The United States government is bankrupt, period, end of story. Our political class has bankrupted the USA, and squandered our future and the future of our children. In this essay we will examine not only government debt, but the debt slavery the American people have gotten themselves into through consumerism, fast credit, and massive personal debt.
Government Debt: a Cancer on the Body Politic
Right now the US Government is roughly 10 TRILLION dollars on debt. This debt, a product of the two party fraud, continues to grow through every administration, Republican or Democrat. This debt is a ticking time bomb that will eventually bring down the American Empire. When this debt defaults, and it will, it will bring down catastrophic consequences for the what is left of freedom and democracy in America. Some say it will bring down the American Empire. Maybe, maybe not. It could very well be the glue that seals the fate of liberty and freedom in American forever. This depression will cause a worldwide depression that will rock this planet the likes that have never been seen. The Great Depression of 1929 will look like a minor economic disruption compared to the coming catastrophe. And it is COMING.
Government Entitlements: A Ticking Time Bomb
One of the main reasons the US Government is bankrupt is the large, bloated welfare/ warfare state. Massive Defense Spending, Social Security, Medicare, AFDC, Disability Insurance, corporate tax loopholes, and government agencies of every conceivable type are feeding at the public trough. Sadly, most Americans do not realize that these"entitlements" are increasing their taxes, and mortgaging their future and the future of their children and grandchildren. The more debt, the more taxes there will be to feed the bureaucratic beast. The more taxes, the bigger and more powerful the IRS and other tax agencies will be. The more debt that accumulates, the more the American people will be selling themselves into bondage. These entitlements are a ticking time bomb. To fund Medicare and Social Security massive tax increases will be necessary. Tax rates will skyrocket, and the government will also borrow more money. Some day, in the near future, the American people will be either unwilling or unable to pay the taxes needed to support the US welfare/ warfare state. When that time comes, the end of the Republic as we know it is near.
Consumer Debt: A Cancer on the American Family
Along with the massive government debt there is also a gigantic rise of consumer debt. Credit cards, refinancing of homes, Home equity loans, education loans, etc are a noose around the neck of the American family. Most families in America must have two incomes to sustain life due to massive debt loads. These debt loads are a form of bondage that sucks the enjoyment right out of life. Life is spent worrying, fretting, and complaining to keep afloat. Hours are spent worrying about the next bill or debt coming due. This cancer destroys families, and is a major contributing factor to the high divorce rate in the US. As the American family structure breaks down, calls for more government intervention in family life is heard. As the government creeps into family life, the sanctity and liberty of family life is lost. This massive consumer debt will wipe out millions of peoples fortunes in the coming crisis.
All of the above examples are part of the larger picture of Debt Slavery in the USA. The piper must be paid sometime, and when he demands his money our future will destroyed. The next question is what do we do to solve this tremendous problem? Is it insurmountable? The answer, in my opinion is no. Actually it's "HELL NO!" Now how do we do it? We will examine our way out in the next essay. To assist the reader in seeing the truth our our government debt, I have added a debt clock with the actual debt to the second. Very enlighening, and frightening.
Next week: How we solve our problem.
Friday, January 26, 2007
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Republican Fascists
I am convinced that the current Republican Party has transformed into a fascist political movement. Forget about their prattling about "limited government", "freedom", and "individual rights". The Republican Party no longer supports these ideals nor are they working to " conserve" the Republic for our children. They are supporters of empire, war and a police state. The only good Republican is libertarian Ron Paul of Texas, a true Jeffersonian. Here is what the current group of Republican fascists has in store for us:
1) Eternal war, as Dick Cheney stated could go on " forty years".
2) Massive Debt and Borrowing. George Bush and his minions have increased the national debt by 4 TRILLION dollars. The total debt is now approaching 10 TRILLION dollars. This sum means bankruptcy for the Republic and our children and grandchildren. Some "conservative"!
3) Empire: Invasion, occupation, and destruction of other nations while acting in our "interest". Interest? Is war, death, and destruction in our "interest" or even desirable? Maybe if you are a sociopath or fascist. Our interest should be "Peace, Commerce and honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none."
4)Police State: IN the name of freedom, liberty must be destroyed here at home. We can't have Americans expressing their "freedom" when the powers that be are conquering the world! Wiretaps, surveillance, militarization of the police, and attacks on free speech are going to turn America into a gulag in the next 20 years.
5) Part and parcel of the number above, destruction of all Constitutional rights. The 1st, 4th, and 5th amendments will be a shell of their former selves, as their true meanings are manipulated, and outright denied.
