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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Not only my opinion.  Take Care

The Good Side of Nixon, the Scourge of Neoliberalism, & Why Climate Change is so Political

 All in less than six minutes---

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8MOJAMbzKs&list=WL&index=68

Believe it or not, Richard Nixon was good for our environment.  After him, though, things started going downhill.  That's especially true with Reagan's brand of neoliberalism.  From then up to present-day, eco-regulations have been diluted or scrapped outright, while politicians continue to favor the fossil fuel industry, factory farming, and Big Biz in general.  Once in awhile, they throw a bone to the health of our habitat.

Largely through Edward Bernays style propaganda, environmental issues have become politicized to the Nth degree.  Too many voters have been indoctrinated to believe that environmental laws and regulations are "socialism", rather than protection for our health and the health of our common habitat.  Surely they don't believe various industries would - on their own initiative - never pollute our air, water, and land, eh?  Surely those voters don't believe emitting 36 billion tons of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere per year (worldwide) is good for our habitat, eh?  If they don't believe those things, then why do they keep voting for politicians who apparently do believe such?  Here's a big reason why:  propaganda from Mega Biz and the politicians in their back pockets.

So, step one in shifting to a sustainable existence on Earth:  stop drinking the Propaganda Kool-Aid supplied by The Establishment.  Those who are serving it up are ecologically ignorant beyond the pale.  They are technocrats with little-to-no knowledge of Nature, and apparently zero knowledge of how our existence depends upon the proper functioning of natural ecosystems.

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Not only my opinion.  Take Care

The Problem and the Solution

The Problem---

While Leaders spend billions on war machines (never mind killing people and polluting the ecosphere with the wastes of proxy wars and war games), natural ecosystems, economies, and societies continue to unravel.

1.  FIVE banks now more or less have failed, not two.  [Due primarily to massive unrealized losses in the Bond Market.]

2.  Debt Bubbles continue to grow around the world.  [Total Debt now is more than 3 times the world's GDP.]

3.  The food crisis continues.  Literally millions of people are starving, many of them children.

4.  The U.N. has issued a final warning:  eco-crises (especially climate change) are not being addressed at the proper scale to prevent catastrophe.

5.  Extreme drought, extreme flooding in other areas, extreme storms, soil loss, deforestation, extreme temps, etc. all continue.  Meanwhile, new permits are issued for more fossil fuel extraction.

6.  Mass shootings are up, suicides are up, and the pandemic is still killing a few thousand people per week in the USA, which is more than in any other country in the world.

7.  Confidence in both political Leaders and Banks is at a very low level.

8.  Almost HALF the workers in the USA are either in poverty (12%) or on the brink of it (30%).  Not quite, but almost everyone else is living paycheck-to-paycheck.  Meanwhile, politicians claim our economy is "strong".  Right...for the 20% or so in the upper tier.

9.  The serial liar, Trump, is campaigning again in his normal style - whining.  Talk about "Old News", he's it.

10.  "Oil Man" Biden is showing his true colors with the Arctic Willow Project and Gulf leases.

11.  Despots around the world, who sense a peaceful grass-roots uprising, are cracking down even more on populations.

12.  Neoliberal propaganda still abides.

So my question is:  when will people start demanding a different path???

[It's a rhetorical question.]

The Solution---

 https://steadystate.org/discover/definition-of-steady-state-economy/  [Pay particular attention to the blue Menu on the right side of the page.]

More later.

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Here's why Biden is in a pissing contest with Putin & Xi Jinping

 Preface

This is not being presented as "fact"; I can't "prove" it to be true.  Being steeped in the scientific method of inquiry, I offer it as another untested hypothesis of mine.  Nevertheless, it makes sense.

1.  Having studied Joe Biden's 50-year voting record, it's obvious to me he's either a neoliberal, or a puppet (wittingly or unwittingly) of neoliberalism.  [He was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1972, about a year prior to the first practical implementation of neoliberal economics via Pinochet in Chile.]

