The following is a guest post from Monty Pelerin (used with permission).
I have always considered myself a peaceful, law-abiding citizen. I have never been arrested, obtained a Top-Secret clearance for my duties in military intelligence, have always paid my taxes, never demonstrated for or against any causes, etc. etc. Apparently, my evaluation was incorrect.
According to Mac Slavo, I am now considered a threat, as I suppose many like-minded readers of this blog might be also. Who knew that we might be labeled as terrorists?
Whether you like it or not, if you promote the ownership of gold, reject the notion that forced taxation is your patriotic duty and prefer to live in a country with limited government interference, you have now been stereotyped and grouped in with the handful of criminals who have recently turned violent against law enforcement officials. And, chances are that those close to you, who may not necessarily share your views, have now been alerted to your volatile nature and potential for violence against local law enforcement officials and the free people of the United States.
It appears that if you believe in that simplistic, archaic (and now “subversive”) document known as The Constitution you are considered dangerous. Belief in the founding values of this nation are apparently sufficient cause for you or I to be considered a threat to society — a terrorist! Even George Orwell must be amazed at the level of double-speak which now passes for governmental definitions and laws. Profiling based on traditional values is enough to make you a suspect.
The distance we have moved from freedom toward tyranny since 9/11/2001 is frightening. The tragic event has been used to justify actions that were unimaginable as recently as two decades ago. 9/11 represents the classic as necessary for protecting the American public, a classic case of never letting a crisis go to waste. In reality, it is just another excuse for government to grow more powerful and gain more control. If you strip away all rights and freedom, is there any reason to even want protection? Without personal freedom, what is the purpose of living? Without a purpose for living, what good does protection do?
Every government program is designed to empower government. That can only be accomplished by removing freedoms for its citizens. For most of my life, every program has fit this theme: Leviathan, yes; freedom, no! Every program has made government more oppressive.
The movement toward oppression is no surprise. It is in every government’s nature to be oppressive. Over time, even the freest countries succumb, as tradition and custom are eventually eroded by the ongoing onslaught of government power grabs.
We may have passed the point of no return in terms of ever regaining a proper balance between government and freedom. As Mr. Slavo observed all the tools are now in place to “legally” complete the transformation to total government control:
In a coincidental stroke of good luck and timing for the national security apparatus of the United States, the recently passed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) allows for the rounding up and detainment of of these potential extremists without charge or trial, because the last thing we need is for courts, juries, and evidence to be involved in ensuring the security of American citizens.
Be warned fellow Americans. No one will be immune to the violative laws, policies and regulations of the police state which is quickly and forcefully embedding itself into all aspects of American life and culture.
In the new America, every man, woman and child is a suspect, person-of-interest and potential terrorist.
We are close to becoming a gigantic version of East Berlin. Expect to see walls erected to contain the escape of citizens. No, I don’t mean physical walls, but legislative ones like capital controls, emigration controls, etc.
Welcome to “Hope and Change” as it existed in Eastern Europe. It is not all Obama’s fault. The Republicans are as guilty as the Democrats in this unending grab for more power over citizens.
Quite right. This gives me the biggest creeps though, since I was literally just at the East Side Gallery in Berlin two days ago…
“There are many men of principle in both parties in America, but there is no party of principle.”
– Alexis de Tocqueville
“The keystone of the Fascist doctrine is its conception of the State, of its essence, its functions, and its aims. For Fascism the State is absolute, individuals and groups relative.”
– Benito Mussolini
This is from *OUR* perspective. From people who are happy to live there, this has no effect on them. This FATCA will be the Berlin Money Wall, for sure. The US comes up with the idea to go off the gold standard. 40 years later, the pressure is too tight and they create this wall to keep bad things from happening, or maybe.. bad things are really about to come.
Mr. Pelerin is a resident of the United States.
The U.S. is today, what East Berlin was like before the fall of the Wall. In fifty years, if it continues its isolationist policies, it will be like “The Hermit Kingdom” of North Korea today.
