The Importance of Getting it Right: America's Domestic Dilemma

Right now there are some very powerful groups working non-stop around the clock to pit us against each other every way possible. They manipulate what we watch, listen to, or see as much as possible. After all, just 5 mega corporations own 96+% of all media. They've totally ignored the fact that nearly half the country is registered Independent---43%. Nearly half the country wants nothing from the corporate own uniparty.

Remember this too. The Nazis came to power under the banner of "law and order" and national security with just 43% of the total vote. Lacking a majority, the Nazi's were compelled into a coalition government with industrialist Alfred Hugenberg's conservative German National People's Party (DNVP) in order to take power.  But once the Enabling Act was in place by March 23,1933, the ill-conceived  response to the February 27th Reichstag fire allegedly started by "Communists agitators", the German Republic was all but over.  And it took Hitler just 52 days.

The Democrats and Republicans are both minority parties with roughly 25% of registered voters each. but you wouldn't know it from the media or how the country is run. They've created a two tier legal system and a political class system. They've quietly overthrown our Republic at the behest of a neo-fascist corporatocracy led a super rich oligarchy (or kleptocracy if you prefer, it really doesn't matter. The results for us are the same), and while we were busy playing on our "smart phones" or watching some reality show.

Freedoms are routinely and gradually  suppressed in the name of "national security" in order to protect the populace from scapegoat enemy.  Historically it's been the "Jews", Protestants or Catholics, blacks, Chinese, the Irish, and so on. But, it need not be a group, it can just as easily be a abstract idea; a "catch all" if you will. For instance, "socialism" and Communism" are typically bandied about as if they're one and the same, which they're obviously not. But none of that really matters as long as you're made afraid of it. Why?

The corporate state will always employ a "us versus them" mindset using every resource they have available in order to make and keep you afraid of something. They will use that fear to justify their existence. It will be the foundation of their control.

Let me ask you a question. What do the following laws all have in common? The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 which, among other things, prohibited the use of child labor, created the 40 hours work week, and provided for a minimum wage, the National Labor Relations Act, of 1935 (aka "the "Wagner Act") or the Social Security Act of 1935. Any guesses?

What about Title VII  of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on age, race, gender, national origin, religion, or sexual orientation, or the 19th Amendment (passed in 1919) giving women the vote?  How about the Federal Unemployment Act of 1935 which provides unemployment benefits to out of work employees or the Indian Mineral Leasing Act of 1938 which gave Native American tribes more control of the extraction of natural resource on tribal land. Give up?

Every single one of them were labeled either "socialist" or Communist. Every. Single. One. Most of these were passed during Franklin D. Roosevelt's administration, which didn't go unnoticed by the powerful industrial elites of the time who ridiculed Roosevelt as a "traitor to his class" (he came from a wealthy upper New York family), as a closet socialist or Communist (take your pick). Wall Street did everything it could (legal or not) to defeat, or at least delay these laws, but ultimately failed. But, can you honestly say your life would be better off without most or all of these laws?

But it doesn't end there. Not by a long shot. The Civil Rights Act of 1964, and "War on Poverty" initiative  signed by the Democratic President, Lyndon B Johnson, was vilified as being a Communist plot to destabilize the country as was the creation of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965.  The Consumer Product Safety Act, Clean Air and Clean Water acts on 1972, all of which were signed by Republican arch conservative Richard Nixon, were also hailed as being "socialist". Of course, "Obamacare"  which help provide critical medical care for those without any (in many cases because their employer couldn't afford to offer any).  

 It's the same in every totalitarian government.  Different actors. Same script.  As Nazi propagandist genius, Joseph Goebbels, once advised "publicly accuse your enemy of doing what you're already secretly doing". Our "Enabling Act" arrived  in 2001 under the flag waving title of "The Patriot Act" and  we've never looked backed despite the slow transformation of the U.S. into a surveillance state. Fascism, in all its incarnations---populist, traditional, benevolent, or religious, all ends the same. It's about control.  

Fascism, which is really just another name for corporatism, can declare itself as  being "liberal" (China, North Korea, East Germany, North Vietnam, Somalia, Yemen, and others were labeled as "Democratic Republics"). The famous quote (erroneously attributed to author Sinclair Lewis) said that fascism, when---not if--- it comes to America, "will be wrapped in the flag  and waving a cross" as well as "American fascism, when it eventually arrives, will be government of, by, and for profits." Sounds a lot like today's Oligarchy doesn't it?

Echoing that statement, James Waterman Wise Jr , author of numerous books including "Our Bill of Rights: What it Means To Me" and "Thomas Jefferson: Then and Now" penned in the  Feb. 5, 1936 edition of Christian Century (considered the flagship magazine of mainstream Protestantism since 1900). He remarked, "If fascism comes, it will not be identified with any 'shirt' movement, nor with an insignia, but it will probably be 'wrapped in the American flag and heralded as a plea for liberty and preservation of the constitution".

These "friendly fascists" might claim to know the "Will of God" and promise to return us to time of more traditional family values. Such is "friendly fascism". It may claim to be socially conservative if that is what it takes to get your compliance just as easily as it claims to be "all inclusive". But regardless of its outward message, Fascism will always ultimately insist on your total and unwavering compliance.

The assault on our nation has been a gradual one. It creeps forward in one place and makes a strategic  but temporary retreat in others areas, but overall, their agenda always advances. It's a process known as "incrementalism" or "gradualism". Notice for instance how the educational system have been "dumb down". Did it happened over a month or even a year? Nope. It's been happening over decades.

Schools have gone from teaching critical thinking skills to teaching "Critical Race Theory". Some of these same schools are now encouraging "gender selection" by kids who barely know what "gender" means! Worse still is that the parents don't even have to be notified. Schools and libraries are trying to ban certain American classics such as "Huckleberry Finn", "Tom Sawyer" , "1984" and "Animal Farm", "Of Mice and Men", "To Kill a Mockingbird", and "A Farewell to Arms" . Even "Little Riding Hood" and Anne Frank's "Diary of a Young Girl" have fallen to censors!

