Didn't know he was a denier of Palestinian rights as well as a denier of the covid vaccine. Thanks for that info, miggety. It's unconscionable the herding into ghettos the state of Isreal is doing to these people. They should know better....some do but unfortunately most don't. And we're complicit.
He's not a "denier." He's challenging their safety and efficacy. Were you aware that a federal judge ordered Pfizer to make all its covid vaccine data public? That's the data that Pfizer did not want released for 75 years. But it's out now and available to read for yourself. Turns out they knew their vaccines killed fetuses; knew it caused myocarditis; knew all of it. Concerning other vaccines, RFK, Jr. is asking questions about why it is that chronic illness has surged ever since the vaccine schedule was increased after vaccine makers were indemnified against legal action. What he's asking for is an investigation. Investigation isn't the same as being a "denier."
Like Eugene McCarthy and George McGovern, who were strongly opposed to the continuation of the war against Vietnam in the 1960s/70s, it is unlikely that RFK Jr. will get very far, especially because these days there is no anti-war, anti-imperialist movement at all in this country. It is completely moribund. Of course, the fact that there are no body bags returning to this country from our proxy war against Russia goes a long way to explain this absence. How clever! The US National Security State has figured out a way to fight a war to try and retain global hegemony using the men and women from a third country to do the dying and suffering on its behalf. What a horrible, wasteful tragedy!
I see the beginnings of an organized peace movement in the US. And I think it can happen for two reasons: the threat of nuclear war and the sheer cost of our proxy war in Ukraine. People get it. It’s different this time. Americans clearly see the cost of running an empire, something that wasn’t clear when the corporate media had a lock on the Overton Window. We get our news from other sources now.
And which Americans do You see organizing that peace movement, Mary Ann?
Given the magic of Deficit Spending ~ and the raising and then eliminating of any Ceiling on the Debt those Deficits create ~ no American is paying a dime for the proxy war in Ukraine. Or has paid a dime for the entire 21-plus-year “Forever War” made possible by 9/11,
And how many Americans are actually, really concerned about the threat of nuclear war? Or the possibility of a war with China over Taiwan [or, most recently, Cuba]?
Given the current state of the economy and inflation with the threat of a recession or worse lurking, random acts of violence against persons and property by both criminals and cops, the threat of a new pandemic waiting in the wings, increasing incidents of violent weather all over the place [to say nothing of a hyper-active Atlantic Hurricane season already in June], and so forth, most Americans have far more pressing concerns than nuclear war, or even a non-nuclear war anyplace.
Particularly as long as they are not paying for it in either Blood or Treasure.
There are only two things that are needed to kick-start a real peace movement in America: 1] The return of the Draft; and 2] A War Tax on everything that Americans consume, with all revenues directed ONLY toward paying directly for any war America happens to be waging. And that is exactly why this government will never implement either of those initiators.
What is needed, Mary Ann, is not an “organized peace movement.” What is needed is a War Against War waged by people who know how to wage War just as well as and better than the people waging all of America’s wars today.
People aren't stupid; they know that printing money creates inflation and is a tax on the poor and middle class. I don't expect an organized Vietnam War era anti-war movement. By 'organization,' I did not mean that; perhaps I should have simply said a growing anti-war sentiment without the protests and marches. This time it will be a vote to rid ourselves of the neocons. We're already seeing a growing backlash against Woke ideology. I agree with you that a war tax and the draft would get peoples' attention more quickly than almost anything else. And 3 years of cruel covid policies and unconstitutional mandates are still on people's minds. Recently, Congressman Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio) spoke about restrictions on Americans' civil liberties and SCOTUS Justice Neil Gorsuch has called the covid restrictions “the greatest intrusions on civil liberties in the peacetime history of this country.” I think we'll continue to see the anger that was set in motion in 2016 when Trump was elected. There's a whole smorgasbord of issues to choose from and I think Americans are reaching their breaking point with all of it.
Re.: "Americans clearly see the cost of running an empire, something that wasn’t clear when the corporate media had a lock on the Overton Window", and
"People aren't stupid; they know that printing money creates inflation and is a tax on the poor and middle class."
Oh, if only that were true. The truth is, the corporate media effectively do maintain a tight Overton Window, from my observation. No matter which circle of friends, neighbors, acquaintances, or even family I look to, there is the same response when it comes to the Ukraine war (Russia / Putin bad, demented, dangerous, intent on global control). And most of those circles are dominated by centrists / 'liberals'. But ask 100 people on the street, where they learn about what's going on in their country, and they will almost assuredly give you the name(s) of a broadcast network (or their channel), a newspaper and/or digital outlet that is owned by the oligarchy which controls both Parties and limits news to what fits comfortably within their already narrowed view through that window.
