Angela Rye: Persona non grata

Seemed fitting enough, the title. A little HT to one of the Big O's last actions as POTUS. Expelling 35 people to only have them reinstated a month from now by your successor? Seems like President Obama is a bit of a masochist doesnt it? Potentially some pure emasculation here. He just keeps setting these softballs on a tee for Trump. First Carrier now this? But i digress and also flitting enough because this is about electoral afterbirth.

This election cycle was pure comedy gold. One one hand you had a flip flopping blowhard who gave zero's about what anyone thought of him. That was refreshing. On the other hand you had a steaming pile of bile. A posterchild for what exactly ails the country and a PC/liberal wet-dream personified. This was an entertaining shit show through and through. One of the more humorous narratives that came out of this muck was from the left and it went something like this:


'Now we can finally see racists for who they truly are'

'America was never "Great" for anyone not white'


You've all heard this. And while it may be true and in some cases i think if anything it may have emboldened people to speak their minds good, bad or indifferent. Is America really more racist? Or are we actually having conversations that we haven't had the gumption for? The truth of the matter is this - those with the "America is more racist because of Trump" narrative might actually be an admission of guilt themselves. They might not realize it but their narrative is a manifestation of their own racist tendencies. Sort of like the macho dude in high school who calls everyone faggots and is always talking about someone sucking dick. Then you find him 20 yeas later congo dancing at a gay pride event wearing chaps and a leather vest with a ball gag in his mouth, i see you Donnie!

If there was anything gleaned from this election it wasn't race or walls or wars. It was news. How its made. Whos it made for and does it even matter if its correct? Fake news is news and news is fake news. Whos fake and whos real just depends on what flavor you like in your cup of tea. Nowhere is this more comical than CNN.

MSNBC and Fox cater to their audience. Its business. The news is isn't that important. Its not even a vehicle. Just look at the variation of ads on MSNBC and Fox. Its no different than watch a Penguins hockey game on ATT than it is watching the NBA Network. Race, class, gender, family its all been isolated bought and sold for its target market.

If i was running CNN, i would look at the business model of cable news and realize we missed the boat. We created the genre but didn't realize that people weren't tuning in for just the news. What the majority of people were tuning in for was an echo chamber. Sure, they wanted the news but they wanted it prepacked ready for consumption. CNN has no direction. Many days they appear more liberal than the Huffington Post. Most days its a free for all - like a food fight at an old folks home. Messy, slow, sad and just plain embarrassing.


Over the last few months here's some things that stood out watching the train-wreck that is CNN:


Chris Matthews roast fellow liberal Rachel Maddow on Clintons inability to appear as a viable candidate.
Van Jones refer to Trumps election as a "whitelash"
Cancel Mike Rowe's show
Still employe Erin Burnett and Fareed Zakaria
And the never ending gift that is... Angela Rye


I was sitting at a burger king a few days before Christmas (i know & not proud of it but i'm a fat boy who likes quick burgers) and I came across this nugget while consuming my 1100 calories and watching the audio-less aforementioned CNN.

"The Electoral College is problematic from its inception and something that was built upon and designed to oppress certain people,” Rye says. “It is okay for us to ask questions, particularly when we know the Electoral College was built upon a system to protect the interests of slave states.”“We would be remiss if we did not acknowledge that horrible history,”12.21.16

Just a few days before that she said something similar:

"I have every issue with the Electoral College, and I have since before this election. It does not speak for me. I am not supporting a system that was built on the backs of my ancestors who were slaves. I’m not here for it. … That guy is not my president.”

Then there was this very telling interview back from July of this year on CNN...

The fact that his campaign slogan could be, "Make America Great Again," and that pains me and people who look like me to no end. The fact that he could reference something like Operation Wetback in a debate where hundreds of our Mexican brothers and sisters were killed, slaughtered, and taken out of this country because someone didn't allow them to be here anymore is exactly the problem. The last time America was great to me, Fareed, was in 2008 when he was elected President, and ever since then, we've been paying the price for that.
I think, at some point, the issue is, we have to ID -- and by that, I just mean identify -- the fact that so much of this comes from the root of racism and what racism has done to every system in this country. That is what this country was built upon -- or I should say rebuilt upon because that's not how the indigenous people intended. But when white people got here, this was a system that was built upon the systematic oppression of people of color.

Where have we seen this before? A Liberal democrat not accepting the election results. Its 2000 all over again.

She doesn't support a system that doesn't speak for her. Instead she would rather have the popular vote decide everything. The popular vote where you can concentrate on the East and West coast and win thus making everyone else nothing more than spectators. California and New York combined hold 60 million people OR roughly 20% of the population. This is the very reason we are Republic and not a Democracy. The minority thus still has a voice. If you live in Wyoming or Iowa your vote matters.

This is a women who is for people of color. Her Mexican brothers and sisters in tow. She is against the system white people built when they came here. Sorry, she said we "rebuilt upon" because that's not what indigenous people intended their country to be rebuilt (as if said people had a country before said white arrival... yeah, they did not). Remember the root of racism has infected every system in this country according to Rye. So, of course it doesn't work for her. She, a minority that doesn't think protecting state sovereignty is relevant anymore. Her sheer ignorance here would normally be astounding if it wasn't so damn predictable and TIRED.

