No matter how I couch it I am a black and white thinker. In that ideal world, men fall in love with women, wars are fought for principles, the constitution a statement of fact, no one calls the president a nigger, and the political parties are not bought by corporate money. Unfortunately, that is not the real world and I have to struggle to sort out my truth. I am a Vietnam veteran and proud to serve my country not because I’m sought to be a hero but I felt that going to Canada or other choices were less than honorable. Yes, I consider honor and loyalty high on my list of personal values. I’m not a flag waver but I consider the current state of US politics corrupt.

The biggest threat to individual freedom in the US is economic disparity; the concentration of money and power in the hands of so few affects the decisions made by the banking system, the military, and state and local governments, and thus the how the rest of us our treated or managed. The refusal of politicians to openly confront Banking officials, corporate lobbyist and lobbying organizations, and the medical/drug hierarchies is criminal. When will these criminals be tried and punished?

For this reason, US citizens should realize that the current political system is corrupt. Yes, I know we have public elections as the key for our representative government but who do they represent? Where does all of the money come from to pay for these elections? Under what obligations are our political representative held accountable given such expensive contributions? What issues are truly significant for the wellbeing of the bulk the American populace? Gun control, abortion, or knee jerk party affiliation?  I think not.

I view the issues of firearm rights, reproductive freedom, and the use of polarized political parties as a red herring or better yet as feints. Anything to keep the general public off center (Machiavelli and Mao talked about placating the middle class or masses) while corporations collude with politicians to solidify power.

Did I say that? Oh, have I become a major conspiracy theorist? Not really, but the idea of a banking industry who facilities a major financial collapse and no one goes to jail bothers me. A political system under the guise that private companies are “too big to fail” and then goes back to the same flunked bankers to rectify the situation causes me great concern. This summer I observed another Facebook discussion as various mid-west citizens were extoling on the theft of the American dollar and enterprise by the Chinese; I reminded them that if bankers in China had created a similar financial collapse as we have witnessed they would have been executed. Think about it, what you are really getting for your vote?

For the last several weeks I’ve been posting numerous articles to Facebook that  represent my view of a corrupt political system, the inequalities and corruption of the banking system, the refusal of politicians to punish those criminals, and numerous articles about government surveillance in violation of individual rights and privacy. The more I posted the more I realized how angry I was. Maybe its because I have a broken my leg and I’m getting bored during my convalescence or maybe it was my learning about Ai WeiWei and his struggle with the Chinese government or maybe it was my learning more about how the communist party suppresses political decent or maybe it is my frustration about lack of on serious organized grass roots struggle against the corruption and criminals which formulate US domestic and foreign policy. I know that there are a number of organizations geared for public protest and congressional alert campaigns but whether Tea Party or Occupy Movement they don’t really speak to the rank and file; they don’t speak for me or to me.

I’d like to begin a non-partisan discussion about how to make change. I’m not one for long discussions and view the current political system corrupt and in collusion with corporate America and major banks. At first I thought of the old 60’s rhetoric of Huey Newton, George Jackson, Angela Davis, etc. The days when many of us had rifles hidden behind our doors (some of us still do). Really! Today when liberals are afraid to embrace the second amendment and conservatives cling to the status quo armed insurrection is obviously not the answer but what to do?

I don’t have any grand plan or solution; maybe you do but here are a few of my thoughts that I think we can all embrace.

1. Sell your debts: Prior to my retirement I found my existing loans unbearable. I could make my payments but I was mentally exhausted from the stress of maintaining my business as I watched numerous clients terminate my services as they too were struggling to make ends meet. Talking to my financial planner she suggested that I sell my investment property, pay off my loans, and accept whatever was left over as a gain, relax, and move on. So, I didn’t make a killing in real estate and my retirement package may be a little short when I’m eighty but I can breathe again and think about the next venture to make up my shortfall before I’m eighty.
2. Don’t Banking: As I was paying off my debts I realized that they all were with major banks who in the beginning of 2012 (after the bail out) were finding numerous extra charges for holding my money. Why continue to be insulted? What conveniences are you really getting; 2% back on a 13% interest rate? Then I discovered the world of credit unions and good solid small local banks. For convenience I could enroll online, there were no additional charges, and there was reciprocity with other similar institutions for not only free ATM usage but also for deposits and other banking services. My suggestion: Pull your money out of the Major banking system; pay off your loans as soon as possible; or refinance your loans with smaller but secure institutions. In short, if you go to the butcher and he sells you rotten meat or is rude to you, you go to a new butcher; the same principle applies.
3. Politics, throw the bastards out! Truth or not, one of the stores about Moses is that the march to the promise land lasted for 40 years because the new land needed to be populated by those not shackled with slave mentality. Unfortunately, this is what is needed in our current political system but life moves on and suspended animation is not a reality. Nor is outlawing the Republican and Democratic parties. On the other hand there are a couple of things that can be promoted on the local level that could help: a. Limit campaign spending. b. limit or deny lobbying and lobby spending. These are big tasks but will have a better long range effect on how government works than struggling about the second amendment or a women’s right to choose what happens to her body or who can marry who. This effort will take serious and deep conviction and long term commitment.
4. Dismantle the paramilitary nature of local police forces. Current police practices and surveillance is detrimental to the general public because they primarily focus on the weak and poor. Whether they know it or not they are the instrument of race based and class base oppression. Whew, did I just say that? We need a security service for our protection and our salvation (disaster relief) but the current hierarchy is not community oriented; it is political based and maintained. My suggestion is that the command structure be decentralized at the local precincts, accountable to local citizen review boards, with financial administration centralized at the city and state level. Moreover, while the command structure titles are significant within the security system, officers are citizens and should be addressed as Mr. or Ms. Further, the role of police guilds should also be limited to matters of training and morale.

Maybe I don’t have any good suggestions but I’m tired of just being angry; aren’t you?

 

 

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