2.  Neoliberalism is failing all around the world, but still remains as the dominant political philosophy and economic system in most  democratic countries.  WHY is detailed elsewhere on this blog.  Without going into those details, here are two bare-bones, broadly stated reasons:  unrelenting propaganda; and challenges to the system are viewed as sacrilegious.

3.  The "American Empire" is in decline; it's on its last legs.  We replaced the old British Empire, and for some time now, we've been heading down somewhat the same path they took.  We'll still be around, just not King of the World (so to speak).  Again, WHY is detailed elsewhere; many articles and books have the details.  And again, in broad strokes, the reasons are political, economic (see number 2 above), social, ecological, cultural, and ethical.  It's an old cliche, but we really are disintegrating in a manner highly similar to the ancient Roman Empire.

4.  As Naomi Klein pointed out in The Shock Doctrine, when neoliberalism's failures start becoming apparent to Main Street, the Establishment looks for and promotes distracting shocks which engender misplaced PATRIOTISM.  Beating the War drums is a good shock.  Going to War is even better.  Promulgating false narratives about "enemies" also works.  It all causes Main Street to temporarily forget about inflation, economic insecurity, outrageous health care costs, the fact that our economy is booming for only the top 20% of income earners, the fact that the Middle Class still is shrinking, environmental pollution is rampant, eco-crises are not being dealt with sufficiently, and more.  Plus, it's all good for weapons-of-war manufacturers, who happen to donate big bucks to political election campaigns.

All the above explains why Biden is beating the War drums.  He's not the only one in DC doing it.  [A reminder:  I'm not a Republican or a Democrat.  Also, Biden seems to be a fairly good/nice guy, and he's orders of magnitude preferable to Trump.  Nevertheless, he appears to be either ecologically and economically illiterate, or deceitful, just like most Establishment politicians.]  My best guess is:  the overwhelming majority of people in both the USA and the world would like the beating of those drums to stop.

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Desertification of almost ALL of the USA...

 is accelerating.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwJABxjcvUc&list=WL&index=90

The geologist, John Wesley Powell, predicted it well over 100 years ago, and tried to get Congress to mitigate it.  Too bad they didn't listen; worse, they (in general) still aren't listening.  This short clip is about geography, ecology, population dynamics, food, politics, and FRESH WATER availability.

It should be a much needed wake-up call for a paradigm shift in USA politics.  Spread this video far & wide, and maybe there's a chance for that.  

We are in dire need of a whole new bunch of politicians in DC.  Most Repubs and Dems should be shunned.  They are stuck in the past and have a myopic view of the mother of all existential crises - ecological overshoot.  Not only that, but they also support and promulgate a destructive type of capitalism which is almost nothing like the capitalism of Adam Smith.

If we don't take all this seriously, then our kids and grandkids will be facing a fairly miserable existence in the relatively near future.  Unfortunately, we currently (in general) are too distracted by bread, circuses, political dogma, and propaganda to fully appreciate what's needed for a brighter future.  Most of us "can't see the forest for the trees".  We're looking at only some parts of the whole, not thinking comprehensively or holistically.  Those who believe it's all being (or will be) handled, or don't believe any of it is a significant problem, apparently are mired in ignorance.  That must change if our progeny and their progeny are to have any degree of security and comfort in the near future.

Much can be done fairly immediately on the micro-scale:

stop drinking the divisive propaganda koolaid put out by Repubs & Dems;

kick out of office the stale, stuck-in-the-past, dogmatic DC politicians;

learn all you can about ecological overshoot;

[Note---  "I don't have any spare time for this" is something I hear regularly.  Okay, but be aware:  if you don't find or make the time, then your inaction contributes to a miserable existence for your progeny, most likely starting within ten years.]

forget about political Parties...vote for those who are ecologically literate;

as much as possible, stop buying junk products;

support laws which are ecologically sound (identifying same is not always easy); 

believe almost nothing put out by the petrochemical industry and/or the politicians who are in the back pocket of that industry;

learn all you can about genuine sustainability.

