About the author via Google...
Pamela "Atlas" Geller began her publishing career at The New York Daily News and subsequently took over operation of The New York Observer as
Associate Publisher. She left The Observer after the birth of her fourth child but remained involved in various projects including American Associates, Ben Gurion University and being Senior Vice-President Strategic Planning and Performance Evaluation at The Brandeis School.
by Pam Geller
I am a student of history. Professionally, I have written 15 books in
six languages, and have studied history all my life. I think there is
something monumentally large afoot, and I do not believe it is just a
banking crisis, or a mortgage crisis, or a credit crisis. Yes, these exist
but they are merely single facets on a very large gemstone that is only now
coming into a sharper focus.
Something of historic proportions is happening. I can sense it
because I know how it feels, smells, what it looks like, and how people
react to it. Yes, a perfect storm may be brewing, but there is something
happening within our country that has been evolving for about 10 - 15 years.
The pace has dramatically quickened in the past two.
We have spent two or more decades intentionally de-industrializing
our economy. Why?
We have intentionally dumbed down our schools, ignored our history,
and no longer teach our founding documents, why we are exceptional, and why
we are worth preserving. Students by and large cannot write, think
critically, read, or articulate. Parents are not revolting, teachers are
not picketing, school boards continue to back mediocrity. Why?
We have now established the precedent of protesting every close
election (now violently in California over a proposition that is so
controversial that it wants marriage to remain between one man and one
woman. Did you ever think such a thing possible just a decade ago?). We
have corrupted our sacred political process by allowing unelected judges to
write laws that radically change our way of life, and then mainstream
Marxist groups like ACORN and others to turn our voting system into a banana
republic. To what purpose?
Now our mortgage industry is collapsing, housing prices are in free
fall, major industries are failing, our banking system is on the verge of
collapse, Social Security is nearly bankrupt, as is Medicare and our entire
government. Our education system is worse than a joke (I teach college and
know precisely what I am talking about.) The list is staggering in its
length, breadth, and depth. It is potentially 1929 x 10. And we are at war
with an enemy we cannot name for fear of offending people of the same
religion who cannot wait to slit the throats of your children if they have
the opportunity to do so.
And now we have elected a man no one knows anything about, who has
never run so much as a Dairy Queen, let alone a town as big as Wasilla ,
Alaska . All of his associations and alliances are with real radicals in
their chosen fields of employment, and everything we learn about him, drip
by drip, is unsettling if not downright scary (Surely you have heard him
speak about his idea to create and fund a mandatory civilian defense force
stronger than our military for use inside our borders? No? Oh, of course.
The media would never play that for you over and over and then demand he
answer it. Sarah Palin's pregnant daughter and $150,000 wardrobe is more
important.)
I have never been so afraid for my country and for my children as I am
now. This man campaigned on bringing people together, something he has
never, ever done in his professional life. In my assessment, Obama will
divide us along philosophical lines, push us apart, and then try to realign
the pieces into a new and different power structure. Change is indeed
coming. And when it comes, you will never see the same nation again.
I thought I would never be able to experience what the ordinary, moral
German felt in the mid-1930s. In those times, the savior was a former
smooth-talking rabble-rouser from the streets, about whom the average German
knew next to nothing.. What they did know was that he was associated with
groups that shouted, shoved, and pushed around people with whom they
disagreed; he edged his way onto the political stage through great oratory
and promises.. Economic times were tough, people were losing jobs, and he
was a great speaker. And he smiled and waved a lot. And people, even
newspapers, were afraid to speak out for fear that his "brown shirts" would
bully them into submission.
And then he was duly elected to office, with a full-throttled economic
crisis at hand [the Great Depression]. Slowly but surely he seized the
controls of government power, department by department, person by person,
bureaucracy by bureaucracy. The kids joined a Youth Movement in his name,
where they were taught what to think. How did he get the people on his
side? He did it promising jobs to the jobless, money to the moneyless, and
goodies for the military-industrial complex. He did it by indoctrinating
the children, advocating gun control, health care for all, better wages,
better jobs, and promising to re-instill pride once again in the country,
across Europe , and across the world.
