They could start really thinking about the ideas (really radical stuff like following the Constitution, etc.) that Ron Paul, Lew Rockwell, Judge Napolitano and many others have espoused. And as others here have stated, eliminate the cronyism, statism, corporatism etc. that both parties are using to destroy this country while enriching themselves and their minions.
Oh, and by the way, admit that the Bush Presidency was an unmitigated disaster and admit that Dick Cheney, Sarah Palin et al are the problem, not the solution. Until that happens, nothing will change except the players.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
War.... What is it Good For? Absolutely Nothing! Say It Again
Well, just as I thought, Obama intends to extend the illegal Afghanistan Invasion and Occupation (Authorization for the Use of Military Force), by adding additional troops; meanwhile the illegal Iraq Invasion and Occupation drags on. By providing for the illegal “Authorization for the Use of Military Force” instead of declaring war as provided for in the Constitution, the Congress abdicated its responsibility to determine the rationale for waging war. That is one of the main reasons that no one knows what constitutes victory in these two countries, because Congress permitted open-ended use of military force. Permission to use military force without any specific guidelines results in the perpetual war we are witnessing. I guess that what happens after 60+ years of waging illegal undeclared wars. Obama shows no sign of being any different than any other President. He continues to engage in and expand the illegal bombing of Pakistan, at the same time pretending that they are our allies. Despite the phony rhetoric emanating from Democrats and Republicans that they disagree about invading and occupying countries, there has never been any indication in history that either party shies away from conducting illegal wars or for fostering false-flag operations to achieve those ends. The sad thing about the last decade is that if the Republican Party had been operating under its historic conservative principles, we would not be involved in these illegal, undeclared wars. And in doing so, we would not be expanding the empire nor subsidizing corporate operations in foreign lands through the blood, sweat and tears of our dedicated Armed Forces. As Major General Smedley Butler said in 1933, “War is a racket.”
Our long-term policies of having our military provide the muscle for our corporations to plunder third-world countries creates blowback. Couple that with imbecilic immigration and refugee policies (wait until the children of the Iraqi refugees grow up) that are intended to provide cover for our advancing empire, and you have a recipe for disaster. It is only going to get worse. What people always seem to forget is that 9/11 (regardless of whether it was a false-flag operation or not) happened because the terrorists were here (not there) in the United States, with the Saudi Visa express making it very easy for some (http://www.nationalreview.com/mowbray/mowbray061402.asp).
The bottom line is that we, as a nation, must recognize the lies emanating from our leaders to convince us that they are acting in our best interests. The only interests they act in are those of the Corporatists and their lackeys. Just remember, when evaluating a pronouncement by our President or Congress, we must always ask ourselves, “Cui Bono (Who benefits – profit wise)?” Once we determine that the answer to that question is consistently the Corporatists, we will begin to understand the massive deception propagated on the American people. Only then will we see real “Hope and Change” and the chance to reverse our spiraling decline to become the great nation envisioned within the Constitution for the United States of America.
Our long-term policies of having our military provide the muscle for our corporations to plunder third-world countries creates blowback. Couple that with imbecilic immigration and refugee policies (wait until the children of the Iraqi refugees grow up) that are intended to provide cover for our advancing empire, and you have a recipe for disaster. It is only going to get worse. What people always seem to forget is that 9/11 (regardless of whether it was a false-flag operation or not) happened because the terrorists were here (not there) in the United States, with the Saudi Visa express making it very easy for some (http://www.nationalreview.com/mowbray/mowbray061402.asp).
The bottom line is that we, as a nation, must recognize the lies emanating from our leaders to convince us that they are acting in our best interests. The only interests they act in are those of the Corporatists and their lackeys. Just remember, when evaluating a pronouncement by our President or Congress, we must always ask ourselves, “Cui Bono (Who benefits – profit wise)?” Once we determine that the answer to that question is consistently the Corporatists, we will begin to understand the massive deception propagated on the American people. Only then will we see real “Hope and Change” and the chance to reverse our spiraling decline to become the great nation envisioned within the Constitution for the United States of America.
Government Logic
This kind of stuff will never stop until the people rise up en masse. Until people understand that government can not create jobs; all it can do is create processes and procedures that can be and are easily undermined by the cult of personality, lies, deception, and graft.