"lobby" (so to speak) whenever you can for sustainability;

and there's much more, but I'm out of time.  

p.s.  Think hard about the significance of the following to your family & friends: according to numerous legitimate sources, by or before 2040 large pockets of N. America no longer will have year-round access to fresh water.  That is, such will be the case unless we make changes ASAP.  The same applies to the world in general.  If that doesn't motivate you to "make the time", I don't know what will.  Most politicians are not dealing with this in any significant way; instead, they're greenwashing the water crisis.  Additionally, my best guess:  they aren't even aware of the soil crisis and how that will exacerbate the USA's soon-to-be food crisis.  Finally, I doubt they're aware of the extent of the desertification of this country, how much it's advancing, and how such will affect us in the not too distant future.

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

The Pandemicene: especially for humans who think they are separate from & above Nature

 Climate Change/Disruption (along with wildlife habitat damage/destruction by humans) is causing many animal populations to find a new home.  The result is an increase in contact and sharing of new viruses among different animals.  A new study in the journal, Nature, shows how that scenario likely will result in more pandemics in the human population.

https://www.democracynow.org/2022/4/29/ed_yong_pandemicene

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-04788-w

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-01198-w

Meanwhile, too many national Leaders around the globe appear to be working on window-dressing solutions to Climate Change, or simply kicking the can down the road in other ways.  On top of that, Leaders in a few places have launched wars during this time of an existential threat labeled the socio-eco-econ-ethical crisis.  Having done so, they exhibit monumental ignorance.  It's no wonder that many Main Street people are losing faith in the capabilities of national politicians...all across the political spectrum.

Not all, but most of the progress toward solutions to the crisis are happening below the national level.  Such is orders of magnitude better than nothing, but it will not suffice.  In fact, more is needed than just national efforts.  The crisis is global, not only national, or provincial, or city-wide.  Global planning and cooperation is crucial if civil society is to survive and thrive.

To those who may be concerned primarily with their national territorial imperative (see the book by Robert Ardrey, The Territorial Imperative) and the freedom of independence, please consider the following points---

1)  Neither of those two concepts will do you much good if you have insufficient food, potable water, clean air, unpolluted soil, etc., or if we all are ravaged by viral diseases, or have collapsed economies, or exist in a neofeudal society with only the very Rich and the relatively Poor, or if we're sick from a toxic environment.

2)  Cooperating to combat/mitigate/alleviate an existential global crisis does NOT have to mean losing nationhood or freedom in general.  Some sacrifices will have to be made by all of us, but you won't become a slave.

3)  In a real sense, the current system is making you a slave--- to Debt, and to the Rat Race of unlimited economic growth + overconsumption...while polluting our limited/finite habitat.  Who benefits?  Overwhelmingly, it's the Super-Rich, the Upper Crust, the new aristocrats.

Bottom line:  stop drinking the Propaganda Kool Aid coming from the State-Corporate-Financial Complex.  Ignore the sound bites and the molding of the public mind.  Question everything.  Ignore the Bread & Circuses.  Dig deep when you study an issue.  Think out of the box we've all been put into.

The public and private Powers-That-Be want you to believe technology is going to save us from the existential threat we're facing.  Without a paradigm shift in values/ethics, it won't.

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Despite Ongoing Propaganda, COVID-19 Numbers STILL GOING UP

Preface
Numbers below are as of April 28, 2020 at 6:00 PM, Mountain Time, USA.  Compare them to those of my April 25th Post.
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USA:
Known cases--- 1.03 million
Deaths--- 58,947 (over one quarter of the world's total)

The numbers keep going up.  Nothing has peaked.

