It's Not Fake News - It's Incomplete News

Anyone who has followed this blog for the last twelve years knows that I'm no fan of the Corporate Media, aka, the Mainstream Media.  Unlike the Trumpistas, however, my reasons for that dislike are grounded in reality rather than the psychological gaslighting of the current Oval Office Occupier.

A "free press" is known as the Fourth Estate, and it serves a valuable function in our society:  making sure that government is accountable and transparent.  In many/most democratic countries (including the USA), the Corporate Media comprise the Fourth Estate.  Over many decades, their failure has given rise to the Fifth Estate:  "acceptable" critics of the Fourth Estate.  Examples here would be:  PBS, NPR, The Intercept, Democracy Now, Reason.com, BillMoyers.com, David Stockman, Jim Rickards, Paul Craig Roberts, and many, many others.

Fake News does exist, but it's very rare and put out by pretty much unknown nutcakes.  One exception:  probably 99.999% of all Fake News (originating in the USA) comes from a well-known person--- our Fake President.  It's not a practice of the Corporate Media.  Their sin is putting out Incomplete News, and being mouthpieces for the Crony Capitalists and Corporatists in government.  Examples follow.

I'll exaggerate for effect.  When the Jobs Report comes out, it is reported something like this:  "The Labor Dept. reports that a gazillion jobs were added last month.  That will boost our current booming economy.  Blah-blah-blah.".  What's left out is the following.  How many of those jobs are temporary, or part-time, or both?  How many are low-paying?  How many have any associated benefits to speak of?  How many people still are grossly underemployed?  Another example:  "The economy is booming this year...blah-blah-blah.".  What's left out is---booming for whom?  In fact, there are two economies in the USA:  the one that's booming encompasses only the top 15-20% or so of income earners.  The rest of us are either barely hanging on, or in poverty, or both.  Another example:  violations of the Constitution of the United States are rarely ever reported.  I easily could cite dozens & dozens more examples, but time and energy constraints prohibit that.

Sure, once in a blue moon, someone in the Corporate Media puts out a factually incorrect piece of news...inadvertently.  Once in maybe twelve blue moons, the same thing happens...but on purpose.  That person becomes thoroughly disgraced by the News industry.  So, the current Fourth Estate rarely ever creates Fake News; but there's a serial liar in DC who does so on an almost regular basis.  That's a common characteristic of gaslighters:  whatever they falsely accuse others of doing is precisely what they are doing...knowingly.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Finally - It's About Time!

A day or two ago, there was a unanimous SCOTUS decision against excessive fines, fees, & civil asset forfeiture imposed by State, County, & City authorities.  Texas, in particular, is infamous for such practices, plus "Debtor's Prison" if you can't afford the freight.  Example:  a fine of $569 (if I recall correctly) for grass too high in a vacant lot (the back lot of a residential double lot).  The "court fees" are added to that...hundreds of dollars more.  If you can't pay immediately, chances are great that you go to jail.  In California, if you run a red light, the fine is $100; but $390 is added to that in the form of "fees".  $490 for trying (and failing) to make a yellow light.  Outrageous.

I didn't see this story on the Corporate TV News, but it was a lead story on Democracy Now.  The Corporate Media seem to avoid any stories that have even a hint of the growing poverty in the USA.

In some local jurisdictions, you can be fined hundreds of dollars for having anything dangling from your interior, rear view mirror...including a simple, small chain.

Civil (not Criminal) Asset Forfeiture (CAF) applies even if you're not convicted of whatever "crime" or code violation is involved.  Your assets can be seized in addition to fines imposed, or simply because they "look suspicious".  When you apply to get your property back, it has already been auctioned off...& you get no cash compensation.  This has been going on in the Land of the Free for about 25-30 years.  It started because counties & cities lost huge tax revenue when manufacturing moved South of the border or overseas---Corporatist Globalization.  So, excessive fines & fees AND CAF have been used to raise local revenue.  SCOTUS finally ruled against it.

Apparently, even NeoCon Justices do something ethical once in awhile.

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.

Most Democrats Support NeoCons, re Venezuela

The clip is less than 3 minutes.

https://www.democracynow.org/2019/2/11/greenwald_how_can_democrats_support_trumps

Pure hypocrisy & self-righteousness on the part of most Dems.  They bray about Russian interference in our politics, but Regime Change in Venezuela is okay.  Then, too, there was Libya.  As long as perceived Bad Guys are the target, it's okay to interfere in the politics of other lands.  NeoCons such as Bolton, Abrams, Pence, & Pompeo must be really pleased!  Go Corporate Dems---get access to that oil.  That will really help Climate Change...and hasten our transition to clean energy.  

Venezuela is no threat to us, but they do have the world's largest reserves of oil.  Hmmm.

No, I'm not in favor of Maduro (or any dictator), but neither do I favor butting into the politics of a sovereign country that is no threat to us.  Look what happened in Honduras recently.  The country is in chaos, & run by thugs that we (especially Hillary) supported.  Never mind our shabby history going way back in South & Central America...supporting Death Squad regimes.

Regime Change worked out so well in Iraq, eh?  Never mind Afghanistan.  You'd think we would learn, but the Corporatist Propaganda rolls on.  Good grief.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

The Wholeness of Humanity

Below is the response to my last piece ("It's the Other Side's Fault") from my brother, Timothy D. Haley.  Over the years, Tim and I have disagreed on a number of concepts; but on this one, we are in full agreement.  After his response, I've included a quote from Carl Jung, and my own closing comments.
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In my understanding and experience, ALL thoughts/feelings of duality/separateness/otherness, are struggles (battles?) within ourselves, denying the ONENESS of creation.  It’s long been known that those qualities in others that we HATE, are all the repressed thoughts, feelings and concepts about OURSELVES we don’t want to face.    All the stuff we thought “they” were guilty of is equally in ourselves.   "What goes around, comes around.”   “The more we point the finger of blame to others, the more that finger comes back to point at us.”   To the degree we lift ourselves individually and collectively out of unconscious motivations to conscious awareness, is the degree to which we heal and move toward wholeness.   It is our expanding individual WHOLENESS that allows us to grasp the ONENESS of humanity, a place where COMPASSION AND SELF-COMPASSION grow and thrive. 
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From Carl Jung...it may be a tiny bit paraphrased (I don't have the exact quote in front of me)---
"The Self is a circle, the center of which is nowhere, and the circumference of which is everywhere.".

