Culpability: The Protest on The Capital and Who Is Responsible

Mea Culpa. It's a legal term which means accepting responsibility for one's actions. Despite four years of creating a volatile---even hostile--- environment, not once has the corporate media, including social media platforms, newspapers, or the networks stepped up and accepted responsibility for their actions; for creating a climate of fear. For dividing Americans and America as they fan the flames of descension but ignore responsibility for the fire it creates.

Not once has the likes of Nancy Pelosi, AOC, Schumer, and others offered a sincere apology to the American People for fostering and inciting hatred of the President and their disdain for not just his supporters, but of anyone who disagrees with them. Remember the sarcasm of Pelosi throughout his State of the Union address? Remember her publically ripping his State of the Union speech in half and throwing it away? Whatever happened to simple common courtesy or at least respect for the office?

The feigned "shock" and "outrage" from Washington officials smacks of second rate Vaudevillian shtick. Despite professing ignorance of the American People's anger, they throw around empty words like "the People's House", "it's not us", or how protesting a corrupt Congress or a broken political system is somehow "Un-American".  How could they not have known? Perhaps they were too wrapped up in their own self-importance or insulated in the vacuum of their self-serving bubbles.

How is it they condemn ordinary the working or middle class or small business owners for wanting not just their lives backs, but for wanting a political system which works: one where, at the very least, their vote---their voice---still counts for something? These Americans were protesting what they believed to be a fixed election following four years of being told their President was a fraud; that his election wasn't the result of individuals tired of a broken system which serves the wants and whims of a wealthy class of elites, but the result of "Russian collusion".

Yet, these same hypocrites never condemned the riots and looting of this past Spring and Summer.  No, they never spoke out against the arson, the violence, the vandalism of public and private property or the destruction of historic monuments. Instead, they asked why there wasn't more protests in the streets? They encouraged the rioters. They egged on the looters.

Was President Trump to blame for what happened on January 6th? Yes he was, at least in part. Certainly the language he used in his Tweets and texts didn't help. Trump wanted to show support for those who stood by him these last four years. He encouraged his supporters and others who were fed up with Congress to come a show their support, not just for him, for an America which is passing away before their eyes.

Did Trump encourage violence or to act out? No. That, it seems, may have been the result of Antifa and BLM who, according to some witnesses, were bused in to disrupt and discredit the protestors. Sadly for all, it seems to have worked.  But we're not hearing that part of the story. Perhaps it just doesn't fit the narrative. Even if not, who, if not the media and certain members of Congress, are not responsible for creating the climate of anger and mistrust? There's plenty of blame to go around. It's not all President Trump.

So, now we are hearing about calls to impeach President Trump again. However, this would be under Article 25...for alleged sedition.  The goal is not to remove the President from office. There's not enough time for that. No, the goal is to ensure that Trump can never again run for a federal office...like for President in 2024. They want Trump not just discredited, but destroyed so that he will never be seen a symbol of resistance by the people. 

Senate Majority Leader...I mean...Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell seems pleased with the results of the election, though not necessarily his loss in position. He seems even more pleased with efforts to impeach President Trump. In fact, he's gone as far as to openly support the idea since, in his opinion, it will go a long way in purging Trump supporters and the like from the Republican Party. Long live the Establishment, be it Democrat or Republican I suppose.  

The ruling elites of the Corporatocracy also want to send a message that no outsider will again challenge their grip on power. Anyone who runs for office must be a loyal adherent to the Status Quo; their party affiliation matters not. Both serve the same moneyed interests, and that's the way it will remain.

The inauguration of Joe Biden will take place as scheduled. It was always intended to. But it will be much more than Biden taking the oath of office and becoming the 46th President of the United States. It will represent the restoration of the Status Quo. The Oligarchs will be back in power after four years in shadows. The neo-fascist Corporatocracy, which has replaced our Republic, will be open for business as usual.

Biden will offer an olive branch and a call for unity, but don't assume that its meant to represent some form of compromise. His speech will be full of colorful phrases designed to press all the right buttons along with some subtle warnings. He'll utter empty words "family" , "patriotic", and a plea for us to "come together" aimed at making us feel nostalgic. What he is really saying is that we're back in charge and we intend to remain in charge.

It's said the history rarely repeats, but it often rhymes. January 6, 2021 marked the day that America crossed its Rubicon. Except there was no Caesar to cross its shallow river and restore the Republic or remove a bloated and corrupt Senate. The dice were cast, but this time it was the Oligarchs who won.

Like those of his kind, Biden will seek to mend fences and build alliances to help him secure his power. Stability is always the primary requirement for the corporate state. He will offer appeasements to whatever group he thinks will provide him with that stability.

