Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Political Divide

The performance of the government is always shed light on in this modern time with freedom of speech as a great tool of exposure. It is no doubt that mistrust in the government is a direct result of political division which must be overcome to become a normal single nation again.


 


After all, everyone wants a Killer Sand Castle so the teacher can take a digital picture and these 4 year olds can put them on their MySpace sites to show the World. See my Sand Castle. Well then lets get busy and build the damn thing already and show the world and thus the world will desire it and sign up too. Sand Castles for everyone, build your own, I have a plan. We help you, you build, we all have beautiful sand castles with Cultural Motifs.


 


Why are we allowing our political divide here and why are we allowing other nations to widen the cultural divide.

We are all on this pale blue dot together and everyone is entitled to running their own sand box and building their version of the sand castle, but why all the fighting? There is enough sand for everyone on the surface of this planet. Well at least last time I checked anyway. Consider all this in 2006.

 

Monday, January 17, 2011

Political Opinions on Political Blogs

No matter what your political affiliation is, it probably isn't represented by the mainstream media. By trying to please everyone, the media - like the political establishment it has come to serve - pleases no one. For most American people, until recently they just had to put up with this situation. Until the invention of political blogs, there was simply no good news analysis that did not try to tow a moderate party line. Thanks to politics blogs, however, that has all changed. No matter what ideological position you are coming from, you can find a political blog that is written for you.


I have been reading liberal political blogs for about three years now, and I feel like they have really enhanced my understanding of current events. We live in such a conservative society that much of the real news of what is going on is censored by the mainstream media.

In these free political forums, however, the news can finally be heard by the public that is hungry for it. Unfortunately, political blogs don't have the budget to do some of the things that the more mainstream news outlets do. They cannot have correspondents all over the world, for example, ready to report any event that happens. What they can do, however, is access a wide range of different media and try to put together a more complete picture than any single publication does. News analysis is a valuable service, and one that is completely neglected by the mainstream media. Thanks to political blogs, we can get beyond the the facile analysis provided by most of the news pundit shows.

But some blogs are not based on facts. So it will be your job to know which political blogs are based on proof or spoofs.

Of course, the problem with personal blogs is that they do not have the same standards of proof as some of the media outlets do. While most political blogs are at least as dependable as Fox news, when they are compared to legitimate media outlets, many of them falls short. This is why you have to pick and choose carefully when you are reading blogs. Anyone can write anything they want on a political blog, and it is very hard for someone to call them on it. After all, free speech is a right, and posting on the Internet is simply an extension of that right. People have just as much right to blog political fiction as fact, and rumormongers abounds. As always, it is up to you to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Learning Politics Using Board Games

Many board games are based on some realistic life experiences, some deal with sports, real estate, and even banking. Then manufacturers came along and decided to add the process of politics to the line up of gaming options. The games are fun and educational, they also give you insight into the life styles and campaign strategies of people who are presidents, senators and congressmen. Learning what it takes to run the country and run for offices all over the world.In one game called,"the Making of the President", you are brought face to face with two of the most well know figures in American political history. You will meet the enigmatic John F. Kennedy and the controversial Richard M. Nixon,in a champaign that takes you back in time to the 1960 election. Through this political race, gamers meet and become one of the two very different political personalities. In the real life election Kennedy wins the race, but in this game, it is anyone's game. This game allows you to find out what you will have to go through in order to be the leader of the United States.In another game called "Die Macher" players are invited to check out the 7 political races that are conducted in Germany. This game requires the player to come up with their own party philosophy, and they must learn about how poll results are tabulated, they are introduced to how the media shapes the influence of any political race. All of these tools are available to make the political candidates, who enjoy playing this fun and exciting game go away with an in-depth understanding of German Politics.Players of political games will also want to know how the political games work from different countries once they have experienced the process of the United States and Germany. To experience another interesting political environment, players will find the game, "Quo Vadis", one of the more popular games. The Roman Senate is re-enacted during this game; you and the other players will have a chance to try to get your politicians in the committee's best positions. It takes 45 minutes to find out which of your friends are the best qualified candidates.Another political game shows another side of politics. In this game, players learn how to plot coups and assasinate political leaders and hopefuls. The game of "Junta" starts with the election of the "El Presidente" of the Republica of Los Bananas, and then it includes the people who are looking into gettin rid of their leaders and take over the country.Then if players want to take thier investigations of political board games one step further, they will want to play the board game "Koalition" in this game the players will learn the political process that is not one, but of 12 European countriess. The players then will try to gain power ad political influence in as many places as possible, they will convince the many political parties to join up to form the colitions that this person will need in oder to build up your countries power.If you are interested in board games and politics, they will find many opportunities available for play, which will include both options. These games help gamers learn the political processes for many different countries, and who knows maybe one day they will become "El Presidente".

