MeanMesa seldom posts entire quotes from individuals, but this particular one is "just what the doctor ordered" for those inevitable "little chats" we'll be having with the wing nuts as the 2014 mid-term elections approach. Just get comfortable and spend a few minutes with this Bruce Bacon's "Brief History of US Conservatism." [All links are left enabled.]
Bruce Bacon
America's Conservative Road to Destruction
- A Brief History
July 6, 2014
I was born in the early 50's, spent 8 years in the Air Force, and had the chance to raise two great kids and enjoy a prosperous America before the right wing tentacles grabbed two thirds of our government. I've watched this happen in my lifetime as have many of you. Please take a few minutes and grab a fresh cup of coffee (or tea), sit back and and review the timeline I've put together. Yes, it is lengthy, but our American government wasn't infiltrated over night. It was a calculated effort. This note explains not only what happened, but chronicles the pre-determined sequence of events that allowed it to happen.
Conservatives reading this will immediately be on the defensive. And you should be. But all the evidence presented here is documented and undeniable. These are the facts. And denying facts is precisely what you have been systematically conditioned to do. If you read this through to the end, (which I challenge you to do) you'll know exactly what is meant by that statement.
Anyone who values and cherishes what our founding fathers built for us would call this treason - the intentional undermining of the United States Government to satisfy corporate goals, including the transfer of trillions of dollars in public funds. This note details the most massive fraud perpetrated against a population in human history - the defrauding of every citizen of the United States of America, regardless of race, religion, political affiliation or lack thereof.
This is an attempt to present a timeline sequence of events and activities, over the last 64 years, beginning with the McCarthy Era. I believe we have evidence that the Republican Party of the United States of America has colluded, then planned and executed heinous financial and social crimes against the people of the United States of America. The Republican Party has, with the intention of complete social upheaval and financial domination, undermined the very institution of the United States government. At its most basic level, this is a case of cause and effect. Think of this as a root cause analysis.Evidence included.
1950-1956
McCarthyism is the practice of making accusations of disloyalty, subversion, or treason without proper regard for evidence. It also means "the practice of making unfair allegations or using unfair investigative techniques, especially in order to restrict dissent or political criticism.
McCarthyism and the Red Scare was thwarted by a gutsy journalist by the name of Edward R. Murrow. Murrow was not restricted by political ties - he asked the hard questions and spoke the truth. When was the last time you saw this level of journalistic courage in the United States of America?
"One of the most prominent attacks on McCarthy's methods was an episode of the television documentary series See It Now, hosted by journalist Edward R. Murrow, which was broadcast on March 9, 1954. Titled "A Report on Senator Joseph R. McCarthy", the episode consisted largely of clips of McCarthy speaking. In these clips, McCarthy accuses the Democratic party of "twenty years of treason", describes the American Civil Liberties Union as "listed as 'a front for, and doing the work of', the Communist Party", and berates and harangues various witnesses, including General Zwicker."
Fast forward to 2012. Sound familiar? It should:
"I have here in my hand a list of 205 communists ..."
-U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Florida.
Now to 2013
IS SENATOR TED CRUZ OUR NEW MCCARTHY?
"Last week, Texas Senator Ted Cruz’s prosecutorial style of questioning Chuck Hagel, President Obama’s nominee for Defense Secretary, came so close to innuendo that it raised eyebrows in Congress, even among his Republican colleagues. Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, called Cruz’s inquiry into Hagel’s past associations “out of bounds, quite frankly.”
You will soon see the connections...where we were in the 50's and why we're seeing it again. It's all by design. But now it is for money. For "business."
1958
Fred R. Koch (1900-1967)
Koch started his career with the Texas Company in Port Arthur, Texas, and later became chief engineer with the Medway Oil & Storage Company on the Isle of Grain in Kent, England. In 1925 he joined a fellow MIT classmate, P.C. Keith, at Keith-Winkler Engineering in Wichita, Kansas. Following the departure of Keith in 1925, the firm became Winkler-Koch Engineering Company.
