lewrockwell--2020-12-29--To Know the Enemy That Has Caused This Tyrannical Carnage, Just Look at the Reflection in the Mirror

“ There are two ways to be fooled .
One is to believe what isn ’ t true ; the other is to refuse to believe what is true.
” If you wish for freedom , you will never know it—but if you take and protect your freedom , it will be yours .
Instead of succumbing to fear , and looking to government for answers , take charge of your own lives , and make all those that would assault you , your mind , your body , or your liberty , know fear .
Fear is just a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order to frighten and divide the people so as to gain power and control over them .
This fabricated fear leads to dependence , which leads to indifference ; indifference leads to silence , silence leads to oppression , and oppression leads to slavery .
It is better for the people to instill great fear in the minds of any that would choose to rule over them , instead of accepting tyranny from the scourge that is the political class .
All of this boils down to the fact that the citizens themselves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot in life .
Most of the people in this country are fond of claiming that this is a republic , and that the people rule over the government through their alleged ‘ representatives , ’ not the other way around .
The irony is that this belief is ridiculous , while also being partially true , because the people are their own worst enemy .
They have voluntarily allowed others to rule over them , and they believe that by voting for their own masters that they have some control over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This thinking of course is lunacy , but it is the prevalent attitude of the masses .
This asinine notion has been instilled in them since birth , and the bulk of society still believes that they are ‘ free.
’ The people could be fully in charge in that they have the power to accept or deny rule , but in the case of the majority of people in the United States , they have accepted state domination instead of self-rule .
In order to reverse this situation , all that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ large to remove all consent from any claiming authority .
The Essential Kierkegaard Su00f8ren Kierkegaard Best Price : $ 14.99 Buy New $ 16.48 The solution seems simple enough , but the problem lies in how to achieve it given the weakness , cowardice , and gullibility of the herd .
In order to regain the upper hand in any quest for freedom , all that is necessary is for a fairly large number of people to disobey any government order , and to deny any support whatsoever for the political class .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ any aggression by the oligarchic few attempting to gain power and control over you , will end immediately any attempt by the state to acquire that control .
So why is this population so seemingly consumed with an attitude of acquiescence ?
This society continues to wallow in self-pity and such irrational timidity as to allow for its own servitude at the hands of tyrants when simple rebellion would save the day .
The problem once again lies directly with the people themselves .
This is one case where redundancy needs to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the culprits in this debacle we face today , only requires one look into a mirror by most every American .
What should be obvious even to the most obtuse individual is that very few in this country are willing to risk anything that could help them regain and protect their own freedom .
In fact , they want only to depend on others to either fix the problems for them , or tell them what to do .
But even if they are told what is necessary , they have not the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instead come up with every manner of questions , and what ifs ; and are completely terrified of not fitting in with the crowd .
This attitude is one of pathetic apathy by the bulk of society concerning its own defense of life , love , family , and liberty .
It is horribly upsetting to listen to the comments received from the crowd about the fate of individuals at the hands of the state .
At once , they ask for solutions and complain that no one has ‘ given ’ them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ true .
They have been told the truth , but they “ can ’ t handle the truth !
” In other words , they what to be told what to do , but only if all do it at the same time .
They need to hide .
When the answer is to practice dissent and disobedience , they immediately claim that they are just one , and excuse the solution based on fear of not being a part of the herd .
This is no doubt due to cowardice , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they do not think as individuals , and therefore will not act as individuals .
Almost all want total anonymity , and desire to be invisible from any view of scrutiny .
What is not understood , is that acting as individuals en masse will bring great power to any effort to protect freedom , but almost none are willing to act alone , even with the knowledge that when many act alone , they become one .
None can ‘ give ’ them a solution to this madness because the American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individual risk for the sake of their own protection , or that of their family , their neighbors , or even their own liberty .
Until this attitude changes , we are all doomed to a tyrannical existence based on the collective stupidity and disinterest of the majority .
The Concept of Anxiety ... Kierkegaard , Su00f8ren Best Price : $ 12.42 Buy New $ 12.72 What is going on today is a psychological experiment by ‘ governing ’ forces meant to accomplish a global takeover referred to often as “ The Great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be successful requires that the masses acquiesce to those in power , follow orders , and obey all rules ‘ mandated ’ by the state .
Once this mindset is in place , as is the case now , regulation of every aspect of life becomes evident .
Thought is controlled , as is behavior and movement , and the one test of the psyche of this country ’ s people used to gauge total compliance has already been achieved .
That test is the almost universal wearing of useless and deadly masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confusion has replaced clarity , and sacrifice by all is expected .
We are now in a time where the people in the name of condemning any that choose to resist and disobey , are justifying evil .
Government edicts are being protected by the masses due to false fear of ‘ virus ’ monsters that do not exist .
The American people are being used to solidify their own servitude , and are operating in concert with the ruling class to destroy their own liberty .
This is only the beginning of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the economy is completely destroyed , once the biosecurity state is fully in place , once digital money and tracking are complete , and once this terrible and life-changing ‘ covid ’ vaccine is widely injected , will there be any way out ?
Arguments will continue , and blame will be spread wide , but in the end as Pogo so eloquently put it , “ We have met the enemy and he is us.
” Collectivism and collective ‘ thinking ’ are the ruination of man , and can only lead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the recognition of the fact that yours is the responsibility of judgment and nothing can help you escape it-that no substitute can do your thinking , as no pinch-hitter can live your life-that the vilest form of self-abasement and self-destruction is the subordination of your mind to the mind of another , the acceptance of an authority over your brain , the acceptance of his assertions as facts , his say-so as truth , his edicts as middle-man between your consciousness and your existence.
” The Best of Gary D. Barnett

“There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true.”
~ Soren Kierkegaard
If you wish for freedom, you will never know it—but if you take and protect your freedom, it will be yours. Instead of succumbing to fear, and looking to government for answers, take charge of your own lives, and make all those that would assault you, your mind, your body, or your liberty, know fear. Fear is just a catalyst used by the ruling class in order to frighten and divide the people so as to gain power and control over them. This fabricated fear leads to dependence, which leads to indifference; indifference leads to silence, silence leads to oppression, and oppression leads to slavery. It is better for the people to instill great fear in the minds of any that would choose to rule over them, instead of accepting tyranny from the scourge that is the political class. All of this boils down to the fact that the citizens themselves are entirely to blame for their current lot in life.
Most of the people in this country are fond of claiming that this is a republic, and that the people rule over the government through their alleged ‘representatives,’ not the other way around. The irony is that this belief is ridiculous, while also being partially true, because the people are their own worst enemy. They have voluntarily allowed others to rule over them, and they believe that by voting for their own masters that they have some control over the process, and the policies created therein. This thinking of course is lunacy, but it is the prevalent attitude of the masses. This asinine notion has been instilled in them since birth, and the bulk of society still believes that they are ‘free.’ The people could be fully in charge in that they have the power to accept or deny rule, but in the case of the majority of people in the United States, they have accepted state domination instead of self-rule. In order to reverse this situation, all that is necessary is for the public at large to remove all consent from any claiming authority. The Essential Kierkegaard Su00f8ren Kierkegaard Best Price: $14.99 Buy New $16.48 (as of 04:08 UTC - Details)
The solution seems simple enough, but the problem lies in how to achieve it given the weakness, cowardice, and gullibility of the herd. In order to regain the upper hand in any quest for freedom, all that is necessary is for a fairly large number of people to disobey any government order, and to deny any support whatsoever for the political class. Disobedience, non-compliance, and self-defense against any aggression by the oligarchic few attempting to gain power and control over you, will end immediately any attempt by the state to acquire that control. So why is this population so seemingly consumed with an attitude of acquiescence? This society continues to wallow in self-pity and such irrational timidity as to allow for its own servitude at the hands of tyrants when simple rebellion would save the day.
The problem once again lies directly with the people themselves. This is one case where redundancy needs to be expressed. To find the problem and the culprits in this debacle we face today, only requires one look into a mirror by most every American. What should be obvious even to the most obtuse individual is that very few in this country are willing to risk anything that could help them regain and protect their own freedom. In fact, they want only to depend on others to either fix the problems for them, or tell them what to do. But even if they are told what is necessary, they have not the backbone to see it through, and instead come up with every manner of questions, and what ifs; and are completely terrified of not fitting in with the crowd. This attitude is one of pathetic apathy by the bulk of society concerning its own defense of life, love, family, and liberty.
It is horribly upsetting to listen to the comments received from the crowd about the fate of individuals at the hands of the state. At once, they ask for solutions and complain that no one has ‘given’ them any solutions, but this is not true. They have been told the truth, but they “can’t handle the truth!” In other words, they what to be told what to do, but only if all do it at the same time. They need to hide. When the answer is to practice dissent and disobedience, they immediately claim that they are just one, and excuse the solution based on fear of not being a part of the herd. This is no doubt due to cowardice, but it is also due to the fact that they do not think as individuals, and therefore will not act as individuals. Almost all want total anonymity, and desire to be invisible from any view of scrutiny. What is not understood, is that acting as individuals en masse will bring great power to any effort to protect freedom, but almost none are willing to act alone, even with the knowledge that when many act alone, they become one. None can ‘give’ them a solution to this madness because the American population is not willing to take any individual risk for the sake of their own protection, or that of their family, their neighbors, or even their own liberty. Until this attitude changes, we are all doomed to a tyrannical existence based on the collective stupidity and disinterest of the majority. The Concept of Anxiety... Kierkegaard, Su00f8ren Best Price: $7.12 Buy New $7.93 (as of 10:47 UTC - Details)
What is going on today is a psychological experiment by ‘governing’ forces meant to accomplish a global takeover referred to often as “The Great Reset.” This experiment in order to be successful requires that the masses acquiesce to those in power, follow orders, and obey all rules ‘mandated’ by the state. Once this mindset is in place, as is the case now, regulation of every aspect of life becomes evident. Thought is controlled, as is behavior and movement, and the one test of the psyche of this country’s people used to gauge total compliance has already been achieved. That test is the almost universal wearing of useless and deadly masks. Allowance has replaced all freedom, confusion has replaced clarity, and sacrifice by all is expected.
We are now in a time where the people in the name of condemning any that choose to resist and disobey, are justifying evil. Government edicts are being protected by the masses due to false fear of ‘virus’ monsters that do not exist. The American people are being used to solidify their own servitude, and are operating in concert with the ruling class to destroy their own liberty. This is only the beginning of a greater hell on earth. Once the economy is completely destroyed, once the biosecurity state is fully in place, once digital money and tracking are complete, and once this terrible and life-changing ‘covid’ vaccine is widely injected, will there be any way out?
Arguments will continue, and blame will be spread wide, but in the end as Pogo so eloquently put it, “We have met the enemy and he is us.” Collectivism and collective ‘thinking’ are the ruination of man, and can only lead to communal self-destruction.
“Independence is the recognition of the fact that yours is the responsibility of judgment and nothing can help you escape it-that no substitute can do your thinking, as no pinch-hitter can live your life-that the vilest form of self-abasement and self-destruction is the subordination of your mind to the mind of another, the acceptance of an authority over your brain, the acceptance of his assertions as facts, his say-so as truth, his edicts as middle-man between your consciousness and your existence.”
~ Ayn Rand (1988). “The Ayn Rand Lexicon: Objectivism from A to Z”, p.225, Penguin
The Best of Gary D. Barnett


