Stratfor’s Friedman on the Government Shutdown

George Rebane

Dr George Friedman, founder and chairman of the global intelligence outfit Stratfor, writes a workmanlike and useful analysis, ‘Roots of the Government Shutdown’.  Therein he traces the roots of the current shutdown and its surrounding political environment to the transformation of our political system from one of patronage run by political bosses, to the current one dominated by political activist organizations seeking reform of American politics.  In short, the battle became one of ideas and how well these ideas could be formulated and disseminated to the voting public, all of which required money and vast amounts of it.  Friedman writes – 

Political parties ceased being built around patronage systems, but rather around the ability to raise money. Money, not the bosses' power, became the center of gravity of the political system, and those who could raise money became the power brokers. More important, those who were willing to donate became candidates' main constituency. The paradox of the reforms was that in breaking the power of the bosses, money became more rather than less important in the selection of candidates. Money has always been central to American politics. There has never been a time when it didn't matter. But with the decline of political bosses, factors other than money were eliminated.

Well enough.  And through this sea change we saw that the contending ideas washing over the land came from belief systems or ideologies that sought to distinguish and brand themselves as conservative, liberal, classical liberal, libertarian, progressive, socialist, tea party, …, and even my conservetarian.

However, in his dissertation this is where George Friedman blows a tire and gets tied up in a contradiction as he tries to position principle viz ideology.  Replacing bosses with ideology he says –

Bosses were corrupt, and in that corruption they were moderate through indifference. Contemporary politicians -- not all of them but enough of them -- live within a framework of ideology where accommodation is the epitome of lacking principle. If you believe deeply in something, then how can you compromise on it? And if everything you believe in derives from an ideology where every issue is a matter of principle, and ideology clashes with ideology, then how can anyone fold his cards? You can't go back to voters who believe that you have betrayed them and expect to be re-elected. (emphasis mine)

Here he clearly and correctly subsumes ‘principle’ within ‘ideology’.  But two paragraphs later Friedman does an about face to cleave the definitions with a “vast difference”  –

There is a vast difference between principle and ideology. Principles are core values that do not dictate every action on every subject, but guide you in some way. Ideology as an explanation of how the world works is comprehensive and compelling. Most presidents find that governing requires principles, but won't allow ideology. But it is the senators and particularly the congressmen -- who run in districts where perhaps 20 percent of eligible voters vote in primaries, most of them ideologues -- who are forced away from principle and toward ideology.

From here his argument gets a bit frayed as he describes the primacy of primaries in the election cycle.  Primaries wherein the nuances of candidates’ principle populated ideologies rule, primaries in which the dedicated ideologues turn out the vote and let the candidates know the ideological bases of their support.  You talked of your principles during the campaign, and we bought into them.  Now we have a score card – compromise your principles and next time we’ll vote for someone else.

This is the new world of polarizing politics that especially afflicts the fortunes of Republican candidates who are prone to purvey their principles.  Democrats are smarter, since their rank and file don’t hold much truck with explicit principles; they are more swayed by issues that can be communicated through appropriately vivid anecdotes (cf. issues activism).

So let me inject a little semantical hierarchy.  The operational definition of ideology is a structured and communicative belief system (see RR Glossary), and an ideologue is a person that, for better or worse, operates within such an ideology.  And an ideology consists of a collection of tenets that bear some hierarchical relationships to its other tenets.  High in such a hierarchy are tenets which state overarching principles – broad statements of perceived truth in how the world operates and/or should operate.  Principles arrive in our ken as being part of our culture (tradition, education, …), being mandated by higher authority, and/or by induction from life’s experiences.  The latter process involves some noodling and reflection to pull out and summarize common aspects of what actually went down in our lives; some also call it acquiring wisdom.

In turn, such principles, sitting high in our ideology, allow us through deduction to assess, develop, and guide subsequent actions.  So we see that a structured belief system, if not anchored by principles, reduces to a set of mostly disparate rules from which neither their lineage nor imprimatur can be identified.  They simply stand alone, unsupported and undefendable.

