Pardon Me! President Joe Biden's January 19th Presidential Pardons

I can understand the need to grant a pardon. Sometimes the Justice system makes mistakes. Perhaps the sentence doesn't fit the crime or there was really no crime committed at all. Maybe the individual convicted have sufficiently reformed to earn special consideration to reenter society ahead of completing  their sentence. What I don't understand are certain politically motivated pardons. 

However, some pardons have nothing to do with clemency. Instead of empathy, they are based on purely political motives. Maybe someone is calling in a favor or the right palms were greased. Pardons are sometimes issued for purely personal reasons like bailing out a friend of family member. 

Regardless of the reason, I think most of us would agree that before a pardon is issued, especially a Executive Grant of Clemency by the President of the United States, there has to be some form of guilt involved. In most cases, the individual has already been arrested, convicted, and sentenced. But, in the absence of a conviction and sentencing, is there any reason for a pre-emptive pardon? Should someone be given a de facto "Get Out of Jail Free" card? 

To me, this seems to imply some measure of guilt of a crime. Maybe it's fraud, theft, or or some other possible criminal act which has yet to be discovered. President Gerald Ford (the only president never to have been elected) granted outgoing President Richard Nixon, a full and unconditional pardon following his resignation. Why? 

Some will argue that it all politics. After all, after Vice President Spiro Agnew was forced to resigned after facing charges of financial fraud while he was Governor of Maryland, Nixon reached over the heads of numerous senior members of Congress to select the junior Congressman from Michigan, Gerald "Jerry" Ford to replace Agnew. Ford had already voiced his support of Nixon and faith in the integrity in the office of the presidency. But, maybe it had nothing to do with ideological reasons and everything to do with personal ambition.  Others said it was Ford's deep belief on the American system and that he was just trying to protect the presidency from a imperial Congress and pettiness.

Richard Nixon was long known for being a very astute of political chess. He was nothing if not Machiavellian. There's no doubt that as the Watergate hearing wore on, Nixon was weighing all his options in light of some serious circumstantial evidence of criminal behavior. Many in his own party, trying to save their own political skin, were increasing turning against him, and then along comes Jerry. For Ford, here's an opportunity of a lifetime, to become President of the United States without paying decades of political dues. It was a Machiavellian match made in political heaven. 

So now comes along President Joe Biden. As his term came to an end, Biden embarked on a record breaking pardon spree. Where these justified, righting some judicial wrong, or were they an attempt at using the presidential prerogative to cover up some undiscovered crime like some crime boss?  Let's look at who Joe Biden pardoned on his final day as President and as he ended 54 years in politics. 

On January 19th, 2025, President Joe Biden granted a full and unconditional pardon to members of Congress who served on the Select Committee to investigate the January 6th protest, which included the former and now incoming president, Donald Trump.  The unconditional pardon included their staff and all those who had testified or provided evidence as to the events of January 6th. Did Biden inadvertently establish as precedent to exempt all elected officials and appointed staff, witnesses, and so forth from personal attacks ("character assassination") made under the guise of official business?   

That same day, Biden issued a full and unconditional pardon to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former head of the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and Chief medical Advisor to the President. Fauci, as you will remember, was the central character behind the COVID-19 pandemic scare and for promoting "the jab" campaign, which involved using a series of mostly minimally tested vaccinations aimed at stopping the virus and bringing the so-called pandemic to an end

President Biden also issued another full and unconditional pardon to General Mark Miley for any and all supposed "offences" committed from January 1, 2014 under January 19, including any violations committed under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) in his role as Chief of Staff of the Army and his role as Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff.. What the heck did this guy do?  

Apparently, Miley and Trump simply didn't hit it off. They had several very loud and vocal disagreements on a wide number of issues, including his refusal in 2020 to deploy troops to protect against violent protestors. He went over President trump's head by telling Chinese officials that Trump would be prevented from taking any actions against China. Miley often called Trump "fascist to the core" and a "wannabe dictator". 

Next to be pardoned was the whole Biden family clan! Listed are James B. Biden, Sara Jones Biden, Valeria Biden Owens John T. Owens, and Francis W. Biden. Is Joe Biden expecting some sort of political St. Valentine's Day Massacre? It sounds like something some Mafia don might do. 

Of course, we shouldn't forget that on December 1, 2024, President Joe Biden pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, for any and all crimes he may have committed. No conflict of interest there! Hunter has been accused of all sorts of crimes from possession and use of cocaine, to money laundering, his involvement in Ukrainian politics which may have been a trigger point for the war between Ukraine and Russia, among other allegations.  

Varying from the theme slightly, Biden pardons former Kentucky Democratic party boss, Gerald "Jerry" Lundergan, whose daughter, Kentucky Secretary of State, Alison Lundergan Grimes, attempted to unseat Senator Mitch McConnell's in 2014 and got clobbered. Lundergan was also Kentucky State Chairman of the 2008 Hillary Clinton Presidential Campaign.  The former head of the Kentucky Democratic Party, Jerry had been charged and convicted on several counts of fraud. 

Specifically, Lundergan was found guilty of making more than $200,000 in secret contributions to his daughter's 2014 campaign, and then committed fraud by trying cover up the evidence, including falsification of documentation and intent to obstruct. As a result, he was required to pay a $150,000 fine and serve 21 months behind bars in a federal prison. He was released in 2023 without completing his full sentence.

The next beneficiary of Biden's Executive Grant of Clemency was Ernest William  ("E.W") Cromartie for "offenses against the United States". What were those "offenses"? Cromartie was a  powerful black councilman from Columbia, South Carolina who had been found guilty of several counts of income tax fraud. 

The Columbia powerbroker had plead guilty in April 2010 of tax evasion and structuring bank deposits in such as way as to avoid federal income tax reporting. He admitted to intentionally avoiding paying more than $25,000 in federal income tax. As a result, he was required to pay $58,000 in fines as well as serve a 366 day prison sentence. He also had to surrender his law license. 

Finally, President Biden signed a pardon for Daryll Chambers, Leonard Scott, Jr., Ravidath Ragbir, Kembia Smith Pradia, and the late Civil Rights leaders, Marcus Mosiah Garvey.  In 1998, Daryll "Wolfie" Chambers of Wilmington Delaware was sentenced to 17 years in prison on non-violent drug related charges. After getting out, Chambers became a activist against gun violence. He is now the founder and Executive Director of The Center for Structural Equity, which is a foundation for the promotion of youth development and creating positive change in "Brown and Black Communities" according to their website. 

