It is often intriguing to consider just how these "comatose bozos" get into public office, whether it is the state legislature or the U.S. Congress. It would not be likely if a significant number of voters were not voting against their own self-interest. Now how does this happen? For example, remember the uninformed and confused individual who went into a Unitarian Church and shot up the place tragically killing and wounding several unfortunate people. He selected that church because he learned probably from Fox News that is where Liberals congregated. And it was the Liberals who were wrecking the country. He was totally oblivious to the fact that it was the Liberals who were supporting legislation that would be beneficial to him, not the right wing Republicans. But it is the right wing Republicans that have convinced working people that Liberals are destroying the "American Way of Life" because they do not believe in “family values.” It's a kind of culture war of rich versus the culture of the poor. Religious conservatives use the family value ploy to promote Christian morality and actually want government to endorse that morality.
The Republican argument is that American moral values are being destroyed by the Liberals who represent the Eastern intellectual elite. In this way they distract working people from the economic issues that directly affect them. The problem is that there is no longer a strong, aggressive labor movement to keep workers focused on the real issues. The Republican scam artists have a free rein. This is how a state like Kansas with many poor workers votes Republican every election. (Red State) And the Liberals have been totally unable to counter “the corporate assault on workers.” There is no organized protest and no effective peace movement. The Liberal movement is moribund.
The last place to look for moral leadership is in political parties. Politics is a dirty business. As Molly Ivins said, “if you want moral leadership, try the clergy. That's their job.” RIP, Molly.
References:
Frank, Thomas, The Wrecking Crew.
Frank, Thomas, What's The Matter With Kansas.
Ivins, Molly.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
The Madness Of War
In 1946 Hermann Goering at the Nuremberg Trials outlined the quintessential method to get support for a war that the people of a country do not want. Since the leaders make the policy, the people get dragged along by lying to them. They are told that they are being attacked and the antiwar protestors are accused of a lack of patriotism thereby “ exposing the country to greater danger.” So you see how easy it is for any government whether it is a democracy or a dictatorship to take the country to war. Why do I say that? Because just about every U.S. President since World War II has used similar tactics to get us into a “hopeless, unnecessary and costly war”, e.g. Korea, Vietnam, Dominican Republic, Panama, Grenada, First Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan.
By now most informed people know that Vietnam was a prime example of how lying got us into a war. Ben Bradlee , formerly Senior Editor of the Washington Post 20 years later admitted that the Vietnam conflict was a lie from beginning to end. Daniel Ellsberg of the Pentagon Papers fame admitted that when he first took the job of special assistant to the Pentagon official in charge of Vietnam, he marveled at his boss's ability to lie poker faced to the press. Ellsberg would watch and listen for an hour to “whoppers” handed out to the press. And the press soaked up the lies not having a clue as to how flagrant and consistent they were. The press in turn passed on this misinformation joyfully to the public. This was part of the build-up to war.
Ellsberg again reported in 2004 during the Iraq War that again we had been lied to and were now in an endless and destructive war comparable to Vietnam. Officials who understood what was happening refused to speak out and just repeated the lies.
Let's consider now the invasion of Panama led by Pres. Bush Sr. There was a great deal of fog consisting of lies, inaccuracies and misinformation created by the U.S. Government and spread by the press. For years General Noriega, the dictator of Panama, was involved with CIA knowledge and acceptance in drug trafficking as long as the revenues received were used to buy arms and then transshipped to the U.S. backed contras who were fighting the Sandanista government in Nicaragua. Once Noriega changed his mind and stopped supporting the contras, he then became that evil man who bought and sold drugs. He was then presented to the American public as a bad guy that we must eliminate. So in order to do that we needed to first invade Panama. The reasons given were to protect American citizens, to preserve democracy , to preserve the Canal and to capture Noriega. Well, as usual there were no American citizens in danger, there was no democracy in Panama and the Canal was not in any danger. Because of the bombardments that followed the invasion 25000 poor people were made homeless and 1000 civilians died. In the end Noriega was captured. And we left the country in chaos. Furthermore, to use Noriega's drug trafficking as a weapon against him when we were directly involved in it is the worst kind of political hypocrisy. And the mainstream press just lapped it up.
Since lies continuously repeated get us into war and keep us at war , perhaps we should look carefully at what wars do to us as a people, both soldiers and civilians. Modern medicine has made it possible for severely wounded front line troops to survive. The ratio of wounded to dead has improved sharply. For example, in World War I and World War II the ratio was approximately 2 wounded to 1 death. The Vietnam War saw a slight increase to approximately 3 wounded to one fatality. However, in Iraq and Afghanistan the ratio jumped to 7 to 1 by far the largest in our history. But there is a downside. Many of these survivors have suffered horrific injuries that require long term care in Veteran facilities and years of family assistance.
One of the most common injuries of the Iraq War is brain trauma caused by blast waves and diagnosed as “traumatic brain injury” or TBI. This is significant because in previous wars deaths from this type of explosion was 75%. Now we can save the majority . However, unfortunately these injuries depending on the severity can inflict permanent damage that requires continuing care. Other horrific injuries are multiple amputations, burns, blindness and permanent spinal injuries.
Probably the longest lasting non- physical injury is mental health disability caused by combat stress. Many combat veterans report continuing psychological problems throughout their life. Continuing health problems and the use of drugs and alcohol are common due to prolonged depression. Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is widespread among front line veterans. Suicide among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans is the highest in 16 years. Many of these soldiers committed suicide while still serving in those countries.
These mental and physical disabilities experienced by veterans can be overwhelming to both the soldier and his family. Many of them are unable to work and mental illness can cause physical illness as well. Chronic pain is a problem for those with physical disabilities and require daily pain medication. Also many require assistance in daily living activities.
The death, destruction and astronomical cost of war demand that we find alternatives.We cannot allow the War Dept to hide the number of casualties from the general public in order to prevent mass protests against the war. In addition hiding suicides and desertions , for example, is deliberate concealment to “protect” the public from the pain of the conflict.
As one observer commented: “ Political leaders want live babies so they can raise them to be dead soldiers.”
References:
George Carlin
Hedges, Chris. What Every Person Should Know About War. 2003
Hedges, Chris. War Is A Force That Gives Us Meaning. 2002
Solomon, Norman. War Made Easy.2005
Stiglitz & Bilmes. The Trillion Dollar War. 2008
By now most informed people know that Vietnam was a prime example of how lying got us into a war. Ben Bradlee , formerly Senior Editor of the Washington Post 20 years later admitted that the Vietnam conflict was a lie from beginning to end. Daniel Ellsberg of the Pentagon Papers fame admitted that when he first took the job of special assistant to the Pentagon official in charge of Vietnam, he marveled at his boss's ability to lie poker faced to the press. Ellsberg would watch and listen for an hour to “whoppers” handed out to the press. And the press soaked up the lies not having a clue as to how flagrant and consistent they were. The press in turn passed on this misinformation joyfully to the public. This was part of the build-up to war.
Ellsberg again reported in 2004 during the Iraq War that again we had been lied to and were now in an endless and destructive war comparable to Vietnam. Officials who understood what was happening refused to speak out and just repeated the lies.
Let's consider now the invasion of Panama led by Pres. Bush Sr. There was a great deal of fog consisting of lies, inaccuracies and misinformation created by the U.S. Government and spread by the press. For years General Noriega, the dictator of Panama, was involved with CIA knowledge and acceptance in drug trafficking as long as the revenues received were used to buy arms and then transshipped to the U.S. backed contras who were fighting the Sandanista government in Nicaragua. Once Noriega changed his mind and stopped supporting the contras, he then became that evil man who bought and sold drugs. He was then presented to the American public as a bad guy that we must eliminate. So in order to do that we needed to first invade Panama. The reasons given were to protect American citizens, to preserve democracy , to preserve the Canal and to capture Noriega. Well, as usual there were no American citizens in danger, there was no democracy in Panama and the Canal was not in any danger. Because of the bombardments that followed the invasion 25000 poor people were made homeless and 1000 civilians died. In the end Noriega was captured. And we left the country in chaos. Furthermore, to use Noriega's drug trafficking as a weapon against him when we were directly involved in it is the worst kind of political hypocrisy. And the mainstream press just lapped it up.
Since lies continuously repeated get us into war and keep us at war , perhaps we should look carefully at what wars do to us as a people, both soldiers and civilians. Modern medicine has made it possible for severely wounded front line troops to survive. The ratio of wounded to dead has improved sharply. For example, in World War I and World War II the ratio was approximately 2 wounded to 1 death. The Vietnam War saw a slight increase to approximately 3 wounded to one fatality. However, in Iraq and Afghanistan the ratio jumped to 7 to 1 by far the largest in our history. But there is a downside. Many of these survivors have suffered horrific injuries that require long term care in Veteran facilities and years of family assistance.
One of the most common injuries of the Iraq War is brain trauma caused by blast waves and diagnosed as “traumatic brain injury” or TBI. This is significant because in previous wars deaths from this type of explosion was 75%. Now we can save the majority . However, unfortunately these injuries depending on the severity can inflict permanent damage that requires continuing care. Other horrific injuries are multiple amputations, burns, blindness and permanent spinal injuries.
Probably the longest lasting non- physical injury is mental health disability caused by combat stress. Many combat veterans report continuing psychological problems throughout their life. Continuing health problems and the use of drugs and alcohol are common due to prolonged depression. Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is widespread among front line veterans. Suicide among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans is the highest in 16 years. Many of these soldiers committed suicide while still serving in those countries.
These mental and physical disabilities experienced by veterans can be overwhelming to both the soldier and his family. Many of them are unable to work and mental illness can cause physical illness as well. Chronic pain is a problem for those with physical disabilities and require daily pain medication. Also many require assistance in daily living activities.
The death, destruction and astronomical cost of war demand that we find alternatives.We cannot allow the War Dept to hide the number of casualties from the general public in order to prevent mass protests against the war. In addition hiding suicides and desertions , for example, is deliberate concealment to “protect” the public from the pain of the conflict.
As one observer commented: “ Political leaders want live babies so they can raise them to be dead soldiers.”
