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Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Watch “What Happens When the Elite Replace Us with AI?” on YouTube
Posted by M. C. on March 24, 2023
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Which Aspect of Government Do Anarcho-Capitalists Favor? | The Libertarian Institute
Posted by M. C. on March 23, 2023
“Every fiber of our being cries out against the central state in Washington DC.“
Far too many crave it.
https://libertarianinstitute.org/articles/which-aspect-of-government-do-anarcho-capitalists-favor/
The short answer to that question, and an accurate one, is none of the above. That is the very definition of this philosophical perspective: the state is merely a gang of robbers and murderers, and the ideal is to banish it entirely.
States Mr. Libertarian on this matter: “…if you wish to know how libertarians regard the State and any of its acts, simply think of the State as a criminal band, and all of the libertarian attitudes will logically fall into place.”
However, there is indeed an entirely different and also a proper way to answer that question: whichever aspect of it is most compatible with the libertarian ideal of non-initiatory aggression and private property rights is favored by libertarians in any specific case.
For example, during the New Deal, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was for a time balked by the Supreme Court. The former tried to implement a socialist policy, and the latter was having none of it, continually finding his initiatives unconstitutional. FDR threatened court packing and the nine justices caved in.
What, pray tell, would be the radical libertarian position on this matter? Obviously, to favor the Supreme Court. That is, only in comparison to the president in this case. The support would thus be a relative one. Supporters of economic freedom would rank the initial behavior of the nine justices higher than that of Roosevelt.
Take another case. President Reagan threatened the mayor and City Council of New York City that if the latter strengthened its rent control laws, the federal government would withhold funds from the Big Apple. We stipulate, arguendo, that rent control is an unjustified uncompensated “taking” from landlords, and thus per se unjustified (it also ruins the housing stock of any jurisdiction which implements this policy). Where does the libertarian fall out on this one? In an instance of “strange bedfellows” the supporter of property rights sides with the federal government. Again, not absolutely, of course, only relative to the city authorities.
What about drug legalization? Oregon has decriminalized not only marijuana, but cocaine as well. The federales have not even made legal the former, except for medicinal purposes. On which side of this disparity does the freedom philosophy come down on? Obviously, the former. Hooray for the Beaver State! It is a rights violation to interfere with what adults place into their bodies, on a voluntary basis.
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Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: Anarcho-Capitalists, Drug Legalization, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Government, New Deal, rent control | Leave a Comment »
Arizona State Senate Passes ‘Defend the Guard Act’ | The Libertarian Institute
Posted by M. C. on March 23, 2023
When has the National Guard actually defended US?
No chance of Kelly and Casey supporting a national bill.
https://libertarianinstitute.org/articles/arizona-state-senate-passes-defend-the-guard-act/
[Yesterday], the Arizona Senate narrowly passed the Defend the Guard Act, a bill to require the governor to stop unconstitutional foreign combat deployments of the state’s National Guard troops. Passage into law would take a big step toward restoring the founders’ framework for a state-federal balance under the Constitution.
Sen. Wendy Rogers (R) and three fellow Republicans introduced Senate Bill 1367 (SB1367) on January 31. Titled the Defend the Guard Act, the legislation would prohibit the governor from releasing any unit or member of the Arizona National Guard into “active duty combat” unless specific constitutional requirements are met:
The United States Congress passes an official declaration of war or takes an official action pursuant to article I, section 8, clause 15, United States Constitution, that calls on the National Guard to expressly execute the laws of the union, repel an invasion or suppress an insurrection.
“Active duty combat” is defined as performing the following services in the active federal military service of the United States:
- Participation in an armed conflict;
- Performance of a hazardous service in a foreign state; or
- Performance of a duty through an instrumentality of war.
“Official declaration of war” is defined as “an official declaration of war made by the United States Congress pursuant to Article I, Section 8, Clause 11 of the United States Constitution.”
Last month, the Senate Military Affairs and Public Safety Committee approved the Arizona Defend the Guard Act by a vote of 4-3. On March 6, the Senate Rules committee also passed SB1367 by a 4-3 vote. Today, the full Senate approved SB1367 by a vote of 16-13-1.
In Practice
National Guard troops have played significant roles in all modern overseas conflicts, with over 650,000 deployed since 2001. Military.com reports that “Guard and Reserve units made up about 45 percent of the total force sent to Iraq and Afghanistan, and received about 18.4 percent of the casualties.” More specifically, Arizona National Guard troops have participated in missions in Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries.
Since none of these missions have been accompanied by a Constitutional declaration of war, nor were they in pursuance of any of the three conditions set forth in Article 1 Sec. 8, the Defend the Guard Act would have prohibited those deployments.
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Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: constitutional, declaration of war, Defend the Guard Act, National Guard | Leave a Comment »
Dailywire Article-Cruz Ridicules Buttigieg At Train Derailment Hearing
Posted by M. C. on March 23, 2023
An Iraqi burn pit in Ohio. Dept of education, defense, justice, drug enforcement, homeland security, TSA….more burn pits.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/cruz-ridicules-buttigieg-at-train-derailment-hearing
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) used a congressional hearing on Wednesday to air criticisms of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg‘s response to the Norfolk Southern train derailment disaster in East Palestine, Ohio, early last month.