The list could go on and on. Recently, the Democratic Party seized control of Congress. Oh, there was so much hope among many Americans that things would change for the better. The truth is much darker. Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton, who is now running for President, and the other gangsters in the Democratic Party WILL NOT change a thing. We will have more statism, war, and internationalist/ interventionist foreign policy. The debate is no longer liberal vs conservative, but statism vs libertarianism. There is no middle ground!
Statism, both left and right, brings nothing but war, poverty, oppression, and dictatorship. We, as libertarians, and all lovers of liberty, must unite to promote the Worldwide Libertarian Revolution. All the masses of the world yearn to breathe free, and the United States, a nation born in liberty, should be leading the way. Right now the fascists in the Republican Party are in control of the US government. They, like all conservatives, despise freedom. They believe people are too stupid, depraved, and worthless to govern themselves. They are true believers in original sin. We must battle this nonsense. Men have a NATURAL RIGHT to be FREE! If we continue to promote the "two party system" the fraud will continue.
We must also be careful of conservatives in libertarian clothing. Many conservatives masquerade as libertarians, like Drug Warrior Bob Barr, who recently infiltrated the LP. Although I am a fan of some of the articles on Lew Rockwell.com, many conservatives, like contributor Gary North are religious fanatics and statists. North, an advocate of "Biblical Law", condones a police/religious terror state that an Islamic fundamentalist would be proud of. I am not saying that a former conservative cannot become a libertarian, far from it. What I am saying is beware. Beware of the wolf in sheep's clothing.
We must keep plugging on. We must continue to promote the classical liberal ideals of the Founders, along with modern libertarian theory. We must, not only the future of our country, but the world is at stake.
1) Eternal war, as Dick Cheney stated could go on " forty years".
2) Massive Debt and Borrowing. George Bush and his minions have increased the national debt by 4 TRILLION dollars. The total debt is now approaching 10 TRILLION dollars. This sum means bankruptcy for the Republic and our children and grandchildren. Some "conservative"!
3) Empire: Invasion, occupation, and destruction of other nations while acting in our "interest". Interest? Is war, death, and destruction in our "interest" or even desirable? Maybe if you are a sociopath or fascist. Our interest should be "Peace, Commerce and honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none."
4)Police State: IN the name of freedom, liberty must be destroyed here at home. We can't have Americans expressing their "freedom" when the powers that be are conquering the world! Wiretaps, surveillance, militarization of the police, and attacks on free speech are going to turn America into a gulag in the next 20 years.
5) Part and parcel of the number above, destruction of all Constitutional rights. The 1st, 4th, and 5th amendments will be a shell of their former selves, as their true meanings are manipulated, and outright denied.
The list could go on and on. Recently, the Democratic Party seized control of Congress. Oh, there was so much hope among many Americans that things would change for the better. The truth is much darker. Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton, who is now running for President, and the other gangsters in the Democratic Party WILL NOT change a thing. We will have more statism, war, and internationalist/ interventionist foreign policy. The debate is no longer liberal vs conservative, but statism vs libertarianism. There is no middle ground!
Statism, both left and right, brings nothing but war, poverty, oppression, and dictatorship. We, as libertarians, and all lovers of liberty, must unite to promote the Worldwide Libertarian Revolution. All the masses of the world yearn to breathe free, and the United States, a nation born in liberty, should be leading the way. Right now the fascists in the Republican Party are in control of the US government. They, like all conservatives, despise freedom. They believe people are too stupid, depraved, and worthless to govern themselves. They are true believers in original sin. We must battle this nonsense. Men have a NATURAL RIGHT to be FREE! If we continue to promote the "two party system" the fraud will continue.
We must also be careful of conservatives in libertarian clothing. Many conservatives masquerade as libertarians, like Drug Warrior Bob Barr, who recently infiltrated the LP. Although I am a fan of some of the articles on Lew Rockwell.com, many conservatives, like contributor Gary North are religious fanatics and statists. North, an advocate of "Biblical Law", condones a police/religious terror state that an Islamic fundamentalist would be proud of. I am not saying that a former conservative cannot become a libertarian, far from it. What I am saying is beware. Beware of the wolf in sheep's clothing.
We must keep plugging on. We must continue to promote the classical liberal ideals of the Founders, along with modern libertarian theory. We must, not only the future of our country, but the world is at stake.
Monday, January 01, 2007
The Tao of Liberty
Almost 2500 years ago, Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu wrote the Tao Te Ching, or in English, the "Book of Changes". This book provides deep philosophical insight into the Tao, or "Universal Mind", "Force" etc. Regardless of whether you are an atheist, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, or Hindu, the Tao Te Ching can provide tremendous enlightenment. One of the main themes of Taoism is the philosophy of liberty and the structure of the best form of government for mankind. In the I Ching we find Lao Tzu's libertarian prescription for society.
