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Archive for the CIA Category
Reinstate The Draft; Reduce The Demand For War (Somewhat). Oh, And Happy Veterans Day! (November 6, 2017)
Posted in Bush, CIA, Clinton, Democrats, Draft, Military, Republicans, Romney, Trumpi, War, War and Wall Street Party on November 6, 2017 by e-commentary.org
J "It is a real head-scratcher. Democrats such as J. Kennedy, G. McGovern, A. Gore, J. Kerry, M. Cleland, J. Webb and J. Kerry are decorated war veterans who question America's pursuit of unending war all over the globe all the time. Republicans such as G. Bush, R. Cheney, R. Giuliani, J. Ashcroft, J. Bolton, M. Romney and D. Trumpi are craven draft dodgers who fledged into chickenhawks and favor and savor sending other people's kids off to die in useless wars that advance their economic interests."
K "Life in America. And death in America. Have you noticed that the warring class who use other people's money to take money from other people also take other people's kids to take other people's lives in their wars?"
J "That makes lots of money for them from other people's money and from other people's lives and liberty."
J "G. Bush the Senior did serve with courage and distinction in World War II, although he surely oversaw and directed some dastardly things when he headed the C.I.A."
K "B. Clinton did not serve with courage and distinction."
K "R.O.T.C. programs were banned from some hip and profitable colleges. The programs should be welcomed because they provide opportunity and possibility. Let the individual decide."
J "In the early 1970's, the Draft became an inconvenient nuisance for the well-connected such as George B., Richard "Dick" C., Rudolph G., John A., John B., Mittens R., Donaldo T and . . . B. Clinton. Dodging the Draft required pulling strings with the local draft board to get a deferment or hiding in the state national guard or fleeing to Europe or faking a hang nail. In response, many corporate think tanks, some owned by their parents, started thinking of a scheme to keep their kids out of tanks and in the corporations. The answer was to end the formal Draft now, release their kids from the duties of citizenship and . . . impose economic indentured servitude on the underclass. That changed the incentive structure for war."
K "Without the pressure from those who are in an economic position to put pressure on the system, the 'demand' for war is greater than optimal or efficient in a society."
J "The powerful and well-connected will find a way to shelter their offspring in comfortable billets and avoid uncomfortable bullets. However, the social benefit from increasing the cost of dodging the drafting is desirable."
[See "The Deep Unfairness of America's All-Volunteer Force" in "The American Conservative" by Dennis Laich and Lawrence Wilkerson dated October 16, 2017, "The Moral Case for Draft Resistance" in "The New York Times" by Michael Stewart Foley dated October 17, 2017 and "How the Draft Reshaped America" in "The New York Times" by Amy J. Rutenberg dated October 6, 2017.]
[See the e-commentary at "Smedley And Ernest On Our Friend 'War'; The 'Racket' Continues (September 7, 2015)".]
Bumper stickers of the week:
November 8 – One year ago
Draft beer not boys and members of the ruling class
The Federal Government, In Practice (September 15, 2014)
Posted in Banks and Banking System, CIA, Civil Rights/Civil Liberties, Congress, Courts, Federal Reserve, Judges, Judicial Arrogance, Judiciary, National Defense Authorization Act / FY 2012, Presidency, USA PATRIOT Act on September 15, 2014 by e-commentary.org
S "So the Founding Fathers are blamed for and credited with many things. Everyone agrees they were inspired by Montesquieu's notion of the separation of powers providing for executive, legislative and judicial functions. The division of labor and duties seems so clean and elegant in your civics class. Yet, in practice, the process is so tainted and untidy."
