Elections Day Musings

For me, it’s all about connection. It’s all about feeling the energetic interconnectedness with everyone I meet, with all around me, and with All That Is. I know that once upon a time, we all came from the same divine source. In our deepest depths, we all carry a fragment or a spark of that original divine source within us. It’s in every one of us. And in this current unfolding of the ever present sacred now, we are all expressions of that same divine source exploring itself through us. 

I also know that every emotion is sacred. Love, fear, sadness, joy, shame, anger, even hatred — it’s all a part of the sacred dance of being human. As I ever more fully accept all of these emotions in myself and in others as a natural part of life and this never ending process of learning and growth, I find I become ever more graceful and skilled at surfing the waves that life presents me with.

I have little conscious control over the waves that come my way in life, yet I always have choice in how I respond to the waves. It’s not what happens that matters, but rather what I choose to do with it. As I continually choose to see even the tsunamis as potent challenges which are an invitation for me to grow and to expand my awareness and interconnection with all around me, I’m gradually becoming a master at surfing the waves and surrendering to the deeper joy of this glorious ride through life. 

In looking at the current polarization in our world, particularly that arising from the US election with Trump vs. Clinton, I see that many are falling into states of anger and hatred. I see that there are forces that want us to feed the flames of the old us vs. them paradigm. I fully accept this as a part of the natural unfolding of life in this moment. Yet I also choose to invite all who are interested to awaken from this old paradigm trance into a new paradigm where we recognize that it’s all divine, that Trump, Clinton, and all of their followers come from the same divine source that we all did. 

I feel it is equally important that I take action and do my best to stop destructive and disempowering behavior whenever I can. I’m doing my best to stop Clinton’s war profiteering and Trump’s violence towards women and minorities. Yet at the same time as I take decisive action towards this end, I do my best to recognize and evoke the divine essence in both of these candidates and in all who are consumed by this dance of polarization. In both my actions in the world and in my inner reflections, I choose to do my best to invite ever more love, joy, and harmony for all who are open to it. No matter what is happening outside of me, on the inside I choose to feel the energetic interconnectedness of us all. 
 

onesong's picture

Seemed an appropriate addition to Fred's post. Peace be pervasive on this day and all days.

Holy shit, he is gonna win.....

Bob07's picture

Well, many, many people did meditation, prayers, and/or chanting on this election day for the best possible result (for my party, I added "...in the long run") for country and the world, for peace, our liberties, and protection for those who need to be protected. And who knows if that's how it will work -- in the long run? We just don't know enough, can't see behind the veil, to know what's in the works for the evolution of human beings here.

Example of a blessing in disguise: I remember reading about the assassination attempt made on Hitler by some his generals and others. But it failed. What tragedy! Who would disagree? But...he had been screwing up the war, losing campaigns. Some of the German brass wanted him out of the way so they could conduct the war as they saw fit, as military professionals. Think, if they had succeeded in assassinating him, the war might have turned out much differently... It may have been a blessing to the world that they failed.

I tell this not to compare Trump to Hitler. I honestly think he means well, and he may do some good after all should he win (we can hope) -- and it looks as if he may at this point (1:00AM EST.) If the predatory political and economic system that we live under is weakened by this, wonderful. No, it's to acknowledge our inability to know what's going on behind the scenes -- I mean waaaaaay behind the curtain -- no matter how savvy we think we are.

onesong's picture

Personally, without even considering outcomes, I am glad this election is over. It has been both an embarrassment and an atrocity imo. I wasn't attached to either party, nor was my vote this year. Try as I might, I could not give my vote to either of them. I did vote a 3rd party candidate. Many will say I threw my vote away but I did it with integrity, research and a whole lot of forethought. Two wrongs don't make a right. I hope like I said above, peace prevails. A lot of factions may be angry this morning. Please continue your commitment to peace, your meditation upon it and may our actions be intelligenty productive rather than re-actions to whatever is to come in the wake of this.
May a Higher Power now move to overshadow the soul of 'the Donald' and make him into a positive force for good rather than the man we have seen thus far.

ChrisBowers's picture

First it was the Brexit thing, then what happened in the Philippines with Trump wanna-be Rodrigo Duterte http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-reaction-philippines-idUS.... Now France and Germany are next in line for their own political WTF moment. Seems this is a worldwide viral phenomenon of some sort. One silver lining thought I had when my own psyche dust settled is that it might have been better this way when one considers which side is most likely to have gone the most violent in the streets with metal pipes and guns cray cray.

The Donald had his followers believing that if he didn't win then the election was surely rigged. The ironic part is the Republicans have been in the business of rigging for years now, making it difficult for blacks to vote, closing voting places and registration places, taking names off the registration lists, redistricting, etc. This will be interesting now since the Repubs control house, senate and oval office...

