Are We One Nation Under Reason?
“The Human Species could have been great but instead we became satisfied with lights on our tennis shoes.” —― George Carlin
“No matter what you do, no matter how hard you try, you're screwed, because it's all fixed and rigged. There is a club and you ain't in it.” ― George Carlin
“You're just another American who is willfully ignorant of the big red, white and blue dxxx being shoved up your asxxx every day... The owners of this country know the truth... it's called the American dream because you have to be asleep to believe it!” ― George Carlin
Old George knew he was right. And so do a lot of other people here in America and the world over. I wish there were more like him. He didn't like phonies, and America is full of them. Sure, there are success stories in America. People even go to college and get degrees. Some of them get jobs. Good paying jobs. We even hear on the daily news about how well Wall Street is doing, whether the Stock Market is up or down --- how much it has gained and how much it has lost --- exact numbers even. But no daily news about how well the average American is doing. That's a dead giveaway about media bias right there! Only 52 percent of Americans say they currently have money in the stock market, matching the lowest ownership rate in Gallup's 19-year trend. There aren't even any major indicators of the health of the average American economically.
51 percent of all American workers make less than 30,000 dollars a year. (The federal poverty level is $28,500 for a family of four.) 62 percent of all American workers made less than $40,000 last year. 71 percent of all American workers made less than $50,000 last year. "There are 7.9 million working age Americans that are “officially unemployed” right now and another 94.7 million working age Americans that are considered to be “not in the labor force”. When you add those two numbers together, you get a grand total of 102.6 million working age Americans that do not have a job right now." —Washingtonblog
It can't be over-emphasized that 90 percent of America’s mainline media of all types is owned and controlled by only 6 corporations. Those conglomerates are: General Electric, News Corp., Disney, Viacom, Time Warner and CBS. "With the country’s widest disseminators of news, commentary, and ideas firmly entrenched among a small number of the world’s wealthiest corporations, it may not be surprising that their news and commentary is limited to an unrepresentative narrow spectrum of politics.” ~ Ben Bagdikian It's all about profit and ratings. Whose views prevail in such a media climate?
American telecoms are basically cartels according to David Johnston of the New York Times. It’s time to break them up again. The average U. S. Triple Play package from American telecoms (land line, cell phone and TV) sells for $160 a month, compared with $38 in France (24 percent of what Americans pay for the same thing). The French also get better services, including an internet that’s 20 times faster uploading data. U. S. telecom industries offer low quality and high prices.
In television programming commercial breaks have become longer. During the 1960s a standard hour-long show would run for 51 minutes excluding advertisements. Today, such a program would only be 42 minutes long; a typical 30-minute block of time now includes 22 minutes of programming and eight minutes of advertisements. There are six minutes for national advertising and two minutes for local. But in Europe, European Union legislation limits the time taken by commercial breaks to 12 minutes per hour. Advertising broadcast time can vary within the EU and other countries and between networks. Unlike in the United States, in Europe the advertising agency name may appear at the beginning or at the end of the advert.
"The dumbing down of America is most evident in the slow decay of substantive content in the enormously influential media, the 30 second sound bites (now down to 10 seconds or less), lowest common denominator programming, credulous presentations on pseudoscience and superstition, but especially a kind of celebration of ignorance” ― Carl Sagan (like Carlin said, those that own this country want it that way)
One hundred years ago, Upton Sinclair wrote that “American journalism is a class institution serving the rich and spurning the poor.” Likening journalists to prostitutes, the title of the book (The Brass Check) refers to a chit that was issued to patrons of urban brothels of the era.
Sinclair was irritated at the whole business climate where newspapers were run by business tycoons and conservative editors. Sinclair published The Brass Check in the years after his book, The Jungle, had made him famous. Although Sinclair claimed that this was his most important book, critics dismissed it and reviewers shunned it (surprise, surprise). But it sold over 150,000 copies (published in 1919) as well as numerous reprints because it exposed deeply rooted corruption of people in power.
Some of Upton Sinclair's quotes:
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"The supreme crime of the church to-day is that everywhere and in all its operations and influences it is on the side of sloth of mind; that it banishes brains, it sanctifies stupidity, it canonizes incompetence."
