From whence comes this Economic Meltdown?

While the Work You to Death Republican Party would have you believe your financial problems are like natural disasters* and come about due to Freedom they stem directly from the Republican policies. Namely ensuring they use the power of the federal government to transfer billions, well Trillions nowadays, into their hands. While simultaneously convincing people it's the evil Democrats who are to blame.

Ron Paul places the blame directly where it belongs the wars to aid Islamic Extremists. As Paul states, we "killed a million Iraqis and pleased Bin Laden" and ruined our economy, to the point where an avowed Islamo-Marxist terrorist supporting Nigerian citizen was elected President.

It was interesting to observe the reaction to Paul placing the blame for conservative failure on Warmonging, the CPAC attendees were unsure of whether to applaud or not since the entire Bush platform has been Give War a Chance. The roots of the economic collapse are to be found directly, where the money goes, and the Trillions appropriated by the Bush regime for Military spending.

Now, since 01/20/09, things have gotten so bad, the Republicans are sponsoring Tea Parties (LT Nixon and Wonkette call it Tea Bagging Parties) in which the idea of overthrowing the government is being seriously considered.

After years of Piss Down Your Back Reaganomics, after the wars of Imperial Conquest of Tipsy Canoe, and 1 month into the Obama administration the situation is so dire a Revolution is required. Of course, these are the same people who for years declared even disagreeing with Bush was Treason and trotted out Sarah Hot and Palin to denounce Doe-mess-tick Tear-ohh-wrists. Except now, these same people believe using violence against the government is acceptable and imminent.

The anti-government movement has champions in Grover Norquist and is being touted as a grass roots populist explosion against government spending. Except these spontaneous American Tea Parties have roots as deep as algae. And who is carrying the water for these events?

Here are the sponsors of the 02/27/09 Chicago Tea Party:

the DontGo Movement; which is for free markets, low-taxes, low-regulation and personal freedoms. Presumably meaning Mr. Eric Odom was against the no-bid contracts given to contractors in Iraq, against stop-loss policy used on Soldiers and Veterans, and then staged protests against the Bush TARP bailout?

FreedomWorks; LessTaxes, LessGovernment, MoreFreedom. Freedom Works has a report on the roots of the financial crisis of 2008, tracing it back to the non-passage of the 1913 Federal Income Tax Amendment. Strangely reading through the document the 1980's receive no attention! Why not? Why Saint Reagan was president then! And he did nothing to expand the government or the national debt! And apparently during the Tipsy Canoe years the only problem was Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac! Although Ben Bernanke disagrees and stated the CRA was not to blame for the housing crisis.

Americans For Prosperity; AFP Foundation is committed to educating citizens about economic policy and a return of the federal government to its Constitutional limits.

Smart Girl Politics; Smart Girl Politics (SGP) is thrilled that Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann agreed to be the first person interviewed for our A Profile in Conservatism series. Uh-Huh, Michelle Bachmann #1 Conservative.

My personality has guided me to the Individualist Anarchist political ideal for several years. During the most criminal years of the Bush Regime (i.e. the entire 8 years) I conducted several thought experiments on the consequences of "more active" resistance and fortunately or unfortunately the conclusions I reached were unacceptable to me. In discussions with friends I've always told them the reason I could never accept "more active" resistance to the government and a removal of the current system would be the danger for their children. I am unwilling to take lives to actually change political realities. I am especially unwilling to fight those I would be arrayed against. In trying to live one day as a lion, I, a pawn would not be sent up against the object of my derision. No my fury would be spent fighting against other pawns, under control and being used by the same puppet masters to whom I myself belong.

When something like a a violent revolt gets started no one, no one can control it's course, there are too many variables which come into being and conspire to spiral events out of control. And yet, we have Senator Jim DeMint, an elected official, urging conservatives to "take to the streets to stop America's slide into socialism".

And this is the prime question which should be put to the Michelle Malkin's (aaaagh! I mean She Who Shall Not Be Named 2) and all the other Armies of Activists who are referencing John Galt, quoting the Second Amendment and polishing their walnut stocks; Are you willing to kill the young men in the police and national guard who would be the first ones sent in to stop a revolt?


*- And no money should be spent to avoid natural disasters, like observing volcanoes.

