The main stream media has begun the process of softening up the public for both a Syria “intervention” and a Meuller firing by running multiple stories and talking head discussions, ad nauseum, about both. When/if either or both eventuate, the public is already immunized against outrage. Ho hum.
No one can say that the Republicans are slow learners. They’ve taken up the Putin Playbook that sunk Hillary and are using it to try to save der Fuhrer. While the Democrats remain comatose in compliance, or worse.
Russian “disinformation” blogs have long trumpeted that the unholy triumvarite of The American Military Corporate Elites, Israeli/Jewish Neocons/billionaires and Saudi billionaire monarchists are committed to war with Iran, each for their own selfish reasons. The Saudis stepped up and hung a solid gold collar around the newly anointed President Trump one year ago, replacing the Russian financiers whom he had abandoned. Trump must walk a fine line on Iran if he hopes to keep the Kremlin’s dirt on him under the rug while keeping sweet with Netenyahu and the Saudis. And he seems to know that. He will stop short of crossing Putin.
Tis the season to be thankful. First, thankful for the political leadership so abjectly corrupt and incompetent that almost nothing got accomplished (certainly nothing beneficial to the citizenry) and what did get accomplished has been such huberistic over-reach and detrimental to the majority of the citizenry that it will lead to a better USA by 2020 and beyond. Maybe the 2018 elections won’t signal much change, but come April 15, 2019 and thereafter, Republicans and their sponsors may cease to exist as a force in American politics for a very long time. So let us celebrate with them this holiday season. The tax legislation to which they glowingly toast will be the stake through their heart, the silver bullet, the final nail in the Republican coffin. Just as Trump has undone much of Obama’s executive efforts on the environment, social justice, consumer protection and justice, net neutrality, corporate crime and malfeasance, etc., so to will Trumps be undone, probably before much harm can be accomplished. We will see a sweeping shift away from rule by the oligarchs and their minions, a true draining of the swamp in reaction to the recent election of Trump and Republicans to a Congress seen by Americans as captured and corrupted by billionaires and their corporations and lobbyists. Incumbent Democrats, if not the other side of the same coin, have been abjectly derelict and ineffective. They to will go. Let us rejoice that Trump and his henchmen have done what few before him have accomplished...issued a truly loud wake-up call to complacent American citizenry, one that will not be ignored.
The only interest Trump and the multi-millionaire/billionaire oligarchs have in government is money - it’s extraction, accumulation and protection. And the power it bestows. All policy, from social justice to foreign relations, is of no interest to them aside from its impact on their wealth accumulation. They fear potential targeting by those who would seek to redistribute wealth far more than religious, ethnic or other terrorism, from which they are mostly protected by their moneyed cocoon. They support white right wing Nazism as their storm troops to supplement the police state erected to protect their wealth and power. They fund a smoke and mirrors, fear- based propaganda machine to dole out the cool aid to the under educated, simple minded, unfulfilled, under achieving, unhappy and/or hate- filled for mindless consumption. The majority in Congress are, if not on the front lines of this effort (Ryan and McConnell), are at least complicit.
Unfortunately, a reading of history suggests that Homo sapiens will continue to react to its environment with its lizard brain (think the the 3 F’s of Madison Avenue, Fear, Food and, er...sex). And then we will look back with our frontal lobe capacity and project forward promises to never be so foolish again...and again...and again. In applying this to the current Middle East mess, and politics in the U.S., clearly uncontrolled, insatiable greed for money and its imprimatur of power and success is driving the ruling billionaire sociopaths to historical levels of gluttonous excess. Drive up the price for petroleum extracted from non-Muslim countries by engulfing the Muslims states in regional conflagration, taking their crude out of production or destroying it. No matter the cost to people or the planet as long as the 1% keep accruing more. Oh, they REALLY needed that tax cut, deregulation, etc., etc.
The pendulum will eventually swing back, as it did in reaction to the Gilded Age excesses of 100 years ago. But then, we didn’t have thousands of nukes, a rapidly heating planet, etc. My money says the 1% and their brain dead poor white t***h minions have signed death warrants for their own families and ours. Not optimistic about our future at all.
Peer group identity and participation as an accepted member contributing to the groups actions, its reason to exist, and thus the affirmation of the value of the individuals contribution by their peers. Be it a gang, a battalion, a clergy, a sports team, whatever. A basic, timeless, human and predominantly male dynamic. What more to understand?
Trump will serve up the leftist Kurds to be devoured by Turkey as a Thanksgiving feast for Erdogan while "trumpeting" about achieving "Piece" in the Middle East in a give-away of Palestinian West Bank claims in a sham agreement recognized primarily by Trump, Natenyahu and the Saudi Monarchy. Coming soon for your holiday entertainment...
