Guantanamo, Exceptionalism, Neoliberals, and the Feds

In 1898, our Gov't stole Guantanamo at gunpoint.  That was during the time when "we" were "saving" various parts of the world from............................ Spain.  In 1903, Cuba essentially was forced (at gunpoint) to sign a perpetual lease, one of the terms being that our Gov't was to pay Cuba $2,000 a year... in gold.  I wonder if the USA held up that end of the bargain.  That also was during the time when Mark Twain became a founding member of the American Anti-Imperialist League.

The USA no longer engages in Imperialism.  Our Gov't (which hasn't represented We the People for quite some time) now engages in NeoImperialism.  That's so much better... one doesn't have to occupy a country in order to essentially control it.  Simply surround it with some of the almost 1,000 military bases the US has around the world.  The warships help, too.  Waging financial and economic war (or threatening to) is a big help as well.  Oh, and then there's the NSA spying...............on our allies.  None of them, of course, are permitted to spy on us; that's a crime.  When our Feds do it to others, that's okay.  [We the People did not delegate the power to the Fed Gov't to do any of that insanity.  The Constitution ENUMERATES all legitimate powers delegated to the Feds.  That document must be legally changed in order to add any new powers.  Interpreting it differently will not suffice.]

1898 was a banner year.  The Fed Gov't also "saved" Guam and the Philippines... and "annexed" Hawaii.  ["Annexed"--- that's Gov't-Speak for stole.]  When other countries do similar things, that's wrong... even a crime in many cases.  When the Fed Gov't does it, it's just, moral, ethical, and helpful.  That's because of American Exceptionalism---the concept that the USA is, you know, special (that's Gov't-Speak for "better").  "We" are exceptional because... well, just because.  [Usually promoters of American Exceptionalism say that it's because we have so many freedoms here (and value them so).  What they leave out is this:  those freedoms must conform to certain moral (not ethical) standards.  Other freedoms, even if they do NOT infringe on anyone's genuine rights or property, are not permitted.  So, for example, if one wishes to possess & imbibe a plant substance in the privacy of one's own home, behind locked doors, that is a crime.  There's nothing ethically wrong with it, but it doesn't meet certain moral standards.  Morality is subjective and varies from person to person and group to group.  Ethics are objective, carved in stone, and do not vary at all...ever.  Ethics are based on the science of Logic.  Doing the same with America's drug of choice (booze), of course, is okay, not a crime.  Hypocrisy abounds.]

Nowadays, and for some time, our Gov't is so special that it gets to be the World Police.  On what authority?  Well, you know.......................... none.  It's just that we're so exceptional.  That's it.  For example, when our Gov't kills children, that's NOT terrorism; when others kill children, it IS terrorism.  When our Gov't bombs civilians, that's NOT terrorism; when others do it, it IS terrorism.  Why?  Well, you know, our Fed Gov't is exceptional.  It does almost nothing wrong.  When it does do something wrong, it rarely holds anyone accountable for that wrongdoing... except for some low-level, unfortunate person.  As Obama recently said (paraphrased) in relation to the Senate torture report:  yes, some things were done wrong, but I prefer to move forward rather than dwell on the past.  It's a familiar refrain from those at the highest levels of our Outlaw Fed Gov't.

Don't misunderstand me.  I love this Land and its People.  At the same time, though, I pretty much dislike the highest levels of our Fed Gov't, the political Oligarchs.  Why?
1.  We no longer have a representative government in this country.  According to the respected, late historian, Carroll Quigley (Bill Clinton's mentor at Georgetown U.), we haven't had one since well before the 1960s.  The overwhelming majority of national political candidates are selected, groomed, and financed by the rich & powerful... and dance to their tune... at the expense of the rest of us.
2.  The Neoliberals (both Democrats and Republicans) at the highest levels have killed the Republic by trashing the Constitution of the United States.
3.  The Neoliberals (Democrats and Republicans) in Gov't, the Corporate Media, educational institutions, and mega corporations have been inundating this Land with Edward Bernays style Propaganda Kool Aid for decades.  The highest levels of the nonrepresentative Fed Gov't are the worst offenders in that regard.
4.  The Neoliberals (Democrats and Republicans) at the highest levels in the Fed Gov't are grossly hypocritical when it comes to spying (especially spying on allies), pre-emptive invasions, exposing wrongdoing (as in the cases of whistleblowers), complying with International Law (e.g., the Geneva Conventions), economic sanctions (sanctions are an act of war), etc., etc., ad nauseum.

