Sound Money and Schoolyard Politics

szandorblestman.com

Economics is not rocket science. In fact, most everyone learns the basics of economics when they’re children. It’s quite simple, really, like math. If you have something I want and I have something you want, we can trade. We’re both happy. That’s really about it. Oh, sure, there are subtleties involved and other considerations to take into account, but those are really more about psychology and human behavior rather than economics. At its most basic level, economics is simply about how one acquires stuff.

Let’s say, for instance, that we’re two kids in a schoolyard. You have a small bouncy ball that I want. Sure, I could try to knock you down and take it from you if I was a bigger and stronger kid than you, but we all know that’s not very nice. That’s not a very good way to make friends. Not too many people like a bully. It’s also not very good economics. I might be happy, but you’re not going to be. We’ll call this theft. I think it’s safe to say that it’s more or less universally accepted that theft is wrong and those who engage in such practices need to stopped, punished and taught that theft is not acceptable no matter how big and strong one is.

Suppose then, that I decide to go about trying to obtain the ball in a more civil manner. I check in my pocket and find I have some jacks. So I offer you one in exchange for the ball. You’re not entirely certain about the trade, so I offer you two. You accept and now we’re both happy. Simple. One plus one equals two.

Now let’s make things a little more complicated. Little Jimmy has been watching us and wants to know what’s been going on. He comes over and sees your ball. Suddenly, he wants to trade for it too. He looks at what I’m offering and notices that my jacks are a little worn and slightly corroded. His are nice and new and shiny. It’s obvious that you, being the only one in the schoolyard with a small bouncy ball can now determine for yourself which person you want to trade with, if either, and the amount of jacks you can ask for. It’s not quite as simple as earlier, but it’s still voluntary and two of the three people are going to end up happy.

Now let’s go even further. Little Suzy has noticed three boys gathered together and wonders what it’s all about. She comes over and sees the colorful little ball and has decided she wants it too. It turns out she has candy to trade. Well, who wouldn’t trade a colorful little rubber ball for some sweet candy? The boys with the jacks are sweating it now as they dig in their pockets for more neat stuff to try to win the ball, and maybe even some candy. Things have become a little more complicated, but everyone’s more or less acting civilly toward one another and no one’s going to trade something for something else they don’t want.

Well, let’s say this goes on for awhile. Other children show up with marbles, more candy, more rubber bouncing balls, jacks, dice, cards, matchbox cars, all kinds of things to trade. There’s now a regular smorgasbord of trading going on. Everyone’s trying to find something to trade and something to trade for. It might look a little chaotic, but all the kids are more or less satisfied with the deals they’re getting. Some might be looking to trade up and get something to trade for something else, but others are getting exactly what they want and walking away. They are doing what kids do. And they are deciding for themselves what they want to receive and what they are willing to give up. Most of them are going to be happy with their trades, even those who decide to simply keep what they have and maybe try to trade again tomorrow.

Ah, but now a shadow creeps onto the schoolyard. He sees the large gathering of kids, and he doesn’t necessarily like what’s going on. He looks in his own pocket and finds that he doesn’t have much the other kids would want, and he smirks. He doesn’t think it’s very fair. Then he smiles. He realizes that he has something the other kids don’t have. He has his size and his muscles. He’s been held back a couple of years and he’s the biggest and strongest kid at school. He’s quite intimidating. We’ll call him Dick.

Dick has a pocket full of toothpicks and an idea. He marches over to the gathering determined to get a piece of the action. He quickly assesses the situation and makes the announcement that the students are no longer allowed to trade amongst themselves without his approval. There is too many of them crying that things are unfair. He is there to make sure that trade is kept as fair as possible. He is going to take all the stuff and in exchange he will give the kids an amount of toothpicks depending on the stuff they have. Only the kids he decides will trade in a fair manner will be able to trade the other stuff for the toothpicks. He will then allow the kids to use the toothpicks to get back their stuff and to “buy” other stuff. But, they’re not just regular toothpicks he’s giving out, they’re special toothpicks colored in a way only he can color them, with marks only he can make because he wants to be certain he’s the only one who can give out the toothpicks.

You would think the rest of the kids would just walk away at this point and take their fair trade somewhere else, but there’s a problem. What I neglected to tell you about Dick is that he hangs out with a few other big kids after school and they happen to know that if they don’t do as he says, it’ll be more than him they have to worry about. They know they’ll get beat up. These kids are scared. They know that defying Dick is not a smart thing to do if they want to avoid a beating. Most reluctantly give into his demands and go along to get along, despite how badly they may feel about themselves for not having the guts to stand up to Dick. He takes note of those who do manage to sneak away and avoid him, or those who do speak up. He’ll get his retribution on them soon and everyone will know what happened when they see the kid’s bruises. They’ll all certainly fall into line after that.

Now no one is happy, except for maybe Dick and his goons. The kids all walk away from the gathering grumbling harshly with their pockets filled with mostly worthless toothpicks. Dick has all the good stuff. They are hoping that they’ll be able to get their stuff back, but they are filled with uncertainty. They are simply too small to do anything about it if Dick decides to be a dick and keep the stuff. Their trading frenzy, and hence their prosperity, has come to an end.

I have been accused of being a gold bug, of wanting to reinstate a gold standard back into our monetary system. This is not necessarily true. While I believe that a gold standard would be better than the current fiat system that we have, I don’t necessarily believe that it would be the best way to go. I understand that a gold standard would have its faults. It has been pointed out to me, for instance, that the vast majority of the gold is likely held by the same moneyed elite that are currently in charge of the present world wide financial system. I think this is likely so and I think that they can and do manipulate the gold market. The same is likely true of silver. I’m not so certain about copper, palladium, and platinum but likely even those metals, lesser used in terms of currency, are likely controlled by the same elite controlling everything else.

That’s why I’m in favor of repealing legal tender laws. The only reason Federal Reserve Notes are so widely accepted is because of these laws. They basically made it illegal for merchants to accept anything else in this country in exchange for their goods and services. I think that competition in money would be a good thing. Anyone could put money into the system and it would be up to the merchants to determine what kind of money they’d want to accept. The market would be the governing body. Given such a system, it wouldn’t take long before sound money, money that was backed by some sort of real commodity such as gold or silver, would quickly become the most widely accepted money. Fiat currencies that are backed by nothing and printed at whim would soon fade into our memories like a nightmare fades in the morning light.

