In the USA, high-level Repubs & Dems mostly are clueless; this is the Time for Change

Genuine Change.  Politics in this country (and probably many others) is a micron away from being a total sham.  Or, it's easily arguable that it IS a total sham.  Here's why---

 1.  Two different and recent polls (posted previously on this venue) concluded that SIX out of TEN voters don't want Biden or Trump to run for President.  So, who are the two major candidates?  It's a sham, and reeks of Plutocracy and Oligarchy.

2.  The foreign policies of both Trump and Biden - especially regarding the Gaza War - are at odds with the view of most voters and potential voters.  It's a sham, and has the stink of Mega Corporate influence.  [Biden's treatment of Gaza is unforgivable.]

3.  The neoliberal economic policies of both major candidates have proven to be disastrous for most of Main Street, but great for Wall Street and the Upper Crust of society.

4.  Both Biden and Trump are blind to the principles of ecology, and also suffer from minerals and materials blindness re the path to sustainability.  It's highly likely (unless voters bring about change in November) that such blindness will be extremely problematic within five to ten years.

5.  In addition to the mainstream Corporate Media doing so for decades, both the Republican and Democratic Parties (at the highest levels) use Edward Bernays style propaganda to convince voters no other candidates can win national elections.  When people accept such a premise, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.  Add to that:  Democrats and Republicans write the ballot-access laws which hinder Independent or Third-Party candidates from being on the ballot in all fifty States.  Then add this:  Repubs and Dems essentially forced the League of Women Voters (which was non-partisan) to resign in protest from moderating Presidential Debates.  Their replacement was a private corporation made up of Dems and Repubs.  The Debates became a shambles, and Independents were basically shafted.

6.  All national, official, political debates in our Land now are a bad joke.  Moderators rarely control the situation, and candidates simultaneously yell at each other to the point where viewers can't make out half of what's being said.  Such "debates" are a sham, and childish.  They're an embarrassment.  They're not even close to being civil debates.  [Trump is the worst offender.  He apparently thinks he's acting "tough" with his gross rudeness.  Moderators should shut him down or kick him off the stage.  He acts like a moron.]

7.  Both Trump and Biden (especially Trump) appear to be completely ignorant of the dangers of tactical nuclear weapons.  The same applied to Obama when he was in office.  They all seem to get it regarding strategic nuke weapons, but apparently don't have a clue when it comes to the tactical type.  To make it simple, so that even a politician can understand:  a large-scale, widespread war using tactical nuclear weapons has an extremely high probability of causing a Nuclear Winter aftermath.  In addition to the blast and fallout dangers, millions or perhaps billions would die of famine due to lack of sufficient sunlight for photosynthesis in crops.  That info is from the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists and other legit sources.

https://thebulletin.org/2022/10/nowhere-to-hide-how-a-nuclear-war-would-kill-you-and-almost-everyone-else/

It's really a shame that almost all of the mainstream, Establishment  politicians here and in the other Nuke Weapons Nations choose to ignore reality in this matter.  No one should vote for any candidate who is in such a Club of Ignorance.  Both Trump and Biden have been in that Club for a long time.  Only a completely propagandized voter - or one with no common sense - would ever vote for either of those two fellows.  [I know some voters who will cast a ballot for Trump, and others going with Biden.  They appear to have common sense.  Too bad they don't recognize manipulative propaganda, eh?]

There are other choices; but then, there's the "self-fulfilling prophecy" promulgated by Oligarchs who desire Rule by mega corporations.  They'll most likely win again in November no matter which of the two (supposedly) "leading" candidates becomes President.  Such is another reason why politics in the USA is a sham.

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Not only my opinion.  Take Care

"Oh-oh...who knew (???) besides UPS workers..."

Below is my latest email (greatly edited/expanded) sent to family and friends.

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 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4e8jI_qzro

I hope they get a good contract without a strike.  99.9% of the multiple, multiple packages I get from Amazon per month are delivered by UPS.

This scenario is a good example of how Big Biz sometimes screws its employees in order to shift wealth to the Upper Crust.  Kudos to Main St. workers for fighting back.

Yes, companies should make a profit, no question about that; but making obscene profits harms society in the long run.  How/why?  Because such profits usually are the result of not treating workers fairly, cutting corners re safety (think Deepwater Horizon in 2010, among many other examples), damaging or destroying natural ecosystems (thus harming what sustains us), causing workers incredible stress re job security and a substandard living, and more.

All the above is one more reason why the USA is circling the drain in the sink of "glory days", and one more result of the Oligarchy getting more and more desperate as the so-called "American Empire" declines.  One possible solution to this particular scenario is to begin a long conversion of our economy to worker co-ops.  There's no good reason for workers not being the owners of a company.  A few such companies already exist here, and are doing well.  Some examples:  

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/insights/051316/6-successful-companies-are-employeeowned.asp#:~:text=The%20largest%20employee%2Downed%20company,WinCo%20Foods%2C%20and%20Brookshire%20Brothers

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

The Two-Party Political System in the USA was Founded by Plutocrats

 Here's only a tiny part of the current state of American politics.  Each description at each link is extremely brief---

 https://www.democracynow.org/2023/2/3/headlines/house_denounces_horrors_of_socialism_in_bipartisan_resolution

[Here are some of the "horrors of socialism" in the USA:  national parks, public roads, public libraries, public health clinics, social security retirement, & anything else not privatized.]

https://www.democracynow.org/2023/2/3/headlines/1_000_children_are_yet_to_be_reunited_with_families_after_separation_at_us_mexico_border

[This borders on criminality perpetrated by Repub AND Dem elected officials & appointed bureaucrats.  Perhaps arguably, it's child abuse.]

https://www.democracynow.org/2023/2/3/headlines/guantanamo_prisoner_majid_khan_freed_and_resettled_after_2_decades_of_detention_years_of_torture

["The U.S. continues to hold 34 prisoners at Guantánamo. Only 11 of them have been charged in military tribunals."  What an egregious shame on American national politicians.  ALL humans have certain rights, including criminals, terrorists, SUSPECTS, & the like.]