What happens if she got what she wanted and we went to a direct democracy and the popular vote was all that mattered? What happens if white people started to vote like black people? Where 90% voted one way and that was Democrat/black? But now 90% Republican and White? Say for example in the areas that make up the very middle of the country you want to essentially disqualify from their right to vote? Then, the coasts dont matter. Now the fly over sates accumulate the power. I bet that electoral college wouldn't seem so bad then would it now?

This isn't just some political commentator. This is a race hustling pimp who was executive director of the Congressional Black Caucus. You cannot possibly make this stuff up. This is a women who does not only have no respect for our system - she loathes it. But she dont mind the money that it brings though now does she? Shes bitter and if you're white, in her eyes you're still the oppressor. In fact she called the Republican Party as much. The Republican party is a lot of things and to me, not many are good... but oppression? Nonsense. But thats just it. This isn't about politics as much as it is about vengeance. Because, if we lose the electoral college and much of the middle lose their power to voice their opinions through national elections than there is really only one American alternative. Move to the coasts. Except you might not find such a warm greeting upon your arrival from the likes of this triggered race baiting, race hustling pimp known as Angela Rye.

"All of our lives could be better. One of the most fascinating things about this election to me, Alisyn, is that Donald Trump, a real estate mogul, a developer, has talked about inner cities and never once has talked about gentrification. That would have been a good way to segue into a conversation with African-American voters that's actually productive."
Aired October 26, 2016

Thats right, good 'ol gentrification. This is a classic. This is simply a case of damned if you do and damned if you dont. But when you're entire career is built upon emotion and victimization its only a matter of time before the logic house of cards comes falling down. But hey, this is business too. Race bating crybabys bitching and moaning about "systematic oppression" that nobody suffers from today sells. White liberals eat it up more so than anyone. But everyone likes a good boogeyman. People would much rather have a scapegoat than a kick in the ass. So i get the whole angry black woman angle. Just dont expect me to take you too serious when youre attacking the very system that has been the beacon of light to the rest of the world. The West is indeed the best but im a capitalist too so #StayWoke

Can we stop lying to ourselves?

Sometime between Christmas and New Years we all will have many conversations with many different types of people that make up our American families. Some you look forward to. Some pass the time. Some you cant escape and others always end up with someone rolling their eyes at the very same time looking for the nearest conversational exit. Fortunately my wives family is small and mine is somewhat splintered, so the people I do see - I happen to enjoy their company. I guess afterall divorce does have its perks.

Of all the people i speak to, if there is one divide... its politics. From old Reagan democrats to Fox news conservatives to young bleeding hearts (read inexperienced and ill-informed) to tenured professors to a few (maybe 1-2 at most) like myself: libertarian leaning - conservative - ultra pro west - sarcastic pricks. By and large everyone is respectful but you know who's who and you know who's buttons are where and over time just how to push them.

Now, after two paragraphs some of you were probably going to end up saying "why the need for the family history, say what you got to say and let me get back to my dungeons and dragons" because skimming through two paragraphs is taxing for the modern over stimulated mind. I get that. Hence why i took the time to preempt that. The setup matters. Your ability to relate to said setup will only further enhance your ability to process and retain the moral or crux of the story. So, for that you're welcome.

Of all these different people the men i grew up riffing with the most also happen to be two people i probably admire the most (step father and maternal grandfather). They also happen to be quintessential Fox News Republicans. My step father will tell you he voted for a Libertarian once (John Anderson circa 1980) and my grandfather will tell you he does not care what gay men do. And although these things are probably true these two men are also anti-democrats. They hated Clinton as much as they laud Rush Limbaugh. They laugh and snicker at Al Gore (still) and loathe Obama but not because he was Black but because he was Blue. As in Democrat. These were men who worked in the same blue collar companies for 40+ years each. They're as honorable as they are honest. But sometimes they dont have time for facts. And facts Trump EVERYTHING.

And that is my point.

If we are going to have political opinions and make them a bedrock for or a reflection of our moral compass, well then we had better get them right.

If you say in the middle of a conversion when we are verbally high fivin' over HER defeat last month "Obama doubled the National Debt in just 8 years" and i rebuttal that with a simple; "well yeah, but Bush did too, so what does that mean?". It means dont wave me off and walk away.




It means ask me to cite it. As i offered to. Please, by all means, test me or anyone presenting you with facts that chip away at our culture. By that culture i mean a pro west conservative leaning culture. Do it here, amongst family and like minded people as opposed to out there with people that need to be countered. Many of those same people who are waiting for you to do the same so they can label you a Racist, Xenophobic, Islamophobic, Misogynistic, Transphobe, Genderphobe, a Phobephobe or a Phobephobeaphobian. And BOOM. Discussion ends and you've lost in the court of PC Public opinion. Being a conservative or a ProWesterian' does not absolve us from mistakes. The worst thing we can do is ignore those mistakes & pretend they dont exist and carry on a jaded self serving mantra of willful ignorance. That's not us. We're not liberals. We can be betterrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Si Senor

Welcome to the end of the world. Where reality is stranger than fiction. Where a reality TV star is actually leading polls for the office for the President of the United States in September before an election year. I know we're circling the drain but evidently the puddle is shallower than I've casually perceived.

