House Of Public Discourse
Is an area in social life where individuals can come together to freely discuss and identify societal problems, and through that discussion influence political action.
In this writer's mind, there is no greater example of old-school Cold War KGB than current Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Most Americans have a negative view of Russia and Vladimir Putin. However, our research here in the House of Public Discourse has found among the Christian Right, Zealots, Extremist, and the Tea Party his popularity is on the rise. There has been some mild reporting on this growing alliance but not much. I think it fair to inspect the motives here. What are these people up to? Where's their end game? There needs to be an explanation.
Unholy Alliance, Putin and The Christian Right
Over the last several years, there has been a strange shift in Putin's popularity with the American Right. They seem to love him now. Ole Joe McCarthy and the John Birch Society folks are turning over in their graves right about this second. Remember Mitt Romney called Russia our greatest geopolitical rival and was all so quick to point out Putin's illustrious KGB career. What's one " hell of a note," not from the American Left but the American Right.
Noted Right Wing Mouthpiece Pat Buchanan has gone as far to say Putin's got GOD on his side.
Buchanan has been loud with his praise of Putin's anti-gay laws that most in Russia call propaganda laws. However, there is a larger tie in here. There's no question the American Right is going to praise the authoritarian, anti-equality, and Pro Christian policies of Putin. Dominionism!
Pat Buchanan is not a minority voice in the Republic Party. These people want to change the government to a Theocracy so bad it boggles the mind. This is important. These type alliances do matter because gone unchecked can influence policy for a few that oppresses the many. As we reported from Ramblin Rose, the President has beefed up his Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships with the understanding this focus is both a national and global one. There needs to be an active eye kept on this activity. [See Article]
Putin was correct to call the United States a “godless” country:
We published an article Is American Really A Christian Nation. The empirical data clearly shows that America is indeed moving away from Christian Values. Don't let this so called Russian Orthodox Christian fool you. He is no different than the American Evangelicals. Cherry-Picks his faith with the best of them.
Putin seems to have mastered the rhetoric of religiosity over the past several years, both for the purposes of internal Russian politics and on the international level. Internally, he has strengthened the relationship between the Russian State and the Russian Orthodox Church and brought the Church into his sphere in much the same way that the Czars, and even the Soviets, did during their time in power. He has cast the conflict with rebels in Chechnya and Dagestan as a battle against Islam itself, for example, and portrayed his support of the Assad regime in Syria as part of an effort to protect the Syrian Christian community.[See Source]
Putin and the Dominionist goal is to place as many of their people in as many key government positions as possible.
We are keeping an eye on this Unholy Alliance, Putin and the Christian Right.
Over the course of Obama's presidency, many so-called experts claim populist anger has been at an all-time high. Neo-Nazis groups are reemerging, and other hate groups have sprung forth as well. Ever since the election of America's first black president, we have seen a drastic rise in these subversive groups.[See Article]
It doesn't matter that Obama has taken an economy that was in shambles and put it back on course. It doesn't matter that when he[Obama] took office our country was accumulating a debt like never before, and Obama has put measures in play that have turned it [deficits] around. Obama has done these positive things with a backdrop of pure seditious Republican obstruction. Moreover, the right-wing media, backed by deep-pocketed billionaires like the Koch Brothers have blasted the liberal president agenda as being a fascist, socialist, and communist one, as if there is even such a thing.[See Article] All of this bogus rhetoric has been directed at the very lowest common denominator of our society. Uneducated poor racist white people who call themselves the Tea Party and their cause has been coined " The Patriot Movement." [Read: Why Do Poor Uneducated White People Vote Republican?]
It has been a remarkable scene. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, there are 939 active hate groups operating in the Unites States.[2013]All hate groups have beliefs or practices that attack or malign an entire class of people, typically for their immutable characteristics.
