Showing posts with label Occupy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Occupy. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

The New Political Paradigm- Why The Media And Party Bosses are Missing it.





BY: Thaddeus S. Kaczor, Jr.

Recently, quite a few articles have appeared, speculating that Ron Paul 'really' wants is a 'speaking spot' at the Tampa GOP Convention, or that he 'really wants' to add delegates to 'influence the platform'. Some even suggest that what Ron Paul is really doing is 'paving the way' for his son Rand's political Future. Perhaps the latter has a grain of truth, but the reality is much bigger and more important than that.


The Platform? A 'speaking slot'- Hardly... As a grass-roots organizer, I can assure you that the strategy of the Ron Paul Campaign goes FAR beyond these small goals, and even beyond the 2012 Campaign altogether. A few political observers, like US NEWS' Kenneth T. Walsh actually are getting close to the REAL truth-= but they are few and far between, and are usually ignored, buried or scoffed at- just as the Ron Paul Campaign has been! What the savvy (but growing) few HAVE noticed is that, just as Ronald Reagan did after the 1976 election, Ron Paul is remaking the Republican Party in a Liberty and Constitution-oriented image. While most of the media focuses on the small minority of aberrant members in the Paul campaign who act out of turn (and there are even less of those in the Paul ranks than in most other campaigns), the vast majority of dedicated, motivated and educated Paul supporters are busy getting themselves and others elected to everything from Precinct Delegates to slots on the Republican National Committee.

The Romney Campaign merely signifies the last dying gasp of the 'Old' GOP- ruled by a coalition of Neo-Con Big Government Progressives and Right-Wing Evangelical Ideologues. The rapidly diminishing level of support for these two factions in the Party at large is evidenced by the failure of these groups to 'turn out the vote' for Romney in state after state- as well as by the ease with which Ron Paul supporters are driving out the old leadership in state after state, even as the 'Old Guard' uses every underhanded trick and back-room tactic to try to cling to the last vestiges of party power. The growing numbers and momentum are now favoring the rise of  the Liberty-Minded wing of the GOP. Perhaps not enough to overcome the huge Media Bias and the entrenched old money currently attempting to retain the grasp on power in the GOP, but this mass movement of Young newcomers, once-active Republicans who were alienated by the Party Leadership, and disaffected Independents and even *GASP* DEMOCRATS are now on the ascent- and by the next election cycle will probably be the largest segment- if not the dominant one- in the new Republican Party.

The utter failure of the National Corporate Media to accurately report this story (If reporting on it at all) has only backfired on hem, as it has only served to drive even more curious outsiders and previously disaffected Republicans to consider this new movement, as (for a large segment of the American Public), anything the Mass Media either distrusts, denigrates or ignores must be at least somewhat worthwhile to look into! The dissatisfaction in both the electorate and the Public at large is both real and palpable. While those in the agenda-driven media seek to channel or control this distrust for their own aims (or the aims of their paymasters!), their obvious and consistent bias has merely served to reinforce the perception in the public that not only are most media outlets bereft of any redeeming journalistic qualities, but that the vast majority of the media is so in the pocket of special interests as to have rendered themselves virtual propaganda arms of those same special interests. Fewer and fewer are falling for the false 'Left/Right' paradigm, as they see little difference (other than rhetorically) between those big-government 'left-wing' progressives,  and the big-government 'right-wing' progressives. Further attempts to divide Americans along racial, social, economic and ethnic lines is similarly losing it's power to influence, except among those who will be malleable and subservient no matter who is 'in charge'.

A full paradigm shift in American politics is taking place, and while those in power and their lackeys in the captured media seek to either foolishly deny it, or actively fight the overwhelming tides of inevitable change, the American people are ready, willing and able to embrace (at Last) a REAL movement whose aims are to restore the republic, root out big-government corruption and waste, and return the control of the levers of power to the people- instead of those who have bought and paid for access, control and the ultimate monopoly on power for far too many years.

