Take a look at the riots in Greece. Just a bunch of hoodlums? Perhaps, but not everything wrong there falls on only one set of shoulders. It is widely established as fact the government of Greece at all levels, as a whole, has zero interest in the will of the people they govern. Same here in the US.
Did you ever stop to notice what a massive, monumental effort it takes from the grass roots to stop the federal government doing something stupid? Case in point: the FDA made a move to regulate the natural vitamin industry. It’s no secret the reason was pressure from the big commercial vendors of artificial vitamins. While the word “vitamins” has a concrete meaning in terms of chemistry — vitamin C is ascorbic acid — the word has a different connotation in marketing. It’s playing semantic games to denounce natural vitamins as “no better” than raw chemicals isolated from their natural complex environment in human nutrition. So when the folks who sell these natural supplements, and those who consume them, found out about this almost secret effort, the outcry reached the deaf ears of the FDA. The really dirty secret is those voices had to fork over a lot of money to buy the assistance of some insiders to be heard. Otherwise the FDA would have ignored the outcry. Furthermore, the FDA still plans to do this, but they are being even more secret about it, now.
In other words, it is the fundamental nature of the US federal government to tell the citizens to get lost (that’s framing the attitude nicely). Way back when Abraham Lincoln came up with that sweet-sounding phrase — government of the people, by the people, for the people — he knew it was a bold lie. The entire premise of his whole service in US government was to insure “the right people” were in control, and he had very clear notions who those people were. Indeed, he made no bones about it in his writings and speeches. His war was the one thing which most served to reverse the clearly stated principle the US federal government was supposed to be the coordinating office of the states, the servant of the states. Instead, he made it the supreme overlord of the states. This was not what was intended by the Founding Fathers, so at the very latest, it was during Lincoln’s administration we trashed the Constitution once and for all.
It was the same as any other revolt in human history, except for the peculiarity of being a revolt of institutions against other institutions. That is, while it was certainly people who revolted, it was specifically on behalf of institutional offices, not their own selves. So it seems quite ordinary, decent and good people can step into those offices, and something happens. They suddenly are annointed with infallibility, but only because they have adopted the prevailing adendas of “The Powers That Be” (TPTB). Actually, you probably realize nobody who is ordinary, decent and good can get into those offices in the first place. Let’s get one thing clear: It is with rare exception anyone in office has not already compromised themselves in such a way the others could get rid of them in a heartbeat if any dare to cross certain lines. Do you really think Eliot Spitzer’s private sins are worse than any other big shot in government? He was exposed by people in government because he crossed the line, planning to prosecute someone belonging to TPTB without the authorization of TPTB.
Please note: It had nothing to do with Democrat versus Republican; Republicans have their brand of sleaze. Yes, those two go at each other with zeal, but that zeal is cultivated by even higher TPTB. It’s a side show. Spitzer was not marked for termination as a Democrat, because they could easily have protected him. No, he dared to suggest the banks which would shortly be demanding a bailout — preplanned well before the public awareness of the “need” — were running crooked operations. The timing is the key, along with the ID of which banks Spitzer was investigating. Oh, and while it may have nothing to do with this case, Spitzer’s favorite supplier of sex was a business front for Mossad, and the US knew it.
Never mind Jews, this is about clandestine government agencies allowing those of other nations on their turf. In this case, there’s nothing wrong with guessing it was designed to be a trap in the first place. Most espionage requires casting a net to capture agents of your target government via their vices or virtues — catch them being naughty, or identify something they hold sacred. From there, simple blackmail is enough. That the US would knowingly allow Mossad to operate a high-end bawdy house means pretty much the same as that old Echelon trick. While eavesdropping by the CIA on US citizens is technically illegal, it’s okay if they get the intel from MI6 eavesdropping on US citizens. Mossad is allowed to operate freely because they can pass on the goods without breaking the law, so to speak. At least, the US government can pretend they didn’t know, and officially refuse to discuss it.
But the people find out. When they start trying to get answers, the government is not only uncooperative, but tends to threaten the people for daring to ask. Do you not know most laws exist, not to be enforced, but to be selectively enforced? That is, enforcement agencies cannot possibly go after every violation, so they choose to emphasize violations based on policy. Enforcement policy is presumably tuned to meet needs identified by the political process. However, that’s not the only thing going on. The idea is you cannot possibly live your life without breaking one law or another. When something you do really does matter, you cannot possibly escape prosecution for one thing or another. It won’t matter what you do or don’t do; the criminal justice system can indict a random shovel full of dirt not yet removed from the ground. Cross one of those invisible lines, and you will surely suffer, if not for the thing itself, then something arbitrarily made up from some other part of the system. The people are starting to figure this out.
When they do, it only takes one truly brassy act of oppression before the apathy dies and people react. That’s only half the formula, though. When you read all the official stuff put out by government mouthpieces, and all the documents they write, even the ones which slip out by accident, you realize one awful thing: No government agency ever admits doing wrong. Nothing indicates a rational concern the citizens might just object to something. It’s invariably cast in the light any objection must be seen as criminal. There’s scarcely any pretense any more of responsibility and accountability to those governed. You may see those words from time to time, but notice carefully how government people avoid applying it to themselves or their agencies.
It’s getting worse. You can see it as more and more agencies and officers boldly reject in public statements any hint of contrition for mistakes. Further, the system is closed to change. Voting means nothing if the candidates are uniformly members already of TPTB. Frankly, the only change possible is literally killing the whole lot of them. That’s not to encourage violence, but a simple recognition of facts. You want to stop the war in Gaza? Nuke the Knesset while it’s in session, because the leaders of Hamas are agents of the Israeli government, created by it. Those leaders of Hamas who remain obedient will still be alive next year, even if the entire rest of the population of Gaza is dead. Want to stop US unconditional support of Israel? You’ll have to nuke DC on a good workday. Sorry, but that’s the facts; by no other means can you persuade the federal government to stop it. No one among TPTB will hear you because there’s too much money in it for them, and for those who control them.
That rioters are thugs doesn’t change anything. The folks at the top are simply bigger thugs, successful thugs. Anyone who harbors the least desire to make decisions for any other human being is already vile. Those who succeed in getting to the top simply choose who will share that honor. They have no trouble using violence to maintain that position — cops do carry guns — and would claim some form of monopoly on the use of violence. That they succeed at times in keeping some semblance of public civil order is purely an accident. There are always folks who find your peaceful coexistence oppressive on them.
Right now the pendulum of history swings toward more oppressive government, so more violent revolts is just the natural result. Get ready.
