Irrational Exuberance is both manifested in politics and economics as illustrated here in this topic. People are creatures of elevating fear and status seeking without regard to cost. Case in point: Fear of terrorism and the fear of not be being included in home ownership are two examples of this same manifestation. Read Noam Chomsky’s views on the influence of corporate mass media and politics along with Robert Schiller’s views of consensus seeking belief systems, and the reasons for our predicament politically and economically are apparent.
I remember Osama Bin Laden wrote a letter to George W. Bush outlining the reasons for the Sept. 11 attacks. I couldn’t find the letter in any local newspaper, so I went to the Aljazeera website, and of course it was headline news. The letter stated that Bin Laden witnessed American attacks against his Muslim brothers and that he would retaliate someday which produced the destruction of the Twin Towers in New York. He also stated in the letter that his goal was to bankrupt America just like he and his fighters bankrupted the Soviet Union fighting an endless war in Afghanistan.
My paternal family has been in America since 1790. Most of the men in my family have been fighting in just wars since the war of 1812. I was personally involved in the Viet Nam war – not as infantry, but as a 1A0 medic. I didn’t believe in that war just as much as I don’t believe in the war in Iraq. Do I believe we should be in Afghanistan? No. Do I believe we should cut and run from Iraq? Yes. Mission accomplished – right? Time to move out and move on.
There have been a thousand years of conquering going on in Asia and especially in the Mesopotamia Valley. The British were the last ones to get there asses kicked. Volumes of books have been written of their mistakes in trying to create a democracy in a theocratic civilization. Had George Bush studied up a little on this subject? Where are all the think tanks of great intelligence advisors? AS an average guy I knew before one jet flew a sortie over Baghdad what the out come was going to be – urban gorilla war fare amongst civilians! Say, maybe I should be getting paid what all the consultants in DC are being paid. Obviously unless you go along with the agenda, you’re out.
Personally I lost my job in Florida at post dot.com boom and right before Sept. 11th. The economy was at a stand still for three years. Instead of pouring Federal funds into security and technology in America, Iraq and Haliburton became the beneficiaries of our Republican tax disposal. I finally had to bail out and move to SF to find work. Luckily the speculators started flipping houses in Florida and I walked out with twice as much as I paid for the house I mortgaged in matter of three years.
As far as a two party system in America:. I have to agree with powayseller. I have been a Democrat all my life but now I switching to Independent. I can’t stand either of the two parties.
Fear is what is generated to bred compliance and consensus amongst the masses. It’s been done many times in history. Government becomes a police state. Freedoms are overlooked in lieu of “Protecting our Security”. Sound familiar? Why don’t we just throw out the Constitution and start over? Have you been to a place where Bush is visiting lately? How about to demonstrate your opposition to the Iraq War? The last one I was at they kept demonstrators one mile away from any motor pool or facility he was to speak at. You couldn’t get close. He’s afraid to be seen in Public – anywhere. Check it out.
Re Terri Shiavo. I was in Florida when this story was unfolding. I couldn’t believe that the Republicans made such an effort to save a woman, who was examined by top medical experts, who had no chance of recovery, who left the decision to her best friend, lover and husband to do what was in her best interest. Then I saw pictures of hundreds of innocent children and parents killed in Iraq and being called untargeted “collateral” on CNN. I think of my son and daughter, who I would take a bullet for and wonder… What is this? A fu*king nightmare or what?