HISTORY MATTERS---

The first political Parties in the USA were the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans (AKA, the Anti-Federalists).  They were formed by the first political "bosses" about twenty years after the founding of our country.  Alexander Hamilton was the Head of the Federalists, and they were in favor of a strong central government.  When the USA was forming in the mid-1770's, Hamilton favored a monarchy for our type of government; he believed we should have a King.  Thomas Jefferson was the Head of the Democratic-Republicans, and they favored strong States' Rights.

These first American political Parties were formed by the members of the social elite, the rich plutocrats of that time.  Almost all of them "owned" hundreds of slaves, and believed only the aristocracy should rule a country.  Twenty years prior to the formal organization of the two Parties, these same men formed our government.  They did not favor a democracy, and often described same as "two wolves and a sheep deciding what's for dinner".

They finally settled on a Constitutional Republic in which "all men are created equal", except of course, for slaves.  Women couldn't vote, and members of the Senate were not elected; instead, they were appointed to office.

Time passed, and things changed.  Now we're the "land of the free and the home of the brave".  I agree we're brave.  One has to be when putting up with politicians who favor mega banks, perpetual war, fossil fuels, policing the world, the American Empire, the rich & powerful, and Edward Bernays style propaganda.  But, are you "free" - from debt, from job insecurity, from the rat-race, from pollution (e.g., the "forever chemicals" and the nano-plastics in your body), from a fractured and atomized society, from the super high cost of living, from a government too large to be managed properly, from "food deserts" scattered all across the country, from weather extremes which could have been mitigated on the macro-scale, from inflation (the hidden tax)?  If not, then place much of the blame on a broken TWO-PARTY system which is largely run by Oligarchs and/or their influence.

Don't jump to conclusions.  No one loves this country more than I do.  It's a false myth which says if you love your country, then you must support the scoundrels who are running it.  Plutocrats promote that baloney.  The aristocracy wants you to believe such nonsense.  As Warren Buffett once stated fairly recently:  "There's a Class War going on in this country, and my side is winning.".  So true, Mr. Buffett.

It doesn't have to be that way.  Stop drinking the propaganda kool-aid coming from Repubs AND Dems.  Overwhelmingly, they are on the same Team (except for a few social hot-button issues), and it's not yours.  They are on Team Oligarchy.

So, what's to be done?

1.  If you're a Democrat, don't ever vote for one of your "centrist/moderate" candidates (unless he/she is running against someone like Trump).  They are NOT centrists; they are corporatists.  They are part of the Big Business Establishment.  Instead, support Progressives.  They have their flaws, but they're the closest thing to being democratic (with a small letter "d") in the Corporatist Dem Party.  The Dem Party of the past is long-gone, replaced by neoliberalism.

After Sanders was completely shafted by the DNC, it's amazing to me that any Progressives remained in the so-called Dem Party.  They all should have dumped it.  I'm guessing they believe they'll change it from the inside.  That's highly unlikely.  It's a rigged game, rigged by billions of dollars.

2.  If you're a Republican, be aware that the Repub Party also is long-gone; it has been co-opted first by Neoconservatives, and then by Neoliberals.  They support Big Biz over Small Biz.  They egregiously promulgate Corporate Globalization and monopolies.  The only thing they want to conserve is Rule by Plutocrats.  They favor industrial farming over smaller family farms.  They abhor competition in the marketplace.  They don't give a damn about your religion, your ethics, or your belief in conservatism.  In short, you've been bamboozled.

Your best hope is to dump the so-called Repub Party, and become an Independent or perhaps a Libertarian (although, you probably won't care for the liberal side of libertarianism).  You're fairly well shafted, partly because most likely you don't know much at all about Russell Kirk, the Founder of Modern Day Conservatism.  Without knowing it, you allowed genuine conservatism to be replaced by neoliberalism.

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Humans are the problem, not carbon.

The carbon cycle---

 https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_cycle#/media/File:Carbon_cycle-cute_diagram.svg

NOTE:  At the link, be sure to read the Key below the diagram, and be aware that the "purple" numbers (fluxes in gigatons of carbon per year) appear to be BLUE.  At least, on my screen they do.  Then go to the upper right and expand the diagram so it takes up the full page.

Life on Earth is carbon-based.  It's an element without which we wouldn't exist.  The problem is that we are overloading a natural cycle, and thus committing species suicide.  Most of us are aware of this, right?

So, the question is:  why aren't the Powers-That-Be AND Main Street folks doing more to mitigate the problem?  Why, for example, are more & more drilling permits being issued for fossil fuels?  We should be phasing out such fuels rather than finding more to burn.  Why are we talking about 2050 instead of 2030?  In 2021, why isn't coal ancient history?  Are those (in particular) in the Upper Crust taking all this seriously, or are they trying to put it off onto the next generation?  Is "greenwashing" the flavor of the day?  Arguably, it seems so.  Ditto re this:  is the Rat Race of unlimited growth & overconsumption still ruling the day?  [Or is sustainability?]

There are a lot more "why?" scenarios, and they have little or nothing to do with climate disruption.  This Crisis upon us NOW is multi-faceted, all the various parts are systemic, and the whole ball of wax constitutes the greatest existential threat humans ever have faced.  Politicians of all stripes seem to be either ignorant of most of the overall problem, or coming up with solutions which tinker around the edges of it.  The same is true for most of the moguls of Big Business.

Solutions are known.  History and research have shown us the way.  By the end of January 2022 (hopefully), I'll have a short book out which will summarize both the problems and the solutions.  The only thing standing in our way is the mindset of some people.  If we don't solve this, Mother Nature will.  The latter already has started, but it's merely the beginning.

