American Delusions
"And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie . . ." —2 Thessalonians 2:11
American public life thrives on delusions treated as facts:
*That you can have a First World economy and military with a Third World population.
*That the U.S. government, which has almost unlimited access to resources, needs to borrow money and pay tax-free interest to those who lend to it at no risk.
*That social dysfunction in Newark, Detroit, and Cleveland is caused by the plantation slavery that ended almost a century and a half ago.
*That race conflict is worse in the South than in the North.
*That it is righteous for Northerners to inflict conditions upon Southerners that Northerners would not tolerate for themselves.
*That a rich government and a prosperous people are the same thing (rather than eternal opposites)
*That the election of a black man or a white woman as President will be a great step forward in history.
*That it matters which Establishment mouthpiece is President.
*That the federal government can guarantee a safe and abundant food supply.
*That it matters whether paid athletes take steroids or not.
*That Oprah Winfrey knows what we should read.
*That it matters whether Angelina and Brad are together or not.
*That Oscar awards are based on quality and merit.
*That Harvard professors and graduates are learned and wise people.
*That punitive laws are a cure for drug-taking, even though it never worked with alcohol.
*That the Republican party is (or ever has been) a "conservative" party.
*That the Democratic party still represents us common people.
*That people must always obey the Supreme Court without any recourse.
*That America is in constant danger from rightwing extremists and sometimes from Muslim terrorists, but there is no such thing as a violent leftwing extremist. Especially dangerous are gun-toting Southerners like Timothy McVeigh and the Unabomber. (It has to be true, I saw it on television.)
*That the federal government protects the innocent and keeps us safe. (This powerful delusion persists even after Waco and 9/11.)
*That multiculturalism and "diversity" promote tolerance, when obviously they represent envy, hostility, and the desire to dominate.
However, let's end on an upbeat note. Hussein Obama is bursting one common Delusion. OId pols like the Clintons and McCains have thought that pushing affirmative action was a benefit to them. It was only supposed to give away other people's opportunities—it was not supposed to work against them. Listen to 'em holler.
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They can't holler and scream loud enough for me,especially the Clintons
* That the American people are in any substantive sense free.
* That the injuries and injustices listed by Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence as justification for the colonists' revolt are far more serious than anything we suffer today.
* That the peoples' Representatives in Congress actually represent them in any meaningful way. (If they did, we should all be locked up for either mental deficiency or criminal activity.)
* That it is unlikely our country will fall apart overnight because, well, so far it hasn't.
"*That people must always obey the Supreme Court without any recourse."
Federalist #78 The judiciary would be the “least dangerous branch of government. It lacked the teeth of both the other branches of government; it had neither the power of the sword nor the power of the purse.”
-Alexander Hamilton
* That because something may be deemed legal it is therefore right
* That because the majority of people agree to something, it must be right
* That because certain people have the will and means to lobby in the corridors of power, they are more right than those who do not
* That a lie that can be quoted by the New York Times is right
* That the circulation numbers of the New York Times "prove" it is more right than Chronicles
* That repeating propoganda as issued by the government is journalism
* That when thousands of newspapers, television stations, and radio stations are owned by less than a dozen enterprises, we have a "free press"
* That freedom is an end in and of itself to be worshipped
I almost forgot....
* That adolescents who spend most of the school year fornicating, masturbating, and inebriating need a "break" this time of year so that they can fornicate, masturbate, and inebriate in warmer climes during Holy Week
*That taxes are as certain as death
*That the expansion of rights is always a good thing no matter what the object
*That our minds are greater and more liberated than our ancestors' were
*That we are happier than our ancestors were
*That tolerance is a greater virtue than the pursuit of truth
*That democracy is, by default, the greatest form of government
*That America is a democracy and not a republic
That a renowned invesment banker can be bought for $2 a share, arranged by Mr. Paulson himself, and its emloyees shafted overnight like bozoos.
That can only be done in America, free and mightily connected society from the top down.
*That our society in the west is the best and the most free of all.
*That our schools teach all that is needed to be successful human beings.
*That God has no place in our schools.
*That the president will actually be chosen by a majority.
This is all a house of cards. In a few short months Bear Stearns went from over $100 to $2. Someday the USA as a whole will suffer something analogous.
That America is God's country and will never fold like a cheap suit.
That the post WWII Jewish ascension to power in academia, the government and the media has no correlation to the racial, social and moral destruction of America
"That the Republican party is (or ever has been) a 'conservative' party."