The Cool Parent

Poor people get bored, too... ~ JCvD, Hard Target (1993)

During the last dreadful months of Tipsy Canoe's Reign of Terror, at the behest of the economic bastards who control him and his party, the American people experinced a smash-n-grab pilfering. As a last kick to the coccyx a scheme was concocted to push through the TARP and directly funnel Billions of dollars to the rich (My Base as Tipsy calls them) while Oil companies gouged people with super-inflated gas prices, reaching over $4.50 a gallon in the Chicago-land area in 2008, which to this day no one in the Bush regime has explained or seems to have any inclination of explaining.

The battle between the parties* is like the battle between two divorced parents over their kids. Each wants the kids to choose them over the other, each uses dirty tactics. Each wants to use the government to enrich themselves, their cronies and their masters. The Republicans, have, developed a very clever idea. Be completely irresponsible and when the bill comes due leave it to the Democrats. They want to be the "Cool Parent".

Over the last 8 years Bush, like all Republicans, ran the country into the ground using the Piss Down Your Back Reaganomics. The clean-up is now in the hands of Obama. And wouldn't you know it, before he even took office the Republican Hounds began barking and yelping at the uncool Democrats who want to raise taxes and be fiscally irresponsible. Heres what Jack Cafferty has to say about Republican "fiscal responsibilty".

Will Obama's plan work? I don't know. But, the Republican party is a criminal Corporate Welfare Gang, they work tirelessly to Privatize Profits and Subsidize Losses. The Republicans know if they're honest about their Socialist plans to funnel Trillions of dollars to the Gang of Corporate Hacks, the people would rebel.

*- Libertarians are like your uncle who drops by every few years smelling like Denmark.

U and US? UBS or Just BS

They suck my body out
But friend there is no doubt
I'm gonna pay the devil his dues
Cause I'm sick of being abused

Eat the rich, eat the rich
Don't you know life is a bitch
Eat the rich, eat the rich
Out of the palace and into the ditch ~ Eat The Rich, Krokus

A dozen or so Americans are suing the Swiss Banking Giant UBS to keep their names secret. Why? Well, this stems from UBS agreeing to turn over information to the US Justice Department last week. Switzerland has always been a natural destination for pilfered funds.

But, this lawsuit is happening because those who put Tipsy Canoe into power did so to use the federal government to funnel Billions of dollars into their hands. That was the whole point of ensuring an ignorant patsy like Bush got into power.

Sex and Violence

It's what we're buying.

Recently, while preparing for a gaming session I entered into a discussion centered on the weight of Jessica Simpson and it's portrayal in the media. C, my friend's wife, was very upset that US Weekly was critical of Simpson and highlighted how gross she looked at 130lbs. C felt this was a terrible message to be sending to the woman of america. I, being the asshole I am, stated Simpson did in fact look terrible in these recent pictures, but not because of her huge veiny boobs, but mainly because of her outfit which was unflattering. However, there is no way Simpson is 130 in those pics, she's probably 150.

Anyway, I do agree, women are held to an impossible standard of beauty by the images we are bombarded with every day. However, it's a stain on our culture which also infects men. For a very wide ranging and myriad amount of issues in society construe to bombard us with sexuality and violence. With the re-ascendancy of brutal gladiatorial fighting in the form of MMA, Men are expected to be one-half Tony Jaa, one-half Allen Standford.

Men are subject to the pressures of measuring up in society through the acquisition of possessions which herald them as "successful". Once you reach "successful" status you then earn access to the sex. Look at the Skyy Vodka image, don't focus on the huge raging erection, the man is obviously a chic successful businessman with his fashionable suit. And having thus made money, perhaps during a run on the New York Stock Exchange, he now may exert his power and dominance over women and gain access to her sex, which is, obviously, all women have to offer due to her supplicant pose highlighting her enormous breasts.

Of course, the idea that men need to be rich and successful in order to be worth receiving the precious gift from a woman is peddled to us through the opposite end of the looking glass as well.