The Trinidad born Ravidath "Ravi" Ragbir is a advocate for immigration reform and immigrant rights. Ragbir, who had lives in New York City since immigrating in 1991, was convicted of a "nonviolent offense" (mortgage fraud) in 2001 and sentenced to 30 months imprisonment. Despite becoming a permanent resident of U.S. in 1994, his felony conviction placed him on the list for possible deportation since his release.  In 2006, a federal immigration judge issued a deportation order without a hearing, which many immigration rights advocates called unduly harsh.  In 2016, Ragbir first filed his request for clemency. 

Since 2007, Ragbir has been the executive director of the New Sanctuary Coalition ("NSC") which, in partnership with the Greenwich Village based Judson Memorial Church, provides assistance to new arrivals, most of whom are here illegally, and accompanies them to their appointments to Immigration and Customs Enforcement ("ICE") offices as needed.  NSC also strives to educate immigrants on their rights  and helps to navigate them through the Justice system and provides a bond fund to help with bail in the event of arrest. 

Don Scott is the current Virginia Speaker of the House who, in 1994, had been convicted on nonviolent drug related charges and served seven years. Scott, a Texas native,  graduated from Texas A&M, graduating in 1987 with  BA in Agriculture. After gradating, he joined the U.S. Navy and served as an officer on the USS John Hancock (DD 981) until his honorable discharge in 1991.

After leaving military service, Scott attended Louisiana State University's law school where he obtained his law degree in 1994. That same year, Scott was busted for drug possession and sentenced to seven years in federal prison  In 2019, Scott was elected to the Virginia House of Representatives, representing the 80th District. The following year, Scott endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden at the 2020 Democratic Party Primary. By 2023, after Democrats  took control of the state legislature, Don Scott was elected as the first black Speaker of the House. 

The next to be pardoned was Kemba Smith-Pradia. In 1994, Kemba was convicted on nonviolent drug related charges and sentenced to 24 years in federal prison, of which she only served 6.5 years. According to court records, Ms. Smith-Pradia had been involved in a volatile relationship with a reputed drug dealer by the name of Peter Hall while she was attending college. 

Although she claimed to have never used or been directly involved with drugs, in 1994 she was caught up in a police sting operation and charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine after she was allegedly present during some of Hall's drug dealings. Despite this being her first conviction, federal drug laws at the time mandated her lengthy prison sentence without parole (she was also seven months pregnant at the time of her conviction).  

Given the circumstances of her case, President Bill Clinton granted her a pardon in 2000 after serving 6 1/2 years of her sentence. After being released, Ms. Smith-Pradia became a criminal justice reform advocate. She has written a book ("Poster Child") about her experiences and founded a non-profit foundation, the Kemba Smith Foundation, which deals with domestic violence, racial equality, and justice reform. Her book was also turned into a BET produced movie, "Kemba". 

So, if President Clinton granted her clemency, why did outgoing President Joe Biden need to grant her a second presidential pardon? Well, apparently her first pardon didn't totally erased her convection charges. It just got her a early release. According to Ms. Smith-Pradia, she has been unable to go back to school and earn a law degree because the federal charges were still on her record. Biden's pardon is "full and unconditionally", meaning that it's as if it never happened as far as the courts are concerned. As a result, Ms. Smith-Pradia is how free to pursue her law degree if she still desires to do so. 

Our last recipient of President Biden's January 19th Executive Clemency Declarations is Marcus Mosiah Garvey. Of the five pardons, Garvey's is perhaps the most intriguing. In 1923 the Jamaican born Marcus Garvey was convicted of mail fraud (attempting to illegal sell company stock), a felony, and sentenced to five years in a federal prison. So, why did it take over a hundred years since his convection for Garvey to receive a presidential pardon? Who was Marcus Garvey? 

Born in 1887 in St. Ann's Bay Jamacia, Marcus Mosiah Garvey, better known as the "Black Moses", was a black nationalist leader and credited of organizing and leading the largest race based economic and social movement is U.S. history. Led by his son, Dr. Julius Garvey, a retired surgeon and executive director of The Marcus Garvey Institute for Human Development, has worked tirelessly for decades to rehabilitate his father legacy which included the founding of the Black Star Line, a black owned shipping company, and the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (UNIA-ACL). 

His ideology, known as Garveyism, has influenced such diverse civil rights leaders as Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Supporting him in his efforts has been the Congressional Black Caucus, led by Congresswoman Yvette Clark (NY-D), members of the Jamaican community, and various African-centric organizations and educational programs as well as by Ms. Mia Mottley, the Prime Minister of Barbados and current chairwoman of the 15 member association of Caribbean nations known as "CARICOM". The pardon was additionally supported by former President Barack Obama. 

Garvey has been called a revolutionary and proponent a Pan-Africanism and a "back to Africa" movement, as well as known for being the first person "of color" to lead a mass movement in the United States and one of the few in the Western Hemisphere at that time. Even after 85 years since his death, the teachings of Marcus Garvey, which embraces racial separatism, continues to find a willing ear in the African centric Rastafari movement to the Nation of Islam and the Black Power Movement. 

In reviewing all of President Biden's pardons, I found it interesting that Biden issued 19 pardons related to the use, possession, and distribution of cocaine related charges from April 25, 2022 until the time he left office in addition to ten other pardons for individuals serving time on meth, marijuana, or other drug related charges. There were three pardons related to attempts to provide a foreign power (including Iran) with U.S. government secret technology. Additionally, Biden set a record of sorts by reducing the sentences of roughly 2500 individuals. 

Why is that?  Why were nearly all of Joe Biden's drug related pardons related to individuals who had been convicted on cocaine charges? Cocaine and its derivatives like crack, is pretty serious. Could it be because of  Hunter's use and abuse of the drug and there was some sympathy for its users? 

In wrapping this up, it should come as no surprise to anyone that those involved with politics who were granted clemency were all Democrats. No Republicans, Independents, or third party individuals were granted a pardon. Biden excused three individuals convicted of providing state secrets to a foreign power, including Iran. We used to call that treason, and those found guilty were rarely ever released, yet here's three. 

Then there's Dr. Fauci, who, as far as I know, has never been charged or convicted of anything except of being unpopular, which isn't a crime. Then you have a former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who was guilty of not getting along with his boss. If that was a crime, I think most of us would be serving life sentences. 

Then we come to the members of the Select Committee who investigated the January 6th protests, their staffs, and all those who gave evidence. Why do they warrant a "full and unconditional" presidential pardon?  There's nothing unusual about a Select (or "special") Committee unless it could be proven that the committee was convened solely as a political weapon to be used to intimidate or manufacture evidence. If so, then the actions of the committee becomes possibly subject to censure or contempt of Congress charges (a misdemeanor). Regardless, that would ultimately be a matter for the Department of Justice to determine.  So, why issue a pre-emptive pardon when there's been no hint of impropriety? 

