I have read and agree to comments policy as posted here www.informationclearinghouse.info/c1.htm
I'm no economist, but I have been telling my family, friends and aquaintances that our nation's financial "house of cards" will be collapsing at any moment. I would've also told my co-workers, except that my job was eliminated back in 2002. So, we know what the problem is. We've got evil political leaders and fascist corporatists in positions of power. Now we need a solution - well, even a first step toward taking back our country would be useful. So what can we, informed, concerned citizens do? The democrats are useless, as they are part of the cabal (note their "immigration reform" bill that encourages/rewards illegals for breaking our laws and destroying our middle class way of life). The election process is corrupted - Mr. Bush did not actually "win" either the 2000 or '04 election. If we march in the streets, the chimp and the evil one will use it as an excuse to declare martial law and turn the Balckwater goons loose. So, what's the first step????
Larry Lebowitz,Cohen,et al likely will retire to israel after they've bled this country for all that they can.Cocksuckers.I've heard it said that you can get ol'Lar's phone number off the you tube comments under the video
There are non so blind as he who will not see. I for one truly believe the great U.S. of A. to be the most evil empire that ever inhabited planet earth. Certainly they have more power than any previuse empire. More lethal power that is WMD, atomic and all, and totaly prepared to use it. Have a nice day.
Bush and Cheney are evil/vile men given to authoritarian leanings.
The American economy is on the verge of going broke.
We are witnessing the end of American economic and military hegemony.
According to various banking institutions we are on the verge of a WORLD WIDE DEPRESSION.
Let us hope America goes broke before Bush decides to use a nuclear device.
Al qaeda and the war on terror is BOGUS.
The CIA is about to bring out all its dirty laundry. It confirms much of what has been read already.
Some might wonder how bad can it get. Answer: A whole lot worse.
It is a good thing that God is a refuge and strong tower for those who seek refuge and safety.
Peace.
Al qaeda and the war on teror are BOGUS.
Bush seems to think he can create anxiety, doubt, fear, stress and worry. Yes, with the help of the media
who pump out the disinformation as fast as they can.
The legacy of Reagan's deregulation and privatization is staring us in the face.
And what role did you have in this attack on the people's government PCR while you were helping to hand the people and its government over to the tender mercies of private efficiencies, private armies, private health care, private prisons.....?
There is a very simple solution to how to stop the process without take it to the streets or using violence because that's what Bush et al is waiting for to declare martial laws, just simply do not do any shopping for a week and the economic is going to crumble. Its just there in front of everybody's eyes and still to many is hesitant to do it, if everybody stopped shopping for seven days it will be over its a question about determination and stamina and organization!
who gives shit about the usa -the beast in the east must be fed or they will feed
cruxpuppy- you nailed it.
Roberts said,
"Americans, whose ethical behavior toward others was once reinforced by having to look oneself in the mirror, now have a different ethos. Many cannot look themselves in the mirror unless they have pulled a fast one and advanced themselves at someone else’s expense. It is not only crooked prosecutors, such as Michael Nifong, who get their jollies from destroying their fellow citizens."
This statement I think, is designed to cover Mr. Robert's own ass as a one-time participant in the economic fleecing of America.
Actually, the ethical behavior of Americans began to break down when suburban sprawl introduced anonymity and consumerism introduced unbridled greed. These developments were based on a philosophy of immediate gratification without thought to the social consequences or how it would change the character of the nation. Wall Street and Madison Avenue have acted with a single goal: make loads of money by chipping away at the controls placed on individual behavior by fear of adverse social consequences resulting from selfishness. In the small farm-towns and old factory-town neighborhoods which have slowly been driven into extinction by the Global Economy, people had known their neighbors, and were related to most of their fellow citizens by some means or another. You were civil to people whether you knew them or not- hell, they might have been relatives. But that's all changed in the last forty years as cities have grown and towns have died. And as people became uglier, so did politics.