References:
George Carlin
Hedges, Chris. What Every Person Should Know About War. 2003
Hedges, Chris. War Is A Force That Gives Us Meaning. 2002
Solomon, Norman. War Made Easy.2005
Stiglitz & Bilmes. The Trillion Dollar War. 2008
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
PDF for 2005 - 2009
For those who would like copies of my postings there is a link in the download section for a PDF file containing all the posting on El Gato from 2005 - 2009.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
The End Is Near
What we are facing today in the U.S. is on the one hand a plutocracy where the wealthy few control the government and on the other hand a circus freak show composed of idiots , hopeless dipsticks and just plain liars. Our vote counts for nothing. We voted to end the the wars, to provide jobs for the jobless, to end housing foreclosures, to provide health care for everyone, to control Wall St. gambling and what happened? Nothing. The corporations have injected so much payola into the Congress that the politicians are fearful of voting for any laws that would benefit the middle class and the poor. Further, they refuse to enact any legislation that will regulate the highly leveraged speculation of the enormously wealthy and powerful financial corporations of Wall St. No regulation means banks will continue to rob us over and over. Since the legislators that supposedly represent us are unable to act, we are no longer a democracy but we are headed instead toward “totalitarian capitalism”. Hang on to your hat. The Empire is ended. We are about to descend into chaos. We will be poorer while the system disintegrates.
Now let's look at some of the characters in the freak show. They are the Tea Party Protestors, Russ Limbaugh, Sarah Palin, Newt Gingrich, Fox News, and Glenn Beck. These people are the right wing representatives of the Republican Party who belligerently combat government regulation and are linked to the thievery of Wall Street and the larceny of the “for profit” health care organizations. The Tea Party Protestors are composed of stupid, ignorant no-nothings. Russ Limbaugh said he will leave the country if a Federal health plan was passed. So where was he going? He picked Costa Rica, where apparently unbeknownst to him there is a national health plan that covers everyone. Maybe he did his homework because now he says he is not leaving. Too bad.
Sarah Palin admitted that as a child, she and her family would cross the border into Canada to use their health plan free of charge. Not too long ago, she advised Canadians to drop their National Health Plan. Is she “cuckoo” or just a hypocrite? Maybe both. We are all familiar with the sanctimonious Newt Gingrich and the people on Fox News are pathological liars who deliberately deceive rather than inform. Glenn Beck is obviously mentally ill.
Nonetheless, 35,000,000 people or more are struck dumb by these buffoons and believe what they say. They are allied with the Christian Right, a wing of the Republican Party. Millions of jobless who have no hope are easy prey for the religious fanatics. The program of the Christian Right is an alliance with the wealthy power brokers to control the State and destroy democracy.
As Molly Ivins once said: “Just when you think there wasn't a dimes worth of difference between the two parties, the Republicans go and prove you're wrong.” Rest in Peace, Molly.
References:
Hedges, Chris. American Fascists. 2006
Ivins, Molly. Quotations
Prins, Nomi. It Takes A Pillage. 2009
Now let's look at some of the characters in the freak show. They are the Tea Party Protestors, Russ Limbaugh, Sarah Palin, Newt Gingrich, Fox News, and Glenn Beck. These people are the right wing representatives of the Republican Party who belligerently combat government regulation and are linked to the thievery of Wall Street and the larceny of the “for profit” health care organizations. The Tea Party Protestors are composed of stupid, ignorant no-nothings. Russ Limbaugh said he will leave the country if a Federal health plan was passed. So where was he going? He picked Costa Rica, where apparently unbeknownst to him there is a national health plan that covers everyone. Maybe he did his homework because now he says he is not leaving. Too bad.
Sarah Palin admitted that as a child, she and her family would cross the border into Canada to use their health plan free of charge. Not too long ago, she advised Canadians to drop their National Health Plan. Is she “cuckoo” or just a hypocrite? Maybe both. We are all familiar with the sanctimonious Newt Gingrich and the people on Fox News are pathological liars who deliberately deceive rather than inform. Glenn Beck is obviously mentally ill.
Nonetheless, 35,000,000 people or more are struck dumb by these buffoons and believe what they say. They are allied with the Christian Right, a wing of the Republican Party. Millions of jobless who have no hope are easy prey for the religious fanatics. The program of the Christian Right is an alliance with the wealthy power brokers to control the State and destroy democracy.
As Molly Ivins once said: “Just when you think there wasn't a dimes worth of difference between the two parties, the Republicans go and prove you're wrong.” Rest in Peace, Molly.
References:
Hedges, Chris. American Fascists. 2006
Ivins, Molly. Quotations
Prins, Nomi. It Takes A Pillage. 2009
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
Make It Cheap
It should be clear by now that free market globalization is in actuality “crony capitalism” whereby politicians hand over public wealth to private corporations in exchange for political support. This model is used in impoverished nations throughout the world to provide loans to desperate economies channeled through the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World trade Organization (WTO) which the U.S. controls. The foundation for the model is deregulation and privatization. It very soon becomes apparent that globalization is in fact simply unscrupulous corporatism.
The manufacturing corporation seeks to produce its product as cheaply as possible by using the labor of poverty stricken Third World countries. In order to achieve this goal, it was necessary to give up the ownership of their productive facilities and the employment of workers. Instead production was outsourced to contractors and sub-contractors at a less than livable wage in the poorest of countries. For example, if companies, such as Wal-Mart, Ralph Lauren, Liz Claiborne, K-Mart, Nike, and Reebok were contracting for labor in China where at one time 87 cents per hour was considered a living wage by the government, some U.S. Companies paid as little as 13 cents per hour. The mark- up on many of the products jumped from 100% to 400%.
The CEO's saw this as an opportunity to decrease their costs, increase their profits and above all develop a brand name that consumers would buy. Soon consumers no longer bought the product but rather they bought the brand which represented a life style. The life style was introduced through advertising, design and marketing. All the products manufactured carried the brand logo. You might be middle class but the brand logo gave you upper class pride of ownership. The logo was there for all to see, whether it was Levi, Gap, Tommy Hilfiger or Eddie Bauer.
When complaints came in about conditions in the sweat shops and less than a living wage for the workers, the corporation spokesman could say that they did not employ anyone. The contractor was responsible. He owned the factory and set the pay scales. The corporation tells the contractor how to design the product but to “make it cheap.”
All the costs of building factories, buying machinery and labor are transferred to the contractors and subs. The most profitable corporations are running from the costs of production. Factories re-
quire maintenance , employees cost in wages and benefits. By ridding itself of these expenses, corporate profit rises enormously. Money is then available to design and market brand logos.
As for the workers in the sweatshops,for example in Honduras in 2003 garment workers were paid 24 cents for each $50 branded sweat shirt. Most contractors pay the worker less than the required living expenses. Nevertheless, if the worker does not take a job with the contractor, his only other option is backbreaking labor, subsistence farming, prostitution, trash picking or starvation. Today because of the economic crises world wide, many of these marginal workers are being laid off as sales dwindle.
Obviously free trade agreements do not promote free trade at all but only protect multinational corporations from competition by local industries that may be unionized. Free trade agreements only reduce tariffs and barriers to entry to the benefit of the corporation.
It's axiomatic that the people at the top have always had a hard time seeing those at the bottom. As Molly Ivins said, “ they practically need a telescope.”
References:
Molly Ivins
Klein, Naomi. No Logo. 2009
Wikipedia
The manufacturing corporation seeks to produce its product as cheaply as possible by using the labor of poverty stricken Third World countries. In order to achieve this goal, it was necessary to give up the ownership of their productive facilities and the employment of workers. Instead production was outsourced to contractors and sub-contractors at a less than livable wage in the poorest of countries. For example, if companies, such as Wal-Mart, Ralph Lauren, Liz Claiborne, K-Mart, Nike, and Reebok were contracting for labor in China where at one time 87 cents per hour was considered a living wage by the government, some U.S. Companies paid as little as 13 cents per hour. The mark- up on many of the products jumped from 100% to 400%.
The CEO's saw this as an opportunity to decrease their costs, increase their profits and above all develop a brand name that consumers would buy. Soon consumers no longer bought the product but rather they bought the brand which represented a life style. The life style was introduced through advertising, design and marketing. All the products manufactured carried the brand logo. You might be middle class but the brand logo gave you upper class pride of ownership. The logo was there for all to see, whether it was Levi, Gap, Tommy Hilfiger or Eddie Bauer.
When complaints came in about conditions in the sweat shops and less than a living wage for the workers, the corporation spokesman could say that they did not employ anyone. The contractor was responsible. He owned the factory and set the pay scales. The corporation tells the contractor how to design the product but to “make it cheap.”
All the costs of building factories, buying machinery and labor are transferred to the contractors and subs. The most profitable corporations are running from the costs of production. Factories re-
quire maintenance , employees cost in wages and benefits. By ridding itself of these expenses, corporate profit rises enormously. Money is then available to design and market brand logos.
As for the workers in the sweatshops,for example in Honduras in 2003 garment workers were paid 24 cents for each $50 branded sweat shirt. Most contractors pay the worker less than the required living expenses. Nevertheless, if the worker does not take a job with the contractor, his only other option is backbreaking labor, subsistence farming, prostitution, trash picking or starvation. Today because of the economic crises world wide, many of these marginal workers are being laid off as sales dwindle.
Obviously free trade agreements do not promote free trade at all but only protect multinational corporations from competition by local industries that may be unionized. Free trade agreements only reduce tariffs and barriers to entry to the benefit of the corporation.
It's axiomatic that the people at the top have always had a hard time seeing those at the bottom. As Molly Ivins said, “ they practically need a telescope.”
References:
Molly Ivins
Klein, Naomi. No Logo. 2009
Wikipedia
Monday, February 15, 2010
Volker Speaks
President Obama may have finally seen the light. He is considering a recommendation by former Federal Reserve Chairman, Paul Volker, to change the banking regulations to prevent commercial banks (the banks in which you and I deposit our money) from acting also as investment banks. This would in effect restore the Glass-Steagall law that FDR in 1933 put into place.
For 60 years it worked extremely well until 1999 when President Clinton signed into law a bill introduced by Senator Phil Gramm, the "Senator from Enron", that did away with the regulation. This allowed investment banks to merge with commercial banks and use the deposits (yours and mine) as collateral for wild speculation; to gamble in the Wall Street Casinos.
President Reagan, instead of reappointing Paul Volker as Federal reserve Chairman put Alan Greenspan in his place. Reagan and Greenspan saw eye to eye ideologically, i.e. the belief in the laissez-faire free market. Of course the supposed "free market" is free only for Wall Street to steal from Main Street. No regulation encourages banking banditos to commit fraud.
Once the banks are separated, the speculating institutions become responsible for their own losses and cannot rely on the Federal Government to bail them out. Instead, in the future, when a bank collapses, we won't have to try to save it but rather, we can liquidate it in an orderly manner or effect a merger with another bank. As Volker puts it, “euthanasia, not a rescue.”
Nomi Prins, a former Wall Street investment banker and financial expert makes the point that “everyone comes to Wall Street for the money.” With money comes power. “No one comes to Wall Street to help humanity”.