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Neoliberalism Has Ruled For Decades - Is That Nightmare Over?

Preface
Below is an email I sent family and friends yesterday, explaining why this is my last essay on this blog.  Individual Sovereignty started a bit over thirteen years ago.  It's time to change horses... but first---
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Introduction

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBzSLu3MZ6I

Only a bit over six minutes in length (too brief to be a complete explanation), this clip to some degree explains the neoliberal coup.  Pay particular attention to Jimmy Carter's short statement.  Carter was elected President largely because of the efforts of David Rockefeller and Z. Brzezinski (author of The Grand Chessboard: American Primacy and Its Geostrategic Imperatives).

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The Email (Title:  Maybe, Maybe Not), edited

The end of neoliberalism?---

https://mahb.stanford.edu/blog/coronavirus-spells-the-end-of-the-neoliberal-era-whats-next/  and...

https://newrepublic.com/article/155970/collapse-neoliberalism  

 We can always hope.  It should have collapsed after Pinochet in Chile, or at least after the Crash in 2008.  Corporatists, politicians, economists of a certain flavor, the Corporate Media, and others keep it hanging on... without naming it.

Neoliberalism has brought us lost jobs & manufacturing, income inequality, austerity, increased susceptibility to disease, environmental destruction, increased military interventionism, privatization, Neofeudalism, and a weaker, less resilient economy... among many other ills.  

Prominent Neoliberals include/included:  Friedrich Hayek, Ludwig von Mises, Walter Lippmann, Kissinger, Carter, Brzezinski, David Rockefeller, Milton Friedman, Reagan, Thatcher, H.W. Bush, both Clintons, Gore, M. Albright, Robert Rubin, Alan Greenspan, Obama, Biden, Larry Summers, T. Geithner, Pelosi, McConnell, most all Mega Bank CEOs, etc.  The Cheney-Bush-Wolfowitz cabal was NeoCon, and the difference between that & NeoLib is almost nil.  Trump isn't a NeoCon or a NeoLib.  He has no ideology at all.  The closest one would be straight-up Fascism.

As you can see, the term "neoliberal" transcends the old labels of Repub, Dem, Conservative, Libertarian, & Liberal.  That's not only my opinion.  Many articles have been written on the subject in numerous, prestigious publications... The New Yorker, The Atlantic (founded as The Atlantic Monthly), NYT, The New Republic, The Guardian, etc.  Here are a few of those pieces---

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/apr/15/neoliberalism-ideology-problem-george-monbiot  (the best history of neoliberalism I've read so far).

 https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/05/history-of-neoliberal-meaning/528276/

https://newrepublic.com/article/147810/worlds-apart-neoliberalism-shapes-global-economy 

https://newrepublic.com/article/155970/collapse-neoliberalism  (neoliberalism on both the Right & the Left)

Neoliberals are all across the political spectrum, and have been for decades.  I believe anyone not fully aware of the details in all the above is behind on the learning curve in politics.  So, after posting this--- maybe in the next few days--- on Individual Sovereignty, I'm going to leave that blog and start a new one.  [The theme of it will be something along the lines of "Ecology and World Survival".]  I've concluded that neither the Right or the Left (on Main Street) truly understands the unquestionably dominant economic and political philosophy/ideology in the world (including the USA) today--- neoliberalism, and the fact that it has displaced all the old labels.  I'm growing weary of trying to explain it.  Time to move on.  

p.s.  Neoliberalism is not "new", and it's not "liberal".

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Not only my opinion.  Stay Well

p.s.  Many thanks to those who have followed this blog for years, and to those who visited however briefly.  Within a month or so, I hope to have the new site up and running.  I'll post a link on this blog when appropriate.  If you have any interest in Human Ecology and Environmental Science, please have a look.

The Absurd Gaslighter Trump Falls Flat AGAIN

Kudos to Paula Reid (CBS reporter) and to The Intercept, an alternative News organization---  https://theintercept.com/2020/04/14/trump-pr-stunt-falls-flat-white-house-video-exposes-failure-prepare-pandemic/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=The%20Intercept%20Newsletter
At least watch the embedded video clips in the piece at the link above.

The above article clearly shows the absurdity of Donald John Trump.  His egomaniacal antics at the Press Briefing demonstrate not only his ongoing psychological gaslighting, but also his utter incompetence.  Apparently, Trump thinks not only his remaining base supporters are stupid and uneducated, but the entire country as well.

When pressed by Reid about the glaring gaps in his self-promotional video, Trump's primary response was:  "You're so disgraceful... you know you're a fake".  Launching personal attacks is one way that gaslighters handle legitimate criticism.  Another way is to completely ignore verifiable instances of failure... key instances.  Too bad for Trump, though--- this time all his efforts fell flat.

It's incredible and baffling how this man believes he can sell the idea that his handling of the covid-19 crisis was spot-on from the very beginning.  Even a drugged chimpanzee [😊] could see through that outright lie.  Unfortunately, if a lie is repeated by a cult leader enough times, then some people (especially cult followers) come to believe it.  Despite that, I don't see how that's possible in this particular case.  Trump finally made a claim that is so absurd not even his die-hard supporters will believe it.  At least, if there's any reasonableness at all left in this Land--- any critical thinking skills still remaining--- that's how it should play out.  If it doesn't, that will be one more reason why many Plutocrats and Oligarchs have (for the last 50 or so years) suppressed & poo-pooed the idea of a Liberal Arts education.  They didn't want any critical thinkers graduating from colleges and universities, and in general, the broader one's education, the more one possesses critical thinking skills.

