To people 'broadly satisfied' with the status quo
I'm well acquainted with the 'new democrats.' I rubbed elbows with them for years. I was a progressive blogger for over a decade and attended many of the annual Netroot's gatherings around the nation. I partied with them, I engaged in conversation with them, online and in real life. I argued with them. Mostly I argued with them.
Until recently I had been a more-or-less life-long democrat, but a Tom Joad, Civil Rights democrat. These new democrats are another matter entirely.
I had much in common with the new democrats, at least superficially, agreeing on most of what they called 'the issues.' They were right about much of it so far as it went, it just didn't go nearly far enough. Many of them, though intelligent, well-educated and seemingly rational, were capable of remarkable levels of denial. The blind spots often stunned me. Many of them were 'broadly satisfied' with the status quo.
Some I spoke to didn't even understand that there really is such a thing as the Military Industrial Complex. And if you don't know that we have one or what that is, you can't begin to understand our society or culture, because the MIC is the dominating factor of our existence as a nation. It drives our wars, our economy and our government. We fight immoral and unnecessary wars for the corporate profits of the American war machine and those who profit from it (the MIC) and to efficiently transfer wealth from the people and the national coffers into the private pockets of the already obscenely wealthy and horrifically powerful. If you don't understand this, you understand nothing about modern America.
Our political system has degenerated over decades to the point that it is no longer recognizable as a rational, useful or wise venture. It is strictly a problem. Our political class in general have become slick con artists working the system to get elected to office in order to feather their own nests. That's the system, that's how it works. It's no one person's fault. It's the system itself that stinks to high heaven. Much of that is well understood by many at some level, that's why congress has an approval rating of 19% - which is only surprising because it seems too high.
Our professional politicians are, or try to be, slick, silver-tongued devils who can fool enough of the rubes into buying their fake messages, to get themselves into office. Like the 'progressive' democrat running on his dedication to the ludicrous, self-inflicted and phony as a three dollar bill, 'war on terror.' Because that's a vote getter, right? Winning is all that matters. In the end, virtually all of them, despite their rhetoric, end up serving the interests of the 0.01% and propping up the status quo. If they don't, the corporate money spigot will be turned off. They end up doing quite nicely. There is good money in betraying your constituents.
Status quo is another misunderstood phrase. Many understand the meaning of the term without understanding the full scope of what it means as applied to our society. In other words, they don't understand what our status quo has become. They buy into the superficial view that things are mostly alright. All we need to do to progress as a society is tinker around the edges, make some social stuff better, get some incremental improvements going and so on. Some of them support tax cuts for the rich and many of them support the war on whatever is current: terrorism, Russians, Iranians, whatever. They are in varying states of denial.
The new democratic elite is college educated, securely employed and doing quite well, thank you. They are often bright, energetic and profoundly connected to the world. They are no dummies. Many of them are quite privileged in one way or another. Many are upper-middle class types, wealthy or headed there. They have first rate health insurance, are food secure and have expendable income.
But when the world is fairly awesome for you, it's hard to see its faults. There is a tendency to think that whatever keeps your world rockin' must somehow be okay. This is not even remotely true, of course. It amounts to a profound denial of reality.
Many people are not comfortable discussing how capitalism has ravaged the earth or how it continues to do so. They don't really want to think about the children making their iPhones for slave wages, or the human price of cheap goods at Walmart. They often own stocks and cheer the market's advancements, with no concern for or thought given to the ongoing corporate wars on humanity, the trashing of the earth or exploitation of its people that the surging market (in part) signals. Think about what's good, ignore what isn't. Prosperity is good. Best not to question where it comes from.
We are a nation in denial. But these privileged and well-educated people should know better.
You can't make a list of our greatest problems without the Military Industrial Complex and its inexcusable wars on humanity in the number one spot. If we can't solve this, it will be the end of us and the rest will be moot.
Objectively, our status quo is horrific, immoral, inhumane, self-destructive and unsustainable.
One of my favorite writers, Matt Taibbi:
Goodbye, and Good Riddance, to Centrism
Last week, after yet another week of anti-establishment upheavals in Europe, former Bush speechwriter and current Atlantic senior editor David Frum tweeted in despair:
"I think we need a word to describe people broadly satisfied with the status quo & skeptical of radical changes based on wild promises."