Thus, one or a few "anonymous intel sources" create the story that is repeated with only slightly different spin whether it is Murdoch's media such as Fox and SkyNews or CNN/MSDNC/NPR/PBS.
Sure, there are those who, appropriately wary of MSM, find their way to independent outlets/ journalists / etc.; but again, to my eyes these are the exception, not the rule. And the attention of this likely minority of people is further divided with sub-groups often distracted by content and figures who are often themselves focused more on getting clicks for sensationalist claims than with actually informing people with objective, historically and scientifically reliable facts.
As for stupidity, yours is a more hopeful assessment. Re. spending / taxation policy too, there is a blind acceptance that their Party (Red or Blue) has a handle on things, and everything is hunky-dory. Can't make payments on national debt? Fine, just print more $$, keep spending like drunken sailors on leave, and kick the can down the road... it'll all work out.
Indeed, the lack of public push-back on this sad state of affairs- the extreme bloat of spending on things that do nothing to address human needs or national security or future economic stability- is for me mind-boggling.
I don't know the numbers, but it's obvious that there is some significant number who've found non-corporate alternatives at least for deeper, more objective reporting and analysis. And the very censorship / narrative control that the MSM has embraced is probably leading to the further development of these alternative platforms. This is all to the good. We just need a lot more to break away. BTW, even while it's often irritating / painful to watch/ listen / read the MSM's so-called 'news', I think it important to occasionally keep up with it. For one thing, there's those times when there's objective reporting going on (e.g. when such does not threaten 'the system' too much). For another, it's important to know what narratives the majority are being fed, and to help in 'reading the tea leaves' in anticipation of where the establishment is going. I think it safe to do so, as long as one maintains their own critical thinking ability - the ability to detect b.s. / propaganda when it is present; and also as long as one does not overdose on it, poisoning their own spirit/ mental health.
Yes, I had read back in the day that Reagan and company were intentionally trying to push Russia into that military spending bankruptcy; and some thought they'd succeeded. No doubt they spent more than they would have preferred, but I think they chose a wiser path overall. I find it hard at times to get my mind around the obvious fact that Americans haven't to any significant degree awakened to the absurdity- the self-defeating nature- of our own spending. It really boggles the mind, as it would seem something so obvious. But I guess you have to actually be willing to look at it.
Perhaps not, Jeff. Yet I suppose that awareness happens in stages. It was obvious to me at the time that our war in VietNam was morally wrong; but I had no clue at the time about the financing side.
If we're interested and willing, we keep learning other bits about how the system works. We get hints here and there of how things are connected. Over time the complete picture, like a nearly completed jigsaw puzzle, becomes visible.
But being interested/curious and willing is definitely a prerequisite; and I think more than ever, those conditions are lacking.
Depending om how You define “stupid,” Mary Ann, i agree that the vast majority of Americans are not “stupid.”
But when it comes to their knowledge and understanding of the Federal Reserve System, how it works, on whose behalf it works, and the roll that the Fed’s printing money and manipulating interest rates has as the prime, bottom line, actual, Real, Root Cause of Inflation, an even bigger overwhelmingly majority of Americans are totally and completely abysmally ignorant.
i’d say that very, very few Americans below the Top 10% or so income bracket even know what the Fed actually is and what it does, let alone understand the impact that it has had throughout its 110-year history; and especially in the last 22+ years since 9/11 and America's Credit Card War, aka "The Forever War."
And note also how very, very few Americans there were that openly defied and publicly denounced all the anti-Constitutional COVID restrictions and mandates. And even with all that, with but 4.25% of the World’s Total Population, the US had 15.5% of the Total Cases and 16.9% of the Total Deaths. This in a country that spends a greater percentage of its GDP and more per capita on Health Care than any other Nation-State on the Planet.
Propaganda worked beyond expectations to induce fear in Americans regarding covid. And yes, most Americans don't know what the Fed is or how it works. I don't blame the population for that lack of knowledge; although, I keep finding people who are learning about the Fed. I have been surprised by the number of people who have somehow stumbled onto "The Creature from Jekyll Island," as one example. I've not read it, so cannot speak to its accuracy. Slowly, Americans are figuring out covid propaganda and the truth about the Fed.
Masks were torn off many of our institutions during covid. Probably the best example is what parents learned about their children's schools. I live in a rural area in a very red county in a purple state. Even schools here had adopted critical race and gender theory. This spring, in the first school board elections to be held since covid, there were more people running for school board positions than there were seats that were open. That's a first. All of the candidates are opposing Woke ideology. It's a start.
I've also been surprised that consumer boycotts have been unleashed on some of the country's largest corporations: Nike, Target, Budweiser, and Kohls.
Once the dollar finally collapses, Americans will see behind other curtains as well. Maybe the Constitution will assume a more significant place in American life.
