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Michael Collins
"Scoop" Independent News
Washington, D.C.
We have been warned again and again that seeing the world as an "us versus them" proposition is a fatal error. It's polarizing. It leads to "class warfare." It absolves "us" of the collective responsibility we all have in a democracy. Can't have it, not allowed.
Well, here's some news for "them". It is precisely an "us versus them" world. We live in a nation where tremendous wealth calls the shots without respect or regard for the public will, fails miserably again and again, and then hides behind "collective responsibility." We're supposed to believe that somehow "we all allowed this to happen."
This point is critical: If "we" all allowed it to happen then "they" aren't responsible, ever. They have the ultimate "Get out of jail free" card. Kill, maim, steal, lie, cheat, etc. etc. and all they have to do is say everyone was in on it; therefore, they are not responsible. Starting a war based on lies that breaks the bank of the federal budget while the richest 1% get tax cuts is just one example of the fraud perpetrated by our "public servants." Did you have anything to do with that?
Now the "D" word is being used - we're on the verge of a major depression or, at least, a calamitous recession, take your pick. How did this happen? See if you can identify your role. How will they blame us in order to survive and do it all over again?
In 2001 the loser won. We had a president selected by the U.S. Supreme Court. The prevailing justices stopped a state recount, defying their long-held bias in favor of states' rights, a position they'd held before and returned to following their presidential intervention.
Then the looting began with a stunningly consistent display of greed and avarice bringing us to these perilous times.
- Right out of the gate, the top 1% of citizens, those with incomes averaging over $1 million a year, got income tax breaks worth $250 billion through the Bush tax cuts started in 2001. By 2010, 50% of the tax breaks, $120 billion, will go to just 1.4 million citizens. The tax cuts continued in various forms for the fortunate 1%. Is that shared sacrifice by those who benefit the most financially? Did you have anything to do with these decisions? (Annotated links)
- Banks can write mortgages that are so risky they're referred to as "sub prime" and Wall Street can bundle them up and sell the lot of them as premium investments. Home buyers are suckered at the front end and holders of retirement funds (401K, etc.) get to subsidize the flawed scheme at the other end. Top economists warned against these huge risks to citizens and the nation, but were ignored. Did you have anything to do with these decisions?
- "Derivatives" are a risk filled stock market product allowing investors to "bet" on the future value of a commodities, interest and exchange rates. The face value of over the counter derivatives went from $100 trillion in 2002 to $516 Trillion in 2007. As a point of comparison, the gross domestic product (GDP) of the United States was $14 trillion in 2007. Investment genius Warren Buffett characterized their risk when he called derivatives a "financial weapons of mass destruction." Despite an early warning of real risk in 1995, by Buffett in 2002, and others like bond expert Bill Gross, nothing was done to regulate their sales which are widely held by retirement funds.
The subprime crisis is destroying your home value. Will derivatives and other risky stock market schemes wipe out your retirement? Did you have anything to do with these decisions?
- The cost of the Iraq war is considered "off budget." This means that the $500 billion spent so far and the $2.4 trillion estimated total cost of the war don't show up in the annual budget approved by Congress. The war profiteers get hidden government subsidies without having to bid for major contracts, all at our expense and that of our children. This kind of behavior by any private business would be called fraud. Did you have anything to do with these decisions?
- The Bush administration claimed it would rescue New Orleans from the destruction of hurricane Katrina and pledged billions to the effort. The contracts for this effort were handed out without competitive bidding. Guess who got them - the "made men" of The Money Party, many of whom got no-bid deals in Iraq for that "rebuilding." The city has a whole slew of luxury properties but continues to destroy good low cost housing. The 200,000 evacuated in 2005 are now largely gone. Did you know that? Did you have anything to do with those decisions?
- Iraq war veterans are committing suicide at a rate of 120 per week. Sixty thousand have post traumatic stress disorder, and tens of thousands have permanent disabilities. More than one million Iraqi civilians are dead as a result of violence and civil strife predicted by experts in our government and elsewhere to follow the U.S. invasion. There are now five million orphans in Iraq. Our country's reputation in the rest of the world is at its worst ever. The war was based on lies. Did you have anything to do with these decisions? (Also, see these links.)