For some, greed may be good but greed also kills. It is killing our country. We need regulations to prevent the dissolution of our economy. We cannot allow continuing “unchecked greed” and the race for endless profits and power. The government should support commercial banking by injecting capital for loans to “ordinary Americans”. It should not support speculators who indulge in casino gambling on the back of middle class money and homes.
As George Carlin said, “It is no longer a game when you are winning.” It is deadly serious. And the monster could destroy us all.
References:
Carlin, George.
Ivins, Molly.
Prins, Nomi. It Takes A Pillage. 2009
Prins, Nomi. Other People's Money. 2004
Scheer, Robert. Truth Dig. 2010
For 60 years it worked extremely well until 1999 when President Clinton signed into law a bill introduced by Senator Phil Gramm, the "Senator from Enron", that did away with the regulation. This allowed investment banks to merge with commercial banks and use the deposits (yours and mine) as collateral for wild speculation; to gamble in the Wall Street Casinos.
President Reagan, instead of reappointing Paul Volker as Federal reserve Chairman put Alan Greenspan in his place. Reagan and Greenspan saw eye to eye ideologically, i.e. the belief in the laissez-faire free market. Of course the supposed "free market" is free only for Wall Street to steal from Main Street. No regulation encourages banking banditos to commit fraud.
Once the banks are separated, the speculating institutions become responsible for their own losses and cannot rely on the Federal Government to bail them out. Instead, in the future, when a bank collapses, we won't have to try to save it but rather, we can liquidate it in an orderly manner or effect a merger with another bank. As Volker puts it, “euthanasia, not a rescue.”
Nomi Prins, a former Wall Street investment banker and financial expert makes the point that “everyone comes to Wall Street for the money.” With money comes power. “No one comes to Wall Street to help humanity”.
For some, greed may be good but greed also kills. It is killing our country. We need regulations to prevent the dissolution of our economy. We cannot allow continuing “unchecked greed” and the race for endless profits and power. The government should support commercial banking by injecting capital for loans to “ordinary Americans”. It should not support speculators who indulge in casino gambling on the back of middle class money and homes.
As George Carlin said, “It is no longer a game when you are winning.” It is deadly serious. And the monster could destroy us all.
References:
Carlin, George.
Ivins, Molly.
Prins, Nomi. It Takes A Pillage. 2009
Prins, Nomi. Other People's Money. 2004
Scheer, Robert. Truth Dig. 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Sound The Alarm
Remember the CEO that spent $16,000 on his own personal umbrella stand and he did it by stealing from his own company. This bone head had a neurotic need to accumulate stuff to the tune of $600 million. Cars, houses, travel, furnishings , it did not matter. After he had everything and he ran out of space, he bought another multimillion dollar house and stuffed it with more stuff. The umbrella stand was peanuts. The rest of us just use the bath tub, perfect for wet umbrellas. Right?
Dennis Kozlowski was CEO of Tyco International, a company that sold burglar alarm systems. How appropriate! Dennis and his Chief Financial Officer are now languishing in prison for fraud and theft.
It happens that the burglar alarm business is highly profitable because the taxpayer provides the profit. Now how is that? Well, when you buy the burglar alarm system, you have the option of paying for monitoring. That means when the alarm sounds, a call goes into the monitoring center. The technician then calls you and if he doesn't get the right answer he calls the police. So Tyco collects the monitoring fee, approximately $30 a month average per customer and they don't even call the police because that is outsourced to a monitoring center at a very low cost to Tyco. The profit on the monitoring fee is huge. But when the police check out an alarm, it costs the taxpayer at least $50.00; multiply that by 38 million alarms per year nationally and the total cost to the taxpayer is $1.9 billion. Tyco pockets the profit on the alarm system as well as most of the monitoring fee and doesn't even have to make a call. It is left to the local police department to check out the alarm. Moreover, 99% of the alarms are false and 60% of the false alarms are made by the customer themselves setting the alarm incorrectly or whatever. So we have a gigantic public subsidy to a private corporation that profits hugely from a system that in the end has no purpose.
Tyco's profit increased by a half billion dollars per year due to the free labor provided by the police. If Tyco had to pay this cost, their profit would drop considerably as would the price of their stock. Tyco executives, as a result, would receive less compensation and bonuses. And Kozlowski would have had considerably less money to steal and waste.
Furthermore, while the police were spending more time on false burglar alarms, they were spending less time on murders and other violent crimes. More killers walked away free while the police were checking out alarms for companies like Tyco. So the rich get obscenely richer and you and I get less protection and stuck with the bill.
One comic observer suggested a dead-end business would be a shoe shine stand at the beach. If Dennis ever gets out of prison, wouldn't that be a great career for him?
References:
George Carlin
David Kay Johnston. Free Lunch
Wikipedia
Dennis Kozlowski was CEO of Tyco International, a company that sold burglar alarm systems. How appropriate! Dennis and his Chief Financial Officer are now languishing in prison for fraud and theft.
It happens that the burglar alarm business is highly profitable because the taxpayer provides the profit. Now how is that? Well, when you buy the burglar alarm system, you have the option of paying for monitoring. That means when the alarm sounds, a call goes into the monitoring center. The technician then calls you and if he doesn't get the right answer he calls the police. So Tyco collects the monitoring fee, approximately $30 a month average per customer and they don't even call the police because that is outsourced to a monitoring center at a very low cost to Tyco. The profit on the monitoring fee is huge. But when the police check out an alarm, it costs the taxpayer at least $50.00; multiply that by 38 million alarms per year nationally and the total cost to the taxpayer is $1.9 billion. Tyco pockets the profit on the alarm system as well as most of the monitoring fee and doesn't even have to make a call. It is left to the local police department to check out the alarm. Moreover, 99% of the alarms are false and 60% of the false alarms are made by the customer themselves setting the alarm incorrectly or whatever. So we have a gigantic public subsidy to a private corporation that profits hugely from a system that in the end has no purpose.
Tyco's profit increased by a half billion dollars per year due to the free labor provided by the police. If Tyco had to pay this cost, their profit would drop considerably as would the price of their stock. Tyco executives, as a result, would receive less compensation and bonuses. And Kozlowski would have had considerably less money to steal and waste.
Furthermore, while the police were spending more time on false burglar alarms, they were spending less time on murders and other violent crimes. More killers walked away free while the police were checking out alarms for companies like Tyco. So the rich get obscenely richer and you and I get less protection and stuck with the bill.
One comic observer suggested a dead-end business would be a shoe shine stand at the beach. If Dennis ever gets out of prison, wouldn't that be a great career for him?
References:
George Carlin
David Kay Johnston. Free Lunch
Wikipedia
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
The Invisible Hand
In the 18th century Adam Smith, the father of modern economics, wrote that the free market produced the right amount and variety of goods guided by “the invisible hand” and in the process benefited all mankind. Furthermore, pursuing one's self- interest promoted the general welfare and allowed the”the invisible hand” to work. Thus, “greed is good”. Also the market has the natural ability to establish a price that promotes a fair return. Pursuing one's own interest is, therefore, good. But even Adam Smith recognized that owners of business often met to control or raise prices.
Thus, government regulation is necessary because we cannot rely on business owners not to stymie “the invisible hand” in order to increase profits. Making more money can be an addiction because more is never enough. So stealth becomes endemic.
Smith was very much opposed to price fixing monopolies and subsidies to business. He believed in liberty and justice as opposed to fraud and injustice with impunity.
The prelude to our present economic crisis was the Wall St. bubble that destroyed Enron, WorldCom and Tyco. All the CEO's of these firms are now languishing in jail. Many more were never indicted for their thievery. As of today, the cheating continues. No one else has been indicted.
For the past 25 years our government has adopted rules that favor the rich and powerful and taken away the protections for workers and retirees. The new rules were directed at the regulators. Every game requires rules but Wall St. wants to play the game without rules. They want to do whatever they damn well please at the expense of the middle class and the poor. They even steal from their own shareholders and investors.
Let's look now at some of the individuals who influenced our economic decisions in the last 25 years and prior. The following people lived in a world of illusion: Ayn Rand: the ultra conservative Libertarian, Alan Greenspan: her disciple, Milton Friedman: the No Regulation Chicago School of Economics and Ronald Reagan, the no nothing politician, all wedded to the trickle down theory of economics. Their belief in the invisible hand was a fantasy and the trickle down theory or supply side economics was a myth. Obviously it did not work. No regulation works only in your dreams. In fact, in real life it is a delusion. It is unbelievable.
Even Adam Smith, and this is usually ignored in his work, recognized the need for rules. Despite "the invisible hand", he witnessed in own time business people applying for unneeded subsidies merely to increase their personal wealth.
A good example of a corporate executive illegally increasing his personal wealth was the stunt that Steve Jobs, the CEO of Apple Computer, pulled. Without the Board of Directors permission he was awarded stock options in the millions and then exchanged those options for stock in the hundreds of millions. It was fraud and the only person charged was the CFO in the amount of a $3.5 million fine. No action was taken against Jobs. Multiply this by the thousands of executives doing the same thing and we get an idea of the extent to which shareholders were robbed. It is pure and simple banditry for which no one is prosecuted. And any federal prosecutor who tried to get these guys was fired. So here you have the Justice Department aiding the cause of greed.
Alan Greenspan , the Chairman of the Federal Reserve since Ronald Reagan's administration, believed in no rules. He actually was convinced that Wall St. was run by honorable people who would protect the market from fraud. In short, regulation was unnecessary since the market could police itself.
Fast forward to a Congressional investigation where Alan Greenspan testified as to how mistaken and false was his economic theory. A theory that he believed for 40 years. He had to admit that he was wrong to believe in the self regulating power of the market.
Brooksley Born, the Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the brilliant woman who saw the crises coming, warned Greenspan, Timothy Geithner and Lawrence Summers. She was told to shut up. Multiple times.
Until we reinstate regulatory controls on the banks and Wall St., financial crises will repeat, repeat and repeat. And the system will finally breakdown into total chaos.
But remember Wall St. and Goldman Sachs are doing God's work. Brothers and sisters, you will be saved by the “invisible hand” of Ronald Reagan.
References:
Front Line Documentary
Johnston, David Cay. Free Lunch
Wikipedia
Thus, government regulation is necessary because we cannot rely on business owners not to stymie “the invisible hand” in order to increase profits. Making more money can be an addiction because more is never enough. So stealth becomes endemic.
Smith was very much opposed to price fixing monopolies and subsidies to business. He believed in liberty and justice as opposed to fraud and injustice with impunity.
The prelude to our present economic crisis was the Wall St. bubble that destroyed Enron, WorldCom and Tyco. All the CEO's of these firms are now languishing in jail. Many more were never indicted for their thievery. As of today, the cheating continues. No one else has been indicted.
