There is much discussion of president Obama's purported rope-a-dope strategy against the Republicans in the current national debt ceiling negotiations. Many on the left are rejoicing at seeing what appears to be a major capitulation by the Republicans. No better example of that is Rachel Maddow, placing a little flag pole with a white flag (undulating with the wind of a fan) on her desk to illustrate Republicans' wholesale surrender (during her show on MSNBC last night).
First, let's consider something: This whole crisis about raising the debt ceiling is manufactured; it's fake; it's not based on real pressing issues, or historical precedence. The debt ceiling has been raised multiple times during the last few decades.
So if you think about this carefully, then what are we left with? We are left with the impression that talking about potential cuts in programs necessary for the existence of the middle class--Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid--is acceptable.
In the meantime, as you read this, if you were to close your eyes and try to imagine the sound of giant suction machine--go ahead, close your eyes, and listen--you would hear a deafening sound, getting louder and louder. That's the sound of an unimaginable amount of money, wealth, and power flowing to the plutocratic ruling elite, and away from you. This is happening at an almost unprecedented rate.
Have you heard of distractions caused by shiny objects? Well, this is a prime example. We are being manipulated, fooled, and confused by an omnipresent, brutally effective propaganda machine, that permeates all that surrounds us. The effectiveness of this propaganda machine is so absolute, that for many readers, reading this paragraph creates a sense of unease. Because the "programming" is being "messed with."
While I mess with the "brainwashing" effects (at least temporarily), I'll ask the reader to think about something very carefully. In the face of what is potentially an unprecedented level of criminality at the highest levels of power, including both, corporate, and government, how is it that the nation is completely rapt in a debate for which there is no substance? It's a manufactured crisis. It's a phony debate. The debate itself is meant to manipulate you (us).
What is the reality? A criminal class made of of a very tiny ruling class of sociopaths stole trillions of dollars during the last few years. Wars which main effect is to first, enrich war profiteers, and second, create new enemies for the U.S. and therefore maintain a market for the war profiteers--and to boot, the war profiteers's own kids are not going to be the ones fighting.
Union busting; attacks on women's rights; privatization of public resources; conglomeration of power in the media, in banking, in business.
That's what's real. It does not matter that those issues are not being covered 24/7 by the mainstream media. They are still reality.
And here's the challenge... Discerning people should understand the powerful effect of hearing or seeing something over and over again. No matter how absurd the claim or report or point of view; no matter how inaccurate; no matter its veracity. If its repeated enough times, it somehow becomes plausible in our minds.
That's what's happening with these phony debates about the debt ceiling.
And the sad thing is that well-meaning liberals and progressives are buying into this hook, line, and sinker. Very sad indeed.
They even rejoice at how smart the president is being when he appears to be hitting back hard--by threatening to withhold grandma's social security checks. Yes, he sure got those Rethugs. A brilliant rope-a-dope!
Think carefully. Who's really being rope-a-doped?
Don't let your guard down. Break trough the smokes and mirrors, and the subterfuge. Think.
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