So gear up, get in shape, and be ready to hear that we are to blame for this worst of all possible worlds created by The Money Party and its minions. They'll soon be blaming us for this on a regular basis at a major media outlet near you. As the economy continues its collapse and the truth about Iraq and other national "security" lies emerges, you'll hear stories about a great national soul searching and reflection on how "we" got where we are.
But consider this: People can't make rational decisions on major matters without a free flow of information on the topic at hand. We have had nearly zero accurate information on vital issues and events since 9/11 and we had very little during prior decades.
Those of "us" who supported this war did so based on wildly misleading information. Those who opposed the war, without a full understanding of the lies and carnage, did so at a level which was also based on limited information.
Those who face foreclosure after buying homes with an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) did so with bad information. Those who invested in a financial structure riddled with "a weapon of mass destruction" called "derivatives", did so while information was withheld about the exceptional risks involved.
We're all in the same theater of illusion created by The Money Party "Imagineers."
The mainstream media was just doing its job as the public relations shop for corporate America. The Bush economic plan was a pyramid scheme from the start. The various details were all offered to make more money for the very few at the top. There were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, a fact easily discernible with just a little research. But there were huge profits to be made chasing those phantoms. The human sacrifices in deaths and injuries are no surprise either. Who in power honestly believed that U.S. troops would be welcomed in a nation that we'd bombed and starved for over a decade?
The subprime loan scheme was a loser from the start and the investments offered in the form of aggregated subprime loans were almost laughable. Yet the regulators and press said very little to question this practice despite ample evidence of danger.
You don't sell garbage and call it a great investment. You don't create a financial house of cards that benefits the few and call it an expanding economy. The lack of reporting on this wasn't a matter of "errors of omission." We were told a series lies which were repeated again and again.
Financial schemes that benefit the very few are a common theme in most modern wars. Yet as it relates to the U.S. invasion of Iraq, this issue was barely covered or discussed. The profit motive behind the new endless war rarely if ever made the OpEd pages.
Those who claim that average Americans bear responsibility for this array of tragic mistakes fail to acknowledge the massive lockdown of accurate information which was replaced by false story lines which deliberately mislead and deceive.
We've had sparse information, relentless propaganda from the White House, and a timid Congress. Despite that, a majority of citizens have learned enough to know the nation has been headed in the wrong direction for years. Even though the mainstream media are now "embedded" as an ally to war and destruction, 70% of citizens oppose the war based on their own information gathering and evaluation.
Despite the many lies told again and again, without any alternative sources of information to reveal the truth, the "us" segment of the population has lost almost all faith in the current political rulers. That's why a recent poll showed the president with a 77% disapproval rating. The people have done their homework and their decision is in: The Money Party has reached its lowest point ever. It is a miserable failure.
It's time to speak up and state the truth - the massive failure of this government, at home and abroad, is a man-made national tragedy. All of those involved in the planning, execution, and continued funding of these activities must step down. We need truly fair, open elections under citizen control and without private money (i.e. corporate and other contributions). This will allow citizens to determine their own fate. Nothing less will work. We can no longer pretend to cast meaningful votes and they can no longer pretend to get elected.
No more masquerades, no more financial bubbles, no more self-serving schemes, wars, or staged events designed to distract the people. To those responsible: Admit your errors, correct them, and leave. There are nearly 300 million who would stand in your place and honestly serve the needs of the country and respect the will of the people.
END
See: Links annotated from original
See: "They" Knew the truth well before the Iraq War
Special thanks to Mike for clarifying a key point in this article and to Jill Hayroot and Susannah Pitt for their input.
This article may be reproduced in whole or in part with attribution of authorship and a link to the original article.
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Michael Collins
www.electionfraudnews.com
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Thanks! The perps help a great deal by being so obvious.
