I have repeated this many times. I'm an American. Our military doesn't exist to defend us but for profit to enrich the Oligarchs who own the politicians and the media. We design weapons to line pockets instead of winning. Our nation is the world's foremost terrorist state.
It took me a number of years to see the truth of the so called "free press" in the US and its vaunted claim of "freedom of expression". As early as the 1830's Tocqueville noticed that though Americans enjoyed freedom of expression, everyone said the same things. Whereas in foreign countries you can have an in depth discussion say on socialism, if you bring that topic up in conversation stateside it will shut off in less than five minutes. Some dork will say "it's a nice day out there" and change the topic.
The turning of a people into the so-called "silent majority" did not take place overnight but was the result of decades of indoctrination and social censure that muzzled opinion if it did not conform to the official line. Likewise press freedom means the freedom to discuss trivial issues or as a famous foreign author whose name I forget called "issues without grandeur". News media have cut down on comments, some doing without them altogether. There used to be a lively comment section on The Guardian which now only allows comments on arts and showbiz and lifestyle. The gist is we have been reduced to a silent Mob of zombies that parrots the official line. Any opinions to the contrary are greeted with a deafening silence. That is the extent of our freedom of expression.
The WSJ conveniently forgets the Wolfowitz Doctrine of 1992-- America reserves the right to wage preemptive war against any country that sees fit to challenge its dominance. .... along with tons of other US history.
It doesn't matter what the topic or who is affected, if the rationale for a government or mainstream media position professes benevolence or some humanitarian motive, rest assured you are being lied to and manipulated. The single focused drives for money and power permeate every single decision the government and most high powered corporations make. Anything that smacks of compassion or altruism is a sure fire giveaway there are hidden motives at stake, and only the ruling class stands to benefit. Question everything.
I’m in the UK and was thankfully disillusioned with the mainstream media back in 2002. I was an organiser in the anti war effort opposing the looting and murder proposed for Iraq. Nightly I’d come back from peaceful protests to turn on the news to hear about violence and drunken protests- just plain cold lies. Then we failed and the media kicked in with their sickening ‘shock and awe’ production motif. Next it was the nauseating ‘hearts and minds’. I’ll never forget the disgrace we bought on ourselves and I can never forgive the media. Anyone who believes they’re getting facts and not stories is just an imbecile beyond redemption. Because there are many of them these rags still linger like filthy laundry long neglected.
Caitlin I really enjoy your writing even as I writhe in the injustices it portrays x
Back in the year 2000 I heard Ralph Nader say, "listen to my opponents. Each will say he will spend more on defense than the other." So I listened, and that's what Bush and Gore indeed said.
And that was when the world was more or less at peace.
Exactly from who and what are these bottom dwellers protecting us from? Big Pharma and their poison? Or the poison in and on our food? An education system that teaches lies? A government that sells out to the highest bidder, devalues our money, and destroys our blood and treasure?
Seems other countries need protection from the US, and Americans need protection from their own fascist government and cohorts.
...''who cares, I am American , I have my games, my beer''...................oops something happened over there......? per G. Carlin : 'Education in America'....
"Most of the world’s worst empire managers are not Jewish,"
I am not saying they are, but it is always at least "interesting" that when I find some particularly deceitful bankster, it alway seems that he's a Jew. Larry Fink, head of Black Rock is a Jew. George Soros is a Jew. Sergy Brin is a Jew. Larry Page is a Jew. (Doesn't it seem important that a company with a motto of "Don't be Evil" so easily violated that oath? Maybe they are "combatting evil"?) Larry Ellison is a Jew. He owns the island of Lanai -- the one on the other side of the channel from Maui, where Hawaii's "second city" will now be built since Lahaina has burned to the ground. (yes there are dozens of conspiracy theories about how the fire started and other's conspiracy theories that only care about how gross the incompetence -- verging on purposeful -- was that didn't put it out. They rival JFK's assassination and WTC bldg 7.) Michael Bloomberg is a Jew. Mark Zuckerberg is a Jew. Sean Penn is a Jew. (He rabidly supports the proxy war Ukraine.) Victoria Nuland is a Jew. Anthony Blinken is a Jew.
Jamie Dimon is not a Jew. Elon Musk is not a Jew. Charles Koch is not a Jew. Jake Sullivan is not a Jew.