Violence begets Violence
One core teaching of the Tao is the Yin and Yang, opposites that balance the universe. When this balance is upset, there is chaos, confusion, aggression, and of course violence. Violent acts encourage and perpetuate additional violence. A good example is the United States, The Soviet Empire and other tyrannical regimes continue to use violence to acheive wealth, power and status for their ruling elite. When this happens liberty and all of the concomitant ideals that go with it, are destroyed.
Lao Tzu, Taoism's founder, was a believer in betterment of the individual. He was a proponent of limited and non-despotic government. Tyrannical government is a destroyer of the individual and enlightenment. Only individuals can be enlightened. Without knowing the "Tao" or the nature of the Universe, no freedom is possible. Violence is the instrument of tyrannical governments and disaffected, anger filled people. In the United States today we see the results of tyrannical government and see how it creates a aura of imbalance and extremism.
Imbalance in The Republic
In Taoist philosophy striving for balance is essential. Balancing one's emotions, actions and realizing that actions do create equal and opposite reactions, sometimes with terrible results. Let us examine how the American Republic is out of "balance".
In America today we have the largest prison population in the world. Over 3 million people are in prisons across America. Most of our prison population is in prison for non-violent drug offenses. Of course there are people who deserve their lot such as violent offenders, rapists, child molesters, and murderers. No rational person would argue that these people should escape punishment. Unfortunately we are creating a private prison industry that continues to rapidly build "correctional" facilities and jails across the USA. Conservatives, liberals and other nihilists cheer on the burgeoning prison state we are creating. Showing they are "tough" on crime, and imposing mandatory minimum sentences seem to be the norm today.
Another imbalance is propaganda machine called the mainstream media. Fox, CNN, MSNBC, etc are all cheerleaders for the corporate police state called the federal government. Sycophants like Bill O' Reilly, Sean Hannity, Alan Colmes, Wolf Blitzer, and Chris Matthews are all shills for the war machine and the elite. Public opinion today is arguably the most brainwashed, and ignorant populace, the USA has ever known. On daily basis you can hear people parrot the latest drivel and lies about Iran, North Korea or some other "enemy" that the powers that be have plucked off the map. You hear conservatives prattle on and on about the "liberal" media and how the "Commander in Chief" is being picked on by "liberal" reporters. Utter nonsense can be seen in tabloid magazines that prop up the lives of wealthy movie stars and musicians and give in depth gossip about their lives. You hear the term "Hollywood Royalty" further appealing to the hopes and insecurities of the weak minded and depressed who look forward to the "latest" on their favorite star.
Rudeness and Lack of Compassion
Another sign of imbalance in American life is the increase in rude behavior among people. The lack of manners and civility is so widespread most people are surprised when they encounter an exceptionally polite person. Anger, cruelty, and despair seem to pervade our communities. Liberty, tolerance and kindness seem out of fashion and are at times outright ridiculed. A perfect example is the vitrol that many fascistic conservatives have for anti war mother Cindy Sheehan. Ms. Sheehan is painted as a "leftist", and I have heard many so-called "Christian" conservatives say they "hate" her and that she should just "get over it". Another favorite line is that her son "joined" the military and that death is "part of the job" of being a solider. First, whether Ms Sheehan is a leftist or not to me is irrelevant. She is a very sad and grieving mother. Her son is DEAD. "Volunteer" or not, he is GONE, FOREVER. She also happens to believe that this "volunteer" died in a economically motivated war based on lies and propaganda. I would be upset also. As for the hate espoused by supposed "Christians" I am not surprised. The modern day conservative Christian movement is a movement full of hate for their supposed enemies. Homosexuals, liberals, anti-war protesters, leftists,libertarians, etc fill their minds like a poison. This poison of hate contributes to cruelty, despair and unkindness like a cancer throughout America. Jesus Christ instructed his followers to "turn the other cheek", and "love" their enemies. These doctrines are frequently forgotten by right wing relligious hate mongers. Instead religion is used as it always has been, to control, dominate and surpress society by the elite.
