In the closing days of 2023, the Biden Administration once again announced a large military aid package for Ukraine, this time a “mere” quarter of a billion dollars. Without a new authorization of funds from Congress, it is said to be the last bit of money left over from the more than $100 billion already authorized by Congress for the proxy war with Russia through Ukraine.
President Biden’s request for an additional $100 billion to spread around Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan was rejected by a Congress eager for its winter break, and with each passing day it looks like it’s going to be harder to push it through. Poll after poll show that Americans are increasingly opposed to more of their money being spent on the neocon’s lost-cause war to overthrow Putin in Russia.
For example, a recent Fox News poll revealed that more than 60 percent of Republican voters do not want any more money sent to Ukraine. As we enter an election year, it’s probably safe to predict that Republican candidates will be wary of crossing the wishes of the clear majority of voters.
That is why the Biden Administration has been desperately trying to re-frame its request for more Ukraine war money as anything but a request for more Ukraine war money. For example, they even brought back the old discredited “domino theory” used to justify US actions in the Vietnam war. If we don’t stop Putin in Ukraine, Biden said in December, then he will keep going into western Europe where we will be forced to fight him there.
On the one hand, supporters of the Ukraine war warn that Russia is about to reconstitute the Soviet empire in Europe, while at the same time the same people tell us Russia is out of missiles and on its last leg. One more infusion of US money will end the “Russian threat” once and for all. Both of these things cannot be true at once. In fact, neither of them is true.
But still the Administration, much of Congress, and an insatiable military-industrial complex keep selling the lies.
Last month Secretary of State Antony Blinken inadvertently revealed what exactly all the spending for war is about when he stated that as much as 90 percent of the aid for Ukraine is actually spent in the United States. The money is used “to the benefit of American business, local communities, and strengthening the US defense industrial base,” he said in an interview. In other words, the money “for Ukraine” is actually a massive welfare program for well-connected military contractors back home.
As we begin the year 2024, we need to home in on the real threat to the United States. It is not Russia or China or Iran. The true threat is closer to home: it is a corrupt system that bleeds the country dry to fight imaginary enemies while enriching the military-industrial complex.
For the New Year, Congress should resolve to end the stranglehold of the military-industrial complex by reining in out-of-control military spending. Members should simply vote “no” on military spending bills until they are drafted to benefit the American people rather than the Beltway elite. I don’t hold out much hope of this happening in the short run, but it only takes a few dedicated Members to make a real difference.
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After getting used to killing nothing can change and when killing gives you power and money it ends up being a way of life. And that is the evil of Western politics, which leaves a lot of money for the privileged.
Especially when the whole system is designed around violence. Anyone who doubts this should stop paying their tribute/taxes immediately. Uh yeah, that’s what I thought. But there are alternative options for social organization that are voluntary.
http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/index.html
AMAP Guide (see comment history for more)
If enough of us do as much as possible, we can help usher in a better way to organize humans. Or at least be ready to go when the current unsustainable system inevitably crashes & burns.
The august War Street Journal is an influential proponent of the idiotic domino theory. This includes the editorial board, the editorial page, the editorial report weekly tv program, all of the columnists, and all of the experts on the weekly editorial report program. Smart people who know better, being motivated by what is good for stock prices and Wall Street.
The military-arms machine is an old problem, but what is different now is that it threatens to get us all vaporized because of factors that have not been present before.
Btw, thanks Ron Paul for “home in on.” I can’t count the times I have seen “hone in on.” I refrain from being a priggish grammar teacher except for errors that manifest a lack of logical thinking.
I agree we ought not to be the major contributor to Ukraine resistance. I would petition the rest of Europe to contribute their share.
I think Putin has domestic problems regarding the assault on the Ukraine. It is entirely possible he may be ousted by a number of power brokers with influence.
2 issues combine into 1
Video Link
Listen to the whole thing. It is quite revealing – of who Control our Nation (and its ‘Educational’ establishments). Poor Harvard alumni, – from Pedro Albizu Campos, to John F. Kennedy, to THIS.
Dr. Ron Paul?
Dr. Rand Paul?
My Friends on Unz?
Harvard University is advertised as our # 1 Educational Establishment. It is advertised as -the Pride of America. Even here, as in our Congress, the power of the Money Changer Zionist Oligarchs is ABSOLUTE. Corruption, the destruction of humans is here, in these very fancy Halls.
The Oligarchs are omnipotent. We are flies caught in their trap.
The Oligarchs are masters of the Universe. Claudine Gay attempted to live the high life. She cheated/plagiarized, and if she had JUST supported the Extermination of the Palestinian People, she would have lived the High Life, for the rest of her days. Her skin color & gender, were so perfect. She was WOKE; she was almost – untouchable.
