No. 96 – July 8, 2011
IGNORANT AMERICANS
First off, let’s put a few things into perspective.
This is no longer a Democrat v. Republican “thing.”
In my last newsletter, I stressed the concept of lying, for a reason. WE THE PEOPLE – that means all of us – are being lied to on a daily basis. However, it is up to everyone out there to be able to decipher exactly WHAT the lies are.
From time to time, I have made reference to the MILITARY/INDUSTRIAL Complex, and how it has infiltrated not only our political and social existence – but is now tampering with our very livelihoods.
Remember, when Bush was president, how the deaths of our troops overseas were a nightly occurrence on the evening news. The names AND pictures were shown with the body count for that day of Americans killed in action?
What happened? We are now in FOUR wars and approaching #5 in Yemen. But what about the people who are getting killed on a daily basis? Just last week three more American Troops were killed in Iraq.
Yet, we have been led to believe that there are NO MORE Combat Troops – and therefore, no more combat going on in that country. It is a lie.
Afghanistan is still raging, but we hear NOTHING on the news about this fact. Does anyone realize that since Obama has set a timetable for withdrawal from that country, Iran is now openly funneling new weapons to Iraq and Afghanistan? These new weapons “have already resulted in the deaths of American troops.” – SOURCE: Weekend Edition of the WSJ, July 2-3, 2011 edition, front page.
While the dumbed-down American public mentally bounces between Anthony Weiner, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, and the Casey Anthony trial, American soldiers are fighting and STILL dying in four countries in the Middle East – and we simply shrug it off.
We have been successfully dumbed-down to the point of international embarrassment.
And what about the Afghanistan American POWs?
The what? Now I know you don’t believe that one. But it is true. Their names are Ahmed Altaie and Bowe Bergdahl. Never heard of them, right? If not, you had better get your head out of that dark area and wake up.
And now, the Military/Industrial Complex, through its Congressional House members just passed a $726 billion defense budget. Can that number be right? I thought we were all out of money. Where did THAT money come from?
Yet, this MASSIVE expenditure is being touted as heavily cut back and only “basic” to our national defense.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is almost a TRILLION DOLLARS in defense spending – and we are telling everybody when we are leaving the Middle East, and Iran is re-arming their neighbors? What the hell is going on here?
American ignorance is paramount – and getting worse by the second.
Do we NOT see the continuing spiral into more wars in the future. Why not FINISH the war in Afghanistan – and come home VICTORIOUS for a change – instead of leaving the job half-assed, AGAIN?
But that would be TOO EASY. So the wars will continue – and the Military/Industrial Complex will grow even bigger.
IT’S BUSH’S FAULT
This is getting extremely redundant. But this mantra is still being voiced everywhere I go.
I heard this last night – again – when “talking” to a self-proclaimed “Women’s Liberation Liberal” – whatever the hell that is. She stumbled by our table ranting about how America is run by “rich fucking Republicans” and other such proclamations.
So, I asked her, how it was Bush’s fault, that after 2 years of Obama, we are still blaming GW for all the nation’s ills.
This “woman” went on a tirade about all the evils of the world – and how Bush and the RICH Republicans are at fault for everything.
When she stopped for breath, I informed her that there were just as many rich Democrats as there are Republicans. She glared at me and said, “That is not the point!”
When I asked her just what WAS her point, she simply reiterated that, “Bush caused this whole mess.”
After a few more ramblings she moved on to another table, much to the relief of Ernesto Patriota and me. We sometimes venture out together to check the pulse of the neighborhood drinking establishments that are usually inundated with “university students” and government employees.
Ernesto looked at me and simply said, “Pathetic.”
I had to agree, but in a sense I completely understood.
The media has painted it as a Democrat v. Republican, Liberal v. Conservative “thing” – and most people buy into that “divide and conquer” mentality.
I have been accused, time and again, of being a “right-wing, wacko Republican.” Since I am a little overweight – and a WHITE MALE – then that is all the proof that is needed. Guilty as charged. It is not true – but I am STILL guilty – because I FIT the Monopoly Media image of a Conservative Republican.
Again, Liberal v. Conservative, Right v. Left, women v. men!
Sun-Tsu wrote about this kind of tactic over a 1000 years ago – so if it is still going on today – there must be something to it.
