Gun Control

          Our current administration has for quite some time arduously pursued legislation toward the control of guns in our nation, ostensibly motivated by the many shootings in our schools, malls, and throughout the country in general. With all due respect to President Obama and those others who have advocated and supported those efforts, I believe they are wasting their time and taxpayer dollars. They may sound good politically. They may even make one feel good, for this is an emotional issue.  For sure, my heart and prayers go out to the victims and their families, but these proposed laws will not solve the problems. They will not even put a dent in them. Even if such legislation were to be passed, there would still be shootings in our schools, our malls, and elsewhere across the breadth of our nation. The real cause (or causes) is much deeper than guns; and, once again, our government is a day late and a dollar short in solving them. To them, there are greater problems to solve, like for the haves to make more money. Jamie Dimon needs another raise (Refer to my posting of January 25).

          There is another very important aspect of this subject which I must mention. Given what I have said above, one must surely understand the ramifications that the ultra restriction of guns, however effected or implemented, if passed, will have on our society. We would have a very unhappy people; and, our people are already unhappy–very unhappy. The blunt fact of the matter is our government is not faring very well with the people at all. I read in the media frequently, almost every day, as to their negative popularity. This is not a light matter. Pushing this issue further at this time will only serve to detract from our many other social issues which we are trying to resolve.

The truth of the matter is that guns are firmly ingrained in our culture. They are part and parcel of our psyche. The prohibition of guns, gun control, or a so-called war on guns, is arguably anathema to our society, the enforcement of which will have, if not already, the same results as those in our current war against drugs or during the prohibition of alcohol in the thirties. We all know how expensive and unsuccessful those efforts were (and are). If we really want to solve the problems of crime in the streets, drugs, school shootings, etc, we should redirect our efforts to the solving of our many social problems, i.e. unemployment, poverty, education, mental health, national healthcare, discrimination, incarceration, drugs, life in the ghettos, and many more. This is where our money and our political power should be spent. Politics aside, this is the direction in which we should and must focus our efforts.

          If, on the other hand, the real motive of our government is to control guns so as to forestall a rebellion or uprising of our people (It has been reported and known to most people that FEMA has already been setting up large internment camps throughout the nation as well as buying ammunition in huge quantities, coffins, etc. You can check this out at www.infowars.com ), they should forget it. Such will only lead to the destruction of our nation, subjugating us to others, in which event no one would win. The best way to govern our great nation and have a contented people is to govern for the benefit of 100% of us, as opposed to the 1%, the corporatocracy and power elite they now support. If this would be their focus, they wouldn’t have to worry about any such uprising. If our Shadow Government of the Power Elite would give back what they have taken, Our Country, they wouldn’t have to worry about the people taking it back. These are my views. What are yours?

Ronald Miller

mtss86@comcast.net

Budget Cuts In Defense

          Expenditures for the military, globally, stood at over $1.7 trillion, annually for 2012–down approximately .5% from 2011, the first decrease since 1998 (ref. globalissues.org). If I have read and interpreted correctly, that’s for the whole world. The United States share of this was approximately 39.0% or $663 billion. No other country comes even close to us. China is the closest with 9.5% ($162 billion), Russia spends 5.2% ($88 billion), the U.K. 3.5% ($60 billion), and Japan 3.4% ($58 billion), if I've done the math right.

With this in mind, one doesn’t have to be an expert in defense spending to recognize ours as outrageous and bloated, especially in these economic times and the needs of our people. I see no reason our defense budget cannot be reduced significantly without jeopardizing the defense of our country. This said, in the course of reading an article from The Hill regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin’s encroachment in Latin America, i.e. Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, I noticed reference to a statement of  General James Kelly, Commander of U. S. Southern Command at a Senate hearing earlier this month. I assume he was talking about Putin and the Russians. He, Kelly, was quoted as saying, “They’re on the march. They’re working the scenes where we can’t work. And they’re doing a pretty good job.” He went on to say there has been a “noticeable uptick in Russian power projection and security force personnel” in Latin America. He then said,”It has been over three decades since we last saw this type of high-profile Russian military presence.” He went on to say that the U.S. military had been forced to cut back on its engagement with military and government officials in Latin America due to budget cuts. The Hill article also said, “The U.S. had to cancel the deployment of its hospital ship USNS Comfort last year.”

They’re working the scenes where we can’t work? We have to cancel deployment of a hospital ship? Are you kidding me? I must say to you. That made me mad, downright angry, as a matter of fact. I understand budgets. I know how these things work. I worked with corporate budgets and planning for almost thirty years; and, unlike our Department of Defense, we had up to date computer systems, integrated data bases, and an auditable set of books. Who are these people trying to kid? We have to cancel a hospital ship and reduce national security at our back door in order to reduce a $663 billion budget? What we are doing with this budget thing is choking on nats and swallowing camels. It’s past time to cut our defense budget and the most lucrative sources lie in procurement, waste, procurement, and waste. Oh yes, let us not forget procurement. As are the banks, the military industrial complex is blood-sucking the life out of us, and it is being done on the backs of the poor. I’m tired of it, and you should be too. Take a long look at the F-35 and Lockheed Martin, if you will. 

Ronald Miller

mtss86@comcast.net

Paul Ryan and Inner City Culture

          On Wednesday, March 12, the House Budget Committee Chairman, Paul Ryan said on the Morning in America radio show , “We have got this tailspin of culture, in our inner cities in particular, of men not working and just generations of men not even thinking about working or learning the value and the culture of work. There is a real culture problem here that has to be dealt with.”

He is absolutely right! But, this man who was a candidate for vice president of the United States of America in the 2012 election; this snot-nosed, immature, slow and late bloomer in life, his high degree of intelligence and education notwithstanding; either has no clue as to the real causes of this problem or is disingenuous to we the people whom he serves, just another servant of our Shadow Government by the Power Elite.

          It is a fact of life that there are those among us who are sucker’s, leaching off the rest of society who work and are self-sustaining; so let us agree on that and put it behind us. As we come to that understanding, however, let us also understand that these people exist among the rich as well as the poor and those in the inner city ghettos. There are bottom feeders and there are top feeders. Just as the bottom feeders capture our welfare dollars, the top feeders steal from all of us through rents, corporate welfare, and tax avoidance and evasion. They downright refuse to pay their fair share of taxes in accordance with their ability to pay. On August 8, 2013, I wrote in this blog a posting titled “Our Underclass–The Bottom Feeders”, in which I discussed in detail, the bottom feeders and the top feeders in our economy. Scroll down to August 8, 2013, and you will find it.