Within this understanding we see why collectivists, especially in America, avoid discussing the overarching principles of their policies as much as possible – better always to go to the anecdote (cf "issue-oriented activism") that diverts, and then demands a direct and simple remedy.  Coming full circle, despite the semantic bumps,  George Friedman concludes –

It is not ideology that is the problem. It is the overrepresentation of ideologues in the voting booth. Most Americans are not ideologues, and therefore the reformist model has turned out to be as unrepresentative as the political boss system was. This isn't the ideologues fault; they are merely doing what they believe. But most voters are indifferent. Where the bosses used to share the public's lack of expectation of great things from politics, there is no one prepared to limit the role of ideology. There is no way to get people to vote, and the reforms that led to a universally used primary system have put elections that most people don't participate in at center stage.

Each faction is deeply committed to its beliefs, and feels it would be corrupt to abandon them. Even if it means closing the government, even if it means defaulting on debt, ideology is a demanding mistress who permits no other lovers. Anyone who reads this will recognize his enemy at work. I, however, am holding everyone responsible, from left to right -- and especially the indifferent center. I hold myself accountable as well: I have no idea what I could do to help change matters, but I am sure there is something.

I am not so sure.

Addendum:  And here is a geo-strategic trend that even the great Stratfor has been missing for years, a trend that confirms our post tipping point era, a future that RR readers have been apprised of for years, and one that is finally becoming apparent to even vaunted big corporation technology consultants like Gartner.  Computerworld reports on Gartner's "dark vision" (here) about technology's impact on America's systemic unemployment.  BTW, Congress has yet to get a clue about any of this, but that is at least understandable given their membership.  (H/T to RR reader)

Comments

[Ben Emery]

George,
I have numerous times talked about this corporate one world government that is gaining control through debt. The idea has been met with ridicule.

World Bank Whistleblower Reveals How The Global Elite Rule The World

http://www.globalresearch.ca/world-bank-whistleblower-reveals-how-the-global-elite-rule-the-world/5353130

"The goal is control. They want all of us enslaved to debt, they want all of our governments enslaved to debt, and they want all of our politicians addicted to the huge financial contributions that they funnel into their campaigns. Since the elite also own all of the big media companies, the mainstream media never lets us in on the secret that there is something fundamentally wrong with the way that our system works."

[fish]

I have numerous times talked about this corporate one world government that is gaining control through debt. The idea has been met with ridicule.

Ah Ben...just couldn't resist could you? Where has this idea been met with ridicule?

[TheMikeyMcD]

There are some of us who think the Godverment has been right-sized. Taxpayers should not employ ANY non-essential employees.

[Bill Tozer]

Mr. Ben Emery. Missed you by Brotha from another Motha. Being listening to Coast to Coast I see. Yep, Rodney Dangerfield got no respect either.

There is definitely something wrong with the way our system works:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlVDGmjz7eM

[George Rebane]

BenE 728am - I echo Mr fish's 759am. RR has long railed against the government/corporate ('too big to fail') alliances here and abroad. My only problem has been with many of the nostrums you offer as solutions to that corrupt complex. The record is here for all to see.

Good to hear from you again.

[Ben Emery]

Maybe this little cartoon will ring a bell in your memories of the system I have outlined many many times on RR.

http://vimeo.com/12703848#at=4

[Account Deleted]

"..the mainstream media never lets us in on the secret that there is something fundamentally wrong with the way that our system works."
Must be quite a secret, Ben. How did you find out? So what do you suggest? The Tea Party would like to have the govt stop spending us into a bottomless pit. Are you signing up? Or is it the usual nonsense about making the rich pay their fair share and eliminate the defence budget? Because that plays right into the evil plot you just outlined.
I would take issue with G. Freidman as he simply describes the American voter as "indifferent". It is worse than that. Because they are indifferent, (or as well) they are ignorant about what and whom they are voting for. How many have read and understand the propositions? How many can verbalize a concise statement of the positions their fav candidate holds? As long as the voter can be counted on to go along with a glossy marketing campaign devoid of reason, our govt will continue it's downward spiral. It all starts with a govt run school system designed to turn out compliant and ignorant bodies.