For the past 25 years our government has adopted rules that favor the rich and powerful and taken away the protections for workers and retirees. The new rules were directed at the regulators. Every game requires rules but Wall St. wants to play the game without rules. They want to do whatever they damn well please at the expense of the middle class and the poor. They even steal from their own shareholders and investors.
Let's look now at some of the individuals who influenced our economic decisions in the last 25 years and prior. The following people lived in a world of illusion: Ayn Rand: the ultra conservative Libertarian, Alan Greenspan: her disciple, Milton Friedman: the No Regulation Chicago School of Economics and Ronald Reagan, the no nothing politician, all wedded to the trickle down theory of economics. Their belief in the invisible hand was a fantasy and the trickle down theory or supply side economics was a myth. Obviously it did not work. No regulation works only in your dreams. In fact, in real life it is a delusion. It is unbelievable.
Even Adam Smith, and this is usually ignored in his work, recognized the need for rules. Despite "the invisible hand", he witnessed in own time business people applying for unneeded subsidies merely to increase their personal wealth.
A good example of a corporate executive illegally increasing his personal wealth was the stunt that Steve Jobs, the CEO of Apple Computer, pulled. Without the Board of Directors permission he was awarded stock options in the millions and then exchanged those options for stock in the hundreds of millions. It was fraud and the only person charged was the CFO in the amount of a $3.5 million fine. No action was taken against Jobs. Multiply this by the thousands of executives doing the same thing and we get an idea of the extent to which shareholders were robbed. It is pure and simple banditry for which no one is prosecuted. And any federal prosecutor who tried to get these guys was fired. So here you have the Justice Department aiding the cause of greed.
Alan Greenspan , the Chairman of the Federal Reserve since Ronald Reagan's administration, believed in no rules. He actually was convinced that Wall St. was run by honorable people who would protect the market from fraud. In short, regulation was unnecessary since the market could police itself.
Fast forward to a Congressional investigation where Alan Greenspan testified as to how mistaken and false was his economic theory. A theory that he believed for 40 years. He had to admit that he was wrong to believe in the self regulating power of the market.
Brooksley Born, the Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the brilliant woman who saw the crises coming, warned Greenspan, Timothy Geithner and Lawrence Summers. She was told to shut up. Multiple times.
Until we reinstate regulatory controls on the banks and Wall St., financial crises will repeat, repeat and repeat. And the system will finally breakdown into total chaos.
But remember Wall St. and Goldman Sachs are doing God's work. Brothers and sisters, you will be saved by the “invisible hand” of Ronald Reagan.
References:
Front Line Documentary
Johnston, David Cay. Free Lunch
Wikipedia
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Saving Afghanistan
The best way to save Afghanistan is to get out. But who are we saving Afghanistan from? Al Qaeda? Al Qaeda left long ago. They are in Pakistan, our nuclear ally. We are fighting in the wrong country. One Afghan official has said that Afghans do not accept the notion that foreign invaders are “fighting for our freedom.” Bringing freedom and democracy to a country at the point of a gun does not gain supporters. All it does is make the people “mad as hell”. They will not be satisfied until they throw the invaders out. Meanwhile the U.S. is wasting blood and treasure in another losing battle. Viet Nam and Iraq are good examples of stupid political decisions.
The U.S. decision makers are claiming that we must save the Afghan people from the Taliban. Firstly, the Taliban is not Al Qaeda. They are not terrorists. Secondly, they traditionally ruled the country. In 2001 by overthrowing the Taliban, the largest ethnic group in the country, we put in power the Tajiks, a smaller ethnic group of the North. Now we have set up the country for a civil war as the Taliban takes back its control. Similarly, we brought about a civil war in Iraq by causing ethnic conflict that resulted in the deaths of a million Iraqis. So far does it sound as though we are helping the Afghans.
Next, the President of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai, was put in place by the Bush-Cheney administration to form a central government in a country that has no longing for a national government. Karzai is a puppet and his government is weak, incompetent and corrupt. He has no influence outside the capitol. And in the recent election he stole the victory with obvious ballot stuffing. Do we really want to support this guy with the bodies of our soldiers? It is a total disgrace and an embarrassment to President Obama.
So far our occupation of Afghanistan has been a total failure. For once the American people are right and are opposed to sending more troops there. We are not bringing peace to that country nor are we making ourselves more secure. We should plan on getting out in less than a year. Cheney has criticized Obama publicly for “dithering” on sending more troops. Biden’s reaction to Cheney’s remark was “Who cares?” It is not right to kill more soldiers and civilians in order to parry right wing political attacks. There is a morality here that needs to be considered.
Remember when President Reagan, the Republican Party icon, introduced the term “freedom fighters” to the political scene in connection with the Nicaraguan Contras which we supported with American dollars. What Reagan did was illegal and he came very close to impeachment.
A well known comic satirist raised the following question: If crime fighters fight crime and fire fighters fight fires, what do freedom fighters fight? Think about it. Let’s get out of Afghanistan before we sink any deeper into the quagmire.
References:
George Carlin
Hightower Low Down
Znet
The U.S. decision makers are claiming that we must save the Afghan people from the Taliban. Firstly, the Taliban is not Al Qaeda. They are not terrorists. Secondly, they traditionally ruled the country. In 2001 by overthrowing the Taliban, the largest ethnic group in the country, we put in power the Tajiks, a smaller ethnic group of the North. Now we have set up the country for a civil war as the Taliban takes back its control. Similarly, we brought about a civil war in Iraq by causing ethnic conflict that resulted in the deaths of a million Iraqis. So far does it sound as though we are helping the Afghans.
Next, the President of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai, was put in place by the Bush-Cheney administration to form a central government in a country that has no longing for a national government. Karzai is a puppet and his government is weak, incompetent and corrupt. He has no influence outside the capitol. And in the recent election he stole the victory with obvious ballot stuffing. Do we really want to support this guy with the bodies of our soldiers? It is a total disgrace and an embarrassment to President Obama.
So far our occupation of Afghanistan has been a total failure. For once the American people are right and are opposed to sending more troops there. We are not bringing peace to that country nor are we making ourselves more secure. We should plan on getting out in less than a year. Cheney has criticized Obama publicly for “dithering” on sending more troops. Biden’s reaction to Cheney’s remark was “Who cares?” It is not right to kill more soldiers and civilians in order to parry right wing political attacks. There is a morality here that needs to be considered.
Remember when President Reagan, the Republican Party icon, introduced the term “freedom fighters” to the political scene in connection with the Nicaraguan Contras which we supported with American dollars. What Reagan did was illegal and he came very close to impeachment.
A well known comic satirist raised the following question: If crime fighters fight crime and fire fighters fight fires, what do freedom fighters fight? Think about it. Let’s get out of Afghanistan before we sink any deeper into the quagmire.
References:
George Carlin
Hightower Low Down
Znet
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Web of Fraud
Let’s bring the economic crises up to date with facts rather than the B.S. spread by the mainstream media. According to one report foreclosures are up 23% over last year. That may very well be, however, the actual foreclosures are low compared to the number of delinquencies. And there is a reason for that. The banks have a new gimmick. They are not foreclosing. Why? Because once they do that they have to report the loss. So the banks have dishonestly changed the accounting rules and got Congress to cooperate. Now in order to pay the huge bonuses ($700,000 per employee) coming up at the end of the year, the bank must show huge profits. If your losses are less, your profits are more and as a result your bonuses go through the roof. This may be temporarily beneficial to the delinquent borrower since he can stay a little bit longer in his home but come the first quarter of the new year, his furniture may be on the sidewalk. Besides this is taxpayer money being paid out by the bushel. So what we have here is a “web of fraud.” As long as it lasts the banks are getting fat at the trough.
Another gimmick that banks pulled involved the appraisers. If the lender did not like the appraisal that came in he would fire the appraiser. If the appraisal was not high enough, out he went. According to a survey done in 2007, 90% of the appraisers reported intimidation by the lender to increase appraisals. So it was the lenders who were committing widespread fraud not the borrowers. There is only one reason to “inflate appraisals” and that is to commit fraud, according to a former bank regulator. Also white collar criminologists state that the lender is responsible for 80% of “mortgage fraud losses”.
The financial sector of our economy is so large it acts as a parasite. It wastes a huge portion of the national income. It produces no products or services useful to the economy. It acts only as a gambling casino for the benefit of Wall St. And what is even worse, this parasitic financial sector produced a criminal environment that resulted in a destructive mortgage “bubble”. Until we can regulate the Wall St. scam, fraud and corruption will continue. In that case we will be headed for another “bubble.” Keep in mind that Wall St. plays a zero sum game. If someone profits, someone else has to lose. There is no contribution to the economy. It does not create goods and services. It is just outright gambling for large stakes.
However, as one observer commented, “it’s never just a game when you are winning”.
References:
George Carlin
Democracy Now: William Black
New Deal 2.0
Another gimmick that banks pulled involved the appraisers. If the lender did not like the appraisal that came in he would fire the appraiser. If the appraisal was not high enough, out he went. According to a survey done in 2007, 90% of the appraisers reported intimidation by the lender to increase appraisals. So it was the lenders who were committing widespread fraud not the borrowers. There is only one reason to “inflate appraisals” and that is to commit fraud, according to a former bank regulator. Also white collar criminologists state that the lender is responsible for 80% of “mortgage fraud losses”.
The financial sector of our economy is so large it acts as a parasite. It wastes a huge portion of the national income. It produces no products or services useful to the economy. It acts only as a gambling casino for the benefit of Wall St. And what is even worse, this parasitic financial sector produced a criminal environment that resulted in a destructive mortgage “bubble”. Until we can regulate the Wall St. scam, fraud and corruption will continue. In that case we will be headed for another “bubble.” Keep in mind that Wall St. plays a zero sum game. If someone profits, someone else has to lose. There is no contribution to the economy. It does not create goods and services. It is just outright gambling for large stakes.
However, as one observer commented, “it’s never just a game when you are winning”.
References:
George Carlin
Democracy Now: William Black
New Deal 2.0
Thursday, October 08, 2009
Corporate Capitalism
Perhaps you have noticed that we are no longer living in a democracy. But rather we are living under a system that is really corporate capitalism. Corporations are not democracies. Instead they are totalitarian in structure and control. Corporations are run from the top without regulation and workers have no say in their operation. Furthermore, corporations control legislature so that our vote counts for nothing. We voted for Obama and the democratic platform and they have been unable to pass any legislation of consequence.