Most curiously, why would President Biden feel the need to pardon his immediate family? What possible federal crime could they be guilty of? Does it in some way related to the attempted political or character assassination of Donald Trump, members of his family or friends? If that's the case, then Biden needed to pardon just about everyone in the mainstream media! 

Of course, I think most of us can understand why he pardoned Hunter. There's no telling what federal crimes he may have committed. It's like how some families try to cover for that alcoholic uncle or crazy aunt. In this case, a father trying to protect a troubled son.  Nevertheless, the blanket pardon of Hunter Biden goes to show that there are some who are above the law as well as the fact that we have a two tier justice system in this country. One for the rich and connected, and another for the rest us! 

I think President's Biden's mass pardons, especially those done for obvious political reasons or to coverup unethical behavior, helps to demonstrate why the president's unlimited ability to issue pardons for virtually any reason, whether there's been a conviction or not,  needs to be limited in scope and subject to review and approval.

 Thank you for reading "Another Opinion", the Op/Ed blog page for the "militant middle".  Here at "A/O" we truly value our readers. At A/O we seek the facts as they exist, not partisan talking points.  We hope you found our articles informative and engaging. Comments are welcome, provided they are not vulgar, insulting or demeaning.  Another Opinion is offered without charge and is directed toward all independent and free thinking individuals. We do ask, however, that you be sure to "like" us on whatever site you found us on in order to keep our articles available for others, and that you please pass our post along. Below you will find links to the sources we used in writing this article. Thank you. 

Office of the Pardon Attorney (DOJ: Pardons Granted by President Joseph Biden (2021 - Present)

The Center For Structural Equity

New Sanctuary Coalition

Faith-based immigration rights advocate faces threat of deportation

Don Scott (Virginia politician) 

President Biden Pardons Criminal Justice Advocate 24 Years After Her Release From Prison

More than a century after mail fraud convection Marcus Garvey gets presidential pardon

Marcus Garvey

Why Biden pardoned  Mark Miley ahead of Trump taking office

Jerry Lundergan

The 'Conspiracy Theorists' Were Right About Covid-19? The Origin of the Pandemic

 

Remember when Covid-19 pandemic first made its mysterious appearance?  Do you recall all the different state and federal government mandates ranging from self-quarantining, mandatory masks, maintaining a distance of at least 6 feet, or the defacto looting of stores of their toilet paper, paper towels, hand sanitizer, and practically anything that could be consumed (and that doesn't even include the price gouging)? It must be pointed out that there were no natural shortages of these items. It was hoarding motivated by greed which kept products off the shelves and drive up prices. 

Some of us found a little smug satisfaction and sardonic amusement at the self-proclaimed "preppers" who were caught off guard materially and mentally for the ensuing chaos just like the rest of us. Nevertheless, many of us promised ourselves then and there that we would never be caught short like that ever again.

Then came the government's body count as government officials would hold afternoon press conferences to update the public with the latest death counts due to Covid, or the number of individuals officially diagnosed with Covid,  often simultaneously showing images of bodies being stored in outdoor cooling units until they could be properly handled by a funeral home, hospital personnel running around in hazmat suits, and horror stories about ventilator shortages. It was a grim display aimed at showing us the seriousness in which the government wanted us to take the situation.

I clearly remember representatives from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) explaining to us how the virus mysteriously exploded on the world from a bowel of Chinese "bat soup" consumed by some unassuming tourist in Wuhan China, wherever that was.  Instinctively, I knew something wasn't quite right with that story. Coronaviruses rarely jump from animals to humans as we've observed from the recent past with other viruses.

I also vividly recall the Centers for Disease Control announcing that not only has a vaccine been produced, but there were actually a number of vaccines available, and not just that, but how quickly they were green lighted for human inoculation.  Typically it takes years of exhaustive research before any vaccine was ready for human trials, but here we were in just a matter of a couple months and we just don't have a single vaccine, but at least four worldwide!

Thousands lined up to get the "jab" as it was called in the hopes of staving off the deadly virus. Meanwhile, it was mandatory that we continue to wear our masks, regularly use our hand sanitizer, and of course, maintain proper "social distancing". After receiving the vaccine, we were encouraged by government and health officials to carry our vaccination cards  and be prepared to show them as proof of our compliance.

For some reason, that just seemed so "Nazi" to me.  It was so sterile and regulated. It was reminiscent of the old Nazi Era "Ihre Papiere bitte" ("your papers please") which would be uttered by the dreaded Gestapo in their sinister chic black leather coats and matching black fedoras to unsuspecting passersbyers on the streets of Berlin, Paris, or Prague.  

With so many vaccines suddenly available, it seemed to me that there was either an army of seriously brilliant "Doctor Strange"  type of scientists doing nonstop viral research using supercomputers or there was already a vaccine prototype worked up.  If that were the case, then there had to be a biochemical "fingerprint" of the virus available to study. But for that to happen, it meant that "someone" already knew what the deadly Covid virus looked liked at a molecular level , and that meant the mysterious "bat soup" virus had to be man made.

Apparently though I wasn't the only one who reached that conclusion! Quite a few people around the world who were much more familiar with the topic of virology than me came to the same conclusion. However, it wasn't long before the media started labeling these individuals "conspiracy theorists" or worse, "conspiracy nuts" for questioning the official narrative despite having some seriously impressive credentials. Others soon joined in to question the government's explanation of events in a cascading loss of official credibility.  To many things simply didn't add up whether Dr. Fauci or anyone else said otherwise.

A growing number of people kept pointing out the similarity of Covid was to the flu or the fact that we seemed to be missing our normal "flu season". Many people started treating the Covid virus like the flu, albeit  a more serious one for those with health preconditions which affected their immune system. Oddly, many of those people seemed to do just fine thank you.  How could that be?

Meanwhile, in what had the earmarks of an orchestrated response, many of those who refused to get the shots, wear masks and so forth were being ridiculed, ostracized, and even threatened with violence. Some employers refused to allow individuals to come back to work while several large restaurant chains, banks, and retail stores denied service to anyone without a vaccination card or mask.  

Although Covid has largely disappeared from the headlines and officials have quietly suspended their nightly death toll report, the issue of Covid's origin and the government's response still continues.  Many of the "conspiracy nuts" looked to the supposedly secret Chinese medical research center in Wuhan Province as ground zero for the virus leakage, which many claimed was intentional.

Others decided to follow the money which appeared to show billions in U.S. funds being routed to Chinese research facilities for years  from U.S. government agencies, including the CDC while it was under Fauci's watch. Was that true? Why would the CDC and other agencies work with Chinese on weaponizing the flu virus? A number of individuals was determined to find out, especially Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky.

Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) launched a full on assault  into the official records (which many of us don't have access to). He  conducted a series of government hearings in ways that only a U.S. senator could do to get at the truth, which included subpoenaing key individuals and their records. While it's taken a number of years, it appears that many of the "conspiracy nuts" were largely right after all.

Dr. Paul reported his findings in a speech he delivered on November 1, 2023 at the Allan P. Kirby Center for Constitutional Studies and Citizenship on Hillsdale's Washington D.C. campus entitled "Deception: The Great Covid Cover-Up". The speech was also published in a edited version in Hillsdale's "Imprimis" newsletter (December 2023 Volume 52 Number 12).

I've provided a link Dr. Paul's speech below. I strongly recommend that you read it, especially if you lost a friend, a family member, or if  you or someone you were acquainted with had Covid. This also goes to anyone who was laid off, lost their job or forced to close their business due to Covid-19 enforced mandates. So, what, if anything, have learned from the pandemic?

Hopefully we've learned that there was quite a bit of truth uncovered by those individuals who were disparagingly  referred to as "conspiracy nuts", "troublemaker" or much worse. Some of what they confirmed ranged from the likely origin of the virus from a Chinese military lab in Wuhan Province, the striking resemblance of Covid to the flu virus,  the virus being man made or it  having a possible weaponized application, which would be illegal under the UN's Biological Weapons Convention, and a great deal of "under-the-table" funding by the U.S. government.

I also want to point out a serious object lesson we should have learned as we delve further into an expanding AI, more sophisticated facial recognition software, data mining,  supercomputers, human like robots and their self-awareness, declining privacy, and a growing surveillance state under the control of elite plutocrats, plus the strong likelihood of more enhanced viruses or diseases.

The Covid-19 pandemic (or scare if you prefer) taught us that ordinary people of all walks of life can easily be coerced into "self-isolating" with little effort. All that's required is a little manufactured fear generated by the government and cast to the winds by a willing media.  We learned how individuals can be intimidated into wearing a nearly ineffective mask with the same ease as making group of individuals don yellow felt Stars of David to their clothes.

We should have learned that it's just as easy to persuade people to get a injection of some unknown substance into the arm as it was to demand a people to assemble in the middle of a town square and board cattle cars for a destination unknown.

People are quite pliable and gullible. We tend to react as a herd animal, little different from sheep, cows, or pigs. Most of us are afraid to step very far out of line for fear of being singled out or losing the perceived protection of the herd. The conspiracy theorists (or "nuts") were the ones who spoke out the loudest. They tried to rouse the herd into looking up. They were the voices in the wilderness that the Status Quo tried to silence.

There's no doubt that Covid-19 was a "live fire" exercise on a global scale. Real people died. Many of the immune compromised were hospitalized. Was this intended to "thin the herd" or merely to see how we would react despite our anti-government rhetoric? Well, the masses did dutifully obeyed. They covered their faces.  They self-incarcerate. Those who didn't may have inadvertently self-identified as most likely to challenge authority next time and bear monitoring. 

But perhaps what mattered the most to the ruling elites in this little exercise  was just how easily people the world over, regardless of religion, culture, or politics could be made to willingly obey with very little effort.  All that's required is a little fear and some gentle, but firm guidance from sympathetic sounding  authority figures. I truly hope you all will check out Dr. Paul's link below.

 

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Lessons From the Great Covid Cover-Up by U.S. Senator Dr. Rand Paul (R-KY).

Dr. Fauci: The Man, Myth, Legend...and Schemer?

 

As we near the third year of the Covid pandemic, there is no doubt that when the history of this epoch is written, the name of Dr. Fauci will be front and center. But, having said that, what do we know about this man who has had more influence on Americans, and perhaps the world, than any individual in decades?

For many, Dr. Fauci is the "white knight" coming to save civilization from some pestilence, be it natural or manmade. For others, he's closer to one of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse.  Either way, Dr. Fauci has played a key role in shaping domestic policy while further dividing Americans. Maybe it's time we pull back the curtains and take a look at Dr. Anthony Stephen Fauci.

Anthony Stephen Fauci was born on Christmas Eve 1940 in Brooklyn, New York, making him 81 years old. His grandparents emigrated from Italy in the late 1800's; his paternal grandparents from Sciacca and his maternal grandparents from Naples.

He was (naturally) raised Catholic, but has since become a Humanist (he was named "Humanist of the Year" in 2021 by the American Humanist Association). His father, Stephen, was a Columbia University educated pharmacist. His mother and sister worked at the family's pharmacy directly below their apartment.

Fauci attended the private Jesuit Regis High School before going on to attend the College of the Holy Cross where he majored in classical studies with a pre-med emphasis. After graduating in 1962 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, he went on to Cornell Medical College (now known as Weill Cornell Medicine) and graduated top in his class in 1966 with a Doctor of Medicine.  He then interned in internal medicine at New York Medical Hospital---Cornell Medical Center (Weill Cornell Medical Center).

From there he went to work at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) where he was a clinical associate at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Laboratory of Clinical Investigations.  By 1974 he was head of their Clinical Physiology Section. In 1980 he was named chief of NIAID's Laboratory of Immunoregulation.

In January of 2020, he was appointed to President Trump's task force in dealing with the Covid-19 virus and served as the de facto spokesman. At the time he said the virus wasn't a "major threat" to the public, and the overall risk to the average American was "low". In March he predicted that the infection rate would be around 1%, which was still around ten times that of the annual flu.

In that role he routinely testified before numerous Congressional committees and subcommittees on the effectiveness of various strategies to contain the spreading Covid-19 virus. In December 2021, Dr. Fauci was appointed to President-elect Joe Biden's administration as the Chief Medical Advisor to the President, where he currently remains and oversees efforts to deal with the virus.

According to his biography, Dr. Fauci has been a leader in the study and treatment of numerous infectious diseases such as Ebola, AIDs/HIV, SARS, Swine Flu, and, of course, COVID-19, among many others. In the process, he's received several awards, including the Ernst Jung Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Robert Koch Prize. I have no doubt that at some point he'll receive the devalued Nobel Peace Prize in Medicine (the Nobel Peace Prize lost much of its esteem when it was given to President Obama in 2015 for doing absolutely nothing).  

As if it couldn't get any better, Dr. Fauci holds 12 patents dealing with immunology (mainly HIV related), which is his specialty.  But doesn't he also own or have an interest in the vaccines pertaining to the COVID virus, particularly Moderna? That's what Robert Kennedy Jr. has alleged, but is it true?

Kennedy had claimed the Fauci invested $500 million dollars into the Moderna vaccine, and thus owns half of the patent. He went to say that Fauci and "the five guys who work for him" were therefore entitled to receive royalties.  Later, Kennedy amended his statement and claimed that the National Institutes of Health, which is the parent of NIAID where Fauci worked, owned half the Moderna patent.

