Chris Hedges: "America is a Tinderbox"

[Jimi H.]

Hmm interesting... for those who are keeping a weather eye on society.

THIS is important.

The Red Scare was a very damaging period in American history (I wrote my bachelors on the Red Scare, and this was my conclusion). It effectually allowed the annihilation of the popular progressive left in American politics and thus the only possible counter to the corporate feudal society which is a reality at this point.

I've been saying this over and over again: If people want change, they have to stop voting to the right, and that includes much of the Dem. Party imo.

Things can change, because they changed before. Don't give up. But it can no longer be a personal thing. People have to verbalize it to each other, that the right actually does not work for the people and the middle class, much less the working poor. In reality, they work for big biz only.

A democratic balancing of the left/right is needed, and it does work if people vote for it, but they have to speak for it, unapologetically. I'm happy to see that things seem to be looking brighter in that regard.

Vote left, and things will change. Shout it from the rooftops. No more of the right winged Ayn Rand-styled ego bullshit, it didn't work and it doesn't work, rather it ruins democracy and society.

Social Democrats in Europe have show what works, year after year, term after term, exactly as the interview points to. But those nations are all under heavy pressure from the inside, from big capital interests, and from the EU, the struggle for fairness is currently global imo.

Another thing: America loves a winner. But when speeches are made, people forget that everytime there is a winner, there's also a loser, or more likely, many losers. If everything is about the 1% who are the 'winners', by definition it is not a democracy for the people. In general, we should care less about 'winners', and more about people.

 

[stonehart]

THIS is important.

The Red Scare was a very damaging period in American history (I wrote my bachelors on the Red Scare). It effectually allowed the annihilation of the left in American politics and thus the only possible counter to the corporate feudal society which is a reality at this point.

I've been saying this over and over again: If people want change, they have to stop voting to the right, and sadly, even the Democratic party seems more and more like a right wing party.

Things can change, because they changed before. Don't give up. But it can no longer be a personal thing. People have to make their conservative neighbor understand, that the right does not work for the people and the middle class, much less the working poor. Only for the rich.

Vote left, and things will change. Shout it from the rooftops. No more of the right winged Ayn Rand-styled psychopathic bullshit, it didn't work and it doesn't work.

Social Democrats in Europe have show what works, year after year, term after term, exactly as the interview points to.

Another thing: America loves a winner. But when speeches are made, people forget that everytime there is a winner, there's also a loser. If everything is about the 1% who are the 'winners', by definition it is not a democracy for the people. In general, we should care less about 'winners', and more about people.

 

[Fcseven]

I don't get it, people were out in the streets protesting about a shooting thousands of miles away, about someone they never met.
Yet every American lost Due process under the NDAA and not a whimper. The social engineers have this country by the balls. How soon till we are are hauled away on a train to get turned to ashes?

 

[pixelsmith]

*sigh*........I am telling everyone I know that America as we knew it is gone, we are going to be frickin' cattle to the rich and elite, we are going to be slaves/serfs/drones....expendable at that.
No one believes it. No one wants to hear it.
Everyone just wants to stick their tiny little brain cage in the sand and watch "Big Brother" or (Gods help me) "Here Comes Honey -Booboo"..............

We are a lost people.........lost to apathy, self-imposed-ignorance, fear.

"Oh that can't happen here" or "That's crazy and won't happen." is all I hear. But it has happened, and it's going to get worse. A LOT worse.

And for the life of me, I don't know what to do about it.

Buy lots of ammo, water, toilet paper, non perishable food... oh and cat food and litter.

 

[pixelsmith]

If you are retarded/insane go ahead and vote left or right.

 

[Wade]

If you are retarded/insane go ahead and vote left or right.

Is the idea of bringing back a center dead and gone? I suppose if you go radically left that will shake things up but I don't want any part of it. As far as reining in big business, I'd argue to...at least initially...limiting it to banks and take it from there. There were more than a few middle class people doing o.k.by investing in big business and then the banks and their investing/ insurance companies fixed that. Their domination of the investment markets is what needs to be addressed first and foremost. Unless the left can guarantee a return of smallbiz entrepreneurism for the time being maybe we should let people get their heads above water by investing in the hated exxons and and their kin. Let's start with more strident regulations on what banks can do. There used to be a regulation that addressed this. A Dem by the name of Clinton changed all that, whether he was left or right i suppose is another matter. But President Bill Clinton publicly declared "the Glass–Steagall law is no longer appropriate."


in a state of confusion since 1961.

 

[pixelsmith]

the left/right paradigm is a ruse.

 

[exo_doc]

the left/right paradigm is a ruse.

Please elaborate. I think I understand what you're saying Pixel, but I'd still prefer a little more info.

 

[stonehart]

Is the idea of bringing back a center dead and gone? I suppose if you go radically left that will shake things up but I don't want any part of it. As far as reining in big business, I'd argue to...at least initially...limiting it to banks and take it from there. There were more than a few middle class people doing o.k.by investing in big business and then the banks and their investing/ insurance companies fixed that. Their domination of the investment markets is what needs to be addressed first and foremost. Unless the left can guarantee a return of smallbiz entrepreneurism for the time being maybe we should let people get their heads above water by investing in the hated exxons and and their kin. Let's start with more strident regulations on what banks can do. There used to be a regulation that addressed this. A Dem by the name of Clinton changed all that, whether he was left or right i suppose is another matter. But President Bill Clinton publicly declared "the Glass–Steagall law is no longer appropriate."


in a state of confusion since 1961.

