I can't comprehend much of the above discussion on past, present and future wars - mazes for the insane with many dead ends.
And when I read “--but with missiles that are hypersonic. The US has zero defense for this. Zero.--", I get concerned. Is WWW III just around the corner? Is Trump's finger closer to the nuclear button this week? Who knows what Trump will do, is a common comment by many journalist, new reporters, etc.
Trump appears to have a bipolar disorder, manic depression. Or is he acting??
Look at the video with Trump hugging himself. It doesn't take a psychiatrist to see that he has lost it, that he is not capable of intelligent and wise handling of presidential duties and pressures. Any individual in a board meeting displaying such action would be relieved of his duties and/or sent on a vacation, including most people working.
What the hell are his governmental psychiatrists and psychologists waiting for? WWIII? Too scared of losing their jobs? No excuses, period. Action, please…
Trump must be legally declared mentally incapable of performing the duties of the US President. But would the Vice President or any in the succession line have the real heart, intelligence, wisdom and integrity to heal America?
"It would be better at this point to come to a political settlement, since the regime has won but is still weak in many areas, and a compromise is not impossible."
I assume that Professor Cole's comment is based on input from reliable sources. But if the male egomaniac commanders know more then Cole, his above opinion could be wrong. But then the commanders probably want a complete kill of the opposition.
Killing seems to be the mantra of "all" the militaries.
I would appreciate other informed opinions.
My dyslexic prejudiced opinion is that the US Military Industrial Complex wants unending wars for money, power and control of foreign governments.
Philosophical Ron, you are correct in all your comments on my rant. When I said Bomb the rich, I meant to say take their wealth and use it for the masses--don't know how to take their wealth.
I have little faith in the American voting system especially since money controls the elections. The supreme court justices that approved unlimited donations should be in jail since they knew what would happen.
Yes, America needs "a lot of talk to get to any other mass scocio-economic arrangements." But it's the rich that control the mass news media which the average American watches or listens to without thinking. Thus, get the money out of politics and out of the news media.
Sorry Ron, I don't have the intelligence nor ability to help. I'm not a Patrick Henry.
My main concern is how to change the freeway speed limit of 65 MPH versus the "accepted limit of about 75 MPH" in Northern California.
Saudi crown prince Muhammad Bin Salman goes on vacation, Trumpetty goes golfing. And the Saudi military generals and scion pilots play their pointless war games, leaving towns without electricity, running water, garbage collection after demolishing all buildings, benches, sidewalks, streets. No place to live, sit, eat, crap nor sleep.
What do such wars accomplish? Appears that many rulers are fumbling, bombastic egomaniacs.
It's the rulers, generals, pilots that need to be demolished or left to do their own home cleaning and reconstruction.
Who to arm? What idiot to follow? What ideology to adopt and follow?
Bigger bombs for big messes and richer millionaires, billionaires, trillionaires.
Bomb the rich bastards and use their wealth to educate and support all citizens equally, not the corrupt rich rulers.
How in the hell can "everyone stand on principle and demand it"? Most of Congress consists of millionaire puppets controlled by the corrupt billionaires and their corporations.
Solution: Take the money out of politics. Prohibit millionaires, members of families with a family yearly income over $400,000 and individuals with a wealth over 2 million from holding any public office, appointed or elected. I would also prohibit lawyers/attorneys, they are good at telling long stories(more money) and manipulating words. Suggest only educators or the equivalent be elected and appointed.
I suggest that all commenters be required to give their best solutions to each problem that they comment on or else they won't be published. I believe as many do that the USA and the world is heading for a major depression which always enable the rich to get richer and gain more controlled.
America & the World needs a Patrick Henry for each country.
War feeds money and power to the Military Industrial Complex which is an uncontrolled virus along with its sister, the corrupt Surveillance Industrial Complex. War also feeds the Federal Reserve, a private corporation that you will not find in the government pages of any telephone directory.
How can any intelligent, thinking person consider war with Iran? I worked in Iran and Saudi Arabia and found the Iranians very intelligent and resourceful more so than the average American including the Electoral College electors that voted in a woman abuser, an idiot that lies and that will bankrupt America making the rich and the Federal Reserve richer.
I can’t believe that Congress will approve Trump’s tax bill which gives billions(trillions?) of dollars to the rich and their corporations.
How can any thinking, responsible individual consider a war with Iran?
The average American does not read Informed Comment or other online sources. But, is brain washed with PBS and the other public news media.
The seeds of class war and a national debt were planted in America by the Rothschild empire and the Bank of England during America's War of 1812 with England and the 1861 Civil War. "Nathan Rothschild ordered the War of 1812 after the charter for the First National Bank (Colonies) was not renewed in 1811.
When Ben Franklin was asked why are the Colonies so prosperous, he replied, "In the Colonies we issue our own money. It is called Colonial Scrip. We issue it in proper proportion to make the products pass easily from the producers to the consumers. In this manner, creating ourselves our own paper money, we control its purchasing power, and we have no interest to pay to no one."
Thus, my suggestions to eliminate or reduce class war, poverty, unemployment, depressions and recessions, working like slaves, driving like idiots at 70 to 80 mph and tailgating on freeways, etc:
1. Slow down economic growth, population increase, spending beyond needs, fighting useless wars, paying such high salaries to doctors, lawyers, politicians, actors, professional athletes, etc. But, this goes against the rich and corporations. Slow down. Slow down. And live.
2. Prohibit millionaires and those with a family total yearly income (salaries, corporation income, stocks, investments, land, etc) of more than $500,000 from holding any public office, elected or appointed: federal, state, county and city. Of course you would also have to include a maximum wealth say of one million. The figures are rough guesses. A large portion of the rich, I don't know how large, support the rich republican party and/or legislation that makes the rich richer. Getting such legislation through Congress will be very difficult. America needs a Patrick Henry, "Give me liberty or death."
We need a real President and politicians that will represent the average American……
I believe that the American voters are not going to counter the sick and dangerous control that Trump has unless the corrupt news media including PBS (Public Bull Shat) is replaced with intelligent, truthful and wise news and information, and that the ignorant, non-wise and gutless Electoral College electors for each state are replaced with wise and intelligent electors that would never vote in a known woman abuser, a liar and a possible angry, manic depressive individual that tweets nonsense.
Shouldn't there be written and oral exams by the government for all government positions including the President and vice president of the United States?
I read one of Trump's tweets and was total amazed at the ignorance shown. Doesn't the President and other government officials consult with experts on their staff before making public remarks, decisions or submitting executive orders to avoid making mistakes - England will arrest Trump if he lands in England.
I am very afraid that if Trump is not replaced by Bernie Sanders or someone of his intelligence and wisdom, Trump will continue to cripple America and the world.
Talking, complaining and do nothing can only result in more destruction of America and the world.
The Electoral Congress that supposedly consisted of politically intelligent and experienced politicians, utterly failed in electing Trump, a dangerous incompetent ego maniac. What did they expect from Trump as President? Or did they just avoid Hilary Clinton, who represented more of the existing politics? The Electoral Congress gave less thought to their voting than the average American brain washed with the corrupted news entertainment gave to their voting.
Can't Congress see the past, present and future damage in allowing Trump to continue? Can't there be a majority of Congress to replace Trump with Bernie Sanders and not follow the Constitution? Congress must Occupy the Whitehouse with an individual that will heal America and the world. Forget the Democratic and Republican agendas. Stop the increasing damage now or the dam will fail.
After reading a little of the above commentt, I cannot recommend Informed Comment to anyone unless this site starts thinking and commenting intelligently, instead of complaining and crying in a verbose manner.
In short: If 80% of Americans are against a war with North Korea, then any such action by the suffering, unconscious President Trump would be grounds for impeachment for not representing the people. I believe an Occupy The Presidency would be supported by at least 70% of Americans. Considering, that wars are income for the military industriaal complex, make some individuals rich and provide many jobs for Americans. I'm guessing that about 30% of America's job force is working for the Military industrial complex.
I believe at least 75% of Americans are ... brainwashed by the corrupt news & the lack of real honest news they get from the TV and radio, including PBS news.
Money corruptly controls America, Americans and their educational complex which excludes wisdom, independent thinking, heart and morality. Emphasis placed on memory, competition and being the best. Having a great memory is not a prerequisit for wisdom, morality and heart.
For over 20 years I've told people that I know and that I meet about juancole.com and tomdispatch.com. Out of about 3,000 individuals, including college/university professors, professionals, common folk and strangers only six indivduals knew of Cole.
End Money's Systemic Corruption and Control
1. Carefully close down the Military Industrial Complex.
2. Carefully close down the Federal Reserve, a private corporation, not in Government Pages of phone books
3. Prohibit multiple millionaires with a family fortune or a family yearly income greater than $2 or $300,000 from holding any elected or appointed public office: federal, state, county and city.
Excuse errors, I'm dyslexic in memory, storage and recall.
You are being brained washed and kept unconscious for control by the corrupt multiple millionaires and billionaires, their corporations and their corrupt millionaire puppets.
1. Get money, lies and misleading information without context out of politics and the news media.
Prohibit multiple millionaires from holding any public office, federal, state, county and city, elected or appointed.
Amend Citizen's United. Stop money control of elections.
Establish a government office to expose lies, half truths and misleading information without context by major news media, politicians, talk shows etc. Freedom of speech does not include using lies and half truths on national or local shows for brain washing for control of the masses.
Send bankers and others responsible for the mortgage fiasco to prison.
2. Close down the Military Industrial Complex.
3. Carefully replace the Federal Reserve, a private corporation with a US government department. The Federal Reserve Act was slipped through and approved by Congress during the Christmas Holidays in 1913 which gave control of money to the corrupt millionaires, billionaires and trillionaires. The Fed is not in the government pages of any phone book.
4. Free education for associate and bachelor degrees. Financial support for those that choose a trade with work study programs. Higher and professional degrees to be based on fix interests on family's gross income, wealth and fixed assets so that all children have a chance to do their best.
Close to a half of all college students never complete their degrees but are stuck with loans of high interest rates. Yes, our educational system needs to teach students how to learn.
"-----
Netanyahu has been trying to punch way above his weight. It was likely that at some point he would be brought down to earth.
Perhaps he just has been.
-----"
If Netanyahu has been brought down to earth, he should be arrested and tried for war crimes and crimes against humanity at the Hague for all he has spear headed against the Palestinians -- blowing up power plants, water storage and treatment plants and maiming and killing thousands of Palestinians, mostly civilians and children. Yes, bombing of Israel kills less people since Israel made it law in 1951 that all buildings" must have bomb shelters. But Palestinians can't build bomb shelters since the materials required would be confiscated at the check points in the military Iron Walls surrounding Palestinian territories. But most of all, they don't have the money nor an operating government.
Try going without clean water, warm water or common medical supplies for just a week or two. The Palestinians are living in Hell created by the Israeli government/military which lacks negotiating skill and humility which the true Chosen People have.
My first thought on the video cover picture of the "Syria War: Russia expands its military presence......" is of the innocent, ignorant brainwashed young Russian boys that are going to kill whoever they are told is the enemy or that are going to die. Just like most of the young boys in almost all stupid wars. Oh, I forgot to remember that all the leaders and generals know what they're doing?
The billions, if not trillions of dollars, the human power and billions of human hours that goes into these stupid religious and power struggle wars is insane. A pure waste for most of the wars.
Who gains from these wars? The military industry complexes and corrupt billionaires and their corporations around the world including in the USA.
Diplomacy and a new UN Military many times stronger and more powerful than "any other" might help to shut down all the MIC's, big and small. And, not just Non-Proliferation Treaties of Nuclear Weapons , but Non-Proliferation Treaties of National Militaries might be worth considering.
A waste of trillions if not quadrillions of dollars and quadrillions of human hours.....
Religions and spiritual practices that do not hold and respect women with the same abilities and spirituality as men which is easily seen in the lack of women in their practice's hierarchy are still living in the dark ages controlled by male egomaniacs.
Will America ever have a golden age with the male billionaires and their puppet millionaires controlling America's religions, government, news media, banking industrial complex, military industrial complex, education, entertainment, etc?
More arms from the US to Israel, Saudi Arabia and to other ME countries for the little boy generals, soldiers and terrorists to continue fighting and killing.
When does the insanity stop?
When a group of terrorists steal a single nuclear bomb and bomb Israel, Saudi Arabia, Turkey or wherever and start Nuclear World War 1?
The US government is insane to continue supplying weapons to little boy general, soldiers and terrorists that don't really know what their doing.
Israel and Saudi Arabia may be the greatest threats of a nuclear war that could destroy the world.
America and the World needs a news, information revolution.
The 99% of Americans should boycott all the corporate news - TV, radio and paper. Without an audience to take in their useless news, commercials and ads the corporate news would lose billions of dollars for ads/commercials and go bankrupt.
Such a boycott would also kill or seriously limit the useless and stupid political ads and give impetus for independent news outlets to start presenting real truthful news and information.
I became totally fed up with the "American corporate news" over three decade ago - I stopped listening, reading and watching their crap. PBS is not much better.
PBS = Public Bull S--t that brainwashes and keeps Americans unconscious and uninformed so that they can be easily controlled.
FDA = Federal Death Administration that test and approves various forms of treatments for symptoms without treating the real cause or problem.
Perhaps the American people would approve an Office of Truth, Honesty and Full Disclosure with Clarity and Brevity which would keep Americans informed about actions that could, will or may curtail or reduce the freedoms that are guaranteed by the US Constitution or that are taken for granted.
How the hell did the Supreme Court approve unlimited donations that would reach the politicians? With words that confuse the issue and other excuses.
The Warmongers, much of the GOP and many Americans put their faith and belief in money and power which are dead ends with wars and chaos.
People want and need to believe, have faith in a religion, person, group, party or/and in themselves.
Some of the Middle East wars and conflict materialize from disagreement of which version of Islam is the true version. In many Middle East countries the average citizen is poor and uneducated, thus often turns to their location's version of Islam for guidance. If their religious leader is narrow minded and won’t accept other versions/religions, the result is religious chaos and wars.
The best bet for the Middle East peace is education and jobs.
But not the American education system that emphasizes competition and being the best so that you can be rich. Cooperation and helping our self and all others to do our "individual" best towards perfection is a better mode. Faith in your higher self and/or higher power will save humanity. There are cases where individuals have consciousness without brain activity, suggests that our souls, true consciousness is separate from the mind and body. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_qBIw7qyHU
I believe religions equally respecting women and men, that have both at all levels of hierarchy or are making such changes are no longer living in the Middle Ages. Many if not a majority of religious and spiritual practices are still in the Middle Ages and in the Middle East.