Meanwhile, liberals claim that books about race (especially those placing certain racial minorities in a positive light), history books offering a different perspective of events, as well as books about sexual orientation and gender are being banned by schools and libraries at the same rate.

This, of course, raises the question as to where books should be banned at all? Perhaps we should go back to the age specific criteria for children is strictly enforced just as all decisions made about students should involve the parent.  After all, isn't the ultimate objective to encourage kids to read, develop their critical thinking skills, expand their intellectual horizons and help make them responsible citizens?

People are expected (and in some places, mandated by law) to play along with other people's fantasies by referring to a biological male  who "identifies" as a female as "she/her" or by female who believes they're a male as "he/him". Even more oddly, some don't even want to be referred by a gender specific pronoun since they're "gender fluid" and want to be known as "them/they", but it gets weirder.

There are those individuals who "self-identify" as animals---dogs, cats, whatever---and they want to be treated that way. Some even show up in school dressed as the animal of their delusion...err..choice... and wants act, be talked to, and even fed from a bowl at lunch  (I wonder if they go outside to the restroom, sniff other people's butts, or if they've figured out how to lick their privates yet?).  

Anyway,  I don't care who or what someone believes that are, although much of this I believe is a cry of attention or simply a mental illness. It's really none of my business, but why must I have to reinforce their self-delusion and play along? What about my moral compass?

In the long run, all the corporate state cares about are workers just smart enough to do their jobs, but not smart enough to challenge their authority, and certainly not individuals who think for themselves. Those people are dangerous.

If we're are pitted against each other, then we won't be paying attention to what they're doing. In a short order, the mask will slip and then drop completely and you can bet they won't bother even asking for our support or anything else.   They will demand and you will comply.

In that same instant, when they finally stop pretending to care about rising gas and food prices, the environment, unemployment, high taxes, or having an open border, you will have to decide for yourself, for your family, and for grandchildren yet unborn if it's better to stand on your feet and take a unmovable stand as a free man or women to fight for democracy and a return of our Republic, or to live forever on your knees having never knowing freedom ever again.  Remember, no decision is still a decision by default. But for those who come after you, it will be far too late. The decision will have already been made for them by your inaction.

As  Dr. Klaus Schwab of the globally powerful and influential World Economic Forum recently said, when speaking about the WEF's "Great Reset Initiative", that "you will own nothing and be happy". Another aspect of the "Great Reset" is to create a more "sustainable planet" by promoting greater economic deregulation of businesses, and in particular large transnational corporations (of the corporatocracy type) and  giving them a greater role in global governance "at the expense of government".  Does that sound like "socialism" or "Communism"? Not to me. In fact, it's almost the textbook definition of fascism.

There's no question that America has slipped into a corporatocracy under the leadership of a group of mega-rich oligarchs. They thrive on creating chaos and promising us order. Their sole goal is control, be it assets, resources, or us as their economic serfs, forever chained to debt. Our "worth" determined by our credit rating and to afraid to speak up for ourselves for fear of losing our jobs.  A roadmap is already being laid out for us and those who follow who will "own nothing and be happy". Will you willingly go down that road or will you fight to preserve our democracy and for a return of our Republic? We have to get this right the first time.  

 

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Let Them Eat Cake! The Decline of the American Voter

We're all familiar with the phrase "let them eat cake". Legend has it that French Queen Marie Antoinette was said to have uttered as she looked out over her balcony at Versailles Palace and watched the revolution unfold.  Of course, historians debate to this day whether or not she actually said those words or something similar.

But, nevertheless, what has never been in doubt was her attitude toward the masses (along with the rest of the ruling elite), nor its outcome, the loss of her head along with that of her husband, King Louis XVI and hundreds of exceedingly wealthy aristocrats.

By the time the "Reign of Terror" was over,  almost four hundred thousand were dead, exiled, or imprisoned. Some were part of the upper crust, including members of the clergy. However, many hundreds of others were simply caught up on the wrong side of "Monsieur Guillotine".  

The French Revolution represented a seismic shift in French society, born out of many of the same ideals which prompted our own revolution just a few years before such as the notion equality under a common law, taxation with representation and, of course, the impact of the Enlightenment.

The America which came out of our little "dust up" with Great Britain in 1783 was intended to be a democratic Republic based on a written Constitution and  backed by a Bill of Rights. It replaced the Articles of Confederation which was seen as to weak. It served as the first constitution from 1781 until 1789.

France adopted their constitution in 1791, which created a constitutional monarchy. In 1789, France ratified the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, which served as its national Bill of Rights and served as the preamble to their constitution. Nevertheless, the damage was done and a dictator, Napoleon Bonaparte, waited in the wings for his moment to arrive.

As an aside,  while the U.S. Constitution was ratified in 1788, it wasn't the oldest constitution. That honor belongs to San Marino, a tiny country in northwestern Italy. Their constitution was ratified in 1600. Poland's constitution was ratified shortly after ours in 1791. England had the first Bill of Right, which was signed into law in 1689 following the "Glorious Revolution" which ousted King James II. Ours was adopted in 1791. 

America  also differed from other nations in that its creation was organic, meaning that instead of evolving into a nation over time, as other countries had, America, like the mythical Athena who was born fully formed from the brow of Zeus, burst into existence as a wholly formed nation based on the lessons gleaned from ancient Greece and Rome, the indigenous Algonquin Federation, and the ideals of the Enlightenment. 

Today, America is no longer a democratic Republic. It's a neo-fascist Corporatocracy under the leadership of a handful of mega rich Oligarchs. Congress no longer represents the average citizen. It serves the needs of Wall Street. What the average citizen want or need is of little interest to Congress. Academic research has shown that ordinary citizens have virtually zero impact on issues as far as Congress is concerned while the elites have significant input on issues they regard as important.

 Corporate money openly fund both political parties and their candidates. They sponsor getaways, hold fundraisers which regularly raise millions of dollars.  Corporate lobbyists routinely write or help write legislation while federal contracts worth billions are awarded with alarming regularity. The government is no longer our own.

