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Rotting Fish
Congress has just failed to pass the 9/11 health care bill, which would have compensated and provided medical care for thousands of first responders, those who have become gravely ill from breathing toxic dust at the World Trade Center nearly nine years ago. Hundreds have already died. At the time, our government declared the air at Ground Zero safe, just as it had vouched that Agent Orange was harmless several decades earlier, or Corexit innocuous now. Soon enough, thousands of BP clean up workers will have to litigate, and many, if not most, will die before they'll see a penny. Same old, same old.
Opposing the 9/11 bill, many congressmen complained about its 7.4 billion price tag. Enough of big government, it's belt tightening time! We'll only loosen our purse string, of course, to assist distressed banks. In 2008, Washington gave $12.9 billion to Goldman Sachs, which came to $42 for every American man, woman and child, including the unemployed and the homeless. Come on, man, don't be so stingy! It's Goldman Sachs, dude! The 9/11 health bill would have cost each of us 24 bucks, but you must get your priorities straight, and our leaders, whether Republican or Democratic, always know who they must take care of first, last and always. Pennsylvania Avenue and Wall Street run in a loop.
Unlike Salahi or Lewinsky, Goldman Sachs alumni don't need ruses or tricks to party inside the White House. Guess whose head's been bobbing all this time? Speaking of noggins, here are some good news: Unlike in the Third World, where there's corruption at every level, where nearly everyone with any power, whether a policeman, fireman, clerk or teacher, uses it as leverage to earn a few extra bucks, we are, for now, only rotting at the top. Only our head stinks.
And boy, does it stink! This week, we learn that the Pentagon has "misplaced" $8.7 billion in Iraq reconstruction fund, money made from the sale of Iraqi oil and gas, and from assets frozen before we invaded. We stole their money, in short, and they are suing to get it back. White-collar thieves normally tweak ledgers, but the Pentagon was so corrupt, it didn't even bother. Billions have disappeared before without provoking an outrage. With our beer and SUV peddling media spewing nonstop garbage, nothing of consequence can stay in focus for long. Today's headline: "Animal Experts Debunk the Alpha-Dog Myth."
Until now, corruption has remained an abstraction to most Americans. That's why it doesn't quite hurt. Soon enough, however, expect to experience it up close. As all of our governments, from federal on down, continue to operate in the red, municipal wages will fail to keep up with costs of living. That's why petty graft will become a part of daily life, just like in the so-called developing world.
In fact, we are already a part of the undeveloping world. Are we not men? We are undevo. As we unravel, be prepared to pay traffic cops when they stop you for any violation, real or imagined. "Speeding? But I wasn't speeding, officer!" "Of course you were speeding." Be ready to tip teachers so they will give your kids a better grade and won't ignore them in class. As we slide, government will become much more inefficient, to the point where you must pay a bribe to get anything done. If you need a passport or a driver's license, there's no harm in greasing the palm of that unsmiling clerk.
The poorest Americans already know about the insolence, contempt or brutality of some petty officials, for they have longed experienced Third World conditions inside this "greatest of nations." For most of us, that sucker punch still coils. We're still number one, if only in our minds. Why, there's an impressive new skyscraper in downtown Manhattan, catty corner from the site of the World Trade Center. It's the new headquarters of Goldman Sachs. With a timely assist from American working stiffs, the world's leading swindling outfit is not doing too badly, it is clear. Should this gleaming edifice ever blow up, however, I'd advise future first responders to think twice before inhaling the pulverized banksters. These silk-suited gentlemen are more toxic than anything you can imagine.
38 Comments so far
Show AllFrom the article by Donna Smith:
"The failed bill was called the Zadroga Act, HR847, and it had 115 Congressional co-sponsors in the House. It was named for police officer James Zadroga, who died of respiratory ailments after working at ground zero."
Frank- you said, "This is the criminal cabal under which we slave. Shame on all of us for allowing it to continue."
A lot of people lately have been talking like there is some mysterious thing that we COULD be doing that we aren't.
I wish just once someone would mention what that is.