What did the Donald do for the Saudis that "earned" him the gold jewelry around his neck? Previous POTUS's waited for the end of their reign to make their Farewell Tour of client states to collect their "gratuities". Could it be...??
Putin the pragmatist, with chess master precision, clandestinely out-classed all the American billionaire oligarchs at their own game of "King Building with Millions" and bought the latest episode of Four Years in the West Wing. American billionaires should be ecstatic; capitalist globalization, everything bought and sold everywhere, is showcased in our nation's capital by Putin's pawn turned Queen bee. Checkmate, comrades.
As Alfred W. McCoy noted in his article " The Bloodstained Rise of Gobal Populism" available on your web sight, Trump is a so-called Populist leader with the world's largest arsenal of WMDs at his disposal. Accepting the obvious lack of experience in diplomacy, and the gutting of the department (State) responsible for same, he is putting all of his cards on the table of threat, bluster and intimidation in international dealings (not to mention "business" dealings on the side by his family, the mother of all protection rackets). Is he prone to blood thirsty behavior? You decide.
The Trump Doctine, here applied to terrorists, but insert your own target in place of terrorist, as you see fit. December, 2015 on Fox News. Quote: "The other thing with (terrorists) is you have to take out their families, when you get (these terrorists), you have to take out their families. They care about their lives, don't kid yourself. When they say they don't care about their lives, you have to take out their families. "
(Parenthesis my own).
Sounds like a no-holds-barred blood-letting Trump Doctrine of Engagament to me.
As Alfred W. McCoy noted in his article " The Bloodstained Rise of Gobal Populism" available on your web sight, Trump is a so-called Populist leader with the world's largest arsenal of WMDs at his disposal. Accepting the obvious lack of experience in diplomacy, and the gutting of the department (State) responsible for same, he is putting all of his cards on the table of threat, bluster and intimidation in international dealings (not to mention "business" dealings on the side by his family, the mother of all protection rackets). Is he prone to blood thirsty behavior. You decide.
The Trump Doctine, here applied to terrorists, but insert your own target in place of terrorist, as you see fit. December, 2015 on Fox News. Quote: "The other thing with (terrorists) is you have to take out their families, when you get (these terrorists), you have to take out their smilies. They care about their lives, don't kid yourself. When they say they don't care about their lives, you have to take out their families. "
(Parenthesis my own).
Sounds like a no-holds-barred blood-letting Trump Doctrine of Engagament to me.
Not long ago, a neophyte U.S. President met with Vladimir Putin and came away star-struck by how Putin was obsequiesly obeyed by all segments of the Russian Establishment. Putin confided that it was due to his authority as commander in chief in the latest Russia vs Chechnya war. That was early 2001; we saw were that led. Now the Donald is taking lessons on domestic repression from the masters of internal disaster. Timber!!
He will do what BushCheney did. Trump up a national catastrophe and/or war, have his Republican enablers in Congress grant him Imperial powers and be on his way. Dems will "tsk, tsk" as Dems do and go along for the windfall of war profits, of course. We will meekly let our blood be spilled for the profit of the obscenely wealthy, obsessively greedy one percent of Americans and their Republican lap dogs. What else is new?
While the "Trump Show" is being observed with morbid fascination, our attention is diverted from the real devastation being enabled by the Top Trump Toady Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House and Spinless Mitch McConnell, Senate Majotity Leader. Time to focus a bright spotlight on the true leaders of the Koch Corporate Government takeover - all power, and spoils, to the wealthy few.
Many Americans do not vote from a position of rationality, education or informed opinion. Rather, theirs is a reactionary, visceral decision reached and executed in the voting booth. Trump and Republicans in general understand this basic human dynamic. They trumpet simplistic slogans that fuel the instinctive lizard brain to act, in this case vote, overriding the rationality of the frontal lobes, on emotions of hate, anger, fear, sex, hunger, etc. Democrats keep trying to sell silk purses of rational governing policy to buyers/voters of sows ears - revenge, freedom from irrational fear, satiation of desire... time to learn from failure, don't ya think?
There may be some buyers remorse out there among those who voted for Trump because they believed he was the least flawed of two badly flawed candidates, as the fake news propaganda pitched it. Now, with the revelations of a massive, deliberate foreign/Russian disinformation campaign all but confirmed (and completely ignored by Congressional Republican leadership) some of these people are equivocating to pollsters. But a tiger cannot change its stripes. Character is durable. To motivate Trump supporters to support resisting Trump, you have to motivate them to act within their belief system, not out of guilt for electing him. Baby steps at first. Say, Equal Justice under the Law (immigration - Melanie Trump's citizenship/visa issues, for example). Increasing the wealth disparity through so-called "tax reform", health care and education as basic public services paid through taxation, available free to all. Issues of nearly universal appeal, all threatened by Trump and his enablers.
