lewrockwell--2020-08-17--Jefferson on the Family and Liberty

Jefferson on the Family and Liberty

Thomas Jefferson has valuable things to say about two key criticisms of the free market .
I learned about these from reading C. Bradley Thompson ’ s America ’ s Revolutionary Mind ( Encounter Books , 2019 ) Thompson has done an immense amount on research on the thought of the leading figures of the American Revolution , and I urge everyone to read this excellent book .
Many critics of the free market say that it is unfair that some people are much wealthier than others .
Isn ’ t it largely a matter of luck how well you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t the state take steps to benefit those who aren ’ t successful ?
This is a line of thought I ’ ve often written about , so I ’ ll just give one example of it .
The late G.A .
Cohen states the position in this way , in his Rescuing Justice and Equality ( Harvard University Press , 2008 ) : People with greater-than-average talents and abilities should not in justice receive more wealth and income than others , even if their work is more productive and valuable than their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the abilities by which they surpass others , and my own animating conviction… [ is ] that an unequal distribution whose inequality can not be vindicated by some choice or fault or desert on the part of ( some of ) the relevant affected agents is unfair , and therefore , pro tanto , unjust , and that nothing can remove that particular injustice .
America ’ s Revolu ... Thompson , C. Bradley Best Price : $ 18.35 Buy New $ 19.53 Jefferson does not agree .
People have a natural right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and it is wrong for the state to take money from the rich to help the poor .
He says , Someone might object to Jefferson in this way : Aren ’ t there some people who are so badly off that they need help in order to survive ?
Shouldn ’ t they be guaranteed at least a minimum by the state ?
Again , Jefferson doesn ’ t agree .
Rights in his view are purely negative .
Someone ’ s being poor does not give him a right to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Further , “ the forced sharing of property would likewise cause all generosity , benevolence , and charity to wither on the vine .
If such ‘ noble principles ’ were destitute of objects and exercise , ’ Jefferson added , they would ‘ forever lie dormant ’ ” ( quoted in Thompson , America ’ s Revolutionary Mind ) .
What I ’ ve said so far describes a familiar libertarian position , but now I ’ d like to turn to something more controversial .
One of the standard criticisms of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it treats individuals as isolated atoms who view other people only as means to the pursuit of their selfish ends .
You can certainly find people who do adopt this view , but Mises and Rothbard do not .
Lew Rockwell notes in Against the Left : Today , the fundamental threat to liberty comes from leftist programs to promote absolute equality .
In this chapter , we will first describe egalitarianism in general terms and then discuss one of its main , and most dangerous , manifestations .
This is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hallmark of civilization….In order to maintain a free society , it is essential that the traditional family , i.e.
, the union of one man and one woman in marriage , in most cases to raise a family , be preserved .
Ludwig von Mises offers some profound insights on this matter .
Jeff Deist argues in a similar vein : Justice , Equality and ... Best Price : $ 42.82 Buy New $ 28.26 It scarcely needs to be said that family has always been the first line of defense against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ source of primary loyalty—or divided loyalty , from the perspective of politicians .
Our connection with ancestors , and our concern for progeny , forms a story in which the state is not the main character .
Family forms our earliest and hence most formative environment—and at least as an ideal , family provides both material and emotional support .
Happy families actually exist .
But government wants us atomized , lonely , broke , vulnerable , dependent , and disconnected .
So of course it attempts to break down families by taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible , indoctrinating them in state schools , using welfare as a wedge , using the tax code as a wedge , discouraging marriage and large families , in fact discouraging any kind of intimacy not subject to public scrutiny , encouraging divorce , etc .
etc .
On this issue , Jefferson supports the family rather than the atomized individual .
Here I need to confess a deception .
I truncated a passage I quoted earlier from Jefferson , not to give a false idea of its contents , but rather to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emphasize later .
The full quotation from Jefferson is In his second inaugural address , Jefferson said : Great Society : A New H ... Shlaes , Amity Best Price : $ 16.98 Buy New $ 16.29 With those , too , not yet rallied to the same point , the disposition to do so is gaining strength ; facts are piercing through the veil drawn over them ; and our doubting brethren will at length see , that the mass of their fellow citizens , with whom they can not yet resolve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures , think as they think , and desire what they desire ; that our wish , as well as theirs , is , that the public efforts may be directed honestly to the public good , that peace be cultivated , civil and religious liberty unassailed , law and order preserved ; equality of rights maintained , and that state of property , equal or unequal , which results to every man from his own industry , or that of his fathers .
( emphasis added ) Jefferson ’ s view would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They think it is especially “ arbitrary from the moral point of view ” that some people have advantages because of their family .
Jefferson sees matters differently .
Note : The views expressed on Mises.org are not necessarily those of the Mises Institute .
The Best of David Gordon

Thomas Jefferson has valuable things to say about two key criticisms of the free market. I learned about these from reading C. Bradley Thompson’s America’s Revolutionary Mind (Encounter Books, 2019) Thompson has done an immense amount on research on the thought of the leading figures of the American Revolution, and I urge everyone to read this excellent book.
Many critics of the free market say that it is unfair that some people are much wealthier than others. Isn’t it largely a matter of luck how well you do? If so, shouldn’t the state take steps to benefit those who aren’t successful? This is a line of thought I’ve often written about, so I’ll just give one example of it. The late G.A. Cohen states the position in this way, in his Rescuing Justice and Equality (Harvard University Press, 2008):
People with greater-than-average talents and abilities should not in justice receive more wealth and income than others, even if their work is more productive and valuable than their less-fortunately-endowed coworkers. People do not deserve the abilities by which they surpass others, and my own animating conviction…[is] that an unequal distribution whose inequality cannot be vindicated by some choice or fault or desert on the part of (some of) the relevant affected agents is unfair, and therefore, pro tanto, unjust, and that nothing can remove that particular injustice.
America’s Revolu... Thompson, C. Bradley Best Price: $18.35 Buy New $19.53 (as of 02:21 UTC - Details) Jefferson does not agree. People have a natural right to benefit from their industry and talents, and it is wrong for the state to take money from the rich to help the poor. He says,
To take from one, because it is thought that his industry…has acquired too much, in order to spare to others who…have not exercised equal liberty or skill, is to violate arbitrarily the first principle of association, the guarantee to everyone of a free exercise of liberty, and the fruits acquired by it.
Someone might object to Jefferson in this way: Aren’t there some people who are so badly off that they need help in order to survive? Shouldn’t they be guaranteed at least a minimum by the state?
Again, Jefferson doesn’t agree. Rights in his view are purely negative. Someone’s being poor does not give him a right to the labor or property of others. Further, “the forced sharing of property would likewise cause all generosity, benevolence, and charity to wither on the vine. If such ‘noble principles’ were destitute of objects and exercise,’ Jefferson added, they would ‘forever lie dormant’” (quoted in Thompson, America’s Revolutionary Mind).
What I’ve said so far describes a familiar libertarian position, but now I’d like to turn to something more controversial. One of the standard criticisms of the free market point of view is that it treats individuals as isolated atoms who view other people only as means to the pursuit of their selfish ends. You can certainly find people who do adopt this view, but Mises and Rothbard do not. Lew Rockwell notes in Against the Left:
Today, the fundamental threat to liberty comes from leftist programs to promote absolute equality. In this chapter, we will first describe egalitarianism in general terms and then discuss one of its main, and most dangerous, manifestations. This is the attempt to destroy the traditional family, the hallmark of civilization….In order to maintain a free society, it is essential that the traditional family, i.e., the union of one man and one woman in marriage, in most cases to raise a family, be preserved. Ludwig von Mises offers some profound insights on this matter.
Jeff Deist argues in a similar vein: Justice, Equality and ... Best Price: $42.82 Buy New $28.26 (as of 02:21 UTC - Details)
It scarcely needs to be said that family has always been the first line of defense against the state, and the most important source of primary loyalty—or divided loyalty, from the perspective of politicians. Our connection with ancestors, and our concern for progeny, forms a story in which the state is not the main character. Family forms our earliest and hence most formative environment—and at least as an ideal, family provides both material and emotional support. Happy families actually exist. But government wants us atomized, lonely, broke, vulnerable, dependent, and disconnected. So of course it attempts to break down families by taking kids away from them as early as possible, indoctrinating them in state schools, using welfare as a wedge, using the tax code as a wedge, discouraging marriage and large families, in fact discouraging any kind of intimacy not subject to public scrutiny, encouraging divorce, etc. etc.
On this issue, Jefferson supports the family rather than the atomized individual. Here I need to confess a deception. I truncated a passage I quoted earlier from Jefferson, not to give a false idea of its contents, but rather to hold in reserve something I wanted to emphasize later. The full quotation from Jefferson is
To take from one, because it is thought that his industry and that of his fathers has acquired too much, in order to spare to others who, or whose fathers have not exercised equal liberty or skill, is to violate arbitrarily the first principle of association, the guarantee to everyone of a free exercise of liberty, and the fruits acquired by it. (emphasis added)
In his second inaugural address, Jefferson said: Great Society: A New H... Shlaes, Amity Best Price: $16.98 Buy New $16.29 (as of 02:21 UTC - Details)
With those, too, not yet rallied to the same point, the disposition to do so is gaining strength; facts are piercing through the veil drawn over them; and our doubting brethren will at length see, that the mass of their fellow citizens, with whom they cannot yet resolve to act, as to principles and measures, think as they think, and desire what they desire; that our wish, as well as theirs, is, that the public efforts may be directed honestly to the public good, that peace be cultivated, civil and religious liberty unassailed, law and order preserved; equality of rights maintained, and that state of property, equal or unequal, which results to every man from his own industry, or that of his fathers. (emphasis added)
Jefferson’s view would get him into trouble with contemporary egalitarians. They think it is especially “arbitrary from the moral point of view” that some people have advantages because of their family. Jefferson sees matters differently.
Note: The views expressed on Mises.org are not necessarily those of the Mises Institute.
The Best of David Gordon