I expect he'll open the southern border to illegal immigrants and call for so-called "reparations" to those who claim the bitter wounds of 160 years ago is the reason for their failures and not the result of failing to take advantage of the opportunities available to all. Something tells me it won't be enough. He may offer an alternative to the National Anthem or make America officially a bilingual nation.

He may impose a tax on the 2nd Amendment while curtailing the First. He's already hinted at it.Then too, he's always supported tax breaks for those of his social class over the last 47 years, so there's no reason to think that won't change. Zebras, skunks, and politicians rarely ever change their stripes. 

Corporations too will benefit as they always do when the elites are in charge of the public pocketbook. Those who countries which continue to support the Status Quo will benefit nicely as they always do, though the masses seldom benefit.  

As for the rest of us, the unwashed masses, we may see some crumbs thrown our way to buy our acquiesce to the corporate fait accompli.  It seems that protesting in the Capital is now prohibited in the Capital lest our followerless "leaders" cower under tables and behind locked doors. Should we endeavor for a kinder and more gentle outrage?

You can count on distractions too. They will need "something" to divert our attention from their sleight of hand now that they're back in business.  Bread and circuses have worked well these past 2000 years. No reason to stop now.

Meanwhile, the insincere indignation which barely conceals a gleeful cackle from the corporate media and political establishment will continue, at least for now. But don't hold your breath expecting their admission of guilt for their part in what's played out so far.

 

Election Special: The Consequences of Our Vote

As most people know I enjoy statistics and trends. There's something about using data to predict possible futures. Anyone who studies trends and statistics understands that nothing is an absolute. There are few guarantees in this life. Perhaps that's why I decided to major in economics when I was working on my undergraduate degree. 

Following politics as I do is an excellent way to put my interest in trends, surveys, and opinion polls together into something approaching an informed and hopefully subjective expectation of a likely outcome.  In other words, improving the odds that my guess will probably be right. 

I've looked at just over a dozen polls (some well known and others not so much so). Out of all of them, Joe Biden winning both the popular vote and the Electoral College. Not by a huge margin, but one that's just enough to avoid any doubt. 

According to the polls, Trump last held a one percent lead over Biden back during the week of September 16th, at least according to the Rasmussen while all the other polls shown a comfortable lead of around 5% for Biden.  But just how accurate are the numbers?

In the 2016 Presidential Race between Hillary Clinton and "The Donald", all the polls showed Clinton with a 10% lead (Biden has a 11% according to some polls). In fact, throughout the campaign, practically everyone from pollsters to the media's talking heads had Hillary Clinton winning easily.

Of course, we all know what happened on election night. The corporate media and all the political hacks were stunned into absolute silence (and it was a beautiful thing for that fact alone). Ever since, the media has been hell bent on impeding, discrediting, distorting, and manipulating everything President Trump did or said.

The Democratic Party, along with support from the media, has done their utmost to destroy Trump's character. They've tried to link him to the Russians (turned out that was a Hillary sham). They tried to impeach him (notice how that's not being talked about). They tried to link him to the Ukraine scandal (that turned out to be Biden's son, Hunter).

They tried to link the COVID-19 virus to him (that goes back to Obama exporting the research to China). They tried to claim that minorities have suffered in Trump. Turns out that unemployment numbers are at their lowest in years. So, pretty much everything they've tried to stick on Trump has failed. But, as I've written for years, the Oligarchy will not allow Trump to remain. The Status Quo will continue unimpeded. 

Meanwhile, we've seen the evolution of Black Lives Matter, Antifa, and other front groups dedicated to violence and blaming capitalism for all their ills. While many will blame the rioting, looting, and arson on the recent deaths of black individuals killed by the police, don't forget that it actually started the day Trump was sworn in as President. There were hundreds of individuals, upset that their candidate loss, throwing a giant temper tantrum by destroying property, committing vandalism, looting, and arson.

Now, we're being warned that if Biden doesn't win, they will do it again, but on a much larger scale, and with the possibility that people will be attacked, or worse. The police are already worn out by a summer of riots, protests, assaults, not to mentioned personal harassment including being spit on, having rocks, bottles, urine and feces being thrown at them. They are tired. They are frustrated. Many are quitting or going elsewhere.

In places like Louisville Kentucky, they've had to deal with inept leadership in-house and a absolutely useless mayor. Worse still is the internal "power politics" being played out behind the scenes involving the town's wealthy power brokers; all of which has left not just the police out to dry, but the residents and specifically black community as well.

In fact, if you look at all the cities and towns who've endured the worse civil strife this year, nearly   everyone of them has a Democrat majority government. It's not that the Republicans are any better at governing. It's that they seem to be less willing to see their community destroyed. They are less tolerant of allowing random violence, looting, vandalism, and arson.   