Americans are strongly wedded to the concept of efqual justice under the law, if only in appearance if not fact. Including most Republicans and Trump supporters. If they believe that a highly positioned, wealthy individual was getting a pass on immigration scrutiny because of wealth and position, they would expect rectification of same. Such as the case involving the questionable issues of visas, residency and citizenship of one Melanie Trump. No person in our borders should be privileged under the law above another. Melania Trump must be held to exactly the same standards under the immigration laws of this country as her husband seeks to apply to millions upon millions of others within the USA.
Donald Trump has, and continues, to aid and abet an immigrant to evade the proper protocols for obtaining residency and citizenship in the United States of America. His wife purportedly supplied false and misleading information to Federal immigration authorities to obtain said residency and citizenship. Not one single person should be deported from this country prior to this issue being addressed by Congress and resolved.
Yes, only page one and we are down the rabbit hole...unless credible public figures immediately confront the orange idiot in public, using unflinching and hard-hitting rhetoric, in press conferences, during news briefings, interrupting non-sensical statements, "alternative" facts and the like, then the numbing and dumbing down, the normalizing of this unreality, will continue and may be come accepted as "inevitable."
Some months ago I read "Is Tomorrow Hitler's?" by H.R. Knickerbocker, written by the noted journalist in 1941 before the U.S. had entered WWII when the German blitzkreig had conquered all of the European continent save for Moscow and Stalingrad. Eight short years after coming to power with a minority of the popular vote. The historically ignorant of the American body politic can get a preview of things to come via a quick read of this fascinating book, and learn what history they have damned us to repeat. It is also illustrative of the precipitous decline in ability, knowledge and insight of journalists and publishers today. And, of course, of ALL members of both elected houses of Congress. Both are consummate disgraces to their competent predecessors.
Trumps removal of Chiefs of War and Survellience from the NSC is strictly an internal political messaging exercise. Trump has actually just cancelled, indefinitely, any scheduled, routine access these Chiefs had to POTUS. "Don't call me, I'll call you...maybe"...Can't say as I'm crying crocodile tears for the Public personae of the Military Industrial Complex (MIC). So early to set the stage for "coups" at the highest levels. Shows Trump and Brannon have hubris of no bounds and brains of no content. Can we stand an Act II?
Very insightful. Similar to the Protestant movement against the Catholic form of Christianity centuries ago. An individual, personal relationship with a creator as the basis of faith rather than promulgations from "Popes" on high enforced by parish police, the blueprint for many orthodoxies.
The thesis, however, reads as a thesis - comprehensible to the "professional" class. Not so comprehensible to vast majority of, say, Trump or Hillary voters. Preaching to the choir has rarely brought new converts. How do you/we reach those in "need", if, indeed, that is an obligation? Living our beliefs is certainly mandatory; propaganda is anathema. Parables often obscure...any ideas?
Yet another. Two of the three powers of the Federal government, legislative and executive, are effectively contravened from over-reach and/or extra constitutional lawmaking and/or enforcement activities. Citizens United shows that no such checks and balances apply to the Supreme Court of this land. Why not, and what can be done about it?
Christ told an official who asked to follow him, "First go and give all your worldly goods to the poor. Only then can you truly follow me". (Not verbatim) The Pope and his clergy fall far short of complying with Christ's dictum. They profess to be the stewards of the Church's enormous wealth. How can the Pope seek.to have us follow him and other church "leaders" who themselves ignore the basic requirement of being a TRUE follower of Christ?
Unfortunately, we live in a world in which high-functioning sociopaths hold sway. (They have even succeeded in eliminating that term from the official psychiatric association publication!) We sheep being shorn for their profit hold the only solution to interrupting their "growth/profit" uncontrollable juggernaut that threatens the earth's future livability.
Such a solution must not invoke fear, panic or any other negative stimuli that would engender negative human responses (war, genocide, etc.) It's goal must be the elimination of the needs and means of global ecosystem destruction. This MUST include, at a minimum, human population reductions to real-time sustainable levels. Irrational "solutions"such as catastrophic pandemics, wars, genocides, climate distinction, asteroids, etc., etc.cause irrational outcomes. Short of voluntary mass suicide, what are humanities' options?
This is about the 1% keeping tabs on the "troublemakers" in the 99%: given how broadly the 1% likes to stretch their definitions, all 99% of us may be a part of their concept of "troublemakers."