WORLD:
Known cases--- 3.08 million
Deaths--- 214,000

The total number of known cases (and deaths) keeps going up.
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A few facts to keep in mind---
1.  Most people who catch it suffer to varying degrees, and recover.
2.  Too many younger & younger folks (and others) are catching it and dying.
3.  COVID-19 is at least 10 times deadlier than the flu.  [So far this flu season in the USA, over 20,000 people have died from that bug.]
4.  Is it now safe to congregate in large groups?  No.  No.  No.
5.  Much more testing is needed in order to get a handle on this whole situation.
6.  Should people still wear masks?  Yes, definitely.
7.  Should all other precautions still be taken?  Yes, no question about it.
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Trump and Crew are wrong on almost everything they say about this new virus.  Don't believe them.  Their pronouncements primarily are nothing but Edward Bernays style propaganda geared toward the next election.

Not only my opinion.  Stay Well
p.s.  For any new readers here, while not a virologist or epidemiologist, I do have an extensive background in Biology and Environmental Science.  Unlike Rush Limbaugh ["It's just a common cold, folks."], I generally know what I'm talking about in those and related fields of knowledge.  😊

The Absurd Gaslighter Trump Falls Flat AGAIN

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

The Racial Term "White" is Propaganda

Preface---
Below is a somewhat edited email I sent to a few family members and friends during the recent Senate trial of the impeached Trump.  The overwhelming bulk of the essay is not about the trial.  Rather, it's about immigration, Race, so-called "white" culture, propaganda, ethnicity, and our Fed Government.
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The Repubs have pulled out all the stops in terms of distraction from Trump's criminality.  It's obvious to the point of being comical, but their immigrant-hating, minority "base" supporters will buy it.  I don't think the majority of them are really "racist".  What they fear is that some other culture will become dominant here in the USA.  The same is true for some "white" people in other Western World countries.

According to Pew Research, "non-whites" were the majority in 293 Counties in the USA in 2018, mostly in the Southwest & Northeast, but not totally.  Given the birth rates of different ethnic groups (not "racial" groups, which is a different category), it's a given that so-called "white" culture will not be dominant in the future, and that's only counting the influence of immigrants who are here legally.  So, folks worked up about "illegals" need to get over it.  Besides, a culture doesn't have to be dominant in order to survive.  Look at the early immigrant Germans, Italians, Irish, Jews, Chinese, other Asians, etc.---all different cultures, all hated by some people at different times, & all still here... both the ethnic groups and their different cultures.

In addition, White Supremacists should wake up to the fact that Mexican-Americans belong to the same "Race" as they do.  In a 1950 Supreme Court Case (Hernandez v. Texas), the decision affirmed that although such Hispanics biologically are members of the "white" race they also are an ethnic "class" apart, & as such, should be represented on juries. [There were no Chicanos (Mexican-Americans) on the jury in the trial of Hernandez.]

I've maintained for years that the so-called "white" race isn't white at all.  The proper term is Caucasian.  Caucasians are from Europe (including Spain), the Middle East, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, West Asia, & Central Asia.  [Russia and Turkey are in both Europe and Asia.]  By any reasonable measure, our skin color (& skin color basically means nothing significant) is not "white".  Slap a piece of computer paper on your arm, hand, or face.  It's plain that we are not "white".  That racial term came about because "white" is associated with purity, goodness, and the opposite of "evil" darkness.  [Muhammad Ali pointed that out in one of his college speeches, and he was correct.]  To me, the use of it is subtle racism.  Our Gov't & the Establishment in general once used the correct term, Caucasian; they all now use the term "white".  Shabby, false propaganda.

Sorry, but as a painter who uses many different colors every day, it bothers me that "white" is used--- especially by the Government--- to refer to a particular biological Race.  It also bothers me that too many people appear to be ignorant of the difference between "Race" and "Ethnicity".  Different ethnic groups (with very different cultures) often belong to the same Race.  There is no single "white" culture.  That's a myth, and egregious propaganda.

Wake up, "white" America.  

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

ADDENDUM to "The Coup is Almost Complete"

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

 

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

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

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

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

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

The Coup is Almost Complete

A friend wrote me an email in which he decried the show trial in DC...the sham, cover-up (so far) performance in the Senate.  My response is below.
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Yessir, it's flat-out Orwellian.