There have been a handful of other times in our history when ordinary Americans have awakened to corruption and deception. This feels very much like one of those times.
I'd like to think that the era of "Bowling Alone" is ending.
while some neocon tool congress critter wants to take out chinese in cuba
ukraine identity: ban books, ban orthodox religion, ethnic cleanse russian speaking shell Donbas civilians for 9 years…. what was a patch of diverse tribes b4 lenin, stalin and krushjev?
I also laud Kennedy's position. Hope other candidates step into the ring with similar views other than Biden's on this one issue: forever wars to feed the war machine.
And then's there's the other elephant in the room: global warming and it's impact of climate change.
I no longer think global warming and climate change are real. It's another psyop designed to steal even more wealth from us and shovel it upwards. Remember all the "evidence" telling us we were entering a new ice age not so long ago? Lots of other evidence from other sources are encouraging in that regard. Here's a Michael Shellenberger Tweet: https://twitter.com/shellenberger/status/1668976568960516106
And there's a very good Substack writer who focuses on climate. Sadly, I cannot think of his name right now. In one of his best pieces he showed long term data over earth's history that demonstrated to my satisfaction that we are not in any danger. If I can find it, I'll post it here.
That's fine. Disagree. I'm not willing to accept the point of view being pushed by billionaires who care so much about CO2 that they see fit to fly in private jets and buy million dollar homes in coastal areas that were predicted to be underwater this year and whose insurance company underwriters, I guess, are ok with insuring those homes. It's a narrative they're pushing, just like covid.
Poisoning the planet and destroying habitat, not to mention that processed food is making us sick and killing us, are much worse problems right now than Greta Thunberg's prediction that we'd all be dead by next year.
"Poisoning the planet and destroying habitat, not to mention that processed food is making us sick and killing us" - is over-the-top hyperbole Mary. We are living longer lives than ever.
"Globally, life expectancy increased by more than 6 years between 2000 and 2019 – from 66.8 years in 2000 to 73.4 years in 2019."
Nearly 1/3 of Americans have Type 2 diabetes which is a metabolic condition from eating processed foods that are high in carbs and sugars. Nearly every American has glyphosates in their urine. Almost half the population is obese, again from foods too high in carbs and sugars, many of which don't occur in nature. We have dead zones in the Gulf of Mexico from fertilizer run off. Glyphosate causes cancer. And neonics kill honey bees. Oh, and the lifespan of Americans dropped over the 3 years of covid, including from how it was treated once people were hospitalized and again from the vaccines themselves. I could go on, but I hope you see the problem. Do you trust data from the WHO?
Are you being sarcastic Ray? "Putin is the one breaking the promise, by attempting to take over Ukraine he is attempting to put NATO directly on the Russian border'.
I don't think Putin's goal was to take over Ukraine.
"What sounded like a great idea to neo-cons in the USA — to use Ukraine as a bear trap — has instead rather suddenly revealed Europe’s and America’s manifold bankruptcies and revolted the whole rest of the world outside of Western Civilization.
Imagine Mr. Zelensky’s predicament. Mighty America and redoubtable Europe conned the former comedian to thinking that if he went along with a genius scheme to ruin Russia and knock off Putin, his sad-sack country would be transformed into something like Ukro-Disneyworld, while he, Mr. Z, would be lionized and made rich beyond his wildest imaginings. His backup was the greatest hegemonic power the world has ever seen.
The poor schlemiel fell for it. He let NATO (that is, the USA) set-up, equip, and train the largest army in Europe, including battalions of bad-ass, hard-core Ukro-Nazis — who had previously been so useful in the American-sponsored 2014 Maidan “color revolution.” Mr. Z followed the US State Department’s orders to rain down artillery on Russian-speakers who lived in his own eastern provinces. Killing 14,000 civilians. He formally applied for membership in the NATO club. His country received billions of US dollars without audit oversight, just screaming to be creamed off by Ukraine’s corrupt leadership.
Thus, Western Civilization kicked off Europe’s biggest hot war since the 1940s. So, in Feb 2022, Mr. Putin had enough of the monkey business on his “front porch” and sent in a clean-up crew. The US neo-cons were ready to feed countless Ukrainian troops into a meat grinder that would, theoretically, exhaust the will and resources of Russia and yield countless benefits reinforcing the US's dominant position in the world. It's hapless NATO “partners” went along with the program; despite being asked to commit economic suicide. Anyway, they didn’t need that filthy Russian natural gas.
Meanwhile, the citizens of the US were groomed to perfection by the US propaganda in the media screaming “Russia, Russia, Russia,” at the behest of opinion-leader Hillary Clinton, a wannabe president. The news media demanded crucifixion for her opponent, Mr. Trump, who had idly tossed out the heinous idea that the USA and Russia could cultivate a friendly relationship.