The idea is to not fall for that trap.
The Monopoly Media FEEDS us the mental pablum that they want us to consume. The idea of it being Bush’s fault is a perfect example of this subtle brainwashing.
Now we have the unemployment figures in, and they are dismal to say the least. We have been told that the unemployment rate is back up to 9.2%.
But just this morning a spokesman for the White House said that, thousands of jobs have been saved. Then he amended himself and said, “Millions have been saved.”
I found myself shaking my head.
Have jobs really been saved? I don’t think so – but I bet that woman, Ernesto and I encountered last night, believes it – without question.
Yet, NOBODY talks about the U-6 data that is being held back from the American public.
The what? What in the hell is the U-6 data?
It is the actual unemployment figures for 6 months or longer – and it stands at an astonishing 20%.
Yet, NOBODY even knows about this method of measurement, let alone the real figures regarding unemployment.
That is probably Bush’s fault, too.
SHAME ON CISCO
And here is another piece of information that you WILL NOT hear in the Monopoly Media any time soon.
“Cisco Poised to Help China Keep an Eye on Its Citizens.”
This was a boldface headline – below the fold – in the Tuesday, July 5, 2011, issue of the WSJ.
So now we have a MILTI-BILLION DOLLAR company helping a COMMUNIST GOVERNMENT keep tabs on its citizens in China.
It looks like we are actually heading toward a ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT after all.
But the Chinese citizens are not DEMOCRATS or REPUBLICANS. And that is precisely MY POINT.
They are, WE THE PEOPLE!
And now, an American company, along with other Western enterprises – with the willful backing of BOTH the United States Government AND the Communist Chinese Government – have AGREED to let this company SPY on its own citizens.
There is supposed to be upwards of 500,000 cameras installed in the city of Chongqing City over the next three years. It is dubbed the, “Peaceful Chongqing” project.
Peaceful my ass. It will only be “peaceful” when the Chinese Communist Government kills everybody that disagrees with their totalitarian, barbaric rule.
Whatever happened to President Obama and his statements on human rights for all “peoples of the world?”
Where the hell is Hillary Clinton, our FEMALE Secretary of State – who is supposed to be in favor of Women’s Rights worldwide? Does she not know that forced abortions and illegal land confiscations happen on a daily basis in China?
But yet, this is for “peaceful” purposes. How dumb have WE THE PEOPLE really become?
Did the number of cameras actually REGISTER? FIVE-HUNDRED THOUSAND.
The American Government is helping the Communist Chinese Government SPY on its freedom loving populace, in an area more than 25% larger than NEW YORK CITY.
Ladies and Gentlemen. This is not Communist v. Capitalist.
It is US v. THEM.
Is a camera coming to a city near you? I am NOT kidding. We are being played for fools – and if we do not wake up pretty soon – we will be in extremely deep shit.
SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICARE AND THE DEBT CEILING
A very good friend, Steve, and I were having tea and coffee the other morning and he made a great statement.
“Damn it, Larry. I have paid into Social Security all my life – and now this damn government is going to cut back on it. It is MY money. Why the hell doesn’t the government simply tell the employee unions to go to hell and cut their wages back instead.”
I tried to answer, but Steve beat me to it. “I’ll tell you why. Because they are beholden to the unions for their votes. So they go after old people – retired people who can’t fight back – and people who need medical care, because they can’t fight back, either.”
And he had a very good point – one I had not considered. Social Security recipients paid with THEIR OWN MONEY. It was entrusted to the government to hold for them until they retire.
But the government LIED AGAIN. Instead of simply cutting union wages back to a level that they should be, the government WILL CUT BACK on BOTH Social Security and Medicare – while only slightly tampering with government union contracts.
To do otherwise, would be political suicide for the Status Quo.
And therein lies the rub.
It is NO LONGER Bush’s fault. It is not Republican v. Democrat. It is WE THE PEOPLE v. THE STATUS QUO.
Wake up America.
I predict that the Republicans will fold – and the debt ceiling will be raised again. This I will take bets on.
They are in this TOGETHER – and we are getting screwed – YET AGAIN.
To illustrate this point – once and for all- the “Annual retiree costs in Providence, Rhode Island, now amount to an astounding 50% of city tax collections.” – SOURCE: WSJ, Monday, June 27, 2011, page A 17.
