What the Next USA President Should Do

Use the Office and/or its Bully Pulpit for---

1.  promoting laws to break up the Mega Banks & Mega Tech Companies (clearly they are monopolies);

2.  the cessation of all Trade Wars;

3.  the withdrawal of combat troops from the Middle East & Central Asia, as well as cutting the number of our military bases on foreign soil by half---that number is now about 800-900 or so---and the military budget by half (currently that budget is more than the next seven largest military budgets in the world combined);

4.  the reinstatement of Nuke Treaties;

5.  ending of our Central Bank, as JFK started to do (we don't need a Middle Man to produce Gov't currency... especially one who charges interest);

6.  a return to some version of the Gold Standard (the amount of gold in the world doesn't prohibit that...only the artificially depressed price of gold does);

7.  the end of blanket surveillance by the NSA, CIA, FBI, and any other Agency;

8.  a return to the Constitutional requirement of Congress having to declare war before troops are sent to war;

9.  a repeal of the "Real ID Act";

10.  a reinstatement of EPA Rules trashed by Trump & Crew;

11.  policies/laws addressing the threat of Climate Change;

12.  promoting the reinstatement of the Glass-Steagall Banking Act;

13.  the reinstatement of "Net Neutrality";

14.  promoting the establishment of Banking as a Public Utility;

15.  the establishment of the Internet as a Public Utility;

16.  the complete revision of the IRS, or maybe, the elimination of it;

17.  promoting laws that require Congress to read legislative bills before voting on them, and to vote only on one subject/bill at a time (instead of attaching unpopular bills as riders to bills that are guaranteed to pass);

18.  making pot completely legal, and codeine an OTC drug (as it was earlier in my life);

19.  reducing our nuclear arsenal;

20.  promoting laws that prohibit Usury (laws we once had);

21.  prohibiting Gov't interference in foreign elections, prohibiting coups, & prohibiting assassinations by the Executive Branch (according to the Constitution, only Congress legally can order assassinations);

22.  promoting laws that establish Term Limits for all elected officials in the Fed Gov't;

23.  promoting laws that prohibit electronic, black box voting... use paper ballots only;

24.  limiting Executive Orders by Presidents to only the two described in Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution:  the Pres can require written reports by his Dept Heads, and can grant pardons to those convicted of Fed crimes (those are the only two described in the Constitution);

25.  policies which abide by International Law, and in particular, recognize the authority of the International Criminal Court (we didn't mind doing that when we set up the Nuremberg Trials).

Those are only some of the things the next President should do, but they would be a great start toward returning this country to sanity.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Genuine Democracy Does Not Exist in the USA

I love this Land and, in general, its people.  Because someone loves their country does not mean that they have to love the rulers in their government.  Our rulers not only are plutocratic, they are fast becoming autocratic and despotic.  All one has to do is listen to and watch the current Occupier of the Oval Office for proof of that.

This never was a democracy; not only that, but our 

"democratic republic" is long gone.  The majority of our 

Founders described democracy as "mob rule", or "two 

wolves & one sheep deciding what's for lunch", or 

"despicable", or "tyranny of the majority", or "the devil's 

own gov't", or "the most violent of despotisms", or 

"violating the concept that whoever owns the country 

should rule it", etc.  [All quotes by various Founders.]

Schools left all that out of American Gov't 101.  

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Our democratic republic is long gone because---

1.  The Constitution is violated almost equally by Dems 

& Repubs...and often.  That has been going on for decades; some of them even admit it.

2.  The proper use of the Executive Order is violated 

almost equally by Dems & Repubs.  [The Constitution 

allows only two Executive Orders in Article II, Section 2.  

Dems & Repubs claim that those two imply an unlimited 

& unspecified number of others.]

By violating this provision of Article II, Section 2, Presidents have been able to create "laws" without Congress.  For decades, past Presidents each have done this literally hundreds of times.  That makes them autocrats.  Presidents represent the State, not the People; that's why only Congress is authorized to create Laws.  Members of Congress supposedly represent We the People.

3.  In general, the majority of both elected Dems & 

elected Repubs are warmongers & corporatists.  With 

rigged Primaries, rigged elections, gerrymandering, 

voter suppression, black box voting, etc., that's not going 

to change.  Never mind the unrelenting propaganda.

4.  Both Parties believe in Mega Corps being too big to 

fail and too big to jail.  That applies not only to Mega 

Banks, but to Mega Insurance Corps & others as well.