So much has been made of Donald Trumps bombastic rhetoric that's short on execution and long on hyperbole. Anyone can talk. And this clown never stops.

Of all the empty promises and hallow words there lies (pun most definitely applicable here) no bigger fugazy than his illegal immigration reform. His words here.

Much has been made about Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates support for expanding the H-1b Visa Program. Trump thinks the program should be reduced and instead filled with "the number of black, Hispanic and female workers in Silicon Valley who have been passed over in favor of the H-1B program". So, instead of allowing a corporation to hire whom they want based on the most qualified they must be forced to fill their positions from a dumb down American pool first. American company's forced to hire not the best man/women for the job but the most qualified man/woman Americans for the job. Small government and affirmative action don't jive.

There is the E-Verify program Trump touts to screen legal employees. This program would cost small businesses 2.7 billion to comply according to Bloomberg. Not to mention,  the killing of agriculture; as ending illegal immigration alone wont pick the corn. It still has to be done by people and who does it and how long does it take to get them? Crops don't wait for red tape. There is also the loss of tax revenue implementing this mandated system across the board. According to Bloomberg, this would be around 17 billion in lost revenue for the government. and more importantly there is this... E-Verify would become a defacto National ID system. How can this be the opinion of a small government minded individual?

How in the world does he "impound remittances" of  "illegals" ? Legal Americans of foreign decent send remittances as well. How does this work? Confiscating all and then sifting through the legal and illegal ones? Does anyone trust the government to handle this task efficiently ? Whats next, sorting through their mail too? And this is how this cat funds the Great Wall of Mexico?


Then there is the numbers.

Sites like this advocate the illegals as a drain on the economy. One where illegals cost California alone 21 Billion in wasted tax dollars. Now subtract that from the 130 Billion that Undocumented immigrants alone contribute to California's GDP – a figure greater than the entire GDP of Nevada – or AT&T’s total revenues. Or, you could say 17 Billion more than all the states COMBINED deficit due to illegal immigration. 

What about Social Security? What about the 1-Trillion illegals have contributed to that ponzi scheme that they wont even participate in? Talk about a screw job. Those wars in Iraq and Afghanistan you liked so much? Paid for by the sweat of wetback Mexican laborers. That 2010 Tax Credit from the Hope and Change savior? You rember that 34 dollars dont you? Paid for by fruit picking, lawn mowing Mexicants. Who helped pay for that balanced budget string you got in the 90's by Jizzy and Newt? You know it.

Then there is this from the Right leaning American Action Forum on what taking the 11+ million illegal aliens out of the country and workforce would look like:

• Take about 20 years and cost the government between $400 billion and $600 billion
• Real GDP would drop by nearly $1.6 trillion and the policy would shave 5.7 percent off economic growth
• Not inlcuding the cost of: constructing new courts, prisons, and other buildings that might be needed to process and detain millions of immigrants.

There is also tripling the border patrol. Again, not a small government position.

Last but not least. Above the idiocy. Above the flip flopping. Above the total empty hot air this guy spouts out there is one fundamental flaw with his logic and it has nothing with him being a big government whore. Its life.

We "Conservatives" will tell you a child is not a fetus. We will tell you the child shouldn't be punished for the mothers lack of morals. Funny how fast we flip the script when talking about illegal immigration. All of a sudden those babies don't hold the same value. Funny how politics can be used to promote morality and in the same breathe use politics to discredit the very morality that was justified originally when its doesn't fit an agenda. So instead of babies... they are anchor babies. As if that title denies them the very protection we so vehemently defend all unborn life with.

So if you want to feel patriotic, light a firework, shoot a gun - sing the star spangled banner with your dick in one hand and an American flag in the other... but whatever you do, don't espouse to ideas that essentially cut your nose off in spite of your face. Illegals aliens, undocumented workers or whatever PC term we are using these days are a boon to this economy. It keeps costs down and that provides a strapped middle class with much need savings. Its like having a slice of China in a field near you.

Chuck Spinney had it right.

Yesterday the Congressional/Senatorial Military Industrial Complex announced the plans to add ten more ships to the Navy's fleet over the next four years to help keep fighting the good fight on behalf of the "global force for good ". The DOD will commission someone to build these ships and is currently "vetting" the potential shipbuilders. The odds on favorite to "win the bid" is Bath Iron Works out of Maine, a subsidiary of General Dynamics. But I thought it was Mittens Romney that was going to be the new savior for the Navy and the Military Industrial Congressional Complex?

General Dynamics, is one of the largest defense contractors in the world. This is the same General Dynamics that was in the news about a month ago for an "accounting glitch" involving 900 million dollars worth of Stryker replacement parts. This doesnt include the no-bid $1.5 billion Stryker maintenance contract the Army has with General Dynamics that has the Army over-spending by some 300+ million dollars.

But, hey, welcome to the Iron Triangle.

Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/03/31/187297/dod-inspector-general-finds-900.html#.UYgBZ8prjfa#storylink=cpy

This 2:27 minute local Bath, Maine news report, back from February of this year, gives a great example of how the Iron Triangle works and it pertains to this topic. Here you have both Senators, a Republican (Susan Collins) and Independent (Angus King) from the state of Maine, "working hand in glove" to get congress to pass a new defense budget. Here you also have union leadership talking about preserving jobs, hoping for a new defense budget. You have the president of BIW, proclaiming: "if nothing changes, it could lead to more job layoffs in the years ahead".