“The media are desperately afraid of being accused of bias. And that's partly because there's a whole machine out there, an organized attempt to accuse them of bias whenever they say anything that the Right doesn't like. So rather than really try to report things objectively, they settle for being even-handed, which is not the same thing. One of my lines in a column—in which a number of people thought I was insulting them personally—was that if Bush said the Earth was flat, the mainstream media would have stories with the headline: 'Shape of Earth—Views Differ.' Then they'd quote some Democrats saying that it was round.” ― Paul Krugman
"I prefer seeing things the way they are, not the way some people wish they were." —George Carlin
“Conservatives say if you don't give the rich more money, they will lose their incentive to invest. As for the poor, they tell us they've lost all incentive because we've given them too much money.” ― George Carlin
“Forget the politicians. The politicians are put there to give you the idea you have freedom of choice. You don't. You have no choice. You have owners. They own you. They own everything. They own all the important land, they own and control the corporations that've long since bought and paid for the senate, the congress, the state houses, and the city halls, and they've got the judges in their back pocket, and --- they own all the big media companies so they control just about all of the news and the information you get to hear. They got you by the balls. They spend billions of dollars every year lobbying to get what they want. Well, we know what they want. They want more for themselves and less for everybody else. But I'll tell you what they don't want. They don't want a population of citizens capable of critical thinking. They don't want well informed, well educated people capable of critical thinking. They're not interested in that. That doesn't help them.” ― George Carlin
“Think of how it all started: America was founded by slave owners who informed us, "All men are created equal." All "men," except Indians, blacks, and women. Remember, the founders were a small group of unelected, white, male, land-holding slave owners who also, by the way, suggested their class be the only one allowed to vote. To my mind, that is what's known as being stunningly --- and embarrassingly --- full of sxxx.” ― George Carlin
The original U.S. Constitution said that members of the House would be elected by the voters of each respective state and those voters would be whomever could also vote for the state legislature. Article 1, Section 2, first paragraph of the U.S. Constitution did not establish any rule about who could vote; that would be determined in the states. And the states did have laws to limit "the voting franchise" to only white, male property owners. At the time the U.S. was founded, its female citizens did not share all of the same rights as some men, including the right to vote. There were even language requirements, thus eliminating anyone who couldn't speak English. George Washington was elected by six percent of the population. And in 1876 The United States Supreme Court ruled that Native Americans are not citizens as defined by the 14th Amendment and, thus, cannot vote. In 1919, Native Americans who served in the military during World War I were granted U.S. citizenship. Native Americans! Weren't they here FIRST? However, in 1924 The Indian Citizenship Act grants citizenship to all Native Americans, but many states nonetheless make laws and policies which prohibit Native Americans from voting. Sounds familiar, doesn't it? Disenfranchisement is alive and well. In more ways than one! Did you learn any of this in history class?
We cannot forget how it "used to be". And there are still those who see themselves as superior and would revert back to earlier times. While skin color and language may differ, underneath we are all the same. And yes, we all carry African DNA in our bodies. "Advanced DNA testing combined with recently unearthed discoveries are bolstering the belief that if you look back far enough, all living human beings are the descendants of a small, innovative and ambitious set of people on the African continent. With the mapping of the human genome in 2003, combined with thousands of people around the world submitting their DNA for testing, there's now mounting physical proof we all started in Africa before migrating around the world." —CNN
"This country was founded by a group of slave owners who wanted to be free!" —George Carlin
"In America, anyone can become president. That’s the problem." —George Carlin
"The real reason that we can't have the Ten Commandments in a courthouse: You cannot post 'Thou shalt not steal,' 'Thou shalt not commit adultery,' and 'Thou shalt not lie' in a building full of lawyers, judges, and politicians. It creates a hostile work environment." —George Carlin
"If you have selfish, ignorant citizens, you’re gonna get selfish, ignorant leaders." —George Carlin
"Proud to be an American? Pride should be reserved for something you achieved on your own, not by accident of birth. Being American isn’t a skill." —George Carlin
"To vastly improve your country and truly make it great again, start by choosing a better leader. Do not let the media or the establishment make you pick from the people they choose, but instead choose from those they do not pick. Pick a leader from among the people who is heart-driven, one who identifies with the common man on the street and understands what the country needs on every level. Do not pick a leader who is only money-driven and does not understand or identify with the common man, but only what corporations need on every level.
