[pp.int.general] USA News

[Ray Jenson]

Sorry, I've been busy lately, trying to stay afloat as I start a new
business.

I considered what was said. My replies follow.

On Mon, Feb 9, 2015 at 1:27 PM, Thomas Blechschmidt <
thomas.blechschmidt at piratenpartei-bayern.de> wrote:

> Hi Ray,
>

Hi there.


> The TTIP is something that the US has only minimal interest in. There's no
> impact on US-based politics, so it's difficult to get any leverage to
> oppose it here. Add that to the blatant corruption of our Congress and
> other government organizations, and you can see why many of us are
> considering it a lost cause here.
>
>
>
> For us here it seems as if the US Interest is huge – talking about the
> industry, the financial companies and the government. Why should they
> execute such an effort on the negotiations and insist severe to do all thi
> sin a top secret way?
>

It's about keeping control, nothing more. This is the same lack of
transparency that the copyright regime has used all along. It's just more
pervasive now. They're gaining ground, but people are really waking up.



>
>
> However, I will say one thing: the PP's activities have thoroughly brought
> the corruption into the spotlight, and that's something that was very much
> necessary. It feels like a losing battle, and for the moment it is, but in
> the long term there will be consequences that I think they will not be able
> to control.
>
>
>
> Corruption work sin different way. Here in Germany it is in fact still
> legal.
>

It may be legal, but that doesn't make it right. And as it's unlawful here,
it gives some leverage to topple them over time.



>
>
> And I can't go further without donning my tinfoil hat. Oh, what the hell,
> I'll put it on for a couple of paragraphs.
>
>
>
> Go ahead…
>
>
>
> All of this comes back to freedom of expression and attempting to erode
> free speech through using only the worst parts of it, which will then be
> used as justification for further limiting expression and the free flow of
> information. At a point, people will be so fed up with it that they'll
> welcome limitations on free speech and privacy, and at that point the only
> solution possible is revolt.
>
>
>
> Interesting hypothesis. At least it is visible that there are already a
> lot of people who blame other for talking about political misbehavior of
> parties and people in charge. It is very common, when we execute
> information points in pedestrian zones to tell us, to shut up, to go home,
> to piss off.
>

Misbehavior is what anyone calls it when you do things that piss them off.

I really like Gandhi's approach for this: first they ignore you, then they
laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.

That's fighting. Fighting means that




>
>
> There are also implications (no proof, mind you, but implied abstracts)
> that the economic collapse is being engineered to go back to an
> aristocratic model. And I hate sounding like I'm crazy, but the evidence is
> there. It's just not solid enough to actually make any accusation.
>
>
>
> Well, that seems to lead to far. But the fact, that all the efforts of
> particular social groups, to improve their influence on politics only to
> personal advantage leads to a re-feudalization of society. The New Barons,
> Lords, earls, Dukes, Kings and emperors nowadays are CEO, CFO, Genereal
> Manager, Secretary, Presidents.
>
>
>
> This phenomenon was described by one of the most productive brains in
> German sociology, Jürgen Habermas, in his “theory of communicative action”
> in the 80s. He described a system of social neo-conservatism combined with
> a political neo-feudalism. Today nobody remembers that. Now  a very loud
> and pretty brainless crowd drives a new kind of pink pig through the
> political village, called neo-liberalism, regardless that the activities
> described with that buzzword do not have any in common with political
> liberalism. They would call the tea party neo-liberal….
>

As I said, there is evidence, but not enough to directly correlate. We can
make the model out to be anything we want to. But who will listen? We need
hard proof, not theories or models.




>
>
> The regime is solidly behind the Tea Party, because this divides the
> Republicans into two camps: the sheep and the problems. If they can get rid
> of the problems, then the sheep remain and they win.
>
>
>
> ..or it brakes the backbone of the conservative movement, that happened in
> Italy in the 80s and made the gnome from Milan possible…(Berlusconi)
>

That's the whole point. It's the conservatives versus the so-called
neo-conservatives (whom I find to be little more than ideological zealots,
but that's a whole different conversation).




> Control of the news media is vital. But we don't have the resources to
> compete with the multinational news corporations. Rupert Murdoch should be
> added to our list of targets for that very reason... he's as much a part of
> the problem as anyone in the MAFIAA.
>
>
>
> That is a reflection I think even germans would share with you….
>

There are many things we share. I'm glad this is among them. :)



> Now, putting that tinfoil hat away, the real issue here is that the
> channels of information are directly controlled by people whose best
> interests are served by siding with the MAFIAA. And because they control
> the channels of information, Congress's corruption is compounded by
> ignorance and misinformation. Our attempts at educating them at all are met
> with well-placed news articles that use the very tactics I've suggested in
> the other thread about the TF article on the MEP.
>
>
>
> OK, I can follow.
>
>
>
> I left the PPUS because it's impossible to get anything done here, so long
> as there's a perception that modern piracy is in any way wrong. We have a
> massive battle to undertake, and the real issue is that the only way it can
> work in the USA is if the people here feel the effect and can trace it
> directly back. If the news media allows that.
>
>
>
> Is is possible to get more done outside the PP?
>

This is largely dependent on the particulars of the situation. The main
parties here in the US control everything and nobody seems particularly
adept at shaking that up. Over the years, the only way for a political
party to be taken seriously in the US is to have major financial backing
and to engage in smear campaigns and other dirty nonsense.

The problem is that the copyright issue is something people can't see. This
shortsightedness is largely due to control over perceptions by the media,
compounded with misinformation and conspiracy theory nonsense in
non-mainstream channels--the "opiate for the masses" problem.



> So even if the TTIP would have broad implications for our population, it
> has to hurt before they'll even pay attention.
>
>
>
> This way of caring about politics and the own fate – at least the
> childrens and grandchilds fate - does not differ here. We have a huge
> satisfied generation of “best-agers” who refuse to think an prefer to join
> life. If Merkel talks about maintaining the “good life” as political goal,
> they follow like sheep follow the shepherd.
>

I really see that in the news.

So what can be done about it?




>
>
> I hope that answers your question... it's a very complex situation.
>
>
>
> More than complex. I agree. It just does not hurt enough to mobilize the
> people. The moment, it hurts enough, they follow again leaders instead of
> usingt their brains.
>

A lot of this is because people are taught through mass media that the
decisions are already made, so they don't have to do anything but show
their support. If we use this as a model, it fails. Why? Because we're
based on good thinking, critical reasoning, and openness to ideas.

When a candidate goes for "let's maintain the good life" then perhaps to
counter it is the argument "let's change to get the good life back"?

I don't know. Politicking is not and probably never will be one of my true
strengths. I'm too honest for it, I guess.



I'm very much enjoying this conversation. :)
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