Does the PBS News Hour "interview Real Allies on American Policy?"
I don't know but I don't think so. I stopped listening, watching and reading all major news media and magazines in the 1980's since my experiences of working (1977-80) in Iran, Saudi Arabia and Nigeria and of four years(1963-67) in the Air Force did not agree with news and information from the US news media.
In 1995 I stumbled across Cole's Informed Comment and found real honest news and information agreeing with my experiences. After reading Cole's long biography plus a week of Informed Comment I got addicted.
I suggest that you commenters tell ten of your friends about Informed Comment and tell them to tell ten of their friends, etc.
Take the money, rich and secrecy out of politics and you will soon get a healthy government representing the 99% of Americans.
This issue of Informed Comment must go viral or else "more of the same" rotten government with recessions, depressions and controlled major news of sensationalism and propaganda that allows the rich more money, power and control of the 99% of Americans.
Informed Comment must become available on the radio and TV. Professor Cole could start with the University of Michigan's radio station by providing them with 30 minutes of recorded news and headlines on the Middle East, America and the world, 15 minutes each by Cole and Tom Engelhardt of Tomdispatch-com.
The average American listens to the news or watches it on the TV. They do not take or have the time to go on the computer and “read“. PBS News Hour is also controlled by the rich - “It‘s Howdy Dooty Time“ with lots of clowns and millionaire puppets.
US Government! What a bunch of b**l s**t. It’s nothing but a façade for the money, power and control by the corrupt Billionaires and their puppet millionaires in Congress. Secrecy is a must for the corrupt US Government.
Austerity does not work whether its for Iceland's population of 400,000, Greece's 11 million, America's 321 million or an average family. You don't gamble in the stock market and take out loans beyond your capacity - you work moderately hard and save a little each month. Bring back a reasonable American dream. The banks and Wall Street gamble with the investments of the 99% of Americans.
Greece's youth may accomplished much of what Occupy Wall Street was about. The US banking industry and Wall Street should both be bankrupted out of existence with many if not most of the executive fined, tried and sent to prison for at least 15 years. The banks (the Fed, IMF, etc) and Wall Street are nothing but legalized loan sharks and gambling houses respectively, that never lose. Close um all down and establish State banks, small banks that will maintain their collateral.
Americans must really revolt against the banking industry, Wall Street, corporation, the Military Industrial Complex, etc.
The American banks, the f**ked up Federal Reserve allowed the banking industry to grant phony mortgages that they all knew would balloon monthly payments beyond payment. Yes the banks have made trillions of dollars by selling the foreclosed homes.
Get the money out of politics, establish state banks and the US government should stop borrowing money from the Fed.
Why wasn't a news headline in the last week:
7 African-American churches burned down in past week.
4 of these southern Black churches victims of deliberate arson, possibly 6!
The real question is when will the majority of Americans get truthful, informative and helpful news from the major news networks?
Only when the world, America and the corporations are ruled by truthful, honest, caring and helpful individuals not egomaniacs addicted to wealth, power, lying, control and/or wars. Half of Congress are millionaires and a majority of non-millionaire members are becoming millionaires that will represent mostly the corporations and the rich......
Major American news networks present news that is not really truthful, helpful, informative. It's entertainment and sensationalism for the purpose of getting the biggest audience and highest news rating for the biggest advertising contracts. Money, money, money. Also, lots of propaganda in the news from its billionaire owners.
When will honesty, truth, and the Golden Rule be the guiding principles of life on Earth?
Never until the evil rich are destroyed, stopped from controlling the world. Their greed is destroying and/or killing individuals, families and countries throughout the world.
Could intelligent and honest Robin Hood vigilante groups start targeting the corrupt millionaires, billionaires and trillionaires throughout the world?
Could intelligent and honest aliens help Earth‘s human race?
Could God step in and help mother Earth? If there is a "God", a supreme being what is he, she or it waiting for?
Nuclear weapons are again being updated, improved and built.
Is some individual or country going to start a nuclear holocaust?
How can Lindsey Graham make such clumsy, tactless, ignorant and insensitive remarks and truly represent the 99% of South Carolinians? And, another ignorant, useless, wealthy, powerful individual thinks he can become President?
I'm wonder how many Congress members are also useless, ignorant, harmful, powerful and wealthy clowns or gangsters?
As I commented on Jun 15, "Americans need to get the wealthy and powerful out of their government."
Rewrite for Grahum. Americans need to get the wealthy, powerful and ignorant gangsters and clowns out of our American governments: federal, state, county and local.
"America needs elected and appointed government personnel that are honest, intelligent, not overly educated and "come from the 99% of Americans". I believe many that come from wealthy and powerful families have proven to lack real honesty, wisdom, heart, intelligence and common sense. Some of these traits are not supported in our educational system."
The world is changing. Competition needs to be replaced with cooperation--real humanity. The world must focus on humanity or else we will "progress into extinction".
How can such an idiot as Donald Trump get so much news time? He's wealthy and powerful.
Americans need to get the wealthy and powerful out of their government.
America needs elected and appointed government personnel that are honest, intelligent, not overly educated and come from the 99% of Americans. I believe that many that come from wealthy and powerful families have proven to lack real honesty, wisdom, heart, intelligence and common sense. Some of these traits are not supported in our educational system.
The world is changing. Competition needs to be replaced with cooperation--real humanity. The world must focus on humanity or else we will "progress into extinction".
I checked on Romney's back ground and found that he had contributed to consolidation and bankruptcy of companies that included off shore practices that resulted in hundreds of thousands of American workers losing their jobs and homes. How could such an gangster get nominated? Bush and his buddies should be in jail. Enough.
Evidently he was the only Congress member that had and has the intuition and wisdom to be an honest and worthy Congress member I think. I have not check his voting record.
I conclude that the 98 members that voted for the Patriot Act are not worthy of representing and governing Americans.
Intelligence does not mean that you will make the right choice. Can intelligence lead you astray? Are gut feelings, your first impression more reliable than thought out results?
Voting records should be tabulated showing how all candidates for each position voted on all issues. The average American will not check out voting records nor will I.
America needs a Party of honesty and wisdom that reviews, studies, compares and comments on voting records.
Someone please tell me of such parties that do represent honesty and wisdom.
Is Congress is full of millionaire actors pretending to represent Americans and help govern America?
One afternoon Congress received the Patriot Act, 1100 pages, and had to vote on it the next day???? What the hell is going on in Congress? This is not funny. This indicates that the American government is very sick and totally dysfunctional for the benefits of the billionaires!
"Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) once told me the story of how this 1100 page bill was dropped on all the congressmen and women late one afternoon and then they were expected to vote on it the next day. He doubted that anyone even read it. But the point is that the bill was off the shelf and ready to go. It was a preexisting conspiracy."
All these religions fighting one another is due to powerful and ignorant egomaniacs, men. Albeit, there are women in American politics that are also powerful and ignorant egomaniacs, look at their money sources.
Religions that do not recognize and treat women as having the same intelligence and wisdom capabilities as men are false, ignorant religions. This includes a majority of religions, Christianity, Judaism, Islam, etc. Buddhism and Hinduism do recognize women and men as having equal potential.
How about being honest, truthful and face the real facts?
The Federal Reserve is a private corporation, the cause of much of the economic crises and is definitely TOO BIG. It needs to be carefully closed down and replace by a legitimate US government operated fair banking system.
The Fed has generated trillions of dollars for its corrupt owners since the Federal Reserve Act was slipped through Congress in 1913 during the Christmas Holidays.
How can anyone make sense of what’s going on in the Muddled East?
Muddled: To think, act, or proceed in a confused or aimless manner.
Even if you speak and write a dozen or more Middle East languages and dialects as Professor Cole does, it must still be somewhat difficult and confusing.
The Muddled East is like giving weapons to each of the major gangs in the 5 boroughs of New York City to help them expand WITHOUT COOPERATION and then leaving them to their own individual desires. Throw in various religious, cultural and other conflicting aspects and beliefs and you get 5 States of Madness (SOM). And who gets hurt or killed the most? The common people.
Is the old government of Saudi Arabia only protecting it's Kingdom of monarchy, one of the last in the World?
Does the United States military and government (the 1% of Americans) really know what they’re doing? Or are the corrupt Billionaires and their puppet millionaires just getting richer and more powerful from the manufacturing of weapons that the 99% of Americans are paying for with their income tax?
When does the Madness stop? When does cooperation and heart take over? When does the UN grow up?
How can war with Iran be even considered? The reason some not many Iranians would okay war is because of the hardship the sanctions have put on the working class in Iran.
One reason the corrupted republicans want war with Iran is that the billionaires that own the Military Industrial Complex, the Federal Reserve, a private corporation, the American news medias, US Congress, etc get richer during wars, legal and illegal.
It time to vote out and bury the Republicans and like minded Democrats.
The American people, "America" is not represented by the American government, military, national news medias, etc.
The US Congress and government represents and supports the corrupt Billionaires that own Congress, the Federal Reserve, the Military Industrial Complex, the national news medias including the PBS, etc.
If Americans were "honestly, truthfully informed" they would replace the Democrats and Republicans with honest, intelligent and spiritual individuals that would represent the 98% of Americans.
A good start would be to prohibit millionaires from holding any public office: federal, state, county and local. Take the money out of politics. And, prohibit smooth talking lawyers, attorneys, any that have graduated from law school or not, and any that have passed or failed the bar exam. Learning how to manipulate the English language is not an honorable profession.
Could the flooding have been avoided or lessened by monitored opening of the dam gates or would the dam have been subjected to catastrophic failure? Or did Israel want to cause the flooding? Please more thorough reporting.
If Israel wanted to cause the flooding then Obama should get off his non-presidential rear and boycott Israel, stop all phoney foreign aide, establish sanctions and cut off all political ties to Israel. This would include recalling all the military equipment and funding that was disguised as foreign aide. I thought that foreign aide was to help countries unable to provide sufficiently for their citizens.
Saudi Arabia's goal is to continue its monarchy in all ways. But nothing will stop it from losing its power, control and wealth when the oil era ends in 15 or 20 years or not. Saudi had the 4th largest number, 5% of foreign students in the US on S-1 Visas, 2008-2012 following China 25%, India 15% and South Korea 10%. http://www.brookings.edu/research/interactives/2014/geography-of-foreign-students#/M10420
I guess that the ruling class is do some thinking. The educated could end the monarchy?
Having worked in Saudi Arabia and Iran in the late 70's I found the Iranians intelligent, with wisdom and religious without proselytizing. In Saudi Arabia the ruling class, upper class are quite arrogant with little knowledge, intelligence. There was basically no middle class, the working class was often friendly.
My observation is that religions and governments that put men above women will eventually fail. It's the corrupt male addictions to power, control and wealth that destroy the them. Religions and governments that include women in the hierarchy will nurture more caring individuals provided that the women follow their maternal instincts and not fall into the addictions of men.
Capitalism and competition are killing Mother Earth. More cooperation, make things last longer and less materialism.
The freeway traffic continues to grow with exits backing up onto the freeways.
"--the shining Republican vision of a North American energy fortress will, in reality, prove to be a nightmare of environmental degradation and global conflict.--" More illegal wars and conflict.
Will any of this critically important information reach the average American voter before election day? NO! Of course not since the major news medias including PBS are controlled and censored by the corrupt billionaire owners and their millionaire puppets..
It's sickening to think that the Keystone XL pipeline will be approved by Obama. My first thought about him was “I don't trust him”, and it was totally correct.
"Speaking of burning people alive, one technique the US used was the BLU-82B, a 15,000 pound bomb detonated near the ground with a blast radius of about 5000 feet, but leaving no crater.---It(the BLU-82B) was retired in 2008 in favor of something even more destructive."
These bombs or its replacement are weapons of mass destruction resulting in crimes against humanity. Evidently the bomb burns all living creatures with little chance of surrendering or escape for soldiers, civilians, women, babies. Use of these bombs are crimes against humanity. No discussion!
Couldn’t confirm the blast radius of 5000 feet. Perhaps it’s only 1000 feet. But, imagine you and your family being burned to death.
The United Nations should immediately declare such bombs as weapons of mass destruction resulting in crimes against humanity and have all countries sign treaties or whatever declaring they will not use such . I'm sure that many if not a majority of Americans would agree to declaring use of such bombs as crimes against humanity.
The United States government and military, Congress and producers of such bombs are guilty of crimes against humanity, not the majority of Americans. Average Americans have not heard about these bombs from the useless major news medias.
On January 17, 1961, in this farewell address, President Dwight Eisenhower warned against the establishment of a "military-industrial complex."
". . . In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist."
Appears that a majority of Congress and Americans for the last 54 years have ignored his honest, brilliant and insightful warning. The Military Industrial Complex is a deadly virus corrupting America and the world, that keeps America in a continuous state of war(most are lost) that exponentially increases the terrorists, their threats and attacks, and that drainsthe economies of all countries.
Are there any Congress members, Americans and others that are fighting to close down the Military Industrial Complex or will Congress and Americans continue sitting on their ignorant fat asses until the military is cruising down the main street of your home town? Ferguson
Curt,
I'm of the opinion based on experiences in America and around the world that many if not most of the problems: social, governmental, political, military, educational, news media crap, etc are the results of the illegal and corrupt billionaires and their puppet millionaires that own and control the Federal Reserve, a private corporation, the banking industry and the IMF, and the major corporations; the news medias; Hollywood; the FDA; etc.
The rich get richer and more powerful during difficult economic times, recessions, depressions, illegal/legal wars and military actions.
The interest on money borrowed from the Fed/IMF only keeps America and other countries in perpetual debt.
Paying for new government programs including rebuilding and building new roads, schools, hospitals, green energy plants, etc with "new money" issued by the US government would bring America out of debt. Very simple.
I have limited intelligence, a dysfunctional memory and thus get easily confused. I'm unable to understand much of Informed Comment but I have to try since most of the popular and major US news medias are excessively corrupted and control Americans with misinformation keeping them unconscious and brain washed.
The many groups in Iraq and in the Middle East are calling each other terrorists. And the US government, Obama is again deciding who should be supported and who should be killed, bombed in Iraq and in other countries. In the last decade, many of the individuals and their followers that received US military, financial and political support ended up becoming terrorists, US enemies as determined by US intelligence and therefore were bombed, droned and killed by the US government which does not always represent most Americans.
1. Has the US military intelligence improved such that they will provide the current president the best intelligence that will prevent the US from supporting those Iraqis and others that may become real terrorists?
