Posted tagged ‘Deep State’

Must Reads For The Week 5/4/19

May 6, 2019

“The coordination of men’s activities through central planning or through voluntary cooperation are roads going in very different directions, the first to serfdom and poverty, the second to freedom and plenty.” – F. A. Hayek

 

Freedom Or Government Control – There Is No True “Third Way“, by Bradley Thomas, at mises.org.  The above quote by Hayek begs the question; Which direction are our politicians attempting to force us? On the one side you have the new socialists in the Democrat party who aren’t afraid to tell us the direction they want to take America. Along with the establishment of the Democrat party who won’t admit the direction they want to take America. Along with the establishment of the Republican party who tell us they want to go in the direction of freedom, but whose policies take us in the opposite direction. Along with citizens who work for the administrative state and citizens who receive the largess of the administrative state. On the other side are citizens and some politicians who want to shrink the size and scope of government which would take us in the direction of freedom and plenty.

The middle of the road third way is chaotic. As we are witnessing in the America today.

Here is an excerpt from the article:

“The defining difference between socialism and capitalism, as described by Ludwig von Mises is “the substitution of public control of the means of production for private control.” More properly understood, socialism would eliminate the private ownership of the means of production by capitalists.”

“So efforts to impose “more aggressive regulation of markets” – which typically amount to more confiscatory taxes and stricter government regulations – may fall short of actual socialism, but erode the defining characteristic of capitalism, namely private ownership over the means of production.”

“It is important here to note that ownership implies the right to utilize, trade or otherwise dispose of property as the owner sees fit, as long as his actions don’t infringe on the rights of others.”

“Any restrictions on the owner’s use, therefore, represents an erosion of private property rights over the means of production, and a step in the direction of centralized, or public, control over those means.

The First Taste Of Freedom, by Eric Peters, at ericpetersautos.com. Excerpt from the article:

“A bicycle was once upon-a-time a kid’s first taste of real freedom. This appetizer tended to instill a hankering for more. An expectation. An awakening.”

“Those who grew up before the era of helicopter parenting commenced in the ’90s will remember it because they lived it. Saturday morning came and as soon as you were finished with breakfast, you bolted outside, got on your bike – without putting on a helmet-  and took off.”

“Cycling is mostly an adult activity now. It’ rare to see kids out riding their bicycles – especially by themselves.”

Venezuelan Socialism Victims Send Message To American Socialists, by Cabot Phillipps, at campusreform.org. Video of people from Venezuela telling what the socialist paradise is really like.

Why Social Democracy Is Failing Europe, by Alastair Macleod, at mises.org. Excerpt from the article:

“The point missed by most analysts is that social democracy is failing because of the contradiction between personal freedom and state control.”

“As a form of mild socialism, it fails for the same reason as did communism. It all plays into the hands of the communists, for whom the failure of social democracy is an opportunity. They encourage the rank and file to blame capitalism. The collapse of capitalism is inevitable, as Marx wrote. And its collapse hastens full-blooded communism. Communism is a broken philosophy, as has been clearly demonstrated. But ruthless leaders still see it as the means of obtaining power over their fellow humans.

Postmaster Warning: The United States Postal Service Is In A “Death Spiral“, at zerohedge.com. Even with a monopoly position and tax payer funding, Government bureaucrats can’t make the postal system pay for itself. Does this surprise anyone?

Pope Joins Soros In Funding Immigrant Caravan Invasion Of US Southern Border, at zerohedge.com. This shouldn’t surprise anyone either. The Pope is a Marxist (read my post here).

Endgame: Starting In 2014, All US Debt Issuance Will Be Used To Pay Interest On Debt, at zerohedge.com. Is this sustainable?

 

YOU MUST AGREE. OR ELSE!

China’s Mass Surveillance App Hacked: Code Reveals Specific Criteria For Illegal Oppression, at zerohedge.com. The technology exists. Why wouldn’t we think that petty tyrants (politicians and bureaucrats) in the US wouldn’t use this?

US Searches Of Phones, Laptops At Airports Rising, Suit Says, by Deb Reichmann, at apnews.com. Wait a minute! Are government bureaucrats already abusing their power and crushing our fourth and fifth amendment rights?

Coming To America: The Complete De-Platforming Of All Non-Establishment Voices, at zerohedge.com. Excerpt from the article: “Free Speech is a myth. Technically we’re allowed to say what we want and won’t get arrested for it, but we constantly have to self-censor our speech, including our political opinions, for many reasons. You’re allowed to express some opinions, son long as they’re the right opinions.”

Google Dumps Black, Female Leader For Believing Men Can’t Be Women, by Natasha Chart, at thefederalist.com. Black female sacrificed on the alter of identity politics. No more guessing. Transgenders are now on a higher rung of the identity politics ladder than black females.