Then they also want us to believe that somehow, against all logic, the government has created a viable "industry," despite it being soley funded by taxation. The claim of viability is largely based on the fact that significant sales tax revenues are generated (without providing any actual data). Those of us who are not believers are supposedly fools who can't see the obvious downtown wonderland created by our brilliant leaders of our heavily indebted city. Yet, they continue to scratch their heads wondering why our infrastructure is in a shambles. It is shameful, yet they have no shame.
Then they also want us to believe that somehow, against all logic, the government has created a viable "industry," despite it being soley funded by taxation. The claim of viability is largely based on the fact that significant sales tax revenues are generated (without providing any actual data). Those of us who are not believers are supposedly fools who can't see the obvious downtown wonderland created by our brilliant leaders of our heavily indebted city. Yet, they continue to scratch their heads wondering why our infrastructure is in a shambles. It is shameful, yet they have no shame.
Privatization Nonsense
As I've said before, privatization deals and public-private partnerships and their ilk are just ways to permit existing entities or people to steal even more money from the taxpayers and the vital funding of public services. I really hope no one is really surprised by this. The real problem is that a large percentage of the population either believes this nonsense will provide positive benefits to the city or they know that it will provide positive benefits to them individually. The rest of us just get steamrolled and told that we just don't understand.
Cato is right, if this consortium would take over the costs of the stadium, etc. so that we could retire the bonds, I would be all for this. But, at its best, all privatization does is add a layer of incompetent management between the existing public management and the poorly delivered service.
Cato is right, if this consortium would take over the costs of the stadium, etc. so that we could retire the bonds, I would be all for this. But, at its best, all privatization does is add a layer of incompetent management between the existing public management and the poorly delivered service.
Bogeyman
Just ignore history and facts; common-sense should tell you that if you mess with people, create countries out of thin air and use / abuse our intelligence agencies and military to support corporate dominance and spread our empire in foreign lands, resentment will surely sprout like weeds.
Keep believing the propaganda that the government is here to protect us. Be very afraid of the bogeyman that arise from every corner, with bombs in their underwear and sh.. for brains. They are not are enemy; our enemy is within and if you "conservatives" don't soon wake up and recognize the common links between the Bush / Clinton / Bush / Obama presidencies, you will become the walking dead.
Keep believing the propaganda that the government is here to protect us. Be very afraid of the bogeyman that arise from every corner, with bombs in their underwear and sh.. for brains. They are not are enemy; our enemy is within and if you "conservatives" don't soon wake up and recognize the common links between the Bush / Clinton / Bush / Obama presidencies, you will become the walking dead.
Mayor Duds
I wish the writer would realize that the so-called convention business is nothing more than a scam perpetrated on the citizens of Indianapolis. What other business requires a near total subsidization of its central facility, as well as partial subsidization of every hotel within spitting distance and the main retail facility and its accessory parking. Oh, yeah, and throw in an arena, stadium ball park and state park.
And on top of that, we have to read about the supposed brilliance of the previous three mayors. Have you seen most of the city outside of downtown? Other than downtown, most of it has been neglected and forced to accept substandard or non-existent infrastructure.
Please when evaluating the current mayor, keep the others off of the pedestal. They really don't deserve it. Their accomplishments basically consist of transferring wealth to a selected few, by running a huge Ponzi scheme funded by tax dollars. Take a real objective look and what has transpired over the last 30 years before you write your next article. Once you take a look behind the curtain, the truth will be revealed
And on top of that, we have to read about the supposed brilliance of the previous three mayors. Have you seen most of the city outside of downtown? Other than downtown, most of it has been neglected and forced to accept substandard or non-existent infrastructure.
Please when evaluating the current mayor, keep the others off of the pedestal. They really don't deserve it. Their accomplishments basically consist of transferring wealth to a selected few, by running a huge Ponzi scheme funded by tax dollars. Take a real objective look and what has transpired over the last 30 years before you write your next article. Once you take a look behind the curtain, the truth will be revealed
It doesn't matter at all
If the Democrats would stop pandering to Hispanics and the illegal alien hordes, this wouldn't happen. This is a response to your actions on the local, state and national levels.