I would disagree, though, that these Fascists are "Republicans".  Republicans (before they dried up & blew away) believed in a Constitutional Republic.  These folks are Trumpistas/Corporatists/Fascists...a horse of a different color.  Republicans didn't believe in Interventionism overseas, or shooting people in the back, or doubling/TRIPLING the Debt, or a National Surveillance State, or ignoring the Geneva conventions on war, or a host of other nightmares.  

The Repub Party was hijacked a long time ago, even before Reagan.  [The Reagan years almost tripled our National Debt, & essentially launched Neoliberalism in economic policy.  Both Reagan & Thatcher joined in what was known as the "Washington Consensus", pure Neoliberal policy.]

"Pinochet's neoliberal policies came to be codified as 'structural adjustment', and Thatcher became one of structural adjustment's most enthusiastic promoters, not only for Britain but the world, popularising her approach with the slogan 'There is no alternative'. With Thatcher and the US president Ronald Reagan as its main boosters, and the World Bank and IMF as its executors, structural adjustment or the Washington consensus was generalised throughout the developing world."

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/poverty-matters/2013/apr/16/legacy-margaret-thatcher-neoliberalism  

The story is similar with The Democrat Party.

Carter, David Rockefeller, Brzezenski, & the Trilateral Commission created much of the philosophical underpinnings for Neoliberalism.  The Trilateral Commission's 1st Annual Paper ("The Crisis of Democracy", book-length) proposed:  the crisis of democracy was that there was too much democracy in the world.  According to the scholarly authors (all supposedly "Liberals"), that had to be remedied if the Establishment were to survive.  "The Crisis of Democracy" was published in 1975.

Today, the terms "Republican" and "Democrat" are nothing other than Edward Bernays style PROPAGANDA.  The NEOconservatives & NEOliberals both started up in the 1970's (the difference between them is almost nil); they now rule much/most of the Western World.  In practical terms, "Conservatives" & "Liberals" no longer exist; they've both either converted or given up & faded away.

With Trump & Crew, the Neoliberal/NeoCon Coup is now almost complete... and it's not a "conspiracy"; it's in plain sight.  Meanwhile, the main worry of too many Americans is:  when is the new I-Phone making its debut.  Hey, maybe this next one will be able to fry pancakes.  

And so it goes.

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Rules From and For the Oligarchy Redux

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

The Tragic State of Affairs in the USA

Preface
As a wizened old man who has had (& continues to have) a most interesting life, I find my thoughts below to be not only tragic, but comical as well.  I first developed a keen interest in American politics with the election of Ike in 1956.  So, point being:  I've lived through quite a variety of Presidents and members of Congress.  Compared to those of the past, most of the current national office holders in DC don't seem to be at all interested in representing the will of the People...all the People, not just 25% of the population.  The politicos of today are beyond the pale in a way that's darkly hilarious.  For whatever reasons, they see little to no cause to hide the fact that they are Plutocrats/Oligarchs leading us down the path to NeoFeudalism.  It's astounding...and comical.
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Here's why the USA is in dire straits, in no order of importance---

1.  The Powers-That-Be apparently have convinced the population that Debt doesn't matter...especially Gov't Debt.  The Repubs (& some Dems) plus the current Oval Office Occupier have increased our National Debt by about two trillion dollars in only two years.  And I thought Dubya Bush and Obama were bad in that regard.  Ha!  Public and private debt here is at record levels.  Corporate debt is beyond incredible.  The Debt Bubble is the mother of all bubbles, and all bubbles burst.

2.  Despite what the Gaslighter in the Oval Office claims, our GDP is decreasing.

3.  Trump continues his childish, ridiculous Gaslighting.  Most of us simply are bored with it, but many (maybe most) of his supporters still take him at his word, or worse, if he's proven wrong beyond any doubt (which happens often) about something, they don't care.  Not only is that potentially dangerous, I find it to be hilarious.  They don't care that (as the old joke goes) the lunatics are running the asylum.  Go figure.