Imperialism
Imperialism is another sign of imbalance and encroaching despotism. The United States has over 700 military bases across the globe. This amazing number is in direct conflict with the reccommendations of Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, both of whom cautioned against ruling the world or getting involved in empire building. Lao Tzo also warned men to stay away from injuring others and imposing tyranny. He constantly exhorts the reader of the I Ching to renounce worldly, outward power and cultivate the power within. This inner change allows one to change themself before attempting to change the world. Bombs, invasions, and conquest are the path to the dark side of humanity. This dark side destroys republican government, annhilates liberty and causes endless suffering. Does anyone in their right mind truly believe that eternal war, or as the neocons call it " The war of civilizations, will stop terrorism? Violence, hate and aggression lead to more of the same. The current US elite have totally renounced the ideals of Jefferson, and our Founding Fathers. The Tao of Liberty is foreign to their minds. With a mind full of hate, aggression, despair and malice, one can never have peace with one's self or others. This in the political realm leads to tyrannical ideologies like Communism, extreme corprate capitalism, and Facsism. These philosophies are based on greed, lust, craving and power. None of these qaulities leads to peace, freedom and liberty.
The Devolution of the American Mind
The American people over the last 40 years have seen their minds turned to mush by our imperial government. The destruction of what was once the greatest public education system in the world is now in tatters. Now schools are zones of gang violence, reactive adminstrators, and interest groups attempting to foist their version of religion or pseudo-science on our children. Television, right wing hate radio, left wing political correctness, and tyrannical religion are all contributing to a mindset of slavery. Book reading, critical thinking, questioning of authority and government policy, and defending one's rights are now considered taboo. Most Americans would rather toss the Bill of Rights in the trash can, stay on the government nipple and have our "leaders" take care of us. All of this leads to a people that are rapidly becoming incapable of not only knowing what liberty is, but not even caring to know. Sadly, most people today have no idea they are slaves. When they think of slavery they think of black slaves on a southern plantation, not realizing their is a much worse slavery than the chattel slavery described above. This slavery is the slavery of the mind. It is the slavery of thinking that you are free when in reality you are not. Thomas Jefferson stated it best " If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be."
Restoring the Tao of Liberty
How do we we restore the Tao of Liberty? Is it still possible to recover our minds, hearts and souls from the anger, fear, and hate? I believe it is, but we must enlighten our own hearts first. In your personal life practice compassion, kindness, love and strive to do no harm to others, unless in self defense. If, along with quietness, serenity, you do these things it will help you light the way to liberty and freedom. We must free ourselves on the inside first before we can free our fellow citizens and human beings who reside with us on this planet. Embrace the libertarian principle that from Lao Tzu to Thomas Jefferson, to the modern movement for liberty, has espoused: non-aggression, and the non intitiation of force against others. That is the Tao of Liberty. Let others live their lives without interference from government, religious fanatics or left wing zealots.
Violence begets Violence
One core teaching of the Tao is the Yin and Yang, opposites that balance the universe. When this balance is upset, there is chaos, confusion, aggression, and of course violence. Violent acts encourage and perpetuate additional violence. A good example is the United States, The Soviet Empire and other tyrannical regimes continue to use violence to acheive wealth, power and status for their ruling elite. When this happens liberty and all of the concomitant ideals that go with it, are destroyed.
Lao Tzu, Taoism's founder, was a believer in betterment of the individual. He was a proponent of limited and non-despotic government. Tyrannical government is a destroyer of the individual and enlightenment. Only individuals can be enlightened. Without knowing the "Tao" or the nature of the Universe, no freedom is possible. Violence is the instrument of tyrannical governments and disaffected, anger filled people. In the United States today we see the results of tyrannical government and see how it creates a aura of imbalance and extremism.
Imbalance in The Republic
In Taoist philosophy striving for balance is essential. Balancing one's emotions, actions and realizing that actions do create equal and opposite reactions, sometimes with terrible results. Let us examine how the American Republic is out of "balance".
In America today we have the largest prison population in the world. Over 3 million people are in prisons across America. Most of our prison population is in prison for non-violent drug offenses. Of course there are people who deserve their lot such as violent offenders, rapists, child molesters, and murderers. No rational person would argue that these people should escape punishment. Unfortunately we are creating a private prison industry that continues to rapidly build "correctional" facilities and jails across the USA. Conservatives, liberals and other nihilists cheer on the burgeoning prison state we are creating. Showing they are "tough" on crime, and imposing mandatory minimum sentences seem to be the norm today.
Another imbalance is propaganda machine called the mainstream media. Fox, CNN, MSNBC, etc are all cheerleaders for the corporate police state called the federal government. Sycophants like Bill O' Reilly, Sean Hannity, Alan Colmes, Wolf Blitzer, and Chris Matthews are all shills for the war machine and the elite. Public opinion today is arguably the most brainwashed, and ignorant populace, the USA has ever known. On daily basis you can hear people parrot the latest drivel and lies about Iran, North Korea or some other "enemy" that the powers that be have plucked off the map. You hear conservatives prattle on and on about the "liberal" media and how the "Commander in Chief" is being picked on by "liberal" reporters. Utter nonsense can be seen in tabloid magazines that prop up the lives of wealthy movie stars and musicians and give in depth gossip about their lives. You hear the term "Hollywood Royalty" further appealing to the hopes and insecurities of the weak minded and depressed who look forward to the "latest" on their favorite star.