Moreover if you think the administration is helping the economy, think again. Their antics are creating another bubble. The money that has been spent to save these mercenary corporations has been totally wasted. We will see more fraud and corruption. It is happening already. Foreclosures are continuing. The banks are not lending the money that we the taxpayers gave them. Instead they used the money to pay bonuses and dividends and/or to acquire other corporations. The banks are paying practically nothing in interest to its depositors. The FDIC that protects your deposits is in trouble because the banks are refusing to pay for it. In addition, no one has gone to jail for the perpetration of fraud and corruption. The corporations have bought off the Congress and the politicians either are refusing to help the poor and middle class or are totally powerless to pass legislation that might help. Thus corporate capitalism will bankrupt the country. If the banks fail again there will not be sufficient funds to bail them out.
In the meantime the corporatists and their lackeys will continue to slice and dice you and me while the 1% run off to their private, rich and splendid shelters with 99% of the gold. Someone once said, “politicians are like talking dogs in a circus, it is impressive that they exist, but no sane person would believe anything they say.”
Let’s look at some of the lies emanating from our representatives to make the economy look better when it is really getting worse. For example, do not count the workers who are unemployed but have stopped looking. Then there are those who want full time employment but can only get part-time work that doesn’t pay them a living wage. These are not counted either as unemployed. The unemployment rate looks quite a bit different when you include those people. It jumps from 10% to 20% and we are continuing to lose jobs.
Another lie is the CPI (Consumer Price Index). The government lowers the inflation rate by excluding certain products that tend to inflate and replacing them with products that do not change much. If the government ceased lying to us, the inflation rate would be 10%.
However there is hope. But don’t bet your unemployment check on it. Instead of waiting for the collapse there is something that the Federal government can do providing we can get the Democratic Congress to act. The government can create jobs in order to improve the infra-structure of the country in the same way that FDR did in the 30’s. Building and improving roads, parks, bridges, schools, sewer systems and anything else that is needed, will provide employment for the unemployed. Then as the tax revenues increase the debt will eventually become smaller and the economy will begin to flourish. In short, do not be concerned about increasing the debt temporarily because it will be paid down in the future providing workers are back to work.
Here’s a thought for the day: Would you say that by and large, language is a tool for concealing the truth? Check out Sarah Palin’s new book “Going Rogue”. The book is coming out in November. There are excerpts available but you might want to wait for the English edition.
References:
George Carlin
Chris Hedges
Robert Reich
Moreover if you think the administration is helping the economy, think again. Their antics are creating another bubble. The money that has been spent to save these mercenary corporations has been totally wasted. We will see more fraud and corruption. It is happening already. Foreclosures are continuing. The banks are not lending the money that we the taxpayers gave them. Instead they used the money to pay bonuses and dividends and/or to acquire other corporations. The banks are paying practically nothing in interest to its depositors. The FDIC that protects your deposits is in trouble because the banks are refusing to pay for it. In addition, no one has gone to jail for the perpetration of fraud and corruption. The corporations have bought off the Congress and the politicians either are refusing to help the poor and middle class or are totally powerless to pass legislation that might help. Thus corporate capitalism will bankrupt the country. If the banks fail again there will not be sufficient funds to bail them out.
In the meantime the corporatists and their lackeys will continue to slice and dice you and me while the 1% run off to their private, rich and splendid shelters with 99% of the gold. Someone once said, “politicians are like talking dogs in a circus, it is impressive that they exist, but no sane person would believe anything they say.”
Let’s look at some of the lies emanating from our representatives to make the economy look better when it is really getting worse. For example, do not count the workers who are unemployed but have stopped looking. Then there are those who want full time employment but can only get part-time work that doesn’t pay them a living wage. These are not counted either as unemployed. The unemployment rate looks quite a bit different when you include those people. It jumps from 10% to 20% and we are continuing to lose jobs.
Another lie is the CPI (Consumer Price Index). The government lowers the inflation rate by excluding certain products that tend to inflate and replacing them with products that do not change much. If the government ceased lying to us, the inflation rate would be 10%.
However there is hope. But don’t bet your unemployment check on it. Instead of waiting for the collapse there is something that the Federal government can do providing we can get the Democratic Congress to act. The government can create jobs in order to improve the infra-structure of the country in the same way that FDR did in the 30’s. Building and improving roads, parks, bridges, schools, sewer systems and anything else that is needed, will provide employment for the unemployed. Then as the tax revenues increase the debt will eventually become smaller and the economy will begin to flourish. In short, do not be concerned about increasing the debt temporarily because it will be paid down in the future providing workers are back to work.
Here’s a thought for the day: Would you say that by and large, language is a tool for concealing the truth? Check out Sarah Palin’s new book “Going Rogue”. The book is coming out in November. There are excerpts available but you might want to wait for the English edition.
References:
George Carlin
Chris Hedges
Robert Reich
Saturday, September 19, 2009
The March of the Invertebrates
Turn over the rocks in front of the local Evangelical Church and you will find an army of invertebrates singing the praise of the Lord and marching to Armageddon. It is the Christian Right seeking to grab power in the future American Theocracy. Is this the American Dream? According to George Carlin, the reason they called it the American Dream is because you had to be asleep to believe it. But beware of the American Theocracy. You are awake, I hope. It is real and it is gonna getcha.
Do you know why? Because the Christian right intends to substitute Theocracy for the Constitution. That is its plan. We have now a serious economic crises and the Christian Right thrives on crisis. They are opposed to the government solving people’s problems because the movement thrives on solving those problems. It is in this way people in deep trouble e.g. depression, grief, drugs, alcohol, joblessness, unaffordable medical care, can be manipulated into accepting evangelical solutions. It is the application of Biblical teachings to their daily life, often known as “born again”. Once having joined the movement and are weeping in the presence of the reprehensible Pat Robertson they give up choice and are required to submit to the will of the leader. It is pure and simple demagoguery and hypocrisy. The followers join the march to the secular state.
The Christian Right is a movement seeking political power and control of the state. It is not really a religious movement. It calls for the submission of will by its followers to the will of its leaders. Any questioning of the leaders will is blamed on Satan. It is the cult of masculinity. The male leaders are not questioned because they speak for God. Facts are treated as thought they were only opinions. Thus, lies become truth. The religious claptrap is spurious and is used only for control.
It is true that people believe what they want to believe but once they have surrendered and are under control submission is required. In the end submission is to a demagogic leader who envisions a totalitarian political state. In order to achieve his goal he creates an alliance with powerful right wing corporate interests. This comes appallingly close to the European Fascism of the 1930’s. Say good-bye to your vaunted democracy.
However, as one comic put it, would you really want to be a member of a group whose symbol is a man nailed to two pieces of wood? Think about it.
References:
Max Blumenthal
George Carlin
Chris Hedges
Do you know why? Because the Christian right intends to substitute Theocracy for the Constitution. That is its plan. We have now a serious economic crises and the Christian Right thrives on crisis. They are opposed to the government solving people’s problems because the movement thrives on solving those problems. It is in this way people in deep trouble e.g. depression, grief, drugs, alcohol, joblessness, unaffordable medical care, can be manipulated into accepting evangelical solutions. It is the application of Biblical teachings to their daily life, often known as “born again”. Once having joined the movement and are weeping in the presence of the reprehensible Pat Robertson they give up choice and are required to submit to the will of the leader. It is pure and simple demagoguery and hypocrisy. The followers join the march to the secular state.
The Christian Right is a movement seeking political power and control of the state. It is not really a religious movement. It calls for the submission of will by its followers to the will of its leaders. Any questioning of the leaders will is blamed on Satan. It is the cult of masculinity. The male leaders are not questioned because they speak for God. Facts are treated as thought they were only opinions. Thus, lies become truth. The religious claptrap is spurious and is used only for control.
It is true that people believe what they want to believe but once they have surrendered and are under control submission is required. In the end submission is to a demagogic leader who envisions a totalitarian political state. In order to achieve his goal he creates an alliance with powerful right wing corporate interests. This comes appallingly close to the European Fascism of the 1930’s. Say good-bye to your vaunted democracy.
However, as one comic put it, would you really want to be a member of a group whose symbol is a man nailed to two pieces of wood? Think about it.
References:
Max Blumenthal
George Carlin
Chris Hedges
Sunday, September 06, 2009
Idiot’s Delight
Well, folks, stupidity and ignorance continue unabated. Let’s look at CNBC, the financial TV channel. This channel represents Wall St. Maria Bartiromo is a financial news anchor on this show. She analyzes investments for her viewers. She was interviewing a Democratic legislator about health care reform. He was well informed. She, on the other hand, was attacking government managed health care in the US because it would, in her opinion, lower the quality of medical care. The legislator pointed out that we already have government managed health care and it is called Medicare. Anyone who has Medicare coverage will testify that the quality of medical care is excellent and that they are very well satisfied with the program. Her reply was, “If it is so great, why don’t you have it? I don’t see you using that plan.” The Congressman answered that he was not old enough. He said that he was only 44 and the eligibility age is 65. She laughed disbelievingly and commented, “Yeah…c’mon." Now here is an American working in the center of the main stream media and who should be well informed but does not know or believe that Medicare is for 65 year olds. Is this a tragic joke, or what?
Now let’s take a look at a Town Hall meeting. This man is afraid that the government is going to take away his constitutional rights probably to bear arms. So he is standing by a sign that says “Save the USS Constitution”. Now this confounded individual does not know that the USS Constitution is not the basic principles and laws of our nation but rather the fighting ship called “Old Ironsides” employed in the War of 1812. So what can we say? At this point all one can really say is to quote George Carlin, “Think how stupid the average person is and realize that half of them are stupider than that”.
Now we realize that some of the people raising hell at Town Hall Meetings are “goon squads” sent in by right wing Republicans just to create chaos and make it impossible for anyone to learn anything about health care changes proposed by the administration. But then there are also a large group of right wing Christians, followers of Pat Robertson, who are deluded enough to believe that they speak for God and can carry out the will of God. And they believe that prayer and fasting will save their butts because to them delusion is reality. Now, how does this mistaken reality apply to health care which is the major topic at the meetings? It’s very simple. You do not need health insurance because Jesus will cure you. If you have lost your job, there is no need to worry, because God will take care of you. And according to the “gospel of prosperity”, God will make you materially wealthy.
And it is in this way that a link is forged between the corporations, i.e. the insurance industry, the drug industry, and the for profit health care industry, and the Christian right wing that prevents any change that would improve the lot of the poor and the middle class.
So as a droll wit once said, “You can’t have everything, where would you put it?”
References:
Carlin, George.
Hedges, Chris, Democracy Now.
Huffington Post.
Now let’s take a look at a Town Hall meeting. This man is afraid that the government is going to take away his constitutional rights probably to bear arms. So he is standing by a sign that says “Save the USS Constitution”. Now this confounded individual does not know that the USS Constitution is not the basic principles and laws of our nation but rather the fighting ship called “Old Ironsides” employed in the War of 1812. So what can we say? At this point all one can really say is to quote George Carlin, “Think how stupid the average person is and realize that half of them are stupider than that”.
