The Weekly Watch
The Cancerous Growth of the American Empire
Is There a Cure?
The United Snakes of America is spreading its poison again...this time declaring the elected president of Venezuela is a dictator, and recognizing the leader of the assembly as president. That's like Russia and China announcing Pelosi is now our president. The Carter Center stated "As a matter of fact, of the 92 elections that we've monitored, I would say that the election process in Venezuela is the best in the world." Old tiny hands, the liar in chief, is at it again. We use slightly different strategies in different countries to prop up corporate hacks as president. Both parties have been complicit. Consider Honduras and the stolen election the US recently recognized. Not to mention the coup supported by Obomber and the $hill. Brazil provides more evidence of our support of corporatists with the illegal removal of Dilma, and the imprisonment of Lula on trumped up charges. Bannon was in Brazil promoting Bolsonaro as was the CIA.
I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism. I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street. I helped purify Nicaragua for the International Banking House of Brown Brothers in 1902-1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for the American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras right for the American fruit companies in 1903. In China in 1927 I helped see to it that Standard Oil went on its way unmolested.
― Smedley D. Butler, War is a Racket: by America's Most Decorated Soldier
This column has focused on the healthy growth of living things, and this week we'll focus on that aspect of growth at the end of this essay. However, I'm outraged at the blatant coup the US is perpetrating on Venezuela. We used more subtle strategies in Honduras - basically not counting votes and accepting the non-elected corporatist as president...and Brazil where first the duly elected president was kicked out of office on trumped up charges, and then creating fake evidence to imprison Lula, who is Brazil's most popular politician in order to install the fascist Bolsonrdo who is going to open the Amazon to exploitation and is willing to attack Venezuela. Remember Columbia became a member of NATO in order to give us a military base from which to usher in a regime change in Venezuela.
The best discussion of the background of this US led coup comes from Ben Norton who was on Jordan Chariton's show this week (30 min sorry no transcript)
https://moderaterebels.com/us-right-wing-coup-venezuela-ben-norton-statu...
Ben has an article posted on the Grayzone project...
https://grayzoneproject.com/2019/01/23/us-coup-oil-venezuela-right-wing-...
Max Blumenthal and Ben Norton speak with Professor Steve Ellner about Venezuela’s right-wing opposition, and how the corporate media whitewashes its use of violence and economic sabotage. Ellner explains some of the economic problems faced by President Nicolás Maduro, including manipulation of exchange rates and low oil prices. (2 parts some text)
https://moderaterebels.com/venezuela-opposition-economy-steve-ellner-epi...
https://moderaterebels.com/economy-venezuela-us-sanctions-regime-change-...
The Real News hosted Abby Martin in an insightful discussion about Venezuela...
Look, we’re talking about a guy, Juan Guaido, 80 percent of the country doesn’t know who this guy is. He just appointed himself president. That would be akin to Nancy Pelosi appointing herself president and then China and Russia imposing their rules to basically say, “No, this is the new president of the United States.” I mean, it’s so absolutely absurd, what is going on. We’re talking about a country that has elections every year. The opposition is too fragmented to win elections, so they choose to boycott elections, and then they use the elections to say they’re illegitimate because they decide not to run. It’s quite fascinating to call something a dictatorship that has free and fair elections, and the opposition actually told the UN to not come and observe.
https://therealnews.com/stories/attempted-coup-in-venezuela-with-abby-ma... (video or text)
This is worth a watch just to hear the bad reporting on the MSM clips about the horrid dictator Maduro. As RA wrote a week or so ago...Propaganda, learn to recognize it!
[The Administration]...support an ongoing strategy of regime change in Venezuela that we’ve seen for a very long time, starting with the George W. Bush administration. And really it continued, to a great extent, under the Obama administration, though perhaps not quite as overtly as it’s become, again, very overt under President Trump. And particularly since August of 2017, when he put into place economic sanctions that have literally starved the economy of much needed international funding at a time when the economy, of course, has been in a serious crisis. So it’s reminiscent of the sort of U.S. policy that we saw towards Chile in the early 1970s, when I think it’s Kissinger or Nixon who famously said, “We’re going to make the economy scream.” And certainly, the economy of Venezuela has been screaming.
https://therealnews.com/stories/the-us-strategy-for-regime-change-in-ven...
Amy interviewed several professors and diplomats about the attempted Venezuelan coup. Here's the first of four parts (with links to the other pieces) video or text
https://www.democracynow.org/2019/1/25/how_washingtons_devastating_econo...