Having critical thinkers would not be favorable for the implementation of propaganda... which now reigns supreme.  It wasn't any kind of "conspiracy"; it was right out in the open for all to see.  Basically, the whole process was people with mutual interests working (primarily independent of each other) toward a common goal.  In large part, the goal was reached.  Mostly due to a lack of sufficient critical thinking skills on our part, we now have a President who is the King of Elected Gaslighters, makes outrageous claims and contradictory statements, spews out lies as though there's no tomorrow, can't handle the slightest bit of legitimate criticism, usurps unconstitutional power on an unprecedented scale, has totally alienated all our key Allies, launches personal attacks and smears as though he's a spoiled eighth-grader, is a crass bully, and is an Autocrat Wannabe.  On top of all that, he may have a 50-50 chance of being re-elected... when his chances in any rational society would be ZERO.  I find it all tragic, sad, revealing, and darkly hilarious.  It's Bizarro World... again... and eerily Orwellian.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well
p.s.  I'm not a Biden supporter, either.

Trump HAD TO do a 180 Turn, Plus the Coming Depression

Preface
For any new readers here, I'm not a Republican or a Democrat.  I, however, have been a keen observer of American politics since 1956.  I'm a strong believer in Capitalism, but not the Crony-Casino-Derivative Capitalism we have today... which is nothing but a racket, and promulgated by the public and private Plutocrats who run this country.
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For the past two+ months, the Administration's lies (or at best, completely ignorant statements) about covid-19 continued on, and on.  Finally, Trump and Crew were forced by reality to do a 180 degree turn on their view of the subject.  No one any longer believed what they had been saying.

Examples of previous statements---
1.  The virus is "tightly contained" in the U.S.
2.  It will be "gone by April".
3.  One day soon, it will "just disappear".
4.  Unemployment will be "nowhere near 20%".
5.  "We're doing very good [in handling the crisis], very, very good.".  ~ DJT  I assume he meant, "very well".  No, Mr. President, you're not doing well in handling much of anything... not even presently.

Now, Trump has jumped onto the bandwagon... with too little, too late.

Here's the current situation for the USA---
1.  COVID-19 confirmed cases:  over 239,000.  Total number of cases:  unknown.
2.  Deaths:  over 5,800 (which far surpasses those of the 9-11 attacks).
[Numbers above were updated at 8:30 PM, Mountain Time.]
3.  Testing still lagging behind.
4.  PPE for med facilities and First Responders still inadequate.
5.  Unemployment projected/predicted to be about 30% in June.  [It was 25% in the 1930's Great Depression.]
6.  The probability is high that, if we're not already in one, by this summer we'll be in a full-blown economic Depression.  The metrics are all there.

Trump called covid-19 the "Chinese virus".  I guess that makes H1N1 (swine flu) the "American virus".  It, too, was a pandemic; it lasted a bit over a year & a half.  By Trump's reasoning, arguably we could refer to the current situation with covid-19 in the USA as Trump's Epidemic.  His treatment of most of the crisis thus far has been dismissive, inadequate, and ignorant.  Had he taken things seriously in the past 2 - 3 months, we would be in much better shape at the present time.  Until just recently, his main concern has been for Wall Street, not Main Street.

March 7th the U.S. had 401 confirmed cases and 19 deaths.  Compare that to the numbers above.  Because of a slow initial response by the Fed Gov't, this is only going to get worse... much worse.

We can't blame only Trump & Crew, though, for this public health disaster.  For decades, public health funding has been cut again and again and again.  Neoliberal policies promulgated by the Oligarchs and Plutocrats (both public & private) have been the reason.  The cuts started out years ago in the mental health field, but quickly moved to include physical health as well.  Why?  I only can speculate, but consider the following.

1.  The Super Rich live in a different universe than do the rest of us.  I doubt many of them care much about people who have to use public health facilities.  They probably consider such people leeches of some sort.  As long as the Rich can get private health care for themselves, they don't care about public health care.  I mean, in general.

2.  Plus, the Plutocrats most likely don't see any benefit to themselves in having public money spent on such facilities.  They would rather have it spent on something that allows them to get a piece of the pie... such as war machines, highways, or subsidies for the fossil fuel industry... just to name a few items.

3.  In general, Plutocrats/Oligarchs are Neoliberals, and Neoliberalism greatly favors privatization.  The goal is to privatize the whole world, and that goal is well on its way to being met.

Then we have the non-resilient, weak, and generally poor condition of our economy... headed for a Depression.  That can't all be blamed on Trump & Crew, either.  For decades, both public and private Oligarchs have been (in general) converting our economy to one of just-in-time production--- in whatever factories that haven't moved South or overseas--- and to one of suppressed wages & salaries (which means people cannot save for a rainy day), and financialization, and part-time jobs, and reduced benefits, and deregulation (especially regarding Banking), and job insecurity.  As a result, we simply cannot weather much of any type of economic and/or financial storm.  The condition of our economy is almost always extremely precarious, and that's been true for years.  All it takes is one Black Swan to bring it down.

So, what are the general solutions to all of the above?  Specific solutions would have to be proposed by people with specific expertise in several fields.  In general, though, it seems to me the following would be helpful.  First (and I've said it many times here), we must stop drinking the Edward Bernays style Propaganda Kool Aid coming from Oligarchs (public & private) in both major political Parties.  Second, we must get rid of Neoliberalism; it benefits only the Rich and Powerful.  The rest of us get austerity.  Incidentally, in practical terms, there's very little difference between NeoCons and NeoLibs.  Third, we must recognize that our economy has been almost always a Mixed Economy, meaning a mixture of both capitalism and democratic socialism.  [See *** footnote below.]  In that system, unlike Crony-Casino-Derivative Capitalism or Totalitarian Socialism, we can have--- among other benefits--- both a strong economy and a well-prepared and strong public health complex.  It's all possible, but not without ignoring plutocratic propaganda.