"and the overwhelming majority of Jews have nothing to do with the world’s problems"
But do and "overwhelming majority of Jews" support Israel? Isn't Israel the tail that wags the dog? Do we acknowledge their role in the invasion of Iraq and the murders of Iranian scientists and political leadership? When one declares "Israel is an apartheid state" do the "overwhelming majority of Jews" agree?
"I always just block people who try to tell me Jews rule the world and are the source of our problems, because I know I’ll never hear anything worthwhile from them. "
Yes, blaming the Jews for everything is a rabbit hole of its own, but refusing to look down that rabbit hole to understand how it was dug and where it leads certainly doesn't help convince a huge number of voters that they need to "come to the light" because you "can't speak their language." How do we even begin to address the Ukrainian Nazis?
Perhaps an obscure reference... This is the same problem Caleb Maupin of the CPI (Center for Political Innovation, but it really is just a play on the TLA that used to stand for Communist Party International). He's a communist so no one will listen to him. Except Scott Ritter did. You know, the same Scott Ritter who was banned from participating in the "Rage Against the War Machine" rally by the "woke" even though Nick Brana, one of the main organizers wanted him there.
Maupin isn't as good at being a Commie (or maybe I should say Marxist, if there is, in fact a difference) as Richard Wolff or Michael Hudson. But he is very open to talking to anyone. It is at least "interesting" that his group supports universal health care, free education, and a living wage -- like some supposedly "real progressives" like AOC claim to do. It seems talk is cheap.
For what its worth "true Marxists" -- at least those who claim to be "true Marxists (and not Commies I guess) -- totally despise Maupin and accuse him of the same sex crimes that are hurled against Scott Ritter and Shahid Buttar. Neither do they appreciate the economic insights of Hudson and Wolff.
It would be "interesting" to see a compiled list of the "most evil men in the world" with variations that would be "the most evil men in the USA/Russia/China" or "the most evil Bankers in the word" with similar variations. I wouldn't begin to guess how one might determine the criteria for evil. It would be fascinating to see a Venn diagram of the overlaps. Would it be similar to that diagram from seventh grade social studies that was a circle where the most extreme "leftist" and the most extreme "rightists" held views coherent with one another so they were at the "top" of a "circle of violence."
I guess my point is that "blocking" someone isn't really all that helpful. Let's face it, most of the comments made on any social media platform are just "stupid" (even on forums like Moon of Alabama where there is a "higher quality" of discussion).
The really hard thing to do, is to listen to what these people are saying so you can figure out a way of persuading them that they are "wrong" or at least "mistaken".
But then, maybe that's something to be left for the Second Coming of Jesus.
They "protect us" from what exactly? IS Cuba getting ready to invade? Maybe the Canucks? I mean, I hear there are a few million people streaming across our southern border, but they are just harmless military aged males from third world countries all over the world, under-educated impoverished migrants, and future hotel maids, lawn care specialists, and drywall contractors, so no worries there.
Apparently they "defend us" by helping effect offensive military actions all around the globe, so "we don't have to fight them here", which seems counter-intuitive, but I guess when you are holding a hammer, everything starts to look like a nail.
A more cynical person might get bogged down in the billions and sometimes trillions, that the Pentagon randomly loses track of, but I'm sure it went to killing people with bombs and missiles, and drones, so no reason to fret.
Obviously when you spend almost a trillion per year, you're going to misplace some spare change occasionally, so that's no big deal.
Supporting ~900 military bases around the world is a costly way to "defend us", but ho hum. If you want to make an omelette, you gotta break some eggs, and if most of those eggs, say 90% happen to be innocent civilians, then I guess that's just the price of freedom.
How else are we going to spread the LGBTQ+ agenda? Messaging? Nah, that's too old fashioned, and nothing says "freedom" like being blown up by a hellfire missile, launched by an unmanned drone, that's piloted by someone 5,000 miles away, because we gotta protect democracy.
The Most Wall Street Journal Op-Ed In The History Of Wall Street Journal Op-Eds
I have repeated this many times. I'm an American. Our military doesn't exist to defend us but for profit to enrich the Oligarchs who own the politicians and the media. We design weapons to line pockets instead of winning. Our nation is the world's foremost terrorist state.
It took me a number of years to see the truth of the so called "free press" in the US and its vaunted claim of "freedom of expression". As early as the 1830's Tocqueville noticed that though Americans enjoyed freedom of expression, everyone said the same things. Whereas in foreign countries you can have an in depth discussion say on socialism, if you bring that topic up in conversation stateside it will shut off in less than five minutes. Some dork will say "it's a nice day out there" and change the topic.