He did it with a compliant media - Did you know that? And he did this
all in the name of justice and .. . .. change. And the people surely got
what they voted for. (Look it up if you think I am exaggerating.) Read
your history books. Many people objected in 1933 and were shouted down,
called names, laughed at, and made fun of. When Winston Churchill pointed
out the obvious in the late 1930s while seated in the House of Lords in
England (he was not yet Prime Minister), he was booed into his seat and
called a crazy troublemaker. He was right, though .
Don't forget that Germany was the most educated, cultured country in
Europe . It was full of music, art, museums, hospitals, laboratories, and
universities. And in less than six years - a shorter time span than just
two terms of the U. S. presidency - it was rounding up its own citizens,
killing others, abrogating its laws, turning children against parents, and
neighbors against neighbors. All with the best of intentions, of course.
The road to Hell is paved with them.
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Since many of you enjoy senior citizen status or will sometime in the not
too distant future, I thought you might be interested in this information.
IN GOD WE TRUST
Every body that is on this mailing list is either a
senior citizen, is getting close or knows sombody that is.
Most of you know by now that the Senate version
(at least) of the "stimulus" bill includes provisions for extensive
rationing of health care for senior citizens. The author of this part of
the bill, former senator and tax evader, Tom Daschle was credited today by
Bloomberg with the following statement.
Bloomberg: "Daschle says health-care reform "will
not be pain free." Seniors should be more accepting of the conditions that
come with age instead of treating them."
If this does not sufficiently raise your ire, just
remember that Senators and Congressmen have their own healthcare plan that
is first dollar or very low co-pay which they are guaranteed the remainder
of their lives and are not subject to this new law if it passes.
Please use the power of the internet to get this
message out. Talk it up at the grassroots level. We have an election
coming up in one year and nine months. We have the ability to address and
reverse the dangerous direction the Obama administration and it allies have
begun and in the interim, we can make our voices heard! Lets do it!
This lady states that Senators and Congressmen have their own healthcare plan which they are guaranteed for the rest of their years. This was my understanding, yet on another thread, when I asked the question, I was assured that their only healthcare plan was Medicare, the same as mine? Now which is it?
I indicated they paid into medicare, which they do.
They have a choice of a number of health care plans that is the same as for any federal government employee or retiree.
Those range from bare bones HMO to high coverage, depending on what they want to spend for that coverage.
They can keep that health plan when they retire, they still have to pay for it, and they are also covered by medicare.
Thanks Waldo, I went back and read their health plan and that is basically the way I see it. The Website that explains it is somewhat rambling and confusing in their explaination, maybe they don't want the people to understand, by people I mean the voters.
Here is info I posted on July 3, 2008:
There are 300-400 different health plans originating from companies in all 50 states plus Puerto Rico offered by private companies to Congressmen or Congresswomen. Congress people are offered the same health care coverage as federal employees and it can go from low to high depending on what coverage they need, want, or can afford.
They can choose any one of those 300-400 company health plans provided the company will accept them.
There are not any health plans offered by Washington DC companies but Virginia companies offer eight plans, the same as available from Kansas companies.
Todd Tiahrt, the representative from the Elk County area could choose the Kansas Humana Health Plan and get the following:
High Coverage for him and his family: Costs him $507.00 month.
Standard Coverage for him and his family: Costs him $179.74 month.
For himself only high coverage is: $221.08 month.
Standard coverage for himself is: $78.14 month.
He may want to go with a Virginia company rather than a Kansas company.
There are cheaper plans and there are more expensive plans. The Congress person has to shop around to get the best deal.
It depends on what the Congressman feels he needs to protect him and his family.