Some US politicians are speaking up...about three of them. Jimmy explains how anyone who goes against the empire is smeared - Tulsi, Ilhand Omar and Ro Khanna,
Glenn Greenwald discusses a emerging scandal involving President Bolsonaro’s eldest son, Flavio. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4edeJiqY41E (15 min some text)
Of course the US doesn't just interfere in our hemisphere this is a world wide effort. What is good for US corporations is good for the world...and they better like it!
In the first installment of this multi-part series, Trump Expanding the Empire, Abby Martin debunks the notion that Trump is an anti-interventionist president, outlining his first two years of aggressive foreign policy that has expanded US wars and occupations. From the biggest military budget in history, to removing its restrictions to “bomb the hell out of” Iraq and Syria, to ramping-up brutal economic sanctions, to becoming America's 'Arms Salesman-In-Chief.'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAmpD5MvDw8 (17 min)
In Part II of our series Trump Expanding the Empire, Abby Martin addresses the surprise order from Trump that he was "ending the war" in Syria. Having drastically escalated the war in Syria and Iraq, find out what's behind the supposed troop withdrawal and the hidden facts in the policies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQ3aatCJK0w (14 min)
The corporate media is working hard to spin this coup as the US helping the people of Venezuela. At the same time they are not reporting on Julian's inhumane treatment for informing us about the horrors of war, the CIA, and our political system.
Glenn Greenwald discusses the situation...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rz0FkOHlymI (30 min)
Alright I guess I vented enough about our colonial, imperialist country. US is the evil empire complete with storm troopers abroad and at home to quell any protests. So let's focus on healthy growth....
I like this story about creating a permaculture campus at UMass (9.5 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0XLCNAAXGo
That's the way to plant ideas, eating habits, and culture among the students, faculty and community.
Moving beyond a traditional garden to a food forest...10 tips
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLTGjiYHHbI (12 min)
Here's a community food forest in Jacksonville Florida There are several videos to choose from (various lengths)
At the beginning of this essay I asked can we cure the cancerous growth of the US empire. I must admit I don't know. Venezuela placed the basis of their economic system on oil production. However imagine if they had focused on local tropical tree food production. This farm in Costa Rica gives you an idea of the variety in a tropical food forests.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1e26Mc7HtkE (22 min)
Oil is the dirty culprit in Venezuela, the middle east, and many places around the world. The very substance which is driving environmental destruction and climate chaos is the source of our conflicts. I want to leave you with Greta's comments this week in Davos...
Greta Thunberg: “Some people say that the climate crisis is something that we all have created. But that is just another convenient lie, because if everyone is guilty, then no one is to blame. And someone is to blame. Some people—some companies and some decision-makers in particular—has known exactly what priceless values they are sacrificing to continue making unimaginable amounts of money. I want to challenge those companies and those decision-makers into real and bold climate action, to set their economic goals aside and to safeguard the future living conditions for humankind. I don’t believe for one second that you will rise to that challenge. But I want to ask you all the same. I ask you to prove me wrong.”
Comments
Thank you, lookout.
So many problems, too few solutions.
plant a tree...
It will make you feel better.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/does-being-around-trees-help-...
That's been my approach this winter. Right now I have several things to transplant...and I need to grade my road...I have not since last September. Doing real things help me numb my outrage.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Good advice! Thank you.
Plenty of solutions
but they are not on the table because they might cut into the short term profits of the corporations that rule the world. Solutions are not hard, they are just not allowed.
ain't that right?
We lack the will to stem our greed and work for people and planet. An evolutionary flaw perhaps?
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
I find it ironic...
...that we destabilize Latin American countries...creating refugees escaping the violence we perpetrate...and then shut down the gov't because t-rump wants a wall to prevent immigration (although most illegal immigrants are Canadians who overstay visas).
Whata world....
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
The current folks in charge...
Are busy ripping the copper wiring out of the house we all have to live in, and claiming that they put it there in the first place, when I distinctly remember us all working together to install it.
That's unfortunately, the only way we deal with the PTB. They're going to rip down everything they can before they go and sell it for scrap. My suggestion is to learn how to work with scrap.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggyC0FOzqHM]
I do not pretend I know what I do not know.
ripping out the copper
Another way of putting the Louis XIV "Apres moi, le deluge."
Which has nothing to do with rain and everything to do with take it all right now because after me there will be nothing left.
NYCVG
No treasure left at any rate.
But then again, if you go by "Beowulf"... Treasure brings trouble.
I do not pretend I know what I do not know.
Not only Beowolf:
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygHL3F0ZZMY]
Louis XV, actually
though with all those Louis it's hard to tell them apart.
There is no justice. There can be no peace.