After a year-plus of America’s genius scheme to maintain world dominance it has all gone to custard. Russia is winning the "war" and constructing a geo-economic framework for trade that will not be subject to the pranks of USA-led Western. And US taxpayers are baulking at seeing any more of their tax dollars stolen to go to the corrupt Ukrainians. 30% of their weapons being sold on the black-market.
And Mr. Zelensky is hiding, flitting from one country to another the past month begging for money. Because the game is drawing to a close and Mr. Z may find himself fatally unpopular back on the home front. He has managed to send upward of a hundred-thousand young Ukrainian men to their deaths in the meat-grinder, and perhaps a million more have hightailed it for other countries. Ukraine will now be a land of mostly women, children, and old folks — with just enough surviving soldiers left looking to hunt down the comedian who turned Ukraine into another one of history’s sick jokes."- James Howard Kunstler.
Once Russia negated the existence of Ukraine as a country and espoused genocidal policies, it lost any standing to speak of security concerns. It has declared that the existence of Ukrainians is a security threat to the Russian world. It is led by an alleged war criminal called to the Hague ICC. It has broken the post war rules order. Clearly NATO is a sham question as Russia has declared the annexation of 5 Ukrainian provinces. Only a change of regime in Russia can bring it back to the international security order and that seems unlikely. Only NATO membership can give Ukraine security guarantees. Putin crossed all the redlines
i’m looking forward to what the BV folks have to say about the Russian “Coup”; or whatever it actually is.
My immediate thoughts are:
1. On what basis should anybody believe anything that anybody in Moscow says about anything any more than that they should believe anything that anybody in Kyiv or DC says about anything?
2. That this whole “coup” thing may be simply a move by the Kremlin and the Wagner Group to see how DC and NATO respond to it.
That was an extraordinary speech! Thank you for posting a link to it. I watched and listened. Because his voice is so raspy and difficult to listen to, I also ran the subtitles which helped ,though even the subtitles were occasionally confusing because apparently the app only listens to sounds so there were a lot of places where the subtitles made no sense. Like me the app couldn't figure out what he was saying. Do you have a link to a written copy of the speech? I'd like to send it to friends.
I'm very sorry to learn that Robert is against Palestinians, but maybe some of his team can educate him about the reality there. I have read his book "he Real Anthony Fauci" or most of it. It is heavily documented and it appears to be accurate - at least accurate enough for me (as an over 65 senior) to decide NOT to take any more covid shots. I've seen too many articles recently about sudden deaths of teenage athletes etc. to take the chance. And I certainly don't trust Merk, or Pfizer or other pharma companies to behave in a remotely responsible way.
Ultimately RFK Jr. has an important message, but listening to him speak is so difficult, that I can't really see him rallying the masses. I hope someone else will come along and pick it up and say similar things.
His health related conspiracy theories, plus the anti. vax. problems not to even go to the Palestine views. His past Drug use though excusable being that he is a Kennedy ie. well past imperfect, but to me not totally off the Rails, but a problematic Candidate at best even if he was already a Senator like his Unc. & Dad were. I am expecting his Campaign to end quickly and quietly...
Only complete US imperial apologists would deny any (other) nation legitimate security interests. The US continually wants other nations to adhere to standards they would never accept for themselves. Kudos to RFK Jr. for insisting that standards are and must be universal. it seems he recognizes that none of this is perfect, but that the goal is harm reduction and a shot at peace.
I would take RFK Jr. as much more principled than his father. RFK was nothing if not an opportunist (he was at one time a supporter of McCarthy), who, when the winds blew against the Vietnam War jumped on the anti war bandwagon. In contrast, there is no real anti war movement today (heavy sigh), so Jr. Is actually putting himself out there by going so against the tide. You take what slim rays of light you can.
I just wish he could see the hypocrisy in the juxtaposition of this stance here and his views on Palestine.
Yes. No candidate is perfect, of course. Ironically, Israel has a wider range of debate on this issue than is allowed in America's two major parties.
Cornel West is far better on supporting the Palestinians.
Didn't know he was a denier of Palestinian rights as well as a denier of the covid vaccine. Thanks for that info, miggety. It's unconscionable the herding into ghettos the state of Isreal is doing to these people. They should know better....some do but unfortunately most don't. And we're complicit.
Yeah, you’re welcome.. Unfortunately, he toes the party line when it comes to Israel.
He's not a "denier." He's challenging their safety and efficacy. Were you aware that a federal judge ordered Pfizer to make all its covid vaccine data public? That's the data that Pfizer did not want released for 75 years. But it's out now and available to read for yourself. Turns out they knew their vaccines killed fetuses; knew it caused myocarditis; knew all of it. Concerning other vaccines, RFK, Jr. is asking questions about why it is that chronic illness has surged ever since the vaccine schedule was increased after vaccine makers were indemnified against legal action. What he's asking for is an investigation. Investigation isn't the same as being a "denier."
