Have you noticed lately how often you hear the expression that someone is ‘in a fog ‘? So many of us are walking around in some lethargic state as we go about our business. There is no sense of direction as many just ‘go through the motions’ of existence. Truly, they are lost in the fog of empire.
In case some of you out there still have not realized it, we are living in the final phase of the once great American Empire. As with all empires, the beginning and the middle moments are something to marvel at . . . if you are a part of it. Those unfortunates in the rest of the world that our empire rules or wants to rule may not use the word ‘marvel’ at all. They see America as many throughout 21st century planet earth see us: An insensitive predator nation that even eats its own. Alas, as we enter the last phase of Non Pax Americana more and more of us here at home are waking up to that reality. The fog is finally and slowly lifting.
William Blum, in his November Anti Empire Report, shares with us many quotes and sayings about this empire. There are two that really caught this writer’s eye: “All elections are distractions. Nothing conceals tyranny better than elections”—Joel Hirschhorn. “The American political system is essentially a contract between the Republican and Democratic parties, enforced by federal and state ‘two party’ laws, all designed to guarantee the survival of both no matter how many people despise or ignore them.”—Richard Reeves (1936 ). It seems like nothing has changed for generations as to how this empire operates.
In Banana Republics or blatant dictatorships, they usually have ONE political party that they allow on the ballot to insure the phony semblance of democracy. Here in our nation they give you, as Ralph Nader refers to it, ‘Twiddle Dee vs. Twiddle Dum.’ When those of us who go to the polls and pull the lever for the ‘lesser of two evils’, then Eugene Debs was correct nearly one hundred years ago: “The people can have anything they want. The trouble is, they do not want anything. At least they vote that way on election day.” The late great Gore Vidal took it even further: “How to get people to vote against their interests and to really THINK against their interests is very clever. It’s the cleverest ruling class I have ever come across in history. It’s been 200 years of it. It’s superb!”
So, the chore of the progressive activist is to get our friends and neighbors to first realize that the country we love, America, is as President Eisenhower warned us 53 years ago, a Military Industrial Complex. When almost half of the eligible voters do not bother to go to the polls in a presidential election, then more people realize or perhaps sense what I am referring to. As the Stock Market reaches record highs while more of us are working just to pay the bills each month . . . the fog is truly lifting.
Twenty short years ago this writer’s family health insurance plan had $500 deductibles per person . . . at about half the current premium cost. Today, a similar coverage entails having $3,000 to $7,000 deductibles per family member ( Obamacare did nothing but give away the store to the private insurers, by the way). Twenty years ago most companies paid 100% of their employee’s medical coverage. No more. Having owned and operated a Mom and Pop business five years ago, there was NO way for such an enterprise to cover its handful of employees . . . when the partners had trouble covering their own families!
As far as basic city services, they are being cut throughout America. Why? Well, over half of our federal tax revenues goes down the rabbit hole of military spending to subsidize occupying places we had ( and have ) no right being in. Translated: the empire is literally bankrupting us all. Budget cutting means fewer first providers, crumbling infrastructure, less money for education, mental health (how many more enraged, sick citizens firing into crowds? ) libraries, parks . . . need I go on? Goodness sakes, there are towns and cities that have to cut the street lights, the money crunch is so bad!
Forget about the two party political system for any real solutions folks. It is time to get off our duffs and do what those Occupy kids did . . . with some important adjustments. We need to stand out in public with our signs and our knowledge of truth and share this with the rest of our neighbors. We need to coerce our city councils into sending resolutions to Congress and the president demanding major cuts in military spending . . . with the savings coming back to our localities. Maybe if more of our neighbors realize that if they have time to drive around looking for bargains at garage sales on weekends, then they have a few hours a week to. . . . meet up and protest. If the fog of empire does not soon lift, we are doomed to become a neo fascist or feudalistic nation, while China will take our place as the newest empire.
Philip A Farruggio is son and grandson of Brooklyn, NYC, longshoremen. He is a free lance columnist (found on Nation of Change Blog, Truthout.org, TheSleuthJournal.com, Worldnewstrust.com, The Intrepid Report , The Peoples Voice, Information Clearing house, Dandelion Salad, Activist Post, Dissident Voice and many other sites worldwide). Philip works as an environmental products sales rep and has been an activist leader since 2000. In 2010 he became a local spokesperson for the 25% Solution Movement to Save Our Cities by cutting military spending 25%. Philip can be reached at PAF1222@bellsouth.net.
