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

Google is the Absolute Pits

Here are some suggestions for Google's parent/holding company (Alphabet, since 2015):  [Their new motto is  "Do the right thing."; following are some right things that need to be done...ASAP.]

1.  Implement a helpful, decent, effective Customer Service system.  Right now you essentially have none at all.  You seem to think we users have time to screw around with your discussion "Forum", or to decipher what some guy with a heavy accent IN INDIA is trying to say in English.  At the very least, get a Customer Service email address...you know, like most companies have done.  Yes, that means you'll have to hire more people;  try to do that in the USA.

2.  Stop making us re-sign-in to everything Google just because we use a different device once in a blue moon.

3.  Understand that some of us out here in the real world don't have a cell phone.  So, when you ask us to give a phone number during your "Security Check-Up", all you're going to get is a landline.  Then you, living in the Land of Assumptions, try to send us some "6-digit verification code" by text that we're supposed to enter online in the "Security Check-Up".  Ooops...it's a no-go.  Or, you ask us to supply a "recovery email"...different from our normal email.  Sorry, I only have one email...can barely keep up with that.  Don't want two.

4.  Tell your East Indian CSRs it's really not professional of them to hang up on a caller seeking help...especially when that caller has been polite & civil.  I called a "Technical Help" number, explained the problem (# 3. above), and was told at the end, "Well, you have to talk to the Technicians."; then he hung up.

5.  Take whatever steps necessary to dispel the reputation you Tech companies are getting amongst those of us who are not Tech Whiz Kids.  That reputation is as follows:  you don't seem to care one whit about everyday users; you only seem to care about advertisers.  If it weren't for us users, you wouldn't have any advertisers.  Hello.

6.  Insert some common sense into your approach to "security".  Anyone with at least half a brain knows that nothing on the Internet is "secure", no matter what you say; therefore, none of us with any sense at all reveal any sensitive info on the Web.  Give us a choice regarding all this supposed "security". 

How do I know that nothing on the Web is secure?  Headlines for the last 20 years have proven that's so.  Major companies, even banks, government agencies, and even the Pentagon have all been hacked.  And you're worried about my email?  Really?  Here's a clue:  I'm not...because there's nothing in my email account worth stealing.  There's no sensitive info there at all.  And, after all, it's my email, not yours.  Also, this computer belongs to me, not you; if I don't want your "email security" for my email on my computer, that should be my business, not yours.  Hello, again.  I suspect that all this supposed "security" somehow benefits you and your advertisers, not me.
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It's definitely unfortunate that the Internet is not considered a Public Utility by the Corporatist Republicans and Corporatist Democrats in DC.  Anyone with any common sense knows that the Web is a Public Utility.  Too bad that neoliberal privatization has been the flavor of the day for decades.  When the recent trashing of net neutrality by the current Administration kicks in, we'll all be disadvantaged.  The Elites win again.
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Yes, this essay is a rant; ranting helps prevent ulcers.  😊

p.s.  I'll bet most users are wondering:  where is the "security" protecting us from intrusion by private Tech companies???  That security doesn't exist.
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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Trump Admin Wants to Kill Net Neutrality Rules

Ajit Pai, who originally was brought into the FCC by Obama and more recently was appointed as FCC Head Honcho by Trump, is planning to eliminate Net Neutrality Rules (referred to as NNR in the rest of this piece).  Pai has a credible background, but it should be noted that he did a two-year stint as a Verizon attorney.  He claims that the NNR are hurting Business interests, stifling job development, and that the Mega Internet Providers should be allowed to "voluntarily" comply with the spirit of the Rules.  Please...who in their right mind thinks that will work out in favor of the rest of us?

I don't have the time to detail all the reasons why NNR need to be retained forever, so if you're not already familiar with those reasons, do a Search for:  what killing net neutrality means for the internet.  Suffice it here to say that those Rules prevent the Mega Players from screwing over 99.9% of us relative to internet usage.  Killing the NNR would hurt us and benefit the Big Boys in the Internet Game.

Although the Oligarchs lost the last battle over this issue, it's obvious they haven't quit the war.  They never will.  That's because the internet is the greatest democratizing tool ever to exist...and they know that.  The Gaslighting Trump knows that, and the last thing billionaires want in a society is full participatory democracy.  As in the last battle over NNR, it again will take millions of citizens speaking out to overcome the Oligarchs' efforts to eliminate these protections.  On Wednesday, July 12, you'll see all kinds of postings on the Web showing you how to have your voice heard.  Please participate.  If you don't, it's pretty much guaranteed that:  the cost of internet usage will increase; there will be "slow lanes"; some sites will be "throttled"; smaller ISPs will be hurt; and outfits such as Comcast and Verizon will be the BIG winners.  There will be censorship on items/ideas that never should be censored.

To those of you who still support the Corporatists in the Executive Branch (or anywhere else), this issue further demonstrates that their beliefs & policies definitely do not favor the everyday citizen.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

What Oligarchs Fear the Most

Recently I watched a couple of excellent documentaries on Netflix:  Genius on Hold, and Downloaded.  The first was the story of Walter Shaw, showing how the old AT&T (Ma Bell) ground this brilliant entrepreneur into virtual dust.  The second was the story of Napster and one of its founders, Shawn Fanning (& others who started the company).  The Napster tale isn't primarily about music "piracy"; instead, it's mostly about vertical vs. horizontal organization of society.  Both films are fascinating.