No shame, Frank. No shame. Shame makes us weak and unable to function correctly. These rotten criminals want us to feel ashamed for the pain and suffering that they cause, God Almighty and all of us know that THEY sure don't feel ashamed as they run off with millions and families of the dead and dying don't get squat!
If we feel ashamed, instead of empowering ourselves and each other, they will continue to get away with murder after greedy murder. These freaks are drowning in other people's blood, people that their greed and idiocy have killed. We don't want them drowning in our blood, too! That's just survival instinct. They have the money, they have the guns, they have bombs and prisons, and they have the resources to kill us all in our homes as we sleep...
So, ALLOWING it to continue? We aren't allowing it to continue, it's bigger than any of us. They keep trying to mix their fucked up, sick, sadistic, sociopathic world with our own, we don't even live in the same reality as they do, they must be from a different planet. Because last time I checked, I'm not from a place where it's okay to bomb or shoot children, or let corporate money hoarders dump a zillion gallons of oil into the ocean, then help them with the cover up by lying, nor is it okay in the world that I'm from to let people act with utmost bravery in the face of untold mortal danger, and let them die for others without taking care of their families. Our government must be completely out to lunch, or from a different, much crueler, dimension.
If you figure out a solution, let me know. But in the meantime, I'm not going to feel ashamed for the crimes committed by billionaires. I don't have to. I have to take care of my family and try to figure out how we're going to survive when their bullshit has completely stripped all evidence of kind, sane reality from us. Empower yourself, Empower others. It's no secret that these monsters are working to empower their own disgusting, wrong, agendas.
I have reached the point where I simply try to be satisfied if my own conduit is at least some semblance of a "right livelihood". I keep my personal carbon footprint small, rarely use a car or AC in the house, and collect signatures so a few Green Party candidates have a chance at being the ballot. Completely ineffective, because I'm the only one in my immediate community doing it. But it beats doing nothing, and as you pointed out I certainly can't be ashamed.
cash, rev charity, catz, sabo:
Excellent, soul searching conversation there...Your heart felt words alone should make "them" feel ashamed...
I don't see it this way, shame is a good thing, it tells you if your doing the right thing or the wrong thing.
I've posted many times the fact that the blood of these wars is on all our hands, untill we do something that actually stops it! Thats why the church I grew up in calls theses sins. The Sin of omission,"seeing what must be done and not doing it" The Sin of sloth,"Not getting up off your rear NOW and doing something to make things better" Sins can only be absolved after you do something to correct your fault.
Once upon a time I took an Oath; "To faithfully protect and defend the United States of America againts all enemies Forigen and DOMESTIC" every day I am ashamed, every time I read a newspaper, or the TV I'm ashamed, Sometimes I get so ashamed I need to do something. But I'm only one person I tell myself, and I'm ashamed.
>^^<
Catz, just by you writing that, your Oath has been fulfilled in one small way. There may be some assholes doing all the wrong things, but just by you, one person, wanting to do the right things, and writing that post telling us that your heart hurts that you can't do more to stop evil, you have influenced the future that is currently being created. So what do you do when the pain is overwhelming? Do you just feel ashamed and feel bad, or do you use that pain to spur you to action? Obviously, you spurred into action today, and wrote this post, and I, at least, agree with you. You gave me more conviction to do what's right. So you are influential, and being one person doing something is much better than being one person giving up because of helplessness and shame. Keep it up, keep being brave. Peace Eventually.
Charity
Frank, I love your honesty. Don't worry so much. Are you going to be able to mobilize 300 million people into civil disobedience? No. But at least 300 million of us feel in our heart of hearts that something is horribly wrong. We are controlled because of conditioning over a period of generations. There is a lot of fear in almost everyone, and a little trust hanging on there still, too, as well as the apathy and indifference you mentioned...which might come from fear and helplessness more that anything. The truth is that most people are so good, they have a hard time believing that the people in office could really be so fucking evil. If I am ashamed, it is because I haven't purged their corrupt, poisonous system from my life completely.
