Why OWS Is The Next Republican Boogeyman
By louisehartmann
The Boogeyman is dead, and Santa is dying.
The Republicans have been, since the 1930s, the party of the Boogeyman. They led the fear-based crusades against Communists, first with the Blacklist, then Joe McCarthy’s hearings, then the twin fears of Communist Mao and the Communist USSR. With the death of the Soviet Union, and the corporate embrace of still-Communist China, 9/11 let them turn their fears to “radical Islam.”
But when President Obama killed Bin Laden, it took the steam out of their movement. And to make matters worse, Obama had earlier gone to Egypt and said, in essence, “Tear down these dictators!” – helping spark the Arab Spring and totally deflating the Republican fear machine, which now sputters along on the fringes trembling about Bachmann’s gays, Santorum’s fertilized eggs, and Perry’s immigrants. The likelihood of Mormon Romney’s presidential candidacy means they can’t even add “God” to their traditional “Gays, Guns, and God” trinity of GOP fears.
Without something or someone to be afraid of, the Republicans are truly lost, wandering in the wilderness. And no matter how hard they try to gin up fear of the “dreaded deficit bomb,” it just doesn’t make Americans jump the way the USSR’s nukes did two generations ago, or 9/11 did a decade ago. So now they’re trying to whip up fear of the Occupy Wall Street folks, but so far OWS has the sympathy of average Americans; it’s just not working for the Republicans.
But the Democrats aren’t doing much better.
Back in 1976, Republican strategist Jude Wanniski invented the phrase “supply side economics” and then proposed his famous “Two Santa Clauses theory” to sell it.
Democrats, he said, had always been the party of Santa – bearing gifts to the American people like unemployment insurance, Social Security, Medicare, the 40-hour workweek, safe workplaces, clean air and water, and the minimum wage. What the American people needed, they got – and they got it from the Democrats playing the role of Santa.
The Republicans, Wanniski pointed out, had always been the anti-Santa party, saying “No” to virtually every single “Santa gift” Democrats wanted to give to the American people, for over a century.
But, Wanniski reasoned, if the Republicans could become Santas themselves – give the American people an annual gift – and at the same time could force the Democrats to stop being Santas (in Wanniski’s words, “force the Democrats to shoot Santa”), then the Democrats would be neutralized and Republicans could win elections.
His strategy was simple, and picked up virtually from Day One by the Reagan administration in 1981: When Republicans are in the White House, cut taxes dramatically (particularly on the rich, but talk about the tax cuts to working people), while also jacking up spending to bubble-stimulate the economy and make it look like the good times are flowing. And when Democrats are in the White House, block all tax increase and spending measures while screaming hysterically about the “debt bomb,” forcing austerity and economic pain for everyday Americans.
Reagan dutifully ran up more debt in 8 years than every president from George Washington to Jimmy Carter – combined. And he spent those borrowed trillions, which bubble-pumped the economy and made people think he had some wonder-cure economic patent-medicine.
Herbert Walker Bush followed Reagan’s lead, adding trillions more to the debt and throwing in a war for good effort.
When Clinton came in, the “Debt Bomb!” screams began, so Clinton dutifully shot the Santa Claus of “welfare as we know it” and kneecapped “the era of big government.”
George W. Bush put Wanniski’s program on steroids, giving the most massive Republican Santa tax-cut for billionaires in history, while borrowing almost $6 trillion and spending it all so fast, stretching the bubble so hard, that it actually popped in the last year of his presidency.
For three decades, Wanniski’s strategy has worked brilliantly for Republicans and their rich donors, with the added bonus of largely wiping out the once-politically-active and pesky unionized middle class. Three Republican presidents ran the nation’s debt up to such incredibly high levels that President Obama is now talking about shooting Santa Claus – this time, cutting Medicare and other benefits.
But Wanniski hadn’t figured on the collapse of the USSR when he put forth his theory, so now both parties are politically impotent. Republicans can’t convince Americans to be terrified anymore, given that Obama’s pretty handily (and cheaply) chopped the head off Al Queda, the Republican’s most recent boogeyman. And Democrats can’t play Santa Claus any more because the Republicans ran up so much debt, and taxes are so low, there’s no way to get enough money to revive Santa.
It’s going to make for a fascinating electoral season, as Republicans try to gin back up any fear card they can find because, to their chagrin, nobody’s really all that afraid anymore of gays, communists, or Muslims. Democrats, meanwhile, are trying to revive Santa Claus, but Republicans in the House and Senate are successfully blocking their efforts to raise the taxes on rich people and corporations necessary to bring Santa back to life.
So – at least for the moment – it’s dueling straw men.
