Humanity is on the brink of extinction because of U.S. war addiction. But readers have the power to save humanity. This article explains how that is so.

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As preposterous as the title of this article may seem, stick with me and you will see the frightening reality of the matter.

Doomsday Around the Corner

The iconic, clever, and frightening "Doomsday Clock" was first published in 1947 by the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists. The Bulletin's first clock read "7 minutes to midnight." Now, more than 70 years later, it reads "2 minutes to midnight," and the president of the Bulletin tells us that we are at a point of "the new abnormal because there is nothing normal about the [current] complex and frightening reality" of an Armageddon. [1]

Armageddon may someday be a reality, not a scriptural prophecy. Nine countries in the world have nuclear weapons: U.S., UK, Russia, France, China, India, Pakistan, Israel, and N. Korea. Not all of them have signed a treaty agreeing to discontinue expanding their nuclear weapon capability. The U.S. has the most adversarial relations with three of those nations, China, North Korea, and Russia.

Current Tinderboxes

Some known flashpoints could trigger nuclear war. China and Taiwan are one. China threatens war if Taiwan is recognized by the U.S. as a separate state. Geological history tells us that long ago there was no Formosa Strait. People on "mainland" China could walk to Taiwan!

Russia and persistent enemy U.S. are another, particularly over the Ukrainian dispute. Americans need to know that the U.S. created NATO as an outpost for more plundering and for harnessing and harassing Russia.

Finally, Israel and its neighboring states constantly seem to be at flashpoints.

The U.S. Power Elites'Achilles Heel

Contrary to the opinion held by Lord Acton, the 19^th-century Member of England's Parliament, that "absolute power" is unbreakable, America's Power Elite have an Achilles' heel. The more powerful corporate power elite depend on politicians' favors or "props" to acquire, keep and grow their power.

Some Props the Politicians Give Industry

Subsidies to industry. Yielding to lobbyists. Allowing privatization of public resources. Allowing foreign currency speculation. Member of the "unholy" trinity of the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the World Trade Organization. The Federal Reserve Board, the "banksters'" own bank prop. Promoting the "free market". Fear-mongering over national debt. Allowing bad capitalism instead of good capitalism.[2] Allowing unsustainable development. Allowing economic disparities and poverty. Propagating and allowing self-serving propaganda, etc., etc.

That power is not absolute could be a safety valve for humanity. How so? Please keep reading.

2024 U.S. Presidential Campaign Proposal Spurned

I emailed the following proposed campaign promise to President Joe Biden, Dr. Jill Stein, and ex-president Donald J. Trump:

"My fellow Americans: I promise as your new President that all of you will be given the full rights & privileges provided by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. To all the world's Leaders I propose that we turn our swords into ploughshares. We must avoid ending humanity with a nuclear apocalypse. We must stop polluting Mother Earth. She is our only home. We must replace conflict with cooperation and international competition in sports and other endeavors such as the arts. Once elected I shall immediately start working on fulfilling these promises."

After several follow-ups, there was still nothing but silence from the three contenders. Biden, Stein, and Trump apparently seem concerned only about their own status and aspirations, and also including possibly avoiding the fate of JFK and not a twit about the fate of humanity.

Voters to the Rescue

Readers, as voters, collectively you have it in your power, believe it or not, to help save humanity! This revelation, paradoxically, came to me belatedly. You have the power because of the power elites' Achilles' heel.

At election time you can tell candidates in your district and nationwide that you will not vote for them if they:

>Allow subsidies to industry.

>Yield to lobbyists.

>Allow privatization of public resources.

>Allow foreign currency speculation.

>Support U.S. membership in International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the World Trade Organization.

>Support the Federal Reserve Board.

>Promote the "free market".

>Participate in fear mongering over national debt.

>Support bad capitalism instead of good capitalism.

> Allow economic disparities and poverty.

>Allow unsustainable development.

>Propagate and allow self-serving propaganda.

>Promote war and non-military operations used for forcing regime changes.

>Do not support the campaign promise presented to the 2024 presidential candidates.

Conclusion

Readers, i.e. voters, what say/vote you? For those of you who have offspring, the answer should be instantaneous and obviously in favor of your offspring!!!!

Notes

1. Bronson, R. A New abnormal: It is Still Two Minutes to Midnight. Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, January 24, 2019.

2. Brumback, G.B. Break Up the Corpocracy or Leave Democracy in the Lurch. Author House, 2011. Appendix C. Creative Economic Thinking from A to Z Minus E for Economists. Pp. 203-213.

Authors Bio:
Dr. Gary Brumback is a long-ago retired organizational psychologist turned "arm-chair peace and social justice activist.