Frankly, I don't care who they pick (Black, White, Latino or Asian) because anyone they pick is going to be another non-thinker, whose only interest is maintaining the status quo - the theft and diversion of taxpayer money into their and their friends pockets.
Frankly, I don't care who they pick (Black, White, Latino or Asian) because anyone they pick is going to be another non-thinker, whose only interest is maintaining the status quo - the theft and diversion of taxpayer money into their and their friends pockets.
Eternal Health
I suppose we will all now become eternally healthy due to the passing of the new healthcare bill, regardless of how much we continue to allow ourselves to be poisoned by the toxins in the polluted air, chemically manufactured food and other products and polluted, chlorinated and fluoridated water we breathe and ingest. Additional poisons are unfortunately accepted by us and provided to us by the medical and pharmaceutical industries via pharmaceutical drugs, vaccines and various unnecessary procedures (with the key word being industry). So, now that we are all required to purchase health insurance, regardless of our health or ability and / or desire to pay for services directly, we will continue to receive symptom masking treatments (no cures) from the medical industry, at great cost, with the expectation that we will miraculously become a healthier nation by popping pills and flooding our bodies with poison.
Until we all understand that we are personally responsible for ensuring our own good health (as well as virtually everything else in our lives), and that exercise, sleep and nutrition are the key ingredients to good health, we will never improve our health or spend less on medical care. Medical costs can only be reduced in the same way that other individual costs are reduced, by using less medical services as the result of being healthier. And in many cases, just using less medical care will invariably lead to even less need for medical care, as we will be no longer be subject to unnecessary, dangerous medical procedures and manufactured poisons masquerading as beneficial drugs.
Until we all understand that we are personally responsible for ensuring our own good health (as well as virtually everything else in our lives), and that exercise, sleep and nutrition are the key ingredients to good health, we will never improve our health or spend less on medical care. Medical costs can only be reduced in the same way that other individual costs are reduced, by using less medical services as the result of being healthier. And in many cases, just using less medical care will invariably lead to even less need for medical care, as we will be no longer be subject to unnecessary, dangerous medical procedures and manufactured poisons masquerading as beneficial drugs.
Wack-A-Mole
Why do people keep falling for this nonsense? Government screws up Healthcare - Solution, we need more government in Healthcare!
The government creates policies to enable a housing bubble - Solution, we need government to create more policies to prop up housing prices!
Fed provides too much cheap money and has vast hidden monetary powers – Solution, we need to give the Fed more power and get more cheap money from the Fed!
Government starts illegal wars that create more terrorists (The Wack-a-Mole strategy) - Solution, government needs to start more illegal wars!
Government at all levels needs to retract, retreat and in many cases, just simply vanish
The government creates policies to enable a housing bubble - Solution, we need government to create more policies to prop up housing prices!
Fed provides too much cheap money and has vast hidden monetary powers – Solution, we need to give the Fed more power and get more cheap money from the Fed!
Government starts illegal wars that create more terrorists (The Wack-a-Mole strategy) - Solution, government needs to start more illegal wars!
Government at all levels needs to retract, retreat and in many cases, just simply vanish
You say Corporatism; I say Fascism
Okay, someone finally got it right; this government, including past administrations is more fascist than anything. They are clearly corporatists and Corporatism is basically equivalent to Fascism. Most Americans just refuse to recognize and acknowledge it. So, the problem is not that capitalism does not work; it does. The problem is that we don't have a capitalist society; we have a corporatist society.
If a health care bill was going to be passed, it was going something like this bill, of that, there is no doubt. Our fascist leaders would not have it any other way. Now, watch for premiums to skyrocket, out-of-pocket costs to increase, and services and health to decline, as we are further subject to the jackboot of our fascist leaders, while we refuse to acknowledge that health is mainly our individual responsibility.
As for the tea party, they were hijacked as soon as Barack took office. Did you hear anything about the tea party prior to his election? No, but they existed. The reason that you did not hear about them is because they originated with Ron Paul's campaign, which, of course, was marginalized by the mainstream media, particularly the tea party bandwagon jumpers (though Beck did respect Paul's vision on the existing financial crisis). And if you know anything about Paul, you know that his followers are as anti-war and anti-Bush as anyone. The post-Obama tea party is not necessarily of the same ilk. But to paint tea partiers as hypocrites does a disservice to those who have been there since the beginning. I don't classify myself as a tea party member, but I am and will continue to be a serious Ron Paulian who abhors are overseas empire, which I predicted to my now silent Democratic and Republican friends would be maintained if not strengthen with Obama.
