Dear President Tweety Bird---

Preface
I really don't like to mock people with name-calling, but the words and actions of your almost constant gaslighting essentially beg for it.  Being far from perfect, I gave in.  Mea culpa.
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Perhaps you would do us all a favor and consider the following points.

1.  It's good that you appear to be withdrawing military troops from Syria.  That's especially true because our involvement in that civil war is unconstitutional.  I'm wondering, though, does the withdrawal include aircraft that do bombing and/or missile attacks?  How about JSOC teams (Special Ops)?

2.  When making your withdrawal announcement, you also claimed (paraphrased here) that we defeated ISIS in Syria.  I think you said, "We won...".  Mr. President, I seriously doubt that even you believe that.  History has shown over and over that war never defeats that type of enemy.  Despite the progress made there (and not just because of our military), ISIS in Syria is far from being defeated.  They merely have faded back into the woodwork for awhile.

3.  Because you tend to lie about half the time, I'm also wondering if you would make public the detailed official Order to withdraw sent to your Commanders in Syria.  You, of course, can redact any sensitive info contained therein.  I mean, surely you don't believe that your Tweety Bird message was any kind of official Order, eh?

4.  How are the seventeen investigations of you and/or your Admin and/or your private companies coming along?  Any info you might share about those?  This is not counting any private investigations that might be going on involving the sixteen women who have accused you of inappropriate sexual behavior or harassment.

5.  How are your gaslighting distractions aimed at We the People doing regarding number 4 above?  Are those distractions working to any significant degree?

6.  Have you read the U.S. Constitution since the 8th or 9th Grade?  Given some of your actions, that seems unlikely.  How about just the 1st, 4th, 5th, & 6th Amendments?  They're really fairly short.  You could easily squeeze them in between golf games.

7.  If you really believe that Mexico is going to wind up paying for your ineffective Border Wall (which should be named, "The Sieve") by you levying tariffs on their goods, has it dawned on you yet who ultimately pays for those tariffs?  It dawned on us (the consumers) quite awhile ago.

8.  Are you aware that 42% of the USA's electorate are Independents, 31% are Democrats, and 25% are Republicans?  I mention that because at times you seem to imply in a braying manner that you have some sort of mandate from We the People.  That's absolutely hilarious.  I'm fairly sure you're not stupid, so most likely your implication is nothing but propaganda.  That's especially likely because 58% of us didn't want you or Hillary to get elected.

9.  Are you aware that, on average, about 50% of eligible voters don't vote in national elections?  It's not because we're lazy; it's because we're fed up with politicians...including you.

10.  With all the Court rulings against your Administration, how is your UNCHRISTIAN immigration policy coming along?

11.  Is there any Head of State in the entire world that you haven't alienated?  At the moment, I can't think of even one.

12.  Most of the people on Earth recognize that we are facing a global, economic/financial Crash.  It's time that you did, too.  The same is true of the worldwide Climate catastrophe.  Start telling the truth.

Finally, don't think for a moment that you have the majority of us fooled.  You aren't any kind of Populist.  While crasser than your predecessors, you're still nothing but a dyed-in-the-wool Plutocrat, an Oligarch.  That's so obvious it's both painful and hilarious.

p.s.  I'm not a Republican or a Democrat, but I think it's highly likely that you won't last through your first term in office...you'll resign or get kicked out.  Given that, perhaps the best course for serious people in the real world (meaning outside the DC Beltway) is to ignore you from this point forward.  You know, just as most of our allies are doing.  You're no longer worth anyone's time or effort...that is, except for investigators.  Your creation of distractions via your childish gaslighting has become boring.
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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

The Clever, Ignorant Madman Strikes

The clever, deceitful, ignorant, gaslighting, lying Trump ups the ante in Syria.  Here are the problems with that--

1.  There's no legal authority at all for the USA to attack Syria.

2.  There's no legal authority at all for us even to be in Syria.

3.  Trump & His Crew want a major war in the worst way.

4.  It's all about economics & finance...nothing else.

5.  A significant part of the world is waging an economic/financial war on the USA, the purpose of which is to end Dollar Hegemony.

6.  The Fed Reserve is out of ammo (so to speak), so war is now the response by our Gov't...unless Russia & Iran act responsibly by not being goaded into a major conflict.

7.  Once again, Trump has ignored/violated the Constitution.

8.  Once again, Congress has abrogated its Constitutional duty relative to war.

9.  The War Powers Act does not supercede the Constitution.  Neither do Presidential orders.

10.  Only Congress can initiate hostilities;  The Commander-in-Chief then manages the war after Congress declares war.

That's how it works IF the Constitution is followed.

11.  Republicans and Democrats have changed the Constitution without legally amending it.  They've done that by passing unconstitutional laws, laws that contradict the Constitution.  No one person or group has challenged those laws...either because they don't want to, or they don't have the time, effort, & money to take it all the way to the Supreme Court.  A Justice Harlan warned about all this in 1901.  He called it "Legislative Absolutism".

12.  Finally, Republicans and Democrats have changed the common sense definition of War via Edward Bernays style Propaganda.  The whole thing is Orwellian to the max.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

George Orwell: the Greatest Political & Social Prophet of All Time

Following are just a few bits of evidence supporting the assertion in the title above.  This all applies throughout the Western World, but especially in the Land I love, the USA.

1.  The word "war" no longer means war.  Instead, it means "leading the world", or "fighting terrorism", or "protecting our allies", or "spreading democracy", etc.  More importantly, war now can be waged at the sole discretion of the Executive Branch in the USA...a direct violation of the Supreme Law of the Land.  They say it's not war.  That's very Orwellian...any time our Gov't bombs another country, anyone with any common sense at all knows that's an act of war.  Congressional approval is no longer sought.  The concept of Unitary Executive Power reigns supreme in our Orwellian Gov't; it has for years & years.  As in Orwell's novel, 1984, the meanings of key words are being manipulated/changed by the highest levels of our Gov't and by other Elites.

Very recently, our President gave an anti-terrorism speech to the Sunni rulers of Saudi Arabia.  The extremist Sunni Sect of Wahhabism (adhered to by ISIS & Al Qaeda), which is spread around the world by "True Believers", is Saudi State-sponsored.  Trump then announced billions of dollars in military hardware sales to the Saudis...pretty much on the heels of Obama's similar action when he was President.  Then The Don joined in some kind of silly, celebratory "sword dance" (or something).  All of this is Orwellian to the max.  On top of that, our military is helping the Saudis (logistics, targeting, & equipment) in their devastating war in Yemen.  The Saudis are bombing schools, hospitals, public water facilities, and civilians in general.  The country is on the verge of famine, cholera is spreading, and hundreds upon hundreds of children have been killed by bombs.  This is a Sunni-Shia war; it has little or nothing to do with terrorism, that is to say, the type of terrorism Trump claims to be fighting.

2.  For some time now in the USA, due to CIVIL Asset Forfeiture, a person's property (perhaps certain tools, or a "large" amount of cash, and other things) can be seized by the Authorities without any warrant or arrest just because the items seem SUSPICIOUS.  Law Enforcement people will say, yes, but if everything turns out to be innocent, then you can get your property back.  Try that sometime.  See how much time, effort, and money it takes.  Sometimes the property is auctioned off before your months-long quest to retrieve it is completed.  Often you are stalled in your efforts into infinity, and nothing ever gets resolved.  Local and regional governments are so strapped for income that they resort to exorbitant fines, asset forfeiture, and outrageous fees in order simply to survive.  That's primarily because their manufacturing tax base has moved out of the country.  Local governments often are just as dictatorial as the Fed Gov't sometimes is; that's especially true of County governments.  1984.

3.  Presumption of Innocence until proven guilty, especially in the international arena, is pretty much dead.  One example:  the gassing of civilians in Syria.  It has not been proven that Assad was responsible.  Some people simply assumed it because, by most accounts, the guy is a brutal dictator.  Trump then fires missiles, attacks a sovereign country...an act of war...without any Congressional approval.  By the way, about half the missiles missed the airbase, and the other half hit nothing of critical importance.  Most planes were not hit, the runway was undamaged, and planes flew out of there the very next day.  Nevertheless, none of it should have happened; it was all illegal.  Plus, where's the proof that Assad was the culprit in the gas attack?  The Unitary Executive concept rules.  That's totalitarian absolutism.  Just because it was exercised against a supposedly bad apple does not excuse it.  The President is not above the Law, regardless of what the elite government lawyers claim.