What you have here is organized labor and industry in unison with elected bureaucrats, all with one voice. That voice is clearly aimed at congress. Could it be because of the 5000+ jobs at stake in their districts/town? Or could it be all of them having their pockets lined with the billions at stake with the Department of Defense? General Dyanmics will surly profit from building ten new destroyers. Organized labor gets to keep their scalps. Last but not least, Susan Collins gets to keep her whore-master, General Dynamic, fat and happy, for ther investment into her campaign.

Here is a little something about Susan Collins we should know first:

Voted NO on investigating contract awards in Iraq & Afghanistan. (Nov 2005)



Interesting? You would assume someone who is on both Senate committees of Appropriations and Armed Forces, would want some type of transparency into contract/rewards, wouldn't you? Now, here are some of her earmarks...

$20,000,000

High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle Repair

$6,000,000

General Dynamics/Saco Defense: MK47 Mod 0 Advanced Lightweight Grenade Launcher

   $3,200,000    General Dynamics/Saco Defense (Collins) General Dynamics Armaments and Technical Products (Leahy, Snowe): Lightweight Caliber .50 Machine Gun 

Care to guess her top fundraiser over the last six years? 

Contributor	Total	Indivs	PACs
General Dynamics	$89,750	$48,250	$41,500
Raytheon Co	$65,801	$16,801	$49,000
Blue Cross/Blue Shield	$52,000	$3,000	$49,000
Marriott International	$51,500	$36,500	$15,000
National Assn of Postmasters	$49,000	$0	$49,000

Maybe its just all a coincidence? Maybe a unicorn will ride in and butter my ass and feed my lollipops in a sea of poppies? One thing that stood out to me in that video was a statement by Angus King:

"Its embarrassing..... ah... that or government has put people in this position because of the inability of people to work together."

Its embarrassing we have put a defense contractor in this position because the Iron Triangle's red tape isn't moving fast enough? Insert hilarious laughter here. I'm not pointing out anything that isn't obvious. Sure, we have corruption. We all know that but this isn't corruption as much as it is everyday business in the US of A. Where common sense and the statesmen has been assassinated and replaced by pimps with out of touch - bloated budgets (read Defense) who are running nothing more than a jobs program for the public while sanctioning nothing short of mercenary work to its soldiers. All the while the "elected" officials play the part of Mary Magdalan... nothing but a whore hiding behind an illusion.

Deafening silence

I seen the movie '42' last night. Very well done. Just a damn good movie, all across the board. Before bed, I started the tedious task of organizing the accumulated bookmarks on my Firefox browser. I like to to do this at least a few times a month just to keep things from getting out of hand and overwhelming. Being it was from the comfort of my bed, I knew I could muster every last ounce of energy out of myself before it was vanquished by the sandman. When I woke up and as I sat down at the table, I immediately came across this article.

Being it was early, without my bearings yet or maybe it was the coffee that wasn't even 1/3 of the way into the brewing process, I was really caught off guard. It was from March 22nd. This article was about the murder of a 13-month old baby-boy form Georgia inside his stroller.  


De'Marquise Elkins, a 17-year old black male along with another minor accomplice attempted what was said to be a random robbery. Getting nothing from the woman, they shot her and then turned the .22 caliber pistol on and shot her baby in the face, as he lay sleeping in his stroller just a few blocks from their home. This was AFTER telling the woman beforehand that they were going to kill her son.

Mr Elkins, with his "Thug Life" tattoo across his chest and a tear-drop tattooed in the corner of his eye (usually a gang symbol for a completed murder) awaits his fate in a jail cell in Georgia. The 13 month old, who never got to spoke his first words has no luxury of awaiting a trial. His parents, meanwhile, will live in some sort of a prison for the rest of their lives. His mother, second guessing what she could have done differently. Maybe if she only had some money? His father, what if he was there? What if he didn't go to work that day? 

So, as little Antonio Santiago rest in peace, where's the outcry been? Where is the Rainbow Push Coalition? Where is Jesse Jackson? A minority, a 13- month old boy gunned down in his stroller while he slept at point blank range by a couple of self-described "thugs" or at least those are the words one chose to brand his body with. Its been 42 days since the 21st of March. Not a peep.

Could it be because he has a white mother? Or because he has a Spanish last name and a Latino for a father? If it was a black baby, it would be a crime that these guns are on the street. It would be the gun makers fault. Or the states fault for not having tougher gun laws, I see you Chicago!! Because I'm 100% sure a background check could keep a gun out of these kids hands. Oh wait, they didn't buy the gun? Well, pull me up a chair!

Had this been reversed? And the thugs where white and the baby black? Well hell, you would have seen Jesse and Co do everything in their power to bring attention to the, his situation. The collective re-parting of the Red sea wouldn't be enough

Forty-two days and crickets from the race hustling pimps that call themselves the "black leadership". I know I have had plenty to say about this racist pig, Jesse Jackson. Am I beating a dead horse with this issue of hypocrisy? You bet your ass I am. Until this liar is called out for what he is and dismissed from the public lexicon by the black community, he claims to represent; I'm going to keep on pointing out their double standard - PC- hogwash every chance I get.