I listened to his speech and wish every American would hear him out.
Like Eugene McCarthy and George McGovern, who were strongly opposed to the continuation of the war against Vietnam in the 1960s/70s, it is unlikely that RFK Jr. will get very far, especially because these days there is no anti-war, anti-imperialist movement at all in this country. It is completely moribund. Of course, the fact that there are no body bags returning to this country from our proxy war against Russia goes a long way to explain this absence. How clever! The US National Security State has figured out a way to fight a war to try and retain global hegemony using the men and women from a third country to do the dying and suffering on its behalf. What a horrible, wasteful tragedy!
I see the beginnings of an organized peace movement in the US. And I think it can happen for two reasons: the threat of nuclear war and the sheer cost of our proxy war in Ukraine. People get it. It’s different this time. Americans clearly see the cost of running an empire, something that wasn’t clear when the corporate media had a lock on the Overton Window. We get our news from other sources now.
I hope so!
And which Americans do You see organizing that peace movement, Mary Ann?
Given the magic of Deficit Spending ~ and the raising and then eliminating of any Ceiling on the Debt those Deficits create ~ no American is paying a dime for the proxy war in Ukraine. Or has paid a dime for the entire 21-plus-year “Forever War” made possible by 9/11,
And how many Americans are actually, really concerned about the threat of nuclear war? Or the possibility of a war with China over Taiwan [or, most recently, Cuba]?
Given the current state of the economy and inflation with the threat of a recession or worse lurking, random acts of violence against persons and property by both criminals and cops, the threat of a new pandemic waiting in the wings, increasing incidents of violent weather all over the place [to say nothing of a hyper-active Atlantic Hurricane season already in June], and so forth, most Americans have far more pressing concerns than nuclear war, or even a non-nuclear war anyplace.
Particularly as long as they are not paying for it in either Blood or Treasure.
There are only two things that are needed to kick-start a real peace movement in America: 1] The return of the Draft; and 2] A War Tax on everything that Americans consume, with all revenues directed ONLY toward paying directly for any war America happens to be waging. And that is exactly why this government will never implement either of those initiators.
What is needed, Mary Ann, is not an “organized peace movement.” What is needed is a War Against War waged by people who know how to wage War just as well as and better than the people waging all of America’s wars today.
People aren't stupid; they know that printing money creates inflation and is a tax on the poor and middle class. I don't expect an organized Vietnam War era anti-war movement. By 'organization,' I did not mean that; perhaps I should have simply said a growing anti-war sentiment without the protests and marches. This time it will be a vote to rid ourselves of the neocons. We're already seeing a growing backlash against Woke ideology. I agree with you that a war tax and the draft would get peoples' attention more quickly than almost anything else. And 3 years of cruel covid policies and unconstitutional mandates are still on people's minds. Recently, Congressman Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio) spoke about restrictions on Americans' civil liberties and SCOTUS Justice Neil Gorsuch has called the covid restrictions “the greatest intrusions on civil liberties in the peacetime history of this country.” I think we'll continue to see the anger that was set in motion in 2016 when Trump was elected. There's a whole smorgasbord of issues to choose from and I think Americans are reaching their breaking point with all of it.
Re.: "Americans clearly see the cost of running an empire, something that wasn’t clear when the corporate media had a lock on the Overton Window", and
"People aren't stupid; they know that printing money creates inflation and is a tax on the poor and middle class."
Oh, if only that were true. The truth is, the corporate media effectively do maintain a tight Overton Window, from my observation. No matter which circle of friends, neighbors, acquaintances, or even family I look to, there is the same response when it comes to the Ukraine war (Russia / Putin bad, demented, dangerous, intent on global control). And most of those circles are dominated by centrists / 'liberals'. But ask 100 people on the street, where they learn about what's going on in their country, and they will almost assuredly give you the name(s) of a broadcast network (or their channel), a newspaper and/or digital outlet that is owned by the oligarchy which controls both Parties and limits news to what fits comfortably within their already narrowed view through that window.
Thus, one or a few "anonymous intel sources" create the story that is repeated with only slightly different spin whether it is Murdoch's media such as Fox and SkyNews or CNN/MSDNC/NPR/PBS.
Sure, there are those who, appropriately wary of MSM, find their way to independent outlets/ journalists / etc.; but again, to my eyes these are the exception, not the rule. And the attention of this likely minority of people is further divided with sub-groups often distracted by content and figures who are often themselves focused more on getting clicks for sensationalist claims than with actually informing people with objective, historically and scientifically reliable facts.