Please visit my YouTube Channel for more.
http://www.youtube.com/user/scotthaley12

Not just my opinion.  Be Well

OBAMA SHOULD BE IMPEACHED...ASAP

Not long ago, the NYT Editorial Board came to the conclusion that Obama's ISIS War is unconstitutional. They are correct; there is no question whatsoever about that.  Violating the U.S. Constitution is an impeachable offense.  Unfortunately and most likely, impeachment will not happen.

Even though the Republicans now hold a majority in both Houses of Congress, they will not represent the People and pursue impeachment of Obama.  Why?  For a few reasons, not the least of which is that they too have been guilty of unconstitutional wars... and they want to retain for Presidents that illegal war-making power.  In other words, they won't rock the boat because they want all future Presidents to be able to go to war illegally.  That benefits their primary constituency--- the rich and powerful.

All of this demonstrates fairly clearly that, at the highest political levels, the old labels---Republican, Democrat, Conservative, Liberal---essentially are meaningless.  The highest echelon in politics consists of Neoliberals.  The old, anachronistic labels now merely are Distract-Divide-Conquer Propaganda.  It continually amazes me that many people don't see that.

Although politically we're in a Rigged Game, I'm convinced that it's NOT a "conspiracy".  Neoliberals are all about global BIG Business.  They may have similar interests and mutual goals, and they may keep their plans private, but that doesn't mean the whole thing is any sort of conspiring.  It's no more a conspiracy than is that of AT&T attempting to maximize profits.  Besides, the whole Neoliberal agenda mostly is in plain sight.

As have many Republicans, Obama has violated the Supreme Law of the Land in other ways as well.  Most likely, he will not be impeached for those reasons either.  We the People are asleep at the political wheel; we need to wake up.  At the highest levels, the Neoliberals in the Fed Gov't are all on the same Team.  That's so obvious that it's downright painful.  Example:  both Obama AND McConnell are working fiercely to get the TPP implemented in this Land.  That Agreement primarily benefits the Oligarchy, not commoners.  The same is true of TAFTA... and most so-called Republicans and so-called Democrats support that as well.  For the low-down on the TPP, see this:  http://www.citizen.org/TPP .

Long story short, in the USA we have (at the highest levels) an outlaw Fed Government.  There is absolutely no question about that.  [Take it from someone who has been observing American politics keenly since 1956...well over half a century.]

Not just my opinion.  Be Well

High-Ranking Repubs & Dems: Keep Spitting on the Constitution

That way, soon it will be so soaked in sputum that you'll be able to tear it up and throw it away much more easily.  You've all been spitting on it for so many decades that most of you have a fairly good aim by now, so perhaps before long it simply will dissolve of its own accord... you won't even have to tear it up.  I can't find half of it already.  I think some of you in DC are cheating:  you're not just spitting on it, you're pissing on it as well.  What gets me is that some people, perhaps most, don't seem to notice.  Kudos to you high-ranking politicos on your excellent use of distracting Propaganda.

OPEN LETTER TO REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRAT POLITICAL OLIGARCHS

The Constitution is exceedingly CLEAR on the following points.