Then their health care is not free, which has been my understanding. And after they retire, they will continue to pay for whatever coverage they want, just like I do. Now I wonder why I thought their health care was provided by the taxpayers.
I think that it used to be free for them Wilma. Somewhere on this forum I think it said when that stopped.
To my knowledge, Congress has never received free health care--only the president does.
The major change that occurred was that new members of Congress elected after 1983 were not eligible for the old retirement system but were subject to Social Security. Paying into Medicare came in sometime shortly before that or sometime shortly after, I cannot recall but I really think it was before.
" If this does not sufficiently raise your ire, just
remember that Senators and Congressmen have their own healthcare plan that
is first dollar or very low co-pay which they are guaranteed the remainder
of their lives and are not subject to this new law if it passes."
This is the paragraph that concerned me. It makes it sound as if they are getting a free ride when it is nothing of the sort. Actually, I might have it better than they do. My medical insurance doesn't even require a co-pay. And of course it is guaranteed as long as they pay the premiums.
She makes a lot of sense and I agree with a lot of the things she says, but how much is slanted just as this paragraph is?
Do you remember the bank Congress started for themselves? It was started in the last part of the 19th century and lasted for a hundred years.
It was in the capitol building somewhere and actually it was for the representatives and not the senate.
The private bank consisted of only member's deposits, including direct deposit of their pay. Members had checking accounts and they were allowed to write bad checks. They would be covered by the bank until the money could be repaid.
The bank did not offer loans or credit cards.
GAO issued an audit one year and the audit became public causing uproar. The bank went out of business around 1990 because of the audit publicity.
One congressman wrote a bad check for $10,000. The bank covered the amount until he could pay. There was no interest and no penalties.
The audit revealed over 8,000 bad checks in one year. Apparently the deposits from all members was able to cover the amount for those 8,000 checks until the Congressmen paid up.
On military bases and even some federal locations, the military or federal activity contracts out bank services from a legitimate bank to open a bank on base. Bad checks are treated like anywhere else.
Apparently, the House of representatives did not want to do that.
"Don't forget that Germany was the most educated, cultured country in
Europe . It was full of music, art, museums, hospitals, laboratories, and
universities. And in less than six years - a shorter time span than just
two terms of the U. S. presidency - it was rounding up its own citizens,
killing others, abrogating its laws, turning children against parents, and
neighbors against neighbors. All with the best of intentions, of course.
The road to Hell is paved with them." ---- Pam Geller
Obama is, by far, the most dangerous man in the world today. He and his legion of socialistic democrats are, without a doubt, the biggest threat to the united States. N.Korea, Iran, Al-qaeda, Taliban, China, Russia.... all are small potato's compared to Obama. Pam Geller has hit the mark perfectly. This man, this diseased piece of human waste, will lead America and its people, down that road to Hell. Mark my words.
Well said Warph,
I think the rest of you have missed the point. Regardless of what type of "coverage" the congressmen have, do you really think that they haven't amassed enough wealth to provide for themselves when they retire? But even that is beside the point, look at what the gov't is saying
Bloomberg: "Daschle says health-care reform "will
not be pain free." Seniors should be more accepting of the conditions that
come with age instead of treating them."
In other words, "Seniors, you are old. We are not going to waste money on you. You have out lived your usefulness and it is time for you to just die."
Warph, I think you're right.
We are seniors --- and we are still useful. What is so very sad, is this nasty, hateful piece of fecal matter that is wearing the name plate that states he is the President of the United States of America is calling the shots, and all of the people that are burying their heads in the political sand, are still saying, " we have to respect him and give him a chance". Chance, Hell --- he does not deserve even the sweat off the brows of the people that have worked hard to stand by this country, fight for it's rights and truly believe in God and Country.
There are not enough strong words to describe my disgust and hatred for this ---I hesitate to even call him a man --- Slime ball. that is the description that describes him best.