2. Or is it just a throw of the dice that decides whether or not a current friend of the US becomes a terrorist?
3. Who or what can best determine the really honest and good groups/individuals that will not become terrorists and dangerous? Or is this just a dream? Perhaps more academia consultation, support and presence in the US government? More honesty? Full disclosure without secrecy?
4. What can be done? Or is history going to keep repeating?
Where is the money going to come from for financing the "no-go zone over Kurdistan policed by US fighter jet pilots"?
The US government will borrow the funds, bonds from the private corporation, the Federal Reserve and pay the fixed interest of 6% which will keeps America in perpetual debt. Where does the Fed get the money, out of the thin air. Daaaaaaaa. Dumb isn't it. The bankers are pretty slick. Isn't this illegal? No, whatever the bankers do is for the best interest of ?????
Please excuse any errors. Doesn't matter since I sure this will not be posted.
Isn't the terrorist government of Israel a ticking time bomb with all their nuclear weapons? Considering all their crimes against humanity, against the Palestinians? Please tell me I'm too stupid to understand the insanity of the US government.
Some informed comments would be appreciated.
After reading Noam Chomsky's article I got a little worried. Sounds like the corrupt, secretive US government plays "American roulette" with nuclear weapons. What happens if there's a nuclear bomb in one chamber?
No, no, no. Those that read this blog and other similar blogs have ever right to "to be self-righteous about moral decay in Israel." since they're exposed to the truth or as close to the truth as possible.
Most, the majority or whatever percent of Americans that rely on the corrupt mass news medias do not know the truth of what's really going on in the Middle East, Palestine and the world. Very likely they and you cannot feel or relate to the pains of the Palestinians. Try going without hot and cold “clean” running water, a place to live and 3 square meals daily for a week and see how great you feel. I've had such experiences and it is not great. Try this for years and see what happens to you.
I waiting to see real solutions and actions for solving the problems in the Middle East, America and the world. I’m tired of reading new descriptions of the problems or just repetitions of the killings, torture and crimes against humanity.
The US government DOES NOT REPRESENT AMERICANS! It represents the corrupt Billionaires and their puppet millionaires. What the US government does is not what "honestly informed Americans" would want done. Many Americans are brained washed by the controlled: news medias, movies, education.....
Corrupt Billionaires control the US government and the news medias and also own the Federal Reserve and the IMF.
I began reading Informed Comments in 2010 and in a couple weeks began telling others about Juan Cole, including friends, 10 professors, professionals, swimmers, students, doctors, strangers, meditators, street people and all those I knew and others I met in Costco and wherever. Out of at least 600 people only 4 knew who Juan Cole is.
Shouldn't the news media inform the public with front page headlines and new breaking TV news when Congress takes such actions: "The US Congress will simply pass “supplemental” funds to make up any loss and will create tax incentives to visit Israel. The President–whoever he may then be–will sign the bill."
Oh, I forgot. The billionaires controlling the news medias and the US Congress (government) wouldn't allow it. They're part of the private corporation, The Federal Reserve" that will loan the money to the US Government to give to Israel and charge interest that keeps America in debt and makes the evil billionaires richer and more powerful.
Oh, second thing. The news medias are not about real news, only propaganda by the billionaires to keep Americans unconscious and brain washed for easy control.
In short, the US government and many if not most of its military leaders don't know what the hell they're doing most of the time.
The intelligence that the President get is not really intelligence, just ignorant opinions from individuals that don't know what they're talking about. Why isn't the US government and military consulting with Juan Cole and others like him that have lived in the various Middle East countries, that speak and read the native languages and that really understand what's going on? Because the US government and military are run by the corrupt billionaires and their puppet millionaires that get richer and more powerful with the useless and/or illegal wars.
Obama is either stupid or just another evil corrupt millionaire.
When is America going to wake up and start voting in intelligent, honest individual that will eliminate all the secrecy and corruption?
America cannot wake up until the corrupt major news medias are replaced with honest and real news medias. Enough of the crap, lies and propaganda that the billionaires approve.
A majority of Congress should be replaced.
I'm tired of the continuing polite, intellectual discussion on this site without specific suggestions and actions on how to get rid of the billionaires controlling the news media and the US government.
"Let's dream.............", Let's continue the intellectual blabbing and do nothing while innocent Palestinians and billions of others around the world are killed and controlled by the insane billionaires ruling the world for their profit and power.
Why can't the US government legally recognize Netanyahu's crimes against humanity? Because it's as guilty with its illegal wars, torture, corrupt corporations, phony Federal Reserve, etc.
Justice, honesty and wisdom have basically disappeared from America and the world. Power, money and fear rule.
Technology is killing humanity with its uncontrollable hunger for more profit and power.
Why doesn't someone or a group kidnap Netanyahu and bring him to a country that would legally recognize his crimes against humanity and that would arrest, jail, try and sentence Netanyahu to life in prison or death?
So much talk about nothing that will bring peace and prosperity the 98% of the world.
The secrecy of governments, corporations allows them to the play the sick game of wealth, wars, depressions, etc.
Real democracy and capitalism do not exist in America nor in most of the world.
Real democracy includes:
1. All people "honestly informed" so that they can "consciously vote" for "honest leaders". Honesty without secrecy is the key.
2. Equal treatment and equal rights for everyone.
Who controls the money, the banking system controls the people.
A major turning point in America occurred in 1911 when the Federal Reserve Act was slipped through Congress during the Christmas holidays when the billionaires and millionaires seeded Congress. The control of money in America was given to the privately banks of the rich.
Close down the Fed and IMF, return the control of money back to the people, to their honest government.
Close down the Military Industrial and Intelligence complexes.
Close down the billionaires and millionaires: tax them and spread the wealth to all.
Replace the phony elections with honest elections with honest information on all candidates.
Take the money out of elections.
Eliminate all secrecy in governments.
Honesty, honesty, honesty.........
No secrecy in governments. No secrecy in governments.
After reading this article, some of Anand Gopal and the questions and answers at the Firedoglake link I come to the conclusion that the military actions and wars in the Middle East were and are staged by the corrupt rich in Middle East and the corrupt American billionaires and their puppet millionaires to make them all richer including Congress members, US and foreign politicians and Middle East leaders, dictators, war lords.
All wars make the rich richer and the average American poorer.
The US should pack its bags, all military equipment and all personnel and get out of the Middle East. Let a restructured, powerful UN arrest and try the terrorists in the Israel government and those soldier following terrorist orders. Soldiers must be trained not to follow terrorist orders.
I don't listen or read the news, no TV. I recently listened to the news on the major radio stations. It made me angry hearing the news commentators (female and male), some in the Middle East giving their ignorant opinions and/or prepared script about what's going on. The script is approved by the billionaire owners for brainwashing and controlling how the average American thinks about the illegal wars and military actions. Reading Informed Comment and some of its Interlocutors keeps me informed.
The trillions of dollars that will be spent over the next decade or two is not acceptable since any democracy and voting in the Middle East will be controlled by the rich. In America democracy is absent: money buys/controls votes and lobbying, thus no equality between all Americans. Get the money out of elections. Congress has been failing most Americans for over 50 years.
I don't believe this will be published. I only comment to activate critical thinking vs more useless comments on the stage plays.
Religions with only men in the hierarchy appear to be anything but religious. Thus wars and wars and wars. Oh, apply that to governments and wars and wars and wars. I must be too naive. Men controlling corporations, banks, military...............
I hope there's some wise, spiritual and powerful aliens that can bring real wisdom, knowledge, love and cooperation to the idiots on Earth.
The American government doesn't have the knowledge nor wisdom to suggest, pressure, demand and mandate government changes to the citizens and present rulers of Iraq. Most of the government cannot speak nor read the language.
2. Americans do not have a democratic government. We vote but are choices are limited to the rich, millionaires and billionaires. Nor is everyone treated equally and with equal rights. Money buys votes, elections and power.
The Congress of the US government does not represent nor relate to 98 or 99% of Americans. Half of Congress are millionaires and the other half are becoming millionaires with "Illegal Inside Information", III. Congress represents and relates to the evil billionaires. Congress consists of evil, dumb millionaire puppets to their billionaires masters. They don't experience real joy nor real love.
3. The US Military Industrial Complex has trained and armed many that are, were or became terrorists and corrupt dictators.
4. America and the world are being ruled by the corrupt billionaire families that own and/or rule most of the governments, the banking corporations (the Federal Reserve, the IMF, etc), a majority of the large and giant corporations (news, food, health, education, power). Who gets richer and more powerful during the depressions and recessions?
5. The austerity economic programs in Europe and in other countries are not working. They are proof that austerity economics will not work in America. They mainly make the rich richer. Who has bought up the home and business foreclosures?
Give guns and deadly weapons to mentally ill individuals (insane, crazy) and they will do something deadly insane.
Give guns and deadly weapons to mentally ill governments (insane, crazy) and they will do something deadly insane:
The illegal Middle East wars
Spend trillions on faster and more powerful weapons.
Steal from others.
Watched a video on the V-22 Osprey helicopter, both a plane and helicopter. The eyes of many of the soldiers and officers show that "nobody's at home". Most are trained robotic killers that are trained, brainwashed not to think. Thus, when many of the enlisted and officers return home from the Middle East illegal wars they begin thinking. They are diagnosed (labeled) with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
PTSD is a convenient lie for messing with an individuals morals. When an individual starts thinking again, they start feeling the emotions of killing that were suppressed while they were brainwashed, acting without any consciousness.
The insane government is basically killing, making many individuals brain dead.
Conclusion:
It's the insane, crazy billionaires ruling America and the world that need to be treated for mental illnesses. This includes most of Congress.
The billionaire bastards' corrupt Federal Reserve and IMF Bubbles are gigantic money bubbles that will cause world wide depression, anarchy and useless nuclear wars unless corrected. The Fed and IMF cannot continue loaning out money that they have no collateral for. Only the false, ignorant belief and trust of the uninformed public prevents world wide runs on the phony, illegal
banks of the billionaire bastards.
Solutions
1. Earth is visited by individuals from an alien planet that have the wisdom, intelligence and power to enforce a program that will
end the control of Earth by the corrupt Billionaire bastards and their corrupt and useless Fed and IMF. The program would include eliminating all weapons of destruction, thus ending wars and the damaging of Mother Earth.
The major actions include cooperation, working together and sharing the common wealth of Earth to bring peace, hope, honesty and a good livelihood for all on Earth.
2. For a group of world citizens to come together and complete the objectives listed in Solution 1 for the World.
3. For a group of Americans and others to come together and complete the objectives in Solution 1 for America. Such a healing of America would result in other countries mimicking America's healing. This may be the best initial solution.
Otherwise, world wide depression, anarchy and useless nuclear wars that may kill humanity and Mother Earth.
Half of Congress are millionaires and the other half are becoming millionaires with inside information.
Can America ever start voting in people that will represent the 98% of Americans, not the corrupt billionaires and their corrupt families, news medias and corporations?
The reality that uncontrolled climate change will destroy Earth if the world does not reduce it's out pour of CO2, carbon dioxide will not be understood nor accepted by most Americans until the illegal news medias which are violating anti-trust laws, federal and state are replaced with honest organizations that present honest news based on the best honest information available, the best scientific proof available and the best honest thorough analyses.
Honesty, honesty. Not the crap that the criminal rich put out.
Steps of Actions to Bring Honest News to Americans
1. Breakup and close down, bankrupt the illegally controlled news media corporations. Jail time and large fines for the white and blue collar criminals. Americans needs honest news not the controlled brainwashing or sensational instant crap that many Americans swallow without any serious thinking.
2. Replaced the useless millionaire Congress members and other members that are becoming millionaires with inside information with honest individual that will represent the 98% of Americans instead of following orders of the criminal rich millionaires and billionaires and their corporations including the Federal Reserve-a private corporation and their stooges.
3. Phase out the Military Industrial Complex, aka MIC that gets rich on illegal wars and policing the world, sometimes illegally with drones. Replace it with a strong United Nations with the power and military to enforce world approved treaties and laws. No nation should have the power to rule the world, the USA has proven this.
4. Close down the Federal Reserve, a private corporation.
5. Include a permanent course in independent thinking and critical analysis in all public and private schools and in all higher degree institutions. People need to question with critical thinking more of the information they are fed and brainwashed with.
6. America needs a single daily newspaper online and printed that contains honest news that is based on the best information available, the best scientific proof available and the best thorough analyses. There's too much information and news based on lies, hearsay, heresy, unsubstantiated opinions or on crap from the criminal billionaires or their millionaire stooges ruling the world.
Legal and illegal wars make the rich sickly richer and give more power and control to the ruling trillionaires/billionaires and their lackey millionaires.
Keep avoiding the main problem, rule and control by the corrupted, insane rich.
The Federal Reserve/IMF control the money thus they control ALL.
The private billionaire and trillionaire owners of the Fed are thus the most evil people on this planet and must be exposed and sentenced to life in a regular prison, not in a yacht club.
The Federal Reserve Act was illegally snuck through Congress while most members were on Christmas recess in 1913.
Not much will change until the Fed/IMF are nationalized and their owners and contributing white collar criminals are brought to justice. White collar criminals must receive their just rewards.
Another gigantic problem is patriarchy, rule by men. Some research and investigation into the history of the pyramids and other megalithic and gigantic structures around the world suggests that there have been ancient civilizations with advanced abilities. Egypt's golden era may have been matriarchy 50 to 60,000 years ago instead of only 5,000 years ago.
I find it easy to consider a golden era under matriarchy. Often male rulers and men in power are excessively greedy and use military force to rule.
Don't know if females participated in the Jekyll Island meeting that drafted the Federal Reserve Act.
President Obama left out of his State of the Union address discussion and solutions for the most important concerns and problems of most Americans, about 98% +/-.
1. The US government does not represent nor relate to most Americans. About half of Congress are millionaires and the other half are becoming millionaires with inside information!
Millionaires and billionaires cannot represent nor relate to most Americans. Even if they didn't get healthcare coverage for life, they would never feel the costs increases, they're too rich. Many live in gated communities which are "segregated" from the surrounding communities.
SOLUTIONS: Prohibit millionaires, billionaires from holding any government and public office, federal, state or local.
2. The US government is controlled by money.
SOLUTION: Take the money out of politics, campaigning, special interests groups, etc. All qualified candidates get equal time, exposure in all media, speeches and appearances. No paid for or free idiot TV blast commercials which are prohibited in some European countries.
All special interests meetings are to be recorded on video and made available to the public. No deals made on the golf course. TAKE THE SECRECY OUT OF OUR GOVERNMENT.