lewrockwell--2020-08-17--With Kamala Pick, Dems Cede Election to Trump

We haven ’ t even reached the DNC convention in Milwaukee next week and the election season is already over .
Former Vice President and ( presumptive ) Democratic Party Nominee Joe Biden picked Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate .
She is the first non-white woman to be so ‘ honored.
’ But that ’ s not a pick designed to win an election , that ’ s a white flag of surrender .
Harris ran one of the worst primary campaigns in recent memory , trying desperately to be the ‘ black ’ Hillary Clinton .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is a better example of being tone-deaf to what voters want in a woman candidate , I really can ’ t think of one .
The Stakes : The 2020 E ... Anton , Michael Buy New $ 28.99 What does Harris bring to the ticket ?
She ’ s a former prosecutor of black men from California .
Were the Democrats so worried about that state that they felt it necessary to lock it down ?
No , obviously , I ’ m being facetious .
Harris was simply the only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his running mate would be a ‘ woman of color ’ and there was little chance he ’ d choose party gadfly Tulsi Gabbard ( D-HI ) since he ’ s as globalist , empire-defender as everyone else in charge at the DNC .
The other possibilities were not serious .
And Susan Rice has two real strikes against her .
One , she has no name recognition .
And two , she may wind up being indicted by John Durham before the election .
In fact , if you read between the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a signal that the DNC ’ s legal troubles are a lot more serious than anyone is willing to let on .
The far better choice for the DNC strategically would have been Elizabeth Warren .
Now , while Warren is just as much an unlikeable harpy as Harris is , she ’ s also more of a true moderate who could campaign to bring the party back from the brink .
Moreover , since she is one , she would have shored up the so-called ‘ Karen Vote ’ which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harris can .
In an election cycle where the straw man arguments about Republican Bogeymen taking away the right of women to murder their unborn children is strangely absent , that voting block is more precious to the DNC than ever before , especially after they openly backed the race riots and urban violence that has dominated the news cycle for the past three months .
The only way I think this pick works for them is that they try to claw back their support for BLM and Antifa by putting the strong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ticket .
As Gabbard pointed out in the debates last year , no California Attorney General put more black men in prison than Harris .
Above the Law : The Ins ... Whitaker , Matthew Buy New $ 26.09 Since Biden skillfully avoided backing the rioting , he and Harris will now pivot in the most disingenuous way to being the ‘ law and order ’ ticket accusing President Trump of allowing our cities to burn and mishandling everything from the economy , to COVID-19 , to the CHAZ in Seattle .
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ written in their strategy sessions at the DNC .
It ’ s the classic Alinsky play of fomenting a problem , nurturing it and coddling it and then attacking your opponent for being weak on handling that which you ’ ve been doing .
They ’ ve done this completely with all of the main issues of 2020 to date .
And now at the convention in Milwaukee , the Democrats will try to argue , in Straussian fashion that they are the synthesis between an incompetent President Trump ( thesis ) and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( antithesis ) .
The only problem is it won ’ t work .
Trump has weathered these three storms about as well as someone with his level of competence can .
And over the weekend he took the fight directly to the Democrats over stimulus and relief , crafting four executive orders which strike at the heart of their usual talking points .
I covered them in a recent blog post .
• Defer Payroll Tax Collection — Here Trump is doing at least two things .
First , he ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and middle class .
Second , he lowers the cost of U.S. labor , cuts away red tape and makes it easier for businesses in a cash flow crunch to stay open not having to worry about paying monthly/quarterly tax payments .
This attacks a core Democrat talking point , “ Republicans don ’ t care about the little guy , we do !
” • Extend Student Loan deferments – This is one step closer to debt jubilee on debt that , again , freezes people in place , dealing with debt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ real economy for goods and services .
This also attacks the banks who made these predatory loans , which most student loan debt is , which undermines the “ Occupy Wall .
St. ” talking point that all the money goes to the banks .
• Extend Renter and Mortgage Eviction Moratorium – Again Trump hits the banks where they live by stopping the eviction of people whose income the Federal and State governments destroyed with their COVID-19 lockdown orders .
This is a direct attack on the DNC ’ s plan to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of their homes during the height of the election campaign .
Restates the argument that the GOP is only for the rich vulture capitalists .
• Lower and extend Unemployment Assistance — Trump ’ s no dummy .
At this point the budget deficit is ludicrous .
Lowering the assistance through the election season , again , says he ’ s helping and they are obstructing .
It ’ s not perfect , but it extends the fiscal cliff people are facing until after the election allowing him to make more sweeping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people in their homes , fed and capable of maintaining some semblance of normality .
Trump claims the ‘ I care about you ’ moral high ground .
At this point in time all Trump has to do to counter this pivot by Biden and Harris is to stand his ground on relief for the lower and middle classes , defend the police as “ Blue Lives Matter ” rallies spring up all around the country and reassure all those shiny new gun-owning soccer moms in the suburbs that Antifa isn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The strategy to oust Trump has been to attack the three main pillars of the middle class , the safety of their health ( COVID-19 ) , their wealth ( financial crisis ) and their homes ( rioting ) .
Trump ’ s approval rating has held up during all of this because he hasn ’ t panicked .
He waited until his opposition overcommitted themselves to a strategy that turned a majority of the country against them .
The polls today have been structured to bring to life the fiction of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ map has Biden in real trouble in the states he needs to win to even have a chance at victory .
In 2016 I never doubted that Trump would beat Hillary .
The polls are not there to measure voter opinions but to shape them .
And if this map is the best they can muster after systematically destroying the U.S. economy then , honestly , I expect Trump to win in an electoral college walk in November .
There ’ s a lot of time between now and the election and I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rise .
But if we ’ re truly honest about the messaging of the Democrats and the way they are positioning themselves for this election they are expecting to lose and steal the election through ballot harvesting and contesting state results to sow further discord .
BLITZ : Trump Will Smas ... Horowitz , David Buy New $ 25.19 We we ’ ve seen so far in 2020 is the ultimate form of political blackmail from the elites through their mouthpieces in the media and the Democratic Party ’ s election strategy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and restore them to power or they will tear down the United States and burn down your homes .
I don ’ t think that ’ s a winning strategy , nor do I think Kamala Harris can make a dent in Trump ’ s rising approval ratings with black and Hispanic voters .
Everything I ’ m seeing from them tells me they know they are going to lose but they have to put up a fight because the future of the party depends on it .
The views of individual contributors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Strategic Culture Foundation .
The Best of Thomas Luongo