Radical problems require radical solutions.
To those who are 'broadly satisfied' with the status quo, and who truly understand what that is - fuck you.
Peace out.
Comments
Hey everybody.
FU to Centrists
is exactly right. If you are satisfied with the status quo you are benefiting from it, and don't care enough about the vast majority who suffer at your expense.
Good topic, OPOL, and dead on. Thanks
Steve
"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott
a well deserved F'U
..... part of the problem! (And therefore F'U!)
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
There's a word missing from your essay
You described it in detail but never said it: class.
@gjohnsit I always leave out
I always leave out something.
Hey OPOL!
Great diary! We're glad to see you!
"Obama promised transparency, but Assange is the one who brought it."
@OPOL
Hi, OPOL, so good to read you! And I hope you're doing well?
Haven't yet read the comment thread and this may well have come up within it but sprang to mind, reading your much-appreciated essay:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ones_Who_Walk_Away_from_Omelas
Personally, I've always felt that we have no right to sacrifice others to 'earn' our own prosperity, that the only legitimate sacrifice anyone can make in order to improve their own lives would involve their own sacrifices, affecting only themselves. And merely reading that story (about a billion years ago, lol,) made me feel like running away in horror...
The idea of any single deliberately and callously neglected, frightened and miserable child, denied all show of compassion or care, abused and forever locked in a closet, specifically to benefit others is intolerable for whatever 'purpose'- yet how many millions suffer and lead stunted lives devoid of health, happiness and security for corporate/billionaire profiteering each instant of every day?
How we can allow such as this, and the poisoning-for-extra-profit of the entire planet, is, to me, the final wonder of the world. And I daresay that some of us'll be wondering about that while we finish permitting our own for-profit extinction, along with that of the rest of the blamelessly sacrificed-for-corporate/billionaire-profit world of life also forming our life support system as the mindlessly-ended results of billions of years of evolution.
The psychopaths are permitted to rule to destruction in part because those who believe that they can gain prosperity only from the unseen sufferings of others, rather than from a share in the prosperity enabled by technological advances sensibly used in part for general societal benefit, lack in compassion, in great part because they never are forced to face the reality of what they support - and are in fact PR-guided away from this - or understand that this could also, very soon, be a fate shared by themselves, when those below them have nothing more to be drained of and their turn for this begins.
Edit: what can 'acceptably' be done to one can be done to any.
Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.
A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.
I might have replied to that tweet with those very words n/t
I am glad to not be satisfied even a little bit.
Phew - - - Dodged that bullet.
Really really thanks for this OPOL
There certainly a growing consensus both here and with people like Thomas Frank about these 'entitled professionals' now lionized by the Democratic party.
All I can think is
I want a Pony!
all I can think....
More like:
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
@Arrow Well...I'm one who is a
Well...I'm one who is a little disturbed by how easy it is for us to shift our focus from the billionaires running the show to the smug, self-deluded folks below them who think everything's peachy.
It's as if Thomas Frank effectively destroyed the 99%-1% meme and replaced it with a 90%-10% meme.
It might be well to reflect that the entire purpose, politically at least, of the 10% is to deflect anger and blame from the 1%.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
@Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal Like managers and
Like managers and supervisors are there to deflect anger from the boss.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
deflect the anger
..... caporegimi and consiglieri .....
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
and to do small chores
In Texas(into 70s and maybe still) jail cell blocks were run by Building Tenders(BT)and their goon helpers, the AsstBTs.
These were prisoners who ran the show for the Bosses. They enforced "the rules" for extra privileges. It meant that the most dangerous convicts were recruited into the service of the police, and then used against their fellow prisoners.
Believe some of this was in David Ruiz v. Estelle (TDC)case.
like the kapos n/t
90 vs 10
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxuCvhObKGA]
When's the last time
you had the opportunity to engage in discussion with, or even give the finger at a distance to, a multi-billionaire in the 1%.I think it's more likely to be the 90% against the 1% supported by the other 9%. In fact, I imagine it's as likely someone in the 1% will come over to our side as someone in the 9%. People in the 9% are too obsessed with moving up inside the group and the best way to move up is conspicuous gallantry against the 90%.