Extended litigation which he eventually won effectively put Winkler-Koch out of business in the U.S. for several years. Koch turned his focus to foreign markets, including the Soviet Union, where Winkler-Koch built 15 cracking units between 1929 and 1932. The company also built installations in countries throughout Europe, the Middle East and Asia. In the early 1930s, Winkler-Koch hosted Soviet technicians for training.
Having succeeded in securing the family fortune, Koch joined new partners in 1940 to create the Rock Island Oil & Refining Company, which is today known as Koch Industries. Rock Island Oil & Refining had no public relations department, having no relations with the public, and the Koch family went out of its way to avoid doing business with the government. In 1966 he turned over day-to-day management of the company to his son, Charles Koch. As of this writing, Koch industries is valued in the neighborhood of $100 biillion dollars.
Koch's anti-Soviet views led him to become a founding member of the John Birch Society. Koch claimed that the Democratic and Republican Parties were infiltrated by the Communist Party, and he supported Mussolini's suppression of Communists. Koch wrote that "The colored man looms large in the Communist plan to take over America" and characterized welfare as a secret plot to attract rural blacks and Puerto Ricans to Eastern cities to vote for Communist causes and "getting a vicious race war started."
Consider those words for a moment. This is the genesis of where we are today.
1958-Present
The John Birch Society
The John Birch Society (JBS) is an American political advocacy group that supports anti-communism and limited government. It has been described as radical right. Businessman and founder Robert W. Welch Jr. (1899–1985) and oil tycoon co-founder Fred R. Koch developed an elaborate organizational infrastructure (consider today's right wing structure) in 1958 that enabled them to keep a very tight rein on the chapters. Its main activity in the 1960s, says Rick Perlstein, "comprised monthly meetings to watch a film by Welch, followed by writing postcards or letters to government officials linking specific policies to the Communist menace."
One might surmise that if they had such a problem with "Communism" they would also have a problem with our goods being manufactured in Communist countries. In fact, they don't. Remember, Fred Koch helped develop Communist infrastructure in the Soviet Union. Fred Koch hated the Soviet Union and he hated Communism. In fact, during his years of litigation in the lawsuit he eventually won, he learned to hate organized government. The words "greater good" were lost on him. Fred Koch was not only an oil tycoon, he was also a racist, as evidenced by the quote above. He had no regard for the black man in America and certainly no sense of social justice or the value of contributing to the system. He did, however, value money and power above all else and passed those (and his anti-communism/anti-minority) attributes on to his sons. This is our first clue as to what this might really be all about. And why we are where we are now.
Fast forward; the 60's
The free-wheeling social times of the 60's concerned many businessmen. Numerous social concessions had been made by the Right in the '60's; women’s fight for equal rights, the rise of significance of the black contributions to America, equality for blacks in America. The rise of Cesar Chavez who co-founded the National Farm Workers Association on the west coast occured during this time. Not insignificantly, a man by the name of Ralph Nader pushed for safety in the American automobile industry after years of slaughter on America's Eisenhower-era interstate highways. One man, Lewis Powell was particularly disturbed by the trend. Powell decided to do something about it. Engineer a game plan. A blueprint that, if followed precisely, would ensure government empowered corporate domination over the American people for the forseeable future.
1971
The Powell Memorandum - the Blueprint
In 1971, Lewis Powell, a successful tobacco lobby attorney, penned a document that is known as the “Powell Memorandum.” In this document, which was sent to Eugene Sydnor, Jr., the Director of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Powell extolled the virtues of blending business interests with political interests. It was a win-win if government could be a partnerwith business. A win-win for business and government, and an undeniable lose-lose for the citizens of this country. Powell was smart - knew how to cover all the bases and he was in it for the win:
Attack on all fronts - Education / Regulation / Media
Letter from Syndor acknowledging receipt of Powell Memo: http://law.wlu.edu/deptimages/Powell%20Archives/PowellSCSFChamberofCommerce.pdf
Think about the ills of our society today. American men and women just like you and me, all affected, in some way. From income disparity (union busting, lack of labor rights) to right wing media ownership (all major media conglomerates) to the perpetuated myth of trickle-down (how'd that work for us?), to the de-valuation of science, to the massive deterioration of our public school system, to our crumbling infrastructure, to the fact that you will not hear this story in mainstream media - we, you, me, our children, our grandchildren, and our very earth are literally living the results of the success of the Powell Memorandum today.
