A Few Examples of "Government-Speak"

To "annex" or "annexation" (as in the annexation of Hawaii)---  means to steal  land from indigenous people by armed force, intimidation, or both.

"Enhanced interrogation techniques"---  means torture.

"Extraordinary rendition"---  means the clandestine kidnapping of suspects, with no regard for due process, and then rendering them overseas for enhanced interrogation techniques.

"Federal Reserve Bank"---  means a cabal of privately owned banks that, by means of Legislative Absolutism via their political cronies, has co-opted the Constitutional duty of Congress to regulate the value of our money.  It exists because of the Federal Reserve Act of 1913, a "law" which amended the Constitution without doing so formally.  In other words, it took precedence over the Supreme Law of the Land.  Quite a trick.  All of this has enriched the owners of these banks beyond belief, never mind devaluing the dollar down to almost nothing.

Globalization---  means the concentration of economic power into the hands of the CEOs of mega transnational corporations.  This is being accomplished by a variety of means, not the least of which are so-called "Free Trade Agreements" (which have nothing at all to do with Free Trade).  These elites of mega corporations believe they are above all nations---way above.

"Manifest Destiny" (our government's excuse for annexation)---  means that we're so honorable and special that we can pretty much do as we please.  [The concept mostly applies to our past, especially when our ancestors annexed the territories of American Indians and Mexicans---from sea to shining sea.]

"War on Drugs"---  means a variety of methods resulting in the control of citizens, the militarizing of police, and the expansion of the prison "industry".  America's drug of choice, alcohol (which by far causes more human damage, abuse, & grief than all the "illegal" drugs combined), remains largely outside of this sphere.

"War on Terror"---  means perpetual war, a Machiavellian method of controlling citizens.  Lately the politicians have stopped using the term, but they continue both the "war" and the propaganda promoting the "War on Terror" (perpetual war).

Postscript:
A few of the above terms did not exist when Reagan and Bush I were President.  [For example, extraordinary rendition began under Clinton.]  Other than those exceptions, all recent American Presidents---including Reagan, Bush I, Clinton, Bush II, and Obama---supported/support and promoted/promote every Government-Speak term listed.  It's difficult to know how many of us as individual American citizens support any or all of them.  All I know for certain is that I don't support or believe in any of them.

Our Outlaw Fed Government

Obama & Company, though a little better than BushCo when it comes to Liberty, are demonstrating that they really don't understand the Constitution...or, that they are ignoring it.

http://www.independent.org/newsroom/article.asp?id=2441

"National security" does NOT invalidate the Constitution...unless you're a DC Dope...or a Fascist...or some other kind of Totalitarian. "Extraordinary Rendition" (E.R.) is the illegal kidnapping of SUSPECTS, with zero regard for due process. Nowhere does the Constitution authorize the Fed Govt to engage in the kidnapping of noncombatants. Anyone who supports E.R. thereby supports a form of totalitarianism and an outlaw government. Like Bush, Obama & Crew support it. That's an outrageous affront to a free society. So much for the glowing words and the engaging smile of the campaign.

It is long past time to boycott our outlaw Fed Govt; unfortunately, that will never happen. Instead, we will continue down the path toward Totalitarianism, thinking all the way that "voting" is going to save us. Wake up, Amerika.

Just my opinion.

Extraordinary Rendition (ER)

This makes one wonder: how does ER compare to ordinary rendition? Not that it matters much.

I just finished watching the DVD movie, "Rendition"---well acted, well directed, thought-provoking, and a nice little twist to it. Of course, it was Hollywood fiction; however, there was a very interesting documentary in the "Special Features" section. The documentary detailed the cases of two Muslims, one a British citizen and one a German citizen. Devastating stories---both were kidnapped, flown to several overseas prisons (one after the other), and tortured---both physically and mentally. The German was finally released (after many months) in the middle of nowhere, in the dark of night, on foot. After about eighteen months, the Brit was sent to Gitmo where he still has not had a trial.

The longer fictional movie and the short documentary caused me to wonder what has happened to the ethics of ordinary citizens in all countries and the rule of law in general in this country... that we ordinary people allow our governments to kidnap and torture people (whether guilty or not) with barely a peep of protest.

ER is the forceful kidnapping and torture of SUSPECTS, without any regard to the rule of law. One can claim, and many do, that it is necessary for various reasons...and that it saves lives. In other words, a good end justifies the most foul means. That should never be the case, because if we make it so, then the rule of law is meaningless AND there is no end to the use of foul means. A truly civilized society would no longer exist.

Apparently we citizens of the U.S. allow the CIA to conduct ER for one (or more) of the following reasons:
1. we think it is necessary [thus implicitly agreeing that a good end justifies foul means, and that the rule of law sometimes needs to be set aside];
2. we think the victims of ER are guilty...of something...and so kidnapping and torture are justified [never mind that the victims have not been proven guilty in a court of law];
3. it isn't us being kidnapped, so we let it slide [and we cling to the belief that it could never happen to us...unless, of course, a genuine terrorist MISDIALS our phone number...or we know someone who knows someone else who knows still someone else who is a suspect];
4. we believe that there is little or nothing we can do to stop the practice [apparently disregarding the cases where massive protests and boycotts have in fact changed government policy].
5. [there is some other reason of which I am unaware].

Have we lost our minds? This country once stood foursquare against things that we (or more accurately, members of our govt) now do with little or no regret. If we do not have the rule of law, due process, and the guarantee of our day in court, then we truly have very little.

ER is an outrageous affront to a free society. We should be protesting en masse in the streets in every major city in the country. We should be on general strike...we should be shutting down the Fed Govt through boycotts. We should be standing up for the rule of law.

Instead, we let it pass. After all, we have jobs, families, lives to live. Sure, some of us send protest emails, or write letters to the editor, etc. That'll get 'em to stop. Or, we just don't care---it's not important to US as individuals.

[I think I know how McCain & Clinton feel about ER. I wonder how Obama feels about it?]

I find all this incredible. "God" help our children and grandchildren.

Just my opinion.