@FuturePassed The fact that the 9%
The fact that the 9% are an easier target, while the 1% are nearly invisible to us, is no reason to lose sight of the fact that it's the 1%, most particularly the .01%, that is making the decisions and running this show.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
@Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal
And are therefore the ones who most need to be promptly hooked off the world/political stage everywhere, as demonstrated in cartoon-variety Ye Olde Vaudeville-type humor. The underlings are generally considered 'replaceables' anyway and can always be fired/jailed/tossed under a bus as proxies for their paymasters.
Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.
A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.
"conspicuous gallantry" (++)
against the 99%.
lolol. fearlessly cut food stamp programs,took on the legions of poor all alone, etc.!
ought to make up some medals and present them to our heroic reps.
If there is such a thing as a combat hero,this guy qualifies.
http://www.armystudyguide.com/content/audie_murphy_study_guide/audie_mur...
edit. Ten days after 17th birthday Audie Murphy entered army at 5'5" and 112 pounds. An acquaintance from youth said that to fight Murphy then was like tangling with bobcat. He was America's greatest combat soldier. Though in money trouble at end of life he refused to do commercials for tobacco & alcohol,not wanting to set a bad example for young. RIP.
I think you'ere making my point.
The people you describe need to be resisted. I don't have illusions about who's calling the shots.
Vulture capitalists seem a lot worse than professionals
I can find plenty of good people who are lawyers, it's much harder to find good slumlords or robber barrons.
Beware the bullshit factories.
Thanks for this!
Thanks for this!
I love the term "quo-nothings" for the broadly satisfied.
And along the lines of your MIC part, I wanted to remind folks of one of USMC Major-Gen. Smedley Butler's words:
"The Quo-nothings"
fuck em all
Nice essay OPOL
I never knew that the term "Never Again" only pertained to
those born Jewish
"Antisemite used to be someone who didn't like Jews
now it's someone who Jews don't like"
Heard from Margaret Kimberley
Fantastic Essay
I'll never be able to forget that in 2016 the Democrats ran on a platform that literally said "things are great already!" No one aside from the 1% or temporarily embarrassed millionaires could possibly believe that. No, I'm not satisfied and I'm not willing to accept that the possible is impossible, as Her and Her minions expect me to believe. I'm done with 11th dimensional chess and triangulation and incrementalism that never moves forward.
Good essay. Got me fired up on a Friday.
Idolizing a politician is like believing the stripper really likes you.
@Dr. John Carpenter Thanks, man.
Thanks, man.
Thanks OPOL. Spot on. I would say though that climate change
is going to take care of the MIC and the status quothings sooner rather than later.
"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." - JFK | "The more I see of the moneyed peoples, the more I understand the guillotine." - G. B. Shaw Bernie/Tulsi 2020
@ZimInSeattle Point taken. I guess my
Point taken. I guess my point is that if we weren't obsessed with phony wars we might be able to focus on things that truly matter, like climate change and all the other existential crises we face. Maybe we'll never manage it in time, but we should probably still try... just in case.
@OPOL Agreed, we still need
Agreed, we still need to try.
"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." - JFK | "The more I see of the moneyed peoples, the more I understand the guillotine." - G. B. Shaw Bernie/Tulsi 2020
Without the phony wars
we could not only fix many problems we could create a world that works. For example: the Syria horror was started by crop failures from lack of water. Then exacerbated by the billionaire warpigs. Could have just as easily (and more cheaply) built a few desalinization plants.
It's not only that we lose focus on real problems by WarWarWar, it's that the human imagination and creativity is blindfolded, starved, and shackled.
Orwell: Where's the omelette?
The environmental costs of war
and its contribution to climate change should be charted, if it hasn't already been mapped out. If it has can someone point me to a source?
The Defense Department (Department of War) may well be the largest user of fossil fuels on the planet. Now that they are talking about the possibility of winning a "limited nuclear war" can we assess what that means vis-a-vis climate/environment?
@gustogirl
I hope they also include things like unnecessary radar and weapons testing casually destroying oceanic life.
http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/36037-the-us-navy-s-mass-destruction-...
How can such as this, whether for radar or bomb/weapons or any health/life destructive testing, killing off more giant chunks of the global life support system, possibly be passed off as protective of their countryperson's or of humanity's lives and interests?