However, according the NIH's  director, Dr. Francis Collins, it's possible that the NIH may own some intellectual property rights which was used in the development of Moderna's Covid-19 vaccine, no percentage or financial amount has been put forward.

The NIH did acknowledge that there is a pending scientific paper by four NIH immunologist who have filed a patent application for a 2019-nCoV vaccine which is currently pending. However, Dr. Fauci's name is not among the four applicants. Furthermore, if the patent is granted, these four scientists are prohibited by federal law from receiving more than $150,000 in royalties each per year.

So, hopefully that clears up the misnomer of Fauci owning stake in any of the Covid-19 vaccines. But that leaves the question, what does he have an financial interests in and how must does he make a year? Let's take his salary first.

Dr. Fauci, as director of the NIAID, and his wife, Christine Grady, who is the chief bioethicist at the National Institutes of Health, earn a combined salary of $668,312.00 annually, which ain't exactly chump change.  They have investment gains of around $794,369.00 which includes stocks, bonds, and money market portfolios for 2020.

Their investments are broadly held, meaning no specific investments in pharmaceutical companies, including those directly involved with the Covid-19 vaccine.  Dr. Fauci's total investment account for the same year was about $8.4 million. His wife's was  $2.1 million. With some couponing, I think they'll get by.

Fauci does have a stake in a San Francisco restaurant by the name of "Jackson Fillmore" of somewhere between $1000 and $15,000. However, according to their financial disclosure statements, they've not earned any income from this investment in 2019 or 2020.

Dr. Fauci has earned about $100,000 in royalties and professional reimbursements, most from editing medical textbooks.  Included in that $100,000 was travel reimbursements of $6328.00 for attending a board meeting of McGraw Hill Publishing Company.

Lastly are the various perks and pension benefits.  Fauci's disclosure statement estimate the value to be somewhere around $200,500.00. According to a Forbes report, when Dr. Fauci retires, he will receive a retirement pension of $350,000. Thus, in conclusion of his finances, it appears that Dr. Fauci and his wife made only $1.7 million in 2020, which by Washington standards is pretty much chump change.

When I decided to investigate Dr. Fauci, I wasn't sure what to expect. From everything I've read and seen online, he was a typical duplicitous Washington schemer of the kind we've come to expect and accept of professional politicians and their ilk.

According to the various articles, Dr. Fauci owned the patents to the Covid-19 vaccines, or stock in the companies which made the vaccines, or was directed involved with providing research pertaining to the virus to the Chinese, and so forth. However, no such verifiable information was discovered. Of course, that still doesn't mean he couldn't exert some more subtle forms of influence.

Dr. Fauci does own mutual funds and other forms of investments, but none are directly connected to any of manufactures of the Covid-19 vaccines. There's nothing to indicate that Dr. Fauci has or had direct personal contact with the Chinese regarding the Covid virus, but that doesn't exclude the possibility of the National Institutes of Health or personnel within one of its 27 different subsidiaries or indirect contact via emails or reviews  with individuals who do.

Having said that, there's no question that companies like Pfizer, Moderna, and BioNTech aren't making money off the vaccines. You can bet they're raking it in as are those who provide medical mask, gloves, hoses, ventilation equipment, and other medical supplies.

As an aside, Pfizer, Moderna and BioNTech make around $65,000 (combined) per minute off the Covid-9 vaccines (or a combined $93.5 million per day every day).  They've received over $8 billion dollars from taxpayers and expect to make pre-tax profits of $34 billion dollars while producing five new billionaires with a combined net worth of $35.1 billion dollars.

There's also the strong likelihood that Dr. Fauci either knows or is familiar with individuals within these companies. I would be shocked if he wasn't. It's a relatively small and close knit industry, especially at the level he operates in, but I don't see any no guilt by association. Before I retired, I was the senior legal manager for a receivables company and I knew or knew of hundreds of attorneys, credit managers, law lists, and people in the legal field around the world. The thing about specialization is that it makes for a generally small professional world.  

There's no doubt, at least in my mind, that the Covid-19 virus is a intentionally weaponized version of the flu or that it was intentionally "leaked" on the general population by or with the implicit consent of the Chinese government with the full knowledge that tens of thousands or even millions of Chinese would die as a byproduct. "Collateral damage" I believe is the sanitized term for it. There is no doubt that Covid-19 is in any way a naturally occurring virus.

To date over 5.5 million worldwide have died, but to a determined foe, that's a small price to pay to destabilize the world's economies (particularly the United States), while making a huge profit selling the cure to disease it created. Better yet, the virus will continue to morph and spin off variants like Omicron. Thus providing a unending source of revenue while continuing to weaken ideological opponents and killing off the weakest among us. It sounds cold, and it is. But remember that Chairman Mao was responsible for murdering over 48 million people as part of his "Great Leap Forward".

It also doesn't surprise me that the more insidious elements here at home have used the occasion to further encroach on our individual freedoms. America is, after all, a "soft fascist" Corporatocracy managed by a small but obscenely wealthy clique of oligarchs. We've become a de facto surveillance state overseen by this corporate-government partnership.

We're just one crisis, real or manufactured, from a police state. What better than a unending health crisis, especially one which results in promoting hostilities between divergent ideological, religious, ethnic, and racial groups for and against "mandates for our own good"?

I seriously doubt Dr. Fauci is part of any such cabal. While immensely talented and well educated, he's merely a bit player playing out his role with honorable intentions I believe. Besides, his relatively low wealth would preclude his membership among the ruling class. To use a Star Wars analogy, Dr. Fauci may serve the Empire, but he's not of the Empire.

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Patents by  Inventor Anthony S. Fauci

Fact Check: SARS-CoV2 was not created using genes from HIV, Fauci does not hold patents for 'HIV component' to SARs-CoV2

8-170 submitted by Dr. Moehanid Talia

Conspiracy theorist spreads false claim about Fauci,patents, and COVID-19

Does Anthony Fauci Own "Half the Patent' for Moderna COVID Vaccine?

 

Disclosures Show Dr. Fauci's Household Made $1.7 Million in 2020, Including Income, Royalties, Travel Perks, and Investment Gains

Pfizer, BioNTech, and Moderna making $1000 profit every second while world's poorest countries remain largely unvaccinated

 

 

 

 

Rules For Thee But Not For Me: Congressional Exemptions (Including Covid Vaccine)

Maybe it's the word "mandate" which I don't like. It conjures up images of jackboots. It sounds so finite; so authoritarian.  I've never cared for authoritarianism, especially when it comes from the government, and particularly when it involves my personal choices. I've always been a strong advocate of individual rights.  So were our Founding Fathers. They were big on individual rights and restricting government's ability to impede those rights.

