Guilt by association is weak adjudicatory framework, but that’s not true of guilt by active association. America is rightly experiencing some of the Flotilla Massacre fallout. As Israel’s patron, protector and enabler, Israeli actions mean American responsibility.
I’m beginning to think that the Israeli-perpetrated Flotilla Massacre is a game-changer (Israel’s Soweto?). And I like Dan Drezner’s analogy that America is to Israel as China is to North Korea. But there is one very important difference – China is an ascendant global force, while American influence is dwindling.
As I’ve written before, I think that decline is due in part of the failures of American monetary policy, martial overextension, and opportunistic regional state powers. The deregulatory failures of American monetary policy are the responsibility of everyone who’s had a hand in engineering the American financial regulatory framework over the past thirty years (that’s every president since Jimmy Carter and other heavyweights like Chris Dodd and Alan Greenspan).
George W. Bush started, and Barack Obama has escalated three unwinnable wars (GWOT, Iraq, Afghanistan). And Barack Obama has now started a new war in Pakistan (or is it an extension of the GWOT?). My point isn’t that George W. Bush and Barack Obama shouldn’t be killing people arbitrarily; it’s that killing people is just very expensive, especially when they’re on the other side of the world. And finally, states mostly act to enhance their global influence and prestige. When the global policeman’s (bully) cocksure swagger looks increasingly like a belabored stagger, you seize the moment. So Iran will get the bomb, Russia will exert increasing control over historical Soviet states (and Western Europe too, probably), China will increasingly dictate the terms of economic codependence, Turkey will grab the moral mantle, and Brazil will continue to challenge the Monroe doctrine.
The Flotilla Massacre forced me to rethink my first analysis of American decline. I realized that I missed a crucial element: the willful abdication of national responsibility by the American political leadership.
Barack Obama is an intelligent person who reads deeply and widely. I take it for granted that the American president has access to all of the information you and I do, and more. And while I accept that his time is valuable, the presidency is at core a decision-making job. As the Decider-in-Chief, Obama can’t afford to not know things.
Here are some things Barack Obama can’t afford to not know:
1. Israel is a strategic liability;
2. Israel’s status as a liability is not static. It is getting to be a greater and greater liability (this is an important point. Turkey, a NATO ally is increasingly at odds with America due to Israel’s action);
3. The Israel drag on America increases more and more as America declines (as America shrinks, that drag is felt more acutely);
4. Your job as the American president is to do what’s best for America (i.e., forestall American decline);
If I could graph the American-decline-to-Israel-liability-relationship I’d draw two lines, one representing American decline (AD) and the other representing Israel’s liability value (IL). The AD line would start at some arbitrary point high up on the Y-axis, while the IL line would start at the X-Y intercept (zero liability, although that was never true). The X-axis represents time in this case. So over time, the AD line gets drawn out horizontally and develops a negative slope (America is declining), while the IL line develops a positive slope (increasing liability). The point where the two lines cross ought to be the sweet spot where America can no longer afford to indulge Israel; the rational outcome in this case. I’d argue that we’ve been fast approaching the AD-IL intersection, if we haven’t reached it already.
But Barack Obama’s abrogation of responsibility acts as a wildcard here. Put differently, we just can’t know objectively when Israel will cost too much to maintain – the sweet spot exists in theory only. That’s because the willful refusal to safeguard America against another country’s political misadventures belies policy-making irrationality. American leaders seem content to crash and burn with their client state.
Viewed through another lens however, Barack Obama’s abdication of national responsibility becomes more understandable, rational even. To the extent that Barack Obama’s job is to get reelected, his behavior makes sense. America is second to nothing, except Barack Obama’s political ambitions. Of course there are structural pressures on the American president, but presidential prerogative is still his own. His refusal to correct course because of the impact on midterm or presidential elections is what I’m talking about.