These guys are thinking in worldwide numbers now. Resistance of 300,000,000 would be a good start...but... we aren't resisting against the elite's stooges in office. ( I'm really wondering if ANY of those guys were really elected by a majority...)I guess some of the stooges in office are the ones we are resisting, but maybe they all have bosses, too. (no, not us, the American people, like we were taught in 3rd grade...)
They don't give a shit if we protest, they will just use our actions for data, and use that data to find a way to manipulate our outrage to their advantage...and meet our protest with either indifference or violence.
They may see us as a resource, like they see trees or salt, cadmium or silver. If we think of our civilization as a big garden, people that protest and try to act out are like weeds to them. They splice herbicides right into the DNA of veggies now so that they will live when sprayed by poison...and they are also ingraining metaphorical herbicide into people, so that those of us that are likely to protest will stick out like weeds, like baby burdock in a carrot patch. (sorry, I was weeding all day...)
The good thing about us having the will to live and live well, is that we can be empowered right now. We don't have to take it upon ourselves to do all of this overwhelming work ourselves, though. We don't have to get 300 million people to stop shopping, consuming, or banking. We have to work together to offer alternatives. We aren't the only ones that are starting to figure out what's really going on!
They will only give a shit if we (their broken-backed slaves) stop relying on them. They don't want us to know that we have all that we need without them. We,however, can feel confident that they won't help us, anyway. With anything.
We want to know what WE can do.
Embrace local forms of exchange! Trade. Start a local currency in your community. Help people to learn to be prosperous without U.S. dollars. They have brainwashed us into forgetting what is really important. If money is the most important thing to those bastards, let them have it. We should treat Federal Reserve Notes like we treat any other toxic thing in our lives. Strive to eliminate all Federal Reserve Notes from your life, and trade and build community like you're trying to save your life, as well as all of theirs...many communities of the world are already embracing local currency. Fall away from the current corrupt system as if it was carcinogenic.
It just takes someone to put it together and show their community how they, too, can trade their skills and talent for things they need. Contrary to the belief of the out of touch sick psychopathic greedy imbeciles in office, millions of unemployed people really do want to make a worthwhile contribution to society. They aren't deadbeats. If people are shown that they can make a difference through work, and their work impacts their immediate lives instead of some corporation, they will be very interested in helping.
As this self-reliance and steadfast reliance on community grows, so will people's awareness of reality. We will stop thinking that we need U.S. imperial blood money to live. It might not be the right now answer you need to satiate your impatience with your fellow countrymen, but I'd suggest that if you are able, go door to door and talk to your neighbors about how they feel. You'll find that you aren't alone in your feelings of helplessness. I'm sure of it. You seem thoughtful and aware, and fed up. They need encouragement. You have clearly been able to find awareness, so may they be ready to embrace awareness, but are just needing validation and empowerment.
Since these selfish creatures act like they are from another world, and are all snarky and smug, and dramatic, I say we treat them like we treat other toxic people in our lives. With indifference and avoidance. Stop validating them with your energy and your fear...that's what they want to see- Us all afraid and unable to help ourselves. I definitely share your frustration, Frank! But I'm sure that the majority of the world's population that aren't brainwashed until they are vegetables feel the same way.
We don't need the media to make this happen, just our convictions and right thought and action. Thanks for writing back. Peace! Love to all who care to accept it...
Charity
Peddling rediscover911.com disturbs me. I do agree that the 911 false flag was ridiculously blatant: fine. But the anti-Jewish assumptions of your favorite site undermine the purpose of the truth movement. First step: convince people that the official version is an absurd fairy tale. We haven't accomplished the first step.
Golly Gee. I posted a response to you, Frank Cash, saying that although I do what I can to get people to realize that the 911 hoax is absolutely blatant, I really don't like the anti-Jewish tone of rediscover911.com. We have to be really careful to distinguish Zionism from Judaism, and I don't see that on that site. I hope this message goes through.
Should have seen it coming, when Bush tried to get rid of the VA as too costly, He had the idea of just dumping them on Workers Conpensation, to treat their alledged war injuries.
I can see it now! A great jobs support program for Workers Comp Attorneys! each case argued to death on it's merits. Somehow I don't ee it in the Join the Army Commercials..