Eventually these abuses will come home to roost with the wealthy. They will use them to purge one another; certainly there are enough haters among them that wealthy Jews, African-Americans, Latinos, Gays, Atheists and Powerful Women should have concerns.
Santorum is just a johnny-come-lately to the neocon republican movement that started with the class of Gingrich in Congress in 1994. If you substitute "illegals" and "gays" for Jews and Slavs, this republican crop of neo-fascists are following the Nazi blueprint of late 1920's and early 1930's Germany. A significant number of 1 percenters are worried enough about the masses coming for their wealth, and the great profits to be made in armaments, that they are supporting the neocon agenda from the sidelines with their money. Arguably, these neocons have already had their day in the Bush administration and will probably not regain control of the government; but if the economy goes into decline, which is likely, watch out. The seeds of ethnic hate, uber patriotism, intolerance of non-believers, etc. is still on the rise in the heartland.
To the idea that the 1%, despite having low tax rates, end up paying a "disproportionate" share of the total American tax burden, I would like to point out this...the "bill" to Americans for protecting the wealth and well-being of the 1% has skyrocketed right along with their profits/wealth. The 99% are then burdened by exploding military and policing budgets to protect this wealth in which they DO NOT SHARE. The wealthy 1% have had their minions in Congress and local governments EXEMPT them from paying their fair share of taxes. The wealthy 1% again use their Republican Congressional mouthpieces to tell you that you should support their exemption from fair taxes because they are the "job producers." Well, so were the slave-owning plantation owners. Enslavement is the name of the game for these psychopaths.
This whole charade began when Senators and Representatives, after all their pontificating about the need for greater transparency in Wall Streets financial dealings, did a '180' and instructed the government to remove 'mark to market' as the accounting standard for these banks and financial institutions. In one stroke, largely ignored by the MSM and alternative media, Congress sold out the American home owner to bail out the Big Banks on a scale far greater than the "Bank Bailout" loan of $800 billion.
The banks now are able to add to the asset side of their ledgers all mortgages and properties, mostly foreclosed upon, at any valuation that they "deem" fair. Thus the illegal and mad rush to foreclose on American home owners having mortgages which the banks do not own, but only services. Many of the owners of Mortgage Backed securities/
Assets sold by Wall Street have already been "compensated" for these bad assets/mortgages, again, in most cases by the American taxpayer to the tune of 100 cents on the dollar as in the case of the AIG fiasco. The banks then steal the home from the deed holders to put on their books to "cover" the fact that they are BANKRUPT. The last two administrations and Congress have enabled and participated in this theft and looting of the American public. And the bought and paid "Supreme Court" runs cover for them and participates in these spoils.
This whole charade began when Senators and Representatives, spouting the need for greater transparency in Wall Streets financial dealings, then did a '180' and instructed the government to remove 'mark to market' as the accounting standard for these banks and financial institutions. In one stroke, largely ignored by the MSM and alternative media, Congress sold oput the American home owner to bail out the Big Banks on a scale far greater than the "Bank Bailout" loan of $800 billion.
The banks now are able to add to the asset side of their ledgers all mortgages and properties, mostly foreclosed upon, at any valuation that they "deem" fair. Thus the illegal and mad rush to foreclose on American home owners having mortgages to which the banks did not own, but only services. Many of the owners of Mortgage Back
Assets sold by Wall Street have already been "compensated" for these bad assets/mortgages, again, in most cases by the American taxpayer to the tune of 100 cents on the dollar as in the case of the AIG fiasco. The banks then steal the home from the deed holders to put on their books to "cover" the fact that they are BANKRUPT. The last two administrations and Congress have enabled and participated in this theft and looting of the American public. And the bought and paid "Supreme Court" runs cover for them and participates in the spoils.
Dear Professor Cole, In a few short paragraphs you have poetically and incisively described the American malaise that has so troubled concerned citizens in recent years; unfortunately, these citizens appear to be too few in number and/or silent of voice and/or incapable of public action. Sadly it seems we have educated our youth to desire only "bread and circuses" and accept the propaganda line from the wealthy elite as their own world view. This is the legacy that Baby Boomers (the "Me Generation") leave to their progeny and the world at large. Though Boomers are aged and approaching their own demise, it is not too late for them/us to reach back and resurrect the American ideals of our past, throw off our consumerist malaise and hit the streets, campuses, seats of power and, once more, in active demonstrations of protest of governance misdirection and actions that are contrary to our desires and a betrayal of our American Ideals. Gear up and get going, Grey Power!! We must use our remaining strength to redeem ourselves.