3. End all antitrust violations, criminal control and propaganda by the news media conglomerates.
SOLUTION: Breakup the conglomerates, prison time of at least 10 years and fines up to 50% of their wealth for the executives. The lack of real investigative news left Americans without real knowledge. The rich make money off of wars, possibly many Congress members wanted and want the Illegal wars.
4. Americans are sick of illegal and/or useless wars.
The Military Industrial Complex (MIC) is controlled by the billionaires and their puppets that get sickly rich on illegal wars.
SOLUTION: Close down the Military Industrial Complex.
And so on......Federal Reserve, a private corporation/consortium.
All boring comments. Except for blabbering, do any of you have suggestions on how to replace the corrupt rich oligarchy that is ruling America and the world, and stealing the wealth away from hard workers of all classes?
Presented below are some solutions. The problem is how to initiate the solutions. All suggestions welcomed. Who's got the guts and wisdom to step up and begin solving the problems? Some Occupy movements?
Problems/Solutions
1. Money controls Congress and the news media with their useless headline news and propaganda that keeps many if not a majority of Americans believing that Obama, Congress and politicians are do their best. For whom?
1. Take the money out of politics. No stupid paid for advertising in any media, no more spin, instant TV blast ads. All campaigning free in all public media.
All candidates must meet all requirements for the specific position and thus will get equal time, space, interviews, debates, etc.
2. Congress is half millionaires, the other half becoming millionaires with "inside information" for "inside investments".
Many if not most Congress members cannot and do not relate to the working 98% of Americans, nor represent them. And it appears than some don't know what their doing and don't consider the long term results.
Simply prohibit millionaires, their families, corporations and wealth from running for government and public offices.
3. Is Obama using executive orders to fight the corrupt rule by the rich have on America and the world? No.
Americans to demand that the President issue executive orders to get rid of the corrupt rule by the rich billionaires and millionaires. Some Occupy movements without disruptive secret agents planted by the FBI, CIA and policing authorities.
The Occupy movements "must focus" on solutions by supporting candidates for government and public offices that will replace the corrupt millionaires and billionaires.
4. The Military Industrial Complex is a money making machine for the millionaires and billionaires. It's not too big to stop.
Stop fighting useless wars with the Military Industrial Complex. Strengthen the United Nations so that it has the negotiating and military power to stop crimes against humanity in all countries. There must be UN inspections ongoing in all countries. Nuclear bombs are to be eliminated before they begin destroying the world. How stupid can humans be?
5. The Federal Reserve is a private corporation. Try to buy stock in it......It's not too big to replace. Incomplete audits....
Replace the Federal Reserve with a US government department and state banks similar to the North Dakota State Bank..
Obama lies, spins the facts and has all his history hidden.
Why hidden? If you can't answer this, you're very studpid!
When is the US going to elect a real honest president to represent the 99% of Americans?
I'm bored with all the useless comments.
How can Americans repair our Country? I can list the changes neede, but don't know how to make them. The Occupy movement showed that the bank system, the Fed and Wall Street needs to be changed, but apparently no change was or will be made. The banks and the rich bought up most of the foreclosures and are creating another mortgage crises by renting theim to the homes and not maintaining them.,
1. Take money out of politics.
2. Eliminate the Military Industrial Complex.
3. Replace Federal Reserve with a US Government department.
4. Establish State Banks like North Dakota.
5. Let Congress members pay for their healthcare, eliminate their free healthcare for life.
6. Base healthcare costs, other public fees and fines on fixed per cents of your family gross income, your monthly or annual wealth, liquid assets, etc. Includes auto reg/license, court fees, public utilities, etc. LET EVERYONE PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE especially the rich, millionaires and billionaires that caused the financial crises.
If America doesn't wake up, there will be a revolution.
Our fore fathers left Europe because of taxation without representation which is what's been happening in America and getting more and more serious.
The rise in the price of homes is artificial due to the illegal purchase of foreclosures by the banks and Blackstone.
Reduce vehicle CO2 emissions by increasing miles per gallon by
changing the maximum freeway speed back to 55 mph
Use 20% less gasoline, less wear on engines, less accidents.
Adds only 1.68 minutes, 101 seconds for each 10 miles traveled.
20% less gasoline is a big reduction of gasoline.
I very seldom have to stop for traffic lights since I arrived at the light as it changes to green or behind the cars ahead as they start moving. 99% of drivers rush to the red light. I drive at 57 mph on the freeways and get 30 mpg. The turtle beats the hare.
For a 100 mile trip at 55 mph, it takes me 16.78 minutes longer than at 65 mph. What the rush for?
It's the herd instinct, all the cows commuting 20 to 60 miles are rushing to save 3 to 8 minutes.
I do not have to provide evidence since I did not "--reach the very precise conclusion that "99 percent" of Americans are against the drone strikes."
I did not state how many are against the drone attacks.
In short, the 99% of Americans have little to no input as to what our Government does--fighting illegal wars, killing civilians that try to help the first drone attack victims, supporting dictators and corrupt governments, bailing out corporations and the banks that caused the financial crises, allowing tens of millions of hard manual working Americans to lose their jobs and homes to off shore sources, borrow money with interest charges from the Federal Reserve which is more a private corporation than a US Government Department that most Americans think it is.
I don't waste my time writing my Congress person since I know that many do things according to special interest groups(money) and to how they think which I believe is often without wisdom and heart.
The majority of politicians represent the rich and are smooth talking egomaniacs after money and power. Half of Congress are millionaires and the other half are becoming millionaires.
For a few minutes, imagine you're a non-combative, innocent Pakistani civilian and someone in your family or a similar neighbor friend is accidentally(?) killed by a silent killing US drone. How the hell would you feel? Perhaps it would lead you to becoming a terrorist against the US? Or at least have you very angry at the US. You may even be too scared to walk outside in the open.
Perhaps an emergency vote by all citizens of the United States could tell Congress what the 99% of Americans really feel regarding the drone attacks that are killing innocent civilians.
It's time for Americans to decide since Congress does not represent the 99% of Americans and has not many decades..
Yes. Real complaints and many corruptions.
But no suggestions of real sound solutions.
Reading this site is getting boring, it's a broken record playing the same song over and over--complaints, corruption, criminal actions by the US government, the MIC-military industrial complex, corporations, big oil, big money, etc.
Most important first step, take the money out of all elections.
Some European countries have done this. But the damn billionaires, millionaires and their puppets won't give up their control of Americans nor the money and wealth they're stealing.
Second start a new party to elect people to represent the 99% of Americans which means voting out most of the Democrats and Republicans.
Third, base healthcare insurance costs and non-covered costs on fixed percents of the family's or the individual's gross income, average wealth and average liquid assets. You get the picture?
The third step should be applied to property taxes, all types of insurance policies, public licenses, education costs/loans, public utilities, fines, etc. Pay your fair share.
Please, all of you so called intelligent commenters, give at least one solid action that could possibly result in changes for each complaint you comment on.
Whose going to get the ball rolling? Maybe a real President, not a useless smooth talking lawyer. Prohibit lawyers from elections.
Why did the Occupy Wall Street fail?
Are there any honest, intelligent and wise vigilantes?
The bankers keep stealing the money.
All Green actions to reduce and replace the dependence of the US and of the world on petroleum is suppressed by the Oil Industry, the Military Industrial Complex and the Banks.
The Billionaires will not give up their lucrative war games and their oil monopoly. Thus, Green industries must not be monopolized by the Billionaires' corporations and families.
Appears that the move to Green Energy will save our planet, dry up the Middle East wars and allow the US to remove all military equipment including nuclear weapons out of Israel that came as or was purchased with US foreign aide.
Yes, it's time for the corrupt US government to stop cooperating and supporting governments that are criminal and committing crimes against humanity: Saudi Arabia, the gulf oil monarchies, Bahrain, Israel....
Other actions to help millions of Americans still experiencing the financial crises and its depression include creating new jobs that will be paid for, funded with new, good money for public projects such as new, repaired and replaced roads, dams, schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, state banks, etc.
Good Money: The US government is to print and circulate good money, not borrow money from the Fed, a private corporation. Both the Fed and the IMF need to be replace.
Making profit off of student loans is wrong. About half of the students never complete, obtain the four year degree. Better yet, free public education to be extended four to six years for completion of a BS/BA degree or of a work/study program.
America needs a real honest President and an honest Congress without secrecy, just honest facts in context with full disclosure, no propaganda, spin, lies nor politicking.
Hungry and malnourished kids grow up to be adults, often angry, mentally disturbed, hopeless, criminal that become uncalled for burdens on society.
Try going without food for one just one day or for 2 meals, observe your mental and emotional states. You may soon find compassion for the street people, for those without jobs or money for food.
Austerity doesn't work. European countries trying austerity end up with their economies getting worse with increasing unemployment. Haven’t heard about austerity measures in the news - not a great news nor money making story.
Honest Solutions To Improve Economy - Not Simple
Corrupt Politicians/the Rich Would Block
1. Shut down the Military Industrial Complex (MIC)! President Dwight D. Eisenhower's exit speech on Jan.17,1961 warned Americans of the Military Industrial Complex. The MIC only makes Congress members and other millionaires and billionaires richer. And the MIC appears to make America less safe with more enemies and terrorists. America is loosing the support of many countries.
2. Have the American government circulate new good money by funding construction of new public works projects and repair of existing roads and bridges, levees, schools and colleges, hospitals and other public works projects.
3. Provide affordable, if not free college education or work-study programs for 4 to 6 years for all. Not everyone is able to begin and complete a college education. About 50% of college students never complete college:
http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=40
"Among full-time, first-time undergraduate students who began seeking a bachelor's degree at a 4-year degree-granting institution in fall 2005, the 6-year graduation rate was 57 percent at public institutions, 65 percent at private nonprofit institutions, and 42 percent at private for-profit institutions."
4. Stop the US government from borrowing money(bonds) from the Federal Reserve that charges interest keeping America in debt. Nationalize the Federal Reserve which is not a government department.
5. Send all the corrupt bank executives to jail for selling phony mortgages that they knew would fail since workers salaries would not keep up with the ballooning interest on non-fixed interest loans and mortgages. And the corrupt Secretaries of the Treasury, other problems and crimes to correct………...
6. Take the money out of politics.........Prohibit millionaires from political office. Special interests……
7. Replace all the corrupt millionaire/billionaire Congress members, both republicans and democrats with new independent individuals that will represent the 99% of Americans.
8. Increase the taxes to the rich and corporation that never suffer.
9. Bring back manufacturing of ""quality product that last to America. Stop manufacturing planned obsolescence. Cars can be built to last 5 to 10 years, 300,000 miles. An economy based on consumerism and fighting stupid wars is a stupid and failing economy that corrupt politicians and the rich thrive on.
10. Eliminate the secrecy in the US government by following the Constitution, basically without exceptions. Get rid of the corrupt Supreme Court justices.
11. Prosecute "all" found guilty of crimes including crimes against humanity such as drones' second attack killing civilians responding to those injured or killed.
12. Eliminate the illegal monopolies like the news media monopolies. Existing antitrust laws should be enforced.
13. If there are new Occupy movements, have the Occupy focus on independent candidates and honest incumbents that will represent 99% of Americans and replace the garbage in Congress.
America needs and real, honst President and Congress.
I'm so tired of hearing and reading about what the “US” and all other “countries” around the world want. This is crap. 99% of the average people in all countries want to work, raise their families, educate their children, have a few extras and enjoy life. They don't want wars, nuclear weapons, embargoes, secrecy, etc!!
It's the damn politicians, mostly millionaires or becoming millionaires and their corrupt millionaire/billionaire rulers that continue with the war games and manipulation of the controlled news media that brainwashes their 99%.
The US needs political reform. I don't have the knowledge or wisdom but it seems like such reform would include getting rid of the professional politicians, reducing their salaries to a couple hundred thousand, limiting terms of office, making all special interest groups include average Americans, not the corporations, the millionaire or billionaires, the MIC, the corrupt FDA, etc.
And no more secrecy, everything public! No under the table deals, closed sessions. Let Americans hear the crap that goes on which will mean real news, not entertainment.
I worked in Iran and have talked with a some Iranians in America--the average Iranian just like the average American does not want nuclear weapons.
All you commenters should not use the terms, Iran or Iranians; US or Americans want nuclear weapons or this and that. Specify the Iranian government, the US government wants this or that. "The corrupt governments."
All this so call intelligent talk is about the less than 1% of the population and is hogwash. The average person is not represented by any of the government.
The NSA is part of the corrupt Military Industrial Complex, the billionaires war game. What else can you expect?
And the US Congress is extremely corrupted. They no longer represent the average American. They represent the rich since half of Congress are millionaires and the other half are becoming millionaires. America is loosing its middle class and integrity. America sets the best example of how to get rich and ugly.
Obama is just another rich kid with a forked tongue without heart. All show and smooth talk, "signifying nothing".
The Federal Reserve is a private corporation....
A majority of Americans believe it's a US Gorernment Department.
President John F. Kennedy and his brother Robert both wanted to nationalize, close down the Fed. Both were assassinated.
Criminal billionaires are controlling the US government, the corrupt financial industry(the FED and the IMF), the news media(propaganda media), all the major corporations, the FDA(the Federal Death Administration), the education industry, the entertainment industry, etc.
Why wasn't this solution proposed a year or more ago by any of the hundreds of politicians or Obama or any of the think tanks?
Because they have no wisdom, nor useful intelligence.
Looks like America is being torn apart by buffoons.
A law degree suggests that the holder can tell great stories, is very cunning and can spin the truth. Little wisdom, but a lot of useless intelligence.
I can't comprehend much of the above discussion on past, present and future wars - mazes for the insane with many dead ends.
And when I read “--but with missiles that are hypersonic. The US has zero defense for this. Zero.--", I get concerned. Is WWW III just around the corner? Is Trump's finger closer to the nuclear button this week? Who knows what Trump will do, is a common comment by many journalist, new reporters, etc.
Trump appears to have a bipolar disorder, manic depression. Or is he acting??
Look at the video with Trump hugging himself. It doesn't take a psychiatrist to see that he has lost it, that he is not capable of intelligent and wise handling of presidential duties and pressures. Any individual in a board meeting displaying such action would be relieved of his duties and/or sent on a vacation, including most people working.
What the hell are his governmental psychiatrists and psychologists waiting for? WWIII? Too scared of losing their jobs? No excuses, period. Action, please…
Trump must be legally declared mentally incapable of performing the duties of the US President. But would the Vice President or any in the succession line have the real heart, intelligence, wisdom and integrity to heal America?