          Next, everyone should understand that our inner city culture is composed of whites and Hispanic peoples, as well as blacks. No one has a monopoly on this, their numbers notwithstanding. Again, on March 4, 2014, I wrote a posting to this blog titled Our Underclass in which I emphatically stated that our underclass must be eliminated to the fullest extent possible–certainly not by genocide, but by helping them to help themselves thereby upgrading their status in society up into the middle and upper classes. I made several recommendations for accomplishing this. Again, scroll down in my blog to March 4, 2014.

          What has really angered me about Paul Ryan’s statement is the horse’s mouth from which it came, Paul Ryan. That man, a responsible leader (I should say irresponsible) in our House of Representatives completely ignores the causes of our problems in the inner cities, the ghettos. In fact, he has, in conjunction with his cohorts, done everything possible within the realm of his responsibilities to suppress the people (call it the 47%, the 90%, the 99%, or whatever) of this country into poverty.

What has he and his partners in crime done? They have forced cuts in spending in the middle of this recession (or depression–ask Paul Krugman) when we should be increasing spending to stimulate the economy and put people back to work. You immediately point to our giant deficit and national debt. Where do you think our deficit and debt came from? When Jimmy Carter left office, our national debt was under $1 Trillion. I submit to you. That is as close to zero as we will see in the next several generations. When George W. Bush left office, 28 years later, our national debt exceeded $10 Trillion, an increase of 1,004%. Bill Clinton reduced our deficit to zero, with a surplus forecasted for years ahead. Alan Greenspan was even worrying as to how he could manage monetary policy without a national debt for support. And what did his cohorts do with the help of Paul Ryan? They spent money like a drunken sailor on shore leave, literally exploding our national debt. This isn’t prejudice or bigotry I’m expounding, folks. These are facts. And why did they do it? I now submit to you my opinion. They wanted to enrich themselves, the rich, at the expense of the poor. This should be obvious to all. All one has to do is look at the exploding inequality in income and wealth within the past thirty years. Next, they wanted to put our nation on the verge of national bankruptcy so that our nation would be forced to the position of where we now are–force us to eliminate Social Security, eliminate national healthcare and Medicare, eliminate welfare, food stamps, and the public safety nets in order to reduce our deficit while, on the other hand, maintaining a defense budget greater than all the other major nations in the world combined. Do you think not? Aren’t these items discussed daily in the news media? It appears these people, including Paul Ryan, actually believe this world was made for the sole benefit of the Corporatocracy and Power Elite. Also, I haven’t mentioned in this posting the unnecessary closing down of our government at a completely wasted cost of $28 Billion to the taxpayer. Oh well. Just charge it. We can't help our poor, but we do have money to burn.

I can’t close this out without mentioning the huge spending of Barack Obama. Far be it for me to defend him–he doesn’t need me, but what else would one expect with the carryover of such an immense deficit, the deepest financial crisis since the great depression, jobs and money being outsourced to slave labor abroad , twenty million unemployed or underemployed, forty-seven million on food stamps, millions sleeping in cars, on the streets, or under bridges, another twenty million committed to privatized prisons, and the minority leader of the Senate vowing to defeat every program which he, President Obama, would set forth–not to mention half the world hating us, the result of an “us vs. them” foreign policy. Are you kidding me?

Surely, no one as smart as Paul Ryan can be so ignorant. I can’t believe it. But, what is the other side of the equation? He certainly isn't representing the people.

Ronald Miller

mtss86@comcast.net     

www.sageobserver.blogspot.com

Books to Read on these matters:

          The Price of Inequality by Joseph Stiglitz

         Globalization and its Discontents by Joseph Stiglitz

         When Work Disappears by William Wilson

If I Vote for You

If I am to vote for you, I don’t really care if you are handsome, beautiful, or sexy and charismatic. Neither do I care if you are old, wrinkled, fat, and ugly. And, in fact, I will not vote for you if I, in any way, perceive you as patronizing, an insult to my intelligence, and disingenuous. What I do care about, if I am to vote for you, is your character and where your heart is.

Can I really trust you? Are you honest? Do you have integrity? Are you a competent leader? Do you know what you are doing? What is your real motivation? Whom do you really serve? What is your world view and in what direction do you intend to lead my country and me? Will you represent not only my interests but, also,  the interests of all the people, all 100% of us, or just the 1%, the Corporatocracy and the Power Elite, the Shadow Government, the real government, that presently governs over us through their strings of power, i.e. money, lobbyists, and corruption?

As for me, I want to vote for those who want life, liberty, justice, prosperity, and the pursuit of happiness for all the people, and, to quote Abraham Lincoln, a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

Ronald Miller

mtss86@comcast.net 

Our Privacy on the Internet

          Tonight on television, the CBS program, Sixty Minutes, broadcasted a program about privacy on the internet, the center focus of which, as I saw it, was centered on the companies which collect our personal data and sells it to many and various marketing companies, employers, and the government–information regarding our purchasing habits, books and papers we read, sexual preferences and orientation, personal medical history, credit history, politics, and on and on. Almost all, if not all, of you know about this. We know about it because the information on these things has finally leaked out over the years, but we sure didn’t know about it in the beginning.One of the speakers on their show even said that you know and, yet, don’t do anything about it–you don’t care. This is the spark which lit my fire tonight in posting this subject to my blog.

          What a lie. Who does he think we are? Does he really think we don’t care? You darn right we care. We all care. I have written in prior blogs, some no further back in time than last week, that our Shadow Government, the Corporatocracy and Power Elite of this country, which really governs us is using mind control and manipulation to control us–our democracy, yours and mine–in our political and economic choices. Not only do we the people care about this treatment (and downright robbery of our Constitutional rights) we are deeply angry about it.

Why haven’t we done anything about it? First of all, this massive invasion of our personal privacy has been going on in secret for many years, completely unbeknownst to us. Not only were we the people not asked for our input and/or approval into these unfavorable processes against us, but also (a second reason), our elected representatives failed us. They, those who are responsible in managing the affairs of our great nation and supposed to represent our interests, turned their backs on us. Rather, they represented only the interest of the Corporatocracy and Power Elite from whom they receive their financing, financing we can’t afford to match (This is even better understood when you include in your thinking the case of Citizens United v Federal Election Commission). Third, and just as important, information regarding the identity of the companies who spy on us, collecting our personal information, and its users to whom they sell it, is, for the most part, unavailable to the public, notwithstanding that their job and very lives are affected.

