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Who is Wrecking America?
PAUL CRAIG ROBERTS
Counterpunch
Saturday, Sept 6, 2008
Does the liberal-left have a clue? I sometimes think not.
In his book, “What’s the Matter With Kansas?,” Thomas Frank made the excellent point that the Karl Rove Republicans take advantage of ordinary’s people’s frustrations and resentments to lead them into voting against their best interest.
Frank’s new book, “The Wrecking Crew: How Conservatives Rule,” lacks the insight that distinguished his previous book. Why does Frank think that conservatives or liberals rule?
Neither rule. America is ruled by organized interest groups with money to elect candidates who serve their interests. Frank’s book does not even mention the Israel Lobby, which bleeds Americans for the sake of Israeli territorial expansion. Check the index. Israel is not there.
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Does Frank think that rapture evangelicals are conservative, that Christian Zionists are conservative? If so, where did he learn his theology?
Frank can’t tell the difference between Ronald Reagan and Cheney/Bush. He conflates the collection of opportunists and fanatics that comprise the Bush Party with the Reagan conservatives who ended stagflation and the cold war. The adventurer, Jack Abramoff, is Frank’s epitome of a conservative. Abramoff is the most mentioned person in Frank’s story. In Frank’s view, conservatives are out to ruin everyone except the rich.
But it was the Clinton administration that rigged the Consumer Price Index in order to cheat retired people out of their Social Security cost of living increases.
It was the Clinton administration that vanished discouraged workers from the unemployment rolls.
It was the Clinton administration that wrecked “effective government” by encouraging early civil service retirements in order to make way for quota hires.
Why doesn’t Frank know that the “Reagan deficit” was due to the collapse of inflation below the forecast, thus reducing the flow of inflated revenues into the government’s budget, whereas the Bush deficit is a result of what Nobel Democrat economist Joe Stiglitz has calculated to be a $3 trillion dollar war in the Middle East?
Frank doesn’t want to know. Like so many fighting ideological battles, he just wants to damn “the enemy.”
But who is Frank’s enemy? He calls them “conservatives.” But the Bush regime is a neoconservative regime. Neoconservatives, despite the name, are not conservatives. They have taken over formerly conservative publications, think tanks, and foundations and driven out the conservatives.
Neoconservatives are in the tradition of the French Jacobins of the 18th century. Having had the French Revolution, the revolutionaries thought that they should take it to all of Europe. Napoleon exercised French hegemony over Europe. The American neocons desire American hegemony over the world.
The true American conservative does not believe in foreign wars. In US history, conservatives were derided by liberals as “isolationists.”
There is nothing conservative about launching wars of aggression on the basis of lies and deception in order to control the direction of oil pipelines and to enhance Israeli territorial expansion.
Frank misses all of this.
And what a pity that is. A false conservative-liberal fight distracts attention from the growing police state that is destroying civil liberties for all Americans. It obscures the real motives of policies in behalf of special interests that are leading to nuclear confrontation with Russia and China.
What is wrecking America is not conservatives, but a neoconservative ideology of US hegemony.
What is wrecking America is the “impeachment-is-off-the-table” twins, Nancy Pelosi and John Conyers.
What is wrecking America is the Democratic Party, which was put in control of the House and Senate in the 2006 congressional elections to stop the gratuitous wars and gestapo police, but, instead, has continued to cooperate with the Cheney/Bush regime in behalf of war and police repression, such as we witnessed at the Republican National Convention.
Frank’s book, “The Wrecking Crew” falls into the scapegoat category of blaming the innocent and irrelevant. The Democrat Party could impeach Cheney/Bush and cut off funding for the wars and corrupt military contracts. But they do nothing and get a free pass from Frank.
“The Wrecking Crew” does have one virtue. Frank shows that the Republicans have spawned a new generation of brownshirts that lust to imprison, torture, and kill people. These ignorant bloodthirsty thugs see enemies everywhere and fervently desire to nuke them all. The Republican brownshirts are equally willing to kill American critics of the Bush regime as to kill Taliban and al Qaeda.
