Proud To Be American? You Should Be Ashamed

I couldnt agree more with the following statements and I am ashamed that I am others have sat quietly while this has gone on...

Proud To Be American? You Should Be Ashamed

We have seen the largest looting operation in history perpetrated against The American People.

Over $5 trillion dollars in junk securities were marketed and sold. They had a real value of about $2 trillion dollars; the other $3 trillion, roughly, was pure fiction.

The banks created and sold these throughout the world, with the full knowledge and support of Congress, The Fed, and the banks themselves.

It was pure fraud.

Granting someone a "mortgage" based only on whether they can fog a mirror is proof positive of malfeasance, unless you disclose this fact to the buyers of these securities - a fact that was not disclosed until after the securities blew up.

Lenders, builders and others pressured appraisers to "hit the numbers" to support these fraudulent deals. Proof of that is found in the nearly-10-year-old Appraisers Petition bearing thousands of appraiser signatures.

That ratings were a "mistake", either real or intentional, is a matter of now-known historical fact.

Americans have sat on their butts through all of this, allowed their 401ks and IRAs to be trashed, their supposed "home values" to be pumped and then destroyed, and their hopes, dreams, employment and house have all vanished into the ether of fraud.

When this came to light the banks went to Congress, and supported by The Fed's intentional draining of liquidity to create an immediate "crisis", they got a $700 billion bailout bill passed - one that you, your children and grandchildren, will have to pay for.

The government then passed another near-trillion-dollar "stimulus" bill claimed to hold unemployment to 8%. It did not, because it was yet another "papering over" of the fraud, but that bill your children and grandchildren, along with you, will also pay.

Your savings accounts and CDs now yield an effective zero.

Your credit card interest rates have gone from 11% to 29%, all so that the banks can keep granting ill-advised credit to people who can't pay. Those who can pay - the rest of you - are being jacked for 30% a year in interest.

We have seen a few "tea parties" in which a few people showed up and which were immediately panned by "those in power" as "astroturf."

Contrast with this.

A few days ago, Iran held an election. It is alleged that there was massive fraud. The current President claimed victory under less-than-clear circumstances.

The people said "hell no!" in this sort of demonstration:
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/b27ec67fda78.jpg[/atsimg]

That's about 2 million people, out of 70 million population (roughly), or one in thirty-five Iranians in the entire nation who took to the streets to demand justice in a simple vote.

More strikingly, Tehran has a population of roughly 12 million; this means that one in six citizens of the city are standing in that crowd.

This, despite the fact that the government there has been shooting people, has arrested the opposition party and issued an order to burn the ballots so there can be no recount.

This, despite the fact that the Iranian population does not enjoy a Second Amendment, and thus is forced to fight a rogue government with makeshift molotov cocktails, rocks and clubs, should that rogue government choose to shoot.

And this was about an election. A President. One man.

In our nation we have literally had 1/3rd of our GDP - that is, 1/3rd of everything you worked for last year - stolen by a bunch of fraudsters with the explicit cooperation and assistance of the government.

We should be seeing 10 million Americans literally closing Washington DC with peaceful protest in the streets - making the entirety of the downtown inaccessible to vehicles and the normal conduct of business impossible, were Americans to display the same sort of anger over an insult vastly more serious than that served upon the Iranian people.

If one in six Americans had enough in America's big cities, there would be one million people in the Streets of Chicago - enough to fill Chicago's Loop from Lake Michigan to I-90/94 and from The Chicago River to beyond Soldier Field, rendering the city core impassable. (Roughly double the crowd that shows up for the 4th of July Fireworks, to put it in perspective. "Greater Chicagoland" has a population of ~7 million)

The same in NY City would result in a crowd of 3.3 million people.

Where are you America?

In America, if the government turns into a goon squad, you have the constitutionally-protected ability to shoot back. In Iran you have no such ability as the Iranian government has never recognized the unalienable rights as set forth in our Declaration.

So in Iran the population risks mass death to protest.

In America the population risks loss of some income since you'd have to cut work.

The Iranians take to the streets; we take to our couches and have another beer.

Grow a pair of balls America.

The people of Iran are putting us to shame.

PS: Those threats appear not to have been idle either:

BREAKING NEWS: AP photographer sees pro-government militia fire at protesters, killing at least 1

This is why I don't keep my money in a bank, and why I don't have
a 401k or IRA, or an "bank savings". I learned my lesson a few years
ago.

I don't even have a credit card!

reply to post by holyTerror


So youre saying it isnt your problem then? That if this doest effect your money you should keep on watching TV ignoring the fact the government has become a tyrant and imperial dictator ship over our economy?