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Revolutionary War Political Cartoons

Revolutionary War political cartoons are the very first American cartoons. These appeared in both mainstream and subversive newspapers that were circulated as the tension between England and what would be America built up. They were made by statesmen as famous as Benjamin Franklin as well as by anonymous authors. Usually made from woodblock prints, these pieces of artwork usually fall into one of a handful of themes.


A Need for Unity


Many of these cartoons focused on the need for the colonies to unite together to fight a common evil: the oppressive government of Great Britain. Most famous in this category is the well known "Join or Die" picture which shows a snake divided into pieces, each named for one of the American colonies. While many people supported the Revolutionary War, just as many people were reluctant because of the danger to their lives and property.

Papers and political cartoons helped round up support for this necessary revolution.

Criticism of Britain


Many Revolutionary war political cartoons also poked fun at Great Britain, which was perceived as a bloated and overbearing entity feeding off colonies around the world. These cartoons helped to rally the colonists behind a common cause and encouraged them to be more open in their disdain toward England. Because Britain at the time was truly not much better than its critics made it out to be, it was easy to find jokes and cartoons at the country's expense.


Criticism of the New Government Structure


There was a lot of jostling for power and bickering over the new government's structure even before the new government had won its independence. Some people thought that the concept of government by the people was too populist to be successful, while others doubted the ability of farflung and very different states to agree and work together on causes for the common good.

Revolutionary War political cartoons reflected these different opinions and showed the diverse opinions of colonists at that time.

Being involved in the making and distribution of any criticism of the establishment was risky business at the time. Great Britain had no qualms about hunting down subversive elements and making an example of them. However, this did not stop the tenacious American colonists. They used these cartoons to gather support for their cause and eventually were able to overthrow the British government.


Political cartoons from the Revolutionary War era are treasured pieces of history. They allow modern American citizens to see the mindset of the people who had a huge role in the forming of our nation. Thanks to these preserved cartoons, we will always have a record of the sentiments that our Founding Fathers felt in the early days of the United States of America.

Monday, January 3, 2011

Politics - Bread and Circuses

There's an old saying: "If you want to know what's really going on, follow the money trail."
If you do not understand money, banking and finance, you cannot really understand politics. For the motivation of politics and politicians is ultimately the accumulation of money and resources. Money and resources = power.


Many people object to this statement. One of my clients said, "I grew up in the 60's during the civil rights movement. That was a purely political and altruistic agenda that had nothing to do with money."


In the 1960's however, the United States was unquestionably the world's greatest economic power. Our currency was strong. When you are abundant and strong, you feel magnanimous. In 2007, our economy is weak, our debt is high and our currency is declining. The current corrupt and mean-spirited political environment is a reflection of our country's declining economic status.


The OMB predicts that by the year 2012, the national debt of the United States will be 11.466 trillion dollars.

This figure does NOT account for unfunded liabilities like Social Security.