Republicans are telling their base the next boogeyman is “Occupy Wall Street,” and using GOP TV (aka “Fox News”) and a well-funded punditocracy to push out the message. Democrats are repeatedly – but unsuccessfully – bringing before Congress proposals to revive Santa, with unemployment insurance extensions; jobs for infrastructure, teachers, and cops; and free healthcare for the growing class of the working poor via Medicare. But the American people – at least so far – actually like the OWS movement (even Republicans!), and the last election stripped Obama of the electoral advantage needed to actually pass Santa Claus legislation.
Which is why the electorate seems largely asleep, and political discussions seem vapid.
Barring another attack on America before November 2012, or the OWS movement turning violent, Republicans have lost their boogeyman. And so long as Tea Party control of the House of Representatives remains unbroken, Democrats have lost access to their Santa Claus.
Wanniski and Reagan are dead, but their legacy – and strategy – lives on…
Comments
#2
"What began as the gathering of just a few US Marines has now become a major organized movement to get Marines and military personnel of all branches to Occupy America nationwide. You can thank Marine Sgt. Shamar Thomas for that. One Brave Marine vs. A Platoon of 30 Cops His actions last week have inspired service men and women across the country to take a stand for the American people and join the Occupy protests." Occupy America Nationwide!
TO THE BRAVE AND HONORABLE MARINES OF OCCUPY AMERICA NATIONWIDE: HERE IS THE INFORMATION WHICH IF YOU DO NOT KNOW ABOUT WILL GREATLY ASSIST YOU IN ASSISTING YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF OCCUPY WALL STREET, AS WELL AS OCCUPATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. IF ALL MILITARY PERSONELLE WORLD WIDE JOIN WITH YOU, MUCH CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED. YOU ARE THE PROTECTION OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, YOUR PRESENT CONSTITUTION AS WELL AS YOUR NATION, UNDIVIDED.
WASHINGTON D.C. IS ONE OF THE THREE SEGMENTS BELONGING TO THE POWER WHICH RULES THE WORLD.
http://www.thedailybell.com/2355/How-the-City-of-London-Controls-World-Power-.html
#3
Excellent points Thom, though I would not say, murdering Sheik Osamah took the steam out of the movement at all. If anything, the movement became even stronger and will continue to grow. Your comments undergird our earlier expressed viewpoints that both parties have lost their credibility with the population and must be dissolved for the good of the country. This is why we must all stay focused now on the beginning phases of the solution in detail until we follow it through in detail to its final conclusion. Thom and Louise, thank you for the use of your blog. Just because we have not mentioned you, please do not think you are not included. You both are a tremendous asset to the entire operation and cause. We are all a unit or one. - Cygnus1
Let us again look at the following:
"THE INTERNATIONAL MONEY ORDER IS GLOBAL PUBLIC PROPERTY! All people of this planet must use it to survive. All have need of it to even exist! Anyone having no money might as well be dead!! And those who indeed have none, have also lost their right to life, which by all international standards of rights and dignity of the human being is (on paper at least) guaranteed and allegedly protected. THE GLOBAL FUNCTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL MONEY ORDER OF TODAY DENIES ALL WHICH IS SACRED TO BEING A MEMBER OF EARTH'S HUMAN FAMILY!
The only possible conclusion from this reality is the fact that in light of it THE GLOBAL MONEY SYSTEM DOES NOT BELONG TO THE 1%'ers of this world to enrich themselves only, IT BELONGS INDEED TO ALL OF US!! Therefore no group which calls itself "privileged" or "distinct from the rest (the "rest" in this case meaning the majority 99%'ers) can rightfully claim ownership of all of this world's money - just because they have created it "by the stroke of a pen".
Well then, what are we, the 99%'ers, going to do about it? WE WILL REMOVE THE 1%'ers OUT OF THEIR POSITIONS OF POWER WHICH THEY HAVE ALWAYS ABUSED AGAINST THE NATURAL INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE! We will use our militaries and police forces to do this in conjuction with all intelligence information provided by the people as well as the people's national security offices. The term "National Security" from now on will mean: SECURITY OF THE PEOPLE OF THE NATION!" by Teneraansis
Semper Fi: Occupy Marines Bringing Reinforcements To Occupy The Nation #Ows
“The gathering of just a few US Marines has become a major organized movement to get Marines, police and all branches of military personnel to Occupy America nationwide"
www.whatreallyhappened.com
NOW THAT THE FIELD COMMAND IS GETTING IN PLACE IT IS TIME TO GIVE THE MARINES A HELPING HAND. - Cygnus1
“#OCCUPYMARINES Are Preparing To Occupy America NATIONWIDE” by palindromedary
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&add...