My personal question to you though Tentickles, as I sit here and discuss all of what we've seen happen these last few months, I ask my uncle, when is enough, enough?

At what point do you thing we should take to the streets like our brothers in Iran, even if in a non peaceful way, when do we as a group as a force, decide to start pushing back, rather than being pushed.

I'm pre near close for my own reasons, and problems suffered from this government and burecratic circus, as has my uncle.

How much longer do you think it'll be before we see a movement like this to push back?

Flagged Darlin' Tent...you continue to be the voice of reason and to ask tough questions of us all.

I think it's more like what the hell CAN we do??? It's painfully clear to me that many are living in a bubble and it's "life as usual" out there because honestly,it simply hasn't "hit" everyone right smack dab between the eyes as of yet.

I am absolutely amazed at the continued excess and indulgences I see on a daily basis...I truly believe that people are living it large and then "whatever" will be the norm...that's SO not good!!!

I think many of us are chomping at the bit to so something: I've considered saying the hell with the taxes I have to keep paying but then I'll get nasty notices saying nothing I "own" free and clear is really mine...


The healthcare issue that is currently on the table just MIGHT be the last straw for many of us who self-pay for expensive coverage with high-deductables...it's getting tougher to simply swallow the chit we're being force-fed.

I think people really are in denial and DO believe "it will all work out,always has before!"

Yet I personally know of 3 people who have lost all of their retirement due to theives and pirates...what will THEY do???
Even they still "believe"

It's probably going ot have to get pretty damn ugly before most wake up unfortunately.

I wish there was one thing that I could think of to "do" that might make a dif...

[edit on 15-6-2009 by irishchic]

I also look at iran with envy, That is how it should be when things are the way they are.

We just had a general election over here with a APPALING turnout of voters, a quarter of the population voted the rest? they hit the snooze button and carried on watching TV.


But on the other hand i witnessed the G20 protests on the streets of london myself and i know that when the time come's we will be there again! We sent a message that day and goverment knew it, Thats why they didnt cover it on the news only showing the RBS bank getting its windows smashed.

Trust me when the time comes we will be here on the streets like our brothers and SISTERS in iran.

Its just gonna take some strife to actaully hit the average sheep before they will get up

reply to post by ThirdJohnAdams

How much longer do you think it'll be before we see a movement like this to push back?

What

And ruin our chance to have cheap health insurance, future stimulus checks, more welfare, more government subsidies. and many other things government want to give us out of the kindness of their hearts.

I just don't see it happening. Half the people are used to getting freebies from government and the other half are weary of being labeled a terrorist.

reply to post by ThirdJohnAdams


I dont know what it will be... but something will snap the people out of their haze and make them so angry they will riot.

I look at this like the time before the French Revolution. The Monarchy (gov't) spending is out of control. They ruined the economy and slowly the people got angry. Then a few started to protest and the rest joined them.

Yep.

Thats a Capitalism right there for ya ...

Crashing like the house of cards before your very eyes.

Capitalists (big guys) and clergy (their right hand, not as much here like in Iran, lol, but they are trying) OWN the USA government. Not the other way around ...

But, yeah, go ahead, side with the real owners of this country, after all they gave you a government, the ultimate scape goat, something to fight and kill each other about, sure, government is the REAL problem, lol.

Our government is just a puppet.

It only "represents" the ruling class and gives the rest brainwashing induced illusion of equality in order to contain anger and distract them from the real truth.

The problem real owners of this country are having lately is that human society is harder to control then ever before.

Their final doom, Internet, is getting stronger and mindless sheep factories like mass media and clergy weaker

Tentickles, we Americans have become complacent, lethargic, and spoiled rotten.

The Founding Fathers are rolling in their graves, seeing what we have allowed to happen. There should have been BLOOD in DC streets LONG ago.

How many of us today would have the BALLS to die for what we believe? Let's be truthful, I know I probably wouldn't, which according to Mr. Thomas Jefferson, MAKES ME UNDESERVING OF FREEDOM.

Alas, I hope when TSHTF, I see the error of my ways, and gladly say, GIVE ME LIBERTY, OR GIVE ME DEATH!

reply to post by Tentickles


While I understand and agree completely, my biggest fear is that when the snapping point, the boiling point does come, and people hit the streets, it'll be far to late.

Perhaps I may be somewhat deluded, but I think everyday's news tickers should be enough.

If we continue waiting for it to happen, we are going to be subjected to more government control, less money, I for one have been homless and living off the kindness of family and others all up and down the East Coast. Not homless because of choice, or poor spending, but because of the deck of cards that life handed me. Barely scraping by with cash to survive, while also trying to save to get out of this rut, its a mess.