4.  Whether inadvertently or purposely, the White House Crew and The Don are encouraging both lawlessness and racism in our Land.

5.  Encouraged by the Fed Gov't and deregulation, as well as by Propaganda, our Bubble Economy is bubbling on.  If you look at the time intervals between the Booms & Busts from the severe Recession of 1973-1975 up to present day, you'll see that we're overdue for the next Bust.  Unfortunately, the public and private Powers-That-Be seem to have convinced most Americans that's not true, that it's all under control now, that the economy "is booming"...no worries they say.  The Gaslighter-in-Chief is especially adamant about that.  Please, are you kidding us, or simply lying to us?  I find it comical that anyone believes it's all under control, and the economy is doing great.

6.  The median income of workers here is now $32,791.  So, half the workers in the USA make less than that...HALF.  That doesn't sound like the richest country in the world to me.

7.  Trump has alienated all of our Allies in the world except for the few who essentially are dictators, such as the Leaders of Saudi Arabia, the Philippines, the UAE, & Brazil...maybe another one or two, can't recall.  This is not good for us or the world.

8.  Our Two-Party System in politics is rotten to the core.  It's oligarchical in nature, and its practices rarely represent the will of the People.  Not long ago, a Princeton study found that politicians ignore that will 70% of the time.

9.  Our Gov't has managed to institute a State of Perpetual War.  The crazy idea that we are the police of the world is now taken as a given by most Americans.  Never mind that most of those actions are utterly unconstitutional, and many violate International Law.

10.  In most cases, the protections of the Fourth Amendment are totally ignored by Gov't in this day & age...all in the name of "safety".  Who's keeping us safe from those who violate the Constitution?

11.  Too many Americans no longer seem to understand the difference between nationalism and patriotism.  The former engenders arrogance and superiority; the latter engenders responsibility.  Trump and Crew promulgate nationalism.

12.  For this next point, I'll exaggerate a bit.  Exaggeration often drives home a valid point.  More and more, Americans appear to be dividing up into "tribes", so to speak.  Whether political, or religious, or economic, or cultural, or something else, these tribes often are less & less tolerant of each other than in much of the past... and more & more self-righteous.  For example, in politics the Left-leaning folks accuse the Right-leaning people of being intolerant, self-righteous, etc.  In fact, though, the Left side of the spectrum also is intolerant---of the Right side---and, self-righteous about it.  What's tragic and comical about that whole situation is that neither side thinks it's that way.  It's only the "other side" who demonstrates those failings.

13.  Finally, all across the political spectrum here in the USA, people are gulping down the Edward Bernays style Propaganda Kool Aid coming from Corporatists and Plutocrats as if there will be no tomorrow.  Certainly not everyone is, but most are.  That's the primary reason that we are in today's tragic situation.  It's not only a tragedy; it's a cosmic comedy.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Companies Claim to Have Gizmos With Artificial Intelligence

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

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

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

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Crony Capitalism and Climate Change

This essay is mostly based on the piece at the following link---
https://www.democracynow.org/2018/10/9/climate_scientist_as_un_warns_of

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Reasonable and well-spoken, Dr. Kevin Anderson explains why even well-meaning politicians and scientists (who are the majority in the Climate Change arena/issue), with their tweaking-of-the-existing-system approach, are pursuing an inadequate solution to a massive problem.  Instead, Anderson says, we need a "Marshall Plan" approach.  [Which, in my opinion, never will happen in time to solve the problem.  Our entire economic and political system needs to be peacefully revamped.]  And he doesn't even mention the permafrost methane "bomb" probability accompanying overall global warming.  That makes things even more urgent.

