Democracy: Stick a fork in it, it's done

[Bill Ryan]

[sdv]

Americans, are politicians (state, congress, senate) mostly driven by ideology or mostly driven by seeking power for self-enrichment?

In my country, the latter motive is like a cancer or more like a virus whose survival and success depends on spreading the corruption up and down the political class. Some of the corrupt are driven by ideology as well, but they eventually are completely consumed by the virus.

Personally I think the best way to clean up politics is to reduce the financial incentives. Did America ever have clear guidelines in the law about gifts and funding politicians can accept, and laws to prevent a clash between personal business interests and the interests of the American people? If not, why not? Although my country does, politicians are extremely gifted in finding ways to get around pesky rules that are supposed to ensure ethical conduct for the good of the people. China deals very harshly with political and government officials who are caught with their hands in the cookie jar, and with people in the private sector who flirt with or engage with corruption. The political purges that the Western media report about in China are sometimes about corruption, which has become commonplace in the West.

Personally, I find the Chinese system very attractive, but I think humans can come up with a better solution to corruption and politicians serving themselves rather than the people.

[shaberon]

Posted by sdv (here)
Did America ever have clear guidelines in the law about gifts and funding politicians can accept, and laws to prevent a clash between personal business interests and the interests of the American people?

It was originally called public service because it was not a high-paying job. It was a burden to be separated from your family, farm, or business. Meaning at the federal level. Going from here to DC in 1789 was a pain.

In those days, corporations were limited to a twenty-year charter, and were routinely investigated or even broken up for corruption. And they were almost solely for public infrastructure puposes.

Corporations and banking have totally changed, and there is income tax. And so it is like every time the question comes up, ruling goes in favor of those classes.

The American Revolution was started for exactly these purposes of Oligarchy as was done by the British system.

There was no fight to strictly change the form of government, we could have had a new monarchy with Washington as King that would almost have been the same thing, except for amendments to those policies we were prepared to shed blood for.

More specifically, the British charged two hundred Pounds to transfer a land deed. This meant nothing to a few large plantations who owned millions of acres and did massive commerce. Obviously it was crippling to the normal individual.

Ironically, modern China most closely resembles the system that enabled the early United States to develop.

In fact, they could probably teach us that.

This is why my only aspiration is that a much younger set of new political candidates are the only thing that can rein in the abuses of every kind that have arisen within a country that was supposed to have worked much differently. It's easy since most of the world has already shifted its view. Support of "monopolar dominance" like we would have found in the 1950s isn't there. And that's because we took another good opportunity and ruined it immediately.

[rgray222]

Posted by sdv (here)
Personally, I find the Chinese system very attractive, but I think humans can come up with a better solution to corruption and politicians serving themselves rather than the people.

I would argue that corruption levels in China are comparable or even worse than those in the United States. During the Biden years, cases involving less than $1.5 million were often deemed not worth investigating or prosecuting. Some members of Biden's team even viewed corruption as a transfer of wealth. When visible signs of crime are ignored by authorities, it contributes to what is known as the broken windows theory, which always causes corruption and crime to grow exponentially. Under Biden's progressive leadership, corruption has increased and is only now coming to the surface, particularly in states like Minnesota, Michigan, and California.

I think you will find over the years that the Chinese system is deeply flawed, and it is not a system that the world should consider adopting. It is not so much the system that needs to changes is man's thinking that must change.

China has faced significant issues with corruption across many sectors of society, including government, military, law enforcement, and healthcare. These problems are only somewhat documented, but they are well known to most of society. Despite the death penalty for corrupt officials, corruption remains a major problem. It has been my experience in China that financial gain is a primary motivator for most individuals. Greed persists across much of society, although it is not widely visible due to China's closed society and censorship. Anyone involved in business there is aware of the ongoing corruption issues. It is hard to say if China's war on corruption is having a positive impact.

I think you will find over the years that the Chinese system is deeply flawed and should not be adopted around the world. It is not so much that our economic system needs to be changed it is our thinking that needs a radical overhaul.

