Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Change Course Or Collapse? Choose


Hard times are ahead. As a nation, we’re marching toward a cliff and the question is: Will we continue and go off the precipice or will we change course? Anyone with a basic knowledge of arithmetic knows things cannot go on as they are. Political leaders have promised that we can provide medical care for the poor, the elderly, and now everyone else as well - forever. They talk as though it will be possible to provide food, clothing and housing for anyone who asks too. I’m no math genius, but even I know that’s impossible. Yet our political leaders insist that if we increase taxes on the rich we’ll be able to keep marching. They have to know that even if we taxed the rich at 100% it would only provide enough revenue to keep going for a few more months before bankruptcy.

So many Americans have depended on government for so long, they don’t know how to take care of themselves. But if the country goes bankrupt - if we march off that cliff - all that government assistance will end abruptly. Then what? Chaos, of course. Many are preparing for exactly that scenario to one degree or another and I see what they see, but isn’t there still some way to avoid it?

That we cannot continue as we’re going is indisputable, but what’s the alternative? How can we avoid marching off the cliff? Can we make cuts to the checks and programs slowly? Can we do it slowly enough to both avoid the cliff and give dependent Americans time to adjust to making their own way? Will they? There was a time in America - still in the memory of living citizens - when people did live by their own labors. Those who could not were supported by families or by churches and private charities. Can we gradually return to that kind of nation? Maybe I’m too optimistic, but I prefer to think we can. I prefer to think there are still enough Americans who realize the path we’re on leads to bankruptcy and chaos. I prefer to think there are enough of us to elect a congress and president who will cut the behemoth government has become - cut it surgically, systematically and incrementally. If we do it gradually, can we avoid chaos? Can we avoid violence? Whoever we elect must also be capable of explaining to the American people in terms they can understand why cutting is vital to our survival, why it has never been possible for government to fulfill the promises it made. Look at Social Security alone: it can only work when there are more people being born than are growing old - as long as children in American families outnumber parents. That’s how it was in America while I was growing up, but it isn’t that way anymore. Those who dreamed up Social Security during the New Deal and added more expensive social programs during the Great Society, then started preaching about over-population. They championed birth control and abortion to prevent births, then justified it all by preaching that “the planet” couldn’t sustain them. What they conveniently overlooked was that the world they thereby created couldn’t sustain their beloved Social Security either. The children they prevented or the 45 million they killed in the womb since Roe v Wade in 1973 would not be paying FICA taxes. Social Security is a Ponzi scheme with elderly baby boomers as its beneficiaries until it collapses. Those children they did allow to be born are the ones who get stiffed. Medicare and other Great Society programs have similar scenarios. The handwriting is on the wall. Unlike Babylonian king Belshazzar, we don’t need a biblical prophet to translate it for us. We don’t even need a calculator because the arithmetic is simple. The handwriting on the wall for 21st century Americans reads: “Change course or collapse.”

15 comments:

Rhonda said...

Tom, thank you for this article. I have been talking about this for years, and that is, the long term result of decades of the pill and abortion. Of course, you are spot on, that it will affect the social security plans that were put into place years ago, that didn't take into consideration the fact that people would not only not be having more children than two, but many would only be having one or none.

There is a dearth, in the U. S., of mathematicians and scientists. I think that it is because the mathematicians and scientists a couple of generations ago decided that the best option for our world, environmentally, was the least amount of children. They didn't take into consideration, social security, and other factors that depend upon more and more wage earners.

While I detest the fact that we use our tax dollars to give to Mexican immigrants who pay no taxes, I do think that the nation would benefit from our legalizing any and all hard workers who can contribute to our society, and PAY taxes. Except, of course, those immigrants who are anti U.S., and will spawn America haters. U. S. Immigrations needs a better way to filter them out of the equation.

I am a 61 year old mother of 5, and at this time in my life, I am a grandmother of 5. I do hope that the number of my contributing grandchildren and eventually, my great grandchildren will increase.

Winston Smith said...

And your answer for " change " is to vote? Are you serious? How exactly do you think we got into this? It's hard to have this conversation with someone who still believes in some sophomoric and naive ideal of this country and Washington, dc. What don't you get about the fact this country is run by the same banking bloodlines that have been ruling the rest of the world?

Ask yourself why this country fought so hard against a private bank controlling our currency? Then ask yourself how and why the federal reserve act finally passéd in 1913.
And the income tax to follow. Our income tax goes to interest from the fed!! Nowhere else.

This country was defeated in 1913. Thomas Jefferson knew it would happen. We have been living in a dwindling state of " democracy" ever since.

Nothing short of a new constitutional convention is needed.
Get rid of the fed. All the whores in congress. Eschew the childish idea of two-party politics. And move on.

rhondajo said...