It’s becoming increasingly clear that Barack Obama is the like the AIG CEO who, upon realizing his short-term bonus potential, signed off on the underwriting of what we now know were toxic asset-linked CDOs. The shareholders – you and me – are hurting. The irony is that by pursuing toxic policies, Obama is creating a state that few people should want to lead; after all, who wants to preside over the fall of Rome.
The guy is a politician. All politicians care about are campaign contributions.
US Jews make a lot of big campaign contributions because they know this.
The end. Pretty much.
The Lobby, always-corrupt-media-anyway, Jewish contributions, etc.
Money is the reason, duh.
For us capitalists it is ALWAYS about money. That’s why we should have a policy that for every innocent foreigner killed directly or indirectly by us, their family receives one million bucks in compensation. Let’s see how much apetite for destruction and overseas invasions our tax payers support then.
You put a big bold high price tag on shit and people will THINK TWICE before buying.
Why not tax corporate murder?
I’d vote for that :-)
Why don’t they just abolish the election system? If the system were based directly on who contributes the most cash to candidates they should have a proportionate amount of representatives. If Goldman contributes 20 million, they can select as many representatives as they can buy! This way we all can see who are pulling the strings and politicians will not have to wear the populist masks any longer.
There are 5.5 million American Jews – less than two percent of the total population.
This tiny minority accounts for more than 40 percent of the Democratic Party’s campaign contributions.
Any further questions?
But he MUST at some point do the right thing if for no other reason than history will record his actions – does he really want to be the “change” candidate that repeatedly bent over for the zionist fanatics in charge in israel and here?
israel now threatens war with Turkey and demands (er, asks) the US for more weapons in anticipation of more war and death … Obama must just say no
We Americans must urge our leaders to cut off all support to israel – they are an out-of-control rogue monster state
What would be ideal is for the US Navy to lead a massive aid flotilla and directly take the the $900 million previously pledged and the $400 million pledged today in the form of rebuilding materials and economic assistance directly to the shores of Gaza
All politics are local, Obama knows this well; in this sense, he works for AIPAC’s kiss, the better to assure a second term–his silence regarding the flotilla and his overt diss of Thomas are just the latest indicators–seems he has more than a little Truman (& Johnson) in him.
‘the sweet spot’, i like that. in fact i really really like this whole article. it’s perfect, brilliant, perfectly brilliant. if the X Y hasn’t already intercepted when will it? how long can we go on like this?
Powerful analysis. Hope BO reads it.
Very good. Perhaps the only thing to do is to wait for the Dersh and his cohort to die off. By then Israel will be in the cold grip of the Orthodox and most of the thinking Israelis will have abandoned ship.
…from Richard Maybury’s speech, “What Obama Does Not Know“.
can I have a link to the entire 14 hours please
“And I like Dan Drezner’s analogy that America is to Israel as China is to North Korea. But there is one very important difference – China is an ascendant global force, while American influence is dwindling.”
This drezner is sleazy propagandist. There is no similarity between the relationship of China and North Korea and that of the usa and israel, or more realistically put, israel and its american colony. The slimeball is using the israeli war crime against the Gaza aide convoy to blame North Korea for the american sinking the Cheonan. See:
The Sinking of the Cheonan: We Are Being Lied To
by Scott Creighton
link to willyloman.wordpress.com
That article goes into detail on the “torpedo” parts “found” and how they actually compare with the North Korean torpedo they are claimed by the israeloamericans to be a part of.
Who Sank the South Korean Warship Cheonan? A New Stage in the US-Korean War and US-China Relations
Tanaka Sakai
Translated by Kyoko Selden
link to japanfocus.org
Beijing suspects false flag attack on South Korean corvette By Wayne Madsen May 28, 2010, 00:18
link to onlinejournal.com
Did an American Mine Sink South Korean Ship?