The main stream media has begun the process of softening up the public for both a Syria “intervention” and a Meuller firing by running multiple stories and talking head discussions, ad nauseum, about both. When/if either or both eventuate, the public is already immunized against outrage. Ho hum.
No one can say that the Republicans are slow learners. They’ve taken up the Putin Playbook that sunk Hillary and are using it to try to save der Fuhrer. While the Democrats remain comatose in compliance, or worse.
Russian “disinformation” blogs have long trumpeted that the unholy triumvarite of The American Military Corporate Elites, Israeli/Jewish Neocons/billionaires and Saudi billionaire monarchists are committed to war with Iran, each for their own selfish reasons. The Saudis stepped up and hung a solid gold collar around the newly anointed President Trump one year ago, replacing the Russian financiers whom he had abandoned. Trump must walk a fine line on Iran if he hopes to keep the Kremlin’s dirt on him under the rug while keeping sweet with Netenyahu and the Saudis. And he seems to know that. He will stop short of crossing Putin.
Tis the season to be thankful. First, thankful for the political leadership so abjectly corrupt and incompetent that almost nothing got accomplished (certainly nothing beneficial to the citizenry) and what did get accomplished has been such huberistic over-reach and detrimental to the majority of the citizenry that it will lead to a better USA by 2020 and beyond. Maybe the 2018 elections won’t signal much change, but come April 15, 2019 and thereafter, Republicans and their sponsors may cease to exist as a force in American politics for a very long time. So let us celebrate with them this holiday season. The tax legislation to which they glowingly toast will be the stake through their heart, the silver bullet, the final nail in the Republican coffin. Just as Trump has undone much of Obama’s executive efforts on the environment, social justice, consumer protection and justice, net neutrality, corporate crime and malfeasance, etc., so to will Trumps be undone, probably before much harm can be accomplished. We will see a sweeping shift away from rule by the oligarchs and their minions, a true draining of the swamp in reaction to the recent election of Trump and Republicans to a Congress seen by Americans as captured and corrupted by billionaires and their corporations and lobbyists. Incumbent Democrats, if not the other side of the same coin, have been abjectly derelict and ineffective. They to will go. Let us rejoice that Trump and his henchmen have done what few before him have accomplished...issued a truly loud wake-up call to complacent American citizenry, one that will not be ignored.
The only interest Trump and the multi-millionaire/billionaire oligarchs have in government is money - it’s extraction, accumulation and protection. And the power it bestows. All policy, from social justice to foreign relations, is of no interest to them aside from its impact on their wealth accumulation. They fear potential targeting by those who would seek to redistribute wealth far more than religious, ethnic or other terrorism, from which they are mostly protected by their moneyed cocoon. They support white right wing Nazism as their storm troops to supplement the police state erected to protect their wealth and power. They fund a smoke and mirrors, fear- based propaganda machine to dole out the cool aid to the under educated, simple minded, unfulfilled, under achieving, unhappy and/or hate- filled for mindless consumption. The majority in Congress are, if not on the front lines of this effort (Ryan and McConnell), are at least complicit.
Unfortunately, a reading of history suggests that Homo sapiens will continue to react to its environment with its lizard brain (think the the 3 F’s of Madison Avenue, Fear, Food and, er...sex). And then we will look back with our frontal lobe capacity and project forward promises to never be so foolish again...and again...and again. In applying this to the current Middle East mess, and politics in the U.S., clearly uncontrolled, insatiable greed for money and its imprimatur of power and success is driving the ruling billionaire sociopaths to historical levels of gluttonous excess. Drive up the price for petroleum extracted from non-Muslim countries by engulfing the Muslims states in regional conflagration, taking their crude out of production or destroying it. No matter the cost to people or the planet as long as the 1% keep accruing more. Oh, they REALLY needed that tax cut, deregulation, etc., etc.
The pendulum will eventually swing back, as it did in reaction to the Gilded Age excesses of 100 years ago. But then, we didn’t have thousands of nukes, a rapidly heating planet, etc. My money says the 1% and their brain dead poor white t***h minions have signed death warrants for their own families and ours. Not optimistic about our future at all.
Peer group identity and participation as an accepted member contributing to the groups actions, its reason to exist, and thus the affirmation of the value of the individuals contribution by their peers. Be it a gang, a battalion, a clergy, a sports team, whatever. A basic, timeless, human and predominantly male dynamic. What more to understand?
Trump will serve up the leftist Kurds to be devoured by Turkey as a Thanksgiving feast for Erdogan while "trumpeting" about achieving "Piece" in the Middle East in a give-away of Palestinian West Bank claims in a sham agreement recognized primarily by Trump, Natenyahu and the Saudi Monarchy. Coming soon for your holiday entertainment...