To you who think that fiat money is such a good thing and that a gold or silver standard is too quaint an antiquity, I would love to see what you would do if legal tender laws were repealed and we were allowed to trade in whatever kind of notes or specie we wanted. I have the feeling that if you kept your fiat money and I chose to use gold or silver specie or some other precious metal, that it would soon be you walking home with your head down. But then, what do I know? Unless we can kick the Dicks out of the schoolyard or get them to somehow leave us kids alone, we may never find out.

There are some who would likely say that I’m over simplifying things. Perhaps they are right. I am not an economist. I am not someone who knows it all. I’m just a poor kid with a pocket full of toothpicks walking home with my head bowed because I no longer have even the old, corroded jacks in my pocket that I had this morning. I’m a bit upset because I don’t think anyone should be telling two consenting parties what they should or shouldn’t use to trade with. I am a little upset at all the Dicks in this world, but there’s not a lot I can do about it.

Media Downplay of Ron Paul’s Popularity Reflects Establishment Fears

We are not stupid. This becomes more and more evident as time goes on. Oh, sure, many of us are or were apathetic. Many of us living amongst this mass of humanity residing in this land designated The United States of America have given up hope of effecting change in the political system and have become resigned to accept the corruption that is inherent in it. That’s not stupidity, it’s more like despair. It’s simple resignation. It’s simply believing the individual has no power and so one just gets on with his life as best one can. It’s sleepwalking through life. It’s giving up any hope that answers can be found, or that if there are answers they can only be found using the force of government. Perhaps the establishment’s greatest fear is that the masses will discover that they do have power and that there are answers to our problems that do not involve government intervention.

Dr. Ron Paul, who was a candidate for the Republican nomination during the 2008 presidential campaign, tried hard to relate this message to the general public during the campaign and the debates. He discussed real solutions to the problems we face. He didn’t make unkeepable promises or jingoistic proclamations to garner votes from those who easily fall prey to such methods. He was refreshingly honest and his voting record reflected his principles, unlike most politicians. He merely defended the Constitution of the United States and opined our elected officials should obey it. He merely tried to remind us of our historic principles and why we as a nation became so prosperous in the first place. It is a message many people were waiting to hear and no other politician in either of the major parties was delivering. It is also a message that most globalists, collectvists and the power elite greatly fear.

It was during this time, as Ron Paul was trying to educate the populace as to the philosophy of individualism which was espoused by some of the most prominent founding fathers, that the mainstream media showed where its loyalties truly lay and did its best to minimize the impact Dr. Paul was having. They proved to be the establishment’s faithful pets as they called him names and degraded his supporters. They proved to be the champions of collectivism and propaganda as they made ridiculous claims against Dr. Paul’s character and the principles of individualism he espoused.

As much as they tried to make him and his followers look crazy, as much as they tried to make his policies look unrealistic, as much as they tried to make him look unelectable, they couldn’t hide the truth from those who were willing to look for it. They couldn’t make the common sense of what he had to say just go away. They couldn’t make their twisted spin take hold in the consciousness of the awakened populace. Although Dr. Paul didn’t win the nomination for president, and I think he would have destroyed Mr. Obama’s statist arguments in any debate, he did get his message out and it continues to grow as more and more people discover the message of liberty and the prosperity freedom brings.

But then something amazing happened. After McCain gained the nomination and Dr. Paul no longer seemed a threat, he suddenly became a media darling. Once it seemed as if he was politically insignificant, the media wanted to cash in on his popularity by interviewing him and exploring his views on the economy. They also showed interest in his other views, but his knowledge of economics and the following he elicited seems to be what interests them most. I don’t know for certain, but I believe his appearances boosted their ratings whenever they had him on. As long as the ratings were good and there was no election going on, Ron Paul was welcome and treated with great respect by the talking heads in the corporate media. Many of them even seemed to agree with his point of view on many issues. Suddenly, Ron Paul wasn’t such a bad guy after all and his ideas didn’t seem so impractical. Suddenly his followers were welcome viewers rather than crazy fringe fanatics.

Still, the message Ron Paul advocates frightens the ruling elite. They don’t want the common folk to be educated. They don’t want them to exercise their power, or to even believe that they have any power. The power elite want the populace dependent on them so that they are able to dictate everyone’s behavior, so that they can garner complete control, so that they can practice their own form of modern tyranny, just like their ancestors, the monarchs and royalty of old. The trick for them is to accomplish this while creating an illusion that the common folk are able to exercise some form of freedom.

In fact, it seems there are many things the wealthy power elite are terrorized by, things that you and I have learned are good and healthy and lead to prosperity for all. It seems to me they are terrified of hard work. It seems they worry that if they lose their government subsidies they will be forced to figure out ways to provide excellent customer service. They seem terrified of competition. They seemed worried that if government regulations aren’t in place other businesses will be able to provide better products and services and break their government sanctioned monopolies. They seem terrified of respecting individual rights. The laws they’ve passed since 9/11 have come home to roost and threaten the very fabric of our free society by authorizing government violations of free speech and personal privacy that can easily be abused and used to stifle political discourse, dissent and activism.

They seem to be very frightened of transparency, of exposing what they actually do. Just look at how much secrecy surrounds government functions. One of Ron Paul’s most popular issues is the drive to audit the Federal Reserve. The legislation he introduced to do just that has garnered overwhelming support of both the electorate and in the House of Representatives. Even a third of the senators cosponsored their version of his bill, yet that arm of congress still shows total disdain for the people and disregard for the states they are supposed to represent.

A couple of high powered senators continue to show their fealty to their wealthy, powerful, elite masters by trying to remove that extremely popular provision from a law that would give the already too powerful Federal Reserve System even more power they do not deserve. One might wonder what these people have to hide that they would fight so hard to keep it hidden from public view. Could it be massive fraud? Has our wealth been squandered to benefit so very few? One might also wonder what has been offered to the high powered politicians to get them to risk their political careers. How much money and power does it take to get someone to sell out their fellow countrymen? What secrets can be used as blackmail to hold over their heads? Or perhaps they aren’t frightened of losing their positions because the entire electoral system is so compromised by hackable, unreliable electronic voting machines.