What a perfect Easter Island moment - a climate change denier in the oval office! Yeeeeehaawwww

Bob07's picture

Here are two reflections, the first from a Buddhist, daughter of a friend:

At first my machinery kicked in with, “I don’t know what to do. I don’t know how to do this. I don’t know how to be.” Then I remembered Gandhi, and Martin Luther King, and Nelson Mandela, and what Syrians are dealing with, and Marianne Williamson, and Werner Erhardt. We have models for this. We have precedent. We have examples of way of being and acting that work and have worked in the face of injustice.

The hardest pill to swallow is the massive reality check this is.... if who I am is You, and nobody 'gets it' until everybody 'gets it', and if who I am is everybody wins then I have to face that all those people who voted for Trump are me.

If who I am is not an individual but the whole network of conversations then their conversation are my conversations and it is up to me to transform them.
_____________________________________________
Second reflection, from a Christian friend in Germany:

GOD does not make any mistakes!!! We do not know what role Mr. President has to play in that GAME of LIFE.

As we all are on the Spiritual Path we know, that thoughts is our most powerful tool. So what to do?
As LOVE is the greatest power, we just have to send Mr. President our LOVING thoughts. This is what JESUS, the Dalai Lama , Buddha, Bruno and all the other great spirits told us.

The evil always leads o the GOOD!...So be happy and do not listen to any people complaining...this does not help anyone, but is taking away all our life energy.
Much LOVE to all people in US and especially to Mr. President!
_____________________________________________

ChrisBowers's picture

That's the romantic esoteric take on this. another very real possibility is that Nature has a fail safe self destruct mechanism. by that I mean that we may, as an out of control runaway species, be seeing such a natural phenomenon that leads to a natural correction of the problem, human overpopulation. a natural self-correcting balancing act of Nature who's end result is a lowering of the offending specie's numbers for the sake of all other life forms and planet to be considered.

I made a mock law firm business card about a month ago relating to our environmental dilemma. the backround artwork is a nuclear mushroom cloud detonation with a cityscape silhouette at ground level, and then a mouse image at left and ant image at right. at the top it says, Rodentz & Smaller, LLC. under that it says, A Limited Liability "Environmental" Clusterfuck. And then in the bright yellow of the detonation it says, Sorry Folks, You Can't Wish This One Away. At the bottom, between the mouse and ant it says, DUMB AS FUCK! AT THE VERY TIME WE NEEDED TO WISE UP...

At the time I made the mock business card I had no sense of the Donald actually getting anywhere near the desk of the oval office! No matter how you slice it or dress it up, this one's off the friggin' charts, off the hook, off the chain. maybe this is what the human psyche wetiko virus looks like! would love to hear some of the indigenous cultures' spin on this brexit 2.0 bizarre-ness.....

fredburks's picture

I was delightfully surprised by how little Trump winning affected me. I'm happy that my level of trust in the universe that what's best always happens is higher than I thought. I have zero doubt that Hillary is in the pocket of the "powers that were," and that Trump is a wild card who will stir things up. I have no idea where things are going, but I trust, and I love, and that's what matters most to me.

It's time to buckle our seatbelts and enjoy the wild ride, while at the same time holding strong to our commitment to shining a loving light into the shadows and to being love. Thanks to all of you who join in continually praying for what's best for all of us. I love you. I love us. And I love all of us!!!

 

Bob07's picture

That sums it up beautifully, Fred.

Trish's picture

Being somewhat removed from it, living in Canada, I felt first shock that Trump actually made it in, but since then I've been feeling weirdly optimistic about it all.

Like you said, Fred, I had the feeling that Clinton represented the PTB and she had a creepy corrupt vibe about her. Trump seems to be more of a wild card, and for all his crass talk and behaviour, I think he'll approach the job as a businessman and do his best to make decisions that will improve America's position on the world stage. Thst his idea of what's best might be a little skewed, well, I guess we're all in that boat and that's what advisors and the democratic process are for.

ChrisBowers's picture

This one's for you Fred. You'll love Russell Brand's take on all this (assuming you haven't already seen this clip) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3Ou5uFFn8Q

And I really get what you're saying about Hillary Trish. She comes off cold, boring, over-prepared and subtly creepy like some kind of female North Korean leader. Everyone who has had the opportunity to be with her in smaller settings says she is warm and inviting and even funny.

Michael Moore had such an opportunity and asked her, "why don't you be like this when you're in front of a large group of people?". Her response was something like, "I know, I know", like she had heard the same suggestion from many others. Just not her gift, attractive political perfection in front of the masses.

Her gift has always been working hard for women and children since her days in college. Take a look at Michael Moore in TrumpLand if you ever get a chance to. Here is the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQhgnJv1P1Y

Anyway, enjoy the Russell Brand video. He is so damn good at the peaceful inclusive balancing act perspective.