If a health care bill was going to be passed, it was going something like this bill, of that, there is no doubt. Our fascist leaders would not have it any other way. Now, watch for premiums to skyrocket, out-of-pocket costs to increase, and services and health to decline, as we are further subject to the jackboot of our fascist leaders, while we refuse to acknowledge that health is mainly our individual responsibility.
As for the tea party, they were hijacked as soon as Barack took office. Did you hear anything about the tea party prior to his election? No, but they existed. The reason that you did not hear about them is because they originated with Ron Paul's campaign, which, of course, was marginalized by the mainstream media, particularly the tea party bandwagon jumpers (though Beck did respect Paul's vision on the existing financial crisis). And if you know anything about Paul, you know that his followers are as anti-war and anti-Bush as anyone. The post-Obama tea party is not necessarily of the same ilk. But to paint tea partiers as hypocrites does a disservice to those who have been there since the beginning. I don't classify myself as a tea party member, but I am and will continue to be a serious Ron Paulian who abhors are overseas empire, which I predicted to my now silent Democratic and Republican friends would be maintained if not strengthen with Obama.
Fannie Mae
Speaking of government sanctioned monopolies (their special powers make them monopolies) - everyone just needs to remind themselves of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to see what happens. Privatization has to be complete and permanent, that is, government is no longer involved in the service because the service is not a legitimate government function. Anything else eventually, if not initially, becomes a tool used to provide political favors and corruption. Our national airport system is another entity that does not function on any appropriate business model since all capitol improvements (runways, etc). are funded by taxpayers via the federal government. The new terminal was a boondoggle from day one and will continue to be an albatross around the neck of the airport - and, again, I don't want to hear any excuses from them or anyone else about the unexpected downturn in the economy. It was expected by anyway with any common sense who wasn't focused on getting rich quick. By by the way -see this link - grab your vomit bag first. http://www.indystar.com/article/20090920/OPINION01/909200344/1002/OPINION/Keep+Indianapolis+on+country+s+radar+screen
Don't be fooled again!
Please everyone; don’t be fooled by the phony GDP numbers created by the so-called government stimulus that the President and his minions have been crowing about. What they have helped create is a mini-bubble in the automobile and housing industry. Cash for clunkers (the idea appropriated from Germany unfortunately) distorted the automobile market, creating a temporary bubble for automobile purchases by moving purchases forward and encouraging unnecessary purchases. Meanwhile, the used car market, already hurting by the lower new car sales and resulting used car trade-ins, has been further hurt by the destruction of a large number of used cars in the government’s high-minded “cash for clunkers” program. The result has been fewer used cars, with higher prices, available for working class Americans (supposedly the main constituency of the Obama crowd).
Secondly, the housing tax credit, as with almost everything else the government has done related to the housing market, has been an attempt to prop up housing prices that need to fall to their natural level (historical price to income and price to rent ratios). All of the perverse incentives proposed and enacted by our economic maestros in the federal government are just continuing our unsustainable borrow and spend economy instead of permitting our economy to return to a sustainable economy based on savings, investment and production. With all of the talk (and it is mostly just talk) of transforming the economy to a “green” sustainable economy, the real path to sustainability continues to be ignored, while the unsustainable false economy consisting of massive public and private spending and debt is exalted. Don’t be deceived by the current administration; they are singing from the same song (different verse) as the previous administrations. The federal administrations and their co-conspirators in Congress and within Corporations are treating us like the frog in the cold-water pot that is boiled to a slow death. We don’t seem to realize that we are sitting in a boiling cauldron of economic disaster that will eventually explode, with hyper-inflation, massive unemployment and in our increasingly balkanized society, widespread civil unrest. Much like a volcanic eruption, we won’t be able to outrun the killer lava flow, and only a few will be spared.