Jackie Robinson is a hero for all people but for black folks in particular and rightfully so. What he did was groundbreaking and uplifting. What Jesse Jackson does now is stale, contrived, racist and divisive. If we are to be asphyxiated by political correctness then its high time this man is stripped of his sub-prime fifteen- minutes and breathe the pillow himself.

Unfettered socialism meets its maker @ 2:45 EST tommorow...

As Bayern Munich plays the second leg of the semifinals of Champions League tommorow (2:45 EST) at Barcelona, the match is much more than just two storied franchises battling it our for European supremacy, at least to me anyway. Because this game paints an ironic tale of two nations of complete opposite fates. So much so, that the only commonality is found on the pitch.

Europe, as a whole is much more socialist than we are here in the states, contrary to what the folks like Bill O’Reilly or Sean Ins'anity might suggest otherwise. With that being said, the degree of socialism in Europe is about as narrow as the O-Man’s 2,000 word healthcare bill that still to this remains unread. Germany and Spain mark the extremes of this as both are from opposite ends of the socialism spectrum.

Sure, Germany has its socialist state calling card with its "free" health care, its "free" schooling and higher taxes. There are the laws in place where boards of directors have to contain labor representation. There are also restrictions on what jobs can and can’t be outsourced. Nobody is going to confuse Germany with being Anarcho-Capitalists, that is for certain.

Interestingly enough however, Germany is more US than it is European in terms of production. According to the CIA World Factbook, Germany is the second highest exporter in the world behind only China. This includes world renowned brand names such as: BMW, Porsche, adidis, Volkswagen, Merck, Siemens, BASF, Allianz, Deutsche, Bayer, Daimler and SAP just to name a few.

Outside of banking, what does Spain actually build? Sure BBVA is a gigantic bank but if the world is being funded, floated and sunk in fiat currency its no surprise those nations that rely on bubbles will feel the pain. The nations that produce the most tangible goods are the least affected.

This week, Spain’s unemployment reached 27%. To say that is staggering would be an understatement. Germany meanwhile, has unemployment of around five percent. As far as Germany is concerned, there is no recovery. How can you recover from something if there is no illness? 

So when Bayern-Munich invades Barcelona tommorow afternoon, with its bigger/stronger/faster athletes, the tale of two socialism's will not be lost on me. The German team, actually named for a German company, is an emerging  super-power. This team represents a nation of innovation, fiscal restraint and a strong work ethic. The Spanish side is team that was the standard of futbol for years on the decline. It also represents a nation where people would rather sip cappuccinos in a café or bistro than work. Much like the expected outcome today on the pitch, Germany and their form of socialism wins out. Hard work and innovation always do.

Liberal economic policy, the catalysis for our destruction

Back in February, NSA Director General Keith Alexander called cyber-espionage “the greatest transfer of wealth in history.” Symantec (SYMC), a Fortune-500 security software company has said the cost of intellectual property theft for U.S. economy is around $250 billion a year.

No question, that’s a chunk of change and maybe that’s why (sic) SOPA is so important?

Now, while I’m not in the NSA and I don’t have the stripes of a General, much less anyone in the intelligence community, I do however possess something that is awfully lacking in DC these days… common sense. This caught my eye last night. Its a post on the blog for Pew Research posted on 4-23:

A Rise in Wealth for the Wealthy; Declines for the Lower 93%

Common sense would tell you that the greatest transfer in wealth in our history doesn’t lie in some computer laden sweat shop in Nepal or China. And no, its doesn't lie in these last three years among the rich nor is this an attempt to wage "class warfare". No, the greatest transfer of wealth has been a slow drip in the form of decades. It also lies at the doorstep of every American. Because the greatest transfer of wealth has been the systematic liquidation of the middle class.  

If you read this blog on a somewhat regular basis you know this seems to be a repeated topic. Earlier this year, we had the laugher that was the "fiscal" "cliff". More recently, back on April 3^rd, it was in large part centered on the influx of women working and the struggle even with two incomes to stay afloat in the middle class. As I pointed out then, as I do now, even with two incomes, the middle class has shrunk for four consecutive decades.

Today I want to center on a broader topic and that is the American public’s transition from a conservative saver- to a liberal spender. 

All across the US, the transition has taken place and its starts out with even the youngest of Americans. The piggy bank has been replaced by a cell phone and a data plan. The savings bond has now become an X-Box. College savings account has been earmarked as a vacation or a mortgage payment. Most people don’t want to live on top of each other so they move out to the suburbs to escape the crime and crumbling schools. Since both parents are working and commuting most need two cars. And the beat goes on.

I left off one segment of the population when it comes to consumption for a reason and that is the retired, older generation. Those that grew up in and around the time of the great depression have an appreciation for conservative economic principals if not on merit it was simply out of necessity. They fought in the wars and were the foundation for not only the middle class but were the trailblazers of the greatest economic expansion in world history. 

Why the disconnection between generations? Does the American public deserve the blame for this? How many times have you heard people use American’s obsession with consumption and “keeping up with the Joneses” as a defense for the economic plight of the country? I’m not going to write this in defense of American consumption. There is no question our habits are, in large part, a component of this destruction, but how much?  