Oh, silly me, any such pretense doesn't matter any more, does it? Except, of course, as 'justification' for bombing other people's countries into submission for corporate theft of their resources, while 'expendable' non-billionaire people and economies where the symbols representing 'money' are still worth anything both actually still survive.
Edit: I'm assuming that everyone here has some idea, probably better informed than mine, of how essential healthy, normally functioning oceans and their currents, etc. are for everything from global oxygen production to global temperature and weather?
Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.
A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.
taking care of the status quothings
Any way we can arrange for it to take care of them, and just them?
(I know, no, there isn't, alas.)
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
In reality the MIC
is the only element preparing for the consequences.
Orwell: Where's the omelette?
Aren't they mostly focusing
on how to control the increasingly desperate rabble (us) when the time comes?
@gustogirl Both of you are
Both of you are right.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
I agree with the big, fat
Fuck You! to the smug ass broadly satisfied shits that brag about their stocks gaining since we got "serious" about Syria and Iran!
I used to think bringing back the draft might bring about a positive change in how we think about war, but rich people can always dodge the draft.
We have a local judge who obtained a medical deferment during the Viet Nam war, but Thank God Almighty, when it was over, he was miraculously cured and remains diabetes-free to this day. Of course I should mention he is from an extremely wealthy family.
heh...
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
the draft
Dingdingdingding!! Hand that one a Marijuana! (I live in Colorado where it's OK to say that!)
The draft wouldn't make a difference at this point.
Unless and until we restore a competitive mainstream news media in this country, and restore the value and desirability of a "scoop", and allow indepedent news reporting from war zones as existed during Vietnam, we won't have war resistance like we need to have in this country.
It was the direct revelation of the human costs of the Vietnam War, splashed across every TV set in the nation in living color, which caused the American People to put an end to that war. The draft objections, while substantive, were subsidiary. It was the news reporting that carried the freight here.
By contrast: when was the last time you saw independent news video from our longest war in Afghanistan?
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
@thanatokephaloides oh, you don't believe
oh, you don't believe the embedded reporters?
I agree Cronkite telling the truth brought about the end to that war.
I just let my mind wander about how the ruling class would really feel about any war their precious kids were battling.
It is just easier to root for war when your maid's son is in the fucking trenches and your stock portfolio is rockin' it.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
rooting for war
Maybe I've been in Colorado Springs too long.
Around here, the ruling class brags about sending their sons into the fucking trenches while their stock portfolios rock on!
Meanwhile, the maid's sons are usually the ones getting maimed and killed. And those who grew up here and want to stay here still have absolute caca for livelihood choices unless they install themselves wholly in the war machine.
Gak!!
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
@thanatokephaloides
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
@thanatokephaloides
We may still get to see if the draft makes a difference at this point. Why else have bothered with this? (All Ready For
The Mad BomberHillary?) Although I suspect that the actual usage was delayed by the Clintons not getting into the White (Bed And Breakfast For A Price) House. (Lol, and Trump's despised by them and their ilk as lacking 'class'!) But initiating/continuing eternal military attacks in the War On The World requires cannon-fodder, by their use as which, trouble-making internet-savvy/politically-active progressive youth could be profitably disposed of.http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/apr/28/congress-moves-require-w...
So, why does every young American, now literally, still have to register for a military draft (at this point, not having been used for about 44 years) which everybody official swears will probably never be used, while a huge list of countries targeted for attack/invasion are being attacked/under immediate threat of attack/invasion, while even more money is poured into the obscenely outsized but still-expanding American military - (edit: a country) which has never been invaded and is in no danger of ever being invaded,) and there are calls for more 'boots on the ground' in various invaded areas and talk of 'limited' nuclear attacks being survivable (for some, evidently having luxury bunkers they don't think will have to last them forever)?
http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/2016/04/27/ndaa-hasc-women-d...
So: why expand the draft to the other half of the population - just then finally shifted for use also in combat positions - just before moving on to the rest of the list of long-targeted-for-attack/invasion countries not yet economically corporate-captured?
This situation has been making me nervous for some time - and probably those in the targeted countries far more so.
Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.
A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.
It's all about having it for yourself and for the rest--
sucks to be you. Interesting interview on Hartmann yesterday that talks about what the future may look like. Brilliant essay OPOL. Thank you.