The latest “enemy” is Russia. The Bush regime, complicit in its Georgian puppet’s war crimes against South Ossetia, is attempting to hide its responsibility for ethnic cleansing by demonizing Russia. With every threat the Bush regime issues against Russia, the war drums beat louder. Yet, the print and TV media and Democratic Party have jumped on the war wagon.
The rapture evangelicals and the neocons are euphoric at the prospect of nuclear war.
Frank’s misguided barrage at conservatives, who are a brake on war and the police state, hastens end times.
Prison
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24 Responses to “Who is Wrecking America?”
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September 6th, 2008 at 5:14 am
The end is near for USA. The big bully on the block will be taken down.
Massive unemployment, stock market crashing, entire cities empty and in ruin, hunger, disease, weather events, and that is just today.
Wait until it get really bad!!!
One year from now and USA will be the erecipient of food aid from countries, to feed the unemployed masses.
Last person out, please shut the door and turn off the lights.
September 6th, 2008 at 6:50 am
Reign of Terror
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reign_of_Terror
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Revolution
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huguenot
Huguenot, Staten Island – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Huguenot is the name of a neighborhood located on the South Shore of Staten … This station was given the name Huguenot Park, even though no park was actually …
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huguenot,_Staten_Island
Did some say STATEN ISLAND? I thought so………
September 6th, 2008 at 7:24 am
Failure of democracy, where MONEY is GOD.
September 6th, 2008 at 8:15 am
I love this stuff! But clearly, we have to fear most the various special interest groups that are more or less permanent in nature…cops, courts, jails and the kingdoms associated with the manufacture, distribution and use of weapons of mass distraction. And don’t’ forget that any protests will be stopped as long as these forces continue to feed off the various treasuries at all levels. Most media go along:
This media continues to perpetuate lies,
For government drug makers, NASA-close ties?
If we tell you that unifying bureaucratic might,
Is just one more tactic that they use for fright!
The business of war is one that requires,
That they look to the masses for many new hires,
And train them to kill with a nod and a wink,
So they’ll never be able to sit and just think!
Cause they’ll be dodging the bullets and curses and lies,
And yes even those good old American Pies,
Hey we always thought that we were the aces,
And that the pies could be eaten, not thrown in the faces,
But those pies are stuffed full of tanks, bombs and rockets,
Bought with the money that should be in our pockets!
Now if makers of the wars seem painstakingly slow,
To send their children, why should anyone go?
Write up a petition! Get those lawmakers to care,
Tell them we’ll be sending their kids if they dare
To perpetuate these wars- we have no other choice
Bush’s children to Iraq? Now we have a voice!
from the bewilderness thanks for coming! James Mansfield
September 6th, 2008 at 8:19 am
This poem is for people but oft hard to bear,
We hope you consider these warnings and dare,
To help in our struggle against the Cyclops,
Of presidents, directors and military cops!
When we try to spread news of the following/preceding furies,
“Lock them up now!” cry the preprogrammed juries!
So we ask for help from the myopic judges,
Who tell us our lawyers just gave in to nudges!
In cities we see that that government brass,
Lock up people just because of their class,
Police standing around massaging the triggers,
Quoting NYPD, “we’re not just bid-riggers!”
And when we say please forget not the Poor,
All at once there’s a knock, guards break down the door!
“We can’t allow these to get any stronger,
Then again that’s good reason for sentences longer!”
If they lock up poor people who’ve done no real crime,
Many people in prison, wasting their time.