Today no one cares about anyone but himself. Most of you can't even know what I'm talking about because you're too young to remember back before malls and cul-de-sacs took over America, when small towns had thriving economies and good jobs, and urban neighborhoods lived on front porches and shopped in local shops. Between commuting to work, going out to eat, and shopping till they drop, most Americans today don't even know their neighbors, and spend up to two hours a day in their cars, coughing out carbon.
But how two-faced and self-serving of Mr. Roberts to fail to admit the huge role played by his very own Reagan administration in bringing about the age of arbitragers, mega-mergers, leveraged buyouts, robber CEOs, downsizing, and outsourcing known as turbo-capitalism, which hastened the arrival of the Global Economy and in the process has stripped the US of its vitality like a swarm of locusts strips a field of grain.
America can rebuild. We can start over new and green. But first we have to realize that it is not the illegal Mexicans who are the problem, Paul Craig Roberts, but the crooked bosses like the Reaganites who hire them and manipulate the economy so the rich get richer and the poor, well- you know.
What terrifies me most, is this thought, it just simply keeps running through my head. There is nothing more dangerous than a dying beast,especially one who has nothing left to loose.
Good. The ugly American structure is disintegrating. Please do seal the borders so that none of the 'fine citizens' who voted for GWB, sent their sons to uproot the oldest country on earth, supported for decades the genocide against various populations, etc., so that they stay at home in the grand ol' USofA to pay the price for their ignorance. After all, as the Yanks like to put it: 'No pay; no gain'. Further, no one wants mentally and spiritually afflicted Americans as their neighbours.
So, for the bulk of US Americans, the crime is their domestic decline and the crumbling of their myth boils down to outsourcing and lost jobs in their domestic economy?
Yes, well, it figures.
Not a word about the plentiful employment being provided in the numerous US secret torture camps, official and mercenary military and war-profteering mega-corporations like KBR & Blackwater.
Perhaps Mr. Roberts is groping in final desperation for the one and only sure route to an American conscience - their pockets.
(I wonder what kind of salary an average US torturer gets paid)
This is a quote from a book titled “Correspondence with Vincent Salandria,” by Michael Morrissey, a Kennedy assassination researcher. This is in relationship to the Kennedy murder, but it applies to us today.
“I’m afraid we were misled. All the critics, myself included, were misled very early. I see that now. We spent too much time and effort micro-analyzing the details of the assassination, when all the time it was obvious, it was blatantly obvious there was a conspiracy. Don’t you think the men who killed Kennedy had the means to do it in the most sophisticated and subtle way? They chose not to. Instead they chose the shooting gallery that was Dealy Plaza, and did it in the most barbarous and openly arrogant manner. The cover story was transparent, and designed not to hold, to fall apart at the slightest scrutiny. The forces that killed Kennedy wanted the message clear: 'We are in control, and no one, not the President, not Congress, nor any elected official, no one can do anything about it.' It was a message to the people that their government is powerless. And the people eventually got the message. Consider what’s happened since the Kennedy assassination. People see government as unresponsive to their needs, yet the budgets and power of the military/intelligence establishment have increased tremendously. The [turning] of power is here. Current events tell us that those men that killed Kennedy can only perpetuate their power by promoting social upheaval both at home and abroad, and that will not lead to revolution but repression. I suggest to you, my friend, the interests of those who killed Kennedy now transcend national boundaries and national priorities. No doubt that now we are dealing with an international conspiracy. We must face the fact. Not waste any more time micro-analyzing the evidence. That’s exactly what they want us to do. They’ve kept us busy for so long.”
So when people say "We've got to take charge of our country again," look who really has control, is in charge of it. Tell me, just where do you find even a sleeve to grip? Which individual(s)? Who is going to do it? You or me? Ha! We'll be squashed like bugs. This is the biggest Mafia in the world, and their muscle is the United States Military machine, both overt and covert. In November of 1963, we had a coup d'etat. They've been in control of the levers of power ever since. I'd like someone to tell me how you fight this.