As far as Kings and those that Want to be Kings go...
They all look alike to me.
/snark
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ll3iyvbsRDM]
I do not pretend I know what I do not know.
I let you handle the metal work...
I prefer soil instead of oil.
As an aside...I've worked metal but never found an affinity for it....now wood is another story. Wood is a media which I find appealing. I live among many piece of furniture my great grandfather built, and though I never me him at some level I feel connected to him. I built my own home (mainly) of wood....had a house raising with about 50 friends...lots of good spirit in this place because of that.
Hope all is well with you and the kids and their school year is going well.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
School year is going wonderful!
Daughter just made 1st Chair Cello in her school Orchestra.
Did a little lathe working when I was younger. It's fun, but it doesn't appeal to me like metal and glass. (There's just something about the smell of hot metal that is very comforting to me. Ironically, I didn't feel that in the military, because the smell of gunpowder gives me the exact opposite feeling.)
And absolutely true on the power of place. I'm finding more and more that the more ritual and feeling we put into a place, the more welcoming and human it is. I think there is a real power to place which Americans have forgotten in our quest for stuff.
I do not pretend I know what I do not know.
So do I...
First nations people have the same view too....
http://www.iupui.edu/~mstd/narep/sacredness.htm
Glad to hear the young ones are thriving!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
wire thieves and grave robbers, eXperience Cloverdale
lol my brain is pickled in glyphosate after walking by the hardware store the other day. They sell it so they spray it. Silent spring demonstration... brawndo! orange
Suspected wire thieves cause $100,000 in damage to Cloverdale business
Couldn't happen to a nicer watershed killer. And boy howdy insurance sure does jack the cost of replacing anything through the roof. huh Lakeport burned two years ago, so they are forgotten now too. more poor
Cloverdale Police and Fire Logs: Jan. 14-Jan. 20
thank you
that is all
When my neighbor was building his house....
We saw an unknown vehicle there in the night. Called our neighbor and they caught a crew of three tearing our wiring he had just installed. The cops came, but I'm unsure the outcome.
People in the US are not doing well financially...
57% of Americans don’t have enough cash to cover a mere $500 unexpected expense.
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-03-06/half-americans-cant-write-500-...
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
I tell that to some Germans here and all I get is
a blank stare. Which reminds me of what JtC said in a comment to hecate's ordeal today
"One can't imagine the unimaginable, until it's set upon you", which I think is so true.
I couldn't and can't imagine what my son's war experiences have done to him. I couldn't even detect the damage until very late. It worries me a lot that I can be so wrong about things I haven't witnessed myself in person.
PS: I am so grateful for the links and explanations you post. It is all so difficult to comprehend.
https://www.euronews.com/live
People heal...
...sounds to me like your son is doing well....I hope so. Living in Hawaii would be interesting.
Hope you are doing well!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
The sad thing...
is that I first encountered the concept of wire theft 12 years ago. It wasn't in this country. I was horrified at the time by the shortsightedness, and then I realized that the people doing the theft saw no long term benefit, just the treasure, waiting to be taken.
I do not pretend I know what I do not know.
But copper is low right now
I despise thieves and liars!
Around here, convalescent centers, churches (little community ones) and community centers have to put cages around the outdoor parts of their damned air conditioning units to help deter thieves from causing thousands and thousands of dollars in damage, for very little money's worth of copper. Or the thieves will hit elderly people on fixed incomes. Some people are still living in houses where the sheetrock and flooring was pulled out and not replaced after Harvey, and some slime ball comes up and steals copper from the a/c, ruining it in the process.
I despise thieves and liars!
Sad isn't it?
In the richest country in the world half the people can't afford a $500 expense...and resort to stealing copper...doing as you say $1000's in damage for $10's.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Sad, and infuriating at the same time n/t
The cure to a democracy cancer
May entail invasive radiation exposure. Perhaps the threat of such treatments will change US officials extreme greed? When congress, executive and justice get a taste of chemo, perhaps they may back down. Or sicken out of their cancerous role as untouchables.
question everything
the only problem....
...is I fear they will irradiate the entire planet.
https://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/USNuclearModernization
http://climate.envsci.rutgers.edu/pdf/WiresClimateChangeNW.pdf
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Thank you, lookout.
Nice work, as usual. I appreciate all the effort you put in.
thanks for reading!
Always nice when you drop by.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPTOY8FrvNw]
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Thanks for
the 'watch lo.
Im having to skim through articles now, glossing over the details or my ire gets raised(not good). Since its silly season, I might have to reduce my perusal of all things political as we move along.
I refuse to adjust to an insane world-THAT would be insanity.