For instance, an article from November, when it became clear to everyone we are in a depression and have been for a while was titled Desperately Seeking Sugar Daddies. The article is peppered with these lovely vignettes:

With Wall Street crashing, it's hard to be a gold digger these days.
"Everyone is looking for handsome, rich men, but there are less and less of them to go around," says one gold digger.
Those Sex and the City salad days are over. She complains, "It sucks to be a single girl right now."
"We don't have time or money to spend hundreds of dollars on a girl. If it's a drink and it doesn't go anywhere, well, at least I'm cutting back."
And being unemployed is not hot."I would never go out with someone who came up to me and said, 'I don't have a job.' " Emilaya shakes her head. "No, no, no." Even the non-English speaker shakes her head no. It's universal: No banking job, no service.

To make the last line more clear, no money no fuckee...

Meanwhile, we are also treated to stories of beautiful women who turn their bodies into financial success. Salma Mega-Tits Hayek got married. The key is whom she got married to, Billionaire Francois-Henri Pinault.

Queen of the Harpies, Ran and I continued this discussion in which Queenie told me that Psychology majors go into advertising if they don't turn to academia. I'd recommend everyone take a Psych 101 course so they could at least recognize when their R-Complex is being stimulated, because the key to being free is to realize one is in a cage.*

*- Of course, Republicans don't want you to take such courses, it renders their jedi mind tricks useless.

Richard Shelby channels Alan Keyes

I did not plan on writing anything about Alan Keyes. Keyes is, after all, mentally unbalanced and debating or refuting someone who does not possess his facilities is not a good use of time.

Until... Republican Senator Richard Shelby, who used tax dollars to finance the undercutting of American Auto Companies by foreign ones, echoed Keyes by stating, "I haven’t seen any birth certificate. You have to be born in America to be president.”

I'll not waste time posting more of the Keyesian elocution (watch the video here if you wish), I'm certain most people interested have, at least, a passing understanding. What's important to take away is Shelby an elected Republican would undercut the President in a time of War, surely earning him a firing squad. Wait, what's that? That only works against Democrats? Oh...

Andrew Sullivan calls for leaders of the Republican party to disown the remarks but instead Shelby claps them to his chest.

And blah blah blah Shelby is a disgrace blah blah blah. I mean I haven't seen documentation that Richard Shelby is not insane. Therefore, Richard Shelby is insane, right? Isn't that how syllogistic logic works?

Trillions for Offense Not One Cent for The Poor!

So shout the newly minted fiscal conservatives. The New Mantra of the Republican Party comes on the heels of the obscene spending they indulged in during the Reign of Tipsy Canoe. Trillions of Dollars funneled to the Masters of Misery. But now, with hair tearing rhetoric suitable for the most maudlin dramas, the truly sane Republicans and their hounds have labeled the efforts of Obama as Porkulous and Generational Theft.

No. No Generational Theft is the deaths of hundreds of thousands, including Americans, in a War of Imperial Conquest. And Generational Theft is working to ensure the Transfer of the Wealth of the world into the pockets of those who produce naught but death.

You see, to Republicans, money best belongs in the hands of Erik Prince and his Merry Band, Halliburton and Wandering the nebulous deserts of Iraq. To them spending it here means fascism. And of course no day is complete without a Obama=Hitler photo-op, this one with She Who Shall Not Be Named 2. But, She whines You Liberals called Bush Hitler for years.

While I think the BusHitler references were slightly over the top (Although How did Prescott Make His Money Again?) I recall them coming out after Bush launched his War on the Iraqi People, approved torture for prisoners, began illegal wiretapping of Americans and discounted the Constitution as a worthless god damn piece of paper. While She and others began the BlameBarrackCampaign prior to his even taking office.

A Hot Shower

Taking a fairly long, marginally too hot shower is one of the few pleasures I indulge in, in this world. During my stay in Iraq taking an intermittent 2 minute long shower in Euphrates Poo Water was a continual low light in a thankfully uneventful deployment. Along with piss bottles and hairy chicken wings.

Now, I don't feel guilty about using so much water, although I did install a 1.5 gallon per minute shower head in my new home, but what my stint in the Corps and deployments to Kabul and Ramadi did instill in me was how fortunate I am to live in the early 21st century. I'm more privileged than 99% of mankind. I have an abundance of free time away from my work, I read, do physical exercise for it's own sake, travel and enjoy a "life of leisure". And this understanding of the good, long, healthy, full life most Western people now enjoy is exactly what those who run society and use you fall back upon as the under current of maintaining the status quo.