Because of plutocratic and political propaganda, never mind the inadequate approach of those who at least recognize the problem, I'm afraid it's too late to do anything significant about Climate Change.  By the time the powerful deniers finally wake up (or become honest), the window of opportunity will be long gone.  Our children & grandchildren will be living in a world the harshness of which cannot now be imagined... and the root cause of all that is Crony Capitalism, currently supported by most Republicans and Democrats (at the highest levels).  Corporatism rules.  This is not pessimism; it's plain reality.

The good news is that Anderson believes there's still hope.  Maybe he's right.  There are too many variables to predict with absolute certainty what actually will happen regarding our approach to the biggest problem facing Mankind.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

"How Democracy Ends"

The Intercept recently posted a brilliant piece by Murtaza Hussain titled, "Democracy Dies in the Blinding Light of Day".  It's a commentary and review of Professor David Runciman's new book, How Democracy Ends.

Due to time constraints, I can give only a brief, inadequate summary of the hypothesis, as follows.  Instead of Orwell's 1984 or Animal Farm, Runciman makes a very good argument for the ending of democracy via Huxley's Brave New World, in which Technology smothers democracy in a manner barely noticeable.  There's plenty of past and present evidence supporting that premise.  See Hussain's article.

My only criticism (though not much of one) of Mr. Hussain's piece is this---
He cites John Adams, one of our Founders and the second President of the USA, as not favoring democracy.  Adams:  "There never was a democracy yet, that did not commit suicide.".  That is what Adams said, but there's more to the story.  The fact is, the majority of our Founders expressed a palpable disdain for democracy.  They were against that form of government for our new country.  See the second paragraph here---
http://individualsovereignty.blogspot.com/2016/11/latest-count-clinton-has-395000-more.html
In other words, it wasn't only Adams who didn't want democracy for the USA.

This country never has been a democracy.  Elections don't make it so.  That people believe the exact opposite is a testament to the power of Edward Bernays style Propaganda.  This Land's government is a Plutocracy, and it always has been.  Without question, History supports that contention.  It took me decades to come to that conclusion.  C'est la vie.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

The Only Republicans and Democrats are on Main Street

They certainly aren't holding Office at the Fed level.  Of course, there are a few exceptions to that statement... very few.  Those exceptions all have been marginalized by the Plutocratic System.

The political "Right" and the "Left" on Main Street today are stuck in the Past.  Today's politicians at the highest levels are not Repubs, Dems, Conservatives, or Liberals.  Instead, they are Neoliberals/NeoConservatives/ Corporatists/Oligarchs/Plutocrats (or their puppets) who use those old labels to manipulate the public... to divide and conquer.  This is so obvious that it's sickening.  

The whole political scene here in the USA is a complete sham.  The purpose of it is to facilitate the greatest transfer of wealth (from most of us) to the Upper Crust in the history of Mankind.  And it's continuing under Trump...big-time.  None of it is a grand conspiracy.  Rather, it's people with common interests working sometimes together, but mostly independent of one another, to attain mutual/common goals.

I've been closely following American politics since 1956 (1956 is not a typo).  The pattern is clear:  Edward Bernays style Propaganda has been (& is being) used by those in Power to mold the public mind, to move all of us toward the goals of the Plutocrats.  The Powers-That-Be figured out many decades ago that, in a relatively Free society, brute force generally cannot be used to increase and guarantee their opulence.  Rather, that has to be done by means of ubiquitous Propaganda.

The above thoughts/statements are not original with me.  Over the decades, I've learned these ideas from many, many reputable people... all across the political spectrum.  All of them have been marginalized to a great degree by those in Power.  That has been accomplished by means of unrelenting Propaganda and Rules concocted by the Powers-That-Be... especially in the USA, but largely throughout the Western World as well.  Since 2007, I've given example after example on this venue of the use of Propaganda in this great Land.

Until we stop drinking the Bernays Style Propaganda Kool Aid supplied by the Plutocracy/Oligarchy (which adheres to neither Republican or Democratic philosophy), we have little to no chance of preventing the move to a NeoFeudalistic Society.  If we don't wake up, NeoFeudalism will reign supreme.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well