Slavery

The reality occurred to me in this past week, that slavery continues to be rampant in this country, but it isn't based upon race.  Race baiting continues to divide the people, while the population enters further into slavery and captivity.  The truth of the matter is the division is based upon politics, wealth, and education, while race is the "hot potato."  Any person in this country who is willing to be dependent can receive some sort of assistance, but there is an unspoken price to be paid for that assistance, and those who would be independent pay a penalty.

As this nation plunges into captivity and slavery, I'd like to point out a few obvious facts about the history of slavery. Slave owners provided housing and food at no financial cost to the slave, but rather the exchange was exacted through labor.   Although slavery was horrible, and I do not condone it, for some slave owners the slave was an "investment."  This nation used to be divided racially, and for some it still is, but there are so many things, now that divide this nation.   Consider the young single mothers, regardless of race, going to college on federal loans . . . Medicaid in long term health in many states now comes with the fine print of a lien against the estate at the time of death.

There are facts that simply cannot be ignored or legislated regarding racial differences in this nation.  Laws do not change a person's heart.  If someone bases their view of another upon skin color or appearance, that reflects on the person holding the view.  This nation is full of bigotry, well beyond skin color.  There are people who judge others based upon education, type of housing, income, and although for some it may have overtones of color, the statistics do not confirm those views.

The race card is only a tool played by mainstream media to divert the real point and further divide the people.  I do not at all, think Mr. Bundy's words were well chosen, and I don't agree with his views, but the reality is; this particular line of discussion obviously had nothing to do with what the BLM did at his ranch.  It did, however; serve to cause division and diversion in the onlooking public.  While decisions about our health care, our food supply, our water, and our children's education are literally being snatched from us, the majority of the citizens simply choose to argue about an issue that is truly irrelevant to the general public.  

With the last hot button media frenzy, went after Phil Robertson and those who believe homosexuality is sin, were told sex marriage does not affect our lives . . . I have a question for those who disagree with Cliven Bundy's racial views, and I am one who does disagree . . . How do his views affect our lives?  Really?  Cliven Bundy's racial perspective is not being taught in the public schools.  You can't say that about homosexuality.  

It's becoming painfully obvious; when the government has it's back against the wall, the race card is played.  When a political or corporate power grab is in the works, a divisive distraction is headlined.  Mainstream media gave little coverage to the dictatorial rampage that took place on the Bundy ranch, but Mr. Bundy's ill chosen remarks regarding race have made headlines for a week.  In the meantime Harry Reid got to just privately apologize for his racist remarks about Candidate Obama, and nothing more was said . . .  I've included both links and quotes.  The fact that the general citizenry is allowing manufactured racism to be the focus is a clear reminder of just how easily the American sheople can be distracted with a new reason to be offended.  When the dust all settles, we'll discover once again, while we were distracted from the real issue; everybody has lost ground. 

As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame.  Prophet of Holy Scripture

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/04/24/cliven-bundy-on-blacks-are-they-better-off-as-slaves/

“I want to tell you one more thing I know about the Negro,” he said. Mr. Bundy recalled driving past a public-housing project in North Las Vegas, “and in front of that government house the door was usually open and the older people and the kids — and there is always at least a half a dozen people sitting on the porch — they didn’t have nothing to do. They didn’t have nothing for their kids to do. They didn’t have nothing for their young girls to do.

“And because they were basically on government subsidy, so now what do they do?” he asked. “They abort their young children, they put their young men in jail, because they never learned how to pick cotton. And I’ve often wondered, are they better off as slaves, picking cotton and having a family life and doing things, or are they better off under government subsidy? They didn’t get no more freedom. They got less freedom.”

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/01/09/obama.reid/

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid apologized Saturday for making racially insensitive remarks about Barack Obama during the presidential campaign.  . . . 

The authors quote Reid as saying privately that Obama, as a black candidate, could be successful thanks, in part, to his "light-skinned" appearance and speaking patterns "with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one."

