No1TrainedChimp

All that seems indispensible in stating the account between the dead and the living, is to see that the debts against the latter do not exceed the advances made by the former.
- James Madison

Each generation should be made to bear the burden of its own wars, instead of carrying them on, at the expense of other generations.
- James Madison

If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy.
- James Madison

It will be of little avail to the people that the laws are made by men of their own choice if the laws be so voluminous that they cannot be read, or so incoherent that they cannot be understood.
- James Madison

Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.
- James Madison

Educate and inform the whole mass of the people ... they are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.
- Thomas Jefferson

No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare.
- James Madison

The advancement and diffusion of knowledge is the only guardian of true liberty.
- James Madison

The circulation of confidence is better than the circulation of money.
- James Madison

The essence of Government is power; and power, lodged as it must be in human hands, will ever be liable to abuse.
- James Madison

The executive has no right, in any case, to decide the question, whether there is or is not cause for declaring war.
- James Madison

Fear is the foundation of most governments.
- John Adams

The means of defense against foreign danger historically have become the instruments of tyranny at home.
- James Madison

To the press alone, chequered as it is with abuses, the world is indebted for all the triumphs which have been gained by reason and humanity over error and oppression.
- James Madison

War should only be declared by the authority of the people, whose toils and treasures are to support its burdens, instead of the government which is to reap its fruits.
- James Madison

We are right to take alarm at the first experiment upon our liberties.
- James Madison

What spectacle can be more edifying or more seasonable, than that of Liberty and Learning, each leaning on the other for their mutual and surest support?
- James Madison

Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.
- Benjamin Franklin

Whenever a youth is ascertained to possess talents meriting an education which his parents cannot afford, he should be carried forward at the public expense.
- James Madison

Where an excess of power prevails, property of no sort is duly respected. No man is safe in his opinions, his person, his faculties, or his possessions.
- James Madison

Wherever there is interest and power to do wrong, wrong will generally be done.
- James Madison

A man has a property in his opinions and the free communication of them.
- James Madison

Experience teaches us that it is much easier to prevent an enemy from posting themselves than it is to dislodge them after they have got possession.
- George Washington

National honor is the national property of the highest value.
- James Monroe

Few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder.
- George Washington

Firearms are second only to the Constitution in importance; they are the peoples' liberty's teeth.
- George Washington

Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master.
- George Washington

Guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism.
- George Washington

If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.
- George Washington

Over grown military establishments are under any form of government inauspicious to liberty, and are to be regarded as particularly hostile to republican liberty.
- George Washington

The Constitution is the guide which I never will abandon.
- George Washington

The marvel of all history is the patience with which men and women submit to burdens unnecessarily laid upon them by their governments.
- George Washington

The time is near at hand which must determine whether Americans are to be free men or slaves.
- George Washington

Truth will ultimately prevail where there is pains to bring it to light.
- George Washington

I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts.
- Abraham Lincoln

This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing Government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it or their revolutionary right to dismember or overthrow it.
- Abraham Lincoln

Political parties exist to secure responsible government and to execute the will of the people. From these great tasks both of the old parties have turned aside. Instead of instruments to promote the general welfare they have become the tools of corrupt interests, which use them impartially to serve their selfish purposes. Behind the ostensible government sits enthroned an invisible government owing no allegiance and acknowledging no responsibility to the people. To destroy this invisible government, to dissolve the unholy alliance between corrupt business and corrupt politics, is the first task of the statesmanship of the day.
- Theodore Roosevelt

We are at the parting of the ways. We have, not one or two or three, but many, established and formidable monopolies in the United States. We have, not one or two, but many, fields of endeavor into which it is difficult, if not impossible, for the independent man to enter. We have restricted credit, we have restricted opportunity, we have controlled development, and we have come to be one of the worst ruled, one of the most completely controlled and dominated, governments in the civilized world — no longer a government by free opinion, no longer a government by conviction and the vote of the majority, but a government by the opinion and the duress of small groups of dominant men.
- Woodrow Wilson

Since I entered politics, I have chiefly had men's views confided to me privately. Some of the biggest men in the United States, in the field of commerce and manufacture, are afraid of somebody, are afraid of something. They know that there is a power somewhere so organized, so subtle, so watchful, so interlocked, so complete, so pervasive, that they had better not speak above their breath when they speak in condemnation of it.
- Woodrow Wilson