Ya got to be a Spirit, cain't be no Ghost. . .
Explain Bldg #7. . . still waiting. . .
If you’ve ever wondered whether you would have complied in 1930’s Germany,
Now you know. . .
sign at protest march
Good morning...
...as to silly season, I'm avoiding the clown show at least at present. US politics seems pretty theatrical with little substance. Didn't post Bernie's response to Venezuela because it's sadly lacking as is most of his foreign policy.
https://www.blacktalkradionetwork.com/2019/01/25/bernie-sanders-inadequa...
Thanks for reading!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Here is the DSA statement about the ongoing coup in Venezuela
Intervention in Venezuela
Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) categorically opposes any and all efforts by the US government to intervene in the domestic politics of Venezuela. The US has a long and bloody track record of actions to overthrow democratically elected governments, stop the spread of socialism, and maintain US imperial dominance in the region. This includes the US government’s support of the 2002 Venezuelan coup that led to the temporary ouster of the legitimately-elected president of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez. These imperial interventions must stop immediately; the future of the Venezuelan people, and the broader prosperity of Latin America depend on it.
Venezuela is currently suffering devastating economic and political crises that have left millions without consistent access to basic goods and services, and in a state of perpetual insecurity. Inflation has reached astronomical levels, rendering the local currency practically valueless, and limiting the positive impact of regular minimum wage increases implemented by the Venezuelan government. In the wake of President Nicolás Maduro’s inauguration for a second term on January 10, the political situation has become still more dire.
Maduro’s inauguration was accompanied by claims from both the Venezuelan opposition as well as a host of governments in the region and beyond that, he is no longer the legitimately elected President of Venezuela. These claims are based on prior accusations that the May 2018 Venezuelan presidential election was marred by the government’s use of tactics that ensured Maduro’s victory in advance.
The newly-appointed leader of the opposition-controlled Venezuelan National Assembly, Juan Guaidó of the right-wing Voluntad Popular (Popular Will) party, used this legitimacy crisis as an opportunity to proclaim himself the acting President of Venezuela, and called upon the Venezuelan people to rise up in protest against the Maduro government. Many, including a small band of National Guard soldiers on January 22 (who were quickly suppressed by security forces), have heeded the call, leading to sustained protests across the country beginning on January 21.
Though there have been reports of repression on the part of the Venezuelan security forces (including the brief arrest of Guaidó himself outside Caracas) and property damage on the part of opposition protesters (including the arson of an important community center in Caracas), significant confrontations between government and opposition supporters have yet to materialize. Nor has there been any indication that top military leaders are planning to break with Maduro. Nonetheless, the situation remains extremely tense. Any small political miscalculation could provoke serious violence and chaos in the country.
The role of the United States government in this unfolding situation over the last two weeks has been substantial and extremely counterproductive. Its actions have served only to deepen political divisions and decrease the likelihood of a peaceful solution to the crisis. President Trump and Vice President Pence have both expressed their full support for the unelected Guaidó as acting President, and are working tirelessly to organize other nations to do the same. Further, Trump has stated that he is contemplating a military intervention in Venezuela, and the US National Security Council has indicated that it is strongly considering an embargo on Venezuelan oil imports to the United States. These actions would each have catastrophic consequences for the already suffering Venezuelan people. The US government is clearly more interested in using Venezuela as a boogeyman to show the dangers of socialism than in playing a constructive role in resolving the crisis. Unfortunately the consequences of this rhetorical posturing are all too real for the Venezuelan people.
The US government’s recent actions to destabilize Venezuela are only the most recent in a long series of unfortunate actions it has taken over the past several years. In addition to past reckless and worrying comments made by President Trump and other members of his administration about the need for foreign military intervention in Venezuela, the US government has imposed financial sanctions against Venezuela. These sanctions are putting further constraints on the importation of desperately needed food and medicine into Venezuela.
The sanctions also preclude Venezuelan firms from access to US credit, effectively eliminating the Venezuelan oil sector’s capacity to maintain current levels of production, let alone return to pre-2015 levels (which were more than twice as high as current levels). Given that Venezuela depends so heavily on oil exports to fund the importation of basic goods, the US government’s sanctions against Venezuela’s oil sector are tantamount to direct sanctions against the Venezuelan people, whose economic security grows more precarious by the week.
Both the increasingly top-down Venezuelan government as well as the fractious Venezuelan opposition, which has at times resorted to anti-democratic methods, bear significant responsibility for the current crisis and there are important critiques to be leveled against both. As US socialists, we have a duty to do everything we can to stop US imperialism and make the world safe for democracy and socialism; however, our role as an organization should not be to intervene in the internal politics of Venezuela. Instead, we have a responsibility to use the leverage we have to intervene strategically in US foreign policy to help the Venezuelan people defend the gains made during Hugo Chávez’s presidency.