"It would be better at this point to come to a political settlement, since the regime has won but is still weak in many areas, and a compromise is not impossible."
I assume that Professor Cole's comment is based on input from reliable sources. But if the male egomaniac commanders know more then Cole, his above opinion could be wrong. But then the commanders probably want a complete kill of the opposition.
Killing seems to be the mantra of "all" the militaries.
I would appreciate other informed opinions.
My dyslexic prejudiced opinion is that the US Military Industrial Complex wants unending wars for money, power and control of foreign governments.
Philosophical Ron, you are correct in all your comments on my rant. When I said Bomb the rich, I meant to say take their wealth and use it for the masses--don't know how to take their wealth.
I have little faith in the American voting system especially since money controls the elections. The supreme court justices that approved unlimited donations should be in jail since they knew what would happen.
Yes, America needs "a lot of talk to get to any other mass scocio-economic arrangements." But it's the rich that control the mass news media which the average American watches or listens to without thinking. Thus, get the money out of politics and out of the news media.
Sorry Ron, I don't have the intelligence nor ability to help. I'm not a Patrick Henry.
My main concern is how to change the freeway speed limit of 65 MPH versus the "accepted limit of about 75 MPH" in Northern California.
Saudi crown prince Muhammad Bin Salman goes on vacation, Trumpetty goes golfing. And the Saudi military generals and scion pilots play their pointless war games, leaving towns without electricity, running water, garbage collection after demolishing all buildings, benches, sidewalks, streets. No place to live, sit, eat, crap nor sleep.
What do such wars accomplish? Appears that many rulers are fumbling, bombastic egomaniacs.
It's the rulers, generals, pilots that need to be demolished or left to do their own home cleaning and reconstruction.
Who to arm? What idiot to follow? What ideology to adopt and follow?
Bigger bombs for big messes and richer millionaires, billionaires, trillionaires.
Bomb the rich bastards and use their wealth to educate and support all citizens equally, not the corrupt rich rulers.
Capitalism is failing
How in the hell can "everyone stand on principle and demand it"? Most of Congress consists of millionaire puppets controlled by the corrupt billionaires and their corporations.
Solution: Take the money out of politics. Prohibit millionaires, members of families with a family yearly income over $400,000 and individuals with a wealth over 2 million from holding any public office, appointed or elected. I would also prohibit lawyers/attorneys, they are good at telling long stories(more money) and manipulating words. Suggest only educators or the equivalent be elected and appointed.
I suggest that all commenters be required to give their best solutions to each problem that they comment on or else they won't be published. I believe as many do that the USA and the world is heading for a major depression which always enable the rich to get richer and gain more controlled.
America & the World needs a Patrick Henry for each country.
War feeds money and power to the Military Industrial Complex which is an uncontrolled virus along with its sister, the corrupt Surveillance Industrial Complex. War also feeds the Federal Reserve, a private corporation that you will not find in the government pages of any telephone directory.
How can any intelligent, thinking person consider war with Iran? I worked in Iran and Saudi Arabia and found the Iranians very intelligent and resourceful more so than the average American including the Electoral College electors that voted in a woman abuser, an idiot that lies and that will bankrupt America making the rich and the Federal Reserve richer.
I can’t believe that Congress will approve Trump’s tax bill which gives billions(trillions?) of dollars to the rich and their corporations.
How can any thinking, responsible individual consider a war with Iran?
The average American does not read Informed Comment or other online sources. But, is brain washed with PBS and the other public news media.
The seeds of class war and a national debt were planted in America by the Rothschild empire and the Bank of England during America's War of 1812 with England and the 1861 Civil War. "Nathan Rothschild ordered the War of 1812 after the charter for the First National Bank (Colonies) was not renewed in 1811.
When Ben Franklin was asked why are the Colonies so prosperous, he replied, "In the Colonies we issue our own money. It is called Colonial Scrip. We issue it in proper proportion to make the products pass easily from the producers to the consumers. In this manner, creating ourselves our own paper money, we control its purchasing power, and we have no interest to pay to no one."
https://www.michaeljournal.org/articles/social-credit/item/the-history-of-banking-control-in-the-united-states
Thus, my suggestions to eliminate or reduce class war, poverty, unemployment, depressions and recessions, working like slaves, driving like idiots at 70 to 80 mph and tailgating on freeways, etc:
1. Slow down economic growth, population increase, spending beyond needs, fighting useless wars, paying such high salaries to doctors, lawyers, politicians, actors, professional athletes, etc. But, this goes against the rich and corporations. Slow down. Slow down. And live.
2. Prohibit millionaires and those with a family total yearly income (salaries, corporation income, stocks, investments, land, etc) of more than $500,000 from holding any public office, elected or appointed: federal, state, county and city. Of course you would also have to include a maximum wealth say of one million. The figures are rough guesses. A large portion of the rich, I don't know how large, support the rich republican party and/or legislation that makes the rich richer. Getting such legislation through Congress will be very difficult. America needs a Patrick Henry, "Give me liberty or death."
We need a real President and politicians that will represent the average American……
America is imploding
Excuse my lack of knowledge and dyslexia.
I believe that the American voters are not going to counter the sick and dangerous control that Trump has unless the corrupt news media including PBS (Public Bull Shat) is replaced with intelligent, truthful and wise news and information, and that the ignorant, non-wise and gutless Electoral College electors for each state are replaced with wise and intelligent electors that would never vote in a known woman abuser, a liar and a possible angry, manic depressive individual that tweets nonsense.
Shouldn't there be written and oral exams by the government for all government positions including the President and vice president of the United States?
I read one of Trump's tweets and was total amazed at the ignorance shown. Doesn't the President and other government officials consult with experts on their staff before making public remarks, decisions or submitting executive orders to avoid making mistakes - England will arrest Trump if he lands in England.
I am very afraid that if Trump is not replaced by Bernie Sanders or someone of his intelligence and wisdom, Trump will continue to cripple America and the world.
Talking, complaining and do nothing can only result in more destruction of America and the world.
The Electoral Congress that supposedly consisted of politically intelligent and experienced politicians, utterly failed in electing Trump, a dangerous incompetent ego maniac. What did they expect from Trump as President? Or did they just avoid Hilary Clinton, who represented more of the existing politics? The Electoral Congress gave less thought to their voting than the average American brain washed with the corrupted news entertainment gave to their voting.
Can't Congress see the past, present and future damage in allowing Trump to continue? Can't there be a majority of Congress to replace Trump with Bernie Sanders and not follow the Constitution? Congress must Occupy the Whitehouse with an individual that will heal America and the world. Forget the Democratic and Republican agendas. Stop the increasing damage now or the dam will fail.
After reading a little of the above commentt, I cannot recommend Informed Comment to anyone unless this site starts thinking and commenting intelligently, instead of complaining and crying in a verbose manner.
Please wake up before it’s too late.
In short: If 80% of Americans are against a war with North Korea, then any such action by the suffering, unconscious President Trump would be grounds for impeachment for not representing the people. I believe an Occupy The Presidency would be supported by at least 70% of Americans. Considering, that wars are income for the military industriaal complex, make some individuals rich and provide many jobs for Americans. I'm guessing that about 30% of America's job force is working for the Military industrial complex.
I believe at least 75% of Americans are ... brainwashed by the corrupt news & the lack of real honest news they get from the TV and radio, including PBS news.
Money corruptly controls America, Americans and their educational complex which excludes wisdom, independent thinking, heart and morality. Emphasis placed on memory, competition and being the best. Having a great memory is not a prerequisit for wisdom, morality and heart.
For over 20 years I've told people that I know and that I meet about juancole.com and tomdispatch.com. Out of about 3,000 individuals, including college/university professors, professionals, common folk and strangers only six indivduals knew of Cole.
End Money's Systemic Corruption and Control
1. Carefully close down the Military Industrial Complex.
2. Carefully close down the Federal Reserve, a private corporation, not in Government Pages of phone books
3. Prohibit multiple millionaires with a family fortune or a family yearly income greater than $2 or $300,000 from holding any elected or appointed public office: federal, state, county and city.
Excuse errors, I'm dyslexic in memory, storage and recall.
So much talk about nothing of importance.
Wake up Americans!
You are being brained washed and kept unconscious for control by the corrupt multiple millionaires and billionaires, their corporations and their corrupt millionaire puppets.
1. Get money, lies and misleading information without context out of politics and the news media.
Prohibit multiple millionaires from holding any public office, federal, state, county and city, elected or appointed.
Amend Citizen's United. Stop money control of elections.
Establish a government office to expose lies, half truths and misleading information without context by major news media, politicians, talk shows etc. Freedom of speech does not include using lies and half truths on national or local shows for brain washing for control of the masses.
Send bankers and others responsible for the mortgage fiasco to prison.
2. Close down the Military Industrial Complex.
3. Carefully replace the Federal Reserve, a private corporation with a US government department. The Federal Reserve Act was slipped through and approved by Congress during the Christmas Holidays in 1913 which gave control of money to the corrupt millionaires, billionaires and trillionaires. The Fed is not in the government pages of any phone book.
4. Free education for associate and bachelor degrees. Financial support for those that choose a trade with work study programs. Higher and professional degrees to be based on fix interests on family's gross income, wealth and fixed assets so that all children have a chance to do their best.
Close to a half of all college students never complete their degrees but are stuck with loans of high interest rates. Yes, our educational system needs to teach students how to learn.
"-----
Netanyahu has been trying to punch way above his weight. It was likely that at some point he would be brought down to earth.
Perhaps he just has been.
-----"
If Netanyahu has been brought down to earth, he should be arrested and tried for war crimes and crimes against humanity at the Hague for all he has spear headed against the Palestinians -- blowing up power plants, water storage and treatment plants and maiming and killing thousands of Palestinians, mostly civilians and children. Yes, bombing of Israel kills less people since Israel made it law in 1951 that all buildings" must have bomb shelters. But Palestinians can't build bomb shelters since the materials required would be confiscated at the check points in the military Iron Walls surrounding Palestinian territories. But most of all, they don't have the money nor an operating government.
Try going without clean water, warm water or common medical supplies for just a week or two. The Palestinians are living in Hell created by the Israeli government/military which lacks negotiating skill and humility which the true Chosen People have.
My first thought on the video cover picture of the "Syria War: Russia expands its military presence......" is of the innocent, ignorant brainwashed young Russian boys that are going to kill whoever they are told is the enemy or that are going to die. Just like most of the young boys in almost all stupid wars. Oh, I forgot to remember that all the leaders and generals know what they're doing?
The billions, if not trillions of dollars, the human power and billions of human hours that goes into these stupid religious and power struggle wars is insane. A pure waste for most of the wars.
Who gains from these wars? The military industry complexes and corrupt billionaires and their corporations around the world including in the USA.
Diplomacy and a new UN Military many times stronger and more powerful than "any other" might help to shut down all the MIC's, big and small. And, not just Non-Proliferation Treaties of Nuclear Weapons , but Non-Proliferation Treaties of National Militaries might be worth considering.
A waste of trillions if not quadrillions of dollars and quadrillions of human hours.....
Enough is enough!
Religions and spiritual practices that do not hold and respect women with the same abilities and spirituality as men which is easily seen in the lack of women in their practice's hierarchy are still living in the dark ages controlled by male egomaniacs.
Will America ever have a golden age with the male billionaires and their puppet millionaires controlling America's religions, government, news media, banking industrial complex, military industrial complex, education, entertainment, etc?
More arms from the US to Israel, Saudi Arabia and to other ME countries for the little boy generals, soldiers and terrorists to continue fighting and killing.
When does the insanity stop?
When a group of terrorists steal a single nuclear bomb and bomb Israel, Saudi Arabia, Turkey or wherever and start Nuclear World War 1?
The US government is insane to continue supplying weapons to little boy general, soldiers and terrorists that don't really know what their doing.
Israel and Saudi Arabia may be the greatest threats of a nuclear war that could destroy the world.
Obama attended an Artic Summit? When was it?
America and the World needs a news, information revolution.
The 99% of Americans should boycott all the corporate news - TV, radio and paper. Without an audience to take in their useless news, commercials and ads the corporate news would lose billions of dollars for ads/commercials and go bankrupt.
Such a boycott would also kill or seriously limit the useless and stupid political ads and give impetus for independent news outlets to start presenting real truthful news and information.
I became totally fed up with the "American corporate news" over three decade ago - I stopped listening, reading and watching their crap. PBS is not much better.
PBS = Public Bull S--t that brainwashes and keeps Americans unconscious and uninformed so that they can be easily controlled.
FDA = Federal Death Administration that test and approves various forms of treatments for symptoms without treating the real cause or problem.
Perhaps the American people would approve an Office of Truth, Honesty and Full Disclosure with Clarity and Brevity which would keep Americans informed about actions that could, will or may curtail or reduce the freedoms that are guaranteed by the US Constitution or that are taken for granted.
How the hell did the Supreme Court approve unlimited donations that would reach the politicians? With words that confuse the issue and other excuses.
The Warmongers, much of the GOP and many Americans put their faith and belief in money and power which are dead ends with wars and chaos.
People want and need to believe, have faith in a religion, person, group, party or/and in themselves.
Some of the Middle East wars and conflict materialize from disagreement of which version of Islam is the true version. In many Middle East countries the average citizen is poor and uneducated, thus often turns to their location's version of Islam for guidance. If their religious leader is narrow minded and won’t accept other versions/religions, the result is religious chaos and wars.
The best bet for the Middle East peace is education and jobs.
But not the American education system that emphasizes competition and being the best so that you can be rich. Cooperation and helping our self and all others to do our "individual" best towards perfection is a better mode. Faith in your higher self and/or higher power will save humanity. There are cases where individuals have consciousness without brain activity, suggests that our souls, true consciousness is separate from the mind and body. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_qBIw7qyHU
I believe religions equally respecting women and men, that have both at all levels of hierarchy or are making such changes are no longer living in the Middle Ages. Many if not a majority of religious and spiritual practices are still in the Middle Ages and in the Middle East.
Does the PBS News Hour "interview Real Allies on American Policy?"
I don't know but I don't think so. I stopped listening, watching and reading all major news media and magazines in the 1980's since my experiences of working (1977-80) in Iran, Saudi Arabia and Nigeria and of four years(1963-67) in the Air Force did not agree with news and information from the US news media.
In 1995 I stumbled across Cole's Informed Comment and found real honest news and information agreeing with my experiences. After reading Cole's long biography plus a week of Informed Comment I got addicted.
I suggest that you commenters tell ten of your friends about Informed Comment and tell them to tell ten of their friends, etc.
Take the money, rich and secrecy out of politics and you will soon get a healthy government representing the 99% of Americans.
