By David Swanson
Of course we've long since established that they do not hate us for the reasons they say they hate us. For example, our military bases in their countries have nothing to do with it. When I mention to people in the U.S. that Italians or Czechs or Germans or Koreans are protesting new U.S. bases, the response is usually along the lines of:
"What are we building a base in Italy for? Are we at war with Italy now?"
Therefore the bases we have already built all over Italy and in 80 percent of the nations on earth, most of which nations we are not at war with, do not exist. Mention them, and the billions of dollars U.S. taxpayers spend on them, and the response is usually:
"Oh, really? That's terrible. Hey, are you going to watch the game tonight?"
Therefore, the reason they hate us must be something else. But it is obviously not the financial or trade policies we impose on other countries making it harder for people to earn a living. We know this because when people flee these policies and come here to try to earn a living we can tell by looking at them that it's entirely their own fault.
So, whenever I'm on Fox radio or TV I try to ask myself why Fox viewers believe they hate us, and who "they" are and what they're doing about it. I assume that if anyone knows, it's got to be either Fox viewers or frequent flyers. The ordeal involved in getting on an airplane reinforces dramatically that whoever they are and whatever their reasons, they truly must hate us. It's almost enough to start us hating them. It's almost as if that were the... never mind.
The reasons they hate us can't matter much, since the solution lies in new technology. Bigger walls and databases will surely save us. Nonetheless, out of pure curiosity, I have to ask: what ever happened to the theory that they hate us for our freedom? Is there anyone left in the U.S. capable of believing that even "they" could consider us particularly free? Of course, they might believe anything, but can we any longer believe that even they would believe THAT?
I know we do still have the Third Amendment, but the rest of them are pretty well wrecked, including the Thirteenth. That's right: slavery. We not only buy consumer goods made elsewhere with slave labor and avert our eyes. We not only use slave labor in the so-called reconstruction of nations we've destroyed. We have slavery right here in the US of A. We have it established by court cases and documented in books, and still we think of it as in the past, as not existing, as no more real than our empire of military bases spread around the globe.
Over this holiday season, you might consider reading a new book called "Nobodies" by John Bowe, which documents in detail the use of slavery in the United States today and in U.S. territories.
Or you might read Andy Worthington's stunning new book: "The Guantanamo Files: The Stories of the 774 Detainees in America's Illegal Prison." Here they are: they. Who are "they"? Why did we pay people money to turn them over, imagining we'd get the right "they" that way? Why did we torture them to tell us about others, imagining we'd learn something useful that way? Why do we look back on the slavery abolition movement with respect but look askance at those struggling to close Guantanamo and secret prisons because they wear orange jumpsuits and complain about things we never see on television?
Spying without warrants or probable cause, free speech zones, indefinite detentions, torture, a commission to investigate unapproved belief systems, a media that functions as state propaganda, and an empire stretching from Atlantic to Pacific the long way: is this what the rebels braved the holiday season at Valley Forge for?
Or was it for the rule of law, for the rule over men and women by the U.S. Constitution? That may sound like a complete change of subject to those who imagine that defending the Constitution is all about xenophobia and the rantings of a libertarian presidential candidate who believes in black helicopters but not evolution. The Constitution, on the contrary, is not our key to opposing international law. Our Constitution has been a driving inspiration for international law. Its importance to us now, however, lies in its establishment of representative powers and the all-important check on the power of an outlaw executive known as impeachment.
A couple of weeks ago, three members of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee started trying to publish a column urging that their committee begin impeachment hearings against Vice President Dick Cheney. Several major newspapers turned them down. So, the congress members posted their op-ed online at http://www.wexlerwantshearings.com where it quickly gathered over 100,000 signatures (and counting) in support. Newspapers were forced to cover the growing push for impeachment, and an appropriate newspaper finally agreed to put the op-ed into print: a paper from the city where the Constitution was written, the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Forget about choosing a presidential candidate. If we want a candidate roughly as good as Jimmy Carter, we can guarantee it by doing now to Bush and Cheney what we did then to Nixon and Agnew. These are the words that should guide us over the coming months:
The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment... The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present... Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law.
Removal of the President from Office... he shall have Power to Grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment... The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors....
If Carter was such a good
If Carter was such a good President, then why was he not re-elected in 1980?
OIL Company Money
Carter was defeated by Oil Company money. He was a threat to their profits (remember his call for renewables?)and no expense was spared to defeat him. Haven't you ever wondered why you see ads for coal on your TV? When is the last time you bought a lump of coal? So why do they buy advertising time . Because then they control content. They paid for positive stories for Reagan and Negative stories on Carter. Bingo. Carter lost. It worked then and it is working now. Average people are sheeples. So easily herded by the wolves.
Well, ...
... it could have something to do with the unfortunate nature of our electorate. Perhaps you are a good example of Q.E.D. ?
Because the rulers of Iran
Because the rulers of Iran made sure that the hostage crisis wasn't resolved until Reagan came into office. Reagan later illegally sold arms to the rulers of Iran.
Jimmy Carter was, it seems, overwhelmed by the office of the Presidency. But I think that what the author of the article meant was that if you want someone even as good as Carter, let alone someone as well meaning but competent this time you should start impeaching now.
Shocked
For those of you not familiar with the politics of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the fact that they published Wexler's Op-Ed in its entirety (or at all) is huge. Because of its corporate, right-wing bias, I stopped reading the Inky (as it is known locally) some time ago. Glad to hear it here first - thanks David.
