Category → doomed
Chris Hedges — Well Said — America is Doomed
I enjoy reading most of what Chris Hedges writes, like this:
There are no constraints left to halt America’s slide into a totalitarian capitalism. Electoral politics are a sham. The media have been debased and defanged by corporate owners. The working class has been impoverished and is now being plunged into profound despair. The legal system has been corrupted to serve corporate interests. Popular institutions, from labor unions to political parties, have been destroyed or emasculated by corporate power. And any form of protest, no matter how tepid, is blocked by an internal security apparatus that is starting to rival that of the East German secret police. The mounting anger and hatred, coursing through the bloodstream of the body politic, make violence and counter-violence inevitable. Brace yourself. The American empire is over. And the descent is going to be horrifying.
And this:
Obama lies as cravenly, if not as crudely, as George W. Bush. He promised us that the transfer of $12.8 trillion in taxpayer money to Wall Street would open up credit and lending to the average consumer. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC), however, admitted last week that banks have reduced lending at the sharpest pace since 1942. As a senator, Obama promised he would filibuster amendments to the FISA Reform Act that retroactively made legal the wiretapping and monitoring of millions of American citizens without warrant; instead he supported passage of the loathsome legislation. He told us he would withdraw American troops from Iraq, close the detention facility at Guantánamo, end torture, restore civil liberties such as habeas corpus and create new jobs. None of this has happened.
America Doomed could not have said it better.
Ole’ Harry Reid is Upset — It’s About Time — But Meaningless
Harry Reid is the poster boy for the lack of action among Democrats — no wonder he is in trouble with his reelection. Today — out of the blue — he is out saying that he wants to change the filibuster at the beginning on the next Congress (assuming he is reelected, of course). Of course, he has defended the filibuster many times in the past.
Reid has been a TOOL for getting nothing done for years and years. He is an excuse a minute — he placates the Republicans — and has no courage or guts. But like Lincoln of Arkansas they change their tune (at least briefly) when they are facing reelection problems. However, the ONLY thing the voters can do is to throw them out — there should be NO second changes. Even if they change their strips, they will resort to their old ways once they get ANOTHER SIX YEARS. Seriously! Is that STUPID or what? Six years — act like a jerk for 5 1/2 years and then promise to change — of course they don’t.
There are many things wrong with the US Constitution but one of the biggest is the US Senate. In the first place they disproportionately represent rural America. Two Senators from each state including those states with no people in them. On a map, it is the center red strip that goes through the country. I guess the founding fathers were trying to be all clever but they screwed up pretty badly with this one. No wonder the Senate is always the impediment to getting things done. So, the Senate already has an artificial bias to represent rural people and then you throw in the filibuster rule of 60 votes — minority rule on steroids. So, discount where ALL the people are — big states like Florida, California, Pennsylvania and New York get two Senators each. Meanwhile, empty states like Wyoming, Montana, Iowa, Utah, Nevada, etc. also gets two Senators. Meanwhile, NEARLY 300 bills which have passed the House will never EVER be voted on in the US Senate — it is the America’s House of Lords — where seats are handed down to children. What a stupid system.
People talk about the US Constitution with such reverence and how it has last for over 200 years — bullshit — the US Constitution is the tool of the corporatist and, like the bible, can be made to mean ANYTHING you want — my favorite: corporations are people. Install 5 crazy fucks in the Supreme Court and who knows what these assholes will come up next. That is one great piece of shit document.
America is Doomed.
Republicans Concerned About Democrats Being Reelected — It’s Laughable
Have you heard the Republican refrain — If health care passes then Democrats are going to get beat in November. Since Republicans CONSTANTLY LIE, let’s consider just how sincere this claim is. Don’t Republicans want Democrats to lose in November? Of course, they do. Why would they warn the Democrats? Wouldn’t you want to keep this ‘knowledge’ to yourself and get an advantage? Clearly, the OPPOSITE is true — if Democrats fail to pass Health Care Reform, they are going to get beat badly. Obama understands this.
If Democrats pass even piss-poor health reform, they will do much better in November. The health care system is so utterly and completely BROKEN that even piss-poor health reform will help. For example, if nothing more was done than to make it illegal to reject people with pre-existing conditions, this would be a significant improvement. It would not come close to fixing the system — but an improvement nonetheless. Secondly, if insurance companies could not longer drop coverage when people get sick — a common practice today — it would, again, be a significant improvement. Make health insurance more affordable and limit insurance companies profits would continue to improve the system.