I for one can't afford for the government to keep screwing us, my uncle's business is on the verge of going under, and that means no more work for me, and or place to stay. I've been pushed past the breaking point I'm tired of the liars on Television, my only fear is that one man's voice, won't hold a wind against the police force.

Rather than waiting for the boiling point, I think a very proactive peaceful approach needs to spring up and really push these regim...i mean administration up against the wall.

I fear our time for action is really running out...

I'm proud to be an American.

I'm not proud of how many people in this country are acting.

I'm sickened at the thought of what is happening and going to happen to the USA.

But I'm still proud to be an American.

(even if my America only still exists in my dreams )

Well debt control is the essence of banking. It is the whole financial system that has gone rogue. Instead of serving the interest of the community, it is the community that serves the interests of the banks, via debt. Every decade, the financial authorities organize a racking of the major players (like at the casino). The problem is that the government cannot let these major players go down because they do serve public interest with their services, and if they fail then the whole society would be jeopardized (no health care, no insurance, no credit...) So in the end taxpayers have to put collateral to guarantee the existence of the system that feeds them, even if this system only creates debt and no wealth.

The sad thing is that we keep on believing that the system can be fine tuned to eventually create wealth for ourselves, but we fail to realize that this is not the reason for the systems' existence. It is a matter of population control and financial control works just as well as military control (or even better).

Personally I think it is the end of an era for the US, too much capital is in the hands of too few people and those people do not even manage that capital well enough to keep the economy afloat. I think it's just a matter of time before China stops buying our lousy debt and perhaps the "Japanese" caught with the 130B$ in bonds are a sign that there is much more profit to be made elsewhere with that kind of capital.

The end of the story is that America will be sold to the rest of the world. There will be a 10 year buffer period during which the income per capita will keep steady as our economy and authorities try to keep up but in the end income will fall and Americans will be sewing t-shirts and sneakers for the newly Chinese owned Nike corporation.

Tent

I do agree with your opinion... We have sat back, but it is not the character of our people being less pro active than say the Iranians

For them, these sorts of things are far more real and in your face...

There are several factors as to WHY we haven't erupted in this country...

#1 Hope and the electoral process:

Although there hasn't been some great Change, it has changed a bit... we hold elections every 4 year, Bush wasn't going to remain in charge forever, a person is allot less likely to riot when it's a given the leadership WILL actually change... sure, not enough, but still... you just don't want to burn your house down or get beat with battons or shot at when your system is setup to thwart things like we have experienced, whatever went on... we had a REAL Hope and still do that, things will give without violence

#2 Comfort and Personal affect

Many of us... 30 Trillion Vanished or not, are unaffected... America is just, That wealthy in terms of resources space and lifestyle.

Even the current economic crisis can be changed if every American throws down about 10 G a year for a decade...

while it's awful and for Many that's like.... OMG, Obama offers to tax the rich... if my share is 30 G a year, I can probably handle it... sure pisses me off...

But can I do it , worth fighting and dying for because we came off a horror administration?

Naw... not yet, not for me... not for millions and millions of me...



All of it aside... not a thing has affected me personally yet, I am mad about allot of things But...

I never get in trouble even in the police state, mostly having a few bucks, the cops where I live basically FEAR to screw with me... very g-d damned polite given my location

Taxes, sure i'm crunched a bit, not enough to matter... I'm busy drinking and living the good life, no bankruptcy of the USA affects my stash, so what would I riot about?

Cameras, kind of serve to protect me... hate to say it but, crime is low and I tend to dress nice, know what I mean?



Don't get me wrong, we ARE on the brink... I am pissed

But 10% unemployment and 30% poor and 30% tightening the belt a bit...

That's still allot better than most of the world... Food is plentiful, homelessness isn't that ripe and 90% of us have Cable a place to live can stuff our faces and... despite retarded laws, most of us can sit at home screw each other freely and do dope so long as we don't get in a car with it...




Don't get me wrong on EVERY MORAL LEVEL... you are correct, we SHOULD fight, not much has changed, some things are worse if you ask me...

But HITLER'S Method works...

It's hard for a person to sit in front of the disney channel with their children enjoying a movie, sipping some wine, staring at the SUV out the window, looking forward to a nice dube before bed, with your hot wifey who has expensive lingerie...

and go out and riot...

Morally I agree... but as of today i'm still damn comfortable...

The Volkswagon lol, the peoples wagons... built to make Germans HAPPY

Truth is we all know what happened/is happening... the Motivation of suffering is not yet strong enough to make us move...