I agree with Orientalist. We need to stop shopping. I would like to see a national strike where we shut the country down for a week at least. No shopping and no going to work. When we do go back to shopping BUY LOCAL. Shop at the farmers market or community supported agriculture. Buy second hand. Yes we will have to inconvience ourselves. And stop driving. Ride a bike or walk if at all possible. If we must drive combine trips and car pool. We can only affect those in coporate power if we affect their pocket books. It will come to this anyway because we are looking at a collaspe.
Their cunning and greed will be their undoing.
It has been shown to happen all through history.
It is just a matter of time. Be patient.
American jobs are gone because American industries are gone. Google world steel production. Then Google Delphi to see it happening again. Mr. Roberts, the "economist," helped to destroy American industry. Is he running for office on his record now?
Zippy:
Close. 1963 is when they showed their hand and killed JFK.
But only because JFK found out that the whole US national security state was riddled with traitors. He fired Dulles and was going to bust the CIA into "a million pieces." Before he could, they nailed him.
The current US Security State dates from 1947 and it is corporate, globalist and essentially Stalinist, except the leaders of this one learned from the Great Soviet Experiment and it's a lot more sophisticated.
And if it matters, the same wonderful folks who financed Hitler and the October Revolution are doing it to us too.
The same people who ran the Gulags are on the job here also: Ex-KGB boys rigged the "American" Homeland Security Department. They didn't even change the name Stalin hung on it!
Roberts notes most of the details, but skips over the important fact that "the USA" is just the installation device for a Global Regime based on exploitation. The Regime is all over the map. Even the CIA is a non-American entity.
As with the old Soviet Union, when it all collapses they'll just find another country to work their magic on. They will keep trying to make their New World Order work, no matter how many millions they kill.
Maybe Australia is next on the list. Either way, the "USA" is only their latest tool. When they finish draining us dry, they'll start on the next country. Just another day at the office for them.
Mr Roberts:
if (and when) you do research on how this "America" originated, then you will find out that this country, correctly to be called "United Stated of North America", was (and is!) an experiment.
It is most likely that this (experiment) was implemented by the British and the Germans.
Also: to this day the u.S. of N.A. is still, in essence, a British colony.
The B.A.R. (which letters stand for: British Accredited Registry) is one example, and unmistakable proof, of the fact that "we, the people" are being puppeteered by Great Britain (together with, most possibly, Germany).
Other examples ("imported"? from Great Britain) are: the jury system, and the fact that parcels of land are being called "counties" (for which "we, the people" pay county-taxes). Nice, uh.
Last:
the word "visas" is incorrect.
The original word is: "VISUM".
Therefore plural should be: "VISA".
If I want A "Visa", I will apply for a credit-card with that name.
Thank you.
Ruth Benderall
Your contribution is very provacative. If you would like an insiders view of the fear, mesmerization, distraction and managed perceptions of a citizen worker under this corporate governance, bring your enthusiasm and your ear over here. I will relate to you how wonderfull it really is to intellectualise dispair and strugle to help others to overcome.
Hmmmm... Maybe Marx was onto something when he observed that the interests of Capitalist and Proletarian are opposed and irreconcilable.
The real tragedy is that we now have to learn the same lessons and fight the same battles that our great-grandfaters did.
I believe when the Hammer falls and the full game plan comes into being for the USA, people will not be able to handle it. Everything they have been taught and everything they have been told will have been a lie. As you stated about the H1-b visa video, that didn't make airtime except for Lou Dobbs. I don't even think they are bothering to pretend anymore. When people question they just ignore them and do what they want.
"...mister we could use a man like Herbert Hoover again...!"
Well, guys like PCR keep saying the sky is falling, but I don't see it yet. What I do see is GWB setting himself up for a grab at total power come the next "terror" attack...which might also bring this huge economic crash everyone is so certain will come.
I say, bring it. As I've stated so many times before...the average boneheaded American will not get truly angry until "it" is taken away. Sure, it's slipping away fast right now...but the shelves are still full.
Yes, we may have to learn the lessons of our forefathers the hard way...but at least it will happen!