lewrockwell--2020-12-29--The Real Scandal of the Spending Bill

The Real Scandal of the Spending Bill

Last week Congress passed a massive coronavirus relief and omnibus spending bill .
President Trump threatened to veto the bill , saying he wants an increase in the amount for “ stimulus ” checks authorized by the bill from 600 dollars to 2,000 dollars .
The checks are designed to help those harmed by the lockdowns .
President Trump also demanded a cut in some of the wasteful spending contained in the bill , such as the ten million dollars for gender programs in Pakistan .
At the 11th hour , however , President Trump signed the bill .
President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many people complained that a 600 dollars one-time payment was insufficient , and that the payment could be higher if Congress cut spending on militarism , foreign aid , and corporate handouts .
The text of the 5,593-page bill was made available hours before the votes in the House and Senate .
Representatives and senators were told the bill had to pass immediately or else government would shut down around Christmas .
This does not excuse voting for the bill .
Congress should have refused to vote for this bill until members had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voted “ yes ” should not get away with claiming the bill needed to be passed before members could read it .
The Great Deformation : ... David A. Stockman Best Price : $ 2.00 Buy New $ 9.95 While it is understandable that many are outraged over the way this bill was rushed through , the real outrage is that the rushed passage of omnibus bills has become a yearly Christmas tradition on Capitol Hill .
These spending bills are always full of outrageous special interest giveaways .
This practice denies the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in carrying out one of Congress ’ two most significant constitutional duties — funding the government .
Congress long ago abandoned its other main constitutional responsibility — declaring war .
Whether 600 dollars or 2,000 dollars , a one-time stimulus payment is hardly adequate compensation for the suffering the government lockdowns have inflicted on the American people .
Stimulus checks will not reopen closed small businesses or stop increases in domestic violence and substance abuse .
A government check will not restore educational and development opportunities denied to children stuck at home struggling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ check will not compensate workers for the health problems developed due to having to wear a mask for eight hours a day .
The only just solution is to end the lockdowns , and never again allow overblown fears to justify shutting down the economy .
Funding the government via massive omnibus bills drafted in secret and rushed into law concentrates power in the hands of a select few representatives and senators .
It also gives the president excessive influence over the appropriations process .
This is exactly the opposite of what the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over government spending .
This situation is the inevitable result of a government that tries to maintain the fiction that republican institutions are compatible with a welfare-warfare leviathan .
Congress will continue to indulge this delusion until the system collapses .
This collapse will likely be brought on by a collapse in the dollar ’ s value .
The combination of the high-profile coronavirus bill with this year ’ s omnibus spending bill has brought new attention to Congress ’ practice of funding the government via massive , unread appropriations bills .
Hopefully @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instead of just disappearing once people receive their checks , will strengthen the movement to return to free markets and limited constitutional government .
Liberty is a far better option than descent into economic chaos and totalitarianism .
The Best of Ron Paul , MD

Last week Congress passed a massive coronavirus relief and omnibus spending bill. President Trump threatened to veto the bill, saying he wants an increase in the amount for “stimulus” checks authorized by the bill from 600 dollars to 2,000 dollars. The checks are designed to help those harmed by the lockdowns. President Trump also demanded a cut in some of the wasteful spending contained in the bill, such as the ten million dollars for gender programs in Pakistan.
At the 11th hour, however, President Trump signed the bill.
President Trump’s veto threat came after many people complained that a 600 dollars one-time payment was insufficient, and that the payment could be higher if Congress cut spending on militarism, foreign aid, and corporate handouts.
The text of the 5,593-page bill was made available hours before the votes in the House and Senate. Representatives and senators were told the bill had to pass immediately or else government would shut down around Christmas. This does not excuse voting for the bill. Congress should have refused to vote for this bill until members had time to read it. Those who voted “yes” should not get away with claiming the bill needed to be passed before members could read it. The Great Deformation:... David A. Stockman Best Price: $2.00 Buy New $9.95 (as of 09:55 UTC - Details)
While it is understandable that many are outraged over the way this bill was rushed through, the real outrage is that the rushed passage of omnibus bills has become a yearly Christmas tradition on Capitol Hill. These spending bills are always full of outrageous special interest giveaways. This practice denies the average member of Congress a meaningful role in carrying out one of Congress’ two most significant constitutional duties — funding the government. Congress long ago abandoned its other main constitutional responsibility — declaring war.
Whether 600 dollars or 2,000 dollars, a one-time stimulus payment is hardly adequate compensation for the suffering the government lockdowns have inflicted on the American people. Stimulus checks will not reopen closed small businesses or stop increases in domestic violence and substance abuse. A government check will not restore educational and development opportunities denied to children stuck at home struggling with “virtual education.” A one-time check will not compensate workers for the health problems developed due to having to wear a mask for eight hours a day. The only just solution is to end the lockdowns, and never again allow overblown fears to justify shutting down the economy.
Funding the government via massive omnibus bills drafted in secret and rushed into law concentrates power in the hands of a select few representatives and senators. It also gives the president excessive influence over the appropriations process. This is exactly the opposite of what the Framers intended when they gave Congress power over government spending.
This situation is the inevitable result of a government that tries to maintain the fiction that republican institutions are compatible with a welfare-warfare leviathan. Congress will continue to indulge this delusion until the system collapses. This collapse will likely be brought on by a collapse in the dollar’s value.
The combination of the high-profile coronavirus bill with this year’s omnibus spending bill has brought new attention to Congress’ practice of funding the government via massive, unread appropriations bills. Hopefully, the anger people are expressing, instead of just disappearing once people receive their checks, will strengthen the movement to return to free markets and limited constitutional government. Liberty is a far better option than descent into economic chaos and totalitarianism.
The Best of Ron Paul, MD