In the Reagan eighties, I was fool enough to believe that. The nomination of Bob Dole began opening my eyes to reality.
*that according to our Constitution, the President is supposed to be elected by a majority of the popular vote and not by the electorate college.
*that states are "counties" or "boroughs" of the United States of America and not independant nations in and of themselves
*that John Adams was great because he has an HBO miniseries
*that we fought a "civil war" when, in reality, Lincoln invaded a sovereign nation called the Confederate States of America
*that Lincoln loved blacks and that he did not want the midwest to a land for white people only
*that Hitler and Obama/Clinton are polar opposites and not all socialist
David Collins @12:
"In the Reagan eighties, I was fool enough to believe that. The nomination of Bob Dole began opening my eyes to reality."
It took you 16 years after his election to realize that? Even with Reagan's announcement during his 1976, repeat, 1976, campaign that he wanted liberal establishment Pennsylvania Sen. Richard Schweiker for his running mate should he beat Ford for the nomination? Evidence that you are being lied to, swindled, cheated, and betrayed, is always there for you to see. You just have to pay close attention, and stop deluding yourself, as Prof. Wilson is urging us to do. I will if you will.
Delusions continued:
that those who ratified the current Constitution created therewith a nation and a social democracy;
that religion is meaningless or that all religions are equally meaningful;
that the "national" god ensconced on coins, in "The Battle Hymn" and in "the pledge" is the same as the God who reveals Himself in the Christ, His Church and His Holy Writ;
that Abraham Lincoln was a fine Christian gentleman to whom Christians should look as an example of a godly man;
that Southerners know their history;
that making millions of aliens citizens makes them Americans;
that society is subordinate to the polity;
and that the sun rises at whatever point of the compass Congress mandates unless the President dictates otherwise in a signing statement or the Supreme Court overturns it in a 5 to 4 decision!
Sidebar:
I note that this is the month of March, named after Mars, the god of war and that this year we are celebrating Easter in the same month. Therefore, we have a choice: to serve the god of war or to serve the Prince of Peace. I suppose there is a delusion among certain Christians that they can serve both; however, our Lord, as I recall, has an opinion most countervailing thereunto!
Dr. Wilson, Mr. Peters & Eagle: amen, amen & amen.
I must add: real Southerners are few and far between. We are a region of matieralistic scalawags. Maybe the great economic melt-down will change that.
That Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and Martin Luther King are reverends and therefore men of peace and messengers of God's will.
That race doesn't matter;
That Tim (poster # 11) is a racist and a bigot for merely speaking the obvious truth.
Brock H. @ 14
Who the heck is Richard Schweiker? What normal man in his twenties pays attention to politics (I was 25 in '83)? Who needs to pay close attention to politics to know he is being lied to, cheated, swindled, and betrayed by the government? Heck, that's common knowledge.
Point is, I thought, in the '80s, the Republicans were conservative and, gradually, found out they weren't. You can give your undivided attention to politics if you want, Mr. Brock. I'll pay attention to the Church and my prayers. One of us will be wasting his time and I daresay it won't be me.
That mankind is becoming progressively better by all metrics, and will continue thus in a linear fashion to perpetuity.
*That the U.S. government, which has almost unlimited access to resources, needs to borrow money and pay tax-free interest to those who lend to it at no risk. (end quote)
This is what Henry Ford meant after the passing of the Federal Reserve Act after the start of the 20th Century when he said that if Americans understood what has just been made of their financial system there would be revolution before morning.
It literally flipped what was. And we just got a glarring example of it two days ago when in underwritting JP Morgan/Chase's takeover of the failing Bear Sterns the Fed. printed 1/2 trillion dollars i.e. (500 Billion) and gave it i.e. "loaned" it to itself who is also JP Morgan/Chase. That's why taxpayers don't owe it. But taxpayers (i.e. working Americans/when they can find a job) pay for it in inflation. The more money printed the less it's worth.
You see the Federal Reserve Act way back when gave the function of the U.S. Treasury to a cabal of international bankers. So the U.S. has not been Sovereign since THEN. They pretend to be 'Federal' but they are a private corporation just like their strongarm agency for the collection of taxes the IRS is a private corporation.
