Given what you say, Miriam, I tip my hat to you for your ability to
own your own mind.
In many ways a father holds a stronger position in a family, than does
a mother. At least in so far as directing the family politics.
Two of our children listen, discuss and offer their own thoughts
concerning the major issues of our times. Our youngest daughter is
respectful and also speaks her mind, and does at least listen to my
opinions so she can develop her rebuttal.
The grand children are about as mixed a bag. But we are all together
in our belief that each member has as worthwhile a position as any
other.
I've been in many family settings with friends, where the gathering
ends with people screaming at one another and slamming the door as
they march out.
Carl Jarvis
On 2/8/20, miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Carl,
My children do not want to hear me talk about politics. They may agree with
some of what I think. They certainly don't agree with all of it. But no one
wants to hear me expound upon my ideas. No one says, "What do you think
about what happened in Iowa?" or "What is your opinion on Iran?". My older
daughter basically thinks that the world is how it is and we just have to
adjust to it. She certainly isn't interested in trying to find ways to make
things better. My younger daughter complains that I'm too serious about
everything. But, of course, she likes to spend time looking at cat videos.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
<blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Carl Jarvis
Sent: Saturday, February 8, 2020 12:45 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: The Party's Over!
Miriam,
Thanks in advance. Hopefully you can send the link.
In so many areas we agree, although I suspect that Capitalism will always be
flawed to a point of needing to oppress those who are providing the wealth.
I'm more taken by the Worker Owner concept.
But even so there is danger in who and how the nation's industry is managed
for the good of "all".
Government, in my mind, only works when all members are informed and
involved.
That "informed" part is a problem. Donald Trump just awarded a Peace Medal
to Rush Limbaugh. How do we teach people to think for themselves and not be
"charmed" by the prattle of the likes of Rush Limbaugh? Who gets to set the
agenda? The Russians under Joseph Stalin wrote their own version of
history. We have written our own, also.
To my way of thinking, we're in a hopeless mess. This does not mean that we
give up, but we must realize that we will not turn the world upon its ear.
If I can stay true to my own convictions, and pass along to my children and
grandchildren, the ability to think for themselves, then that may be the
best I can do. And in that, I will be content.
Carl Jarvis
On 2/7/20, miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I've just been listening to Robert Sheer's interview with Max
Bloomenthal on the Sheer Intelligence podcast. It's also a program on
KCRW. When it comes to me by means of Truthdig, I'll try to isolate a
link and send it to you because it is fascinating to learn a bit of
personal history about Max. And the discussion is also really
interesting. One of the most interesting things is Bloomenthal's
description of the Clinton money machine, where it came from, how it
developed, and how it took over the Democratic party.
As for FDR, certainly, he was a flawed president. I wonder if that
wouldn't be true of anyone who was narcicistic enough to want to be
president, except Bernie who, I suspect, doesn't really want to be
president, just to lead a movement. But anyway, this thing about
labels, bothers me. Capitalism, if it were properly controlled and if
the controls could be maintained, I don't know that it would hurt
people, or rather, a modified form of it. I don't think we'd be happy
with state socialism if it involved the kind of authoritarianism that
has, so far, been required to keep it intact. I think we'd be most
comfortable with Democratic Socialism, as practiced in Europe, and
that isn't classical socialism. I like the ideas of businesses owned
and run by their workers. I like the idea of government providing the
services that people need. What I worry about, with all governments,
regardless of the economic system, is authoritarianism.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
<blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Carl Jarvis
Sent: Friday, February 7, 2020 1:57 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: The Party's Over!
Yes. You have hit the nail on the head. But in looking back through
the unreliable eyes of history, our great nation was built on a Fault
line.
Certainly far better than the dictatorships that ruled in the world
back in 1776, but flawed nonetheless.
A constitution was hammered out that would best protect the Landed
Gentry, and despite being greatly altered, it continues protecting
them and their offspring, even unto this very day. Up until FDR set
in place some basic changes in the power structure of the nation,
Labor had been abused, keeping laborers almost at Slave Level.
Remember Ernie Ford singing, "I owe my Soul to the company store".