4.  On the domestic front, due process has been disappearing for years.  Without any proper warrant, our private data can be mined, our property sometimes can be seized, and we can be spied upon at will by the Fed Gov't.  Americans don't seem to understand that it isn't only the suspicious people who are being spied upon by the Feds...it's everyone.  Orwellian.  To top it off, high officials such as James Clapper are allowed to lie while testifying before Congress about this spying...with no penalty.  Lying while testifying before Congress is a felony.  Where is the Rule of Law?

In addition, too many people (suspects) are being shot in the back, TASED & then shot, handcuffed & then TASED repeatedly, forced to die of thirst while being held in jail, beaten to a pulp after surrendering, repeatedly harassed for exposing wrongdoing by authorities, arrested on bogus charges which the authorities know will be dismissed, etc., ad nauseam & ad infinitum.  Orwellian.
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If we are to have any chance of overcoming all this, then it seems to me we should consider doing the following.
1.  Start with the premise that most Elites (public & private) are not working in favor of Main Street.
2.  Stop drinking the Propaganda Kool Aid coming from the Elites on the political Right and Left.
3.  Shun the disastrous, dictatorial, so-called Two-Party political system in the USA.  It's a sham.
4.  Shun Corporatism whenever possible.
5.  Understand that effective Propaganda always has some elements of truth in it.  That doesn't mean any conclusions put forth are accurate or logical.
6.  Think critically.  Don't be gullible, and beware of great-sounding catch phrases.
7.  Hold all politicians not only to the Rule of Law, but to high ethical standards as well.
8.  Speak out.  Be a whistleblower.  Governments are not above the Law...except in an Orwellian world.
9.  Abraham Lincoln once said, "Factions destroy republics.".  Instead of Red or Blue, consider Purple.  Be an Independent.
10.  Boycott.
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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

It's NOT About Korea, Syria, Terrorism, or Saving...

civilians from any of that.  It amazes me how some Americans, especially some supposedly "Conservative" Americans, ignore facts, the Constitution, & history and immediately wrap themselves in the flag whenever any group of conniving politicians starts beating the war drums.  Our history as a nation is replete with examples of that.  Here are the real reasons those drums are beating so loudly; this is why private and public Oligarchs now constantly are angling for another major war.  The following points are the main reasons why "Republicans" are so loud and "Democrats" are virtually silent (and thus complicit) on the whole war mess---

1.  The fiat Dollar's status as the world's reserve currency is being seriously threatened.  Countries not only are dumping Dollars, but also are joining together in agreements that bypass the Dollar completely.  That's especially true regarding Russia, China, and other countries in Asia...but also elsewhere.  [Many countries appear to be fed up with the financial & economic Bully-Boy tactics of the highest levels of our Gov't...and justifiably so.]  The PetroDollar is on its last legs everywhere; its collapse is fairly imminent.  The USA's military, which essentially is the Fed Reserve's enforcement/intimidation arm, often has been used to keep countries in line relative to the dominance of the Dollar.  [That's probably why Saddam was taken out.  He was on the verge of selling oil in non-Dollar currency.  Libya and Iran were threatening to do the same.]  Without that Dollar dominance, our fiat Dollar and debt-based economy would be toast...much more than both are already.

2.  The Global Debt Bubble, which is a gazillion times larger than the Stock Market Bubble, is on the verge of bursting.  Arguably, it could be said that it's already bursting.  I suspect that most Oligarchs (especially those in public office) think another major war will kick the can down the road.  Except for the "Defense" (which should be "War") Sector of the Stock Market, investors then would turn to the Bond Market (which should be the DEBT Market)...because they perceive it as less risky.

3.  I also believe that, above all else, Oligarchs have a great desire to keep our debt-based economy rolling along.  Why?  Because it transfers wealth from the Poor and Middle Classes to the Upper Crust better than anything since Feudalism.  Adjusting for inflation, in the last thirty years or so the incomes of the Super-Rich have gone up by 700%.  In the same period, the incomes of the rest of us have remained relatively flat.  Our economy primarily is based on two things:  Debt, and War (referred to as "Defense" by the Oligarchy).  Since the advent of rampant Financialization, "average" Americans have had to go into fairly massive debt in an attempt to simply stay even in terms of lifestyle.  Unfortunately, that debt isn't doing the job in most cases.  Close to 50% of us are living in poverty or near-poverty, and the Middle Class basically has been hollowed out.  Most Oligarchs don't appear to care, but they have very effective Propaganda techniques to make some people think they do care.  Plus, they have tried & tested diversion techniques (such as war, the Two-Party political system, phony "Populist" movements, etc.) to distract us from the greatest transfer of wealth in human history.  [As I've stated several times, none of this is a grand "conspiracy".  Oligarchs mostly do all this simply because they have mutual interests and objectives; it's merely "good business" practice to them.  Sometimes they work together, but most of the time it's done independent of one another.  Even if it were a "conspiracy", of what use would that knowledge be?]
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Side Notes:  here's a little history---

1.  Since the end of the Korean Conflict [that's the official, technical name...because then supposedly our participation in that war doesn't violate the Constitution] in the early 1950's, our Gov't has had nuclear weapons in S. Korea aimed at N. Korea.  Is it any surprise then that N. Korea has developed nukes?

2.  Not too many years ago, N. Korea offered to freeze its nuke program in exchange for concessions (such as the lifting of economic/financial sanctions) from our Fed Gov't.  Our Gov't refused even to have talks about that proposal.

3.  Even more recently, N. Korea offered to freeze its weapons-delivery program in exchange for the lifting of sanctions.  Again, our Gov't refused to have talks about it.

4.  China has been trying for years to get our Gov't to just sit down and talk with N. Korea.  No luck.

5.  The 1950's Korean "War" never officially ended.  A "Cease-Fire" Agreement was made between military muckiwups on both sides, but the Gov'ts involved have not yet signed a Peace Treaty.  Technically, they're all still at war.  Any good or common sense appears to be lacking on both sides.

6.  Various reports indicate that most of N. Korea is experiencing famine to one degree or another.  The Gov't there is desperate for relief...one way or another.  I can't think of one good reason for not sitting down and having talks with them...rather than threatening an unconstitutional First-Strike with a nuclear option.
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More Notes---

It should be obvious by now that Hillary Trump is not:  "America First", or "draining the swamp" in DC, or going to favor the little guy over outfits like Goldman Sachs (now, even more so, it's Gov't Sachs), or going to make sure that "everyone has healthcare", etc., etc., etc...ad nauseam.  The man is Same-Old, Same- Old, except that he's a much more dangerous version.

Relative to the title of this piece, the bottom line is this---  the war drums are all about maintaining the American Empire, the world fiat Dollar, our debt-based economy, and the tools that make the Super-Rich richer.  They have almost nothing to do with saving average people or helping other countries.
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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Corporatism, Trump, Syria, and Raytheon Corp.

As reported on the Democracy Now news hour yesterday (you won't find this on the Corporate News Media, such as NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox, etc.)---
1.  The missiles used in the unconstitutional attack on Syria that was ordered by Trump have a price tag of over $1 million each.
2.  After the attack, Raytheon (the maker of those missiles) had a big increase in their stock on Wall Street.  Their total stock value jumped up by about $1 billion.
3.  Trump has investments in Raytheon, so he benefitted directly.
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Perhaps it was all an innocent coincidence.  I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions.  Be well.

Question for His Lordship: On What Authority???

In terms of foreign policy, we've gone from Donald Trump (which was bad enough) to Hillary Trump...the Perpetual War Hawk.  Yes, the gassing of civilians was horrific, & allegedly done by Assad; that doesn't mean the US Gov't has any right to attack Syria.  The attack violated both the U.S. Constitution and International Law.  But then, our Gov't has been doing that for decades.

