Snowden-documents reveal that the NSA has been collecting every phone call from an undisclosed country. 100%. Apparently they do it in 30-day batches. They then can "rewind" whatever device the info is on, and pick and choose. The "authority" for this blatantly illegal action, I'm assuming, probably comes from the secret FISA "Court". Never thought I'd live to see the day when there would be a Fed, secret, political court in the Republic of the United States of America. [This is totally unlike a Grand Jury.]
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There's a good deal of evidence to indicate that the NSA has been spying on Congress, including hacking into staffers' computers. If true, and it's certainly looking that way, it's a violation of the Separation of Powers concept, never mind the Fourth Amendment protection afforded every American (including staffers). Plus, it makes a joke out of Congressional "oversight". I can't guess where the "authority" for that spying is found.
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The Feds are boycotting international talks in Geneva regarding the USA's use of weaponized drones. Because they don't have a leg to stand on, I really don't blame them for the boycott. :) Pakistan spurred the calling of the talks; it seems they're fed up with violations of their sovereignty and the murdering of innocent civilians. Go figure.
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Right-Wing Death Squads in Colombia are murdering people again. These squads, what they do, and their victims ("suspects") essentially are ignored by the oligarchical government of Colombia...you know, the gov't that our Fed Gov't supports. The last I heard, Colombia is the only South American government that still allows us to have US military bases on its soil; we have seven there. Every other S.A. country has kicked us out or never let us in to begin with. Their shabby experiences with US "intervention" in their affairs has been the reason.
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Obama's supposed "authority" for imposing sanctions on Russia is the concept of the "Executive Order". This one isn't as bad as Clinton's Exec. Order that declared that Serbia was a threat to the security of the USA (Congress disagreed), but it's bad enough. We the People have been sold a fraudulent bill of goods regarding Exec. Orders. The Congressional Research Office claims such orders are implied by the Constitution, especially Article II, Section 2. Here are the two orders that the President can issue under that Section: he may require the opinion, in writing, of each of his Department Heads on any subject relating to their duties; and, he may order Pardons related to offenses against the United States. Those are a far, far cry from imposing sanctions on, or invading, a foreign country. Nowhere else in the Constitution is power delegated to the Executive Branch to issue so-called Executive Orders. It's not the office of a King, but it has morphed into something that's too close to that for comfort.
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Partly just my opinion. Happy Trails
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Sunday, March 16, 2014
This and That
I certainly don't know the full story on the Crimea Crisis, and I have no affinity for the Oligarch, Putin...but I do know this much. Any group of people, anywhere in the world, has the Natural Right to secede from the governmental institution ruling over them. Government is not the Master...at least, that's the way it should be. Unfortunately, most all governments in today's developed countries are Fascist in nature. Again, I'm using FDR's and Mussolini's definition of Fascism: the power of the State married to the power of BIG Business. That situation is always totalitarian to one degree or another. Whether or not the presence of Russian troops influenced the referendum in Crimea is beside the point...people have the Right to choose a different government. My understanding is that Ukraine essentially has been two separate countries for decades anyway. Plus, what happened there in 1954? History matters.
Perhaps some Americans are unaware that in the late 1780s both New York and Virginia refused to ratify the Constitution until they were given assurances that withdrawal from the Union was permitted. Such assurances were given... and believed... another Fed Gov't lie and broken promise.
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The highest levels of the USA Fed Gov't criticizing Russia's actions, and worse, proposing economic sanctions, is the absolute height of hypocrisy. Remember Panama...and Poppy Bush? Have you seen the acclaimed documentary, The Panama Deception? Remember Iraq...not only the invasion, but previous to that, the economic sanctions that were responsible for the deaths of an estimated 500,000 children? Let's go way back--- the "annexation" of Hawaii, which amounted to the theft of the islands from the indigenous Hawaiians by the US Gov't. How about the invasion of the Philippines in the late 1890s, and the slaughter of thousands of indigenous people? How about the theft of half of Mexico in the 1840s? More recently--- after Osama escaped from Afghanistan, and Dubya Bush shifted the military effort to the invasion of Iraq, various "trial balloons" were sent up by the Feds and the Corporate Media to test the public mind relative to the proposed bombing and invasion of Afghanistan. At that time, an international poll was conducted around the world asking if that was a good idea. The results of that poll largely were suppressed... because the world in general overwhelmingly was against the idea. Or, how about Pakistan, where the US Fed Gov't is killing hundreds of civilians (see previous post on this Blog) with drone strikes?
In addition, to hear Kerry talking about "International Law" violations by Russia is both tragic and comic. The highest levels of the US Fed Gov't, throughout History (right up to present day), have violated International Law probably more than any other country on Earth. In fact, the World Court has deemed some of the US actions as "acts of terrorism". Naturally, the Corporate Media report almost nothing of that. Fed Gov't hypocrisy abounds.
In no way should this essay be taken as some sort of support for Russia's actions in Crimea. Putin is just as much an Oligarch as the puppets in DC. The point here is that US criticism of his actions is nothing more than the pot calling the kettle black. Plus, the Russian-speaking people in Crimea do have the Natural Right to choose their own government. Governments are supposed to be the servants of the People.