"He [Reid] was wowed by Obama's oratorical gifts and believed that the country was ready to embrace a black presidential candidate, especially one such as Obama -- a 'light-skinned' African American 'with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one,' " Halperin and Heilemann say.

"Reid was convinced, in fact, that Obama's race would help him more than hurt him in a bid for the Democratic nomination," they write.

In a statement to CNN, Reid said, "I deeply regret using such a poor choice of words."

Authoritarian Aristocrats

Whether it's Halliburton, ENN or Contracts with Big Oil, politicians fair well when the government flexes its authoritarian military muscles.  What truly boggles my mind, though, is the blind loyalty based upon political party.  I've gained the perspective and it is my own bias, that if anyone can truly see a different direction from opposite sides of the aisle, they have an amazing imagination.  Whether warlords or landlords or just bought and paid for aristocrats, American politicians appear to be concerned with their own self-interests, and they all seem to share a common perspective of the citizenry.   I believe the leadership of both parties view their constituents as gullible serfs or peasants to be controlled.

I was truly disgusted by the pass given to Halliburton by the Cheney fans.  I am equally disgusted by the open disdain toward Bundy by the fans of the current administration.  I cannot understand how the loyalists of both wings cannot see what is happening.  Whether it's Halliburton or BLM, the average person is now ruled by an oligarchy.  The BLM already controls a great deal of Nevada, and makes contracts with the same companies that blow up nukes and justify fracking.  There are 29 contracts for Oil in the northern part of the state, already, and between Big Biz and Big Gov, what was once the free and open rangeland of "the Ponderosa" is now under federal management.

I, personally, see Harry Reid and Dick Cheney cut out of the same bolt of cloth.  If it's good for them and their "people" the rest of us simply do not matter.  Harry Reid is supposed to represent the people of Nevada, not lord over the constituents on behalf of the Federal government.

Just as Dick Cheney's people made a fortune on a war based upon "bad intelligence," Harry Reid has already vowed regarding Cliven Bundy, "it isn't over."  Granted, Harry Reid is supposed to be representing the entire state of Nevada, not just Cliven Bundy, but Harry Reid does not represent the federal government over Nevada!  Besides, from one interview I saw, the Cliven Bundy family does make up a fairly large segment of a sparse population.  With 14 children and spouses, and 48 grandchildren, that's a sizable number of related taxpayers in Clark County.

The pretense that this is to protect the desert tortoise is as ludicrous as Cheney's intelligence on Iraq.  The Department of Conservation is closing the center designated to protect the desert tortoises due to a lack of funding and only the ones deemed "healthy" will not be euthanized . . . For those who would consider any "animal adoption" via BLM, that is truly a life commitment of them breathing down your neck.  Perhaps, if the BLM had spent just a fraction of the money used to surround the Bundy ranch, the tortoises could have been funded.  The EPA will undoubtedly step in at some point to preserve water rights or something in the desert, because Cliven Bundy's cattle will need to be rationed regarding their water consumption or something outrageous!

We as American citizens have got to stop allowing the aristocratic politicians to continue to keep us divided along party lines.  I've seen some heinous comments and memes in regard to this situation; that have caused me to truly lose respect for some people, and I don't want to do that, because then I'm responding in exact accordance to what "the powers that be" have set out do.

http://www.policymic.com/articles/87719/princeton-concludes-what-kind-of-government-america-really-has-and-it-s-not-a-democracy

. . . when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.  a Proverb of Holy Scripture

Big Biz

A wide spread division in this country is becoming quite alarming.  It's as if the majority of the citizens applaud the aristocrats of one party, while being unable to see both parties are reveling in the same wallow.  Then to add insult to injury, much of the American citizenry seems actually jealous of the people who have succeeded in business.  I'm not talking the Wall Street money movers, I'm talking the shakers and movers who started businesses in their garages or at their kitchen table!

