The Evil Empire by Paul Craig Roberts
The US government is now so totally under the thumbs of organized interest groups that "our" government can no longer respond to the concerns of the American people who elect the president and the members of the House and Senate. Voters will vent their frustrations over their impotence on the president, which implies a future of one-term presidents. Soon our presidents will be as ineffective as Roman emperors in the final days of that empire.
Obama is already set on the course to a one-term presidency. He promised change, but has delivered none. His health care bill is held hostage by the private insurance companies seeking greater profits. The most likely outcome will be cuts in Medicare and Medicaid in order to help fund wars that enrich the military/security complex and the many companies created by privatizing services that the military once provided for itself at far lower costs. It would be interesting to know the percentage of the $700+ billion "defense" spending that goes to private companies. In American "capitalism," an amazing amount of taxpayers’ earnings go to private firms via the government. Yet, Republicans scream about "socializing" health care.
Republicans and Democrats saw opportunities to create new sources of campaign contributions by privatizing as many military functions as possible. There are now a large number of private companies that have never made a dollar in the market, feeding instead at the public trough that drains taxpayers of dollars while loading Americans with debt service obligations.
full aricle
http://original.antiwar.c...
Great post!
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Ron Paul Supporter Since 1997
`Wise people, even though all laws were abolished, would still lead the same life'- Aristophanes -
Nobody expresses the moral
Nobody expresses the moral debasement of the USSA more chillingly than Paul Craig Roberts. Everyone here should listen closely to this man. As former Assistant Secratary of the US Treasury he saw its evil workings up close and personal. This is another masterpiece from Roberts.
marlow
thanks Liberty
another great article.
I'm trying to make inroads at my church.
Based on the 2008 Book of Resolutions my Pastor gave me, the UMC resolves to "examine critically the causes of terrorism".
It is on this front that I will focus my efforts. I want to know exactly what the UMC is doing to "examine critically". I want to know if this personal relationship with God, that my church encourages me to foster, enables me to listen and discern what God tells me is right, or am I to remain silent? Well, I will not, no longer, I've had enough of this...
I want answers. I want my church to tell me who's going to stand up against this murder if not us? It's in our resolutions as a church. When I look at this situation I see it as a microcosm of our country. We say we believe in stuff but we do nothing to stand up for what we believe.
I hope, beyond hope, that things are changing...
Peace L_B
Hey trap!
Good to see you are still determined to continue your efforts with your Pastor and Church. I was not indoctrinated to any religion as I grew up so I was free to go to church or not. I visisted many different churches of all religions as a guest. I am personally comfortable not being affiliated with organized religion. That's just me..I respect everyones right to worship as they please and try to be respectful of others beliefs. I listen to my conscience and my heart..I think that's where God speaks to me.
Cowardice asks the question, 'Is it safe?'
Expediency asks the question, 'Is it politic?'
Vanity asks the question, 'Is it popular?'
But, conscience asks the question, 'Is it right?'
And there comes a time when one must take a position
that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular
but one must take it because one's conscience tells one that it is right.
~MLK
Peace and Love
*****
"I think we are living in a world of lies: lies that don't even know they are lies, because they are the children and grandchildren of lies." ~ Chris Floyd
Hi Liberty
Funny thing, I wasn't indoctrinated as I grew up either, I joined the United Methodist only 3 years ago at the age of 46.
Our family started attending and I liked the people there, I felt comfortable from the first visit. Our church puts it's major emphasis on helping others in the community. Food pantry's, Habitat for Humanity, feeding school children who are falling through the cracks etc.
It's just good for me to be around people who are "other-centered". My church is not perfect, if it were it wouldn't have me as a member. I'd say my church is far from fundamentalist and quite liberal in terms of personal beliefs and allows me the opportunity to admit that I have no idea really what God is. God is impossible for me to know but I have a feeling, which I hope is more than ego, that God is all the things that bring me closer to others. The absence of God is separation from others.
I read your post about your spiritual beliefs. I think we are much the same. In the words of the Gentle Giant, Don Williams..."I don't believe that heaven waits, for only those who congregate, I like to think of God as love, He's down below He's up above, He's watching people everywhere, He knows who does and doesn't care, and I'm an ordinary man, sometimes I wonder who I am...