The power elite seem most frightened that you will stop obeying them. They fear their authority will be more than just questioned, it will be challenged. They worry that you might stop paying for their wars, the interest on their debt, and the waste that keeps them in business. They worry that their scams might be discovered and they will have to stop stealing from the public and make an honest living. God forbid they would actually have to produce something of value to the human race in order to survive. The fears they have of common folk exercising their freedoms might be nightmarish in their minds, but to the rest of humanity these are wonderful dreams that have yet to be realized.

Although he might not express it the same way as I do, Ron Paul is making the same points in a different way. He advocates for smaller government, more personal freedom, more economic freedom, and more openness and honesty in our public governance, all of which he believes will lead to a more prosperous society. This was all fine and dandy as long as the corporate media could frame him as someone with little public support and not much political clout. This was fine for them as long as their talking heads on the boob tube could make their collectivist arguments against his individualist points and pretend that they were the intelligent, caring ones with the support of the masses. All that changed again, however, when the Republican Party started conducting its straw polls and found that popular sentiment for Ron Paul and his policies were growing. Their control over the hearts and minds of the common folk was slipping away.

So, the spin was turned on. This despite the fact that Ron Paul continues to claim he has no plans to run for president. What does that suggest, that they would crank up such spin before he even announces his candidacy? Are they really that afraid? Suddenly, the CPAC poll, which had been an important launching pad for Republican presidential campaigns in the past, was insignificant and the winner earned nothing be bragging rights. Suddenly, losing the Republican Southern Leadership Council straw poll by only one vote is evidence of some sort of political trickery rather than popularity. It seems that Ron Paul is fine as a commentator on certain issues, but not if he were to actually try to gain political power so that he could change policy and actually implement some of the ideas he espouses. The same corporate interests that own the government also own the mainstream media. They would have you believe that the majority of Republicans want big government and would prefer to see globalists like Mitt Romney, Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich as party leaders rather than a limited government advocate like Ron Paul.

The corporate media seems to believe the common folk are stupid. At least if they don’t, they want them to remain misinformed. They’d like to keep them apathetic. They’d like to keep them asleep. They’d like to keep them in despair. They’d like to keep them resigned to believe they have no power and the only answers to society’s woes are through government intervention. It seems this way, but I believe the media is simply letting us know what their power elite masters are most afraid of. Perhaps we should think of ways we can take advantage of their fears to reclaim our freedoms and start keeping for ourselves the wealth that we earn.

(I wish to thank the many people who have supported my work through these years. Today I would like to announce that I have launched my own website to help those who wish to support me do just that. It is a work in progress, but I hope you will visit Szandor Blestman Dot Com and support my efforts. I will, of course, continue to publish at the various outlets I have been for as long as they wish me to. Peace to you all. Szandor.)

Teaching Aikido to Sheep

Sheep have a big problem. They don’t have the greatest knowledge of self defense. Mostly, they count on their shepherd to protect them. They gather themselves together in herds and pass their time in the pastures just eating grass. Should they wander away from the herd, they take the chance of being attacked by wolves. To see that this doesn’t happen, the shepherds have trained dogs to keep them in line. But, worse than that, the sheep can’t really trust the shepherd much either. After all, these shepherds have been known to take certain liberties with the sheep. And when the shepherd gets hungry, or when the time comes to cull the herd, he will lead the sheep to slaughter. Certainly there are some sheep that have memories of certain lambs that were led from the herd, never to return.

The life of a sheep could very well be a paranoid existence. They likely try to stay in the center of the herd where they feel safest. Should they get to the edges or try to wonder away the dogs will nip at their heels. Should they manage to wander away anyhow there are predators waiting to devour them. Even if they stay with the herd there are dangers. And they simply aren’t that well equipped to defend themselves.

Aikido is a martial art form that teaches one how to use an attacker’s momentum against him. It would, of course, be quite difficult to teach sheep to use many of the moves a human would use against another human. There is, however, a basic idea here one can get at. That is, to surprise an aggressor by making his strikes backfire. When this is done, the aggressor suddenly discovers to his dismay that the object of his aggression knows more and can defend itself better than he first thought. This discovery alone may be enough to end the aggression and make the aggressor go off sulking to lick his wounds.

While it might be useful for the lone sheep to learn how to duck out of the way of a leaping wolf and send it sprawling to the ground on its head as its gnashing jaws grabbed nothing but air, it would be better for the herd if they learned how to reason. This would, of course, be the shepherd’s greatest fear, that sheep would learn to think critically, and would afford the sheep the best chance to use assets their users and abusers didn’t know they had. The other thing they’d need to learn is to better communicate, especially if they are doing so in a way the wolves, dogs and shepherd do not understand. In this way they could plot together how to best prevent themselves from becoming dinner.

Of course, that would be the hardest part, teaching the sheep that they can reason and should communicate amongst themselves. It may, for instance, be very tough to convince the sheep that the shepherd’s intentions are not entirely honorable. After all, he protects them from wolves, does he not? He commands the dogs who keep the herd together and the wolves away. He leads them to pastures green, the silent waters by. He would never lead them to hang on hooks in high places. He would never try to fool them. He would never put his own survival above theirs. That’s just impossible.

Still, suppose the sheep learned to think and communicate amongst themselves. Suppose they could be convinced that the shepherd didn’t have their best interest at heart, but was mostly looking out for his own best interests and those of his friends, colleagues and clients. Suppose they began to look around and understood that there simply weren’t that many wolves around to be afraid of. Better yet, suppose they began to come to believe they could get by and even prosper on their own without the help of the shepherd. They would need a good plan of action. They would need a way to make it so frustrating for the shepherd that he decides to leave them alone and find opportunities elsewhere or other animals to try to oppress.