“OccupyMARINES Are Currently Assessing The Current Situation To Ascertain What Is Currently Needed To Support OWS America. We Are Humbled At The Substantial Support OWS America Has Provided And Ask That Everyone Continue As You All Do While We Implement Organization Nationwide. As We All Know, ‘Occupy’ Groups Are Being Established Even Now And Would Like To See This Trend Continue. “
#4
I'm kind of expecting something big is about to happen. The wag-the-dog empire is losing control and needs to create something really big to distract us from a massive revolt. Could it be that by freeing up the troops in Iraq...they now have the ability to concentrate on invading Iran? Oh, evil Iran with all their weapons of mass destruction...nukes (power plants) even...and will talk of mushroom clouds, crop dusters, gas masks, and duct tape work this time? I wonder which tall buildings our ruling tricksters will target this time...or maybe even they realize it would be too obvious to everyone if they tried this again. So...let's see what else could they do to frighten everyone into frightened subservience? Oh no! Not that! Nancy Grace is going to be on all channels screaming about Aliens attacking Aruba and kidnapping debutantes? That will go on for years I'm afraid. Afraid? Yes, very afraid! Be very afraid, America! It could happen here! It could happen tomorrow! The end of civilization..as we know it!
#5
Edward Bernays, double nephew of Sigmund Freud, changed the term "propaganda" to the euphemistic term "public relations" and worked for Woodrow Wilson during WWI to convince the public that it's war efforts was primarily for the purpose of "bringing democracy to all of Europe". He is known as "the father of public relations". The Nazis had Goebbels and we had Bernays. Bernays believed that the public was not to be trusted with democracy and needed to make the people believe in a course of politics that would serve the interests of the ruling elite. He believed that people's beliefs and actions "could be harnessed and channeled by a corporate elite for economic benefit. Through the use of mass production, big business could fulfill constant craving of the inherently irrational and desire driven masses"*
"In(Bernay's book) 'Propaganda' (1928), Bernays argued that the manipulation of public opinion was a necessary part of democracy:
The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. ...We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of. This is a logical result of the way in which our democratic society is organized. Vast numbers of human beings must cooperate in this manner if they are to live together as a smoothly functioning society. ...In almost every act of our daily lives, whether in the sphere of politics or business, in our social conduct or our ethical thinking, we are dominated by the relatively small number of persons...who understand the mental processes and social patterns of the masses. It is they who pull the wires which control the public mind."
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Bernays
Bernays went on to be very instrumental in the public relations and marketing departments of many top US corporations. How to use psychology to get more people to buy things that they may not even need.
So all of this psychology to get people to spend their money....and then they have the gall to later blame people for spending their money which is why, they claim, people don't have any money any more. It has absolutely nothing to do with the 30 years of Reaganomics, of Union Busting, of wage and benefit pinching..or rising prices...and continued psychological ploys in marketing. Of course not...it's all the fault of people who can't handle their money or who didn't work hard enough or save enough for the long term...saving for retirement (all which were raided by Wall Street gamblers).
The people know they've been shafted by a corrupt system and are now rebelling in the streets. And now they are even being assisted by the Marines and other armed forces...and I am hoping that this is not some covert infiltration to crack down on the people. I am hoping that it is what they say it is that they believe they are in the same boat as the rest of us...maybe even more so...and they have as much to lose as everyone else..maybe even more. But if they are infiltrators that could snap to attention and crack down on the demonstrators then we will have been had. They've sent infiltrators into dissident groups before...lots of times. So, I'd say welcome them with open arms but verify...keep your eyes and ears open for any indications that they are not who or what they say they are....ie: on the side of the demonstrators. If these Marines actually do step in and help stop these white-shirted gestapo pigs from exercising their sadist fantasies of beating or pepper spraying demonstrators then I will be cheering the Marines on and honoring them in their endeavors. Of course we also have to realize that if this actually happens it could escalate.
#6
Palindromedary, speaking of "false flag" operations for the purpose of justifying their debauched military operations, they did it in Pearl Harbour to justify entering WW2, they gave us the lie of WMD's allegedly in posession of Iraq to enter that war, and they brought the 2 towers down as a false flag operation to assail Afghanistan with the intent of stealing that nation's resouces and resurrect the narcotic's trade, which the Taliban had completely snuffed out.
I share your concern over some extraordinary event being planned to justify the next U.S. military operations against Syria and Iran on behalf of Israel, with the side benefit of covering up for their troubles at home they have with the containment of protest movements by the downtrodden. These wicked people always start wars when their popularity at home has sunk beyond recovery. Let us trust this time that the mood of the people is soured beyond recovery to no longer support any more of such atrocities, and that the U.S. military will THIS TIME NOT be compliant to orders for more bombing abuse coming from the White House. Instead of starting a new war against Syria, those who this time will give such orders, must be arrested and neutralized in their efforts to create more of the same mass killings and near destruction of entire civilizations as we have witnessed in the past!
#7
Viligance and awareness by all participants in protest movements can prevent successful infiltration for the purpose of destroying the movement. It all comes down to UNITY among them, and the diversity of messages coming from the protesters is in this case irrelevant to the movement's goal, for all are at the receiving end of elite orchestrated brutality against people's lives and dignity. Artificially inflicted suffering on the people is strong motivation for them to remain united.
