Years ago I wrote an essay titled, "I just wrote a check for U.S. Imperialism and War". It was around April 15th of a year during the Neverending War Period, of which we currently reside, when I had to write a check to cover the federal taxes owed the previous year.

Taxpayers of course foot the bill for U.S. imperialism under the guise of keeping them safe and protecting our freedoms and democracy. They pay for the over $700 billion per year Department of Defense (DOD) budget, the budgets for the National Security Agency (NSA), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Veterans Administration (VA)and a huge list of subsidiary functions that contribute to the overall military/security/intelligence complex. Nearly every federal agency has some kind of "homeland" security responsibilities woven into their missions now in the New American Century.

Combine the DOD budget with all the other budgets of the U.S. government military/security/intelligence functions and it adds to well over One Trillion per year. That equates to over 70% of the federal discretionary budget. It's estimated a typical family of four pays an average of $9,000 per year for these "services" to keep them safe.

That doesn't include all the state, city and county taxes that go to homeland security related functions, as well as the non-monetary costs for living in a fascist police state intent on ruling the world by force.

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A friend came over the other day, the father of my granddaughter's best friend, to drop off his daughter for an overnighter. We're not good friends, more like friendly acquaintances. We talked a little about sports and the NFL came up, their season has just started. He said he was boycotting the NFL because of Colin Kapernick and others who have been "disrespecting" the flag. He said they're making it political and he doesn't want any part of that in football.

I told him I thought they shouldn't play the national anthem at professional sporting events any longer. It's become absurd with all the Land of the free, God Bless America bullshit permeating the atmosphere. I told him that's what was making it political, not Kapernick and the others who refuse to stand at attention like fucking lemmings. Our conversation ended pretty quickly after that.

I decided to watch one of the NFL games playing on 9/11, "Monday NIght Football". I couldn't do it. From the very beginning, they were showing political propaganda videos about 9/11 and the military, military jets were flying over the stadium, a giant flag the size of the entire football field was being waved up and down by military, police, and firefighters, and then they had everyone stand to RESPECT the flag of the United States Empire with a rousing rendition of God Bless America followed by the national anthem.

I turned it off, he was right, the NFL is too political for me too.

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When Trump voters finally figure out they've been scammed, what are they going to do? I saw that question posed earlier relative to seeking a common cause among the "99%". There have been those on the left who have been encouraging an alliance with Trump voters and others on the right because, after all, we all have the same thing in common. The establishment. So when the Trump voters finally come to their senses and realize they've been scammed, like Obama voters before them, that is when the left and the right can reach a common cause, join together and fight the oligarchy. The question comes up, what common cause would there be with people who still support Donald Trump? Um. If they haven't got it by now, I don't think they ever will. I'm not wasting my time, we don't need them. Not yet. Try getting those who are more closely aligned organized first, then go from there. There are always different sides in a revolution. Besides, they voted for a billionaire, how un-anti-establishment can you get.

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There's a new Gallup poll out gauging "Americans' Support for Military Action Against North Korea". The question they pose is:

"If the United States does not accomplish its goals regarding North Korea with economic and diplomatic efforts, would you favor or oppose using military action against North Korea?"

http://www.gallup.com/poll/219134/back-military-action-north-korea-2003....

The results are disappointing, of course. Fifty eight percent favor military action if their rulers goals are not accomplished. Gallup points out that's up from 2003 when only 47% were clinically insane.

The interesting part is in 2003, only 59% of republicans supported such action while now it's up to a whopping 81%. Democrats stayed fairly steady with 41% in 2003 down to 37% now, while independents went from 41% in 2003 to 56% now.

What does that mean? It means we have a lot of dumb shits in this country for one. It also means we better fucking hope Margaret Meade was right:

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

[video:https://youtu.be/PtT92kJKD9A]