Don’t you think that people are noticing how Republicans have behaved? You have Republicans telling the unemployed they are lazy because they can’t find a job — meanwhile, Republicans make it easy for companies to export jobs. You have Republicans telling America that we can’t afford health insurance but can afford executive bonuses, bank bailouts, and wars. America spends $800B – $1T on the Department of Defense PER YEAR. I would cut it by 90% and pull all the troops back from all over the world. It is just nonsense that America is the military of the world — we can’t afford it!
Also, does ANYBODY think this is the last health care reform bill there will be? Republicans constantly vow that they will repeal it all when they get their chance but this is a silly threat. First, Republicans have to win back the White House, Senate, and the House. This is unlikely for some time and, just as with Medicare and Social Security, there is no turning once health care reform, like this, are in place. Will it be Republicans that repeal pre-existing conditions and/or allow insurance companies to drop sick people. If they do, there to power will be short lived. The more likely scenario is that Democrats will get strength from this passage, and there will be cries to go further and further.
People are pissed at the Democrats — but election time is not until November — Democrats have WASTED the last year trying to appease Republicans. There is a little evidence that this appeasement is ending. Obama has acted more forcefully in the last week than he has acted in his entire presidency. He FINALLY realizes that he needs to ignore political consequences and DO THE RIGHT THING. Ironically, if he does the right thing, there will be NO POLITICAL consequences and Republicans are confirming this with their ‘warnings’. Of course, Obama is not yet doing the RIGHT THING — mostly doing just SOMETHING — but that is better than a few weeks ago.
Unfortunately, Republicans act in one accord because they are the party of MONEY — it is very easy for them to figure out their position. Democrats have a much harder time because it is more diverse. In fact, Democrats represent what America use to be — lots of different opinions. if you are gun-crazed, or an anti-abortion nut, there are Democrats that represent that. But since Republicans have only ONE opinion, the number of diverse opinions in America is concentrated within the Democrats. Pretty much whatever your point of view is — there is a Democrat that represents it — this is clearly not the case if you are a Republican. Republicans are white, religious, and only worried about money. Diverge from time — even a little — and you will be run out of the Republican party.
America is Doomed.
Destruction of America Continues
Today seemed like a banner day with so many different things to write out. So I decided to list a few
- Lots of activists and protesters are getting right in the face of the EVIL health insurance company with their supreme leader — the face of EVIL — AHIP CEO Karen Ignagni. She helps load the trains to the death camps via the policies she endorses. Ignagni KILLS PEOPLE.
- Democratic Representative Massa under investigation — Recall this buffoon resigned supposedly because his lymphoma cancer returned. Just days later it was revealed he is being investigated for groping male staff members. He also told a bizarre story about an encountered with Rahm Emmanuel, WH chief of staff, in the Congressional showers — both nude — and Rahm was trying to get him to vote for Obama’s budget. Well — the crazy Republicans have embraced scumbag Massa and have featured him on talk shows like Limbaugh and tonight on Beck for a full hour. This crazed Democrat is now the poster boy for the Republicans who claimed he was pushed out because of health care. Oh Republicans — they never can pass on up a good, juicy distortion and lie.
- Remember Republican ex-HP CEO Fiorina and her nonsense during the presidential election? Well, she is running for the Senate in California and getting beat badly according to the polls. Meg Whitman is running as Republican governor as well. Both of these people think that being a CEO/dictator at a corporation makes them suitable to run government — maybe in a totalitarian state but not in a democratic one. Clearly, being a CEO and being a Senator or Governor have nothing to do with one another — but reality has never been a part of the Republican platform.
- Then we come to Democratic Senator Lincoln of Arkansas who apparently is having second thoughts about voting for health care — just days after putting out an ad bragging she was opposed to it. I guess she forget to read the polls and how she is likely not even to win the Democratic primary since 80% in Arkansas are for a public option. Ooooops. A few hours later she recants — probably after a call from one of her CORPORATE overlords.
- Then, crazy Karl Rove is out with a new work of FICTION — his view of the Bush Presidency. The fact that Rove is lying his ass off is no real surprise but the fact that he thinks people will not fact check the book is. And the red-necks that love the Republicans clearly can’t even read anyway.
- The leader of British Conservative Party, David Cameron, is out commenting on Sister Sarah Palin with “It’s hard for us to understand, if I can put it that way.” The kind of sums it all up for Palin.
- Democrat Representative Dennis Kucinch is my hero for being opposed to the health care reform bill for the right reasons — it just doesn’t go far enough — there is no public option. In the end he will be shown to be correct.
There are so many other things to say, but many things are clear: little is being accomplished in America, America is more polarized every day, and Republicans and Democrats live in different universes.
America is Doomed.