Hate group activities can include criminal acts, marches, rallies, speeches, meetings, leafleting or publishing. Websites appearing to be merely the work of a single individual, rather than the publication of a group, are not included in this list. Listing here does not imply a group advocates or engages in violence or other criminal activity.[Southern Poverty Law Center]
What has exploded more than any other faction has been the formulation of the so-called militia. In this writer's view, it's nothing more than a bunch of grown-ups of both genders playing Army in the woods. The Tea Party and the Patriot Movement has been the spark that has opened this nasty can of worms in America. [See:Personality Traits Of The Right Wing Extremist]
Should We Rename The Tea Party The American Taliban?
The Tea Party A Vehicle For Anger
Anyone who denies that the Tea Party is a racist organization is either kidding themselves or suffering from the worst case of denial ever recorded in the history of man.[See Article] The politics of hate are the benchmark of the Republican Party. And now with a black president in the White House, organizations like the Tea Party, which have been co-opted by the Koch Brothers have a " green-light," to turn up the volume on racist activity all in the name of GOD and country. Factor in the reality that [America Loves A Good Conspiracy Theory!] and what you have is a Molotov cocktail ready to explode. Obama is going to take your guns. Obama is going to turn our country over to the Muslims. Obama is a dictator. Obama is the anti-christ and facilitator of the New World Order.[NWO] The conspiratorial rhetoric has been in a word " pathetic." Now, for the dangerous element of these most unholy associations, we have seen high-ranking " good-old-boys" in law enforcement; mostly Sheriffs and Judges form partnerships for lack of term, with the Tea Party and the subsequent Patriot Movement.
A Prime Example-- If This Would Have Been The Black Panthers We Would Have Seen Helicopters Mowing The Protesters Down In Cold Blood
The American South Has Become An International Disgrace, Why?
If you take a look at it, yes there are hate groups all over the country. However, a closer examination finds the American South inundated with these groups of hate. There is this springboard of hate groups from familiar states Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, North and South Carolina, and Texas. The thing that's sad is these people wear this malfunction as a badge of honor. The behavior of these citizens is not only legendary and historical, but also predictable. The radical-right wing of the Republican Party in the rural South have taken over the party. What happens when you have uneducated racist and bigots controlling your party with well-funded media echo chambers like Fox News force-feeding them trumped up unfactual red meat? A rise in domestic terrorism.[Domestic Terror: The Deadliest Game! ]
This increase in domestic terrorism has spiked since the election of America's first black president.
A report says extremist groups have used President Obama as a recruiting tool.
“Most statements by rightwing extremists have been rhetorical, expressing concerns about the election of the first African-American president, but stopping short of calls for violent action,” the report says. “In two instances in the run-up to the election, extremists appeared to be in the early planning stages of some threatening activity targeting the Democratic nominee, but law enforcement interceded.” [See Report]
Then you have this sovereign nation movement. There are groups who are seriously advocating secession from the United States. Their platform would make a persons home an embassy. The person would call themselves diplomats. Therefore, you can't arrest us. We don't have to pay taxes. And, lastly, we do not have to follow the laws or regulations of the United States. These groups are nothing more than off-shoots from the "Tea Party and Patriot Movement." Here is just some of the lustrous sovereign nation citizens.
Sovereign Nation Citizens Hall of Shame
The Montana Freemen were a Christian Patriot movement based outside the town of Jordan, Montana. The members of the group referred to their land as "Justus Township" and had declared themselves no longer under the authority of any outside government. They became the center of public attention in 1996 when they engaged in a prolonged armed standoff with agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.[See Source]
The Montana Freemen story tell us something very interesting. There are various versions of these sovereign nation movement groups. The members of these groups feel they can just join these organizations and declare their sovereignty and not have to pay their taxes. They don't have to have driver's licenses. This whole idea originated from radical groups back in the 70's and 80's. Their whole legal argument rest on the Posse Comitatus Act.
The Posse Comitatus Act is the United States federal law (18 U.S.C. § 1385, original at 20 Stat. 152) that was passed on June 18, 1878, after the end of Reconstruction and was updated in 1981. The purpose of the act (in concert with the Insurrection Act of 1807) is to limit the powers of Federal government in using its military personnel to enforce the state laws.