O.k. When is the next meeting for the revolution?
-FuturePassed on Sunday, November 25, 2018 10:22 p.m.
right on, opol...
there really is no such thing as a status quo, either. the earth is always moving under your feet. even when you think you're standing still you're still moving at 1,000 miles an hour. the rule of nature is change.
you and i worked among the same crowd, many of those left there are ineducable and we just have to move on without their dead weight.
life is change
"life is change.... how it differs from the rocks....
[video:https://youtu.be/uOrb0G0tw08]
Of course, there's a small glitch in the facts here. Life is change even for the rocks, as any geologist would happily tell you!
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
One Pissed Off Liberal.
Still batting 1.000 !! And remember, batting .333 can get you into the Baseball Hall Of Fame.
"Just call me Hillbilly Dem(exit)."
-H/T to Wavey Davey
Welcome back OPOL
Better than ever.
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon
Being a "centrist" sounds alright,
until you realize what it is that you are in the center of.
native
Pardon me,
but consider this gem stolen. Quip of the day, native.
"Just call me Hillbilly Dem(exit)."
-H/T to Wavey Davey
@native Just so!
Just so!
They sure as shit ain't in "the center" of political opinion.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
"Don't go nearly far enough".
The thing about the status quo is it's like the question I've been asking for years now. "What do we really want"? In the end, the independent movement some of us are hoping for will have to answer that question.
Someone like David Frum talking about "radical changes based on wild promises"? Shit, he wouldn't know radical from a hole in the ground.
We need radical, we don't need it wrapped in a suit and tie led by the status quo. Some people think radical is not wearing a suit out to dinner. The movement to end oligarchy will have to come from the bottom, the peasants, not the privileged who will defend the oligarchy and their political and economic systems. Status quo is continuing to ask for crumbs when we should be demanding the pie.
@Big Al Well said, Big Al.
Well said, Big Al.
Thanks OPOL.
Keep on rocking. The other thing that drives me is the crimes against humanity these bastards are committing on a daily basis with their greed and lust for power. That's what has changed for me over the years, mostly now I want vengeance.
pie
In an increasing number of cases, we're taking the pie -- and serving it back to them!
Which, of course, is why they don't want us having the pie!
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
The people need an economy—a medium of exchange—that
isn’t controlled by a small cabal of Wall Street bankers and finance types.
If somebody’s program for change leaves central banking and the Federal Reserve untouched or not even mentioned, you can be sure it ain’t really a revolution.
No doubt about it.
I don't hold much hope for our country when...
...7% of U.S. adults think that chocolate milk comes from brown cows.
Holy hell??!!
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/06/15/seven-percent-of-...
An even higher percentage can be bamboozled into voting for shitty politicians. Voting for the status quo means never having to think about it.
@blue drop Well, where do YOU think
Well, where do YOU think it comes from?
It comes from CHOCOLATE cows!
It comes from CHOCOLATE cows! Everybody knows that!
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
Monsanto is likely working on that
as we speak, in fact, count on it!
"Obama promised transparency, but Assange is the one who brought it."
@thanatokephaloides
Damn, I always wondered why milking the Easter bunny never worked...
Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.
A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.
I heard white milk came from cows,
chocolate milk came from bulls. I swear I caught that bull smiling!
There is no such thing as TMI. It can always be held in reserve for extortion.
Thanks for the insight, OPOL.
You always make me think in different ways. Truth does that to folks - to me, anyway. I know too many living that status quo meme. Scares me. I love being with my friends that are grounded in reality.
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
Can't tell if it's
War with Russia or civil war in the US that's the priority with the Dem part of our nation's Factionbots.
It's stunning how the Forever War doesn't even get mentioned in some places. Even though it's at the root of cutting/limiting the safety net and legitimating racism. Among a large range of moral and societal objective evils.
There was a survey late last year that had it at 88% thinking both parties are completely uninterested in the citizenry. The preoccupation among establishment types is that all that's needed is better messaging. As if people are too stupid to realize they can't make ends meet; that nothing substantive is on any agendas to pull the nation out of its plain to see and sense spiral down the crapper.