A great man showed the way not too far into the past.... Gandhi convinced his fellow citizens to remove their consent from being vicitims of the repression of the British. It is the only way to win is simply to remove your consent. No longer participate in the country. Stop shooping, stop working, stop paying taxes, stop everything and stand still. This is the only way forward that has a chance of defeating the powers that killed Kennedy and the ones responsible for the current situation. Everyone everywhere in the country has to remove their consent and delegitimize the current regigme in Washington- All stand united with a copy of the US consitution and peacefully face off with the corrupt corportist/fascist elements of society. While you are at it, get rid of the wing nut evangelical christians! the Apocalypse is not here! nor will the secound coming ever happen- the christians has screwed up the first coming so badly why would he rebook such a hostile venue? If He even exists, that is...
There seem to be a few Nifongs here: vague accusations of unspecified misfeasance 26 years ago but attributed to one writer now.
What activist position and criticism were y'all doing then?
And what contribution to discourse now?
Like, has anyone noted Hank Paulsen's delusion that the housing market has bottomed already and the economy is in fine shape? Or the fact that homes for sale have peaked at the highest ratio in 15 years? and mortgage brokerages continue to slide into bankrupty?
After all, this article here was about the economy, and loss of American jobs. Looked at the downsizing of IBM lately? Or wondered why the Fed dropped any reference to the M3 last year? Or checked the U.S. national debt clock approach "9 trillion" and said, golly gosh. And not known the true figure with residuals is actually $71 trillion as of 2007?
Or wondered where that 2.3 trillion that Rumsfeld couldn't find in the Pentagon budget went to?
A good and brave analysis. Too many 'tied' economists and academics are afraid to speak up for fear of their jobs. This is the free market 'working' on a busted US economy due to the nature of playing global policeman and 'masters of the universe'. The expense of the miltary burden busted the former Soviet Union. Now it's America's turn.
Regarding immigrant labour of course it's cheaper for employersto hire them and that is why the caplitalist governments turn a blind eye as workers have no rights and have to accept anything given them to survive as they have no union representation.
Nelson Mandela once said that Africans should stay at home and get on with building their own economy and society.
Regarding someone's notion that the British control the US. UK is suffering the same capitalist problems. It has only recently paid back it WW II debt!
The population has a current £37 trillon debt and is based on a similar service indusrty economy of 'taking in each others washing'! UK manufacturing is all but gone, a far cry from the time it was the 'workshop of the world'.
The new industrial and economic giants are China and some counties in the Far East. If Putin follows his present line then Russia will be a big player once again with its huge natural resources.
The world's natuaral resources are finite and the population is increasing at an alarming rate. Unless serious political systems are put in place and attention given to the proper control of natures resources, the climate etc. and wars ceased things don't look good for mankind.
Can everyone please find a copy of the great Jack London's "IRON HEEL"?
NOW... Right and Left agree on this one. Paul for Prez.
We are powerless up until this point to make a change.
Stop Shopping for 1 week.
Stop working for 1 week.
Stop school for 1 week.
Stop everything for 1 week, ALL AMERICANS JUST STOP FOR 1 WEEK UNTIL THIS ADMINISTRATION IS REMOVED FROM OFFICE. START THE WEEK ON JULY 4th FOR REAL INDEPENDENCE!
What other choice do we have? What else can we do? Congress listens to no one just as the administration listens to no one.
Isn't your country worth 1 week of your life's time?
I think it's fine if people from other parts of the world come to north america. I think it's fine, if they work, and fine if they don't.
I think it's fine that more americans are quitting working, retiring earlier, settling for lower income -- if that's their choice.
Paul Craig Roberts has fallen into that fallacy of identifying with, and advocating for, one group over the interests of another. This fallacy, sometimes nationalist, sometimes racist, is always unjust. The very notion of our "enterprise" in Washington DC is immoral: WashDC sells its services to Americans of screwing the rest of the world, and bringing the loot home.
