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Right from the get-go the rhetoric was direct and passionate…yet still only rhetoric.
obama told a crowd in Iowa during a December 2007 speech that “I’m running to tell lobbyists in Washington thattheir days of setting the agenda are over.”
As an Illinois Senator, 40% of obama’s campaign cash came from political action committees,corporations, and unions.
In May of 2008 obama and his party criticized Presidential opponent John McCain for being “less than sincere” onlobbying reform while talking tough but then hiring former lobbyists to work onhis campaign.
As President-elect, November, 2008, obama brings on board to his transition team and eventual WhiteHouse staff at least 9 former lobbyists.
June 6, 2008, obama tells a crowd in Bristol, Virginia: “We (the DNC and democrat party) will not take a dime from Washington lobbyists orspecial interest PACs. We’re going tochange how Washington works. They willnot fund my party. They will not run myWhite House. And they will not drown outthe voice of the American people when I’m president of the United States ofAmerica.”
And the crowd cheered wildly. Are they cheering now?
During a March 2009 radio address, obama told the nation that was listening of the looming battle between lobbyists and federal budgetwriting efforts: “…they’re gearing up for a fight…My message to them, so am I.”
Direct, passionate...yet merely rhetoric.
On February 12, 2010, OpenSecrets.org releases a report that shows lobbyists spent a record setting historic amountof cash lobbying obama’s government in 2009.
The OpenSecrets.org report stated that in 2009 lobbyists spend $3.5 billion attempting to influence obama’s government.
$3.5 BILLION.
Not bad during tough economic times and with unemployment at 25 year highs.
Influence peddling has reached historic heights during the obama administration.
The top agencies in the federal government that were targeted by lobbyists in 2009 were the obama led and democrat controlled House ofRepresentatives; the obama led and democrat controlled US Senate; theDepartment of Defense; and obama’s White House Office.
Of the total monies lobbyists spent that went directly to campaign donations for members of obama’s Congress, 68% of that total went todemocrats with Senate leader harry reid being the number one benefactor.
obama told his biographer in the book “Hopes and Dreams: The Story of barack obama”that following a speech in college: “I really wanted to stay up there, to hearmy voice.”
Aside from a few people in Bristol, VA. And on MySpace.com, nobody else is as thrilled to hear obama’s voice.
The government that he leads hasn’t been listening.
The Congress that his party leads hasn’t been listening.
His party hasn’t been listening.
Direct, passionate…yet merely rhetoric.
Back in the day, we used to celebrate the birthdays of two of our most brilliant and devoted presidents in American history. Loved by all who had learned of their bravery, sacrifice and contribution to our country. Somewhere along the line, these celebrations lost their way, when they were combined as one and dubbed "President's Day", as though we are now celebrating all presidents, whether they deserve it or not? These two president's contribution to the founding of America are unique, which is why they had their own separate holiday recognition.
FIRST IN WAR, FIRST IN PEACE, and FIRST IN THE HEARTS OF HIS COUNTRYMEN
Not all presidents are George Washington
Any discussion of supporting a Constitutional Amendment for a Balanced Budget with Tax limits?
Any discussion on eliminating the Federal Income Tax and replacing it with a National Sales Tax?
m
There are hundreds of thousands of assaults by liberals on conservatives, especially this past year, that if were done in the reverse, conservatives would be excoriated and persecuted. But such is the life of a conservative, and learning to recognize the hypocrisy is a survival tool. A couple of good books on the subject is Ann Coulter's "Guilty" and John Gibson's "How the Left Swiftboated America". But this latest assault has literally turned physical.
CNN, Huffington Post Urge Violence Against Republicans
"Time for Obama to go ‘gangsta’ on GOP"
THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!!!!!
I am sending this to virtually everybody on my e-mail list and that includesconservatives, liberals, and everybody in between. Even though we maydisagree on a number of issues, I consider all of you to be true Americansand friends. My friend and neighbor wants to promote a"Congressional Reform Act of 2010 ". It would contain eightprovisions, all of which would probably be strongly endorsed by thosewho drafted the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
I know many of you will say, "this is impossible". Let meremind you, Congress has the lowest approval of any entity in Government and…now is the time all Americans should join together to reform Congress - theentity that represents us.
It’ll be almost impossible and very hard to do, but we need to get a selflessSenator and Representative to introduce this bill in the US Senate and asimilar bill in the House of Representatives. These people will becomeAmerica’s hero's.. Thanks,
A Fellow American
Congressional Reform Act of 2010
|
Thank you.