[Joe Koyote]

The evolution of our politics into a one dollar one vote rather than a one person one vote system is exactly what the corporatists have wanted. This puts them in the drivers seat because they have vast amounts of expendable cash that 99.5% of Americans don't have. Citizens United didn't "just happen." It was a planned offensive on our voting system that was waiting in the wings for years until the Supremes had the right mix of ideologues to get the ruling the billionaires wanted. Step two, the current case being heard before bench that argues to eliminate individual contribution limits, if upheld, will be the lid on the coffin for democracy in America. Remember all the rhetoric about "activist judges" and "legislating from the bench that was hurled" at the Dems? Guess who appointed those activist judges who are now dismantling our election system?

[fish]

Maybe this little cartoon will ring a bell in your memories of the system I have outlined many many times on RR.

Yes, yes Ben...you're pulling back the curtain....where/when has this idea been met with ridicule?

[Joe Koyote]

"It all starts with a govt run school system designed to turn out compliant and ignorant bodies."
I think it all starts with a media system that fails to adequately inform the public thus creating an ignorant electorate who are more concerned with twirking and tweeting than politics. News has been replaced with infotainment.

[George Rebane]

BenE 921am - Yes it does ring a bell, actually a chorus of bells that progressives have been ringing for quite some time. The simplistic version here is that corporations do all this on their own while a compliant government stands by helplessly. The reality is that it is government which enables the corporations to do whatever they do internationally. And it is the corrupt politicians who can be bought by these corporations because the politicians want to be bought. It is the politicians who pass and maintain laws to create and manage an ignorant and compliant electorate 1) to enlarge government and give it extra-constitutional powers, and 2) enable those powers to be sold to the highest bidder so that the politicians (the sellers) can stay in power.

The Left's solution is ever the complex one that requires even more government (power and size) to police the situation by removing individual liberties and then 2) constrain man's entrepreneurial enterprises that create wealth. The result is always autocracy on the road to tyranny - second and third world countries (not the little mustachioed ones in your cartoon) serve as constant examples.

For a change, how about we try reducing the size and scope of our federal government so that it has little or nothing to sell to all those dreaded corporations that need the government's gun to survive and prosper? (An obvious solution, were we still on the hopeful side of the tipping point with our electorate.)

[TheMikeyMcD]

Limit the power of godverment and you also limit the power of corporations/special interests.

https://twitter.com/AndySwan/status/384709025239011328

[bill tozer]

Mr. Koyote. Good morning.

"It all starts with a govt run school system designed to turn out compliant and ignorant bodies."
"I think it all starts with a media system that fails to adequately inform the public thus creating an ignorant electorate who are more concerned with twirking and tweeting than politics. News has been replaced with infotainment."

Well, Mr. Koyote, you be preaching to the choir. Nothing new, but let's consider the media for a moment. The media indeed picks and chooses which stories to run and in the order of importance. If the story does not fit the narrative of the media's beliefs, it is simply squashed or run on page 19 of the entertainment section. Think they call that "buried".

Also, please consider that 51+% of the voting populace believes in keeping the gravy train running on time. No need to think of pesky consequences spouted by doomsayer ignoramuses such as I. Live for today. If it feels good, do it. Screw the future and by golly, it won't come back to screw you or your grandchildren.

A tiny case in point about the media. Mr Paul E got all excited about the poll that Americans hate the evil Republicans. Man, he really got his juices flowing on that poll. However, buried in the poll was Obama's rating. George W hit a low of 36% before crawling up to 37% when he left office. Major headlines I tell you. Probably in Nixon territory. Yes, Paul and the media were shooting their wad over reading that poll. Major headlines of much Americans hate us extremists terrorists hostage taking Republicans as the lib's sticky cream colored stuff was hitting the oscillating devise just last week. Blame the media? Been there, done that. Now, a teeny weenie example of our neutral media.

https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/1379862_10151684434835911_1186268970_n.jpg

[Todd Juvinall]

I agree with BillT on the above post. I also think JoeK is on to something, (heh heh), about the press. Guess what though, the media "journalists" are taught in those schools! Whenever a poll comes out that makes the left cream their jeans about how bad the R's are, I, like BillT and Rush, read past the headline and into the poll for the real truth. Our poor dumb citizenry, taught by the schools usually don't get pat the headlines. Thank goodness for talk radio and most of the time, FOX News for allowing the truth to be told.