T "In my class, I try to tidy up the mess. I present this outline of the grand plan on the board to spark discussion:
Post 1787: Theory: Practice:
President 34% 30% (implement laws)
Congress 33% 60% (make laws)
Judiciary 33% 10% (interpret laws)
National Bank 0% 0% (inspire debate)
The judiciary was little more than an administrative agency with possibility until the Supreme Court developed the doctrine of judicial review in Marbury v. Madison in 1803. The political plate tectonics shifted and now we have:
President 44% (determines most major domestic and foreign policy initiatives)
Congress 21% (drives economic activities via substantial ad hoc spending largely for defense, interest and entitlements)
Judiciary 35% (makes laws)
Federal Reserve 33% (the private bank with the misleading name establishes monetary policy and directs fiscal policy by default because of Congressional grid lock and thus effectively runs the economy, with little public participation)
National Security State 39% (shapes domestic and foreign affairs via a motley and myriad montage of agencies, contractors, sub-contractors and others with little oversight)
S "So sixty-eight percent of government policy is imposed by federal judges and the Federal Reserve Board of Governors/Big Bankers who are not elected."
T "The Founding Fathers are said to have been anti-democratic. I know they would be surprised at what has emerged in practice in America."
S "So thirty-nine percent of domestic and foreign surveillance and activities are determined by unknown and unaccountable agents and operatives."
T "Who knows."
S "So we need to track the federal Debt which is now over 17 Trillion dollars and also the Federal Reserve Debt which is now over 4 Trillion dollars."
T "While you are at it, try to fathom the 100s of Trillions of dollars in derivatives that were never on the Founding Fathers' radar and are off the public radar today."
S "That fraud will doom the Republic some day."
S "So the Big Bankers favor war because it is so profitable, so the large number of Big Bankers in power results in an over-production of war."
T "Accord."
T "Republicans want a powerful 'unitary' President when a Republican is in the White House and an effete President when a Democrat is in the White House."
S "And everyone agrees that federal judges are politicians in black robes."
T "Accord, young scholar. See why this is so much fun."
[T: Teacher; S: Student]
The Declaration of Independence is America's Original Organic Poem. The Constitution is America's Owners' Manual. Signed on September 17, 1787.
There is no law. There is only ideology.
The Bush Grand Slam (February 14, 2011)
Posted in Afghanistan, Bernanke, Bush, CIA, Civil Rights/Civil Liberties, FBI, Federal Reserve, Iraq, Military on February 14, 2011 by e-commentary.org
1 "Quite an inspiring legacy. The Bush appointees. At least the prominent ones who are still serving. Bernanke*, Mullen, Mueller and Gates."
2 "Sounds like a trusts and estates boutique law firm."
1 "By law, some major political appointees remain in office through the start of a subsequent administration. The first three appointees continued serving at the start of the O'Bama administration. O'Bama retained Robert Gates as Secretary of Defense and re-appointed Ben Bernanke* as Chairman of the Federal Reserve."
2 "He really blew it in his early years with the Fed, yet Bernanke* may be the best that America can produce. We need Bernanke to channel his inner Volker."
1 "Bernanke is the pivotal player. Gates swore an oath that included providing for the 'common defense.' His performance is exemplary and an example for all. Ike, a Republican and former general to boot, was remarkably courageous in his last days in office when he warned us in no uncertain terms about the power of the military-industrial complex. So much money that should be used for our common defense or other purposes is squandered on projects and programs that are unnecessary. Gates is still challenging wasteful and duplicative spending."
2 "Perhaps Gates could take off for a week to go bass fishing and then return to duty. He has the stroke to get it done, but he may want to get out before he has a stroke."
1 "You've got to have the fire to stay in the game. Look at the record. When the National Security Act of 1947 transformed the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) into the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), there was concern to avoid the secret Gestapo police that had terrorized Europe and the world a few years earlier. After 9/11, the barriers between international intelligence gathering and domestic police activities were eliminated. Without institutional barriers, we rely on individual restraint. As Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Robert Mueller has provided balance and prosecuted the task with integrity and an abiding concern for the Constitution."
2 "Another former Marine making it."
1 "And Mike Mullen as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has been a steady hand on the tiller."
2 "Tough task. The military is engaged in two wars that America cannot win and cannot lose. America cannot afford to pursue them and cannot afford not to pursue them."
1 "And a calm head implementing the transition from DADT (Don't Ask, Don't Tell) to a military culture that allows everyone a chance to serve and die without living a lie."
2 "You know that he could have opted to go into the Marines after the Academy?"
[See the "e-ssay" titled "V Day (February 14, 2005)."]
Much is well that ends well
Fidelity, Bravery and Integrity
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