I would add the suggestion that all Internet TP users make as good use of their printers, telephones, and coffee pots as possible for copied, phone relayed and face-to-face conversations.
Great use of the new in your notice below, good crossover with strong existing infrastructure;
add a pinch of keep the old and feels like continued progress to me.
No child left behind did not work as expected.
Change we can believe in is still fragile and not from the source that promised it.
The Tea Party needs to remain inclusive to any level of communication and vigilant to see if any citizen is missing from the discussion.
--
Diane Konrady
Diane Konrady
Vermont's State Motto is Freedom and Unity
On Sat, Feb 13, 2010 at 11:31 PM, TeaParty.org <mail@teapartyorg.ning.com> wrote:
A message to all members of TeaParty.org
Several TP members are wanting to figure out a way to reach NON-Internet users. Here is my answer I am sharing with everyone.
First of all, without Internet access it will be very difficult to contact people. The TP was created around the Internet and social marketing.
However, the staff of TPorg is working on a 3 prong plan to address this issue. Nothing is cut in stone yet, this is ONLY a discussion.
1. we are working with a major processing house to hammer out a direct method to reach tens of millions of non-Internet people. Once/if this takes form, then people can join the educational mailer system by sending us a note, BUT not until it is in place.
2. Dale, and his staff are accomplished speakers. We can make a tour though the Bible belt or any location speaking at Churches of all denominations about God and Country w/o being theologically dogmatic. Also, clubs and Non-Profit organizations.
3.We will encourage people who are not Internet connected to go to their library's and take a Internet basic class (which all the libraries have) and then use the Internet at the public library's. TP chapters can sponsor this as part of their mission. Kool huh!
Do you have any more ideas? We are open and willing to listen!
Steve EichlerTPorg Exe. Director
OBTW - Dale and his staff will be in Washington D.C. this coming week meeting with several high profile leaders. We are expecting some exciting news within a week or so.....(NO, we are not going to join the Elephant or Jack-ass party!)
Is Obama a fraud?
Wow. This is very interesting,...
I have always wondered why NOONE ever cameforward from Obama's past saying they knew him, attended school with him, washis friend, etc. NO ONE, not one person has ever comeforward from his past. VERY VERY STRANGE.This should really be a cause for great concern. MA
To those who voted for him, YOU HAVE ELECTED THE BIGGEST UNQUALIFIED FRAUD that America has ever known!
This is very interesting stuff. Sort of adds credence to the idea of The Manchurian Candidate thing having happenedhere!
Stephanopoulos of ABC news said the same thing during the 08' campaign.He too was a classmate of BO's At Columbiaclass of 1984. He said he never had one class with him.
Was he there?
While he is such a great orator, why doesn't anyone in Obama's collegeclass remember him? Maybe he never attended class! Maybe he neverattended Columbia? He won't allow Colombia to release his records
either. Suspicious isn't it???
NOBODY REMEMBERS OBAMA AT COLUMBIA !!!!!!!
Looking for evidence of Obama's past, Fox Newscontacted 400 Columbia University students from the period whenObama claims to have been there, but none remembered him.
Wayne Allyn Root was, like Obama, a political science major at Columbia who also graduated in 1983.In 2008, Root says of Obama, "I don't know a single person at Columbia that knew him, and they all knowme. I don't
have a classmate who ever knew Barack Obamaat Columbia. Ever! Nobody recallshim. I'm not exaggerating, I'm not kidding. "Root adds that hewas also, like Obama, "Class of '83 politicalscience, pre-law" and says,
"You don't get more exact or closer than that. Never met him in mylife, don't know anyone who ever met him. At the class reunion, our 20th reunion five years ago,who was asked to be the speaker of the class? Me. No one ever heard ofBarack! And five years ago, nobody even knew who he was. The guywho writes the class notes, who's kind of the, as we say in New York, the machawho knows everybody, has yet to find a person, a human who ever met him.Is that not strange? It's very strange. "Obama'sphotograph does not appear in the school's yearbook and Obama consistently declinesrequests to talk about his years at Columbia, provide school records, or provide the name ofany former classmates or friends while at Columbia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayne_Allyn_Root#column-one
NOTE: Root graduated as Valedictorian fromhis high school, Thornton-Donovan School, then graduated from Columbia University in 1983 as a Political Science major (in the same class as President Barack Obama WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEENIN).
Can it be that BHO is a complete fraud?? More intrigue concerning "The Manwho wasn't there."
