Democracy is Dead in the USA

[thinkagain]

Before running out and finding a bunch of examples to show democracy is "alive and well" ... understand that I am only referring to certain areas that relate to specific foreign and internal US Policy. Policy that effects the Big Money, interests.

Sure there the raging masses are allowed to choose once in awhile. Pot in Colorado would be one example - this keeps the sheep thinking they actually have a choice.

When it comes to other area's - Foreign and internal military spending and policy for example - Democracy is Dead.

Defense contractors get rich off of war and military spending. Big Money (international financiers) make money off of financing both sides of the war through debt.

Foreign and domestic military policy is then driven by economic motive.

Syria for example was not on the radar until 2009 when it refused to allow a major oil pipeline to cross through Syrian Territory. Syria then needed to be punished.

When stuff like this happens a vast and well financed propaganda machine goes to work to convince the raging masses that military intervention is justified. This is called "Engineering Consent" or "Manufacturing Consent".

There are all kinds of think tanks who try to figure out the best ways to keep the Sheep in a state of confusion and ignorance. Various Gov't agencies - Pentagon, CIA, NSA, (and so on) start fabricating lies and misrepresentations. The mainstream media does its job by not doing it's job and promoting the party line. Bad things happen to mainstream journalists that step out of line.

The Target (Assad in this case) is demonized in order to justify destabilization of his country - in this case by having major nation states US, Saudi Arabia and Turkey (in complete violation of international law) gave massive amounts of arms and support to Islamist Jihadists in Syria.

The Jihadists - with massive amounts of arms and support from "Nation States" - took over most of Syria in very short order. Things then got out of hand as groups within these Jihadists decided to set up a caliphate - An Islamic State (IS) - ISIS.... and then moved into Iraq.

The propaganda machine then had to work overtime because it wanted to support the extremist Islamist Jihadists in Syria but they were a problem in Iraq.

A complete fiction was invented - The Jihadists in Syria were "Liberators" - the Free Syrian Army. The Jihadists in Iraq were "Terrorists".

There are numerous books that detail how consent is engineered and anyone who learns even a little about the region can see the big lie. This matters not because the raging masses in general have no time or inclination to look and in most cases they do not have the tools/(knowledge) to know what they are looking at.

Kerry goes on TV calling Russia "War Criminals" for killing civilians in Aleppo. The US (or our allies) kill civilians in Mosul and are called "liberators".

The mainstream media completely fails to point out this contradiction or the fact that our buddy "Saud" is doing far worse than either Mosul or Aleppo in Yemen.

The masses are so used to lies that they expect it. Go into any Pub and say "Politicians Lie" .... no one is going to disagree.

Say that the mainstream media lying clown show ... few will disagree (as long as it is kept general - right will agree that left lies and vice versa)

Say that the Pentagon, DOD, and various other (security based) Gov't institutions are massive liars and purveyors of propaganda ... then the room will go silent for a moment, after which you may have a war on your hands ... there will be disagreement.

The reason there is dissent is because the propaganda machine has done it's job. What percentage does not "support the military" "support the troops" "support the war effort" "Support the war on Terror"


Heck ... we support it so much we now believe it is our patriotic duty to give up the individual rights and freedoms and liberty on which this country was founded.


Democracy is dead/useless if the Sheep are brainwashed.

 

[Brewdog]

The USA is not a democracy.

 

[DaveFagan]

Right on! Hell of a post. Precisely accurate.

 

[Masterhawk]

Kerry goes on TV calling Russia "War Criminals" for killing civilians in Aleppo. The US (or our allies) kill civilians in Mosul and are called "liberators".

The US isn't as indiscriminate about bombing as the russians. The US is more careful to avoid bombing civilians than the russians are

 

[joG]

Before running out and finding a bunch of examples to show democracy is "alive and well" ... understand that I am only referring to certain areas that relate to specific foreign and internal US Policy. Policy that effects the Big Money, interests.

Sure there the raging masses are allowed to choose once in awhile. Pot in Colorado would be one example - this keeps the sheep thinking they actually have a choice.

