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Our Biggest Creditor {China} Tells Us "The good old days of borrowing are over"
by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace o Independent Conservatism Liberty -vs- Tyranny As the chickens come home to roast... Unbelievable we have been this stupid. ( Reuters ) - Global leaders on Saturday arranged a round of emergency calls to discuss the twin debt crises in Europe and the United States that are causing turmoil in financial markets . After a week that saw $2.5 trillion wiped off global stock markets, they are under pressure to show political leadership and reassure markets that Western governments have both the will and ability to reduce their huge and growing public debt loads. French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who chairs the G7/G20 group of leading economies, conferred with Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron ahead of a call planned for this weekend by G7 finance ministers and central bankers. "They discussed the euro area and the U.S. debt downgrade. Both agreed the importance of working together, monitoring the situation closely
As the Liberal/Progressive Media and Blogosphere Attempt To Destroy Governor Chris Christie...
by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation U S A Purveyor of Truth As the liberal/progressive media and bloggers attempt to trash Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey over the George Washington Bridge lane closings, ostensibly because he is a formidable threat to their darling would be 2016 democratic presidential nominee Hillary Rodham Clinton, there remains NO EVIDENCE he had any involvement or was aware of the actions by his underlings. If Governor Christie indeed had no involvement in the closings, and at this point is is prudent to assume he didn't, the valid question is... should he have known? If we believe an executive sets the tone and culture for his administration then indeed the actions of his loyal staff at least become somewhat understandable. Wrong, but understandable. From NorthJersey.com Nothing in the approximately 2,000 documents released on Friday by the Assembly committee investigating the matter suggest that Christie knew of the lane-closure scheme beforeh
Race Baiting at the Highest Level of the Federal Government...?
by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Lib e rty -vs- Tyr a nny I listened to the full Presidential news conference this afternoon. Obama said some things that made sense. Then he made the following remarks that IMNHO told the nation in full agenda with respect to said issue. Having a in depth discussion of race relations might very well be appropriate and a general discussion is something that MOST American's would welcome. Using the Zimmerman verdict ks simply the WRONG event at possibly the right time. However, don't expect the President, the Department of Justice, or the liberal media or ultra liberal populace to understand what this means. If I can find a video of the full and complete news conference it will be posted later. Via: Memeorandum Update : via You Tube. Your views and thoughts are most welcome. Left and or Right leaning...
The ObamaCare Divide Creating Two America's...
by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Purveyor of Truth Red and blue state map, based on returns in last four presidential elections. (Wikimedia Commons/ Angr) This site is not a supporter of the mechanisms of ObamaCare and questions whether it in fact will ultimately make health care either more accessible r affordable. Except for those receiving a subsidy or are getting it free. All that aside I do agree with following Moyers & Company article stating that ObamaCare is widening the gap between red America and blue America. Something needed to be done with our health care and insurance system. Most agree that the pre ObamaCare system needed some work. Unfortunately reason failed American politics and what we have achieved is an ever more polorized country with no end to the polarization. Perhaps it is time to officially form a Blue United States of America and a Red United States of America. Because in reality we are moving ever closer to the breaking point. Th
It's Going To Be Close, Brace Yourself For Continued Polarization of America, Especially if Obama Loses...
by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Liberty -vs- Tyranny The race is close, very close, with the momentum shifting to Romney. However, my take is the shift, as significant as it has been, came too late and too little. Progressives no doubt are biting their nails because as much as they prefer not to acknowledge it, this one is a real cliff hanger. Reminiscent of 2000. It is true if Obama loses this one progressives throughout the land will be wailing and gnashing their teeth. For them it will be a great undoing of their greatest hopes and dreams. Of course the other fifty percent of America will view it quite differently. So, as the polls close tomorrow, and the tabulating of the vote goes late into the night, we can be sure of a few thing... The nation will remain polarized, the puppet masters behind the curtains will continue calling the shots, the debt and deficits will continue, no mater who wins. And America will continue to ask why. Tomorrow, as I visit my polli
The No Self Teaching...
Obama the Socialist, or Is He? Listen to the Voice of One Who Knows...
by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Liberty -vs- Tyranny at the 44th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival Every so often we have our views called into check. Whenever this happens the wise person considers the perspective, as well as the experiences of the person calling the entrenched views into check. In doing so one learns and therefor grows. At least that is how it should work. Milos Forman , the immigrant from Czechoslovakia who later won Academy Awards for best director for the films “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and “Amadeus”, provides just such a check for America. He clearly, and accurately describes American politicians misunderstanding of totalitarianism and western European democratic socialism in his July 10th op-ed piece in the New York Times . He ends the article with a very poignant warning. Mr. Obama, and politicians of both major parties, as well as every American citizens ought to consider his words... and warning. The New York Times - WHEN
Humor in Truth...