The turning of a people into the so-called "silent majority" did not take place overnight but was the result of decades of indoctrination and social censure that muzzled opinion if it did not conform to the official line. Likewise press freedom means the freedom to discuss trivial issues or as a famous foreign author whose name I forget called "issues without grandeur". News media have cut down on comments, some doing without them altogether. There used to be a lively comment section on The Guardian which now only allows comments on arts and showbiz and lifestyle. The gist is we have been reduced to a silent Mob of zombies that parrots the official line. Any opinions to the contrary are greeted with a deafening silence. That is the extent of our freedom of expression.
The WSJ conveniently forgets the Wolfowitz Doctrine of 1992-- America reserves the right to wage preemptive war against any country that sees fit to challenge its dominance. .... along with tons of other US history.
Me: "Maybe we shouldn't feed so much liquid sugar to American children, starting when they're four years old."
Ira Stoll: "PepsiCo, Nestle and Conagra are the companies that keep us from starving, you fucking ingrate."
Oh, okay, so there's no nuanced option. Silly me!
It doesn't matter what the topic or who is affected, if the rationale for a government or mainstream media position professes benevolence or some humanitarian motive, rest assured you are being lied to and manipulated. The single focused drives for money and power permeate every single decision the government and most high powered corporations make. Anything that smacks of compassion or altruism is a sure fire giveaway there are hidden motives at stake, and only the ruling class stands to benefit. Question everything.
I’m in the UK and was thankfully disillusioned with the mainstream media back in 2002. I was an organiser in the anti war effort opposing the looting and murder proposed for Iraq. Nightly I’d come back from peaceful protests to turn on the news to hear about violence and drunken protests- just plain cold lies. Then we failed and the media kicked in with their sickening ‘shock and awe’ production motif. Next it was the nauseating ‘hearts and minds’. I’ll never forget the disgrace we bought on ourselves and I can never forgive the media. Anyone who believes they’re getting facts and not stories is just an imbecile beyond redemption. Because there are many of them these rags still linger like filthy laundry long neglected.
Caitlin I really enjoy your writing even as I writhe in the injustices it portrays x
British Imperialism fostered Judaism’s NEARLY complete cooption by the fascistic AshkaNAZI Kazarian Zionist Movement beginning in the mid 19th c..
Back in the year 2000 I heard Ralph Nader say, "listen to my opponents. Each will say he will spend more on defense than the other." So I listened, and that's what Bush and Gore indeed said.
And that was when the world was more or less at peace.
Exactly from who and what are these bottom dwellers protecting us from? Big Pharma and their poison? Or the poison in and on our food? An education system that teaches lies? A government that sells out to the highest bidder, devalues our money, and destroys our blood and treasure?
Seems other countries need protection from the US, and Americans need protection from their own fascist government and cohorts.
...''who cares, I am American , I have my games, my beer''...................oops something happened over there......? per G. Carlin : 'Education in America'....
Biden's statement on Libya ...
(actually his press secretary's statement on Libya)
"Jill and I send our deepest condolences ..."
So please tell me, what exactly do "deep condolences" look like?
Just how do you practice deep condolence?
... do you fast for 6 hours?
... do you huddle in prayer for 5m while holding hands? ...
... do you assume a transcendental pose and repeat a mantra for 120s?
Are we to believe that your convictions on this matter are deeper than those of us "little people"?
What if ... what if you just merely sent regular standard condolences?
Please advise Mr. President ...
It’s not the “Jews”, it’s the Zionists. They are the problem. Not sure how Caitlin could miss that.
I am no fan of Israel as it is presently constructed, but I also am NO antisemite.
"Most of the world’s worst empire managers are not Jewish,"
I am not saying they are, but it is always at least "interesting" that when I find some particularly deceitful bankster, it alway seems that he's a Jew. Larry Fink, head of Black Rock is a Jew. George Soros is a Jew. Sergy Brin is a Jew. Larry Page is a Jew. (Doesn't it seem important that a company with a motto of "Don't be Evil" so easily violated that oath? Maybe they are "combatting evil"?) Larry Ellison is a Jew. He owns the island of Lanai -- the one on the other side of the channel from Maui, where Hawaii's "second city" will now be built since Lahaina has burned to the ground. (yes there are dozens of conspiracy theories about how the fire started and other's conspiracy theories that only care about how gross the incompetence -- verging on purposeful -- was that didn't put it out. They rival JFK's assassination and WTC bldg 7.) Michael Bloomberg is a Jew. Mark Zuckerberg is a Jew. Sean Penn is a Jew. (He rabidly supports the proxy war Ukraine.) Victoria Nuland is a Jew. Anthony Blinken is a Jew.