The first thing the sheep would have to learn to do is stop obeying. They are herd animals, so they would have to learn to work together to protect each other. When the shepherd tries to get them to move, a great many of them would have to lie down and refuse to go anywhere. When the dogs start barking and biting at them they would have to ignore them, as hard as that might be. If the dogs should get carried away and start brutalizing a particular lamb a little too much, they might come up with a strategy of those nearest getting up, surrounding a dog or two, butting them until they quit pestering their friend, and then laying down around the brutalized lamb for its protection. They do, after all, have superior numbers and they need to learn to use this to their advantage.

This would, of course, confuse and confound the shepherd. He would not be used to such behavior from sheep and simply wouldn’t know what to do about it. One can imagine the look of shock on the shepherd’s face as his trusted dogs are simply unable to get the sheep moving. One can imagine his facial muscles contorting as he becomes agitated and tries to whip his dogs into a frenzy to get the job done. This would only lead to more sheep disobedience, and perhaps some of the other sheep in the herd that had been cooperating with the shepherd and his dogs would see the success of those who weren’t and join in. As more and more of the sheep in the herd proceed to lie down and not simply obey the shepherd, the flustered master of the herd might even go as far as trying to pick up one of the smaller lambs himself to physically move it. This, of course, would be the perfect opportunity for the sheep to use the tactic of surrounding and butting at the shepherd like they did to the dogs earlier. If the shepherd was stubborn enough, they might even nip and bite at him until he puts the lamb down.

At this point, the shepherd might become frightened. One could imagine that he might even, in the deep of the night, make a bargain with the wolves. They could disguise themselves as sheep and sneak into the herd, and then let him know what the sheep were thinking and planning. In this way, maybe he could target some of the smartest sheep and remove them from the herd. In this way, maybe he could regain control. The sheep will have to learn to recognize this tactic. They’ll have to be able to identify the wolves. It really shouldn’t be too hard, as wolves in sheep’s clothes have a tendency to look a little ridiculous. Wolves also find it hard to act like sheep. I think it is quite likely that the sheep will be able to sniff the wolves out. Then they can either feed them false information, kind of as a joke, or they can simply use their surround and butt technique to force them out of the herd.

With the unsuccessful attempt of the shepherd to use the wolves as spies, he may be forced to give into the sheep. He may simply ask the sheep what they want. The sheep would, of course, tell him they simply want to be left alone. They could tell him that they can protect themselves from the wolves without his help. They could tell him that they can find their own way to greener pastures and cooler brooks without his leadership. They could tell him that they will no longer allow him to use them for his pleasure. They will tell him they will not be put on hooks in high places. He might as well face the fact that from now on he’ll have to settle for beef to eat and leather to wear, unless the cattle can learn from the sheep, in which case maybe it will be best for him to learn how to grow hemp and other plants for food and clothing. Having been completely foiled in his attempts, the shepherd will now turn away and look for some other source to live off of, leaving the sheep to their freedom.

Well, perhaps the title of this piece was a bit off. Perhaps people reading it thought the sheep would be practicing some deadly form a martial art and using it to crush their enemies. But sheep are just sheep. They can hardly act otherwise. Their physical build and such prevent them from being very aggressive. They would, in fact, have to work with the tools they have if they were to evolve into something more. They will likely never be anything but sheep and will always follow the will of the shepherd and his dogs, always be fearful of the wolves in the wilds. Humans are different. They would never follow masters who would lead them to their doom. They would never quake in fear that some wild creatures will be waiting to do them in if they break free from their masters. Humans are much smarter than that, right? It isn’t necessary for humans to learn the same methods of self defense that the sheep need. They are far too intelligent to ever be herded like animals.

Militias, Political Activists, Government Agents, and Violence Against Politicians

Not long after the unconstitutional Obamacare bill was signed into law, I began to hear reports of violence against those congress critters who had voted for the law. I didn’t know quite what to think of this. On one hand, I know that violence against the system will only cause a backlash from the system. I do not condone violence in any way, shape or form, which is why I subscribe to libertarian thought, that one does not initiate violence against another, that one takes personal responsibility for his actions and that one leaves others free to do as they will as long as they don’t violate the individual rights of others. I think the vast majority of common folk understand and agree with this philosophy. This is why I was confused and concerned when I heard that corporate media talking heads had been blaming groups that many decent commoners relate to for the violence that had occurred.

On the other hand I thought, “Well, what do they expect? They continuously ignore popular sentiment and populist movements. They (figuratively) spit in the face of the common folk. They forever rewrite history and the meaning of freedom and individual rights. They then pass these legislative behemoths they call law that benefit only themselves and their special interest friends and campaign contributors. They hold all the cards in a stacked deck and many folks see only one option with which to hold them accountable. Oft times when only one option is perceived, that option is used.”

Still, I simply find it hard to believe that this is the case. No matter how frustrated the average man might get, initiating the violence is just not something that most commoners are going to be willing to do. I do admit that there may be a small percentage of people that would be willing to resort to such violence, but this is no reason to demonize groups such as the tea partiers and tax protestors. Worse still is the accusation that they are dominated by racists. These activist networks have nothing to do with racism and everything to do with other issues such as constitutional limitations of government, the elimination of taxes, and the transparency and accountability of the Fed. This characterization only serves those with a collectivist mindset. They seem to want to pit groups against each other so that we lose sight of who’s really to blame. Individualists realize that individuals should be held responsible for their own actions and groups should not be punished when individuals inside that group act inappropriately.

This is, in my humble opinion, exactly what the power elite wants. This is what the establishment has been striving for, or so it seems. The established elite would like to divide common folk into separate groups and camps to squabble amongst themselves while they continue to loot our wealth hoping the diversions keep their schemes hidden from public view. The establishment would like to punish groups for the actions of individuals that may or may not be associated with those groups while allowing their own agents to run amok and remain unaccountable so that their own agenda can be realized. Most of all they want to silence dissent. They want to plant fear in the hearts of the many so that speaking out appears unwise and most will silently go along to get along. They wish to take away choice of all types and create an environment where even thinking about choosing something other than what they offer will lead to trouble in an individual’s life. They want the populace completely dependent on them and frightened of speaking out against them for fear of losing their jobs, their freedom or even their lives. It appears that they are doing everything they can to succeed in this endeavor.