Liberty is its own reward.
- Woodrow Wilson

We stand equally against government by a plutocracy and government by a mob. There is something to be said for government by a great aristocracy which has furnished leaders to the nation in peace and war for generations; even a democrat like myself must admit this. But there is absolutely nothing to be said for government by a plutocracy, for government by men very powerful in certain lines and gifted with "the money touch," but with ideals which in their essence are merely those of so many glorified pawnbrokers.
- Theodore Roosevelt (to Sir Edward Grey)

If we stand idly by, if we seek merely swollen, slothful ease and ignoble peace, if we shrink from the hard contests where men must win at hazard of their lives and at the risk of all they hold dear, then the bolder and stronger peoples will pass us by, and will win for themselves the domination of the world.
- Theodore Roosevelt

I abhor unjust war. I abhor injustice and bullying by the strong at the expense of the weak, whether among nations or individuals. I abhor violence and bloodshed. I believe that war should never be resorted to when, or so long as, it is honorably possible to avoid it. I respect all men and women who from high motives and with sanity and self-respect do all they can to avert war. I advocate preparation for war in order to avert war; and I should never advocate war unless it were the only alternative to dishonor.
- Theodore Roosevelt

The real truth of the matter is, as you and I know, that a financial element in the larger centers has owned the Government ever since the days of Andrew Jackson — and I am not wholly excepting the Administration of Woodrow Wilson. The country is going through a repetition of Jackson's fight with the Bank of the United States — only on a far bigger and broader basis.
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Unhappy events abroad have retaught us two simple truths about the liberty of a democratic people. The first truth is that the liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than their democratic State itself. That, in its essence, is fascism — ownership of government by an individual, by a group or by any other controlling private power. The second truth is that the liberty of a democracy is not safe if its business system does not provide employment and produce and distribute goods in such a way as to sustain an acceptable standard of living. Both lessons hit home. Among us today a concentration of private power without equal in history is growing.
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt

We must scrupulously guard the civil rights and civil liberties of all our citizens, whatever their background. We must remember that any oppression, any injustice, any hatred, is a wedge designed to attack our civilization.
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt

They (who) seek to establish systems of government based on the regimentation of all human beings by a handful of individual rulers ... call this a new order. It is not new and it is not order.
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt

The lessons of history, confirmed by the evidence immediately before me, show conclusively that continued dependence upon relief induces a spiritual and moral disintegration fundamentally destructive to the national fibre. To dole out relief in this way is to administer a narcotic, a subtle destroyer of the human spirit. It is inimical to the dictates of sound policy. It is in violation of the traditions of America. Work must be found for able-bodied but destitute workers. The Federal Government must and shall quit this business of relief.
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt

It was natural and perhaps human that the privileged princes of these new economic dynasties, thirsting for power, reached out for control over government itself. They created a new despotism and wrapped it in the robes of legal sanction. In its service new mercenaries sought to regiment the people, their labor, and their property. And as a result the average man once more confronts the problem that faced the Minute Man.
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt

For too many of us the political equality we once had won was meaningless in the face of economic inequality. A small group had concentrated into their own hands an almost complete control over other people's property, other people's money, other people's labor — other people's lives. For too many of us life was no longer free; liberty no longer real; men could no longer follow the pursuit of happiness.
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt

When our Federal Government, that has the exclusive power to create money, creates that money and then goes into the open market and borrows it and pays interest for the use of its own money, it occurs to me that that is going too far. I have never yet had anyone who could, through the use of logic and reason, justify the Federal Government borrowing the use of its own money... The Constitution of the United States does not give the banks the power to create money. The Constitution says that Congress shall have the power to create money, but now, under our system, we will sell bonds to commercial banks and obtain credit from those banks. I believe the time will come when people will demand that this be changed. I believe the time will come in this country when they will actually blame you and me and everyone else connected with this Congress for sitting idly by and permitting such an idiotic system to continue. I make that statement after years of study.
- Congressman Wright Patman (Chairman of the House Committee on Banking and Currency for 40 years, 1929-1976. For 20 of those years, he introduced legislation to repeal the Federal Reserve Banking Act of 1913.)