Before he was elected, Donald Trump tweeted (back when) that Obama had to have the approval of Congress before airstrikes in Syria could be launched.  [If I recall correctly, Obama never obtained that approval, & very few of us objected.]  Apparently the puppet Hillary Trump has changed his/her mind.  So far, the only Repub politician I've seen protest His Lordship's violation of the Constitution is Rand Paul.

The "Unitary Executive" concept reigns supreme.  That's Executive Absolutism.  Bye-bye, Congress...you're screwed.  The public and private Oligarchs in this Land are trying to provoke another major war.  That's what Oligarchies do when a country's economy is tanking and the Propaganda no longer is effective.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

This & That About the Public and Private Powers-That-Be

1.  Notice how the Corporate Media and the Democratic Party Machine have responded to the leaked transcripts/excerpts of Clinton's highly paid speeches to Mega Bankers and other Mega Corporations:  "Russian hackers did it; they're trying to influence the election here."...little to no discussion of what Hillary said in those speeches.  That's because some of the content of those talks largely contradicts the Propaganda that she's some sort of Populist.  If Hillary Clinton is any kind of Populist, then I'm a Chinese astronaut.  I can see why most likely she was never going to release those transcripts.  The texts/quotes are online; see for yourself.

2.  From the leaked Democratic Party Hierarchy emails, it's now obvious that the Sanders campaign was targeted for destruction by the Corporatist Democrats from the very beginning.  Of course, it was fairly obvious as it unfolded... well before the leaks.  Keep in mind that Party Hierarchies are supposed to be completely neutral regarding Primary candidates.

3.  Trump is complaining that the Corporate Media favor Clinton (which is true), but fails to mention that during the Republican Primaries he was given more exposure to the voters than all the other candidates combined.  That's because his idiocy was a money-maker for them.  The Corporate Head of CBS freely admitted as much.  Candidates such as Rand Paul, because he favored a non-militaristic foreign policy, were given such short shrift by the Media that at times I wondered if he had dropped out of the race... before he did drop out.

4.  The current Administration continues its unconstitutional War in Syria.  Yes, the Assad Regime is brutal and ISIS is brutal---bombing civilians (including children), hospitals, schools, etc.  Here's what the Administration here fails to mention:  the US Gov't-backed, Saudi-led Coalition is doing the same thing in Yemen.  Our Gov't helps by refueling bombers, providing intelligence, and providing weapons.  Obama recently approved a $38 billion military aid package for Saudi Arabia.  Not long ago, a funeral home was bombed in Yemen; dozens & dozens of civilians were killed.  Just before that, a hospital was bombed.  Since the beginning of that war, over 900 children have been killed.  All that because of the Sunni-Shia conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran... and our Govt's "help".  Shame on the highest levels of the US Gov't.

5.  Both public and private, the Powers-That-Be continue to use ISIS as an excuse for US Gov't Hegemony throughout the world.  At the same time, they criticize other major countries (China, Russia, Iran) for wanting to have a big influence in their respective regions.  The US Powers can't stand it when some other country wants to exercise its own hegemony.  Imagine that---some country wants to be influential in its own backyard.  Well, we can't allow that!  [Hypocrisy abounds.]

6.  The Corporate Media here are so desperate to support the lie that our economy is "recovering" that they recently reported on thousands of temporary, holiday season jobs opening up.  You know, the way those jobs open up every holiday season.  This year they're being touted as something really special.  According to the major stores with the openings, 90% of those jobs will be converted to full-time, permanent positions after the holidays.  I seriously doubt that.  It's much more likely that some permanent employees will be laid off after the holiday season.  Our economy is worsening, not getting better... unless you're in the upper 10% or so.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Hey, National Politicians - One More Time

1.  Even the New York Times Editorial Board has stated (paraphrased):  the ISIS-Syria-Iraq War that Obama is waging is unconstitutional.  That's because it is...it's illegal under our system of government.  It's not even properly authorized under the War Powers Act.  You high-level DC politicians keep claiming you're all for the Rule of Law.  Talk is cheap...prove it.

2.  A retired combat veteran and Professor Emeritus of History at Boston University, Colonel Andrew Bacevich, has stated:  "America's war for the greater Middle East cannot be won.".  Using Iraq as an example, for a quarter century we've been hearing the following from three different Presidents:  "We shall prevail.".  Isn't it obvious by now--- this is nothing but Perpetual War for the benefit of a few, and we are not going to prevail.  Who benefits?  Follow the money.  You politicians are serving your primary constituency--- the Super-Rich Oligarchs, the Mega Bankers, the War contractors (facetiously referred to as Defense contractors), and a few others who profit from constant war.  This is so glaringly obvious that it's painful.  Yes, we all know:  "It's complicated."...nevertheless, it's still obvious.  You are not serving We the People.

3.  The U.S. economy is not "recovering"; neither is that of the world in general.  We still are in a Recession, and it's worsening every day; furthermore, we're only a hair's breadth away from a full-blown Depression.  Stop your lying, half-truths, and Propaganda.  We know better than to believe any of it...that's because we live in the world, not in an Ivory Tower.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

A Few More Lies and/or Propaganda From Public and Private Institutions

1.  NBC News recently stated that the Fed interest rate hike (.25%) "...is a sign that the economy is improving.".  Nothing could be further from the truth.  That action is a sign that:  the Fed Reserve is recognizing it is increasingly losing credibility... and it is desperate.  For decades, Fed central planners have been facilitating a massive transfer of wealth from the common people to the Upper Crust.  As a result, the economic situation has been improving overwhelmingly only for the Rich and Powerful.  At the same time, Fed interference in the Money Market has caused the rest of us to struggle mightily simply to keep our heads above water.  The outright falsehoods put out by the Fed Gov't (at the highest levels) and regurgitated by the Corporate Media---regarding the unemployment rate, the price inflation rate, the jobs numbers, etc.---cannot belie the fact that we still are in a deep Recession, and heading for a Depression.  [I've detailed why that's true in several previous posts.]

2.  President Obama claims his ISIS Strategy is working, and that we will eventually "defeat ISIS".  About 9,000 U.S. airstrikes in Iraq and Syria (never mind the airstrikes by other members of the "coalition") seem to have had little effect on ISIS, but plenty of negative effects on others--- the killing of innocent civilians, the creation of both refugees and more terrorists, and the destruction of civilian buildings.  Chaos prevails.  As to attacking ISIS sources of funding, good luck with that.  ISIS is funded primarily by Arab billionaires... billionaires.  If ISIS ever faces imminent "defeat", all they have to do is fade back into the woodwork... and live to fight another day.  Military actions are not the solution to the problem, but they are a great distraction from our imploding economy at home.  That has been done by governments for centuries.  Manipulating a population in this way is nothing new.

3.  A high Gov't official (can't recall who) recently stated that ISIS "has declared war on us".  That may be true, but we should keep this fact in mind:  "we" (i.e., our Gov't) attacked ISIS first, well before they did anything to anyone in the West...and that includes the brutal beheadings of Westerners.  I'm not defending ISIS in any way...but facts are facts.  Our Gov't once again stuck its nose into what basically is a civil war; "we" attacked ISIS in Iraq because they were getting close to some U.S. oil company operations there in the northern part of that country.

4.  Our Gov't is not providing an SS COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment) for next year because "according to the Consumer Price Index [CPI], there was no price inflation this year"...so say SSA Officials.  I guess those same officials did no grocery shopping or renting of housing this year...never mind the increase in the cost of OTC meds and various other commodities.  It's true we're in a deflationary period now (e.g., crude oil, most metals, & some other commodities have gone down in price), but that doesn't apply across the board.
A side note regarding Social Security---
Since retirement from wage slavery in 2004, my primary source of income has been SS Retirement.  Unlike some Americans (hopefully not a majority), I don't consider SS to be any type of "welfare".  That money was taken out of every one of my paychecks for over 40 years for the express purpose of helping to provide for my retirement; I want it all back...every penny, and I don't want it stolen from me via inflation of the money supply (which results in commodity price inflation).
Some politicians claim there is no SS Trust Fund.  Not true, there is one...since LBJ first did it, every Administration since then has raided that Fund & used the money for other purposes.  Consequently, the SS Trust Fund is full of U.S. Gov't IOUs.  That's why SS supposedly is in financial difficulty... no other reason.
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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Several Insanities in the Western World, Especially the USA

Remember reading about the Age of Enlightenment, often cited as running from the late 1600's to about 1800, and sometimes called the Age of Reason?  It would appear that we humans are in need of a Second Age of Enlightenment.  Following are some of the things supporting such an assertion.  Let's begin with a somewhat trivial (compared to the others) example.