I think we're in for a rough ride but a successful outcome. The control through various means has been a stunning success for decades, but it will soon be over. What will replace this mess? Awareness precedes action but you're right, it is time to act, question, and demand that the "rulers" actually listen to us, process the information, and act accordingly.
"May you live in interesting times" - it's a curse and a gift;)
_______Michael Collins
www.electionfraudnews.com
Part Of The Problem...
..and contrawise the 'genius' of the money plan outlined in Michael Collins' piece, is the fact that the populace is financially strapped. When people are tettering near the edge, without a buffer or 'rainy-day cushion,' they are less likely to mount protest or risk complications.
When the choice is to stand up to bald violations of liberties and risk arrest with harsher penalties, higher defense fees, ambiguous 'laws,' watch lists, abuse of power, etc., or whistle past the graveyard, most people particularly with families to support, will opt to keep their heads down and think they can weather the corruption. This corruption held firmly in place via the rabid exploitation of a national tragedy to enact the bludgeon to discourage objections and dissent. A self-appointed king will never tolerate a palace coup...
This is the Damocles sword held over the heads of our nation right now. The leaders will not step down. The engineers of this madness will not find Jesus and retire. "The good fight" isn't a motivator. Rather, stop listening to the "big brother" programming of the MSM.
Kucinich was the only candidate who got it right, yet thanks to the MSM we're stuck with a pharma whore and a telecom whore. No thanks.
The insanity of such as e-voting and the moronic acceptance of such a travesty is informative of just how conditioned many countrymen are. After "intelligent design," what corrupt, greedy scumbag politician wouldn't try to exploit such a nation of rubes?
Stop cooperating.
(btw..great column Michael!)
_______"You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inured, so hopelessly dependent on the system, that they will fight to protect it."
Stop co-operating!
Just stop!
You complain there are no more manufacturing jobs. You complain that store shelves are festooned with trash that won't stand up to five minutes of household use. Then find out where the product was made, before you plop down any money for it. If it says Made in China, then for pity's sake, don't buy it! Poorly made in China by slave labor in dirty and unsafe conditions means you don't need it.
Really! You don't!
Talk about financially strapped? I've been laid off for four months, two weeks and six days, and I've hated every minute of it. Yet it's amazing, how much I don't need.
My late grandmother did not have much education, but she left behind many ideas that helped her survive the Great Depression. Jeez, she was brilliant!
If I did not love my country, I would not loathe George W. Bush.
"whistle past the graveyard,"
Thanks for the comments and extrapolation. Dennis K is the object lesson - speak the truth and we'll make you disappear from the national stage. I was thrilled to see him win his primary.
The real test is over the next few years. The public figures on the opposition to Bush and the War are exciting and I suspect much broader and deeper than reported. What will we do with that? We're getting closer and closer to doing as you say, "Stop Cooperating."
What would happen if 100,000, 500,000 folks pulled their money from the large banks and put it in a local bank? What would happen if people initiated their own energy collectives or conservation efforts without any government encouragement?
Our election choices are very sad indeed. 100 years of occupation or 10 or so; words on foreclosures (Dems) or silence (the others); failure to mention ecocatastrophes and sustainability (both).
Let's see what they do with Obama. Things would move quicker if he's summarily knocked out of the nomination, not that I favor that. It would be refreshing if they followed the rules for a change.
Shun The Money Party
_______Michael Collins
www.electionfraudnews.com
Stop using banks
Stop using banks and stop sending them your money on april 15th! Hint: IRS and banks are best friends.
Part of the problem and
Part of the problem and contrawise the 'genius' of the money plan outlined in Michael Collins' piece, is the fact that the populace is financially strapped. When people are tettering near the edge, without a buffer or 'rainy-day cushion,' they are less likely to mount protest or risk complications.
This bears repeating over and over Hanshiro. The reich wing saw what happened in the 60s when people were too secure, they spoke up, demanded change and accountability. Since then corporations and the right have put us in a state of slumber and fear.