#8
I tend to think that both parties are strongly to blame for all the scare tactics that are out there. I mean they are all guilty of stereotyping and trying to scare old people and children.
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Gambling at an online casino and playing roulette does not have to mean spending all of your gambling funds at one casino because you have many choices.
#9
Greed vs. Generosity ----
The population no more than unifies against corruption than corruption seeks to divide that unity through exploitation of ideologies. Dividing the population into camps one against the other. Tea Party VS OWS , Blue Dogs VS Progressives, Physical Conservatives VS Neo Conservatives, Democrats against Republicans, Christianity against Islam, Mormons against Evangelists , Wealth vs Poverty ,whatever, and however.
"It's raining in the mountains and the rivers on the rise, we can't hardly reach the other side.
The Devil he's in trouble , I can see it in his eyes, if you don't give him shelter he has no place to hide. "
Hoyt Axton
#10
Just as the elite have their millions of eyes watching the downtrodden people and people of all distinctions, we, the people, of the protesting forces across America and the world must do the same. It is simply taking their strategies including quantitative easing (as a bulwark against present poverty) and employing them against the 1% and their underdogs and to the benefit of the people.
The marines have stated that they intend upon seeing OWS'ers (and other protesters throughout the country) through the winter days in order that the protests have time to continue to grow in force and power.
This tenacity of the marines should bring about a strength among those who are of the weaker ones, such as the police who are weak because they cannot seem to separate themselves from the dictates of the 1%, because of the paychecks. Many such weak ones then come to believe that if they have the support of the marines (who are so well thought of by their own country) that they, too, should be able to protest. I am thinking indicatively of the police forces. I do not believe there are many police who wish to go head on with even one marine as was shown in the now known famous clip depicting the marine against the 32 policemen/*women in NYC.
So I would say be cautious, but I believe these marines are on the side of the American protesters and if there be any infilitration at all, then those marines will be able to spot them faster than anyone else, and that must be to our benefit.
I do agree that the White House and Pentagon pulled by the strings of the 1%, will definitely be looking toward a new senerio of destruction, either in the United States or the Middle East.
It is highly likely that the new senerio of destruction will be right here in the United States due to the fact, with the American soldiers coming home (if they make it that far), and with the National Guard overseas (put there by the Bush Jr. regime), those home-bound soldiers are the ones which the White House and Pentagon will need for something other than joining in with Occupy Marines, under Marine control, or should we say "Leadership."
One Veteran, Alex Limkin said:
“There is nothing more central to a free and democratic people than the right to dissent, the right to disagree, the right to stand up in the town square and be heard… I feel quite sure that in standing in solidarity with the peaceful Occupy Wall Street movement, I am doing no less than upholding my oath as an American soldier.”
"Marines were already beginning to support the Occupy Wall Street movement. Now they are bring reinforcements from the Marine Corps and other branches of the United States military, to put their organizational skills, patriotism, and resilience to good use in the effort to give more weight to the protests and help them continue the fight to change America indefinitely. For years, they have fought for us in countries far away. Now, they fight beside us in America."
The marines have fought in other countries not for the protection of the American people, but were in other countries for,opening the pathway for American corporations to pillage the natural resources belonging to other countries thus filling the bank accounts of the 1%'er and their henchmen (governments) and opportunists (players of the stock market). Cygnus1
#11
Veterans ? --------- ?
" those home-bound soldiers are the ones which the White House and Pentagon will need for something other than joining in withOccupy Marines, under Marine control, or should we say "Leadership."
Support the Troops ? Support the Veterans ? Talk the talk ? Walk the walk ? and if you can't fix em' stop maken' em'.
If you can't afford to fix em' ? Stop maken" em' ?
T. O.
#12
THE ONE PERCENT AND THEIR MILLION OF EYES TORMENT LITTLE CHILDREN AND TAKE AWAY THEIR FREEDOMS RIGHT IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WHERE "FREEDOM" IS SUPPOSED TO BE AVAILABLE FOR ALL! THINK WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF THE DAY COMES THAT AMERICAN CHILDREN DRAW PICTURES DEPICTING THE REVOLUTION IN THE UNITED STATES AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT AND THE 1% THEY WORK FOR, FOR THAT IS THE DIRECTION THE 1% AND THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT IS TAKING THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
12 YEAR OLD CHILD FROM GAZA RESPONDS TO THE CENSORING OF HIS ARTWORK
"Following last month’s decision by the Museum of Children’s Art (MOCHA) in Oakland, California, to shut down an art exhibition of drawings by Palestinian children in Gaza, one of the child artists included in the exhibit has illustrated his response to being censored.