The total amount of dollar denominated debt (including unregistered derivatives securities) worldwide has been estimated at 1.2 quadrillion dollars. That's right folks. 1.2 quadrillion. The dollar has been hyper-inflated on a planetary scale.


How has this happened? To understand that, you have to understand how money is created and manipulated. A great place to start is to read the book called "The Creature From Jekyll Island.


The money we use is monetized debt. It has no value whatsoever. Today, money is not backed by anything tangible, other than the "full faith and credit of the United States." What does that mean? It means the future work, sweat and productivity of the American people.


It is a startling fact that if all dollar denominated loans and debts were paid off, all of our money would disappear.

Therefore, even if Congress wanted to pay off the national debt, it could not do so without destroying the economy!

Look at the top of any bill of any denomination, and you will find "Federal Reserve Note." Do you know what a note is? It is a promise to pay, a certificate of debt. The money we use are just a fancy IOU's. Unfortunately, the Fed, in cooperation with Congress, has played fast and loose with our currency. When you discover how money is created, you will understand the truth of this statement: "Money DOES grow on trees." Those who control the creation of money control the economy, and the lives of everyone in the nation. Economic cycles of boom and bust are not natural economic occurrences, but artificially created conditions due to the manipulation of the money supply.


Did you know that legal tender laws FORCE Americans to use Federal Reserve Notes? Look on the left hand side of the bill: "This note is legal tender for all debts, public and private." It is illegal in the United States to use gold or silver as money. If you refuse to accept Federal Reserve Notes in exchange for your valuable goods and services, you can be thrown in jail. The power of the State is used to enforce legal tender laws.


The debasing of our currency (and thus our economy) is the most important crisis facing our country, and the world, because the dollar is the linchpin of international finance. [1] The growth of the unregistered derivatives market has hyper-inflated the dollar to the point where the international financial and banking system is in turmoil. At the present moment, and behind the theater of politics, the world is confronted with an international banking and currency crisis which is being completely ignored by the mass media in the United States (so what else is new?)


Called "Wantagate" by those in the know, it is a story of fraudulent financial manipulation that involves the highest banking and political officials in the United States, and the world.


How can such a gigantic crisis go unreported?


Because the focus is on politics!


Pick up a copy of the New York Times, the Washington Post, or the L.A. Times. Listen to the news. Listen to NPR. The news is, almost exclusively, political. What economic news is reported is mostly mundane stuff like the Dow Jones industrial average.


Politics and political intrigue obscures the fundamental economic and financial realities underlying the actions politicians take. In other words, the bread and circuses of politics takes your attention away from the money trail. Following the money trail will ALWAYS explain the actions of politicians.
For example, why did we go to war in Iraq?


The government says that we did it to establish democracy, or remove WMD's, or destroy Al Queda, blah, blah, blah. Former secretary of State Jim Baker said facetiously that we invaded Iraq because of "oil, oil, oil." Well that, at least, is partially true. According to Christopher Story, noted U.K. intelligence analyst, one of the fundamental reasons for invading Iraq was the takeover of the Rafidain Bank, Saddam Hussein's private bank. The Rafidain Bank had trillions of dollars worth of assets and billions in gold bullion. That money properly belongs to the people of the United States via the U.S. Treasury, as the spoils of war. According to Story, Saddam's money was stolen by criminal operatives within the U.S. intelligence community -- with full knowledge of officials at the highest levels of government, including the President, the Vice President, the Treasury secretary and the Homeland Insecurity chief -- and parked in offshore bank accounts. This money is "off the books," because the people who stole it cannot identify source of funds. In any legitimate banking transaction, official codes are issued which identify the financial institutions on both ends of the transaction, and where the money came from. This is not possible with stolen money. For the rest of the story, see the link below in the Resource Box.