1.  As enumerated in Article I, Section 8:
    a.  only CONGRESS is charged with regulating the value of our money (no other entity has been delegated that power by We the People...furthermore, no law, such as the 1913 Fed Reserve Act, over-rides the Supreme Law of the Land);
    b.  only CONGRESS is charged with the power to put this Nation at war (being Commander-in-Chief of the Military does not mean that the President gets to ignore Article I... furthermore, no law, such as the War Powers Act, over-rides the Supreme Law of the Land);
    c.  only CONGRESS is charged with the power to issue assassination orders, otherwise known as Letters of Marque and Reprisal (that power was not delegated to the Executive Branch by We the People);
    d.  only CONGRESS is charged with the power to "make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water" (that power was not delegated to the Executive Branch by We the People)...who made the Rules for Gitmo, CIA Black Sites, and "enhanced interrogation"?...  not Congress;
    e.  the final clause of Article I, Section 8 does not mean that Congress gets to ignore the duties with which CONGRESS has been charged to perform.  In other words, Congress may not delegate its powers to some other Branch of Government... or any other entity.  Only We the People are allowed to delegate Constitutional Powers.  We did not delegate power to Congress to turn over the duty of regulating the value of our money to an un-elected group known as the Fed Reserve Board of Governors.  It's the duty of CONGRESS to regulate the value of our money... no one else may do it.  [The former Chairman of the Fed, Alan Greenspan, once stated on the PBS News Hour, "No one has control [or perhaps he said "power", not "control"] over us."... the problem with that should be obvious.]

2.  We the People are to be secure in our "persons, houses, papers, and EFFECTS" [emphasis added].  The so-called PATRIOT Act (like any other law) does not trump the Constitution.  Neither does any part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)... or any other law.  The Executive Branch acts as though those laws do trump the Constitution.

If you political Oligarchs don't like parts of the Supreme Law of the Land, you are charged by the People to try and change them.  That can be done legally only two ways:  by Amendment; or, by means of a Constitutional Convention.  No other methods are permitted; plus, you are not legally permitted to ignore those parts and then contravene them.  We did not delegate that power to you.  Finally, I don't want to hear any whining about how difficult it is to change the Constitution.  As you know, it purposely was constructed to be that way.  Live with it, or get out of politics.  As things are now, virtually all of you are violating your Oath of Office to support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America.  If you can't obey your Oath, then get the hell out.  We don't want you.

Constraints of time and energy prohibit me from enumerating ALL of the ways in which you high-ranking Democrats AND Republicans have been spitting and pissing on the Constitution for decades.  [I've been a keen observer of American politics since 1956; 1956---that's not a typo.]  The few examples above should suffice to illustrate the point.  It's no wonder to me that politicians at the highest levels (especially in DC) have become despised by the People.  The effectiveness of the Distract-Divide-Conquer Propaganda constantly put out by the Oligarchy is beginning to fade.  People finally are stirring... so far, just a bit... but stirring.

Not just my opinion.  Be Well

The Whole Political Spectrum is Wrong RE the Constitution - WHY?

From Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution...(in the war- making clause)--- [The following is one of the duties of CONGRESS. Article I enumerates the responsibilities of both Houses of  Congress]--- "...make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water". Last I heard, the CIA, Military Intelligence, the President, or any part of the Pentagon are not members of Congress.  That means Guantanamo, CIA Black Sites,  "enhanced interrogation", etc. were/are all unconstitutional. [Most "Liberals", Democrats,  and Republicans appear to support all of what's below. What's remarkable is that  most so-called "Conservatives"  and "Libertarians" seem to be  the biggest supporters of  those items below.  One would  think they would be the greatest supporters of the Constitution,  the bedrock document of the Republic. Nope, no luck there.] Add the unconstitutionality described above to the fact that, thanks to the PATRIOT Act, FBI Agents now can write their own Search Warrants (no judge required), a clear violation of the 4th Amendment, and U.S. citizens (here, on our soil) now, thanks to the NDAA, can be held indefinitely without trial or  any kind of due process, a clear violation of the 5th Amendment, and several other  blatant violations of the Supreme Law of the Land, and it's plain that the  Republic of the USA exists in  name only. "Conservatives" and "Libertarians" are the most vociferous defenders of these VIOLATIONS of the Constitution. That's quite remarkable, and a testament  to how powerful the Oligarchical Propaganda has been in the last 15 yrs or so. [The two segments of the political spectrum at the beginning of this paragraph are in quotes because: 1. there are no more Conservatives in the USA to my knowledge... only NeoConservatives, a horse of an entirely different color; and 2. Libertarians here are not the original, traditional Libertarians of the past... again, a horse of an entirely different color.]  Not just my opinion.  Be Well p.s.  In talking about any and all members of the groups mentioned above, I'm referring  primarily to those individuals at the highest levels,  not those at street level.