The media is controlled by just five corporations. Worse, they've come to operate more as propaganda machines whose aim is to frustrate, confuse, and manipulate the masses. They distract us from the real issues with manufactured news and mindless entertainment. Once upon a time, the media was seen as the purveyors of truth. Today the media has become the profaners of truth. 

So, what do you suppose our "overseers" think of us (not that it really matters)? According to a recent Scott Rasmussen survey conducted (ironically) on behalf of the "Committee to Unleash Prosperity", a conservative " economic supply-side" think tank with close ties to a number of libertarian leaning organizations as well as the Koch Brothers, Steve Forbes, Arthur Laffer, and Steve Moore,  the ruling elites don't think much of us.

The report starts out be defining who the "elites" and "super elites" are based on their incomes, zip code, and academics. It should be pointed out that the report erroneously classifies the "elite" as those making over $150,000 annually, having at least one post-graduate degree from a leading college like Columbia or Harvard, and living in a zip code where the population density exceeds 10,000 per square mile.

A majority of other studies identify "elites" as those with income levels of at least $600,000 and a net worth of $10 million or more (compare that to a median U.S. household income of $55,000 and a net worth of about $70,000).  Those in the top 5% tend to have annual incomes of $335,000, while the top 1% pull down around $820,000 a year and those at the apex---the 0.1%---bring in over $3 million annually.

Nevertheless, according to the Scott Rasmussen survey, the elites  or top 10% are seeing their earnings grow. They are also happy with the performance of economy and Biden. Meanwhile, roughly 40% of average Americans report that they are financially struggling. An article by Business Insider takes it further by saying that by mid-2024, 99% of Americans will be financially worse off than they were pre-Covid.-19.

The article, written in conjunction with JP Morgan, added that most Americans have already gone through most of their savings.  22% of Americans don't have enough money for emergencies.  43% couldn't cover an emergency over $1000. Bloomberg backed that up by pointing out that as of November 2023, 80% of Americans were already worse off than they were pre-Covid-19.

The article pointed out that only the top 20% were doing well financially. It should be mentioned that according to a October 2023 Harris Poll, 65% of Americans acknowledged living paycheck to paycheck. 35% regularly have more month than money!

The Rasmussen report goes on to point out that 77% of the top 10% and 89% of the top 1% believe that there should be "strict rationing of meat, gas, and electricity" for the average American family.  Approximately 81% would ban the use of gas power cars, forcing the "masses" to use battery powered vehicles, but that's not all. 55% of the top 10% "elites" and 70% of the "super elites" would restrict non-essential travel for average Americans. I guess that keeps them from having to rub elbows with the "unwashed masses" at all the resorts.

When it came to politics, it shouldn't come as a surprise that to learn that over half of the elites believe that government affords average Americans "too much freedom". Their solution? Some surveys suggest increased usage of surveillance cameras, increased use of facial recognition software, improved tracking devices on cell phones and cars,

Many favor tighter internet access such as limiting search engines, greater restrictions on gun/ammo ownership, further restrictions on freedom of speech and expression, and of course, closer "cooperation" between Big Business and government (which is the definition of fascism). Although often overlooked, we can't forget eliminating the use of cash in favor of electronic accounting.

Perhaps we'll soon see a day where government will electronically take out its estimated taxes and fees before you ever received your electronic paycheck. Utility and credit card companies will require payments be automatically deducted along with your rent or house payments and insurance. What's left (if anything) is what you'll use to buy groceries, clothes and whatever...all electronically so it can be tracked, recorded, and anticipated.

Your medical, financial, and employment history will all be collected and stored in a "super cloud". Businesses will know your medical and credit history before deciding to hire, promote, or retain you. Even your school grades will be recorded, along with what clubs you belonged to. No doubt your aptitude scores will be kept with your actual or estimated IQ score, Myers Briggs profile, or Enneagram.  

Every late payment, work infraction, and traffic ticket will be linked to your "national security data"  on the super cloud, which will monitor the sites you visit, the books or magazines you read, comments you made online, and even your buying preferences.  

These are just a few of the ways your freedoms can curtailed with you barely noticing if the elites have their way. Scary isn't it?  Yet the technology is already there, and in many instances, already being employed. Welcome to the machine.

We also need to bear in mind that the top 1% ---or about 735 billionaires--- have more money than the entire bottom half of American households. That's about $43.45 trillion dollars. According to a 2021 Credit Suisse report, the top 1% globally controlled nearly half of all the wealth on the planet or roughly 46% while one in ten individuals globally get by on just $2 dollars a day.

As for Congress, its job is to represent the American People, and yet numerous surveys show that Congress regularly vote in favor of what various organized special interest groups and the wealthiest top 10% want while the interests of the remaining 90% are typically ignored. Surprised? You shouldn't be.

The majority of Congress---50%---are millionaires (compared to only 5% of Americans in general). Even those who aren't millionaires when they enter Congress, nearly all are by the time they leave despite a annual salary of just $174,000. Both political parties are heavily funded by Big Business. 

Political campaigns, "leadership" PACs, "educational" junkets, and so forth receive nearly unlimited funding by Big Business thanks to the Supreme Court's 2010 "Citizens United" blunder; a decision which gave corporations nearly unlimited financial influence over government.

In 2022, both parties received a combined $8.9 billion dollars from Wall Street for midterm congressional races. About 45% went to Democrats while 55% went to Republicans (the National Association of Realtors was the largest donor at $36. 4 million).

Legislation is often written entirety or at least partially by corporate lobbyists. These same lobbyists help navigate bills through the maze of committees, often chaired by members whose campaigns they funded. As an aside, these lobbyists typically provide members of Congress (or their staff) with bill summaries and "recommendations" on which bill to support. They also help legislators with a little "under the table" wheeling and dealing, which gives them firsthand knowledge on all the dirt.

When members of the 115th Congress (or key staffers) decided to leave office in 2019, over 59% took a short drive over to "K" Street and signed on as a corporate lobbyist (some making three times what they did in Congress). Some become a consultant or adviser while others land very lucrative positions on various boards of directors or as senior partners in  high dollar law firms. This is the nefarious revolving door of politics, and it's why government serves the interests of Wall Street, not Main Street.