[Walt]

The Sac bee must have had too may "Right-wingers" posting in the comments.
Just like the local birdcage liner, they have now gone to "moderation".( for the time being the say.) We know how well that turned out.(and why)

[fish]

The Sac bee must have had too may "Right-wingers" posting in the comments.

Right wingers, left wingers.....who cares....the comment sections in newspapers make my head hurt.....so much stupid in its pure unadulterated form.

[Todd Juvinall]

Walt and I used to have so much fun though in the local paper. They changed their whole internet stuff becasue they could not deal with us and the responses we got from the hate mongering libs here.

[bill tozer]

I liked reading Dirtmover on the Union blog. He was great and a hero to many a young mind. He showed his humorous side as well. Wonder what ever happened to him?

[Walt]

Mr. T .. I do admit my attitude has changed. ( grouchy, short tempered, too serious, too often.) Not getting much work since "O" took office hasn't helped either.
Then the fact that taking care of my mamma with Alzheimer's (@94). That's
takes a little out ya' too.
Thanks for the back handed attitude check. I'll work on that.
I guess I'll put on the helmet when I make a comment, and see if that helps.

" Dirtmover "

[Walt]

Todd,,, What the Hell.. I'll take the heat, and with the state of current events
our dearly loved adversaries are probably even more happy they snuffed the (un)civil discourse. With the storehouses of ammunition the Right side of the fence would have amassed by now, from who said what, from "back then", I would constitute an unfair fight.( not that would stop them.)

I will say they mastered the art of button pushing. From ours to the "flag".
They LOVED that censor button.. And still do apparently.

[Account Deleted]

"I think it all starts with a media system that fails to adequately inform the public thus creating an ignorant electorate...."
OK - you folks on the left. Is this your A team? Cause if it is... let's just say Homer Simpson is starting to look intelligent.
What are 8, 9, 10, etc year old kids doing for most of their time? Watching the news and reading the newspapers or attending govt run schools?
Helloooooo - An intelligent 18 year old that has been properly educated to reason and gather news and information from a variety of different sources is not going to be suckered into just being fed crap from the usual news media and swallowing it whole without comparing it against reality.
And Ben - the cartoon - really? Is this an example of the depth of your understanding of reality? I spotted at least a dozen points of glaring omissions of fact in the childish rendition of "big white man bad - small brown man victim".
And the left still can't figure out why? You know England was populated at one time by folks living in the mud and painting their bodies blue. Did some one from outer space come and make them master of the world?
And - oh, yes - "one dollar, one vote". That is soooo cute. Who's dollar? Funny how you never seem to care if it's your buddy's dollar, but if it's not - "look out, world! I've got a new slogan to champion".

[George Rebane]

Barry Pruett posted Tom McClintock's House floor speech on the debt crisis.
http://barrypruett.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-debt-crisis-congressman-tom.html

[fish]

The idea has been met with ridicule.

So we won't be hearing "where this idea has been met with ridicule" from you Ben?

[Bill Tozer]

Mr. Fish:

"Right wingers, left wingers.....who cares....the comment sections in newspapers make my head hurt.....so much stupid in its pure unadulterated form."

Yes, the pure milk from Momma's breast is too much for some. I prefer the unfiltered straight stuff, not the girly man watered down spinoffs. Except when it comes to moonshine. Some of Granny's Kentucky Corn Whiskey needs to be adulterated. Makes one much stupid and talk about your head hurting the next day. Oh my. Last time I took a swig from the jug I saw 9th foot tall green onions chasing musical notes across the tree tops and almost drowned in the bass pond, but I digress again. The newspaper comment are rather opinionated if you ask me.

[fish]

Oh Bill...to see such things when partaking the home made stuff usually means that one hasn't run all the antifreeze out of the radiator and condensing lines. Don't want to make that mistake too many times. ;-)

[Bill Tozer]

There has been a common theme emerging in my noggin when conversing with Brother Ben and considering the Great Divide of ideas and core beliefs. It has been hard to put my finger on it at times, not so hard at other times. Read this opinion piece several days ago and it is just plain stuck in the frontal lobe area.