Pick a peacemaker. One who unites, not divides. A cultured leader who supports the arts and true freedom of speech, not censorship. Pick a leader who will not only bail out banks and airlines, but also families from losing their homes -- or jobs due to their companies moving to other countries. Pick a leader who will fund schools, not limit spending on education and allow libraries to close. Pick a leader who chooses diplomacy over war. An honest broker in foreign relations. A leader with integrity, one who says what they mean, keeps their word and does not lie to their people. Pick a leader who is strong and confident, yet humble. Intelligent, but not sly. A leader who encourages diversity, not racism. One who understands the needs of the farmer, the teacher, the doctor, and the environmentalist -- not only the banker, the oil tycoon, the weapons developer, or the insurance and pharmaceutical lobbyist.
Pick a leader who will keep jobs in your country by offering companies incentives to hire only within their borders, not one who allows corporations to outsource jobs for cheaper labor when there is a national employment crisis. Choose a leader who will invest in building bridges, not walls. Books, not weapons. Morality, not corruption. Intellectualism and wisdom, not ignorance. Stability, not fear and terror. Peace, not chaos. Love, not hate. Convergence, not segregation. Tolerance, not discrimination. Fairness, not hypocrisy. Substance, not superficiality. Character, not immaturity. Transparency, not secrecy. Justice, not lawlessness. Environmental improvement and preservation, not destruction. Truth, not lies.
Most importantly, a great leader must serve the best interests of the people first, not those of multinational corporations. Human life should never be sacrificed for monetary profit. There are no exceptions. In addition, a leader should always be open to criticism, not silencing dissent. Any leader who does not tolerate criticism from the public is afraid of their dirty hands to be revealed under heavy light. And such a leader is dangerous, because they only feel secure in the darkness. Only a leader who is free from corruption welcomes scrutiny; for scrutiny allows a good leader to be an even greater leader.
And lastly, pick a leader who will make their citizens proud. One who will stir the hearts of the people, so that the sons and daughters of a given nation strive to emulate their leader's greatness. Only then will a nation be truly great, when a leader inspires and produces citizens worthy of becoming future leaders, honorable decision makers and peacemakers. And in these times, a great leader must be extremely brave. Their leadership must be steered only by their conscience, not a bribe.” ― Suzy Kassem
"Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live." —George Carlin
“I have a foreboding of an America in my children's or grandchildren's time -- when the United States is a service and information economy; when nearly all the manufacturing industries have slipped away to other countries; when awesome technological powers are in the hands of a very few, and no one representing the public interest can even grasp the issues; when the people have lost the ability to set their own agendas or knowledgeably question those in authority; when, clutching our crystals and nervously consulting our horoscopes, our critical faculties in decline, unable to distinguish between what feels good and what's true, we slide, almost without noticing, back into superstition and darkness...
The dumbing down of America is most evident in the slow decay of substantive content in the enormously influential media, the 30 second sound bites (now down to 10 seconds or less), lowest common denominator programming, credulous presentations on pseudoscience and superstition, but especially a kind of celebration of ignorance” ― Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark
I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Divided States of America. And to the PACs, for which it stands, one Nation, at odds, divisible, with Liberty and Justice for some. So why do politicians wear the flag lapel pin? What did they do to deserve it? Get elected?? I call it political opportunism. About fifteen percent of our current congress ever served in the military.
What do foreigners generally think of Americans? "Dumb, obese and very patriotic." “We don’t hate America as a nation,” said Karin from Sweden. “We just hate their attitude toward the rest of the world.” Americans actually believe they are superior to other countries. And they do this not knowing anything about other countries. They've basically swallowed their own propaganda. What those who own the country WANT you to believe. It's all about control.
In his book Attractive Unattractive Americans: How the World Sees America, Renee Zografos examines how other countries view the United States. “I think too many people in America are just chasing after something they might not want —to be socially accepted, to attain wealth, or a bigger house,” said Zografos. “I think they would be happier if they chased something that they actually wanted, instead of what was expected.”