New America Media, News Analysis, Yoichi Shimatsu, Posted: May 27, 2010
link to newamericamedia.org
As for moor, he makes reasonable observations like israel is dragging the usa down, but like with his use of the slimball, drezner’s propaganda, his brain appears to go into propaganda mode after that. Israel is not a client state of the usa and obama’s subservience to zionist interests is not just to get reelected. Obama is a servant of the zionists because he is one of them. Zionist interests are obama’s interests, and have been at least since college. The man is a corporate puppet. He’s not being forced to do anything, he’s following the same path he’s always enthusiastically followed. The obama as liberal “good guy” being forced to compromise with fascist interests mythology is total bunk and it’s the same crap that was applied to clinton in the 90′s. These are not liberals, they are fascists. This misrepresentation of them as liberals is a deliberate marketing ploy by the ziofascists and the fascists to keep progressives befuddled and ineffective and prevent them from effectively opposing these fascists. This is how it generally goes:
“Oh so obama compromised again, he didn’t really mean to, “they” forced him to do it or “they” tricked him with “bad advice”. We should write and tell him, I’m sure he will see the error of his way, once he knows we support his true liberal self, he’s such a good man, you know. He’s just needs to know we’ll back up his ideas.”
It’s the same excusatory crap repeated ad nauseum that I’ve been hearing since the 70′s. It works, so these suck-ups to power keep using it.
Enjoyed your comments. Yea the do gooder progressives make me want to vomit. As a former fire brand brainwashed conservative turned progressive I just don’t get it. Progressives in my view tend to be intelligent but lack the fire to do any good. We need fire brand progressives.
“As a former fire brand brainwashed conservative turned progressive …”
God help us!
Loved your “Israel and its american colony”!
Maybe throw that out to the “masses” as Israel now being the taxing power, see if that can change the dynamic. Every little helps! Netanyahoo as George III!
Indeed, hayate. China is not controlled by North Korea, and uses its relationship to keep some influence over NK’s actions.
Cheers, guys.
Conrad, I used to be a firebrand Commie. Now I’ve toned it down to being a commie with a small “c”. ;D
In the end, people know what’s right and wrong and the labels we give ourselves (and each other) usually just get in the way.
The Zionist Lobby has a death-grip on Congress and the MSM. Any value but Jewish money long ago died on the vine.
Latuff does some pretty good political cartoons, this one about the protection the usa gives to israeli criminology:
Israel refuses lift blockade by ~Latuff2
link to fc08.deviantart.net
Moor makes it clear that Israel is no longer (was never?) an asset in the American attempt to foster compliant democratic politics in the Middle East. But Israel has become an asset when you are trying to win a political fight in the US.
Israel supporters in the US often point out that, while Jewish political participation rates are admirably high, Jewish campaign contributions are a very small part of the overall campaign contribution.
I think there’s an important factor that’s left out of this view and I’m interested in hearing comment from the folks on this list. I may be way behind the curve here, but it seems to me that a useful analogy to the US campaign contribution process would be two stacks of coins on a balance scale. US politics seems to divide itself almost exactly in half on any general mix of issues, so the coins stack up pretty evenly and the balance remains. However, when that last, relatively small contribution is set in place — usually on the Democratic party side — the balance tips. You don’t need much if you vote all your contributions one way or the other. I believe that American Jews used to vote consistently for the Democrats and that this is now much less certain. Surely Obama is aware that he may lose the congressional weight he now has and may face defeat on all sorts of issues unrelated to Israel.
I’m used to a parliamentary system in which the whole government is elected at once (there are very few executive-vs-congress grid locks) and one-issue interests are smudged out by multi-party competition. Is my analogy naive?
