Bill, you barely scratched the surface. Of course to name all betrayals would have to be a book!  Missing eighteen Arabs in Flight School to fly "Big Birds", Outing CIA agents, moving Nuclear warheads, murder, Enron, Wall Street collapse, Signing Statements, Civil Liberties, Pre-Emptive Stirkes, Alberto Gonzales,  White House Legal Staff memos on Torture, subversion of the Constitution he swore to uphold, hanging Sadam Hussein, silencing Bruce Ivins, hiring Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, saying "Bring'em On", forging Yellowcake, "Put options" on UA stock trading at 100 X volume, killing all aboard UA Flight 93, and finally, reading a childs book while Americans were dying. (like a deer in the headlights)

by kato krause (2 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 216 comments [1 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Saturday, Oct 25, 2008 at 8:34:03 PM

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Kato,

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.  You're right, I couldn't deal with all of that in any detail.  Too much demand on the reader, so thank you so much for listing all that filth -- this way, a reader of my piece will probably go on to see your list which tremendously adds to the horror. 

I know that's an odd word to use, but we've been so off the chart for these last eight years, that's the shoe that best fits for me.  My God, just think of the HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of deaths, for openerS.  Deaths of children as well as our courageous military.

I just can't STAND the thought that millions of Americans (not just the scabs and enablers) are unwilling or unable to REALLY take it in that this hasn't been just a few bad years and a few financial problems -- it has been the HORROR of killing the environment, killing the economy, killing our Constitutional Republic, and most of all killing literally hundreds of thousands of people just to make those elite bastards even richer than Midus. 

If the dems manage to not be destroyed by election fraud, I think the first thing on the agenda should be to translate all this horror into criminal accountability, and then prison  itself.  And who knows, what else.  If the 9/11 infinite treason comes out . . . well, these devils from hell better say their prayers.

by W. Christopher Epler (Bill) (291 articles, 59 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 763 comments [44 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Saturday, Oct 25, 2008 at 8:57:08 PM

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The sheer volume of the criminality is the message.  For me.

These guys (and 1 gal), have commited more crimes than anyone could ever imagine, let alone believe possible.

And that is antithesis of truth: it is beyond belief.  The thesis of truth is that must always and forever be the case -- or it can't be the truth.

The synthesis of truth into its inherent wholeness happens when belief and all the available facts come together to form experience. 

It is through the mental and emotional processing of our experiences, individually and socially, that knowledge is formed.

To avoid the widespread knowledge of who or what has come to pass these last eight years, opinion leaders and agenda setters simply have to behave as if all the facts are simply unbelievable.

Repeating the message of unbelievability suppresses the ability of the majority of Americans to process the available data and form experience.  It's what the Nazis learned how to do to the German people and it's what they've been doing to us these past eight years.

The core crime in this latest fuge of criminality began when LBJ was allowed to get away with murder in his political rise to power...first in Texas, then on the national stage.  The utter guile of LBJ's enablers since that time shattered the social conscience into conspirators and those conspired against.  Once again, like all conspiracies, history has become an issue of haves and have nots.  Those who have the information can exploit their advantage over those who do not have the information.  In this case, the information happens to be the truth of the matter.

The truth is that the antisocial have been permitted to become the rich and powerful members of society, rotting all institutions to their core.

But the rot began long before the foundation of this republic and was, quite probably, the key observation made at the Roman Empire by Jesus of Nazareth: love one another.  The implication there being that any state that would crucify its members to enforce discipline is not loving.  An understatement, to be sure.

There is a vacuum of communal spirit and intent behind the behaviors of the rich and powerful of this world at this time.  They try to cover this sad fact up by trumpetting their humanitarian accomplishments using the printing presses that they alone own.  But no behavior, no series of achievements, can change or mask the true intent behind human volition.

If the intent behind my actions is unloving, the consequences of my actions will likewise be unloving, and, therefore, antisocial.

We can not allow the antisocial among us to lead -- ever.  It does not matter how many well-designed programs for our betterment they develop for us; until the rich and powerful confront and overcome their own antisocial impulses, their presence only continues the tearing, the fracturing and the shattering of the social fabric.

What we have confronting us at this time in history -- again -- is a problem among the rich and powerful themselves.   A problem that they have historically refused to confront and overcome, thereby turning into utter doggerel their claims of superiority and leadership.

Left to their own devices, human beings become amoral, pleasure-seeking voids of competence.  Once addicted to their narcissism, they compulsively seek to breathe life into a dead image that is no more real than the shadow they cast.

Those who seek to hide light from the people, seek to destroy their communities and their homes.  Shadows are all these people have left as proof of their station.