Noa's picture
tscout's picture

I meant to post that Russel Brand rant,,,that was great, and it reminded me of another one I liked,,,Icke's reaction to the election..... https://youtu.be/1scARbZRuuY?list=FLaac2yfdtuVIUD1hYnRctKQ Personally,I think that if nothing else, Trump getting elected could have thrown a wrench into the obvious plans to start ww3 w Russia. The media has been "building that case" for a couple of years now, and there is no doubt that HC was on that bandwagon. But, in this timeline, it would be more likely to see the US and Russia against China,,, maybe not so good either....
If this election as a whole was real, and not perpetrated to outdo the hoax they pulled 8 years ago, then it would represent a baby step in the awakening of people to the charade that is politics. Not that Trump is the answer, but that enough people were angry enough to think he was! No doubt they have succeeded in thoroughly polarizing the population again.
One more note,,,, while election day madness was keeping us occupied, the UN pushed through a measure for a rapid execution plan to speed up ag2030, the latest name for agenda 21.

ChrisBowers's picture

"The whole thing's a puppet show" Max Igan

It appears Trump is in over his head, out of his depth. Is this really true or is the puppet show designed to make us think it's true? If Trump truly is in over his head and begins stumbling through the learning curve process, will they kill him? Impeach him?

And what about HRC & WJC? Has anyone ever seen a pair of politicians more in the cross hairs of so much hatred and blame than these two? So much hyperbole and yet no indictment or prosecution. Both sides of the political spectrum appear to hate them with almost equal conviction and no one has the proof to justify their convictions? Not even Nixon was hated to this degree.

So much suspicion concerning their foundation, and yet if you go to see what they are actually funding you would probably be proud of yourself or family member or friend for doing the same! Anyone know why so much intense hatred and judgement concerning these two? You can find just about anything on the internet these days to justify your opinions, but does anyone actually do any real digging for the actual verifiable truth anymore??? Are we all in the fact-free bubble now???

And honestly, I have no dog in this hunt because I have my own concerns about HRC, what she might do as a war hawk. Michael Moore had a hunch that she might be playing along with the big boys all these years. Going with the flow to stay in the game long enough to finally break through the glass ceiling and be in a position to sign executive order after executive order benefiting the people, women and children, the commonwealth. Staying in the game long enough to come full circle to her heart of hearts desire, here initial calling as a young woman. I guess we will never know now.

Oh, and by the way ladies, all you women's libbers crying out for equal rights and fairness - 55% of white women voted for the pussy grabber. WTF!!! This one's on you girls this time! Women comprise over 50% of the voting public. It was yours to win or lose. The glass ceiling was so close you could see your breath on the glass...

As always, what's the endgame?
All the world is a stage and we are the actors...

tscout's picture

I think that the time between now and January could be the most interesting time. There was a post on the gspot months ago that showed the pattern surrounding elections during regime changes,,,,if they were correct, then there will be a big event between now and when Trump steps in,,,,if he makes it that far. I just listened to Max's show. I guess you could say almost any new president could do all the great things Max listed, But I wouldn't hold my breath. If Trump makes some changes, it seems that they would be based on business, something he knows about. But it sure would be great to find out he has other intentions

ChrisBowers's picture

I agree Todd. Have had this eerie feeling that whoever won would be the recipient of some kind of big event, who knows what. In the mean time Trump is having a little trouble setting up shop, a bit overwhelmed by the logistical task that comes with the job. And is also asking for security clearances for his 3 oldest children who will also be running the family business.

Can you say conflict of interest? Sure, ah new ya could... Impeachment around the corner? Will he even be sworn in? It's been such a bizarre time the past 18 months that nothing should surprise us.

Roll a blunt, crack open a beer, sit back and enjoy the game. In a way, if we are going to run head strong into an ecological disaster ultimately, might as well gidder done sooner than later for the sake of the planet, and our man Trump is perfect for such an occasion assuming he doesn't go too far and get himself impeached or killed....

Bob07's picture

Here's an interview with Trump on CBS This Morning. He seems to have a grasp of the Mideast-Russia situation. Interesting that all of the news folks there actually seem respectful and pleased to have had him on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDEV3vo9TbY

Bob07's picture

...One can hope... What astounds me is the confrontational reaction (on the mild end) and go-for-the-throat out-of-the-gate, hysterical reaction (on the extreme end -- ignoring the actual violent demonstrations on the street) of the individuals and organizations that have, until now, espoused tolerance and nonviolent action with civilized language. There has been so much hatred and divisiveness from the very people who opposed what they heard as hatred and divisiveness from Trump. Bernie Sanders' post-election interview seems like the best possible, "middle-way," approach to dealing with all of this (in short, work with Trump where we agree, oppose him when he takes a negative course of action): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-g9Pms3Sa8&t=774s 

The point is, how can you begin to work with someone and even possibly influence him if you're treating him like the absolute enemy and even devil right from the start? This approach doesn't even give him a chance.  It's not in the least bit rational. 