What should we do about this? If information is going to be collected from a citizen, that citizen should be fully informed of such and have its use, ramifications and possible consequences explained, after which he should have the right to approve or disapprove the action. In addition, a complete audit trail as to the information’s distribution and use (not the information itself, of course) should be maintained and available to the public. In conjunction with this, the names and ownership of every company should be available to the public, i.e. to the people–all the people. After all, every business is a legal entity.

It’s long past time to take back our country. This is not a bumper sticker to be read and ignored. It’s up to all of us to put a stop to these abuses of the people. Business is supposed to serve us–not govern us. Don't you think?

Ronald Miller

mtss86@comcast.net    

Election Day is Coming

          We are eight months from Election Day, the day when we will once again go to the polls and vote for our representatives in government. In the world of our democratic republic of the people, by the people, and for the people, this will be a very important day for all of us. On the other hand, however, in reality, rather than this being a day in which the rule of the day is one person, one vote, it will be a day when the rule of the day will be one dollar one vote. Rather than this really being a vote of the people, it will, in effect, be an election bought and paid for by the Corporatocracy and the Poser Elite, those who really presently govern our country–our de facto Shadow Government. Don’t tell me this isn’t true. Don’t tell me this is some conspiracy theory. This is a fact. To see the truth in this, just take off your blinders. Ask yourself. Who is paying for these elections? Don’t tell me what I said isn’t true.

          Around and around we go, where we’ll stop, nobody knows. On the stage below, are the actors, the political candidates for office whom we elect to govern us.

On the Right are the pseudo conservatives who proclaim to represent us–the people, when, in reality, they represent only the interests of the rich and powerful in their quest for even more wealth and greater power. This is the way they have been forever. Everybody surely knows that. They are supported in their effort by those who, with their lack of knowledge, and, in their ignorance, identify with them, erroneously thinking they are on the same track when in fact they are only satchel carriers. In short, if you ain't rich the right doesn't support you. They work only for their kind, the Corporatocracy and Power Elite, our real government, our Shadow Government. Face it. You aren't one of them. You aren't a millionaire. They don’t represent your interests what they say notwithstanding. They are taking for themselves the bulk of our annual national income and wealth.

On the Left are the pseudo liberals, the so-called progressives, who profess to represent the people. They, too, are supported in their effort by those who identify with them and their efforts–those in the lower classes of the populace, the middleclass, the poor, and the disadvantaged. I sincerely believe this is what they surely want to do. I believe they are sincere in their efforts. This is the purpose for which they stand. Herein lays a glitch, however. They too are caught up in the net of the rich and powerful. They, too, are trapped by the power of money. They, too, have sold their souls. As you do before crossing the street, stop, look, and listen. Isn't this what you see?

When the liberals came into office, January, 2009, they inherited the greatest economic and financial collapse since 1929, the largest national debt in the history of mankind, a commensurate national deficit, and two foreign wars, which, by the time all accounts are settled, will have cost somewhere in the area of three trillion dollars. In conjunction with this, there was approximately twenty million of our people unemployed or underemployed, unable to find a job anywhere, hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of whom were hungry, in foreclosure or “underwater’ in their mortgages, sleeping in their cars, under bridges, or on the streets. I must, also, point out that twenty million persons were in our prisons. I must surely have left something out, but I’ll stop there. I’m sorry, but the Right left office with our nation in the worst mess in our history, an inkblot that will disgrace us for years to come. The only thing that saved us from falling into a deep depression equal to or worse than that in the 1930’s were the safety nets of Social Security, healthcare, unemployment, food stamps–programs some of which begun back with President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Thankfully, people have a propensity to forget; and, in a generation or two, perhaps it will be behind us. Perhaps we will once again have the reputation of a great nation.

In light of this, I will dare to say that when our people elected President Barrack Obama to office, they were looking for a change. They were looking for honesty, integrity, and transparency in office. They were looking for an end to war, torture, spying, and oppressive government. They were looking for recovery from our depression. They were looking for affordable healthcare. There is probably more, but it just won’t come to my mind for the present. That, in my mind is what we were looking for. What did we get?

From my point of view, I saw President Obama come into office picking up right where President Bush left off–the Patriot Act, the NSA (National Security Agency), secrecy and lack of transparency, an expensive overfunded Department of Defense without a balanceable and auditable accounting system and state of the art computer systems, etc…. Instead of a national single payer healthcare system, affordable to all with strict cost controls, we got the Affordable Care Act, an unaffordable, immensely complicated system beyond the comprehension of the average person–an excessively expensive monster, which I believe will ultimately collapse of its own weight. In addition, our nation where the rich are constantly getting richer, and the poor are getting poorer was rapidly going downhill economically, destroying our middleclass, and replacing our labor with slave labor abroad. If you don’t see this outsourcing as slave labor, imagine in your mind’s eye how you would view those people if you brought them as they are to our country to work alongside our people. I daresay it wouldn’t take you long to look at them and see them for what they really are, slaves. At this point in my discussion, you must surely see that the Left, the party of the people has not, in reality, been a party of the people. Rather, as with the Right, the Left has been a representative of the rich.

Way up above the stage in the rafters is our Shadow Government which really pulls the strings and governs over all of us, their strings extending down below to the stage, attached to and controlling both parties, the Right and the Left, in our pseudo government which we elect and which is supposed to govern us, our nation–the government established by our Constitution. Why is this condition allowed to happen in our democratic republic, a democracy of the people, by the people, and for the people? The answer is money. As I said above, instead of one person one vote, we have one dollar, one vote. In effect, our elected representatives have sold out to the Corporatocracy and Power Elite, our Shadow Government, which finances our elections. I understand that our elected representatives spend four hours of every day soliciting funds from the rich and business interests. I have heard that publicly reported. Also, our illustrious Supreme Court of the United States of America has ordained, in effect, that Corporations are people with the same right of free speech and expression as you. They can contribute all the money they wish to political campaigns with impunity; and, under certain conditions, they can even keep their contributions secret. Do you have that right? I don’t think so. Check it out. Up to now, I thought only God made people, but I guess that was before  SCOTUS. One last comment on campaign financing is the impact of the so called revolving doors between business and moneyed interests through which our elected officials continuously travel, enriching their selves.