lewrockwell--2020-12-29--When People Trust in Men and Not in God

When People Trust in Men and Not in God

One can have two approaches to viewing the world ; if one is a materialist , he believes that the world , our world , was a consequence of natural processes , and that it is governed by the success of those , both animals and men , who are “ dominant ” and that any considerations of a higher nature , of spirituality , of unseen forces and powers are mere delusion .
As to those who believe that the universe was created by God , they understand that human beings have a higher purpose given to us as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Creation was an act of love .
Of course , one is free to choose one ’ s perspective , but it is very evident in events that are upon us now we see the consequence of the majority of humanity embracing the first perspective : a materialist world , in which the dominant power we are to be obedient to is the edicts of other human beings , and that faith is held in only the human , not the Divine .
The consequence in not believing in anything higher than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has resulted in great horrors throughout recent history , not merely Nazi Germany but in Russia before the Bolshevik revolution .
From The Inkless Pen Blog , in the article “ In God We No Longer Trust ” the author notes : Forgiving What You Can ... TerKeurst , Lysa Best Price : $ 21.54 Buy New $ 10.97 To whom or to what will we turn in a time of crisis ?
This reveals our hearts .
Humanity will always have faith in something .
Many times we , as a race @ @ @ @ @ @ @ God and would rather put our faith in our own works .
Many times we , as Christians , are content to confess with our mouths but not truly believe with our hearts .
When push comes to shove , we are found with the world putting our hope in worldly saviors .
This reveals a complete lack of faith in God .
Yet God allows crisis to reveal hearts .
So what does the current crisis in the world reveal about us ?
Many in Christianity , generally speaking , have simply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and institutions .
Thus , essentially , the message is conveyed that out hope is in them .
Many Christians hear about the importance of wearing masks , social distancing , use of disinfectants , proper hygiene , and even the hope of a vaccine .
In many places this is a primary message .
A person will always promote that which they believe in .
Thus , it seems that even though there are many who claim to be Christians , in some way , the current crisis has revealed that more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than heavenly .
( Please remember , I ’ m striving to address underlying reality .
Of course certain precautions could be of benefit , the question is – in what are we putting our hope ? )
… And when we stand before the dread throne of Glory , what will we say when we had more hope in the power of antibacterial wipes than we did in the holiness of icons ?
What shall we say when we put more faith in multiple spoons to not spread disease rather than the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Then maybe the Lord will say , let now antibacterial wipes save you .
Moreover the current crisis reveals that people , generally , are most ready to trust in masks and social distancing , for example , rather than God .
People are hoping for a savior , not in God but in the power of pharmaceutical scientism .
God allows crisis to reveal essential reality – in what the heart of man is willing to believe .
[ Emphasis added . ]
From the site “ True Restoration ” the author @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before the coming of Christmas this year : While some of us in the past months grew ever closer with friends and family who are one in mind and heart in the Faith , we realized that those who do not share our convictions , who cling to this passing world , seemingly ignorant of the fact that death comes for all of us , and only at a time appointed by God , not before , and not after , were not friends and family that would endure as such after ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
All of the shared memories and camaraderie of years past were swallowed up in the lies of this year , and as we stood at the edge of a great gulf which separated them from us , we understood , perhaps for the first time , how desperately far apart we truly were in mind and heart .
The Power of Crying Ou ... Gothard , Bill Best Price : $ 7.00 Buy New $ 7.78 No year since I have been brought into this vale of tears has offered more of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personal and spiritual life .
Indeed , as we approach our annual “ reset ” of the Church ’ s year , which begins on the First Sunday of Advent , may I propose some Great Resets that would really matter ?
Use the new liturgical year to reset : Your intake of the news .
“ Being informed ” is overrated and offers you no information on the only thing that matters , going to Heaven .
What little relevant information for your life here on earth is mostly obfuscations and corporate-approved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Have you been praying enough ?
If you haven ’ t been saying the Rosary every single day , what is your excuse in lockdown ?
This time has not been given to you to complain , but to remember that the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away .
Blessed be the name of the Lord .
Your economic life .
If you were caught off guard by the lockdown measures , what can you do to lessen and reduce your exposure for what may come in the future ?
There ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of organized naturalism , but there are many ways to mitigate their influence in your life , be it growing more of your own food , creating barter/trade partnerships with others , reducing and eliminating your debt , or finding a way to earn a living that can ’ t be turned off instantly by those who rule us .
Your friends .
The spiritual writers constantly remind us how much care we should take with those we surround ourselves with .
Sometimes it takes great world events to shake us out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may have left us with many fewer friends , but the ones that are with you now are the truest of the true .
Your attachment to the world .
Where our heart is , so our treasure will be as well .
If we are troubled by elections and appointments and policies , it is because we are attached to this world .
If we remove this attachment , we can learn to accept that Our Lord remains in charge , despite mask mandates and the votes of the dead .
Justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this world , in the next .
Channel that hunger and thirst for justice into prayer for these villains , who are quite definitely our enemies .
Most of all , remember that shortly after the beginning of this liturgical year , we have the great joy and mystery of Christmas .
Christmas can never be “ cancelled.
” Not now , not ever .
No lockdowns or restrictions can take away our joy at contemplating the mystery of the God-man who came to save us from ourselves .
Such thoughts can and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the end of 2020 approaches .
Battlefield of the Min ... Meyer , Joyce Best Price : $ 17.10 Buy New $ 22.21 The demonic madness ( to believers ) of those who set into motion the events of the Bolshevik revolution are discussed in this article , “ Suicide of the Liberals ” on the site “ First Things , ” and “ How Individuals and Nations Become Demonically Possessed , ” the latter noting : Such events unfortunately repeat themselves .
Very few people understand what ’ s happening during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ larger part , to our profound regret , perceive their own demonic possession as something admirable , “ beating themselves against the rocks… throwing themselves into fire and water ” , killing themselves and others .
The holy passion bearer Tsar Nicholas II , who did very much for our Fatherland , was defamed and slandered .
He had lifted all spheres of the people ’ s lives ( from agriculture to health services ) to an unprecedented level for that time .
For many years , everything in soviet Russia was compared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country was victorious in the bloody First World War .
Russian troops were ready to free the Russian territory occupied by Germans , march into Berlin , Vienna , and Constantinople ( now Istanbul ) .
The armies of Yudenich and Kolchak were right near Constantinople .
Russia was the only country in the world where there were no ration cards during the war .
Cards were distributed only for sugar so the people wouldn ’ t make moonshine .
But there were ration cards in neutral Switzerland , and in the USA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the Tsar ’ s arrest .
A victorious country that had overcome all the complications of wartime was crushed by its own demonic possession .
To be sure , external forces also participated in the revolution .
But we happily accepted this demon of revolution and destroyed a great country .
Later , when people came to their senses , they reproached themselves .
But it was too late !
Just imagine the demonic insanity !
The first order of the Provisional Government , the dream of those handshake liberals , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ army .
The second crazy idea whirling in the demonic maelstrom was the order to fire all governors and vice governors .
The entire vertical of power collapsed .
The Germans who had retreated under Nicholas II were advancing .
The police and gendarmerie were let go and a people ’ s militia was created using criminals released from prisons ( the so-called “ Kerensky nestlings ” ) .
These insane actions by demon-possessed people , supported by the demon-possessed portion of the population , led up to the point in 1917 when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Germans were outside Petrograd .
Industry was pummeled , agriculture dead .
In 1918 the GNP was equal to thirty percent of what it was the year before .
Civil war erupted .
And those exaltations over the toppling of Nicholas II , over the new world , were utter madness .
Glory be to God , the strength of the Russian people who were raised in the Orthodox faith kept the country from disintegrating altogether .
It was even reborn .
All the projects that had been engineered under Nicholas II ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ industrialization plan ; and five plans for the metro system lay on Tsar Nicholas ’ s desk ) were brought into being , thank God .
But at what cost !
The Power of Transform ... Sanders , J. Oswald Best Price : $ 1.85 Buy New $ 8.29 And what demonic madness remained !
The entire Church structure was practically destroyed ; millions of people repressed ; an astronomical number of deaths ; the culture demolished , and a great heritage destroyed or taken out of the country .
In our province @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of ruined churches and old estates .
In their demonic madness the people destroyed all the best the country possessed .
It came to the point where our religious and non-religious heritage was denied and rejected .
Only in 1934 were schoolchildren allowed to study history and literature .
Suicidal demonic possession often happens to large communities of people .
The doctors talk about this in another way , but what they say is also interesting .
I am now preparing articles on the events of 1917 and I think , Lord , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ house with the conviction of suicidal fanatics ?
!
Many doctors of that time—Bekhterev , Rossolimo , Ivan Petrovich Pavlov and others were no strangers to the revolutionary mood .
Even so , they all say that it was mass psychosis .
But Orthodox Christians say that it was demonic possession .
Unfortunately , many Orthodox Christians are far from completely understanding this .
The events of 1917 speak to this .
My point in writing these words is that for believers we are facing very ugly times indeed ; do not discount @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I believe many in the West are indeed in the grip of “ demonic madness , ” not just the architects of the “ Great Reset ” but its acolytes .
Be aware that the battle between spiritual forces of light and darkness take place not only without us but within in us .
The battle remains , but for those who truly have faith in God , and those who are Christians , understand there are battles ahead but the war was won long ago .
The Best of Yvonne Lorenzo