How much weight in this destruction of the middle class needs to be laid at the feet of complicity and conditioning via the FED & its bankers, its congress, lobbyists and otherwise big business interests?

There have always been rich and poor. There have always been success and failure. This is the reality of what makes our system so successful. This is what has made as the beacon of light to the world. Hard work will always pay off. Save your money, be frugal and you too can walk the path that leads you to the American dream. Somewhere along the way this path was hijacked. 

The timing says it all. Ever since the early 70’s, America has changed. We know that is when women started entering the workforce in droves. This was also the same time of the “Nixon Shock” which ended Bretton Woods. This, severing the dollar from gold, as we entered the fiat currency phase full force. It was also the start of Americans shifting discretionary income from savings to consumption. All of this coincided with the beginning of the decline for the middle class.

What’s the common denominator in this decline and destruction?

Here’s an exchange back from 1941 that says its all. Marriner Eccles was the Governor of the Federal Reserve System. He was giving testimony before the House Committee on Banking and Currency, which was headed by Congressman Wright Patman. Mr Patman was asking how the FED got the money to buy bonds:

"Eccles: We created it.
Patman: Out of what?
Eccles: Out of the right to issue credit money.
Patman: And there is nothing behind it, is there, except our government's credit?
Eccles: That is what our money system is. If there were no debts in our money system, there wouldn't be any money."

When someone or a government (under this system) goes into debt, three elements are automatically triggered. The principal you borrowed of course must be paid back. The interest rate you have to pay back for borrowing the money and the inflation that comes with the newly created money (that is debt) that eats away at the existing money supply.  

I have pointed out before what would happen if we ever returned to the interest rates of the early late 70’s to early 80’s. We would see our annual national debt interest payment be in the trillions. Now, that would be a real fiscal cliff. But that’s not going to happen, and because the interest rates stay low, the money supply (debt) will continue to pile up. And since we know the FED’s stance on inflation (helicopter and all) its only natural to assume inflation will always eat away at our wallets. As time goes on it nips at the heels, dragging those on the edge of the class into the class of the dreaded “working poor”. Thus the decline in wealth for almost everyone despite having two incomes is to be expected.

It doesn’t take an economist to figure this out.

Now this is the part where the writer gives his opinion of how to fix the problem he or she presents. That would be the perfect way to end an article where you point out problems to close it with a solution... except I don’t have a solution.

Yesterday, I went to bankrate.com to check out the current rates and here is what I found:

Money Market Accounts and Savings Accounts rates are below one percent with most being under .70%. A six-month CD will fetch you anywhere from .50-.88%. These are less than one-percent. You can’t even get a five-year CD over 1.75% and that’s even including Jumbo CD’s (100k or more).

I said before the average American has to carry some blame but how much blame can you lay on someone that is conditioned to spend while being discouraged to save? How can the average American save for his children’s college when the price of tuition has increased over 500% since 1985? 

But buy a car? Zero percent interest. 

Need new furniture made of cardboard and plastic? Zero percent interest and no payments for four years. 

Buy a house? 3% interest and you only need 3% down. 

I wonder what the average person is going to do.

What is the alternative, save anyway, right? Buy gold & silver and I would agree (as I do the very same thing) but if everyone did this deflation would come calling. It doesn’t matter if you or I like it, the truth of the matter is - debt is money and money is debt, just like the FED chairman said. Remember, a deflationary death spiral is much swifter than an inflationary death spiral. That is not going to be allowed to happen. Gold suppression anyone? Hint: its happening right now.

As you can see and surly already know, it doesn’t pay to save conventional routes that don’t take a financial adviser like our grandparents did. This is why, people today will not live as well as their parents... its all catching up to us. 

The only alternative is to funnel your money into Wall Street and spend, spend and spend some more. Any instruments that can yield you a decent return in a savings or investment all lead to Wall Street. Where did those gains made over the last two years occur? This isn’t about class warfare or the 99% or in this case the ninety-three percent; this is about the choice to be frugal and fiscally conservative like those before us that built this country and how that choice simply doesn’t exist. That choice has been robbed by banksters and it would be hysterically ironic if it wasn't so sad. So spend and slave on, the world economy is counting on you.

My 'Earth Day' message

I have four messages for Earth day. I would like to present them to you. First my message:

Everyone should demand clean air, soil and water. Do what you can do to make yours this way and respect your neighbors right to the very same. Businesses should also follow this simple premise. Taxing them into oblivion doesnt work because we know that taxes, in the end, just get passed down to the consumers in the form of higher costs. We need to start taking individual responsibility seriously. At every level. The environment would be clean as a whistle if this was the case. However, do what you can do first before you worry about someone else, our bees and trees depend on it. Let me borrow a quote from Ross Perot of all people.

"The activist is not the man who says the river is dirty. The activist is the man who cleans up the river."