1972
What this is really all about
Coincidentally, in the fall of 1972, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) made a surprising announcement: It planned to move its main offices from New York to Washington, D.C. As its chief, Burt Raynes, observed:
We have been in New York since before the turn of the century, because we regarded this city as the center of business and industry. But the thing that affects business most today is government. The interrelationship of business with business is no longer so important as the interrelationship of business with government. In the last several years, that has become very apparent to us.
The organizational counterattack of business in the 1970's was swift and sweeping — a domestic version of shock and awe. The number of corporations with public affairs offices in Washington grew from 100 in 1968 to over 500 in 1978. In 1971, only 175 firms had registered lobbyists in Washington, but by 1982, nearly 2,500 did.
Boy howdy, did they jump on the DC bus, and boy howdy, did they find willing participants. In their quest, the funds changed hands quickly, and the selling out of us - the people who elected them - began in earnest. The new, collaborative group of our elected politicians and business executives became colluding partners. Here's the short list:
Together:
- they funded & built lobbyist groups, in reality, politician cash-exchange groups.
- they funded & built central messaging entities: The Heritage Foundation, CATO Institute, American Enterprise Institute, ad nauseum.
- they identified & funded elected politicians who were willing to relinquish OUR Democracy for their cash and power (1995 Legislative / 1980 Executive)
- the politicians inserted complicit attorneys into the judicial system (Executive -> Judicial 1986/1988/1991/2005/2006)
- they created & passed legislation to change the media rules – eliminated the Fairness Doctrine 1987-Judicial 1999-Legislative
- they identified & promoted their wedge issues, i.e. identify domestic and foreign "enemies" (abortion, guns, God, gays, Communist, Muslim, poor, unions, teachers, women’s rights, unemployed, black, Hispanic...)
- they teamed with the religious right. A monumental combining of dogmas, which would prove to be invaluable when support of the Republican Party would have to rely on faith alone. Clearly, they hooked the religious right on wedge issues. The religious population was already faith-based. It's not a stretch to create a faith-based political party. They already deny facts and evidence. Brilliant.
- with regulations lifted, they were able to create a conservative media propaganda voice (Fox "News" - 1996), fueled by wedge issues to control the hearts and minds. (side note: Roger Ailes pitched the idea to Nixon, but Nixon turned his nose at the idea calling it "too expensive.")
- they fueled & promoted a hatred for the Government created for US by OUR founding fathers. (Remember drown it in the bathtub?) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grover_Norquist
- they ensured that outright lying in media would be legal. (2003, 2007)
- they attained a strong Supreme Court majority (2005)
According to the Vanderbilt Law Review study, this politicized hiring trend reinforces the impression that the Supreme Court is "a super-legislature responding to ideological arguments rather than a legal institution responding to concerns grounded in the rule of law."
- Corporations achieve "personhood." Decided January 21, 2010
- The Judicial branch guts campaign finance laws. Decided April 2, 2014
- The Judicial Branch allows corporations to dictate medical insurance coverage based on the religious ideology of the corporate executives. Decided June 30, 2014
It becomes obvious that the Powell Memorandum game plan has been executed magnificently. The Judicial Branch now has a majority, and the House of Representatives, with the help of re-districting (they can't win if they don't cheat), has shown it has the power to shut our government down. Hopefully you are beginning to see by now that accusations of "Communism" and "Socialism" are now nothing more than a means to an end. And we've seen another tact executed with precision: Demonize anyone not in line with their agenda. Think about how our president has been treated. Our first lady. How progressives are treated. How rape victims are treated. How anyone not in line with their agenda is treated. Have you noticed a trend yet? Does Fox "News" make sense to you now?