This is WHY the U.S. Treasury does not lend money to them. Conversely the cabal of international bankers lends money (they print it) to the U.S. Government. Translation they lend our money (which their IRS collected) to us and we must pay it back to them with interest, they don't pay taxes on. It's much worse than that in that the 'loans of our money to us are guaranteed' so when they lend our money to us or lend our money to foreign countries like Mexico or Kenya etc. the loans are guaranteed by the U.S. taxpayer including the tax free interest in case a foreign country defaults on those loans. So whenever one of these private banks through ExIm Bank i.e. the Export-Import Bank of America lends Billions of taxpayer money to a foreign country and then that debt is 'forgiven'. It's not forgiven by the bankers because the loans with the interest were guaranteed to be paid back by the U.S. taxpayer to the private banks and they (i.e. the Fed.) print up the money to cover it, pay themselves and charge it off to the U.S. taxpayer. It's even better for those bankers if a foreign country defaults because then the bankers print up the entire balloon payment owed them with ALL the interest due 'as if' the loan had gone to term; but now thanks to the default they get all those funds immediately.
But you see at the "top" this is not seen as a conflict of interest or a 'moral hazard.' Dracula sits in the bloodbank quaffing at will on all of the blood the taxpayers donated. But you can't get a transfusion that will save your life if you can't pay for it. You see that Dracula says is a 'moral hazard.' Or if he gives it to you and it's SO expensive now due to inflation you can't pay, then your credit 'score' Dracula keeps track of is destroyed.
So in effect the Federal Reserve Act - GAVE the U.S. Treasury to a private cabal of international bankers who perform a 'service' for the U.S. Treasury.
Nice work if you can get it. It was super-banker Baron B.A. Rothschild's brainchild when he pointed out prior to this becoming the law of the land here in the U.S. thanks to the Federal Reserve Act - "Give me control of a nation's currency and I care NOT who makes its laws."
They themselves don't owe anything ever - it's only us slaves in our own country who based on this system of debt must always be in debt. ... It's not only NOT a level playing field, it's a precipitous incline made ever more slippery due to inflation with the bankers at its summit. No kings ever had it so good. At least such kings of old were visible. While this is a juggernaut hiding in plain sight and cannibalistically gobbling everything up. Forget asking Congress (bought and paid for just like at the time the Federal Reserve Act was enacted through Congress) or Obama to 'save' you. ... But I suspect even Lincoln wouldn't have gone for this. I wonder if he was shown the future he would have let it go in that direction by pushing the Civil War, and subsequently having to butcher his own people? No I don't think he would have but he didn't understand that consequence.
The simple solution to start is to restore the U.S. Treasury as the U.S. Treasury. Then we're no longer systemically required to be a debtor [i.e. slave] nation. ... And make the Federal Reserve and the IRS go out into the jobless market here in the U.S. now that it's all been offshored, and work for a living. Henry Ford must be smiling today in his grave. While perhaps Lincoln is not so happy? Lincoln's probably thinking - I wish I were in the land of cotton old times there are not forgotten look away look away look away Dixieland... (I'm not sure I have the words right, I'm just an aspiring Southerner myself.)
That ethnicity and family are things to be done away with, but loyalty to politicians, bureaucrats and activists are good for America
*-That the Entitlement State currently in power in Europe, America and Asia is sustainable to anywhere near its current level;
*That it will be possible to preserve it once the productive capacities of the working generations are overwhelmed by the demands of the parasitic elderly and political classes in those societies;
*That the Human race will survive, in anything like its present form, when the economic and political collapse engendered by the Elder-Entitlement Crisis (finally gets here.
To coin a phrase: You Have Been Warned.
Your servant,
Lord Karth
*that Lincoln was the only person in his time period to live in a log cabin.
*that the president can invade other nations to spread democracy, although democracy doesnt appear in neither our Decleration of Independance nor in our Constitution.
*that replacing Hitler with another dictator, Stalin, some how freed eastern Europe.
*that blacks never played baseball, didnt have their own exclusive sports leagues, and were never professional athletes until Jackie Robinson.
*that blacks are automatically better quarterbacks because Michael Vick can run fast.
*that Bush was The Decider to invade Iraq although the resolution to invade Iraq was passed by Congress under Clinton's administration.
Mr. Hale 22. It did not start with the Federal Reserve but with Alexander Hamilton. The Federal Reserve only formalised a cartel.
Dan 25. Of course the Declaration and the Constitution mention democracy. Just ask any current college student (that is, if they have ever heard of the Declaration and the Constitution).
That only drugs presribed by drug pushers, that is a majority of MDs, can cure...
That only drugs prescribed by drug pushers, that is a majority of MDs, can cure...