Now we realize that some of the people raising hell at Town Hall Meetings are “goon squads” sent in by right wing Republicans just to create chaos and make it impossible for anyone to learn anything about health care changes proposed by the administration. But then there are also a large group of right wing Christians, followers of Pat Robertson, who are deluded enough to believe that they speak for God and can carry out the will of God. And they believe that prayer and fasting will save their butts because to them delusion is reality. Now, how does this mistaken reality apply to health care which is the major topic at the meetings? It’s very simple. You do not need health insurance because Jesus will cure you. If you have lost your job, there is no need to worry, because God will take care of you. And according to the “gospel of prosperity”, God will make you materially wealthy.
And it is in this way that a link is forged between the corporations, i.e. the insurance industry, the drug industry, and the for profit health care industry, and the Christian right wing that prevents any change that would improve the lot of the poor and the middle class.
So as a droll wit once said, “You can’t have everything, where would you put it?”
References:
Carlin, George.
Hedges, Chris, Democracy Now.
Huffington Post.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Another Cuckoo
Suddenly Newt Gingrich appears on the main stream media defending Sarah Palin. We hadn’t heard from him for some time but he is now planning a run for President in 2012. So he is gearing up.
He is defending her opposition to the so-called “death panel” and “euthanasia” which she claims are part of the Obama health care plan. The fact that last year (2008) she endorsed end of life counseling is ignored. Her reversal just turns her into a bigger hypocrite. Death panels and euthanasia are lies. There are no such fantasies in the health care bill. The lies are used to scare hell out of senior citizens so that they will not support any change in health care. .
Living wills have been available in most states for years and they describe certain life prolonging treatments for patients with terminal illness or in a vegetative state. The decisions are made by the family and the doctor accepts whatever they decide. To twist this commendable option into euthanasia and compare it the policies of an insane Hitler is just vile and outrageous. Sen. Grassley is spreading the same crap and he should be censured or worse by the Senate for his lies. Incidentally, he also in 2003 voted for end of life counseling.
Since Gingrich is presenting himself as a Palin political tutor, let’s take a look at Newt’s character. He is well known for his mendacity, hypocrisy, political trickery, a belief in family values except when his first wife was dying of cancer, he was philandering. In fact he has a history of philandering and prays to God for forgiveness but admittedly can’t stop. God might forgive him if he would stop presenting himself as a believer in family values. Stop lying, Newt. God has spoken.
His advice to Sarah to make a run for President in 2012 is to first write a book which she is about to do. Next make three different speeches. Put in some television time and work hard. This has worked for Newt and he believes it will make her a political personality forever.
The problem is that most people, and it is growing, believe she is a flake and as the Democratic Party consultant, Paul Bergala, has said, she is “about half a wack job”. Intellectually she is not just a light weight but rather a no weight.
If Newt and Sarah coalesce in 2012, run, run, run for your life.
References:
Google
Huffington Post
Wikipedia.
He is defending her opposition to the so-called “death panel” and “euthanasia” which she claims are part of the Obama health care plan. The fact that last year (2008) she endorsed end of life counseling is ignored. Her reversal just turns her into a bigger hypocrite. Death panels and euthanasia are lies. There are no such fantasies in the health care bill. The lies are used to scare hell out of senior citizens so that they will not support any change in health care. .
Living wills have been available in most states for years and they describe certain life prolonging treatments for patients with terminal illness or in a vegetative state. The decisions are made by the family and the doctor accepts whatever they decide. To twist this commendable option into euthanasia and compare it the policies of an insane Hitler is just vile and outrageous. Sen. Grassley is spreading the same crap and he should be censured or worse by the Senate for his lies. Incidentally, he also in 2003 voted for end of life counseling.
Since Gingrich is presenting himself as a Palin political tutor, let’s take a look at Newt’s character. He is well known for his mendacity, hypocrisy, political trickery, a belief in family values except when his first wife was dying of cancer, he was philandering. In fact he has a history of philandering and prays to God for forgiveness but admittedly can’t stop. God might forgive him if he would stop presenting himself as a believer in family values. Stop lying, Newt. God has spoken.
His advice to Sarah to make a run for President in 2012 is to first write a book which she is about to do. Next make three different speeches. Put in some television time and work hard. This has worked for Newt and he believes it will make her a political personality forever.
The problem is that most people, and it is growing, believe she is a flake and as the Democratic Party consultant, Paul Bergala, has said, she is “about half a wack job”. Intellectually she is not just a light weight but rather a no weight.
If Newt and Sarah coalesce in 2012, run, run, run for your life.
References:
Huffington Post
Wikipedia.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
A Proliferation of Crackpots
How did ignorance and stupidity become virtuous traits? It began with the selection of Sarah Palin as VP candidate for the Republican Party. Carl Bernstein calls this half-baked Alaskan “an ignorant demagogue.” Now the Republicans are grooming this airhead for a Presidential run in 2012. Since she was an American Idol beauty contestant, it would appear that she is as qualified to be President as Bush was. She mouths imbecilic drivel and since she has a Right Wing following, aided and abetted by the mainstream media, she has become a threat to a democratic society. Sarah is for saving the economy by putting back what we had before with no change. Don’t change anything and when things collapse again just come to Alaska and drill, baby, drill. Produce our own gas and oil and when that runs out, which it will do, go some place else in the world and destroy another frontier. According to her brand of nonsense, there are plenty of frontiers, just grab one. But Sarah is not the only problem.
Our society is divided between the right wing blockheads who talk gibberish and those voters who support the present administration. For example, we now have a deployment of insects called the “Birthers” that have crawled out from an overturned rock. They claim that Obama is not a citizen and that his birth certificate is a forgery. And he has managed through some gigantic conspiracy to get himself elected to the highest office in the land. These pinheads continue their ravings despite the assurances of the state of Hawaii that Obama’s birth certificate is authentic.
Now let’s consider the truck driver, James David Adkisson, who entered a Unitarian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee with a rifle and proceeded to shoot up the place killing two people and injuring six. Fortunately, he was grabbed by several members of the church and prevented from doing any more harm. This man lost his job and is running out of food stamps. He believes that the liberals are responsible for his problems and since he couldn’t get to the liberals in power he went to a church that had a liberal reputation to kill the voters who put the liberals in power. Get it? He believes that all liberals should be killed because they are ruining the country. He believes that his perception is reality. In his blind ignorance he doesn’t know that the liberals are supporting legislation that would assist people like himself. Instead he turns it around and kills them.
So what is the source of this inane perception? In his house the police found books by Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly and Michael Savage. All have viciously attacked liberals and outspokenly mandated their disappearance. Glenn Beck who is another nut case must be included since he was actually shown on his TV show trying to decide whether he should kill Michael Moore.
The Dept. of Homeland Security has issued a report in which it is stated that the right wing extremists groups are using the poor economy and the first black President as recruiting tools. Right wing talk radio and Fox News has an audience of more than 35 million listening or viewing hate talk. I would think that the malicious talk spewed by these hypocrites presumably plays a role in the killings that have occurred. Do you?
References:
Bill Moyer’s Journal
Jon Stewart. The Daily Show
Naomi Klein. Progressive Magazine.
Our society is divided between the right wing blockheads who talk gibberish and those voters who support the present administration. For example, we now have a deployment of insects called the “Birthers” that have crawled out from an overturned rock. They claim that Obama is not a citizen and that his birth certificate is a forgery. And he has managed through some gigantic conspiracy to get himself elected to the highest office in the land. These pinheads continue their ravings despite the assurances of the state of Hawaii that Obama’s birth certificate is authentic.
Now let’s consider the truck driver, James David Adkisson, who entered a Unitarian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee with a rifle and proceeded to shoot up the place killing two people and injuring six. Fortunately, he was grabbed by several members of the church and prevented from doing any more harm. This man lost his job and is running out of food stamps. He believes that the liberals are responsible for his problems and since he couldn’t get to the liberals in power he went to a church that had a liberal reputation to kill the voters who put the liberals in power. Get it? He believes that all liberals should be killed because they are ruining the country. He believes that his perception is reality. In his blind ignorance he doesn’t know that the liberals are supporting legislation that would assist people like himself. Instead he turns it around and kills them.
So what is the source of this inane perception? In his house the police found books by Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly and Michael Savage. All have viciously attacked liberals and outspokenly mandated their disappearance. Glenn Beck who is another nut case must be included since he was actually shown on his TV show trying to decide whether he should kill Michael Moore.
The Dept. of Homeland Security has issued a report in which it is stated that the right wing extremists groups are using the poor economy and the first black President as recruiting tools. Right wing talk radio and Fox News has an audience of more than 35 million listening or viewing hate talk. I would think that the malicious talk spewed by these hypocrites presumably plays a role in the killings that have occurred. Do you?
References:
Bill Moyer’s Journal
Jon Stewart. The Daily Show
Naomi Klein. Progressive Magazine.
Monday, July 06, 2009
The Economy is Sound
When Wall St. is in trouble, we are always reassured with the statement that the “fundamentals are sound”. We hear it repeatedly on the financial channels of our TV. We need to recognize the spin for what it is. Obviously there is nothing fundamentally sound about our current economic crisis.
So we need to point out repeatedly that billions of dollars for the Pentagon and the armaments industry are really not intended for “national security” but rather to keep the economy from collapsing. The present economic crisis is an indication of possible over-all collapse because some of the huge Wall St. investment banks that had over-leveraged for outrageous profit needed injections of cash to prevent their collapse. So the Secty of Treasury, Hank Paulsen, appointed by Bush, came up with a scam known as the TARP. He himself was former head of Citi bank and it was in deep yogurt. He needed a cash injection for that bank. But since it would not be appropriate to just save that bank, he proposed to Congress that he needed 700 billion dollars to save all the banks. And Congress bought it. Well, it happens that all the banks did not need saving, only a greedy few on Wall St.
Now some banks are giving back the money because it isn’t needed and as long as they keep it, since it is our money, they are required to accept regulations that they do not want. We are still out 200-300 billion dollars that were gifts to banks. On top of that 2-3 trillion dollars is being spent on the military and it is all borrowed money. A number of pundits believe that this cannot continue and it is an economic crisis that will lead eventually to bankruptcy. It could be the end of the capitalist system as we know it.
The neocons may revel in the power of an “American Empire” But the empire is no longer supportable. We are hugely in debt; we cannot raise sufficient taxes and we cannot pay for the troops required to maintain the empire. Japan and China are keeping our economy functioning by lending huge amounts to our Treasury. In addition we spend outrageous sums on war and the military in order to maintain the growth of the economy.