This issue of Informed Comment must go viral or else "more of the same" rotten government with recessions, depressions and controlled major news of sensationalism and propaganda that allows the rich more money, power and control of the 99% of Americans.
Informed Comment must become available on the radio and TV. Professor Cole could start with the University of Michigan's radio station by providing them with 30 minutes of recorded news and headlines on the Middle East, America and the world, 15 minutes each by Cole and Tom Engelhardt of Tomdispatch-com.
The average American listens to the news or watches it on the TV. They do not take or have the time to go on the computer and “read“. PBS News Hour is also controlled by the rich - “It‘s Howdy Dooty Time“ with lots of clowns and millionaire puppets.
US Government! What a bunch of b**l s**t. It’s nothing but a façade for the money, power and control by the corrupt Billionaires and their puppet millionaires in Congress. Secrecy is a must for the corrupt US Government.
Austerity does not work whether its for Iceland's population of 400,000, Greece's 11 million, America's 321 million or an average family. You don't gamble in the stock market and take out loans beyond your capacity - you work moderately hard and save a little each month. Bring back a reasonable American dream. The banks and Wall Street gamble with the investments of the 99% of Americans.
Greece's youth may accomplished much of what Occupy Wall Street was about. The US banking industry and Wall Street should both be bankrupted out of existence with many if not most of the executive fined, tried and sent to prison for at least 15 years. The banks (the Fed, IMF, etc) and Wall Street are nothing but legalized loan sharks and gambling houses respectively, that never lose. Close um all down and establish State banks, small banks that will maintain their collateral.
Americans must really revolt against the banking industry, Wall Street, corporation, the Military Industrial Complex, etc.
The American banks, the f**ked up Federal Reserve allowed the banking industry to grant phony mortgages that they all knew would balloon monthly payments beyond payment. Yes the banks have made trillions of dollars by selling the foreclosed homes.
Get the money out of politics, establish state banks and the US government should stop borrowing money from the Fed.
Why wasn't a news headline in the last week:
7 African-American churches burned down in past week.
4 of these southern Black churches victims of deliberate arson, possibly 6!
The real question is when will the majority of Americans get truthful, informative and helpful news from the major news networks?
Only when the world, America and the corporations are ruled by truthful, honest, caring and helpful individuals not egomaniacs addicted to wealth, power, lying, control and/or wars. Half of Congress are millionaires and a majority of non-millionaire members are becoming millionaires that will represent mostly the corporations and the rich......
Major American news networks present news that is not really truthful, helpful, informative. It's entertainment and sensationalism for the purpose of getting the biggest audience and highest news rating for the biggest advertising contracts. Money, money, money. Also, lots of propaganda in the news from its billionaire owners.
When will honesty, truth, and the Golden Rule be the guiding principles of life on Earth?
Never until the evil rich are destroyed, stopped from controlling the world. Their greed is destroying and/or killing individuals, families and countries throughout the world.
Could intelligent and honest Robin Hood vigilante groups start targeting the corrupt millionaires, billionaires and trillionaires throughout the world?
Could intelligent and honest aliens help Earth‘s human race?
Could God step in and help mother Earth? If there is a "God", a supreme being what is he, she or it waiting for?
Nuclear weapons are again being updated, improved and built.
Is some individual or country going to start a nuclear holocaust?
How can Lindsey Graham make such clumsy, tactless, ignorant and insensitive remarks and truly represent the 99% of South Carolinians? And, another ignorant, useless, wealthy, powerful individual thinks he can become President?
I'm wonder how many Congress members are also useless, ignorant, harmful, powerful and wealthy clowns or gangsters?
As I commented on Jun 15, "Americans need to get the wealthy and powerful out of their government."
Rewrite for Grahum. Americans need to get the wealthy, powerful and ignorant gangsters and clowns out of our American governments: federal, state, county and local.
"America needs elected and appointed government personnel that are honest, intelligent, not overly educated and "come from the 99% of Americans". I believe many that come from wealthy and powerful families have proven to lack real honesty, wisdom, heart, intelligence and common sense. Some of these traits are not supported in our educational system."
The world is changing. Competition needs to be replaced with cooperation--real humanity. The world must focus on humanity or else we will "progress into extinction".
http://www.uctv.tv/shows/Focus-On-The-Anthropocene-Journey-of-the-Universe-29623
How can such an idiot as Donald Trump get so much news time? He's wealthy and powerful.
Americans need to get the wealthy and powerful out of their government.
America needs elected and appointed government personnel that are honest, intelligent, not overly educated and come from the 99% of Americans. I believe that many that come from wealthy and powerful families have proven to lack real honesty, wisdom, heart, intelligence and common sense. Some of these traits are not supported in our educational system.
The world is changing. Competition needs to be replaced with cooperation--real humanity. The world must focus on humanity or else we will "progress into extinction".
http://www.uctv.tv/shows/Focus-On-The-Anthropocene-Journey-of-the-Universe-29623
I checked on Romney's back ground and found that he had contributed to consolidation and bankruptcy of companies that included off shore practices that resulted in hundreds of thousands of American workers losing their jobs and homes. How could such an gangster get nominated? Bush and his buddies should be in jail. Enough.
Wisconsin’s Senator Russ Feingold was the only senator who voted against the Patriot Act on Oct 24, 2001.
http://educate-yourself.org/cn/patriotact20012006senatevote.shtml
Evidently he was the only Congress member that had and has the intuition and wisdom to be an honest and worthy Congress member I think. I have not check his voting record.
I conclude that the 98 members that voted for the Patriot Act are not worthy of representing and governing Americans.
Intelligence does not mean that you will make the right choice. Can intelligence lead you astray? Are gut feelings, your first impression more reliable than thought out results?
Voting records should be tabulated showing how all candidates for each position voted on all issues. The average American will not check out voting records nor will I.
America needs a Party of honesty and wisdom that reviews, studies, compares and comments on voting records.
Someone please tell me of such parties that do represent honesty and wisdom.
Is Congress is full of millionaire actors pretending to represent Americans and help govern America?
One afternoon Congress received the Patriot Act, 1100 pages, and had to vote on it the next day???? What the hell is going on in Congress? This is not funny. This indicates that the American government is very sick and totally dysfunctional for the benefits of the billionaires!
"Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) once told me the story of how this 1100 page bill was dropped on all the congressmen and women late one afternoon and then they were expected to vote on it the next day. He doubted that anyone even read it. But the point is that the bill was off the shelf and ready to go. It was a preexisting conspiracy."
All these religions fighting one another is due to powerful and ignorant egomaniacs, men. Albeit, there are women in American politics that are also powerful and ignorant egomaniacs, look at their money sources.
Religions that do not recognize and treat women as having the same intelligence and wisdom capabilities as men are false, ignorant religions. This includes a majority of religions, Christianity, Judaism, Islam, etc. Buddhism and Hinduism do recognize women and men as having equal potential.
How about being honest, truthful and face the real facts?
The Federal Reserve is a private corporation, the cause of much of the economic crises and is definitely TOO BIG. It needs to be carefully closed down and replace by a legitimate US government operated fair banking system.
The Fed has generated trillions of dollars for its corrupt owners since the Federal Reserve Act was slipped through Congress in 1913 during the Christmas Holidays.
Face the facts.
How can anyone make sense of what’s going on in the Muddled East?
Muddled: To think, act, or proceed in a confused or aimless manner.
Even if you speak and write a dozen or more Middle East languages and dialects as Professor Cole does, it must still be somewhat difficult and confusing.
The Muddled East is like giving weapons to each of the major gangs in the 5 boroughs of New York City to help them expand WITHOUT COOPERATION and then leaving them to their own individual desires. Throw in various religious, cultural and other conflicting aspects and beliefs and you get 5 States of Madness (SOM). And who gets hurt or killed the most? The common people.
Is the old government of Saudi Arabia only protecting it's Kingdom of monarchy, one of the last in the World?
Does the United States military and government (the 1% of Americans) really know what they’re doing? Or are the corrupt Billionaires and their puppet millionaires just getting richer and more powerful from the manufacturing of weapons that the 99% of Americans are paying for with their income tax?
When does the Madness stop? When does cooperation and heart take over? When does the UN grow up?
How can war with Iran be even considered? The reason some not many Iranians would okay war is because of the hardship the sanctions have put on the working class in Iran.
One reason the corrupted republicans want war with Iran is that the billionaires that own the Military Industrial Complex, the Federal Reserve, a private corporation, the American news medias, US Congress, etc get richer during wars, legal and illegal.
It time to vote out and bury the Republicans and like minded Democrats.
"America" ??????? Be specific.
The American people, "America" is not represented by the American government, military, national news medias, etc.
The US Congress and government represents and supports the corrupt Billionaires that own Congress, the Federal Reserve, the Military Industrial Complex, the national news medias including the PBS, etc.
If Americans were "honestly, truthfully informed" they would replace the Democrats and Republicans with honest, intelligent and spiritual individuals that would represent the 98% of Americans.
A good start would be to prohibit millionaires from holding any public office: federal, state, county and local. Take the money out of politics. And, prohibit smooth talking lawyers, attorneys, any that have graduated from law school or not, and any that have passed or failed the bar exam. Learning how to manipulate the English language is not an honorable profession.
Could the flooding have been avoided or lessened by monitored opening of the dam gates or would the dam have been subjected to catastrophic failure? Or did Israel want to cause the flooding? Please more thorough reporting.
If Israel wanted to cause the flooding then Obama should get off his non-presidential rear and boycott Israel, stop all phoney foreign aide, establish sanctions and cut off all political ties to Israel. This would include recalling all the military equipment and funding that was disguised as foreign aide. I thought that foreign aide was to help countries unable to provide sufficiently for their citizens.
Saudi Arabia's goal is to continue its monarchy in all ways. But nothing will stop it from losing its power, control and wealth when the oil era ends in 15 or 20 years or not. Saudi had the 4th largest number, 5% of foreign students in the US on S-1 Visas, 2008-2012 following China 25%, India 15% and South Korea 10%.
http://www.brookings.edu/research/interactives/2014/geography-of-foreign-students#/M10420
I guess that the ruling class is do some thinking. The educated could end the monarchy?
Having worked in Saudi Arabia and Iran in the late 70's I found the Iranians intelligent, with wisdom and religious without proselytizing. In Saudi Arabia the ruling class, upper class are quite arrogant with little knowledge, intelligence. There was basically no middle class, the working class was often friendly.
My observation is that religions and governments that put men above women will eventually fail. It's the corrupt male addictions to power, control and wealth that destroy the them. Religions and governments that include women in the hierarchy will nurture more caring individuals provided that the women follow their maternal instincts and not fall into the addictions of men.
Capitalism and competition are killing Mother Earth. More cooperation, make things last longer and less materialism.
The freeway traffic continues to grow with exits backing up onto the freeways.
"--the shining Republican vision of a North American energy fortress will, in reality, prove to be a nightmare of environmental degradation and global conflict.--" More illegal wars and conflict.
Will any of this critically important information reach the average American voter before election day? NO! Of course not since the major news medias including PBS are controlled and censored by the corrupt billionaire owners and their millionaire puppets..
It's sickening to think that the Keystone XL pipeline will be approved by Obama. My first thought about him was “I don't trust him”, and it was totally correct.
"Speaking of burning people alive, one technique the US used was the BLU-82B, a 15,000 pound bomb detonated near the ground with a blast radius of about 5000 feet, but leaving no crater.---It(the BLU-82B) was retired in 2008 in favor of something even more destructive."
These bombs or its replacement are weapons of mass destruction resulting in crimes against humanity. Evidently the bomb burns all living creatures with little chance of surrendering or escape for soldiers, civilians, women, babies. Use of these bombs are crimes against humanity. No discussion!
Couldn’t confirm the blast radius of 5000 feet. Perhaps it’s only 1000 feet. But, imagine you and your family being burned to death.
The United Nations should immediately declare such bombs as weapons of mass destruction resulting in crimes against humanity and have all countries sign treaties or whatever declaring they will not use such . I'm sure that many if not a majority of Americans would agree to declaring use of such bombs as crimes against humanity.
The United States government and military, Congress and producers of such bombs are guilty of crimes against humanity, not the majority of Americans. Average Americans have not heard about these bombs from the useless major news medias.
On January 17, 1961, in this farewell address, President Dwight Eisenhower warned against the establishment of a "military-industrial complex."
". . . In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist."
Appears that a majority of Congress and Americans for the last 54 years have ignored his honest, brilliant and insightful warning. The Military Industrial Complex is a deadly virus corrupting America and the world, that keeps America in a continuous state of war(most are lost) that exponentially increases the terrorists, their threats and attacks, and that drainsthe economies of all countries.
Are there any Congress members, Americans and others that are fighting to close down the Military Industrial Complex or will Congress and Americans continue sitting on their ignorant fat asses until the military is cruising down the main street of your home town? Ferguson
Curt,
I'm of the opinion based on experiences in America and around the world that many if not most of the problems: social, governmental, political, military, educational, news media crap, etc are the results of the illegal and corrupt billionaires and their puppet millionaires that own and control the Federal Reserve, a private corporation, the banking industry and the IMF, and the major corporations; the news medias; Hollywood; the FDA; etc.
The rich get richer and more powerful during difficult economic times, recessions, depressions, illegal/legal wars and military actions.
The interest on money borrowed from the Fed/IMF only keeps America and other countries in perpetual debt.
Paying for new government programs including rebuilding and building new roads, schools, hospitals, green energy plants, etc with "new money" issued by the US government would bring America out of debt. Very simple.
I have limited intelligence, a dysfunctional memory and thus get easily confused. I'm unable to understand much of Informed Comment but I have to try since most of the popular and major US news medias are excessively corrupted and control Americans with misinformation keeping them unconscious and brain washed.
The many groups in Iraq and in the Middle East are calling each other terrorists. And the US government, Obama is again deciding who should be supported and who should be killed, bombed in Iraq and in other countries. In the last decade, many of the individuals and their followers that received US military, financial and political support ended up becoming terrorists, US enemies as determined by US intelligence and therefore were bombed, droned and killed by the US government which does not always represent most Americans.
1. Has the US military intelligence improved such that they will provide the current president the best intelligence that will prevent the US from supporting those Iraqis and others that may become real terrorists?
2. Or is it just a throw of the dice that decides whether or not a current friend of the US becomes a terrorist?
3. Who or what can best determine the really honest and good groups/individuals that will not become terrorists and dangerous? Or is this just a dream? Perhaps more academia consultation, support and presence in the US government? More honesty? Full disclosure without secrecy?