. I believe that American Jews used to vote consistently for the Democrats and that this is now much less certain.
it is not that important how most american jews vote because they are a very small percentage of the population. arguably the impact of latest racist arizona legislation on the hispanic vote ( they won’t be supporting the gop in many more states than arizona) is greater. so it’s not the vote, it’s the money of powerful organized jewry. iow even if american jews continue to vote for dems w/the same ratio as in the past (and i predict they will give or take a few percentage points) it’s those rightwing zionists driving money towards politicians who will guarantee a vote for israel everytime that make the difference.
last night i was watching the primary returns and there was this gop challenger to boxer giving her acceptance speech and sure enough hse steps up their to address her roaring crowd and starts railing on boxer over her perceived lack of support for israel. cha ching! the lobby will throw money at her.
Thanks annie!
This year alone, I’ve seen several articles that put the figure of Jewish political contributions at something like 50% of the take the demicans rake in. This is from individuals and corporations affiliated with aipac and its cronies. I don’t know what percentage of republicrat political contributions are Jewish. I remember the articles specified Jewish, not zionist, how could someone know if the person was a zionist, anyways, and I’m not sure how they knew what percentage was from Jewish people, either. It could be they traced what contributions came through known Jewish groups and lobbies and used that. In which case, some of the contributors may have been fundy Christians/israeli sympathisers/etc. making a contribution through a Jewish group, but I don’t know. One thing is certain is the campaign coffers the zionists (Jewish and Christian) control is huge and probably the largest of the special interest sources to the demicans.
How much non-tax money is “expatriated” to help fund expansionism & extremism annually? Might there be a figure for the amount granted tax-relief?
Annie: “last night i was watching the primary returns and there was this gop challenger to boxer giving her acceptance speech and sure enough hse steps up their to address her roaring crowd and starts railing on boxer over her perceived lack of support for israel. cha ching! the lobby will throw money at her.”
Years ago I heard someone complain that the last two weeks of any U.S. senate race in New York always sounded like a campaign for mayor of Tel Aviv.
They control the Corporate Media. That’s big. And for the amount of money contributed ,I don’t buy for a New York second that it is as low as they claim. Between foundations and PACs and god know what else I imagine it to be huge. Also don’t forget the Wellstone effect.
“I imagine it to be huge.”
I’m sure you do.
They competitive races of Democrat and Republican (2 headed yankee) argue about all the issues. Some politician says something not favorable to Zionism’s cause and the money goes to candidate B.
That extra cash pays for a few extra commercials, while the Washington punditry caste system goes on a rampage about candidate A. It’s true in many circumstances, but not all.
Pro-Israel PAC Contributions to 2010 Congressional Candidates
link to wrmea.com
I do not believe the zionist have any death grip, in my view it is the christain and jewish zionist which are in the positions, there are maybe a very small handful that are not from the group.
Congress. senate and the whole damm lot should be on trial for treason,
which I hope is punishible by death, is it not? I will wait for moderation phil seeing as how angry people whom are directly affected by all this mean zip nota zulch! When it comes to putting in my 1/2 cents, if it is even that. Sometimes to rant is all I have to keep my hunger from growing.
Gamechanger or American subterfuge to appease Arab nations?
link to guardian.co.uk
Obama announces $400 million in infrastructure aid to Gaza.
Subterfuge. It will go to pay Israel a 10000% markup on potato chips.
Here’s the interesting part:
My guess is that there are some significant changes to Israel’s closure of the Gaza Strip in the coming months, and they will be American-led.
There is a possibility that Israel remains blockheaded on the issue. Will there be another stand-off as Israel continues its policy and the Americans back off, like the settlement spat?
White House Press Release: Fact Sheet on U.S. Assistance to the West Bank and Gaza:
Didn’t the Israelis destroy a big UNRWA facility in Gaza during Operation Cast Lead?
Five measley million isn’t going to put a dent into Gaza’s water needs.
I suspect this is a clever way to give corporate welfare to those corporations who will be given the contracts for these programmes, you know, like they’ve done in Iraq and Afghanistan – blackwater, halliburton, etc. The mortgage bit sounds like another handout to banksters and perhaps to pay off abbas supporters/cronies. Then there is running the money through abbas & co….