That brings me to the title of this piece.  Oligarchs, no matter where they are or whether they're in private or public Institutions, in my opinion fear this above all else:  that any society will gradually switch from vertical organization (or mode of operation) to horizontal organization.  With vertical organization/operation, corruption is more likely, unwarranted power is more easily obtained, and unfair control of the population or any subgroup is easier to impose.

I'm an old dog, but I really admire these young pups who are challenging the rule of Oligarchies... in communications, in the music industry, in the news media, in public institutions, and in business in general.  The Old Regime, with its head in the sand, is being run over by a bullet train.  Mostly it only knows how to be reactionary; so, for example, after they finally figured out how popular was Napster, the Music Industry Oligarchs sued about 18,000 of their customers or potential customers.  To their credit, they at last capitulated by deciding that perhaps I-Tunes would be good for the industry.  They still, however, are opposing systems that allow budding entertainers to produce and market their music directly... cutting out the Oligarchs.

We're in a Revolutionary Era.  Entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneurs have figured out that vertical integration of Institutions is a scam... and unnecessary.  The myth that we need a "Ruling Class" in business or even government is dying.  The Old Guard is kicking and screaming... and striking back.  But the bullet train just keeps coming.  Establishment tactics are being exposed.  For example, take NAFTA.  Oligarchs in Gov't and Big Business sold that scam to We the People on the basis that it would increase trade and create jobs here in this country.  It wasn't long before we determined that pretty much the opposite was true.  Basically, here's how NAFTA works---
Mega companies move their factories (along with the associated jobs) to Mexico, hire Mexican workers at very low wages and benefits, ship their goods back here, and sell them.  That's the "trade" generated by the scam known as NAFTA.

In the case of the News Media, I think most people have realized that when it comes to the term "mainstream media", the name "Corporate Media" is entirely accurate.  The mainstream outlets all are owned by mega, vertically integrated, transnational corporations.  To believe they have no oligarchical bias is, I think, being extremely naive.  A plethora of alternative, mostly independent, journalistic outlets have sprung up.  Those media often provide information that is never seen or heard in the mainstream "press".  Again, the Old Guard is kicking and screaming... and attacking... with Propaganda on an unprecedented scale.  Once in awhile, however, the Corporate Media realize how futile it is to stand in front of a bullet train in order to try and stop it, so they actually join forces with people like Glenn Greenwald or Julian Assange.  The tide is turning.  Oligarchs are beginning to try to become relevant to human affairs.

Most Oligarchies around the world, at least in the developed world, most of the time do not resort to brutal force and violence to control their human subjects.  They know that in all likelihood the People would not stand for it.  So instead, they rely on Propaganda, distraction, and circuses.  [As I've said over & over, it's NOT a "conspiracy"; for the most part, it's in plain sight.]  Keeping people apathetic and compliant is a priority.  What worries the "Ruling Class" now is that everyday folks are NONVIOLENTLY challenging the status quo in every field of endeavor... often successfully.

POSTSCRIPT---
All of the above is the main reason that the Internet is being attacked by Oligarchs.  The Web is the primary tool by which vertical organization of society eventually will be toppled... or at least, that type of organization will become less and less relevant.  The attacks often are not obvious; sometimes they appear as a wolf in sheep's clothing.  Politicians, in particular, must be carefully watched if the internet is to remain free and unfettered.  Just my opinion.

Be Well

The Elites, Control of the Masses, and the "Crisis" of Democracy

Even a cursory examination of History tells us that since at least the 1700s, after every major war or other significant, traumatic national event, the elites of "democratic" countries have perceived what they believe to be a "crisis of democracy".  For example, in 1975 the Trilateral Commission (TC for brevity) issued a book-length report on the governability of democracies titled, The Crisis of Democracy, by S. Huntington, et.al.  [The TC is a think tank founded in 1973 by David Rockefeller and Zbigniew Brzezinski, the latter being the author of, The Grand Chessboard: American Primacy and its Geostrategic Imperatives (1998).  It's named "trilateral" because it supposedly represents the elites of North America, Western Europe, and Japan.]

Huntington expressed the following view, one held by so-called "Liberal Democrats", a view that differed very little (if at all) from that of the so-called "Right Wing".  The elites of both political persuasions, after the Vietnam War, believed that in the USA there was an "excess of democracy" which threatened the Establishment.  By that, they meant: large groups of people, normally passive, obedient, and apathetic, began to enter the political arena and essentially demand egalitarianism.  Further, and perhaps a bigger threat, value (truth, justice, equality, etc.)-oriented intellectuals were challenging the technocratic, policy-oriented, institutionalist intellectuals of the Establishment.  That was the "crisis of democracy".  From the elites' point of view, it had to be dealt with in a thorough and systematic way.