"The Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA) has posted this new drawing by 12-year-old Ali Hassan al Baba of Deir el Balah in the Gaza Strip, as well as a short interview with him:"
TALK ABOUT BLACKMAIL OF AN OCCUPIED NATION! AND THE UNITED STATES HAS LONG BEEN DRAGGED INTO THIS LOCK, STOCK, AND BARREL SUPPORTING ISRAEL WITH ARMS AND U.S. CITIZENS MONETARY WEALTH, LEAVING THE AMERICAN POOR, DESTITUTE AND IN THE STREETS FOR NO GOOD CAUSE!
IF PALESTINE GIVES UP ITS BID FOR STATEHOOD, ISRAEL WILL RELEASE MORE PRISONERS
#13
What on earth are you talking about?!
#14
I disagree that the Boogeyman is dead- he still hides behinds Bushes and Hedges, especially in the dark, so don't go out without your walker stick.
#15
Congratulations to Democrat Mayor Mike McGinn of Seattle for enforcing the law and keeping Westlake park as clean as possible and letting the 99.9% of non protesters try to enjoy the city. Good on him.
#16
It isn't exactly ------- rocket science.
If it is helpful to view it in mathematical terms :
Exclusion subtracts as surely as Inclusion adds.
#17
This statement of Republican in and destroy the middle class is true. The statement that the democrat all the problems and the blame is also true. But both seem to find taxation of the middle class there only hope to survive and get reelected. Because they both get convinced to help corporations to receive government funds. I have an idea cut politician salary by 20% and then tax the politicians double. That would make their salary about 40,000 dollars a year then take away health care and when not in session make them go volunteer in a soup kitchen. Then maybe they will start to feel the meaning "working poor" and start feeling like an American.
#18
This weekend at Seattle Occupy there was this man talking about mortgages and different sub-prime products that were sold to people. He also mentioned some basic economic principles - supply is high – available buyers are low the price is low. Supply low –available buyers high the price is high. This would inflate prices of houses and create increase in prices because more eligible buyers in the market. But people were agreeing to a disaster that we now know is the bubble burst or being under water in their mortgages. Banks made more money on interest rates, closing cost and mortgages being paid and now they get to own your house when it is foreclosed on. Maybe eventually we will see National bank of foreclosed houses rental office. But, today in my small community in one year three new business started to pursue the American dream of opening their own business. All three business have closed today. That may seem normal but there are two business where the rent tripled and that is why they went out of business. If the banks own all the houses in America and start to rent them out to people we may see one day where all our money just goes to back to the bank and three families are living in a studio apartment here in America. You may see debt that is left in a will that someone in your next generation will have to pay for. Or the banks will be given that right of lien on the next generation for any debts that you do not pay before your death and is not paid by your estate. I heard the other day that cities are judged on credit worthiness based on population, median income and unemployment rate(sounds reasonable). I noticed something with myself. I had two incomes and lived in area my whole life (until recently). I would try to get credit in the place where I lived my whole life and my credit was average. I moved to a new location a smaller community and had very little income, with long term unemployment and my credit score increased 120 points. Does this mean that corporate America can also influence where people live? Does this mean that corporate America can break up families and create poverty in certain American communities and keep that community in poverty? Do you think Thomas Jefferson or the original congress of 1776, said, "Wait, we need some Americans to remain in poverty and we will re-define happiness for the people later." The original congress agreed upon "certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and pursuit of happiness." Just a thought.
#19
HERE IS WHAT THE PEOPLE OF LIBYA HAVE DONE TO THEMSELVES! STABBING THEMSELVES IN THE BACK FOR THE BANKERS, THE GLOBAL CORPORATE POWERS, AND THE OPPORTUNISTS!
COLONEL QADAFFI MAY HAVE BEEN HARSH WITH HIS OPPONENTS BUT THAT WAS BECAUSE HE WAS NON-TOLERANT OF PEOPLE WHO TRIED TO DESTROY THE PARADISE WHICH HE WAS BUILDING FOR LIBYA AND ALL OF AFRICA.. THE LIBYANS BOUGHT GAS AT A RATE WHICH THEY COULD AFFORD AND NOT THE MARKET PRICE WHICH MOST OF THE OTHER OIL RICH COUNTRIES SELL TO THEIR CITIZENS! THEN THERE WAS COLONEL QADAFFI'S WONDERFUL WATER SYSTEM INVENTION. PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN DID THE SAME: A NICKEL A LITRE. MANY OTHER EXPENSES FOR THE PEOPLE WERE ALSO LOOKED AFTER, SAUDI ARABIA INCLUDED, IN THIS. FOR EXAMPLE: ALL THE UNIVERSITY FEES PAID FOR OUT OF OIL PROFITS FOR ALL THOSE WHO WISH TO GO OVERSEAS TO WESTERN UNIVERSITIES.
ANYONE EVEN TRYING TO BRING A PARADISAICAL SYSTEM TO THE WORLD HAS ALWAYS BEEN TORMENTED AND HARRASSED AND THREATENED AND SILENCED IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER BY THE 1% AND THEIR MILLIONS OF EYES AND THE MILITARIES THEY CONTROL.