One can have two approaches to viewing the world; if one is a materialist, he believes that the world, our world, was a consequence of natural processes, and that it is governed by the success of those, both animals and men, who are “dominant” and that any considerations of a higher nature, of spirituality, of unseen forces and powers are mere delusion. As to those who believe that the universe was created by God, they understand that human beings have a higher purpose given to us as a blessing by our Creator, and the Creation was an act of love. Of course, one is free to choose one’s perspective, but it is very evident in events that are upon us now we see the consequence of the majority of humanity embracing the first perspective: a materialist world, in which the dominant power we are to be obedient to is the edicts of other human beings, and that faith is held in only the human, not the Divine.
The consequence in not believing in anything higher than the power of men and their institutions has resulted in great horrors throughout recent history, not merely Nazi Germany but in Russia before the Bolshevik revolution. From The Inkless Pen Blog, in the article “In God We No Longer Trust” the author notes: Forgiving What You Can... TerKeurst, Lysa Best Price: $4.87 Buy New $9.95 (as of 11:07 UTC - Details)
To whom or to what will we turn in a time of crisis? This reveals our hearts. Humanity will always have faith in something. Many times we, as a race, simply refuse to have faith in God and would rather put our faith in our own works. Many times we, as Christians, are content to confess with our mouths but not truly believe with our hearts. When push comes to shove, we are found with the world putting our hope in worldly saviors. This reveals a complete lack of faith in God. Yet God allows crisis to reveal hearts.
So what does the current crisis in the world reveal about us?
Many in Christianity, generally speaking, have simply taken up the mantras of secular governments and institutions. Thus, essentially, the message is conveyed that out hope is in them. Many Christians hear about the importance of wearing masks, social distancing, use of disinfectants, proper hygiene, and even the hope of a vaccine. In many places this is a primary message.
A person will always promote that which they believe in. Thus, it seems that even though there are many who claim to be Christians, in some way, the current crisis has revealed that more trust is placed in worldly answers rather than heavenly. (Please remember, I’m striving to address underlying reality. Of course certain precautions could be of benefit, the question is – in what are we putting our hope?)…
And when we stand before the dread throne of Glory, what will we say when we had more hope in the power of antibacterial wipes than we did in the holiness of icons? What shall we say when we put more faith in multiple spoons to not spread disease rather than the Divine power of the Holy Eucharist? Then maybe the Lord will say, let now antibacterial wipes save you.
Moreover the current crisis reveals that people, generally, are most ready to trust in masks and social distancing, for example, rather than God. People are hoping for a savior, not in God but in the power of pharmaceutical scientism. God allows crisis to reveal essential reality – in what the heart of man is willing to believe. [Emphasis added.]
From the site “True Restoration” the author provided this advice for fellow Catholics just before the coming of Christmas this year:
While some of us in the past months grew ever closer with friends and family who are one in mind and heart in the Faith, we realized that those who do not share our convictions, who cling to this passing world, seemingly ignorant of the fact that death comes for all of us, and only at a time appointed by God, not before, and not after, were not friends and family that would endure as such after (or even during) this purported pandemic. All of the shared memories and camaraderie of years past were swallowed up in the lies of this year, and as we stood at the edge of a great gulf which separated them from us, we understood, perhaps for the first time, how desperately far apart we truly were in mind and heart. The Power of Crying Ou... Gothard, Bill Best Price: $6.01 Buy New $6.95 (as of 10:43 UTC - Details)
No year since I have been brought into this vale of tears has offered more of an opportunity for radical change in my personal and spiritual life. Indeed, as we approach our annual “reset” of the Church’s year, which begins on the First Sunday of Advent, may I propose some Great Resets that would really matter? Use the new liturgical year to reset:
Your intake of the news. “Being informed” is overrated and offers you no information on the only thing that matters, going to Heaven. What little relevant information for your life here on earth is mostly obfuscations and corporate-approved social engineering.
Your spiritual life. Have you been praying enough? If you haven’t been saying the Rosary every single day, what is your excuse in lockdown? This time has not been given to you to complain, but to remember that the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
Your economic life. If you were caught off guard by the lockdown measures, what can you do to lessen and reduce your exposure for what may come in the future? There’s nowhere to run from the forces of organized naturalism, but there are many ways to mitigate their influence in your life, be it growing more of your own food, creating barter/trade partnerships with others, reducing and eliminating your debt, or finding a way to earn a living that can’t be turned off instantly by those who rule us.
Your friends. The spiritual writers constantly remind us how much care we should take with those we surround ourselves with. Sometimes it takes great world events to shake us out of our comfortable complacency. Surely this year may have left us with many fewer friends, but the ones that are with you now are the truest of the true.
Your attachment to the world. Where our heart is, so our treasure will be as well. If we are troubled by elections and appointments and policies, it is because we are attached to this world. If we remove this attachment, we can learn to accept that Our Lord remains in charge, despite mask mandates and the votes of the dead. Justice will be done, if not in this world, in the next. Channel that hunger and thirst for justice into prayer for these villains, who are quite definitely our enemies.
Most of all, remember that shortly after the beginning of this liturgical year, we have the great joy and mystery of Christmas. Christmas can never be “cancelled.” Not now, not ever. No lockdowns or restrictions can take away our joy at contemplating the mystery of the God-man who came to save us from ourselves. Such thoughts can and should be the light in the darkness as the end of 2020 approaches. Battlefield of the Min... Meyer, Joyce Best Price: $11.17 Buy New $23.74 (as of 12:37 UTC - Details)
The demonic madness (to believers) of those who set into motion the events of the Bolshevik revolution are discussed in this article, “Suicide of the Liberals” on the site “First Things,” and “How Individuals and Nations Become Demonically Possessed,” the latter noting:
Such events unfortunately repeat themselves. Very few people understand what’s happening during these times of demonic possession. The larger part, to our profound regret, perceive their own demonic possession as something admirable, “beating themselves against the rocks… throwing themselves into fire and water”, killing themselves and others. The holy passion bearer Tsar Nicholas II, who did very much for our Fatherland, was defamed and slandered. He had lifted all spheres of the people’s lives (from agriculture to health services) to an unprecedented level for that time. For many years, everything in soviet Russia was compared to the level of 1913. The country was victorious in the bloody First World War. Russian troops were ready to free the Russian territory occupied by Germans, march into Berlin, Vienna, and Constantinople (now Istanbul). The armies of Yudenich and Kolchak were right near Constantinople. Russia was the only country in the world where there were no ration cards during the war. Cards were distributed only for sugar so the people wouldn’t make moonshine. But there were ration cards in neutral Switzerland, and in the USA, which entered the war the day after the Tsar’s arrest. A victorious country that had overcome all the complications of wartime was crushed by its own demonic possession.
To be sure, external forces also participated in the revolution. But we happily accepted this demon of revolution and destroyed a great country. Later, when people came to their senses, they reproached themselves. But it was too late! Just imagine the demonic insanity! The first order of the Provisional Government, the dream of those handshake liberals, was to cease disciplinary measures in a fighting army. The second crazy idea whirling in the demonic maelstrom was the order to fire all governors and vice governors. The entire vertical of power collapsed. The Germans who had retreated under Nicholas II were advancing. The police and gendarmerie were let go and a people’s militia was created using criminals released from prisons (the so-called “Kerensky nestlings”). These insane actions by demon-possessed people, supported by the demon-possessed portion of the population, led up to the point in 1917 when there was no more Russia. The Germans were outside Petrograd. Industry was pummeled, agriculture dead. In 1918 the GNP was equal to thirty percent of what it was the year before. Civil war erupted. And those exaltations over the toppling of Nicholas II, over the new world, were utter madness. Glory be to God, the strength of the Russian people who were raised in the Orthodox faith kept the country from disintegrating altogether. It was even reborn. All the projects that had been engineered under Nicholas II (the famous GOELRO plan;1 the industrialization plan; and five plans for the metro system lay on Tsar Nicholas’s desk) were brought into being, thank God. But at what cost! The Power of Transform... Sanders, J. Oswald Best Price: $1.23 Buy New $4.97 (as of 09:47 UTC - Details)
And what demonic madness remained! The entire Church structure was practically destroyed; millions of people repressed; an astronomical number of deaths; the culture demolished, and a great heritage destroyed or taken out of the country. In our province [Pskov] there are a multitude of ruined churches and old estates. In their demonic madness the people destroyed all the best the country possessed. It came to the point where our religious and non-religious heritage was denied and rejected. Only in 1934 were schoolchildren allowed to study history and literature.
Suicidal demonic possession often happens to large communities of people. The doctors talk about this in another way, but what they say is also interesting. I am now preparing articles on the events of 1917 and I think, Lord, how could people burn down their own house with the conviction of suicidal fanatics?! Many doctors of that time—Bekhterev, Rossolimo, Ivan Petrovich Pavlov and others were no strangers to the revolutionary mood. Even so, they all say that it was mass psychosis. But Orthodox Christians say that it was demonic possession. Unfortunately, many Orthodox Christians are far from completely understanding this. The events of 1917 speak to this.
My point in writing these words is that for believers we are facing very ugly times indeed; do not discount the power of prayer and good works. I believe many in the West are indeed in the grip of “demonic madness,” not just the architects of the “Great Reset” but its acolytes. Be aware that the battle between spiritual forces of light and darkness take place not only without us but within in us. The battle remains, but for those who truly have faith in God, and those who are Christians, understand there are battles ahead but the war was won long ago.
The Best of Yvonne Lorenzo


lewrockwell--2020-12-29--The Real Reason Why Your Kids Can’t Go Back To School (Hint: It’s Not COvid-19)

Schools have been closed for the better part of a year now , for the putative reason that COVID-19 makes them unsafe .
Only distance learning and Zoom and other online classes are safe enough for both teachers and kids , we ’ re told .
Even though the science says otherwise , powerful teachers unions keep schools closed anyway .
But why ?
Let ’ s start with a blunt fact : The teachers unions — including the American Federation of Teachers ( AFT ) and the National Education Association ( NEA ) , along with a host of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have your kids ’ best interests at heart , despite their well-funded , slick propaganda to the contrary .
They oppose reopening schools , despite overwhelming evidence they should be reopened immediately .
Standing Up to Goliath ... Friedrichs , Rebecca Best Price : $ 13.83 Buy New $ 16.43 As a must-read piece in the American Institute for Economic Research recently noted : This is a looming disaster for all children , but especially for poor and minority kids .
A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association ( JAMA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 24.2 million affected U.S. students nearly 5.53 million total years of life , largely due to lower incomes , less educational achievement , and worse health outcomes .
Higher levels of drug abuse and overdoses , massive increases in mental health hospital visits , along with surging suicide rates among children have been cited by the Centers for Disease Control as stemming from pandemic school closures .
Charter Schools and Th ... Sowell , Thomas Best Price : $ 19.81 Buy New $ 23.01 Meanwhile , fears of schools becoming incubators for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exaggerated , other studies and data show .
Start with the fact that , according to the Centers for Disease Control , just 168 kids 17 or under have died from COVID-19 through Dec. 19 .
That ’ s less than 0.05 % of the total of nearly 300,000 COVID-19 deaths .
By comparison , those aged 65 to 74 accounted for more than 21 % of the total deaths .
Studies this year by peer-reviewed journals back these data up .
“ COVID-19 is generally a mild disease in children , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ British medical journal Lancet found .
Even the usually union-friendly New York Times was recently forced to admit : “ Researchers once feared that school reopening ’ s might spread the virus through communities .
But so far there is little evidence that it ’ s happening .
”