What did the Donald do for the Saudis that "earned" him the gold jewelry around his neck? Previous POTUS's waited for the end of their reign to make their Farewell Tour of client states to collect their "gratuities". Could it be...??
Putin the pragmatist, with chess master precision, clandestinely out-classed all the American billionaire oligarchs at their own game of "King Building with Millions" and bought the latest episode of Four Years in the West Wing. American billionaires should be ecstatic; capitalist globalization, everything bought and sold everywhere, is showcased in our nation's capital by Putin's pawn turned Queen bee. Checkmate, comrades.
As Alfred W. McCoy noted in his article " The Bloodstained Rise of Gobal Populism" available on your web sight, Trump is a so-called Populist leader with the world's largest arsenal of WMDs at his disposal. Accepting the obvious lack of experience in diplomacy, and the gutting of the department (State) responsible for same, he is putting all of his cards on the table of threat, bluster and intimidation in international dealings (not to mention "business" dealings on the side by his family, the mother of all protection rackets). Is he prone to blood thirsty behavior? You decide.
The Trump Doctine, here applied to terrorists, but insert your own target in place of terrorist, as you see fit. December, 2015 on Fox News. Quote: "The other thing with (terrorists) is you have to take out their families, when you get (these terrorists), you have to take out their families. They care about their lives, don't kid yourself. When they say they don't care about their lives, you have to take out their families. "
(Parenthesis my own).
Sounds like a no-holds-barred blood-letting Trump Doctrine of Engagament to me.
As Alfred W. McCoy noted in his article " The Bloodstained Rise of Gobal Populism" available on your web sight, Trump is a so-called Populist leader with the world's largest arsenal of WMDs at his disposal. Accepting the obvious lack of experience in diplomacy, and the gutting of the department (State) responsible for same, he is putting all of his cards on the table of threat, bluster and intimidation in international dealings (not to mention "business" dealings on the side by his family, the mother of all protection rackets). Is he prone to blood thirsty behavior. You decide.
The Trump Doctine, here applied to terrorists, but insert your own target in place of terrorist, as you see fit. December, 2015 on Fox News. Quote: "The other thing with (terrorists) is you have to take out their families, when you get (these terrorists), you have to take out their smilies. They care about their lives, don't kid yourself. When they say they don't care about their lives, you have to take out their families. "
(Parenthesis my own).
Sounds like a no-holds-barred blood-letting Trump Doctrine of Engagament to me.
Not long ago, a neophyte U.S. President met with Vladimir Putin and came away star-struck by how Putin was obsequiesly obeyed by all segments of the Russian Establishment. Putin confided that it was due to his authority as commander in chief in the latest Russia vs Chechnya war. That was early 2001; we saw were that led. Now the Donald is taking lessons on domestic repression from the masters of internal disaster. Timber!!
He will do what BushCheney did. Trump up a national catastrophe and/or war, have his Republican enablers in Congress grant him Imperial powers and be on his way. Dems will "tsk, tsk" as Dems do and go along for the windfall of war profits, of course. We will meekly let our blood be spilled for the profit of the obscenely wealthy, obsessively greedy one percent of Americans and their Republican lap dogs. What else is new?
While the "Trump Show" is being observed with morbid fascination, our attention is diverted from the real devastation being enabled by the Top Trump Toady Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House and Spinless Mitch McConnell, Senate Majotity Leader. Time to focus a bright spotlight on the true leaders of the Koch Corporate Government takeover - all power, and spoils, to the wealthy few.
Many Americans do not vote from a position of rationality, education or informed opinion. Rather, theirs is a reactionary, visceral decision reached and executed in the voting booth. Trump and Republicans in general understand this basic human dynamic. They trumpet simplistic slogans that fuel the instinctive lizard brain to act, in this case vote, overriding the rationality of the frontal lobes, on emotions of hate, anger, fear, sex, hunger, etc. Democrats keep trying to sell silk purses of rational governing policy to buyers/voters of sows ears - revenge, freedom from irrational fear, satiation of desire... time to learn from failure, don't ya think?
There may be some buyers remorse out there among those who voted for Trump because they believed he was the least flawed of two badly flawed candidates, as the fake news propaganda pitched it. Now, with the revelations of a massive, deliberate foreign/Russian disinformation campaign all but confirmed (and completely ignored by Congressional Republican leadership) some of these people are equivocating to pollsters. But a tiger cannot change its stripes. Character is durable. To motivate Trump supporters to support resisting Trump, you have to motivate them to act within their belief system, not out of guilt for electing him. Baby steps at first. Say, Equal Justice under the Law (immigration - Melanie Trump's citizenship/visa issues, for example). Increasing the wealth disparity through so-called "tax reform", health care and education as basic public services paid through taxation, available free to all. Issues of nearly universal appeal, all threatened by Trump and his enablers.