I live in California and I associate with a lot of government employees. It is all I can do to listen to them complain about how hard they have it.
Yet, this state has next to the lowest performance record for education scores in the country, one of the largest prison populations in the world, crime on the upswing – and we are going into BANKRUPTCY – yet the unions are fighting to save THEIR own bloated pension plans – and to hell with everybody else.
Please don’t misread what I just said. I said BLOATED pension plans. A reasonable pension system is not the question. It is the “gimme” mental attitude that is setting the STATUS QUO (government and its employees) against the rest of, WE THE PEOPLE.
Some semblance of order has to be restored – before it gets completely out of hand.
WHAT TO DO?
A lot of readers ask me, “What should I do?”
I don’t know why, but that question has always bothered me. Why don’t people know what to do? But that is another story.
Here are two suggestions:
With regard to CISCO. First, if you own shares of this company, sell them immediately. And second, write John Chambers, president and CEO of CISCO,and give him HELL for dealing with the Communist Chinese Government.
With regard to the debt ceiling – ANYBODY who votes to raise the ceiling – ESPECIALLY REPUBLICANS – write them any kind of scathing letter you can conjure up and send it to those people. Also, call and request an appointment to speak with them personally. Send a hundred e-mails protesting their vote. Tie up their Internet system. Raise hell – and keep raising hell – before a surveillance camera is installed on YOUR street corner.
A SAD NOTE
Betty Ford has just died. She was one of the GREAT women of our time. She spoke up for REAL Women’s Rights, stood by her husband through some of the toughest times in American history (Watergate – and the resignation of Richard Nixon and Vietnam), yet Betty Ford was always calm, courteous and, above all, a REAL tribute to Liberated American Women.
May this great lady rest in peace.
That is it for now.
Keep thinking positive and never give up!
Approximately 500 days until we have a chance at real HOPE and CHANGE. Let’s not blow it again.
Best wishes,
Lawrence Klepinger
Editor/Publisher
THE AMERICAN TELEGRAPH
John Says:
“Social Security” is what the name implies and never was a retirement plan. You say it’s our money, disagree as it is a tax to provide “Social” Security to those in our Nation who need some financial help. Retirement is just a benefit of the system. There are people out there collecting SS and have lied but yet qualify for the benefit. Your parents die, children are entitled SS until they become of age. Women who never have worked can collect SS when their husband begins collecting. The problem with SS is that the hand out of funds is not managed well. Just go down to your local SS office and sit there for awhile and see who walks in looking into benefits. You will be surprised!!
Big company’s selling outside of USA because they cannot make enough money within our borders. People cannot afford us.
We the people have been taken advantage since 9/11 and all the downfalls of the big CEOs, the housing market is a sham, and I agree we are being lied to. But better yet, not being told the truth!! The media cannot report according to the constitution as freedom of the press, they don’t want to. I quit reading the paper and listening to the news. I can find out enough from others and a few articles on the internet. I love sports but don’t follow teams or sports too much as they make too much money and most of the big players are a bunch on wieners, poor examples of a hero. And, if any of us had some of the problems they sports players have on the job, we would be fired immediately. Why not them? Think about why not.
Writing letters and creating a little kayos’ is not working, best thing to do is vote, but don’t vote for any incumbents.
Speaking of cameras, they are on the corners of streets as “Red Light” cameras that take a picture and then the cops send you a ticket using that as evidence. Putting video in police cars to show what cops do. Where are being watched in stores with video survalence. Hey Larry, there are already cameras in place.
Yes, with all our technology, fire power (and this was proven when they got Bin Laden), how came USA doesn’t end the wars?
Oh, Speaking of Obama, he is right in front of everyone eyes and ears, but are they watching and listening. Can they really see what he is doing or not doing? Humm, Americans are too busy with personal lifes to be brothered with govenment.
And remember this, we lost freedom after 9/11…everyone is a terroist when checking into an airport; passports are now required to travel across the US and Canadian boarders.
Why did Obama release oil reserves, because as you said, it makes him look good. But I bet they are replacing those reserves and letting the partials go so the reserves to get too old.
For a nation as the USA is, why can’t we live without our means with each other, we did for over 150 years, what has changed? How come we have so much oil and natural gas that is not being used, why to do we play with the world.