*** For any who disagree with the contention that we have some socialism in our system, I offer this---  what do think public roads, public water systems, the VA Health Care System, Social Security, etc. are?  They are socialism in action. I would not prefer to have all roads/highways as private toll roads, maintained by a gazillion different private companies with a gazillion different prices/fees for use.  Would you?  Some utilities must be publicly maintained and operated or else the public, sooner or later, will wind up getting shafted.  Plus, for some things it's virtually impossible to have "competition" play any role at all.  For example, interstate highways--- do you believe that we could have a dozen or more roads--- side by side--- with different fees competing for your dollar, roads running from, say, L.A. to Chicago?  I don't think so.  That's why we have public roads, and that's democratic socialism.  Please get over any distaste for the word, "socialism".  It has been in our system for decades and decades.  Even in the 1800's, we had socialism for the Rich.  Railroads were given vast tracts of lands (on both sides of the tracks, extending way beyond what they needed just for construction) by the Fed Gov't because the politicians wanted to encourage such construction... they knew the value of the railroad system to the country.  Hence, a massive "Handout".  That's socialism.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

ADDENDUM to "The Coup is Almost Complete"

My friend replied to essentially the post immediately previous to this one (which was an email to him).  In his reply, he pointed out that decades ago the major Parties had an inversion.  They flipped certain beliefs & principles.  The Repubs (in general) went from being anti-slavery to often being basically racist & against the poor today.  The Dems (in general) went from essentially supporting slavery & the Uncle Tom era (some Dems were high up in the KKK) to being anti-racist and supportive of poor people.  He ended by saying he knew what I was talking about in my first reply, but he was referring to the GOP now--- basically a mob-like crime family [at the highest levels], and that America was rotten to its core [again, at the highest levels]...due to unregulated capitalism.  "Sad."
My reply is below.
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Agreed, but the Dems did more than just get rid of racism in their ranks.  The Establishment Dems eventually became Neoliberals, with very little difference between them & NeoCons when it comes to war, the economy, fiscal policy, monetary policy, foreign policy, the Financial Sector, Crony Capitalism, the broken Fed Justice System, the favoring of aristocrats, the War on Drugs, etc.  In other words, the Establishment Dems became Corporatists.  The Corporate Media refer to them as "Moderate Democrats".  They aren't.

 

In reality, there are no Dems, Repubs, Liberals, or Conservatives anymore.  They've been replaced by Neoliberals & NeoCons.  The old terms are used as propaganda by the Corporate Media & the Parties to keep people stuck in the past and to keep them believing that the old values & groups of 60 yrs ago still are in the game.  They aren't, they're gone.  They've been replaced by the Neo- groups...all Corporatists.

Only Libertarians and Progressives have remained in place & true to their original characteristics...and each has little to no power in national electoral politics.

Calling the Powers-That-Be either Republicans, Democrats, Liberals, or Conservatives is a huge mistake in my opinion.  Referring to a dog's tail as its fifth leg doesn't make it so.  The only people with any significant power in Office today are either NeoCons or Neoliberals.  They aren't anything like Repubs, Dems, Conservatives, or Liberals.  Saying they are misleads Main Street, and makes Main Street easier to manipulate.  Cognitive dissonance (& similar techniques), by way of Edward Bernays style propaganda--- that's how the Neo-groups have come to power/staged a Coup...by convincing people that they are the true-blue Parties of 60 or so years ago.  

Main Street believes it because literally everyone keeps calling them Repubs, Dems, etc.  They aren't.  [Or, they are in name only.]  It's all Orwellian, political Doublespeak ...& it worked like a charm.  It's not about Repubs & Dems (or Conservatives & Liberals) anymore; they don't exist nowadays.  [Even Chris Hedges has written & lectured about the "Death of the Liberal Class"; and the author of "The Conservative Mind", Russell Kirk, must be turning in his grave...given the people who are called "Conservatives" today.  The same with Robert A. Taft.]  Today, it's all about the Oligarchy & the rest of us.  Until every adult (or at least a vast majority) on Main Street realizes that, we are all shafted.  Sad, indeed.

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

A Crucial Narrative Regarding Freedom & Individual Sovereignty

Preface

I first posted this piece on March 1 of this year.  DC politicians only just recently finally have begun to address the issue.  This whole business is a dire threat to individual freedom.  So far, we are voluntarily marching straight into it.  The narrative at the link below is not against SMART tech, but rather, how it is being used.  If you value individual sovereignty, listen carefully.

Behavior Modification by Surveillance Capitalists Redux

At the link below, a Harvard Professor Emeritus brilliantly explains how we are being "herded", and why SMART technology & outfits like Facebook are an egregious threat 

to individual sovereignty.
https://www.democracynow.org/2019/3/1/age_of_

surveillance_capitalism_we_thought

Perhaps in their young adulthood (or maybe mid-life), our toddler 

grandchildren are going to wonder:  how could our grandparents have been so dense?  How could they have allowed this Brave New World of ours to develop?  Didn't they understand the dangers of ubiquitous surveillance?  Did they really believe the argument "I have nothing to hide" meant that they wouldn't be affected?  How could they have not seen how the State-Corporate-Financial Complex most likely would use the gathered data to manipulate and control us?  Were they asleep at the wheel, or too propagandized, or too stressed by trying 

to make ends meet in a declining worldwide economy?  Were they too worried about, and distracted by, advancing Neofeudalism?

Kudos to Professor Zuboff for a well-spoken, insightful, and much needed interview... and for her seven years of research for the book, The Age of  Surveillance Capitalism.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

The Pitiful Case of Donald John Trump

Preface
Everything I'm about to say in this essay, other than my opinions, is public knowledge.  One may have to dig just a little to find some of the information, but it's all available to anyone who looks.
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1.  The Don was a millionaire by the time he was eight years old.  Thank you, Daddy.

2.  He likes to tout the fact that his father gave him a "small loan" of a million dollars (when he was a young adult), and from that he built a billion dollar business...supposedly.  Indeed, Fred did give his son that loan...and then, over the following years, he did it again, and again, and again, etc.  The total wound up being sixty million dollars.  Thank you, Daddy.