1.  Trump recently stated that "wages [in the USA] are too high".  What planet is The Don on?  Wages here essentially have stagnated for the last thirty years.  The cost of living has not.

2.  Our Fed Gov't and those of Russia & France are bombing ISIS in Syria...but, mostly thanks to the US,  they're not all cooperating with each other.  Is that a good plan?

3.  The Fed Gov't here denigrates Russia for sticking it's nose into Syria (a Russian ally) and for trying to increase its influence in the Middle East.  Are you kidding me?...talk about the pot calling the kettle black.  The US Gov't's primary foreign policy component is to stick its nose into just about every civil war in the world...especially in the Middle East and/or southern Central Asia.  Good grief!

4.  The US Gov't continues to kowtow to Saudi Arabia...not entirely, but significantly.  That's a troublesome issue because of the following.  Wahhabism, the Saudi State-sponsored extremist Sunni Sect, spreads its poison all around the world.  Radical, extremist terrorists are greatly encouraged by the Wahhabis; the roots of ISIS are in Wahhabism.  The DC Powers-That-Be know that...and yet they continue to support the House of Saud.

5.  The situation in Syria and Iraq is a complete mess.  [Over 7,000 airstrikes by the US Gov't haven't helped much at all...but they have pissed off a whole bunch of terrorists.]  In addition to the points above, the Gov't of Turkey is fighting ISIS...and fighting the Kurds, too...who happen to be fighting ISIS.  Certain leaders in the world seem to have lost their minds.

6.  The Taliban in Afghanistan now control more territory than they ever have since the US invasion.  So much for interfering in a civil war...and so much for "nation-building".

7.  Iraq now essentially is a failed State.  Ditto the last sentence above.

8.  The General in charge of the US program to train "moderates" to fight ISIS in Syria either has been or is going to be promoted.  The program was a complete failure.  About 5,000 were to be trained and equipped.  Five or so were put into battle; in short order they all were killed or captured...along with their weapons.

9.  Obama and most Republicans continue to push for approval of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).  Most Americans appear to be either oblivious to the Agreement/Treaty or against it.  The smallest bit of research should reveal to anyone that the TPP is bad news for average people.  It benefits only the Rich and Powerful.  For any politician to claim that it will make us more competitive and increase the number of jobs here is utter nonsense at best, and a bald-faced lie at worst.

10.  The War on Cash is well underway.  Under Civil Asset Forfeiture Laws here, any significant amount of cash on you now can be seized by Law Enforcement...without you being charged with anything.  The reason?  It's "suspicious".  In addition, the Powers-That-Be are pushing for a move to a cashless society.  One of the reasons is to prevent bank runs in the case of an economic/financial collapse.  Another reason:  those same Powers then will know, because of the National Surveillance State, every single purchase you make...or at least, they will have access to those records.  Consumer privacy will be gone.  I foresee a day when, if you use any cash at all, you'll most likely be deemed a "financial terrorist" or a run-of-the-mill criminal.

11.  The Police State in the USA continues.  Examples:  the Civil Asset Forfeiture Laws cited above; FBI Agents now writing their own Search Warrants (euphemistically titled "National Security Letters")...our Constitution is clear---a Judge must sign a Search Warrant; monitoring of people not even under investigation (the National Surveillance State); the militarization of local Police [a problem because the Police then act as though all citizens are their enemy...they have to, it's policy, it's "safe" procedure]; the almost unrestrained use of TASERs...which have killed people; shooting people in the back...for minor infractions [e.g., a homeless guy in New Mexico was camping outside of town...he turned to walk away from the cops & they killed him]; and many other examples.

12.  The Mega Banks, Mega Hedge Funds, and Mega Insurance Corporations have created, bought, and sold "Swaps" (Credit Default Swaps) to the tune of $550 trillion.  [The entire world's annual GDP is about $75 trillion.]  These Swaps do not make up all of the bizarre financial derivatives out in the Market (that total is about $1.25 quadrillion), but they are the ones that supposedly act as "insurance" against defaults on various contracts.  Should that Swap Bubble burst, as many reputable economists all across the political spectrum say it will, the whole world will be plunged into a Great Depression.  Who benefitted from the sale of these Swaps?  Oligarchs did...in the billions and billions...and billions.

13.  About 95% of world commerce is conducted either in dollars, the Pound, the Euro, or the Yen.  Every one of those currencies purposely is being debased (devalued).  That causes inflation in countries that don't have those as their currency...the emerging Markets, such as China, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brazil, etc.  Because of that, China is engaged in a Currency War with us...and because of that (and other reasons), the dollar's status as the world's reserve currency most likely will not last much longer.  Our Gov't tends to denigrate and blame China for all this.  The fact is, China is only protecting itself and its economy.  The U.S. is doing what many countries historically have done when they have way too much debt:  our Gov't, in a de facto way, is purposely debasing the dollar in order to cope with a massive debt...a debt that never will be repaid in full.  All gov'ts know that's what's happening.  My point here is this:  inflation is a currency event, not a price event.  In 1961, I bought a pair of Levi jeans for $3.95; the price of jeans now is anywhere from about $25 to $40.  In 1961, cigarettes were 25 cents a pack; now they're anywhere from $4 to $8 a pack.  That's because the U.S. dollar is worth less; it has been debased for decades via creating "money" out of thin air.  The chickens are finally coming home to roost, and the Fed Reserve is out of ammunition.

14.  Whether Democrats or Republicans are in power in the United States, Edward Bernays style Propaganda reigns supreme regarding war, the economy, and the "value" of the Rich and Powerful.  Again, please heed the words of Warren Buffett:  "We are in a Class War in this country, and unfortunately, my Class is winning.".  A big Amen to that, Warren.
..............................................................
Yes, I would say Humankind is in dire need of a Second Age of Enlightenment.
Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Quagmires and Plain Craziness, in the USA and Abroad

1.  Our Gov't continues its two and a half decade war in Iraq.  If I recall correctly, that war started in 1990.  There were a few brief respites between then & now, but not many.  [I count "sanctions" as acts of war... because History does as well.]  Just prior to 1990, Saddam & our Gov't Oligarchs were best buddies.  He was taken OFF the Terrorist Watch List by Reagan, I think it was, because Iraq was in a war with Iran.  We continue on in Iraq not because of "spreading democracy" or "fighting terrorism" or whatever the current excuse may be, but rather because our access to Iraq's oil is not yet secure.

2.  Similarly, our Gov't continues to wage war (Gov't Oligarchs call it "counter-terrorism") in Afghanistan because geologists estimate that a one trillion dollar bonanza in minerals lies under the ground there.  [Some of those minerals are rare and just about mined-out everywhere else.]  The U.S. Gov't wants to secure access to that bonanza.

3.  Our President continues to meet every Tuesday with some number of other Executive Branch outlaws in order to choose which people to murder in "counter-terrorism" drone attacks.  [In most cases, such people are SUSPECTS.]  Again, I point out that such action by the Executive Branch is a direct violation of the U.S. Constitution.  One of the clauses in Article I, Section 8 clearly states that Letters of Marque and Reprisal (assassination orders) are to be issued by the Congress.  The Executive has no authority in that area.  Being Commander-in-Chief never has meant that the President gets to ignore some parts of the Supreme Law of the Land.

4.  Our Govt's Terrorist Watch List (or whatever the hack politicians call it) is completely illegal.  Admittedly, I'm not an attorney...thank Buddha-Mind (or "God", if you prefer); however, I do have a fairly good grasp of Logic and I'm very familiar with the Constitution.  I say that List is illegal because it accuses and harms people without them knowing about it until it's too late.  Plus, there's no appeal, no recourse, no chance to defend oneself.  You are deemed guilty until the Gov't changes its mind.  That whole scenario is not fair, just, or legal.  It's one more piece of evidence that we are in a Soft Fascist State.