Many Americans believe that bigger is better, but other countries see that philosophy as a character flaw. Instead of focusing on family time, Americans would rather focus on achievements, which Vangelis, from Greece, doesn’t quite understand. “Americans’ philosophy is to live so they can work” he said. “We work so we can live, meaning there are other things in life that are more important than working” Apparently Vangelis wasn't talking about loafing, watching TV or just having time off, but using the time to find real meaning in life.
Are Americans blind to the excesses and foibles of their own people and those in control? Why? Why, for example, do people point the finger at Colin Kaepernick who feels the weight of discrimination in his own country? Blind patriotism and nationalism are dangerous. We saw what it did in Nazi Germany. "Patriotism is supporting your country and your government all the time when it deserves it." ~ Mark Twain
"The King can do no wrong.' We have adopted [this idea] with all its servility, with an unimportant change in the wording: "Our country, right or wrong!" We have thrown away the most valuable asset we had:-- the individual's right to oppose both flag and country when he (just he, by himself) believed them to be in the wrong. We have thrown it away; and with it --- all that was really respectable about that grotesque and laughable word, Patriotism.” ― Mark Twain
ALEC
Global corporations and state politicians vote behind closed doors through the corporate-funded American Legislative Exchange Council to try to rewrite state laws that govern your rights. This should be a crime. Why isn't it? These so-called "model bills" reach into almost every area of American life and often directly benefit huge corporations. ALEC describes itself as a non-partisan, non-profit organization. BUT, the facts show that it currently has only four "token" Democrats out of 104 legislators in leadership positions. Many legislators use public funds to attend ALEC meetings. ALEC enjoys a 501(c)(3) classification, which allows it to keep its tax-exempt status while accepting grants from foundations, corporations and other "donors". Koch Industries being represented on the governing board means that Koch has had influence over an untold number of ALEC bills. That's the reason ALEC exists.
As of August 2016, at least 108 corporations and 19 non-profits (for a total of 127 private sector members) have announced publicly that they have cut ties with the American Legislative Exchange Council. This came about largely through their exposure. However, four of them have returned (probably silently).
ALEC keeps its membership, activities and communications confidential. Members identity primarily became known through internal documents revealed to Common Cause and by research by the press. BUT, they are discussing the public's business and business affecting the public along with elected members of the congress. How's that for brass?
ALEC has become known for attacking clean energy, workers rights and voting rights. AARP's (American Association of Retired Persons) appearance on the list of sponsors of ALEC’s 2016 annual meeting in August was concerning and most peculiar. Aren't we concerned that a large segment of congress would want to attack worker's rights, voting rights and CLEAN energy? Wake up America!
Corporate Personhood
Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution: "No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." Treating corporations as "persons" is a convenient legal fiction for corporations. When we grant corporations the status of legal “persons” we have effectively rewritten the Constitution to serve corporate interests as though they were human interests. The crazy thing is that corporations use the money received from their customers (you) to grant themselves unlimited power to use that same money for their own interests and against your interests. Enter the American lobbying industry. Do YOU have a lobbyist?
Citizens United
Since the Supreme Court's ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission in 2010, upholding the rights of corporations to make political expenditures under the First Amendment, there have been several calls for a U.S. Constitutional amendment to abolish corporate personhood. While the Citizens United majority opinion makes no reference to corporate personhood or the Fourteenth Amendment, Justice Stevens' dissent claims that the majority opinion relies on an incorrect treatment of corporations' First Amendment rights as identical to those of individuals. The Supreme Court's position holds that political spending is a form of protected speech under the First Amendment, and the government may not keep corporations or unions from spending money to support or denounce individual candidates in elections. Given the power of money, can you do the same? The vote was 5-4. Was this a legal decision or a political one? Why is money allowed to influence the vote at all?
In the interest of brevity, many things have been left out of this discussion. Education being one of them, and student loans and the whole student loans industry, as well as the rapidly increasing cost of a college education. Unions, union membership and the rights of labor. Healthcare and the right of all citizens to primary healthcare. Tax avoidance in general and the dumbing down of the IRS as well as the "protection" of the wealthy in this regard. The incredible differential in wages from the bottom to the top. The environment --- is it too late? Tribalism. And many more.