*That the 20,000 bureaucrats in FEMA were so inefficient that we had to incorporated FEMA into DHS along with the 200,000 bureaucrats of other agencies.
*That abortion is not murder and that killing your cat is.
*That global temperature is not affected by solar flares.
*That global warning is bad, yet we love the summer.
That this is one nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all.
At least we were once supposed to believe that lie. Now there is no God, nationalism itself is taboo, and liberty and justice are 'civil rights' and entitlements.
*That the Republicans of today are the same Republicans of Lincoln's time and are the same Republicans of Jefferson's time.
*That the Pledge of Allegiance was not written by a socialist and is somehow patriotic.
*That lowering the standards for the military's entrance exam will somehow make our military stronger.
*That lowering the standards for our children so that others can pass an exam is how making our children smarter.
*That paying school principles, teachers, counselors, and janitors more money somehow makes our children smarter.
*That Henry Ford was an evil, anti-semite, and anti-union capitalist although he payed his workers double the industry standard, shorten the work day to eight hours, and made a product that his own employees could actually afford and rely on all without the government's help.
That America actually won the Cold War and put Marxism into the dust bin of history.
"Mr. Hale 22. It did not start with the Federal Reserve but with Alexander Hamilton. The Federal Reserve only formalised a cartel." - Dr. Wilson
I'm someone who notices it's a world of degrees (of difference.) So if one is where Hamilton was and quite a number of degrees beyond him is Lincoln and so many more in that way is the Federal Reserve Act - the last trespass may be the fatal - with FDR as the icing?
And later 'WHOOOPIE, let's PART'EY... and go off the gold standard' via Nixon. Now we can print it till the cows come home and we ain't even the government either. Wow. Win-win... best of all worlds.
Your argument suggests taking it farther backwards, it was the open-ended Liberal belief at the time of the framing 'all men are created equal' ... Given your rationale isn't that too where it began? Look at President Washington, he picked Hamilton. Who was Washington, some drunken incompetent with wooden teeth and a giant personal expense account, if not for the fortuitous French rescue.
Of course I just think out loud, while anticipating deference toward yourself who is more erudite. Give me something. What's the skinny, Vinny. Like Van Gogh this world was never meant for one as beautiful as you? (I kid.) I can be annoying, which I at least enjoy. It's my gift to me.
* That the gold standard caused the Depression.
* That crime-porn shows like "CSI", which feature descriptions of various crimes (just kidding, it's always rape) in lurid detail, with copious slow-motion flashbacks, are perfectly acceptable for children (or anybody). We may have to outlaw productions of "Romeo and Juliet", though.
* That it can't happen here. Especially not to me.
* That those Precious Moments figurines are (a) a good investment that will only appreciate in value, (b) in good taste, and (c) that the Nativity set with infantile Joseph and Mary (babies having Babies?) is not even a little bit blasphemous.
* That the Constitution is a "living document".
* That, under modern jurisprudence, there is some sort of substantive difference between a jury trial and a bench trial.
* That naming a law after a person, especially a child, is a good thing. Furthermore, voting against, or attempting to repeal (or even modify), said law demonstrates hatred and contempt for that person, and makes you a bad person.
* That murderers who pass over armored, armed policemen in favor of unarmed civilians deserve a lighter sentence as a reward.
Dear m.zurich, alias Ken Jones, alias Bill Temple, alias Brian Fagan, alias Haywood Hale:
Would you knock it off already? You're not fooling anybody with your psuedonym of the week, ok?
I do wish Dr. Fleming would start requiring registration at this site, in order to help thwart the trolls and liars who've infiltrated this forum.
Miller you foolish swine. But carry on idiot. You are such swank. Face it... is 'miller' Your real name. I doubt it. Your tag-team partner on the other board, B. Scott or your pseudonym appeared to oppose you - flake. It's you or your cohort. You're as transparent as glass both of you - or one of you both. Die.
I have only posted at this site under one name, my REAL name (if I was going to use a pseudonym, I would certainly use one more imaginative than Thomas Miller).
You have a nice day too, Mr Of Many Names.
* that we are making a difference in the world by posting comments on a website.
That America is a freedom loving country...
Just a thought of initiating a subject on delusions, in itself, is a stroke of a brilliant mind!!!
Zika we love ya even if you are impaired?
I.e. quote of yours: "Just a thought of initiating a subject on delusions, in itself, is a stroke of a brilliant mind!!!" -Zika
Is English your second language? If so you may have a higher I.Q. than I ... (one never knows till we take the test together.)