One last comment is that massive amounts of money are spent by these moneyed interests in our political campaigns, spreading misinformation, propaganda, mind control, and persuasion. If you think about it you know this without me telling you. You see this type of marketing and thought control every time you go to the supermarket or go online to buy product. Not only are you faced with all the marketing techniques, they profile your every behavior, your likes, dislikes, desires, etc. Such is also true of our politicians. I've said enough. You know this is true. You know I’m right. The question is what we do about it.

My answer to you is that one party is completely unqualified to govern this country. Not only have they almost destroyed our nation, but the direction in which they wish to lead us is not in the interests of the people. They want a nation governed by a Corporatocracy and Power Elite. If we follow their lead to its ultimate conclusion, we will, for the most part, be part of the underclass. Again, if you don’t believe me, you have only to look at trends in income, wealth, and jobs. That party is unelectable. For me, that will be forever. I want my country to be a democracy not a vassal of the rich and powerful.

As to the other party, we must get it out from the hands of the rich and powerful, our Shadow Government. We must insure that it is truly a party of the people, working in the interests of the people, a populist party. All must prosper to the fullest extent possible. God made this planet for everybody–not just a fortunate few.

Ronald Miller

mtss86@comcast.net

Our Underclass

          There has been much talk about the growing inequality in our country and our rapidly disappearing middles class. This is very true, documented by many expert economists and evidenced by a myriad of statistics. We should talk about this more and more and continue talking about it until something is done–corrective action must be taken. This is no light subject folks. Left to continue, it will destroy our country as we know it–maybe even our very sovereignty. Let me ask you. Where is our middle class going as they disappear? The answer is: they are merging into our underclass, our poor and underprivileged, which is exploding. Our middle class is moving to the other side of the tracks, to the ghettos and wherever. As I have said many times before in the course of writing my postings, the rich are getting richer, the poor are getting poorer, and the welfare rolls are climbing. What’s more, you, Mr. and Mrs. Taxpayer, are borrowing the money to pay for it. If this trend continues and is left to its ultimate conclusion, we will be in the underclass serving the rich as their servants, aka serfs (their slaves).

          What can we do about this, our nation’s plight? The answer is: we must get rid of them. We must rid ourselves of the underclass. Of course, there will always be those who need help. They will need help for a variety of reasons, including disabilities, physical and mental, but we can reduce their number to a minimum, if we will. We should begin this redemptive process today–now, before it is too late. The idea is to help as many of those as we absolutely can move from the underclass back up into the middleclass, helping them to, once again, become productive and carry their weight in society.

          Obviously, this is a very contentious issue, subject to much debate. I don’t even pretend to know all the answers as to how we can achieve such a feat; but, I can certainly come up with a few, and we must try:

1.     We must create jobs for those unemployed who are able and willing to work. We can do this through the creation of work programs and the building and repair of infrastructure.

2.     We must increase the minimum wage. This relief will only work temporarily as all other related factors will balance out, especially through inflation; but, it will provide temporary relief in the interim until our economy can recover.

3.     We must implement tax reforms, completely overhauling our present system, eliminating corporate welfare and implementing a progressive income tax system with top marginal rates approaching those before the administration of Ronald Reagan. Except for requisite increases in Social Security and Healthcare costs, this change shouldn't affect ninety-five percent of you reading this, if any of you, providing those who are able will once again pay their fair share of the necessary cost of government.

4.     We must take back our government from the present reign of our Shadow Government. You know who they are. I have discussed them in detail in a recent posting (or postings) to this blog–those making our government their puppet.

5.     We all know where learning abilities are greatest in our lives.  Of course, it is at our very beginning, when we are born and in our youth. Taking advantage of this reality, we should increase our emphasis on education, beginning with pre K and continuing through college. In fact, we should make it legally imperative that everyone able must achieve an education through the first four years of college or a vocational training school, dependent upon the student’s ability, aspirations or desires, effectively helping everyone to become productive and financially independent. This increased emphasis on education should include social training and reflect basic values, such as responsibility, honesty and integrity in the conduct of one’s affairs, paying one’s bills on a timely basis, how to balance a checkbook, home economics, and so forth. Responsibility for the success of this endeavor should be that of the parents as well as that of the students; and, those who resist or refuse cooperation when they are able should be placed in special schools to insure their successful training. Our nation is in serious trouble. To be quite candid, we no longer can afford not to do this. We are in dire need of an informed, educated, and responsible public if we are to keep our democracy. If we will do these things, I am confident our nation’s downward trend will reverse and the GDP will be there to cover the cost. We may be in debt up to our ears, but a turnaround is still very possible if we will, as they say, mind our P’s and Q’s, end corruption [another topic for another time], and take care of business.

6.     We need to establish trade tariffs so as to adjust prices on imports for wage differences between countries from which we import to that of which comparable wages will be paid in the United States. That there is a thing such as a free market is a myth, and continued lies and propaganda to the contrary don’t change the reality. A free market exists only in the classroom. When either supply or demand is controlled by any one means or another, the market is no longer free.

7.     Discrimination in hiring of any kind, be it age, color, looks, religion, sex, whatever, must be eliminated by any means available, in conjunction  with which I must also point out that it is going to be necessary to increase the retirement age for Social Security which will be unacceptable unless we are willing to hire those who are older. You will notice I didn’t mention Medicare. That is because I hope we will come to our senses and change to a single payer national healthcare system covering everyone from birth to death (I recommended this earlier in previous postings). I must also mention that we can’t allow this antidiscrimination rule to interfere with competency on the job. One must always be able to adequately perform that for which he is paid. The hiring requisite must relate to the job performance requirement.

8.     Another need for which the solution is, also, difficult, has to do with those living in the ghettos of our large cities. A severe transportation problem exists in that both jobs and retail establishments, for a variety of reasons, have moved from the inner city to the suburbs and outlying areas. Even schools have closed and/or moved, therefore effectively isolating those living there. This must be resolved. People can’t be expected to walk miles to school or to a job.