I think part of this phenomenon can be explained by the extreme reality-shift that has been put on the plates of people who have been completely unprepared for such an event.  They don't know what to do, and so they run around the barnyard like terrified chickens. ... Sorry, I should say "we."  We're all susceptible to this kind of behavior, and it's understandable.  Just sad...

tscout's picture

Good point Bob, you can't even demonstrate on the street anymore , you have to be in the designated fenced in areas, yet nothing was said about the so-called riots post-election. I heard Obama even said that they had a right to demonstrate,,haha! I haven't heard that in a long time in America, it has been pretty much whittled down to the "free speech" zones since 911. It seemed to me that the "riots" were more instigated by the police shooting tear gas grenades into the crowds, just like they instigated the violence between trump protesters and supporters by herding them into each other during the primaries. It seems they will do anything to polarize people even more and more. Stepping back from it all, I wonder why they are so relentless in their quest to keep people angry. We know that the anger, or resistance, retards any forward progress on the evolutionary scale. And it's a great diversion. But,what for? My thoughts lately lean toward the bigger picture, and the time we live in. I never see total extinction as a possibility, but the ancient history that has been kept from us places us roughly at the end of the 6th incarnation of man,,,,the 7th being where we actually learn to live the way some are striving for now. So,,,,,if that is part of the puzzle, and there really is a struggle for souls of some sort going on,,,it would make a little sense of the cray cray shit we've been seeing at an increasing rate for years now. As long as they keep the crazy shit flying, and our attentions on it,,,we're stuck! Maybe it's nothing, but you gotta admit, massive amounts of energy have been wasted ,,,,,just on the election! There must be a lot of exhausted people out there right now! And whoever really benefits from these charades must be full,,,busting their belt with the buffet they just had. Burp!!
Trump's the wild card,,,and anything could happen, which will keep the attention of most for at least the near future, but don't forget to look up, and behind you, I have a feeling that's where the real story is

ChrisBowers's picture

As always, time will tell whether or not this extraordinary wild card will surprise on the upside or not.

Bob, you said,

"The point is, how can you begin to work with someone and even possibly influence him if you're treating him (or her) like the absolute enemy and even devil right from the start? This approach doesn't even give him a chance. It's not in the least bit rational."

Isn't that exactly what happened and has been happening to HRC for decades now? I would like someone to help me understand how HRC can be so absolutely and positively guilty of even half of all she has been accused of on the unedited wild west internet and manage to avoid prosecution for even one of the 100's of accusations because she is allegedly so powerful among the power brokers of Washington's halls of power, so much pull in the Justice Dept., and yet she is apparently powerless to rig a presidential election in her favor (as per Trump's very frequent railing accusation and warning to his followers)???

Will somebody please put on their critical thinking cap and help me make sense of that slice of absurd ill-logic??? Oh, and as for the riots and protests, you have to know that was going to happen no matter who won, given the extreme polarity factor. I kinda wish I could peek into the alternate universe scenario to see what that looks like. They were seriously and intently threatening a civil war revolution utilizing their 2nd Amendment right to "keep and bear arms" and form "a well regulated militia"...

And another thing to consider. If Trump is truly going to be the disenfranchised poor man's champion, then why is Melania and Ivanka Trump using .gov websites to sell their jewelry? Maybe some poor guy has $10,800 in extra cash laying around somewhere that he can use to buy his poor disenfranchised wife that bracelet featured on the 60 Minutes interview last Sunday night... One can always dream

Bob07's picture

Chris, I think if you do some serious research on Hillary and Bill, your questions about what she's probably guilty of will be answered. It's actually very dark -- starting back with the Mena Airport cocaine trafficking in collusion with the CIA. There are enough witness testimonies and timeline "coincidences" around that to raise the hair on your neck. For other corroboration, see the testimony of Chip Tatum, a former CIA operative who flew the C-130's full of cocaine and saw both Bush senior and Bill in Latin America with drug lords. And all that drug trafficking led to the money laundering by Governor Bill and the coverup by the Rose Law Firm where Hillary worked, an the subsequent supposed suicide of Vince Foster. And the murders of two teenage boys who happen to see what they shouldn't have at Mena Airport, and the coverup of that, and the avoidance of a trial through threats and political manipulation. Without a trial, there's no conclusive evidence brought to light. But if you dig, you'll see plenty of reasonable, substantial anecdotal evidence -- a lot of it.

Also, check out the story of the pardon of a number of Puerto Rican men who were convicted of murder and terrorism over several years for the cause of Puerto Rican independence. President Bill pardoned them a couple of days after the leader of the chief P-R association in New York paid a visit to Hillary, who was running for Senate. There was a nearly universal outcry and condemnation of the pardon from all sides, including Jimmy Carter and the FBI. But of course, Hillary knew nothing about this. She got the Puerto Rican vote. What a happy coincidence. There are just too many coincidences.

Add to all this the subpoenas that she ignored, and the evidence she has destroyed over the decades (outright obstruction of justice in at least two cases). And check out the subject of all the deaths that have occurred around Hillary and Bill's activities. If only a tenth of them are valid, it's mind-boggling.

Finally, have you actually read any of the emails that Wikileaks has published? I invite you to. Go to Wikileaks. It's right there. Just a small piece of what's revealed there: Personal presents from Arab governments and individuals of millions of dollars to both Bill and Hillary, in addition to many millions more to the Clinton Foundation. How generous of them to give such gifts with no expectation of return favors.