Schools have been closed for the better part of a year now, for the putative reason that COVID-19 makes them unsafe. Only distance learning and Zoom and other online classes are safe enough for both teachers and kids, we’re told. Even though the science says otherwise, powerful teachers unions keep schools closed anyway. But why?
Let’s start with a blunt fact: The teachers unions — including the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the National Education Association (NEA), along with a host of radicalized local unions — don’t have your kids’ best interests at heart, despite their well-funded, slick propaganda to the contrary.
They oppose reopening schools, despite overwhelming evidence they should be reopened immediately.
Standing Up to Goliath... Friedrichs, Rebecca Best Price: $1.36 Buy New $13.95 (as of 10:47 UTC - Details) As a must-read piece in the American Institute for Economic Research recently noted:
Significant evidence shows that a truncated school year supplemented with online learning is vastly inferior to the education children get in-person. Virtual learning is particularly harmful to students from poor socioeconomic backgrounds who do not have sufficient resources to support their learning.
This is a looming disaster for all children, but especially for poor and minority kids.
A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) estimated that school closures could cost the 24.2 million affected U.S. students nearly 5.53 million total years of life, largely due to lower incomes, less educational achievement, and worse health outcomes.
Higher levels of drug abuse and overdoses, massive increases in mental health hospital visits, along with surging suicide rates among children have been cited by the Centers for Disease Control as stemming from pandemic school closures.
Charter Schools and Th... Sowell, Thomas Best Price: $19.81 Buy New $23.01 (as of 04:42 UTC - Details) Meanwhile, fears of schools becoming incubators for renewed surges of COVID-19 infections are grossly exaggerated, other studies and data show.
Start with the fact that, according to the Centers for Disease Control, just 168 kids 17 or under have died from COVID-19 through Dec. 19. That’s less than 0.05% of the total of nearly 300,000 COVID-19 deaths. By comparison, those aged 65 to 74 accounted for more than 21% of the total deaths.
Studies this year by peer-reviewed journals back these data up.
“COVID-19 is generally a mild disease in children, including infants,” a study in the British medical journal Lancet found.
Even the usually union-friendly New York Times was recently forced to admit: “Researchers once feared that school reopening’s might spread the virus through communities. But so far there is little evidence that it’s happening.”
Read the Whole Article


lewrockwell--2020-12-29--The Threat of Authoritarianism in the US Is Very Real, and Has Nothing To Do With Trump

Asserting that Donald Trump is a fascist-like dictator threatening the previously sturdy foundations of U.S. democracy has been a virtual requirement over the last four years to obtain entrance to cable news Green Rooms , sinecures as mainstream newspaper columnists , and popularity in faculty lounges .
Yet it has proven to be a preposterous farce .
In 2020 alone , Trump had two perfectly crafted opportunities to seize authoritarian power — a global health pandemic and sprawling protests and sustained riots throughout American cities — and yet did virtually nothing to exploit those opportunities .
Actual would-be despots such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seized on the virus to declare martial law , while even prior U.S. presidents , to say nothing of foreign tyrants , have used the pretext of much less civil unrest than what we saw this summer to deploy the military in the streets to pacify their own citizenry .
The 21 Biggest Lies ab ... Schlichter , Kurt Best Price : $ 19.46 Buy New $ 21.49 But early in the pandemic , Trump was criticized , especially by Democrats , for failing to assert the draconian powers he had , such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under the Defense Production Act of 1950 , invoked by Truman to force industry to produce materials needed for the Korean War .
In March , The Washington Post reported that “ Governors , Democrats in Congress and some Senate Republicans have been urging Trump for at least a week to invoke the act , and his potential 2020 opponent , Joe Biden , came out in favor of it , too , ” yet “ Trump [ gave ] a variety of reasons for not doing so.
” Rejecting demands to exploit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ powers is not exactly what one expects from a striving dictator .
A similar dynamic prevailed during the sustained protests and riots that erupted after the killing of George Floyd .
While conservatives such as Sen. Tom Cotton ( R-AK ) , in his controversial New York Times op-ed , urged the mass deployment of the military to quell the protesters , and while Trump threatened to deploy them if governors failed to pacify the riots , Trump failed to order anything more than a few isolated , symbolic gestures such as having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protesters from Lafayette Park for his now-notorious walk to a church , provoking harsh criticism from the right , including Fox News , for failing to use more aggressive force to restore order .
Live Free Or Die : Amer ... Hannity , Sean Best Price : $ 21.27 Buy New $ 17.00 Virtually every prediction expressed by those who pushed this doomsday narrative of Trump as a rising dictator — usually with great profit for themselves — never materialized .
While Trump radically escalated bombing campaigns he inherited from Bush and Obama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When his policies were declared by courts to be unconstitutional , he either revised them to comport with judicial requirements ( as in the case of his “ Muslim ban ” ) or withdrew them ( as in the case of diverting Pentagon funds to build his wall ) .
No journalists were jailed for criticizing or reporting negatively on Trump , let alone killed , as was endlessly predicted and sometimes even implied .
Bashing Trump was far more likely to yield best-selling books , social media stardom and new contracts as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in gulags or state reprisals .
There were no Proud Boy insurrections or right-wing militias waging civil war in U.S. cities .
Boastful and bizarre tweets aside , Trump ’ s administration was far more a continuation of the U.S. political tradition than a radical departure from it .
The hysterical Trump-as-despot script was all melodrama , a ploy for profits and ratings , and , most of all , a potent instrument to distract from the neoliberal ideology that gave rise to Trump in the first place by causing so much wreckage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from U.S. politics and as the prime author of America ’ s woes — rather than what he was : a perfectly predictable extension of U.S politics and a symptom of preexisting pathologies — enabled those who have so much blood and economic destruction on their hands not only to evade responsibility for what they did , but to rehabilitate themselves as the guardians of freedom and prosperity and , ultimately , catapult themselves back into power .
As of January 20 , that is exactly where they will reside .

Asserting that Donald Trump is a fascist-like dictator threatening the previously sturdy foundations of U.S. democracy has been a virtual requirement over the last four years to obtain entrance to cable news Green Rooms, sinecures as mainstream newspaper columnists, and popularity in faculty lounges. Yet it has proven to be a preposterous farce.
In 2020 alone, Trump had two perfectly crafted opportunities to seize authoritarian power — a global health pandemic and sprawling protests and sustained riots throughout American cities — and yet did virtually nothing to exploit those opportunities. Actual would-be despots such as Hungary’s Viktor Orbán quickly seized on the virus to declare martial law, while even prior U.S. presidents, to say nothing of foreign tyrants, have used the pretext of much less civil unrest than what we saw this summer to deploy the military in the streets to pacify their own citizenry.
The 21 Biggest Lies ab... Schlichter, Kurt Best Price: $19.46 Buy New $21.49 (as of 05:03 UTC - Details) But early in the pandemic, Trump was criticized, especially by Democrats, for failing to assert the draconian powers he had, such as commandeering the means of industrial production under the Defense Production Act of 1950, invoked by Truman to force industry to produce materials needed for the Korean War. In March, The Washington Post reported that “Governors, Democrats in Congress and some Senate Republicans have been urging Trump for at least a week to invoke the act, and his potential 2020 opponent, Joe Biden, came out in favor of it, too,” yet “Trump [gave] a variety of reasons for not doing so.” Rejecting demands to exploit a public health pandemic to assert extraordinary powers is not exactly what one expects from a striving dictator.
A similar dynamic prevailed during the sustained protests and riots that erupted after the killing of George Floyd. While conservatives such as Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AK), in his controversial New York Times op-ed, urged the mass deployment of the military to quell the protesters, and while Trump threatened to deploy them if governors failed to pacify the riots, Trump failed to order anything more than a few isolated, symbolic gestures such as having troops use tear gas to clear out protesters from Lafayette Park for his now-notorious walk to a church, provoking harsh criticism from the right, including Fox News, for failing to use more aggressive force to restore order.
USA Today, June 2, 2020
Live Free Or Die: Amer... Hannity, Sean Best Price: $21.27 Buy New $17.00 (as of 05:05 UTC - Details) Virtually every prediction expressed by those who pushed this doomsday narrative of Trump as a rising dictator — usually with great profit for themselves — never materialized. While Trump radically escalated bombing campaigns he inherited from Bush and Obama, he started no new wars. When his policies were declared by courts to be unconstitutional, he either revised them to comport with judicial requirements (as in the case of his “Muslim ban”) or withdrew them (as in the case of diverting Pentagon funds to build his wall). No journalists were jailed for criticizing or reporting negatively on Trump, let alone killed, as was endlessly predicted and sometimes even implied. Bashing Trump was far more likely to yield best-selling books, social media stardom and new contracts as cable news “analysts” than interment in gulags or state reprisals. There were no Proud Boy insurrections or right-wing militias waging civil war in U.S. cities. Boastful and bizarre tweets aside, Trump’s administration was far more a continuation of the U.S. political tradition than a radical departure from it.
The hysterical Trump-as-despot script was all melodrama, a ploy for profits and ratings, and, most of all, a potent instrument to distract from the neoliberal ideology that gave rise to Trump in the first place by causing so much wreckage. Positing Trump as a grand aberration from U.S. politics and as the prime author of America’s woes — rather than what he was: a perfectly predictable extension of U.S politics and a symptom of preexisting pathologies — enabled those who have so much blood and economic destruction on their hands not only to evade responsibility for what they did, but to rehabilitate themselves as the guardians of freedom and prosperity and, ultimately, catapult themselves back into power. As of January 20, that is exactly where they will reside.
Read the Whole Article