Seek the Light.

by Richard Volaar (39 articles, 0 quicklinks, 150 diaries, 477 comments [63 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Oct 26, 2008 at 10:36:58 AM

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A great article to share with those who can't or won't "go there" yet with the truth of 9/11 . . .  These words may have the power to begin to knock down the wall with some.  I will be sharing it with many today . . .  : )

Thanks, Bill. 

Betsy 

by Betsy (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 19 comments) on Sunday, Oct 26, 2008 at 10:48:41 AM

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Events ever since 911 have made me nauseated most of the time, especially to see the gullibility and lazy cowardice of the American people.  Bush stole most of my love of my country.  He helped me to realize that I live in a nation of crooks, suckers, and lazy cowards.  Home of the Cowards.  Land of the Slaves.

When Americans let the first TV set in to their home, they abandoned their privacy and freedom.  The TV took care of what remained of their common sense.  It isn't even tragic.  It's just another damn farce.

by John Hanks (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1760 comments [39 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Oct 26, 2008 at 10:59:28 AM

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John,

You and I don't alwalys agree (which is normal), but when we DO agree it's 100%. 

9/11, 9/11, 9/11, 9/11, 9/11!!! 

God, I couldn't agree more that this was the beginning of the end.  There's a woman whose office is opposite of  mine who is a VERY passionate and insightful liberal (she has a legal background, so I'm always picking her brains about how to interpret certain things), and almost to the instant that we heard about the towers, we came out of our offices and KNEW it is was contrived. 

Lots of folks were still in shock and swallowed the bs that this was terrorism from the skies, but she and I knew with absolute certainty (I know that's overstating it, but I'm talking about our gut instincts), that the Bush/fascists were behind it.  I might add that we ALSO both instantly knew that this horror was engineered with significant help from, let's just say, certain Middle Eastern friends.  

Anyway, details aside, we didn't believe for a second that this was some kind of random Muslim terrorism.  To the contrary, we knew this was a measure of how willing the neocons (and their Middle Eastern advisors) were to engineer an infinite treason, just to get Bush out of the political toilet -- plus lots of bennies for the head of the neocon tail.

Until our country confronts at least most of the truth of 9/11, we will be a country without a soul.  

Will this ever happen.  I don't know, but I think if Obama gets in with a landslde, we probably will very gradully start the wheels of justice turning.

Something can be totally buried only so long as the powers that be demand it, and when there's a reformation of the powers that be, then things have a way of turning out to be very much within reach. 

It's like the kid with his finger in the dike (the fascist/pug's finger).  Once the finger is removed then Katie bar the door.

by W. Christopher Epler (Bill) (291 articles, 59 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 763 comments [44 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Oct 26, 2008 at 12:26:37 PM

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"This is all about clinging to fossil fuels in order to make pig, pig rich people, pig, pig richer."

Is it really? Do you seriously think that the people putting out this nonsense for example, are really all that concerned about "oil" or "money"? I think not.

by Harold Smith (0 articles, 3 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 556 comments [1 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Oct 26, 2008 at 11:41:34 AM

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ElBaradei: Iran is nowhere near nukes Mon, 20 Oct 2008 19:10:11 GMT

UN nuclear watchdog chief Mohamed ElBaradei disputes Western claims about Iran, saying the country is far from developing nuclear weapons. In response to fears that Iran aims to develop an atomic bomb, ElBaradei said the country does not have the needed nuclear material to build one. "They as I just recently mentioned still don't even have the nuclear material, the low-enriched uranium, to develop one nuclear weapon," the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief said in a Monday address at London City Hall. Elbaradei's remarks come as the US, Israel and their European allies allege that Iran, a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), seeks nuclear weaponry. The latest IAEA report on Iran's nuclear activities, however, read, "The agency has been able to continue to verify the non-diversion of declared nuclear material in Iran." The September report also confirmed that the agency had conducted 'seventeen unannounced inspections' at the country's nuclear plants, where Iran has managed to enrich uranium-235 to a level 'less than 5 percent'. The rate is consistent with the construction of a nuclear power plant. Nuclear arms production requires an enrichment level of above 90 percent. The report added that the IAEA had not discovered any 'components of a nuclear weapon' or 'related nuclear physics studies' in Iran, confirming that all nuclear material in the country 'remain under agency (IAEA) containment and surveillance'. Iran says it is entitled to civilian nuclear technology and its nuclear activities are solely directed at generating electricity for its growing population. Elbaradei stated that 'as long as Iran is under the safeguard, it cannot develop nuclear weapons'. "But even if they decide to walk out tomorrow from the non-proliferation treaty - and you go into a lot of scenarios - it is not that we are going to see Iran tomorrow having nuclear weapons." Despite the IAEA assertions about the non-deviation of Iran's nuclear activities, Israel, the sole possessor of a nuclear arsenal in the Middle East, has threatened to strike Iranian nuclear facilities. Earlier in September, French president Nicolas Sarkozy said, "We could find one morning that Israel has struck (Iran)," adding that no one would question the legitimacy of such an act of aggression.  http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=72738&sectionid=351020104