9.     The next and last issue, for now, which I feel must be considered in this discussion has to do with racial prejudice, a very argumentative subject, to say the least; but I feel I must discuss it because it is so important to the subject at hand. I believe and submit to you that, although much is said about color, actual prejudice against color in this nation, is minimal as compared to prejudice for another reason. That reason is one’s personal behavior and demeanor. That having been said, these personal traits are a source of prejudice by others regardless of one’s color, and has led to lost jobs, interview rejections, lost promotions, lost pay increases, social ostracism, family break-ups, incarceration, and even the inspiration of fear within others. This is another huge problem, probably the most difficult of all, that must be resolved. The only viable approach to the solution which I see is the creation of educational programs for individuals and families beginning in life as early as pre K. This, too, will cost money; but, if successful, I believe it will pay for itself plus interests, not the least of which will be a significant reduction in our prison populations.

 Folks, I am not talking about politics or political chess. I’m not advocating self-interests. I am talking about real issues and serious problems of our nation and our people–problems needing to be addressed and addressed as soon as possible; but, as you know, our Congress won’t act. They will do nothing unless you put strong pressure upon them to do so. If you don’t do it, it won’t get done. In a government of the people, it is past time for the people to stand up and be counted.

 Ronald Miller

mtss86@comcast.net

When I Think of Our Government

          When I think of our government of the United States of America, a democratic republic, I think of it as “a government of the people, by the people, and for the people”, as articulated by President Lincoln at Gettysburg in 1863; and, also, I think of it as a nation under God based upon Judeo-Christian values and respect for the sanctity of life, as evidenced by our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution. In this respect, our government, under our Constitution, is a secular government, one which is supposed to administer the law equally to all citizens within its jurisdiction without regard to gender, ethnicity and color, religious and sexual preferences, mental and health status, and all other differences notwithstanding–equally, equal treatment for all.

          This, in my mind, is important–very important, requiring our people to be informed, involved, objective, and responsible toward the achievement of our nation’s goals and resolving the many issues before us. Foremost in our minds should be the sovereignty, security, and solidarity of our nation, and, secondly, the security, freedom, liberty, and well-being of our people. All else, i.e. government, business, and labor, must serve the common good. You have heard the words, “United we stand, divided we fall”. I say to you, “The greater our inequality, the more we are divided”, and “The less informed, involved, objective, and responsible we are, the less secure our democracy becomes”.

          If we don’t become involved and take back our government from those who should be serving us, as opposed to governing us, there will be nothing left for our children and grandchildren but debt and servitude, i.e. slavery; and, if you don't do it, it won't get done.

Ronald Miller

mtss86@comcast.net 

What's Wrong with Congress? It's Not Big Enough 

      

    Back in 2012, Brian Flynn published a special to CNN (see cnn.com) regarding what is wrong with Congress, to the effect that Congress is not adequately representing the American people, leading to an all-time low approval rating of 10%. The problem, in his eyes, is that there are not enough of them. A seat in the House of Representatives has expanded from representing 33,000 people to more than 700,000. Our population has exploded relative to the size of Congress. He goes on to say that the reason is: Self-interest and power. I agree.

         

          I really don’t understand, however, what his second reason has to do with the first. With today’s technology in polling and information explosion, I see no need, given an adequate and competent staff, why a Congress person cannot keep up with the desires and opinions of his constituents as well as his (or her) colleagues. Other than the minimal voting power (Refer to the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission) of the average U. S. citizen, most Representatives and Senators have little interest in what we the people think. My perception is that we are too dumb and poor. Either way, we are a nuisance. However, not only do we not have a say in government, but, also, neither–it seems–for the most part, does our Congress person; so maybe I shouldn’t gripe too much. I just know I haven’t seen any bills hit the floor for a vote in either the House or the Senate from my Congressmen lately.

          But I digress. As you know (I have said many times before), the real reason our Congress does not adequately represent us is that, generally speaking, they don’t care. They have literally sold out to the interests of the Corporatocracy and the Power Elite, aka Shadow Government, represented by those we call lobbyists. We’re back to self-interest and power aren’t we.

          Mr. Flynn thinks we should increase the size of Congress, have them come to Washington quarterly for two-week conventions and, otherwise, work at home, and work part-time, and vote online. This way, he thinks, they would be more productive and better represent their constituents. I don’t think so.

          I think we should do the following:

First, let’s enact a campaign finance act criminalizing any financing of any political campaign by other than government. Let there be no financing from any source other than that through taxes–no contributions or gifts, in any way, shape or form, no use of personal wealth, no gifts from family…. Let’s pay for political contributions by a special corporate income surtax.

Second, let’s reduce the House of Representatives to 217 members and the United States Senate to 50 members (This will immediately reduce costs and arguments across the “board”). In conjunction with the latter, we might want to consider having the governors of our states serve as senators in addition to their present duties, further reducing the cost of government and elections. The reason our present Congress does not represent the people isn’t because there are too many people. The real reason is that “we the people” aren’t able to pay them off as are the Corporatocracy and Power Elite (The Shadow Government). Our current polling technologies provide needed and timely information to them for that purpose. They know what we want. Again, we just don’t pay enough. Another objection from them will be the workload. Nonsense! They now spend on an average, I am told, half their day soliciting campaign financing. My idea will double the time for legislating, offsetting cutting their number in half. Perhaps, also they will then have the time to attend hearings and debates as opposed to talking to an empty house.

Third, let’s enact comprehensive national voting reforms, eliminating such practices as gerrymandering, etc. and providing for the inclusion of multiple parties in all states.

Let’s do these things and do them now. It’s past time for the American people to take back our government. We need government that will govern in favor of the people and in their interests. We need a government that governs without costing an arm and a leg. If you don’t insist on this, it won’t get done.

Ronald Miller

mtss86@comcast.net

Equality of Women

          The Democrats are charging the Republicans of a war against women and the Republicans are accusing the Democrats of starting it. What on earth are they talking about?

          For countless millennia, men have dominated the sexes–ever since Adam and Eve were driven from the Garden of Eden. Then, it was necessary. No sooner had they left the gates of the garden, Adam (man) had to earn his bread by the sweat of his brow. He was the hunter. When engaged with competing tribes, he was the fighter for the protection of the family. So that he could fulfill his purpose, God provided him with the requisite abilities. He made man different from woman, physically and mentally. Man was in charge. Man was responsible. In the settings then, he had to be.

          This having been said, do you really think man and women are equal? I don’t think so. In no way are men and women equal. Anyone who thinks so is deaf, dumb, blind, or delusional. Open your eyes. Look before you. They, women, are superior to men–far superior, not equal. Men don’t even come close to being equal with women.