Real felons, with badges, they always go free,
The facts get distorted mashed into puree!
from the bewilderness thanks for coming! James Mansfield
September 6th, 2008 at 10:10 am
151. AJ: You were there with the IDF on the ground, what did you learn?
152. MS: Well I was very impressed with the way the IDF ran check-points. I talked to a check-point commander in Jenin, for example, very impressed with what I saw; very impressed with the security fence which is clearly having an impact in those sectors of the West Bank where it’s been erected.[Inaudible]
153. AJ: Well I know this. We sure need one of those on the southern border of the US.
154. MS: [Laughs]
155. AJ: And I want one. That thing’s beautiful.
156. MS: Well I think your southern border is a bit porous and as we’ve seen on 9/11, porous borders can present dangers. And er –
157. AJ: Well I’m not kidding, I’ve literally seen photos of that thing and I start salivating on it.
……
162. MS: Well I’m a big fan of the IDF. I was very impressed meeting and talking with erm, from soldiers up to generals. I think the IDF are doing a good job. I think the Israelis know far more about counter-terrorism than we do in Britain or in the United States. My general line with Israel is I think, we in the west, the rest of the west – Israel is part of the west – we need to get off the Israelis’ back and let them go and do the job. They do know what they’re doing.
163. AJ: Well certainly they know how to build a fence and I wish we had one of those.
http://seanbryson.com/articles.....mpton.html
September 6th, 2008 at 10:19 am
Bible = Basic Instructions Befor Leaving Earth ….G-d Bless all
September 6th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Capitalism without conscience is crime.
September 6th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Its clear for all to see the end of the U.S is drawing near. Its the ebb and flow throughout history. Empire rises- Empire falls.
I just hope when it falls my country is left standing. I certainly won’t miss those hypocritical American Standards. And when it does fall, which it will, we can all look back and see that the mistake you made was aligning so closely with the Zionist agenda.
September 6th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
As for welfare queens, Paul Craig Roberts brought up, I think both parties are wrong. It’s been years since Political Science class, back when I was in the class, it was 30 cents to a dollar, the rest went to bureaucracy. I hardly remember, I think WIC was $30, now it’s $15………the rest goes to bureaucracy. So one point attacks the poor, fixes nothing, which leads to the other side a bigger goverment and the poor gets less, and becomes poorer, and the money is redistributed. So how does it eliminate poverty?
September 6th, 2008 at 8:59 pm
Thomas Frank’s book “Whats the matter with kansas” has one fundamental flaw, it assumes peoples attitudes have changed over the years. They have NOT. What has really happened is the parties essentially “switched sides”. The old GOP is now the democratic party, and the old democratic party is now the new GOP. its easy to get confused, such a dramatic shift is unprecedented.
The democrats aren’t to blame, they merely went along assuming it was necessary to keep their seats in congress and the senate, and why not, the public was screaming for it. they were more than ready to give up freedom for security, so who’s fault is it really?
Take a look in the mirror.
September 6th, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Rick Cain said:
Thomas Frank’s book “Whats the matter with kansas” has one fundamental flaw, it assumes peoples attitudes have changed over the years. They have NOT. What has really happened is the parties essentially “switched sides”. The old GOP is now the democratic party, and the old democratic party is now the new GOP. its easy to get confused, such a dramatic shift is unprecedented.
The democrats aren’t to blame, they merely went along assuming it was necessary to keep their seats in congress and the senate, and why not, the public was screaming for it. they were more than ready to give up freedom for security, so who’s fault is it really?
Take a look in the mirror.
To footnote for the umpteenth time: politicians have themselves to blame, they only started the war…Black Sabbath, War Pigs, the song pretty much sums it up
As for GOP versus Democrat, as George Wallace said: Not a dime’s worth of difference between the two parties…….
As I know, Joe McCarthy got kicked of because his views on torture and calling everyone a communist LOL Communism was alive and well, hundreds of years before Stalin, but they didn’t call it that.
As for Dems, they got it off a year, they’ve been in, the GOP blames the Dems for not doing anything, claims the Dems have been in there………it’s as King Solomon said, “Split the baby in two.” And he winded up with the real mother. I guess the real mother is neither. One wants to bring it to the state, the other it’s okay to put up with forgiveness, and you might die doing it.