Secondly, the housing tax credit, as with almost everything else the government has done related to the housing market, has been an attempt to prop up housing prices that need to fall to their natural level (historical price to income and price to rent ratios). All of the perverse incentives proposed and enacted by our economic maestros in the federal government are just continuing our unsustainable borrow and spend economy instead of permitting our economy to return to a sustainable economy based on savings, investment and production. With all of the talk (and it is mostly just talk) of transforming the economy to a “green” sustainable economy, the real path to sustainability continues to be ignored, while the unsustainable false economy consisting of massive public and private spending and debt is exalted. Don’t be deceived by the current administration; they are singing from the same song (different verse) as the previous administrations. The federal administrations and their co-conspirators in Congress and within Corporations are treating us like the frog in the cold-water pot that is boiled to a slow death. We don’t seem to realize that we are sitting in a boiling cauldron of economic disaster that will eventually explode, with hyper-inflation, massive unemployment and in our increasingly balkanized society, widespread civil unrest. Much like a volcanic eruption, we won’t be able to outrun the killer lava flow, and only a few will be spared.
Healthcare responsibility
It is not the government's (taxpayers) responsibility to provide for an individual's health care. The "general welfare" clause in the constitution is just that - general. Providing for an individual’s long-term welfare via taxation, government mandates and control impacts the general welfare of the nation; it does not improve it. Increased taxation only makes the people, in general, poorer, even many of those who think they are benefiting from government largess. They just do not realize it until it is too late.
Furthermore, health insurance should be just that insurance. Many people believe that every doctor's visit should be paid for with insurance. What should happen is that the insurance policy contains incentives for undergoing routine medical and dental check-ups, wellness activities, etc, through reduced premiums, etc., but health insurance should not pay for every trip to the doctor; it should cover catastrophic events, just like any other form of insurance. To expect otherwise is sheer folly. It will be impossible to improve healthcare without changing that fundamental premise. With that change, price transparency also has to occur. Just like any other service, price, quality and convenience should be major factors in choosing a service provider. We, as a people, need to stop pretending that the theft of other's people's money will solve all our problems. All it will do is allow the Evan Bayh's of the world to prosper while we continue to fight over the crumbs, while wondering why our quality of life worsens.
Furthermore, health insurance should be just that insurance. Many people believe that every doctor's visit should be paid for with insurance. What should happen is that the insurance policy contains incentives for undergoing routine medical and dental check-ups, wellness activities, etc, through reduced premiums, etc., but health insurance should not pay for every trip to the doctor; it should cover catastrophic events, just like any other form of insurance. To expect otherwise is sheer folly. It will be impossible to improve healthcare without changing that fundamental premise. With that change, price transparency also has to occur. Just like any other service, price, quality and convenience should be major factors in choosing a service provider. We, as a people, need to stop pretending that the theft of other's people's money will solve all our problems. All it will do is allow the Evan Bayh's of the world to prosper while we continue to fight over the crumbs, while wondering why our quality of life worsens.
To Believe or not to Believe - that is the question
In Dwight B. Owen’s letter of March 28, 2010, it is amazing how succinctly he was able to summarize what he characterized as a disjointed argument. The government, regardless of party, is full of liars, who practice their art of deception and propaganda day after day. Despite the so-called war on terror, the supposed cave-dwelling perpetrator of 9/11, who is on the FBI’s most wanted list, is not wanted for the events of 9/11. If you don’t believe that the huge billion dollar bases in Iraq, Afghanistan and the other “stan’s” are evidence of the expansion of our 1,000-military base empire, then that is your choice. If you don’t believe that Unocal, etc. have been trying to build a pipeline through Afghanistan for three decades, then that is your choice. If you don’t believe that the dynastic leaders of certain U.S companies have been trying to control the resources of Central Asia since at least the fall of the Soviet Union, then that is your choice. If you don’t believe that war is about control of resources and subjugation of people, home and abroad, then that is your choice. If you don’t believe that the Patriot Act is about the subjugation of the citizens of the United States, then that is your choice. And, if you would rather believe that our government officials, as the Obama fanatics now do, act in our best interest, then that is your choice. However, eventually you will come to regret making those choices.