Herbert Spencer noted over 100 years ago the following,

"Yet while elevation, mental and physical, of the masses is going on far more rapidly than ever before - while the lowering of the death-rate proves that the average life is less trying, there swells louder and louder the cry that the evils are so great that nothing short of a social revolution can cure them." "From Freedom to Bondage", 1891, The Man Versus The State pg. 490

Spencer invented the termed "Survival of the Fittest". Spencer's theories were unfortunately bastardized into the odious theory of Social Darwinism. Social Darwinsim, as most people other than creationists know, is not Evolution. And as it was applied was the antithesis of Darwin's Theory. Social Darwinism was unnatural selection. However, it also turned out to be another tool the Ruling Elites used in order to continue their explotation and murder of the poor and working classes. It afforded those in powerful positions in Church, Industry and the State to applaud themselves and turn a blind eye to the continual suffering they impose on the less fortunate. And fueling the Myth the rich get rich because of merit.

Which gets me back to my privileged position of today. I peruse the blogs and sites which have been sounding the call to combat the Islamo-Marxist Nazification of American under Hussein Obama since before he was elected. It's a fascinating descent into willful ignorance, myopic avoidance, an absence of critical thinking and transference on a WWW scale. Most of the evils and turmoils which have been ascribed to Obama were committed for years en masse by Bush, Cheney and their toadies; who cared more about stealing Trillions, breaking laws they found inconvenient, controlling all facets of government, expanding the American Imperial Empire and enriching their families, friends and cronies and the expense of the little people.

The Stimulus Bill expansion of government Obama's signed into law is less than what was spent in one year in Iraq under Tipsy Canoe and Cheney, too. So, the money isn't the issue. I discussed this with my friends the Queen of the Harpies and Ran. Ran theorized a refunding of the IRS leading to audits of those who've pilfered Billions over the last eight years could be behind the marching orders the Republicans in Congress have received.

But, even with the deluge from the Toxic Commentators, like Hannity, indulging in orgasmic displays of Hijacked America! and the studiously prepared American Exceptionalism firmly entrenched in their mind's eye it's hard to understand why Americans accepted the criminal largesse under Bush while seemingly wanting people to lose their homes.

I think I need a shower to wash the toxic filth away.

WWTArmyD?

A number of soldiers at the Army's Fort Carson wrote and signed sworn statements in the fall of 2008 complaining about their medical care. Pfc. Timothy Ryan Alderman signed the statement below on Oct. 13, 2008. In it he says, "I am seeking help but I feel like I'm not being treated right. I mean mental help." He died of a drug overdose a week later. The Army has ruled that his death was a suicide.

I can not accurately describe my emotional and rational reaction to reading these stories. A year ago I wrote America Doesn't Support the Troops and not much has changed.

Even though Chicken Hawk Commanders Bush and Cheney used the deaths of soldiers to support their wars this isn't the fault of anyone one man. This isn't the work of some diabolical tyrannical misanthrope. This is the by product of a system in which troop welfare is a secondary (or worse) priority. It's a by product of impersonal relations. It's a by product of conformity and anonymity. It's a by product of rampant unthinking nationalism, in which, the interests of the Nation are mounted on a pedestal of worship and all other things must yield.

I am reminded of the story of Thomas a Becket. Becket's well studied and dramatized disagreement with his friend Henry II caused problems for the pope and the vatican, that was until 4 knights killed Becket after an enraged Henry uttered the infamous line "Will no one rid me of this troublesome priest". For then Becket was dead and the Church leaders could use him.

Becket was far more useful to the church dead than alive. The querulous archbishop immediately became the Canterbury martyr, whose shrine attracted thousands of pilgrims over the next three centuries. The papacy, which largely ignored Becket when he was alive, found his martyrdom to be useful as a lever for winning concessions from the dismayed English king. ~ Norman F. Cantor, The Civilization of the Middle Ages pg 400.

The average soldier is meat for the grinder. Praised for their sacrifice if dead, but shunned, derided and chastised if they question the Nation or it's Righteous Wars. And, always, always to be used.

People despised conscientious objectors, even those of the enemy country, because patriotism was held to be an absolute virtue. ~ Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion pg 233.