>^^<
Great article, as always from this writer. How sad that so few people will read it and take heed.
But we don't have corruption in the good ol USA - it is institutionalized and perfectly legal.
Quite right, Socialist. We have legalized corruption which we call freedom, democracy and the free market system.
Once again, something has gone horribly, purposefully, wrong. These guys in our Congress must be a bunch of idiots. How did they get there? How are they still there? Why are we playing by their rules? What in the world is going on here? Give the families of those brave Emergency Responders help, you sick bastards!
If this the best the self called "Greatest Nation in the World and the greatest nation that has ever been" can do, it does not speak well for the species does it?
The fact is, for the rest of the world, the United States of America as it currently constituted is only the greatest of "Bad examples".
Why the peoples of the world would want to emulate that failure is beyond me.
This the end result of the inndividual and self interest promoted above the community. The USA has become the Mutineers on Pitcairns Island, so concerned with the self there will be one Man left standing calling himself "The Winner" because he will get all the women.
In such a world only the "pyschopath" can "win".
Nothing has "gone wrong". It's all functioning exactly as it is intended. What you see as politics - congress, senate, speeches, debates, squabbles by politicians, etc., are mere theatre. The real work is being done in sealed rooms, behind the scenes, at international gabfests out of sight and hearing of the public/citizens. That's why people riot at G20 conferences. The government processes we learned about in Grade 6 are irrelevant except as ways to manipulate and anesthetize the citizens. They often sound insane, but the congress rats know what buttons to push to allow the Shadow Elite to function undisturbed. As long as you cling to the notion of political structure and function learned in Grade 6, nothing will make sense. Give it up. Think of Julius Caesar and how he used the mob/rabble/common citizenry and then discarded them. Watch a film, "Lord of War". It's not cynicism on my part, or it appears so only if you cling to expectations raised by Grade 6 Civics lessons. The political world just runs differently from what we have been taught to expect. You should say, "Of course!" when you see that Chelsea has married Goldman-Sachs.
Except the stink is seeping out of the sealed rooms and the pretense of Democracy can not be maintained much longer. Even a 6th grader is starting to understand that.
Get a stronger deodorant.
I received an incredibly wise piece of advice from a pimp in New York, way back in the late 60's (on my way to Woodstock), when I was still active in demonstrations and causes. He snorted, "Morals: the rich don't need'em and the poor can't afford'em."
Revolution is the only answer, but we're not offended enough yet at the stench. Nothing will improve till enough people have nothing left to lose.
At which point the wealthy will have vacated and will be spreading agent orange and depleted uranium throughout the land.
Or oil all over the coasts and rivers, toxic sludge slides from strip mining coal, wars in the jungles of Congo, blood diamonds, garbage gyres, dead wildlife, depleted forests...and so it goes.
I guess I'm ticked off because I sent a small fortune to the Haiti disaster. and look how it helped! I suppose I should take comfort that some ambitious NGO-critter got him/herself a better quality safari outfit to look good for the photo ops. Not even mentioning all the well-heeled of the 1st World who saw Haiti as an opportunity and continued their plunder. Even with Haitians eating mud to survive, apparently the ungrateful wretches still have a few gourdes tucked away in their rags, of which the high-and-mighty feel more deserving.
It's not corruption, sad to say; it's the way the game is really played. Are we better off for finding out? Can/should we accept our impotence or irrelevance and see to it that we live our tiny private lives as "morally" as possible?
I admire the work of Zinn, Chomski, Goldstone, Benjamin, Cook, Ralston Saul, and so many others whose vision is clear and true, including the author of this article. I hope their words restore people's ability to redefine, to label, to identify the issues in order to reclaim their rightful power and impose better rules.
Until that takes place, global humanity is either fodder (to be exploited) or an irritant (to be eliminated) to the Shadow Elite.
Mrkns, ignorant and disdainful of education, "pointy-headed intellectuals," and "the elite," completely deserve the government they get from the whores they elect.
Looked at education lately, I've seen the product anyway, and I've seen better out apprentceships. Todays colleges do such a lousy job of edcation, they should be issuing their diplomas in crayon!
>^^<
...on toilet paper.