To that end, we call upon the US government to immediately cease and desist all attempts to intervene in the internal politics of Venezuela and break with its shameful legacy of imperial control in the region. Further, we call upon DSA chapters and DSA supported political representatives to mobilize in this particularly critical moment around a campaign of solidarity with the Venezuelan people, aimed specifically at reversing the US government’s disastrous and counterproductive sanctions against Venezuela.
Solidarity with the people of Venezuela! Solidarity with the Bolivarian Revolution!
Me, I feel like a little kid screaming make it stop!! Again?? The whole world hates us already. Do these idiots want to provoke an invasion?
Here is a thought experiment. Go into your kitchen, if you are someone who likes to cook and/or bake and count up the tropical products, from vanilla to cinnamon to coconut you use. Nearly all these products could be being grown in the Caribbean region, no need for us to buy them from East Asia, by indigenous farmers, NOT some United Fruit kind of conglomerate, shipped to North America at reasonable cost which would allow indigenous boatmen and women to make decent livings and sold to us for reasonable prices. Some of the tree spices, such as nutmeg, mace and cinnamon might have to be grown near the equator because of day length considerations, IDK.
Mary Bennett
Thanks!
Good article...
Maduro called early elections to appease the opposition in 2018 (he still had a year to serve in his term). A week or so before the election most of the splintered opposition decided to boycott.
All the while we are choking them economically - not allowing their Citco revenue to return to Venezeula and imposing so many other sanctions on their many resources. The latest is the US plans to provide Guaidó with the revenues.
A country that could be a tropical paradise...speaking of which I sure was disappointed in Costa Rica recognizing Guaidó as president...but proud of AMLO in Mexico supporting Maduro.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Yes, agree disappointed in CR recognizing. Tells us
something about the current rulers, eh?
Thanks for this work lkt, impressive as usual.
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
best morning lo...
and everyone.
there are no words. There are a number of articles at Global Research on Venezuela today. I found this article about Venezuela insightful. thanks for highlighting this. have a very good one...
https://www.globalresearch.ca/why-would-the-us-want-venezuelas-oil-when-...
Stop Climate Change Silence - Start the Conversation
Hot Air Website, Twitter, Facebook
Hello MA
Thanks for the link. Evidently we lust to destroy the planet...how foolish.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
@magiamma
The better way to do that is to have molten salt reactors fueled with thorium. That makes fossil fuels obsolete for every country and puts the economic hurt on those seeking to profit from them.
Here is an Oak Ridge video describing the molten salt reactor that ran for four years and would have drastically changed the nuclear power we would have had. It was a paradigm changer and the powers that be cared more about bombs than providing adequate energy for humanity. All the wrold's nuclear disasters have occurred because water was used as a coolant. Molten salt as coolant would have prevented every one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyDbq5HRs0o
That's interesting
I have a rural electric coop that buys power from TVA. I tried to set up pv panels to feed into their system ....but nooooo. They told me I shouldn't worry about warming and climate disaster, my power comes from nuclear reactors.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
I will add some more irony
And Oak Ridge gets its power from coal
Al Ed and I did a post on this method of producing nuclear
He had seen an article I had written about it elsewhere and he asked that I post it here. Since I seldom posted here I asked him to open for me and I plugged in my article as the first comment. I think I have corrected all of the broken links that occurred over time. If you are interested you can see it here along with the comments:
https://caucus99percent.com/content/power-power#comment-320330
Trump has created a new species in just two years
The liberal chickenhawk.
some other chickenhawks...
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Good Sunday evening, Lookout ~~
Just got in from our weekend hiatus to the warm springs south of here. We had a lovely time, soaked a bunch, walked around the small town, made a few purchases so contributed to the local economy, went to the brew pub and danced. It was a relaxing time.
Back to reality. Hope all are well. I was so happy to hear from Hecate, but I’ve been haunted all day with the essay and video. What intense suffering.
Have a beautiful evening, everyone!
"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
Sounds great!
Warm Springs GA is not too far away from us...where FDR had his little white house. However they only open it twice a year. We've been fortunate to go to hot springs in Canada, Germany, England, and Switzerland. I find them healthful on many levels. We also visit the cold springs along the Suwanee...some of them are sulfur springs which stink, but sure make your skin feel good. The tannin water of the Suwanee is healthy too.
Have a great week, and thanks for stopping by!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”