$400 mil sounds like a lot, but it amounts to approximately $260 for each Gazan. Iit’s also just a drop in the bucket compared to the damage israel did to Gaza in their last war crime, not to mention the slow destruction israel has been carrying out on Gaza for decades. When you consider how much the usa has done to aide in this israeli destruction of Gaza, $400 mil is like bulldozing a persons house and then giving them a cardboard box to live in.
Sorry, I’m very cynical about these guys and what they do. I consider the usa the banana republic’s banana republic, and banana republics idea of aide is called a bribe/payoff/exploitation on the sly pretty much everywhere else.
Less than $30m is specifically earmarked for Gaza. The rest could go on more of those West Bank roads just for Palestinians – or else it’s already been spent ($200m so far), and will now be counted.
I’d like to know what was discussed during Biden’s brief visit to Egypt.
(He’s already departed for Kenya, where he was this morning — on the second day of a visit there.)
Gaza. That what Biden and Mubarak discussed.
Oh and them supplies that need to keep going through the suez to support the three Israeli nuke subs snaking around the Indian Ocean and aiming at Iran.
Israeli subs are German-built diesel ships.
I don’t think the flotilla incident will play much more than it already has and it is definitely not the SOWETO of Gaza.
If Israel can kill 1300 people during the attacks on Gaza during 2009, of whom most were civilians and even worse, children, what happened with the flotilla is the water boiling again and soon it will cool off.
Although the rift with Turkey is the biggest outcome which will likely see US and other European countries getting involved to mend these fences. That on its own may have some benefits which may force Israel to change its Gaza policy, or not, depends on what Turkey is looking for.
Turkey will play this hand to its own benefit and we’ll likely see a lot of Turkey / Iran getting together soon to up the pressure on the US and specially Europe which has been shrugging its shoulders at Turkey.
Erdogan is not the fool that people make him out to be and he is playing high stakes poker as no one will want to see an axis from IRAN all the way to Israel’s northern borders through Turkey. Well, no one except Iran and of course the Russians.
“Erdogan is not the fool that people make him out to be ”
??????????
I haven’t seen anyone suggest Erdogan is a fool.
Maybe not a fool perhaps but Christopher Hitchens called him a “thug”
the other day.
I can’t say I understand the relationship between the U.S. and Israel, but I do believe that if Israel were doing something we didn’t want them to do, we wouldn’t let them. Somehow the U.S. benefits from Israel’s actions – otherwise there really is no plausible explanation for our government’s attitude.
The explanation is that US politicians benefit from campaign contributions if they blindly support Israel. These people have no compunction about selling out the US people and chaining our foreign policy to an anvil in the middle of the ocean if they can buy another reelection.
Gloopygal, you’ve never heard of, e.g., AIPAC, or the seasonal genuflection of all US poiticians there?
Of course I have. It’s just that I can’t understand how one lobby could screw America up so bad. Do they really have more money than anyone else? Of course what potsherd said is right, the government will sell out the American PEOPLE – but will it sell out the American EMPIRE? If Israel was detrimental to the empire – and obviously, as Keith says, the empire will soon go kaput because it’s completely unsustainable – wouldn’t we throw that weight off our shoulders? In reality the U.S. and Israel behave the same in so many respects – in fact their war on the Palestinians has a lot in common with our wars in Korea, Vietnam, Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, not to mention the CIA’s undercover ventures south of the border and elsewhere. The U.S. may be annoyed with how blatant Israel’s atrocities have become – Netanyahu didn’t get the memo that Bush is no longer in the White House and now you have to pretend to be more civilized while you murder and plunder various populations – but I don’t believe our government has any MORAL objection to anything Israel does.
Bullshit:
That might be because the US is determined not to take YES for an answer when it comes to Iran’s nuclear program.
As opposed to Israel’s nuclear program, which is explicitly intended for nonpeaceful purposes.
I love it when people ask the fucker to explain this, and he squirms.
