This posting will be for the "Abby Martin", "American Exceptionalism", and "Public Patriots" series of this journal/ blog. I wanted to include Abby in the "Public Patriots" series for awhile, because of her hard work and staying in the trenches in America and even foreign countries, to give us news that many corporations would not allow on the mega media giants they own. Abby supplies information/ media to thousands of people per day. I been tuning in to Abby for several years myself. Folks like Abby are labeled as radical extremists, conspiracy theorists, troublemakers and much else, because she points out what is not politically correct or fashionable. Thanx to Abby for the title of this posting, and Thank You to Jimmy Dore for sitting down with Abby, one on one. She is someone to be heard out, regardless if you may agree with everything or not, she been straight up ... I dont agree with everything, but much I do. Videos below total about 48 minutes combined, but well worth the listen. After below, I will write my part.
Abby Martin Exposes Untold History of U.S. Empire ... Thanx to The Jimmy Dore Show
***** Project Censored- The News that Didn't Make the News and Why
Is Rachel Maddow Dangerous To Journalism? W/Abby Martin ... Thanx to The Jimmy Dore Show
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***** PD/ RCJ: "ABBY MARTIN" ... PART'S 4 THRU 1
***** PD/ RCJ: "AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM" ... PART'S 7 THRU 1
***** PD/ RCJ: "PUBLIC PATRIOTS" ... PART'S 53 THRU 1
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Thomas Hudson Pickering/ Ranch Chimp & wife Rosalie
I really like the info that Abby compiles and her views, have for awhile ... and no, Abby is not currently working for RT either. But as far as media is concerned, I go to various sources for mine, I go to mainstream, non- mainstream, left and right both, and even controversial types. I do think mainstream though does a pretty good job, especially locally ... but again, I realize that there is so much that they are not allowed to cover too, for various reasons, whether it's from the corporate owners, or because they have only so much that they can print/ tape, so of course, even without corporate control, they have to prioritize ... but they all have their slants, just like flavours. The great thing today, is the abundance of sources that are easily accessible to the average Joe/ Jane ... and much investigative journalism ... but too, with such an abundance and so many slants, including fake shit, you have to read between the lines, and just not take it all as gospel truth, dont even take any gospel as truth ... finding evidence is importante. On the other hand, if it wasnt for alternative media, we would be in worse shape, as far as what news we do get, especially in these times. These top journalists in mainstream are mainly in fear of losing their jobs, money is a key issue that holds so many hostage. I'm happy when I see folks like Ed Schultz and others able to go to a place like RT and get work, or go indie. This doesnt mean that I fully trust Russian state sponsored news, any more than I would trust Putin. And I view Putin as a strong leader, not that I agree with him, but he has shown to be strong and determined. I dont view Trump as a strong leader, because all I seen so far, is a hustler and celebrity, that talks alot of shit and tweets shit online only for a bunch of blind followers. As I was telling a guy here in Dallas the other day that is new to RT, RT is giving these journalists a spot to cover any damn thing they want, as long as they dont bad mouth Russia ... to me, that is worth taking advantage of. But U.S. also wants to put alot more pressure now on folks like RT, so I have to support RT's media too, because I'm also a sort of constitutionalist.
As far as the popular talk about Russia being the cause of all our problems ... I see the U.S. as the cause of our problems, I mean, we made our own bed through our actions. In my view currently, if push came to shove in the next decade or 2, I feel China would be much more of a challenge than Russia to the U.S. ... economically, technologically, and militarily ... I look at China as a sleeping giant. The U.S. is working on expanding their power, while trying to preserve as best their existing powers. Countries like Russia, or even China, knows what the American agenda is (to transform their governments, to be more corporate owned like ours, and they already have India long ago where they want them) ... those countries also want to expand their power, so I see this as just the repeating history of empires in competition to sustain and expand powers. We helped make Russia and China of today, with our style of capitalism, we asked Russia to "tear down that wall", and join us for business in the 80's, we been giving business galore to China for decades as well. We spent plenty even after WW2 investing in Europe and rebuilding. We created good jobs in America throughout the industrialization period, and created a huge consumer pool market of Americans, that money rolled over to build up others countries to expand, we made the business, we made the trade deals. Whether it is China, Russia or even Saudi Arabia, U.S./ western corporate and finance played a major role in making them the wealth and military powers they are today, so this has been the formula for the transformation of our economies, societies, sciences and technologies for the last century. What we commonly call democracy and free trade today, is basically another old school 19th century idea called "neoliberalism". This has been in the making for years, as far as what we have today, and so many countries have freely participated, and many new player countries, but also, have many questions on how everything is working, and who will come out ahead in the long term. When we do oil and defense business with Saudi Arabia for instance, it is just for us to expand our territory as well. Not just the U.S. empire, but any empire, including Russia or China as examples (I choose to use the word 'empire'), dont have any issues with human rights violations, as the people of these countries do, their objective is to gain ground and power. None actually care about womens rights, LGBT rights, workers rights or whatever rights of people. And neoliberalism is here to stay for awhile, all these leaders know this. This is why it is the peoples responsibility in whichever country, just like any other time throughout history, to make sure that we have a say so in molding that future and transformation, as far as any rights, regulations and rules, sovereignty, trade, etc. And it's not only individual countries and people that have questions on this neoliberal expansion, even the IMF has concerns, as you can see in the "Fortune" link below. IMO, neoliberalism in its current form without heavy revisions, oversight, regulations and so forth, can destroy itself easily, in a short time ... and right now it's on steroids.