As for stupidity, yours is a more hopeful assessment. Re. spending / taxation policy too, there is a blind acceptance that their Party (Red or Blue) has a handle on things, and everything is hunky-dory. Can't make payments on national debt? Fine, just print more $$, keep spending like drunken sailors on leave, and kick the can down the road... it'll all work out.
Indeed, the lack of public push-back on this sad state of affairs- the extreme bloat of spending on things that do nothing to address human needs or national security or future economic stability- is for me mind-boggling.
Millions of us aren't watching the corporate media anymore, so there's that.
I don't know the numbers, but it's obvious that there is some significant number who've found non-corporate alternatives at least for deeper, more objective reporting and analysis. And the very censorship / narrative control that the MSM has embraced is probably leading to the further development of these alternative platforms. This is all to the good. We just need a lot more to break away. BTW, even while it's often irritating / painful to watch/ listen / read the MSM's so-called 'news', I think it important to occasionally keep up with it. For one thing, there's those times when there's objective reporting going on (e.g. when such does not threaten 'the system' too much). For another, it's important to know what narratives the majority are being fed, and to help in 'reading the tea leaves' in anticipation of where the establishment is going. I think it safe to do so, as long as one maintains their own critical thinking ability - the ability to detect b.s. / propaganda when it is present; and also as long as one does not overdose on it, poisoning their own spirit/ mental health.
Hello Roger,
Americans think they forced the USSR into bankruptcy with military spending. And gloat about it.
Failing to look in the mirror seeing who is spending their own country into bankruptcy with military spending.
Cheers mate
Yes, I had read back in the day that Reagan and company were intentionally trying to push Russia into that military spending bankruptcy; and some thought they'd succeeded. No doubt they spent more than they would have preferred, but I think they chose a wiser path overall. I find it hard at times to get my mind around the obvious fact that Americans haven't to any significant degree awakened to the absurdity- the self-defeating nature- of our own spending. It really boggles the mind, as it would seem something so obvious. But I guess you have to actually be willing to look at it.
i'm not sure why it's "mind boggling," Roger.
Has it ever been any different at all at any time during the course of Your lifetime?
Perhaps not, Jeff. Yet I suppose that awareness happens in stages. It was obvious to me at the time that our war in VietNam was morally wrong; but I had no clue at the time about the financing side.
If we're interested and willing, we keep learning other bits about how the system works. We get hints here and there of how things are connected. Over time the complete picture, like a nearly completed jigsaw puzzle, becomes visible.
But being interested/curious and willing is definitely a prerequisite; and I think more than ever, those conditions are lacking.
Depending om how You define “stupid,” Mary Ann, i agree that the vast majority of Americans are not “stupid.”
But when it comes to their knowledge and understanding of the Federal Reserve System, how it works, on whose behalf it works, and the roll that the Fed’s printing money and manipulating interest rates has as the prime, bottom line, actual, Real, Root Cause of Inflation, an even bigger overwhelmingly majority of Americans are totally and completely abysmally ignorant.
i’d say that very, very few Americans below the Top 10% or so income bracket even know what the Fed actually is and what it does, let alone understand the impact that it has had throughout its 110-year history; and especially in the last 22+ years since 9/11 and America's Credit Card War, aka "The Forever War."
As evidence of this, i offer the following YouGov.com report of a survey conducted in late 2022, “What Americans Know — Or Think They Know — About Inflation” at https://today.yougov.com/topics/economy/articles-reports/2022/11/04/what-americans-know-about-inflation-yougov-poll .
And note also how very, very few Americans there were that openly defied and publicly denounced all the anti-Constitutional COVID restrictions and mandates. And even with all that, with but 4.25% of the World’s Total Population, the US had 15.5% of the Total Cases and 16.9% of the Total Deaths. This in a country that spends a greater percentage of its GDP and more per capita on Health Care than any other Nation-State on the Planet.
Propaganda worked beyond expectations to induce fear in Americans regarding covid. And yes, most Americans don't know what the Fed is or how it works. I don't blame the population for that lack of knowledge; although, I keep finding people who are learning about the Fed. I have been surprised by the number of people who have somehow stumbled onto "The Creature from Jekyll Island," as one example. I've not read it, so cannot speak to its accuracy. Slowly, Americans are figuring out covid propaganda and the truth about the Fed.
Masks were torn off many of our institutions during covid. Probably the best example is what parents learned about their children's schools. I live in a rural area in a very red county in a purple state. Even schools here had adopted critical race and gender theory. This spring, in the first school board elections to be held since covid, there were more people running for school board positions than there were seats that were open. That's a first. All of the candidates are opposing Woke ideology. It's a start.
I've also been surprised that consumer boycotts have been unleashed on some of the country's largest corporations: Nike, Target, Budweiser, and Kohls.
Once the dollar finally collapses, Americans will see behind other curtains as well. Maybe the Constitution will assume a more significant place in American life.