Noam Chomsky talked about this in Manufacturing Consent.
Sorry
Those of "us" who supported this war did so based on wildly misleading information.
Sorry, I don't buy this statement. Iraq's entire army was almost totally destroyed in Desert Storm; Iraq was under economic sanctions; the no fly zone was enforced over half of the country; and, weapons inspectors had been in and out of the country for years. Anyone who said that Saddam was a threat was lying. Anyone who believed Saddam was a threat was an idiot.
yeah, but CalDan--let's let
yeah, but CalDan--let's let people admit to and correct their mistakes. Wasn't in 'Les Miserables' where the one guy says to the other: 'I was a fool...', and the second guy says: 'We all are fools, most of the time...' The first step to wisdom is to admit to our own foolishness and mistakes. Albeit not by somebody else forcing us to, rather an authentic insight into our own nature.
And citizens did just that in 2006
The clear message was - get out of Iraq.
Even when we wake up and send the right message, the Congress said a collective "Oh" (in the style of Cheney) to the expressed will.
Great quotation. So true;)
_______Michael Collins
www.electionfraudnews.com
Les Miserables
I have to confess that I haven't read Les Miserables since high school. I suppose we are all fools most of the time. Some of us are just bigger fools than others.
Yes, we've all been fooled.
Yes, we've all been fooled. Part of that is innate, we have intrinsic limitations as human beings. Equally important, probably MORE important now, and in full agreement with both CalDan and Michael Collins, is how we've been made into fools, deliberately, by the members of the Money Party.
Here is another quote or saying which I am sure we all three can find mutuality in: 'Wherever there is a man, who, by the fruit of his labors, earns a dollar but does not receive it, there will be another man who gets that dollar, who DID NOT EARN IT.'
That second man is a member of the Money Party.
Feed the Roots and the Blossoms will take care of Themselves
I rail about rich people who pick our pockets, like a boring, drunken uncle you avoid (“that’s how THEY get ya.”) But, discussing specifics involves college-level economics, and I worry about drowning my readers with data. One issue though is hard to ignore, because it hits so close to home: Our country‘s use of 21million $100+/barrels of oil a day--with $3+/gallon gas and diesel making virtually every item more expensive.
Add to this the housing crisis, where a country’s citizens can’t afford the homes they live in, and, that middle-class Americans tend to spend their paychecks and to use their once-rising home equities for savings, as nest-eggs. Pundit/editor Mort Zuckerman says this constitutes the greatest financial crisis since the Great Depression. Throw in an intractable trade deficit, falling home values in most of the country, a trillion in credit card debt,* Bush’s unpaid for war, baby boomers retiring, overpriced medicine…and you get a perfect storm. How’d that happen?
From 1995-2007, Republicans controlled Congress, as the corporate-friendly takeover of our government gained momentum. Their success infected Democrats who were drawn in, awed by GOP power and given no choice. And, somewhere in the right wing-Rush Limbaugh, ditto-head universe, it became a source of pride, yeah! an icon of free choice, to tool around in 3-ton SUVs, to give drivers a sense of added safety. Never mind that we are dealing with a finite resource: oil, or that, with a greater likelihood of rollovers and collisions, the margin of safety is tiny and the price is prohibitive, moreover SUV’s add danger to passengers in any vehicle it might crash into.
Republicans in Congress notably, fight raising CAFÉ mileage standards (27.5 mpg for cars, 20.7 for light trucks, minivans, and SUV’s, since 1987). Ralph Nader says 45 and 35 mpg is doable in 5 years; but that is blocked by “an obstinate industry and a docile Congress.” Fuel would be much cheaper if our passenger vehicles were smaller, like those in Europe, and Zuckerman’s “depression,” less likely.