5.  Probably over 99% of national candidates are 

selected, groomed, & financed by Super-Rich Plutocrats.

6.  Both Parties gerrymander House districts.

7.  Both Parties rig Primaries.

8.  Both Parties support corporatist globalization.

9.  According to a Princeton study, national politicians 

ignore the expressed will of the People 70% of the time.

10.  If voting really & permanently changed anything of 

significance, the Powers-That-Be would make voting 

illegal.

11.  Despite any small victories won by the People, 

Corporatism ultimately winds up ruling.

12.  Except for some indigenous societies (mostly in the 

Past), throughout history---& right through to today--- 

Plutocrats always have ruled.  C'est la vie. 

13.  What we've had ruling our country for decades now is a Plutocratic, CRONY Capitalist, State-Corporate Complex.  It reigns supreme, and it's not a "conspiracy"; it's right out in plain sight.

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Under present conditions, voting won't change any of 

the above.  Meaningful change only will come from 

outside the whole corrupt system, a system that should 

be shunned...and that change should be peaceful.

Not only my opinion.

Be Well

Are Most Adult Americans Totally Bamboozled by Propaganda?

Most of the time, it seems so to me.  For the life of me, I cannot figure out why most of my fellow citizens appear to either believe, or alternatively, to not object to the following falsehoods.

1.  Our Presidents can issue pretty much any Executive Orders that they so desire.  [Any 12th-grader reading Article II, Section 2 of the United States Constitution easily could determine that only two such Orders are permitted:  the Pres can order his/her Department Heads (or any one of them) to submit a Report on anything having to do with their individual Departments; and, the Pres can order a Pardon for a convicted criminal...except in the case of Impeachment.  That's it...those are the only two Exec Orders permitted by the Supreme Law of the Land.  Presidents usually justify others by citing some general duty of theirs to protect or defend the United States.  Any such duty cannot legally contravene other parts of the Constitution.  Well, maybe it can in Alice's Wonderland or some other la-la, loony tunes Land...but to allow such actions permits the Executive Branch to make Laws... and that's a function expressly reserved to the Congress.  With that power, a President essentially is a Feudal King.]

2.  Our Presidents legally can have our military cross an international border, bomb that country, and kill people without Congress declaring war.  [This has been going on since the end of WW II.  Politicians usually justify it in one of two ways:  by claiming the action is not war; or, by citing some LAW passed by Congress that allows the Pres to choose when & where to engage in war.  In the first case, I refer you to the Korean Conflict (the official name) in the 1950's, the Vietnam Conflict (the official name) in the 1960's and 1970's, and the Counter-Terrorism activities of Bush-Obama.  In the second case, I refer you to the War Powers Act.  Those justifications are blatantly wrong because in the first case, if you bomb a country & kill people, it's ridiculous to claim you're not at war; in the second case, no Law trumps the Constitution.  That's why it's called the SUPREME Law of the Land.]

3.  The gravest, most dangerous threat to the USA is that of Islam.  [You have a bigger chance of being killed by lightning than by the comparatively few criminals who are so-called jihadists.]  Because of that "threat", we must willingly sacrifice certain Rights in order to be "safe".  [These beliefs by seemingly many Americans are at once ridiculous, tragic, and comical.  Can't anyone reason anymore?  Can't anyone recognize manipulative Propaganda anymore?  Can't anyone see how the Powers-That-Be are eliminating our Right to be Free with this BS?]

4.  Our Economy is "recovering".  Unemployment is now at "4.9%"...[or some other equally & wildly inaccurate low number.]  The Stock Market is rebounding and soon will be in great shape again.  Manufacturing is on the mend.  [Those claims are beyond the pale...completely asinine.  The Powers-That-Be are so used to most Americans accepting their outright lies that such lies have become larger and more numerous in recent years.  See several of my past posts for an alternative view... or see almost any non-corporate media source for something much, much closer to the truth.]

5.  Donald Trump, or Ted Cruz, or Hillary Clinton, or Bernie Sanders, or any of the other current candidates will make good on their promises... and really make a difference in our lives.  [Please.  Not without Congress they won't... unless they do it illegally by Exec Order.  Furthermore, keep in mind that the President represents the State (as in Statism), not the People.  We the People supposedly are represented by the Congress, not the Executive Branch... although, with all the Crony Capitalism and corruption in the Gov't, even the concept of Congress representing us is highly questionable.  The only way out of this political mess is by means of peaceful outside pressure.  No one inside the Rotten System ever will be able to change much of anything...not anymore.  The fact is, we live in a criminal Fascist State... criminal at the highest levels.  The Supreme Law of the Land is violated by Gov't Elites on an almost daily basis.  Don't ever think that one has to be a Judge or Attorney-at-Law in order to comprehend the Constitution.  That document is long-winded in parts, but it's very plainly written and fairly easy to understand.  Most politicians ignore most of it.  Where's the outrage over that?]