The nuclear issues are a smokescreen for the real purpose of israeloamerican antagonism towards Iran. Iran is not subservient to these people – that’s not allowed. And Iran has a sizable energy store and is a border state to Central Asia, where there is a whole lot more energy. In other words, the aggression against Iran is part of “great game” strategy.
If Iran had no nuclear infrastructure, you would see the israeloamerica oligarchy and media yapping about other invented rubbish to demonise Iran.
We’re seeing only small changes but these changes must accumulate, surely. Israel has not emerged undamaged from the series of incidents we have seen and seems to have no way of repairing the damage done. Another incident keeps coming along.
Of course the new aid packages are in part a desperate effort to shore up the usurping government of Abbas, which may not be very productive of a good outcome.
“Israel has not emerged undamaged from the series of incidents we have seen and seems to have no way of repairing the damage done. Another incident keeps coming along.”
What worries me is that most Israelis are fully supportive of Israel’s paranoid adventurism. When word of the assault on the freedom flotilla reached Israel spontaneous celebrations broke out all over the country.
Where I differ from Ahmed Moor’s analysis is taking for granted how intelligent a man Obama is. He plays one on television, but apparently lacks moral intelligence. Aside from that he strikes me as terrble leader. His pattern is to emulate gravitas or indignation and then fold like a Chinese laundry. I think he is a politically inexperienced hollow man. Perfectly controllable.
He’s the classic sociopath. They don’t have emotions except fear and hate and are unable to express empathy. That’s why the monkey in chief George W. Bush and the Spock with no answers Obama are so confounding to normal people.
CONRAD- “He’s a classic sociopath.” EXACTLY! What most people can’t accept, and in most cases can’t even conceive of, is that the men of ambition who rule are almost always sociopaths who are blinded by power lust, hence, have such a narrow focus on achieving their power seeking objectives that they are blind to the broader consequences of their actions. Nuclear war? Not my problem. Climate change? Just a theory. Peace and justice? Interferes with profits. Besides, what is good for me is good for society. In the long run.
AHMED MOOR- While I fully agree that the US bears considerable responsibility for the flotilla raid (US/Israel), I strongly disagree with much of the rest of your article which reads like you are channeling Zbigniew Brzezinski.
You list four things which Obama can’t afford not to know. I’m going to key in on the last which contains within it the gist of the other three. “Your job as the American president is to do what’s best for America (i.e., forestall American decline);”
When you say “forestall American decline,” you can only be describing the decline of the American Empire. Do you really believe that forestalling the decline of the American Empire is “what’s best for America”? One of the few achievements of the Bush administration was to HASTEN the decline of the American Empire, which all advocates of peace and justice should welcome.
If Obama did what was best for American citizens, and other peoples of the world, he would consciously begin ELIMINATING the American Empire. Shut down those 750 overseas bases. Eliminate nuclear weapons. Shit can neoliberal globalization. Etc, etc, etc. The problem with Israel isn’t that it is a drag on empire, the problem is that it is part of empire. Our opposition must be based upon moral principles. The problem with Israel is that it is a warmonger and flagrant human rights abuser (much like the US) which needs desperately to become a peaceful state of all of its citizens.
As for the decline of the American Empire, the decline of empire is in no small measure the consequence of the financially driven hollowing out of US industry and the globalization of the world economy under the control of (mostly US) financial elites. In other words, the transition from an American Empire toward a global corporate/financial empire, with the US reduced to the role of a corporate Prussia. The whole system is unsustainable and will collapse with catastrophic results which current policies tend to exacerbate. Assuming, of course, that US/Israel doesn’t initiate a nuclear war first. The final solution to all of our problems.
Another Game Changer?