lewrockwell--2020-12-29--Too Smart By Two-and-a-Half

Too Smart By Two-and-a-Half

To be “ too smart by half ” ( also common is “ too clever by half ” ) is to be too smart for one ’ s own good , meant either literally or ironically .
As an idiom , it is usually sarcastic .
The phrase has a wide range of potential uses ; for instance , it can mean : 1 . )
Something so complex that it ’ s self-obfuscating .
2 . )
A seemingly clever action that is in fact foolish .
3 . )
Logically accepting something as necessary that isn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ivory tower ) .
The Gulag Archipelago Solzhenitsyn , Aleksandr Best Price : $ 35.21 Buy New $ 37.26 – “ Those Harvard scholars are too smart by half.
” – “ What a dumb idea ; I tell you , that guy is too smart by half.
” Too clever by half : Shrewd but flawed by overthinking or excessive complexity , with a resulting tendency to be unreliable or unsuccessful .
Too clever by half : To be too contrived or arrogant in one ’ s cleverness or intelligence , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Let ’ s get at some of the key words from above : – Being irritating to others And this describes those who are too smart by merely half !
Imagine the adjectives necessary to get this increased by a factor of five – of being too smart by two-and-a-half .
One Day in the Life of ... Solzhenitsyn , Alexander Best Price : $ 1.10 Buy New $ 2.40 My journey of diving deep into libertarianism and liberty began at this blog by addressing many left-libertarian ideas , few of which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ principle and few of which offered anything that would contribute to my liberty .
I was able to handle these with little emotion , but with much aggression .
In hindsight , I would probably take some of that aggression back .
Then I came across a seemingly well-respected libertarian thinker who advocated killing a child for picking an apple .
Technically , he advocated that the property owner was the only individual entitled to decide the punishment for a violation of his property .
As one of my readers pointed out , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the demand of sex with the minor as punishment .
In this case , I reacted both quite emotionally and aggressively .
I wish I reacted only slightly less emotionally .
Only slightly .
The aggression ?
No amount was too much .
Equating liberty with evil ?
This deserves damnation in hell .
Then there is the stretching of the theory to the point of absurdity – frankly , to the point of making it a punch line .
Open borders , even if it means a million commies come to your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that you murder someone in order to save the world ?
Yes , a subject worth addressing .
Recently I have read of the theoretical possibility under the non-aggression principle of forcing individuals to be vaccinated against their will .
Boy , I went in with a knife on that one – and not just one wound , but several .
I stabbed it with my steely knives… …but I just couldn ’ t kill the beast , apparently .
Because now comes masks : yes , there is a libertarian case ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mask-wearing as well .
Keep in mind – both the topic of forced vaccinations and this topic of forced mask-wearing have been raised in the context of our last nine months .
Both are addressed in the most esoteric and theoretical manner , yet the context in which these are read is in the reality of today .
Ideologies always present a danger .
On the surface , many sound good .
Taken to the extreme , none have proven efficacious toward the stated ends .
Given that here I am speaking of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – taken to an extreme – will not produce liberty ; given the examples offered above , it should be obvious that it destroys liberty .
Between Two Millstones ... Solzhenitsyn , Aleksandr Best Price : $ 17.79 Buy New $ 20.92 Even if one grants that libertarianism supports forced vaccines or forced mask wearing ( I do not , but bear with me ) , where is the liberty in this ?
I , as the property owner , no longer have rights as to what goes into my body ?
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ longer have rights in what is done in my restaurant or church ?
Even if one grants that these are compatible with libertarianism ( again , it isn ’ t , but bear with me ) , it isn ’ t compatible with my liberty .
This is the problem with ideologies and their ideologues : they focus on one thing while ignoring all else .
There is a complexity in human social relations that is never addressed by ideology ; historically , this complexity has been addressed by religion – maybe not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( and I don ’ t purposely exclude others ; I am just not as knowledgeable on others nor are these relevant to life in the West ) .
Which leads me to examining the relationship of law and ideology .
From the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy : If law is a system of enforceable rules governing social relations and legislated by a political system , it might seem obvious that law is connected to ideology .
Ideology refers , in a general sense , to a system of political ideas , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For a too-smart-by-two-and-a-half libertarian , this statement clears the field .
Armed with his ideology , he is now free to craft his laws – wherever the ideology leads : shoot a child for picking an apple , allow a million commies in , Martians demanding murder , forced vaccinations and mask-wearing .
In contrast to the ideology taken to extreme , we continue : The ideal of law , in contrast , involves a set of institutions that regulate or restrain power with reference to norms of justice .
Thus the presence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in some sense , compromise law ’ s integrity .
As compared to a theory of law based on ideology , other theories of law purport to meet a higher ideal – norms of justice : The Ethics of Liberty Rothbard , Murray N. Best Price : $ 9.63 Buy New $ 19.00 Not only is the view of law as ideology at odds with a lot of mainstream thinking about law , it seems difficult to reconcile with the central philosophical positions on the nature of law , e.g .
a positivist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ formal rules , or a natural law conception where law is identified with moral principles .
I am not , of course , concerned about mainstream thinking of law nor will I consider arguments for positivists conceptions of law .
However , natural law as a basis of law achieves two things not achieved by taking the ideology of libertarianism to the extreme : first , it does away with the absurdities and silliness when one tries purifying an ideology ( as seen in the examples above ) , and second , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And isn ’ t liberty the norm of justice that libertarians should be chasing ?
Alexandr Solzhenitsyn is quite relevant here : I have spent all my life under a Communist regime and I will tell you that a society without any objective legal scale is a terrible one indeed .
But a society with no other scale than the legal one is not quite worthy of man either .
What is the non-aggression principle but an objective legal scale ?
Continuing : A society which is based on the letter of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is taking very scarce advantage of the high level of human possibilities .
The letter of the law is too cold and formal to have a beneficial influence on society .
What is the “ beneficial influence on society ” of seeing people by the thousands lined up to be forced to take an injection , or to spend months ( going on years ) of not seeing another human face ?
Whenever the tissue of life is woven of legalistic relations , there is an atmosphere of moral mediocrity , paralyzing man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and paralyzed man ; exacerbating the meaning crisis .
This doesn ’ t sound much like liberty to me .
Regarding the necessity of leaning on natural law for liberty ( and not merely the non-aggression principle ) , Murray Rothbard understood this at least as early as 1960 : What I have been trying to say is that Mises ’ s utilitarian , relativist approach to ethics is not nearly enough to establish a full case for liberty .
It must be supplemented by an absolutist ethic—an ethic of liberty , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the health and development of the individual—grounded on natural law , i.e.
, discovery of the laws of man ’ s nature .
For a New Liberty : The ... Murray Rothbard Best Price : $ 9.51 Buy New $ 10.50 Rothbard goes further , from The Ethics of Liberty : I at no time believed that value-free analysis or economics or utilitarianism ( the standard social philosophy of economists ) can ever suffice to establish the case for liberty .
There is something beyond the non-aggression principle – especially when it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the above examples – that is required if one is after liberty .
Rothbard concluded that it was the natural law .
I agree , wholeheartedly .
Returning to the list from above : – Being irritating to others For those who were raised on Rothbard ’ s knees , who believe that they are advancing the cause in the tradition of Rothbard , it really is long past time to stop your efforts .
Rothbard , even when charting a pioneering path , never came to conclusions as silly as those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you make a mockery of yourself is your own business .
You are making a mockery of Rothbard , and you are making a mockery of libertarianism .
Certainly , you are not advancing the cause of liberty .
I suggest it is time to retire .
See my developing maturity ?
No emotion , very little aggression .
I didn ’ t even name the guilty , nor link to any of the relevant posts .
The Best of Bionic Mosquito