We haven’t even reached the DNC convention in Milwaukee next week and the election season is already over. Former Vice President and (presumptive) Democratic Party Nominee Joe Biden picked Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate.
She is the first non-white woman to be so ‘honored.’
But that’s not a pick designed to win an election, that’s a white flag of surrender.
Harris ran one of the worst primary campaigns in recent memory, trying desperately to be the ‘black’ Hillary Clinton. She crashed out in spectacular fashion. If there is a better example of being tone-deaf to what voters want in a woman candidate, I really can’t think of one. The Stakes: The 2020 E... Anton, Michael Buy New $28.99 (as of 03:16 UTC - Details)
What does Harris bring to the ticket? She’s a former prosecutor of black men from California. Were the Democrats so worried about that state that they felt it necessary to lock it down?
No, obviously, I’m being facetious.
Harris was simply the only choice they could make after Biden announced his running mate would be a ‘woman of color’ and there was little chance he’d choose party gadfly Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) since he’s as globalist, empire-defender as everyone else in charge at the DNC.
The other possibilities were not serious. And Susan Rice has two real strikes against her. One, she has no name recognition. And two, she may wind up being indicted by John Durham before the election.
In fact, if you read between the lines, Rice not being the choice is a signal that the DNC’s legal troubles are a lot more serious than anyone is willing to let on.
The far better choice for the DNC strategically would have been Elizabeth Warren. Now, while Warren is just as much an unlikeable harpy as Harris is, she’s also more of a true moderate who could campaign to bring the party back from the brink.
Moreover, since she is one, she would have shored up the so-called ‘Karen Vote’ which is a core Democratic constituency far better than Harris can.
In an election cycle where the straw man arguments about Republican Bogeymen taking away the right of women to murder their unborn children is strangely absent, that voting block is more precious to the DNC than ever before, especially after they openly backed the race riots and urban violence that has dominated the news cycle for the past three months.
The only way I think this pick works for them is that they try to claw back their support for BLM and Antifa by putting the strong authoritarian Harris at the top of the ticket. As Gabbard pointed out in the debates last year, no California Attorney General put more black men in prison than Harris. Above the Law: The Ins... Whitaker, Matthew Buy New $26.09 (as of 05:57 UTC - Details)
Since Biden skillfully avoided backing the rioting, he and Harris will now pivot in the most disingenuous way to being the ‘law and order’ ticket accusing President Trump of allowing our cities to burn and mishandling everything from the economy, to COVID-19, to the CHAZ in Seattle.
You can see the script they’ve written in their strategy sessions at the DNC. It’s the classic Alinsky play of fomenting a problem, nurturing it and coddling it and then attacking your opponent for being weak on handling that which you’ve been doing.
They’ve done this completely with all of the main issues of 2020 to date. And now at the convention in Milwaukee, the Democrats will try to argue, in Straussian fashion that they are the synthesis between an incompetent President Trump (thesis) and a failing America which he alone created (antithesis).
The only problem is it won’t work.
At all.
Trump has weathered these three storms about as well as someone with his level of competence can. And over the weekend he took the fight directly to the Democrats over stimulus and relief, crafting four executive orders which strike at the heart of their usual talking points. I covered them in a recent blog post.
Defer Payroll Tax Collection — Here Trump is doing at least two things. First, he’s a Republican lowering taxes on the poor and middle class. Second, he lowers the cost of U.S. labor, cuts away red tape and makes it easier for businesses in a cash flow crunch to stay open not having to worry about paying monthly/quarterly tax payments. This attacks a core Democrat talking point, “Republicans don’t care about the little guy, we do!” Extend Student Loan deferments – This is one step closer to debt jubilee on debt that, again, freezes people in place, dealing with debt servicing rather than creating demand in the real economy for goods and services. This also attacks the banks who made these predatory loans, which most student loan debt is, which undermines the “Occupy Wall. St.” talking point that all the money goes to the banks. Obsession: Inside the ... York, Byron Buy New $28.99 (as of 03:14 UTC - Details ) Extend Renter and Mortgage Eviction Moratorium – Again Trump hits the banks where they live by stopping the eviction of people whose income the Federal and State governments destroyed with their COVID-19 lockdown orders. This is a direct attack on the DNC’s plan to see the banks throwing millions of people out of their homes during the height of the election campaign. Restates the argument that the GOP is only for the rich vulture capitalists. Lower and extend Unemployment Assistance — Trump’s no dummy. At this point the budget deficit is ludicrous. Lowering the assistance through the election season, again, says he’s helping and they are obstructing. It’s not perfect, but it extends the fiscal cliff people are facing until after the election allowing him to make more sweeping changes to the tax code while keeping people in their homes, fed and capable of maintaining some semblance of normality. Trump claims the ‘I care about you’ moral high ground.
At this point in time all Trump has to do to counter this pivot by Biden and Harris is to stand his ground on relief for the lower and middle classes, defend the police as “Blue Lives Matter” rallies spring up all around the country and reassure all those shiny new gun-owning soccer moms in the suburbs that Antifa isn’t coming to their neighborhoods on his watch.
The strategy to oust Trump has been to attack the three main pillars of the middle class, the safety of their health (COVID-19), their wealth (financial crisis) and their homes (rioting). Trump’s approval rating has held up during all of this because he hasn’t panicked.
He waited until his opposition overcommitted themselves to a strategy that turned a majority of the country against them. The polls today have been structured to bring to life the fiction of a Biden victory, but the state map has Biden in real trouble in the states he needs to win to even have a chance at victory.
In 2016 I never doubted that Trump would beat Hillary. The polls are not there to measure voter opinions but to shape them. And if this map is the best they can muster after systematically destroying the U.S. economy then, honestly, I expect Trump to win in an electoral college walk in November.
There’s a lot of time between now and the election and I suspect the pressure on Trump will only rise. But if we’re truly honest about the messaging of the Democrats and the way they are positioning themselves for this election they are expecting to lose and steal the election through ballot harvesting and contesting state results to sow further discord. BLITZ: Trump Will Smas... Horowitz, David Buy New $25.19 (as of 02:44 UTC - Details)
We we’ve seen so far in 2020 is the ultimate form of political blackmail from the elites through their mouthpieces in the media and the Democratic Party’s election strategy. They are telling voters to dump Trump and restore them to power or they will tear down the United States and burn down your homes.
I don’t think that’s a winning strategy, nor do I think Kamala Harris can make a dent in Trump’s rising approval ratings with black and Hispanic voters. Everything I’m seeing from them tells me they know they are going to lose but they have to put up a fight because the future of the party depends on it.
The views of individual contributors do not necessarily represent those of the Strategic Culture Foundation.
The Best of Tom Luongo


lewrockwell--2020-08-17--Snowden’s Lawyer Calls for End to His Persecution as Trump Mulls Pardon for Whistleblower

Earlier , US President Donald Trump said that he would seriously consider the possibility of pardoning ex-National Security Agency ( NSA ) employee Edward Snowden .
All persecution of former US intelligence officer Edward Snowden should be stopped , the lawyer representing his interests in Russia , Anatoly Kucherena , said on Sunday following Trump ’ s statement on a possible pardon for the whistleblower .
According to Kucherena , a “ pardon ” is not applicable in Snowden ’ s case , as his client committed no crime .
Dark Mirror : Edward Sn ... Gellman , Barton Best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 23.08 Earlier , US President Donald Trump said he would look into pardoning National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden .
Snowden was granted temporary asylum in Russia in 2013 after he fled the United States , where he had worked for the Central Intelligence Agency before joining the National Security Agency .
Permanent Record Snowden , Edward Best Price : $ 8.52 Buy New $ 9.85 While at the NSA , Snowden leaked a trove of classified intelligence data detailing the US domestic surveillance programme .
The docs showed that the US had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and emails , including records of world leaders , and tracked the location of cell phones .
Since June 2013 , he has been wanted in the United States on two counts of violating the Espionage Act and theft of government property .
Snowden fled the US to Hong Kong , but after facing extradition to his home country , he sought refuge in Russia , where in 2014 he was granted a three-year residence permit which was prolonged in 2017 .