September 6th, 2008 at 9:53 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErFOsoKzpD0
about 2:48 watch the WTC collapse in slow motion zoomed-
still think its arab hijackers led by osama boogeyman that made them fall?
cmonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
September 7th, 2008 at 5:39 am
Grapes of Wrath anyone?. Steinbeck chronicled the last depression pretty well.
September 7th, 2008 at 7:26 am
Empires rise and fall, yes, this is true. Yet, this “American Empire” is not American at all… it is the outcome of the brain trust of neolib bankers and their political counterparts, power hungry to own their fellow man.
So, when you speak of the fall of the US and refer to empires, you are mistaken. We are Not an “empire”, we are a federation of States designed under government of Self Governance. Merriam-webster defines empire: a major political unit having a territory of great extent or a number of territories or peoples under a single sovereign authority; especially : one having an emperor as chief of state. THIS is Un-American! The US will NOT fall, but the empire of lies Will.
America is a written list of Ideals embodied in our Constitution. Americans are wakening daily, and once this sleeping giant sees the truths of history… THEN you can be sure that this “empire” created by politicians will fall, but don’t speak of the US falling with such faith in her fall. If America falls, the rest of the world is doomed to be ruled by evil…
Americans, promote STATESMEN. Remove politicians. Enforce your Constitution!
September 7th, 2008 at 10:10 am
The Hebs. Get the ovens ready.
September 7th, 2008 at 11:26 pm
jonny:
bible: bilge-imbedding-by-lunic-elite.
jonny: You’re a sheep. And so stupid are you that you don’t even know that religion purpose is to make you one. Now go back to sleep and stop trying to help us…you are making the planet a hell, just as your type have destroyed the America I once knew.
Current resident: Capitalism is a crime, because nothing…nothing is more important than profit. Not even life. So, in short I agree…buy, capitalism is the enemy. A new for of doing ‘business’ must be found.
jonny: You stupid shit. Did you get out of high school or did you leave early? Or, did you even get there? You certainly don’t have any ability to think for yourself, it’s called critical thinking, my ‘base’ man. You keep mouthing the same bull shit you haven’t spent one minute thinking about. Why jonny do you love the mass murdering serial killer you call god, unless of course you have no morals. You obviously don’t read your bible, or if you do you don’t understand the words…which is to say you are illiterate…again, go back to school. You will soon learn that only the stupid believe such crap…do you see how many stupid people there are around you? A lot! What does you bible say: Broad is the way that lead to destruction and narrow the path to ?. If you are among the many…expect to burn. Not that I believe you will, because I don’t believe in such criminal behavior of a ’super’ being if there is one. Certainly not one like the bible, whose god is a liar and a psychopath…perhaps that’s why you guys become liars and psychopaths once that jesus shit is in your heads. You lose your minds and then your morals because you can’t rationalize any longer.
September 8th, 2008 at 7:13 am
you will never learn Mar and its why your world full is of death sorry you havent G-d in yr life… Ps I have no need to call you names yr suffering in the mind and you type it for all to see yr hate
September 8th, 2008 at 9:21 am
wow, no commet execept get your god wars overwith so the rest of us can live normal lives..and give me all your money sense your going to be beamed up to a higher places and taken away on your fairey tail space ship ;….hope that goes well for you.
September 8th, 2008 at 9:26 am
jonny:
You’re still a stupid shit. Nothing has changed. You are too dim to realize you’ve been taken in by the mind control folks…the oldest of which is religion. You really believe the god of the universe kills humans on Earth because he is unhappy with them? A mass murdering psychopath god. And you don’t see what an idiot you are? And don’t assign to me hatred, you don’t know what I’m up to. Even conversing with you is an exercise in love…to try to get you to understand and stop believing in evil as good. I’m sorry your education is so poor you didn’t get it. Now tell us all jonny, do you believe in the god of the bible who demonstrates in many cases mass murder and serial killing of children? Is this who you worship? And my world is full of death because of you religious nuts! And of course you don’t see that either. I hate that jonny, you religious nuts killing and bombing. Now you jackass refute that!
