For my Republican Friends: Thomas Jefferson on Religion and Conscience - and John Kasich

Perhaps you'll join me in my current mood for considering a revealing quote from Thomas Jefferson on the topic of religion which Republican politicians seem to compulsively use for burnishing their political status among Evangelicals and other Americans of a religious persuasion (conservative or liberal) who may be tempted to vote in November 2016 for intolerant, austerity-promoting, materialistic politicians whose policies and campaign promises ignore the question of conscience while turning cold shoulders against the Scriptural admonitions to care for the least of these and to be our brother's keeper:

"I have ever thought religion a concern purely between our God and our consciences, for which we were accountable to him and not to the priests. I never told my own religion, nor scrutinized that of another. I never attempted to make a convert, nor wished to change another's creed. I have ever judged of the religion of others by their lives...For it is in our lives, and not from our words, that our religion must be read."

(Excerpt from Thomas Jefferson's 1816 letter to Mrs. Samuel H. Smith)

By their fruits you shall know them. Including the rotten ones.

Yet there is one Republican 2016 candidate speaking and acting via the "compassionate conservative" model of conservatism, Governor John Kasich (R-OH) whose state of Ohio is doing better than the rest:

Sounds like Governor Kasich follows his own conscience more often than his party hierarchy's ideology. Hmm. If that's the case, good on him. And good for the people of Ohio.

Previously on SO'W: Personality Blends of Franklin, Washington, Paine, and Jefferson.

July 29, 2015 Blog Note: I have just now received my first notice from Blogger (Google) concerning European rules about cookies that are placed from this website. Third party code may interfere with the notice Blogger has placed on behalf of European readers, I am told, and it is my responsibility to make certain all is done properly to suit Europe though yours truly is no techie. Therefore, I have much research to do on this topic and will attempt to find precious time to figure out if SO'W is in compliance with EU Internet standards which now override US laws on such an issue. jc

Fake US unemployment numbers - Max Weiser video

Max Keiser has much to say about fake unemployment numbers from the US government as the propaganda relates to the US/World econo-crisis.

This video is a worthwhile 9mins+, so please see what you think. It does seem that metals are the thing to grasp and hold!

Yes, the USA is in the crapper thanks to neocon cons and their enabling shills...and the secret society robots who shilled before.

Where's some of that goo-o-o-d old "compassionate conservatism" when you need an effective -ism to ruin your family and economic life?

Oh yeah. We tried that.

And now the American War Machine is stuck like glue in the Middle East where our boots on the sand are decidedly unwelcome, no matter what we do or say. But hey, the 5-pointed Pentagon is the US' main employer, and when millions are out of jobs for long enough, they must 'join up' at some point - if they're young enough and are breathing. And thus the ruse passes on to another generation of Americans who can't believe that their government would manipulate a noble sense of patriotism into being used to make patriotic citizens into war fodder and oil protectors.

So will all GOP-ers please hush now?

Keep your wacked-out crazy on the down low, okay? Stop telling lies, period (you too, Democrats.) It's way too late in any game to skid by on half-truths, provarications, and callously thought up talking points on behalf of narrow factions.

Now this is only another Flower Power Generation-er speaking: They did it to us and the world despised us. Now it's your turn and you've fallen for the same tired rhetorical devices promoted by political thespians with prominent thumbs pointing at us.

Please...Awaken and Get Up!

Time to liquidate the American Empire?

As an appreciative reader of Chalmers Johnson's encompassing book on America's global militarism, The Sorrows of Empire, it is always instructive to find Mr. Johnson writing on similar subjects out of what I believe to be a true patriotism - a patriotism of dissent born from a deep wish for America the Experiment to succeed along the lines of the principles our nation was founded upon, and the glowing and honorable mythologies we once proudly espoused but now have trouble hiding behind.

Obama's Empire: An Unprecedented Network of Military Bases That is Still Expanding

By Catherine Lutz

Asked why the US has a vast network of military bases around the world, Pentagon officials give both utilitarian and humanitarian arguments. Utilitarian arguments include the claim that bases provide security for the US by deterring attack from hostile countries and preventing or remedying unrest or military challenges; that bases serve the national economic interests of the US, ensuring access to markets and commodities needed to maintain US standards of living.

(It isn't working. Cash-strapped Americans pay for war while doing without timely dental care. Is this a fair trade when your jaw swells?)


Good Reasons To Liquidate Our Empire And Ten Steps to Take to Do So

By Chalmers Johnson

According to the 2008 official Pentagon inventory of our military bases around the world, our empire consists of 865 facilities in more than 40 countries and overseas US territories. We deploy over 190,000 troops in 46 countries and territories.

~:~

Undermining America has been a goal of the select few all along.

And as an astrologer (however reluctant with a tyrant 10th-house Uranus in Gemini), it was quite predictable in 1999, 2000, and beyond that I and yo mama would be called everything under the sun when I posted in Slate's The Fray concerning the neocon tendencies to rob our Treasury by fraudulent nation-building and other public-till raids, stiff US taxpayers with private costs made public, and undermine our nation's sovereignty until the ship slowly sinks into an ocean of oblivion.

Now swearing in type is not my specialty, but the Fraysters in Slate's forum at that time were great at it, so brashly puffed up almost as big as Bush the Eagle-Faced and Cheney the Balded-Pate ever were as they strutted about the coup'd White House - the pretzel-lovin' prez sharing cigars with Prince Bandar on the White House balcony as the Pentagon's embers sizzled and smoke arose in the distance, circa 9/11/01.

"To bankrupt America" was my answer for the oft-heard, 'Whys'? and the 'Why Do they Hate Us'? mantras, and for the rest of the soul-searching zeitgeist of the times.

But What Did We Do to Harm Anyone? We're fabulous! they'd assure themselves...'twas the arrogant America Can Do No Wrong attitude.

Meanwhile, back on the balcony, it was as if Bush and Bandar were celebrating something worth savoring, remember? And you know there had to be a heady wisp of compassionate conservatism wafting through the air along with the smell of what Cheney was cooking in the cellar.

Well, now it's 2009 so I ask you: what is wrong with Americans that we can't direct our attention, much less our energies, into the focused endeavor for which this nation now wimpers?

Guess I'll just mosey and read more of today's newsworthy Beer Summit reports that have captured many of my fellow citizens' imaginations when they're not busy playing with their phone apps or texting their honeypies.

Because you see: a president, a cop, and a professor walk into a bar...