BLACKMAIL AND DEMONIZATION AND LIES NEVER CEASE UNTIL THE WORLD HAS THE ENTIRELY WRONG VIEW OF A LEADER AND WHAT HE OR SHE IS TRYING TO DO FOR THE GOOD OF THAT NATION'S POPULATION. EVERY POPULATION IS WELL DESERVING AND LIBYA HAD ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH BRINGING DOWN THE LOCKERBY JET! WHAT A BLOODY LIE!
COLONEL QADAFFI OPENED HIS OWN BANK USING HIS OWN CURRENCY, SO LIBYA COULD BE IN CHARGE OF IT ALL AND THEREFORE BENEFIT THE PEOPLE OF HIS NATION. A GRAVE SIN AS FAR AS THE BANKING ELITE ARE CONCERNED, IS IT NOT?! PRESIDENT LINCOLN DID IT AND SO DID PRESIDENT J.F. KENNEDY IN THEIR OWN RIGHT. ALL THREE WERE ASSASSINATED. PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN WAS IN THE SAME LEAGUE, AND MANY THINGS WERE FREE IN IRAQ PICKED UP BY THE OIL REVENUE. SAUDI ARABIA IS THE SAME. IF YOU ARE WISHING TO GO TO UNIVERSITY THE GOVERNMENT PICKS UP THE TAB. NEVER DO THE CITIZENS NEED TO PAY BACK ANYONE AND LOANS ARE GIVEN FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND IF THEY CANNOT PAY BACK THAT IS ALL RIGHT TOO! EVEN PRESIDENT MUBARAK, WITH ALL HIS SINS, TRIED TO MOVE EGYPT AWAY FROM THE U.S. CURRENCY AND TO THE EURO, AROUND THE VERY SAME TIME PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN WAS DOING THE SAME THING WITH THE DINAR.
ON THE NEXT POSTING YOU, THE PEOPLE, ARE GOING TO HEAR FROM A LIBYIN HIMSELF, EXACTLY WHAT IT MEANT TO LIVE IN LIBYA UNDER COLONEL QADAFFI. READ AND LEARN!
THE FREEDOMS AND RIGHTS WHICH THE PROTESTERS IN NEW YORK HAVE BEING FIGHTING FOR, THE LIBYAN FOOLS HAVE JUST FOUGHT AGAINST AND GIVEN UP ALL THEY HAD, FOR A FEW OPPORTUNISTS TO BRING LIBYA COMPLETELY LOCK, STOCK AND BARREL, UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE BANKING 1% ETITE AND THEIR UNDERDOGS!
WHAT IDIOTS! THEY GET WHAT THEY ALL DESERVE!
#20
List of Good Things Muammar Gaddafi Done for The People of Libya TweetPublished by tnvrstar | October 25, 2011 - 41 sec ago
"In this Column I will tell you how people of Libya spent their lives during the period of Muammar Gaddafi. I will exclude all the bad things and only discuss about the Good hings only.
Muammar Gaddafi is dead! Well we all know about that. But some of the thing you might not know. This is why I am writing this short article to let you know about his contribution to Libya. Yes he was not a good leader , he had many political problems. But still he has done some good work for his country. So, I have decided to share some of his good things.
If you are thinking I am a Gaddafi supporter then you are wrong. I am not a Gaddafi supporter , neither I am like other people who are dancing because he is dead. I am just sharing some of the good things by excluding the bad one. I know most of you are fed off, by listening all the bad things about him. Most of the people will argue about these facts but they arguably true.
Muammar Gaddafi's contribution to the people of Libya:
1. All the newly weds people of Libya used to get about 50,000 dollars from Government to lead a very happy life.
2. Home is the basic right of every citizen of Libya.
3. There was no electricity bill in Libiya. Electricity is free.
4. No interest loan for the people of Libya according to Law. Gaddafi was against interest since interest is forbidden in Islam.
5. Gaddafi has increased the literacy rate from 25% to 83%. Education expenses in Government universities are free in Libya.
6. Medical expenses in Government hospitals was free in Libya.
7. The price of the patrol was 0.14 cents in Libya. Yes we all know Libya has got good petroleum resources. But the price seems to be too low. Isn't it?
8. When Libyan citizen buys a car, Government used to subsidized 50% of the price of the car. 50%? sounds great!
9. A huge bread used to cost only 15 cents in Libya.
10. The GDP per capita of Libya is very high. Over 15,000 us dollars. Purchasing power was very high compare to the GDP.
11. The economy of Libya was improving rapidly. In 2010 it had 10% growth. It has not external debts. It also has the reserves amount of 150+ billion dollars.