This institution (privately owned central banks like the Federal Reserve) is one of the most deadly hostility against the principles of our Constitution ... suppose a series of emergencies should occur ... an institution like this…in a critical moment might overthrow the government.
- Thomas Jefferson

Why then should we go into Wall Street, State Street, Chestnut Street, or any other street, begging for money? Their money (private bank’s) is not as secure as Government money ... I am unwilling that this government should be left in the hands of any class of men, bankers or moneylenders, however respectable or patriotic they may be. The Government is much stronger than any of them.
- Congressman E. G. Spaulding, 1862 speech to Congress in favor of issuing Greenbacks to pay for the Civil War rather than government borrowing.

The real menace of our republic is this invisible government which like a giant octopus sprawls its slimy length over city, state and nation. Like the octopus of real life, it operates under cover of a self created screen....At the head of this octopus are the Rockefeller Standard Oil interests and a small group of powerful banking houses generally referred to as international bankers. The little coterie of powerful international bankers virtually run the United States government for their own selfish purposes. They practically control both political parties.
- New York City Mayor John F. Hylan, 1922

The depression was the calculated 'shearing' of the public by the World Money powers, triggered by the planned sudden shortage of supply of call money in the New York money market....The One World Government leaders and their ever close bankers have now acquired full control of the money and credit machinery of the U.S. via the creation of the privately owned Federal Reserve Bank.
- Curtis Dall (Franklin Roosevelt's Son-in-Law), 1967

There exists a shadowy Government with its own Air Force, its own Navy, its own fundraising mechanism, and the ability to pursue its own ideas of national interest, free from all checks and balances, and free from the law itself.
- Senator Daniel K. Inouye

Dynastic wealth, the enemy of a meritocracy, is on the rise. Equality of opportunity has been on the decline. A progressive and meaningful estate tax is needed to curb the movement of a democracy toward plutocracy.
- Warren Buffett, 2007

Monday, October 19, 2009

Smoking Too Many Green Shoots?

Countries with the most open economies, such as Singapore, Hong Kong, and Taiwan took the biggest hits as a result of the financial turmoil, he said. China, India, and Indonesia, which are "among the least financially open" economies, expanded throughout the crisis, he said.

While conceding that greater global integration increases vulnerability to world-wide economic shocks, he voiced concern that Asian nations could draw the wrong lesson and said greater openness would promote stronger growth over the longer term.

"Protectionism and the erecting of barriers to capital flows should thus be strongly resisted," he said. "Striking a reasonable balance between trade and growth in domestic demand is the best strategy for driving economic expansion."

The three paragraphs above are from an article on Reuters and in particular are concerned with the Asian recovery: Bernanke calls for action on global imbalances.

Of course, these statements were made in conjunction with suggesting the United States needed to increase its saving and "substantially reduce federal deficits over time."

Now one must ponder some knowns -

Main Street America isn't spending much because they can't; they don't have anything to spare, let alone save. If they do save what will the value of their savings be, as the dollar tanks against foreign currencies? Most Americans would agree that reducing the federal deficit is VERY important and have stated as such in a great number of ways, but Washington does as it wishes.

The Chinese have a lengthy history with fiat currencies and the inevitable implosion of them. They have always employed aspects of mercantilism (and protectionism), not to mention manipulating the value of their currency internationally. They are a nation of staunch savers and this will doubtfully change over night; see fiat currencies.

So, if all of this is as important as Bernanke states (and it is) how is it that Washington (and/or the banking cartel) expects to influence a nation as closed as China to see that "balance between trade and growth" actually occurs over the long haul; let alone the short term? Additionally, how do you reduce the deficit when Washington has an open check book at the taxpayer's expense and the Fed digitizes funny money around the clock??

The answer is pretty simple, it's not going to happen.

Is it just me or does it seem that many in or around Washington are saying all the right things, but in practice are doing something quite different?

... but what do I know, I'm just a chimp!

Related Reuter Articles
Corporate America worried about sinking dollar
U.S. must live within its means: Geithner

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Getting It Right By Getting It Wrong!