1994-present
Next Step: De-legitimizing the Body of Government
The combined corporate/conservative political body could not destroy the entity that controls it (our government) from within unless the government itself is de-legitimized - convince the citizens to hate their government, so that they could wrest control from the citizens. They got to work on it. You know how many hearts and minds have been converted if you've been paying attention. You might even have family members who have been converted. Here's how they did it.
The Target: Congressional Intelligence
This is the successful effort to dumb-down the body of Congress, with Newt Gingrich at the helm:
"It’s true that both parties have outsourced much of their policy development over the years. Groups like the Center for American Progress to some extent do for Democrats what Heritage does for Republicans (or did prior to Jim DeMint’s takeover), and plenty of lawmakers from both parties take their policy instructions from Wall Street lobbyists. But whereas for Democrats the outsourcing of policy has happened more by necessity, for Republicans it’s been by design. Newt Gingrich began the process in the 1990s with his attacks on in-house congressional expertise. Leaders like Tom DeLay in the House and Rick Santorum in the Senate advanced that process in the 2000s with the “K Street Project,” an organized effort to place GOP Hill staffers in key jobs in the most important D.C. law firms and trade associations."
The Target: The Institution of Government
What strategy would you use to ensure the turnover of our government to corporate institutions? One tact is to de-legitimize government as an entity. The success of this particular tact is evidenced by the low popularity of Congress, and it is absolutely by design: The Lofgren Corollary
"A couple of years ago, a Republican committee staff director told me candidly (and proudly) what the method was to all this obstruction and disruption.Should Republicans succeed in obstructing the Senate from doing its job, it would further lower Congress's generic favorability rating among the American people. By sabotaging the reputation of an institution of government, the party that is programmatically against government would come out the relative winner."
1973-present
And then there's ALEC
American Legislative Executive Council - Conservative legislation pre-written to satisfy the pro-business/anti-citizen agenda, now adopted by states with conservative majorities. This legislation has little to no regard for human lives or environmental consequences.
Funding and spending (you'll see the Koch name again):
Privatizing of education (remember the Powell Memo):http://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/Privatizing_Public_Education,_Higher_Ed_Policy,_and_Teachers
Health and safety net bills:
Environment, energy and ag bills:
Are any politicians in your state members? (Note the overwhelming political affiliation)
1985 to 2008
Starving the Beast - the transfer of public wealth to private interests
The most heinous crime of all - the Right's bloating (transfer the wealth) and subsequent (social program) defunding our Federal Government (socialize the losses). A transfer of wealth to the tune of $12 triiion - here's proof: http://zfacts.com/p/1170.html
In the words of former Reagan official, Bruce Bartlett:
"I believe that to a large extent our current budgetary problems stem from the widespread adoption of an idea by Republicans in the 1970s called “starve the beast.” It says that the best, perhaps only, way of reducing government spending is by reducing taxes. While a plausible strategy at the time it was formulated, STB became a substitute for serious budget control efforts, reduced the political cost of deficits, encouraged fiscally irresponsible tax cutting and ultimately made both spending and deficits larger."
And don't believe anyone who says the Democratic Congress did it.
More proof: http://zfacts.com/p/57.html
2008 to Present
Getting the Citizens on the Bandwagon
With the debt run up to the multi-trillions thanks the Starve the Beast and the (by design) global recession, AND a black man in the White House it was time to seize the moment - create an opposition to the government by leveraging the circumstances (not to mention execute the final phase of Starve the Beast)...it was time to pull the pin on the grenade they called the Tea Party. They had willing participants in the South. To the Johnny-rebs a black man in the White House was an abomination (Obamanation). They were in the (tea)bag. To others, the massive debt had finally become evident. Most seemed to miss the fact that Obama's predecessor had been starving the beast at record rates. But they were easily manipulated into believing it was the Liberals, or even Obama himself who had run up the debt. How easy are they to convince? Here's one example:
A Third Of Louisiana Republicans Blame Obama For Hurricane Katrina Response Under Bush
2009 to Present
The Tea Party
Funded and strenghtened by Americans for Prosperity - Koch front group
- Leveraged racial prejudice against a mixed race president
- Leveraged unimaginably high debt incurred by Starve the Beast
- Repurposed old John Birch Society talking points
- Enough candidates were elected in 2010 to shut down OUR government
- In states with conservative majorities, laws have been implemented in record time with the effect of shutting down family planning centers, shutting down unions, liberalizing gun laws.