Nancy Pelosi, the liberal House speaker, is heckled by liberals “Stop Funding Israel Terror.”
link to dailypaul.com
BLUE PEARL- While it is always good to see Nancy Pelosi heckled, one has to ask where were these “liberals” during tha last election when a little more “liberal” support for Cindy Sheehan could have retired that jerk Pelosi! Trouble is, most Americans WILL NOT go against entrenched power. Piss and moan? Yes. Stand up and be counted? No!
LOL, this Flotilla massacre was the “turkish 9/11″ Now Moor is comparing it to Soweto? Are you guys clueless about. There is absolutely no comparison, I take more stock in the Gaza/Warsaw Ghetto comparison to be honest. Moor do you have a clue about history? How can you say such an outlandish thing? How are there ANY similarities between the two?
Jesus man
The commitment of congress to Israel has always been about a lot more than money. Money by itself would hardly explain the way politicians grovel, kowtow and practically inhale the rabbi’s skirt. I remember Bill Clinton saying he would grab a gun an die for Israel. I never heard him say he would grab a gun and die for America. Barely a week after Netanyahu humiliated Joe Biden over new construction in east Jerusalem, Hillary Clinton was out there telling AIPAC that the US commitment to Israel was “rock solid, unwavering, enduring and forever.”
It was so over the top I was embarrassed for her (and embarrassed for America.) Couldn’t she have just said “the US will stand by Israel” and left it at that? Why the need to humiliate herself?
Ahmed, I really appreciated what you wrote, and have expressed my views here of what this system is here many times. We can postulate all day long, and use logical scenarios but they are always based on tacit assumptions. You have said that the president is the Decider-in-Chief, and while I must admit that this is what has been fed to Americans from the cradle to the grave that it just is not factual. So we can draw charts all day long, and reduce things to equations, but if the raw material of the processes is faulty it becomes an exercise in futility.
The plain fact of the matter is that the President is merely a figure head, and he does not make decisions, the decisions are made by those that this government serves. Who does this government serve? It serves who it has served since the beginning, which was voiced by the so-called father of the Constitution, Madison, and he said that the chief aim of government is to protect the opulent (moneyed elite) from the people, and than the founding document was fashioned to serve that purpose. The “responsible class” over time always devolves to an oligarchy.
However Ahmed, no one wants to believe that this is what is happening, they would rather believe what they have been fed all their lives – in fact, it is very traumatic for them to come to these conclusions. So, rather than my developing what I have so long posted on this site perhaps it is better if people hear it from someone else. Some may not like the person or the way that they communicate this reality, some will say it is crude and vulgar, nevertheless it is what is taking place, and until the people come to these conclusions they can watch this country self-destruct. Because, by embracing fine honed illusions and not rising up like they should recognizing what is really transpiring, this is what will happen. They will look at their powerlessness and their demise, not understand why there is not a revolutionary bone left in their body, and complain to no avail. If you cannot diagnose, or refuse to diagnose what is transpiring, you will do nothing but birth inadequate remedies.
THE AMERICAN DREAM
So, if you want to complain about the current crew in power recognize this fact, it is this system that put them there – it is nothing new, it is just getting worse over time. Time to wake up.
Here is a treatment that is more historical and educational, less crude and says exactly the same thing.
DEMOCRACY?
I agree with you. I think your analysis is correct, and you seem like an erudite individual. Id like to hear what you think is the end game here. Is it the eternal boot stepping on a face? Surley systems cannot sustain continous exploitation. Monetary, economic, ecological,political. There is a finate amount of damage the enviroment itself can sustain, so are the elites, under some kind of technocratic illusion, or are they simply evil and nihilistic? Of course don’t limit your response to these choices.
>> The plain fact of the matter is that the President is merely a figure head, and he does not make decisions …
This does not excuse Obama from speaking out against decisions, made by others, which may be illegal, unjust, immoral or simply dangerous to the well-being of the nation and its citizens. The fact that he does not speak out against such decisions – the fact that he uses his eloquence and his title to justify these decisions – makes him at least as guilty as the decision-makers themselves. And that, for me, is the most disappointing thing about him.