And now you talk about the military and lives lost and ward still going on. But hear this, everyone now-a-days is saying; What brave soles we have fighting for our freedom; this is why we are a great free nation. but remember I said a couple of paragraphs back; if we have freedom, why do we suffer at airports and crossing a friendly boarding as we have done for years. Why have those freedoms gone away if our military is fighting for our freedoms?
Love your words Lawerence, but we need action behind those words. How can that happen and when? Vote out every incumbents!! At least that is a starting place.
July 8th, 2011 at 10:45 pmRobert W. Klepinger Says:
Might I suggest that you watch the Charlie Rose show of July 8 on PBS — an interview with Senators Warner (D-Vir) and Crapo (R-Id). The discussion was entirely about their efforts over the past 6 months to compile and understand and now submit their recommendations for fixing, or beginning to fix, our fundamental fiscal problems. I just happened to be home early yesterday (slouching on the couch with a 6 pack and Fritos) as is normal for “we the people” only to find something on the air that made sense. You too should enjoy hearing their comments.
Is it possible that posturing and threats made by each political crowd will cease, giving way to reason, fairness and real benefit to all? I tend to believe it is…only to fall back on the famous Reagan quip, “trust but verify”. I’ll leave the details to you.
July 9th, 2011 at 6:01 amJeff Potter Says:
Hi Larry,
Yep, sure enough. We are a nation of sheeple led by Demicans and Republocrats, Liberatives and Conservals. The Creature from Jekyl Island is alive and well and walks among us. If your readers don’t know what I am talking about, it bears investigation. There is plenty of information online about that and the Bilderberg Group. Follow it up and you’ll find all kinds of “conspiracy theories”, but it’s not really a conspiracy if it’s true, now is it?
Anyway, I would like to pose a question here. John mentions voting out every incumbent and I hear that a lot. I used to think that might be a good idea as well, but now I wonder. I read somewhere (it may have been here in an earlier issue) that it may not really be effective to do that. Hmmmm, now that I think about it, I’m not so sure I read it. I may have seen someone talking about it on the Bill Maher show.
In any event, what I remember hearing or reading is that the lobbyists are really the problem. They are the ones who often pull the puppet strings behind the politicians and that newcomers to office sometimes don’t know how to deal with them very well, so they get intimidated or coerced into doing whatever the stronger lobbying groups want (and pay big bucks for). Sometimes the longer term incumbents have the chutzpah to stand up to them and the answer therefore is not to do away with all incumbents. I don’t know how true this is, but it makes sense to me.
I propose that the only way to really effect change is to stop being a coward and an ostrich. Pull your head out of the sand (or whatever other dark and warm place you may have it) and learn what your representatives in government really are. Not what they say they are, mind you, but what they really are. Check out their voting records on issues you are concerned with. Cross Party lines and vote with your head for a change. It may not make any difference, but I’m betting my country’s life and livelihood that it will.
Thanks for another great edition Larry and keep up the good fight.
July 9th, 2011 at 8:08 amJoan Dow Says:
I recommend that everybody watch the documentary INSIDE JOB. Charles Ferguson tracks the history of our financial meltdown and the key players.
If you’d rather read a book, Matt Taibbi’s GRIFTOPIA is superb.
Our leaders should have seen it coming, and should have prevented it. I’m as greedy as the next person, but these levels of greed were incomprehensible.
Joan
July 9th, 2011 at 1:52 pmSteve Topper Says:
Larry, continued thanks for keeping us informed and keeping us thinking for ourselves. I agree with you that way too many citizens in this country are totally ignorant of reality when it comes to everything relevant to our future well-being. Unfortunately, it’s the government that fosters this ignorance. First, it controls the educational system and the curriculum, second it controls the mainstream media where most folks get their news, third, it marginalizes and denigrates anyone daring to speak the truth, and fourth, it is the owner or protector of the many circuses that keep people preoccupied with meaningless entertainment (ever wonder why major league sports is one of the few true monopolies allowed in this country.) And now that the Internet is allowing us to look behind the curtain in the Government of Oz, congress is busy trying to find ways of controlling the Internet. Can’t let the truth get out, can we? I have a number of friends who tell me they really don’t want to hear the truth. It’s too painful they tell me. Or, they tell me what’s the use, we can’t do anything about it. To these ignorant people I remind them Ayn Rand’s comment: “You can ignore reality but you can’t ignore the consequences of ignoring reality.” I really hope you are correct about the next presidential election but I have my doubts.