Is there a directory of contact information for those who are involved at what might be considered the "managerial" level of the Tea Party Organization?
I'm a little concerned about the lack of organization and the lack of "go to" people in this movement on both the national and local levels. I understand and agree that the TP movement should not become personality based and should NOT be identified with one particular personality/politician. I believe that would be the beginning of the end of this great movement. The movement should continue to be based on IDEAS.
On the other hand, there needs to be a way for those of us to more easily contact others in the State/City/Community who are interested and/or willing ot get involved to one degree or another.
On this site for example, there should be the ability to search for members in a specific geographic community. I typed in ILLINOIS and came up with TWO MEMBERS. Now I know there are more than two people in the State of Illinois who have signed on to this effort.
I'd like to try to help create a more effective STRUCTURE that will help and permit people to get involved. If anyone is "like-minded", please feel free to contact me at contribric@sbcglobal.net.
What would Ronald Reagan think of the TEA Party movement today, and what would he think of Sarah Palin? In a recent interview with MSLSD's Hardball and HLN's Joy Behar Show, his left leaning son, Ron, would have you believe President Reagan would have looked down on the tea partiers. Since much of Ronald Reagan's success came from the grass roots, I would have to disagree, as does his oldest son Michael, who played a much bigger role in his campaign.
Ronald Reagan Would Have Supported Tea Party Movement, Says Son
http://tinyurl.com/yftam66
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/02/09/anti-tea-party-web-site-scheme-funnel-funds/%20
Look who is giving all the thousands of dollars to these groups. Probably the same ones that gave to Obama before the 2008 election. When you pull up the above site scroll down to the list below and click on the Donations or the IRS forms. If you belong to one of these groups you should speak your mind about this.
-The American Public Policy Committee Donations/IRS forms
-Patriot Majority Donations/IRS forms
-Citizens for Progress Donations/IRS forms
-Oklahoma Freedom Fund Donations/IRS forms
-Mid Atlantic Leadership Fund Donations/IRS forms
-Public Security Now Donations/IRS forms
-Pioneer Majority Donations/IRS forms
-Bluegrass Freedom Fund Donations/IRS forms
The other day I was watching one of my religious shows, "Light of the Southwest", and the guest that day was Walid Shoebat(shoebat.com). Walid is an ex-terrorist member of Hamas and now spends his time using his former knowledge to try to warn America of Islamist activity here on our soil.
What he presented that day in these videos made my hair stand on end, my blood pressure to rise, and stirred an anger in me I never felt before!! Unbelievable!
If your sitting down and have your seatbelt on, dare to watch this show. It's 2hrs long, so if needed save the link so you can watch it all! Everyone in America needs to see this, so please pass it on to your Congressman, Senator, friends and enemies.
Sincerely,
Chris Welch
Everytime you hear the lie that Bush inherited a surplus when he took office after Clinton, always keep in mind "Every economic crisis we have suffered since WWII has been the result of Democratic Party malfeasance or misfeasance." There is another tidbit to always keep in mind -- The left lies all the time; they have to.
DECEPTION AS A PRINCIPLE OF GOVERNANCE
It should not be forgotten that Obama has talked about his desire to re-write our Constitution, because it "is a charter of negative liberties; says what the states can't do to you; says what the federal government can't do to you; but it doesn't say what the federal government or the state government must do on your behalf". Exactly!! They knew exactly what they were doing, and it is not your place, Mr. Obama, to change it. This is the underbelly of the man we now have in our White House. It should not be a surprise. This information was out there, but America was sold on his "hopie, changie" thing.
OBAMA'S 'ACADEMICALLY APPROVED' APPROACH TO HEALTH CARE
The Tea Party movement is under attack again, and this time it's by the very people who recently thrashed the Supreme Court for their narrow decision to preserve freedom of speech. With all the noise Obama and his defenders made against this decision, they are the biggest offenders. A group of big corporate companies have organized a new web site targeting the tea parties under the guise of a grassroots organization. It's a very tangled web of corporations, big labor unions, tons of money, and political slush funds to counter the tea party movement.
ANTI TEA PARTY WEB SITE PART OF SCHEME TO FUNNEL FUNDS
Proclaims the Tea Party movement is a fad
"Starter talents like John Ashcroft, Dick Cheney, Van Hipp, Dr. Jerry Corsi, Lt. Col. Allen B. West, Newt Gingrich"
It's official. Tea Party is being Hijacked! This grass roots movement to return to the principles of our Founding Fathers might as well be titled "Republican Party" or "Democratic Party"! This is not what Tea Party represents to me.