Ron Paul's Presidential Campaign, unlike any we have seen in years, is not an end unto itself. It is merely a marker, an important way-station for a growing Liberty movement to rally around and use as fuel for growth and expansion. From 1976 to well into the 1980 campaign, professional pundits, entrenched party bosses and those political insiders 'in the know' all said that Ronald Reagan was a 'lool'- a 'fringe' guy who was out of touch and would fade away. Perhaps they should have listened to ol' Ronnie, as they slowly started to see first the grassroots, then the local, state and finally the national Republican Party give way to the growing tide of the Reagan Revolution. It started at the grass roots, just as the Liberty Movement has done. Now we are seeing the Reagan Revolution being repeated, as local and state party officers and elected officials are being replaced ever more rapidly by those favorable to, or leading the Liberty Movement. 

Maybe that's why the RNC Leadership appears to be scared... VERY scared of the rapid advances the Ron Paul Campaign has fostered within the Party. As well they should be!

Monday, January 9, 2012

'FOX Latino' Tells Hispanics How to Think About Ron Paul!




By: Thaddeus S. Kaczor, Jr.


'Divide and Conquer'. The Establishment Media (FOX included) at the direction of the Political/Corporate Heirarchy continues to push this meme that we are all 'compartmentalized Americans'- Black, White. rich, poor, and most pointedly, 'Latino'. A recent 'FOX News Latino' article  attempts to 'find out' where 'Latino' voters stand on Ron Paul (or more pointedly, tell them WHAT to THINK about Ron Paul!). This tired establishment media theme is strung out in typically condescending fashion. They pick an 'issue', then use one or two quotes to support their limited and biased assertions about 'How on Paul affects Latinos'. As usual, they discount or attempt to downplay the fact that there are basic things that UNITE all Americans, and those far outweigh the issues that divide us. However, divisiveness is a very strong control mechanism that prevents people from realizing the ideas and ideals that would otherwise unite them, instead focusing on what are often side issues that tend to divide and separate us from the REAL issues that we as Americans should be concentrating on.


As for the whole 'Latino' argument, like with any 'analysis' of the 'feelings' of a specific ethnic, religious or other 'minority' group,  I find it wholly demeaning and insulting to impose a monolithic belief and value system upon an entire community, especially one as diverse and varied as those who derive ancestry from many different cultures within the 'Latin' universe. Even within distinct ethnic communities, such as Mexican, Cuban and Venezuelan, there is such a diversity of opinion and belief as to make any simplistic overall judgement about a 'group opinion' both supercilious and recklessly illogical. But to do so tends to not only serve to ;herd' those group thinkers in the target 'community' toward the desired monolithic attitudes or beliefs, but it also reinforces sterotypes and simplistic assumptions about that group within the general population of Americans- which serves the purpose to separate them from the general population in order to either 'demonize' them or 'elevate' them- depending on what political or social effect those doing the manipulating desire!


Ron Paul rejects out-of-hand these divisive and destructive attempts at manipulation of people and opinion, and instead he tries to cut through all this very simply- but concurrently at a deep philosophical level that gets to the heart of what it means to have Rights in this country. 'Groups' do NOT have inherent, implicit or explicit rights and 'opinions'. Anyone who purports this idea is either collectively deluded, or deliberately pushing an agenda that often times is at odds with the best interests of both the majority who ostensibly 'belong' to said group, as well as the majority of individuals within society as a whole. Ron Paul believes in what the United States Constitution and our Founders believed: that ALL rights are individual rights, and our freedoms and liberties flow directly from the protection and maintenance of those INDIVIDUAL rights. This universality of the rights of the individual is in direct opposition to wholly manufactured 'collectivist' rights for groups, which ALWAYS will tend to stifle, trample and ultimately destroy the rights of the individual, to the benefit of the powers of those that control and direct the collective.


