caucus99percent

free-range politics, organic community

When people get snide and sarcastic about "Team Lockdown" and how foolhardy it is not to follow the lead of "two Brits with a blog" who happen are THE people who can tell you what is happening in Europe, odds are they are in part targeting california. We have long been identified as being over-the-top and extreme is our "Lockdown" policy.

‘Like Obama, like Trump: Biden embraces Goldman Sachs bankers after Electoral College win’, 15 Dec, 2020, Helen Buyinski, RT.com (a few excerpts)

“Despite spending the campaign season painting himself as the anti-Trump, Democratic President-elect Joe Biden has further followed in his predecessor’s footsteps, appointing not one but two Goldman Sachs alums to his cabinet.

Ex-Goldman banker Eric Goldstein, who worked on the investment bank’s Merchant Banking division for nearly two decades, will join Biden’s Homeland Security Review Team, Politico revealed on Monday. His erstwhile colleague Monica Maher – currently vice president of cyber threat intelligence at Goldman Sachs – has been appointed to the National Security Council Review Team.” […]

A story inspired by the Christmas truce of 1914, a miraculous occurrence of peace for two days when men laid down their arms, came out of their trenches, and celebrated the holiday together. The aftermath depicted in the film is also part of history. The German, French, and Scottish commanders were severely reprimanded for "fraternization with the enemy." New troops were brought in to replace those who had been tainted by the experience. After all, war depends upon seeing the other side as subhuman.

In a disturbing scene, Palmer, the Anglican priest, is harshly criticized by his bishop, who argues that Jesus did not come to bring peace but a sword. Later, we see the bishop telling the new recruits that they are in a crusade, a holy war for freedom. Hearing these words and realizing how far this view is from the teachings of Jesus, Palmer takes off his cross, leaves it on a bedpost, and walks away.

[video:https://youtu.be/-cSrqRdlFeo]

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The Biden administration resembles the ineffectual German government formed by Franz von Papen in 1932 that sought to recreate the ancien régime, a utopian conservatism that ensured Germany’s drift into fascism. Biden, bereft like von Papen of new ideas and programs, will eventually be forced to employ the brutal tools Biden as a senator was so prominent in creating to maintain social control – wholesale surveillance, a corrupt judicial system, the world’s largest prison system and police that have been transformed into lethal paramilitary units of internal occupation.

Chris Hedges

Two days ago the WashPost gave us the Russiagate 2.0 headlines about the SolarWinds hack.

at the end of the comment stream.

The good, the bad, and the very, very dismal fucked up.

‘Hill leaders close in on Covid stimulus deal’ Negotiators have left out the two most contentious items of the possible agreement’, politico.com, Dec. 16. 2020

“Congressional negotiators are on the brink of a coronavirus rescue package that would include a second round of direct payments and boost unemployment benefits, but would leave out state and local funding and a liability shield, according to lawmakers and sources briefed on the talks.

The price tag of the emerging deal is roughly $900 billion, and a deal could be finalized on Wednesday, those sources said. Senate Majority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) said the proposal would likely include direct checks to individuals of $600 to $700 and a weekly unemployment boost of $300 through March.