Now, high gas/oil prices in particular, are as much a windfall for the rich as a $65 fillup is a scourge of the poor. And, rich folk have to show a profit. Somebody somewhere has to actually buy or produce cheap and sell dear, to provide that dollar margin on which to base several dollars of speculation. That’s where gas and oil come in, “the only game in town,” the one that covers the spread. Oil that was $10/barrel ten years ago can be pumped out of the ground in the mid-East for as little as $2/barrel, today. Oil priced in dollars outbidding other waning dollars and waxing Euros, yens and yuan, via oil and gas futures, drives the price higher. Moreover, poorer folk pay more at the pump than they will ever get in return, for fed chief Ben Bernanke’s interest rate cuts that once again batter a punch drunk, reeling dollar, cuts designed to buck up the stock market and to gloss over bankers’ poor decisions. Rumors of rate cuts makes the price of a barrel of oil rise.
You see, the wealthy aren’t getting good returns on stocks (even Google’s magic money making machine/mini-bubble burst, falling 37% since last Oct.), and, frankly, a lot of the world of banking and capitalism is based on mortgage payments being made on rising prices for homes. The “smart” money that would have been made in stocks and home mortgages instead buys and sells overpriced oil, diesel and gas ventures. That money could be spent on wind and solar technologies, and perhaps small, electric commuter cars.** What would be good for the people wouldn’t be so good for the wealthy. That’s why it’s not happening.
And, wage earners need protectionism, tariffs, proverbial “bootstraps” to pull themselves up. The jobs we want we keep. Republicans who swear by Adam Smith and his free-enterprise mantra bore me with their lecturing and catechism. With perversity as their kismet, none ever mention Mr. Smith’s insistence that those in power do not collaborate. He said the wealthy in collusion will work against the interests of those who are not at the table. “They will talk of nothing else,” were his words. That’s what your government provides--Mr. Smith’s nemesis, with its being both a forum and a bazaar for special interests who can rely on lies, opacity and esotericisms, to shortchange if not downright swindle those who are not in the club. People rich enough to ante up bribes like to say that free speech includes the constitution’s “right to petition the government.” But, Madison wrote that when there wasn’t even so much as a telephone or a telegraph, not for times when there are 35,000 lobbyists in Washington, with phones. Where’s my lobbyist?
And, Karl Marx was right about wage earners, labor is indispensable, without it being pooled there would be no riches. Granted, even as it was protectionism that let our industries grow to make this nation wealthy, I argue the intrinsic worth of good wages is pewter from the same grail. For example, capitalism in high-wage Europe outpaces capitalism here, with the so-called euro “dollar” pegged at a buck fifty nine, today.
Wealthy people left to their own devices and unbridled by high taxes blow speculative bubbles, the quickest adder for insiders. They eventually destroy an economy, a la Oct., 1929, as paper profits chase other, easy, nominal profits, while making fewer good jobs or widgets per dollar of investor profit, and investors aren’t big enough spenders to drive an economy. See, for a parallel, this comparison: The live-within-your-means as-if-you-were-rich Japanese, the world’s second largest economy, in the early 1990’s saved and invested itself into a real-estate bubble, until the land under Tokyo was worth more than the land under the United States. This was followed by a generation of economic stagnation.
*35 million cardholders paid the minimum remittance last month.
**GM built 1117 plug-in, electric cars called the“EV-1,” from 1997-99, which they leased but refused to sell, and the CA lessees liked driving it. But, with reasoning critics deemed bizarre, GM inexplicably crushed this $½ billion worth of cutting-edge technology after a mass recall, donating to schools the remaining forty which they disabled, with the last leases expiring in 2003. Why?
***A blogger on The Cafferty File suggested a 65% domestic content law, meaning that much in dollars would have to originate in the States, for manufactured goods sold here.
Michael Collins series 'The
Michael Collins series 'The Money Party' has garnered my attention and careful reading of, as much any post on SC since I started reading. People always say: 'Well that is how it is..'. Usually followed by some sort of shrug. In this case, he tells us, how it REALLY is and damned if we're going to shrug it off!
'Money Party' clobbers it. It shows just who did it and how the lid was shut on the coffin. Now we have to kick, bite, scream and claw our way out, 'cuz we ain't dead...