I bet you're one of the few who rarely use your car in the house.
... The effective result of "free market", "trickle-down", "supply-side" economics coming from Reagan Republicans in 1980 and then confirmed by so-called "New Democrats", co-founded in 1975 by William "Slick Willie" Clinton.
Barrack "Smooth Operator" Obama carries the "New Democrats" to a higher level.
Let's all sing along and BE HAPPY ... !!!
Sade singing “Smooth Operator”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ftl0k3C0ddo&NR=1
That is a well-crafted post.
"It don't matter which way the water swirls when you're
going down the toilet."
Good article.
Both the senate and house needs to be swept clean. Everyone of those leeches should be VOTED out of office. These clowns get the best health care while the 911 first responders get zilch! These clowns appropriate billons to give to Pakistan to improve that countrys roads, and other critical infrastructures and again the 911 first responders get nothing! The hill was only too glad to bailout wall street while 911 responders get the finger from our representatives. Vote them ALL out!
Who would be better choices? Who should the people choose to run rather than have some faceless group put candidates forward at the behest of monied interests who would then pay for the candidates to do THEIR bidding once elected? Vote them all out certainly but who shold be voted IN?
Athenian democracy worked in a much better way IMHO.
What they would do is everyone eligible to vote would show up at a public meeting. 500 names of those in attendance would be pulled out of "hat" drawn by lot.
The people would then vote on them. (This is the general description of how they did it rather then one of specifics)
There were no career politicians in this manner. "Lobbyists" would have to lobby the entire citizenry. The people could also vote to ostracize a corrupt politician. At oneof these meetings if a vote of 2/3rds of the people was made to exile a politician, said politician would be forced to leave Athens.
Everyone froma Cobbler to a blacksmith and from a soldier to a landowner could be elected to office.
6 or 10 years later repeat the cycle.
Yes, and they managed to execute Socrates.
Unless you were a slave, of which there were plenty. Or a woman.
I was not commenting on whether or not women or the slaves could vote. I was commenting on the system they used to select Candidates to run for office.
As to women and blacks having the "Right to vote" today, I would refer you to the Commentary of Helen Keller who in correspondence with a with a British counterpart who was working on universal suffrage pointed out....
That in several hundred years of history the masses of British MEN had the right to vote and the majority of them were still living in poverty and in a system where the Politicians were still the servants of their true masters, those being the Landowners and Capitalists. She wondered why it was that such a small NUMBER of men could have such inordinate influence wherein their causes were more readily taken up by the Government of the day over the causes of the many. She wondered if having the right to vote really made a difference in such a system.
She pointed out Black men in the USA had "the right to vote" yet were still being lynched from trees in the South and forbidden from drinking from the same fountains as the Whites.
I would point out that here we are some 80 years after women got the right to vote and the USA still does not have Universal health care. The Military Industrial Complex is stronger then ever. 1 trillion a year are spent on arms while millions of women live in poverty. Womens access to abortions are being Curtailed. Banks are receiving trillion dollar payouts as hundreds of thousands lose homes and their life savings.
Whether men, women, Blacks, Chinese, can VOTE in the system as it is currently constituted seems to make very little difference. The Government STILL serves the wishes of The Corporations and those of Wealth and the SYSTEM as constituted ensures that only the very wealthy or those that SERVE the same can become part of that Government.
Helen Keller saw this 80 years ago.
I suggested a means by which democracies could try and limit the influence of wealth on the Political system wherein those elected to office would more closer reflect the makeup of the society and where the influence of those with money was limited.
Congress has a 16% approval rating because we all can smell the rotting fish hundreds of miles away from the scene in D.C.. What stinks are the very institutions of government. Something at a foundational level, how we are represented and how laws are deliberated is fundamentally foul. Let's rethink the committee structure of the House, the need for a Senate, the imperial power of Presidency. These places are where the fish rot. W'ell get no help from our representatives or the media. They seem bemused by the anger of the electorate. Why are we so mad? Why are we so naive? Don't we know that this is just the way things work? In fact our representatives have gotten so used to the smell that they actually seem to like it. They have to go too.