Violence, even against such thuggery, is not the answer. Throughout history, it is not the common folk who initiate violence, it is the power elite who do. Governments have and will incite violence in order to advance their agenda and have resorted to such methods frequently and recently. One hears in the news, if one pays attention, that many of the recent arrests made in the so called “War on Terror” have in fact involved government agents provoking and even planning the attacks that were supposedly foiled. The violent “anarchists” or other violent individuals at otherwise peaceful protests have been shown to be government provocateurs time and again. There are pro government forces continuously inciting violence, pro government groups and agencies promoting state force to support collectivist ideals, yet the media seems to condemn only anti government groups who promote the ideals and principles of individualism and wish to be left alone to take responsibility for their own lives. The corporate media tends to ignore the heavy handed tactics of statists who repeatedly demonstrate a desire to force their will upon everyone no matter the consequences, no matter the brutality of the force applied. Anyone who resorts to violence lowers themselves to the level of those statists.

Now the same crooks, liars and propagandists are trying to make us believe that common folk are threatening them and becoming violent? Now they want us to believe that they are the victims? Now they want to shame and frighten us into remaining silent, accepting their dictates without question, and continuing to just let their corrupt system grow and metastasize until we have no more personal freedom, just a ruling class and a slave class? It is and has been the middle class and the common folk who are victimized by the scheming and plans of the centralized political class and their enforcers. The political class actually benefits from violence as it empowers them and gives them an excuse to crack down on free speech, protesters, dissidents and anyone else who criticizes them. This, in turn, consolidates even more power in their hands and allows them to dictate even more aspects of private life in an even more brutal fashion.

Reacting to such bullying and tyrannical tactics with violence will accomplish nothing and only cause a downward spiral of violent reaction and more violence until innocents are laying dead in the streets and being called collateral damage. The best way to prevent violence, in my humble opinion, is to simply remain non-violent. Be proactive. Decide before becoming involved in any kind of activism that it is going to be peaceful activism. Dedicate yourself to peaceful change. If taking part in a protest bring a video camera. If someone begins to agitate for violence, point them out and begin to record their actions. Warn others of their presence, perhaps even the police. Ostracize and isolate them from the group as much as possible. Make it very clear that you stand on the moral high ground, that you do not condone violence and, in fact, find it abhorrent.

If you are involved in a militia or a political action group and certain members begin to agitate for initiating violence against the state demand that those people be removed and shunned by the group. It’s ok to advocate for defense against foreign forces and survival in case of natural disaster, but advocating for the initiation of violence against government agents or their agencies is asking for trouble. Letting these people stay in your group and influence others is a recipe for disaster. If they are allowed to stay in the group without any kind of admonishment for advocating violence, or if the leader of the group is such a person, then I would suggest you leave the group before you find yourself in hot water. It may sound paranoid, but I believe there’s a good chance that anyone in a group advocating for violence is a government infiltrator as has been seen in many cases. Even if those who are agitating for violence are not government agents and are sincere in their desire, there is a chance that infiltrators and informants are keeping tabs on them and chomping at the bit to demonize the entire group for that individual’s words and actions. Refusing to allow violence to even enter into the picture will quickly frustrate and nullify those who are spying on their own people.

We cannot let the ruling elite and their media propagandists goad us into behaving in the ways that will benefit their cause. We cannot let them dictate to us the actions we will take. Remain peaceful at protests and rallies. Keep an eye out for agent provocateurs or anyone that might become violent and make sure to point them out and record them. The more video cameras present, the better. Maintain the moral high ground. Practice civil disobedience. I cannot reiterate those points too much. If the state agents become violent, stand your ground peacefully as best you can, but try not to resist. Let the world see them for what they truly are, violent, thuggish enforcers working for a gang that counts on bullying methods to frighten and coerce the general public into accepting the will of the ruling elite.

There are many who want to deceive others about reality. They wish to control the perceptions of reality the common folk see. They will run and hide if the light of truth is shone upon them. If they succeed in fooling or silencing those who are speaking out, then we will all lose the liberties the founding fathers fought so hard to establish and fall into dependent slavery. If, however, we stand and expose the tyranny, if we continue to peacefully demand the respect for our individual rights that we deserve, if we simply refuse to obey the dictates they hand down and refuse to pay the tributes they demand, then we will eventually win back what we have lost. A truly free and independent society is not beyond our reach, but it will take some hard work, determination and a willingness to remain staunchly peaceful to accomplish.

Passing Health Care Legislation is Not the End

We hear time and again how great democracy is, yet our politicians time and again refuse to listen to the majority. Not to mention, they manipulate facts and propagandize truth in order to try to spin public opinion in favor of their position. Does anyone really think that this legislation is meant to help the poor and the uninsured? If so, than that person does not understand history and has forgotten even recent events that have provided us with huge government boondoggles which have benefited no one except the already powerful elite. This legislation helps the banks and corporate insurance companies, guaranteed. These people couldn’t care less about you. They see themselves as smarter, better and more deserving than you, and that’s why they live above the law and feel they can dictate to you how to live regardless of what you think.

This increase in the size of government will only serve to hasten the destruction of our currency. It will only serve to help establish a one world government as the entire planet sinks deeper into depression. It will put more people out of work. It will force more small businesses into bankruptcy. It will make more people dependent on a cold hearted, faceless government that cares nothing about humanity. It will serve up the economy to the few corporations that will be left after the slaughter. Those companies will then pay off the corrupt politicians to make sure they maintain control.

This health care legislation and the firestorm of activism and debate it has launched has also served as a distraction to take attention away from other important issues of the day. We don’t hear much about the continuing wars of aggression which brought the Democrats into power in 2006 when they promised to put a stop to them. We don’t hear much about the repealing of the unconstitutional Bush era laws such as the Military Commissions Act and the Patriot Act, laws which they promised to repeal when they were campaigning. Worse still, Mr. Obama actually extended the Patriot Act when he could have used his power to keep his promise and simply let many of the provisions sunset. We haven’t heard much about auditing the Fed and discovering the fraud, a crime which will likely make it impossible to fund this health care debacle if it’s allowed to continue for another ten years.