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

The Emperor is not Wearing any Clothes

By "The Emperor", I'm referring not only to our President, but also to the U.S. Treasury, the Fed Reserve, the Justice Department in general, the NSA, The FBI, the SEC, the CIA, and the Pentagon.  Without too much effort, I also could include the U.S. Congress and the U.S. Supreme Court.  At the highest levels, most of our Fed Gov't consists of people engaged in obvious deceit and outright fraud.  On top of that, many of their activities are utterly and blatantly unconstitutional.

For examples of the deceit, fraud, and unconstitutionality, I could refer you to the past posts on this venue... for over seven years now.  That, however, really isn't necessary.  Anyone who has made a sincere effort to stay abreast of the political and economic news (not just from the Corporate Media) in the past few decades knows what's happening.  Despite that, let's at least cite a very few of those examples.

1.  Read Article II of the U.S. Constitution.  It's the section that enumerates the powers delegated to the Executive Branch by We the People.  Nowhere in Article II is the President delegated the power to put this Nation at war.  War-making powers reside with the U.S. Congress.  Despite the Orwellian view of Obama (and just about all past Presidents since the end of WW II), the "Commander-in-Chief" is not Constitutionally permitted to commit the military to war...by himself.  Those at the highest levels in our Gov't surely cannot help but know that for a fact.  That means they all are violating their Oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Supreme Law of the Land.

2.  Neither does Article II delegate power to the President to write "Executive Orders" on any subject he pleases.  Only two subjects are enumerated:  a written report from any of the Executive Department Heads on any topic relevant to their Departments; and, the power to issue Presidential Pardons (except in the case of Impeachment).  Today's puppets of the Oligarchy claim that Article II implies that other Executive Orders may be written as well.  That belief has prevailed for decades and decades.  In the beginning, back in the 1800s, the Orders were innocuous---things such as declaring a certain day to be in honor of the Mighty Oak Tree, or some such trivia.  But for years now, the fraudulent power has been used to bypass Congress.  It has made the modest Office of the President into that of a soft dictator.  Let's be clear:  the Constitution does not imply powers; instead, it enumerates them.  Republicans & Democrats at the highest levels know that full well; they simply don't want to give up the usurped power.

3.  The FBI now can search your home without a proper warrant.  The Agent simply writes what's known as a "National Security Letter"; that supposedly serves as a search warrant.  If you're not home, they don't have to inform you that your house was searched.  Not only that, if you are home and aware of the search, the Agent can tell you to never reveal the fact of the search to anyone...under penalty of being sent to prison.  This is what's known as a Police State.  [The late writers George Orwell (1984) and Aldous Huxley (Brave New World) must be amazed that their fictional dystopias have more or less materialized.]

4.  The U.S. Treasury - Fed Reserve System - Banking monetary system is a complete fraud and scam.  There's so much legitimate info on that subject so as to make it unnecessary to explain it further.  Nevertheless, consider the following quotes.

"I am afraid the ordinary citizen will not like to be told that the banks can and do create money. And they who control the credit of the nation direct the policy of Governments and hold in the hollow of their hand the destiny of the people." Reginald McKenna, as Chairman of the Midland Bank, addressing stockholders in 1924.

"I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies." Thomas Jefferson, US President 

"If the American people ever allow private banks to control issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and the corporations will grow up around them, will deprive the people of all property until their children wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered. The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs." Thomas Jefferson in the debate over The Re-charter of the Bank Bill 

"The government should create, issue and circulate all the currency and credits needed to satisfy the spending power of the government and the buying power of consumers. By adoption of these principles, the taxpayers will be saved immense sums of interest. Money will cease to be master and become the servant of humanity." Abraham Lincoln, US President
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According to the Constitution, Congress is charged with regulating the value of our money.  Congress does no such thing.  Plus, according to Alan Greenspan on a PBS News Hour interview several years ago, "No one has authority over us [the Fed Reserve]."  So, private banks both issue money (through the fraud of "Fractional Reserve Banking") and regulate the value of it...by the arbitrary interest rates set by the Fed.  The Fed is simply the Middle Man between the U.S. Treasury, other banks, and the People.  The private stockholders of the Fed make 6% interest (by Law) on all those Middle Man transactions.  Six percent doesn't sound like much, until you consider that billions of dollars are involved in those Middle Man transactions.  All of that is unnecessary...and nothing but a scam.