Earlier, US President Donald Trump said that he would seriously consider the possibility of pardoning ex-National Security Agency (NSA) employee Edward Snowden.
All persecution of former US intelligence officer Edward Snowden should be stopped, the lawyer representing his interests in Russia, Anatoly Kucherena, said on Sunday following Trump’s statement on a possible pardon for the whistleblower.
According to Kucherena, a “pardon” is not applicable in Snowden’s case, as his client committed no crime. Dark Mirror: Edward Sn... Gellman, Barton Best Price: $23.11 Buy New $23.08 (as of 03:17 UTC - Details)
“There are no grounds to talk about crimes, since Snowden spoke of gross violations of the rights and freedoms not only of American citizens, but also citizens of other states,” the lawyer said.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump said he would look into pardoning National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden.
Snowden’s Case
Snowden was granted temporary asylum in Russia in 2013 after he fled the United States, where he had worked for the Central Intelligence Agency before joining the National Security Agency.
Permanent Record Snowden, Edward Best Price: $8.52 Buy New $9.85 (as of 07:25 UTC - Details) While at the NSA, Snowden leaked a trove of classified intelligence data detailing the US domestic surveillance programme. The docs showed that the US had tapped Internet cables, collected phone records and emails, including records of world leaders, and tracked the location of cell phones.
Since June 2013, he has been wanted in the United States on two counts of violating the Espionage Act and theft of government property.
Snowden fled the US to Hong Kong, but after facing extradition to his home country, he sought refuge in Russia, where in 2014 he was granted a three-year residence permit which was prolonged in 2017.
Reprinted from Sputnik News.


lewrockwell--2020-08-17--Russian Orthodox Abbot: America Facing Pre-Revolutionary Situation Like Russia in 1917

The USA is now like Russia before the overthrow of the tsar facing a pre-revolutionary situation similar to that in 1917 in Russia , says Abbot Tryphon ( Parsons ) .
The Abbot of the monastery of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia in honor of the All-Merciful Savior in Washington state , which became one of the first epicenters of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States and subsequently mass protests that swept the country , believes that the United States is in a pre-revolutionary situation similar to Russia in 1917 .
It was written by the ROCOR website @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why violent protests that had recently swept across the United States turned out to be so serious is the fact that a lot of people had lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic .
Comrade Obama Unmasked ... Simpson , James Buy New $ 10.00 “ In my opinion , behind-the-scenes actors , who compelled people to take to the streets , are trying to start a revolution .
What is happening now in the United States has a lot of signs similar to those that took place in Russia before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ representatives of the generation of the first revolutionaries , who were aimed at getting Nicholas II to abdicate , later ended up in the GULAG , since the Marxists came to power .
The latter simply used these people for their own purposes .
Now I can see a similar situation in the US , which is very reminiscent of the early stages of the revolution in Russia , and it worries me very much .
In particular , Christianity is so excluded from public life here that believers are increasingly being persecuted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Orthodox clergy , ” says the abbot .
Burn This Book : What K ... Loudon , Trevor Best Price : $ 9.82 Buy New $ 9.94 He stressed , “ The United States has never been as divided as it is now – except during the Civil War of 1861-1865 .
But then there was a clear division between the North and the South , whereas now the differences are pushing the state boundaries .
This occurs in the realm of consciousness and mentality .
Unfortunately , society is currently ignoring the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which makes me feel pretty worried .
I know many members of the clergy who express fears about where the country is heading.
” As reported by the UOJ , the Russian Orthodox Church previously stated that BLM had discredited itself by burning Bibles .

The USA is now like Russia before the overthrow of the tsar facing a pre-revolutionary situation similar to that in 1917 in Russia, says Abbot Tryphon (Parsons).
The Abbot of the monastery of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia in honor of the All-Merciful Savior in Washington state, which became one of the first epicenters of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States and subsequently mass protests that swept the country, believes that the United States is in a pre-revolutionary situation similar to Russia in 1917. It was written by the ROCOR website.
According to him, the reason why violent protests that had recently swept across the United States turned out to be so serious is the fact that a lot of people had lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic. Comrade Obama Unmasked... Simpson, James Buy New $10.00 (as of 04:38 UTC - Details)
“In my opinion, behind-the-scenes actors, who compelled people to take to the streets, are trying to start a revolution. What is happening now in the United States has a lot of signs similar to those that took place in Russia before the overthrow of the tsar. Many representatives of the generation of the first revolutionaries, who were aimed at getting Nicholas II to abdicate, later ended up in the GULAG, since the Marxists came to power. The latter simply used these people for their own purposes.
Now I can see a similar situation in the US, which is very reminiscent of the early stages of the revolution in Russia, and it worries me very much. In particular, Christianity is so excluded from public life here that believers are increasingly being persecuted. This is especially true of the Orthodox clergy,” says the abbot. Burn This Book: What K... Loudon, Trevor Best Price: $9.82 Buy New $9.94 (as of 03:22 UTC - Details)
He stressed, “The United States has never been as divided as it is now – except during the Civil War of 1861-1865. But then there was a clear division between the North and the South, whereas now the differences are pushing the state boundaries. This occurs in the realm of consciousness and mentality. Unfortunately, society is currently ignoring the position of Christianity, primarily Orthodoxy, which makes me feel pretty worried. I know many members of the clergy who express fears about where the country is heading.”
As reported by the UOJ, the Russian Orthodox Church previously stated that BLM had discredited itself by burning Bibles.
Originally published on Union of Orthodox Journalists.