As to how she could have avoided arrest and trial if she had been guilty of even half of this, well, when the CIA is in your corner from the get-go through an outright partnership, it's not hard to figure that out. Further, the Clintons (like the Bushes) have been the darlings of the power elite, who own the system. Now with Trump in, even if they get a pardon from Obama before he leaves office, that won't protect them from illegal acitivities in the future.

As for the election, what has happened here is that, despite the DNC's alleged fixing of the vote in 5 states (I haven't researched this allegation yet), the support for Trump was strong enough in the right states to override that. That's the theory, and it's likely true, IMO. Now they've lost control, but I'm sure they'll fight tooth-and-nail to derail (or even get rid of) Trump. Already there's testimony that Soros has bee paying demonstrators $15 per hour to create mayhem. (Again, I haven't researched this yet, but it's extremely plausible, if not obvious, IMO.)

ChrisBowers's picture

I've read all of the very provocative stories, like most of us have here at the G-Spot. My question is, if she is powerful enough to avoid prosecution all these years for such a long laundry list of evil deeds, how the hell did she lose the election???

As for all the things that so many politicians in positions of power do and have done over and over again over the years (read John Perkins' books), why is Hillary being singled out? Do you honestly think the insidious bullshit will stop in those higher positions of power now that Hillary has been "neutralized"? When has anyone given up power once they have successfully acquired it???

In your last paragraph you are getting into unsubstantiated allegations again and then claiming "That's the theory, and it's likely true, IMO". We've done this a lot over the years here at the G-Spot and I don't think it's out of the ordinary. In fact, I think it has become the cultural/social norm to read stuff, any juicy stuff on the internet and run with it at will. So much so that I suspect it has taken on a life of it's own after everything I saw in this election cycle.

I don't know where all this is going, but I believe the collective "We" have been derailed by the internet phenomenon and are quite unaware of it (like the cartoon coyote that has run off the cliff and doesn't fall until he is aware he has no footing), and momentum is picking up. At this point I am taking the position of somewhat detached observer and remembering & clinging to the words of Bill Hicks, "Its just a ride".........

Bob07's picture

I see. I misread the thrust of your original post. Sorry.

As for the answer to your question, I can say only that you seem to be making a tight connection between her "power" in avoiding prosecution and her power to control the election to the point of winning it. Avoiding prosecution by wiley means, intimidation, bribery, deceit and whatever else, doesn't necessarily translate into the ability to steal an election or sway the vote. What makes it a loose connection is the ultimately uncontrollable element -- the people, the vote. As I pointed out in that last discredited paragraph, the turnout for Trump was unforeseen by the media and their polls -- and by extension by the PTB. The ability of the PTB to control the popular element is limited, especially when people are wising up.

No, I don't think think "the insidious bullshit will stop in those higher positions of power now that Hillary has been 'neutralized'." And if she seems singled out, it's only that she's the subject right now, at this time, which (and you may not agree) feels like a pivotal time -- that is, a critical mass of distrust in government and (close to) the end of popular tolerance for a predatory system. It feels like a sea change happening. If so, then Hillary and Trump are especially significant only because of timing. Point is that, if this is so, the ability of the PTB to keep perpetrating their insidious bullshit is falling apart. All we can do is be here and watch, and act when we can.

And in defense of myself, don't think I run with every juicy internet story. There was a time when I did, but I've learned to monitor myself. If they're insubstantiated, I make note of that, as I did in my post. But neither do I ignore them completely if they seem plausible, because they may well be true, especially if they fit into a clear pattern. Further investigation might show that -- or not.

Hi Chris,
I got caught up just like you....how the he'll can this happen. What does that say about the whole conspiracy theories on election rigging and the PTB controlling who is president, or all that stuff about the Clintons, .......if that was all true Trump would not, could not, have won....but he did....

tscout's picture

haha! It's funny,,but I agree with everybody! But,,,maybe HRC was supposed to lose! Maybe it turned out exactly as planned!Maybe it was fixed! Every time a rep. "wins" an election we hear the same shit. It's too close to call it until the next day,,,but,,,by noon the next day they are spewing demographics,,,the same exact words, about how all the uneducated voters voted for the Rep.candidate. Word for word. It has to be just a big show. And all the people who have said that all elections are fixed seemed to have forgotten all about that because the results were "unbelievable", or "dramatic". After all the other things they have staged, why would this be any harder? And what a way to make people think that their vote counted? The only answer to that is all the turmoil that Trump "winning" caused,,,,the drama! The stock market tumble on election night, all the shock and awe from political analysts,,,(who really need to get a job). The whole thing smells worse the more I think about it. Sooo,I didn't mean to get into the "end of times" thing in my last comment, but all the focus on this, and the re-positioning going on around the world sure lends itself to the idea, not so much the dramatic "End of times" that's spread all over the internet, but the 6th Incarnation of man, the climax of the system that just can't go on as it is. Over a billion dollars of advertising spent on slander, and not a single real issue facing the world intelligently discussed. It's so insane it makes me just back-up and look at everything again. It's downright Kooky! I'm all for the twistin one up idea!