Now, this Cheater gets her just Punishment, for the wrong reasons.
Thanks for the link. The third heading in “How to get there” is interesting. The claim about money and it’s role as legal tender especially in regards to Nation States that purposely inflate to keep power isn’t something I had considered before. Intuitively it seems to me that a tax strike would work but most are too scared to participate because of potential coercion by the State.
Correct me if I’m wrong, the crux of the program is to educate and promote the anarchist cause and in doing so it will convince people not to become a PIG? The problem with that program, istm, the jobs are too attractive economically for many people to turn down the opportunity and the government uses those jobs like money in that they can print jobs and money and use those people to enforce the coercion.
At some point the erosion of trust from the people necessitates a change and what that change becomes depends on how people feel economically.
Agreed & thanks. I won’t claim that it’s the end all be all but it’s not the same old blah blah blah muh democracy blah blah blah. Anarchy better explained is democracy by economic means aka you vote surreptitiously via your spending. Your vote against something is not buying it. Peace can be bought in a voluntary system without an election ever being held.
I certainly agree with the end goal of voluntarism but the biggest problem in selling the program, in this case, is a terminological one.
Initially, most people will associate the term anarchy with a dystopian dog eat dog scenario. Trying to overcome that preconceived notion would be exceedingly difficult, methinks.
Also, Collectivists have co-opted the term and use it widely to denote a totalitarian direct democracy. “Muh democracy” is essentially mobocracy.
Perhaps the biggest problem to overcome is that people reify government, that it is a real thing like a human being. What’s been lost is the fact the State is a political association like other types of associations. I can voluntarily join or not join any number of associations. If you can get people to understand that the State is just another association that you can join or not join, perhaps you could make headway.
To me Education is the key. To do that you will need to wrest the control of the school system away from the Dept of Education and the associated educational establishment. I don’t see how that can be done. Any attempt to do that will be opposed by entities with large propaganda budgets.
You’re exactly right Bovine Boy. The solution of of course, is to educate the masses about what anarchy (in the context of Anarcho Capitalism), is really all about.
This is Doug Casey’s short take on that matter:
When the lumpen proletariat fully understand what anarchy entails, in the sense that we mean it, they would be far more likely to embrace it.
The Libertarian Ryan McMaken explains it very nicely below:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/donald-trump-refuses-to-sign-pledge-against-overthrowing-government/ar-AA1myTn8
So do I.
A homeschool movement is needed. I hate to be so repetitive but an idea that needs communicated broadly is AMAP, if everyone does as much as possible (without bringing the wrath of the state) we can effect true change. First we must reverse the years of propaganda most people have been blasted with. It’s why I’m here commenting, a part of my own amap. 8 billion Sovereigns. Death by 8 billion cuts.
I’m with you Bro, I like the idea of 8 billion Sovereigns.
BTW, I never heard of ‘AMAP’ before you mentioned it. I looked it up using the Yandex search engine and got this for a definition:
WTF does all that mean ? What is sensitivity-specificity (let alone one that involves a ‘tradeoff’)?
https://www.philosophizethis.org/podcast/anarchism-part-one
In Bro43rd’s usage, I think that AMAP means “As Much As Possible.”
Not everyone can homeschool.
A blue collar worker cannot expect to teach a student calculus.
If homeschooling becomes popular, rest assured the government will step in and put regulations in place to force homeschoolers to teach things the parents do not want to be taught.
Good luck. Refer to my comments about the educational establishment having well-funded propaganda efforts to oppose this.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/behind-iraq-s-call-to-remove-us-led-forces/ar-AA1mAYGv?ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=920465815e924068b4bf3bb3a0755c78&ei=73
Iraq’s elected government has repeatedly asked the Zionist/US to remove its troops. Nations are not at war. What could possibly be the problem?
The German gov’t has also requested the US remove its occupying (NATO) troops 79 years after the end of WW 2.
Syria has requested the US remove its occupying troops (from Eastern regions). No war happening. What can possibly be the problem?
Cuba wishes its Guantanamo town to be returned.
Japan wishes the US troops would leave.
Statesman Ron Paul has (repeatedly) suggested the US remove its troops from its 700ish (including torture centers), foreign bases. This would save huge sums of outgoing wealth, and ease budget problems. ‘Our’ Congress, Executive, do not dare -even to- discuss these issues.
There exist huge budget problems exist within the US, combined with inadequate funding for infrastructure, (bridges, roads, rail, water, border security).
Wars and funding the Military Financial Complex, and aid to a Foreign Power that controls us, are the only acts our Prisoner ‘elected’ Representatives are allowed to undertake.
We the American People, as with the Iraqi, Syrian, German, and others, are powerless to control our own destinies, our own countries, (and balance our own budgets).
Place your New Years Resolutions Here…………………………………………………