When it comes to other area's - Foreign and internal military spending and policy for example - Democracy is Dead.

Defense contractors get rich off of war and military spending. Big Money (international financiers) make money off of financing both sides of the war through debt.

Foreign and domestic military policy is then driven by economic motive.

Syria for example was not on the radar until 2009 when it refused to allow a major oil pipeline to cross through Syrian Territory. Syria then needed to be punished.

When stuff like this happens a vast and well financed propaganda machine goes to work to convince the raging masses that military intervention is justified. This is called "Engineering Consent" or "Manufacturing Consent".

There are all kinds of think tanks who try to figure out the best ways to keep the Sheep in a state of confusion and ignorance. Various Gov't agencies - Pentagon, CIA, NSA, (and so on) start fabricating lies and misrepresentations. The mainstream media does its job by not doing it's job and promoting the party line. Bad things happen to mainstream journalists that step out of line.

The Target (Assad in this case) is demonized in order to justify destabilization of his country - in this case by having major nation states US, Saudi Arabia and Turkey (in complete violation of international law) gave massive amounts of arms and support to Islamist Jihadists in Syria.

The Jihadists - with massive amounts of arms and support from "Nation States" - took over most of Syria in very short order. Things then got out of hand as groups within these Jihadists decided to set up a caliphate - An Islamic State (IS) - ISIS.... and then moved into Iraq.

The propaganda machine then had to work overtime because it wanted to support the extremist Islamist Jihadists in Syria but they were a problem in Iraq.

A complete fiction was invented - The Jihadists in Syria were "Liberators" - the Free Syrian Army. The Jihadists in Iraq were "Terrorists".

There are numerous books that detail how consent is engineered and anyone who learns even a little about the region can see the big lie. This matters not because the raging masses in general have no time or inclination to look and in most cases they do not have the tools/(knowledge) to know what they are looking at.

Kerry goes on TV calling Russia "War Criminals" for killing civilians in Aleppo. The US (or our allies) kill civilians in Mosul and are called "liberators".

The mainstream media completely fails to point out this contradiction or the fact that our buddy "Saud" is doing far worse than either Mosul or Aleppo in Yemen.

The masses are so used to lies that they expect it. Go into any Pub and say "Politicians Lie" .... no one is going to disagree.

Say that the mainstream media lying clown show ... few will disagree (as long as it is kept general - right will agree that left lies and vice versa)

Say that the Pentagon, DOD, and various other (security based) Gov't institutions are massive liars and purveyors of propaganda ... then the room will go silent for a moment, after which you may have a war on your hands ... there will be disagreement.

The reason there is dissent is because the propaganda machine has done it's job. What percentage does not "support the military" "support the troops" "support the war effort" "Support the war on Terror"


Heck ... we support it so much we now believe it is our patriotic duty to give up the individual rights and freedoms and liberty on which this country was founded.


Democracy is dead/useless if the Sheep are brainwashed.

Thank you! I loved it! That is really wonderfully retro and sounds like a propaganda pamphlet off of the 1968 Paris streets.

 

[joG]

Right on! Hell of a post. Precisely accurate.

I had thought of you, when I read it. It's just your kind od fantasy, isn't it.

 

[Sherman123]

Before running out and finding a bunch of examples to show democracy is "alive and well" ... understand that I am only referring to certain areas that relate to specific foreign and internal US Policy. Policy that effects the Big Money, interests.

Sure there the raging masses are allowed to choose once in awhile. Pot in Colorado would be one example - this keeps the sheep thinking they actually have a choice.

When it comes to other area's - Foreign and internal military spending and policy for example - Democracy is Dead.

Defense contractors get rich off of war and military spending. Big Money (international financiers) make money off of financing both sides of the war through debt.

Foreign and domestic military policy is then driven by economic motive.

Syria for example was not on the radar until 2009 when it refused to allow a major oil pipeline to cross through Syrian Territory. Syria then needed to be punished.

When stuff like this happens a vast and well financed propaganda machine goes to work to convince the raging masses that military intervention is justified. This is called "Engineering Consent" or "Manufacturing Consent".