5.  The Gov't of Turkey is now bombing both ISIS and the Kurds in northern Iraq, the same Kurds who are fighting ISIS.  Institutional idiocy.

6.  The Gov't of Germany (the richest country in Europe), along with the European Central Bank and others (including Hedge Funds), have refused to write-down Greece's debt to a point where it can be repaid.  After WW I, that's exactly the break that Germany got relative to its debt.  That's why, prior to Hitler, Germany was at the pinnacle of European culture and productivity.  The Germans were able to recover from WW I because their debt was reduced by their creditors.  [By the way, some portion of Greece's debt has been purchased at discounted prices by Hedge Funds, which stand to benefit greatly from the "Austerity" being imposed upon Greece.]  So now, pensions in Greece are being reduced to about $94 per month.  Public infrastructure will be sold to mega corporations.  Taxes will be raised in an already devastated economy.  Way to go, Germany, et. al.  Save the rich creditors, ruin Greece.  Great plan.

7.  The Police State in the USA continues on.  Read the headlines.  Plus, because cities & counties have lost so much tax revenue (due to Oligarchs moving manufacturing out of our country), in some places a driver can be ticketed & fined for having anything hanging from the rear view mirror...such as a deodorizer or a chain.  Then, too, there is Civil Asset Forfeiture.  With no charge, no indictment, no trial, nothing, your cash and other property can be seized by police because it's "suspicious".  For example, a significant amount of cash can be taken from you because the cop suspects that you may buy drugs with it...probable cause is not required.  Another example:  if you have certain tools in your car, they can be taken with no due process... because the cop thinks you're going to commit a burglary with them.  Have mercy.

8.  Saudi Arabia continues to behead people for "crimes" such as sorcery and blasphemy.  These barbarians are our allies, folks.  Again, have mercy.  Never mind that the State there sponsors the most radical form of Sunni Islam (Wahhabism) in existence... they behead people for "crimes" such as blasphemy and adultery.  Wake up, DC politicos.

9.  Obama continues to deny that his wars are war at all.  Instead, they are deemed "counter-terrorism".  Orwell would be proud.  The Constitution is clear about who can put this country at war... and it's not the President.  It appears, though, that very few Americans care whether or not our "leader" is violating the Supreme Law of the Land.  Amazing.

10.  It looks as though most Americans are gearing up for the phony national election next year.  For eight years, I've used this blog to detail why our whole political scene is a farce... so I won't repeat myself now.

Not just my opinion.  Be Well

The Neoimperialism & Neoliberalism of the Fed Government Oligarchs

Gooooood Morning, Iraaaaaaaaaaq!

How bizarre.  Is there no end to the gullibility of We the People?  Really?

Hermann Goering stated the following during the Nuremberg Trials:
"Naturally the common people don't want war: Neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, IT IS THE LEADERS of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is TELL THEM THEY ARE BEING ATTACKED, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. IT WORKS THE SAME IN ANY COUNTRY." (emphasis added)

"...drag the people along...", indeed.  Apparently it's especially easy in the USA.

Some observations and questions for the Oligarchs in DC---
1.  Syria is in a civil war.  Iraq is in a civil war.  Vietnam was in a civil war.  Do you really expect us to believe that you haven't learned the lessons of Vietnam?  Of course there are differences amongst these wars, but the similarities ---especially with Iraq and Vietnam--- are very significant.
2.  After more than a decade of "training Iraqi troops" & police, we're back there ONLY to do that again.  Are we supposed to believe that?  What happens if & when Iraqi troops on the ground can't ever complete the job of defending their country?
3.  Several U.S. transnational oil companies currently are operating in Northern Iraq (Kurdistan), but that has little or nothing to do with the current escalation of U.S. involvement.  Do you really expect us to believe that?
4.  "There are no combat troops in Iraq...only trainers and advisors."  Really?  ALL troops are potential combat troops.  
5.  What happens when one or more of these "trainers" gets killed by a mortar round, or a suicide bomber, or a roadside bomb, or a rifle bullet?  Will that be an excuse for even more U.S. involvement?  And then more?
6.  After you "degrade" or "suppress" or defeat ISIS, do you think they might simply fade back into the woodwork only to reappear later...again and again?  If you recognize that, is that a dandy excuse for Perpetual War?
7.  I missed it.  When/where was it that the Constitution allowed Congress to abrogate its war-making authority...and that became the purview of the President?  Exactly in which clause in the Supreme Law of the Land is that found?  I've studied the Constitution for over half a century, and I can't find that clause.
8.  Are the War Contractors (facetiously named "Defense" contractors) happy with the almost 800 U.S. air strikes and the recent doubling down of U.S. troops in Iraq?  Perhaps they need more.
9.  How many innocent civilians have been killed or maimed by our strikes lately?
10.  What happens if a U.S. plane gets shot down?  Will that be an excuse for even more U.S. involvement?  And then more?
11.  Are you aware that in the last few years 8,000 (probably more) combat vets per year have committed suicide either during or after their service?  [That means more have died by suicide than by combat in Iraq and Afghanistan.]
12.  Do you really believe that we don't know that all this actually is about Transnational BIG Business?  You're not fooling many of us.  How could you?  It's right out in the open.  For the most part, you don't even try to hide it.
...............................................................
There is a better way.  Oligarchs can be peacefully dethroned.  Step One:  stop drinking the Propaganda Kool Aid.  Keep in mind that with Neoimperialism and Neoliberalism, Oligarchs don't have to permanently occupy a land in order to control the government of that land.  If you haven't yet, please read Confessions of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins and Dirty Wars by Jeremy Scahill...both New York Times bestsellers...or search for those fellows on YouTube.  You'll get an education on the phony politics of today.

Not just my opinion.  Be Well

Obama's Wars = NeoCon, Kabuki Theater

On Democracy Now!, Jeremy Scahill (author of the NYT bestseller, Dirty Wars) described Obama's drone wars as "Kabuki Theater".  He implicitly referred to the Iraqi-Syrian ISIS War as the same.  Mr. Scahill is right on the money.  Let's also include the War in Afghanistan, the present purpose of which is unclear to just about everyone.  Any group having anything to do with 9-11 has left Afghanistan long ago.

Almost three years ago, Democracy Now! ran a clip of General Wesley Clark relating a story of his visit to the Pentagon just after 9-11.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8YtF76s-yM  An old colleague of his, another General, pulled him into his office and said that we were going to invade Iraq.  Clark asked "Why?", and his friend replied, "I don't know."...sometime later, General Clark was back visiting his friend and learned that the NeoCons at the highest levels had plans to invade seven Muslim countries and institute regime change.  Iraq, Syria, Libya, and Somalia were on that list.  So was Iran.  Such plans violate both the U.S. Constitution and International Law.

Enter Barack Obama, the Peace candidate in 2008...the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009.  The guy  was going to protect whistleblowers, close Guantanamo, institute a transparent Administration, restore credibility to the Executive Branch, and end wars.  This 2009 winner of the Nobel Peace Prize has bombed and/or launched missiles into Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Yemen, Libya, Somalia, and Syria.  [You couldn't make up this stuff if you tried.]  His war activities aren't that much different from those of the previous NeoCons...the guys who say he's a "socialist".  Obama, the fellow who protects mega bankers from prosecution, is the best friend of the private defense industry, and expands war to the point where it's perpetual...supposedly is a socialist.  Looks to me as though he's closer to being a NeoCon than anything else.  He's a lover of Crony Capitalism.  [His vaunted Obamacare is nothing more or less than a bailout of mega health insurance companies.  The "Leftist" Roosevelt Institute said exactly that in one of their analyses.]

Meanwhile, the Constitution is being violated, war "authorizations" either nonexistent ["...as Commander-in-Chief..."] or long expired ["...the Iraq War Resolution..."] are used to wage Perpetual War, the meanings of key terms (such as "imminent" and "war") are totally changed, innocent people are being killed, and phony threats are manufactured.  Jeremy Scahill thinks no one in Syria even has heard of the "Khorasan" Group.  If it does exist, best estimates are that the very few members are leaders of Al-Qaida...hardly a NEW threat, and no more of an "imminent" danger than they've been for years.