Illinois Get To Know Your Laws 2

This is memo to President Obama. Sir, until your recent victory to the office of the Presidency you served as a Senator for the State of Illinois. Here in below is a law I believe you should acquaint yourself with and apply towards George W. Bush and Dick Cheney, and everyone else associated with Torturing enemies captured during the War on Terror.

(720 ILCS 5/12‑7) Compelling confession or information by force or threat.

(a) A person who, with intent to obtain a confession, statement or information regarding any offense, knowingly inflicts or threatens imminent bodily harm upon the person threatened or upon any other person commits the offense of compelling a confession or information by force or threat.

(b) Sentence. Compelling a confession or information is a: (1) Class 4 felony if the defendant threatens imminent bodily harm to obtain a confession, statement, or information but does not inflict bodily harm on the victim, (2) Class 3 felony if the defendant inflicts bodily harm on the victim to obtain a confession, statement, or information, and (3) Class 2 felony if the defendant inflicts great bodily harm to obtain a confession, statement, or information.

Please Mr. President have this matter investigated and use the statements made by Mr. Cheney, "I was involved in the helping getting the process cleared. They talked to me as well as others. I supported them." as evidence in their criminal trials.

Bong Water

Mmmmm, Mmmmm Good! Hey Kids! Do you want to win 14 Gold medals in Olympic Competition against the BEST in the world like Michael Phelps??? Then try Kellogg's Bong Water! Kellogg Scientists have specially crafted Bong Water to give you extra energy and is filled with the THC goodness your body needs.

The Michael Phelps bong tokin' photos bru-ha-ha-ha ha has brought the marijuana issue to light, at least momentarily. The necessity for the criminalization of cannabis is predicated on: the current state of scientific and medical knowledge concerning the effects of cannabis makes it necessary to acknowledge the physical, psychological and sociological damage which is incumbent upon its use.

It's likely Phelps has smoked pot prior to the photographic evidence. So, it leaves one to wonder how much of a negative impact it can have on the physical health of the user since Phelps went on to win A Million And One gold medals in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Historically, cannabis has also been classified as a "gateway drug" once a person starts eatin' them hashish brownies it's only a matter of time before they're mainlining heroin. I believe this is faulty reasoning akin to believing the person who has an occasional beer is going to eventually drink a gallon of Canned Heat a night.

And this brings us back to the 1937 Marijuana Tax Act. A key proponent of criminalization was the DuPont Chemical Company which invented Nylon in the 1935. Nylon was created to be used for the vast array of products which had been made from Silk and Hemp. Silk, of course, was and still is expensive as well as difficult to cultivate. But, Hemp, ah now that is a problem.

Hemp grows everywhere and had been grown in US since before the Revolution. And this is were the ubiquitous and nefarious William Randolph Hearst enters into the picture or more accurately the newspaper. Hearst used his influence and papers to print any number of racist and sensational stories about what the use of the devil weed did to people.

The Director of the newly created Bureau of Narcotics Harry J. Anslinger used many of the anecdotal and completely fabricated Hearst stories in his "Gore Files" to highlight all sorts of terrible things done while under the power of Reefer Madness. Sadly, it seems, Anslinger was just another power mad racist who worked for years deluding himself that his goals were noble and it was his duty to protect certain segments of society form other less desirable segments.

So, as often is the case throughout history, a select few of the powerful create a situation in which the lesser classes are divided and their actions criminalized. And the Hounds whom they Keep are tasked with lying to, shaming, cajoling or forcing the lower peoples of this nation in line.

The Two Truths Theory

The Enemies of Reason have a certain blind look. ~The Duelists (1977) directed by Ridley Scott adapted from the short story by Joseph Conrad.

The 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin approaches and those who seek to roll back knowledge to the Dark Ages are busily at work trying to litigate mythology into the teaching of Biology, Geology, Anthropology, Paleontology, Astronomy, Medicine and Education. Namely, science is false because it disagrees with holy revelation.

But, I do have a memo from the 12th century to the Creationists out there: Science and Religion are not incompatible.

At least so say the Medieval Scholastics. Those men when faced with reality and the newly rediscovered works of the Ancient Greeks understood revelation could not account for the observable world and, in order to reconcile their myths with reality, crafted several philosophical edifices to buttress their beliefs.