The good shrink that wrote this article articulated what I have been thinking for a few years. Explains our Prez's actions and statements and those of the left side of the aisle. Part of the take no prisoners mentality.

Completely opposite of my "after a certain age, there are no more victims, just volunteers" mantra.

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/10/10/is-obama-locked-in-victim-mentality/

[Paul Emery]

Lindsey Graham writes:

""I would just say to any member of the Congress now, what is your oath? What is your reason for being here?" he said. "Are you going to stop our ability to reopen the government forever and to honor our obligations come the 17th? I can understand fighting for your cause, but there comes a point when you have an obligation to your country as the whole."

The death watch is ticking for the Republican Party as it has been known. The "sucking sound" of money from Big Business has begun.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/15/government-shutdown-updates_n_4100137.html#607_lindsey-graham-ted-cruz-should-think-of-country-before-forcing-default

[George Rebane]

PaulE 326pm - Any chance that all this will accelerate the discussion of the Great Divide?

[fish]

Interesting.

Little Lindsey Knee Pads must be worried about continued funding for his overseas adventures...and favorably cited by Mr Emery. It would seem that it really is a warfare/welfare state.

[Paul Emery]

Quite possibly but what is apparent is the Great Divide has moved to the Right with Big Business joining the majority which now will include Republican moderates. The Palace skirmish within the Republicrat party has caused realignment Expect predictable results in the next election cycle.

[Gregory]

The Obama/Reid negotiation tactic has been no substantive negotiation, no give on anything those tp conservatives want, Republicans will cave. Might still work.

If those tea party types are pissed enough to hang tight, Dems will have to decide whether to drive off the cliff and if they do, it will be as much the Dem's fault as the GOP. It takes two to play chicken.

[Todd Juvinall]

Golly, I guess the R's should just give in to Obama and the D's so PaulE won't have to ever worry again the R's would be in peril. I just crack up when I read liberals telling us how we should do something they want in order for us to survive. Why would they do that? Why would PaulE want us to follow his suggestions when he hates us? Maybe if he ever got his way and the R's went away, then nirvana would take hold. Then as the D's send in their troopers (because there is no opposition) to take his guns, his property and his money (along with his ganga) he might just see the folly he is espousing.

But then agan, maybe not.

[Gregory]

"Are you going to stop our ability to reopen the government forever"

Pure hyperbole. All it would take is for Reid and Obama to toss a bone or two to the TP types to break the logjam. That's what happens in negotiations.

[Bill Tozer]

Defunding Obama Care was the poison pill inserted by the House Republicans. Putting the kaput on the Sequester is Obama/Reed's poison pill.

Basically, defunding Obamacare is off the table. Republicans in the Senate wants a delay of 2 years on medical tax devises. Heck, Obama has issued scores of delays to the law, such as the employer mandate, year or two exemptions for union members and hundreds of thousands of other workers. So, the little delay in medical device taxes is "not on the table"?

On the Senate side, The Dems want a 100% roll back off the sequester. The sequester was never an issue when this all started. Obama says that is not negotiable. So, the sequester suddenly comes up at the 9th hour and it was Friday night's poison pill from left field.

So, no delays to the medical device tax and 100% rollback of the Sequester and no negotiating of those two issues either, period. Rather than raising the debt ceiling or not, its come down to more money to spend by dumping the Sequester. That will help the debt ceiling,. Yeah right.

True colors have come out. Dems never seen a dollar they just can't keep their grubby hands off of. It drives them nuts looking a dollar bill that should be spent as of now and its their money! Some kids just can't take no for an answer. We would not be in this mess if some adults had slapped little hands trying to raid the cookie jar long ago.

[Michael Anderson]

Greg wrote: "All it would take is for Reid and Obama to toss a bone or two to the TP types to break the logjam."

My money is on a handful of pawns and maybe a rook from the Dems. That's it.