I like your post Spooky but I do get where Pixel is coming from.

The way I like to sum it up is two finger puppets on different hands of the same person... meaning it matters not if you vote left or right in the end those in power remain in power and your so called right to vote these days is little better than window dressing at best.

 

[exo_doc]

Buy lots of ammo, water, toilet paper, non perishable food... oh and cat food and litter.

Already way ahead of you mate, but I don't want events leading to the necessary use of them.

 

[stonehart]

I don't get it, people were out in the streets protesting about a shooting thousands of miles away, about someone they never met.
Yet every American lost Due process under the NDAA and not a whimper. The social engineers have this country by the balls. How soon till we are are hauled away on a train to get turned to ashes?

The thing is all of this used to be just conspiracy stuff and that is why I used to post it here on the Paracast ..... well my friends it is no longer a tinfoil hat conspiracy I can tell you that.

 

[exo_doc]

The thing is all of this used to be just conspiracy stuff and that is why I used to post it here on the Paracast ..... well my friends it is no longer a tinfoil hat conspiracy I can tell you that.

I checked "like"....but it's ironic I actually hate it. (the situation, not your statement Stoney)

 

[stonehart]

I checked "like"....but it's ironic I actually hate it. (the situation, not your statement Stoney)

hahaha I understand man ... strange as it seems but I do.

 

[Wade]

I don't get it, people were out in the streets protesting about a shooting thousands of miles away, about someone they never met.
Yet every American lost Due process under the NDAA and not a whimper. The social engineers have this country by the balls. How soon till we are are hauled away on a train to get turned to ashes?

So now we can add Bash Mob to our national lexicon.

 

[exo_doc]

The thing is all of this used to be just conspiracy stuff and that is why I used to post it here on the Paracast ..... well my friends it is no longer a tinfoil hat conspiracy I can tell you that.

Let's think about this for a minute.
I think we can leave off the "theory" from conspiracy when it comes to the US government anymore.
The IRS can target anyone they want to harass.
The NDAA suspends our habeus corpus rights with indefinite detention.
The NSA now knows everything about our lives.

What else is going on that we don't know about?

 

[pixelsmith]

Let's think about this for a minute.
I think we can leave off the "theory" from conspiracy when it comes to the US government anymore.
The IRS can target anyone they want to harass.
The NDAA suspends our habeus corpus rights with indefinite detention.
The NSA now knows everything about our lives.

What else is going on that we don't know about?

The destruction of many life forms (including humans) on this planet via GM foods is a major threat right now. watch the doc I posted called Seeds of Death.

 

[mike]

Its almost like the adage the more things change the more they stay the same

Was enjoying a cold schooner at Sydneys central railway station while i wanted for my train the other day

And observed Police randomly stopping people and searching them, their bags and clearly asking for ID.
No sniffer dogs, no probable cause just random searches.

For a moment the scene bled to black and white and i was watching Nazi's demand "Papers" of people.

They all complied, not one of them exercised their right to be conveyed to a police station for the search.

Had they targeted me they would have got the "Am i under arrest ?" , "Am i free to go ?" routine until they either let me pass or took me back to the station
Had they done that i would be suing for false arrest and arrest without cause.

 

[stonehart]

Its almost like the adage the more things change the more they stay the same

Was enjoying a cold schooner at Sydneys central railway station while i wanted for my train the other day

And observed Police randomly stopping people and searching them, their bags and clearly asking for ID.
No sniffer dogs, no probable cause just random searches.

For a moment the scene bled to black and white and i was watching Nazi's demand "Papers" of people.

They all complied, not one of them exercised their right to be conveyed to a police station for the search.

Had they targeted me they would have got the "Am i under arrest ?" , "Am i free to go ?" routine until they either let me pass or took me back to the station
Had they done that i would be suing for false arrest and arrest without cause.

Not like that here yet Mike.
The local police (many I know, and one plays in the same covers band as me) are all in all still much like your old school local NZ police man not a cop.

 

[exo_doc]

Guys and gals you really need to watch this video, it's not depressing I promise!
I've watched it several times, and I like it more and more.

 

[flipper]

The important question: Could a process of “State bankruptcy” –which is currently afflicting local level governments across the land– realistically occur in the case of the central government of the United States of America?
The Shutdown of the U.S. Government and “Debt Default”: A Dress Rehearsal for the Privatization of the Federal State System? | Global Research
Martial Law and the Economy: Is Homeland Security Preparing for the Next Wall Street Collapse? | Global Research
Ironically, the money transferred by the US government to Wall Street under the bailouts in 2008-2009 can now be used by Wall Street to buy out state property and assets. What this means is that the federal government not only finances its own indebtedness, it is also financing the privatization program (at tax payers expense), leading to the demise of federal government programs.