I interpret that as:  the oneness of humanity.  We in the Western World, in particular, often seem to be utterly opposed to that concept.  Instead, we tend to embrace the ideas of opposing factions, strife, self-righteousness, and imposing our will on others...because, as the Bob Dylan song mourned, we have "God on our side".  Or, something else equally important (in our minds) is on our side.  All "sides" think that.  Hello.  

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

It's the Other Side's Fault

Below is my response (edited a bit) to an email from a friend.  His email was a commentary on my piece here titled, "Republicans & Democrats - Time to Cowboy-Up".  The name "Hartmann" below refers to Thom Hartmann, the pundit and author.

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You & Hartmann seem to have the premise that all Republicans are sociopaths, but maybe only a few Democrats are that.  Really?  You actually believe that everyone in an entire group is sociopathic?  Please.  Forgive me, but that's prejudice.  In fact, it sounds very similar (not the same) to Nazis claiming that all Jews are deceitful, conniving, & filthy.  Or, some Republicans claiming that all Democrats are totalitarian communists.  All of the above is ridiculous.

You don't have to sell me on the egregious actions of Repub Administrations; I agree.  That doesn't prove your premise that all Repubs are sociopaths.  Neither does the study you mentioned some time ago about Right Wing folks having some sort of flaw in their brains.  Here's another study that tends to suggest this whole thing is not as one-sided as you believe---

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SOQduoLgRw&t=3s

Perhaps you watched it the 1st time I sent it, but maybe your bias against Repubs prevented you from getting the point.  I don't know.  Jon Haidt studies the moral foundations of politics; he's a well respected psychologist.  His study results are quite revealing.  http://people.stern.nyu.edu/jhaidt/

Those of you who continue to pit one side against the other are making things more entrenched...worse, in my opinion.  You and I apparently will never agree on this topic, so of what use is it to talk about it?

To put all people of a particular persuasion into one psychological/social basket is a huge mistake in my opinion.  It causes big problems.  Too many unwarranted assumptions, too much jumping to conclusions, too much prejudice.  I've known some mighty fine people in my life; some were Repubs, some were Dems, some were Libertarians, and some were Socialists.  I've never found each separate political group to be homogeneous in their beliefs or actions.

 We humans seem to have an innate drive to divide up into groups/factions/teams and oppose one another.  Too often that opposition winds up in violence... mainly thanks to propaganda.  And each group firmly believes that it alone is "in the right"...for whatever reason.  The "other" side is always "wrong".  All that is probably why we'll wind up like every other species that had some degree of dominance on Earth---extinct.

None of the above is too much of a concern to me because, in my belief/faith system, this existence of ours is The Grand Illusion.  As the old song goes, "... Life is but a dream.".  And that's a good thing.  

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Republicans & Democrats - Time to Cowboy-Up

Preface---
Trump is not the problem; he's merely a symptom of the problem.  More accurately, he's a symptom of a plethora of problems, most of which revolve around Corporatism and Propaganda.  Below I suggest only a couple of things that the highest levels of the Repubs and Dems can do toward making our country a better place, and our standing in the world more favorable.
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Democrats---
This is a no-brainer:  stop harping on Trump's foibles and misdeeds.  They are obvious to almost everyone.  Instead, give us a vision of your program for improvement...a comprehensive vision, rather than a one-or-two-issue vision.  You've managed to essentially kill the "Green New Deal", I've seen little to no efforts/plans on your part to get Corporate money out of politics, or break up the egregious Mega Banks, or put a stop to gerrymandering of House Districts, or stop antagonizing the world with military adventurism, or any significant plan to fix our crumbling public infrastructure, or any plan to encourage manufacturing in this great land, and on & on.  Mostly what I see are high level politicos bellying up to the public trough and private wealth.  I also see that over the years you've managed to pretty much marginalize any person in your Party who favors the "common people".  You give a lot of lip service to genuine Populism, but little else.  Most of you now seem to believe in Neoliberalism, not Liberalism.  It's time for a sea change.

Republicans---
You're just as bad as the Dems.  Over many years, and especially lately, you have squandered and ruined the reputation of a once ethical Party.  In the distant past, your Party stood for:  honor, ethics, We the People, and small business (which employed 80% of American workers).  Now you support what is basically a cabal of super-rich, monopolistic, anti-democracy NeoFascists.  You favor Mega Biz over Small Biz.  You favor Crony Capitalism over genuine Capitalism.  In the past you recognized the folly and danger of policing the world; now you jump at every chance to get into another war.  You once knew the difference between patriotism and nationalism; now you don't seem to have a clue.  In the past, one sect of your Party was Conservative; that's now gone.  Instead, NeoConservatives now dominate a pathetic excuse for what's called the Republican Party.  Even worse, most of you now kowtow to a man who has little to no ethics, morality, or even mental stability.  Shame on you.

Given all that, here's another no-brainer:  stop backing Trump.  History will not treat him well.  He's not even a Republican...and certainly not a Conservative.  In addition, divest yourselves of NeoConservatism.  Re-discover the roots of your Party.  Our country will be better off for it.
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Not only my opinion.  Be Well