Protecting the rights of the individual should be paramount in American society, as any diversion from or destruction of these rights negates any other rights, liberties and freedoms we may have. Those that seek to obtain or seize rights for 'groups', no matter how well-intentioned, will end up securing those pseudo-'rights' at the expense of every individual, and ultimately do nothing to secure rights for the individuals who belong to those 'groups'. Instead, what most often happens is the rights of the individuals in those groups are become subservient to the power of the group itself- subjugating any rights of each individual to the will and power of the collective (usually determined by an elite and well-connected 'leadership'). 


Our rights are not GIVEN to us by our government, our leaders, or even our Constitution. They are RECOGNIZED by the Constitution as INHERENT- a birthright that cannot be subject to interpretation or dispensation by any man, woman or group of men and women. Those seeking to control our lives through the imposition of 'group rights', no matter how well-intentioned or altruistically bent, ultimately serve the master of tyranny and subjugation. Resist attempts to 'box you in' to any collectivist thinking. Advocate, fight and defend your inherent individual rights. Protect the COnstitutionally-guaranteed Liberties and Freedoms from those who would attempt to separate you from your fellow Americans by Race, Creed, Color or any other groupthink mentality.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Don't Go Down the Chute at the Charnel House!


By Thaddeus S. Kaczor, Jr.

I post, comment and generally spout off on a LOT of message boards and news sites- from international Media Conglomerates all the way down to the Little Blogs That Could. In my travels around cyberspace, I see a lot of anti-intellectual arguments about Ron Paul, such as "OMG, the Paulites are out tonight", "what a Paultard" and on and on ad-nauseum. Many posters (and even journalists) then proceeded to 'add nothing to the debate' with dismissive (and inaccurate) comments about things like the ridiculously inaccurate "Ron Paul's an isolationist" neo-con talking point, or just plain rude and sophomoric name-calling. This is (unfortunately) typical of much of what Ron Paul and his supporters are up against. Even if you wikipedia the vast difference between 'isolationism' and 'non-interventionism' (apparently many MUST get their info from there!), it's easy to dissemble that argument, and quite frankly, most of the simplistic and fallacious arguments against Dr. Paul.

Meanwhile, Ron Paul's supporters (most of them) soldier on through the ad-hominem attacks, the glittering generalities, the straw man attacks and all the other dishonest propaganda tactics, and continue to ask the hard questions in a reasonable manner. They also persist in deflecting and destroying the jingoistic bumper-sticker neo-con big government talking points thrown at them that are the only intellectual (!) ammunition many opponents seem to have against Dr. Paul.

Denigrating a candidate or his supporters in a simplistic and non-productive way is not 'debate'. It is propaganda. But it IS effective in deflecting the debate away from the issue being argued, and causing the attackee to either defend himself, or go back at the attacker in a similar manner. This is EXACTLY the purpose of such attacks- just ask Saul Alinsky! We, as supporters of Ron Paul and even more importantly, advocates of the principles that he espouses, must resist the temptation to respond in like fashion to the puerile attacks that we continually endure.

Instead, we need to continue the REAL debate and wake people up to how they are being robbed, jobbed and lobbed into the flaming pit of economic serfdom! We need to keep alive debate about the REAL issues facing America; the horrible cost in both lives and economically of the 5 (at least)  wars; the downward spiral that crony capitalism and corruption in D.C. have put this country into both economically and socially; the deleterious effects of the 'War On Terror' and War On Drugs'- whose only REAL effects seem to be the enrichment of those well-connected to the government (crony capitalism) and the massive consolidation of government power at the expense of the wealth, welfare and Civil Liberties of the vast majority of Americans; the phony and destructive 'efforts' of Congress and the President to negotiate a budget (none for three years now!) and the even more ridiculous Kabuki Dance about 'cutting' the budget that doesn't even use real or real-time numbers- let alone accomplish anything within the realm of reality!

Now, they may call us 'Paultard' or say how 'loony' these ideas are.... I welcome such attacks! They only serve to prove the points I have outlined above, and to put lie to the empty arguments being used against the fight for Liberty. When we respond in a rational and calm manner (yet still forceful and determined), we begin to win the argument by staking out the moral and intellectual high ground, and refusing to climb in the quicksand pit of emotional propaganda.