But I agree Greg, this is the end game that is being played now. The big question is will Boehner give his 40 little babies howling in the corner a forceful swat across their blubbering cheeks and do what his party members in the Senate want him to do?

[Todd Juvinall]

Those 40 little babies are actually 63 and they have seemed to stop all the liberals and RINOs haven't they? America is a great place where these men and women each representing 750,000 people can shake rhings up in DC. Liberals always tell us who they are. They cry "progessive" and damn partisans, then only attack those trying to break it up. Liberals are the true little babies. Spoiled brats.

[Paul Emery]

Todd

Those "cry babies" are driving the Pubsters into the pits. Here's what will likely happen. Eventually Boehner will make an offer the Dems can accept and they'll join the Repub moderates and they'll be a deal. The wingers will be isolated and challenged in the next election and will lose because of lack of funds. The Pubs will become the Grand Old Middle of the road Pubbers we all know so well and all will be well with the Repubblicrats will once again be whole. The TP's will form their own party and go the way of the Peace and Freedom wing of the Democratic party in the 70's.

Toddsters will still be in the party because they don't have any real convictions to guide them. Others in this blog may bolt and join the TP's in their effort which may peak out with around 20% support at best.

[Todd Juvinall]

PaulE, answer my query.

[Paul Emery]

What query exactly? I personally don't giv a rats ass what happens to your "Grand Old Party " or the Dems because the two wings on the same fat bird. I do get great pleasure observing the situation and making my best guess on what will happen. My track record is much better than yours you might recall.

[Paul Emery]

sp

because they are two wings on the same fat bird.

[Todd Juvinall]

PaulE, you spend your time trashing the GOP with a glancing comment on the dems. That is your style, we all know it and it tells us all we need to know about your positions. (you are as predictable as you say I am) We see this false dislike of the D's in the people claiming "MOTR". It is crap and you know it. So, you can stop the phoniness.

Regarding the GOP. You libs always complain that DC is crap and in a rut. Then when some folks come and stir it up you slam them into paste in your columns and musings on TV and radio. That is why we also know you are full of crap regarding your phony outrage about DC politics. If the D's had a revolt and 63 ultra libs got elected you would be singing their praises.Too funny.

[Paul Emery]

Todd

Many times I have expressed my admiration for the Tea Party movement and you know it even though I disagree with many but not all of their ideas. But I also see the Republican party as an unwilling host to their populism and if the TP's succeed it will lead to a McGovern type candidate to appease the fringe and take the Party down. Americans don't like radical change. Never have, never will. That's why the Republicrat single party system is perfect. My voting record in the last election is more in line with Tea Party ideals than yours. The Republican wing of the bird is in a perfect position to be the dominant party with Obama being such a weak and ineffective President but instead of taking advantage of the situation and move to the middle they are off the charts with their Libertarian dictums but were unwilling to support Ron Paul when the going got rough. Instead they settled on Santorum as the last option to stop Romney. They didn't give Gary Johnson a second glance.

[Bill Tozer]

Another bill to nowhere. One House Republican is trying to attach an amendment to the bill that will bar the members of the Senate and the President and the political elite from receiving SUBSIDIES on the exchanges. Lifetime bennies and now they want subsidies. Beam me up, Scottie. No intelligent life on this hostile planet. The Senate receives good pay (about 170k/year for life) and great bennies and Obama said he would veto any bill that barred the Senate members from receiving subsidies on top of that. This is friggin insane! Go Tea Party Go!!!

[Paul Emery]

More on the scrap within the Republican Party

...it was clear Boehner would have the backing of moderates, who have been proven right in their fears that not only would Obamacare survive, but that the GOP would be harmed in the process.

Rep. Pete King (R-N.Y.), representing a suburban district outside of New York City, was especially angry at the damaging showdown.

"This party is going nuts," King said. "So many people I run into who are normal people -- and I hate to use that term -- they just can't understand what's going on.

"On this one, they can't even see both sides," King said. "They just think Republicans are crazy. That's it. They see no justification for any of this."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/15/house-debt-deal-fails_n_4103021.html

[Michael Anderson]

Yeah Paul, I agree with you. The tea-billies will need to cave big time in order for the center to hold. But they will do it quietly in the end, because they will rise and live to see another day. This nonsense is far from over.