***** FORTUNE: Even the IMF Now Admits Neoliberalism Has Failed ... (newsread)
As far as all this intervention we are involved in with our defense/ military ... that too, in my view, is way out of order, and mainly dictated by those who ratholed all the wealth, and are pushing the neoliberal global agenda. The increase in defense spending is ridiculous, and a waste of good money ... were shelling out too much. Plus on top of it, we have to cover losses with our intake revenues from taxes, half the bloody damn $4 trillion a year we take in, in taxes and fees goes to this militarization shit ... and whether defense, corporate or investors, our taxes have to cover losses and subsidies. Just like, if Wall Street takes a hit, we shell out, if big oil has a spill/ disaster, we shell out, if CEO's need more money, we shell out, etc, etc. We got a $20 trillion debt (MarketWatch), and maxed out our credit cards basically, and you know damn well, that we will have another financial crisis, in time. How hard that next crisis is, depends on how we manage our spending priorities, and just letting Wall Street run amok and decide all the strategies will burn us all. I mean, this is for the markets "good" as well, as far as regulations ... you give a pound of heroin to a junkie/ addict and put them in a room to manage their usage, they will be dead in a short time. This is why I'm opposed, in these times in our current circumstance, to even any further tax breaks, besides maybe 'some' for the middle and working classes, which will feed our nations economy ... but that too, to be limited. I'm pro- taxation ... but much more careful oversight of how them taxes are used. We have created a culture of overspending and waste. Our defense priorities should not be so much carpet bombing areas abroad to knock off some group of ragtag rebels, as much as it should be to upgrade our cyber defense. And building more nukes is a waste of money as well, we have adequate defense as it is to take on any country in the world that may try to attack us. And like Abby said, those next generations that we bombed their families accidentally or intentionally that are innocent, will come back and bite us in the ass, in time ... folks will avenge the deaths, and resist our muscling in their affairs and taking all their wealth and resources. None of the top wealth gives a shit about this, any more than they give a shit about the environment ... again, it is our responsibility to counter this, and pressure our leaders. And if we cant do it peacefully at the legislative end, we need to take to the streets ourselves and use force, civil disobedience, labour strikes, boycotting, etc. Critical needs spending is needed more here in infrastructure, and "public" investing by government, replacing outdated infrastructure, and also planning for the extreme weather from global warming events that will damage and paralyze our major coastal towns and put us in a deeper financial mess at the same time. More needs to be spent here on renewable energy infrastructure, since this will be bigger than ever as far as usage and business in the near future. We are also leaving too much defense equipment in these other countries that we invade or occupy, we are also arming too many, that we dont know what they may use those arms for, or even against us or allies.