ChrisBowers's picture

I do agree with you Bob that there is some kind of major sea change happening, a revolt against establishment BS worldwide, and no I was not saying you run with every story. My point there was that I suspect that much of what we see from people these days has to do, I suspect in large part, with their blind trust in many bogus stories on the internet and their mistrust in MSM (which sometimes actually has the story factually correct). This can result in a lot of confusion and that confusion will definitely play into the mechanics of this sea change, this phenomenal time of transition.

Question is, transition to what?

and what you said Todd, "the climax of the system that just can't go on as it is. Over a billion dollars of advertising spent on slander, and not a single real issue facing the world intelligently discussed", couldn't agree more... let the sipping and twisting begin (oh, wait, that show's already in progress) while we wait for the sea level to rise to meet us, yeeeehaawwww fellow Homers!!!

I have a fun question for all y'all: If Bernie Sanders had not been stifled by the MSM as he was, and by the DNC, and actually won the Democratic Primary, do you believe he would have won the election???

Bob07's picture

Maybe you're right, Todd. And who knows, maybe we're all asleep, submersed in solution-pods with cables plugged into our heads and ALL of this is a matrix dream for our entertainment. Hey, I'm open to all possibilities.

Bob07's picture

Neo, where are you when we need you?

fredburks's picture

If you want some rather disturbing information about Clinton and her inner circle which may have something to do with why she wasn't elected, check out these two links:

http://vigilantcitizen.com/vigilantreport/pizzagate-4chan-uncovered-sick...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNRFTHILY6o

Things are often not what they seem.

ChrisBowers's picture

I read the vigilantcitizen article Fred and it seems like the very stuff I am getting at. Stuff strung together in a way that strains credibility, but attracts readers looking for more to throw at Hillary. I'm not really standing up for HRC as much as I am just plain realizing that people are being drawn and led in many directions these days by fake news and irresponsible blogs.

One thing we can all agree on - anyone can post just about anything these days and attract someone, regardless of the truth (or lack thereof). Hillary Clinton, champion of women and children in much of her life's work, involved in child molestation and trafficking ring, news at eleven....

anything's possible I guess, but I highly doubt this particular source and allegation. it kind of reminded me of an Onion fake news story....

ChrisBowers's picture

Hey Jez!!!
good to hear your familiar electronic voice in my mind's eye (wow, that reminded me of tripping). so what does everyone over in your neck of the woods think of all this Brexit 2.0 viral shit spanning the globe right now, and more specifically the Trump snake oil salesman hypnosis hat trick here in the states???

ChrisBowers's picture

oh, and here's Dilbert creator Scott Adams revisiting his theory of a Trump victory via the Tradecraft of hypnosis and power of suggestion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-sBO6OppAc

and Dick Gregory on the subject in general
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxB0Q1aMl98

Bob07's picture

To your question a ways back, Chris, yes I feel that Sanders would very likely have won if he had been allowed to run on the Democrat ticket instead of H. Why? If only because all of the Dems who couldn't bring themselves to vote for the unsavory Hillary would most likely have given their votes to him. To my mind, he was the only candidate with solid integrity. I'd even impute more integrity to Trump than to H.

Noa's picture

Is anyone else here nervous about having such a hot-tempered, pompous bully so close to the WW3 button?

ChrisBowers's picture

Yes Noa. Let's hope he just sticks to the buttons on his handheld tweeting device. And Bob, I also believe Bernie would have won, and the only thing to fear would have been typical gridlock. I saw Bernie speaking at the C-Span Book Club in Miami over the weekend and it made me think about what Hillary will be doing once over a grieving period.

Bernie lost the primary and is right back in the fight for people, for the commonwealth. What Hillary does in the next few months will say a lot about who she really is. Does she do what Bernie is so faithfully doing, or does she just go for the paid speaking gigs, or write a book. Will the incentive be money or people in need...

Time will tell on both accounts, Donald and Hillary...

Bob07's picture

No, Noah. Trump is a wild card and much of his rhetoric is scary. But Clinton's rhetoric about "leaving the nuclear option on the table" and continuing to bait Putin and Russia, in spite of Russia's known paranoia about invasion (given their painful history of it, and given all of our missile installations and ships right at their doorstep), is scarier, given the scale of any conflict. In truth I'm somewhat relieved on this point, as Trump wants friendly relations between the U.S. and Russia, as does Putin. (And I don't give a crap whether Trump has business interests in Russia.)

Regarding Putin, we in the U.S tend to believe what we're told by our leaders and the mainstream press -- that he's dangerous, real trouble. I've come to the tentative conclusion that, although he's no angel and he was in the KGB and he's a wily politician and statesman, he's one of the more reasonable voices out there. If you're interested in hearing the Russian view first-hand, check this out; here are three good (and not long) talks by Putin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTN7jD9ovUI; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nnqx6PYLqoQ; and (this is hopeful) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3Z9uwIOgLQ . We won't hear/read this side of things in the U.S. news.