Why the USA is a Soft FASCIST State

Some would say that I should omit the word "soft".  I leave it in place because we still have a considerable amount of Freedom here... although, that is changing fairly rapidly.  Adherents of the so-called Right think we still have a Republic as our form of government; adherents of the so-called Left think we still have a Democracy.  If you're no longer drinking the Edward Bernays style Propaganda Kool Aid, it's readily apparent that the USA has neither of those forms of government.

First, let's examine the false belief that we're still a Republic.  The bedrock of the Republic of the USA was the U.S. Constitution... and obedience to its provisions.  All three branches of our Fed Gov't (at the highest levels) have been ignoring large portions of the Supreme Law of the Land for decades and decades.  That practice has become increasingly more blatant in the last thirty years or so.  It makes no difference at all if the Administration is Republican or Democrat... or should I say, Republicrat or Demopublican.  In 1901, a Supreme Court Justice Harlan warned of "Legislative Absolutism", a term he coined and by which he meant passing Laws that were unconstitutional.  He said (in a dissenting opinion) that there were two governments in the USA now (1901):  one obeying the Constitution, and one not.  It only has gotten worse since then.

The list of violations of our Supreme Law of the Land by the highest levels of the Fed Gov't is virtually endless.  I've described many of those violations on this Blog in the last almost eight years.  I don't intend to re-list them now.  One Representative in DC even admitted to an interviewer, "Half of what we do [in Congress] is unconstitutional."... at one time (several years ago), a recording of that was on YouTube.  There is no question whatsoever that the Fed Gov't violates many of the provisions of the Constitution... no matter which political Party is in power.  The icing on the cake is the provision of the NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act) which gives the Feds the power to detain indefinitely, without access to an attorney and without a trial, any U.S. citizen chosen by one person, the President... and even to execute that person on the say-so of only one person, the President.  No due process, no attorney, no trial, no appeal.  That's according to many legitimate news sources, including an article in Forbes.  When Obama signed the last NDAA into Law, he stated something like, "I would never do that."... I'm not reassured.

Without obedience by the Feds to the provisions of the Constitution, there is no Republic of the USA.  It exists in name only.

Second, let's examine the false belief that we're a Democracy.  I'm referring to a truly participatory democracy.  Yes, we get to vote... well, some of us anyway.  Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of national political candidates are selected, groomed, and financed by the Oligarchy.  That means it doesn't really matter who gets elected.  Even FDR wrote to a friend back in the '30s, "In this country, Presidents are selected, not elected."... so are most Congress people.  The whole process is dominated by those in the Power Structure by means of ballot-access laws, Cronyism, rules of various kinds that further restrict Third Parties, and Propaganda from both the Government and the Corporate Media.  On top of all that, there is Black Box Voting--- rigged voting machines.  See the site, blackboxvoting.org and the documentary by the same name.  See especially the documentary.