Kabuki Theater for sure.  Not just my opinion.  Be Well

Obama's Lies Increase in Size and Number

https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2014/09/28/u-s-officials-invented-terror-group-justify-bombing-syria/

If it weren't so tragic, it would be absolutely comical.
1.  A President decides that he (alone, all by himself) can launch a war.
2.  Problem:  The Constitution says otherwise.  [The NYT's editorial board agrees.]
3.  Problem:  ISIS is not currently a threat to the U.S. or its allies...except for Iraq, which is finally supposed to be defending itself...and is now engaged in a civil war.
4.  Problem:  the public is sick to death of unending wars.
5.  Problem:  this war has no U.N. backing either...just like Bush's war.
6.  Problem:  mid-term elections are approaching.
7.  Solution---
WALLA!...Wallah!...Viola!---
There's a new Boogie-Man, more horrible than ISIS, and he's coming to get us!
Any day now!
[Even if that were true, it's a Law Enforcement issue.  Besides, History has demonstrated that a military cannot defeat a terrorist organization.  Remember British Palestine and the Jewish Irgun?  Remember Batista and Castro?  Remember Iraq?  In the longest war in our history, have we yet defeated the Taliban in Afghanistan?]

The propaganda for this new, current years-long war should be obvious to even the most die-hard Obama worshipper, Fed Gov't lover, and Oligarchy apologist.  Come on, people don't really believe this load of crap, do they?  It's interesting now that the illegal war has been launched, officials and the Corporate Media have backed off concerning the immediacy of the new threat.  Big surprise...not.

By the way, The Intercept website is unique in that the Fed Gov't has banned its employees from reading anything on it.  That's a bit like book-burning.  Be aware that if you read the article above, most likely you'll run a risk of being considered a "potential terrorist" by the largest terrorist group in the world--- the highest levels of the U.S. Fed Gov't.  Of course, you'll be the wrong kind of potential terrorist.  Many of us feel that we're free to read whatever the hell we want to in this country, so we go to the site daily.  You may not want to take that risk... unless you really desire some independent, non-corporate news.  [The Gov't hasn't banned Democracy Now! yet; you also can get non-corporate news there.]

Meanwhile, we're bombing both ISIS and Al Qaida (the Nusra Front) targets in Syria, two groups who hate each other and are rivals.  Plus, Human Rights Watch (a fairly conservative rights-watch-group) is calling for an investigation into a U.S. Tomahawk missile strike that allegedly killed five children and wounded other civilians.  If it happened that way, once again your tax dollars are killing children...not 500, as in Gaza, but even ONE is too many.

Lastly, the Republicans, the other branch of the Mega Transnational Corporatist Party in the U.S., are no better.  The Oligarchy rules.

Be Well  
p.s.  I love this Land, but Democrats and Republicans have subverted our Gov't to the point where it's now a soft Fascist Police State primarily serving mega, transnational CORPORATIONS at the expense of the rest of us.  We can end this abomination peacefully.  STEP ONE:  stop drinking the Propaganda Kool Aid.

Obama Should be Impeached for...

violating the Constitution and his Oath to preserve, protect, and defend it.  Finally, a Law Professor and the editorial board of the NYT  have the same assessment of the Constitution as I do.  At least now someone does... publicly.  [See link below.]

So, why aren't the Repubs all over this?  Probably because they want the same illegal power that Obama has.  They, too, have ignored the Constitution... and they want to be able to do it again relative to war.

As I've said more than once, at the highest levels we have an OUTLAW Fed Gov't.  There's no question about that...none whatsoever.  Both political parties violate the U.S. Constitution... especially in regard to war.

http://reason.com/blog/2014/09/12/obamas-war-on-isis-betrays-the-constitut?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reason%2FHitandRun+%28Reason+Online+-+Hit+%26+Run+Blog%29   

Let's be perfectly clear:  the Executive Branch has NO Constitutional authority to put this nation at war.  Legally, only the Congress can do that.  The Commander-in-Chief cannot legally ignore parts of the Constitution just because he's the Head Honcho of the military.  What has been done relative to war by various Administrations ever since the end of WW II is blatantly unconstitutional.  In addition, the War Powers Act does not supercede the Supreme Law of the Land; Congress must declare war.

Not just my opinion.  Be Well      

p.s.  Reason.com is a biased source, but I cited the piece because it reported the unprecedented view of the NYT's editorial board.  [The NYT agrees that Obama's ISIS war violates the U.S. Constitution.] Lastly, in the interest of accuracy, the NYT's editorial board (or perhaps it's Reason.com---hard to tell the way the article is written) has the following technical error in its opinion. It refers to "Article 8" concerning the fact that the Congress declares war.  It's not Article 8, but rather Article 1, SECTION 8.  

Problems with Obama's War Actions, and War Propaganda from the State-Corporate Complex

1.  The White House (via their Press Secretary) declared war on ISIS; this despite the fact that the Executive Branch has no Constitutional authority to do so.

2.  As in the period leading up to the Second Iraq War (2003), the public essentially is presented with two choices:  do nothing, or go to war.  Diplomatic proposals---involving Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia, even Russia and others---are almost nonexistent.  Cutting off funding to ISIS (coming mostly from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait) is nowhere to be found.  Sanctions...nonexistent.  Kerry's efforts appear to be gauged toward military coalitions only.  Perpetual War grinds on.

3.  Obama now claims "authority" (to [illegally] bomb inside Syria) from two War "Resolutions":  the "War on Terror" and the Iraq War Resolutions of 10+ yrs ago.  Those are derived from the War Powers Resolution Act---aka, the War Powers Act---of 1973.  It's a Legislative Act that contradicts the Constitution.  As I've pointed out many times, laws do not supercede the United States Constitution.  Oligarchs, both in and out of our Gov't, use the War Powers Act to bypass the constraints of the Constitution; that's been going on for decades.  This all means that Obama's "authority", just like Bush's "authority" was, is illegal and unconstitutional.  Unfortunately, apparently We the People (aided by Propaganda from the Oligarchy) have come to believe that a "good end" justifies any means.

4.  James Foley's mother has decried Obama's use of her son's death as an excuse for launching yet another war in the region.  Furthermore, though the murders of both Foley and Sotloff were brutal, barbaric, and tragic, they posed no threat to the United States.  The FBI has gone overseas in the past to investigate the murders of American citizens, and should do so now.  It's a Law Enforcement issue.

5.  The Free Syrian Army, a "moderate" group opposing Assad, recently beheaded six people they had captured.  This is the rebel group that Obama and Kerry claim we need to support.  The point:  there are atrocities on both sides.  In addition, I recently pointed out that the Gov't of Saudi Arabia executed 113 criminals in the last couple months by beheading them.  In that area of the world, apparently beheading is considered an acceptable means of execution.

6.  The average, nonmilitary Sunni in Iraq has seen Sunnis arrested, tortured, displaced, fired from jobs for no good reason, etc., etc. by the U.S.-backed, former Gov't of al-Maliki.  Though the Iraqi Sunnis may abhor the tactics of ISIS, they tend to be drawn to them because of the post-war history of Shiites and Sunnis in Iraq.  Now they see the U.S. Gov't bombing more Sunnis (ISIS).  The point:  it's a civil and sectarian war...and none of our business.  [That's not Isolationism, it's Non-Interventionism...the difference between the two is important.]

7.  The pro-war pundits on cable networks such as Fox, CNN, and MSNBC are presented as former Generals, military experts, etc. (which is true).  What's left out is the fact that they currently work for various Defense contractors who stand to benefit greatly from the Third Iraq War.  Examples:  General Jack Keene and General Anthony Zinni.

8.  Common sense should tell anyone that fighting ISIS inside Syria helps the brutal Assad regime.  [This is not rocket science, people...it's simple logic.]

9.  It's important to recognize that Obama and the State-Corporate Complex know precisely what they are doing.  They know they are violating the Constitution.  They know they have no business in a civil war.  They know innocent people are being and will be killed.  They know that the American public mind must be molded to accept yet another stupid war.  They know who will benefit---mega transnational corporations.