[Bill Ryan]

[Ravenlocke]

Max Blumenthal

Israel rigs a race - Max on Judge Napolitano

https://x.com/MaxBlumenthal/status/2057159817534288275

[Ravenlocke]

The Solari Report | Catherine Austin Fitts

I wonder if Trump is going to stop complaining about election fraud now that it works so well for him

https://x.com/solari_the/status/2056913455496515987

[Ravenlocke]

HealthRanger

It was stolen / rigged. Absolutely certain at this point...

https://x.com/HealthRanger/status/2057157911126630841

[Ravenlocke]

Chris Martenson

Here's my hypothesis.

What we just witnessed in KY with the Massie loss was a 'struggle session.' It was designed to send one message: "We're fully in control, you have no power, and you might as well not even waste the time to vote."

It was an operation designed to inflict demoralization. Same as not being allowed to be on the beach alone during 'Covid.' That's it's complete nonsense **IS** the point.

Same as publicly executing Charlie Kirk. Same energy, same intention, & the same people. The point is to demonstrate their power, with the target being your sense of agency and control.

We no longer need to wonder why the Trump administration has zero interest in finding CK's actual killer. It's the same people.

Who was that figure in white seen leaving the roof of the Sorenson building at UVU that fateful day? That nobody cares on Tyler's 'defense team' or with any investigative authority is meant to be both obvious to the thinking person, as well as demoralizing.

That's the play; fracture and divide us. Demoralize people to the point of giving up before they can even begin to organize, let alone fight. It's a form of cognitive warfare, and it's been running non-stop since Covid first appeared in 2020.

Why? Because someone hates America and its people and wishes to see us taken down.

The Barbarians are inside the gates.

That's what the Massie loss means to me

https://x.com/chrismartenson/status/2057085880448303586

[Ravenlocke]

Daniel McAdams
@DanielLMcAdams
·
14h
What is the silver lining in today's devastating defeat of American hero Thomas Massie in his primary against a 100 percent AIPAC funded astroturf candidate?
We are all depressed, those of us who love our country.
But the silver lining is that all of America - especially younger America which is the future - understands that we are Israeli occupied territory, as our idol Patrick Buchanan warned us more than 30 years ago.
Congress sends that ****ty little country billions and they spend millions hiring all the Beltway prostitutes to do their bidding in think tanks and PR firms and and in media and in the Pentagon and in the military industrial complex.
The parasites. Robbing us to propagandize us.
Their goal is to purchase 535 US Representatives. And they have succeeded.
Until now.
Bankruptcy is slow slow slow and then all of a sudden. As was the collapse of the Berlin Wall and communism.
The same is true about the realization that we are under the control of a foreign power. Like Eastern Europe under the Soviet yoke.
@RepThomasMassie
's loss is a win.
Real America wakes up to understand that we are no longer America. We are slaves to a foreign master whose parasitic fangs originate inTel Aviv but extend into the heart of the "patriotic" movements in the United States. Who are all paid with the tax money stolen from us to underwrite the parasitic power.
It is the most corrupt arrangement in history. And the young people in the US understand it well.
Radicalize yourselves against occupation, young America!

https://x.com/DanielLMcAdams/status/2056955294832324979

[Ravenlocke]

The Solari Report | Catherine Austin Fitts reposted

Lauren Chen

May 19
The age breakdown of who supports/opposes Massie is fascinating.

Under 55 is all Massie.

Over 55 is all Gallrein.

The GOP in 10 years is going to look radically different than it does today.

https://x.com/TheLaurenChen/status/2056752680207323611

[shaberon]

Posted by Ravenlocke (here)
...we are Israeli occupied territory, as our idol Patrick Buchanan warned us more than 30 years ago.

Here's one where, I am certainly no Buchanan follower, but he may have been right about something.

Trump distanced himself from the guy in that era, which may not be too surprising since Trump became a Republican only very recently.

I am glad to see Massie put the correct spin on this, and understands "movement" as more important than "election". Gallrein hasn't been elected to anything, he's become a candidate.

As to whether AIPAC fudged some numbers, I can't prove anything about that, although I can prove they are going directly to hell.