3.  When his business was on the verge of utter and complete bankruptcy in the 1980's, various banks bailed him out and put him on a generous monthly allowance.  The financiers figured his name on a viable business was worth more than what they'd get out of his bankruptcy.

4.  So much for Trump's narrative that except for a "small loan" from his father, he essentially built a business from nothing.  It's one of an infinite number of outright lies.

5.  The Don learned how to lie, smear his opponents, and psychologically gaslight from the former Mob lawyer (and former Chief Counsel for Senator Joe McCarthy), Roy M. Cohn.  Cohn was his personal lawyer for a time.

6.  During his years in both real estate and the casino business, several times he shafted employees out of both jobs and wages.  At the same time, some independent contractors were shafted out of duly earned fees.  If they sued, he would countersue.  Cases would drag on until the aggrieved parties quit trying to recoup their losses.

7.  He's an autocrat wannabe, but appears to be a shallow, weak person who admires most of the dictators on the world stage.  That alone makes his Presidency an embarrassment to all decent people in this country. 

8.  Thanks to the mistakes, misdeeds, and sheer nonsense of the Establishment Oligarchy, The Don pretty much fell into the Oval Office.  Shenanigans by the Republican Party operatives prior to and during the 2016 election certainly helped, but mostly it was because most people were fed up with same ol', same ol' crap from politicians.  They thought The Don would change things to their benefit.  They were about 99.9% wrong about that.

9.  Since getting into office, he has been crass, boorish, a serial liar, foolish, ignorant, unstable, alienating, and dangerous.  I believe he's the most dangerous President in my lifetime...and I was born in 1942.

10.  The Don should not be hated...hate engenders more of the same.  Instead, he should be pitied... and booted out of office.  Maybe then, we can return politics to some degree of sanity here.  Maybe then, 80% of the world's adults will stop believing that our Gov't is the greatest threat to stability and peace on Earth.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well
p.s.  Again, for any new readers, I'm not a Republican or a Democrat.

Rules From and For the Oligarchy Redux

I first posted this essay a bit over five years ago.  It's being re-posted now because the Oligarchy in this country is getting more & more desperate, and it's wise to keep in mind their methods for manipulating us.  [I've added just a tad more to the text in several places.]
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By the "Oligarchy", I'm referring of course to those at the highest levels in politics, Big Business, and the Intelligentsia...the ones who "run the country".  They are both Democrats and Republicans, but those labels are not in any way important to them.  Their guideposts primarily are power and money.  They're not in any kind of conspiracy, but they do enjoy great solidarity.

Here, then, are their rules for success...the rules by which they live, thrive, and rule others.

1.  Utilize Edward Bernays style Propaganda at every opportunity...to its maximum effect.

2.  Select, groom, and finance the slickest liars and most unethical people possible for national political office.  Marginalize and denigrate any honest and sincere politicians who somehow manage to get into office.

3.  Wrap yourself in the American Flag at every opportunity.

4.  Strive to keep the country perpetually at war.  It's great for Big Business and the best way to control the public mind.  It also gives us every opportunity to "colonize" geostrategic areas without appearing imperialistic; that way we can assure American Primacy.  We're just defending our country.  If one person is killed, it's murder; but if 100,000 are killed, it's Foreign Policy and/or protecting our Homeland.

5.  At crucial times, tell the Little People whatever it is they want to hear.

6.  Continue the myth that Republicans and Democrats at the highest levels have substantially different views.  It's the best way to Divide and Conquer.  Pretend to squabble with your supposed political opposition.

7.  At all costs, never prosecute in court any mega bank CEO who has been complicit in swindling people.  Don't bite the hand that feeds you.  Instead, levy a large fine against the bank for "misleading investors".

8.  Distract the public with minor political issues and various circuses.

9.  Allow people to peacefully protest, but only in limited, designated areas.

10.  When caught in wrongdoing, criminalize the whistleblower.  To do that, take a page from (most recently) Obama's & Trump's playbook:  utilize the Espionage Act of 1917.  Apply the word "spy"...especially when it's not relevant.  The bigger the lie, the more people will believe it.

11.  Make certain that the mainstream, corporate media keep serving up pablum to the public... and/or controversy over nothing of any significant consequence... and/or, fear.

12.  Continue the myth that the People live in a participatory democracy.

13.  At all costs, support and promote the WTO and Free Trade Agreements, the Neoliberal policy of deregulation of the worldwide Financial Sector, and the myth that we're aiding poor countries by forcing them to privatize gov't services.  In other words, continue the myth that Corporate Globalization is good for the common people and the economy.

14.  Avoid conflict with the U.S. Constitution simply by ignoring the document whenever necessary.

15.  Continue the myth that the President of the U.S. legally (and essentially) can create Law by the use of Executive Orders.  If questioned about that, respond by saying that the Constitution "implies" it.

16.  Oppose, denigrate, and when possible, eliminate all labor unions.  Substitute biased "mandatory arbitration" in their place.  This is the best way to keep the Little People workers in check.

17.  Keep the public in fear, and promote cognitive dissonance  in the Little People.  Mold the public mind.

18.  Continue the lie that National Security trumps everything... including common decency, the Law, the Constitution, ethics, and morality.

19.  Continue the War on Drugs.  It's almost as good as actual war in relation to controlling the populace.

20.  Act as though you favor egalitarian issues; in other words, lie.
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Do you recognize any of this?  There is a better way.  The second step toward that better way is to organize.  The first step I've stated over and over:  we must stop drinking the Propaganda Kool Aid coming from high-level Republicans and Democrats, (& Trump, who is neither a Repub or Dem), Mega Corporations, and the Corporate Media.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

The Fed, JFK, the "United States Note", and the Upper Crust

The Fed Reserve has been ruining this country for over a hundred years.  Very few know about it, or if they do, understand it...so very few care anything about it.  That's understandable.  The Fed's sole job is to transfer wealth to the Upper Crust...even Bernie Sanders, a guy who's all for "government", has said that.