The Act does not apply to the Army and Air National Guard under state authority from acting in a law enforcement capacity within its home country or in an adjacent state if invited by that state's governor. The United States Coast Guard, which operates under the Department of Homeland Security, is not covered by the Posse Comitatus Act either, primarily because although the Coast Guard is an armed service, it also has both a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency mission. While the Act does not explicitly mention the naval services (United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps), the Department of the Navy has prescribed regulations that are generally construed to give the Act force with respect to those services as well.[See Source]
Posse Comitatus Act Explained?
There were back then as there is today these groups of people who feel they are the organic citizens of this country.[White Privilege] They believe they were placed in this country by GOD Almighty himself. They claim to have this divine connection with the heavenly father. That this land[United States] was given to them and that no government can interfere. What these groups are saying is that " we white people were given this land by GOD and that we can't be told what or what not to do."
In legal jargon, what these groups contend is that they are not 14th Amendment citizens.
What is important here to point out is that all of this crazy right-wing madness are all just remakes of the John Birch Society. See article, Why Understanding The John Birch Society Is Important . Is it not remarkable, that we are seeing a reemergence of the John Birch Society?[JBS] The JBS has become an annual sponsor of those CPAC conferences were we see one Republican nut-job after the other try to woo the Republican minion. CPAC back in the early 90's denounce several conservative groups as being racist. The JBS was one of those groups. Today America is a very different place.
Now, by allowing the JBS to be a co-sponsor of this annual conference should tell even the most casual observer of politics where this country is heading and moreover what political party is behind this civil-injustice.
As we have seen in foreign lands ruled by theocratic organization like the Taliban. People are having their heads chopped off for not following their doctrines, and we are seeing these same type Christian groups here in America advocating the very same but under the guise of Christianity. [See Article]
Then you have these self-righteous, self-proclaimed, and self-absorbed people who call themselves " Oath Keepers." These deluded people believe that the United States is about to impose martial law on us all. And, they are the " Holy Warriors" to save us. The majority of these nutcases are ex-military and law enforcement. [See:Are We Creating Holy Warriors In Our Military? ]
They[Oath Keepers] are the main ones proclaiming that We The People are going to be herded into concentration camps by our mean and menacing government. It's that New World Order conspiracy with a new twist or two.[ See: America Loves A Good Conspiracy Theory! ] The bottom line this is very far a field. What is surprising is how little this craziness has been called out by the mainstream media. One could argue this is because there is no one central charismatic figure. However, the reality is these ideas and mindsets are completely groundless. Mindless pundits and political figures like Sara Palin, Glenn Beck, Lou Dobbs, Sean Hannity, and news outlets like Fox News say and report things routinely that are entirely false. What is happening with news outlets like Fox News and others is who can out spook who, and it all goes to rating and profits. What is dangerous is the way it affects many unstable Americans to act out in violence and much of this reverts to the electing of the first person of color to the " White House."
Recently the infamous Koch Brothers held their annual " Who Wants To Be President," convention in Palm Springs, California. It's a gathering of the who's who of Millionaires and Billionaires in America. The primary focus of the conference is to decide who will be the Koch Brothers' " puppet on a string" for the upcoming 2016 Presidential race. ABC's Jonathan Karl moderated the discussion between the prospective presidential hopefuls.
The overall narrative of the event is to schmooze the Koch Brothers for their money.
This activity is not how our democracy should work. This activity is how our democracy has been corrupted. It's well known that the Koch's have a political infrastructure across the United States that buys politicians and uses this leverage to manipulate public policy. It was reported in the New York Times that the Koch's will be spending more money on the 2016 election than both parties [See Article] What's sad is that many who follow politics will not be shocked by this information.
What Would Our Founding Fathers Think About The Koch Brothers?