I can name two things that the people -- all political stripes -- could unite on that need to be thrown in the trash before we get actual representative government. Now we've got more a Mockrazy than a Democracy, and that has to change immediately.
Orwell: Where's the omelette?
@jim p Both. War with Russia
Both. War with Russia overseas, civil war at home.
If the Nazis (the actual ones from the 30s and 40s) could see this, they'd be smiling.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
This is true on several levels—some of which are
not politically correct to unpack.
(No subject)
Orwell: Where's the omelette?
@jim p Couldn't agree more.
Couldn't agree more.
Sorry About the
accidental "save." Btw, your piece on the carbless diet came a few days after I saw an old friend who'd dropped 30 pounds in six weeks doing that. Sort of confirmed it would be right for me. Still trying to find the carb free bagel; maybe I'll just grow up instead.
Orwell: Where's the omelette?
@jim p If you find one, let
If you find one, let me know.
Not no but low
I haven't tried these yet, but they look awfully good: Low Carb Bagels with Almond Flour
@coolepairc Worth a try.
Worth a try. Thanks.
Right back at you OPOL
For your (lifesaving) diet advice.
Good to see you again, I
Good to see you again, I hope you are well, anyway another spot on analysis unfortunately.
Rec'd!! :-)
I think of it as the MICC: MICorporateC.
Inner and Outer Space: the Final Frontiers.
@orlbucfan Works for me.
Works for me.
Just like Jesus Christ, Smedley Butler came at the wrong time
Both of them came before words could fly around the internet at blazing speeds. Can you imagine the reaction they would get if they came today? Never mind, they both probably would have been shot
This is so damn true.
During the buildup of the Iraq war, millions across the world gathered to protest against it. We knew that Saddam didn't have stockpiles of WMDs and that their war was to get their hands on his oil. Remember that meeting Cheney had behind closed doors with oil executives? Right then I knew that the excuse for the war was on false pretenses.
And again, TPTB have decided it's time for a war on Russia. They cooked up the excuse of Russia interfering with the election and Trump's administration met with Russia. After over 7 months, there hasn't been a shred of evidence proving that.
Now we are continuing with the slide show with Mueller being in charge of the investigation into whether this is true or not. Don't mind the fact that he's a career spooke, or that he is friends with all the other spy agencies. This should disqualify him from being in charge, but people are blinded by Hillary losing the election to Trump they have bought the propaganda about Russia interfering with the election.
Comey told everyone that Trump isn't under investigation for colluding with Russia, but no one listens.
Every lie about what Russia did has been debunked, yet I still see people spreading the lies.
This is what Goerring told us. It worked for decades, so why change what works?
Great to see you, OPOL.
There were problems with running a campaign of Joy while committing a genocide? Who could have guessed?
Pipelines, my friend...
Syria is basically about pipelines, and who will ultimately sell which countries hydrocarbons to whom.
Leaving hydrocarbons in the ground is sane environmental policy, but terrible for a hydrocarbon company, economically. "Stranded Assets" is, I think, the term of art.
Pepe Escobar is pretty good on this topic, I think.
@IowanX They could have acted
They could have acted like entrepreneurs, and created the next generation of energy technology for the masses, and made beaucoup bucks and kept (most of) their power. Hell, they could have continued mining and selling petroleum products to the world's militaries for quite a while after they got 80% of civilian uses off petrochemicals and onto a mix of other sources.
With a little of the right marketing, that approach would have made most of the world grateful that they were its de facto emperors. And they still would have been richer than Croesus.
But that would have required invention and self-restraint, and they're more along these lines:
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
We had activist training
put on by "Indivisible". I begged them to do panels on issues. I feel that we are gonna have to be 24/7 citizens and we need to discuss what we want to see our pols do. But many do not have any idea about what is real and what is not real. Many don't have a clue about our economics. Its like hollering down a well. We get a lot of noise back but most of it is just listening to ourselves.
glitterscale
OPOL, how wonderful to see you are still engaged in what
OPOL, how wonderful to see you are still engaged in what can easily be described as public education, in the broadest sense (of the term).
Part of what you described can be summarized by what I think is the best quote ever, when it comes to trying to understand the behavior of the elites (including, liberal elites):
“It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it.”
-- Upton Sinclair
That quote is very profound since it goes to the heart of the matter in explaining why otherwise intelligent and rational people can be so callous and indifferent to injustice.