Our Tax Dollars At Work

The Defund ACORN Bill will apparently have some "unintended consequences" that will rock the corridors of power. Freshman Representative Alan Grayson (D-Flo) has astutely pointed out that the bill is so broadly written that it could also include Blackwater (now known as Xe Services), Halliburton and other federal contractors like Lockheed Martin that have been charged with any number of misdeeds.

Quoting from the Huffington Post, "The congressional legislation intended to defund ACORN, passed with broad bipartisan support, is written so broadly that it applies to 'any organization' that has been charged with breaking federal or state election laws, lobbying disclosure laws, campaign finance laws or filing fraudulent paperwork with any federal or state agency. It also applies to any of the employees, contractors or other folks affiliated with a group charged with any of those things. In other words, the bill could plausibly defund the entire military-industrial complex." For a different media slant, visit ABC News.

This is absolutely huge! However, I doubt it will "be allowed" to go too far since the main stream media isn't giving the issue much attention (I wonder why?) and said Military Industrial Complex will fight tooth and nail (meaning their hired stooges will fight for them, of course, that means the very legislators that wrote the bill!).

For a list of the "charged" contractors since 1995 visit the Federal Contractor Misconduct Database.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Fraud Quarterly

The stand-up comedian Patton Oswalt, once did a routine based upon having the audience imagine their deepest, darkest, sickest, most twisted fantasy and then realize there's a magazine devoted to it; this has to be somebody's twisted idea of a good time. If able, the Chimp will try to create a new one each quarter; depending upon where all of us are, at that point.

Ron Paul: A Hero for the ALL Peoples

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Which one is NOT like the other?

What's the difference between the one referred to as "legal tender" with Ben Franklin on the face and the ones below?

President Barack Obama on the $100 bill.

Absolutely nothing! They're all paper or a fiat currency, backed by nothing. I read somewhere today that street vendors in southeast Asian nations are NOT making change for large American bills; in fact, they're trying to pawn them off on others!

This is not good at all. The dollar is being driven down (by unchecked government spending) which is what is driving Wall Street. Talk about bubbles; when foreign street vendors (in what we have considered to be "third world" nations) are wise enough to know that "our paper" is worthless, what is our government thinking?

Now, that's the $64 trillion (or is it quadrillion, yet?) question!

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Buffett Explains Keynesian Danger

While the "Oracle of Omaha" is addressing the subject of exploding national debt, in his op-ed piece at the New York Times, he takes the time to explain the biggest danger under Keynesian economics. Below is a snippet from page 2:

Legislators will correctly perceive that either raising taxes or cutting expenditures will threaten their re-election. To avoid this fate, they can opt for high rates of inflation, which never require a recorded vote and cannot be attributed to a specific action that any elected official takes. In fact, John Maynard Keynes long ago laid out a road map for political survival amid an economic disaster of just this sort: “By a continuing process of inflation, governments can confiscate, secretly and unobserved, an important part of the wealth of their citizens.... The process engages all the hidden forces of economic law on the side of destruction, and does it in a manner which not one man in a million is able to diagnose.”

I want to emphasize that there is nothing evil or destructive in an increase in debt that is proportional to an increase in income or assets. As the resources of individuals, corporations and countries grow, each can handle more debt. The United States remains by far the most prosperous country on earth, and its debt-carrying capacity will grow in the future just as it has in the past.

But it was a wise man who said, “All I want to know is where I’m going to die so I’ll never go there.” We don’t want our country to evolve into the banana-republic economy described by Keynes.

Isn't this, in essence, what Ron Paul has been saying for 31 years or so; and what the Federal Reserve has been doing to our currency since its inception?

Astounding; only in America!

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

H1N1 Vaccines: Be Cautious

I'm really tired of seeing "this truth" disseminated and no one seems to be concerned; and you should be. Do the background work for yourself; there's certainly enough reliable information to be found. Here's the original report at the Daily Mail.Here's another reason to doubt it, A Third of Britain's NHS Nurses Will Refuse Vaccine. And even more from the Daily Mail, Children could be given untested swine flu vaccine.

Testing has supposedly already started in the US, we really shouldn't allow what is happening in Britain to happen here. There is proposed legislation to block mandatory vaccinations (Self-Shielding Act); however, it needs more support. You may find out about it and much more concerning everyone's health and general welfare at Health Freedom USA. Ron Paul is also offering these pieces of health legislation, HR 3394 & HR 3395; find out more at Campaign for Liberty.