4. What can be done? Or is history going to keep repeating?
Where is the money going to come from for financing the "no-go zone over Kurdistan policed by US fighter jet pilots"?
The US government will borrow the funds, bonds from the private corporation, the Federal Reserve and pay the fixed interest of 6% which will keeps America in perpetual debt. Where does the Fed get the money, out of the thin air. Daaaaaaaa. Dumb isn't it. The bankers are pretty slick. Isn't this illegal? No, whatever the bankers do is for the best interest of ?????
Please excuse any errors. Doesn't matter since I sure this will not be posted.
Isn't the terrorist government of Israel a ticking time bomb with all their nuclear weapons? Considering all their crimes against humanity, against the Palestinians? Please tell me I'm too stupid to understand the insanity of the US government.
Some informed comments would be appreciated.
After reading Noam Chomsky's article I got a little worried. Sounds like the corrupt, secretive US government plays "American roulette" with nuclear weapons. What happens if there's a nuclear bomb in one chamber?
No, no, no. Those that read this blog and other similar blogs have ever right to "to be self-righteous about moral decay in Israel." since they're exposed to the truth or as close to the truth as possible.
Most, the majority or whatever percent of Americans that rely on the corrupt mass news medias do not know the truth of what's really going on in the Middle East, Palestine and the world. Very likely they and you cannot feel or relate to the pains of the Palestinians. Try going without hot and cold “clean” running water, a place to live and 3 square meals daily for a week and see how great you feel. I've had such experiences and it is not great. Try this for years and see what happens to you.
I waiting to see real solutions and actions for solving the problems in the Middle East, America and the world. I’m tired of reading new descriptions of the problems or just repetitions of the killings, torture and crimes against humanity.
The US government DOES NOT REPRESENT AMERICANS! It represents the corrupt Billionaires and their puppet millionaires. What the US government does is not what "honestly informed Americans" would want done. Many Americans are brained washed by the controlled: news medias, movies, education.....
Corrupt Billionaires control the US government and the news medias and also own the Federal Reserve and the IMF.
I began reading Informed Comments in 2010 and in a couple weeks began telling others about Juan Cole, including friends, 10 professors, professionals, swimmers, students, doctors, strangers, meditators, street people and all those I knew and others I met in Costco and wherever. Out of at least 600 people only 4 knew who Juan Cole is.
Shouldn't the news media inform the public with front page headlines and new breaking TV news when Congress takes such actions: "The US Congress will simply pass “supplemental” funds to make up any loss and will create tax incentives to visit Israel. The President–whoever he may then be–will sign the bill."
Oh, I forgot. The billionaires controlling the news medias and the US Congress (government) wouldn't allow it. They're part of the private corporation, The Federal Reserve" that will loan the money to the US Government to give to Israel and charge interest that keeps America in debt and makes the evil billionaires richer and more powerful.
Oh, second thing. The news medias are not about real news, only propaganda by the billionaires to keep Americans unconscious and brain washed for easy control.
In short, the US government and many if not most of its military leaders don't know what the hell they're doing most of the time.
The intelligence that the President get is not really intelligence, just ignorant opinions from individuals that don't know what they're talking about. Why isn't the US government and military consulting with Juan Cole and others like him that have lived in the various Middle East countries, that speak and read the native languages and that really understand what's going on? Because the US government and military are run by the corrupt billionaires and their puppet millionaires that get richer and more powerful with the useless and/or illegal wars.
Obama is either stupid or just another evil corrupt millionaire.
When is America going to wake up and start voting in intelligent, honest individual that will eliminate all the secrecy and corruption?
America cannot wake up until the corrupt major news medias are replaced with honest and real news medias. Enough of the crap, lies and propaganda that the billionaires approve.
A majority of Congress should be replaced.
I'm tired of the continuing polite, intellectual discussion on this site without specific suggestions and actions on how to get rid of the billionaires controlling the news media and the US government.
"Let's dream.............", Let's continue the intellectual blabbing and do nothing while innocent Palestinians and billions of others around the world are killed and controlled by the insane billionaires ruling the world for their profit and power.
Why can't the US government legally recognize Netanyahu's crimes against humanity? Because it's as guilty with its illegal wars, torture, corrupt corporations, phony Federal Reserve, etc.
Justice, honesty and wisdom have basically disappeared from America and the world. Power, money and fear rule.
Technology is killing humanity with its uncontrollable hunger for more profit and power.
Why doesn't someone or a group kidnap Netanyahu and bring him to a country that would legally recognize his crimes against humanity and that would arrest, jail, try and sentence Netanyahu to life in prison or death?
So much talk about nothing that will bring peace and prosperity the 98% of the world.
The secrecy of governments, corporations allows them to the play the sick game of wealth, wars, depressions, etc.
Real democracy and capitalism do not exist in America nor in most of the world.
Real democracy includes:
1. All people "honestly informed" so that they can "consciously vote" for "honest leaders". Honesty without secrecy is the key.
2. Equal treatment and equal rights for everyone.
Who controls the money, the banking system controls the people.
A major turning point in America occurred in 1911 when the Federal Reserve Act was slipped through Congress during the Christmas holidays when the billionaires and millionaires seeded Congress. The control of money in America was given to the privately banks of the rich.
Close down the Fed and IMF, return the control of money back to the people, to their honest government.
Close down the Military Industrial and Intelligence complexes.
Close down the billionaires and millionaires: tax them and spread the wealth to all.
Replace the phony elections with honest elections with honest information on all candidates.
Take the money out of elections.
Eliminate all secrecy in governments.
Honesty, honesty, honesty.........
No secrecy in governments. No secrecy in governments.
After reading this article, some of Anand Gopal and the questions and answers at the Firedoglake link I come to the conclusion that the military actions and wars in the Middle East were and are staged by the corrupt rich in Middle East and the corrupt American billionaires and their puppet millionaires to make them all richer including Congress members, US and foreign politicians and Middle East leaders, dictators, war lords.
All wars make the rich richer and the average American poorer.
The US should pack its bags, all military equipment and all personnel and get out of the Middle East. Let a restructured, powerful UN arrest and try the terrorists in the Israel government and those soldier following terrorist orders. Soldiers must be trained not to follow terrorist orders.
I don't listen or read the news, no TV. I recently listened to the news on the major radio stations. It made me angry hearing the news commentators (female and male), some in the Middle East giving their ignorant opinions and/or prepared script about what's going on. The script is approved by the billionaire owners for brainwashing and controlling how the average American thinks about the illegal wars and military actions. Reading Informed Comment and some of its Interlocutors keeps me informed.
The trillions of dollars that will be spent over the next decade or two is not acceptable since any democracy and voting in the Middle East will be controlled by the rich. In America democracy is absent: money buys/controls votes and lobbying, thus no equality between all Americans. Get the money out of elections. Congress has been failing most Americans for over 50 years.
I don't believe this will be published. I only comment to activate critical thinking vs more useless comments on the stage plays.
Religions with only men in the hierarchy appear to be anything but religious. Thus wars and wars and wars. Oh, apply that to governments and wars and wars and wars. I must be too naive. Men controlling corporations, banks, military...............
I hope there's some wise, spiritual and powerful aliens that can bring real wisdom, knowledge, love and cooperation to the idiots on Earth.
The American government doesn't have the knowledge nor wisdom to suggest, pressure, demand and mandate government changes to the citizens and present rulers of Iraq. Most of the government cannot speak nor read the language.
1. For the last 50 years, most of the US legal and illegal military actions have made things worse and have not been won.
Any doubt, read Tom Engelhardt, "A Record of Unparalleled Failure" & "Don’t Walk Away from War".
http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/175854/tomgram%3A_engelhardt%2C_a_record_of_unparalleled_failure/
2. Americans do not have a democratic government. We vote but are choices are limited to the rich, millionaires and billionaires. Nor is everyone treated equally and with equal rights. Money buys votes, elections and power.
The Congress of the US government does not represent nor relate to 98 or 99% of Americans. Half of Congress are millionaires and the other half are becoming millionaires with "Illegal Inside Information", III. Congress represents and relates to the evil billionaires. Congress consists of evil, dumb millionaire puppets to their billionaires masters. They don't experience real joy nor real love.
3. The US Military Industrial Complex has trained and armed many that are, were or became terrorists and corrupt dictators.
4. America and the world are being ruled by the corrupt billionaire families that own and/or rule most of the governments, the banking corporations (the Federal Reserve, the IMF, etc), a majority of the large and giant corporations (news, food, health, education, power). Who gets richer and more powerful during the depressions and recessions?
5. The austerity economic programs in Europe and in other countries are not working. They are proof that austerity economics will not work in America. They mainly make the rich richer. Who has bought up the home and business foreclosures?
Give guns and deadly weapons to mentally ill individuals (insane, crazy) and they will do something deadly insane.
Give guns and deadly weapons to mentally ill governments (insane, crazy) and they will do something deadly insane:
The illegal Middle East wars
Spend trillions on faster and more powerful weapons.
Steal from others.
Watched a video on the V-22 Osprey helicopter, both a plane and helicopter. The eyes of many of the soldiers and officers show that "nobody's at home". Most are trained robotic killers that are trained, brainwashed not to think. Thus, when many of the enlisted and officers return home from the Middle East illegal wars they begin thinking. They are diagnosed (labeled) with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
PTSD is a convenient lie for messing with an individuals morals. When an individual starts thinking again, they start feeling the emotions of killing that were suppressed while they were brainwashed, acting without any consciousness.
The insane government is basically killing, making many individuals brain dead.
Conclusion:
It's the insane, crazy billionaires ruling America and the world that need to be treated for mental illnesses. This includes most of Congress.
The billionaire bastards' corrupt Federal Reserve and IMF Bubbles are gigantic money bubbles that will cause world wide depression, anarchy and useless nuclear wars unless corrected. The Fed and IMF cannot continue loaning out money that they have no collateral for. Only the false, ignorant belief and trust of the uninformed public prevents world wide runs on the phony, illegal
banks of the billionaire bastards.
Solutions
1. Earth is visited by individuals from an alien planet that have the wisdom, intelligence and power to enforce a program that will
end the control of Earth by the corrupt Billionaire bastards and their corrupt and useless Fed and IMF. The program would include eliminating all weapons of destruction, thus ending wars and the damaging of Mother Earth.
The major actions include cooperation, working together and sharing the common wealth of Earth to bring peace, hope, honesty and a good livelihood for all on Earth.
2. For a group of world citizens to come together and complete the objectives listed in Solution 1 for the World.
3. For a group of Americans and others to come together and complete the objectives in Solution 1 for America. Such a healing of America would result in other countries mimicking America's healing. This may be the best initial solution.
Otherwise, world wide depression, anarchy and useless nuclear wars that may kill humanity and Mother Earth.
If true, heads should roll and top executives and those envolved should be tried by the UN world court and sent to prison.
Obama should be held responsible since I'm sure that such a dangerous plan had to be approved by him.
Tired of the corrupt US government and all its illegal wars.
Congress is corrupt.
Half of Congress are millionaires and the other half are becoming millionaires with inside information.
Can America ever start voting in people that will represent the 98% of Americans, not the corrupt billionaires and their corrupt families, news medias and corporations?
Please someone tell me how this can be done?
The reality that uncontrolled climate change will destroy Earth if the world does not reduce it's out pour of CO2, carbon dioxide will not be understood nor accepted by most Americans until the illegal news medias which are violating anti-trust laws, federal and state are replaced with honest organizations that present honest news based on the best honest information available, the best scientific proof available and the best honest thorough analyses.
Honesty, honesty. Not the crap that the criminal rich put out.
Steps of Actions to Bring Honest News to Americans
1. Breakup and close down, bankrupt the illegally controlled news media corporations. Jail time and large fines for the white and blue collar criminals. Americans needs honest news not the controlled brainwashing or sensational instant crap that many Americans swallow without any serious thinking.
2. Replaced the useless millionaire Congress members and other members that are becoming millionaires with inside information with honest individual that will represent the 98% of Americans instead of following orders of the criminal rich millionaires and billionaires and their corporations including the Federal Reserve-a private corporation and their stooges.
3. Phase out the Military Industrial Complex, aka MIC that gets rich on illegal wars and policing the world, sometimes illegally with drones. Replace it with a strong United Nations with the power and military to enforce world approved treaties and laws. No nation should have the power to rule the world, the USA has proven this.
4. Close down the Federal Reserve, a private corporation.
5. Include a permanent course in independent thinking and critical analysis in all public and private schools and in all higher degree institutions. People need to question with critical thinking more of the information they are fed and brainwashed with.
6. America needs a single daily newspaper online and printed that contains honest news that is based on the best information available, the best scientific proof available and the best thorough analyses. There's too much information and news based on lies, hearsay, heresy, unsubstantiated opinions or on crap from the criminal billionaires or their millionaire stooges ruling the world.
Instant news is often, instant crap.
Honesty, honesty. Not money, money, money.
Legal and illegal wars make the rich sickly richer and give more power and control to the ruling trillionaires/billionaires and their lackey millionaires.
Keep avoiding the main problem, rule and control by the corrupted, insane rich.
Who controls money controls EVERYTHING: governments, people, banking, corporations, news media, education, etc..
The Federal Reserve/IMF control the money thus they control ALL.
The private billionaire and trillionaire owners of the Fed are thus the most evil people on this planet and must be exposed and sentenced to life in a regular prison, not in a yacht club.
The Federal Reserve Act was illegally snuck through Congress while most members were on Christmas recess in 1913.
Not much will change until the Fed/IMF are nationalized and their owners and contributing white collar criminals are brought to justice. White collar criminals must receive their just rewards.
See "Secrets of the Federal Reserve":
http://www.apfn.org/apfn/reserve.htm
Another gigantic problem is patriarchy, rule by men. Some research and investigation into the history of the pyramids and other megalithic and gigantic structures around the world suggests that there have been ancient civilizations with advanced abilities. Egypt's golden era may have been matriarchy 50 to 60,000 years ago instead of only 5,000 years ago.
I find it easy to consider a golden era under matriarchy. Often male rulers and men in power are excessively greedy and use military force to rule.
Don't know if females participated in the Jekyll Island meeting that drafted the Federal Reserve Act.
President Obama left out of his State of the Union address discussion and solutions for the most important concerns and problems of most Americans, about 98% +/-.
1. The US government does not represent nor relate to most Americans. About half of Congress are millionaires and the other half are becoming millionaires with inside information!
Millionaires and billionaires cannot represent nor relate to most Americans. Even if they didn't get healthcare coverage for life, they would never feel the costs increases, they're too rich. Many live in gated communities which are "segregated" from the surrounding communities.