Americans are strongly wedded to the concept of efqual justice under the law, if only in appearance if not fact. Including most Republicans and Trump supporters. If they believe that a highly positioned, wealthy individual was getting a pass on immigration scrutiny because of wealth and position, they would expect rectification of same. Such as the case involving the questionable issues of visas, residency and citizenship of one Melanie Trump. No person in our borders should be privileged under the law above another. Melania Trump must be held to exactly the same standards under the immigration laws of this country as her husband seeks to apply to millions upon millions of others within the USA.
Donald Trump has, and continues, to aid and abet an immigrant to evade the proper protocols for obtaining residency and citizenship in the United States of America. His wife purportedly supplied false and misleading information to Federal immigration authorities to obtain said residency and citizenship. Not one single person should be deported from this country prior to this issue being addressed by Congress and resolved.
Yes, only page one and we are down the rabbit hole...unless credible public figures immediately confront the orange idiot in public, using unflinching and hard-hitting rhetoric, in press conferences, during news briefings, interrupting non-sensical statements, "alternative" facts and the like, then the numbing and dumbing down, the normalizing of this unreality, will continue and may be come accepted as "inevitable."
Some months ago I read "Is Tomorrow Hitler's?" by H.R. Knickerbocker, written by the noted journalist in 1941 before the U.S. had entered WWII when the German blitzkreig had conquered all of the European continent save for Moscow and Stalingrad. Eight short years after coming to power with a minority of the popular vote. The historically ignorant of the American body politic can get a preview of things to come via a quick read of this fascinating book, and learn what history they have damned us to repeat. It is also illustrative of the precipitous decline in ability, knowledge and insight of journalists and publishers today. And, of course, of ALL members of both elected houses of Congress. Both are consummate disgraces to their competent predecessors.
Trumps removal of Chiefs of War and Survellience from the NSC is strictly an internal political messaging exercise. Trump has actually just cancelled, indefinitely, any scheduled, routine access these Chiefs had to POTUS. "Don't call me, I'll call you...maybe"...Can't say as I'm crying crocodile tears for the Public personae of the Military Industrial Complex (MIC). So early to set the stage for "coups" at the highest levels. Shows Trump and Brannon have hubris of no bounds and brains of no content. Can we stand an Act II?
Very insightful. Similar to the Protestant movement against the Catholic form of Christianity centuries ago. An individual, personal relationship with a creator as the basis of faith rather than promulgations from "Popes" on high enforced by parish police, the blueprint for many orthodoxies.
The thesis, however, reads as a thesis - comprehensible to the "professional" class. Not so comprehensible to vast majority of, say, Trump or Hillary voters. Preaching to the choir has rarely brought new converts. How do you/we reach those in "need", if, indeed, that is an obligation? Living our beliefs is certainly mandatory; propaganda is anathema. Parables often obscure...any ideas?
Yet another. Two of the three powers of the Federal government, legislative and executive, are effectively contravened from over-reach and/or extra constitutional lawmaking and/or enforcement activities. Citizens United shows that no such checks and balances apply to the Supreme Court of this land. Why not, and what can be done about it?
Christ told an official who asked to follow him, "First go and give all your worldly goods to the poor. Only then can you truly follow me". (Not verbatim) The Pope and his clergy fall far short of complying with Christ's dictum. They profess to be the stewards of the Church's enormous wealth. How can the Pope seek.to have us follow him and other church "leaders" who themselves ignore the basic requirement of being a TRUE follower of Christ?
Unfortunately, we live in a world in which high-functioning sociopaths hold sway. (They have even succeeded in eliminating that term from the official psychiatric association publication!) We sheep being shorn for their profit hold the only solution to interrupting their "growth/profit" uncontrollable juggernaut that threatens the earth's future livability.
Such a solution must not invoke fear, panic or any other negative stimuli that would engender negative human responses (war, genocide, etc.) It's goal must be the elimination of the needs and means of global ecosystem destruction. This MUST include, at a minimum, human population reductions to real-time sustainable levels. Irrational "solutions"such as catastrophic pandemics, wars, genocides, climate distinction, asteroids, etc., etc.cause irrational outcomes. Short of voluntary mass suicide, what are humanities' options?
This is about the 1% keeping tabs on the "troublemakers" in the 99%: given how broadly the 1% likes to stretch their definitions, all 99% of us may be a part of their concept of "troublemakers."