by Sheila Samples (54 articles, 6158 quicklinks, 44 diaries, 597 comments [28 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Oct 26, 2008 at 11:58:42 AM

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Sorry but it's not clear to me what your point is.

As far as my first post is concerned, I was merely pointing out that the architects of Bush administration policies are not driven by "greed", per se, but apparently by an insane, racism-based ideological fixation that seeks to start WW3 in the Mid-east.

If these "people" are not confronted and stopped, and their demonic "ideals" repudiated, they will continue to be a threat to the whole world, long after Bush is gone.

If we keep telling ourselves it's all about money, oil, etc., we lessen our chances of successfully confronting this evil, don't we?

by Harold Smith (0 articles, 3 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 556 comments [1 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Oct 26, 2008 at 1:24:02 PM

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...and I think we can agree that it probably doesn't matter.

Once rabidly antisocial, Machiavellian-like behavior has been identified beyond any reasonable doubt, it's time to start the, "reverse body snatchers," response: that horrified, gruesome pointing and screeching that no one can ignore. 

I don't know why that CodePink lady tried to be civil with the handcuffs and the speeches...she should have simply slapped the cuffs on Rove and forced him into a submission position.  That is what America needed to see, not Rove swatting at her moral authority as if she were a gnat or a fly. 

Instead, she hesitated -- she showed deferrence to authority simply because one or two members of legitimate authority are trying to keep the revolution from turning physical and, potentially, violent.  That would be admirable, except that the rot is systemic and things need to be taken down to their foundation, once again.

James Madison didn't believe in democracy -- quite the contrary.  And that was the End in the Beginning.

I believe in democracy.  I believe that as awkward and inefficient as it can sometimes be, it is the best that the human race can do for itself.  It won't be perfect, but it won't be lethal, either. 

It will be incredibly boring as most good relationships tend to be.

by Richard Volaar (39 articles, 0 quicklinks, 150 diaries, 477 comments [63 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Oct 26, 2008 at 2:02:45 PM

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Nah, I Don't Think That's Precisely It, Either...

You're welcome to your own opinion of course, but people do things for a reason, even evil people, and I think the facts support my statements. If you've got a compelling argument in favor of something else. I'd like to hear it.

...and I think we can agree that it probably doesn't matter.

Well of course I don't agree with that; it really does matter.

Once rabidly antisocial, Machiavellian-like behavior has been identified beyond any reasonable doubt, it's time to start the, "reverse body snatchers," response: that horrified, gruesome pointing and screeching that no one can ignore. 

Generally, when I confront a problem, any problem, I like to know as much as I can about it. You don't?

James Madison didn't believe in democracy -- quite the contrary.  And that was the End in the Beginning.

Depending on precisely what you mean by "Democracy", I don't believe in it either, for that matter.

I believe in democracy.  I believe that as awkward and inefficient as it can sometimes be, it is the best that the human race can do for itself.  It won't be perfect, but it won't be lethal, either. 

LOL! Well of course it will be lethal! In it's most fundamental form, "Democracy" is nothing but mob rule, and mobs can be ugly or easily be manipulated into ugliness. That much should be clear to you by now.

by Harold Smith (0 articles, 3 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 556 comments [1 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Oct 26, 2008 at 2:30:12 PM

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Harold,

Ok, I now see more of what you're talking about and, yes, I do agree that these nationalistic fixations, all mixed together with associated religious lunacies play a VERY large role in what's been happening -- to oversimplify it, a brand new "crusade", driven by American and other Middle Eastern relilgious fanaticisms.

My species mind set thing is still my ultimate take on everything, but I well realize it's not terribly useful for specific strategies and probably should be set forth only in a piece for which that is the central theme (in point of fact, I've already written a couple such pieces).

Anyway, as I say, I think I understand more why you don't want to make money THE critical variable.  For the record, one of the reasons I didn't push the psycho nationalism and religious fanaticsm theme more is that I think their tide has already come in and is now going out.  The religious crazies, of all countries, just don't seem to me to have the clout they had, say, 4 years ago. But the money vampires are stronger than ever. 