HR 1207 & S 604 Cosponsor Count

Federal Reserve Sunshine Act of 2009

HR 1207: House Cosponsors

S 604: Senate Cosponsors

Monday, August 17, 2009

Disturbing Headlines?

The headlines below were gathered from a handful of websites (most notable). The first I came across, declaring the Afghan war as fundamental to U.S. security was enough to make me scream; then came the rest.

"Afghan War 'Fundamental' To U.S. Security"

"Dell Developing Phones for China"

"Tom Daschle's Secret Life: Moonlighting For The Insurance Industry"

"Stocks Skid On Economic Worries Monday"

"Wall Street Celebrates Apparent Death Of Public Option"

"Health Reform Fattens Big Insurance and Taxes the Young"

"GOP Leader Slams Drug Makers: Stop Appeasing Obama"

"Miami man indicted in largest-ever scheme to steal credit card numbers"

"Grassley Blames 'The Far Left' For 'Death Panel' Fearmongering"

"Hurricane Bill gathers strength out in Atlantic"

"A Field Guide To Health Care Astroturfing"

"Man carries assault rifle to Obama protest -- and it's legal"

"What A Jobless Recovery Today Means For Tomorrow?"

It doesn't really matter which side of the political spectrum you're on, but all are troubling from multiple standpoints. Geez.

...but, I'm just a chimp, what do I know?

Saturday, August 15, 2009

The Great Uniter ... or Waffler

I voted for our president. I did so based upon his promises to restore our civil liberties and to undo or reverse all of the totalitarian and illegal laws, acts and signing statements made by George W. Bush and/or his administration. Of course, there were also many, many other promises like greater transparency, ending the revolving door for lobbyists, to fight against corporatism and bankers, etc. So far, WE have been betrayed.

Frankly, I'm not willing to give credence to those that would defend him or his administration based solely on time in office or problems inherited. Almost all of the most important promises made, could be kept; quickly and simply.

We NEED legislation like the Patriot Acts I, II & III destroyed; which would go a long way towards full restoration of our civil liberties. Until our civil liberties are FULLY restored, nothing else matters; nothing!

There were reasons for the existence of Habeus corpus and the Posse Comitatus Act (merely examples); to protect the people and their liberties. What protects us now, from the very things these were designed to thwart? Nothing. Nothing, other than our intellectual capacity to understand what is being engineered, to remain vigilant, to unite and to push back against it legally.

I do believe that if the president were to fulfill his promises, then most citizens, opponents and detractors would "simmer down" and let this administration finish out their time. Of course, the citizens would be wise to keep one eye on their government (local, state & federal); at all times.

However, he has waffled on almost all of the promises made and seems to have become "George Bush Light." Even "progressives" and "liberals" are starting to have second thoughts; how could they not?

Before I start getting flamed or beat up by this administration's supporters, let it be known that I fought the Bush administration's actions; and now it is clearly time to exercise my rights in doing so against this one.

I know these are inflammatory statements, but I'm merely speaking my mind, which is "still" legal (for how long?). Besides, I'm just a chimp, what do I know?

Obama, the USPS & Health Care

Lew Rockwell (of the Ludwig Von Mises Institute) nails the subject of "government run anything" here: Obama and the Post Office.

The last paragraph of the article -

"The right path to health-care reform is the market path (no subsidies, no monopolies such as drug patents, no licensure, no anything) that tends toward universal distribution at very low prices and relentless improvement in service. The wrong path is to make health care run the same way as the post office. Obama seems to favor the latter path, even though he admits that it is the least well-performing one. This is surely the definition of fanaticism. If the mobs aren't angry, they should be."

You may read more of Lew Rockwell, as well as other contributors, at his site: LewRockwell.com.

Unfortunately, there aren't enough people IN government that understand these simple truths; or perhaps there are and their agendas are different than those of the people they are supposed to represent.

Yes, I know that statement may come across as a bit conspiratorial, but at a certain point it "seems" rather obvious that the cards are stacked against us - besides, I'm just a chimp, what do I know??