There are all kinds of think tanks who try to figure out the best ways to keep the Sheep in a state of confusion and ignorance. Various Gov't agencies - Pentagon, CIA, NSA, (and so on) start fabricating lies and misrepresentations. The mainstream media does its job by not doing it's job and promoting the party line. Bad things happen to mainstream journalists that step out of line.

The Target (Assad in this case) is demonized in order to justify destabilization of his country - in this case by having major nation states US, Saudi Arabia and Turkey (in complete violation of international law) gave massive amounts of arms and support to Islamist Jihadists in Syria.

The Jihadists - with massive amounts of arms and support from "Nation States" - took over most of Syria in very short order. Things then got out of hand as groups within these Jihadists decided to set up a caliphate - An Islamic State (IS) - ISIS.... and then moved into Iraq.

The propaganda machine then had to work overtime because it wanted to support the extremist Islamist Jihadists in Syria but they were a problem in Iraq.

A complete fiction was invented - The Jihadists in Syria were "Liberators" - the Free Syrian Army. The Jihadists in Iraq were "Terrorists".

There are numerous books that detail how consent is engineered and anyone who learns even a little about the region can see the big lie. This matters not because the raging masses in general have no time or inclination to look and in most cases they do not have the tools/(knowledge) to know what they are looking at.

Kerry goes on TV calling Russia "War Criminals" for killing civilians in Aleppo. The US (or our allies) kill civilians in Mosul and are called "liberators".

The mainstream media completely fails to point out this contradiction or the fact that our buddy "Saud" is doing far worse than either Mosul or Aleppo in Yemen.

The masses are so used to lies that they expect it. Go into any Pub and say "Politicians Lie" .... no one is going to disagree.

Say that the mainstream media lying clown show ... few will disagree (as long as it is kept general - right will agree that left lies and vice versa)

Say that the Pentagon, DOD, and various other (security based) Gov't institutions are massive liars and purveyors of propaganda ... then the room will go silent for a moment, after which you may have a war on your hands ... there will be disagreement.

The reason there is dissent is because the propaganda machine has done it's job. What percentage does not "support the military" "support the troops" "support the war effort" "Support the war on Terror"


Heck ... we support it so much we now believe it is our patriotic duty to give up the individual rights and freedoms and liberty on which this country was founded.


Democracy is dead/useless if the Sheep are brainwashed.

Good! The neoliberal hegemonic shadow establishment is doing a decent job, let's not rock the boat!

 

[joG]

The USA is not a democracy.

You do know, however, that it is the closest there is in the real world. At least, of the ones I have looked at, it seems as close to the ideal as any have achieved.

 

[DaveFagan]

You do know, however, that it is the closest there is in the real world. At least, of the ones I have looked at, it seems as close to the ideal as any have achieved.

I guess that if you like a little, or a lot, of mind massage, then it is ideal for that mindset, eh? You know the Media is biased to Clinton and has influenced the Sanders debacle, and is proudly generating nasty Trump overtones, and if they will sell out to the highest bidder on one issue, then one acknowledges we are a capitalist Nation, ergo they will sell out on any issue. Is that simple enough?

 

[thinkagain]

The US isn't as indiscriminate about bombing as the russians. The US is more careful to avoid bombing civilians than the russians are

That is a "necessary illusion" and splitting hairs. The US invented the term "collateral damage". Over the last 3-4 decades the indiscriminate killing done by US forces is far greater than anything done by the Russians.

Neither the US nor the Russians go out of their way to target civilians. That is absurd. They target their enemies.... sometimes those enemies are amongst civilians = collateral damage.

There are different levels of "collateral damage". Both the US and Russia are measured to some degree ... neither are carpet bombing whole cities.

The Saudi's right now are the one's who are at the far end of the spectrum.. bombing the heck our of civilian populations who happen to be living in areas controlled by the enemy.

Not a peep from Kerry over that.

The 300,000 people killed so far due to arming Islamist Jihadists in Syria is the real War Crime Elephant in the room.