It's not lack of moral will...

It's being comfortable and not wanting to risk death under those circumstances... most of us I think know better and agree...

But nothing will give until life sucks


In Iran, these youths rioting, aren't allowed to have sex, get no access aside from illegal to movies and music, women are...completely repressed

There is the Motivation... of true Misery

another big factor, they are scared...

They Know by path of governance... they might all burn in fire... Between Israel and America, the war drums are extremely dangerous for them...

Americans don't have this fear, sure we might all agree our govts wars are wrong

But... not for a moment do most of us have any expectation we might severely loose those wars...

Im proud to be an American, I have to say it seems to be a double edged sword here....

Ive gone out and tried to do what i can, written to congressmen, gotten together friends and talked to people all the way down to city level...


People say "when will we stand up, when will we do something"

And then we have the Tea Parties......and what happens?

Were called right wing racist and bigots and slandered by the MSM!

I dont understand how people can call for action on one hand, but when people try , those on the left use it as an excuse to club those trying to make a difference.

Even tho the Tea Parties crossed political lines, we still have the die hards who would rather complain and poke fun then act.

Join us, dont bash us, only then can we amass enough to make a change

The difference with Iran is they stood united on something.....looks like we here in America need to learn to do that also.

reply to post by Tentickles



Don't get too excited over what's happening in Iran. The last time this was going on it was due to the US overthrowing their democratically elected government. Do not believe this media supported event!

Doesn't it seem funny that the American government and mainstream media are fully supportive of the people's side here? In 2000 it was exactly the opposite? Recognize this for what it is, a propaganda extravaganza!

Please, take a look at this thread on the subject. www.abovetopsecret.com... This would be foolish to ignore! There is much to gain for the American government to, for a second time, install a pro-American dictatorship in place of Ahmadinejad.

Peace.

I've been sicked and disturbed at what has been happening to our country for the last eight or nine years.

It was all building to what is happening now, yet I am amazed at those that think this somehow happened overnight, or through this new administrations first few months. Apparently they were asleep at the switch and are now getting a rude awakening. Obama is simply going to continue with the plans set forth through the previous administration and nothing with "change".

Bush started these bailouts and Obama picked up where he left off just like he did with handling our Iraq occupation and hiding the proof of the abuses therein.

Every politician is in bed with each other no matter how much they try and convince the naive out there that the other side is to blame. They are in bed with the corrupt companies that help bleed us dry. All of them are implicated in some manner.

"Dig six feet, find three bodies. But dig twelve feet, you find maybe forty."
- Jimmy Pope, Syriana 2005

If we are looking for a savior it can't be another politician (including Ron Paul who won't be allowed into any major position that could make a drastic change), it'll have to be the person you see in the mirror.

- Lee

You can complain about the government all you want to, but the real power is in the hands of the Corporatracy. As long as people get enough to eat and their entertainment; nothing will rouse the American people enough for them to leave their precious NASCAR and NFL.

Even with all the dissatisfaction with Obama, what has transpired? A Tea Party. The corporate elite had a good laugh at that one.

Mopus nailed it. The key is motivation. All the Corporatracy has to do is
provide insipid, banal distraction and the plebiscite will go to work, Watch TV, go to high school football games and whine about their plight but never do anything.

Do you honestly think that the corporate elite haven't spent billions researching Cultural manipulation and know exactly how to control the masses? There are think tanks filled with academics completely aware of every trend, fad, attitude and worry of the American people.
Nothing is as it seems. It's all engineered for maximum profit. And what made this all possible....the internet www.

I'll wager that all the disgruntled wanna be revolutionaries here on ATS, would rather sit at their keyboards and bitch rather than really do anything. Probably much more concerned with creating a scary avatar, drinking beer and eating Doritos, than physical training and actual discipline.

But if for some reason the infra structure broke down and people got hungry, cold, thirsty and scared...something would happen alright. Anarchy, chaos, animalistic behavior, blood and bodies in the street....but not anything that would resemble a revolution.



It's a brave new world; welcome to the monkey house.





[edit on 15-6-2009 by whaaa]

reply to post by whaaa



what you say is true, people are too comfortable just doing what they are doing.

Until it hits people directly a lot of people will just sit and do nothing. Until their internet gets monitored or shut off, people wont be near pissed enough to start taking action, or until more and more of their rights are taken away, and by that time its too late.

The Romans had it right, keep the masses distracted and entertained and its the gravy train for you.

[edit on 15-6-2009 by ManBehindTheMask]

reply to post by ManBehindTheMask



Actually MBTM we agree on quite a bit. "Reality" being the main thing!