I do see a familiar problem when immigrants take jobs from less competitive americans. All societies, including wherever the immigrants came from, have their own segments of people who are not productive enough to compete. What's happening is the most competitive people, globally are coming into the US and displacing our own people of modest or inadequate ability. So we are ending up with no way to support them. This is the bigger pattern of globalization is what PCL should be talking about-- justice for all the people of the world. Labor rights, for example. How could PCL miss this bigger picture?? If you're worried about it, tax the rich. Tax these successful immigrants. Transfer some resources to the unemployed, the marginal, the uneducated, the persons of density. Provide a guaranteed income of $12000.
The immigrants will then, not come in such numbers. By maintaining less regulation and taxation than other advanced countries we are getting an economy where the most cunning, long of fang, fleet of foot keep ALL of their winnings, we are attracting competitive sharks and savants and millionnaires from around the world and building a frankenstein economy.
I'm amazed, most of all that PCL is alarmed by this... why would he fear that such an economy might fail? It's business as usual. If you don't like the character of it, then, tax the rich.
-Todd BOyle CPA retired
"just simply do not do any shopping for a week and the economic is going to crumble."
Orientalist, I agree. Remember what King George said after 9/11? He told us to "go shopping." I'll do the opposite of what he advised us to do.
Charlotte Smith also has some excellent suggestions. I'll do it with pleasure.
Oh, he just had to stick in that nonsense about the immigrants!
The ignorant and arrogant amerikan sheeple..are following their mad piper right over the cliff ...and into oblivion..baaa baaaa
Excellent piece - the truth hurts real bad. The folks here calling for Americans to stop everything for one week are dead right. The only hope is now in the hands of the people to clean out the mass murdering, war profiteering, election-staeling scum that now occupies "our" government.
I pray to God they can be stopped before they nuke Iran or assist Israel in doing so. I also pray that we still have military commanders that will refuse the order to nuke a sovereign nation for these sick bastards.
Are there any real defenders of the Constitution out there?
Roberts is only half right. What has happened to the US male student? Doesn't graduate. Doesn't show interest in learning or working. The majority are more interested in adolescent fun with no idea about the future. It's a sad case. Ignorance never was bliss. Ignorance means you get the government you deserve. Ignorance means you never have to grow up. Ignorance = lifelong poverty and few choices about anything except the next beer you're going to drink.
Also, in reading comments over the last year or so it seems many people write that the jews are to blame. What a joke! Is Bush a jew? Cheney? Powell or Rice? Or James Baker?
How about the corporations and the banks? All jews? Are you all stupid or crazy?
Corporations and their political handmaidens run this country and always have. Look it up. There are 16 million jews in the ENTIRE world. There are 8 million people in NYC, about 11 million in greater LA. Blaming jews for everything is just the way to keep people stupid. It's just like blaming women for crime??? Or African Americans for corporate malfeance???? Or children for poison in our food. Stupid and ignorant. More than 60 million people in this country voted for the moron in the White House.
They got screwed by their own ignorance. The middle class is helping to guarantee their demise. They don't look at what's happening to themselves and how they participated in what's happening to themselves. Blame somebody. Anybody. But don't take responsibility for the fact that you voted for the biggest idiot and his gang of criminals this country has ever seen. You'll recoognize the mistake when you and your children are flipping burgers in some roadside stand at 75 years old.
I applaud ICH for the real news. I used to make $45k my husband over 50K today we are nearly destitute. Forced to sell a house that would have been paid for and unable to find work over $9 hour. Paul Wellstone was the only Senator that would have stood up to the Florida Fiasco of a Stolen election and demanded a re-election. His plane went down a short time before the election though and that plan took care of the only snafu to GWB taking office. Not one Senator, not even Feingold (wi) had the guts to do what Paul Wellstone would have. GWB has sent the world to hell in a handbag and will continue to do so unless something is done and fast. Who has the guts? Cindy
Rice Balls....
elocuently said my friend.
PCR has to have the spine to accpet his responsibility on the current state of the nation today.
We have been a third world country for some time as we see more and more families having to work two or three jobs just for the basics.
When are this nation's citizens going to wake up to the fact that this country is owned by multinational corporations who's only loyalty is to the dollar. And that is questionable as we see major corps heading overseas to create jobs for others.