We have more wealth and income inequality than at any time over the last one hundred years. Company CEO's are making 350 times more than their average employee earns, and nearly 50% of all new wealth goes to the top 1%. The top three richest individuals in America have more wealth than the entire bottom half of America households, which adds up to over 160 million Americans.

Washington D.C.  bears a striking resemblance to the politically decadent and corrupt world of the ill fated Queen of France,  Marie Antoinette, and her husband, King Louis XV. Like the elites of her time, 72% of elites  today say they are superior to average Americans. Washington has developed a presumptive "ruling class" mentality by virtue of their education, family connections, and access to immense wealth, but are they our "betters"?

When we see the likes of a Barack Obama, Joe Biden, George W. Bush, Bill or Hillary Clinton, do we honestly believe these are the best America can produce to guide our nation? Given that the approval rating for Congress  is in low 30's and Biden's approval rating is lowest of any president in 15 years, the obvious answer is "no", and yet Congress has a 98% reelection rate. Do you think that's by accident?

Our political system isn't broken, it's been changed to suit the needs of a ruling class; an oligarchy which has substituted our democratic Republic for a neo-fascist corporatocracy. It's past time that the American People embrace the strength and courage of our Founding Fathers and do something about it.

 

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Calling It As It Is: The State of American Politics

Let's just come out and say what we all intuitively know. America is going to hell in a handbasket on roller skates down a greased hill. America has been engaged in a race to the bottom for decades now. The Democrats and the Republics still pretend they're in charge and know what they're doing, but the fact is that they don't have a clue.

The media is not about reporting the facts. It's about entertainment. It's owned by a mere five corporations whose job it is to perpetuate the myth of "fairness" and "balance". It's a farce and we all know it and for some reason we play along.

Our "Republic" is an illusion. We don't have a "Republic" any longer. It's all smoke and broken mirrors. America's great experiment in a constitutional democracy long ago succumbed to the power of money. Just like Ancient Rome which subtly slipped from a representative Republic to a militaristic empire led by an emperor and corrupt senate, America now hides behind a similar facade.

Thanks to partisan gerrymandering, unlimited terms, a "winner-take-all" political system, and Citizens United, politicians are openly and legally bought and sold. Both parties are mere extensions of the  corporate factions which own them. Their lobbyists write the bills that our pretended "representatives" are suppose to do.

They've turned the political system into a vote for the lesser of two evils, which is still not just a vote for evil, but also corrupted the election system to keep out third parties and Independents, who are the nation's largest political bloc.  No wonder the U.S. placed 30th out of 35 of the OECD nations in voter turnout (OECD is the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development which is the world's leading economically developed countries).

America is a neo-fascist Corporatocracy, and like any good corporation, it has a board of directors who are beholden to no one but themselves. It seeks to control through manipulation by the media and manufactured crisis's to keep us confused and frustrated. It's all about control. Be it control of assets, resources, or you and me. They use intimidation to get what they want, be it an individual, a business, or a country. They will use any means at their disposal, often leaving chaos or carnage in their wake. 

When someone comes along and attempts to lift the veil and display the mechanisms of power, they swiftly shut them down using various strategies ranging from "shadow blocking" or "disappearing" them from social media, financially ruining them, discrediting them through innuendos and outright lies to character assignations (such as Trump or the January 6th protests) and even the real thing (ie: a "Jeffery Epstein suicide"). They play for keeps. You and I and our opinions mean absolutely nothing. 

With election season fast approaching, we can expect to hear the same pollster generated and test group approved speeches about how they're going to "stand up" to the status quo or change this and that. With the average American shelling out an average of $3500 more than last year (thanks to inflation) while big corporations are making record profits, these Beltway elites roll up their sleeves, take off their $1000 suit coats, loosen their hundred dollar ties, don blue jean and sneakers or cowboy boots and pretend their "one of the people". We know better. They're not fooling anybody. We are a necessary inconvenience they have to tolerate every two or four or six years. 

A recent Rasmussen poll showed that 3/4 of Americans are unhappy with the direction this country is going.  That's 3 out of every 4 voters. President Biden is viewed a doddering old man totally out of touch with reality. His approval ratings have ranged from the upper twenty percent range to the low thirty's.

To put it another way, 70%+ of Americans, regardless of registration, disapproval of his handling of issues. At his lowest, Trump still polled higher.  On the world stage, opinion of Biden ranges from pity and embarrassment to contempt and fool. Respect, however,  doesn't comes up much.  

Incidentally, the highest approval rating for America's direction was in 1999 with 71% under Bill Clinton and our lowest was 7% in 2008 during the world financial crisis and U.S. recession under George W. Bush's tenure.

Biden's vice president, Kamala Harris doesn't fare any better. In fact, she's viewed as among one of the worse VP's in recent history with a 52% disapproval rating according to a RealClearPolitics' poll. To make matters worse, at least for Democrats, is the fact that with Biden's decreasing cognitive facilities, is the prospect that Kamala could be a lame duck replacement should Biden be forced to resign!

Could you imagine? A Trump redux in 2024 is looking like a good distraction strategy, which may be the reason the corporate media is still trying to keep him in the public eye in order to take the public's mind off the current disaster unfolding in front of them.

As an aside, the above Rasmussen poll also showed that 54% of voters though Kamala Harris was unqualified to be Vice President.  45% of those didn't think she was qualified for high office at all! Additionally, the poll showed a 57% disapproval of Ms. Harris in general, with 47% strongly disliking her.  Among the Harris "hold-their-nose" respondents, 79% were (unsurprisingly) Republican. 17% were Democrat, and 49% were Independent.

Congress, regardless of corporate party ownership, isn't doing any better. Recent numbers show an 18% approval rating (some polls show 20%). Either way, that means roughly 80% of Americans think Congress sucks! Wanna know what's even funnier (a sick twisted sort of way)? Last year, Congress was all giddy when they had a 20 year high approval rating of 36%! That still means that the majority of the nation thinks they're idiots and they're happy about it!