There is no question that the Defense budget is a jobs program and military research that develops new weapons systems and new military technologies produce billions of dollars for corporations and their lobbyists. In this way does the military-industrial complex encourage militarism and the need for continuing wars. It is true that there have been some technological advances derived from military research that have become civilian industries. However, weapons spending far out weighs any other expenditures in the Pentagon budget. Furthermore, it is politically very difficult to trim munitions spending once the program is entrenched. There are far too many politicians and their constituents benefiting from the program.
References:
Johnson, Chalmers. Nemesis. 2006
Galbraith, John Kenneth. The Great Crash 1929. 1997.
Wikipedia
So we need to point out repeatedly that billions of dollars for the Pentagon and the armaments industry are really not intended for “national security” but rather to keep the economy from collapsing. The present economic crisis is an indication of possible over-all collapse because some of the huge Wall St. investment banks that had over-leveraged for outrageous profit needed injections of cash to prevent their collapse. So the Secty of Treasury, Hank Paulsen, appointed by Bush, came up with a scam known as the TARP. He himself was former head of Citi bank and it was in deep yogurt. He needed a cash injection for that bank. But since it would not be appropriate to just save that bank, he proposed to Congress that he needed 700 billion dollars to save all the banks. And Congress bought it. Well, it happens that all the banks did not need saving, only a greedy few on Wall St.
Now some banks are giving back the money because it isn’t needed and as long as they keep it, since it is our money, they are required to accept regulations that they do not want. We are still out 200-300 billion dollars that were gifts to banks. On top of that 2-3 trillion dollars is being spent on the military and it is all borrowed money. A number of pundits believe that this cannot continue and it is an economic crisis that will lead eventually to bankruptcy. It could be the end of the capitalist system as we know it.
The neocons may revel in the power of an “American Empire” But the empire is no longer supportable. We are hugely in debt; we cannot raise sufficient taxes and we cannot pay for the troops required to maintain the empire. Japan and China are keeping our economy functioning by lending huge amounts to our Treasury. In addition we spend outrageous sums on war and the military in order to maintain the growth of the economy.
There is no question that the Defense budget is a jobs program and military research that develops new weapons systems and new military technologies produce billions of dollars for corporations and their lobbyists. In this way does the military-industrial complex encourage militarism and the need for continuing wars. It is true that there have been some technological advances derived from military research that have become civilian industries. However, weapons spending far out weighs any other expenditures in the Pentagon budget. Furthermore, it is politically very difficult to trim munitions spending once the program is entrenched. There are far too many politicians and their constituents benefiting from the program.
References:
Johnson, Chalmers. Nemesis. 2006
Galbraith, John Kenneth. The Great Crash 1929. 1997.
Wikipedia
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Weapons and War
Believe it or not there are those who are still asking, why did we invade Iraq? Some pundits are still saying that they really don’t know. As soon as we ran into a stone wall looking for WMDs, there were those who believed there was a link between Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden. And, of course, there was no link. In fact, they hated each other. So Bush and his coterie, Cheney, Rumsfeld and Perle decide to invade Iraq despite there being no connection between Iraq and 9/11. In fact, 15 of the 19 hi-jackers were Saudi citizens. No one mentioned attacking Saudi Arabia since we were getting huge amounts of oil from our long time ally and selling highly profitable military weapons to them.
Next the Israel Lobby was presented as the force behind the invasion of Iraq in order to make Israel more secure. It certainly was true that the Israel Lobby was very active in Congress garnering support for war but to make Israel more secure was really a bogus argument, pure unadulterated spin since Israel is very strong militarily. Spreading democracy in the Middle East was a pure fantasy that became a total disaster. So what is left? There is only one possibility and that is U.S. domination of the oil resources of that region. And directly linked to that natural resource is the build-up of a war machine as a source of power, military prowess and most important huge profits.
Many wars are fought over natural resources but the U.S. has fought a number of wars where there was no vital resource as the reason for the hostilities. Vietnam is a good example. That country had no resource that the U.S. needed for its own security. The reason given for the war was to prevent the take-over of South East Asia by the communists was just another bogus argument. That war from beginning to end was based on lies.
The only reason for the confrontations small and large that occurred during the cold war, e.g. Panama, Grenada, Dominican Republic, Yugoslavia and others, was not for natural resources but rather to justify the continuing production of military weapons to enhance our position of power in the world and to provide huge profits for the military-industrial complex. The neo-conservative war hawks, i.e. Cheney, Rumsfeld, Feith, and Perle, were and are constantly spinning and lobbying for continuing wars for this purpose. To ignore the power of the corporations that produce military weaponry for overwhelming profit is a huge mistake, for it is these corporations, such as Haliburton, KBR, Norton, Lockheed-Martin and others that provided the rational for the invasion of Iraq.
Although the Israel lobby was pushing very hard for invasion, there are those pundits who believe that the invasion would have happened even without the help of the lobby. The neocons were determined to invade and had been for a decade.
References:
Mearsheimer and Walt. The Israel Lobby. 2007
Scheer, Robert. The Pornography of Power. 2008
Wikipedia
Next the Israel Lobby was presented as the force behind the invasion of Iraq in order to make Israel more secure. It certainly was true that the Israel Lobby was very active in Congress garnering support for war but to make Israel more secure was really a bogus argument, pure unadulterated spin since Israel is very strong militarily. Spreading democracy in the Middle East was a pure fantasy that became a total disaster. So what is left? There is only one possibility and that is U.S. domination of the oil resources of that region. And directly linked to that natural resource is the build-up of a war machine as a source of power, military prowess and most important huge profits.
Many wars are fought over natural resources but the U.S. has fought a number of wars where there was no vital resource as the reason for the hostilities. Vietnam is a good example. That country had no resource that the U.S. needed for its own security. The reason given for the war was to prevent the take-over of South East Asia by the communists was just another bogus argument. That war from beginning to end was based on lies.
The only reason for the confrontations small and large that occurred during the cold war, e.g. Panama, Grenada, Dominican Republic, Yugoslavia and others, was not for natural resources but rather to justify the continuing production of military weapons to enhance our position of power in the world and to provide huge profits for the military-industrial complex. The neo-conservative war hawks, i.e. Cheney, Rumsfeld, Feith, and Perle, were and are constantly spinning and lobbying for continuing wars for this purpose. To ignore the power of the corporations that produce military weaponry for overwhelming profit is a huge mistake, for it is these corporations, such as Haliburton, KBR, Norton, Lockheed-Martin and others that provided the rational for the invasion of Iraq.
Although the Israel lobby was pushing very hard for invasion, there are those pundits who believe that the invasion would have happened even without the help of the lobby. The neocons were determined to invade and had been for a decade.
References:
Mearsheimer and Walt. The Israel Lobby. 2007
Scheer, Robert. The Pornography of Power. 2008
Wikipedia
Israeli Morality
In 1917 Arthur Balfour issued a statement of policy from the British Government stating that the British favor the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine and nothing shall be done to prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine. And therein is the rub. The local population of Arabs who had been living on this land since the Ottoman Empire and possibly before did not approve of the establishment of a Jewish homeland on their land. The rights of the Palestinians were not in the least considered. As far as the Jews were concerned God, as stated in the Old Testament Bible, gave them that land and were told to force out anyone who was there. That alone was a violation of the Balfour declaration. So the Jews took the land and by 1967 they were settling on the West Bank and Gaza. Now we have another problem. The Israelis are not really settlers, they are in fact colonizers. “They are living on someone else’s land.”
The all-knowing God apparently was not familiar with the real estate laws of Palestine. It happens that the Palestinians legally own that land and have the deeds to prove it. It was plain and simple thievery. By 2003 400,000 Jews were occupying the land in direct violation of Article 49 of the Geneva Conventions, which specifically prohibits an occupying power from deporting or transferring “parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies.”
Unfortunately Israeli politicians suffer from an overwhelming flaw and that is the inability to recognize the humanity of the Palestinians. As a result, they force Palestinians off the land, destroy their home and continue the colonization of the land. The Palestinians are then forced to move into unhygienic slums. Yet the U.S. supports Israel on moral grounds. First it is assumed that Israel is weak and surrounded by enemies. Next Israel’s moral behavior is superior to that of the Palestinians. The Jews were victims in Europe but in the Middle East they are victimizers. They have victimized and are continuing to victimize the Palestinians.
In the wars that Israel fought starting in 1947 against the Palestinians and later the Arabs Israel was never weak. It won both wars and all subsequent conflicts because it had superior firepower and manpower, was better organized and had better leadership. And this was despite that it was outnumbered. The Israeli army was an overwhelming force. No Arab army would ever attempt to attack Israel today and survive. Don’t forget Israel also has nuclear weapons paid for by the U.S.
As for the Israel’s moral behavior toward the Palestinians, it was hardly benevolent. During the 40 years of military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza the Israelis used brutal beatings and torture to repress protests. The troops were issued truncheons and encouraged to break the bones of Palestinians. Approximately 30,000 children needed medical treatment for beatings suffered at the hands of Israeli troops. The children were under 10 years of age and some cases under 5. The children sustained head injuries and fractures. 6000 to 8000 children suffered gunshot wounds. And most of the children were not participating in any protest demonstrations. Some were actually shot in their homes. As time goes on the Israeli troops are ever more brutal, killing and wounding larger numbers of Palestinians. Israel’s conduct is shocking, disgraceful and patently immoral.
References:
Fisk, Tom. The Great War for Civilization. 2005
Mearsheimer and Walt. The Israel Lobby. 2007
Wikipedia.
The all-knowing God apparently was not familiar with the real estate laws of Palestine. It happens that the Palestinians legally own that land and have the deeds to prove it. It was plain and simple thievery. By 2003 400,000 Jews were occupying the land in direct violation of Article 49 of the Geneva Conventions, which specifically prohibits an occupying power from deporting or transferring “parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies.”
Unfortunately Israeli politicians suffer from an overwhelming flaw and that is the inability to recognize the humanity of the Palestinians. As a result, they force Palestinians off the land, destroy their home and continue the colonization of the land. The Palestinians are then forced to move into unhygienic slums. Yet the U.S. supports Israel on moral grounds. First it is assumed that Israel is weak and surrounded by enemies. Next Israel’s moral behavior is superior to that of the Palestinians. The Jews were victims in Europe but in the Middle East they are victimizers. They have victimized and are continuing to victimize the Palestinians.
In the wars that Israel fought starting in 1947 against the Palestinians and later the Arabs Israel was never weak. It won both wars and all subsequent conflicts because it had superior firepower and manpower, was better organized and had better leadership. And this was despite that it was outnumbered. The Israeli army was an overwhelming force. No Arab army would ever attempt to attack Israel today and survive. Don’t forget Israel also has nuclear weapons paid for by the U.S.