These unscrupulous politicians make their promises and then dismiss them wantonly. They continue to drive our economy into the ground and destroy any semblance we might have had of a constitutional representative republic. They poison everything they touch. Do you honestly believe they will do any better with the health care system? It will be wrecked upon the rocky shores of political expedience along with everything else our federal government has gotten involved in. They do this with complete confidence that they will not have to pay the piper because we the people have been too quiet for too long. Their hope is that we will simply accept our fate and forget this episode by November. We must be certain that this time they are dead wrong.

Monopolies have traditionally been quite objectionable to a free people. They are very difficult to achieve without government interference. This monstrosity of a law more or less gives a monopoly to big insurance companies. Don’t fool yourself. If there are four or five big companies left, they will not provide the kind of competition necessary to lower prices. Besides, those companies are tied in with the big banks which are tied in with big government. The power elite mean to create an environment where the consumer can’t even vote with his dollar. They mean to create a society where all others are totally dependent on the powerful few for survival. They are trying to create a world where they have the ultimate monopoly, the monopoly on who lives and who dies, and taking over health care with the force of law is a big step toward achieving that goal.

We need to take a lesson from the Icelanders here and just say no. We need to put our collective foot down (even though I don’t like collectivism in this case I’ll make an exception) and demand this law be repealed. At the same time, we need to simply not obey the law. We need to be tenacious about this, to grab hold like a pit bull and not let go. It is ironic that the passing of this bill took place on the anniversary of the passing of the Stamp Act, an act largely responsible for launching the first American Revolution. It was also the Stamp Act that provided the impetus for our founding fathers to include some of the amendments in the Bill of Rights. Perhaps this will be the last of the Intolerable Acts our congress has passed. Perhaps it will be the last time they will try to foist taxation without representation upon the American people.

Whatever happens, don’t expect the Republicans to come to the rescue. They are no better than the Democrats. They are the other side of the same coin. They are bought and paid for by the same interests that control the Democrats. They like big government just as much as their brethren. They like the feeling of power as they laud it over you. They like their perks, the false respect they receive and the benefits they can shower upon their family and friends. Voting for one control freak over another and expecting things to change is foolish. If there is to be a body governing our behavior, we must be certain we govern over that body and enforce rules for exactly what they can govern. We, the people, must not tolerate even the slightest usurpation of the Constitution, and we must hold responsible those who would violate its law.

I don’t trust the Republicans any more than the Democrats. Remember the promises they broke. They were going to shrink government during the Reagan years, and they didn’t. They were going to do no nation building during the Bush Jr. years. Ha. They had a contract with America that they broke. They are responsible for passing the very unconstitutional laws that the Democrats can now use to squelch dissent if they so choose. They now expect us to forget their past transgressions and embrace them? I don’t believe for second they plan on repealing anything of consequence. Sure, there are a few of them that might have an inkling of what liberty is and there are others campaigning who will fight for such principles, but there seems to be too few, too weak. The common folk of this nation need to act. It is time to stop begging politicians who do not listen to change things for us.

The battle for health care reform does not end here. I’ll tell you what I’d like to see. It would make me proud to see a million people march on the capital building without permission and sit on its steps, rather than gathering on the mall, trapping the congressmen inside until they agreed to repeal the bill. I would be delighted to see a peaceful show of force with some meaning. While they were at it, I’d like to see them demand repeal of all unconstitutional law passed in the last decade. We can worry about the rest of last century later. Then I’d like to see the same method used on the Senate and finally the White House to make sure the repeals are complete. I’d like to see the enforcers, be they police, National Guard, or other military, join with their civilian counterparts and refuse any orders from their power elite masters to inflict violence upon those demanding their liberty and respect for their God given rights. If such an event were to occur, then the beacon of liberty would indeed be reignited and shine brightly for the world to see.

I admit that such a dream is unlikely. I am happy to see several states bringing lawsuits against this legislation, but I have no faith in this nation’s corrupt justice system. Besides, it takes way too long to get through and it does nothing about any other unconstitutional legislation. Still, I’m glad to see the states asserting their sovereignty. State nullification and refusal to accept this horrendous law just might work as it did to keep a national ID from being foisted upon us. Yet this is not enough. People, for the most part, just want to be left alone to make their own decisions. From whether or not buckle a seat belt, to what we want to eat, to whether we want our feet nibbled on by tiny fish, to what kind of light bulbs we want to install in our homes, our business dealings with each other do not need to be monitored like we are children. We can make our own decisions and each individual needs to take personal responsibility for determining the amount of risk he wants to take, or for acquiring the knowledge he needs to make informed decisions. Our private lives and the voluntary interactions we have with others is our personal business and government needs to honor that.

We have the right to be left alone. I don’t like to be crude, but there is something I think it’s time to say to government. I think government needs to hear it. “Look, bitch, get out of my life. I’m tired of you. I’m tired of your crap. Get your hands out of my pockets. I’m not your damn piggy bank. Quit telling me what to do. I’m not your damn slave. Go away and leave me alone. I don’t want you anymore. I don’t love you anymore. You are just too damn demanding. I can’t stand being near you. Your breath smells bad. I need my own space. I know I’d be better off without you. Just, just leave me alone.” I don’t know how many others feel that way, but I’m betting there’s enough of us to make a difference.

Dennis Kucinich Loses His Nerve on Air Force One

I doubt very much that anyone has ever accused me of being a Democrat. I don’t know of too many Democrats that adhere to the principles of freedom and individualism as I do. Sure, I share their anti-war views for the most part, but that’s just one issue. And the Democrats actually have a history of being the warring party. Well, I suppose that’s a bit unfair since Republicans have participated in their fair share of war mongering. Come to think of it, the vast majority of politicians are war mongers, not surprising when one remembers that war is the health of the state. These statists, these collectivists, think they know better than the rest of us and simply want to control our lives so they can milk us to their own benefit. It doesn’t much matter to them who dies in the process. But, I digress.