 It was believed that the "excesses of democracy" must be mitigated by returning the public to its proper state of obedience and apathy, and driving them from meaningful and full participation in the political process.  That best could be accomplished by further refining the control of the public (and their ideas) via Edward Bernays style propaganda---molding the public mind---and by making institutions even more difficult to penetrate.  As an example of difficult penetration, to get a third political party on the ballot in all fifty states is a complex, convoluted, frustrating, and virtually impossible task because of ballot-access laws concocted by both Democrats and Republicans.  Another example--- probably 90+% of political candidates are chosen, groomed, and financed by the Oligarchy; the rest largely are ignored.  A broader, different example--- today most all major institutions, public or private, are practically impossible to penetrate when trying to get a straight answer about any perceived problem or injustice.  "That's our policy" usually is the reply, as if that's a sufficient answer.

The elites' use of the Corporate Media (the Institutionalist Press) was key to further molding the public mind.  As a result, today ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, and Fox News, as well as the major newspapers and news magazines, all gush with the oligarchical line---a specialized Class knows what's best for all of us...in social matters, in politics, in government, in medicine and physical health, in economics, in finance, in national defense, in education, or in anything else you can name.  The Corporate Media don't all agree with each other on insignificant matters (e.g., should "God" be printed on our coinage), but they all promote the idea that the Oligarchy should manage and control things.  They all promote the idea that the State-Corporate Complex is the best possible system.

The rise of the Independent Media (thought of as "insurrectionist" and "dangerous" by the elites) has resulted in a serious challenge to the Oligarchy.  Consequently, there is a concerted effort to demonize, discredit, and destroy the Independents.  Journalists are being criminalized (e.g., Glenn Greenwald), jailed, or in a few places around the world, tortured and then "disappeared".  The First Amendment in this country is being compromised by the National Security State.  Fear has long been a tool of the Oligarchy...there's always a boogie-man from which we need to be protected, and to be protected means (according to the Oligarchy) that we must give up some of our Natural Rights.  Apparently exposing government wrongdoing is one of those Rights that must be given up.  [NOTE: some of those boogie-men are genuine threats, but most are not.  The biggest boogie-man is the State-Corporate Complex...and it's the biggest genuine threat.]

It's important to recognize (I think/hope most people do) that the definition of democracy used by elites is not the same as the one commonly accepted around the globe.  Democracy applied by elites is a top-down process, not bottom-up.  As to constitutional republics, forget it...there are none left in the world, that is, none that are legitimate or genuine.  That includes the United States.

Around the world today, especially in developed countries, Oligarchies are being seriously challenged by the so-called "crisis in democracy".  People are fed up with oligarchical control.  As a result, elites have increased the propaganda, or the Information War.  The effort to control the masses...mold the public mind...has never been greater.  One consequence is that the internet, the greatest democratizing force on Earth, is being attacked with propaganda and efforts to restrict it as never before.  If we are to peacefully overcome the Oligarchy, the internet must remain free and unfettered.  [I realize it's not unfettered in all countries.]  The State-Corporate Complex is doing everything possible to make us believe that the net should be censored because it is sometimes a tool of various boogie-men.  Resist that propaganda.  Take a page from the people of Turkey.

[NOTE:  A significant portion of this essay is courtesy of a lecture by the brilliant political analyst, Noam Chomsky...a Professor Emeritus of M.I.T., and a man demonized by both the so-called Left and the so-called Right.  That, by itself, tells me we should pay attention to what he says. :)]

Partly just my opinion.  Happy Trails

Computer/Internet Tech Whiz Kids Are Crazy

I'm hoping that family/friends/email acquaintances will see this post because it contains an alternate email address...even after successfully going through all their "security" questions, Hotmail won't let me access my scottfree12 account.  New/alternate email:  AbstractCowboy@hotmail.com .  I can't remember too many email addresses, so drop me a note at my alternate address.  Am hoping sooner or later to convince Hotmail that the other "[another] person [is] using this account" (scottfree12) is me.  Then I can get back my email address "book".  Don't ever forget your email password if you have Hotmail.  Answering the "security question"---e.g., "Who was your favorite teacher?"--- will not be enough.  So my question to the corporatists at MSN is:  Why do you even have a security question?  It did not suffice in my case.  Neither did my full name, birthdate, latest email contacts, recent Hotmail folders created, etc.!  Wake up, Whiz Kids, enough of your security crap.  [Can you tell that I'm frustrated with Techs?  :)]

The move to the beautiful State of New Mexico was smooth, but tiring.  Am way out here in (essentially) the wilderness.  After moving into a cabin & finally getting a landline phone---cell coverage is nonexistent on the 50 acres---I spent literally hours on the phone trying to get high-speed or satellite internet.  Wild Blue Satellite has a customer at this place (100 yards down the driveway), but claims to have no coverage---at the end of an hour conversation trying to figure out how that could be so, the tech finally tells me that satellite internet is done by "allotments", & this area is full-up.  Am on "high-speed" dial-up now; what a joke---the "high-speed" part.

Have done 15 new paintings since arriving here.  Don't know yet if I can email those as attachments while on dial-up.  Time will tell.

My best to all.  Keep resisting the Crony Capitalist Corporatocracy, and be well.