Jefferson To Kercheval
Source: Library of Congress
"Those seeking profits where they are given total freedom will not be the ones to trust to keep the government pure and our rights secure." [Thomas Jefferson]
There is a long history in America of those seeking to amass vast fortunes as being the source of corruption in our governance. One must take into account the year this correspondence was written. In 1816 England, there was no such thing as a middle class. You had a minuscule percentage who were rich and a large group of working people that constituted the working poor. Yes, there were a few people who were doctors, lawyers, and shop owners that made up a minor middle class, but for the most part in England you had no middle-class influence whatsoever. Sounds like America today?
One of Jefferson's main points in this letter was that by keeping the people undereducated and poor, it abated them from calling their oppressive oligarchy government into account for these inequalities. We see this taking shape in America today. In the Republican Party and its Tea-Party and Libertarian factions, there is a "go fend for yourselves" attitude. Jefferson made reference to the abusive state of man against man, and we see this being played out daily in our news feed. To the point, Jefferson and the rest of the founding fathers would be turning over in their graves. The modern-day Republicans, the ones with any intellect, are still misguided and follow the flawed philosophy of Thomas Hobbes.[See Source] In Jefferson's letter to Kercheval, he [Jefferson] was explicit in his disagreement with Hobbes.
Thomas Jefferson To James Madison 1785 Letter Concerning Equality In America [See Letter]
Thomas Jefferson
"Another means of silently lessening the inequality of property is to exempt all from taxation below a certain point and to tax the higher portions of the property in geometrical progression as they rise. "
One of Jefferson's main points even back in 1826 in a letter to William B Giles was that America was already moving towards an Aristocracy.
Jefferson, an old man at the time, pointed out that some in the John Adams wing [Federalist] looked to a single and splendid government of an Aristocracy, founded upon banking, corporations, under the guise and cloak of their favorite branches of manufacturing, commerce, and navigation. The modern-day examples would be the oil barons, defense industry, and Wall Street, riding and ruling over the plundered plowman and the everyday people of this nation. If the overgrown wealth of an individual, for example Father Koch, who helped start the John Birch Society, is to be deemed dangerous to the state, is the best corrective measure the law of equal inheritance to all in equal degree? An inheritance tax.
The United States of Koch, And Why Is It Wrong For America?
Everyone has heard of the Koch Brothers, even a casual observer of politics, right? Wrong! A George Washington University poll conducted in 2014 found that 52% of likely voters have never heard of the Koch Brothers. [See Source] This fact does not surprise this writer. 70% of the American people don't take part in the political process so keeping up with politics is not the order of the day for most Americans. What is upsetting is that these people haven't a clue how these two brothers have a daily impact on their lives. The Koch Brothers have more wealth [100 Billion combined] than the bottom 40% of Americans put together. What is now Koch Industries Inc, began as Wood River Oil and Refining Co in 1940. Based in Wichita, Kansas, Koch Industries is one of the largest corporations in America. They have many subsidiaries involved in manufacturing, trading, and investments. The Brothers own 84% percent of Koch Industries, a massive company and conglomerate with investments in oil, fertilizer, electronics components, and even toilet paper. The firm employs over 50k people in the U.S. and 100k worldwide.[See Source]
So the next time you go to the bathroom to do your business you very well could be wiping your butt with the Koch Brothers. Many questions come to this writer's mind concerning the Koch Brothers. Why don't they just go on making their billions? Why do they feel the need to inject themselves into our government at such an overwhelming level? Is it the power? Do they feel with this wealth they have accumulated they have the right to lord it over us mere minions of society? Most people involved in politics know the importance of Television ads during an election cycle. Even though there is some debate on the topic, many Americans base their choice on a candidate by these ads. An example of this would be Jesse Ventura, ex-wrestler who won the Minnesota Governor's race based mainly on his award-winning Televisions ads. Undoubtedly, Television ads play a significant role in a political election.
Low and Behold, Here Comes Citizen United!