I am not a Democrat. Nor would I claim to be a Republican. Those people who identify with these parties cite the best of their principles and intentions, but in practice we only ever seem to get the worst of both parties. Every once in a while, however, some politician comes on the scene who seems to be a cut above the rest. Every so often a politician appears who cares about principles instead of his own self interest. I thought Mr. Kucinich was such a politician. I thought he was honest and forthright and cared more about principles than about party politics. I thought he was more concerned with the people of this nation than he was with the established powers who use their money to buy congress and the presidency. Perhaps I was wrong.

I don’t agree with many of Mr. Kucinich’s politics. I think he often leans too far left. In fact, I would go as far as to call him a full blown socialist on many issues. He, like many politicians, doesn’t seem to understand that taxes are extortion. He, like many politicians, doesn’t seem to understand the reasons more and more people are beginning to feel this way. He, like many politicians, doesn’t seem to understand that you shouldn’t force people to be charitable to others. He doesn’t realize that such things actually work better for everyone when they are done on a voluntary basis. I do agree with him, however, on several issues. I mostly agree with him on the war issues. I agree with his stance on auditing the Federal Reserve. Until a couple of days ago, I somewhat agreed with him on his stance against the health care bill.

Mr. Kucinich is not stupid. He could see through the lies that this bill hides. He could see that it would not do the things a good socialist wants done. He could tell that it was written not for the good of the common folk, but for the empowerment of the bureaucracies which will grow like tumors out of it and the very insurance companies that pretend to be against the bill. That was why he opposed the bill, based on those principles. After he flew in Air Force One with Mr. Obama, he changed in mind on opposing the bill. Near as I could tell, the bill hadn’t changed to match his principles, he just decided that his principles were no longer as important as his political party.

This is a good illustration of the total corruption of the system. The system has the ability to take a good, principled man and turn him into someone who will compromise his principles in the hopes of achieving something better, something that almost never happens. One might wonder exactly how this is accomplished. One could speculate as to the threats made to Mr. Kucinich during that plane ride, which by the way cost taxpayers quite a bit of money. Did they simply threaten to remove party funding from his campaign efforts? Did they threaten to not be friends with him anymore and not campaign for him? Does Mr. Kucinich have some skeletons in his closet they could use to blackmail him? Is it possible they subtly suggested a far more nefarious threat? One wonders what on earth could have been said to make a person abandon his principles in such a manner. I wasn’t there so anything I might believe is mere speculation, but I did hear Mr. Kucinich mention something about a parachute and listening to the president when he takes you for a ride.

I am reminded of old mob films. I am reminded of someone making someone else an offer they can’t refuse. I am reminded that the world is run by greedy, cold hearted men lusting for power who will do anything to keep competition to a minimum. This most recent push to force a health care bill (which would be more accurately entitled The Medical Power Grab and Government Insurance Monopoly Assurance Bill) upon the American people has reached an extreme in absurdity. It is not rule by democracy. It is not rule by a representative republic. It is not rule of law nor does it have anything to do with any law other than the law of absolute power corrupting absolutely. It is gang rule. It is rule by an organization resembling more the Mafia than a civilized group of statesmen forming a governing body. It’s a shame a supposedly principled man like Mr. Kucinich got caught up in the middle of it.

This latest debate, and I use that word loosely, has shown that the politicians of this country really couldn’t give two turds as to what the average man thinks. We will do as they say. We will submit to their will. This nation now follows the rule of masters and slaves. Those in the political class are the masters, and we are the slaves. Yet even that isn’t what it seems. Mr. Kucinich’s dilemma is evidence of this. It seems that even some in the political class are becoming slaves to their higher ups. The number of masters is shrinking to but a few, and they prefer to remain hidden in the shadows.

It isn’t much of a wonder that Mr. Kucinich has lost his nerve and abandoned his principles. Even so, I no longer admire him nor do I consider him honest and forthright any longer. I have lost the respect for him I once had. The thing is, those who are pulling his strings have likely lost their respect for him also. They at one time were likely somewhat afraid of his independence and now likely hold him in disdain. If he caved on this issue, he will likely cave on the audit the Fed issue and even come to support the wars of aggression that Mr. Obama wants to engage in. Too bad, Mr. Kucinich, I thought you were one of the good guys.

Mr. Kucinich said that health care was a right, and I vehemently disagree with that statement. One has the right to seek health care if one becomes sick. One has the right to endeavor to find the best health care one can if one injures one’s self. One does not have the right to steal from another as happens when one is taxed to provide for another’s health care needs. One does not have the right to enslave another as happens when a doctor is forced by law to care for a patient he may not wish to care for. I don’t advocate that the sick and injured be turned away, but I do advocate voluntary interactions between people rather than government coercion forcing such interactions. I do advocate the faith one has in another’s humanity and would hope that such humanity would be particularly ingrained in someone who chooses a life path in the health care field.

We individualists must now stand more firm than ever. We must let the collectivists know that we do not accept their world view and we will not bow to their pressure. We do not want government interfering with our health care. We do wish fair competition and freedom of choice when it comes to how we seek treatment for our health problems. As of yet, the politicians have not forced upon us their 2700 page monstrosity of a health care bill that dictates nearly every aspect of how we are to engage in our health care interactions. Hopefully, some of these politicians will grow a conscience and it will not pass. If not, however, if they decide to continue to ignore our will, I hope that every one of them who votes for it, and especially Queen Pelosi, the most outspoken authoritarian, will be voted out of office in November. But before that, I hope that the people of this country can finally get over their apathy, find their independence and start to refuse to obey the dictates handed down to us by those who believe they are our masters.

Iceland, the Mouse that Roared

I thought I heard something the other night. It was a distant sound, a low rumbling, a roar from some far off beast that had finally pronounced its presence. It woke me for a second, but it was so distant I felt no threat and simply rolled over and went back to sleep. The next morning I learned that Iceland was taking a stand. It was refusing to pay its British and Dutch debts. It is claiming the debts are a result of fraud, and it's right. They have made the offer to pay some years from now, if they can afford it at that time, and only as a percentage of their GDP. This offer has been, of course, declined by Iceland's creditor banks as they demand payment in the form of real assets.