The Texas Republican argued how a “delayed and disjointed response by the Biden administration” has not allayed the concerns of local residents terrified by the health and environmental threats posed by the so-called controlled burn of toxic chemicals that spilled out of tanker cars.
“It took Secretary Buttigieg 10 days to even acknowledge the derailment,” Cruz said. “After he was called out, he did a 180 and tried to sell a slew of big government regulatory proposals, desperate to disguise the failure of the administration to act sooner.”
Blunders followed, according to Cruz, who cited the secretary’s mention of a particular withdrawn brake rule as an example of why the Transportation Department faced “constraints.” Illustrating the problem with that comment, Cruz pointed out, was that the Biden administration’s own chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board, Jennifer Homendy, had to then go and explain how it was “FALSE” to say it would have prevented the East Palestine derailment.
“Undeterred, Secretary Buttigieg then released a laundry list of regulatory proposals, many of which had little to no connection to the East Palestine derailment,” Cruz added.
“In an effort to further distract from his own failed response, Secretary Buttigieg has suggested that President Trump was responsible for the derailment in East Palestine,” the senator said.
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Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: East Palestine, Pete Buttigieg, Ted Cruz, Train Derailment | Leave a Comment »
Seymour Hersh: CIA Planted Nord Stream Cover-Up Story in the Media – News From Antiwar.com
Posted by M. C. on March 23, 2023
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US Officials Really, REALLY Want You To Know The US Is The World’s “Leader”
Posted by M. C. on March 23, 2023
The message they’re putting out is, “This is our world. We’re in charge. Anyone who claims otherwise is freakish and abnormal, and must be opposed.”
In response to questions he received during a press conference on Monday about Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin cementing a “new era” in strategic partnership between China and Russia, the White House National Security Council’s John Kirby made no fewer than seven assertions that the US is the “leader” of the world.
Here are excerpts from his comments:
- “The two countries have grown closer. But they are both countries that chafe and bristle at U.S. leadership around the world.”
- “And in China’s case in particular, they certainly would like to challenge U.S. leadership around the world.“
- “But these are not two countries that have, you know, decades-long experience working together and full trust and confidence. It’s a burgeoning of late based on America’s increasing leadership around the world and trying to check that.”
- “Peter, these are two countries that have long chafed, as I said to Jeff — long chafed at U.S. leadership around the world and the network of alliances and partnerships that we have.”
- “And we work on those relationships one at a time, because every country on the continent is different, has different needs and different expectations of American leadership.”
- “That’s the power of American convening leadership. And you don’t see that power out of either Russia or China.”
- “But one of the reasons why you’re seeing that tightening relationship is because they recognize that they don’t have that strong foundation of international support for what they’re trying to do, which is basically challenge American leadership around the world.”
The illusory truth effect is a cognitive bias which causes people to mistake something they have heard many times for an established fact, because the way the human brain receives and interprets information tends to draw little or no distinction between repetition and truth. Propagandists and empire managers often take advantage of this glitch in our wetware, which is what’s happening when you see them repeating key phrases over and over again that they want people to believe.
We saw another repetition of this line recently at an online conference hosted by the US Chamber of Commerce, in which the US ambassador to China asserted that Beijing must accept the US as the “leader” of the region China happens to occupy.
US empire managers are of course getting very assertive about the narrative that they are the world’s “leader” because that self-appointed “leadership” is being challenged by China, and the nations which support it with increasing openness like Russia. Most of the major international news stories of our day are either directly or indirectly related to this dynamic, wherein the US is struggling to secure unipolar planetary domination by thwarting China’s rise and undermining its partners.
The message they’re putting out is, “This is our world. We’re in charge.
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Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: U.S. leadership, Vladimir Putin, World's Leader, Xi Jinping | Leave a Comment »
Washington Keeps Pushing For New “Wonder Weapons” To Ukraine — Desperation?
Posted by M. C. on March 23, 2023
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UK to Give Ukraine Depleted Uranium Shells Despite Russian Warnings – News From Antiwar.com
Posted by M. C. on March 23, 2023
Russia’s defense minister says the move brings the world closer to a ‘nuclear collision,’ Putin vows to respond
Because depleted uranium munitions are radioactive, they are linked to cancer and birth defects, especially in Iraq, where US forces used an enormous number of the controversial munitions during the Gulf War and the 2003 invasion. Birth defects are still common in the Iraqi city of Fallujah to this day, likely due to depleted uranium.
Wonder what the next generation’s children will look like?
A British official has confirmed that the UK will be providing Ukraine with depleted uranium shells to be used with the British-made Challenger 2 tanks despite warnings from Russia that it would consider the use of the toxic ammunition the same as a dirty bomb.