Eventually these abuses will come home to roost with the wealthy. They will use them to purge one another; certainly there are enough haters among them that wealthy Jews, African-Americans, Latinos, Gays, Atheists and Powerful Women should have concerns.
Santorum is just a johnny-come-lately to the neocon republican movement that started with the class of Gingrich in Congress in 1994. If you substitute "illegals" and "gays" for Jews and Slavs, this republican crop of neo-fascists are following the Nazi blueprint of late 1920's and early 1930's Germany. A significant number of 1 percenters are worried enough about the masses coming for their wealth, and the great profits to be made in armaments, that they are supporting the neocon agenda from the sidelines with their money. Arguably, these neocons have already had their day in the Bush administration and will probably not regain control of the government; but if the economy goes into decline, which is likely, watch out. The seeds of ethnic hate, uber patriotism, intolerance of non-believers, etc. is still on the rise in the heartland.
To the idea that the 1%, despite having low tax rates, end up paying a "disproportionate" share of the total American tax burden, I would like to point out this...the "bill" to Americans for protecting the wealth and well-being of the 1% has skyrocketed right along with their profits/wealth. The 99% are then burdened by exploding military and policing budgets to protect this wealth in which they DO NOT SHARE. The wealthy 1% have had their minions in Congress and local governments EXEMPT them from paying their fair share of taxes. The wealthy 1% again use their Republican Congressional mouthpieces to tell you that you should support their exemption from fair taxes because they are the "job producers." Well, so were the slave-owning plantation owners. Enslavement is the name of the game for these psychopaths.
This whole charade began when Senators and Representatives, after all their pontificating about the need for greater transparency in Wall Streets financial dealings, did a '180' and instructed the government to remove 'mark to market' as the accounting standard for these banks and financial institutions. In one stroke, largely ignored by the MSM and alternative media, Congress sold out the American home owner to bail out the Big Banks on a scale far greater than the "Bank Bailout" loan of $800 billion.
The banks now are able to add to the asset side of their ledgers all mortgages and properties, mostly foreclosed upon, at any valuation that they "deem" fair. Thus the illegal and mad rush to foreclose on American home owners having mortgages which the banks do not own, but only services. Many of the owners of Mortgage Backed securities/
Assets sold by Wall Street have already been "compensated" for these bad assets/mortgages, again, in most cases by the American taxpayer to the tune of 100 cents on the dollar as in the case of the AIG fiasco. The banks then steal the home from the deed holders to put on their books to "cover" the fact that they are BANKRUPT. The last two administrations and Congress have enabled and participated in this theft and looting of the American public. And the bought and paid "Supreme Court" runs cover for them and participates in these spoils.
This whole charade began when Senators and Representatives, spouting the need for greater transparency in Wall Streets financial dealings, then did a '180' and instructed the government to remove 'mark to market' as the accounting standard for these banks and financial institutions. In one stroke, largely ignored by the MSM and alternative media, Congress sold oput the American home owner to bail out the Big Banks on a scale far greater than the "Bank Bailout" loan of $800 billion.
The banks now are able to add to the asset side of their ledgers all mortgages and properties, mostly foreclosed upon, at any valuation that they "deem" fair. Thus the illegal and mad rush to foreclose on American home owners having mortgages to which the banks did not own, but only services. Many of the owners of Mortgage Back
Assets sold by Wall Street have already been "compensated" for these bad assets/mortgages, again, in most cases by the American taxpayer to the tune of 100 cents on the dollar as in the case of the AIG fiasco. The banks then steal the home from the deed holders to put on their books to "cover" the fact that they are BANKRUPT. The last two administrations and Congress have enabled and participated in this theft and looting of the American public. And the bought and paid "Supreme Court" runs cover for them and participates in the spoils.
Dear Professor Cole, In a few short paragraphs you have poetically and incisively described the American malaise that has so troubled concerned citizens in recent years; unfortunately, these citizens appear to be too few in number and/or silent of voice and/or incapable of public action. Sadly it seems we have educated our youth to desire only "bread and circuses" and accept the propaganda line from the wealthy elite as their own world view. This is the legacy that Baby Boomers (the "Me Generation") leave to their progeny and the world at large. Though Boomers are aged and approaching their own demise, it is not too late for them/us to reach back and resurrect the American ideals of our past, throw off our consumerist malaise and hit the streets, campuses, seats of power and, once more, in active demonstrations of protest of governance misdirection and actions that are contrary to our desires and a betrayal of our American Ideals. Gear up and get going, Grey Power!! We must use our remaining strength to redeem ourselves.