The Icelanders have grown a pair, so to speak. They are doing something I wish Americans would have done, or will do in the future. They are standing up to the privately owned banks that seem to think they are above the law, that they can change the rules at their whim, and that they alone know what's best for the world, which of course happens to empower them and help their profits. I may not agree with all the politics of Iceland. It might not be the bastion of freedom one looking to get away from intrusive government might run to, but I do admire their stance against the banksters.

Let's examine the situation a little closer. The Icelanders claim that private banks owe the money to other private banks, not taxpayers. The people who own the private banks should be responsible for paying back the creditor banks, not the people of Iceland. I agree wholeheartedly with that assessment. Furthermore, I would take it a step further and make the assertion that any government official voting for any public borrowing that requires payment of public funds for interest be held responsible, or their family be held responsible, should the loans go into default. In other words, these public officials should not be allowed to maintain their fortunes while the common folk are expected to pay for the mistakes they made. Perhaps that would help stop the corruption.

It seems that Iceland was fooled into the same ponzi scheme the rest of the world finds itself in. This all revolves around the fact that money in and of itself has no intrinsic value. It is just paper, for the most part, and in the modern world it is just data floating around in cyberspace. Even metal coins are made from cheap and common metals anymore. The fiat system devised by the central banks are designed to collapse at some point, and it's designed to collapse in such a way that the very few, very rich, very powerful end up with all the marbles. It's not enough to them, it seems, to be at the top of the heap, they have to be so high up and keep the common folk down so low as to be untouchable.

Those that own the banks now hope that they can swoop in and buy up the nation's infrastructure for pennies on the dollar, or in this case aurar on the krona. This is how they operate. They print money based on nothing but debt at negligible cost to themselves, then charge interest on that debt, interest that is never created by the way, and then when the debt can't be repaid they end up acquiring all the real wealth that's been created. It's a brilliant scheme in its simplicity. They end up with all the real wealth and they risk nothing of any real value. I could be wrong, but I think it's safe to say that the Icelanders figured this out when their creditor banks started demanding things like their geothermal power stations and other such publicly owned infrastructure as payment for their defaulted loans. They cried “foul!” – as well they should having played by the rules all this time – and charged that they had been defrauded. They may well have shocked the establishment with their refusal to pay the extortion.

One may well ask, “Is this the fate that awaits all nations?” How many nations in the world today are in the same boat as Iceland? How many are having problems just servicing the interest on their debt? I dare say it would be easier to count the nations that weren't experiencing debt trouble. And one could rightly ask where all the money has gone. Certainly the debt hasn't been put back into the economy to create more wealth. Indeed, I would venture a guess that there's trillions of dollars, euros, yens, pounds, francs, marks, you name it, stashed away in vaults somewhere just waiting for the day when they can be used again, money that should no longer exist that somehow found its way into secret vaults that also shouldn't exist.

It is interesting to note that the biggest banks, the ones that managed to get bailed out by US tax dollars rather than made to liquidate, are intimately connected to the same international bankers who own the central banks across the globe. Indeed, Goldman Sachs seems to have become a “bank of the world,” so to speak, as it has its fingers in a little bit of everyone's pies these days. It is also interesting to note that their largest competitors were allowed to fail, effectively setting them up with monopoly privileges. That's how the power banking elite want it, all the money in their hands and all the corporations under their thumb as they monopolize the issuance of currency and credit. Everyone will have to do as they say or they will quickly become bankrupt and destitute. Such is the power of monopoly.

One may well wonder what happens next. The British and Dutch have threatened economic sanctions should the Icelanders fail to fall in line, but is this how we want to treat our brethren? Is this how we want to treat our allies that stood by us in the darkest of times? Do we now just shun people we consider friends simply because they stand up for what they believe is right? Do we go so far as to commit an act of war on such a democratic nation because they recognize a fraud when they see one? This situation should get everyone thinking. The corruption now exposed is so grievous and obvious that we should all realize the time has come to obliterate the current system and deny any power to those who brought this situation to bear.

It is once again time to set up a system of money based on labor instead of debt. We should have a system where free people are able to own property outright, not have to borrow to afford it and then worry that an uncaring bank may come and claim it should one find one’s self in financial trouble. Similarly, it is very disturbing that government can claim private property via eminent domain and non payment of property taxes as if they feel they already own the land you pay for. These wrongs have needed correction for a long time now and hopefully the actions of the Icelanders will help start the ball rolling.

While the Greeks are rioting because they worry their entitlements will be taken away, the Icelanders have been able to take a more direct roll in the political process. The Greeks may well feel they have been left out of the political process, much like many Americans feel at this point in time as we watch the congress blatantly ignore the wishes of the common folk time and again. The bailouts, the wars, the passing of laws violating our rights and the health care bills are all examples of the minority political class ignoring the wishes of the majority to the detriment of society. The Icelanders may have to pay a price for their bravery, but they are finding their way back to freedom and self reliance.

We have been dependent on these banks for far too long and they have taken advantage of it. They have threatened our lawmakers with martial law and economic destruction. They have refused to honor the will of the people and answer questions involving how they’ve spent our money. As I write this, a very few senators, Bob Corker (R-TN), Richard Shelby (R-AL), Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Judd Gregg (R-NH), are working to strip the Audit the Fed amendment from the Financial Reform Bill and give the Federal Reserve even more power. This will assure they will never be held accountable for the wrongs they have done. These senators need to be shown in no uncertain terms that we the people have had enough and will not obey their dictates and whims any longer.

We as a society need to start producing again. We need to start competing with others who wish to produce. This is how wealth is created. The more wealth we create, the more prosperous we all become. For a few decades now, we have tried to maintain our lifestyles with a service economy. It didn’t work. Now the economy is collapsing worldwide. Now the banks are hoarding that which they created and are trying to claim the real wealth that should be owned by private sovereigns. We need to ask ourselves, can we be proactive and stop this before we wake up and find ourselves in the same boat as Iceland? If not, will we simply say no and refuse to pay as they did, or will we allow our society to break down and resort to violence as the Greeks? Don’t let a few politicians on the bankster’s payroll dictate what needs to be done. Demand action now. Roar louder than the Icelanders. Hopefully, we will find justice later. Hopefully, we can avoid the fate of nations that remain on the central banker’s preferred course.