The most famous was the attempt by Thomas Aquinas to reconcile the "truth" of revelation with empirical observable fact by using reason to prove the existence of god. However, Aquinas is disingenuous because what he was attempting to do was shoe horn Aristotle and evidence from the real world into the corset of Catholicism. He already knows the "truth". His appeals to reason are to reach an already revealed conclusion.

More impressive than Aquinas were the Averroists, after the muslim Ibn Rushd, who created the the Dual Truth Theory of Reason and revelation. There is one truth shown by the observable world and another through holy revelation and the human mind is not capable of merging the two, due to it's inherent limitations. Of course, the muslin fanatics had him condemned for placing reason on par with faith and as a result the engine of scientific advancement passed from islam unto the West.

And there in lies the interesting parallel. For the modern creationists are attempting to accomplish the same work the Berbers of the 13th century. Destroy the upstart philosophers and return the holy word to prominence.

If, Darwin, Wallace and those who've built modern science upon their theories, disagree with the bible? Then, the theories are incorrect and need be burned.

The Republician Insurgents

The "honorable" Pete Sessions declared the Republican party is going to become the Taliban. At least he's admitted with whom the GOP shares their ideology. The GOP is akin to a organization which banned kite flying, measured the length of men's breads in public, oh and murdered thousands of people who disagreed with their religious extremism.

Some great vignettes from Pete:
"If they do not give us those options or opportunities then we will then become insurgency of a nature to where we do those things that are necessary to making sure the American public knows what we think the correct answer is."

"Insurgency we understand perhaps a little bit more because of the Taliban ... And we need to understand that insurgency may be required when the other side, the House leadership, does not follow the same commands, which we entered the game with."

Wasn't it a scant few years back when the declarations were You're either with us or against us? And Republican Extremists were declaring The Jihad upon those who dared question them?

Sadly, this is mere window dressing. All the protestations by the GOP over the Stimulus and the Democratically controlled government is the flip side of the same coin, wherein the Dems complained about Republican spending. We are privy to the squabbling by the two aristocratic families vying for control over the American Kingdom.

However, The GOP is just extra upset a few more scraps are falling from their banquet table and making it to the poor instead of going to it's rightful owners the manufacturers of Death and Destruction. After all the GOP and it's Janissary's understand the Poor are poor because they lack values and ethics.

Cheney, like most Republicans, hopes Americans get killed

Dick Cheney conducted a smooth laid back interview with Politico in which he apparently stated there is a “high probability” terrorists will conduct "a 9/11-type event where the terrorists are armed with something much more dangerous than an airline ticket and a box cutter – a nuclear weapon or a biological agent of some kind”. But in listening to the audio clip available, the disgusting thing is the sound of his voice as Cheney lovingly caresses the words, the idea of Americans dying from a WMD attack seemingly titillates him. Cheney then bogarts a line from the movie A Bronx Tale:

“The United States needs to be not so much loved as it needs to be respected." ~ Cheney

Of course, the statement was most famously posed and answered by Nicolo Machiavelli;

Upon this a question arises: whether it be better to be loved than feared or feared than loved? It may be answered that one should wish to be both, but, because it is difficult to unite them in one person, is much safer to be feared than loved ~ The Prince, Seventeenth Chapter: Concerning Cruelty and Clemency, and Whether It Is Better to Be Loved Than Feared

The King Chickenhawk then alleges, "I’m not at all sure that that’s what the Obama administration believes.”

See Obama, unlike Cheney, doesn't understand you need to murder a bunch of innocents in order to make the world "respect" you. In reality, what Cheney is doing is planting the seeds of blame so when we reap the reaction to Cheney's monstorous actions he and others can place the blame onto Obama.

Update:
Keith did an excellent Special Comment concerning Cheney and his fervent desire for American to die.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Hopefully, the next time we hear about or from Cheney is at his War Crimes Tribunal.

Dupe or Deceiver?

If you find yourself embroiled in a debate with a creationist, the title of this post is the salient and really only question to pose to them. Are the men and women involved in the wide ranging fields of science; including but not limited to biology, geology, astronomy, chemistry, and education; Dupes or Deceivers?

Are they merely ignorant or actively evil?

David Attenborough has a BBC special Charles Darwin and The Tree of Life broadcast on One yesterday but to be re-broadcast on Two on 7-Feb-09.