Digging a little deeper, I've identified one issue above all, as the principal root cause of our social dysfunction: the effect of propaganda on the general public.
In similar fashion to your reaction when you mention that many a Democrat (or liberal) have trouble acknowledging the detrimental effect the military industrial complex has on our society (and the world), I'm dumbfounded at the fact that many people on the left have no idea how damaging it is (to our cognition) to be exposed to corporate media "programing" on a daily (sometimes, hourly) basis.
No matter the setting, whether social, environmental, economic justice activists, Democratic gatherings, etc., the vast majority of people in these settings think MSNBC and media personalities like Rachel Maddow are legitimate purveyors of news. And I'm talking about almost the entire universe of so-called left-leaning media outlets, whether Salon, Huffington Post, Daily Kos (probably the worst offender when it comes to deceiving liberals).
I've come to the conclusion that if I try to talk to people about systemic, root causes of the social dysfunction we suffer (the ravaging, destructive effects of "capitalism," militarism, the MIC, Neoliberalism), their ability to understand the arguments decreases proportionally to the amount of time they are exposed to corporate media programming, including MSNBC.
In fact, one thing I do now in order to modulate my approach when talking about these issues with fellow lefties, is to ask them (politely) if they watch MSNBC (and similar "programming"). If they do, and they think they are being exposed to "the truth" by watching these media, then I know I have a lot of work ahead of me.
I hope to write something more in-depth about this topic and share it here, on this wonderful community.
Again, its is wonderful to see you here. Keep up the good work.
www.RayPensador.com
When you boil it all down, the number one step you can take to get out from under the fascist boot of the oligarchy is to stop subjecting yourself to the the U.S. corporate news media. It is a powerful psyops weapon.
@Ray Pensador I couldn't agree more,
I couldn't agree more, Ray. Propaganda permeates out media landscape and most people are unaware of it. It's too easy to take things at face value (almost always a mistake). Some folks are aware of the propaganda to some extent but vastly underestimate its depth.
William Colby, way back back when he was head of the CIA, admitted that all the mainstream news outlets were effectively owned by the CIA (incidentally, he ended up quite mysteriously dead shortly after that admission and others).
So anyway, yeah. Good to see you, brother.
During the Clinton presidency life was busy
and I was just starting to see the patterns of similarity between Democrats and Republicans. Found the read on Colby's death fascinatingly similar to what we are seeing repeated today.
Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.
@studentofearth That link about
That link about Colby's death is fascinating.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
@Ray Pensador I have several smart,
I have several smart, truly left winger friends who get together for food and wine to watch Rachel. They hang on her every word.
And they believe Russia hacked the elections, and that Putin and Trump are besties.
They can rail on Trump all day long.
If you try to contradict anything Rachel said, you are a dumb ass.
What they know about the conflicts in the Middle East would not fill a thimble.
Nice to see you, Ray.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Network and cable news
aren't much more than extended commercials for the MIC at this point.
"Buy Buttcrunch cereal! It's the best because we paid big bucks to buy this spot".
Commercials are to truth what hookers are to romance. It's amazing that anyone falls for them in this day and age.
"Obama promised transparency, but Assange is the one who brought it."
I spent a lot of time on Capitol Hill from 2009-2012
trying to convince various legislators to get behind various policies.
I saw two kinds of people: the worried and the smug.
It sounds simplistic, but the key was to look in their eyes--not at their mouths or the rest of their faces. Most of them looked either worried or smug.
The worried ones were not always necessarily good guys. Ben Bernanke was a worried one.
But the smug ones were the ones that scared me. Rahm Emanuel and Eric Cantor were noteworthy examples.
Anyone who is satisfied or pleased with the way things are going is either self-deluded or a monster.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
The people who were broadly satisfied with the status quo --
are not currently satisfied with the status quo.
What they want is an impeachment, a removal from office, and President Pence. Start here:
https://www.thenation.com/article/high-crimes-and-misdemeanors-the-case-...
When they get that, then they'll go back to being broadly satisfied with the status quo.
“One of the things I love about the American people is that we can hold many thoughts at once” - Kamala Harris
@Cassiodorus Some people are
Some people are dumbasses, eh?
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