lewrockwell--2020-08-17--The Five Biggest Coronavirus Myths Busted

The coronavirus misinformation that scientists , politicians and media have fed to the public has been shocking .
Take a tour through the bizarre , contradictory and downright ludicrous myths that have done more damage than Covid .
Myth 1 : Slowing the spread of the virus is a good idea This is the fundamental premise of the world ’ s ‘ response ’ to Covid , from which all else springs .
But it has never been established that we should be trying to slow the virus down , not even from the blinkered point of view of just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Slowing the spread of the virus was initially sold to us as a way of protecting health services : if everyone gets sick at once , the hospitals will fill to bursting point and people will die on gurneys in car parks outside .
Remember ‘ flatten the curve ’ ?
Since Covid infections are inevitable , spreading them out through time will indirectly save lives by ensuring that everyone who can be saved by medical interventions – oxygen masks and ventilators – will be .
COVID-19 : Lockdowns on ... Betrus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ idea , but as it happened , a misguided one .
Most hospitals spent the months of the outbreak as good as empty .
All other medical treatments were postponed in order to prepare for the onslaught of Covid patients coughing their lungs up—an onslaught that never arrived .
Even intensive care units rarely reached full capacity , and it quickly became apparent that for the people most at risk from Covid , ventilator and intensive care treatment is unsuitable .
Only a tiny minority of those who have died actually died in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best kept in ordinary wards .
So ‘ flatten the curve ’ was a dead duck , but doesn ’ t it make sense to slow the spread of the virus anyway ?
Well , only if you think that those who would die of Covid if they caught it can evade the virus until a vaccine is developed .
If vulnerable people who believe that they have not caught the virus ( they may be asymptomatic ) want to wait for a putative vaccine , then they should be more upfront about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t , then there is no point to any of this .
In addition , there is at least one theory why you could be doing someone a favour by giving them the virus .
Evolutionary theory tells us that as a respiratory virus spreads , it loses potency .
A successful virus is a mild one , which does not kill its host before they can spread it .
This is how herd immunity really works in this context : it ’ s about the changes to the virus itself .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the virus had nowhere to go .
Instead of getting milder , all of the most dangerous strains came together in the only places where sick people gathered : nursing homes and hospitals .
This is why I greeted news that the virus was becoming more contagious with jubilation—it is better that the virus spread freely , at least among the healthy .
But let ’ s pretend for a while that it isn ’ t better .
Because without the fundamental assumption that spreading = bad , the rest of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ Spikes ’ become cause for relief , not concern .
Masks , if they work , would become counter-productive .
I am not claiming this as truth—only that it is at least as likely as the classical model .
But if you can suspend your disbelief for long enough to imagine that hindering the spread of the virus is worthwhile , then you might be forgiven for assuming that lockdowns are the way to do it .
There is , however , no suggestion , let alone evidence , that lockdowns would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If lockdowns played any part at all , we would expect to see a correlation between the different forms of lockdowns enforced by various regions or countries , and the shape of the death curves there .
But we do not—the correlation is zero .
Belgium , the UK , New York : strict lockdowns ; lots of deaths .
Sweden , Japan , Uruguay : light or no lockdowns ; few deaths .
You can point to opposite examples , but that ’ s just the point—there is no consistency .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ individual countries with hand waving about ‘ different cultures ’ or ‘ better testing ’ , there is no correlation with any of those things either .
Simply put , there is nothing that can be easily pointed at to suggest that any measure taken by any government in the world to block the virus has worked .
Lockdowns may be the biggest tools in the shed , but they are still faulty .
Early in the outbreak , there seemed to be a connection between those countries with impressive track and trace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and their ability to cope .
Of course , the tracking and tracing itself could not have been ‘ curing ’ the population of Covid .
No one knew why there seemed to be a positive effect from comprehensive testing .
Months later , still no one knows .
But that has not stopped western governments from pathetic attempts to emulate the conformist East Asian societies with contact tracing apps and programmes .
Despite a not inconsiderable propaganda campaign , they have all failed miserably .
This is largely because not enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months after the virus peaked .
A Family Guide to Covi ... Haseltine , William A .
Best Price : $ 36.00 Buy New $ 20.00 Trying to ramp up contact tracing in August goes beyond locking the barn door after the horse has bolted .
This horse bolted so long ago that now herds of its descendants roam the countryside .
Meanwhile , the farmer ruins his homestead in order to pour his resources into increasingly elaborate and expensive door locking contraptions .
Myth 4 : BAME people are more at risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other minority you have read is worst affected by the virus outbreak .
Of course , the virus is racist—everything else is .
Factoids like this come from dividing the sick or the dead into their Woke groupings and then comparing the proportions to the population as a whole .
And no doubt , BAME people are ‘ over represented ’ in such statistics .
But the risk is at the population level , and is almost entirely explained by mediating factors like obesity , diabetes and other co-morbidities , more prevalent in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you are in your eighties , overweight and sickly , then you should be worried about catching the virus regardless of your race .
Similarly , if you are fit and under 60 you are more likely to be struck by lightning than killed by the virus , regardless of your race .
There has been a suggestion , but only a suggestion , that lower Vitamin D levels in black people could play a part , but that is not behind the disparities .
This basic statistical point makes ridiculous the notion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ returning to their sport .
I actually feel sorry for the likes of Troy Deeney ( not just because he ’ s been relegated with Watford ) but because he has been understandably frightened by poor scientific communication .
As a healthy young BAME man , there is no reason to suspect that he himself is at an increased risk .
But he has been persuaded that he is by a regime that distils power from fear .
Myth 5 : For schools to open , pubs must close What utter rot this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with this false trade-off would have a bright career in board game design , if they were not earning so much as a public servant .
This is simply a fabrication , and as such somewhat difficult to disprove , rather like the existence of invisible fairies .
The Big Nap : How We Fa ... Simon , James Buy New $ 8.97 You could just , you know , leave the pubs open and then open the schools too ?
But I suppose then there would be a ‘ second wave ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know , like the second wave that was warned of in May .
And then June .
And then July .
Only in the past two weeks did the WHO finally give up the dream and change its story to ‘ One Big Wave ’ , which doesn ’ t have the same ring to it .
But the second wave fiction has not yet been memory holed—it can be trotted out on demand to force through any further assaults on our remaining freedoms .
All I can do is predict that a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and every day since April I have been proven right .
The establishment , in contrast , makes wrong predictions again and again , and are never held to account .
They just change the prediction , and hope everyone forgets about what they said a week ago .
Don ’ t wear masks .
Don ’ t go to work .
Go to work , but don ’ t take public transport .
But if you do , wear a mask .
Do not be fooled into thinking that the confusion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the plan—confused people are easier to control .
It may have been Joseph Goebbels who said : ‘ ’ If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it , people will eventually come to believe it.
’ ’ It seems this is an evergreen statement ; not only is there no limit to the size of the lie , there seems to be no limit on the number of lies either .
Hypotheses make predictions , and if they are consistently proven right , eventually they become theory .
Einstein is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holes that are only being proven true almost a century later .
Many fine minds have put their necks out to make predictions about the nature of this outbreak , despite slime and slander from the cheerleaders of the elite .
But when they are vindicated , the cheerleaders just drown them out .
In contrast , Neil Ferguson is rolled out again and the second wavers just keep saying ‘ wait another two weeks ’ .
When will this end ?
Never .
Not until we have a complete rethink .
Logic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s time for a new approach .
The statements , views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT .

The coronavirus misinformation that scientists, politicians and media have fed to the public has been shocking. Take a tour through the bizarre, contradictory and downright ludicrous myths that have done more damage than Covid.
Myth 1: Slowing the spread of the virus is a good idea
This is the fundamental premise of the world’s ‘response’ to Covid, from which all else springs. But it has never been established that we should be trying to slow the virus down, not even from the blinkered point of view of just saving lives in the short term.
Slowing the spread of the virus was initially sold to us as a way of protecting health services: if everyone gets sick at once, the hospitals will fill to bursting point and people will die on gurneys in car parks outside. Remember ‘flatten the curve’? Since Covid infections are inevitable, spreading them out through time will indirectly save lives by ensuring that everyone who can be saved by medical interventions – oxygen masks and ventilators – will be. COVID-19: Lockdowns on... Betrus, Michael Buy New $16.99 (as of 03:38 UTC - Details)
A noble idea, but as it happened, a misguided one. Most hospitals spent the months of the outbreak as good as empty. All other medical treatments were postponed in order to prepare for the onslaught of Covid patients coughing their lungs up—an onslaught that never arrived. Even intensive care units rarely reached full capacity, and it quickly became apparent that for the people most at risk from Covid, ventilator and intensive care treatment is unsuitable. Only a tiny minority of those who have died actually died in intensive care—old people with many co-morbidities are best kept in ordinary wards.
So ‘flatten the curve’ was a dead duck, but doesn’t it make sense to slow the spread of the virus anyway? Well, only if you think that those who would die of Covid if they caught it can evade the virus until a vaccine is developed. If vulnerable people who believe that they have not caught the virus (they may be asymptomatic) want to wait for a putative vaccine, then they should be more upfront about their intentions. Because if they can’t, then there is no point to any of this.
In addition, there is at least one theory why you could be doing someone a favour by giving them the virus. Evolutionary theory tells us that as a respiratory virus spreads, it loses potency. A successful virus is a mild one, which does not kill its host before they can spread it. This is how herd immunity really works in this context: it’s about the changes to the virus itself. In contrast, when we locked down, the virus had nowhere to go. Instead of getting milder, all of the most dangerous strains came together in the only places where sick people gathered: nursing homes and hospitals. This is why I greeted news that the virus was becoming more contagious with jubilation—it is better that the virus spread freely, at least among the healthy.
Myth 2: Lockdowns slow the spread
But let’s pretend for a while that it isn’t better. Because without the fundamental assumption that spreading = bad, the rest of the discussion is flipped on its head. ‘Spikes’ become cause for relief, not concern. Masks, if they work, would become counter-productive. I am not claiming this as truth—only that it is at least as likely as the classical model.
But if you can suspend your disbelief for long enough to imagine that hindering the spread of the virus is worthwhile, then you might be forgiven for assuming that lockdowns are the way to do it. There is, however, no suggestion, let alone evidence, that lockdowns would pose a problem for a wily virus.
If lockdowns played any part at all, we would expect to see a correlation between the different forms of lockdowns enforced by various regions or countries, and the shape of the death curves there. But we do not—the correlation is zero. Belgium, the UK, New York: strict lockdowns; lots of deaths. Sweden, Japan, Uruguay: light or no lockdowns; few deaths. You can point to opposite examples, but that’s just the point—there is no consistency. And before you try to explain away individual countries with hand waving about ‘different cultures’ or ‘better testing’, there is no correlation with any of those things either.
Simply put, there is nothing that can be easily pointed at to suggest that any measure taken by any government in the world to block the virus has worked. Lockdowns may be the biggest tools in the shed, but they are still faulty.
Myth 3: Contact tracing is the answer
Early in the outbreak, there seemed to be a connection between those countries with impressive track and trace capabilities, like Germany and South Korea, and their ability to cope. Of course, the tracking and tracing itself could not have been ‘curing’ the population of Covid. No one knew why there seemed to be a positive effect from comprehensive testing. Months later, still no one knows.
But that has not stopped western governments from pathetic attempts to emulate the conformist East Asian societies with contact tracing apps and programmes. Despite a not inconsiderable propaganda campaign, they have all failed miserably. This is largely because not enough people even have any symptoms anymore, months after the virus peaked. A Family Guide to Covi... Haseltine, William A. Best Price: $36.00 Buy New $20.00 (as of 04:01 UTC - Details)
Trying to ramp up contact tracing in August goes beyond locking the barn door after the horse has bolted. This horse bolted so long ago that now herds of its descendants roam the countryside. Meanwhile, the farmer ruins his homestead in order to pour his resources into increasingly elaborate and expensive door locking contraptions.
Myth 4: BAME people are more at risk
For BAME, insert whatever ethnic or other minority you have read is worst affected by the virus outbreak. Of course, the virus is racist—everything else is. Factoids like this come from dividing the sick or the dead into their Woke groupings and then comparing the proportions to the population as a whole. And no doubt, BAME people are ‘over represented’ in such statistics.
But the risk is at the population level, and is almost entirely explained by mediating factors like obesity, diabetes and other co-morbidities, more prevalent in some populations than in others. If you are in your eighties, overweight and sickly, then you should be worried about catching the virus regardless of your race. Similarly, if you are fit and under 60 you are more likely to be struck by lightning than killed by the virus, regardless of your race. There has been a suggestion, but only a suggestion, that lower Vitamin D levels in black people could play a part, but that is not behind the disparities.
This basic statistical point makes ridiculous the notion that some professional athletes were worried about returning to their sport. I actually feel sorry for the likes of Troy Deeney (not just because he’s been relegated with Watford) but because he has been understandably frightened by poor scientific communication. As a healthy young BAME man, there is no reason to suspect that he himself is at an increased risk. But he has been persuaded that he is by a regime that distils power from fear.
Myth 5: For schools to open, pubs must close
What utter rot this is. The individual who came up with this false trade-off would have a bright career in board game design, if they were not earning so much as a public servant. This is simply a fabrication, and as such somewhat difficult to disprove, rather like the existence of invisible fairies. The Big Nap: How We Fa... Simon, James Buy New $8.97 (as of 02:45 UTC - Details)
You could just, you know, leave the pubs open and then open the schools too? But I suppose then there would be a ‘second wave’ in deaths two weeks later. You know, like the second wave that was warned of in May. And then June. And then July. Only in the past two weeks did the WHO finally give up the dream and change its story to ‘One Big Wave’, which doesn’t have the same ring to it. But the second wave fiction has not yet been memory holed—it can be trotted out on demand to force through any further assaults on our remaining freedoms.
All I can do is predict that a second wave in deaths will never materialise, and every day since April I have been proven right. The establishment, in contrast, makes wrong predictions again and again, and are never held to account. They just change the prediction, and hope everyone forgets about what they said a week ago. Don’t wear masks. Don’t go to work. Go to work, but don’t take public transport. But if you do, wear a mask. Do not be fooled into thinking that the confusion is incidental. It is part of the plan—confused people are easier to control.
The bigger the lie
It may have been Joseph Goebbels who said: ‘’If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.’’ It seems this is an evergreen statement; not only is there no limit to the size of the lie, there seems to be no limit on the number of lies either.
Hypotheses make predictions, and if they are consistently proven right, eventually they become theory. Einstein is heralded because he made predictions about black holes that are only being proven true almost a century later. Many fine minds have put their necks out to make predictions about the nature of this outbreak, despite slime and slander from the cheerleaders of the elite. But when they are vindicated, the cheerleaders just drown them out.
In contrast, Neil Ferguson is rolled out again and the second wavers just keep saying ‘wait another two weeks’. When will this end? Never. Not until we have a complete rethink. Logic and reason have not worked. It’s time for a new approach.
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.