Now, all of you that proclaim him to be great can come out from behind the drapes - and voice your belief in him. Not me,
I will stand out in the open and tell the world exactly how I feel.
I do pray that God will grant us the power to see this through.
Jo
AMEN TO THAT JO!
You are, Jo. Bonnie is. I am afraid my useful days are over. I am still good for keeping my kids in line, though.
It would be better to eliminate the Gov't programs and
folks can take care of themselves without the gov't programs.
Gov't control and gov't equality should not acceptable here.
Without my government program, the state would be taking care of me. What's the difference?
That's what they want us to believe - that we can not make it without them.
Just because they have captivated us with their programs, it's hard to imagine
living without them because we are accustomed to 'em and we don't see any
other way.
......sorry, I don't agree with you.
Without my social security, a government program, I would have almost nothing to live on. What am I supposed to use to pay taxes, etc. What would I do about medical needs? Of course, I know. Because I remember old people who had nothing except their children and their children had almost nothing, too. Do you really want the country to go back to that? Do you have an alternate way of taking care of people who can't work? I like the way I live. I am independent. I don't have to depend on my kids for anything except a ride now and then. I can pay my taxes. I own a car. I have 3 TV sets. I like it that way and it is all because of a government program that collected payments from my husband while he was working and is giving it back to me now. I am much luckier than the old people that lived next door to us when I was growing up.
Wilma, what is wrong with working for a living and taking care of yourself? You say you can't work, I say you are not looking at the right kind of work. There are many people that work from home.
Billy, you don't know me or you would know why I can't work. And all the work at home jobs that I have seen wind up to be scams and not really profitable. Even stuffing envelopes would not be profitable because my right shoulder would not hold up long enough for any amount of production. Even this early this morning there is a pain going down into the elbow and I didn't do anything yesterday to stress it.
Do you know of any kind of work at home that would pay for the heart surgery several years ago, not to mention the 3 surgeries I have had since moving over here, or the 7 prescriptions that help keep me alive or even the broken wrist? Oh, and there are the taxes, insurance and maintenance that comes with owning property. Find me an at home job that will pay for all those and I can just save my social security and leave it all for my children to enjoy.
My Grandma lived to be 104. Shortly before she died at Twilight Manor she finally out lived her own money and Kansas took care of her. She had already made and paid for her funeral, etc. What kind of job would you have a 103 year old lady do? It's OK to take care of the vets, but she should have been tossed out? Billy,that's very cold hearted. :P
You're right wilma, I don't know you or your situation. But there are jobs that can be done regardless of a persons disability status. My parents accountant is basically a quadriplegic (misspelled that I'm sure) has been his whole life, Stephen hawking is a brilliant man worth millions yet he can't bathe himself. The point being is that everyone can find some means of gainful employment, if they look hard enough. I don't mean that as a dig towards you, just an illustration.
Diane, our veterans are owed a debt that we can never repay in full, They were willing to make a sacrifice that cannot be labeled with a dollar value. We do not owe that debt to every one of our citizens. Is that cold, maybe. But very true. My grandparents were in the same situation, only we didn't have the money to place them in a home so we took care of them. I think that too often when a person gets "old" they are put away somewhere to be visited at their families convenience. That was not meant as a cut towards you personally, just my opinion.
Grandma went to Twilight Manor awhile after Grandpa died because that's where all her friends were who she hadn't already out lived. She was able to support herself financially until right at the end. Who expects to be that old? I would have taken her in in a heart beat but her friends were all in Kansas. By the way, if they really need it, don't the wives who supported those vets deserve to be cared for too? Some vets are really hard to live with when they first come home. Some never do adjust.It's sad.
>:( hold on there just a damn minute. I DO NOT live off the government. I worked from age 13 to retirement. I paid my social security tax so that when I became old enough to quit work, I could draw on what I paid in and I am doing just that and I don't feel a bit guilty about it. If you think retirees living on social security are living off the government, I would like to know just how you come up with that bit of information. I worked for it, I paid for it, and I am going to enjoy what piddly amount I get each month. Thank you very much.