Homeschooling Produces Better-Educated, More-Tolerant Kids, Politicians Hate That, at reason.com. No comment needed.

Open Air Absurdistan, at theburningplatform.com. Politicians are taking positions that are insane Absurd.

Child Abuse, at theburningplatform.com. This video is ……. I don’t know if there is a word that describes what this is. But ultimately this is child abuse.

Planned Parenthood Supporters Dance On ‘Graves’ Of Aborted Babies, at lowderwithcrowder.com. Watch this short video and ask yourself: Can anyone relate to these protesters?

Preferred Pronouns Or Prison,

Do you have a right to choose the words you use? Or do people have a right to force you to use the words they choose for you?

 

 

MEDIA NARRATIVES

How Media Narratives Become More Important Than Facts, Sharyl Attkisson, at theepochtimes.com. Excerpt from the article: “I believe I was among the first to really pay attention to the increasingly effective operations to shape and censor news – the movements to establish narratives rather than follow facts – and to see the growing influence of smear operations, political interests, and corporate interests on the news.”

“It’s not that I’m smarter than my peers …. but my particular brand of off-narrative reporting happened to draw the intense attention of the smear operators and propagandists, so I began to study it.”

Attkisson v. DOJ And FBI For The Government Computer Intrusions, by Sharyl Attkisson, at sharylattkisson.com. Here is what happened to Sharyl Attkisson when she started to look into Fast and Furious.

Son, It Was Obama We Journalists Had To Fear, by Jack Cashill, at americanthinker.com.  You will remember these incidents during the Obama administration. Excerpt from the article: “…President Trump is at least open in his hostility toward the press. The First Amendment gives him the same rights as it gives us. It was President Obama’s dirty, covert war on the media that had me worried.”

You Think You Have It Tough?  at theburningplatform.com. When you are against the political establishment (deep state if you will), you have no rights.

Lara Logan Cheers Ted Koppel’s Comments On Media Bias: Finally, I’m Not Alone

 

MUELLER / RUSSIA POST GAME REPORT

About The Letter That Mueller Wrote To Barr, at zerohedge.com. The media only showed the part of the letter that fit their narrative.

Grassley Truth Bomb, at theburningplatform.com. No comment needed.

NYT Confirms Obama Admin Used Multiple Spies Against Trump In 2016, by Mollie Hemingway, at thefederalist.com. The New York Times ran this story. So it should be Gospel to the left.

And The Winner Of The Robert Mueller Sweepstakes Is – Putin, by John Solomon, at thehill.com. As usual here is great analysis by John Solomon.

Checkmate, by Will Chamberlin, at humanevents.com. This is interesting analysis about the left losing the chess match against Bill Barr.

 

SATIRICAL HEADLINES

Dem Candidates Promising Relief To Americans Sick And Tired Of Working All These Plentiful Jobs, at babylonbee.com.

Progressive Parents Devastated After Son Comes Out As Straight, at babylonbee.com.

Man’s Baptism Overturned Afterr Instant Replay Reveals He Was Not Flly Submerged, at babylonbee.com.

Democrats Call Upon Nation To Unify Against Other Half Of Nation, at babylonbee.com.

Women Wearing MAGA Hat Makes It Home From Store Alive, at babylonbee.com.

Dems Promise To Do A Better Job Of Hiding Their Support For Infanticide In The Future, at babylonbee.com.

 

CARTOONS

From theburningplatform.

Equality Act

Biden Obama Baggage

 

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Must Reads For The Week 2/16/19

February 19, 2019

FAKE NEWS

Obvious Hoax Unravels – Jessie Smollett Facing Heat For Fake Assault Claim, at theburningplatform.com. This guy thought he was going to be protected by the mainstream media and leftist politicians. Why? Because this story fit their narrative. Unfortunately for Smollett facts are stubborn things. His story started to unravel as evidence started to surface. Will the truth about this fake attack get as much media coverage as the original fake story received from the main stream media? No! The original story served its purpose. Smollett, the main stream media, and various politicians will not be held accountable for the hoax or spreading the hoax.

Spreading The Fake Smollett “MAGA Country” Hate Crime: A Mainstream Media Montague, at zerohedge.com. Watch a montage of the media’s coverage of the original event. The rush to push a fake narrative without finding the facts is standard operating procedure for the “unbiased” main stream media. Remember these rush to judgements, Covington Catholic students, Kavanaugh hearings, Russian collusion, Trayvon Martin “hands up don’t shoot”, “The Cambridge police acted stupidly”, the Duke Lacrosse case, the George Bush national guard fake documents, just to name a few. When Trump said the media was “the enemy of the people” he should have said ‘the main stream media is the enemy of the truth’. The press was given Constitutional protection in order to be a check on government power. The MSM is now on the side of big government.  As long as the individuals with government power are part of the progressive socialist left. Alternative media are now doing the job the press was originally supposed to do. Politicians, the MSM and social media platforms are trying to silence and censor alternative media sites. Fortunately for freedom, the alternative media Genie can’t be put back in the bottle.