12. Unemployment fees were given from the government until the person finds a Job.
13. A Libyan mother used to get 5000 us dollars for giving birth a child.
There were some of the things people of Libya got from the Government of Gaddafi. I hope you have enjoyed reading about these facts, They are all past now. Libyan people are hoping for a better leader. Can they find their true leader? Please do comment and make sure to share the articles to let other know ;)."
#21
Thom Hartmann, 10/24/2011
The next boogeyman - Iran
Thanking you for this opportunity to comment -
James M. de Laurier
#22
I want the same Santa the Scandinavian countries have and I'll gladly contribute whatever tax rate is required to achieve their level of societal happiness and harmony. The real boogeyman goes by the name of UNREGULATED CAPITALISM and he's real good at frightening our elected officials into supporting financial deregulation, inequitable tax codes, and trade laws which all promote extreme wealth inequality, societal unhappiness, and great disharmony......aka the Grinch who stole Christmas!
#23
To be a Republican today, one must be Rich, Cruel, or ignorant, and they are not mutually exclusive.
#24
Okay, let me just continue on the legacy of Col. Gadaffi as reported by two postings from cygnus1. The article to which I am responding is an awesome eye opener. I am embarrased not having known enough about this Libyan (now) murdered leader to write about him, his leadership, and the nation he created under nearly 40 years of his autocratic rule.
The concept I have embraced can be cupped in this simple statement: PEOPLES AND NATIONS OUGHT NOT ALLOW THEMSELVES TO BE RULED BY AN INFLEXIBLE SYSTEM, FOR SUCH A SYSTEM IS INSENSITIVE TO THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE, AND ALSO DESPOTIC IN ITS APPROACH TO THE PEOPLE'S CONCERN. The counterbalance to rule by the system is MAN-RULE with the qualifier of "RIGHTEOUNESS" attached to it. Righteous man-rule is the answer to the problems a rigid (democratic) system rule represents. And I believe Col. Gadaffi took ample opportunity of his time to serve the people of Libya with "rule by a righteous man," and for the goodness of which he created, he in the end became murdered by the established financial/capitalist/despotic/democratic/diabolical order of "rule by the system," being inflexible, murderous, cold blooded, hating all that is good, and loving all which is evil.
All I knew about Gaddafi was the words he spoke two years ago at the United Nations, and I credited this man at the time as the winner among all who have spoken the most common sense. I don't believe he deserved the western/imperialist death sentence he was given when his nation became attacked by the "rats" from his own country and NATO bombing from the skies.
The only conclusion I have in light of what I have spoken is this: What the leaders of the ideologically controlled west have done to this patriot of his own country and champion of a liberated Africa is this: EYE FOR AN EYE AND TOOTH FOR A TOOTH. Universal justice may just play itself out to re-create balance in this heinous crime committed against the leader of a sovereign state. A revolution for restoration of justice is already underway in the United States. What magnificent consolation to a righteous mind, when that revolution in the end has been successful!
#25
On Obama using executive orders to get things done...
Here are my suggestions for executive orders:
* create/fund good paying jobs to take care of the parks and the people occupying them.
* give loads of cash to the police department to fund good treatment of the occupiers
* create an executive committee of your appointments to hear the redress of the 99%
#26
No, it's more than just a "thought." The "American Dream" of owning a home and living a comfortable middle-class life has been under threat for a long time, primarily because banks simply charge interest on loans, which by pure mathematics can never be repaid unless other people also enter into debt to pump money into circulation, funds which are then being withdrawn out of circulation by those who successfully make payments to the banks WITH INTEREST on their own loans. That process over time depletes funds out of circulation and causes lack of purchasing power, bankruptcies and unemployment, precursors for a revolution.
You wonder why your personal credit rating has soared by 120 points after moving into a smaller community of high unemployment? THE BANKS WANT YOU TO BORROW MONEY IN ANTICIPATION THAT YOU WILL FAIL, AND THEN TAKE YOUR REAL ASSETS OVER IN LIEU OF THE OUTSTANDING UNPAID BALANCE. This is a trick whereby real assets belonging to the people are being transfered under their control. ...A trick to wrestle ownership out of your hand and transfer your real wealth into their own filthy hands. (I call this activity "filthy" because I consider it fraud). And how much did it cost them to become the inheritors of wealth the people created, and not the bankers? NOT MORE THAN THE COST OF INK THAT RAN OUT OF THEIR PENS AND TIME IT TOOK TO TRICK YOU INTO THE LOAN CONTRACT!
Under today's economic conditions population migration occurs into larger cities, simply because that is where the jobs are, and jobs are needed for mere survival. Such concentrations of people make it also easier for them to control the crowds. If you wish to include the banks as being part of "corporate America", then, yes, their methodologies drain people away from the country to live in high-density urban areas - again, out of necessity to those compelled to do this "migration" for mere survival.