10.  None of this is a "conspiracy".  For crying out loud, it's in plain sight.  War is BIG Business--- just ask General Dynamics, General Electric, the Carlyle Group, Halliburton, Exxon-Mobile, CACI, the former Blackwater (now under a new name), McDonnell-Douglas, etc., ad infinitum.  Follow the money.

Partly just my opinion.  Be Well

Obama Says He's Using "Existing Authority" for...

sending war planes into Syria.  Really, Mr. Obama?  What exactly is that existing authority?  The military cannot be used legally to avenge the murders of journalists; that's a matter for Law Enforcement.  In a previous post, I've explained the Constitutionally permitted uses of our armed forces, and the current scenario definitely is NOT included.  The War Powers Act does not supercede the Constitution, so that law is not applicable; no other law trumps the Supreme Law of the Land either.  Being "Commander-in-Chief" does not permit you to ignore other parts of the Constitution, so that's no good as your "authority" to, as you put it, "ignore borders".  [You really have some HUBRIS, eh?]

That leaves only Treaties as a source of authorization.  Do we have such a Treaty with Syria?  I doubt it very seriously.  If we do, perhaps you could show it to We the People.  Perhaps our Treaty with Iraq comes into play; but then, Syria is not attacking Iraq.  Perhaps you could show us that Treaty anyway.  On second thought, forget it.  I've never seen you use a Treaty for any similar "authorization" or scenario.  By the way, in case you've forgotten, a Treaty must be approved by a minimum of 67 Senators; any "Agreement" signed by the highest levels of our Gov't that doesn't have that approval is NOT a Treaty.  So, for example, NAFTA is not a Treaty; only 64 Senators approved it.  It's mere policy.  It does not have the approval of the People.

You stated (paraphrased) that anyone who harms Americans will be hunted down...there will be no safe haven anywhere for them.  Good for you.  If, however, you were talking about the murdered journalists, you have a big problem regarding your propagandizing rhetoric.  See the first paragraph above.  If you were talking about the 5,000 Americans working at our Embassy in Iraq, I don't believe any of them have been harmed at this point.

You announced that we won't bother the Syrian Gov't when we [illegally] bomb their land...that we're simply going to support the "moderate" rebels who supposedly are fighting ISIS.  These are the same rebels our Gov't has been covertly arming for some time now.  Also, as reported on Democracy Now, these are the same rebels who sold one of the murdered journalists to ISIS for about $50,000.  The poor man's parents announced that at a recent Press conference.  I imagine you were hoping that not too many Americans saw that one.  Ooops.

Mr. President, a studied look into your eyes while you made your latest announcement seemed to me to reveal nothing but oligarchical double-talk, Gov't-Speak, and Edward Bernays style Propaganda.  I only can conclude that you apparently believe We the People are either dumb as a post, completely ignorant, or propagandized to the point where we no longer can exercise critical thinking.

What you are doing in Iraq, and proposing to do in Syria, is illegal, definitely unconstitutional, unethical, and bordering on immoral.  Among other things, it violates International Law.  Oh, I forgot, the Fed Gov't has exempted itself from International Law many, many times.  After all, you guys are "exceptional".  Yes, you should protect Americans.  That doesn't mean, however, you are allowed to go beyond the bounds of the U. S. Constitution.  It doesn't mean you legally can invade another country just because it's convenient.  I'm aware that many other Presidents have done so in the past.  You may believe so, but that's no justifiable excuse.

Like other "Peace candidates"---LBJ, Nixon, Clinton---you've turned out to be a fraud, a puppet of the mega transnational corporations...as John Pilger characterized you, "Brand Obama".  As Noam Chomsky stated, "He's much worse than Bush."...he was referring to your peace v. war stance.  Basically, you're a sellout.  Shame on you.

Partly just my opinion... after over 50 years of keenly observing and studying American politics... and the U.S. Constitution.
Be Well

Obama's Trial Balloon, RE: Syria

Brand Obama recently sent up a trial balloon regarding bombing inside Syria... to see the reaction of the U.S. public.  This type of thing is done often by sitting politicians.  Even in dictatorships, but especially in a soft Fascist State such as the USA (where we still have considerable freedoms), public opinion does matter.  The DC Cronies, mostly via the Corporate Media, put forth an idea that is illegal and unconstitutional to see if the "meddlesome outsiders", the "bewildered herd", the "ignorant masses" (that's you and me) will raise any sort of objection or protest.

There appears to be little or no doubt that ISIS members are vicious, brutal fanatics.  But that's not the issue regarding attacking inside Syria.  The issue is this:  what are the permitted and Constitutional uses of the U.S. military?  So-called Conservatives (which now means NeoCons) and so-called "Liberals" (which now means Moderate Republicans) in our Fed Gov't apparently believe that the phrase "Commander-in-Chief" means that the President can do whatever he pleases with our Armed Forces.  They also appear to believe that the War Powers Act trumps the Constitution.  None of that is true.

What is being proposed relative to Syria is somewhat similar to Nixon's illegal and secret bombing of Cambodia during the Vietnam Conflict.  [It was first called a "Conflict" by the DC Cronies because they knew that the Constitution required a Declaration of War...which they hadn't bothered with, just as with the Korean "Conflict".]  The primary difference with Obama's Syrian proposal (trial balloon) is that it's not SECRET.  Oligarchs don't much feel the need for a lot of secrecy anymore [there are many exceptions to that] because they figure that the "bewildered herd" (that's us) is so thoroughly propagandized and distracted that secrecy mostly is no longer needed...in some subject areas.

Let's be clear:  bombing, attacking, shooting missiles into another country without a Declaration of War by the Congress is illegal and unconstitutional.  Anyone who can read and has an IQ of at least 100 knows that... unless they are so propagandized by the Oligarchy that they no longer can think critically.  It doesn't matter how vicious the enemy is, it doesn't matter that the President is Commander-in-Chief.  What matters is:  what are the requirements and limitations imposed by the U.S. Constitution?  They are stated CLEARLY in the document.  Parts of it are long-winded, but it's written with clarity.

It appears that both Liberals AND NeoCons have adopted the belief that the Constitution must be adapted to modern times...without the use of Amendments.  We'll just read into it what we must in order to conform to modern-day life.  That belief is not only tragic, but downright comical as well.  There is no such provision in the Constitution.  To change it, it must be formally amended or completely re-written.  No other ways are permitted.  It also appears that both Liberals AND NeoCons do not understand that our Gov't is one of Enumerated Powers (Google it).

I, of course, am convinced that all the DC Cronies (the Gang of 535) know better.  They understand the limitations imposed by the Supreme Law of the Land on the Fed Gov't perfectly well.  They simply ignore those limitations... and get away with it.  Because of that, the U.S. Fed Gov't (at the highest levels) has become the largest terrorist operation in the world.  You don't think so?  Perhaps you should ask Pakistan, a country which is not at war with the USA but one where Hellfire missiles are fired from U.S. drones at SUSPECTS.  Or perhaps you should ask the Gazans, civilians who were bombed by U.S. equipment (stamped "Israel" on the side, or something similar).  Your tax dollars helped kill about 500 children just recently.  Perhaps you should ask Sunni civilians in Iraq?  Perhaps you should ask the democratically elected governments around the world that were overthrown by covert U.S. help.  [Just prior to Allende being overthrown on 9-11-73, Kissinger told Nixon (two crazy people in a conference) that Chile---because it had elected Allende---was "a virus that could spread throughout Latin America".  The coup was then engineered.]  Perhaps you should ask the countries that were placed under "sanction" by the U.S. Gov't, in some cases resulting in the deaths of children.  Madeline Albright once essentially stated that "it [punishing Iraq with sanctions] was worth the price" [the death of hundreds of thousands of children in Iraq].  Killing children, either directly or indirectly, is terrorism in my book.

ISIS was founded as a direct result of the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, the years-long occupation by the U.S., and the so-called "collateral damage" inflicted upon Iraqis.  Whenever we do such things, it's not terrorism...but when they do it, it is terrorism.  Hypocrisy.  According to all our Presidents, other countries must abide by International Law; but our Gov't has exempted itself time and again from any prosecution by the International Criminal Court.  Finally, ISIS is a threat primarily to other Muslims, especially Shiites; the only reason it threatened the USA is because we attacked them FIRST (with the start of America's Third Iraq War a short while ago).