lewrockwell--2020-08-17--Shocking Dystopian Video of NYC

Shocking Dystopian Video of NYC

Don ’ t know who recorded it but I downloaded this yesterday

Don’t know who recorded it but I downloaded this yesterday
He’s single handedly wrecked Manhattan
Ghost town
“Beirut DeBlasio” without the explosion pic.twitter.com/5I48ZGcWTZ
— tadgermania (@tadgermania) August 7, 2020


lewrockwell--2020-08-17--Lebanon Should Look East and Abandon the West

As much as Covid-19 has been instrumentalized by the 0.001 % to social engineer a Great Reset , the Beirut tragedy is already being instrumentalized by the usual suspects to keep Lebanon enslaved .
Facing oh so timely color revolution-style “ protests ” , the current Lebanese government led by Prime Minister Diab has already resigned .
Even before the port tragedy , Beirut had requested a $ 10 billion line of credit from the IMF – denied as long as trademark , neoliberal Washington consensus “ reforms ” were not implemented : radical slashing of public expenses , mass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Post-tragedy , President Emmanuel Macron – who ’ s not even capable of establishing a dialogue with the Gilets Jaunes/Yellow Vests in France – has opportunistically jumped in full neocolonial mode to pose as “ savior ” of Lebanon , as long as the same “ reforms ” , of course , are implemented .
China : The Bubble that ... Orlik , Thomas Best Price : $ 22.20 Buy New $ 21.99 On Sunday , France and the UN organized a videoconference to coordinate donor response – in conjunction with the European @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the World Bank .
The result was not exactly brilliant : a paltry 252 million euros were pledged – once again conditioned by “ institutional reforms ” .
France came up with 30 million euros , Kuwait with 40 million , Qatar with 50 million and the EC with 68 million .
Crucially , neither Russia nor Iran were among the donors .
The US – which is harshly sanctioning Lebanon – and GCC allies Saudi Arabia and UAE pledged nothing .
China had just a pro forma presence .
In parallel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very powerful community – are sending funds for the color revolution protests .
Former President Michel Temer and industrialist tycoon Paulo Skaf even flew to Beirut .
Former Lebanese President Amin Gemayel ( 1982-1988 ) maintained a lot of businesses in Brazil with funds he skimmed when in power .
All of the above points to neoliberalism taking no prisoners when it comes to keeping its deadly grip on Lebanon .
Lebanon ’ s profound economic crisis , now aggravated by the Beirut port blast , has nothing to do with Covid-19 or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which brought a million refugees to the nation .
It ’ s all about proverbial neoliberal shock and awe , conducted non-stop by the Hariri clan : former Prime Ministers Rafiq , assassinated in 2011 , and Saad , chased out of power last January .
The Hariri model was focused on real estate speculation and financialization .
The Solidere group , controlled by Arab investors and a few Lebanese , Hariri included , destroyed Beirut ’ s historical downtown and rebuilt it with luxury real estate .
That ’ s the classical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tiny elite .
In parallel , the Bank of Lebanon was attracting funds from the tony Lebanese diaspora and assorted Arab investors by practicing very generous interest rates .
Lebanon suddenly had an artificially strong currency .
” Socialism Is Gr ... Zhang , Lijia Best Price : $ 1.94 Buy New $ 12.11 A small middle class sort of flourished throughout the 2000s , comprising import-export traders , the tourism sector and financial market operators .
Yet , overall , inequality was the name of the game .
According to the World @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s population now holds less wealth that the top 0.1 % .
The bubble finally burst in September last year , when I happened to be in Beirut .
With no US dollars in circulation , the Lebanese pound started to collapse in the black market .
The Bank of Lebanon went berserk .
When the Hariri racket imposed a “ Whatsapp tax ” over calls , that led to massive protests in October .
Capital embarked on free flight and the currency collapsed for good .
There ’ s absolutely no evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assorted Western/Arab “ donors ” will extricate a now devastated Lebanon from the neoliberal logic that plunged it into a systemic crisis in the first place .
The way out would be to focus in productive investments , away from finance and geared towards the practical necessities of an austerity-battered and completely impoverished population .
Yet Macron , the IMF and their “ partners ” are only interested in keeping monetary “ stability ” ; seduce speculative foreign capital ; make sure that the rapacious , Western-connected Lebanese oligarchy will get away with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buy scores of Lebanese assets for peanuts .
In stark contrast with the exploitative perpetuation of the Western neoliberal model , China is offering Lebanon the chance to Go East , and be part of the New Silk Roads .
In 2017 , Lebanon signed to join the Belt and Road Initiative ( BRI ) .
In 2018 , Lebanon became the 87th member of the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank ( AIIB ) .
Hidden Hand : Exposing ... Ohlberg , Mareike Buy New $ 27.00 Over the past few years , Lebanon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the yuan , offering bank accounts in yuan and increasing bilateral trade in yuan .
Beijing was already engaged in discussions revolving around the upgrading of Lebanese infrastructure – including the expansion of Beirut harbor .
This means that now Beijing may be in the position of offering a renewed , joint rebuilding/security deal for Beirut port – just as it was about to clinch a smaller agreement with Diab ’ s government , focused only on expansion and renovation .
The bottom line is that China has an actual Plan A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dead end .
And that ’ s exactly what was , and remains , total anathema to US , NATO and Israel ’ s interests .
The Trump administration recently went no holds barred to prevent Israel from having China develop the port of Haifa .
The same “ offer you can ’ t refuse ” tactics will be applied with full force on whoever leads the new Lebanese government .
Beirut is an absolutely key node in BRI ’ s geopolitical/geoeconomic connectivity of the Eastern Mediterranean .
With Haifa temporarily out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a gateway to the EU , complementing the role of Pireus and Italian ports in the Adriatic .
It ’ s crucial to note that the port itself was not destroyed .
The enormous crater on site replaces only a section quayside – and the rest is on water .
The buildings destroyed can be rebuilt in record time .
Reconstruction of the port is estimated at $ 15 billion – pocket money for an experienced company such as China Harbor .
Meanwhile , naval traffic is being redirected to Tripoli port @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only 30 km away from the Lebanon-Syria border .
Its director , Ahmed Tamer , confirms “ the port has witnessed during the past years the expansion work by Chinese companies , and it has received the largest ships from China , carrying a big number of containers ” .
Trade Wars Are Class W ... Pettis , Michael Best Price : $ 19.09 Buy New $ 19.36 Add to it the fact that Tripoli port will also be essential in the process of Syria reconstruction – to which China is totally committed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in highway and railroads , further to be developed into high-speed rail .
That will connect BRI ’ s central China-Iran corridor – fresh from the $ 400 billion , 25-year strategic partnership deal soon to be signed – with the Eastern Mediterranean .
Add to it the role of the port of Tartus in Syria – bearing a strong Russian naval presence .
Beijing will inevitably invest in the expansion of Tartus – which is crucially linked by highway to Lebanon .
The Russia-China strategic partnership will be involved in the protection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ systems .
Historically , in a larger axis that went from Samarkand to Cordoba , with strong nodes such as Baghdad and Damascus , what slowly evolved in this part of Eurasia was a syncretic civilization superimposed over an ancestral regional , rural and nomad background .
The internal cohesion of the Muslim world was forged from the 7th century to the 11th century : that was the key factor that shaped the lineaments of a coherent Eurasia .
Apart from Islam , Arabic – the language of religion , administration , trade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ factor .
This evolving Muslim world was configured as a vast economic and cultural domain whose roots connected to Greek , Semitic , Persian , Indian and Arab thought .
It was a marvelous synthesis that formed a unique civilization out of elements of different origin – Persian , Mesopotamian , Byzantine .
The Middle East and the Eastern Mediterranean were of course part of it , totally open towards the Indian Ocean , the Caspian routes , Central Asia and China .
Now , centuries later , Lebanon should have everything to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Orient ” mythology and looking East – again , thus positioning itself on the right side of History .