What is wrong with these people enjoying the fruit of their labor without the rest of America trying to legislate into power, their own jealousy?  While one side of the aisle is blamed for not "producing" jobs, the other side of the aisle is blamed for small business destruction, and while both of those facts are true, the real problem lies beneath the superficial layer of this new blame game.  The reality is, the small business man has been struggling since the early 80s.  The mom and pop businesses can't compete with big box stores.  Even though the labor force cries about job outsourcing, the majority of the labor force takes their buying power to the big box store.

Washington will continue to play this game, because it is job security for politicians.  Politicians don't have to worry about making an honest living, as long as the lobby exists.  Now that we have career politicians, they don't worry themselves with coming back to face their constituents.  We the people are going to have to determine at some point, if we want to work, that's a big IF, but if we want to work, we'll have to just roll up our sleeves and get to work.  We are quickly approaching the time in which there will be no middle ground, which means no middle class.

As a business owner, I have given this some serious thought.  On one hand, I'd like to become large enough to be able to offer others an opportunity for income, but on the other hand, I don't want to be an employer.  An honest day's wage for an honest day's work is just no longer the priority in America.  The benefits package and the withholding truly do make attempting to employ others, a real hardship on a new business.  To cover all the extras, prices have to go up, then when prices go up, wages have to rise to afford the product being manufactured.  It truly is a vicious cycle that will not be legislated away, while the work force "waits."

Waiting for politicians to produce jobs is completely illogical, regardless of party.  Most of these politicians could not hold real jobs and are clueless to the everyday struggle of Americans.  I am surprised, however; at the willingness for the people to sit back, play the political blame game and accept this.  We can't all be entrepreneurs, but I truly believe we all have a talent that can be used to sustain our existence.  An employee doesn't put in the same blood, sweat, and tears, as the employer, or self-employed; which is the difference in what is now called "the playing field."  Minimum wage laws, education, and regulation will never "level the playing field."  Besides, not everyone wants to "play" the same game in the same level field!  When this idea of leveling the playing field became general terminology for the standard of living, "work" and "accomplishment" were eliminated from the concept.

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might . . .  Ecclesiastes of  Holy Scripture

The Division of the People

What if both sides of the aisle and religious vs. non religious quit calling each other hypocrites or heathens just long enough to consider this idea.

How much genuine good could be done for the people both groups claim to care about, if the money spent on the "Obama vacations" and the Sunday morning "take of the mega church" were used to actually help people?  Then if we got just a glimpse of how well that went, we could consider expanding that plan to all of the political leeches in Washington, and the big religious names that don't have a church and just travel extravagantly for their "living."

If one stops and listens, not necessarily, even closely, the difference, is yet similarly striking.  It's both political and religious, even sounding like a core passion for many.  I'll start with the "conservative" label first, because I know more of them, and they call me a liberal.  The people who find the Obamas to be financially extravagant and irresponsible to voters, defend to the death, the right for the big ministry names to have their extravagance and owe no accountability to government or to those who donate.

Now, on to those who identify as liberal, who by the way, call me conservative . . . These folks loyally defend the Obama's extravagance with every breath, and are very quick to point out the mega name religious millionaires, and the financial mismanagement of the conservative political party.   Every time Nancy Pelosi says something outrageously ridiculous, a businessman who is outspoken about his religious beliefs finds himself in the crosshairs of the media.

Then, of course, there are the hot button issues that spin every election cycle, and both sides appear to be oblivious to the fact they are being played.  What I've noticed, is the division in the people is over the exact same issue.  What's okay for one group is based purely upon who they like, not the reality of the action.  Meanwhile, some real behind the scenes power continues to press on toward "the agenda."  While the divided people argue over their opinion of what is wasteful spending, wealth and power are being accumulated and exercised behind the scenes.

The political parties are two wings on the same bird, and most reports of the big name ministries are openly flagrant about their love of money.  I realize, both sides of the aisle can accuse the other of mismanagement of funds and extravagance, but the accusations don't change the fact that widows are struggling and children go to bed hungry.  The average people are being divided for the conquering . . .Time to stop being "played."

There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.  a Proverb of Holy Scripture