It would be great if Americans would deflate Obama's Syrian trial balloon.

Be Well

Whose Sarin?...and Good News

Thank Buddha-Mind (or "God", if you prefer) for journalists such as the Pulitzer Prize winner, Seymour Hersh.  In case you missed it, and as reported in depth on the 12-9-13 newscast of Democracy Now, Hersh has an article out that challenges the Fed Govt's assertion that it was "preposterous" to believe that anyone other than Assad launched the sarin gas attack in Syria not long ago.  "Preposterous" was the exact word used by the White House.  Here's the story in a nutshell---

1.  Hersh's unnamed sources, people in the Pentagon and the intelligence community, outraged by not only the misleading statements coming from the White House, but also by the unconstitutionality of the whole war proposal, revealed that Obama's claim that the attack had to have been launched by the Assad regime was nowhere near a certainty.

2.  There are well over 1,000 jihadist groups opposing Assad, and at least a couple of them have sarin-launching capability.

3.  Our Fed Gov't has in place some sort of passive sensors that indicate whenever the Syrian Army starts messing around with sarin gas.  Those sensors indicated nothing, no action, during the time just prior to the attacks.  [NOTE--- Sarin gas cannot be stored; it's too volatile, too reactive, and it degrades very quickly.  Only its component chemicals can be stored, then mixed just prior to use.]

Obama completely screwed up with his (paraphrased) "Syria must not cross the red line" pronouncement, but he used that plus the misinformation regarding the sarin attacks to attempt to get us into another war.  Why?  In my opinion, the answer is clear and the evidence of it is overwhelming.

War is business...BIG business.  The Corporatocracy, or Oligarchy, owns (lock, stock, and barrel) about 99% of all the elected officials in our Outlaw Fed Gov't.  [I refer to them as outlaws because they violate their constitutional oath of office on an almost daily basis.  I once saw a YouTube video clip in which a House member flat out stated, "Half of what we do is unconstitutional.  What's the big deal?"...they violate the Supreme Law of the Land, and don't care.]  As Lord Acton pointed out long ago, power corrupts.  Despite popular opinion to the contrary, I believe that Obama (like most all politicians in DC) is in the hip pocket of BIG Business.  That idea certainly was not original with me.  I first heard it from Left-leaning scholars such as Noam Chomsky, and socialists such as the Australian documentarian, John Pilger... and others.  As a result, I did my own research; the evidence is indisputable.

This is an essay, not a research paper.  I don't have the time or energy to again look up and cite all those references.  If you're interested, do your own digging.  Here's a tiny start:  in his first bid for President, Obama received more campaign donations from the speculative bankers on Wall Street than did McCain.  That's a fact.  It may not "prove" anything, but it's very suggestive, and when viewed with all the other evidence, results in the conclusion that there's about a 99% degree of probability that the man is a corporatist.

 The President did not succeed in getting us into another war.  Perhaps a small part of the reason for that failure was due to the American People saying, in essence, what a dumb idea.  But that wasn't the main reason.  Nor was it because Putin came up with a nonviolent approach to the Syrian problem.  Obama and Putin don't like each other, that's obvious to anyone.  I easily can imagine that Obama was somewhat humiliated by going the Putin route relative to Syria.  The main reason for the President's failure, according to Hersh, was that he couldn't continue on with the misleading justification for launching another war...because some people in the Pentagon and the intelligence community were saying that the evidence was weak.  There was no solid case.

The fact is, no one yet knows with any certainty who launched the sarin gas attacks in Syria.  We may never know.  The important point here is that yet another President believed he had the power to put us at war with a country that had not attacked us or even threatened us.  There is zero constitutional authority for the President to do such a thing...there was no invasion of our land, no insurrection here, and no one here was defying any Law of the Land.  Those scenarios are the only ones that can bring forth constitutionally permitted use of the military.  Without a constitutional Amendment, nothing else qualifies.  The DC Outlaws completely ignore the Constitution in that regard...they've been doing it for decades.

You may or may not have noticed, since the Syrian debacle, the Corporate Media have begun to turn against Obama.  Little things so far, just hints of displeasure, but it looks to me like a trend is developing.  The warmongers didn't get what they wanted.  Mega, transnational corporations of many types benefit greatly from the Business of War.

This piece should not be construed as in any way excusing Assad or "picking on" Obama.  I'm not a Republican or a Democrat; in fact, I believe that whole paradigm is a farce, nothing but propaganda.  I have a Science background...am well versed in the Scientific Method of Inquiry.  Am simply making observations and drawing a few conclusions.  I was just as hard on Bush, Clinton, Daddy Bush, and even Reagan.  By digging just a little, I think it's fairly conclusive that the Oligarchy rules this country.

In conclusion, I heartily recommend that everyone view the online Hersh interview on Democracy Now, December 9, 2013.  Unfortunately, Obama is just another in a long line of political frauds.

Just my opinion.

Throw Out the Constitution...

because ignoring it has the same effect.
One thing is glaringly obvious regarding the discussion about Syria & the authority to attack: no politician in DC and no one in the Corporate Media has said much of anything (perhaps nothing) about the Constitution. Instead, we hear about "precedents", the War Powers Act, Humanitarian imperatives, etc. There's a very good reason for that. Nowhere in the SUPREME Law of the Land is power delegated to the Fed Gov't to attack a country that is no threat to the USA and has not attacked us. If I'm wrong about that, I'd like to see anyone in the Gov't or anyone in the Corporate Media point out exactly where that power is enumerated in the Constitution.

I'm not asking commenters on various public forums to show me the constitutional authority... because my experience with comments there the last few days has shown me that (if those forums are representative samples of Americans' constitutional knowledge) most Americans nowadays know almost nothing about how this Republic is supposed to operate legally.

Someone needs to tell "Bomb-Bomb-Iran" McCain that the War Powers Act, along with every other LAW, does NOT supercede the Constitution. If Laws trumped the SUPREME Law of the Land, there would be no point at all in having a Constitution. For decades, the puppets in DC have ignored the Constitution at will. Not long ago, I saw a clip on YouTube in which a Congressman (can't remember his name) said to an interviewer, "Half of what we do is unconstitutional. What's the big deal?". That pretty much says it for politicians.

The Supreme Law of the Land is crystal clear on the permitted uses of the military, there are only three...1. To execute the laws of the land (as in the case of the Whiskey Rebellion in the mid-1790s). 2. To repel invasions. 3. To quell insurrections. [Numbers 1 & 3 appear to be so similar that in the last 50 years I've usually said there are only two permitted uses.] People sometimes retort that this is modern-day America; all that old stuff is completely out-of-date. Perhaps so; that's why there are two mechanisms for updating the Constitution---the Amendment process and the Constitutional Convention. Both were purposely designed to be cumbersome...changing the Supreme Law of the Land should not be easy.  For a time, the DC puppets did use the Amendment process to update the Supreme Law, but then they quit. It was easier to pass laws. They gambled that the American public would not know the difference; apparently, they won.  I guess it never occurred to the Founders that We the People would allow our servant government to ignore the Constitution.

The Commander-in-Chief is constrained by the permitted uses of the military enumerated in the Constitution. I've been appalled to read or sometimes hear people say something like: The Constitution doesn't prohibit the President (or anyone in Gov't) from doing thus-&-such; therefore he/she/they can do it. We are a Gov't of Enumerated Powers [Google it]; the enumeration of things that the Gov't can do IS the prohibition. Creating a comprehensive list of prohibitions would be impossible---the list would be endless. [Isn't American Government taught in schools anymore?]

President Obama claims to be a constitutional scholar; I see no evidence of that at all. Or, if he is one, then he's deceiving the public. Again, I challenge ANYONE in Gov't or the Media to show me legitimate, constitutional authority for attacking Syria...constitutional authority. Anyone in Gov't or the Corporate Media.  [I'm not naive enough to expect a response.]   I like Woody Allen's old joke:  I feel much better now that I've given up hope.  :)