It is a shame that the U.S. government is so myopic in its vision.
In 1963, President Kennedy made one of his greatest speeches at the Berlin Wall.
Charlie Rangel: Father of the EXIT TAX and brother of FATCA.
Just look at this guy; looks more like a used car salesman than a congressman. And Expats are supposed to accept people like him to represent their interests in congress?
Nice suit Charlie, wish I could afford one like that.
@Patrick Henry
This is absolutely hilarious. His Wikpedia photo is even more suspect and features a dodgy smile and pink-green tie.
I find it ironic also that he was been suspected of tax fraud in numerous instances. There is also an interview floating around somewhere where the IRS Commissioner stated that he found taxes complicated to file and hired a professional to do them for him. It really puts the mind at ease to know that these are the people behind the wheel!
Totalitarianism at its finest.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AhF0Kv_nes&w=560&h=315%5D
Sorry about the link being messed up- How did you all embed the videos? Anyone, if you get bored of what he is saying skip ahead to 1:10!
Try this one.
Oh woops, just saw your comment now! I just created a new post on the front page. Pretty damning interview, so it deserves to be seen in my opinion!
Watch Rangel at 1:05 talk about his rental property in Dominican Republic.
The doublespeak of these bureaucrats is so deeply institutionalized that they actually believe their own bull$#!^.
@Patrick.. I saw it.
I feel a world apart from these slick-talking politicians. I have no idea why I’m expect to file a $0 return there or give/donate money to these people. They don’t represent me. I have no idea what is going on in their districts. I don’t live there.
“There is no distinctly Native American criminal class…save Congress.”
– Mark Twain
I am sure that history will record that Osama Bin Laden succeeded beyond his wildest dreams in destroying the economy and greatness of the USA. The USA is regulating itself to death. The law makers are passing draconian laws that subverting their pillar of strength – Their constitution, human rights and freedom.
Please recall that history recorded that the USA bankrupted the USSR by increasing defense spending and creating a paranoia about imaginary start wars (which is still a pipe dream even after 25 years). If USSR were to ignore the imaginary threat of star wars, which supposedly could make USSR’s ICBMs useless, then USA might have collapsed by spending billions on imaginary weapons (as the USA wasting billions today going after imaginary threats such as Iraq).
“War is a racket. It is the only one international in scope. It is the only one in which the profits are reckoned in dollars and the losses in lives.”
– Major General Smedley Butler (USMC)
@Bharat You give Osama bin Laden too much credit. Extra-territorial taxation existed for long before his attack, as well as the trade deficit, as Roger Conklin has shown us. Also, many of the problems that we have are the result of bad money policies that are 100 years in the making. Finally, the current level of regulations (e.g., Volker rules) are as much to do with a reaction to the economic crises that started in 2008.
Now when it comes to security measures, you have a strong case. But with or without bin Laden, this extra-territorial taxation issue would have happened sooner or later.
“I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies.”
– Thomas Jefferson
I love that quote CATO. Obama has declared war on the entire world through the banking system. He is not a man of peace.
@Cato
I wonder what Jefferson and Montesquieu would think if they saw the state of the modern world.
Eisenhower also rightly predicted the rise of the military industrial complex in his farewell address:
I enjoyed reading the following article in the Globe and Mail this morning.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/stephen-harper-finally-gets-comfortable-in-china/article2334950/
Best quote:
That seems like a long time ago. While Europe and America are aping dysfunctional banana republics, actual banana republics are starting to look like Zurich on a building spree: Ethiopia grows by 10 per cent a year, followed closely by Angola; Brazil is a powerhouse; the Indians are almost as formidable; and Turkey now calls the shots in the Middle East.
@Tim
At least Europeans can exit the “Banana Republic” if they want to. Can’t say the same for their US counterparts!
@Don,
America has drifted too far away from its original ideals. Therefore, I believe Jefferson would probably say again today:
“The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.”
John Kennedy once remarked at a dinner for Nobel laureates:
“I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered together at the White House, with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone.”