July 9th, 2011 at 3:24 pmBarry S. Says:
Nail on the head Larry, nail on the head! I am posting this and re-posting it to my Facebook, I hope people read it and take notice! Thank you for what you do!
Your friend,
July 10th, 2011 at 9:18 pmBarry S.
Roman Says:
Larry asked me to post this online after he made the usual claim about how America always saves the world, or words to that effect. I was planning to add this on July 4, Independence Day, as it seemed appropriate, but never got round to it. Independence Day, another example of America saving the world, this time from aliens, especially that all-American hero, Will Smith. One thing I can’t understand, though, is how come the aliens always land in America?? Less of the levity, following is what he wanted me to post.
When GW came to power he inherited a country in the black. When Obama (not my choice by the way, but better than anything the Reps could offer) came to power he inherited the worst deficit in history and a country facing economic collapse due to another Wall Street Crash. Bush was a huge embarrassment in the end for the Republican party, but thankfully for them, the general US citizen is a dumb-ass hick, thanks to an incredibly brain-washing education system which enables them to quickly forget who created the mess in the first place. Thank God for education systems that don’t work and keep the voting masses dumb and gullible!! In 1929 America DID dominate the world economically creating a situation where the whole capitalist system was on the verge of collapse. Thankfully you had a silver-spooned President who had the vision to pull the country through the mire of a Depression. However, as usual in America, the right-wing brigade saw his attempts for greater equality as a communist-backdoor attempt to destroy their vision of a ‘pure capitalist system’ where the rich get richer and……They managed to prevent him introducing the far-reaching reforms he was proposing which probably would have made America a far better land to live in than it has turned out to be. History has repeated itself. End of the Bush era saw a financial collapse even greater than the Wall Street Crash of 1929. To avoid the social upheavals seen in the 1930s, the Western world bailed out the banks by printing vast amounts of paper money, ending the short-term crisis but only delaying the day of reckoning for a not-too-distant point of time in the future as the inflationary pressures of printing all that money start to bear fruit. The first signs of the cracks we are seeing now with the countries most exposed financially having to be bailed out and being forced to endure strict financial consraints causing social unrest in the streets.
Unlike in 1929, East Asia and the Pacific Rim have so far escaped lightly, all because of the continuing dynamic growth of the Chinese economy with which this part of the world is increasingly interlinked and reliant on unlike Europe which still is more heavily linked with America’s ups and downs.
Will it collapse? China that is. Possibly. But a more likely scenario in my opinion is another huge financial crisis in America, implosion ensues, austerity measures introduced beyond what they are now, and the very riots you see in the streets of Greece becoming a reality far worse in the streets of the US where the population is encouraged to buy weaponry under the pretext of the right to bear arms and defend itself. Return of the Wild West is just around the corner. The clock is ticking!
Of course what helped bail out America was World War 2!
The whole western white protestant capitalist structure as we know it today, is on the verge of collapse, just like the communist system under the Soviets. Hopefully something better will emerge which will genuinely offer people dreams for the future. The endless pursuit of ever greater profits is just unsustainable.
July 12th, 2011 at 2:52 amjoe winstead Says:
Hello Larry-
I hope your good friend Steve heard Oblowmo today when he said:
“I can’t guarantee social security checks will go out after August 2, there just might not be funds.”
Bush’s fault again, the lousy bastard.
But I wonder why he didn’t say:
“I can’t guarantee that welfare checks will go out after August 2, there just might not be funds.”
Makes you wonder sometimes.
PS to Roman- No reason for the aliens to land in Zimbabwe -nothing there to eat since the British got kicked off their farms. And they wouldn’t find Will Smith there, either.
PPS to Roman – By Bush inheriting a country ‘in the black’ – I suppose that means as opposed to ‘in the red’ – which is where Obama is taking us in more ways than one. And you might recall that it took a Newt to stuff a balanced budget down the throat of Slick Willy, our first black president.
July 12th, 2011 at 3:21 pmBut I guess I’m just racist.