Hate Crime Hoaxes: 10 Campus Stories Debunked in 2017, at foxnews.com. How many do you remember? How about these?, A Brief History Of Hate Crime Hoaxes, at news.com.au.

The Alt-Media Has Way More Fun Than The Mainstream Media, by Charles Hugh Smith, at oftwoinds.com. Excerpt from the article: “The corporate-state media ……job isn’t to report any truth that lays waste to the self-serving interests of the ruling elites; their job is to protect the ruling elites by “reporting” politically correct narratives and playing up culturally divisive incidents to distract the masses from any awareness of their political invisibility and lack of financial independence or agency.”

“The MSM’s other job is to scrub any mass dissent from their “news.” So for example, U.S. corporate-state media coverage of the yellow vest movement in France is zero. This is not random; it is all part of skewing the “news” to Meaningless controversies and fawning politically correct / approved narratives stories.”

“It’s more fun being on the side of free inquiry and meaningful analysis than being on the side of censorship, fear-mongering, propagandistic sowing of discord and the promotion of the corporate-state party line.”

OTHER STUFF

The Disappearing Democrat’ Scandal, at zerohedge.com. Remember this story? Excerpt from the article: “Imran Awan was an IT guy for congress for many years. He was working for Debbie Wasserman Schultz and other members of congress. In the heat of the 2016 election, actually the same week that the DNC was hacked, Congress’ own internal police caught him hacking Congress. so although he was the IT guy, he was taking much more data than he should have had access to, impersonating members of Congress, and logging into their accounts and so on, and shuttling data off the House network and taking steps to hide what he was doing.”

Do You Believe In The Deep State Now?, at zerohedge.com. Call it what you will, the deep state, bureaucratic insiders, the Washington establishment, the administrative state. The deep state’s former FBI director Andrew McCabe admits they were working to get rid of Trump. Why? Because he was an outsider who wasn’t going to play their game. Trump stated he wanted to ‘drain the swamp’. He was and is perceived as a threat to their power. What they don’t understand is that it isn’t Trump who is a threat to their power, it is the individuals who voted him into office who are the threat to their power. These actions by establishment insiders and the main stream media are producing an unintended consequence. Increasing numbers of people are beginning to clearly see the threat to individual freedom is the D.C. establishment.

Sheriff Calls Concealed Carrying Bystander A “Hero” For Shooting Man Who Killed Wife At Dental Office, by Dan Urbanski, at theblaze.com. Did you hear about this in the MSM? This concealed carrier shot and held the suspect until cops came. And he did it without shooting an innocent bystander.

The Real Resistance: Washington State Sheriffs Refuse To Enforce Unconstitutional Gun Laws, at zerohedge.com. The real resistance against tyranny.

Who-D A-Thunk It? Panera’s Utopia Pay-What-You-Want Restaurant Model Didn’t Work?, by Mark J. Perry, at carpediemblog. No shock to anyone with common sense, people started to eat without paying.

2 Million Syringes Still Missing As San Francisco’s Drug Addicts Outnumber High-School Students, at zerohedge.com. I guess Government officials didn’t understand that when you subsidize an activity you get more of that activity.

Cash-Desperate Illinois Is Now Taxing Lap Dances, at economicpolicyjournal.com. This is not a satirical headline. In an unrelated story: Moodies Warns Illinois Governor: New Taxes Will Make More Residents Flee, at zerohedge.com.

Who Owns The $21.5 Trillion Of U.S. National Debt?, at economicpolicyjournal.com. U.S Individuals and Institutions – Here is who owns our debt. U.S. Individuals and institutions – 39.5%, U.S. Social Security Trust Fund – 13%, Federal Reserve – 10.8%, U.S Civil Service Retirement Fund – 4.3%, U.S. Military Retirement Fund – 3.5% for a total of 71.1%. The remaining 29% is owned by foreign countries, with China holding the most at 6.2%. Is it possible to pay this back when you consider that we are adding about $1 trillion to the national debt every year?

 

SATIRICAL HEADLINES

Nation’s Liberals Devastated After Learning Hate Crime Didn’t Actually Happen, at babylonbee.com. Excerpt from the article: “Candlelight vigils are being arranged in liberal cities across the country as millions mourn the loss of one of the most potentially divisive crimes in the last decade. “There was so much promise there. Now there’s just emptiness,” said one mourner in Berkley, CA.

Conservatives Accused Of Making Liberals Look Bad By Simply Reading List Of Things Liberals Believe, at babylonbee.com.