Jamie Dimon is not a Jew. Elon Musk is not a Jew. Charles Koch is not a Jew. Jake Sullivan is not a Jew.
"and the overwhelming majority of Jews have nothing to do with the world’s problems"
But do and "overwhelming majority of Jews" support Israel? Isn't Israel the tail that wags the dog? Do we acknowledge their role in the invasion of Iraq and the murders of Iranian scientists and political leadership? When one declares "Israel is an apartheid state" do the "overwhelming majority of Jews" agree?
"I always just block people who try to tell me Jews rule the world and are the source of our problems, because I know I’ll never hear anything worthwhile from them. "
Isn't this what Snowden warns against in his column on Apophenia? https://edwardsnowden.substack.com/p/conspiracy-pt2
Yes, blaming the Jews for everything is a rabbit hole of its own, but refusing to look down that rabbit hole to understand how it was dug and where it leads certainly doesn't help convince a huge number of voters that they need to "come to the light" because you "can't speak their language." How do we even begin to address the Ukrainian Nazis?
Perhaps an obscure reference... This is the same problem Caleb Maupin of the CPI (Center for Political Innovation, but it really is just a play on the TLA that used to stand for Communist Party International). He's a communist so no one will listen to him. Except Scott Ritter did. You know, the same Scott Ritter who was banned from participating in the "Rage Against the War Machine" rally by the "woke" even though Nick Brana, one of the main organizers wanted him there.
Maupin isn't as good at being a Commie (or maybe I should say Marxist, if there is, in fact a difference) as Richard Wolff or Michael Hudson. But he is very open to talking to anyone. It is at least "interesting" that his group supports universal health care, free education, and a living wage -- like some supposedly "real progressives" like AOC claim to do. It seems talk is cheap.
For what its worth "true Marxists" -- at least those who claim to be "true Marxists (and not Commies I guess) -- totally despise Maupin and accuse him of the same sex crimes that are hurled against Scott Ritter and Shahid Buttar. Neither do they appreciate the economic insights of Hudson and Wolff.
It would be "interesting" to see a compiled list of the "most evil men in the world" with variations that would be "the most evil men in the USA/Russia/China" or "the most evil Bankers in the word" with similar variations. I wouldn't begin to guess how one might determine the criteria for evil. It would be fascinating to see a Venn diagram of the overlaps. Would it be similar to that diagram from seventh grade social studies that was a circle where the most extreme "leftist" and the most extreme "rightists" held views coherent with one another so they were at the "top" of a "circle of violence."
I guess my point is that "blocking" someone isn't really all that helpful. Let's face it, most of the comments made on any social media platform are just "stupid" (even on forums like Moon of Alabama where there is a "higher quality" of discussion).
The really hard thing to do, is to listen to what these people are saying so you can figure out a way of persuading them that they are "wrong" or at least "mistaken".
But then, maybe that's something to be left for the Second Coming of Jesus.
In which case, why do you write?
Terrifically expressive portrait of McConnell. Very well done. Love it.
They "protect us" from what exactly? IS Cuba getting ready to invade? Maybe the Canucks? I mean, I hear there are a few million people streaming across our southern border, but they are just harmless military aged males from third world countries all over the world, under-educated impoverished migrants, and future hotel maids, lawn care specialists, and drywall contractors, so no worries there.
Apparently they "defend us" by helping effect offensive military actions all around the globe, so "we don't have to fight them here", which seems counter-intuitive, but I guess when you are holding a hammer, everything starts to look like a nail.
A more cynical person might get bogged down in the billions and sometimes trillions, that the Pentagon randomly loses track of, but I'm sure it went to killing people with bombs and missiles, and drones, so no reason to fret.
Obviously when you spend almost a trillion per year, you're going to misplace some spare change occasionally, so that's no big deal.
Supporting ~900 military bases around the world is a costly way to "defend us", but ho hum. If you want to make an omelette, you gotta break some eggs, and if most of those eggs, say 90% happen to be innocent civilians, then I guess that's just the price of freedom.
How else are we going to spread the LGBTQ+ agenda? Messaging? Nah, that's too old fashioned, and nothing says "freedom" like being blown up by a hellfire missile, launched by an unmanned drone, that's piloted by someone 5,000 miles away, because we gotta protect democracy.
Ain't war Hell!