And, expanding on the above, if you want a good, and I believe truthful (for a change) history of the Cold War, check out Oliver Stone's Untold History of the United States (a TV series of a few years ago). Its episodes are periods in U.S. history from, I believe, WWI (or WWII - can't recall). It is eye-opening indeed, and shows the extent to which we've been lied to about a LOT. In the Cold War episode (starting with "The Bomb" just before it), it becomes clear that the CW was U.S. - instigated, on purpose -- initially at the hand of Truman. The Soviets reacted out of fear and so we had the arms race, which was the plan all along.

You can watch some of Stone's series online. I may ask for the DVD's for Christmas.

Bob07's picture

Chris, yes, I don't think either Hillary or Bernie are through on the political stage. While I don't think Hillary can run again and hope to win, she can wage guerilla warfare from the sidelines. Bernie has a mission, and, despite his age, I think he has plenty of spunk, support, and opportunity left. Maybe if/when he runs again, we'll have a bluer congress. Or, frankly, I'd like to see him win on a third party ticket.

ChrisBowers's picture

Bernie's made it clear that running on a 3rd party is all but impossible with the way the 2-party system has the game rigged. He would most likely run as Democrat and act like himself if he wins, a true and honest Independent. In that recent Book TV interview he sounded like he wanted to reclaim the Democratic Party with his movement. That would be cool!!!

And you nailed my one huge concern about Hillary (had she won), and my view of Putin. He has been reasonably calm and patient while we act like total assholes, pots calling the kettle black. I still had more concerns about the Trump wildcard, but will just have to hope for the best at this point. One thing's for sure - Trump will be more interesting than the status quo from the usual suspects.

He may also be more dangerous/destructive after all is said and done with the team he's putting together. Here's an interesting interview with Glenn Greenwald & Edward Snowden
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pocJGqBiQX0

Bob07's picture

Yes, it would. More power to him.

Bob07's picture

Noa, sorry I lost attention and mis-spelled your name.

ChrisBowers's picture

another good discussion with Greenwald, Snowden & Chomsky
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yME19r56K6A

ChrisBowers's picture

Mark Blyth, who accurately predicted Brexit and Trump explains in clear language how globalization and capitalism are failing people throughout the world and why that means more Brexits and Trumps are on the way. The Jimmy Dore Show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-K8bf6dbYt4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWMmBG3Z4DI&spfreload=1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlzK1ykywgk
and Prof. Mark Blyth deconstructing the worldwide Trump-esque phenomenon (much less to do with racism or Trump-ism, and much more to do with inequitable/unjust economic systems, systematic transfer of wealth from the many to the very few)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kd2d4_LcEig

Hey Chris, sorry for the late reply......we don't know what to think about brexit or trump really other than maybe agreeing that it's about time people started to push back against these people of power.....here we just keep getting ripped off at every turn........we will rebel like the rest in the end...but we are just watching for now...

ChrisBowers's picture

Hey Jez, I hear you. I just have to wonder, when Trump betrays all his blue collar supporters as he is already doing, draining the swamp and filling it with billionaire and millionaire alligators serving their own personal wealth-generating interests, will these people realize they may have made a huge miscalculation? Or will they be in denial and find some way to blame the Democrats??? Sorry man, not an option this time!

The Republicans have the House, Senate and Presidency and will own whatever they do from their depressingly old and tired supply side trickle down voodoo economics Ray-gun playbook that has NEVER generated the benefits of their lame rhetoric.

Trump will deliver on one thing for sure - He will turn this whole thing into a media circus for as long as he is in the oval office. And I use that line, "in the oval office" loosely since he will most likely spend very little time in that physical room. This political disaster is good for at least one thing - it will severely test the institutions of this particular Republic.

Like Benjamin Franklin replied to the lady's question years ago, "A Republic ma'am, if you can keep it!" I think I will call this real life movie, The Bullshit Artist Who Came In From the ill-advised Fold...

Hold on to your hats Folks! We're in uncharted territory! You might want to bring an extra pair of underwear. Mark my words, there will come a time when many who voted for the Donald will wish they had held their nose and voted for "Crooked" Hillary when they realize how crooked their alleged champion truly is...

Here's an excellent documentary on the condition our condition is in in general.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUJyh7exA1I

Here's an interesting quote from Sir John Glubb (mentioned in the documentary). In his essay, The Fate of Empires he states, an Empire lasts about 250 years, or 10 generations. From the early pioneers to the final conspicuous consumers who become a burden on the State. There are six stages: first there is the age of pioneers, then the age of conquest, then the age of commerce, then the age of affluence, then the age of intellect, finally ending with the age of bread and circuses in the age of decadence and epidemic preoccupation with porn/sex... Gee, I wonder which age we are in???

ChrisBowers's picture

A friend just emailed me this perfect election day musing.

While stitching a cut on the hand of a 75-year-old farmer, the doctor struck up a conversation. Eventually the topic got around to Donald Trump and his role as the President Elect. The old farmer said, “ Well, as I see it, Donald Trump is like a ‘Post Tortoise’.’’

Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him what a ‘post tortoise’ was. The old farmer said, “When you’re driving down a country road and you come across a fence post with a tortoise balanced on top, that’s a post tortoise.”

The old farmer saw the puzzled look on the doctor’s face so he continued to explain. “You know he didn’t get up there by himself, he doesn’t belong up there, he doesn’t know what to do while he’s up there, he’s elevated beyond his ability to function, and you just wonder what kind of dumb ass put him up there to begin with.” (drop the mic, boom)

Noa's picture

Ditto for ALL politicians.

tscout's picture

haha! yeah,,, I especially like the line,,,"you know he didn't get up there by himself"

sooo,,,How did he get up there? I'm starting to believe that the country was much less polarized than we were "made" to believe. All the people who liked Bernie wanted change,,,and all the people who liked Trump wanted change,,to me,,,that makes them the same! Bernie seemed sincere, and his ideas were called socialist, just like Obama's promises during his first campaign. So,,they couldn't have Bernie threatening corporate control. So they fudged the primary to favor Hillary. Then you have "change" against the "same old". The idea of Trump winning was so ridiculous,, all the big mouthed political prophets said it was impossible. But,,nothing is impossible to the folks that engineered 911,,,or past elections,,or coups all over the world. This was a cinch for them, and,,as usual, they re-polarized the people while making fools of us again. One candidate wins the electoral vote, the other wins the popular vote, this is old hat!, and it works every time. People will fight about this again for years, never even considering that ...maybe ......the election went exactly as planned

ChrisBowers's picture

Either the election went exactly as planned, or the oligarchic powers that be don't really give a shit who wins since is has very little to do with what they can or cannot do. We need to remember the perceptive words of the late Frank Zappa, "Politics is the entertainment branch of Industry". Or another slightly revised, "is the entertainment branch of the military industrial complex"...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsW2DTr2TnU

Yeah Todd, the manipulated asymmetrical contest between change agent and same old same old. Too bad we can't take a quick peek into the alternate universe where sincere consistent Bernie was up against Celebrity Bullshit Artist Donald.

Pseudo-symmetrical contest of faithful change agent vs. deceitful change agent...

ChrisBowers's picture

While the quote is frequently listed as, "“Government is the entertainment division of the military-industrial complex," I could find no primary source. It appears to contradict the actual quote from a 1987 interview with Keyboard magazine where he is decidedly pro-government but anti-bullshit politics.:

Question: Perhaps many musicians simply aren't concerned with political issues.

Frank: Well, I think it behooves them to have political thoughts, but let me make a definition clarification here. I say politics is the entertainment branch of industry, and government is what we need. We have a diverse population in the United States, with all kinds of different needs that have to be taken care of. That is the righteous function of government. Politics is bullsh*t (sic), basically. Politics is involved with salesmanship. Government is involved with statesmanship. And I do make a distinction between these things. If you are making a political statement remember, you are not addressing the real needs of government. You're just talking about the Madison Avenue aspect. So think about that difference. Just a friendly reminder, in case somebody does decide to speak up.

and now for some levity we be in dire need of, here's Dana Carvey imitating presidents, past, present and future https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mXumujeVLg
and Louis CK on the subject of appreciation and Millennials
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JuRSKsglXo

ChrisBowers's picture

More Zappa musing quotes:

The illusion of freedom will continue as long as it's profitable to continue the illusion. At the point where the illusion becomes too expensive to maintain, they will just take down the scenery, they will pull back the curtains, they will move the tables and chairs out of the way and you will see the brick wall at the back of the theater.

Power will be maintained by the groovy guy or gal who gets the most media coverage for his sleaze. Naturally, his friends in various businesses will do okay, too.

The universe consists of 5% protons, 5% neutrons, 5% electrons and 85% morons.

Republican is fine, if your a millionaire. Democrats is fair, if all you own is what you wear. Neither of them's really right, cause neither of them care.

Americans like to talk about (or be told about) Democracy but, when put to the test, usually find it to be an 'inconvenience.' We have opted instead for an authoritarian system disguised as a Democracy. We pay through the nose for an enormous joke-of-a-government, let it push us around, and then wonder how all those assholes got in there.

Republicans stand for raw, unbridled evil and greed and ignorance smothered in balloons and ribbons.

There is more stupidity than hydrogen in the universe, and it has a longer shelf life.

I'm vile and perverted. I'm obsessed and deranged. I've existed for years but very little has changed. I'm the tool of the government and industry too. For I'm destined to rule and regulate you. You may think I'm pernicious, but you can't look away. I'll make you think I'm delicious with the stuff that I say. I'm the best you can get... have you guessed me yet? I'm the slime oozing out of your TV set....

The most important thing to do in your life is to not interfere with somebody else's life.

I'm not black, but there's a whole lot of times I wish I could say I'm not white.

One of my favorite philosophical tenets is that people will agree with you only if they already agree with you. You do not change people's minds.

Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible.
(this one gives me a glimmer of hope because no one can deny it, we have definitely deviated from the "established" norm!)

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