As Americans, we have allowed the political machine to grow out of proportion. We have become apathetic. impassive, indifferent! We're past complacency and are willing to not only listen to but to believe these would be despots who are not satisfied with the run they have had. They are playing to your fears and concerns. Notice there used to never be any reference to the Republican party in their writings, now they are tentatively arising. This is because their efforts here are subversive and Machiavellian. It's the same old story of the tail wagging the dog with the Republicans pointing at the Democrats this time. Our country is in trouble and we want it back and the politicians see this Tea Party and figure it's a great opportunity to rail against the other side, trying to spotlight them as the cause of our woes. Well they're half right! Had this party started 4 years ago, we'd be reading about the wonders of Dianne Feinstein or Obama with their own talk about change and taking back our country.
What we have here is a group comprised of two segments. They infect our government, continually perverting our perceptions and instilling fear with themselves painted as our salvation, the only balance against the other side. Focusing on popular passions, they hide behind closed doors and plot on how to squeeze out more money and power for themselves and the federal government. In the mean time, our children are educated to be good little sheep, believing the Constitution to be a relic in the face of a world wide economy. They have exploited our greed and manipulated our vocational skill levels to that of a third world country as Americans no longer have the innovative skills or incentives to keep us as a manufacturing giant with China's cheap products or agriculturally diverse with automated mega-farms sucking dry the vast underground watershed of the Midwest, replacing it with chemically enhanced runoff. All the while they ignore the national debt and while America lives on credit, they line their coffers along the way. The problem with becoming a nation of consumers is we need the consumables we can no longer provide for ourselves. This leaves us vulnerable to those who provide them to us and the kind of desperation these politicians use against us. Imagine if China were to decide to cut us off! Everything from toys for our kids to heavy construction equipment would either be totally unavailable or quadrupled in price. China likes our money but the arrogance of our representatives continually annoys them with efforts to impose our ideals onto them. It isn't hard to imagine this totalitarian government with their vast untapped natural resources, absorbing the impact on their people as they plunge us into depression. With millions of our citizens living in sardine cans, things like growing vegetables, raising animals for food, trading services and bartering will not be an option. Despite what folks like John Ashcroft, Dick Cheney, Van Hipp, Dr. Jerry Corsi, Lt. Col. Allen B. West, Newt Gingrich or Obama would say, America is not the mighty world power she once was.
Tea Party has the attention of enough Americans to provide a platform for unity without the disingenuous involvement of career politicians. Don't believe the lie that running government requires experience in politics or the law degree most of them possess. Honor, integrity, patriotism and common sense are all one needs if the rest of the sharks are ejected from the pool. We are being drained by social programs directed at the vast pool of voters who feel America owes them a living. Following like sheep we allow ourselves to be distracted as America's viability diminishes to the point we will have no choice but to face anarchy or give up our Constitution.
I want my country back. For well over 300 years my family has fought to build it along with countless other patriotic Americans. The lazy days of complacency have weakened us. The influence on our schools has minimized the teaching of American history, the revolution and the civil war. Did you know that the Star Spangled Banner, our National Anthem actually has 4 verses? That the civil war was fought because the federal government decided to take property worth vast sums of money belonging to American citizens with no compensation? All this downplaying of our roots is meant to desensitize us from any passion for the true principals America was created with and founded on because these passions are obstructions of their efforts to gain wealth and power over us. We are viewed as a resource and no longer respected as sovereigns. They are parasites and every vote for any one of them only serves to perpetuate the decline of our way of life. We have to pull up our pants, stretch out and have confidence in ourselves. We have a pivotal choice to make on the approaching crossroads. We can believe the same old lies told to us by these despots or we can seek representation from individuals who would rather be home with their friends, businesses and lives. The kind of people we can relate to and who are unspoiled by the corrupting allure of power.
January 2010
We must use caution and critical thinking when reading what is written here and exuded by tea party advocates.