As much as Covid-19 has been instrumentalized by the 0.001% to social engineer a Great Reset, the Beirut tragedy is already being instrumentalized by the usual suspects to keep Lebanon enslaved.
Facing oh so timely color revolution-style “protests”, the current Lebanese government led by Prime Minister Diab has already resigned. Even before the port tragedy, Beirut had requested a $10 billion line of credit from the IMF – denied as long as trademark, neoliberal Washington consensus “reforms” were not implemented: radical slashing of public expenses, mass layoffs, across the board privatization.
Post-tragedy, President Emmanuel Macron – who’s not even capable of establishing a dialogue with the Gilets Jaunes/Yellow Vests in France – has opportunistically jumped in full neocolonial mode to pose as “savior” of Lebanon, as long as the same “reforms”, of course, are implemented.
China: The Bubble that... Orlik, Thomas Best Price: $22.20 Buy New $21.99 (as of 04:15 UTC - Details) On Sunday, France and the UN organized a videoconference to coordinate donor response – in conjunction with the European Commission (EC), the IMF and the World Bank. The result was not exactly brilliant: a paltry 252 million euros were pledged – once again conditioned by “institutional reforms”.
France came up with 30 million euros, Kuwait with 40 million, Qatar with 50 million and the EC with 68 million. Crucially, neither Russia nor Iran were among the donors. The US – which is harshly sanctioning Lebanon – and GCC allies Saudi Arabia and UAE pledged nothing. China had just a pro forma presence.
In parallel, Maronite Christians in Brazil – a very powerful community – are sending funds for the color revolution protests. Former President Michel Temer and industrialist tycoon Paulo Skaf even flew to Beirut. Former Lebanese President Amin Gemayel (1982-1988) maintained a lot of businesses in Brazil with funds he skimmed when in power.
All of the above points to neoliberalism taking no prisoners when it comes to keeping its deadly grip on Lebanon.
The Hariri model
Lebanon’s profound economic crisis, now aggravated by the Beirut port blast, has nothing to do with Covid-19 or the US proxy war on Syria – which brought a million refugees to the nation. It’s all about proverbial neoliberal shock and awe, conducted non-stop by the Hariri clan: former Prime Ministers Rafiq, assassinated in 2011, and Saad, chased out of power last January.
The Hariri model was focused on real estate speculation and financialization. The Solidere group, controlled by Arab investors and a few Lebanese, Hariri included, destroyed Beirut’s historical downtown and rebuilt it with luxury real estate. That’s the classical rentier neoliberalism model that always profits a tiny elite.
In parallel, the Bank of Lebanon was attracting funds from the tony Lebanese diaspora and assorted Arab investors by practicing very generous interest rates. Lebanon suddenly had an artificially strong currency. ”Socialism Is Gr... Zhang, Lijia Best Price: $1.94 Buy New $12.11 (as of 04:18 UTC - Details)
A small middle class sort of flourished throughout the 2000s, comprising import-export traders, the tourism sector and financial market operators. Yet, overall, inequality was the name of the game. According to the World Inequality Database, half of Lebanon’s population now holds less wealth that the top 0.1%.
The bubble finally burst in September last year, when I happened to be in Beirut. With no US dollars in circulation, the Lebanese pound started to collapse in the black market. The Bank of Lebanon went berserk. When the Hariri racket imposed a “Whatsapp tax” over calls, that led to massive protests in October. Capital embarked on free flight and the currency collapsed for good.
There’s absolutely no evidence the IMF, the World Bank and assorted Western/Arab “donors” will extricate a now devastated Lebanon from the neoliberal logic that plunged it into a systemic crisis in the first place.
The way out would be to focus in productive investments, away from finance and geared towards the practical necessities of an austerity-battered and completely impoverished population.
Yet Macron, the IMF and their “partners” are only interested in keeping monetary “stability”; seduce speculative foreign capital; make sure that the rapacious, Western-connected Lebanese oligarchy will get away with murder; and on top of it buy scores of Lebanese assets for peanuts.
BRI or bust
In stark contrast with the exploitative perpetuation of the Western neoliberal model, China is offering Lebanon the chance to Go East, and be part of the New Silk Roads.
In 2017, Lebanon signed to join the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
In 2018, Lebanon became the 87th member of the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). Hidden Hand: Exposing ... Ohlberg, Mareike Buy New $27.00 (as of 04:18 UTC - Details)
Over the past few years, Lebanon was already taking part in the internationalization of the yuan, offering bank accounts in yuan and increasing bilateral trade in yuan.
Beijing was already engaged in discussions revolving around the upgrading of Lebanese infrastructure – including the expansion of Beirut harbor.
This means that now Beijing may be in the position of offering a renewed, joint rebuilding/security deal for Beirut port – just as it was about to clinch a smaller agreement with Diab’s government, focused only on expansion and renovation.
The bottom line is that China has an actual Plan A to extricate Lebanon from its current financial dead end.
And that’s exactly what was, and remains, total anathema to US, NATO and Israel’s interests.
The Trump administration recently went no holds barred to prevent Israel from having China develop the port of Haifa.
The same “offer you can’t refuse” tactics will be applied with full force on whoever leads the new Lebanese government.
Beirut is an absolutely key node in BRI’s geopolitical/geoeconomic connectivity of the Eastern Mediterranean. With Haifa temporarily out of the picture, Beirut grows in importance as a gateway to the EU, complementing the role of Pireus and Italian ports in the Adriatic.
It’s crucial to note that the port itself was not destroyed. The enormous crater on site replaces only a section quayside – and the rest is on water. The buildings destroyed can be rebuilt in record time. Reconstruction of the port is estimated at $15 billion – pocket money for an experienced company such as China Harbor.
Meanwhile, naval traffic is being redirected to Tripoli port, 80 km north of Beirut and only 30 km away from the Lebanon-Syria border. Its director, Ahmed Tamer, confirms “the port has witnessed during the past years the expansion work by Chinese companies, and it has received the largest ships from China, carrying a big number of containers”. Trade Wars Are Class W... Pettis, Michael Best Price: $19.09 Buy New $19.36 (as of 04:24 UTC - Details)
Add to it the fact that Tripoli port will also be essential in the process of Syria reconstruction – to which China is totally committed.
BRI’s Southwest Asia connectivity network is a maze including Iran, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.
China is already planning to invest in highway and railroads, further to be developed into high-speed rail. That will connect BRI’s central China-Iran corridor – fresh from the $400 billion, 25-year strategic partnership deal soon to be signed – with the Eastern Mediterranean.
Add to it the role of the port of Tartus in Syria – bearing a strong Russian naval presence. Beijing will inevitably invest in the expansion of Tartus – which is crucially linked by highway to Lebanon. The Russia-China strategic partnership will be involved in the protection of Tartus with S-300 and S-400 missile systems.
Historically, in a larger axis that went from Samarkand to Cordoba, with strong nodes such as Baghdad and Damascus, what slowly evolved in this part of Eurasia was a syncretic civilization superimposed over an ancestral regional, rural and nomad background. The internal cohesion of the Muslim world was forged from the 7th century to the 11th century: that was the key factor that shaped the lineaments of a coherent Eurasia.
Apart from Islam, Arabic – the language of religion, administration, trade and culture – was an essential unifying factor. This evolving Muslim world was configured as a vast economic and cultural domain whose roots connected to Greek, Semitic, Persian, Indian and Arab thought. It was a marvelous synthesis that formed a unique civilization out of elements of different origin – Persian, Mesopotamian, Byzantine.
The Middle East and the Eastern Mediterranean were of course part of it, totally open towards the Indian Ocean, the Caspian routes, Central Asia and China.
Now, centuries later, Lebanon should have everything to gain by ditching the “Paris of the Orient” mythology and looking East – again, thus positioning itself on the right side of History.
Reprinted with the author’s permission.