These multis have used this countries manpower to fight their wars for resources, our laws and our court system to give them power all over the world but they tell the american worker they are in a global economy and must take another reduction in economic status.
we are heading for a big collapse that echoes the beginnings of the last century.
My friends:
Any american company that has sent jobs overseas BOYCOTT the hell out of it.
Get a list from the internet and do your part. Hurt them in the pocketbook.
Do your little part people. Do not be discouraged. Eventually all the little parts will add up.
Try not to drive your car when possible.
Buy the strictly necessary. Period.
We the people have some power to bring this thing to a screeching halt.
DO YOUR SMALL PART.
Have no doubts people, Militarism and Outsourcing are going to run this country to the ground.
What happens when our creditors decide to call in our trillions of dollars of debt. I think when they see that this 'war on terror' farce has about run its course, then we're really going to see hard times.
What ever happened to the Regan Mitterand Protocols? The Wanta $47 trillion in USD sent by China?
Cry me a river why don't ya? It makes me sick how stupid Americans are. Just listen to the bickering here. The idiotic schlep wants the corporate class to care about HIM but he HIMSELF doesn't give two shiites about the underprivelaged workers overseas who are definately NOT getting RICH off of the measly pay generated by the offshore trade. You people are dam hypocrites.
The entire system is made up of lies and you people only complain when it hits your pockets.
I'm a Malaysian, living in Malaysia governments in theis part of the world are actively soliciting outsourcing of jobs from developed counrties like the US and countries here are competing with their neighbours to attract outsource jobs and foreign direct investment.
Now while the flow of jobs and production plants will provide employment opportinities and incomes for a while, th the long term, as costs of labour and cost of living become expensive in some countries, the same dynamics of investment and job loss affecting the United States now will affect countries here.
Malaysia stered attracting foreign direct investment in the form of factories to set up here since the early 1970s but now, as costs have risen, the factories are moving away to lower wage areas like Thailand, Vietnam and China, and now Malaysia is left scrambling to "move up the
value chain" by attracting knowledge-based jobs in IT, creative multimedia, call centres but unfortunately, these are not the kinds of jobs your average high-school grad could do, so, with the exception of graphic design, animation and call centres, technology jobs aren't the answer to providing mass employment with decent incomes.
Thus I believe that in the long term, this logic of a globalised economy providing opportunities for all is flawed and an alternative is required, which for me would preferably be socialism where production serves social need, rather than private profit.
The other alternative is a reversion to regulated capitalism and reasonable protective tariff barriers.
Of course, with ordinary Americans faced with a bleak future in this globalised system, it's necessary that they must act to change it, through political means or militant revolution, since neither people in countries like the US or Malaysia benefit from this globalised system in the long run, though some may seemingly enjoy some benefits for a temporary period, while others suffer more and more from it.
Such a system is cruel and benefits only the capitalists, whether they be some giant multi-national corporation or some relatively small capitalist looking to arbitrage his costs by pitting workers in one country against workers in another.
Karl Marx's call, "Workers of the World, Unite!" rings so true in a world when the capitalists, their spin doctors and propaganda organs divide the worker against worker through encouraging labour cost arbitrage in a globalised world.
Cynic, Americans have never believed the workers abroad are getting rich. We know it's the corporations and their stockholders soaking workers on both sides of the world.
A country that ignores its own agriculture and industry is doomed to fail.
While it's true in principle that workers abroad and in the United States are soaked by the corporations and stakeholders, it's also true that if one has a job, one is earning an income, which does raise one's standard of living to an extent.
Otherwise, why would American workers be concerned with the loss of jobs overseas.
Ask any Indian IT worker in India whether they mind being exploited (provided a job) by IT multinationals setting up there.
It's not as if they could live in luxury on unemployment benefits, if much of that is left anyway.
Doug Henwood, a Marxist who thinks outside the box and publishes the Left Business Observer newsletter once wrote that the worst thing than being exploited is not being exploited ie. out of work and there's a lot of truth in that.