Send in the Clowns
Where do you clowns think this money is going to come from? It will come out of the pockets of the citizens. With this deal, we are guaranteed to have $425 million more extracted from our pockets than before. Meanwhile, the Mayor and his cronies can hand out a plethora of wasteful contracts that will result in more improperly paved and constructed streets, more improperly located and constructed sidewalks, badly designed bike lanes, and other short- and long-term boondoggles.
While I have no doubt that Citizens Gas can more efficiently bill its customers, etc., there will be no great savings to be garnered because of the massive mismanagement of this asset over the last half-dozen years or so.
Maybe, if the Mayor and the Council would engage in real long-term thinking (but that would take a brain) and stop handing out contracts and sanctioning the theft of taxpayer money or just simply stealing it themselves, there would be adequate money to fund critical city services. Instead they use the city resources to bestow favors and build empires instead of actually delivering city services
While I have no doubt that Citizens Gas can more efficiently bill its customers, etc., there will be no great savings to be garnered because of the massive mismanagement of this asset over the last half-dozen years or so.
Maybe, if the Mayor and the Council would engage in real long-term thinking (but that would take a brain) and stop handing out contracts and sanctioning the theft of taxpayer money or just simply stealing it themselves, there would be adequate money to fund critical city services. Instead they use the city resources to bestow favors and build empires instead of actually delivering city services
Citizens Folly - Amanda has her say
It’s been a long time folks. Yes, it is me, Amanda, still curious as ever; however, I am five years older and in the 11th grade at Princess High School in Prince, IN. Not surprisingly, in light of the current economic situation, we have been learning a lot about the principles of good government; unfortunately, my teacher has had difficulty providing us with recent concrete examples. So, I have been spending a lot of my free time watching the government channel of
I have learned that one of the principles of good government is that government should be financed by user fees for all direct services to individuals. Although the idea to transfer water and sewer utilities to Citizens seemed to be almost a no-brainer, I was surprised when I heard that Citizens (remember it is a public trust) would borrow millions of dollars (funded by user fees), to transfer to a public agency (the Department of Public Works of the City of Indianapolis), to fund street and sidewalk infrastructure projects. I was even more surprised that a lot of the Councilors seemed to think it was a good idea. Then the presenters also started talking about bonds being issued against PILOT (payments in lieu of taxes – I think) revenue in such a confusing manner (Wasn’t everyone involved public, so why would taxes even be an issue?); my head started to hurt. One thing that I thought I had learned in school was that user fees and taxes should be clearly applicable to the services rendered, transparent and understandable. I couldn’t figure out why Citizens (public trust) would pay the City (public) so that it could pave streets and build sidewalks instead of just continuing to apply the requisite user fees to sewer, water and gas, respectively.
Anyway, I knew I needed some help, but unfortunately, our civics teacher was out with an illness, but later, on the way to the library, I stumbled across our mayor, Meg A. Dullard. I asked her whether she knew and understood what was going on with the Citizens proposal. She said it really wasn’t that difficult to understand; the Councilors and the City of Indianapolis were just trying to make it sound complicated to hide what they are doing from the general public, who they know (other than a few dedicated folk) don’t have time to stay abreast of everything going on the city. She said that many government officials don’t like to do the things that are easy to understand, because too many people would catch on too quickly and might stop their proposals. So they pretend they are doing creative, wondrous, complicated transactions to prevent the average person to really understand understanding what is going on until it is too late. Basically, she said that they are attempting to divert user fees from water and sewer ratepayers that would be too difficult to take without the proposed Citizens transfer as a cover. She said the proposal was a classic case of “robbing Peter to pay Paul (I am not sure who Peter and Paul are, but I understand that no one should rob Peter).” She continued by saying that if the City of Indianapolis, or for that matter the State or Federal government does not have adequate funds to repair, pave or construct streets and sidewalks, the proper thing to do would be to propose to raise the gas tax, a straightforward user fee, to the appropriate level to meet their obligations. But that would be too transparent, so they haven’t done that for many, many years, so there is a shortage of funds to maintain the infrastructure within the right-of-way.
Well, as always, I thanked our small town mayor for helping me understand things a little better. What I have learned from all this is that good government is easy to understand and that bad government is not. So, folks, if you don’t understand what your government is doing, you probably are witnessing bad government. Well, back to Channel 16 to see if I can find some good government in action. There must be some of it somewhere, don’t you think?
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