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There are things happening in our country and the world that are very ominous. Most people do not notice them or are unaware of how significant and dangerous they are. Ignorance and apathy are rampant.
There is much at stake - more than you realize.
https://www.truthdig.com/articles/fi...sange-then-us/
It is not overly dramatic to say the country is in a dangerous time. Those who are knowledgeable about the changes that have occurred over the last 45 years know how we got here - the rest don't care.
Humans are commonly gullible, suggestible, emotional and impatient. Getting someone to read a lengthy article or a book that provides an in-depth analysis of a complex subject is next to impossible. There are sports to watch, movies to see, and many other more interesting things to do.
I am not hopeful that this will change. The damage will likely, as a result, get even worse.
https://www.alternet.org/2019/07/our...for-democracy/
Over the last 40 plus years both political parties have decayed and, as a result, the country has deteriorated. Those who are knowledgeable of these changes know there is no real opposition party to the totally repulsive Rs. It is a mirage, and we are manipulated to prevent our seeing how we are being deceived. As Gore Vidal once said, “There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party … and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat.” This has never been more true.
There are dozens of examples that provide objective evidence of the metastasising rot. Here is the most recent, going on while the country's institutions and rule of law are being undermined and wrecked by the worst administration in history. Everything is being facilitated by the phony "liberal" party.
If the handful of real progressives are prevented from overhauling this corrupt system the country will eventually become unlivable for all but the top few percent.
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2...g-donald-trump
I am critical of both political parties as the post above and many others here prove. Power and wealth control everything, more than ever, and this must be fought and changed.
THIS is a great explanation of the lies, deception and manipulation that works daily to stop beneficial changes in the country and to prevent those that work to accomplish it any success.
https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/02...ame-is-rigged/
I always stipulate, as I did above, that I have strong criticisms of the Democrats. But the criticisms are selective, specific and always backed up with authoritative evidence.
Saying that, it is obvious that Trump is one of the most deranged, psychotic and disgusting humans to have ever been born. His actions as president are consistent with that description.
He is now responsible for the deaths of thousands of Americans due to the pandemic and his indifference in promoting and ensuring good healthcare policies. That is in addition to the other destructive things he and his sycophants do daily. Relative to the pandemic this sums it up nicely.
https://truthout.org/articles/florid...far-from-over/
Scary story about the radical right's goal of rewriting the Constitution:
http://www.huffpost.com/entry/mark-m...b09cce6c143b10
Over the last 45 years the Republican Party has degenerated into the party of religious cretins, racist white nationalists, vicious haters and the criminally insane. Many individual conservatives are all of those things at once.
Using their extensive and effective propaganda machine their only goal is to maintain power by lying and stirring anger in the easily-led and low-information voter and by voter suppression. They have no policies that help anyone except those in the very top incomes.
The Dems are still practicing the same corporate (and military policies) the repukes do but use their concern on some social issues to appear less like repukes.
Until all the current Dem "leadership" is thrown-out and replaced with real progressives, and their policies and messaging are vastly improved little will change - except the country will move even closer to being an unlivable foul-smelling sewer.
The country's most dangerous threat is not from foreigners, it is from insane right-wing cretins and their followers. January 6th is but one example.
https://www.commondreams.org/news/20...lity-get-stuff
It isn't always easy to think clearly and rationally. There are many pressures to 'cut corners,' to make hasty decisions that can hurt us, especially if we've bought into any ideology(ies) that push us away from solid objectivity. It takes strong discipline to develop good critical thinking skills.
A prime example is conservatism and other of its versions like libertarianism. The stupid is so rampant that not even a pandemic can tamp down the insanity. It actually INCREASES it. Sickness and death are acceptable in the name of ...freedumb.
No one is immune from making mistakes but what's happening now when we should all be pulling together is - well, there are no words to describe it. Vicious and deadly hate is the core tenet of the right and it's clearly spreading faster than the virus.
https://www.commondreams.org/further...-stupidity-and
The media and its talking heads, especially the military ones, are in a frenzy. The tragedy unfolding in Afghanistan provides ammunition for those who always seek to capitalize on any bad (or phony) situation and NEVER constructively.
Anyone who reads my posts knows I play it where it lies - repukes are psychopaths and except for progressive dems, I have little respect for that party. Accordingly, objective reality shows the retreat from Afghanistan and its messiness cannot be entirely blamed on the current administration. There is much to know about all of it especially why Trump got 5000 Taliban fighters released and how the GWB administration handled the Taliban's capitulation after we went in initially.. There is ALWAYS more to know than you think about momentous incidents.
This is an essay about the retreat that provides some useful perspective.
https://truthout.org/articles/we-los...eed-to-say-so/
There is a strong element in humans that abhors unpleasant information. When reality contains facts that embarrass, prevent the reuse of discredited policies or in any way diminishes reputations, an effort is made to destroy it or to discredit it. We prefer lies that soothe.
