168 results for author: Dave Svetlik
THE HUMAN JOURNEY
Historically, two of the strongest indicators that a dominant "empire" is irreversibly in decline, are the financialization of its economy (manipulating money to make money - effectively parasitism) and excessive militarism (to defend and spread its parasitism). The US now exhibits these indicators in spades. Our nation, the United States, follows the path of previous great powers exiting the stage.
But again, speaking historically, the equation is different this time around. Humanity, for the first time, faces two great threats to our actual ongoing presence on Earth – global warming and the growing likelihood of nuclear Armageddon. The import ...
CONFLICT OF INTEREST???
The following is an excerpt from a statement made by journalist Max Blumenthal of the “Gray Zone” to the UN Security Council on June 29, 2023. It is self-explanatory.
“Indeed, military cemeteries in Ukraine are expanding almost as rapidly as the Northern Virginia McMansions and beachfront estates of executives from Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and assorted Beltway contractors benefitting from the second highest level of military spending since World War Two.
These are the real winners of the Ukraine proxy war. Not average Ukrainians or Americans. Or Russians or even Western Europeans.
The winners are people like Secretary of State Tony ...
LACKING THE WISDOM OF JFK
"Nuclear powers must avert those confrontations which bring an adversary to a choice of either a humiliating retreat or a nuclear war. To adopt that kind of course in the nuclear age would be evidence only of the bankruptcy of our policy — or of a collective death-wish for the world." – John F. Kennedy
The slaughter of an estimated 3 million people in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia during the U.S. war on Vietnam was based on lies.
The bombing of Yugoslavia under Clinton was based on lies.
The incineration of hundreds of thousands in Iraq under W. Bush was based on lies.
The slaughter of tens of thousands in Afghanistan under W. ...
JUST MONEY SIX
“If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issuance of their currency, banks and corporations will grow to deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered. The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs.” – Thomas Jefferson
What Jefferson warned about two centuries ago, has come to pass.
People seem unable to comprehend that money doesn’t exist in nature and somebody has to create money OUT OF THIN AIR.
This money, created out of thin air, must then be distributed into the society so an ...
JUST MONEY FIVE
The following 1-minute video shows former Chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank, Alan Greenspan, educating former Congressman, Paul Ryan, about Social Security solvency. I’ve used it before, but Greenspan’s words are relevant to recent congressional budgetary arguments. Ryan begins by asking Greenspan to agree that Social Security benefits would be more secure if a percentage of retiree contributions were invested in personal retirement accounts (Wall Street Individual Retirement Accounts – IRA’s) rather than the government run Social Security system. Greenspan’s reply lays bare the ignorance of both Ryan and current budgetary argument...
JUST MONEY FOUR
Money and wealth are not the same thing.
Money is simply a medium of exchange – a legally accepted claim to wealth. Money doesn’t exist in nature and is generally created out of thin air by the central governments of nations. In our modern world 97% of money doesn’t physically exist. It’s just record keeping on computer screens. The distribution of money – who possesses it – determines the allocation and distribution of the wealth of a nation.
Wealth is the physical ability to provide for the wellbeing of the people of a society. Wealth is food, clothing, housing, healthcare, education, roads, bridges, airports, clean water and ...
JUST MONEY THREE
One of the most pernicious myths regarding US Federal Government monetary operations, is that our Federal government budget is like a household budget – it must get money before it can spend money. This leads to another deeply ingrained, and equally false belief – that our taxes pay for Federal Government spending.
Let these two myths, these two falsehoods, sink in - - - our Federal government has no money of its own and, like our households, it must get money before it can spend money - - - and the way our Federal government gets money is to collect taxes from us, the citizens.
Let us really think about these falsehoods. Money doesn’t ...
JUST MONEY TWO
We are currently witnessing the final (now annual) arguments between members of congress and whoever is President, over the “debt ceiling.” As always, there is wringing of hands and the endless alarms about “mortgaging our grandchildren” regarding the “unsustainable” national debt. “Government spending needs to be cut” (except, of course, the military/industrial/congressional complex – unanimous bi-partisan support there). So, as always, the items on the chopping block are, unlike endless military spending, the things that actually defend average, working Americans. Infrastructure, education, low-cost housing, social security, ...
JUST MONEY ONE
We are once again watching the complete ignorance – and yes, it is ignorance – of our legislators arguing over the national “debt Ceiling.” Forgive the harsh words, but this misguided foolishness hurts people. It hurts the nation. Every time we witness this self-destructive nonsense, one cannot help but wonder - - -
Why don’t Americans ask some obvious questions? How can there even be a national debt? The Federal Government is the Constitutionally authorized creator and supplier of the nation’s money. Who are we borrowing our own money from, and why are we borrowing our own money at interest?
Our politicians unanimously approve ...
SEEMS OBVIOUS PART TWO
Still alive! So, a quick review from Part One. The BBP (Brilliant Batch of Politicians) is once again conducting the PCC (the Parade, the Charade, of Charlatans), threatening to shut the US Government down over the “debt ceiling.”
But we know Article I, Section 8, Clause 5 of the US Constitution says:
[The Congress shall have Power] To coin Money and regulate the Value thereof
So, we know the US Government is the creator, the source, of the nation’s money. We know the US Government always has money of its own (for Heaven’s sake it creates the money). We know the US Government can never run out of money. There, the review of Part One ...