September 8th, 2008 at 9:33 am
Who is wrecking America? The jonny types. People ignorant of history and too willing to believe whatever they are told. jonny, a 12 year old intellect hasn’t been to school all week, but just knows for sure that the god of the universe is a mass murderer, but he makes excuses for him…’he’s god, he can do anything he wants.”
September 8th, 2008 at 9:51 am
Quote [So, when you speak of the fall of the US and refer to empires, you are mistaken.]
If it looks and smells like an empire, it’s an empire. Granted it may not be a de-facto, dictionary term compliant empire, but with military bases in over 100 countries I will stick with empire.
If someone killed my wife, and it was deemed manslaughter, I really don’t give a toss what anyone calls it. They killed my wife!!!!!
So for the sake of strict adherence to literal meaning of words I wont call it an empire. Its quicker to write than Americas negative foreign policy of forcing other countries adopt democracies through violence, intimidation and low down dirty, evil, no respect for human life tactics. And with the other hand never hesitating to overthrow democratically elected governments if they dont play American ball, with American rules. No hesitation in using methods considered fascist, or at the very best undemocratic.
I also do not have faith in a country so dumbed down. 35% of Americans seem to be die hard government apologists. Even when that govenment is a very real threat to them. Of course you are right. It is not an Empire. But to those on the sh!tty end of the American stick, there is absolutely no difference.
And BTW the American govt has already been overthrown. It was exposed early in the 20th century that large corporations were involved in an attempted coup. S.Butler exposed the coup I think and several large corporations were involved. I think Heinz was one of them. Since then tactics changed and they went about it with more stealth. The mission has been accomplished. If anyone thinks Obama wont be doing what hes told, with of course a certain amount of leeway, just enough to try to protect his fake credibility, they are deluded. The desire for change is so strong the American people have rubber stamped the next puppet. Granted he has more charisma, but aside from that one thing is true. He is Dick Cheneys cousin. So the past 20 years of US politics looks like this on the surface. Bush-Clinton-Bush-?Cheney(attempted sale of another Clinton rejected, but not because of being a Clinton) Cheneys cousin I suspect is the back up plan. Look at Obamas choice for VP. Beyond insane to most. Totally sane if you understand where he is really coming from.
The fact most Americans are playing along with this shows how brazen and totally untouchable those who have infiltrated the US govt really are. There is even a COG policy in effect to scupper any take back of the American system. I dont see America coming out of this, because it’s already dead………..well OK maybe its making the death rattle.
September 8th, 2008 at 8:20 pm
PCR is right on target. But the legions of retards watching American Idol and John Hagee rants (American Idolatry) also deserve some credit. It takes effort to be a moron in the face of sheer corruption and tyranny, but many good junior neocons have pulled it off! Someday soon, they may be living at ground zero because they did just that in the face of wickedness: ZERO!
March 9th, 2009 at 10:17 pm
why not let the banks involved go broke and go out of business. Why should the US taxpayers dole out billions to Citi bank because Citi made numerous bad loans while simultaneously paying employees like Robert Rubin huge bonuses (Rubin received $24 million his first year with Citi bank)? If Citi would have been allowed to fail, it would have opened the door for more competent and prudent banks to pick up their business and profit by it.
But in a way, it really is academic to talk about the control over the banks. The reason is because the US is a plutocracy ruled by the super rich who also own and control the banks being rescued with more bail out funds. You can bank on it that people like the big bankers are not going to give up their control of the big banks with the latest “nationalization” plans.
When the system finally ends in the garbage can, the big bankers will be wealthier than they were when the collapse started in 2007. And by all means, the same people will still be in charge of the big banks. The status quo will not change.
The bottom line is allegations that some thinking persons are busy buying gold and silver and getting it out of the falling US as much as possible. Could this be true? Would thinking people buy gold and silver and get it out of the US?