The Marxist concepts of the theory of surplus value and the Marxist definition of exploitation are fine, though rather clinical but in practical terms, being exploited -- ie. employed -- is definitely better than not being exploited -- ie unemployed.
Sure, if I work for someone and am paid 80% of the market value of the goods I produce, in Marxist terms I'm being exploited by my employer but in practical terms, that's better than being out of a job.
It's when capitalists are unable to exploit enough people, that the potentential for unrest and revolotion increases.
One of the main reasons governments in developing countries seek foreign direct investment into their countries is to provide employment for their people.
Also, Americans must understand another thing and it's not to measure the pay of workers overseas in terms of the costs of living in the US, since in some countries, albeit few, people can survive on US$1 a day, since their cost of living is correspondingly lower, while US$1 a day is chicken feed in the US.
While I'm not defending multinationals setting up operations to take advantage of lower costs in developing countries, the fact that they do does provide employment to people there and lessens the social tensions.
The crime rate in Malaysia has been rising since multi-national owned factories have started moving out to lower wage countries, like Thailand, China and Vietnam.
These people have the brains and the blueprint doing what their doing. Ezra Pound had the insight into this 'group' from his living outside America. The group's creed is greed. After fleecing Americans, in particular, since 1913, they have accumulated wealth beyond belief. What would bring their downfall? Sorry...
Smedley Butler told us that as far back as WWI, and on, the US was using it's military as corporate goons. His little book "War Is A Racket" reveals all. His documentary film tells about when - during the reign of Roosevelt - the American powerbrokers tried to install Smedley as an 'American Dictator' in the vein of their admired (and financially supported) Hitler. They wanted to have a coup d'etat. Smedley, being a patriotic marine, went to the press instead (in those days, the story was published - it would never be touched now except on the internet). Senate investigated, found out the truth, but no one was ever brought to justice. Sound familiar? (9/11 - same ol' same ol')
With many other capitalists of other countries participating like crazy in the race to compete or to obtain all the necessities that we in the US enjoy (like clean water, flushing toilets, roads), we will no longer have an edge. Our military is now becoming mercenaries - what will stop them from going over to the next most powerful or richer country when the US winds up broke?
I agree that we should begin shopping locally, buying only locally grown food especially, and concentrating on our communities. Ultimately it might be the only safety net left.
Excellent comments, tearing it all apart. The comments tell more than the author. I thought only a few scattered conspiracy theorists understood the JFK thing and remembered the role of American Fascists, who wanted Germany to win and a Red, White, and Blue Swastika for us.
Answers? I don't have many either.
Well here's my 2C. I think those that realize personal choices made at the personal, local, and family level, have it right. EVERY purchase is a political decision whether one realizes it or not. EVERY time one spends their dollars with a company that promotes either warmongering, fascism, privacy destuction, loss of freedom, earth destruction etc. one is working AGAINST themselves and paying for their own demise.
I would suggest NOT to stop buying all together because the idea is NOT to hurt the economy or people (you will only end up hurting yourselves) but instead make EVERY purchase count as much as possible in shaping and lifting UP compnaies and ideals one really believes in.
I know this is VERY hard, when I'm in a hurry in the morning I stop buy McDonalds and get a fat bomb due to lack of time. Is McDonalds really a company that shares my ideals??? Maybe, maybe not, but I doubt it. I do so out of perceived necessity and time constraints. But obviously I might do better to uphold local farmers that share my love for freedom and privacy and the earth etc. and work to plan ahead for breakfast. This I am trying more each day to achieve ONE PURCHASE AT A TIME.
When I go into a Gerbes store and they want my fingerprint in an electronic scanner so I can cash my check I simply walk away and take my business elsewhere, just on principle of being IMO treated like a criminal. Walk AWAY. Take your business elsewhere and use the freedom of the market to ONLY shop when you can with those that PROMOTE the privacy and fredom ideals you believe in. Not always easy but a MUST. USE CASH!!! I think it's the ONLY really effective option left. Think gloablly, act locally and support your neighbors and friends and those with a conscience!!!
MY 2c
T.A.
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