          It is well known that women are not being treated fairly. They are, on an average, paid less than men; they are less apt to be promoted; and they are discriminated against frequently. Those who work outside the home not only bring home all or part of the “bacon”; but, also, when they get home from work at the end of the day they, more often than not, are required to prepare meals, do the laundry, take care of the children, budget their money, pay the bills, and clean their home (while we guys watch television, etc., etc.). In between times they bear our children giving birth in intense pain; which, if left to men, there would be no children. What man can can live up to that?

          We aren't all the way there, guys, but we are getting there. We are rapidly coming to a period in time when our work (man’s) will disappear. The last function remaining for man will be that of producing children, i.e. sex. Must I remind you of who will be in charge?

Ronald Miller

mtss86@comcast.net

          

Hooray for John Boehner

          Hooray for John Boehner! Finally, he has made some sense. He has put before the House of Representatives the bill to increase the limit on the national debt, and he has done so without allowing any attachments–a clean bill, if you will. Most every time this bill has been put before the House in the past, it has had conditions attached and evolved into one long, extensive, and very expensive argument–the last time, closing down the government at a cost of twenty-four billion dollars, a complete and total waste of time and money.

          This is extremely important, especially in light of the heavy work-load before them and their impending two-week vacation recess. They just don’t have the time to spend in useless and unnecessary argument. That the debt limit must be approved is a no-brainer. Our total economy depends upon it. In fact, as I have said in the past, we should not have to have a debt limit at all. Placing a limit on our government’s ability to borrow literally ties our representatives’ hands, limiting their ability to govern. These aren’t little boys and girls in the first grade that one might make stand in the corner for chewing gum in class. They are supposed to be responsible leaders, capable of governing a nation. For the same reason, we should not have such a restriction in our Constitution. If our leaders in government cannot manage, they shouldn’t be there. Get rid of them.

Ronald Miller

mtss86@comcast.net

The Pan Is On The Stove

The pan is on the stove and has been there a very long time, millennia after millennia, and the cooks are many, stirring up many stews with many ingredients–some good and some bad. There are the constructive ingredients of hard work, motivation, drive, ambition, and the selfless desires of honesty, integrity and trust to do good and serve one’s fellow-man. Sadly, there are the other ingredients, those that destroy our people, and those that destroy our environment–greed, avarice, and evil.

Aristotle (384 – 322 B. C), that great master of political science, is quoted as having said, “From the hour of their birth, some are marked out for subjection, others for rule (Politics, 1.5.2, 1254a). He also wrote, “The art of war is a natural art of acquisition for it includes hunting, an art which we ought to practice against wild beasts and against men who, though intended by nature to be governed, will not submit; for war of such a kind is naturally just” (Politics, 1.8.12, 1256b).

Now I don’t pretend to the possession of wisdom equal to that of Aristotle; but, somehow, his thought just doesn’t go down right with me. I believe men should be governed. I believe in freedom; but, in a free society, one in which one person’s freedom overlaps that of another (especially one with a congested population), government is sorely needed. On the other hand, however, I don’t believe in a war in which one government forces its governance upon another or steals the other’s resources. It would seem to me that the real question is: who will determine the government–who is to govern? War is not the answer.

For as long as man has been in the picture, there has always been someone with a theory as to how things should be done; but, there has been none better than that laid down by God and his Son, Jesus. Believe what you will, but I have neither seen nor heard any better, whether it be from Plato, Socrates, or whomever (Relax. This is not going to be a sermon; I’m not qualified).

Back to the pan on the stove and the cooks cooking the stew, people have been arguing government for centuries. Our founding fathers studied this thoroughly, hardly missing an angle or eventuality. Any student of political science knows the pitfalls of pure democracy in which the majority, the working class, govern; wherein the will of the majority oppresses the minority. This was a key concern of our founding fathers. That the common classes lacked the qualifications to deal with the vast complexities of public financing, foreign affairs, and management was, also, a major concern. This is why our Constitution includes many checks, balances, and protections for the minorities. This is why we have a democratic republic and not a pure democracy.

Herein lies the problem. Please note that I have my tongue in my check when I say this; but, normally, when one looks into the future, they still see it through the colored lens of their present knowledge and experience. They can’t help themselves. Our forefathers, I believe, didn’t see the complexities of our current world. They didn’t see the immense and rising increase in technology, communications, the internet, warfare, atomic energy, almost instant travel, and the increasing size of our populations and their requisite needs. What they did know is that they had their bellies full of kings, queens, dictators, tyrants, and those of that nature. I might add that we, today, feel that way, too–but I digress.

I have been trying to tell you over these past months, our world is on fire. We are in dire straits, economically as well as politically. We have been talking government, i.e. politics–essentially the same thing. We must, also, talk economics. Both subjects are so intertwined, we can’t discuss one without the other. Really! It’s true. Not only is the economy of the United States in severe difficulty; but, so also, are the economies of the rest of the world. The differences in our societies, our governments, and our economies notwithstanding, we are all intertwined. We must all work together. For now, I’m not going to talk further about foreign governments and politics. Such is beyond the knowledge available to me, but I do need for you to understand that their problems affect us as well.

As crazy as this may sound, I submit to you that we must find a way to take politics out of the picture. It is long past time for us to take care of business. I believe our politics are corrupt, dishonest, and completely broken. Our leaders have sold out the leadership of our country, and we must change our Constitution to bring it up to date–to current times. I surely don’t have all the answers to our dilemma and don’t pretend such, but there are many who have some of the answers. If we can all put our heads together, we can turn this thing around. Anybody who has ever been employed by a large and successful corporation knows that we need managerial skills, not politics, to run our country. I have already given you some of my ideas in past postings to this blog, so I won’t repeat myself just now, but it should be a no-brainer to all that we must take back our country from those who have stolen our livelihoods and our wealth from us and are continuing to do so as this is written. We must do it now.

In closing, I will tell you five actions we need to take immediately, if not sooner; and we should do them in a manner that they will last in the United States of America for as long as God allows the world to continue to exist. These are inalienable rights and should be incorporated in our Constitution.

1.     We need to provide our people with jobs with livable wages.

2.     We must establish Social Security for all on a “pay as you go” basis with livable benefits.  This should be administered through the use of a stand-alone fund as is now done and must not be privatized in any way. This should be updated now and financed through an ear-marked tax transparent to all.