So, when President Joe Biden comes out with "mandates" about vaccinations, I have an issue with that. It's not that I necessarily oppose the vaccinations. I think they are likely beneficial, particularly if you're someone with a impaired immune system such as the elderly or someone with a illness which affects their immune system. However, the government also claims natural immunity alone isn't enough even for young and healthy people, which seems odd.    

Naturally, I have some questions about the vaccines themselves and the record time they were developed and approved. Most vaccines go through a long and laborious procedure of test trials and reviews lasting years, not four months, before being receiving the FDC stamp of approval (in fact, the average process takes 10-15 years). Apparently, however, the COVID vaccines were an exception, which is a little disconcerting.

And yet, President Biden has issued a mandate requiring virtually everyone to either get vaccinated or regularly tested.  Many employers, as well as schools, however, have insisted that everyone be vaccinated or lose their job. Other employers are more "lenient".  They are opting to forego proof of vaccination and instead require weekly testing, wearing a mask, and avoiding contact with customers and other employees as much as possible. How generous, especially if your income depends on customer contact (note intended sarcasm).

One reason I italicized the word "virtually" is because this mandate, which is causing so much grief among you and I, doesn't apply to members of Congress, the President, or their immediate staff. Yelp, you read that right. President Biden, VP Kamala Harris, Nancy Pelosi, and the usual suspects are exempt from the "jab". That doesn't mean they can't get the shot if they want to. It's just means they don't have to if they don't want to. I have a problem with that.

If the various vaccines are so safe, and Covid is so contagious, then why are they exempt from the same jab we're told we have to go to work, send our children to school, or is required by all other government employees including the military?  As an aside, all four of the military branches discharged military personnel for refusing the vaccination.

We've all been told to "social distance" by at least six feet, wear a mask, and avoid social gatherings, and yet how often have we seen government leaders, such as members of Congress, huddle around a microphone or photo-op without a mask (or drop their mask as soon as they think the press is leaving)? How about members of the G7 all setting around talking mask free? Monkey see monkey don't?

I'm particularly amused...and a little miffed...to hear government leaders or the uber rich tell us wear masks indoors or to avoid contact with family, especially during the holidays; tell us to remain inside unless it's essential that we go out, and then avoid all contact and get back as soon as we can. I'm sure they're in full compliance with their own instructions...not! Vaccinations aside, all this made me wonder what else besides the Covid jab is Congress and the President exempt from but still applies to us.

One item which caught my eye immediately is FOIA, or the Freedom of Information Act. Members of Congress, and any associated committees, are not subject to FOIA, which, in effect, means they don't answer to you. The explanation given is that responding to FOIA requests could put Congressional members "under undo pressure".

What about "insider trading"? In 2012, President Obama signed into law a bill prohibiting insider trading; that is, financial information received from sources outside the normal legislative process. But some enterprising legislators left a loophole in the bill as usual. Information received in the normal conduct of legislative business, including closed briefings, is not considered insider trading. So, if you learn something in a closed briefing about, let's say, a vaccine, that's not considered to be insider trading, you might want to have your broker on speed dial.  

Whistleblower protection. Ever hear the expression "See something say something"? Well, not if you work for the legislative branch! Congress passed the Whistleblower Protection Act in 1989 to encourage federal employees, including those working in the executive branch to speak up if they see or hear something that's not kosher while protecting them from retaliation, including termination (at least in theory). The Sarbanes-Oxley Act gives similar protection to workers in the private sector.

However, Congress exempted itself and those who work in the legislative branch from protection. That includes those working in the Library of Congress, the Architect of the Capitol, and other federal jobs. So, if you  suspect something you'd better keep your damn mouth shut if you know what's good for you!

Along those same lines is subpoenaing health and safety records, and the ability to conduct investigations. The Occupational and Health Safety Act permits the U.S. Department of Labor to conduct investigations and obtain records from private businesses if required. However, the Office of Compliance, which issues those subpoenas, does not have the authority to investigate or subpoena records of alleged violations from the legislative branch. Kinda handy don't you think?

Public sector unions are the largest segment of organized labor in the United States. However, in addition to the above, Congress is exempt from keeping regular workplace records such as pertaining to the Age Discrimination Act or the Americans with Disabilities Act  to name just two.

It's worth nothing that in 1997, Congress passed Congressional Accountability Act. What's that you ask? It required Congress to adopt and apply certain legislation which had previously been signed into law but which Congress has exempted itself from.

A few of those laws (and when they were enacted) included the 1964 Title VII Civil Rights Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, the American with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993, the Occupation Health and Safety Act of 1970, and the Veteran's Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994. Remember, these weren't formally adopted by Congress until 1997 even though they were passed into law years or decades earlier.

Then there's the topic of receiving outside money. Members of Congress receive a base salary of $174,000 (Majority and minority leaders in the Senate make a base of $193,400).  The House Speaker (that's Nancy Pelosi) makes $223,500. That doesn't include all the various perks they get such as gym membership, per diem, subsidized insurance (there's a taxpayer based fund which pays their premiums), first class seats on planes, free parking...anywhere (and no tickets!). Of course, there's always the "outside" perks which really make the job worthwhile.  

Why fly commercial when you can get a catered flight on a private airplane courtesy of a corporation or political association anywhere and at any time you want? Why live off a measly $174,000 when you can form your own personal leadership PAC to solicit mega donations which you can use to pay for all sorts of "political" related expenses? Others have set up special tax exempt foundations (funded by a "pay to play" scheme) and pay themselves in the six or seven figure range for "consulting".

You also can get speaking fees paying in the hundreds of thousands.  In 2001, Bill and Hillary gave 729 political talks averaging $210,795 each of them! After her tenure as Secretary  of State, Hillary received $22 million dollars in speaking fees. Most of the money---15.9 million---came from corporations which regularly lobby Congress.

While ordinary members of Congress may not do that well, they can still make a large chunk of change, and we're not even talking book deals or semi-regular appearances on talk shows! As an aside, bear in mind that just over 50% of Congressional members were millionaires (many are multi-millionaires) going into a job that pays $174,000.  You can bet that ain't doing it for their health or our wellbeing either.

The top 10% of Congressional members have three times the wealth as the bottom 90%, which is still far more than the average American household owns. Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), saw her wealth go from $41 million to $115 million since making it into that top 10% bubble. Senator Mitch McConnell's (R-KY) wealth went from a paltry $3 million dollars to over $34 million. Then again, for some it doesn't matter. Senator Kelly Loeffer (R-GA) came into the game with a net worth of over $500 million.  The game has been rigged so that only those with deep pockets can play.