10 Ways You Can Drastically Reduce Your Carbon Footprint This Very Instant, at babylonbee.com. Here are a few. “1) Kill Yourself. 2) Kill A Friend Or Family Member. 3) Have An Abortion, See #2. 4) Cut Your Breathing Back To Once Every 7 Minutes.

“We Must Treat The Constitution As If It’s Alive,” Says Man Who doesn’t Treat The Unborn That Way, at babylonbee.com.

 

CARTOONS

At theburningplatform.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Political Cartoons by Michael Ramirez

Political Cartoons by Pat Cross

Political Cartoons by Mike Lester

 

 

Political Cartoons by Lisa Benson

Political Cartoons by Pat Cross

 

Observations From The Margin

August 1, 2018

Observation Tower

-Could a transgender girl (a male who feels he is female) winning a girls high school sporting event be considered “gender appropriation”?

-If the progressive left is against “cultural appropriation”. Should they support “gender appropriation?

-Does the fact that environmentalists are trying to get rid of plastic straws tell us that there are no real environmental problems left for them to fight?

-Anyone who acts surprised that Russia attempted to meddle in the 2016 election is either ignorant about what went on between the U.S. and the USSR during the cold war era, or is faking their bewilderment. Trying to influence the politics of the other side was standard operating procedure for the CIA and the KGB.

-Steve Kerr colluded with his players and coaches to beat the Cavs in the NBA finals. Jessie James colluded with his gang to rob banks. So, is collusion a crime?

-Is the Russian collusion investigation actually a Russian Show Trial?

-I define the “Deep State” as bureaucrats in government agencies (CIA ,FBI, DOJ, NSA, IRS, State Department, DOE, etc) who do not answer to the electorate or elected officials. Deep State bureaucrats are always trying to grow their power. They also defend their power from those who wish to decrease it. Deep State bureaucrats are capable and willing to either destroy their enemies or protect their allies. So, should Trump revoke the security clearances of these former members of the Deep State; John Brennan, James Clapper, James Comey, Andrew McCabe, Michael Hayden and Susan Rice? Would you if you were President? Just as there is no such thing as a former Marine, is there such a thing as a former member of the Deep State? Remember what Sandy Berger did for Bill Clinton after he was out of office?

-The size and power of government has increased under the control of the “big government” D’s or the “small government” R’s. It only varies in degree. The reason government grows is because insiders in both parties accumulate wealth and power as the size of government increases. The establishment of each party has tried to convince us that their D and R game is real. This is similar to promoters of a game between the Harlem Globe Trotters and the Washington Generals trying to convince us that it is a real competition and not a show. The difference is, it is difficult to see that the D and R game is not a real competition between bigger and smaller government.

-We are seeing the establishment D’s and R’s being challenged for control of their parties. True socialist central planners like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are challenging the establishment D’s in an attempt to move them toward total government control over economic activity (free healthcare, free education and free housing). While President Trump and the House freedom caucus are challenging the establishment R’s to move them toward less control over economic activity (shrinking bureaucracies, deregulation and lowering taxes). This movement will give citizens a real choice between government centrally planning and a free market economy, instead of having to choose between varying degrees of government central planning.

-In a real competition between socialist central planning and free market capitalism, free market capitalism wins. The problem starts after it wins. It produces such a high standard of living, that individuals forget how the standard of living was produced in the first place. Individuals begin to think that there is a better system of distributing the wealth that has been produced. Socialism is the ideology that economically ignorant individuals gravitate toward. As socialist policies are implemented they begin to upset the economic process that produced the original high standard of living. A downward spiral starts.

-Ludwig von Mises and F. A. Hayek can put more insight into fewer words than I can. So I will let them take center stage.

Ludwig von Mises“Men must choose between the market economy and socialism….some agency must determine what should be produced. If it is not the consumer by means of demand and supply on the market, it must be the Government by compulsion.”

F. A. Hayek – “It has already been suggested that it is not necessary, for the working of this free market capitalist system, that anybody should understand it. But people are not likely to let it work if they do not understand it.”

Ludwig von Mises“Anti capitalistic policies sabotage the operation of the capitalist system of the market economy. The failure of interventionism does not demonstrate the necessity of adopting socialism. It merely exposes the futility of interventionism. All those evils which the self-styled “progressives” interpret as evidence of the failure off capitalism are the outcome of their allegedly beneficial interference with the market.”

F. A. Hayek“While it may not be difficult to destroy the spontaneous formations which are the indispensable bases of a free civilization. It may be beyond our power deliberately to reconstruct such a civilization once these foundations are destroyed.”

Ludwig von Mises“Modern civilization is a product of the philosophy of laissez faire, it cannot be preserved under the ideology of Government omnipotence.