I suspect that many or most Americans feel that little or nothing can be done about everything written above...so about 50% of us "vote", thinking that we just need the "right" people in office.  History shows anyone who looks carefully that "voting" is not the answer, at least, not presently.  We've had well over 200 years of "voting"...things only have gotten worse.  Whether we care to admit it or not, Oligarchies control politics with propaganda, ballot-access laws, and money.  Neither is violent revolution the answer...for reasons that should be obvious.

An activist once said, "We be many; they be few."... it was a call to peaceful resistance.  The first step is to stop drinking the Propaganda Kool Aid.  Next, people need to identify what they want...what type of governance?  That's a most difficult question.  A republic protects individual rights, but throughout History, republics have been controlled by Oligarchies...the Meritocracy.  The overall results rarely have been good.  A pure, participatory democracy can be little more than mob rule...unless individual rights are protected regardless of what the "majority" wants.  So, it's a conundrum, a genuine dilemma.  There are other choices.  [Obviously, totalitarianism is not even up for consideration.]  One thing should be clear, though:  what we have now in the USA is not for the benefit of We the People.

Not just my opinion.  Be Well

Rules from and for the Oligarchy

By the "Oligarchy", I'm referring of course to those at the highest levels in politics, Big Business, and the Intelligentsia...the ones who "run the country".  They are both Democrats and Republicans, but those labels are not in any way important to them.  Their guideposts primarily are power and money.  They're not in any kind of conspiracy, but they do enjoy great solidarity.

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

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

2.  Select, groom, and finance the slickest liars and most unethical people possible for national political office.

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

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

5.  Tell the Little People whatever it is they want to hear at crucial times.

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

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

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

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

10.  When caught in wrongdoing, criminalize the whistleblower.

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

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

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

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

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

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

17.  Keep the public in fear.

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

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

20.  Act as though you favor egalitarian issues; in other words, lie.
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Do you recognize any of this?  There is a better way.  The second step toward that is to organize.  The first step I've stated over and over:  we must stop drinking the Propaganda Kool Aid.

Be Well

Part III: The Bush-Obama Doctrines

1.  Give countries that in any way support fanatical Islamists a hard time... unless, of course, that country is Saudi Arabia.  The Wahhabi Sect, a radical offshoot of the Sunnis, is a State-sponsored religion in the Saudi Kingdom.  The majority of the 9-11 hijackers were from the Kingdom.  Osama bin Laden was a Saudi.  There are numerous other suggestions (not proof) that the soft dictators in Saudi Arabia don't really oppose fanatical Islamists.  The House of Saud has been bound to the House of Bush in a business sense for years and years.  When Obama met the "King" of the Kingdom, he bowed deeply to him.  Such deference coming from a President is a bit much... not especially significant, but still, a bit much.  Obama, like Bush and every other President in my long memory, ignores the downside of Saudi Arabia--- for one, the fact that it's a dictatorship... for another, the fact that it supports what is essentially a fanatical cult.  Wahhabis have zero tolerance for Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Shiite Islam, even some Sunnis, and democracy.  [A couple of Arab political analysts have proposed that what's currently going on in Iraq is a proxy war between Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shiite Iran.]

2.  Continue the over-half-century, outdated, vindictive U.S. Policy toward Cuba... a land where, about a hundred years ago or more, our Fed Gov't stole at gunpoint Guantanamo Bay; a land where our Fed Gov't supported the brutal dictator Batista; a land where for years & years, the CIA tried to assassinate Castro; a land where for years and years, our Govt's NeoImperialism reigned supreme.  Yes, the Castro Gov't once was a threat to us; no reasonable person thinks that now.

3.  Continue the policy of letting the Fed Reserve Board of Governors arbitrarily set interest rates... rates that should be determined by a Free Market.  The only people being served well by the Fed are the Hedge Funds and other speculators on Wall Street.  The Middle Class suffers... and those at the very bottom of the economic ladder are completely screwed.

4.  Similar to number 3, continue the policy of unsound money.

5.  Continue to allow mega banks to use depositors' money for risky, often shady so-called "investments"... instead of requiring them to raise their own capital for such activity.