Our opinions of most institutions aren't much better. According to a February 22 Pew Report, just 29% of Americans feel good about doctors and the medical industry while 78% still have a fair amount of confidence. The same holds true for scientists. When it comes to the military, it's not much different. 25% have a moderate amount of confidence while 74% trust the military.

With all the high profile shootings over the past few years along with the "peaceful" Breonna Taylor and George Floyd riots, police officers garnered a 31% "no confidence" rating.  That still leaves a fairly high amount of trust rating. Of course, that figure will vary greatly from place to place.

When it comes to religion, it looks like most don't have a prayer. 45% have no faith in them at all. However, 55% still have at least some confidence in "those of the cloth".  When it comes to school principals, 35% didn't make the grade. 55% got a passed.

In a unrelated Gallup Poll, only 36% of adults had any confidence in the education system in general, which means an overwhelming 64% have little or no trust in our education system. But the "good" news is that the 36% is up from a low of 30% in 2016, which is the highest in eight years.

When it comes to the media, 60% of those surveyed placed no trust in the media regardless of format (including newspapers and television). A pathetic 6% still believed what they were told with the balance having little faith in the media (excluding this blog of course) while the balance was on the fence.  

As for business leaders in general, it wasn't any better.  Only 4% said they had any trust in business (which includes Wall Street) while a whopping 60%  had no confidence in our current business leadership (and presumably our current business model) while the rest express some trust.

As for politicians, only 24% had any faith in them at all. Of that, a sad 2% had a lot of faith in them (I wonder if they were related to someone in office?) while a gobsmacked 76% said no way no how. When it came to wealth inequality, a Hill-HarrisX poll showed that a clear majority of Americans---56%---thought that wealth inequality was a serious problem facing the country.

The poll, which was broken down by political registration, indicated that 77% of Democrats wanted to impose higher taxes on the wealthy while just 35% of Republicans did. America's largest voting bloc, Independents, disagreed with 55% in favor of raising taxes on those who could afford it the most.

As an aside, 3 in 5 voters also favor raising taxes on Big Business and Wall Street, which is some badly needed positive news for Biden's infrastructure plan  (I'm sure the corporate lobbyists who write the bills will be sure to find a way to exempt themselves and their paymasters).

So, where does that leave us? Obviously, we're in deep kimchi as a nation. Economically, we're in decline with China on the cusp of becoming the world's biggest economy with countries like India and Brazil not that far behind. Politically, our influence globally isn't worth much (especially after our 20 year failure in Iraq and Afghanistan), while, like Rome in its Late Republic Period, we still have a powerful but exhausted military. The days of our self-appointed world's policeman and moral arbitrator are over.

Internally, we have some very major issues, and sadly for our allies like Japan, South Korea, and the EU, as well as those dependent on U.S. aid to keep their economies afloat, it's time for us to turn inward if we're to survive as a nation.  

We have an open border to our south which is being flooded by illegal immigrants; most of whom not equipped for a life in America. They don't speak the language. They lack a proper education or job skills, and come with no means to support themselves, leaving grossly overtaxed working class Americans to again foot the bill.

Crime is not only a exponentially growing problem, but our judicial system is in desperate need of reform along with our correctional system. Our infrastructure is crumbling under our feet and tires. Our public transportation system is literally a joke around the world. We're not just years behind most countries, we are decades behind! Our healthcare system is 27th in the world and we're the only developed nation whose life expectancy  is actually declining along with quality of life.

When it comes to education, we don't even make it into the top tier (we typically rank at the bottom of the second tier). Too much emphasis is placed on getting a college education (and with it massive debt), especially for those with unmarketable degrees or with majors like "Women's Studies"  or "African Studies".  Where are the trade schools? We desperately need people proficient in carpentry, machine shop, welding, plumbing, HVAC, auto body, etc. Trade degrees are fast, low cost and high paying.  

Lastly, our entire political system is on life support and history has its cold hand on the plug. Our elections are an illusion. Instead of the U.S. sending monitors to third world country to monitor the validity of elections, monitors are coming here from other countries!

Freedom of speech and expression are in serious trouble. Tolerance of opinion is virtually nonexistent. We talk about "canceling" people who disagree with us.  Social media platforms "fact check" (code for censor) and shadow block us  in order to stifle public discourse.

Corporations literally own and control the political system thanks to judicial mistakes like Citizens United. Political parties pick their voters through gerrymandering instead of us picking our representatives. Third parties and Independents are frozen out of elections through unfair and illegal election laws. Wage inequality and an unfair tax code are eating away at our core.

Unlimited terms ensure virtual lifelong terms, which are often passed down like some royal appointment. How can we have a 98% reelection rate of incumbents with perpetual 80% disapproval rating?  Our "winner-take-all" system ensures that only one segment has a voice. The question is not how much more can we take, but how much longer we will take it?

 

If you want to know more, please take a look at the links below. If you enjoyed the article, please consider passing it along to others and don't forget to subscribe. It's free! Lastly please be sure to "like" us on whatever platform you use to read A/O. It helps with the algorithms and keeps our articles in circulation. Thank you!

 

Gallup Poll: Three-Quarters of Americans Dissatisfied With Country's Direction

What does America think of Kamala Harris?

Last Trump Job Approval Rating 34%; Average Is Record-Low41%

Biden's job approval falls to lowest level of his presidency amid war and inflation fears

Congressional Approval Sinks to 18% as Democrats SourFurther

 

Confidence in Public Schools Rallies

Americans Trust in Scientists, Other Groups Declines

Poll: 56 percent say wealth tax is part of  solution to inequality

  

Canning the "Cancel Culture"

Tyrants and totalitarian regimes down through history have sought to leave their mark on society. Many start off with good intentions, but power, as they say, tends to corrupt. They often find that they are always in need of more power in order to root out and destroy all the evil they find. There is never quite enough of it--power---or the time they need to accomplish their goals.

One of the most common ways tyrants---whether they be rich Oligarchs, fascists, or someone "from the people"---has been to rid society of the outward signs of corruption as they see it. Typically this is in the form of books, art, statues, and even names. In ancient societies, for instance, certain names fell out of favor since they hearken back to a time and regime which were seen as symbolic of evil.