We need to wake up America- or else we will ALL continue to be led like political sheeple down the chute at the Government Charnel House.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Blame America? NO! Blame American Foreign Policy!

American support of murderous dictatorial regimes is the ROOT CAUSE of much of the Terrorism in the world today. This is not what the uninformed or hopelessly indoctrinated call 'blaming America', nor is it a 'conspiracy theory'- it is simply rationally assessing the cause and effect of over 100 years of adventurist American Foreign Policy, and the myriad unintended consequences of that flow from the policy of interference in the internal affairs of other nations. Most times, 'Vital American  National Interests' have nothing to do with American support for the Worst Of The Worst, though vital ECONOMIC Interests of the International Banksters, the Military Industrialists, and their proxies in the Government most assuredly DO!

Clockwise, from left: King Abdullah of Saudi ArabiaKing Abdullah II of JordanTeodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial GuineaIslam Karimov of UzbekistanKurbanguly Berdymukhamedov of Turkmenistan

Examples? Shah Reza Pahlavi of Iran, Augusto Pinochet of Chile, General Suharto of Indonesia, Anastazio Somoza of Nicaragua, Saddam Hussein (yes!) of Iraq, Fulgencio Bautista of Cuba, Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, Muammar Khadaffi (yes!)- and that's just the SHORT list from the PAST of murderous dictators supported, encouraged or actually put in power by America! How did all of our support for THOSE thugs work out? Just look at how the people of those countries feel about America to this day. Many of the people in those countries harbor a deep-seated hatred for America, in what CIA Analysts call 'blow-back'- a hostile retaliation motivated by a deep-seated resentment toward US Policies and support of Dictators. Blow-Back invariably leads individuals and groups to strike out at American Interests. That is not justification for the heinous acts of criminals and madmen, but goes a long way to explaining the motivation and reasons behind peoples' intense hatred that drives them to murder and mayhem. 

In today's American-supported rogue's gallery of murderous dictatorships, we can include King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, Islam Karimov of Uzbekistan, Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov of Turkmenistan, Teodoro Mbasogo of Equitorial Guinea, the current and former regime in Pakistan- and the list (and the murders, torture, rape, looting and exploitation) go on and on! How many of the current dictatorships we support around the world are currently provoking people to attack America and Americans for simply our government's supporting those who attack, exploit and murder THEM? How much of this could have been prevented by the U.S. simply NOT interfering in the internal affairs of other sovereign nations? There always seems to be some justification for interference- usually 'American Vital Interests' are cited, or some large threat that invariably turns out to be inflated or wholly bogus- but there is ALWAYS someone or some group that profits from such interventionist foolishness. All you have to do is 'follow the money' to get to the basic motivation behind the continually beating war drums- something the American press seems to have forgotten how to do (or is prevented from doing by someone 'above their pay grade'!).

If you choose to ignore history, as well as the reality that exists in U.S. Foreign Policy to this present day, it is a comfortable ignorance to believe that they 'hate us for being free', or that 'we have to fight them over there so we don't have to fight them here'. But it is foolish to not listen to what our own CIA has found, as well as countless respected experts who study terrorism, international relations, the sociology of oppressed people and the origins of terrorist thought and action. It most certainly is NOT a 'conspiracy theory' or 'anti-American to say that America's foreign policy actually CREATES anti-American terrorism- if it can be backed up so easily with readily available and openly discussed FACTS!  Turn a blind eye to what our government actually does abroad, and you will NEVER understand the root causes for the intense HATRED many feel for the American Government (Note- NOT the American PEOPLE!).  



Or maybe, just ask yourself a simple question: How would you feel toward those responsible if you were an innocent bystander, and death rained down upon you or your family members? The root cause of most terrorism is not ideological- it is personal, visceral, and deeply emotional. America's failure to recognize this basic fact will only lead to more hatred, more attacks, and more Americans unnecessarily wounded and dying.