In my previous comment "There is a dearth, in the U. S., of mathematicians and scientists. I think that it is because the mathematicians and scientists a couple of generations ago decided that the best option for our world, environmentally, was the least amount of children." I failed to add that these mathematicians and scientists did not realize that their decision to not have children would have a direct impact on the "dumbing down of America". In fact, I believe that the "dumbing down of America" is a direct result of abortion and the pill.

Ol' Hickory said...

"dumbing down" is no accident.
This is all by design.

I would suggest starting with the leipzeg connection, about our educational system and how is was sabotaged by the rockefellers via willhelm wundt.

Eugenics? Again, look at the rockefellers. This is an old idea to them.

They have control of most of the food production. Why do you think there is an epidemic of childhood diabetes? High fructose corn syrup is awful. How about GMO seeds and foods? Cancer anyone? Fluoride in the water anyone? Fluoride only works on teeth when applied topically!! Even then not so much! Fluoride in the water? What? Why? What does it do to the brain? How about the pharmaceutical industry? Getting all the kiddies fixed in speed and dumbing them down! Pushing poison on national tee vee while telling you a plant is a schedule one drug! Research cannabanoids and cancer.

I could go on. But the point is we should all be very careful about how we perceive what is going on. It is very very strange and we need to wake up.


We do not fit into their vision of the future.
The truth seems to be far stranger than anyone can imagine.

Alex said...

How exactly would more people help the unemployment crisis?

Also, Ol' Hickory, you do not want to be like Winston Smith. It is true that large corporations have their fingers in more than they should. However, you only give them power when you display your fear by bringing up hopeless conspiracy theories. High fructose corn syrup is terrible, but I believe a monetary motivation pushes its use, rather than an evil corporation's plans for world domination. GMO foods are not going to give you cancer. Farmers have been "genetically" modifying foods for a long time. And really? Fluoride? You might as well join the legions of the ignorami who spout lies about vaccinations and autism.

Get angry about the REAL issues, and what matters. Trust me, you don't have to rely on made-up stuff; there's plenty wrong in this world already.

Ol' Hickory said...

Agh, Alex. Got all the answers, huh?

Please explain to me why fluoride is put in the water. You do realize the recent rash of communities that are fighting this battle and winning? conspiracy? Hardly.

GMO and cancer? No link? Hmm. Let me guess, you believe what monsanto, er I mean CNN tells you?

Vaccinations? Again. If you want to trust and believe the pharmaceutical industry go-ahead.

It's simpletons like yourself who have been feeding on nothing but corporate lies, I mean "news", for decades.
You need me to tell you that the corporate media is owned by the very companies that own the GMO patents? Do I need to connect the dots for you? Come on.

Fluoride. Again, why would anyone want to put a topical treatment in your drinking water? Hello! Do you have any history of researching these things on your own or do you let the corporations tell you how safe they are?

Farmers have been grafting for a very long time but I am quite sure they weren't producing " round up ready" seeds in the 19 th century. Come on. Do you have any idea the threat monsanto poses to the American farmer? Any idea? A clue?

These are the real issues. It's pretty easy to cry conspiracy theory when you are challenged. It's what you are programmed to do after all. Make no mistake these are very real and very threatening issues.

Ol' Hickory said...

High fructose corn syrup, vaccinations with poison, fluoride in the water, GMO foods, cell phone radiation, etc. these are all methods of population control. It is happening now. Don't make the mistake of thinking eugenics is just a concept.

Alex said...

Ol' Hickory:

You only deduct from your case by using inflammatory rhetoric. Take a step back once in a while and look back at what you are saying.

Actually, I don't watch the news very often; I agree that their is probably too much corporate influence there. I draw my information from trusted scientific sources like the WHO and the CDC. I know that I don't have all the answers, but I will believe decades of scientific research over the fantasy of evil corporations and eugenics.

Here are some sources for you:

Fluoride in water: http://whqlibdoc.who.int/trs/WHO_TRS_846.pdf

Vaccinations and autism: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/Concerns/Thimerosal/QA_Pediatrics-thimerosal-autism.html

I know how genetic modifications are developed, as I've been studying biology for several years now, and am a bio major (premed) at a major university. I do not draw my information from "the corporate media" as you delight in calling it.

I understand that you are not going to accept my points. The CDC and WHO are in the corporations' pockets, after all, right? My professors are also puppets of the corporations, right? In truth, I've already been contacted by several evil mega-corporations about how best to undermine humanity and restrict the freedoms of people like you. Each one is owned by a Hitler clone, built by evil scientists, bent on killing everyone. Uh huh. Let's see who's argument looks more convincing.

Ol' Hickory said...

http://www.fluoridealert.org/50-reasons.htm

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-f-kennedy-jr/time-for-cdc-to-come-clea_b_16550.html

http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/health-headlines/2011/10/29/gary-null-jeremy-stillman-and-nancy-ashley-vaccine-conspirac.html

http://www.infowars.com/shock-vaccine-study-reveals-influenza-vaccines-only-prevent-the-flu-in-1-5-out-of-100-adults-not-60-as-youve-been-told/

Have fun....