When SSI was first used it was based on the premise that what a person paid in is what they got. However, the numbers just don't work that way now. People are living longer, using more than they paid in. Why should I pay in to a program that won't be there when I am able to retire (as if thats ever gonna happen)?
It won't be there when you retire Billy.......
Supplemental Security Income, or SSI mentioned above, was created in 1974 and is something totally different from Social Security although payments are administered by that agency.
SSI payments are considered welfare and are from general tax revenues rather than from Social Security revenues.
The fact remains that the money I live off is provided by a government program that we were forced to pay into. I never questioned it because I could see that it was going to provide for my old age. I would never had been able to save enough to enjoy what I enjoy now. It is like paying into an insurance policy and enjoying the benefits before you die.
There are lots of government programs that I haven't paid into except through income taxes and there are lots of people that benefit from them. I would rather have them benefit from that than to have them sitting on my front door step looking for a hand out. I would rather have my tax dollars go for stamping out commnicable diseases than to have my great grandchildren facing possible death from them. I could go on like this for a long time. Government programs? Who needs them? I do.
And as to a pile of old tires. Have you ever had to live by one like I do? How do you control the mosquitoes?
What we paid into social security was used for those who were retired at the time. We done it and didn't complain. Now that someone is paying in so that we can retire is what I call "turn about is fair play" and I still don't feel like I'm "living off some government program". SSI is for those recieving a very small amount of social security and cannot survive on it. I suppose you could call it welfare, but those who draw it are not "sittin' on their behinds waiting for a handout". They are sitting on their behinds because they are either too old or too sick to work and I don't begrudge them anything they can get, as long as they get it legal.
"turn about is fair play"
I do not recall "turn about is fair play" as being a law or in the Bible.
That phrase does not even count for anything in Ponzi schemes.
Wilma,
Complain to the County Commissioners about those old tires. Get a hold of Liz and she'll get those county boys to clean them up right away....
She did get the weeds and Johnson grass cut after I complained about those last year.
"turn about is fair play"..and older folks complain about my generation. Whatever happened to a strong work ethic, and thou shall not steal??? At least most younger folks will tell you that they want more money for the jobs they do. You older folks will draw on Social Security which is nothing more than a gov't run ponzi scheme and then call the AIG exe.'s and their ilk unethical? Talk about a double standard.
reworded in order to clarify.
Why would I draw SSI? Billy do you understand what SSI is?
I'm not in favor of SSI.
SSI is another Federal program that should never have been.
Quote from: redcliffsw on May 06, 2009, 08:03:50 PM
"turn about is fair play"
I do not recall "turn about is fair play" as being a law or in the Bible.
That phrase does not even count for anything in Ponzi schemes.
well, EXCUUUUUUUUUUUSE ME. I was not aware that everything posted here had to be a "law" or "in the Bible". If you will read what I posted, it says "I say", not "the law says", or, "The Bible Says".
Have you tried to live on less than $500.00 a month? SSI was a blessing for my mother-in-law even though it didn't amount to much then. I think it was only $25.00 when it started. I still can't understand how my mother and my mother-in-law lived on what they did and had some left over.
Wilma, you might want to go in and correct your post --- What or who, is a Mother-in-lived?
I guess this adds me to the "nit-picking group" doesn't it? Sorry about that. I didn't want to join. :-[
Quote from: Jo McDonald on May 07, 2009, 05:19:08 PM
Wilma, you might want to go in and correct your post --- What or who, is a Mother-in-lived?
I guess this adds me to the "nit-picking group" doesn't it? Sorry about that. I didn't want to join. :-[
Mother!!(http://www.cascity.com/howard/animations/3.gif)
:)
Thank you, Jo. Correction made. You are not nit-picking. You are helping a friend. My keyboard is giving me more and more trouble. Now it is dropping words.