Rudeness and Lack of Compassion
Another sign of imbalance in American life is the increase in rude behavior among people. The lack of manners and civility is so widespread most people are surprised when they encounter an exceptionally polite person. Anger, cruelty, and despair seem to pervade our communities. Liberty, tolerance and kindness seem out of fashion and are at times outright ridiculed. A perfect example is the vitrol that many fascistic conservatives have for anti war mother Cindy Sheehan. Ms. Sheehan is painted as a "leftist", and I have heard many so-called "Christian" conservatives say they "hate" her and that she should just "get over it". Another favorite line is that her son "joined" the military and that death is "part of the job" of being a solider. First, whether Ms Sheehan is a leftist or not to me is irrelevant. She is a very sad and grieving mother. Her son is DEAD. "Volunteer" or not, he is GONE, FOREVER. She also happens to believe that this "volunteer" died in a economically motivated war based on lies and propaganda. I would be upset also. As for the hate espoused by supposed "Christians" I am not surprised. The modern day conservative Christian movement is a movement full of hate for their supposed enemies. Homosexuals, liberals, anti-war protesters, leftists,libertarians, etc fill their minds like a poison. This poison of hate contributes to cruelty, despair and unkindness like a cancer throughout America. Jesus Christ instructed his followers to "turn the other cheek", and "love" their enemies. These doctrines are frequently forgotten by right wing relligious hate mongers. Instead religion is used as it always has been, to control, dominate and surpress society by the elite.
Imperialism
Imperialism is another sign of imbalance and encroaching despotism. The United States has over 700 military bases across the globe. This amazing number is in direct conflict with the reccommendations of Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, both of whom cautioned against ruling the world or getting involved in empire building. Lao Tzo also warned men to stay away from injuring others and imposing tyranny. He constantly exhorts the reader of the I Ching to renounce worldly, outward power and cultivate the power within. This inner change allows one to change themself before attempting to change the world. Bombs, invasions, and conquest are the path to the dark side of humanity. This dark side destroys republican government, annhilates liberty and causes endless suffering. Does anyone in their right mind truly believe that eternal war, or as the neocons call it " The war of civilizations, will stop terrorism? Violence, hate and aggression lead to more of the same. The current US elite have totally renounced the ideals of Jefferson, and our Founding Fathers. The Tao of Liberty is foreign to their minds. With a mind full of hate, aggression, despair and malice, one can never have peace with one's self or others. This in the political realm leads to tyrannical ideologies like Communism, extreme corprate capitalism, and Facsism. These philosophies are based on greed, lust, craving and power. None of these qaulities leads to peace, freedom and liberty.
The Devolution of the American Mind
The American people over the last 40 years have seen their minds turned to mush by our imperial government. The destruction of what was once the greatest public education system in the world is now in tatters. Now schools are zones of gang violence, reactive adminstrators, and interest groups attempting to foist their version of religion or pseudo-science on our children. Television, right wing hate radio, left wing political correctness, and tyrannical religion are all contributing to a mindset of slavery. Book reading, critical thinking, questioning of authority and government policy, and defending one's rights are now considered taboo. Most Americans would rather toss the Bill of Rights in the trash can, stay on the government nipple and have our "leaders" take care of us. All of this leads to a people that are rapidly becoming incapable of not only knowing what liberty is, but not even caring to know. Sadly, most people today have no idea they are slaves. When they think of slavery they think of black slaves on a southern plantation, not realizing their is a much worse slavery than the chattel slavery described above. This slavery is the slavery of the mind. It is the slavery of thinking that you are free when in reality you are not. Thomas Jefferson stated it best " If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be."
Restoring the Tao of Liberty
How do we we restore the Tao of Liberty? Is it still possible to recover our minds, hearts and souls from the anger, fear, and hate? I believe it is, but we must enlighten our own hearts first. In your personal life practice compassion, kindness, love and strive to do no harm to others, unless in self defense. If, along with quietness, serenity, you do these things it will help you light the way to liberty and freedom. We must free ourselves on the inside first before we can free our fellow citizens and human beings who reside with us on this planet. Embrace the libertarian principle that from Lao Tzu to Thomas Jefferson, to the modern movement for liberty, has espoused: non-aggression, and the non intitiation of force against others. That is the Tao of Liberty. Let others live their lives without interference from government, religious fanatics or left wing zealots.
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