There have been a handful of other times in our history when ordinary Americans have awakened to corruption and deception. This feels very much like one of those times.
I'd like to think that the era of "Bowling Alone" is ending.
while some neocon tool congress critter wants to take out chinese in cuba
ukraine identity: ban books, ban orthodox religion, ethnic cleanse russian speaking shell Donbas civilians for 9 years…. what was a patch of diverse tribes b4 lenin, stalin and krushjev?
take Martin Luther King speech on Vietnam and do a word with Ukraine for vietnam
I also laud Kennedy's position. Hope other candidates step into the ring with similar views other than Biden's on this one issue: forever wars to feed the war machine.
And then's there's the other elephant in the room: global warming and it's impact of climate change.
I no longer think global warming and climate change are real. It's another psyop designed to steal even more wealth from us and shovel it upwards. Remember all the "evidence" telling us we were entering a new ice age not so long ago? Lots of other evidence from other sources are encouraging in that regard. Here's a Michael Shellenberger Tweet: https://twitter.com/shellenberger/status/1668976568960516106
And there's a very good Substack writer who focuses on climate. Sadly, I cannot think of his name right now. In one of his best pieces he showed long term data over earth's history that demonstrated to my satisfaction that we are not in any danger. If I can find it, I'll post it here.
Wow a denier.
Brava for commenting here.
I so disagree with you.
Where to begin:
Ok......see you in Hell luv. It will be here soon. No. Its here now vist the heat dome .
That's fine. Disagree. I'm not willing to accept the point of view being pushed by billionaires who care so much about CO2 that they see fit to fly in private jets and buy million dollar homes in coastal areas that were predicted to be underwater this year and whose insurance company underwriters, I guess, are ok with insuring those homes. It's a narrative they're pushing, just like covid.
Poisoning the planet and destroying habitat, not to mention that processed food is making us sick and killing us, are much worse problems right now than Greta Thunberg's prediction that we'd all be dead by next year.
"Poisoning the planet and destroying habitat, not to mention that processed food is making us sick and killing us" - is over-the-top hyperbole Mary. We are living longer lives than ever.
"Globally, life expectancy increased by more than 6 years between 2000 and 2019 – from 66.8 years in 2000 to 73.4 years in 2019."
https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/themes/mortality-and-global-health-estimates/ghe-life-expectancy-and-healthy-life-expectancy
Nearly 1/3 of Americans have Type 2 diabetes which is a metabolic condition from eating processed foods that are high in carbs and sugars. Nearly every American has glyphosates in their urine. Almost half the population is obese, again from foods too high in carbs and sugars, many of which don't occur in nature. We have dead zones in the Gulf of Mexico from fertilizer run off. Glyphosate causes cancer. And neonics kill honey bees. Oh, and the lifespan of Americans dropped over the 3 years of covid, including from how it was treated once people were hospitalized and again from the vaccines themselves. I could go on, but I hope you see the problem. Do you trust data from the WHO?
I don't have the Gorbachev promises. Did he promise Russia would not invade their neighbors.
But Putin is the one breaking the promise, by attempting to take over Ukraine he is attempting to put NATO directly on the Russian border. Hah!
Are you being sarcastic Ray? "Putin is the one breaking the promise, by attempting to take over Ukraine he is attempting to put NATO directly on the Russian border'.
I don't think Putin's goal was to take over Ukraine.
"What sounded like a great idea to neo-cons in the USA — to use Ukraine as a bear trap — has instead rather suddenly revealed Europe’s and America’s manifold bankruptcies and revolted the whole rest of the world outside of Western Civilization.
Imagine Mr. Zelensky’s predicament. Mighty America and redoubtable Europe conned the former comedian to thinking that if he went along with a genius scheme to ruin Russia and knock off Putin, his sad-sack country would be transformed into something like Ukro-Disneyworld, while he, Mr. Z, would be lionized and made rich beyond his wildest imaginings. His backup was the greatest hegemonic power the world has ever seen.
The poor schlemiel fell for it. He let NATO (that is, the USA) set-up, equip, and train the largest army in Europe, including battalions of bad-ass, hard-core Ukro-Nazis — who had previously been so useful in the American-sponsored 2014 Maidan “color revolution.” Mr. Z followed the US State Department’s orders to rain down artillery on Russian-speakers who lived in his own eastern provinces. Killing 14,000 civilians. He formally applied for membership in the NATO club. His country received billions of US dollars without audit oversight, just screaming to be creamed off by Ukraine’s corrupt leadership.
Thus, Western Civilization kicked off Europe’s biggest hot war since the 1940s. So, in Feb 2022, Mr. Putin had enough of the monkey business on his “front porch” and sent in a clean-up crew. The US neo-cons were ready to feed countless Ukrainian troops into a meat grinder that would, theoretically, exhaust the will and resources of Russia and yield countless benefits reinforcing the US's dominant position in the world. It's hapless NATO “partners” went along with the program; despite being asked to commit economic suicide. Anyway, they didn’t need that filthy Russian natural gas.