If not - are you young? ... Possibly since for the young it is all new and one day if you are lucky you return THERE except with wisdom.
You weren't being facetious in saying what you did. It sounded like - more like glee like wow someone thought of delusions... awesome dude! (please tell me you're not ON drugs... ? God willing...) ?
Otherwise forgetting that for the moment - GREAT. Not to discourage... I just like to qualify stuff... Anyway one looks at it - cool man, you're on it. Right on. Come back... take a punch... where we going? Mix it up...we're all in it together.
You are a jelous MORON, HOLLOW hale!!!
And most likely deeply disappointed individual!!!
Furthermore, Mr. Nobody, you probably need a few days to figure out what is meant in my statement.
Obviously, you are a drug-dependant IDIOT, SINCE YOUR rationalization and superficial conclusions are non-sensical and incoherent.
It takes a brilliant individual, like Mr. Wilson, to openly and frontally uncover and reveal many American delusions of which you are, most likely a living example !!!
Finally, it is true that I am fluent in a few languages, and since you write in English I thought it would be best to respond to your morbid attitude in the same language. So, you would get my points easily and quickly. PRIJATNO AND Ciaoooo and Dosvidanja and Gutten Tag and Au Revoir MORON!!!
Zika ... it was lost to you in the translation. But I respect your REACTION. It's healthy. So if English is your second or third language as I intuited - your I.Q. as I said [boob] - may be higher than my own. Chill. By the energy in the reactionary imperative displayed by yourself - I also hope you are young. Then too you have the chance to arrive at wisdom. Let's go to the video tape, as it were, and investigate a quote of yours:
"It takes a brilliant individual, like Mr. Wilson, to openly and frontally uncover and reveal many American delusions of which you are, most likely a living example !!!" - el Zika
You don't know me zike ... i'm a living example of none of those things. However since Dr. Wilson elevated those things obviously to yourself-a very intelligent person-up to your consciousness for the first time (since you're young), it's easy for you to PROJECT how you live in that light and don't wish to - ONTO me. I forgive you, it's ok, most do.
But zika relax I am on your side, on Dr. Wilson's, and my own. - We're happily on the same team. That is unless, captain, you're kicking me off?
"HUH?" i'm not sure i would find that acceptable. ... "WHAT?"
Pistols at dawn? I hope I'm Burr not Hamilton.
_______
Haywood, You are NOW acting in a very condescending fashion, as you are some kind of an authority on the issues discussed above. Apparently , Haywood ( see, I am using capital "H" second time) you can call me any name you want, included but not limited to ...impaired... DRUG ADDICT, ETC....and I just have to take it??? I use your popular phrase, even if you don't know me..ha? Wrong, my desperately needing attention persona Haywood. I feel like you are in a popular Greek melodrama play, one who feels the pain and suffering of the ancient Greece and nobody else can and must say a word about it.
Dictatorial, aren't you, Haywood??? Where did you get that from?
Rememeber, Haywood and Zika, we are on the same level playing field that is you are not better or smarter than anyone else here , or anywhere else, till you prove it so... and obviously I can express my opinion anyway I want. In essence, I do not like the tone of your writing, which is somewhat restrictive, abrasive, passively aggressive and a bit offenssive. But, hey I do not take it personally. It is your way of talking and communicating to the world around you and you seem to be accustomed to it quite a bit. Being critical, stern and judgemental of anything and everything ... Haywood, soften up a stance and let people have a say, Mr. Honorable!
Furthermore, You must be some kind of an older gentleman, forgive me to assume that, since you are stuck on some kind of an age difference opinions. Age has nothing to do with it, whatsoever, it's the way people think and digest THEIR life daily, which is all individual and personal.
Finally, I just think that Mr. Wilson's reasoning and analysis and approach is brilliant, not just in this article, AND HE IS ACTUALLY REVEALING OPENLY AND DARINGLY that most Americans don't see it through and live through their life chained and imprisoned firmly in their self-delusions.
Zika, H.H. is an idiot who has been posting on this site for a long time under a thousand pseudonyms. I completely agree with Mr. Miller in wishing Chronicles would block this silly atheist.
That right-wing hatred and vicious self-righteousness is going to solve America's many problems, any more than (mostly well-meaning) leftist simpletons..
That the mere existence of biblical literalists, and the fact that some of them own the mercenary army that the US now relies upon, is not a clear sign where the US is heading.