2013 to Present
Groundswell - the 30 Front War - Now They're Just Rubbing it in Our Faces
Without a doubt, Groundswell is the most blatant conflict of interest in the history of the United States Supreme Court.
The wife of Justice Thomas, Ginny Thomas:
Believing they are losing the messaging war with progressives, a group of prominent conservatives in Washington—including the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and journalists from Breitbart News and the Washington Examiner—has been meeting privately since early this year to concoct talking points, coordinate messaging, and hatch plans for "a 30 front war seeking to fundamentally transform the nation," according to documents obtained by Mother Jones.
As if their policies haven't ALREADY fundamentally transformed our nation.
That was the cause. The following is the effect.
The Damage - incalculable
What have they done?
- Monetary and Social Damage - Starve the Beast - Increase debt to reduce social funding: cost - trillions - leave the citizens holding the debt
- Transfering the wealth at the state level - See the Kansas crisis for details
- Blame our president for their actions:
- Leveraged, cultivated, and promoted racism.
- Transfer of public funds to private interests by way of the General Fund (Social Security): cost - trillions
- Reduced Revenue - In line with starving the beast: cost - trillion
- War for Profit - Half a million human lives lost, hundreds of thousands of displaced families: cost - trillions. Cost to families, incalculable
- Tanked the Economy - Loosened regulations, enabled endemic wall street fraud, "temporary" tax cuts, massive unemployment: cost - trillions
- Created massive unemployment: cost - half a trillion in benefits alone
- Brainwashed masses, through propaganda messaging, outright lies - allowed by law.
- Consolidated media - Control the message
- Cultivated, promoted and celebrated ignorance - Split American families - truth no longer matters (you might even have examples in your family.)
- Manufactured Christian heresy (Jesus was a Republican) is now accepted as truth. (would Jesus let children starve when He could stop it? Would Jesus stand at our border and scream at children "We don't want you here either!")
- Promoted extremism (private militias, Bundy)
- With the help of the NRA, promoted armed revolt
- Attempted to de-legitimize science
If you're still with me here, focus on the following sentence. Read it twice.
We have come to the point of time in our history where facts no longer have merit, where laws are selectively broken if they in some way show support for our president or the government he represents...and those tentacles run deep INTO our federal government - both bodies of Congress and the Supreme Court.
From our vantage point today, we have an immensely powerful opponent. The opponent owns two thirds of our government. The opponent has virtually limitless funding. The opponent owns the media. The opponent owns the minds of millions of citizens.
However. The founding fathers created the United States government FOR us. The only real power they gave us was our vote. Individually, we are weak. Collectively, we are an unbeatable force.
It's time to turn this abomination around.
Please vote for Democrats at every level of government. Yes, Democrats have been sucked in, we all must admit that and we have plenty of evidence. But unlike Republicans, there are some Democrats who represent what our founding fathers had in mind. Bernie Sanders. Cory Booker. Elizabeth Warren. Al Franken. Tammy Duckworth. Dennis Kucinich. Russ Feingold. Alan Grayson. Sherrod Brown. John Lewis. Bruce Braley. Joaquin Castro. Elijah Cummings. And plenty more.
It's time for our government to represent us again. Our only real voice is our vote and I urge every capable and qualified American citizen to vote Democratic at every level of government. A statement must be made and it can ONLY be made by us.
I can think of no Republican to name as survivor. Is there a remaining Republican politician who has not voted in-line, who has not obstructed, who has opened his/her mouth and spewed the Tea Party->Koch->John Birch Society->Senator Joseph McCarthy line? No.
The expiration date for the Republican Party is November 4, 2014.
Let's all make that happen. And recruit a new, blue voter in November. A niece, a nephew, or even a friend who has never voted.
We must overwhelm to win.
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