Just before he was killed, JFK started by-passing the Fed by having Treasury & the U.S. Mint issue the "United States Note" directly...without the Fed as Middle Man.  [Notice the top of the bill.]

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/249527635582929370/

I had several of those "Kennedy bills" (in smaller denominations:) back in the '60s; wish I would have kept them.  I'll bet they're worth much more than face value today.  

The Fed was royally pissed.  The U.S. Note was in direct competition with the Fed Reserve Note.  Had he lived, JFK would have dried up the Fed; they would have become obsolete, & their guaranteed-by-law 6% annual dividend would have evaporated.  All that has caused a conspiracy theory (of the assassination) involving Bankers & the Administration of the Fed Reserve.  It's possible, I suppose, but how likely I don't know.  We'll never know the truth about JFK's death.

p.s.  The 6% dividend goes to the 12 Fed Branch Banks AND the 25 Fed Sub-Branch Banks---37 in all, & all privately owned.  The only thing governmental about the Fed is the Admin Office in DC...and as Greenspan said on PBS yrs ago, "No one has authority over us."...that includes the President.  The Congress conducts oversight Hearings, but if you've watched the clips of them on YouTube, you know they aren't worth much.  On critical questions, the Fed usually beats around the bush, never actually answering any significant question.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Assange, the Feds, Russia, Tom Drake, Politics, Elections, and Hypocrisy

Below is an email I sent to a few of my family & a few friends, and my response to a friend's reply...edited a bit.  In particular, the last full paragraph of this Post was not in my email response at all.
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The War on Whistleblowers---

After saying during his first Pres campaign for election that they should be protected, Obama prosecuted more of them than anyone in our history.  Imagine what Trump's Crew will do to Assange.  While the Right & Left squabble, Plutocrats/Oligarchs win again.  Their war crimes will continue to go unpunished...all in the name of "safety".  Meanwhile, those who expose violations of the Constitution and outright crimes by the Gov't will be persecuted and prosecuted.  

Do a Search for: Tom Drake whistleblower.  Bush, Obama & Holder destroyed the career & much of the life of this American hero, a Vet, and an honorable Gov't servant who spent months trying to expose NSA wrongdoing by doing so "within the system".  The Powers-That-Be ignored & denigrated him, so he finally went outside the system to expose Gov't crimes.  They essentially kneecapped him.  Later, Hillary had the gall to state that Manning should have worked within the system, thus gaining the protection of whistleblower status.  What a tragic joke.  In her youth, Hillary was a Populist, but for some time now, she's been nothing but a multi-millionaire Plutocrat.  [Hopefully, she's washed up in politics.]

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A friend responded with a somewhat biting critique of Assange... especially relative to the last few years.  My reply is below.
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No one's perfect.  Despite his flaws, I think Assange is a hero.  After being cooped up in a building for 7 years, and denied safe passage to a hospital for needed medical diagnosis & treatment, who knows what anyone might do after realizing you're going to be arrested... and most likely extradited to the USA's totally broken Fed Justice System.

As to Russia, their misdeeds re the election merely are payback for all the crap our Gov't heaps on them... we've interfered in their affairs (including elections) for decades.  Sanctions, elections, Ukraine, NATO encroachment right up to their border (after it was agreed not to do that), & who knows what else.  As to the Dem email leaks, GOOD.  I think those were in the public interest--- exposure of the two-faced Hillary, and the manipulation of Primaries by the Dem Upper Crust.  The truth was exposed; too bad that the truth did not favor Democrats.  That's the fault of Dems, not Russians.

I really am sick & tired of hearing Dems whine about Russians "interfering in our elections".  What hypocrisy...and they're still complaining.  They should focus on the fact that two Plutocrats were running for President...correct that.  The Dems are just as bad as the Repubs when it comes to being self-righteous in terms of election behavior.  But the Dems gerrymander, too; the Dems manipulate Primaries, too.  Just because the Repubs are worse about it does not excuse Dem behavior... including their self-righteousness.

The article you sent implied that the charge against Assange was not really much...& not related to publishing.  Please.  He could get 45 years in prison according to a previous lawyer of his.  Plus, I don't see how aiding a whistleblower in getting info is not related to publishing that info.

As to Assange (an Australian) favoring Russia, maybe so; but unfortunately, our Gov't is a much bigger threat to the world than the Ruskies ever could be.  Not just militarily, but all across the board.  There's no doubt whatsoever about that.  I don't at all believe their Gov't Plutocrats are the "good guys"; but our Gov't Plutocrats (at the highest levels) are a gazillion times worse, and a monstrous threat to this planet...militarily, economically, financially, environmentally, politically (even though our NeoFeudalism is more subtle than Russia's), & in every other way I can imagine.

Conclusion:  all this braying about Russia is, to me, blatant HYPOCRISY... and way overblown... and finally,  a distraction from much more important things.  As to Assange, our Government's wrongdoings need to be exposed.  History shows that the State almost always tries to cover up its crimes by criminalizing those who expose them.

I love this Land; but we need to wake up to the fact that our Fed Gov't is led by a bunch of screwed-up, dangerous, plutocratic oligarchs...and that's no matter whether Republicans or Democrats hold majority power.  Another option is to keep drinking the Propaganda Kool Aid, bury our heads in the sand, and hope everything turns out okay.  Another option is to continue to believe (as the True Believers do) that only the Republicans or the Democrats have the right solution to our problems... in other words, to continue to believe the Propaganda coming from one or the other of those two camps.

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

The REAL National Emergencies in the USA

There are many; below are several of them.

