Opinions of Peter Belmont
Speaking Truth to Power
| A cautionary congratulatory message to President Obama |
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by Peter A. Belmont / 2012-11-07
Dear President Obama: Traditional politics will be of little avail Traditional politics are responsible for these problems. What is needed is radical change. What are these problems? And what might be some useful “radical changes”? Three Principal Problems: •First two problems: Global Warming and Money Dominated Governance •Second two problems: Economy-Banking and Money Dominated Governance •Third two problems: Israel/Palestine and Money Dominated Governance A Radical Change “How To”: •A Program of Radical Change, President Obama •Radical Change on Israel/Palestine First two problems: Global Warming and Money Dominated Governance I don’t see how the USA can oppose global warming (even in the rear-guard and much-too-late way that is available to us after so many years of inactivity) unless it finds a way to de-fang BIG-OIL, BIG-COAL, and BIG-GAS (and perhaps BIG-DETROIT) as proponents of the very behaviors (namely, burning fossil fuels) which promote global warming. You cannot have missed the droughts that ruined so much agricultural production and caused or contributed to such destructive forest fires last summer. You surely did not fail to notice “Hurricane Sandy” and its massive destructiveness. These droughts, fires, and storms are the proof (which scientists now acclaim without caveat) that global warming is a serious and a man-made problem which desperately needs human intervention to deal with. Even though it is now far too late to stop global warming entirely, it is not to late to stop contributing to making it worse. The USA (and the world) must each do what it can, and the USA should lead. This will be wrenching, but there is no choice. ”Hell and High Water” is a cute phrase, but a lousy future. Again: the USA must lead the effort to slow global warming. “Hell and High Water” is a cute phrase, but a lousy future. I don’t want any American to live through another “Hurricane Sandy.” Either do you. This is my first example of the way that BIG-MONEY in politics misguides America to our utter detriment. Second two problems: Economy-Banking and Money Dominated Governance Your first administration began in the midst of an economic crisis engineered by the BIG-BANKS which had changed from practitioners of cautious investment into practitioners of dangerous speculation. The BANKS had also done a flim-flam in which they pretended to be a social-welfare agency—necessary to the world’s economy they self-servingly and bald-facedly pretended—whereas they had become, in fact, modern-day robber barons—willing to take unlimited risks with the world’s economy and demanding to be protected from their losses by enormous bail-outs. The BANKS managed all this—both getting essentially free money to gamble with from the FED and getting bail-outs when their gambling failed—by using BIG MONEY (BIG-BANK MONEY) to dominate both parties in Congress and Administration. They OWNED the USA. And still do. Indeed, representatives of GOLDMAN SACHS sit in the American government in positions which are of great power and ought to be conducted in the PUBLIC INTEREST rather than in the private interest of the BIG-BANKS. This is my second example of the way that BIG-MONEY in politics misguides America to our utter detriment. Third two problems: Israel/Palestine and Money Dominated Governance We have seen the power of the hard-line pro-Israel lobby (AIPAC, BIG-ZION) on American politics. We have also seen a mini-break-out by Democratic Party delegates on the question of Jerusalem. Nevertheless, AIPAC and BIG-ZION generally (ADELSON as another example) have controlled Congress and Administration alike for far too many years. The result has been American acquiescence in Israel’s 45-year-long illegalities such as settlement building, settler-installing, wall-building, the siege of Gaza, and the seizure and use of far more than Israel’s share of joint Israeli/Palestinian naturally-occurring water resources. The result may have been the extremely destructive, extremely expensive, and extremely unwise and unnecessary Iraq war. The result has almost been another ill-advised war—this time with Iran. Hard-line Israeli politicians are still speaking of such a war and hope to sucker the USA into supporting them in it. America can support Israel’s military security within its pre-1967 borders without also acquiescing in Israel’s illegalities. It is time to say so. See below. This is my third example of the way that BIG-MONEY in politics misguides America to our utter detriment. A Program of Radical Change, President Obama Remaining a Prisoner of BIG-MONEY Won’t Work If you continue (as I expect) to desire to be an effective legislative leader, you will certainly continue to be a prisoner of all the BIGs who give electoral money for Congressional elections: BIG-ZION (AIPAC), BIG-OIL and BIG-COAL and BIG-GAS, BIG-BANKS, etc. Speaking Truth to Power Will Work Speak Truth to the American People On the other hand, you can adopt the radical departure of “speaking truth to power” by telling America what its real and implacable problems are, problems that traditional politics is incapable of dealing with, problems that demand radical change: climate, money in politics, Israeli imperialism, America’s imperialism and endless and unnecessary war, America’s self-chosen roles as policeman of the world without request or permission or financial contribution from the beneficiaries ?? of this policing. This alternative requires you to abandon traditional political leadership and would require a sea-change in presidential behavior. The nation and the world need it badly, but it cannot be expected of you if you remain the prisoner of politics-as-usual. Radical Change by Constitutional Amendment (Takes Too Long) There is another alternative, but it will take time and co-operation and will be too late. This is the path of defining, seeking, and achieving a Constitutional Amendment of limit the power of big-money in governance. Please see one suggestion of mine. Imagine if you went on TV tomorrow night and said: I am changing American policy with regard to Israel and Palestine. Starting now, the USA returns to the view that enforcement of international law is the best and most reliable path toward peace and justice in the Israel / Palestine conflict. Here, “justice” means not only a just peace but also a just and lawful occupation. Well, I can only imagine. And hope. Good luck to you, Mr. President. |
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