***** THE WASHINGTON POST: More than 400 millionaires tell Congress: Don't cut our taxes ... (newsread)
The economy right now is in boom mode, the markets are doing great, profits are at record highs, we have also created a new generation of wealth and entrepreneurship, and a new middle class in the techs, science, finance, etc, we have the fastest economic growth in 3 years at 3%, and a vast amount of private investment/ development going now coast to coast ... and this all came without NO NEW tax cuts for the wealthiest, who are already doing extremely well. There is not enough reason to believe that these proposed tax cuts will all just miraculously be invested in America, or jack up pay scales much in the type of global economy we currently have ... 50 years ago, it may have done so, but now is a different ballgame. A tax cut plan that locks in the corporate to be permanent, and the individual cuts for 8 years, at that. So ... why would hundreds of millionaires and billionaires, as in the above Washington Post link, say they dont care about another tax break? They dont want to exacerbate inequality any more than we have, because that is bad for business and the economy ... forget the $1.3 trillion or whatever addition to the debt, which usually ends up much greater historically than these so called preliminary estimates, so look at them figures as bullshit as well! At $20 trillion, that isnt going to matter much anyway, that's already in the shitter. What does matter is keeping social order and folks producing and spending, especially here at home ... that is good for business, good for people and consumers, and good for those investing. In my view, now is also not the time to cut social services either, just so those small percentage at the top can have more money/ assets in their pockets and offshore. I alwayz supported capitalism, as a tool as well for reducing poverty and hunger, and improving our quality of life on every level. To me, things like food stamps distribution, especially now with all this new wealth, is also healthy for business ... it creates jobs and gives a stimulus to struggling smaller businesses, reduces petty crime, and gives the masses more confidence and security. Medicare/ Medicaid expansion, the same thing with me ... it's a plus for domestic business too. There is plenty of new jobs, but also, people are struggling to make ends meet and many paycheck to paycheck, helping these folks is healthy for our society, both financially and psychologically. When we invest in these people, the money stayz here and generates more business here, it doesnt end up all offshore in foreign countries, except on the trade end, but has a positive impact in our country. And the rich dont lose a thing over it, and they even can sleep better, not having to worry about disorder and disruptions, strikes and whatever else in business ... everyone benefits. Many investors in real estate are building new homes/ condos/ apartments for high dollar leasing/ sales, this is where we need to expand our public investment to give incentive for a new boom in affordable housing as well. You may not alwayz be able to sell/ lease million buck housing, but there will alwayz be a high and much larger demand for affordable housing. Massive affordable housing private investment with government subsidizing is a winning investment for future growth, stability, productivity, social order, and to reduce homelessness. There also needs to be better oversight, auditing, and prosecution where necessary, of contractors and private investors while doing this, due to the amount of fraud by investors/ banks/ developers currently under the existing housing tax credit private/ public partnership, including politicians who are taking kickbacks, and the shell companies offshore that those marked up/ scammed funds are diverted to.
***** NEWSWEEK: Republicans Are Creating Civil War, Democrats Need to Get Their 'Shit Together', according to campaign donor ... (newsread/ video)
The politics in this country is really in the shitter too, and everyone is feeling the pinch on that. Some Republicans are even worried, that if they dont get through this tax plan, that their campaign funding will take a hit come 2018 and 2020. There is also alot of conflict in their party, just like with Democrats, and an all time low in public confidence with both parties. They have sex scandals/ misconduct, corruption and collusion investigations, etc, against them too. Both parties depend on and embrace a neoliberal ideology, to me it's like having a far right wing party (republicans), and a moderate right wing party (democrats), and frankly as far as the majority population's needs in this country, collectively they have been about as worthless as tits on a bull. The Democrats through the DNC, are taking a hit because of their own inner conflict ... when Donna Brazile came out with her book "Hacks", talking about a rigged 2016 campaign/ primary (POLITICO Magazine), the Democrats wanted to sugarcoat and forget it, but it is something that needs to be discussed and addressed amongst Democrats, I also voted straight Democrat in 2016, but of course like many others suspecting some scamming and not staying neutral. Some of the more left progressive people, are blaming this on Hillary Clinton, I do not blame Hillary Clinton on this one ... I blame the entire incompetence of the DNC, including Schultz and Brazile, where the fuck did they pick up Wasserman Schultz, at a yard sale? Especially the spending, management, and organizing, I seen people on food stamps manage a budget better and more organized. After all, Hillary had to actually bankroll these dumb asses and bail them out, they were broke, mismanaged spending in the last election, were getting ripped off by consulting fees, etc. Hillary in turn wanted to organize it her way, and because of what she had to shell out of her own money, needed to have most incoming donations going to her campaign to be able to have enough to finance and challenge the GOP as far as money. This made states like mine have to take a hit and shortchanging us on distribution funds ... I live in a red state, our metro areas in Texas are blue, but the surrounding state is red, and saturated with gerrymandering and Republican rigging. We have a sitting governor (Abbott) running for re- election with $40 million already to burn on his campaign, and more to come in ... we have our own campaign funding challenges here as it is, we dont need Washington's DNC fucking it up more for us. And both these parties are in fear and held hostage by their donors, even the Democrats got threatened the other day about being cut off if they even lean at all more left, from donor Stephen Cloobeck, as you can see above in the Newsweek link. This all clearly shows how the money in politics is tearing us apart, and there is no better time than now, for campaign finance reform. Since the SCOTUS ruling of "Citizens United" (wikipedia) of 2010, our politicians and parties have been too much focused on being able to outspend each other, this whole damn campaign finance thing is in desperate need of reform, and not just people are sick of it, but even many politicians are growing sick of it.
Word Out ....
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**** ABBY MARTIN ART
"Sea Hug"
"Hell Yeah"
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***** RANCH CHIMP JOURNAL "WELCOME" POST
***** RCJ MUSIC/ ART'S HONOUR ROLL SOCIETY (my hand- selected music/ arts picks)
***** "THE RESISTANCE | PERILS OF THE POWER POSSE" ... ( a 2 part futuristic Ranch Chimp Journal dream to dream on )
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