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Lyrics from TooL's first full length album 1993's:  Undertow - Disgustipated

And the angel of the lord came unto me, snatching me up from my place of slumber.
And took me on high, and higher still until we moved to the spaces betwixt the air itself.
And he brought me into a vast farmlands of our own midwest.
And as we descended, cries of impending doom rose from the soil.
One thousand, nay a million voices full of fear.
And terror possesed me then.
And I begged,
"Angel of the Lord, what are these tortured screams?"
And the angel said unto me,
"These are the cries of the carrots, the cries of the carrots!
You see, Reverend Maynard, tomorrow is harvest day and to them it is the holocaust."
And I sprang from my slumber drenched in sweat like the tears of one million terrified brothers and roared,
"Hear me now, I have seen the light!
They have a consciousness, they have a life, they have a soul!
Damn you!
Let the rabbits wear glasses!
Save our brothers!"
Can I get an amen?
Can I get a hallelujah?
Thank you Jesus.
Life feeds on life feeds on life feeds on life feeds on........

This is necessary
Life feeds on life.

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Happy Earth day!

Connecting the dots from Washington to Damascus takes a degree in circular logic.

With the cowardly bombing of the Boston Marathon still only being measured in hours removed from the attack, on Wednesday, April 17, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel informed Congress of a new deployment of US troops to Jordan. I don't know whats more curious, the timing of this new venture during a week where both the American press and public's attention was focused squarely in and around Boston or the official, on record justification for this move.

According to Jordan Information Minister Mohammad Momani:

"The deployment of the troops is part of US-Jordanian military cooperation to boost the Jordanian armed forces in light of the deteriorating situation in Syria,"

Mr Hagel on the other hand was a bit more in-depth with his comments to Congress on Wednesday in this report by ABC's Luis Martinez:

“We have an obligation and responsibility to think through the consequences of direct U.S. military action in Syria,” said Hagel.  He added that “military intervention at this point could hinder humanitarian relief operations.  It could embroil the United States in a significant, lengthy, and uncertain military commitment.”

More importantly he warned that it could have “the unintended  consequence of bringing the United States into a broader regional conflict or proxy war. ” He stressed that “the best outcome for Syria – and the region – is a negotiated, political transition to a post-Assad Syria.”

He later used blunter language in describing how all factors should be weighed in considering a U.S. military option in Syria. “You better be damn sure, as sure as you can be, before you get into something, because once you’re into it, there isn’t any backing out, whether it’s a no-fly zone, safe zone, protect these — whatever it is. Once you’re in, you can’t unwind it. You can’t just say, well, it’s not going as well as I thought it would go, so we’re going to get out."

Lets put Hagel's own words into action. Its obvious the Department of Defense is "damn sure" of what they are getting into or why go into details of it? Its also obvious the DOD is contemplating military intervention that will not only hinder humanitarian efforts but at the same time, could result in "significant, lengthy, and uncertain military commitment." The best alternative to negate this? A negotiated political transition with Syria? Does this photo-op on Syrians Independence day on April, 17th (how ironic) look like a regime that wants to hand over or "transition power"?

 

A picture released by SANA on April 17, 2013, shows members the Syrian Army parading on Syria's Independence Day (SANA/AFP)

So, when these boots hit the ground, what will be the mission? To hold the hand of Jordan to control humanitarian efforts? Isn't this a job that is earmarked for the international community as a whole? I would assume the UN or Red Cross would be more than capable of handling this. But alas, the US is taking this bull by the horns. 

Then there was this analysis by Washington think tank Foreign Policy in Focus's Conn Hallinan: 

 “since a major job for these troops will be logistical, it does appear as if they are preparing the groundwork like they did for the invasion of Iraq by going into Saudi Arabia and preparing there... It’s a serious escalation and a disturbing one."

We want the Syrian regime to concede control. If not we are setting the stages for some type of invasion. In the meantime we will continue to indirectly back the uprising which consists of a variety of players including militants from al Qaeda and the al-Nusra Front, both of whom are on the US terror list. Does this sound familiar? Didn't Hollywood of all places, recently make a movie about this type of thing starring Tom Hanks called 'Charlie Wilson's War'?  

Apparently this irony has not gone unnoticed by Syrain President Bashar Assad:

 "The West paid heavily for funding al-Qaida in its early stages in Afghanistan. Today it is supporting it in Syria, Libya and other places, and will pay a heavy price later in the heart of Europe and the United States"

And to make matters worse, this is no longer just a mixed bag, a hodgepodge if you will, of revolutionaries. These rebels, according to Assad (in the very same article in the Jerusalem Post) these are: "mainly" "extremist forces".

Last week Nusra Front released this audio statement pledging allegiance to al Qaeda:

"The sons of Nusra Front renew their pledge (of allegiance) to the Sheikh of Jihad Ayman al-Zawahri and declare obedience,"  

Now, there seems to be a coalition forming of Islamic extremists in Syria, with many of these extremists part of the group that was driven out of Al Anbar Province in 2007 by US forces and local tribes because of their alleged "extreme interpretation of Islam". Anbar, located on the borders of both Syria and Jordan provide an eerie backdrop to this story, and by story, I mean another movie that comes to mind; 'Groundhogs day'.   

And whats even more eerie about this connection is we are just five days removed from the affects of terrorism playing out in our very own streets. Yet here we are, putting boots on the ground on the border of a civil war, where we are backing terrorist outfits. THE SAME terrorist outfits we have sworn to defeat in our never ending 'War on Terror'.