Rational Nation U S A Purveyor of Truth Eleven days into 2016 and still recovering from the hustle and bustle of the preceding year end holidays I was looking for something to get me back to normal and give me a great belly splitting laugh. But that laugh needed to be a laugh caused by something that was funny because of the great truths it held. Today that great belly splitting laugh happened. June 28, 2015 Jeff Landry, an aide to Donald Trump, scratched the back of his right leg with his left shoe, stalling. You have to answer just right , or he goes apeshit . Jeff remembered grimly what a pleasant change he’d thought this job would be, but now he looked back on those six harrowing weeks working for Harvey Weinstein like a long-ago Hanukkah. The question Trump had put to him was “How do we close this?” Jeff played it safe: “I say go big.” Trump lit up. “I can do big,” he said. “This whole thing, which was my idea, incidentally, and a very good idea, really a very gr
More Thoughts On Reasonable Firearm Control...
by: Les Carprnter Rational Nation USA Liberty -vs- Tyranny In the wake of the Sandy Hook tragedy in which 20 innocent children lost their live to a sick and mentally unstable individual the subject of gun control has remained center stage. This is understandable, and as it should be. The pursuit of finding improved methods to better identify unstable individuals and thereby keep firearms out of the hands of such individuals is a worthy pursuit. As we consider how to deal with increasing societal violence we must find a happy medium that will both improve public safety and preserve our second amendment rights. It can be done, if both sides of the gun control debate will start listening to each other rather talking A T each other. We have heard from the NRA's Wayne LaPierre, who has offered essentially the same solution as the organization did in 2007. Put armed police guards in every school in America. Not anything most suburban and rural Mom's and Dad's will b
From a concerned writer - grist for your mill
ReplyDeleteUnderstanding the mass psychology of the right and Christian right are worth understanding, if for no other reason that you should know your opponent’s strategy and understand why they are often successful. In very simple terms, it happens when an individual is so repressed and confused by their life experiences and emotions that they eagerly give up thinking, personal freedom, problem solving, and logic to someone else, like an authoritarian leader, who in turn transmits back to them an illusion of personal power and control.
Not surprisingly, the Republicans have succeeded in trapping and using this resource. Whatever one likes or dislikes about the Democrats, their appeal to voters is primarily to logic. Whereas the Republicans long ago learned to appeal to the dark side of people’s emotions, since they had no logical or progressive policies to sell. So the Republicans have become the party of hate, misogyny, racism, bigotry, homophobia, war, and anti-immigrant sentiment affixed to a false and extremist Christian face. They now, and have been for some time, openly organizing people around these negative emotions and behaviors.
People who have fallen under the influence of an authoritarian or religious leader will hold on furiously to their dependence. They have invested their self esteem into the identity and success of these leaders, and by supporting them, they have built up their own self worth. One of the reasons right wing religious leaders can get their members to send them so much money for such ridiculous and scandalous reasons.
We cannot assume that logic and reason will prevail over emotional biases. There are too many tragic historical examples of this human failing. As we all know, Christianity is the dominant religion in America. And it has not been immune to class compromise over the centuries and in America more recently. The state allows Christianity today a favored status as long as it remains compromised, and does not pursue a class based policy that Jesus reportedly followed, one which advocated for the poor. A policy which eventually also cost the life of Rev. King and many others.
The problems which created the conditions for fascism and the religious right will NEVER be solved until they are clearly understood. Among the well know individuals that have studied the problem is Wilhelm Reich, psychiatrist and student of Freud and former member of the German Communist Party in the 1920s. His book “The Mass Psychology of Fascism” is still worth reading, especially the original version
I would consider some simple, yet emotional propositions. Such as a mass line saying: “What has he done as president? For you? For the country. For our future? He offers a future of perpetual conflict and corruption for the country. Burying our heads in the sand while American democracy crumbles will not change our fate. A Wall between us and Mexico solves nothing and wastes valuable resources. Nor will it pay your bills, solve global warming, mitigate and address racism and racial conflict, get you a good paying job, or health care insurance you can afford, or you son or daughter into college. He has turned brother against brother, and sister against sister. American against American. Enough of him.”
I MUST say BB Idaho your comment IS one of the very best I've read in recent months on this subject. You might have guessed that my own thoughts on this subject run parallel and very close to your own. Your observation that we will NOT solve the problems that created the condition for fascism's rise until we fully understand them is spot on. Perhaps the generations from the millennials going forward will gain the required understanding and "kill" the lure of fascism. It certainly is my hope that they do. We've failed miserably at t. Obviously.
DeleteThe truth of the matter IS tRump's MO is, and always has been, to DIVIDE and CONQUER. He is now positioned to do this on a grand scale and effectively DIVIDE a NATION. In the process he is enriching himself and his fellow cronies who share his authoritarian love for fascism. AS long as they are the fascists holding the reins and leading the horses. Which is why he and his cronies MUST be booted out of power and kicked to the curb .
The Christian religion has lost its way long ago BB Idaho. Christ I an POSITIVE finds the faith named after him unrecognizable. Charlatans have perverted and twisted his belief system to fit their own self interests for power and control over the minds and hearts of the "faithful". I am currently doing some focused study of this very issue and it has opened my eyes wide to the, for the lack of a better word, crap the Christian Church has been shoving down the throats of believers for centuries. I now have less use for ORGANIZED Christian religions than I ever had before. A subject for another day perhaps.
Anyway BB Idaho thank you for your most excellent and insightful comment. I shall continue to fight in any and every way I can folks like tRump, Pence, Franklin Graham and the host of other charlatans that are working to pervert Christianity as well as our system of government with its checks and balances to their will.
You give me too much credit, as the paragraphs were collected from a much longer article on the
Deletenet, but resonated strongly with my thinking. I cannot find the original, as I clear my inbox daily, but
it was by one of Daily Kos's amateur writers at the end of February..possibly a reprint from earlier.