The line in a movie, "You can't handle the truth," applies to human existence everywhere.
Because of the tremendous pressure in this country to suppress reality and promote unfounded optimism or outright fantasy instead, there are few who dare to challenge the myth-making. Chris Hedges is one who does and here provides reality about our involvement in Afghanistan and its connection to the future of this country.
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2...ed-afghanistan
There are few who have the necessary background - instincts, knowledge and extensive experiences - to speak with authority on global events. Chris Hedges is one of them. His observations here (and writings) never hesitate to expose what most prefer to avoid.
We are in a very dangerous place in the country now. This interview from Michael Moore's podcast series, Rumble, will tell you why.
https://rumble.media/episode/ts-time...-chris-hedges/
There are ample reasons to be wary of the pharmaceutical industry and its pronouncements. The medical field in general has not always been as concerned with people's health as they are about profit. The industry is based on greed as shown by the differences between drug pricing in Europe, and elsewhere, compared to the U.S.
The current Covid pandemic has unleashed "information" that ranges from stupid to viciously dangerous. To understand anything the least bit complex requires unlimited research from objective and authoritative sources. The pandemic is a prime example of the necessity of living by that rule.
There are many who have the ability to influence others and some are actively promoting dangerous disinformation and lies. People have died because of this type of "advice."
How should we view those who promote policies that can injure and kill?
This is a column by Michael Hiltzik which discusses that decision.
https://www.latimes.com/business/sto...f-anti-vaxxers
For a long time there has been more disinformation, manipulative propaganda and lying on EVERYTHING than the presentation of objective and truthful facts. It's worse now than ever. The MSM contribute to this dangerous disservice to the country's wellbeing to avoid upsetting the corporate and political power structure.
Currently, almost all repukes are busy dodging, minimizing and obfuscating to try to limit the damage from their support of an attempted coup, including censuring those who see it for what it is. Btw, all of those who are now differing from their fellow repukes voted with the prior administration 97-99 percent of the time. They have NOT reformed aside from their opposition to lying about the insurrection.
Don't let the phoney distractions mislead you.
https://crooksandliars.com/2022/02/r...nnell-mccarthy
The United States imposed Daylight Saving Time in 1918, repealed it in 1919 and reinstated it in 1942. The idea was that Americans would use less electricity. Over the years, various studies have shown energy consumption declined by 0.5% or 1% and other studies have shown energy consumption actually increased. This bill still has to be passed by the House of Representatives and then will have to be signed by President Biden – but we're one step closer to doing away with these idiotic twice-a-year time changes.
Senate passes bill that would make Daylight Saving Time permanent
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/dayli...b0b62820297423
When I post something I consider important, I do not necessarily agree totally with every assertion. Sometimes a specific emphasis or a nuanced point might go a bit too far. But, for me, the content must be overwhelmingly accurate and free of anything that makes it propaganda or disinformation.
I believe that there is a very small amount of "news" in this country that does not leave out critical details, or that avoids being deliberately misleading. The MSM does not criticize, in any meaningful way, the establishment that it also belongs to. The need for advertising dollars, access to "sources," and the avoidance of harassing lawsuits demands it.
Chris Hedges' views are not in service to the establishment. He sees through the veneer and exposes the rot within.
In this essay he shows how the establishment's control of information is tightening.
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2...-years-my-show
Humans have a number of well-known tendencies. Some of them are; a need to deny responsibility for mistakes to avoid the consequences, bullying if you have power, excessive emotional reactions to moderate risks, denigration of those who disagree with you, coupled with a fondness for those who do agree, and then having a tendency to overlook their bad behavior as payback.
Governments are composed of humans so these characteristics are operative in them.
The invasion of Ukraine exposes, once again, how all these habits are at play, and there is no one better qualified to show how they control events than Noam Chomsky. This entire interview is well worth your time because you will hear objective, authoritative analysis that almost no one else is doing. The last five minutes are especially vital as the accusation of disloyalty is, as always, being used against those who see things as they really are
For those who know you can't identify that it's propaganda unless you know EVERYTHING.
https://theintercept.com/2022/04/14/...eremy-scahill/
Conservative/religious hatred never rests. It is a cancer on humanity.
Time for this again...sadly.
https://youtu.be/AvF1Q3UidWM
The last forty-five years of conservatism's relentless destruction of the country's institutions and the fabric of its society is evidence that this video is not, in any way, hyperbole.
https://www.commondreams.org/news/20...ost-roe-future
It has never been true that those who claim to be pro-life really are. If they were, and wanted to reduce abortions, they would be in favor of free contraception, sex education in schools, and every social program for children's safety and well-being. They are NOT in favor of any of them. .
The formula shortage has been used, as usual, to attack dems for causing it and not doing enough - which are lies.
This article shows what they really are - sociopaths.The daily propaganda that supports these cretins must be effectively fought. This event is useful evidence.
https://crooksandliars.com/2022/05/n...t-baby-formula