The Good Fights

SERIFOS—There ’ s no high life here , only family life , so I ’ ve been hitting the books about great Greeks of the past , and they sure make today ’ s bunch look puny .
Philosophers , playwrights , statesmen , artists , poets , orators , sculptors—the ancients had them all .
In 2,500 years they ’ ve never been equaled .
I was once at the New York Met walking around the Greek wing and I ran into Henry Kissinger , whom I knew slightly .
He asked me what ancient Athens ’ population was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ citizens , ” I answered .
He shook his head in amazement .
“ And they produced all this , ” he said .
When I first began learning about the Greeks—my great-uncle was the foremost intellectual of his time and a brilliant pedagogue—I was mystified by the collapse of Athens and Sparta .
Athens under Pericles reached its cultural peak , Western man was born , whereas in Sparta the martial state came into being .
No state before or after has even come close to matching the martial readiness and spirit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Just imagine what those two , Athens and Sparta , could have accomplished together , but it was yet another Greek who managed it—conquered the known world , that is .
The Greeks invented modern warfare , a collision of soldiers on an open plain where courage , skill , and physical prowess were paramount .
They also invented honor and fair play on the battlefield , and even protection of noncombatants .
Archers and javelin throwers who launched from afar were not held in the same esteem as those who fought at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wonder what they ’ d think of Saudis dropping ordnance on women and children in Yemen . )
Sword and spear was manly and heroic , the rest was looked upon with suspicion .
The Greek Achievement : ... Freeman , Charles Best Price : $ 1.70 Buy New $ 15.97 In the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC , the Athenians showed their mettle by fielding citizens , both young and old , from age 18 to 60 , led by aristocrats using a phalanx of tight formation eight rows deep .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ at age 46 .
The Greek hoplite was most likely a farmer , middle-class and youngish .
He did not fight for booty or plunder but for defense of his home and the right to vote .
I shall never forget the first time the Battle of Marathon was read to me , when the citizen soldiers of Athens saw the Persians getting slowly off their boats and under Miltiades ’ cry to attack sprinted into the sea and chopped them to pieces .
That glorious sprint still thrills me the way it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Persians were back for another round , this time in Salamis , where Themistocles was waiting for them .
Their heavy boats oared by slaves were no match for citizen sailors rowing for military glory , and our triremes sunk them by ramming them into oblivion .
Weeks earlier King Leonidas and his 300 Spartans had given the Greeks time to plan and execute , and Xerxes fled , never to return .
Alexander the Great finished them off but showed the Barbarians—which all non-Greeks were considered—what it is to be civilized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Best of Taki Theodoracopulos

SERIFOS—There’s no high life here, only family life, so I’ve been hitting the books about great Greeks of the past, and they sure make today’s bunch look puny. Philosophers, playwrights, statesmen, artists, poets, orators, sculptors—the ancients had them all. In 2,500 years they’ve never been equaled. I was once at the New York Met walking around the Greek wing and I ran into Henry Kissinger, whom I knew slightly. He asked me what ancient Athens’ population was. “About twenty to thirty thousand citizens,” I answered. He shook his head in amazement. “And they produced all this,” he said.
When I first began learning about the Greeks—my great-uncle was the foremost intellectual of his time and a brilliant pedagogue—I was mystified by the collapse of Athens and Sparta. Athens under Pericles reached its cultural peak, Western man was born, whereas in Sparta the martial state came into being. No state before or after has even come close to matching the martial readiness and spirit of my grandmother’s birthplace. Just imagine what those two, Athens and Sparta, could have accomplished together, but it was yet another Greek who managed it—conquered the known world, that is.
The Greeks invented modern warfare, a collision of soldiers on an open plain where courage, skill, and physical prowess were paramount. They also invented honor and fair play on the battlefield, and even protection of noncombatants. Archers and javelin throwers who launched from afar were not held in the same esteem as those who fought at great risk of themselves. (I wonder what they’d think of Saudis dropping ordnance on women and children in Yemen.) Sword and spear was manly and heroic, the rest was looked upon with suspicion. The Greek Achievement:... Freeman, Charles Best Price: $1.70 Buy New $15.97 (as of 02:28 UTC - Details)
In the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC, the Athenians showed their mettle by fielding citizens, both young and old, from age 18 to 60, led by aristocrats using a phalanx of tight formation eight rows deep. Socrates fought his last battle at Delion at age 46. The Greek hoplite was most likely a farmer, middle-class and youngish. He did not fight for booty or plunder but for defense of his home and the right to vote. I shall never forget the first time the Battle of Marathon was read to me, when the citizen soldiers of Athens saw the Persians getting slowly off their boats and under Miltiades’ cry to attack sprinted into the sea and chopped them to pieces. That glorious sprint still thrills me the way it did back then.
Ten years later the Persians were back for another round, this time in Salamis, where Themistocles was waiting for them. Their heavy boats oared by slaves were no match for citizen sailors rowing for military glory, and our triremes sunk them by ramming them into oblivion. Weeks earlier King Leonidas and his 300 Spartans had given the Greeks time to plan and execute, and Xerxes fled, never to return. Alexander the Great finished them off but showed the Barbarians—which all non-Greeks were considered—what it is to be civilized by sparing Darius and marrying his daughter.
Read the Whole Article
The Best of Taki Theodoracopulos