In any case, it's a nauseating can of worms, isn't it? 

I know this is only indirectly related to what we're talking about, but my deep hope is that real accountability will return with Obama -- and that means prison will return as well.

Bill 

by W. Christopher Epler (Bill) (291 articles, 59 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 763 comments [44 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Oct 26, 2008 at 3:34:49 PM

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Harold,

Agreed, that line left out too much.  Frankly, it's as carryover of when I DID think the elite's lust for money basically explained everything

Now, however, I no longer think that.  

Mostly now (and I know this is going to sound very abstract) I think it's the acting out of the delusional mind set of our species.   In short, all this chaos and misery is ultimately a "species" problem.  This is not a new realization since the "delusional mind set" is basically what the orient has meant by "maya" for centuries.

However, it's almost moot to suggest this (even if it's true, which I am totally convinced it is) because there's really no way we can systematically deal with such a condition, because transcending "consensus reality" (another way to put it) can only be done one life form at a time.  

Also, even in the land of maya, there's also other factors at work besides money, e.g., religious fanaticism -- and probably a few other critical variable too dark for us to even make out.

Bill

by W. Christopher Epler (Bill) (291 articles, 59 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 763 comments [44 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Oct 26, 2008 at 1:15:06 PM

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Harold,

Me again.  I checked out your link.  Very, very sobering.  You know, Harold, I know I'm repeating myself, but I don't like to oversimplify things, especially when our country and planet is at stake, and I'm very glad you sent that response to me because you're absolutely right. 

I used to have a more mulit variable take on current events, but then when I realized how much the elites were controlling the planet, I increasingly decided they were THE critical variable -- you know, a kind of money is the root of all evil.

However, I see now that I ran with that "too" far, since, as you point out, the larger context of events has to do with much more than monely. 

So, I seem to be coming full circle back to my original more convoluted uinderstanding of events.

I guess what we're both saying is that evil has many faces.

Solidarity, Bill

by W. Christopher Epler (Bill) (291 articles, 59 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 763 comments [44 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Oct 26, 2008 at 5:21:29 PM

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...a messiah from one of our two leaden-footed major political parties?  Not likely.  From the emergence of a new majority political party bent upon reform?  Not born of an electorate nutured and devoted to slavish partisanship to one or the other of the current two quite similar parties.  From a revolution ignited by a very few courageous idealists?  Hmmm...the forbidden concept, the enemy of fictional America...but yes, and lest we forget, the means by which this once republic was founded.

by Rafe Pilgrim (63 articles, 0 quicklinks, 19 diaries, 84 comments [12 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Oct 26, 2008 at 1:24:47 PM

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Are you sure you shouldn't be posting at Free Republic?

The answer to your poorly phrased question is, Yes, Obama will be MUCH better than Bush, just as Clinton was MUCH better than Bush.

by Steven Leser (255 articles, 58 quicklinks, 38 diaries, 2147 comments [63 recommended, 2 rejected]) on Sunday, Oct 26, 2008 at 2:01:04 PM

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...apparently narrow partisanship, unwarrented assumptions, faulty logic and bad manners go together.  The republic (note small "r") may be in for more trouble than even I expected.  After eight years of Bushco treachery, I am uncertain that such will be much improvement.  Pity.

by Rafe Pilgrim (63 articles, 0 quicklinks, 19 diaries, 84 comments [12 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Oct 26, 2008 at 4:54:43 PM

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Not that McCain will be any better, he won't, but Obama will be equally inefficient. Obama is supported by the Trilateral Commission folks, the ones that bring one world government, like all the rest of the political heavy weights, Republican and Democrat alike.

Americans are so severely  traumatized by the Bush disaster that they're willing to forget history and elect another fraud while being continually propagandized to do so with faith.

This isn't a two-party system, it's a one-party system with two factions. Believing that change will take place with Obama is delusional.

Insanity is defined as doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Republicans and Democrats have ruled this country for 190 years and we're about to allow them to do so for at least 4 more years if not 8. That's insanity.

Democracy? What's that? Representation? Never heard of it. This system provides an illusion of participation with a vote every four years which simply allows a "here today, gone tomorrow" politician to fill a position for four or eight years while the strings are pulled behind the scenes.

We haven't yet learned. Obama hold people accountable? Yeah, right. Look at who his supporters are. Obama release us and others from the devastation of war? Who are you kidding? You haven't paid attention to his platform? What's up with the blind faith amongst intellectual men? 

by jeff prager (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 188 comments) on Monday, Oct 27, 2008 at 1:02:19 PM

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