We are spending 10 billion dollars every day to fund the war in Iraq. The war has so far, as of this writing, cost almost 500 billion dollars and President Bush has just submitted a request to Congress for 200 billion more. Moreover, the war in Iraq is being privatized, which means that private contractors are making billions from this war. Meanwhile, our brave men and women in the military fight and die -- for what? [2]


Governments throughout history have printed money and debased the currency to fund their conflicts. When the currency becomes devalued, it loses its purchasing power, and prices rise. This is the genesis of inflation. Inflation is not rising prices, it is the debasing of the currency.


The only legitimate way for governments to get money is through taxation. But politicians do not like to raise taxes because the voters will throw them out of office. However, the political scientists in Congress and the monetary scientists at the Fed have devised a brilliant scheme to spend more and more money and keep themselves in power: simply print and create more and more of it. The process by which this occurs is complex and obfuscated, but the bottom line is that the population is taxed by inflation when the money supply increases too rapidly. Each dollar buys less and less, you see. Inflation is a hidden tax -- a cowardly trick imposed by politicians (and bankers) who hide behind the power of the state to enforce legal tender laws.[3]


Moreover, when money is created from nothing, the size and power of government grows larger and larger, sapping the economy. Money that would have been used to start businesses and employ people is wasted by government cronyism. Regardless of who is in power -- capitalists, socialists, liberals, conservatives, Democrats or Republicans -- political parties always use the power of the state to enforce their decrees. Thus, government grows and the political structure of a nation becomes more and hierarchical, fertile soil for the growth of tyranny.


Political parties and groups exist first and foremost to advance an economic agenda. Study the bills Congress passes. Almost all of them have language benefiting special interests -- tax breaks, government contracts, etc.


Political parties did not exist in 1789. Many of the founders of the United States were against the establishment of political parties. George Washington, in his farewell address in 1796, said,


"They [political parties] serve to organize faction, to give it an artificial and extraordinary force; to put, in the place of the delegated will of the nation, the will of a party, often a small but artful and enterprising minority of the community; and, according to the alternate triumphs of different parties, to make the public administration the mirror of the ill-concerted and incongruous projects of faction, rather than the organ of consistent and wholesome plans digested by common counsels, and modified by mutual interests."


Although the motivation of the founders of the United States was rooted in the ideals of freedom, economic issues -- such as taxation -- played a very important role. Moreover, the creation of a central bank was one of the fundamental issues that divided the founders. Whether or not a political party begins it's life with a set of high ideals, once it becomes established, it 's main motivation is to stay in power. Then it always becomes a vehicle to protect the vested interest.


So people, do not become distracted by the bread and circuses of political theater, for that is what politics is.


Look underneath the superficialities of the news and always ask yourself these questions:


1) Who stands to gain financially by a declared government policy?


2) Where is the money trail?


In this way you may uncover the true motivations behind the actions of the actors on our political stage.


You can then begin to identify people who are open and honest, and vote for them. The crooks, of course, stand out like sore thumbs.


_________________________________


Footnotes:


[1] In an interview for the German magazine Stern, Allan Greenspan, former Fed chief, says that the Euro is rapidly replacing the dollar as the world's reserve currency. Greenspan said that the dollar is still slightly ahead in its use as a reserve currency, but added that "it doesn't have all that much of an advantage" anymore. And why is that, do you think?


[2] According to the FRONTLINE documentary "Private Warriors," private military contractors comprise the second largest "force" in Iraq. There are as many as 100,000 civilian contractors and approximately 20,000 private security forces currently in Iraq, and the number is growing.


[3] Here's an historical example (there are many): The Continental Congress, beginning in 1775, simply printed money to fund the colonial rebellion. The Continental, which was worth 1 dollar in gold in 1775, was by 1779 trading for less than a penny. A loaf of bread cost ,000! In a letter to Samuel Cooper in 1779, Benjamin Franklin wrote, "This Currency, as we manage it, is a wonderful machine. It performs its Office when we issue it, it pays and clothes Troops and provides Victuals and Ammunition, and when we are obliged to issue a Quantity excessive, it pays itself off by Depreciation."