“Alongside our granting of a squadron of Challenger 2 main battle tanks to Ukraine, we will be providing ammunition including armor piercing rounds which contain depleted uranium. Such rounds are highly effective in defeating modern tanks and armored vehicles,” said Annabel Goldie, the British deputy defense minister, in a written response to a question posted on the British Parliament’s website.
Depleted uranium is typically created as a byproduct of producing enriched uranium and is extremely dense. Because depleted uranium munitions are radioactive, they are linked to cancer and birth defects, especially in Iraq, where US forces used an enormous number of the controversial munitions during the Gulf War and the 2003 invasion. Birth defects are still common in the Iraqi city of Fallujah to this day, likely due to depleted uranium.
Responding to the news, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu warned that sending Ukraine depleted uranium rounds brings the world closer to a “nuclear collision” between Russia and the West and warned Moscow would respond. “Naturally, Russia has something to answer this with,” he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin also vowed a response. “If all this happens, Russia will have to respond accordingly, given that the West collectively is already beginning to use weapons with a nuclear component,” he said after a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Moscow.
Western-provided depleted uranium rounds could already be in Ukraine’s hands as the US has refused to say if the Bradley Fighting Vehicles it has provided Ukraine are armed with the toxic ammunition. Bradleys can be equipped with depleted uranium, earning them the nickname “tank killers.”
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John Bolton’s Prominence In The Media Proves Our Entire Society Is Diseased
Posted by M. C. on March 22, 2023
Bolton sets himself apart from his fellow Iraq war architects by arguing that the actual invasion and overthrow of Saddam Hussein “was close to flawless,” and that the only thing the US did wrong was fail to kill more people and topple the government of Iran.
In order to narrative-manage the public conversation about the Iraq War on the 20th anniversary of the invasion, those who helped unleash that horror upon our world have briefly paused their relentless torrent of “Ukraine proves the hawks were always right” takes to churn out a deluge of “Actually the Iraq War wasn’t based on lies and turned out pretty great after all” takes.
Council on Foreign Relations chief Richard Haas — who worked in the US State Department under Colin Powell when Bush launched his criminal invasion — got a piece published in Project Syndicate falsely claiming that the US government and his former boss did not lie about weapons of mass destruction, and that “governments can and do get things wrong without lying.”
Former Bush speechwriter David “Axis of Evil” Frum cooked up a lie-filled spin piece with The Atlantic claiming that “What the U.S. did in Iraq was not an act of unprovoked aggression” and suggesting that perhaps Iraqis are better off as a result of the invasion, or at least no worse off than they would otherwise have been.
Neoconservative war propagandist Eli Lake, who has been described by journalist Ken Silverstein as “an open and ardent promoter of the Iraq War and the various myths trotted out to justify it,” has an essay published in Commentary with the extraordinary claim that the war “wasn’t the disaster everyone now says it was” and that “Iraq is better off today than it was 20 years ago.”
But by far the most appalling piece of revisionist war crime apologia that’s come out during the 20th anniversary of the invasion has been an article published in National Review by the genocide walrus himself, John Bolton.
Lumping everything together as “Iraq War” critics do is a disservice to the careful analysis of what America accomplished, or didn’t. It is not one indivisible, 20-year-long block of granite that can be judged only all or nothing. In fact, the brunt of nationalreview.com/magazine/2023/…… https://t.co/964nxyKhS3
Bolton sets himself apart from his fellow Iraq war architects by arguing that the actual invasion and overthrow of Saddam Hussein “was close to flawless,” and that the only thing the US did wrong was fail to kill more people and topple the government of Iran.
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Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: Axis of Evil, Diseased, Eli Lake, John Bolton, Media | Leave a Comment »
Nazi Roots of EU’s Führer Ursula von der Leyen — Strategic Culture
Posted by M. C. on March 22, 2023
At the end of 2019, she was appointed President of the European Commission, the top political post in the European Union. This was done without a vote from the German parliament such was the lack of confidence in her eligibility.
If you were wondering why Nazi militias get free rein in Ukraine…
https://strategic-culture.org/news/2023/03/20/nazi-roots-of-eu-fuhrer-ursula-von-der-leyen/
Finian Cunningham
Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, has some disturbing skeletons in her family wardrobe.
Her political roots in Nazi Germany account for the insane war-driven agenda of the European Union toward Russia under her stewardship and her total subservience to the U.S. imperialist objective to defeat Moscow.
Author Evan Reif explains how her politician-father Ernst Albrecht packed his regional government with unreconstructed Nazis and former Wehrmacht officers when he was governor of Lower Saxony in the 1980s.
Ursula von der Leyen’s family derived much of its industrial wealth from working closely with Hitler’s Third Reich. Her aristocratic family was also married into slave-owning cotton planters in the American South.
That legacy of inherited wealth not only benefited Ursula’s elite education but also her precocious rise in German politics. She became the German defense minister from 2013-2019 despite having no formal background in the military. Under her watch, the German army was massively rearmed and she also became mired in corruption scandals.
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Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: EU, European Commission, Nazi Roots, Ursula von der Leyen | Leave a Comment »
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