I understand the pecking order here. I understand Syria is an easy target, isolated in the middle east outside of Iran. I understand its easier to overthrow a rag tag group of terrorists than it is a nation with armies and chemical weapons (unless your Iraq and you have none of either despite the world saying otherwise). What I dont understand is two fold. 

First, I don't understand, how surprised we are here in the states when terrorists decide to strike here. I mean if you sleep with a porcupine, can you really be surprised about getting pricked? This 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend' approach needs to be better to the general public. Because the consequences of this philosophy puts them in harms way.

Lastly, if the Nobel Peace Prize was a prize awarded to promoting peace, would it not be out of the question for the committee who awards said prize to demand its prize back for some type of breach? Or does this make the Nobel, nothing more than a participation award, like a 1980s/90's book it pin, which promoted kids reading. Or, is this just a natural development? Someone receives a peace prize who has never done anything to promote peace in the first place, then all of sudden becomes a war hawk is not that surprising.

Either way, Mr Obama, your legacy might be healthcare "reform" to many but others it will be simply contradiction. Whether i agree with what you ran on or not is not my point, my point is you haven't made good on many of the important issues you yourself highlighted in '08. You've been a whore for big business and you have failed miserably on bringing peace and instead have expanded the previous administrations warring. Back in a debate in 2008 you said: "one important thing is that we not get mission creep". 

Apparently, when you are not running for office, "important things" go out the window. And oh yea, Liberal-peace loving "democrats" (as if there is a difference between parties) you can take off that peace sign bumper sticker, along with your "coexist" magnet and shove 'em up your asses. Hopefully, that will lead to  your heads being forced to come crawling out of it.

The attack in Boston happened because... of American complacency?

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell yesterday spoke on the Senate floor regarding the terrorist attack on Patriot day in Boston and had this to say:

“With the passage of time, however, and the vigilant efforts of our military, intelligence and law enforcement professionals, I think it’s safe to say that, for many, the complacency that prevailed prior to September 11^th has returned”.

 (John Mottern / AFP / Getty Images / April 16, 2013)

This was the echo of many over the last 48 hours on TV, Twitter and from just people I know. Of course, its quite normal and healthy to do some soul searching after an event that takes innocent lives in a cowardly attack. In these cases, there comes a time where we always find that fine line when we ponder the delicate balance of freedom and security.

Unlike the past, where Americans would become emotionally persuaded for a quick action or reaction in vengeance; our battles with terrorism has taught us patience and that is where the resolve we trumpet comes from. With all due respect, Senator, this is in no way, by any stretch of the imagination “complacency”.

You see Mr McConnell, we have spent borrowed (then spent) billions, in fact, last year forty-six billion to be exact; to keep us safe. And its failed. Was it complacency on the part of a government boondoggle, that is the Department of Homeland Security? Or is this just a case of not being able to be everywhere – all the time?

I’ll side with the latter here. There is no such thing is total safety, at least not in an open society. Does this make me and you complacent? Wasn’t it eleven years ago that we were told to go out and “shop” to return to normal after the most costly terrorist attack on our soil in our nations history? After-all, we didn’t want to let “them” win. Was running a marathon not doing exactly this? Keeping up traditions, raking in millions for the city of Boston in the process? Of course it was.

So when you hear people like this Senator talk about us “having complacency return” or how we are going to just ‘have to live with terrorism’ or get ‘used to it’ or somehow use this as a reminder ‘to be vigilant’ I wonder and ask myself… really?

Have we NOT already been given a constant reminder of senseless innocent killings enough?
Where we complacent after the Binghamton shootings took place on Friday, April 3, 2009 or the Geneva County massacre on March 10, 2009 or more recently on July 20, 2012 in a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado?

Where we so complacent that it lead to the massacres in Fort Hood, Blacksburg, Oak Creek, or Newtown just a few months ago?

I know, this isn’t what most of us think of when it comes to terrorism but in reality, isn’t this EXACTLY what terrorism is? The killing of random innocent people to make a point? Whats that point?

Whether its a religious one, a racial one or a crazy one; the motive or point is of ill consequences. The results are what matters and they are always the same. Terror, injury and death to those innocent’s involved and those involved indirectly: family, friends, towns and the country as a whole.

Mission accomplished.

Do we need a beard, an Arab accent, a Qur’an and a brown face to make this pill easier to swallow? Or to blame a right-wing extremist as they are the new up and coming terrorist according to our best and brightest at West Point and on tax-day no less?

Will this justify a multi-billion dollar money pit that is nothing more than an ever expanding police state that’s true motive lies somewhere in protection and police state. Of course it does. Deflect blame putting it back on the American citizen for “loosing sight”. As if our super-spidey sense was not operating because we know that would have prevented this attack.

The reality is we are spending hundreds of billions each year to fight terrorism overseas vs an enemy that in 2010 was said to be 75-100 strong in Afghanistan and a whopping 300 strong in Pakistan. And domestically, a “terrorist” that has made no claimed attacks but just so happens to be against the role of our government in our lives (I guess they would have a vested interest in painting this picture).

Sorry, Senator its not anymore dangerous here today as it was in 2001. Departments will fail to protect everyone all the time but that doesnt make it the public’s fault due to our lack of awareness, with all due respect, Senator. No, it doesn’t make it a fault it makes us  free. I could see how you could have a problem with that.