Arming these Islamists also led to the modern incarnation of ISIS = Elephant #2.

The propaganda machine is working overtime to generate false stories, misrepresent the truth, and/or cover these facts up.

 

[Abbazorkzog]

The USA is a Constitutional Republic, not a Democracy.

 

[thinkagain]

I had thought of you, when I read it. It's just your kind od fantasy, isn't it.

Name calling and demonization from the peanut gallery is expected but, is not an argument for much.

If you have something material to say - if you think something is not true - then say it. Otherwise it is obviously you that is living in the fantasy if all you can do is demonize and name call when confronted with information that conflicts with precious belief.

 

[rabbitcaebannog]

Before running out and finding a bunch of examples to show democracy is "alive and well" ... understand that I am only referring to certain areas that relate to specific foreign and internal US Policy. Policy that effects the Big Money, interests.

Sure there the raging masses are allowed to choose once in awhile. Pot in Colorado would be one example - this keeps the sheep thinking they actually have a choice.

When it comes to other area's - Foreign and internal military spending and policy for example - Democracy is Dead.

Defense contractors get rich off of war and military spending. Big Money (international financiers) make money off of financing both sides of the war through debt.

Foreign and domestic military policy is then driven by economic motive.

Syria for example was not on the radar until 2009 when it refused to allow a major oil pipeline to cross through Syrian Territory. Syria then needed to be punished.

When stuff like this happens a vast and well financed propaganda machine goes to work to convince the raging masses that military intervention is justified. This is called "Engineering Consent" or "Manufacturing Consent".

There are all kinds of think tanks who try to figure out the best ways to keep the Sheep in a state of confusion and ignorance. Various Gov't agencies - Pentagon, CIA, NSA, (and so on) start fabricating lies and misrepresentations. The mainstream media does its job by not doing it's job and promoting the party line. Bad things happen to mainstream journalists that step out of line.

The Target (Assad in this case) is demonized in order to justify destabilization of his country - in this case by having major nation states US, Saudi Arabia and Turkey (in complete violation of international law) gave massive amounts of arms and support to Islamist Jihadists in Syria.

The Jihadists - with massive amounts of arms and support from "Nation States" - took over most of Syria in very short order. Things then got out of hand as groups within these Jihadists decided to set up a caliphate - An Islamic State (IS) - ISIS.... and then moved into Iraq.

The propaganda machine then had to work overtime because it wanted to support the extremist Islamist Jihadists in Syria but they were a problem in Iraq.

A complete fiction was invented - The Jihadists in Syria were "Liberators" - the Free Syrian Army. The Jihadists in Iraq were "Terrorists".

There are numerous books that detail how consent is engineered and anyone who learns even a little about the region can see the big lie. This matters not because the raging masses in general have no time or inclination to look and in most cases they do not have the tools/(knowledge) to know what they are looking at.

Kerry goes on TV calling Russia "War Criminals" for killing civilians in Aleppo. The US (or our allies) kill civilians in Mosul and are called "liberators".

The mainstream media completely fails to point out this contradiction or the fact that our buddy "Saud" is doing far worse than either Mosul or Aleppo in Yemen.

The masses are so used to lies that they expect it. Go into any Pub and say "Politicians Lie" .... no one is going to disagree.

Say that the mainstream media lying clown show ... few will disagree (as long as it is kept general - right will agree that left lies and vice versa)

Say that the Pentagon, DOD, and various other (security based) Gov't institutions are massive liars and purveyors of propaganda ... then the room will go silent for a moment, after which you may have a war on your hands ... there will be disagreement.

The reason there is dissent is because the propaganda machine has done it's job. What percentage does not "support the military" "support the troops" "support the war effort" "Support the war on Terror"


Heck ... we support it so much we now believe it is our patriotic duty to give up the individual rights and freedoms and liberty on which this country was founded.


Democracy is dead/useless if the Sheep are brainwashed.

Great post! I just want to add that the so called mainstream media is owned by people who are owners of corporations. Journalist who work for them know who gives them their bread and butter, and so out the window goes objectivity or at the very least they filter a lot of what they have to say if it hurts the owners of the publication.