6.  Continue on with the antiquated, underfunded, understaffed SEC, which cannot possibly oversee the automated, algorithm-driven, split-second, computerized Wall Street "trading" of today.

7.  Continue to promote and support the window-dressing "reform" laws relative to the out-of-control Financial Sector.  That will assure large, future campaign contributions from white-collar thieves.

8.  Continue the myth that the President can write "Executive Orders" on just about any subject he/she pleases... and that such actions are "implied" by the Constitution and have the full force and effect of Congressional Legislation, even if Congress opposes those "Orders".  That is complete nonsense and utter claptrap.  There is no such implication in the Constitution.  Again, We the People are being played for chumps. [To see exactly which Orders are permitted, go to Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution.  Only two are enumerated... no others are listed, or implied.  The first is that the President may require in writing the opinion of each Executive Department Head on any subject relating to their duties.  The second is that the President may order pardons for offenses against the U.S. (except in cases of Impeachment).  The Constitution enumerates powers, it does not imply them.  If the power isn't listed, the Feds don't have it.  To get a new, unlisted power, they must Amend the Supreme Law of the Land.  To believe that the document implies this, that, or the other is to accept the idea that it can mean pretty much anything that anyone wants it to mean.  That makes it worthless.]
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The point of this three-piece series on the Bush-Obama Doctrines is simple:  when it comes to significant and substantial matters, there is little to no difference between (at the highest levels) modern-day Republicans and Democrats.  They're merely two branches of the same (and only) major political Party in the USA.  Furthermore, it's obvious that they no longer serve the best interests of We the People.  "Voting" doesn't necessarily guarantee a representative government, especially when 99.9% of all candidates at the national level are selected, groomed, and financed by an Oligarchy of the super-rich... while the very few honest politicians are completely ignored, or smeared, or otherwise marginalized.  There is a better way, but first we must stop drinking the Edward Bernays style Propaganda Kool Aid.  That's essential if we are to generate a fair, just, prosperous, and free society.

Be Well

The Gall of Fed Policy Makers is Truly Astounding

Snowden-documents reveal that the NSA has been collecting every phone call from an undisclosed country.  100%.  Apparently they do it in 30-day batches.  They then can "rewind" whatever device the info is on, and pick and choose.  The "authority" for this blatantly illegal action, I'm assuming, probably comes from the secret FISA "Court".  Never thought I'd live to see the day when there would be a Fed, secret, political court in the Republic of the United States of America.  [This is totally unlike a Grand Jury.]
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There's a good deal of evidence to indicate that the NSA has been spying on Congress, including hacking into staffers' computers.  If true, and it's certainly looking that way, it's a violation of the Separation of Powers concept, never mind the Fourth Amendment protection afforded every American (including staffers).  Plus, it makes a joke out of Congressional "oversight".  I can't guess where the "authority" for that spying is found.
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The Feds are boycotting international talks in Geneva regarding the USA's use of weaponized drones.  Because they don't have a leg to stand on, I really don't blame them for the boycott. :)  Pakistan spurred the calling of the talks; it seems they're fed up with violations of their sovereignty and the murdering of innocent civilians.  Go figure.
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Right-Wing Death Squads in Colombia are murdering people again.  These squads, what they do, and their victims ("suspects") essentially are ignored by the oligarchical government of Colombia...you know, the gov't that our Fed Gov't supports.  The last I heard, Colombia is the only South American government that still allows us to have US military bases on its soil; we have seven there.  Every other S.A. country has kicked us out or never let us in to begin with.  Their shabby experiences with US "intervention" in their affairs has been the reason.
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Obama's supposed "authority" for imposing sanctions on Russia is the concept of the "Executive Order".  This one isn't as bad as Clinton's Exec. Order that declared that Serbia was a threat to the security of the USA (Congress disagreed), but it's bad enough.  We the People have been sold a fraudulent bill of goods regarding Exec. Orders.  The Congressional Research Office claims such orders are implied by the Constitution, especially Article II, Section 2.  Here are the two orders that the President can issue under that Section:  he may require the opinion, in writing, of each of his Department Heads on any subject relating to their duties; and, he may order Pardons related to offenses against the United States.  Those are a far, far cry from imposing sanctions on, or invading, a foreign country.  Nowhere else in the Constitution is power delegated to the Executive Branch to issue so-called Executive Orders.  It's not the office of a King, but it has morphed into something that's too close to that for comfort.
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Partly just my opinion.  Happy Trails