On the topic of money, there is one myth I want to dispel. Members of Congress don't get their salary for life, even if they serve just one term. Members can receive a full pension only if they're 62 years old and served for a minimum of five years; 50 years old and have served 20 years; or they've served for 25 years regardless of their age.

 Also, regardless of how long they served, they cannot receive more than 80% of the salary at the time they left Congress. They must also pay 1.3% of their salary into the Federal Employees' Retirement System and 6.2% in Social Security taxes.

Many members of Congress, including key staffers, often end up on Washington's K Street as corporate lobbyists, "advisers" or "consultants" (members of Congress must legally wait 12 months before they start glad handing their former colleagues). How many are we talking about?

About 78% of former House members and 87% of former Senate members, plus key staff members, become lobbyists while most of the remainder "advise" or "consult" on a part-time basis. On average, when a Congressman becomes a lobbyist, they get a 1,452% raise over their former $174,000 salary (plus all the perquisite perks) while lobbyists spend approximately $3 billion dollars lobbying Congress and other federal agencies. Lobbyists also write the overwhelming majority of all legislation too.  Is it any wonder that we're a Corporatocracy?

On that note, I'd like to ask you dear reader if any of this sounds like "socialism" to you? I can't imagine it does. Socialism is public ownership or control. Communism is state ownership of everything. That's includes private businesses, banks, and property. That's means no Wall Street. No lobbyists. That means everything you read above couldn't and wouldn't happen under socialism, Communism or Marxism.

Hopefully, this article has shed some light on the abuses and misuses of Congress, as well as the political system in general, for you. President Biden can "mandate" all he wants, but for countless Americans, it carries little or no weight, especially given that Biden and Congress have exempted themselves. But, as shown above, they've exempted themselves from many other laws too (and that's just a partial list).

The Status Quo that created the rules created the two tier legal system. Some say it's biased towards blacks, or Hispanics, or gays, or women, or the poor, and in a sense they'd be right.  Its aim is to separate us from them and us from each other. The more divided we are, the easier we are to control and manipulate. President John Kennedy said, in 1962, that "Those who make peaceful revolution impossible make violent revolution inevitable". That clock is about to strike midnight.

If you want to know more, please take a look at the links below. If you enjoyed the article, please consider subscribing. It's free! Lastly please be sure to ""like" us on Facebook or whatever platform you use to read A/O. It helps with the algorithms and keeps our articles in circulation.

 

Why is Congress exempt from the Biden Covid mandate?

No, President Biden's mandate for federal workers does not apply to members of Congress and their staff

Here's who paid Hillary Clinton $22 Million in Speaking Fees

Majority of Lawmakers in the 116th Congress are millionaires

When a Congressman becomes a lobbyist he get a 1,452% raise(on average)

 

Do As We Say, Congress Says, Then Does What It Wants

Perks Members Of Congress Give To Themselves

 

Laws That Do Not Apply To Congress

Congress exempt from several federal laws

How Senators May have Avoided Insider Trading Charges

The Omicron Variant: Where Will It Lead Us To?

Well, what do you know? A new "variant" of the COVID virus, dubbed "Omicron", has shown up. This time in South Africa and 18 other countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) says it's a "situation of concern" and one to be monitored. Thus far this new strain has caused scratchy throats and a on again off again cough. A few people have reported having a mild headache.  Meanwhile, in the U.S., Dr. Anthony Fauci, President's Biden's Chief Medical Advisor, made a statement where he cryptically said that Americans should "expect anything and everything".  Not exactly comforting words.

While I've never been one to embrace "conspiracy theories" per se, at least not without at least a medicorum of solid evidence and common sense, but there is something, in my humble opinion, going on here. There's been to many medical professionals come forth, with nothing to gain and everything to lose, disputing the official government narrative; to many medical and other professionals claiming this is bio-weapon which either was intentionally or somehow accidentally leaked by a level four military lab.  You pick. Also, why don't people keep getting infected by previous variants? It seems that people are just getting infected by the newest variant. 

In the beginning, about two years ago now, we were told that the virus, which had first shown up in Wuhan China, was being contained, but no. It reached the United States in a matter of  weeks (which says something about the travel habits of individuals flying to and from Mainland China), and spread quickly. We were also told it came from someone eating "bat soup" utilizing an infected bat which accidently escaped a Level 4 military lab, but that theory seems to have flown out the window too.

We were urged to self-quarantine, wear masks, and in a few weeks the worse of it would be over, but once again no. We were placed in a lockdown lasting months. News reports, along with daily "health updates" from government officials made it seem like some sort of apocalypse had befallen us (either that or that we're suddenly living out "The Andromeda Strain" in real life).  

Hospitals, or so we were told, were running out of space, with makeshift "triage centers", and even more morose, makeshift morgues (the news media was always keen to show some black bagged body being rolled out to a waiting freezer). Meanwhile, only "essential" businesses were open, and then only partly staffed.  We were told to avoid social gatherings, even with family, and to maintain "social distancing" of at least six feet. Elevator and public transit capacities were limited. Restaurants were either outdoor dining or drive thru (assuming they were even open).

We were made to feel like we were taking our lives in our own hands if we went for gas or milk. That is, assuming we could even find milk or anything else!  Most of us were shocked by the amount of mass hoarding going on. People were buying 20 multi rolls of toilet paper, paper towels, meats, cheese, bread, lunch meat, and damn near anything else at a time with no thought of anyone else.

Ammo and gun sales were out the roof in anticipation of the soon-to-be expected roving mobs, at least according to the media. Home security systems were installed while people stocked up on gas and batteries. And who knew that ordinary hand sanitizer could be a bartering commodity along with disposable paper masks?

After several months, the "ban" was gradually lifted, although in fact, most people had long ignored any such ban. The public increasingly demanded that things get back to some semblance of normality. Government officials kept promising us they would, but the goal line kept moving.

Finally, the long awaited "magic elixir", a vaccine, appeared in record time. Most vaccine testing take years, and yet shortly after summer here they were! We were assured that once we took the jab, everything would be fine...until it wasn't. A booster shot was introduced for older individuals and those with compromised immune systems.

The government and business went all out to push the vaccine. Not since WWII had there been so much cooperation and coordination between the two! But along with the vaccination, came the introduction of vaccination cards, along with talk of mandatory "health cards" that would have to be carried for entry to businesses, doctor's offices, grocery stores, pharmacies, mass transit, sporting events, and damn near everything else.

The response was deafening. Much of the public here in the United States, not to mention other parts of the world, not so politely told government officials what they could do with their pseudo "passports".  Government officials have for now backed down, but don't expect it go away. Given people's early compliance, you can bet that it will be introduced again in some to shiny pre-packaged way. 