Slavery May Have Been Abolished, Not Economic Exploitation
David, this is the point of all points you make:
"That's right: slavery. We not only buy consumer goods made elsewhere with slave labor and avert our eyes. We not only use slave labor in the so-called reconstruction of nations we've destroyed. We have slavery right here in the US of A. We have it established by court cases and documented in books, and still we think of it as in the past, as not existing, as no more real than our empire of military bases spread around the globe."
The "ruling elites" have found a way to get the massses of people in this country to vote them into power willingly in direct opposition to the best interests of the masses. Clever of them but extremely effective.
The "ruling elites" variously use race, gender and sexual orientation to mask their real lust for greed and power to impose economic exploitation on those masses!
Since WWII it is a rather instructive exercise to trace the involvement of the United States in "conflicts" all over the world. Korea, Viet Nam, Grenada, Iraq (twice) and now the threat of conflict with Iran.
We have seen on many posts here the question CUI BONO? Who benefits? Do WE THE PEOPLE benefit from our nation's engagement in these "conflicts"? If not who does?
I'm going to let each reader of this post answer these questions for themselves. I suspect not a one of you will include yourselves among the beneficiaries. I also suspect that anyone who does number themselves as a beneficiary is not going to admit it on this site in any way other than anonymously.
Slavery is, was and always will be synonymous with economic exploitation whether it be 19th Century African Americans in the South of this country, Pacific Rim sweatshop workers lining the pockets of manufactureres like Nike, or America's once strong and proud trade unionists.
Economic exploitation is the name of the game for the "ruling elites" in this country and their "global economy" is just another scheme in their overall plan to create their "New World Order"!
All these "truths" should be "self-evident" to any true American who honors and lives by the principles of our Founding Fathers, but the "ruling elites" have so deciminated the public education system of this country, generations of "Americans" have no clue what the hell I'm talking about when I write this!
Richard...AND ALL OTHER READERS
You are starting to sound like an independent.
Richard, what say you about enacting a third major political party so "WE" the masses in the REAL U S body politic, can choose OUR OWN state and national representatives and show the elitist democrat and republican bums and their hand picked political puppets that have been screwing us all for the past five decades the way out the door.
Anybody,..after the 2006 election that need ANY further proof to conclude that the democratic and republican representation they have elected and currently seated in WDC are in cahoots with each other,..is as dumb as a brick!
What amazes me most is that the democrat and republican party members are on the path RIGHT NOW to electing more of the same type people that will continue to make promises for sweet bubble up and rainbow stew and screw us again!
The only candidates for president that actually would follow through on their campaign promises, Paul, Kucinich, Biden, and Edwards don't even stand a chance of winning because the stupid "party member" fools listen to all the biased party/media propaganda and rigged professional polls. The harcore my party only fools also don't have enough brains to think for themselves nor the nerve to go outside their political party havens, buck their lousy party systems, and go forward in unity, and back the aformentioned four candidates.
Unless a miracle candidate for president appears on scene next year I guarantee that one of the four I mentioned, Paul, Kucinich, Biden, or Edwards will get at least two write-in votes cast on absentee ballots that my wife and I can retain copies of. Which of the four right now is still an open moot subject.
I don't expect to see the person we vote for to get elected. Instead I look for one of the front runners, Clinton or Obama win...and then when things don't go the way the people that voted for them expect I'm going to be the first to long and loudly tell em "I TOLD THEM SO!"
Here it is folks..."A president, NO PRESIDENT can make the unilateral arbitrary decision to make mandate (law) for universal national health insurance period end quote." Presidents DON'T make law, the Congress does! And if the congress doesn't get together in BOTH houses of congress and approve bills and pass them to the president for his signature guess what happens. Nothing...again.
Now think about this. Who does our congress work for? Us? If you believe that take a pill. The congress works for the corporations.
So do you think the insurances corporations and their lobbyists are going to let their multibillion dollar profit applecart get turned over? As long as the megabucks flow from the corporations via lobbyists into the congress's pockets...in a pigs eye will universal national healthcare happen.
People People People!! The whole fucking U S political/government system has to undergo the most radical change since the revolution against King George and England!
Our presidents and congresses are bribed and bought off by the highest bidders. It's been that way for AT LEAST five decades!
"Under the present system" there is only one way to beat the corporations and their lobbys and that is for each citizen to donate as much money as they can, say one dollar each and that's $300,000,000.00 and become the highest bribery bidders, hire and send our own lobbyists to the congress, out bid the corporations by bribing the congress ourselves.
Ever hear the old saying "MONEY TALKS-BULLSHIT WALKS?" Folks that's U S Politics in action! "CONGRESS FOR SALE INQUIRE WITHIN!"
Don't you readers realize that is exactly the way Haliburton and the few other super mega military insustrial complex corporations became the giants they are, and the very reason they are repeatedly the only ones that get all the federal government contracts? They all bribe the fucking congress; democrats and republicans!! And believe me every person in the congress has a number where they will sell the U S Citizens out...and the mega corporations have enough money to spread around to find out what their individual sell out America numbers are.
Everyone of us can be bribed if we are offered enough and that is why P J O'Rourk titled his 1992 book "A Parliment of Whores." The book was about everyone in the United States! You folks seem to like books...find and read that one in libraries, used bookstore, and even on Amazon.com under booksales!
Now tell me that you (generically said) can't afford one dollar per each family memember per year toward getting the congress to work for us instead of the corporations.
Don't like this idea? Then let's see you folks get the congress "WITHOUT BRIBING THEM" to s change their sweet little system for getting richer and richer while I sit and laugh.
The political party I belong to is the entire body politic of the United States of America and our Constitution that I support without bias that neither states or implies any allegiance with any other socalled organized political party.
Independent as it gets
Paul, Kucinich, Biden, or Edwards ....
Trust no one. That way you trust everyone equally.