Child labor, six day work week and a twelve hour shift. Factories
that were death traps, like the Flat Iron Triangle building in New
York City. And on it went until Labor Unions began to muscle their
way into the mix. But even FDR did not have clean hands. His need
for support led him to cozy up to the Dixicrats, and sacrificed
American Negroes...Black Citizens. He oversaw the setting up of
Internment Camps, reducing Japanese American Citizens to the level of
prisoners of war. And while he did assist, through his government
work relief programs, in bringing about an improvement in living
conditions of a new "Middle Class", the Second World War had a bigger
impact on the economy. But even so, FDR's efforts were tangled up in
his need to save Capitalism. And once saved, because it really was
inches away from an overthrow, the Establishment set about retaking
what it saw as its rightful rewards. Probably the new flawed System
would have gone on for many years, but Ronald Reagan stepped in and began
serious rollbacks. Rollbacks, that is, for the American Labor.
The nation's wealth was directed toward a powerful cartel, the
Military/Industrial Corporations.
To paraphrase Ronald Reagan, "At Washington D.C., War is our most
important product".
And so it is unto this very day.
Carl Jarvis
On 2/6/20, miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I'm reading yet another book about WW2 and recently read Alice
Hoffman's rather magical one about Jews fleeing from Nazis. I have to
say that in light of recent developments here, these stories take on
a new life and relevancy. However poor the Democrats' choice was in
choosing only Trump's attempt to influence the Ukrainian president to
investigate Biden's son as a charge, and however questionable the US
relationship with Ukraine has been, Trump did commit an illegal acdt
and he is answerable to the House and Senate for attempting to bribe
the leader of another country to take down a potential opponent in
the presidential election. If the leader of the senate can state in
advance that he will coordinate with the white house and not permit
the senate to fulfill its constitutional responsibility, if then the
senate refuses to hear witnesses in the case, and if the president's
lawyer says that the president is free to do whatever he chooses if
he thinks it's in the best interests of the country, with no checks
or balances, then we are on the verge of a complete fascist takeover.
If you've read any of the books which have been written since 2016
which describe the day to day functioning of Trump, the Kushners, and
the people with whom he has surrounded himself, as well as the
changes in government structure and function that have taken place,
it is apparent to you that what is happening now is very different
from what we have experienced previously. We can talk about how the
history and culture of this country have led us to this moment, and
we can point to all of the changes within the Democratic Party since
FDR's presidency that have led us to this moment. Nevertheless, the
present danger is now and real and resides with how Trump is
affecting our country.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
<blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Carl Jarvis
Sent: Thursday, February 6, 2020 11:41 AM
To: blind-democracy <blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: Jennifer Ford" <dandjford88@xxxxxxxx>, "delores selset"
<dselset@xxxxxxx>
Subject: [blind-democracy] The Party's Over!
The Nation's biggest ever Coast to Coast Reality Show, "The
Impeachment of Donald Trump", rings down the curtain. Republican
Senators, to a man...and woman...rose to defend their white way of
life and the lives of their donators. With only one Republican
breaking rank, and promptly being cursed by President Donald Trump,
and the suggestion of his son, Donald Trump Jr.
that he be thrown out of the Republican Party, the Senate Majority
put the final touches on the "Show of Shows", finding Donald Trump
innocent of the charges brought against him by the naughty House.
Well, it's a good thing America still has Basketball to turn to.
The President's State of the Union speech was more amazing than Alice
in Wonderland. The President painted a mythological Land of Oz,
where he, the Great Wizard of Oz, lay claim to every economic
improvement, and created many others out of whole cloth. Meanwhile
the attack on what is left of our once prosperous "Middle Class", is
being carried forward. Social programs are being underfunded with an
eye to being eliminated. Federal judges are being appointed based on
their far right and strong White stance. Being a conservative is
good balance in our Capitalist Culture, but simply upholding White
Supremacy and White Laws, denies access to our Great American Land of
Plenty to all who are "different" than the White Ruling Class.
And by the way, this included the Establishment Democrats, too.
The behavior of our Senate serves as an example of the sort of
Justice most Americans of the Working Class and Lower Class can
expect...if in fact they can even afford a court hearing.
As we enter the "Twenties", our great Ship of State is steered toward
a bleak, rocky barrier by an unstable captain.
Carl Jarvis, putting on my life jacket as we speak.