One interesting side effect of the mass shutdowns was the "stimulus checks" mailed out to most Americans (and some illegal immigrants).  With the fear of COVID subsiding, businesses expected people to return to work, but that didn't happen. In fact, most workers decided to take a prolonged hiatus from their employer. For some, it was a matter of pay.

Workers in entry level jobs such at fast food restaurants, had been demanding higher pay pre-COVID. Now apparently was the time to drive the point home. As a result, employers have been forced to raise starting salaries, and offer what perks they can (which has hurt small "mom and pop" businesses), and still employees have largely stayed away.

 How they're able to stay away I can only surmise. I imagine some are living off what little savings they have (Americans have the lowest percentage of savings of any industrialized nation), and credit cards. Some, I suspect, returned to school, using grant and other money to make ends meet while others live off mom and dad. 

But many are staying away at any cost because employers are demanding proof of vaccination or a regular weekly Covid test and wearing a mask. Some employers are keeping unvaccinated employees away from customers, which is tough if you're someone dependent on tips.

No doubt a few are working under the table for cash only (which is one reason Biden proposed allowing the IRS to check bank accounts holding $600 or more).  But, at some point, regardless of how they're doing it, the bills will come do and they'll find themselves working two or three jobs to catch up. 

Of course, with employers raising wages and offering perks, someone has to pay for it, and you can bet it won't be them. As a result, prices have to increase, which means other businesses have to both raise wages and their prices. I should point out that it's not just businesses rising prices, so is the government. Be it property tax, income tax, water and heating rates, gas and road taxes, and so forth, triggering a round of dangerous inflation.

The group hurt the most are those on fixed incomes. Their incomes don't increase with inflation and rising prices. As a result, they have to cut back on their purchases. Often having to choose between food, utilities, gas, rent/mortgage, or medicine. In the end, with the rise in prices exceeding wages we end up with ever spiraling inflation. On top of all this, comes "Omicron", the latest in what will likely be a continuing string of variants, just in time for Christmas, winter, and the increasing threat of another shutdown.

So where does that leave us? In the past, people would turn to government to get us out of this mess but that's not likely to happen. The public's trust of government is hovering around 19%. President Biden is seen as either an old man with serious mental issues who's is incapable of doing much of anything, or just a incompetent old fool completely out of his depth. Personally, I think it's the former. 

Biden clearly is suffering from some sort of mental issue, likely dementia according to some reports. Nevertheless, his approval rating is a dismal 38%. His backup, Vice President Kamala Harris, is just as disliked according to polls with a 28% approval rating.

Americans have long stopped trusting the media--mainstream or social. In fact, our trust of practically all of our institutions, be it education, healthcare, law enforcement (particularly the FBI, CIA, DEA, and NSA), religious, Big Business, and others is virtually nil. We don't trust the electoral process, or the judicial system. Even the military, which was the lone institution which enjoyed any public trust, is losing face, especially as some military leadership has become more political.  

America, as most everyone knows, is a Corporatocracy, which is neo-fascist in nature since it acts as a merger or close partnership between government and Big Business, right down to a never stopping revolving door between public office to boardrooms and back again.

This Corporatocracy is managed by an Oligarchy of the super rich and powerful. Their lobbyists write the legislation and shepherd it through the maze of committees. They dictate domestic and foreign policy, using our military not for our protection, but for enforcing their goals and objectives which usually is all about gaining access to resources and assets.

What they fear, they demonize. What they can use is glorified. Don't believe me? Why are the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers (many of whom are former military and law enforcement) and other "patriot" groups reviled despite having committed no crimes or caused to destruction to property? Meanwhile, anti-Trumpsters, BLM and Antifa had, during the pandemic lockdown, protested and rioted.

They broke windows, randomly attacked people, destroyed public and private property, defaced buildings and cars, looted, caused arson, blocked traffic, and yet the media downplayed or ignored most of the incidents; even referring to them as "mostly peaceful" or "non-violent" with nothing said about the protesters being bused in or key members being paid to the point of being "professional" protestors.

Yet, when individuals ("anti-vaxxers") caution against the vaccine, refuse to wear masks or get injections, they are ridiculed by the media and other groups. They are accused of spreading the virus; of having a total disregard for human life.  What happened to personal decisions and our right to choose?

Those who own guns are seen as mass murderers in waiting. They are somehow contributing to the social violence instead of protecting themselves and others (not to mention providing a barrier against a tyrannical government), and yet ridiculed. Some want them to obtain mental health evaluations before even being able to own a gun, especially if they served in the military or are former law enforcement.

Ironically, the majority of those "protesters" are also demanding "socialism", and yet have little or no grasp as to what socialism actually is. Meanwhile, the ruling elite has, through the media, demonizes socialism. Equating it with Communism and even Nazism (which is a complete farce since it's on the opposite political spectrum and has little to do with socialism). But it isn't about presentation of facts. It's to produce a non-critical emotional reaction and a visceral mental connection like some Pavlov dog. Don't think. React.

These same groups have demanded the removal of certain individuals from universities as well as historical monuments in public settings; all of which were duly done. Invited speakers were shouted down or pushed off stage at public events.  Education curriculums are changed without public knowledge or consent. Much of new curriculum does nothing but create a new defacto scapegoat.

The malignant minds behind the Corporatocracy seek division in every way possible. It's the only way we can be controlled, cowed, or manipulated. What they seek is compliance. They fear actual "socialism" in any form because that requires social cooperation, and social cooperation defeats their ability to control. They fear free speech because it veers from their Orwellian "groupthink" which ensures obedience.

Free speech and independent thought means the ability to think for yourself. To do your own research and make your own decisions instead of regurgitating what you're told. It also implies independent critical thinking which is an anathema to any would be authoritarian system. It's why it's no longer taught in public schools and is increasingly rare in universities and colleges. 

Ultimately everyone will have to decide where they stand. Will it be for compliance to an increasing neo-fascist government seeking to control your life or for freedom of the individual? Will government serve us or will we be forced, however subtly at first that force is applied, to serve the state?  

Every authoritarian government starts off wearing a silk glove, but hidden in that glove is a mailed fist which is merciless in its application. They claim to represent what's good for the people but only represent themselves. Today it's a mask and social distancing. Today it's surveillance and monitoring for our protection. Today it's a "reappraisal" of our history and monuments. What will it be tomorrow I wonder?

If you want to know more, please take a look at the links below. If you enjoyed the article, please consider subscribing. It's free!

 

IRS would track all bank transactions over $600 under Bidenplan; Businesses revolt

New COVID variant: What is omicron, are vaccines effective,where has it spread?

Help Wanted: Too Many Jobs and Not Enough Workers in MostStates

Fauci says US should prepare to do anything and everythingto fight the omicron variant