During the Protestant Revolution as an example, people stopped naming their children after popes or saints. Instead, they named them after many of the Old Testament patriarchs.  During World War I, names were often changed to make them sound less German.

The British Royal family, which had deep and recent German roots, changed their surname to Mountbatten-Windsor from the much more Germanic sounding Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.   Many a "Johan" or "Karl" became "John" and "Charles". During World War II, the Nazis questioned anyone with a "Jewish" sounding name, names were changed again. After the war, you couldn't find an "Adolf"!

Throughout history, statues and artwork representing the opposing side were destroyed. In ancient Egypt, they priesthood of Ra not only destroy the statues of the so-called "heretic" pharaoh, Akhenaten and his beautiful wife, Nefertiti, they destroy the entire city of Amnara and used much of it as fill work  on newer projects. What wasn't used, was left for the desert to bury.

The reason was that Akhenaten had introduced a new religion in Egypt which focused on worshipping a single god---the Aten or sun, thus replacing the old religion and its priestly caste with its many gods. He moved the political and religious capitol (which had been Thebes) to a new city, Amnara, at great expense (most of it coming from the treasury and granaries of the former priestly caste).

With his death, the old priestly caste (with the support of the military) made a quick return, forcing Akhenaten's son, Tutankhaten, to restore the old priesthood and return the capital to Thebes. They even forced him to change his name, dropping the "Aten"  and becoming Tutankhamen.  The priests and supporters of Aten were largely murdered or forced to flee for their lives in exile (one theory says this was the basis of the Exodus story and Moses).

The Nazis destroyed statues, pictures, and books of not just Jews, but anyone they viewed as a threat. The infamous book burnings of the 1930's were conducted by the pro-Nazi German Student Union. The first books to be tossed into the flames were those written by Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin, Rosa Luxemburg, and Karl Kautsky, but later included people like Freud, Einstein, Thomas Mann, and any books pertaining to socialism, Communism, pacifism, or were viewed as "liberal".

Other books consigned to fire and ash which promoted homosexuality, the "Jewishness" of Jesus or the his Apostles. The Nazis also added philosophy books by Heine, Kafka, Hesse, and Brecht. Expressionist art was banned, as was jazz music, and plays which included gays, Jews, or gypsies. Anything which didn't celebrate the "Aryan" ideal was viewed as unacceptable. They created a blacklist of writers, artists, playwrights, sculptors, actors, and musicians who were denied not just work, but even payment for work already completed.

No longer could Jewish actors find work. Studios (especially the giant movie studio Ufa) were forbidden to hire them and fellow actors were not allowed to either work or socialize with them. Radio shows who employed non-Aryans had to either cancel programs or find replacement actors. Needless, to say, Jews, gays, and gypsies from every sector of society were strongly "encouraged" to leave the country.

Nazi Germany, as terrible as it was, wasn't the only place where this happened. It happened elsewhere, such as Italy and Spain, and to other groups in other countries like Romania and Hungary. It also happened in Stalin's Russia, where people were literally "erased" from pictures, just as they were erased from history books. 

 Movies were re-edited to reflect Stalin's viewpoint, and this continued not just throughout Stalin's reign, but for decades afterwards. Many of the innocent "offenders" were either murdered or worked to death in the brutal gulags of Siberia. 

"Cancel Culture" has long existed, and has been known by many names. It's been used by the Right as much as the Left and just as effectively. Like with the Nazis and Communists before, people are being denied the opportunity to freely express themselves. They've been shouted down. They've been physically attacked. They've had their works vandalized or destroyed. Order succumbs to chaos. 

They are censored or shadow blocked, which I consider to be the coward's form censorship, and has affected numerous articles, vlogs, and blogs (including this one). Anything which challenges their fixed mindset is seen as a threat and must be eliminated overtly or covertly. But hiding behind "fact checkers" or "community standards" doesn't change it from what it is--- an attempt at intimidation to enforce conformity.   

Today, we're seeing statues of our Founding Fathers vandalized because, two hundred years ago, they owned slaves (or perhaps not). We ignore the fact that these individuals were constricted by the morals and laws of their time, yet we judge and convict them through the morals and laws of our present time. This goes for those who supported the Confederacy as well, who are now socially persona non-grata. 

It wasn't enough. Perhaps only a fool would have thought it would be. As a result, we engaged in the most brutal and costly war in our country's history. Not solely over the single issue of slavery as some want you to believe, but over many issues, mostly economic, which ultimately came back to the issue of equality of all. It wasn't long after that women were included in that equality with the right to vote, to work, to own property, and who to marry (or divorce). Revolutions often devour their own children.

The "Cancel Culture" of today seeks to deny us our voice; of expressing ourselves openly and freely without fear of ridicule or attack. They attempt to create division by promoting what separates us rather than what unites us, yet calling anyone who disagrees with them "fascist", "Nazis", or "racist".  It's an old lesson of tyranny, to accuse your opponent of what it is that you're doing. 

We are seeing the absurdity of the Cancel Culture unfold before us as they seek to eliminate cartoon characters like "Pepe La Pew" and "Speedy Gonzales" from popular culture. Why? Because Pepe (who was based in part on French actor Maurice Chevalier) was somehow promoting "sexual harassment".  As a result, the animated character has been removed from a kiddie movie, "Space Jam 2". I'm sure he'll disappear from the usual morning cartoon lineup too.  I wonder if they'll remove Augie Doggie because he's a straight single dad?

They claim Speedy Gonzales is a negative stereotype of Mexicans (and by extension, Hispanics) and yet he always comes out on top against "el gatito" every time. I suppose they'll go after "Porky Pig" next because he stutters! They've already tried to eliminate Elmer Fudd because he carries a gun (they allege he encourages violence). Have they never seen video games like "Call of Duty", "Mortal Kombat" or "Grand Theft Auto"? How about the violence in movies or music videos and songs? Talk about violence!