1.  Expanding our Nuke arsenal when we should be reducing it.  Along with that, withdrawing from international nuke treaties.  Finally, some of the Powers-That-Be believing nukes can be used without any serious long-term consequences.  All the above is simply unmitigated ignorance, and it borders on insanity.

2.  Our Gov't doing little to nothing in terms of combatting Climate Change, or as one researcher refers to it, Climate Disruption.  In fact, the current Administration's actions will make the Climate problem worse.  I'm no expert in this area, but do have a Master's Degree in the fifth study tradition in Geography, Environmental Studies, or human impact on the environment.  In those studies, it became clear to me that---no matter to what extent greenhouse gas emissions do contribute to the Climate problem (and they do)---it makes no sense whatsoever to fail to reduce those emissions.  Despite Corporatist Propaganda to the contrary, greenhouse gas emissions contribute to Climate Disruption to one degree or another.

3.  The Financialization of our economy.  At one time, the Financial Sector made up about 3% of the economy; now it's about 33%.  At the expense of the rest of us, that primarily benefits the Upper Crust.  Small Business and wage earners both suffer.  NeoFeudalism is approaching rapidly.

4.  The continual expansion of the National Surveillance State.  That's in concert with the virtual destruction of the Fourth Amendment.

5.  The adoption of the Machiavellian concept of Perpetual War, which is being used to manipulate everyday people and further enrich the Super-Rich.

6.  The Trump Presidency.  His Administration is:

a.  violating both Statutes and the Constitution;

b.  harming the economy;

c.  instituting NeoFascism into our Gov't;

d.  promoting Crony Capitalism and the Oligarchy;

e.  normalizing deceit, falsehoods, and propaganda;

f.  alienating Allies;

g.  promoting Authoritarianism;

h.  accelerating NeoFeudalism;

i.  making our country the laughingstock of the world;

j.  encouraging lawlessness; and,

k.  endangering all civilized countries and their peoples.

Trump's supporters had good reasons to be fed-up and angry prior to his election; however, I'm astounded that they still believe he's good for the country and the common people.  It's plain that he's not, and never mind what a danger he is to the entire world.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

p.s.  Again, a reminder:  I'm not a Democrat or a Republican; and I've been keenly observing American politics ever since 1956.

Companies Claim to Have Gizmos With Artificial Intelligence

IBM (and a few other companies) claim to have created AI.  That's unadulterated hogwash.  AI does not presently exist...unless it has been created secretly (probably by the Fed Gov't, perhaps DARPA) and is known only to a select few.  To be an AI creation, a gizmo would have to be aware of itself as a separate being.  In other words, it would have to be a sentient being.  A machine that can memorize data is not an AI being...not even close.

Those false claims by IBM and others are illustrations or examples of how Orwellian our society has become.  Cognitive dissonance often stresses us because of the way in which words are used today.  Newspeak, oldspeak, doublethink, crimestop, thoughtcrime, facecrime, etc.---or similar ideas--- seem to be fast becoming accepted concepts.  Lies, propaganda, and with Trump, gaslighting, all have become commonplace with many politicians and many people in Big Biz.

Whether purposely or inadvertently, the State-Military-Corporate Complex makes use of Orwellian methods to manipulate the public.  Those methods, plus Bread & Circuses, enable the Plutocrats to confuse and distract those of us on Main Street.  For our own good, we need to recognize such things and whenever possible, shun the perpetrators.  We are many; they are few.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

The Jackass, the Albino Jackass, and the Plutocracy

Below is my reply to a dear friend's email.  Her email was a forwarded political joke which stated that the Dem Party had adopted a new symbol for their organization--- the condom.  According to the joke, the condom was adopted because it allows for inflation, halts production, destroys the next generation, gives a sense of security while you're being screwed, etc., etc.  The original sender of that joke quipped something to the effect of: it couldn't be a more accurate description of the Democrats.

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That's good!  What's unfortunate is:  Repubs (just like Dems) are so propagandized they don't realize that description also applies to their Party & its top Plutocrats.  It fits both Parties to a tee.  It easily could be argued that it fits the Repubs better than the Dems... much better.

No matter which major Party is in control in DC, our country is run by Plutocrats or their puppets.  For the most part, they are all serial liars, elitist violators of the Constitution, con artists, empire builders, violators of International Law, and holier-than-thou warmongers.  

Example:  both Parties have supported the Saudi Coalition War in Yemen with major U.S. logistical & intelligence aid.  Including hospitals, water works, & schools, civilian infrastructure has been bombed, resulting in:  the largest cholera epidemic in modern history, millions of people starving, and the death of a large number of children...all because of an Islamic Sunni-Shia conflict, a proxy war between Saudi Arabia & Iran.  Our involvement in killing children and starving people is being sold as "fighting terrorism".  What a sad, tragic joke.  One of the main reasons the Fed Gov't is involved is to fulfill its role as the world's largest Arms Dealer.  Trump brags about that label.

Example:  While each major Party (at different times) has been in control in DC, laws & policies have been implemented that promote the largest transfer of wealth to the Upper Crust in human history.  This has been going on since at least the 1970's.  As We the People are thrown a few crumbs now & again, the incomes of the Rich Plutocrats have increased 700%.  At the same time, wages/salaries (adjusted for inflation) have remained essentially flat.  The Middle Class now comprises less than 50% of the population.  All that has happened under both Repub and Dem Administrations.  It's painfully obvious that we live in a plutocratic system.  All the propaganda to the contrary is nothing but "Reality Show" hype.  That's especially true now that we have a President who barely can read a prepared text from a sheet of paper, and who says one thing one day, and the exact opposite the next day.  He does it on purpose; he's gaslighting, trying to distract us from the plutocratic agenda... which he fully supports.  Instead of reporting in depth on significant issues, the Corporate Media report mainly on Trump's bizarre, buffoon-like behavior.

The Dems should stick with the jackass (male donkey) symbol, and the Repubs should adopt an albino jackass as their symbol.  

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well