Arkansas Democrat Senator Blanche Lincoln — Lying Piece of Shit
Republicans are bad enough but there are plenty of Democrats that need to go as well. There is no better example than Democrat Senator Blanche Lincoln. Below is her first campaign spot with some truth interjected. Lincoln is on the payroll of big corporations — lies her ass off — in a word — she acts like a Republican. If Democrats can beat her in the primary, it will send a message to other democrats who are CORPORATISTS and want to be elected as Democrats. She has collected $5 million in corporate contributions. She needs to go.
America is Doomed.
Another Lying Gay Republican — Roy Ashburn
Another admission today — Roy Ashburn declares he’s GAY. Generally, that would be a so what in my book. I could care less if he is gay but what makes this interesting is good old Roy was a fierce opponent of gay rights. Yep. Leave it to a Republican to hide in the closet and fight against something that he clearly believes in. Some say he shouldn’t be a Republican, but I disagree. This is EXACTLY what Republicans are all about. They deceive. They lie. They can’t be trusted. They are for policies of HATE.
One thing is certain — he has no place in the Democratic Party because he is opposed to equal opportunity and access for gay people. Granted. There are plenty of Democrats that don’t belong either. Senator Dodd who gave away financial reform to the Fed this weekend — he makes me sick.
With politicians like Roy, there is clearly no hope for America. Clearly, Roy was not even capable of having an honest discussion about anything. What a phony!
America is Doomed.
Rasmussen — Lying Pollsters
There is an excellent article on KOS today about how Rasmussen is the polling arm of the Republican Party. Check out the article for a more complete analysis. For example, in the graph below the Rasmussen polls are in red and everybody else is in green. Rasmussen polls pro-Republican. They are interviewed on Fox News and Hannity constantly. Rush Limbaugh quotes them all the time. They are NOTHING more than shields for the Republican Party — the party of NO — the party of LIE, LIE, LIE.
George Orwell’s 1984 has turned out to be just brilliant with its prophetic predictions — how TRUTH and LIE get all messed up. The war department was known as the Dept of Peace. History was revised based on what the state wanted — not any different than what is happening in Texas with textbooks.
People will have disagreements but when there is NO TRUTH — in today’s America people are willing to LIE for their point of view. America has passed from a place that might solve problems to one of certain destruction.
America is Doomed.
Us Versus Them — Until Everybody Believes in the Same Goal
It hasn’t EVER been ALL in America or probably any other place on earth. It is always Us Versus Them for the simple fact that without two sides there would be no controversy. And CLEARLY there is plenty of controversy in today’s America.
I will ALWAYS take exception to people who act irrationally — who want to deny the fact that EVERYBODY is equal — EVERYBODY deserves a job, living wage, health care, housing, transportation, etc. It is the ONLY reasonable GOAL. Republicans want it to be about MONEY — they are clearly ONLY about MONEY. Democrats have plenty of MONEY crazed people as well but at least there are some who want the GOAL — I want the GOAL.
I know plenty of people who don’t think America can AFFORD (their actual word) health care — these people are Republicans. These people have health care and they think they are ok. The fact that they are not is irrelevant — they think they are ok. As more and more people realize they are not OK, they will become part of the Us — until then, they are the Them.
Paul Krugman explained similar issues this weekend in the Times with
Today, Democrats and Republicans live in different universes, both intellectually and morally.
There is no doubt about this. Democrats and Republicans live in completely different universes — both morally and intellectually. Consider this example from Beck opposed to social justice. The Republicans will lose because their strategy is an ever diminishing class of privilege. This approach ALWAYS loses — it is just a matter of time. Usually, it ends in bloody revolutions and will probably happen that way again.
I don’t want a race to the BOTTOM — I want equality with minimums. I don’t want EVERYBODY living in poverty. I want everybody with enough income and means to living a comfortable life so they can pursue their likes and desires. I don’t want a few with all the comforts and the vast majority left with crumbs. Once EVERYBODY has minimums there is plenty left over for ones who want to sacrifice to gain more.
Capitalists claim that only with MONEY people excel. This is clearly just MYTH. There are lots of people who pursue careers of great accomplishment with little monetary gain. They are researchers and intellectuals — they are artists and musicians — they are ordinary people who write software for other people to use without monetary compensation. They aren’t Republicans because Republicans are ONLY about MONEY and privileging themselves at the expense of the vast majority.
So, as long as there are people who are opposed to the GOAL of everybody being equal with basic minimums, it will always be Us Versus Them. It will take a long time to get to the GOAL and there will be lots of pain and suffering along the way. There is no saving America — it is headed for certain destruction. Destruction is always necessary to rally around a goal.
America is Doomed.
Republicans: Unemployed Want To Be — Wrong — It’s a DEPRESSION!