To be “too smart by half” (also common is “too clever by half”) is to be too smart for one’s own good, meant either literally or ironically. As an idiom, it is usually sarcastic. The phrase has a wide range of potential uses; for instance, it can mean:
1.) Something so complex that it’s self-obfuscating.
2.) A seemingly clever action that is in fact foolish.
3.) Logically accepting something as necessary that isn’t.
4.) Over analysis.
5.) Elitism (see ivory tower). The Gulag Archipelago Solzhenitsyn, Aleksandr Best Price: $35.21 Buy New $37.26 (as of 04:13 UTC - Details)
–“Those Harvard scholars are too smart by half.”
–“What a dumb idea; I tell you, that guy is too smart by half.”
Too clever by half: Shrewd but flawed by overthinking or excessive complexity, with a resulting tendency to be unreliable or unsuccessful.
Too clever by half: To be too contrived or arrogant in one’s cleverness or intelligence, to the point of being irritating to others.
Let’s get at some of the key words from above:
– Self-obfuscating
– Foolish
– Over analysis
– Flawed overthinking
– Excessive complexity
– Contrived
– Arrogant
– Being irritating to others
And this describes those who are too smart by merely half! Imagine the adjectives necessary to get this increased by a factor of five – of being too smart by two-and-a-half. One Day in the Life of... Solzhenitsyn, Alexander Best Price: $1.10 Buy New $2.40 (as of 04:47 UTC - Details)
My journey of diving deep into libertarianism and liberty began at this blog by addressing many left-libertarian ideas, few of which had anything to do with the non-aggression principle and few of which offered anything that would contribute to my liberty. I was able to handle these with little emotion, but with much aggression. In hindsight, I would probably take some of that aggression back.
Then I came across a seemingly well-respected libertarian thinker who advocated killing a child for picking an apple. Technically, he advocated that the property owner was the only individual entitled to decide the punishment for a violation of his property. As one of my readers pointed out, this, therefore, could also include the demand of sex with the minor as punishment.
In this case, I reacted both quite emotionally and aggressively. I wish I reacted only slightly less emotionally. Only slightly. The aggression? No amount was too much. Equating liberty with evil? This deserves damnation in hell.
Then there is the stretching of the theory to the point of absurdity – frankly, to the point of making it a punch line. Open borders, even if it means a million commies come to your town? Sure. Martian invaders demand that you murder someone in order to save the world? Yes, a subject worth addressing.
Recently I have read of the theoretical possibility under the non-aggression principle of forcing individuals to be vaccinated against their will. Boy, I went in with a knife on that one – and not just one wound, but several. I stabbed it with my steely knives…
…but I just couldn’t kill the beast, apparently. Because now comes masks: yes, there is a libertarian case (believe it or not) for forced mask-wearing as well. Keep in mind – both the topic of forced vaccinations and this topic of forced mask-wearing have been raised in the context of our last nine months. Both are addressed in the most esoteric and theoretical manner, yet the context in which these are read is in the reality of today.
Ideologies always present a danger. On the surface, many sound good. Taken to the extreme, none have proven efficacious toward the stated ends. Given that here I am speaking of the ideology of libertarianism, this ideology – taken to an extreme – will not produce liberty; given the examples offered above, it should be obvious that it destroys liberty. Between Two Millstones... Solzhenitsyn, Aleksandr Best Price: $17.75 Buy New $23.04 (as of 10:47 UTC - Details)
Even if one grants that libertarianism supports forced vaccines or forced mask wearing (I do not, but bear with me), where is the liberty in this? I, as the property owner, no longer have rights as to what goes into my body? I, as the property owner, no longer have rights in what is done in my restaurant or church? Even if one grants that these are compatible with libertarianism (again, it isn’t, but bear with me), it isn’t compatible with my liberty.
This is the problem with ideologies and their ideologues: they focus on one thing while ignoring all else. There is a complexity in human social relations that is never addressed by ideology; historically, this complexity has been addressed by religion – maybe not all religions, but certainly by Christianity (and I don’t purposely exclude others; I am just not as knowledgeable on others nor are these relevant to life in the West).
Which leads me to examining the relationship of law and ideology. From the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy:
If law is a system of enforceable rules governing social relations and legislated by a political system, it might seem obvious that law is connected to ideology. Ideology refers, in a general sense, to a system of political ideas, and law and politics seem inextricably intertwined.
For a too-smart-by-two-and-a-half libertarian, this statement clears the field. Armed with his ideology, he is now free to craft his laws – wherever the ideology leads: shoot a child for picking an apple, allow a million commies in, Martians demanding murder, forced vaccinations and mask-wearing.
In contrast to the ideology taken to extreme, we continue:
The ideal of law, in contrast, involves a set of institutions that regulate or restrain power with reference to norms of justice. Thus the presence of the ideological in law must, in some sense, compromise law’s integrity.
As compared to a theory of law based on ideology, other theories of law purport to meet a higher ideal – norms of justice: The Ethics of Liberty Rothbard, Murray N. Best Price: $9.63 Buy New $19.00 (as of 02:25 UTC - Details)
Not only is the view of law as ideology at odds with a lot of mainstream thinking about law, it seems difficult to reconcile with the central philosophical positions on the nature of law, e.g. a positivist conception of law as a set of formal rules, or a natural law conception where law is identified with moral principles.
I am not, of course, concerned about mainstream thinking of law nor will I consider arguments for positivists conceptions of law. However, natural law as a basis of law achieves two things not achieved by taking the ideology of libertarianism to the extreme: first, it does away with the absurdities and silliness when one tries purifying an ideology (as seen in the examples above), and second, it offers a path to liberty properly understood. And isn’t liberty the norm of justice that libertarians should be chasing?
Alexandr Solzhenitsyn is quite relevant here:
I have spent all my life under a Communist regime and I will tell you that a society without any objective legal scale is a terrible one indeed. But a society with no other scale than the legal one is not quite worthy of man either.
What is the non-aggression principle but an objective legal scale? Continuing:
A society which is based on the letter of the law and never reaches any higher is taking very scarce advantage of the high level of human possibilities. The letter of the law is too cold and formal to have a beneficial influence on society.
What is the “beneficial influence on society” of seeing people by the thousands lined up to be forced to take an injection, or to spend months (going on years) of not seeing another human face?
Whenever the tissue of life is woven of legalistic relations, there is an atmosphere of moral mediocrity, paralyzing man’s noblest impulses.
Moral mediocrity and paralyzed man; exacerbating the meaning crisis. This doesn’t sound much like liberty to me.
Regarding the necessity of leaning on natural law for liberty (and not merely the non-aggression principle), Murray Rothbard understood this at least as early as 1960:
What I have been trying to say is that Mises’s utilitarian, relativist approach to ethics is not nearly enough to establish a full case for liberty. It must be supplemented by an absolutist ethic—an ethic of liberty, as well as of other values needed for the health and development of the individual—grounded on natural law, i.e., discovery of the laws of man’s nature. For a New Liberty: The... Murray Rothbard Best Price: $9.51 Buy New $10.50 (as of 02:10 UTC - Details)
Rothbard goes further, from The Ethics of Liberty:
I at no time believed that value-free analysis or economics or utilitarianism (the standard social philosophy of economists) can ever suffice to establish the case for liberty.
There is something beyond the non-aggression principle – especially when it is as poorly applied as is the case in the above examples – that is required if one is after liberty. Rothbard concluded that it was the natural law. I agree, wholeheartedly.
Conclusion
Returning to the list from above:
– Self-obfuscating
– Foolish
– Over analysis
– Flawed overthinking
– Excessive complexity
– Contrived
– Arrogant
– Being irritating to others
For those who were raised on Rothbard’s knees, who believe that they are advancing the cause in the tradition of Rothbard, it really is long past time to stop your efforts. Rothbard, even when charting a pioneering path, never came to conclusions as silly as those advanced by these self-proclaimed disciples.
That you make a mockery of yourself is your own business. You are making a mockery of Rothbard, and you are making a mockery of libertarianism. Certainly, you are not advancing the cause of liberty.
I suggest it is time to retire.
Epilogue
See my developing maturity? No emotion, very little aggression. I didn’t even name the guilty, nor link to any of the relevant posts.
Reprinted with permission from Bionic Mosquito.
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lewrockwell--2020-12-29--Covid: Where Are the Courageous Religious Leaders?

“ The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion.
” Edmund Burke , 1784 When are religious leaders going to issue demands to their members ?
Demands to express a duty to God first ; above and beyond the restrictions of the State .
These leaders certainly believe God created humans with the quality of freedom .
The Bible irrevocably states it .
Therefore , under the cover of COVID , the State can not remove that freedom .
The religious leaders must order their flocks to rebel .
Not just in order to attend church services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out in the open , without hiding behind masks , without keeping their distance , without lockdowns , without sacrificing their right to earn a living .
Several Catholic prelates have declared the COVID fraud is being used as a rationale for creating an anti-spiritual new world order .
The next step is telling their Church members and believers to rebel , to choose The Good and God .
Every early story about every religion shows how the State power of the day had to be overcome .
Is it now time to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Are those stories buried because they are inconvenient ?
Quoting from an anonymously written article , “ Ancient Christian Martyrdom : A Brief Overview ” : “ By 200 [ AD ] , the [ Christian ] faith had permeated most regions of the Roman Empire , though Christians were mostly in the larger urban areas ( Gaul , Lyons , Carthage , Rome ) .
By 325 , an estimated 7 million were Christians with as many as 2 million killed for the faith.
” Among the reasons for this vast persecution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ honor other gods was a source of great contention.
” “ Christians were accused of being atheists because of their denial of the other gods and refusal of emperor worship .
Thus , they were accused of treason to the state.
” “ For many provincial governors , Christians were considered social radicals , rather than being persecuted specifically for their faith only.
” And now , in 2020 , the major religious objection to COVID restrictions concerns the number of worshipers allowed inside a church during services ?
Is this the evolution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the hands of the faithful themselves ?
Is civilization now so “ advanced ” that suffering and even dying for one ’ s faith is considered absurd ?
Is bargaining with the State over whether 10 or 50 members can enter a house of worship the cutting edge of rebellion ?
It seems to me people should renounce their religion , if they ’ re unwilling to go to the wall for it .
Just admit that what true faith requires is too much .
Jesus endured pain and torture , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to save humanity , but now faithful followers can declare their loyalty during online virtual services .
Or from their cars , in a parking lot .
Without feeling a tremor of conscience .
Over the years , I ’ ve heard many claims that America ( and other Western nations ) were created on the basis of Christian values .
Putting aside counter-arguments , if that is the assertion , then where is the courage to back it up ?
What good are these claims , if in a great crisis , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the open , against the tyrannical State , on behalf of God ?
Again , mass rebellion means the refusal to wear masks , the refusal to maintain distancing , the refusal to obey lockdowns or close businesses .
It means reclaiming freedom .
But perhaps some people believe God wants obedience to the State .
He wants his loyal followers to submit to the lockdowns .
He wants worshipers to surrender to an all-encompassing secular new world order , in which citizens will function as pawns in a Brave New World @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be stripped of their humanity .
If so , let ’ s hear THAT argument .
Months ago , I said pastors and priests and other religious leaders should stand up in their houses of worship and confess their lack of courage and resign their positions .
Confess they are unworthy to lead congregations .
Ask for the most brave to step forward and take over .
Why should these religious leaders make superficial distinctions about the limits of rebellion ?
In order to maintain their non-profit status with the State ?
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jesus : “ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness , for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
” But perhaps , in these enlightened times , people should worship a purported virus , and desert God .
The Best of Jon Rappoport