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In general, Oligarchies care about institutions, not people. For the most part, Oligarchs view us as livestock. To them, our purpose is to provide cheap labor and money to public and private institutions...which are controlled by the Oligarchs.
Consider "job creation" and the economy. The Edward Bernays propaganda from the Oligarchy is that rich people create jobs; therefore, corporate welfare from the government is necessary. In fact, the exact opposite is true: consumers create jobs. A corporate institution can manufacture all the widgits it wants to... for a time... but if no one buys those widgits, the corporation goes bust. Numerous studies have shown that consumers drive about 70% of the economy. When listening to the Corporate Media, one would think that the stock market is the main factor in the health of our economy. Not true; actually, it's consumers (of both goods and services) who are the main factor in the health of the stock market and the economy.
Consider the Iraq War (which was completely unconstitutional). Not too long ago, Alan Greenspan spoke publicly about the fact that it was politically incorrect to say so, but that war was "all about the oil". That's a fairly amazing admission from an Oligarch. Most of the world, including me, knew that already... but it was nice to hear. One thing's for sure--- we didn't bring democracy, peace, freedom, and prosperity to Iraq; instead, we facilitated death, despair, corruption, and civil war.
Meanwhile, Obama, Kerry, McCain, et. al., criticize Russia in relation to Crimea... where, so far at least, not a shot has been fired by Russian soldiers.
Be Well
Perhaps some Americans are unaware that in the late 1780s both New York and Virginia refused to ratify the Constitution until they were given assurances that withdrawal from the Union was permitted. Such assurances were given... and believed... another Fed Gov't lie and broken promise.
--------------------------------------------------------
The highest levels of the USA Fed Gov't criticizing Russia's actions, and worse, proposing economic sanctions, is the absolute height of hypocrisy. Remember Panama...and Poppy Bush? Have you seen the acclaimed documentary, The Panama Deception? Remember Iraq...not only the invasion, but previous to that, the economic sanctions that were responsible for the deaths of an estimated 500,000 children? Let's go way back--- the "annexation" of Hawaii, which amounted to the theft of the islands from the indigenous Hawaiians by the US Gov't. How about the invasion of the Philippines in the late 1890s, and the slaughter of thousands of indigenous people? How about the theft of half of Mexico in the 1840s? More recently--- after Osama escaped from Afghanistan, and Dubya Bush shifted the military effort to the invasion of Iraq, various "trial balloons" were sent up by the Feds and the Corporate Media to test the public mind relative to the proposed bombing and invasion of Afghanistan. At that time, an international poll was conducted around the world asking if that was a good idea. The results of that poll largely were suppressed... because the world in general overwhelmingly was against the idea. Or, how about Pakistan, where the US Fed Gov't is killing hundreds of civilians (see previous post on this Blog) with drone strikes?
In addition, to hear Kerry talking about "International Law" violations by Russia is both tragic and comic. The highest levels of the US Fed Gov't, throughout History (right up to present day), have violated International Law probably more than any other country on Earth. In fact, the World Court has deemed some of the US actions as "acts of terrorism". Naturally, the Corporate Media report almost nothing of that. Fed Gov't hypocrisy abounds.
In no way should this essay be taken as some sort of support for Russia's actions in Crimea. Putin is just as much an Oligarch as the puppets in DC. The point here is that US criticism of his actions is nothing more than the pot calling the kettle black. Plus, the Russian-speaking people in Crimea do have the Natural Right to choose their own government. Governments are supposed to be the servants of the People.
------------------------------------------
In general, Oligarchies care about institutions, not people. For the most part, Oligarchs view us as livestock. To them, our purpose is to provide cheap labor and money to public and private institutions...which are controlled by the Oligarchs.
Consider "job creation" and the economy. The Edward Bernays propaganda from the Oligarchy is that rich people create jobs; therefore, corporate welfare from the government is necessary. In fact, the exact opposite is true: consumers create jobs. A corporate institution can manufacture all the widgits it wants to... for a time... but if no one buys those widgits, the corporation goes bust. Numerous studies have shown that consumers drive about 70% of the economy. When listening to the Corporate Media, one would think that the stock market is the main factor in the health of our economy. Not true; actually, it's consumers (of both goods and services) who are the main factor in the health of the stock market and the economy.
Consider the Iraq War (which was completely unconstitutional). Not too long ago, Alan Greenspan spoke publicly about the fact that it was politically incorrect to say so, but that war was "all about the oil". That's a fairly amazing admission from an Oligarch. Most of the world, including me, knew that already... but it was nice to hear. One thing's for sure--- we didn't bring democracy, peace, freedom, and prosperity to Iraq; instead, we facilitated death, despair, corruption, and civil war.
Meanwhile, Obama, Kerry, McCain, et. al., criticize Russia in relation to Crimea... where, so far at least, not a shot has been fired by Russian soldiers.
Be Well
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