Both Mussolini and FDR defined Fascism as:  the marriage of BIG Business to the State.  That's precisely what we've had in the USA for years and years.  We just recently had an example of that on 12-15-14 (this past Monday).  The Senate passed the already House-passed $1.1 trillion spending Bill into Law.  Attached was an amendment written by lobbyists of Citibank that essentially rolled-back the paltry protections against the Financial Sector that were in Dodd-Frank.  The Amendment also provides that any future losses on risky investments suffered by Mega Banks will be reimbursed by the Feds (meaning, the taxpayers).  So, if the speculative Wall Street Banks fail again, they'll be bailed out again.  That's Crony Capitalism, aka, Fascism.  It's not only at the national level.  At every level of government in this country, elected officials kowtow to their primary constituency... BIG Business.

A few different, scholarly, legitimate studies in the past several years have shown that anywhere from 70% to 95% of the public is ignored when elected officials formulate public policy.  In other words, the opinions of most of us do not count in the minds of those elected by us.  The primary constituencies of most politicians are the Super-Rich.  That's Fascism.

Sorry to say, but we live in a Soft Fascist State.  As far as I can tell, the same applies to most developed countries.

Not just my opinion.  Be Well

My YouTube Channel

I've begun posting short talks on YouTube... dealing with topics such as Neoliberalism, Globalization, Free Trade Agreements, the phony politics in America, and several others often covered here.  There also are a few mildly amusing, short clips of me singing, and one of an impression of Henry Kissinger.  I invite everyone to visit.

This video (link below) should be of interest to all Republicans and Democrats.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obW8J0-Y_JA&list=UU-8L_fR4KCb-jW6gKZP7gMw

Here's the address of my YouTube Channel...if you're interested.

https://www.youtube.com/user/ScottHaley12

Be Well

Surratt, Bush-Cheney, Obama, & the Military v. Civilians

The 2010 movie, The Conspirator, directed by Robert Redford, triggered my researching the case of Mary E. Surratt, the first woman to be executed by the U.S. Fed Gov't...after being tried and found guilty by a military tribunal.  Mary was convicted of being one of the conspirators in the assassination of Lincoln.  The prosecution case against her was flawed; as a result, a judge signed a writ of habeas corpus, ordering a new trial in civilian court.  The writ was vacated by President Andrew Johnson, and Mary was hanged.  Her attorney, Frederick Aiken, was so disheartened by the turn of events that he left the Law and later became the first City Editor of the Washington Post.  A year after Surratt's execution, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision stating that military tribunals for cases against civilians were unconstitutional, and that civilians must be tried in civilian court...even during times of war.

Before going further, let's clear up what I believe is a misconception regarding Rights and the U.S. Constitution.  It appears to me that too many Americans believe that our Supreme Law of the Land grants us Rights, and that only citizens of our country are entitled to those Rights in the USA.  Not true.  What the Constitution does is protect Rights that all people possess at birth.  The Declaration of Independence states, "...that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.".  So, Freedom for example, is our birthright...and is not dependent upon any government grant.  The former Attorney General under Dubya Bush, Alberto Gonzales, was dead wrong when he testified before Congress that people don't necessarily have the Right of habeas corpus..."because the Constitution does not grant us that Right". Everyone is entitled to the Right of habeas corpus; the Constitution doesn't grant us any Rights.  They are ours at birth.  It's crucial to the survival of Freedom that people understand that point.

Humans have understood the difference between troops in war and civilians for centuries.  Modern day Oligarchs and their puppets have changed the rules... and muddied the waters.  According to them, we now have "enemy combatants"; they aren't troops, but should be treated the same as troops...sometimes.  When captured, they can be treated as neither troops nor civilians, but rather as something akin to rabid animals.  According to the Plutocrats, Rights do not apply to them...even criminals are treated better than "enemy combatants".  This all comes from the rulers of supposedly civilized, ethical, moral nations.  Incredible.  Suspects have been held in Guantanamo for years with no charges, and then released for lack of evidence.  Suspects have been subjected to so-called "enhanced interrogation", and then released for lack of evidence.  A German citizen, after being flown to various Black Sites around the Globe by the CIA finally was released afoot in the middle of nowhere in Germany...in the middle of the night.  For months, his family had no idea where he was.  Put yourself in his or their shoes.  It's no wonder to me that the government of the USA (and for that matter, the UK as well) is becoming more & more hated around the world.  They don't hate you for your Freedom Bush-Cheney; they hate you for your terrorism.  [We'll get to Obama shortly.]