So this can will get kicked down the road till after the holidays, since both Main St. and Wall St. demanded from both parties, "please don't fuck with Christmas, the month we go into the black."

That's all this is. Just bottom line craven bullshit single party American politics. Have a nice Thanksgiving everyone, hope your turkey is extra plump.

See you in January. Don't bring knives to a gunfight, y'all.

[Paul Emery]

Michael

The real Tea Billies are not messing with the Republican Party but are getting on board with the Libertarian Party. It will take some time but in my mind that is the future. It's a work in progress but can develop into a real force without the shrillness.

[Michael Anderson]

Paul...agreed.

[Joe Koyote]

Interesting how Heritage, Red State, and Freedom Works, all billionaire and corporate funded "think (if that's what you want to call what they do)" tanks, diktate the vote for their tea party goons in the House. If we as a nation want to cleanse ourselves of global corporatist influence, we should start by ousting every tea party politician in America including local goons McClintock and LaMalfa. They do not serve the American people as much as they serve the monied interests who fund their campaigns. This latest political ploy is a classic example of how they are more than willing to throw the country under the bus to serve their masters who want the country to fail so they can move us farther toward a one world gov't. It is not the "collectivists" we should be afraid of but the super capitalists instead.

[fish]

Interesting how Heritage, Red State, and Freedom Works, all billionaire and corporate funded "think (if that's what you want to call what they do)" tanks, diktate the vote for their tea party goons in the House. If we as a nation want to cleanse ourselves of global corporatist influence, we should start by ousting every tea party politician in America including local goons McClintock and LaMalfa. They do not serve the American people as much as they serve the monied interests who fund their campaigns. This latest political ploy is a classic example of how they are more than willing to throw the country under the bus to serve their masters who want the country to fail so they can move us farther toward a one world gov't. It is not the "collectivists" we should be afraid of but the super capitalists instead.

So much stupid in such a taut and compressed paragraph.

Magoo you've done it again.

[Paul Emery]

On a different topic, I'll be airing my interview with Sheriff Mack at 6:00 tonight on KVMR following the headlines.

[Todd Juvinall]

The status quo in DC may be re-established today. Funny how the "progressives" who constantly complain about DC and supposedly are hardwired for change are the biggest supporters of the status quo.

[Paul Emery]

On a different topic, I'm airing my interview with Sheriff Mack on KVMR today at 6:00 after headlines

[Gregory]

O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!

Dream on, left-liberals.

The TP types aren't in the LP for good reasons: the rest of the LP platform besides small government, no election victories and the stoners of the "Let's Party" wing of the LP. The GOP isn't imploding and the TP Republicans will be staying right where they are.

The money behind Democrats is just as big and corporate, so don't dislocate your shoulders patting yourself on the back with far too much vigor.

Now for the show... Obamacare flailing between now and Nov 2014 and another year of no warming of the globe.

[George Rebane]

JoeK 850am - what evidence convinces you that it is the 'super capitalist masters' who are moving us toward a one world government (which it sounds like you oppose)?

[Ben Emery]

George,
"what evidence convinces you that it is the 'super capitalist masters' who are moving us toward a one world government (which it sounds like you oppose)?"

Spend a little time on this website and you will find your evidence.
http://tpp2012.com/

Or even go to the official Trans Pacific Partnership website and check it out.

[George Rebane]

BenE 1206pm - Being somewhat familiar with TPP and perusing your link, it still is not clear how the one world government is coming from the participating corporations. Recall that RR has long argued for separation of the government/corporation complex. Corporations seek government alliances only when government guns can mangle the markets in their favor. If that capacity were removed from governments, then the 'too big to fail' would fail. Can you please connect the dots from open markets capitalism to one world government?

[fish]

So Ben....when can we expect to see the evidence to support your assertion that ...this corporate one world government that is gaining control through debt. and how, The idea has been met with ridicule.

[fish]

I guess not anytime soon then?

[Todd Juvinall]

You shut his mouth fish! Too funny!