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Hazy View

The health care debate has been everything from "naive" to "horrific" and all things between.

The left seems to be in favor of anything coming out of Washington; the more Draconian, the better (think HR 3200 & HR 2454).

The folks on the right seem to view reform as the end of the world; worse yet, they're helping uninformed Americans look like fools. I came across the term "Teageezer" in a couple of blogs; now that's not very nice unless I've missed the actual intent, but it certainly paints a very specific picture.

The point? The reform we need is not coming - not health, energy, financial, etc. Anything meaningful will not be allowed to surface. Corporate lobbyists, NGOs and other entities have made sure of it. The people are merely pawns caught in the middle.

One good rule of thumb: "If corporate and similar interests 'back' or 'favor' reform and/or a piece of legislation, chances are that you and I will be poorer for it." At the end of the day, the two party system seems to have become one; all jockeying for the biggest crumbs from the corporate pie!

Personally, I would love to see universal health care in this country, but the bill passed by the House (even with ongoing changes in the Senate) is just a bad bill; not to mention that the nation is bankrupt! (Geithner asks Congress for higher U.S. debt limit)

Since transparency and honest governance is not in the cards, I'd like to see a very strong concerted effort towards cracking open the Federal Reserve. This one act actually favors "the people" like no other; it might trend us towards an awakening. The people might become reacquainted with their government, its various branches, our founding and the principles behind that founding. These old ideas might become new again and lead to further positive changes like sound money, free markets and real liberty...

...but, I'm just a chimp, what do I know?

I decided to add a link to this article, "Is Obama Punking Us?", since it is contextually relevant to my posting above. - No1TrainedChimp

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

The More Things Change ...

Ronald Reagan's speech at the Republican National Convention of 1964 hammers home the very problems we face today ... the question must be asked, "When will Washington wake up?"

The problems have only grown worse over the past 45 years; when will any of us wake up?

Liberal Headline & Conservative Truth

Smoking the Green Shoots, written by liberal leaning author Robert Kuttner, states the problem plainly, "Where is the economic recovery going to come from?".

From stating the obvious -
"Every major sector that reflects the purely private economy has been losing jobs, the only exception being energy extraction plus a tiny increase in computer systems design and management consulting. All of the other expanding sectors that are actually adding jobs reflect government spending - education, health, general government. But the declines in the workhorse parts of the private economy such as manufacturing, construction, and retailing are huge. "

To solutions mixed with criticism -
"We might begin with a serious strategy for rebuilding American manufacturing. American corporations and politicians have been cavalier about just letting manufacturing go. Uniquely among advanced and developing nations, we have no national strategy for nurturing manufacturing at home. There's even an office in the Commerce Department that helps companies outsource."

This article is a great read if you're "aware" enough to keep asking, "Where will the jobs needed for recovery come from?"

The Lighter Side of Politics

"President Obama recently said that the best way to pay for his healthcare plan is to raise taxes on people like him. As a result, the government is raising taxes on all half-Kenyan, half-Kansan presidents who were born in Hawaii." - Conan O'Brien

"Sonia Sotomayor's testimony, before the Senate has finally ended. Sotomayor said that she had received a 'gracious and fair hearing.' Her exact quote was, 'Thanks a lot, you old honkies. I'm outta here. You can kiss my ass.'" - Conan O'Brien

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Reflection

Over the last forty years or so, I asked many people about exercising their right to vote; in the beginning, the response was fairly positive, usually resulting in some sort of polite political chit chat. Each passing year, however, the response grew exponentially to be, "Why bother? Our vote doesn't count."

By the end of George W. Bush's administration, many people were MORE than interested in exercising their right to vote. However, at that point, it was already too late. The four previous decades had left the people disenfranchised and generally disconnected from what their government had become or how it even operated. They thought they were exercising their democratic right to vote, to make their wishes known and to effect change within our Republic, but the outcome had already been decided; so to speak.

You see, it didn't really matter who won the election in November of 2008; the agenda of the winning candidate and party, after the fact, would still be the same. Why? Because the large multinationals call the shots in Washington. Why? Because of regulatory capture. To put it politely, we've become a modern oligarchy or corporate oligarchy. For further talking points or points of confusion, visit this site.