Meanwhile, the citizens of the US were groomed to perfection by the US propaganda in the media screaming “Russia, Russia, Russia,” at the behest of opinion-leader Hillary Clinton, a wannabe president. The news media demanded crucifixion for her opponent, Mr. Trump, who had idly tossed out the heinous idea that the USA and Russia could cultivate a friendly relationship.
After a year-plus of America’s genius scheme to maintain world dominance it has all gone to custard. Russia is winning the "war" and constructing a geo-economic framework for trade that will not be subject to the pranks of USA-led Western. And US taxpayers are baulking at seeing any more of their tax dollars stolen to go to the corrupt Ukrainians. 30% of their weapons being sold on the black-market.
And Mr. Zelensky is hiding, flitting from one country to another the past month begging for money. Because the game is drawing to a close and Mr. Z may find himself fatally unpopular back on the home front. He has managed to send upward of a hundred-thousand young Ukrainian men to their deaths in the meat-grinder, and perhaps a million more have hightailed it for other countries. Ukraine will now be a land of mostly women, children, and old folks — with just enough surviving soldiers left looking to hunt down the comedian who turned Ukraine into another one of history’s sick jokes."- James Howard Kunstler.
It was meant as a joke and nothing more.
Dennis: Do You have a source for what is apparently a quote from Mr Kunstler?
Jeff, it comes from Jim's website:
Posted on May 22, 2023
https://kunstler.com/clusterfuck-nation/fade-to-black-in-ukraine/
Take care
Once Russia negated the existence of Ukraine as a country and espoused genocidal policies, it lost any standing to speak of security concerns. It has declared that the existence of Ukrainians is a security threat to the Russian world. It is led by an alleged war criminal called to the Hague ICC. It has broken the post war rules order. Clearly NATO is a sham question as Russia has declared the annexation of 5 Ukrainian provinces. Only a change of regime in Russia can bring it back to the international security order and that seems unlikely. Only NATO membership can give Ukraine security guarantees. Putin crossed all the redlines
i’m looking forward to what the BV folks have to say about the Russian “Coup”; or whatever it actually is.
My immediate thoughts are:
1. On what basis should anybody believe anything that anybody in Moscow says about anything any more than that they should believe anything that anybody in Kyiv or DC says about anything?
2. That this whole “coup” thing may be simply a move by the Kremlin and the Wagner Group to see how DC and NATO respond to it.
3. That one can only hope that this doesn’t inspire some American Generals and Admirals to try to pull off a “Seven Days in May” of their own. [ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Days_in_May ; Official Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWL06waOAGw ]
That was an extraordinary speech! Thank you for posting a link to it. I watched and listened. Because his voice is so raspy and difficult to listen to, I also ran the subtitles which helped ,though even the subtitles were occasionally confusing because apparently the app only listens to sounds so there were a lot of places where the subtitles made no sense. Like me the app couldn't figure out what he was saying. Do you have a link to a written copy of the speech? I'd like to send it to friends.
I'm very sorry to learn that Robert is against Palestinians, but maybe some of his team can educate him about the reality there. I have read his book "he Real Anthony Fauci" or most of it. It is heavily documented and it appears to be accurate - at least accurate enough for me (as an over 65 senior) to decide NOT to take any more covid shots. I've seen too many articles recently about sudden deaths of teenage athletes etc. to take the chance. And I certainly don't trust Merk, or Pfizer or other pharma companies to behave in a remotely responsible way.
Ultimately RFK Jr. has an important message, but listening to him speak is so difficult, that I can't really see him rallying the masses. I hope someone else will come along and pick it up and say similar things.
His health related conspiracy theories, plus the anti. vax. problems not to even go to the Palestine views. His past Drug use though excusable being that he is a Kennedy ie. well past imperfect, but to me not totally off the Rails, but a problematic Candidate at best even if he was already a Senator like his Unc. & Dad were. I am expecting his Campaign to end quickly and quietly...
Only complete US imperial apologists would deny any (other) nation legitimate security interests. The US continually wants other nations to adhere to standards they would never accept for themselves. Kudos to RFK Jr. for insisting that standards are and must be universal. it seems he recognizes that none of this is perfect, but that the goal is harm reduction and a shot at peace.
I would take RFK Jr. as much more principled than his father. RFK was nothing if not an opportunist (he was at one time a supporter of McCarthy), who, when the winds blew against the Vietnam War jumped on the anti war bandwagon. In contrast, there is no real anti war movement today (heavy sigh), so Jr. Is actually putting himself out there by going so against the tide. You take what slim rays of light you can.