3.     We must establish a national single-payer, cradle to the grave, “pay as you go” national healthcare system for all, modeled after Medicare, and administered through the use of a stand-alone fund as is now done with Social Security. This too must not be privatized in any way and financed on a “pay as you go” basis (no deficit) Medicaid and Affordable Health Care must be eliminated. AHC is (and it will get worse–mark my words) unaffordable. The middle class can’t understand or afford it. Haven’t you heard? They haven’t had a real wage increase in over thirty years. Many have lost their homes and their livelihoods. Where are they going to get the money?

4.     We must take the money out of politics, financing elections through taxation. No politician should be allowed to receive contributions in any way shape or form–even from friends or family under penalty of imprisonment. Again, we must take back our country.

5.     We must amend our Constitution overriding the Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. FEC (Federal Election Commission). I can’t believe anyone, supposedly distinguished, as one who would serve on the our Supreme Court, would be that ignorant (or disingenuous). God made people–man didn’t.

These are only five suggestions. I have more. If Grover Norquist can get Congress, contrary to the interests of the people and this nation, to pledge not to raise taxes (without even checking with you first), then you should be able to raise enough fuss with your illustrious representatives (including Senators) to get them to support my proposals. Haven’t we been told this is a government of the people, by the people, and for the people? Isn’t it time somebody begins to work for us?

Before closing this, I want to make one last point. There are those who will yell Socialism or Communism. We must love them anyway. They know not what they say. I know as sure as God made little green apples that I am neither a Socialist nor a Communist. What I do believe, however, is this. I don’t care whether a cat is white or black. I want a cat that catches mice; and, it is time–way past time–that our government quits all their very expensive masturbating with our government and our lives, and starts managing the affairs of our country. They (We) need to start catching mice.

Ronald Miller

mtss86@comcast.net

Our Right To A Fair Trial

          Most, if not all of you have heard of the man who, at a gas station, shot and killed a black youth because the music in the car in which the youth was sitting with friends was too loud. Beyond what I have just told you, I know nothing, absolutely nothing–nothing that is, except for two facts. First, I hate loud music and especially boom boxes–especially boom boxes. Second, I firmly believe that everyone has a right to a free trial before a jury of his peers and is innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. I believe that emphatically, a belief I will not yield.

          I also believe emphatically in our right to freedom of speech; and, in conjunction, I believe in a free press, printed, broadcast, and/or televised. Unfortunately for all of us, these freedoms are being abridged every day, denying us our Constitutional rights. For the purpose of this posting, I’m going to ignore the misinformation, outright lies, propaganda, and intellectually low level entertainment imposed upon us every day by the media. I’ll address that another day.

For now, I’m going to address the problem of trial by television. It’s wrong, wrong, wrong. I’m constantly hearing broadcasters cry “freedom of the press” when someone objects–a downright falsehood. The real reason we see court trials televised is profit, profit, and profit–no other reason; and, unfortunately, people have an insatiable appetite for gossip, lust, and sensationalism, failings to which our illustrious media is all too willing to provide. Freedom of speech, the dissemination of knowledge, honesty, and/or integrity is not their primary concern. Isn’t it obvious to you? Their primary concern is ratings, advertising, and profits, to which end simplification and sensationalism are the order of the day.

Watching a trial on live television is very interesting, if not exciting. Viewers gain information, both good and bad, which are not normally allowed to be seen or known by a sitting jury. Such information in the eyes and minds of the public are detrimental to the selection of future juries should they be required due to appeals and requisite re-trials. If the media is interested only in the dissemination of knowledge or entertainment, there is nothing to deter it from broadcasting the trial at a later date; but no, the best ratings are achieved within the intensity and excitements of the moments. That’s where the money is.

Why can’t we have comprehensive broadcasting on the banks use of derivatives and how they wrecked our economy, and how many, by nation, are in circulation throughout the world? Why can we not, in the news, hear about where the money is and where it is going, contributing behind the scenes to the fortunes of our politicians? Why can’t we have detailed broadcasting about our Shadow Government, about which I have talked many times before? They won’t. They won’t because these kinds of subjects are boring. They don’t increase ratings. They don’t make money. I could continue, but I have said enough. I’m sure you understand.

Let there be no doubt; we need the news; We need the media; We need knowledge; We need to be informed, pro and con; and, for that matter, we also need to be entertained. We cannot do without it. Why can’t it all be accurate, honest, and straight, without prejudice, exaggeration, or politicization?

Ronald Miller

mtss86@comcast.net

Your World

          Today, I want to ask you a question, a question which, before you answer, I would like for you to give very much thought, very deep consideration. Set aside the views of any political party which you may support and look from all the angles. Consider only your particular personal values, beliefs, and desires for your life and the lives of others; and, most importantly, be honest with yourself. In addition, don’t tell me your answer. Just answer to yourself. My question is: Whether you belong to the “top one percent” of our society, the most powerful and wealthy, or to the “lower ninety-nine percent” notwithstanding, what kind of world is it in which you really wish to live?

I am compelled to believe you, yourself, want to live a long, happy, healthy, successful, and prosperous life with equal opportunity for all, wishing the same for your children and extended family. Given that is true, wouldn’t you, also, want the same for your fellow-man and for your country? Would you not, also, want that same “good life” for your world, the whole world in which you live and raise your family? Would you, on the other hand, be happy or content in a nation or society where your neighbors were hungry, homeless, crime was rampant, and war and terror is all around us? Given the current reality of such, are you, therefore, happy today?

Is not a world and/or nation in which business, government, money, and power serves the people, as opposed to the people serving them, preferable?

I know. I said I wanted to ask a question. There I go again.

Ronald Miller

mtss86@comcast.net

Defense Spending

          The cry in Congress is “Cut Spending. We are spending way too much money. We are going broke”. We’re certainly doing that all right. In my posting to this blog on January 7^th, I discussed the subject of government spending, especially defense spending, and it is not a pretty picture. As a matter of fact, our spending for defense is an abomination to this country and an insult to the intelligence of those managing it, their integrity notwithstanding. We certainly need defense and the necessary spending that goes with it. We all agree with that, I’m sure, but we don’t need the downright criminal lying, cheating, stealing, and politicking that are going with it, not to mention the bungling inefficiencies in the procurement processes.