Perhaps they should consider Yogi Bear for stealing picnic baskets or Penelope Pitstop for being the perpetual "damsel in distress". or"Jonny Quest" for being "white privileged". Of course, you had Fred Flintstone not only holding a job, but working at quarry (obviously blue collar). That should offend everyone who doesn't want to work!  We can't forget "Hector Heathcote",  that Revolutionary-era patriot of all things American! He's is the anathema of the Cancel Culture. I can imagine they would never want kids to see that cartoon! Of course, we can't forget their efforts in removing Dr. Seuss! 

Although not consigned to the bonfires (yet), movies like "Gone With the Wind", "Blazing Saddles", "Breakfast at Tiffany's", Animal House, Airplane, and a host of others could never be made today. This is especially true of movies made during Hollywood's "Golden Era'.  Books like "Tom Sawyer" and  "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" aren't considered "PC". Neither is "Little House on the Prairie", "Peter Pan", "Catcher in the Rye", or "Indian in the Cupboard" among dozens of others. We need diversity of thought, even (or especially) if we don't agree with it. 

Crayola has announced they were dropping "white" from their color crayon line up (rumor have it that the color will remain, but the name changed to "plain"). The color "Flesh" is now "Peach". The VP of Marketing at Crayola, Charles Weston, said that they originally viewed the color "white" to be used for "coloring clouds, snowballs, and Republican Senators". He also stated that Crayola would no longer be including the white crayon in the hopes that "enable more coloring and less whitening, unlike American history classes".

So, where does that leave us? There's so much more we can discuss, but space here prevents it. We've all become accustomed to the usual flag burning or trampling which is aimed solely at provoking a response, or at the very least, gaining some attention. "Taking a knee" at sporting events failed to galvanize a nation. Instead, it enraged us, and as a result, cost the sports entertainment industry millions of fans and billions of dollars. What was moral is now reviled. Lies are truth from another perspective. Strength is seen as weakness. Up is down.

The Cancel Culture is about "cancelling" our culture as Americans, and that includes are collective values and traditions. It's little different from the Stalin or any of the other tyrants of the past except that it's here in America and it's happening now. They are political zombies bent on destruction. It includes not just our ability to live together, but to work out our problems peacefully. 

Cancel Culture is no different from the tyranny of the past. They seek to erase all that they fear by creating fear in us. Their aim is to convince us that we have no power to stop them, when, in fact, we hold all the power. We just need to speak out. 

Nazi Book Burning

 

Progressive! Crayola finally acknowledges the white crayonis useless

HBO Disarmed Elmer Fudd!

Speedy Gonzales Is the Latest Cartoon to be Accused of Perpetuating

 

 

Censorship on Social Media: When 'Unity' Means 'Conformity'

 

A few days ago I found myself rather surprised. I belong to a national non-partisan political group which focuses on finding solutions to the many problems facing us. In fact, I've been a member of the group since they began, which is about ten years ago (I belong to a number of similar groups).

Someone posted a statement which was along the lines of going along with Biden's statement that now, since he was president, we should focus on "unity". Well, in theory that sounds pretty good, except for the eight years of Obama, those on the Right as well as those in the Center were ridiculed (remember Hillary referring to Trump supporters as "deplorables"?).

Then there was the four years of vicious attacks on President Trump that went on around the clock every day of the week. Every broadcast started, and most ended with, an attack on Trump or his supporters.  The Establishment Republicans were often just as nasty as the Establishment Democrats.

I thought to myself that there was no way in hell that the Democrats would have allowed the same treatment of Obama.  The corporate media did its utmost to ignore, bury, or twist the facts when it came to Hillary, be it her alleged "pay-to-play" schemes, Benghazi, unauthorized selling of weapons or strategic resources to Muslim terrorist groups, her illegal storing of emails, lying to Congress, or the Russians, and so on.

So, I responded to the comment by saying that after enduring years of abuse, I couldn't imagine Trump or his supporters were suddenly going to hug and play nice now that Biden was President. I added that respect was a two way street and that we should expect some sort of payback.

Much to my surprise, my comment was deleted! What did I possibly say to warrant my comment being removed? It was polite. It didn't attack anyone. It wasn't vulgar (my comments never are). I couldn't imagine that it was offensive in any way. I even had  several "likes" and "hearts". So, I reached out to the site administrators. Their response was to refer me to the site's guidelines.

I looked over them and found nothing out of line, so I asked them to look at my comment and enlighten me as to my great sin. What was so offensive about saying that I didn't expect Trump's supporters were likely to kiss and make nice? Did I "offend" someone because I said respect was a two way street?  

The site administrators, after several hours, agreed to reinstate my comment but warned me to be more "sensitive" but never explained my crime. I noticed another comment, one which I hadn't responded to, in which the author stated that the site appears to be becoming more Left oriented instead of non-partisan and asked if anyone else was noticing the same thing had also been removed.  Again, polite.

Then it dawned on me. It appears that my unknown co-conspirator and myself had inadvertently challenged the newly imposed acceptable narrative. Specifically, now that Biden and the Status Quo are back in charge, order will prevail. Dissent, however innocent, would not be allowed.

Those deemed as malcontents, or worse, as "domestic terrorists" will "unify" and "comply". Resistance is futile. For our accidental faux pas, we were merely censured this time. I suppose if this was Communist China I would be off to some prison sweatshop working on overpriced sneakers by now!  

A few day later I read a online post which I found incredulous. According to the poster, Katie Couric, a television and online journalist, had stated that Trump supporters needed to be "deprogrammed" from the "Trump cult". Really? And apparently her sentiments were echoed by other Establishment Democrats. I immediately had visions of Soviet era dissidents being hauled off to mental hospitals to be "reeducated".

 Those who recanted after months or years of being drugged and often tortured, were allowed back into society (with certain restrictions...naturally). Those who didn't conform were usually left to rot in these pseudo-mental hospital prisons.

For those who never conformed to their "reeducation" or "deprogramming" were generally taken to some cold dank dark room (like an abandoned shower in a basement) or an empty field and shot in the back of the head (the favorite form of execution by the KGB and totalitarian regimes everywhere).   