SOLUTIONS: Prohibit millionaires, billionaires from holding any government and public office, federal, state or local.
2. The US government is controlled by money.
SOLUTION: Take the money out of politics, campaigning, special interests groups, etc. All qualified candidates get equal time, exposure in all media, speeches and appearances. No paid for or free idiot TV blast commercials which are prohibited in some European countries.
All special interests meetings are to be recorded on video and made available to the public. No deals made on the golf course. TAKE THE SECRECY OUT OF OUR GOVERNMENT.
3. End all antitrust violations, criminal control and propaganda by the news media conglomerates.
SOLUTION: Breakup the conglomerates, prison time of at least 10 years and fines up to 50% of their wealth for the executives. The lack of real investigative news left Americans without real knowledge. The rich make money off of wars, possibly many Congress members wanted and want the Illegal wars.
4. Americans are sick of illegal and/or useless wars.
The Military Industrial Complex (MIC) is controlled by the billionaires and their puppets that get sickly rich on illegal wars.
SOLUTION: Close down the Military Industrial Complex.
And so on......Federal Reserve, a private corporation/consortium.
All boring comments. Except for blabbering, do any of you have suggestions on how to replace the corrupt rich oligarchy that is ruling America and the world, and stealing the wealth away from hard workers of all classes?
Presented below are some solutions. The problem is how to initiate the solutions. All suggestions welcomed. Who's got the guts and wisdom to step up and begin solving the problems? Some Occupy movements?
Problems/Solutions
1. Money controls Congress and the news media with their useless headline news and propaganda that keeps many if not a majority of Americans believing that Obama, Congress and politicians are do their best. For whom?
1. Take the money out of politics. No stupid paid for advertising in any media, no more spin, instant TV blast ads. All campaigning free in all public media.
All candidates must meet all requirements for the specific position and thus will get equal time, space, interviews, debates, etc.
2. Congress is half millionaires, the other half becoming millionaires with "inside information" for "inside investments".
Many if not most Congress members cannot and do not relate to the working 98% of Americans, nor represent them. And it appears than some don't know what their doing and don't consider the long term results.
Simply prohibit millionaires, their families, corporations and wealth from running for government and public offices.
3. Is Obama using executive orders to fight the corrupt rule by the rich have on America and the world? No.
Americans to demand that the President issue executive orders to get rid of the corrupt rule by the rich billionaires and millionaires. Some Occupy movements without disruptive secret agents planted by the FBI, CIA and policing authorities.
The Occupy movements "must focus" on solutions by supporting candidates for government and public offices that will replace the corrupt millionaires and billionaires.
4. The Military Industrial Complex is a money making machine for the millionaires and billionaires. It's not too big to stop.
Stop fighting useless wars with the Military Industrial Complex. Strengthen the United Nations so that it has the negotiating and military power to stop crimes against humanity in all countries. There must be UN inspections ongoing in all countries. Nuclear bombs are to be eliminated before they begin destroying the world. How stupid can humans be?
5. The Federal Reserve is a private corporation. Try to buy stock in it......It's not too big to replace. Incomplete audits....
Replace the Federal Reserve with a US government department and state banks similar to the North Dakota State Bank..
Money is the Root of Much Evil.
Of course Obama knew.
Obama lies, spins the facts and has all his history hidden.
Why hidden? If you can't answer this, you're very studpid!
When is the US going to elect a real honest president to represent the 99% of Americans?
I'm bored with all the useless comments.
How can Americans repair our Country? I can list the changes neede, but don't know how to make them. The Occupy movement showed that the bank system, the Fed and Wall Street needs to be changed, but apparently no change was or will be made. The banks and the rich bought up most of the foreclosures and are creating another mortgage crises by renting theim to the homes and not maintaining them.,
1. Take money out of politics.
2. Eliminate the Military Industrial Complex.
3. Replace Federal Reserve with a US Government department.
4. Establish State Banks like North Dakota.
5. Let Congress members pay for their healthcare, eliminate their free healthcare for life.
6. Base healthcare costs, other public fees and fines on fixed per cents of your family gross income, your monthly or annual wealth, liquid assets, etc. Includes auto reg/license, court fees, public utilities, etc. LET EVERYONE PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE especially the rich, millionaires and billionaires that caused the financial crises.
If America doesn't wake up, there will be a revolution.
Our fore fathers left Europe because of taxation without representation which is what's been happening in America and getting more and more serious.
The rise in the price of homes is artificial due to the illegal purchase of foreclosures by the banks and Blackstone.
Reduce vehicle CO2 emissions by increasing miles per gallon by
changing the maximum freeway speed back to 55 mph
Use 20% less gasoline, less wear on engines, less accidents.
Adds only 1.68 minutes, 101 seconds for each 10 miles traveled.
20% less gasoline is a big reduction of gasoline.
Each 10 miles:
55 mph takes 10.91 minutes
65 mph takes 9.23 minutes
Difference 1.68 minutes
I very seldom have to stop for traffic lights since I arrived at the light as it changes to green or behind the cars ahead as they start moving. 99% of drivers rush to the red light. I drive at 57 mph on the freeways and get 30 mpg. The turtle beats the hare.
For a 100 mile trip at 55 mph, it takes me 16.78 minutes longer than at 65 mph. What the rush for?
It's the herd instinct, all the cows commuting 20 to 60 miles are rushing to save 3 to 8 minutes.
I do not have to provide evidence since I did not "--reach the very precise conclusion that "99 percent" of Americans are against the drone strikes."
I did not state how many are against the drone attacks.
In short, the 99% of Americans have little to no input as to what our Government does--fighting illegal wars, killing civilians that try to help the first drone attack victims, supporting dictators and corrupt governments, bailing out corporations and the banks that caused the financial crises, allowing tens of millions of hard manual working Americans to lose their jobs and homes to off shore sources, borrow money with interest charges from the Federal Reserve which is more a private corporation than a US Government Department that most Americans think it is.
I don't waste my time writing my Congress person since I know that many do things according to special interest groups(money) and to how they think which I believe is often without wisdom and heart.
The majority of politicians represent the rich and are smooth talking egomaniacs after money and power. Half of Congress are millionaires and the other half are becoming millionaires.
The end.
Stop thinking and you may become wise.
For a few minutes, imagine you're a non-combative, innocent Pakistani civilian and someone in your family or a similar neighbor friend is accidentally(?) killed by a silent killing US drone. How the hell would you feel? Perhaps it would lead you to becoming a terrorist against the US? Or at least have you very angry at the US. You may even be too scared to walk outside in the open.
Perhaps an emergency vote by all citizens of the United States could tell Congress what the 99% of Americans really feel regarding the drone attacks that are killing innocent civilians.
It's time for Americans to decide since Congress does not represent the 99% of Americans and has not many decades..
Yes. Real complaints and many corruptions.
But no suggestions of real sound solutions.
Reading this site is getting boring, it's a broken record playing the same song over and over--complaints, corruption, criminal actions by the US government, the MIC-military industrial complex, corporations, big oil, big money, etc.
Most important first step, take the money out of all elections.
Some European countries have done this. But the damn billionaires, millionaires and their puppets won't give up their control of Americans nor the money and wealth they're stealing.
Second start a new party to elect people to represent the 99% of Americans which means voting out most of the Democrats and Republicans.
Third, base healthcare insurance costs and non-covered costs on fixed percents of the family's or the individual's gross income, average wealth and average liquid assets. You get the picture?
The third step should be applied to property taxes, all types of insurance policies, public licenses, education costs/loans, public utilities, fines, etc. Pay your fair share.
Please, all of you so called intelligent commenters, give at least one solid action that could possibly result in changes for each complaint you comment on.
Whose going to get the ball rolling? Maybe a real President, not a useless smooth talking lawyer. Prohibit lawyers from elections.
Why did the Occupy Wall Street fail?
Are there any honest, intelligent and wise vigilantes?
The bankers keep stealing the money.
All Green actions to reduce and replace the dependence of the US and of the world on petroleum is suppressed by the Oil Industry, the Military Industrial Complex and the Banks.
The Billionaires will not give up their lucrative war games and their oil monopoly. Thus, Green industries must not be monopolized by the Billionaires' corporations and families.
Appears that the move to Green Energy will save our planet, dry up the Middle East wars and allow the US to remove all military equipment including nuclear weapons out of Israel that came as or was purchased with US foreign aide.
Yes, it's time for the corrupt US government to stop cooperating and supporting governments that are criminal and committing crimes against humanity: Saudi Arabia, the gulf oil monarchies, Bahrain, Israel....
Other actions to help millions of Americans still experiencing the financial crises and its depression include creating new jobs that will be paid for, funded with new, good money for public projects such as new, repaired and replaced roads, dams, schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, state banks, etc.
Good Money: The US government is to print and circulate good money, not borrow money from the Fed, a private corporation. Both the Fed and the IMF need to be replace.
Making profit off of student loans is wrong. About half of the students never complete, obtain the four year degree. Better yet, free public education to be extended four to six years for completion of a BS/BA degree or of a work/study program.
Occupy the Government.
Corrections to my comments above:
America needs a real honest President and an honest Congress without secrecy, just honest facts in context with full disclosure, no propaganda, spin, lies nor politicking.
Hungry and malnourished kids grow up to be adults, often angry, mentally disturbed, hopeless, criminal that become uncalled for burdens on society.
Try going without food for one just one day or for 2 meals, observe your mental and emotional states. You may soon find compassion for the street people, for those without jobs or money for food.
Austerity doesn't work. European countries trying austerity end up with their economies getting worse with increasing unemployment. Haven’t heard about austerity measures in the news - not a great news nor money making story.
Honest Solutions To Improve Economy - Not Simple
Corrupt Politicians/the Rich Would Block
1. Shut down the Military Industrial Complex (MIC)! President Dwight D. Eisenhower's exit speech on Jan.17,1961 warned Americans of the Military Industrial Complex. The MIC only makes Congress members and other millionaires and billionaires richer. And the MIC appears to make America less safe with more enemies and terrorists. America is loosing the support of many countries.
2. Have the American government circulate new good money by funding construction of new public works projects and repair of existing roads and bridges, levees, schools and colleges, hospitals and other public works projects.
3. Provide affordable, if not free college education or work-study programs for 4 to 6 years for all. Not everyone is able to begin and complete a college education. About 50% of college students never complete college:
http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=40
"Among full-time, first-time undergraduate students who began seeking a bachelor's degree at a 4-year degree-granting institution in fall 2005, the 6-year graduation rate was 57 percent at public institutions, 65 percent at private nonprofit institutions, and 42 percent at private for-profit institutions."
4. Stop the US government from borrowing money(bonds) from the Federal Reserve that charges interest keeping America in debt. Nationalize the Federal Reserve which is not a government department.
5. Send all the corrupt bank executives to jail for selling phony mortgages that they knew would fail since workers salaries would not keep up with the ballooning interest on non-fixed interest loans and mortgages. And the corrupt Secretaries of the Treasury, other problems and crimes to correct………...
6. Take the money out of politics.........Prohibit millionaires from political office. Special interests……
7. Replace all the corrupt millionaire/billionaire Congress members, both republicans and democrats with new independent individuals that will represent the 99% of Americans.
8. Increase the taxes to the rich and corporation that never suffer.
9. Bring back manufacturing of ""quality product that last to America. Stop manufacturing planned obsolescence. Cars can be built to last 5 to 10 years, 300,000 miles. An economy based on consumerism and fighting stupid wars is a stupid and failing economy that corrupt politicians and the rich thrive on.
10. Eliminate the secrecy in the US government by following the Constitution, basically without exceptions. Get rid of the corrupt Supreme Court justices.
11. Prosecute "all" found guilty of crimes including crimes against humanity such as drones' second attack killing civilians responding to those injured or killed.
12. Eliminate the illegal monopolies like the news media monopolies. Existing antitrust laws should be enforced.
13. If there are new Occupy movements, have the Occupy focus on independent candidates and honest incumbents that will represent 99% of Americans and replace the garbage in Congress.
America needs and real, honst President and Congress.
The US Government is broken.
Enough.
I'm so tired of hearing and reading about what the “US” and all other “countries” around the world want. This is crap. 99% of the average people in all countries want to work, raise their families, educate their children, have a few extras and enjoy life. They don't want wars, nuclear weapons, embargoes, secrecy, etc!!
It's the damn politicians, mostly millionaires or becoming millionaires and their corrupt millionaire/billionaire rulers that continue with the war games and manipulation of the controlled news media that brainwashes their 99%.
The US needs political reform. I don't have the knowledge or wisdom but it seems like such reform would include getting rid of the professional politicians, reducing their salaries to a couple hundred thousand, limiting terms of office, making all special interest groups include average Americans, not the corporations, the millionaire or billionaires, the MIC, the corrupt FDA, etc.
And no more secrecy, everything public! No under the table deals, closed sessions. Let Americans hear the crap that goes on which will mean real news, not entertainment.
I worked in Iran and have talked with a some Iranians in America--the average Iranian just like the average American does not want nuclear weapons.
All you commenters should not use the terms, Iran or Iranians; US or Americans want nuclear weapons or this and that. Specify the Iranian government, the US government wants this or that. "The corrupt governments."
All this so call intelligent talk is about the less than 1% of the population and is hogwash. The average person is not represented by any of the government.
Please no nit-picky comments or intellectual BS.
The NSA is part of the corrupt Military Industrial Complex, the billionaires war game. What else can you expect?
And the US Congress is extremely corrupted. They no longer represent the average American. They represent the rich since half of Congress are millionaires and the other half are becoming millionaires. America is loosing its middle class and integrity. America sets the best example of how to get rich and ugly.
Obama is just another rich kid with a forked tongue without heart. All show and smooth talk, "signifying nothing".
The Federal Reserve is a private corporation....
A majority of Americans believe it's a US Gorernment Department.
President John F. Kennedy and his brother Robert both wanted to nationalize, close down the Fed. Both were assassinated.
Criminal billionaires are controlling the US government, the corrupt financial industry(the FED and the IMF), the news media(propaganda media), all the major corporations, the FDA(the Federal Death Administration), the education industry, the entertainment industry, etc.
Search: "federal reserve" "private corporation"
Why wasn't this solution proposed a year or more ago by any of the hundreds of politicians or Obama or any of the think tanks?
Because they have no wisdom, nor useful intelligence.
Looks like America is being torn apart by buffoons.
A law degree suggests that the holder can tell great stories, is very cunning and can spin the truth. Little wisdom, but a lot of useless intelligence.
Bar them all from political office.