I've heard it said many times: that a true progressive Left in the U.S. does not exist, by and large. I keep trying to have faith, and believe otherwise, but when I see this type of transparent kabuki theater being used over and over again to manipulate people so easily, I find it discouraging and insulting to one's intelligence.
And it is also so discouraging to see how easily people are jerked around like puppets, by the media... And that includes the "so-called" progressive-leaning media (which after all, are owned by the same media conglomerates).
Someone help me here! Wasn't there something in Orwell's 1984 about a TV Box people stared at until there were entranced. I seem to remember something like that...
Am I arguing that this so-called tax holiday is not a good thing? Not necessarily; especially if one looks at it in the same way someone would look at how some in extreme and dire need would value crumbs falling off a table, or two-day left-overs.
And how ironic, that in the midst of this charade people are asked to share how they could spend their average $40.00 per paycheck, just in time for the "holidays"--shopping.
In the meantime, at the "adult's" table, where the real feasting (and gluttony) is going on, the pillaging (and cover-up) continues unabated.
For God's sake, where would one start on this? Let's just take one example (of many): Federal Judge Pimp-Slaps the SEC Over Citigroup Settlement
Finally, in any case like this that touches on the transparency of financial markets whose gyrations have so depressed our economy and debilitated our lives, there is an overriding public interest in knowing the truth. In much of the world, propaganda reigns, and truth is confined to secretive, fearful whispers. Even in our nation, apologists for suppressing or obscuring the truth may always be found. But the S.E.C., of all agencies, has a duty, inherent in its statutory mission, to see that the truth emerges; and if it fails to do so, this Court must not, in the name of deference or convenience, grant judicial enforcement to the agency's contrivances.
Here's Matt Taibbi's observation about that quote, from Judge Jed Rakoff rejection of what he termed "a slap-on-the-wrist fraud settlement the SEC had cooked up for Citigroup."
Notice the reference to how things are “in much of the world,” a subtle hint that the idea behind this ruling is to prevent a slide into third-world-style justice. There are many such loaded passages in Rakoff’s ruling. Another one comes up around the issue of the “public interest.”
Yes, it would seem like we are turning into a third-world country, or for that matter, a banana republic.
Does that explain the lack of intellectual heft, strength, solidarity, organization, and power on the Left? Or, as some have observed, that kind of powerful progressive Left has been vanished from this country--many, many years ago?
I almost can imagine the likes of The Wall Street Journal, and Karl Rove and company, sitting at the "big people" table looking at each other and saying, "Do you want to see the chihuahua jump like crazy?" While taking a little tiny piece of food and dangling over the side of the table.
So big whoop, Boehner caved! In a couple of months when it's announced that the environmentally destructive keystone pipeline will be built, and Democrats are forced to deal with the poison pills-laden legislation (for a year extension), it will be clear who really caved.
Amazing how the haze, the smokes and mirrors that the mainstream media is, can manipulate so many of us, so thoroughly.
I better get the popcorn ready to watch the next "jerk-around" by this so-well-fine-tuned system of propaganda...