As for the Israel’s moral behavior toward the Palestinians, it was hardly benevolent. During the 40 years of military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza the Israelis used brutal beatings and torture to repress protests. The troops were issued truncheons and encouraged to break the bones of Palestinians. Approximately 30,000 children needed medical treatment for beatings suffered at the hands of Israeli troops. The children were under 10 years of age and some cases under 5. The children sustained head injuries and fractures. 6000 to 8000 children suffered gunshot wounds. And most of the children were not participating in any protest demonstrations. Some were actually shot in their homes. As time goes on the Israeli troops are ever more brutal, killing and wounding larger numbers of Palestinians. Israel’s conduct is shocking, disgraceful and patently immoral.
References:
Fisk, Tom. The Great War for Civilization. 2005
Mearsheimer and Walt. The Israel Lobby. 2007
Wikipedia.
Greed and Stupidity
It is often said that we are incapable of learning from history. In fact, one acerbic wit said that history does not enlighten the petrified mind. If we learn anything from history, it is that we do not learn from history. However, the inability to learn from history is not really the point.
To make changes necessary to prevent recurring crises requires that we limit the power of the corporatists. These are the brokers of power that operate and control the financial institutions behind the façade of constitutional government. The people vote for the legislative representatives but the power brokers, the corporatists, control the legislative branch. They are the military-industrial complex in collusion with bank financed speculation pursuing insane profit. In fact, Senator Durbin recently stated that bankers own the U.S. Congress. And there are those who believe that bank financed speculation may eventually destroy capitalism. The present day economic crisis is an indication of how close we have come. We have survived several economic bubbles in the last 30 years but none were as serious as this one and those in power do not want change.
The shocking lack of regulatory control over the financial institutions, of course, was a major contributing factor to our present economic crisis. In addition the corruption of our legislative branch of government due to the control of lobbyists who represent the military, the industrialists, and the financial institutions is destroying the checks and balances written into the Constitution. As a result, the Congress has very little control over the expanded power of the Presidency. This was particularly true under the Bush administration. Whether this will continue to occur under the present administration will require that we wait and see.
What will likely continue to occur is the control of the lobbyists and the payoffs for favors. Bribes to legislators in the guise of campaign contributions will no doubt continue. Greed and stupidity is endemic in all political systems.
One of the more scandalizing operations of the ace lobbyist, Jack Abramoff, who was eventually convicted of a number of counts of fraud and is now languishing in jail, was the one in which he and Tom Delay, Texas Congressman, lobbied Congress to prevent the passing of a minimum wage law on Saipan in the Mariana Islands. Sweat shops owned by U.S. Chinese industrialists paid Abramoff $10 million to defeat the bill. Thousands of women work for practically nothing to produce high priced clothing for big name companies, such as Nordstrom, Liz Claiborne, Reebok, Eddie Bauer and many others.
Another one of the tactics used by lobbyists to gain approval of a particular bill is to stress the number of jobs that the legislation will provide for the Congressman’s constituency. This strategy is often used to pass a weapons bill for the military, whether it is a useful weapon or not. The main concern is to get that Pentagon money into the local community. The initial payoff is again called a campaign contribution.
Does anyone think Obama can break up this entrenched corruption?
References:
Galbraith, John Kenneth. A Short History of Financial Euphoria. 1994
Johnson, Chalmers. Nemesis. 2006
Wikipedia
To make changes necessary to prevent recurring crises requires that we limit the power of the corporatists. These are the brokers of power that operate and control the financial institutions behind the façade of constitutional government. The people vote for the legislative representatives but the power brokers, the corporatists, control the legislative branch. They are the military-industrial complex in collusion with bank financed speculation pursuing insane profit. In fact, Senator Durbin recently stated that bankers own the U.S. Congress. And there are those who believe that bank financed speculation may eventually destroy capitalism. The present day economic crisis is an indication of how close we have come. We have survived several economic bubbles in the last 30 years but none were as serious as this one and those in power do not want change.
The shocking lack of regulatory control over the financial institutions, of course, was a major contributing factor to our present economic crisis. In addition the corruption of our legislative branch of government due to the control of lobbyists who represent the military, the industrialists, and the financial institutions is destroying the checks and balances written into the Constitution. As a result, the Congress has very little control over the expanded power of the Presidency. This was particularly true under the Bush administration. Whether this will continue to occur under the present administration will require that we wait and see.
What will likely continue to occur is the control of the lobbyists and the payoffs for favors. Bribes to legislators in the guise of campaign contributions will no doubt continue. Greed and stupidity is endemic in all political systems.
One of the more scandalizing operations of the ace lobbyist, Jack Abramoff, who was eventually convicted of a number of counts of fraud and is now languishing in jail, was the one in which he and Tom Delay, Texas Congressman, lobbied Congress to prevent the passing of a minimum wage law on Saipan in the Mariana Islands. Sweat shops owned by U.S. Chinese industrialists paid Abramoff $10 million to defeat the bill. Thousands of women work for practically nothing to produce high priced clothing for big name companies, such as Nordstrom, Liz Claiborne, Reebok, Eddie Bauer and many others.
Another one of the tactics used by lobbyists to gain approval of a particular bill is to stress the number of jobs that the legislation will provide for the Congressman’s constituency. This strategy is often used to pass a weapons bill for the military, whether it is a useful weapon or not. The main concern is to get that Pentagon money into the local community. The initial payoff is again called a campaign contribution.
Does anyone think Obama can break up this entrenched corruption?
References:
Galbraith, John Kenneth. A Short History of Financial Euphoria. 1994
Johnson, Chalmers. Nemesis. 2006
Wikipedia
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Imperial Bankruptcy
Many of us are not aware of how inevitably and speedily our imperial capitalist economy is moving toward bankruptcy. We are sailing on a magnificent yacht that is moving downstream toward an immense waterfall and we are deaf to the crashing sounds of falling water.
The money we spend on the military, not just in Iraq and Afghanistan, but world wide far exceeds the TARP bail out funds. But if you include the cost of Iraq, now 2-3 trillion dollars, on top of Tarp which Geithner, the Secretary of the Treasury, says we may need 2 trillion dollars to fix Wall St. and the banks, we are looking at an economic crisis that cannot continue. Keep in mind that all this money is borrowed. Income tax is insufficient to cover the expense. Bush did not raise taxes for his imperial war, he lowered them. We are borrowing from China, Japan and other Asian countries. Add the service on the debt and you feel as though you are becoming mentally unsound. It cannot be real. Oh, but it is.
Now let’s consider what we actually manufacture for export. Guess? It’s weaponry. We don’t manufacture much of anything else. We produce more arms and munitions than anyone else in the world and we ship this weaponry to 730 American military bases throughout the world, actually in 130 countries. The money spent also includes global communications, espionage installations, military operations, nuclear weapons, construction, pension, hospitalization and disability payments for veterans and much, much more.
We are now at the point where we may not raise enough money to pay for all of this. We cannot continue to rely on massive spending for armies and weapons to keep the economy afloat and prevent collapse. It is not productive. It is dead end spending. Furthermore, an economy based on war leads to the destruction of the human spirit. We tend to think of war only in terms of victory or defeat when in reality “it is about death and the infliction of death.” We do not consider our adversary as people and we kill without conscience. As a result, we also kill unarmed civilians and we establish secret prisons where our soldiers torture the inmates. Torture was permissible because Attorney General Gonzalez decreed that the Geneva Conventions prohibiting torture was obsolete. It happens that this prohibition was a ratified treaty signed by the U.S. and was therefore a law. According to our Constitution a ratified treaty is a law of the land. Gonzalez had no power or authority to nullify it. Bush then issued a memo stating that captives from the battlefields are not POWs but rather are “illegal combatants.” There is no such term in International Law. Bush’s attorneys made it up.
Thus the Geneva Conventions in regard to POWs did not apply, according to Bush, Gonzalez and John Yoo in the Office of Legal Counsel. Troops were then free to torture.
Those responsible for torture should be prosecuted. It is a violation of the law. The subject is not debatable.
References: .
Fisk, Tom. The Great War for Civilization. 2005.
Johnson, Chalmers. Nemesis. 2006.
Stiglilitz, J. and Bilmes, L. The 3 Trillion Dollar War. 2008.
The money we spend on the military, not just in Iraq and Afghanistan, but world wide far exceeds the TARP bail out funds. But if you include the cost of Iraq, now 2-3 trillion dollars, on top of Tarp which Geithner, the Secretary of the Treasury, says we may need 2 trillion dollars to fix Wall St. and the banks, we are looking at an economic crisis that cannot continue. Keep in mind that all this money is borrowed. Income tax is insufficient to cover the expense. Bush did not raise taxes for his imperial war, he lowered them. We are borrowing from China, Japan and other Asian countries. Add the service on the debt and you feel as though you are becoming mentally unsound. It cannot be real. Oh, but it is.
Now let’s consider what we actually manufacture for export. Guess? It’s weaponry. We don’t manufacture much of anything else. We produce more arms and munitions than anyone else in the world and we ship this weaponry to 730 American military bases throughout the world, actually in 130 countries. The money spent also includes global communications, espionage installations, military operations, nuclear weapons, construction, pension, hospitalization and disability payments for veterans and much, much more.
We are now at the point where we may not raise enough money to pay for all of this. We cannot continue to rely on massive spending for armies and weapons to keep the economy afloat and prevent collapse. It is not productive. It is dead end spending. Furthermore, an economy based on war leads to the destruction of the human spirit. We tend to think of war only in terms of victory or defeat when in reality “it is about death and the infliction of death.” We do not consider our adversary as people and we kill without conscience. As a result, we also kill unarmed civilians and we establish secret prisons where our soldiers torture the inmates. Torture was permissible because Attorney General Gonzalez decreed that the Geneva Conventions prohibiting torture was obsolete. It happens that this prohibition was a ratified treaty signed by the U.S. and was therefore a law. According to our Constitution a ratified treaty is a law of the land. Gonzalez had no power or authority to nullify it. Bush then issued a memo stating that captives from the battlefields are not POWs but rather are “illegal combatants.” There is no such term in International Law. Bush’s attorneys made it up.
Thus the Geneva Conventions in regard to POWs did not apply, according to Bush, Gonzalez and John Yoo in the Office of Legal Counsel. Troops were then free to torture.
Those responsible for torture should be prosecuted. It is a violation of the law. The subject is not debatable.
References: .
Fisk, Tom. The Great War for Civilization. 2005.
Johnson, Chalmers. Nemesis. 2006.
Stiglilitz, J. and Bilmes, L. The 3 Trillion Dollar War. 2008.
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