When those on the Right, be they Republicans or just conservatives, have shown up in support of the police or protect their property, the media typically refers to them "fascists", "neo-Nazis", "Alt-Right", or "white supremacists"  while at the same time labeling the rioters and looters as "peaceful protestors"; some have even tried to justify the looting as "reparations".

Ironic that many of those doing the arson, vandalism, and so forth aren't protesting for social justice, but are paid agitators; individuals hired to create chaos and anarchy. Why isn't that being widely reported?

When the leaders of BLM openly admit to being Marxists intent on overthrowing the government, the media gives us crickets, and yet they immediately label conservative groups like the "Proud Boys" as white supremacists despite being lead by a black man. What gives America?

The media seems to be quite smug that their four years of attacking Trump and his Administration has done the job while suppressing or downplaying the corruption and incompetence of the Left and its leadership. Again, what gives? Where is their impartiality?

The biggest differences in this election are that this time we have a virus which has surely keep many from voting, especially seniors who are more apt to for Trump;  a reliance on mail in ballots, boxes of which having been found in dumpsters and a postal union which has already endorsed Biden, not ot mentions ballots mysteriously appearing in close elections, all for Biden.

Lastly, there is the well funded and organized attack dogs, the likes of which we haven't seen since Hitler's Brownshirts, Mussolini's Blackshirts of the 1930's, or Mao's youth filled "Red Guard" in the late 1960's and early 1970's.  Even the AFL-CIO has threatened to go strike if Trump wins.

That leaves America---you and me---sitting under a sword of Damocles of sorts. If Trump wins, we can expect the Democrats to reject the results regardless of the margin, throwing the nation into a Constitutional crisis coupled with widespread social upheaval.

 If Biden wins, it's likely the Republicans will claim fraud and again throwing our nation into a Constitutional crisis. BLM, Antifa, and related groups will take to the streets demanding the GOP capitulate, destroying everything in their path.

Those on the Right, having exhausted their patience, will step forward to defend not just their family and property, but their communities. Either scenario could likely trigger martial law and the National Guard being called out to restore order. It won't be pretty.  The only winner will be the ruling Oligarchy, who get to implement the kind of control they've been itching to do for years.

Historically, what has set America apart from most countries is the peaceful transition of power from one party to the other.  The election in 2016 marked the end of that. While the Obama Administration was cordial (albeit stunned and barely holding back its contempt for the incoming administration), the protestors and rioters were unlike anything we've seen since 1860 and Lincoln's election.

This election portends to be much worse. Perhaps it's merely the implied threat of violence. I don't think so. I think the violence will occur either way the election goes, be it vengeance in case of a loss or revenge in case of a victory.  The people will demand law and order, and the ruling Oligarchs will be more than happy to comply, just as they were in Germany, Italy, Spain, Russia, China, Argentina, and everywhere else authoritarianism, be it Fascist or Communist, has been applied.

Sadly, this is what partisan politics has brought us to, especially when that partisanship has spread to the media which was supposed to be the arbiter of fair, honest, and unbiased reporting. This is what happens when we allow ourselves to be divided by the ruling elite.

They couldn't care less about racial or income equality any more than they care which of the two parties win since they literally own the White House, Congress, and judgeships. What they care about is a compliant population of worker bees. Individuals just smart enough to their jobs and passive enough not to ask to many questions.

As long as we are divided by the manufactured barriers they've created, we are powerless to do anything to stop them. Until we come realize this, we will continue to lose our freedoms bit by bit. We will continue to feel insecure. We will continue to live in fear. One thing is for sure. Regardless of who will occupy the Oval Office for the next four years, the only winners will the ruling Oligarchs and their Corporatocracy.

 

Real Clear Politics: Trump vs. Biden

2020 election polls--Live: Biden up in Iowa as pollsters says 'hidden' vote will deliver Trump second term

Why Biden's poll lead is different from Hillary Clinton's

Snowflakes and Buttercups

Let me ask you question. Let's say you're driving down the expressway. It's starting to get a bit late and as usual, the lighting isn't so great. You're tired and just want to get home. There's not a lot of traffic on the expressway in either direction. Up ahead you see something; a lot of movement moving toward the overpass directly in front of you. As you get closer, you see it's a large group of people; some are carrying something but you can't tell what. A few seconds later you're close enough to see that this mod of people are protestors and some are carrying signs. A few seem to be trying to get you to stop...for what who knows? What you know is that there's not much traffic out and no body to help you in case things go wrong, and given what you've seen on TV, most of these protests end up as riots with looting, burning, rapes, robbery, and a lot of bottle and rock throwing. Then you see they are spreading across the expressway in an attempt to block you and anyone else who happen along. What do you do? Well get back to your answer shortly.