“The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion.” Edmund Burke, 1784
When are religious leaders going to issue demands to their members? Demands to express a duty to God first; above and beyond the restrictions of the State.
These leaders certainly believe God created humans with the quality of freedom. The Bible irrevocably states it. Therefore, under the cover of COVID, the State cannot remove that freedom.
The religious leaders must order their flocks to rebel.
Not just in order to attend church services; but to live without fear, out in the open, without hiding behind masks, without keeping their distance, without lockdowns, without sacrificing their right to earn a living.
Several Catholic prelates have declared the COVID fraud is being used as a rationale for creating an anti-spiritual new world order.
The next step is telling their Church members and believers to rebel, to choose The Good and God.
Every early story about every religion shows how the State power of the day had to be overcome. Is it now time to develop terminal amnesia about these origins?
Are those stories buried because they are inconvenient?
Quoting from an anonymously written article, “Ancient Christian Martyrdom: A Brief Overview”:
“By 200 [AD], the [Christian] faith had permeated most regions of the Roman Empire, though Christians were mostly in the larger urban areas (Gaul, Lyons, Carthage, Rome). By 325, an estimated 7 million were Christians with as many as 2 million killed for the faith.”
Among the reasons for this vast persecution: “Christian refusal to worship or honor other gods was a source of great contention.”
“Christians were accused of being atheists because of their denial of the other gods and refusal of emperor worship. Thus, they were accused of treason to the state.”
“For many provincial governors, Christians were considered social radicals, rather than being persecuted specifically for their faith only.”
And now, in 2020, the major religious objection to COVID restrictions concerns the number of worshipers allowed inside a church during services?
Is this the evolution of faith, or its destruction, at the hands of the faithful themselves?
Is conscience “outmoded”?
Is civilization now so “advanced” that suffering and even dying for one’s faith is considered absurd?
Is bargaining with the State over whether 10 or 50 members can enter a house of worship the cutting edge of rebellion?
It seems to me people should renounce their religion, if they’re unwilling to go to the wall for it.
Just admit that what true faith requires is too much.
Jesus endured pain and torture, and surrendered his human form, in order to save humanity, but now faithful followers can declare their loyalty during online virtual services. Or from their cars, in a parking lot. Without feeling a tremor of conscience.
Over the years, I’ve heard many claims that America (and other Western nations) were created on the basis of Christian values. Putting aside counter-arguments, if that is the assertion, then where is the courage to back it up?
What good are these claims, if in a great crisis, there is no mass rebellion, out in the open, against the tyrannical State, on behalf of God?
Again, mass rebellion means the refusal to wear masks, the refusal to maintain distancing, the refusal to obey lockdowns or close businesses. It means reclaiming freedom.
But perhaps some people believe God wants obedience to the State. He wants his loyal followers to submit to the lockdowns. He wants worshipers to surrender to an all-encompassing secular new world order, in which citizens will function as pawns in a Brave New World technocracy. He wants the faithful to be stripped of their humanity.
If so, let’s hear THAT argument.
Months ago, I said pastors and priests and other religious leaders should stand up in their houses of worship and confess their lack of courage and resign their positions. Confess they are unworthy to lead congregations. Ask for the most brave to step forward and take over.
That’s a correct course of action.
Why should these religious leaders make superficial distinctions about the limits of rebellion? In order to maintain their non-profit status with the State? In order to keep their flock comfortable?
Jesus: “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
But perhaps, in these enlightened times, people should worship a purported virus, and desert God.
Reprinted with permission from Jon Rappoport’s blog.
The Best of Jon Rappoport


lewrockwell--2020-12-29--2020: America’s Wake-Up Call

2020: America’s Wake-Up Call

Who could have predicted how dreadful a year 2020 would be .
By this New Year ’ s Eve , 19 million to 20 million Americans will have contracted a deadly virus in a pandemic that exploded out of China to carry off 333,000 Americans , one of every 1,000 of us .
As 2021 begins , Americans will be dying at the rate of 10,000 a week and contracting the virus at a rate of more than 1 million new cases a week .
Yet , during that same year , miracles occurred .
Vaccines were created , tested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could , with 95 % effectiveness , stop this virus cold .
If Americans can reach “ herd immunity ” — from having caught and survived the virus or having been vaccinated against it — the COVID-19 pandemic might be contained by the summer of 2021 .
Economically , the pandemic caused the worst crash since the Great Depression with scores of thousands of schools closed and empty , and scores of thousands of stores , bars and restaurants shuttered , many never to open again .
Yet , in the same year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every record , crossing the 30,000 mark , again and again , with the NASDAQ and S & P 500 reaching new highs .
Thus , as tens of millions of Americans saw their savings wiped out and had trouble making rent payments and feeding their families , some investors saw their stock portfolios surge .
Yes , Virginia , there are two Americas .
On Memorial Day weekend , a white police officer in Minneapolis was taped kneeling for nine minutes on the neck of a Black suspect .
Hours later , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death would trigger protests against police brutality that quickly degenerated into radical and racial rioting unseen since the 1960s .
The arson , looting and attacks on police caused a backlash that spread across the country when the demands of antifa and Black Lives Matter suddenly became , “ Defund the Police !
” That anti-cop slogan did for law enforcement reform what rioters ’ cries of “ Burn , baby , burn !
” did for the civil rights movement in the ’ 60s .
By the time the fires burned out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left for indulging the anarchists and denouncing Democratic leaders who refused to condemn the rioting .
Still , despite the pandemic , the third of a million dead , the crash and the seemingly endless riots , President Donald Trump won 74 million votes , the largest total of any president in history .
And he held the Senate for the Republicans and added more than a dozen seats in the House .
Yet , Joe Biden , who would be crushed in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary and lose Nevada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a massive Black turnout in South Carolina .
Revived , he would go on to win the Democratic nomination on the first ballot .
Sheltering in his basement through the fall , Biden would run up a 7 million-vote victory over Donald Trump , though his verbal and mental deterioration was almost painfully obvious in his few public appearances .
Another wake-up call to how polarized we are came with an orgy of icon-smashing of statues and monuments , from Columbus to presidents Washington , Jefferson , Lincoln , Teddy Roosevelt and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America ’ s academic and intellectual elite detests the men who created and built the country America has become .
Not a positive omen for those who believe America has done great things , greater than any nation , and can do them again .
As America was shaken by its vulnerability to a pandemic , the U.S. saw its warships and warplanes challenged in the South and East China Seas and Taiwan Strait by a China , which , admonished to allow greater democracy in Hong Kong , proceeded to extinguish the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the West did nothing .
Revelations that China was running concentration camps in its interior to “ reeducate ” Muslim Uighurs in what it means to be a patriot in a nation dominated by Han Chinese and ruled by the Chinese Communist Party evoked only verbal protests .
By year ’ s end , it was not America warning China but Beijing warning America that manifestations of political or military solidarity with Taiwan , and arms sales to the island , would constitute interference in the internal affairs of China — as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a great awakening about the character of the regime we have pampered with investment and trade for three decades appeared stark .
Unable to stand up to a China in which they invested so many hopes , the American establishment turns to Russia — a nation with one-tenth China ’ s population and one-tenth of its economy , and no army or navy to match Beijing ’ s — as its adversary of choice .
But while President Vladimir Putin may fulfill well the role of villain , his principal foreign intervention in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peacemaker in the South Caucasus ’ war between Azerbaijan and Armenia .
The Best of Patrick J. Buchanan

Shop all books by Pat Buchanan
Who could have predicted how dreadful a year 2020 would be.
By this New Year’s Eve, 19 million to 20 million Americans will have contracted a deadly virus in a pandemic that exploded out of China to carry off 333,000 Americans, one of every 1,000 of us.
As 2021 begins, Americans will be dying at the rate of 10,000 a week and contracting the virus at a rate of more than 1 million new cases a week.
Yet, during that same year, miracles occurred. Vaccines were created, tested and mass-produced by Pfizer and Moderna that could, with 95% effectiveness, stop this virus cold.
If Americans can reach “herd immunity” — from having caught and survived the virus or having been vaccinated against it — the COVID-19 pandemic might be contained by the summer of 2021.
Economically, the pandemic caused the worst crash since the Great Depression with scores of thousands of schools closed and empty, and scores of thousands of stores, bars and restaurants shuttered, many never to open again.
Yet, in the same year, the Dow Jones Industrial Average broke every record, crossing the 30,000 mark, again and again, with the NASDAQ and S&P 500 reaching new highs.
Thus, as tens of millions of Americans saw their savings wiped out and had trouble making rent payments and feeding their families, some investors saw their stock portfolios surge. Yes, Virginia, there are two Americas.
On Memorial Day weekend, a white police officer in Minneapolis was taped kneeling for nine minutes on the neck of a Black suspect.
Hours later, George Floyd would die, and his death would trigger protests against police brutality that quickly degenerated into radical and racial rioting unseen since the 1960s.
The arson, looting and attacks on police caused a backlash that spread across the country when the demands of antifa and Black Lives Matter suddenly became, “Defund the Police!” That anti-cop slogan did for law enforcement reform what rioters’ cries of “Burn, baby, burn!” did for the civil rights movement in the ’60s.
By the time the fires burned out, Middle America was recoiling against the left for indulging the anarchists and denouncing Democratic leaders who refused to condemn the rioting.
Still, despite the pandemic, the third of a million dead, the crash and the seemingly endless riots, President Donald Trump won 74 million votes, the largest total of any president in history. And he held the Senate for the Republicans and added more than a dozen seats in the House.
Yet, Joe Biden, who would be crushed in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary and lose Nevada to Bernie Sanders, would be rescued by a massive Black turnout in South Carolina. Revived, he would go on to win the Democratic nomination on the first ballot.
Sheltering in his basement through the fall, Biden would run up a 7 million-vote victory over Donald Trump, though his verbal and mental deterioration was almost painfully obvious in his few public appearances.
Another wake-up call to how polarized we are came with an orgy of icon-smashing of statues and monuments, from Columbus to presidents Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson.
A large slice of America’s academic and intellectual elite detests the men who created and built the country America has become. Not a positive omen for those who believe America has done great things, greater than any nation, and can do them again.
As America was shaken by its vulnerability to a pandemic, the U.S. saw its warships and warplanes challenged in the South and East China Seas and Taiwan Strait by a China, which, admonished to allow greater democracy in Hong Kong, proceeded to extinguish the existing democracy there. And the world and the West did nothing.
Revelations that China was running concentration camps in its interior to “reeducate” Muslim Uighurs in what it means to be a patriot in a nation dominated by Han Chinese and ruled by the Chinese Communist Party evoked only verbal protests.
By year’s end, it was not America warning China but Beijing warning America that manifestations of political or military solidarity with Taiwan, and arms sales to the island, would constitute interference in the internal affairs of China — as Taiwan belongs to China.
Suddenly, a great awakening about the character of the regime we have pampered with investment and trade for three decades appeared stark.
Unable to stand up to a China in which they invested so many hopes, the American establishment turns to Russia — a nation with one-tenth China’s population and one-tenth of its economy, and no army or navy to match Beijing’s — as its adversary of choice.
But while President Vladimir Putin may fulfill well the role of villain, his principal foreign intervention in 2020 was to play the role of peacemaker in the South Caucasus’ war between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
The Best of Patrick J. Buchanan