[Ben Emery]

George,
Corporations are allowed to be created and granted privileges by government.

Fish,
I already gave that link and jack ass Todd Juvinall was the main offender. Just type in economic hitman in RR search and the subject will pop up.

Here is an interview about it from the true left bashing Obama once again
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/10/4/a_corporate_trojan_horse_obama_pushes

Trans Pacific Partnership the link I gave early

TPP = Trans-Pacific Partnership. It is the dream of the 1%. With 600 U.S. corporations as officials advisors, this stealthy international agreement has been negotiated behind closed doors over the past two years – with talks heading to San Diego in July.

What would TPP mean for the 99%? Millions more American jobs offshored. Backdoor deregulation for financial firms to wreck the economy again. Floods of unsafe food and products. Higher medicine prices. A ban on Buy America policies needed to create green jobs and rebuild our economy. Foreign corporations empowered to attack our environmental and health policies in foreign tribunals.

Closed-door talks are on-going between the U.S. and Australia, Brunei, Chile, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam; with countries like Japan and China potentially joining later. The 600 corporate advisors have access to the draft text of this deal that could change all of our lives. The public, Members of Congress, journalists, and civil society are excluded. Until now… get involved!
TPP THREATS
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Corporations Grab Taxpayer $$ Attacking U.S. Laws in Foreign Tribunals

Read how foreign corporations would be empowered to attack U.S. health, land use, environmental, and other laws before tribunals of three corporate lawyers operating under World Bank or UN rules to demand taxpayer compensation for policies they think undermine their expected future profits. (Already $350 million has been paid to corporations under NAFTA’s version of this crazy system.)
Bye Bye American Jobs & Buy America

Special investor protections take away the risk of offshoring jobs to low-wage countries and in fact incentivize offshoring by providing special benefits for companies that leave. Plus, TPP would impose limits on how our elected officials can use tax dollars – banning Buy America or Buy Local preferences when government buy goods and services.
Undermining Food Safety

TPP would require us to import food that does not meet U.S. safety standards. It would limit food labeling.
Son of SOPA: Curtailing Internet Freedom

Thought SOPA was bad? Read how TPP would require internet service providers to "police" user-activity and treat individual violators as large-scale for-profit violators. Plus, TPP would stifle innovation.
Financial Deregulation: Banksters' Delight

TPP would rollback reregulation of Wall Street. It would prohibit bans on risky financial services and undermine "too big to fail" regulations.
More Expansive Medicines, Threats to Public Health

Disgustingly, U.S. negotiators at TPP are pushing the agenda of Big PhaRMA – longer monopoly control on drugs for the big firms and higher prices for us. These proposals would mean millions in developing countries are cut off from life-saving medicines and higher prices for those of us in rich countries.

[George Rebane]

BenE 957am - your pithy reply seems to confirm not confront my doubt about the corporations being in the lead here - Agenda21 comes to mind. And we must also keep in mind that TPP is apparently one of the major fundamental transformations promised by our first post-American president.

[fish]

No Ben that isn't what you said at all. You pompously said that the idea, "has been met with ridicule". Since you posted that assertion here I can only assume you mean that at Rebanes Ruminations it has been met with ridicule.

I can recall no time when anyone here cheered favors for corporate entities, NAFTA, bank bailouts, the TPP, etc.

We almost always earn your lefty opprobrium for criticizing rampant and unchecked government stupidity....criticism that I'm happy to have earned.

Toodles!

[MikeL]

The term "Agenda 21" usually gets the eye roll from the dems and progessives that I have talked to. They are convinced that this Agenda 21 thingy is just a construct created by the those Racist Tea Baggers. They all say what is wrong with having sustainable Eco friendly green low carbon communites. I wounder if they would have the capacity to connect the dots regarding what Uncle Ben said regarding TPP and Agenda 21 or would they just ignore the obvious since their team is at the helm.

[fish]

I wounder if they would have the capacity to connect the dots regarding what Uncle Ben said regarding TPP and Agenda 21 or would they just ignore the obvious since their team is at the helm.

A powerful ideology needs plenty of "useful idiots". TEAM DEM has an ample supply.