Presumption of innocence and anything resembling due process apparently are gone...or very well hidden. The use of weaponized drones against civilians (suspects) has become the new norm under our Nobel-Peace-Prize-winning President.  As reported on Democracy Now!, apparently for every ONE terrorist SUSPECT killed by drones, TWENTY-EIGHT unidentified people are killed by the same means.  The Administration can claim "precision" in these murders because anyone killed by a weaponized drone automatically is designated by the military as an EKIA...Enemy Killed in Action.  If anyone can prove otherwise, then the person is de-listed as an enemy... of course, he/she is dead by then.  A drone operator on the job for six years finally quit because he had grave doubts about how "suspects" are identified.  It seems to me that it should be paramount to be certain we are not killing innocent civilians.  One poor soul in Pakistan has been trying for years to get justice for the slaughter of members of his family...one a child and another a grandmother.  We should all be ashamed and enraged at the same time, but very few seem to care.

The Oligarchs, our President chief among them, have made sure that the psychological/emotional cost to most of us for this so-called "war" is very little to none.  Even the financial cost is well hidden...it's all borrowed money, to be paid by our posterity.  [They'll pay the interest on the debt; the U.S. Gov't has no intention whatsoever of repaying the principal...because that's not possible.  We never could do it; the National Debt simply is too large.  That's why, sometime in the future, countries of the world will reject the dollar as the world's reserve currency.  Shortly after that happens, barring unforeseen circumstances, the Great Depression of the '30s will look like a picnic compared to the economy that will be experienced.]  Obama claims that none of this really is war; instead, it's "counter-terrorism".  That's code, or Gov't-Speak, for Perpetual War.  The Oligarchs and their puppets have dropped the phrase, "WAR on Terror" or "WAR on Terrorism" (which, by the way, first was coined by the Reagan Administration) because people eventually saw through it.  Now it's "counter-terrorism" or "defending the homeland".  In any case, SUSPECTS are being grossly mistreated... or murdered outright.  In the process, U.S. troops and other military personnel are expected to have Law Enforcement skills.  It's no wonder that more vets have committed suicide than have been killed in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Military actions encourage more terrorism; Law Enforcement actions prevent more terrorist acts.

In addition to Obama's egregious drone operations, Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) assassination squads continue to operate.  Where is the civilian oversight?  Where is the proof of guilt relative to the victims?  [I still haven't seen a shred of proof beyond a reasonable doubt that Osama was responsible for 9-11.  The video in which a supposed Osama was sitting around with cohorts admitting guilt was a sham.  I could instantly see that was not Osama bin Laden.]  Where is the accountability regarding the murder of innocent civilians by drone attacks?  Are We the People so propagandized that we've abandoned all concepts of fairness and justice?  Has the Fed Gov't (at the highest levels) itself become a terrorist organization?  Why is it that when "they" murder innocent people, it's terrorism; but when "we" do it, it's "collateral damage", or "the price of war"?

Terrorists are CRIMINALS, not soldiers.  Suspects are just that.  In an ethical society, they must be accorded due process...no matter how emotionally painful that may be.  Apparently we do not live in an ethical society.  Obama can't seem to make up his mind.  Some terrorist suspects he has taken to trial in civilian court.  Others are locked down in Gitmo for a decade or so...with no formal charges.  Others simply are killed.  Suspects.  This whole scenario is a genuine travesty... as was the case of Mary Elizabeth Surratt.

Not just my opinion.  Be Well