The Supreme Court decision in 2010 to allow unfettered amounts of dark money into our political process has enabled the Koch Brothers to be like a " kid in a candy store." It has allowed the Koch's and other Billionaires like them to set up they're own political mechanism separate from the political parties. They [Koch Brothers] started providing massive sums of money directly to a candidate of their choice and creating their media campaigns to sway public opinion toward their views. In the 2014 election cycle, " Americans For Prosperity," a Koch Brothers political front group, aired more than 17,000 broadcast TV ads, compared with only 2,100 aired by Republican Party groups. What this reveals to us is the overall influence these brothers had in the 2014 Mid-Term Election. Under Citizens United, the Koch Brothers, Super-Pacs, and Corporations can lie because they are not held to any standard. They can bold-faced lie on a Television Ad without any recompense.
Scott Walker Gov.(R-WI)
Even though most Americans disapprove of the Citizens United decision, our elected politicians refuse to overturn it with legislation. If we are going to have this unlimited amount of money allowed into the political process it's the position of the House of Public Discourse, we must have full disclosure. We[The House] suggest this should be the responsibility of the person running for public office. We The People need to know just whose hip-pocket these candidates are in. In jest, we need these candidates walking around in NASCAR suits wearing the logos of just who is sponsoring their campaigns.
However, the way the system of things is set up now the Koch Brothers can spend millions to billions on a political election. They don't have to be honest or accurate; they can just simply spatter the right-wing media echo chamber with untruthful propaganda. We have the " Roberts Court" to thank for this most unhealthy addition to our political process.
Who Are These People; taking Over The GOP? They are not strangers to the American political experience. The Radical Right. The Christian Coalition! The John Birch Society! The Tea Party. These people are the Radical Right. There are many faces to these politically extreme people. Sadly, these people desperate as they might be to hold power often win.
"We are not coming up against just human beings to beat them in elections. We're going to be coming up against spiritual warfare." (Pat Robertson at a 1994 Christian Coalition national strategy conference)[Source: Theocracy Watch]
With the mid-term elections upon us, we here at the House of Public Discourse could not help but notice that many politicians on the upcoming ballot for November 4th, are products of the Radical Right.
The most notorious of these is long-time Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell, who is being opposed by Alison Lundergan Grimes. McConnell's campaign manager has already resigned amid a allege bribery deal. " The ole Washington two-step [See Article]
Alison Lundergan Grimes
According to the latest polls, Grimes holds a slim lead over McConnell. Grimes is the current Secretary of State in Kentucky.
The Progressives know Mitch McConnell well. There is a history. Being from North Carolina, I liken McConnell a modern-day Jesse Helms look-a-like. Its has been McConnell that has led the charge of obstruction against the Obama Administration. It has been McConnell who has been caught with his " pants-down," lying in bed with the Koch Brothers.
Case In Point.
It was McConnell who wasted the money of tax-payers on the bogus IRS scandal and was a washout when questioned by the press. The big question now is, are the people of Kentucky fed up with McConnell enough to show him the door at the ballot box. With the overall approval rating of Congress somewhere in the low-teens and McConnell being the face of that disapproval, many feel this could be the end of the line for McConnell. So, with all this said, who supports a guy like Mitch McConnell? The Radical Right that is who? The Koch Brothers. It's time for the people of Kentucky and say no to these politics by mob in Kentucky. To many Progressive Democrats and Independents alike feel that Mitch McConnell's behavior and actions during the Obama years has bordered on sedition. One thing is for certain the outcome is still very uncertain. Which begs the question, who are these people taking over the GOP!
What is the John Birch Society? Founded, in Indianapolis, IN in 1958, it was chartered under the general laws of Massachusetts. The society presented itself as a non-profit educational organization. The John Birch Society made no bones about who they were, and their sense of entitlement to the American way of life. They were the molders and shapers of public morality. Some early declarations made by the JBS were false. The JBS was inclusionary to all races. Not true. They insisted their membership reflected the cross-section of America on all social and economic levels. Not true. The JBS marched around proclaiming themselves an individualist. However, the JBS never minced words when it came to the common thread of. " defeating communism."