          January 28^th, Army Times published an article on their website reporting the filing on January 23^rd of a civil suit against the company, KBR (formerly, Kellogg, Brown, & Root), for incidents which occurred in 2003 and 2004, ten years ago. The charges?–KBR used morgue reefers to transport ice and food for human consumption without properly sanitizing them first, charging the government for the cost of these reefers without disclosing their prior use. In addition, the report also alleges that the heart of the Justice Department’s suit lays in the claim that Kellogg, Brown & Root Services Inc., and Kuwaiti companies La Nouvelle General Trading & Contracting Co. (La Nouvelle) and First Kuwaiti Trading Co. (First Kuwaiti), in 2003 and 2004, took kickbacks and submitted false claims in connection with KBR’s army contract to provide support in Iraq.

The alleged activities occurred under the Logistics Civil Augmentation Program, or LOGCAP III, an umbrella contract for an indefinite delivery of an indefinite quantity of wartime logistical support services such as transportation, maintenance, food, shelter, and facilities management. KBR is alleged to have claimed inflated, excessive reimbursements as well as reimbursement for goods and services that were grossly deficient or not provided, one example of which is a subcontract to supply fuel tankers for more than three times the tankers value. La Nouvelle later rewarded the KBR employee who awarded the subcontract with a $1 million bank draft, the suit claims.

This is only a small example of the corruption in our Defense Department. Let me suggest to you a book which will provide many more–many, many more. Buy it. Read it. Read about the Carlisle Group, KBR, DARPA, Bechtel, Lockheed Martin, Halliburton, the Cheney connection, the Bush family connection, and the Saudi connection. The title of the book is, What Every American Should Know About Who Is Really Running The World, written by Melisa Rossi and published by Penguin in 2005. Once finished, you will understand much more fully the Shadow Government of the Corporatocracy and Power Elite, really in charge of and running our country.

As an afterthought, in the event you do care enough about what is happening to our country and choose to read the additional matter recommended, ask yourself a couple questions. In light of the fact that many of these same companies have been sued time and time again over the years for these fraudulent acts, why do our leaders continue to buy from them? Why don't we purge each and every one of them from our source of suppliers? One more, please–why do we persist in continuing with this enormously expensive facade of subcontracting?

Ronald Miller

mtss86@comcast.net

Our Democracy and Our Sovereignty

          I have discussed repeatedly our form of government, a Democratic Republic, with freedom and justice for all wherein we all should have a vote–a say in government, a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. I have also talked about our Shadow Government, our real government, a government by the Corporatocracy and Power Elite which, behind the scenes, really runs out great nation, dictating the lives and fortunes of our people, i.e. you and me, and taking from us our inalienable rights under our Constitution–our rights as citizens, through the buying of our elections and the procurement of our representatives–all too often a two-way street.

          What I have consistently advocated is the right of equal opportunity for all and the people’s right to participate in the productivity and wealth of the nation in accordance with their contribution to society and their ability to produce. Those who for whatever reason do not have the ability to produce need to be helped or supported by those of us who do have the ability, in proportion to their needs. In no way is a policy of survival of the fittest and the establishment of huge garbage piles of human rejects acceptable in a civilized society or a successful nation for that matter–No Way!

 In conjunction with this, the size of our government should be as large or as small as whatever our people want and are willing to pay for. This should and must be the decision of all the people, 100% of them–not just a handful making the decision for all of us. To that end, payment through taxation should and must be based on a progressive tax system based upon the taxpayer’s ability to pay. Those blessed with the greatest gifts from God, i.e. intelligence, leadership skills, etc. and make the greater contribution to society should be paid accordingly. They should also be taxed accordingly. To whom the most is given, the most is required. For those who want smaller government, as I, eliminate duplication in government and do it now. Don’t just talk about it, as you have for these many years. Consolidate intelligence and other duplicative agencies, just one example of which might be the catfish-inspection office at the Agriculture Department, duplicated at the Food and Drug Administration. Discontinue the practice of shifting functions of government to subcontracting to hide the real cost of government–subcontractors in Iraq or boots on the ground–same function, but the subcontractors sure cost a lot more–just another subterfuge.

    

Before I end this for today, I want to cover one more aspect of our government. Our nation promotes democracy around the world, spending billions upon billions of dollars in doing so. We advocate human rights. We preach fair treatment. We honor our national sovereignty and right to freedom, almost to the point of worship. And yet, privately, under the table or behind the scenes, not inconsistent with our Shadow Government by the Corporatocracy and Power Elite, we control the other nations of the world (the third world for example), taking from them the same rights we so strongly proclaim–those where we know better, however, excluded (you know, Russia, China, North Korea, ….).

I was studying another subject this afternoon; and, in the course of events, I came upon an article about NSSM200, National Security Study Memorandum 200. At first, I could hardly believe what I was reading. It was a report on the Implications of Worldwide Population Growth for U.S. Security and Overseas Interests, completed December 10, 1974 by the United States National Security Council under the direction of Henry Kissinger. It was adopted almost a year later in November, 1975 by President Gerald Ford. Originally classified, i.e. kept secret from the people, it was later declassified and obtained by researchers in the early 1990’s.

The basic thesis of the memorandum was that population growth in the least developed countries of the world (known as LDCs) is a concern to U.S. national security, because it would tend to risk civil unrest and political instability in countries that had a high potential for economic development. This policy gives “paramount importance” to population control measures and the promotion growth which the US deems inimical to the socio-political and economic growth of these countries and to the national interests of the United States, since the “U.S. economy will require large and increasing amounts of minerals from abroad”, and these countries can produce destabilizing opposition forces against the United States. It recommends that US leadership “influence national leaders”, and that “improved world-wide support for population-related efforts should be sought through increased emphasis on mass media and other population education and motivation programs by the U.N., USIA, and USAID.” (I interpret this as mind control. We do it here at home all the time. Just watch the TV news.)

How about that? What happened to our belief in national sovereignty? Hmm…. Apparently, it is ethically permissible for Russia, China, or whatever nation that so desires to do so for the sake of their national security, however defined, to take control over the people of the United States of America? What, if they do (and we don’t like it) and our people strike back with whatever means within our abilities? Will that make us terrorists? They surely need our coal, corn, wheat…… Oh! One more question, if I might. Does this policy established by Henry Kissinger in 1974 conform to the principles set forth by our forefathers when they established our nation, i.e. “life, liberty, and justice for all”, or the principle that “all men are created equal” or …..? Maybe that’s the reason they kept it secret for so long–good thing there was no Edwin Snowden then. This makes me wonder as to what our Shadow Government has in store for us next.

Ronald Miller

mtss86@comcast.net