And, by the way, please show me the "inflammatory rhetoric" I was using:.........

Questions like "please tell me why fluoride is put in the water" are inflammatory? It seems to me you can't address them. In fact, you didn't address one issue I raised!

And the CDC is far from a trusted source. As referenced in the links above.

GMO seeds? Again, you have nothing to say about this major issue? It makes no sense! It is all about controlling the food supply and major profits. Again, do you realize how monsanto is literally killing the American farmer? Do you know of the lawsuits being put together by farmers right here in Maine against monsanto? You may want to look into it.

The fact is that factory farming and the over abundance of the corn crop has destroyed middle America. The soil is nothing compared to what it once was. Why? So coke can use corn syrup instead of real sugar.

Ol' Hickory said...

http://organichealthadviser.com/archives/vaccines-are-bad-for-you

It amazes me that people think our govt tells it like it is and has their best interest at heart.

Remember the swine flu vaccine? Well, the frost time they tried that in the 70's more people suffered as a result of the vaccine than swine flu!

Yup, they care about you. That's why we have the nurturing health care system we do. That's why your health is treated as a commodity, because they care. That's why we have a for profit health care system, because they care.
It's not a country. It's a corporation.

Alex said...

Inflammatory rhetoric: another way of saying name-calling and other cowardly argumentative tactics. Here are a few:

"It's simpletons like yourself"

"Do I need to connect the dots for you? Come on."

Respect, and you shall be respected. Mr. McLaughlin may have taught immature middle schoolers, but that doesn't mean we should interact like them here.

I looked at a bunch of your links. I have a hard time believing websites with very limited sources, and names like "organic health advisor." Most of your sources had little to no links to actual scientific studies, but repostings of sites like Yahoo!News. You may have a point that the media is in the pocket of corporations, but even you must agree that Yahoo! is not exactly a trusted, independent source. Most of these sites are created by people who fear what they don't understand, and then use their collective basis as "evidence."

As a scientist and (hopefully) future doctor, I take offense at the idea that it is all for profit. The hundreds of students, medical students, medical professors, doctors, nurse practitioners, researchers, and others that I have met and worked with are not evil, money-grabbing machines. They do this for a reason, and it is because they genuinely believe that they are doing the best work they can for others.

Sure there are counter-examples. I agree that the pharmaceutical industry has many, many flaws. But when it comes to piles of research and years of work, I'm going to side with the people who know what they're doing. If you choose to listen to "Progressive radio" and "Organic health advisors," that's up to you. You'll find a welcome community in the loopier sites of OWS and your local chapter of "They Faked the Moon Landing Association."

I agree with what you recently brought up about corn and Monsanto. The overproduction of corn is bad for the environment and farmers. The way they have made farmers buy their seeds every season is pretty despicable. However, this is completely unrelated to eugenics and cancer. I'd love to sit down with you sometime and discuss how plants are genetically modified, and how the people who work on it are acutely cautious every step of the way.

But back to my first point. I'm sorry if I implied that you were being openly hostile. It's just nice to be reminded that this is a community, albeit a huge, online, anonymous one. Respect still applies.

Ol' Hickory said...

Wow. The first link I posted tells you all you need to know about fluoride. Plenty of facts and charts for you. "limited sources" hardly. Yahoo news? Nope. Did you read it? The CDC caught lying? Fact. Yahoo news? no again.

Ol' Hickory said...

"Sure there are counter-examples. I agree that the pharmaceutical industry has many, many flaws. But when it comes to piles of research and years of work, I'm going to side with the people who know what they're doing."

Seriously? Do you have any idea, any, about the bald faced lies coming from the pharmaceutical industry? Do you have even a clue as to what these people are guilty of? My god, the naïveté....

Ol' Hickory said...

http://www.infowars.com/study-proves-fluoride-brain-damage/

Very recent study just published re: fluoride.

Yup, it's from info wars.com.


Scary stuff. But hey, keep on drinking it. The us govt says it's good.

Winston Smith said...

I don't enjoy pointing stuff like this out, but my goal is to open minds and expose the lies we have been fed for decades. This is disturbing, but the claims of people trusting the CDC need correcting.

"This leads us to one of the most bizarre incidents of recent, still yet to reach any full explanation, or legal conclusion.
Dr Kimberly Quinlan Lindsey, a senior government scientist from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta facing multiple child molestation and bestiality charges only months before, was quietly allowed to return to her high-powered post at the US gevernment agency.
Dr Lindsey and her live-in boyfriend, 42-year-old Thomas Westerman, who was a resource management specialist with the CDC, were both charged with ‘immoral and indecent’ sex acts with a a six-year-old boy, along with an additional charge of bestiality for Ms. Quinlan – derived from incriminating photographs revealed to local police."

rest of the article here----truly amazing and sickening.

http://www.infowars.com/new-paedophilia-and-bestiality-scandal-compromises-the-cdc/