 

[thinkagain]

The USA is a Constitutional Republic, not a Democracy.

This does not change the fact that democracy (Gov't by the people/ control of Gov't by the people via democratic principles) is dead.

 

[late]

Representative government is not dead, but it is in trouble.

It usually is, you have to fight against the powerful, or things will get even worse. Which is the story of nearly every movement in our history.

 

[Unitedwestand13]

This does not change the fact that democracy (Gov't by the people/ control of Gov't by the people via democratic principles) is dead.

Hyperbole much?

People still have the power to vote.

 

[rabbitcaebannog]

The USA is a Constitutional Republic, not a Democracy.

Yes, and the cornerstone of our democracy is the unique privilege and responsibility of every citizen to be engaged through voting, public offices, representation in Congress.

I believe his point is we need an informed public. We depend on the media to inform us. Then he talked about how corrupt the "mainstream media" is and how it really isn't informing us on important matters with an objective lens. IMO, it is acting more like a tabloid.

 

[jet57]

Before running out and finding a bunch of examples to show democracy is "alive and well" ... understand that I am only referring to certain areas that relate to specific foreign and internal US Policy. Policy that effects the Big Money, interests.

Sure there the raging masses are allowed to choose once in awhile. Pot in Colorado would be one example - this keeps the sheep thinking they actually have a choice.

When it comes to other area's - Foreign and internal military spending and policy for example - Democracy is Dead.

Defense contractors get rich off of war and military spending. Big Money (international financiers) make money off of financing both sides of the war through debt.

Foreign and domestic military policy is then driven by economic motive.

Syria for example was not on the radar until 2009 when it refused to allow a major oil pipeline to cross through Syrian Territory. Syria then needed to be punished.

When stuff like this happens a vast and well financed propaganda machine goes to work to convince the raging masses that military intervention is justified. This is called "Engineering Consent" or "Manufacturing Consent".

There are all kinds of think tanks who try to figure out the best ways to keep the Sheep in a state of confusion and ignorance. Various Gov't agencies - Pentagon, CIA, NSA, (and so on) start fabricating lies and misrepresentations. The mainstream media does its job by not doing it's job and promoting the party line. Bad things happen to mainstream journalists that step out of line.

The Target (Assad in this case) is demonized in order to justify destabilization of his country - in this case by having major nation states US, Saudi Arabia and Turkey (in complete violation of international law) gave massive amounts of arms and support to Islamist Jihadists in Syria.

The Jihadists - with massive amounts of arms and support from "Nation States" - took over most of Syria in very short order. Things then got out of hand as groups within these Jihadists decided to set up a caliphate - An Islamic State (IS) - ISIS.... and then moved into Iraq.

The propaganda machine then had to work overtime because it wanted to support the extremist Islamist Jihadists in Syria but they were a problem in Iraq.

A complete fiction was invented - The Jihadists in Syria were "Liberators" - the Free Syrian Army. The Jihadists in Iraq were "Terrorists".

There are numerous books that detail how consent is engineered and anyone who learns even a little about the region can see the big lie. This matters not because the raging masses in general have no time or inclination to look and in most cases they do not have the tools/(knowledge) to know what they are looking at.

Kerry goes on TV calling Russia "War Criminals" for killing civilians in Aleppo. The US (or our allies) kill civilians in Mosul and are called "liberators".

The mainstream media completely fails to point out this contradiction or the fact that our buddy "Saud" is doing far worse than either Mosul or Aleppo in Yemen.

The masses are so used to lies that they expect it. Go into any Pub and say "Politicians Lie" .... no one is going to disagree.

Say that the mainstream media lying clown show ... few will disagree (as long as it is kept general - right will agree that left lies and vice versa)

Say that the Pentagon, DOD, and various other (security based) Gov't institutions are massive liars and purveyors of propaganda ... then the room will go silent for a moment, after which you may have a war on your hands ... there will be disagreement.