Yet another Republican is out today claiming the UNEMPLOYED don’t have jobs because they don’t want them. It isn’t that interesting that another stupid Republican believes such nonsense. I suspect many of them do … or even something worse … like, maybe the unemployed should just kill themselves. Nothing would surprise me come from the party of John McCain and Sarah Palin.
What is more interesting to me is WHY do people like Senators Kyl, Bunning, and others believe they can get away with saying such nonsense? The answer is — “I’M DOING FINE” — the great LIE of America.
America is loaded with people who think because they are doing fine that the system works. I sympathize with the need to feel you are doing ok — but it is just magical thinking. I suspect most people are in the “I’M DOING FINE” camp at some point in their lives. But, as people get older they are more likely to either suffer directly or know people who are suffering because of the system they once believed it. It is just TOO PAINFUL for most people to believe that the system DOESN’T WORK — believing it doesn’t work results in despair and worry for the future. Thus, it is much easier to be in “I’M DOING FINE” camp.
However, the ONLY solution is a completely different economic system — dispose of CAPITALISM — kick it to the curb because it doesn’t work any more and it hasn’t worked for a very long time. For example, there were NO net job increases since 2000 — NONE. This is in a country that needs almost 150,000 new jobs PER MONTH, just to keep pace with population. So, for the last decade, America has been falling farther and farther behind.
Gallup reports that 1 in 5 people are UNDEREMPLOYED — translation, can’t support themselves on their income. That is 20% and much higher than the official government unemployment numbers.
All money reforms lead to less jobs. I am all for health care reform but make no mistake it will eliminate jobs — lots of jobs. It will cause some new jobs but overall there will be a gigantic net loss.
In the last few days alone, I have read stories about layoffs in the Superior Court System, Public Education, and even eliminating the last one or two years from high school to SAVE MONEY. The world is being turned upside down — BECAUSE OF MONEY. But it is MONEY that is the problem. It isn’t the people or the amount of work that needs to be done. There is plenty of work but this work is not PROFITABLE and only PROFITABLE work is interesting to a capitalist — if there are NO PROFITS there is no interest. This is the reason that capitalists love turning over non-profitable work to the government while keeping profitable work. And, as profitable work declines, so does capitalism — you end up with SOCIALISM — the only solution to today’s America.
America is unquestionably in a DEPRESSION but you will never hear the word from an elected official. Recently, they have been calling it a GREAT RECESSION — what crap! — should we expect a REALLY GREAT RECESSION next? Why not just call it what it is — D E P R E S S I O N. It is a DEPRESSION because employment will not return to 2000 levels for decades. Income levels will not return for DECADES. Tax receipts will not return for decades. Unemployment will increase. Homelessness will increase. More tent cities. More disenfranchised. More American terrorists flying into buildings and trying to kill others — these as simply suicide missions when people have lost all hope. All hope is now gone in America — it is just hanging on, if you can, until America realizes capitalism is dead. And, there will be NO world war to bail out America this time.
America is DOOMED.
American Politics — Money Over People — It’s the #1 Rule — More Important than Law
There are so many examples of money over people in American life — let’s explore one: Tobacco. I’m choosing this one because there is no religious belief that tobacco is good (as far as I know). There is mountains of scientific evidence that tobacco causes all sorts of problems: cancer, heart disease, etc. We even know that second-hand smoke is dangerous. Yet, consider the US policy on tobacco — a warning label and some taxes to discourage use. But, in the end it is legal and consumed by large numbers of people and it’s use is growing among young people. We are talking about a defective, harmful product. So, we have an absolutely clear example of a product that causes disease, increases health care costs, but LITTLE has been done about it. It isn’t banned and you can probably find it within 1 mile of where you live. This is American politics — it is about money and never about people.
Thus, what is the chances of dealing with problems where the causation is less known. For example, scientists have made an overwhelming case about climate change and how the earth is getting warmer. But, just as with tobacco, there are deniers who will argue forever there is no climate change. Just like the executives of tobacco companies swore that tobacco is not addictive and does not cause disease. What is the point of investigation and rational projections, given that in America that ONLY things that matters is MONEY. Even with tobacco, there is little public policy that addresses the fact that tobacco kills people — every year, every day. It is guaranteed. Likewise, climate change will kill many and cause pain for many more.
The list goes on and on.
Food is riddled with profit making that goes against the health of citizens: pesticides, additives, high-fructose corn syrup, etc. Meanwhile, junk food, loaded with fat and sugar, is cheap and leads to more and more disease. In a rational country, they would not allow people to consume food that caused disease. No wonder the rich don’t want universal health care because it would, by necessity, require more rational public policies.
Today’s America can’t solve any problems unless the solution is built around the rich becoming richer. As a result, the country is doomed with public policies that are destroying the country — day after day.
America is Doomed.