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The fog of empire
Posted on December 3, 2014 by Philip A Farruggio
Have you noticed lately how often you hear the expression that someone is ‘in a fog ‘? So many of us are walking around in some lethargic state as we go about our business. There is no sense of direction as many just ‘go through the motions’ of existence. Truly, they are lost in the fog of empire.
In case some of you out there still have not realized it, we are living in the final phase of the once great American Empire. As with all empires, the beginning and the middle moments are something to marvel at . . . if you are a part of it. Those unfortunates in the rest of the world that our empire rules or wants to rule may not use the word ‘marvel’ at all. They see America as many throughout 21st century planet earth see us: An insensitive predator nation that even eats its own. Alas, as we enter the last phase of Non Pax Americana more and more of us here at home are waking up to that reality. The fog is finally and slowly lifting.
William Blum, in his November Anti Empire Report, shares with us many quotes and sayings about this empire. There are two that really caught this writer’s eye: “All elections are distractions. Nothing conceals tyranny better than elections”—Joel Hirschhorn. “The American political system is essentially a contract between the Republican and Democratic parties, enforced by federal and state ‘two party’ laws, all designed to guarantee the survival of both no matter how many people despise or ignore them.”—Richard Reeves (1936 ). It seems like nothing has changed for generations as to how this empire operates.
In Banana Republics or blatant dictatorships, they usually have ONE political party that they allow on the ballot to insure the phony semblance of democracy. Here in our nation they give you, as Ralph Nader refers to it, ‘Twiddle Dee vs. Twiddle Dum.’ When those of us who go to the polls and pull the lever for the ‘lesser of two evils’, then Eugene Debs was correct nearly one hundred years ago: “The people can have anything they want. The trouble is, they do not want anything. At least they vote that way on election day.” The late great Gore Vidal took it even further: “How to get people to vote against their interests and to really THINK against their interests is very clever. It’s the cleverest ruling class I have ever come across in history. It’s been 200 years of it. It’s superb!”
So, the chore of the progressive activist is to get our friends and neighbors to first realize that the country we love, America, is as President Eisenhower warned us 53 years ago, a Military Industrial Complex. When almost half of the eligible voters do not bother to go to the polls in a presidential election, then more people realize or perhaps sense what I am referring to. As the Stock Market reaches record highs while more of us are working just to pay the bills each month . . . the fog is truly lifting.
Twenty short years ago this writer’s family health insurance plan had $500 deductibles per person . . . at about half the current premium cost. Today, a similar coverage entails having $3,000 to $7,000 deductibles per family member ( Obamacare did nothing but give away the store to the private insurers, by the way). Twenty years ago most companies paid 100% of their employee’s medical coverage. No more. Having owned and operated a Mom and Pop business five years ago, there was NO way for such an enterprise to cover its handful of employees . . . when the partners had trouble covering their own families!
As far as basic city services, they are being cut throughout America. Why? Well, over half of our federal tax revenues goes down the rabbit hole of military spending to subsidize occupying places we had ( and have ) no right being in. Translated: the empire is literally bankrupting us all. Budget cutting means fewer first providers, crumbling infrastructure, less money for education, mental health (how many more enraged, sick citizens firing into crowds? ) libraries, parks . . . need I go on? Goodness sakes, there are towns and cities that have to cut the street lights, the money crunch is so bad!
Forget about the two party political system for any real solutions folks. It is time to get off our duffs and do what those Occupy kids did . . . with some important adjustments. We need to stand out in public with our signs and our knowledge of truth and share this with the rest of our neighbors. We need to coerce our city councils into sending resolutions to Congress and the president demanding major cuts in military spending . . . with the savings coming back to our localities. Maybe if more of our neighbors realize that if they have time to drive around looking for bargains at garage sales on weekends, then they have a few hours a week to. . . . meet up and protest. If the fog of empire does not soon lift, we are doomed to become a neo fascist or feudalistic nation, while China will take our place as the newest empire.
Philip A Farruggio is son and grandson of Brooklyn, NYC, longshoremen. He is a free lance columnist (found on Nation of Change Blog, Truthout.org, TheSleuthJournal.com, Worldnewstrust.com, The Intrepid Report , The Peoples Voice, Information Clearing house, Dandelion Salad, Activist Post, Dissident Voice and many other sites worldwide). Philip works as an environmental products sales rep and has been an activist leader since 2000. In 2010 he became a local spokesperson for the 25% Solution Movement to Save Our Cities by cutting military spending 25%. Philip can be reached at PAF1222@bellsouth.net.