I couldn't believe that someone like Katie Couric, a Television Hall of Fame honoree, would utter such a remark, so I checked out it for myself. I was surprised on two points. One, that Katie actually said it, and secondly that the comment hadn't been purged by now.  If a conservative reporter had said that about Obama and his supporters, they'd be unceremoniously booted out of the TV Hall of Fame.

Then I thought "why not?".  After all, the major social media platforms have all denied the President of the United States access to the public via their sites, so why wouldn't other sites feel justified to deny the likes of me an opportunity to express my opinion, even if it was civil? Since the election, the same social media sites have aggressively gone after other sites to force them to comply to the new narrative of what's acceptable and what isn't.

So called "fact checkers", who, in the era before "political correctness", would have been called what they are---censors---are not so much there to verify facts as to "correct" opinions; what George Orwell called in his seminal book "1984" as "right think" by the Thought police .  The only acceptable speech "1984" was "duckspeak" which was defined as the "automatic" verbal support of the party line (I'm sure ole George is up there, somewhere, shouting  "I told you so!").   

Sadly, we may be entering an era of "duckspeak" as the Oligarchs behind the ruling Corporatocracy tighten their control on society. Already, not just critics or free thinkers being forced off platforms across the board, be it actual Conservatives or the Far Right (aka "Alt Right"), but so are those in Center (which is the majority of Americans), as well as those on the Far Left.

 Yes, even the extreme Left are being bumped from platforms in an attempt to silence their criticism of the Establishment Left, aka the Democrat Party.  We are being hemmed in by the Status Quo whereby the only accepted political thought lies between the Establishment Right and the Establishment Left. All other forms of political discourse are being silenced. We will support either the Democrat or Republican parties. No one else is allowed to speak, nor will they be heard.

Libertarians, Greens, and other third parties are viewed as outsiders. Independents, the nation's largest political bloc, are all but ignored; treated as if they are partisans who haven't made up their minds yet and not as individuals who've stopped drinking the Kool-Aid and rejected both wings of the same old corporate vulture. Independents, who are mostly Centerists, are also feared by the Status Quo since they are the ones most likely to be free thinkers; to do their own research and act accordingly. That's unacceptable.

Together, they are kept off the ballots, out of the debates, and most of all poor; receiving little to no donations which is the life blood of politics, especially since the passage of Citizens United which has reduced politics to a game between corporations.  In effect, all but silencing other schools of political thought the way they're now doing to ordinary individuals. How's that for conformity...err... "unity"?

What happened on January 6th in Washington is what the Status Quo fears the most. I'm not talking about breaking windows, stealing Pelosi's podium, or "the people" being in the "People's House" waving American or pro-American flags and banners without permission. I'm talking about being outraged and not holding back, not just at individual politicians or the two political mafia-like cliques, but at the corporations propping the dry rotted edifice of Congress up.

 We have to demand---not beseech on bended knee--change. That means term limits, ending partisan gerrymandering, rank choice voting, ending Citizens United, citizen ballot initiatives, and opening up elections to Independents and third parties by creating a level political playing field. We cannot have a real democratic Republic unless we allow every political persuasion to have a voice.

We need to create independent citizen boards not beholden to moneyed interests (such as electing citizens to zoning or utility commission boards). We, the ordinary taxpayers of this country, should have the final say when it comes to tax increases, rate or fee increases, and increases in salaries of elected officials. Otherwise, they will find a way to take every last dollar we have.

Politicians have long shown they can't be trusted with our money. We know it. It's even a common joke centuries old, and yet we tolerate it. Why?  As the commercial says, "it's my money and I want it now". It's our money and we should have the final say how it's spent. Our money. Our voice.

We need to find ways to challenge the Status Quo and let them know their behavior is not acceptable. It could be showing up at their staged media events, writing letters to editors (many newspapers have stopped printing any opposing views), but we still need to do it to let them know we won't acquiesce. We won't go away.

We need to support non-partisan and third party candidates, radio shows, authors, and blogs like this one (some bloggers charge for access to their articles. I don't. I only ask that you pass my articles along to as many people as possible. My sole desire is to get as many people as possible to think for themselves).  I'm sure there are a thousand ways to fight back. Pick one...or two...or three... just get busy!

Our Founding Fathers warned us about partisanship and political parties. They believed the parties would first divide us and then, finally, separate us from political power.  Well, they were right. Right now, many of our cherished rights bequeath to us in the Bill of Rights are under aggressive attack.

While all are important, none are more important in my opinion than the First Amendment and our right to freedom of speech and expression; our right to peacefully assemble or to seek redress of our grievances (and there are many) from the government (btw, it doesn't say or imply a corporate right to redress, but to our right---the people)  along the right to believe (or not) as we choose. We're seeing a full on press to curtail the right to express our opinions by denying us a platform and by censoring us.

The government no longer listens to us because they no longer fear us. Partisan gerrymandering has all but ensures that the party holding a seat will keep that seat. Campaigns are beyond the financial reach of the vast majority of Americans, thanks to Citizens United, and without term limits, they can stay in office for indefinitely regardless of the job they're doing (or, more aptly, not doing).

America has all but lost faith in the electoral process due to rigged elections and illegal election engineering; approximately 40% routinely stay home. That's due, in part, because we have no faith in the cardboard cutouts running for office. Campaign commercials routinely lie and distort.

Candidates will lie (especially incumbents). We have to challenge their claims, but we have to do our homework first and share it with others. Alternative parties and candidates are ridiculed or excluded altogether. We have to insist on election reform. Until they agree, stop voting for incumbents.

When social media platforms censor us, we need to fight back. Delete the censor's comments. Repost. Repost and keep reposting. Individually we're weak. Together we are unstoppable.  When they delete comments (like they did mine), challenge it. Make them prove their point. Of course, keep it civil and polite. Don't want to give them any excuses. That's what they're looking for. 

Lastly, don't give up. Don't back down. Don't give in. Don't back out. This is our fight as Americans to lose.

 

Meghan McCain responds to Katie Couric: "I don't need to be deprogrammed"

Katie Couric accused Trump's "Cult" members after saying they needed to  "deprogram"