the act has been law. 

It’s part of the aggressive deregulation effort that Trump’s administration and the GOP Congress are undertaking to roll back Obama-era rules on fossil fuel companies, financial institutions and other businesses that they say have "suffered" for the last eight years. The regulation was meant to fight corruption in resource-rich countries by mandating that companies on United States stock exchanges disclose the royalties and other payments that oil, natural gas, coal and mineral companies make to governments. At a signing ceremony in the Oval Office, Trump said the legislation is part of a larger regulatory rollback that he and congressional Republicans are undertaking with the goal of economic and job recovery.

The corruption goes further. When Trump signed off on the budget conferring tax subsidies on Big Energy companies, standing by his desk in the Oval Office was House Speaker Paul Ryan. Recent senatorial disclosure documents show Ryan and his wife, Janna, own stakes in four family companies that lease land in Texas and Oklahoma to the very energy companies that benefit from the tax subsidies in Ryan’s budget plan. These energy giants stand to profit directly from the $45 billion in subsidies and tax breaks.

Also present in the Oval Office was House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas). Hensarling in May 20, 2014 in a speech to The Heritage Foundation said:
 

“Crony capitalism” is something different. With crony capitalism, success is arranged through government-granted favors to those with the best political connections. “Crony capitalism” slows economic growth and redistributes income. It can breed corruption and undermines the legitimacy of both government and free enterprise. It is what I call the “Washington insider economy.” But regardless of its name, for generations it has been a threat to our conservative principles.

In looking at how much Ryan and his family stand to gain from the budget deal signed by Trump, it’s hard to find a more breathtaking example of "crony capitalism." Yet Hensarling remained silent on the issue. In fact, he himself received $61,350 in campaign contributions from the oil industry.

That Trump is wedded to the idea of Big oil and Coal can be seen in his planned

destruction of the EPA. “We’re bringing back jobs big league. We're bringing them back at the plant level, we're bringing them back at the mine level. The energy jobs are coming back,” Trump continued. “A lot of people going back to work now.”

There’s no mention of the fact that the EPA (A Nixon-era Republican creation) has been consistently de-funded, decried and denigrated by Republicans since Reagan. Lacking the budget for inspectors, those "56,000 rules" have largely gone unenforced, to the lasting detriment of the environment.

Scott Pruitt, Donald Trump’s pick to run the EPA, is bought and paid for by the oil and gas industry. Since 2002, he’s received more than $314,000 from fossil fuel companies. There goes any control over Big Oil and Coal’s financial arrangements. There also goes any control over their impact on the environment.

Almost one hundred years have passed since the Teapot Dome Scandal broke upon the United States. Back then dedicated public representatives like Thomas J. Walsh did their level best to uncover the corruption and see that those responsible were punished. To a large extent they succeeded, although the scandal failed to prevent Republican Calvin Coolidge becoming President in 1924. It seemed the voters of the United States were largely indifferent to the affair.

Now it seems corruption in high places has gone into overdrive with President Trump in the White House.

I was in the crowd outside the Warren G. Harding Home Presidential Site in

Marion, Ohio, when Congressman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) spoke from the house’s front porch at the town hall meeting held there on President's Day. Jordan’s ties to Big Oil and Coal are well known. He voted yes on opening the Outer Continental Shelf to oil drilling. He voted yes on barring the EPA from regulating greenhouse gases, and no to several measures to cut oil company subsidies and impose environmental controls and emission limits. He also voted no on removing oil and gas exploration subsidies.

As Jordan spoke to a largely skeptical crowd, I looked at the relatively modest late-Victorian home. I couldn’t help but reflect on the Teapot Dome Scandal and the role its former owner had to play in the affair. Back then corruption was kept quiet and was seen as a matter for shame. Now? It’s running rampant, thanks to the new Trump regime in the White House and the GOP control of Congress. The corruption is blatant, although the people responsible are beginning to realize that thanks to the wake-up call Bernie Sanders delivered to the nation their corruption is now being noticed and criticized. 

Jordan’s demeanor grew increasingly grim as he faced the crowd who called him out for his support for the abolition of the ACA and his active destruction of environmental controls on Big Oil and Gas. He broke off the meeting abruptly to duck through the front door of the Harding home, leaving his constituents feeling angry and disappointed in their representative.

With the likes of Trump, Ryan, and Jordan in charge of government, I fear for the future of this country and the planet as a whole. It’s only the active and rising public awareness of the activities of Congress and government that gives me hope.

Bio: Adrian J. Matthews is an armchair historian who sees many parallels between the Harding administration and the current one.

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Here is a map of Ohio's Fourth Congressional District 
(for those who are curious how gerrymandered it is.)