Ever since "The Donald" surprised the political Left with his decisive victory over Hillary Clinton, her supporters---mostly Left leaning Millennials, hardcore Democrats, and a few Bernie Sanders supporters have been alternating between acting like someone just stole their ice cream cone and kids being told they can't play on their IPod until they clean up their rooms (to be honest, I'm not sure kids actually have to that anymore, but I'm sure you get the analogy). Classes at some of the nation's top schools have cancelled because the students are too "distraught". Some colleges have cancelled midterms and, instead, set up "cry-ins" where students can come and have a good cry among friends. A few of these centers of higher learning have even ordered in pizza because, well, after a good cry I guess they figure everyone likes a cheese pizza (I suppose there was a special standby of salad, you know, just in case). A few other colleges--and even high schools---have established "safe place" away from the media and "mean" students who aren't as "sympathetic" to their pain.

Meanwhile, some of these individuals, after sucking it up, have gone out protesting; a few with signs saying "Not My President", "Love Trumps Hate", "No White Supremacy", "We Won't Obey", as well as some that are pretty vulgar (must be English or American Lit majors). Some of these protests have involved confrontation with the local police, and there has been several calls from people who should know better to assassinate the president-elect (just in case you don't understand our political system, given that you want to do away with the Electoral College and all, that won't result in a "do over" or make Hillary the President as sort of a runner-up prize. It means that Vice President Mike Pence becomes President, and if something should happen to him, the presidency goes to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, so you might want to think these things through---just a suggestion).

A few of these protests have turned violent and devolved into riots, complete with looting, burning, destroying property and beating of white and Asian folks (it's almost "as if" somebody or some group is trying to start a race war for some reason. Of course, that would result in martial law being declared. Now, who do you think would want to do that and why?). I'm not sure what that purpose of all that is, but the message it sends is "Hey look at us. We're idiots. We're trashing neighborhoods". It's no big deal to be upset about the results of an election, but that's not how you change things. It simply makes the situation worse and less likely that anyone will listen to you. But, given that we are connected globally in ways that we were never before, groups have formed in Europe to protest Trump's election. The really amusing part is that their protests are based mostly off of rumors spread by Left leaning groups in this country and misinformation spread by the corporate media which has been actively---and more or less covertly---working against Trump since just before he announced he was running! The only media who seem to be getting it right are over at RT News. Not even Fox News has kept their promise to keep it "fair and balanced".

The fact is that Trump won the election, regardless of what the corporate media had been saying for during the entire election cycle, so face it---you were lied to. You were lied to by not just the corporate media, but the Democratic Party, the out-of-touch celebrity types, but yes, even by Hillary. You saw in real time how Hillary's camp and the DNC worked to rig the Primary and convention against Bernie Sanders and you heard from Hillary's own emails the crimes she committed without any sense of remorse or hesitation. You saw how the Republican Establishment worked against Trump throughout the entire campaign; even occasionally working in cooperation with the Democrats and corporate media to smear Trump, a family member, or a supporter of his. Now you understand some of what those on the Right have been saying all along about how badly the system is broken. You saw how economic elites, both political parties, as well as the political system itself worked hand-in-mailed-glove against the best interests of us---the citizens of this country.

I'm sure those on both the Left and the Right are not going to like everything Trump does, but then nobody ever does. Despite being in the public eye, the presidency is a very lonely job; something I'm sure every President has quickly learned. But remember too, those on the Right had to endure eight years of Obama, and while you might think he was a good president, many in America didn't, and neither did many of the world's leadership, but you never saw an temper tantrums did you? You never saw any "cry-ins" or demands for "safe places". You also never saw any looting, burning, destroying of property, or beating up of liberals (or yelling at them and making them cry) or for that matter, any protests.

Now, let's get back to my opening question. What would you do if you suddenly saw yourself being blocked by a group of protestors...or possible rioters? From news reports, most drivers, while attempting to avoid hitting anyone, would not stop out of fear of being attacked or damage to their vehicle. So far, there has been two individuals severely injured trying to block traffic and several who have been slightly injured. There's nothing wrong with protests, but not everyone is going to agree with you; in fact, most aren't. Don't expect them to act accordingly, so use common sense. Oh, by the way, there was one death as a direct of these protests. It seems one older individual died of a heart attack. He was in an ambulance on the way to the hospital but protestors blocked the expressway and wouldn't let the ambulance through. Had he made it to the hospital he would have likely lived. I hope the organizers of this protest showed up at his funeral to explain to his family and friends why their actions where more important than his life. Personally, I think the police should have rounded up everyone of these individuals and charged them with contributory homicide and refused any plea deals. Actions do have consequences be they economic, political, social, or humanitarian.





Anti-Trump Protest Killed a Man
http://www.headlinepolitics.com/anti-trump-protest-killed-man/