#27
Teneraansis: Yes, I agree that Pearl Harbor was also a false flag operation and so did many other people at the time. They had "hearings" that whitewashed the whole affair. I read "Day of Deceit: The Truth About F.D.R.and Pearl Harbor" by Robert B. Stinnett a long time ago and find it most believable. And I agree with what you said about the reasons why we wanted to take over those middle east countries...it was not just for the oil, or at least "control" of the oil (being able to control who gets the oil) but it was also for the control of the opium trade. And I also have to add that these oil countries, in particular Iraq, were threatening to abandon the dollar as the standard currency and was threatening to use the Euro as standard. And of course, there is the pipeline through Afghanistan which was pretty much the start of invasion plans against the Taliban in Afghanistan. The Taliban balked at the threats from arrogant US players that if they did not "accept our carpet of gold, the Taliban would suffer a carpet of bombs".
After reading "Whiteout:the CIA, drugs, and the press" by Alexander Cockburn and Jeffrey St. Clair, I have a very ill view of the people who run this country. And it very well could be, as you pointed out that Syria may also be in our gunsights now that the troops will be leaving Iraq. They've already carried out operations in Yemen and Somalia. The military has even set up a drone strike force base in the Seychelles in anticipation of striking targets in East Africa.
But one book that was especially enlightening was one by Sterling Seagraves: "Gold Warriors: America's Secret Recovery of Yamashita's Gold" which told of how the Japanese looted all of Asia for years before and during WWII of thousands of years of gold that the Chinese and Southeast Asians amassed. And the US ended up with trillions of dollars worth of this loot that they kept out of the public eye to fund the cold war. Sterling Seagraves is interviewed a couple of times on a podcast called Black Ops. (shows: 512, 538, 548) http://www.blackopradio.com/
Very interesting!!
John Perkins books are also very eye-opening.
#28
Last night's show felt like an episode of the twilight zone. A democratically elected administration unable to pass a single piece of important legislation -- except the one that transferred trillions of dollars of the nation's wealth to the elite. State governments passing restrictive voting legislation without due process. Wiki leaks shutting down because we no longer have the freedom to fund whomever we wish. Excessive surveillance of citizens excercising their right to assemble and protest. Assassinations of leaders of sovereign countries through illegal wars. Is this a big joke? At what point do we have to admit that democracy has been hijacked?
#29
Welcome to Palestine, U.S.A. At 4:30 in the morning the police raided site of the protestors in Oakland, California. Israel also attacks Palestinians in the early hours of the morning throwing them out of their homes (tents for American protesters) as well. See the similarity? Let us go on.
Rubber bullets against defenseless protesters. Israel uses rubber bullets against defenseless rock throwing Palestinians, but the Oakland protesters are not even rock-throwers. Welcome to Palestine, U.S.A. Rubber bullets are steel bullets with a little layer of rubber and are most deadly.
The American protesters have no right to protest even though the Constitution gives them this right to peaceful assembly. The protesters are not even allowed to yell out against the wickedness perpetrated against themselves without being hauled off to jail. So far 85 Oakland protesters have been arrested. I wonder if there will be a trade of prisoners back to the public after the American public arrests some of their (1% and their eyes) "war criminals."
Same treatment of the Palestinians by Israeli police and military. Rubber bullets are no less ready for action against the American people!
Wikileaks shuts down because the people who donate to keep it going have no longer any right to decide whom they may support and whom they may not. American freedom of speech is at an ebb and going lower, and lower, until it is finally gone.
And finally, a post from yesterday:
12 YEAR OLD CHILD FROM GAZA RESPONDS TO THE CENSORING OF HIS ARTWORK
"Following last month’s decision by the Museum of Children’s Art (MOCHA) in Oakland, California, to shut down an art exhibition of drawings by Palestinian children in Gaza, one of the child artists included in the exhibit has illustrated his response to being censored."
It looks as though the United States of America is turning into the same type of "democratic" country as Israel, all the way. Then there are the list of wars, as long as your arm, atomic bombs, white phosphorous, chemicals being dropped from the sky upon the people of the United States.The blackmailing of people, the framing of people, character assassination. And the list goes on. All very similiar is it not?
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Maybe the Republicans will have to revive what Reagan was starting to hint at when he pointed his finger to the sky and mentioned the possibility of an invading alien armada...from space even. And the Democrats can think of parading the Tooth Fairy as a viable alternative to Santa Clause. Brother can you spare a dime? Well, look under you pillow, son, and see what the good Tooth Fairy left you. Eww!! A shiney new dime! But, I'm afraid it will take extracting all our teeth to even buy a cup of coffee at the local El Cheapo coffee shop. Why have teeth anyway since we can't afford to buy food anymore?
That very excellent report on Wanninski was very informative but I think many in the Democratic Party have gone way beyond fairy tales and entered the realm of the sneaky Grinch or Smeagle. It is a fairy tale that many of those who pretend and promise Santa Clause only act in the best interests of the ruling elite.