SOME of the VALUABLE POINTS

According to Noam Chomsky, who is often recognized as the most cited

living author, if Aristotle were alive today, he would be regarded as a
dangerous radical. According to Chomsky, Aristotle felt that if a society
has extremely poor people and extremely rich people, it can not
seriously be called democratic. “Any true democracy has to be what we
call today a welfare state--actually, an extreme form of one, far beyond
anything envisioned in this century.” (How the World Works by Noam
Chomsky, pp. 208-209)

“The idea that great wealth and democracy can’t exist side by side runs
right up through the enlightenment and classical liberalism, including
major figures such as de Toqueville, Adam Smith, Jefferson, and others.
It was more or less assumed.” (p. 209)

De Toqueville “pointed out, quite explicitly, that if a ‘permanent

inequality of conditions’ ever developed, that would be the death of
democracy”... “Adam Smith’s advocacy of markets was based on the
assumption that under conditions of perfect liberty, free markets would
lead to perfect equality of outcome, which he believed was a good
thing.” (p. 210)

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“...fifty years of intense corporate propaganda, in the media and

elsewhere, has been trying to direct people’s fear, anger, and hatred
against the government and make private power invisible to
them.” (p. 219)

“There are plenty of things wrong with government, but this propaganda
opposes what’s right with it--namely, that it’s the one defense people
have against private tyrannies.” (p. 220)

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John Jay, a signer of the declaration of independence and the first Chief
Justice of the United States, said, “The people who own the country
ought to govern it.” (My comment----Right.) James Madison, who
wrote the constitution, “believed that the primary goal of government is
to ‘protect the minority of the opulent against the majority.’” Madison
feared that, in a democratic society, the poor majority would seek to
redistribute wealth. “So he designed a system that made sure democracy
did not function.” p. 209 (My comment----It worked. And best of all.
U.S. citizens strongly believe that democracy does function. Or so we
are told.) (Of course, democracy does function to an extent. But the
important power is entirely monopolized by vast wealth and the worship
of profit, to the detriment of the citizens.)

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“In 1964, the U.S. government spent more money per capita to get the
presidential candidate it favored elected in Chile than was spent by both
candidates (Johnson and Goldwater) in the 1964 election here in the
United States!” (Back Cover) (My comment----this makes democracy an
utter sham. It is sick, on the part of my nation. If you think the U.S. is a
big supporter of government by or for the people, you have failed to
engage reality.)

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Some Thoughts of Mine

The United States of America was not, contrary to what was constantly
fed us and shoved into our minds when we were mere children, and
contrary to what has been massively reinforced since then, set up as a
democracy--a government by and for the people.

The U.S. of A. is a nation set up, to a very significant degree, by and for
a selfish, violent, exploiting, oppressive, self-righteous few--most of
whom we do not even see. Since then, it has proceeded to rape nature
and human societies across the broad Earth--and Americans do not see
it. Those with eyes, let them see--let them look.

Unfortunately, apparently most do not realize that other’s also, not just
the prosperous minority, are living valuable worthy whole working
grounded vital suffering giving loving creatures. Or at least the ruling
economic machine does not give that due weight.

Will we, as a nation, ever stop pursuing the selfish nonsense we have
been pursuing?

I hope so.

But I do doubt it.

Because our minds are closed. And our spirits are dim.