The reason there is dissent is because the propaganda machine has done it's job. What percentage does not "support the military" "support the troops" "support the war effort" "Support the war on Terror"


Heck ... we support it so much we now believe it is our patriotic duty to give up the individual rights and freedoms and liberty on which this country was founded.


Democracy is dead/useless if the Sheep are brainwashed.

Democracy, as such, does not run the markets or the federal budgets.

 

[rabbitcaebannog]

Hyperbole much?

People still have the power to vote.

I believe his point was that people are voting but are not well informed.

 

[rabbitcaebannog]

I have a feeling people know how many crotches Trump touched, but do not know his stance on foreign or fiscal policy. The media does this for a reason. He probably has no real stance on them.

 

[thinkagain]

Great post! I just want to add that the so called mainstream media is owned by people who are owners of corporations. Journalist who work for them know who gives them their bread and butter, and so out the window goes objectivity or at the very least they filter a lot of what they have to say if it hurts the owners of the publication.

Correct ... the Financiers of war also own the military. They make money off making and selling military equipment and by financing both sides of wars (through debt).

Promotion of War serves to destroy that equipment so more needs be built but also to create fear. The fear is used to justify - keep the citizens supporting the mass military spending.

The mainstream media promotes the military through fear (we must for our security) and other emotional triggers (Patriotism - we are the best and without this big military others will be able to push us around)

Then we use our military and/or influence to destabilize regions which create Jihadist wonderlands. These scary groups then create more fear which justifies further military spending .. and the cycle continues.

In 2000 - Total Military Spending was roughly 300 Billion. After 8 years of Bush it eclipsed 900 Billion and under Obama exceeded 1 Trillion.

Had we maintained spending (which was already ridiculously high and wasteful)- even increasing with inflation we could have diverted:

500 Billion/year x 16 years = 8 Trillion dollars to other places such as roads, infrastructure, technology, ramping up our economy to compete in the third millennium.

Instead we fed that money to the Oligopoly-Bureaucracy Fusion Monster that runs this pay to play nation.

 

[Skeptic Bob]

It isn't dead. But it is on life support. And there are a lot of powerful people trying to pull the plug.

 

[rabbitcaebannog]

Correct ... the Financiers of war also own the military. They make money off making and selling military equipment and by financing both sides of wars (through debt).

Promotion of War serves to destroy that equipment so more needs be built but also to create fear. The fear is used to justify - keep the citizens supporting the mass military spending.

The mainstream media promotes the military through fear (we must for our security) and other emotional triggers (Patriotism - we are the best and without this big military others will be able to push us around)

Then we use our military and/or influence to destabilize regions which create Jihadist wonderlands. These scary groups then create more fear which justifies further military spending .. and the cycle continues.

In 2000 - Total Military Spending was roughly 300 Billion. After 8 years of Bush it eclipsed 900 Billion and under Obama exceeded 1 Trillion.

Had we maintained spending (which was already ridiculously high and wasteful)- even increasing with inflation we could have diverted:

500 Billion/year x 16 years = 8 Trillion dollars to other places such as roads, infrastructure, technology, ramping up our economy to compete in the third millennium.

Instead we fed that money to the Oligopoly-Bureaucracy Fusion Monster that runs this pay to play nation.

War also serves another purpose, it allows the 'Masters of Mankind' (in Adam Smith's own words) to control people, land, resources and the massive accumulation of wealth.

 

[Abbazorkzog]

It isn't dead. But it is on life support. And there are a lot of powerful people trying to pull the plug.

Yep, its called "controlled opposition".

 

[thinkagain]

Hyperbole much?

People still have the power to vote.

What power does a vote have when the voter is brainwashed ? It is standard fair that an uneducated (in certain areas) and ignorant populace does not make for a functional democracy.

If Red and Blue are the same (with respect to the issues addressed in my post) ... both establishment puppets who do what Big Money wants in a pay to play system.

and, the power to vote is limited (for all intensive and realistic purposes) to Red or Blue. What power is this ?

The power to choose whether you get Sodomized by Big Bob or Big Jim ? That is a rather powerless situation don't you think ?

Let me see eeny meeny miny mo ...