"I knew how much my father hated John Kennedy, and Kennedy was not the first or last Communist my father hated. With the help of his arch-right-wing friends, in and out of the JBS. Dad could recite a list of " dirty Reds." [Wrapped In The Flag Author, Claire Conner]
In a nutshell, the John Birch Society over the years till this present day has been the leader of the anti-federal government movement. They are the faction that all modern-day factions aspire to. They were clear and upfront about their desire to control public morality. [See Article]
Less Government---More Responsibility---A Better World
The JBS set the organization up as a vocal grass-roots stopgap against the spread of Communism. When Sen. Joe McCarthy went on his famous political witchhunt, in the 1950s. McCarthy became an instant superstar with the now growing JBS. When McCarthy announced, he was naming names about 200 total who were all commies he [McCarthy] became JBS hero. The JBS wanted it known they were taking the lead on the fight against Communism. The JBS proclaim themselves the protectors of western-civilization.
The JBS was the most useful, best-funded largest radical right-wing group in the history of America. The JBS was not the first radical right-wing organization and has not been the last. However; the JBS did something no other such group had ever done before which involved a coordinated effort to get all of its members doing the same thing at the same time. The JBS got a populist political activism organization started and organized by mail-order for lack of term. The JBS has a top-down authoritarian approach. Robert Welsh, the founder of the John Birch Society, always proclaimed that the JBS is monolithic. He often boosted there will be " no democracy here."
So, let put Welsh's comment into perspective. A political faction claiming to be both the defender and avenger of our democratic way of life will have none of it within their organization. This element begs the question; what type of government would these people run? In digging to find the answer to the question, our research ran dead into the question now slogan. " we are a republic, not a democracy." Is this mindset not the rallying cry for many Americans today. What is very interesting is this political philosophy question is the very one many people have said turns on the light switch that these people may have it wrong.
Why Understanding The John Birch Society Is Important?
Right now, the question of voter turnout and the rights of people to vote have been- challenged across the country. We have seen right-wing radical groups that have infiltrated every level of local-state, and federal government, control legislation and legislative bodies as well. The JBS from its inception has proclaimed everyone does not have the right to vote.
For example, the JBS advocated the repeal of the 17th amendment.
The JBS believed there was a secret communist around every corner and in every facet of government. At the time, the 1950's there was a very real fear of communism and the spreading thereof. This fear was used by the JBS to make everyone afraid of the Reds. McCarthy started naming names. Do we see a return to McCarthyism in the Republican Party today? The JBS felt that 70% of the Federal Government had to go. So, what does that mean what would have to be cut and in what order?
Social Security, right off the bat.
Unemployment Benefits
Welfare Programs
Public Education
This hatred of the Federal Government would put cuts on many less-publicized departments of government as well. Like, Dept of Highways, the JBS were against the repeal of the " Jim Crow," laws in the South. The JBS held a position that the government had no place in the enactment of civil rights laws. With the JBS, any thought of government regulation goes ' down the drain.' The overall rallying cry of the Bircher is the Federal Government is evil. The JBS solution was the dismantling or privatization of the Federal government. We are seeing these solutions being implemented in many states across the country. We have seen a move to privatize prisons and education. Most of this radical legislation has passed in bright red legislatures. Public funds being diverted from public schools to charter schools has turned into a disaster.
There are myriad of reasons why we should understand the mindset of the radical- right-wing and the crazy proposals they put forth. I think an insider's view of this subject matter is invaluable. From Wrapped In The Flag, Author: Claire Conner.
In closing, it is important [in this writer's view] to be aware of the motives of these rogue elements of our political sphere. There is a connection between people who are " Birch minded," and the Dominionist. They both quest to dominate or lord their mortality over us to the point of censorship and unconstitutional laws being passed. That why it's important to understand the John Birch Society.