What I mean by this is there seems to be a distinct Republican undertone in much of what I have read here and neither Republicans nor Democrats can be trusted. The reason for Tea Party is America has lost her way. This venue notwithstanding, she has succumbed to complacency and apathy in the attitudes of her Sovereign Citizens. She has lost her way because the political oath of office is not taken seriously and infractions go unpunished by Congress and the Senate. When it seems like they are? It is always politically motivated as demonstrated by the same sharp line down the center of isle that appears in virtually every house vote. In fact, to Preserve and Defend the Constitution should be the main reason any individual try's their hand in politics. Selfishness and greed have created the "Career Politician". These individuals propose to serve us but in reality they serve their benefactors, themselves and their party. Far detached from the reality of American life, they live in ivory towers, pampered, indulged and insured at our expense. What happened? The original politicians were land owners and business owners who left their farms and homes to serve for a short time, then returning to their private lives. Now they are nothing more than actors. Exuding charismatic smiles and appealing rhetoric, never intending to live up to their promises. The worst part is? We not only let it happen, we made it happen! Tea Party can easily be usurped by whichever party is not in power simply by touting the disingenuous practices and failed promises of the other. Republicans like Sarah Palin have no business associating themselves with a grass roots movement to reclaim our country because she is no better than Obama. She simply professes to fundamental ideals we all yearn for. She is still a career politician!
The two party system has evolved into a self serving partnership between the two party's, bought and paid for by the big corporations. Each blames the other for the ills of this country, while the same deceptive and Machiavellian practices of gaining power over us and running this country as "Leaders" and Law Makers" instead of representatives both tempts and motivates them. In our name they are selling the farm under our very noses as we move toward an oppressive world government. America is now living on credit from the World Bank and our debt continues to grow geometrically instead of being paid down. Neither the Sates, local governments nor individuals can do this without eventually loosing everything. What makes us believe America can? Americans believe the lies and through our votes, allow this irresponsible practice and worse, accept it. This is being done in our name by the Federal government and there is only one form of collateral capable of securing this massive debt we can barely pay the interest on. This very land itself, yours and mine! The amount we owe has grown so large it is beyond the comprehension of most people. We dismiss its significance and its importance for just that reason. We cannot allow this debt to continue to grow. If that happens, the Constitution will become just a piece of parchment. A curious relic in some museum for a failed American experiment, right along with every single right we still rightfully possess. It is not too late but if we continue to bury our heads in the sand, it soon shall be.
Somewhere in the early to middle 1900's, Federal authority grew far beyond healthy limits. Presidential authority has reached a frightening level. We've been in numerous armed conflicts since Korea without a single Congressional declaration of war. The president alone holds the power to launch an unprovoked nuclear attack as an individual. He can mobilize countless troops unchallenged. He can render any right unconstitutional with the stroke of a pen. He appoints judges to S.C.O.T.U.S. based on political agenda rather than Constitutional preservation, the same basis under which, they are confirmed. Lobbyists are allowed to influence Senators and Congressmen with money unchallenged as many lobbyists are ex Congressmen, hired by large corporations. These corporations control the media thanks to Bill Clinton and now it is all but impossible to get any message out which, isn't in line with their interests like imposing term limits or limiting political contributions or transparency in government. Secrecy, back room deals, unrelated riders attached to wordy and complex bills, miss-direction and fear mongering are all used to bolster federal authority over us, pay off contributors and cloud the minds of the average citizen, while federal authority dictates what our children are taught in schools. Our children no longer have clear awareness of what civic responsibility is or critical thinking skills. We have become so dependent and beholding to the federal government, it's true reason for existing has been lost in history, replaced with an overwhelming complexity and warped perception of its purpose and authority. This has to stop! We The People have the power to make it happen if we can make enough citizens aware of this looming disaster and convince them to take part.
To retake our country, we must eliminate the career politician from American Politics. We must eliminate our national debt and we must embrace the fact we are all Kings of America. We are the only country in history where the people have the authority to rule themselves and their government. The Federal government was enacted solely to provide for the common defense of the union and ensure harmony and equality between the states through SPECIFIC limited powers. These powers were limited as a safeguard against a government becoming so powerful as to be capable of oppressing us. We have already lost that advantage. We can be subjugated with a stroke of a pen and our rights suspended with no due process. The reason for the Bill of Rights was not to give us rights but to preserve the rights we had already won for ourselves with the blood of our citizens. Rights which define us as sovereign rulers. A right is defined as needing no ones permission. Now we have created so many laws that most rights actually require permission, all under the guise of public safety. A term which is now generic and can be applied quite broadly. One element of a free society is something we seem to have forgotten as a culture. Because we will have to face the consequences, we have the right to commit a crime. That is the responsibility of freedom and the cost of liberty. We have hundreds of thousands of laws designed to prevent us from being in the position to make a free choice. In California we cannot buy cold medication freely because me might make meth amphetamine. We cannot own a 50 caliber B.M.G. because we might shoot at an airplane. These kind of laws sacrifice freedom for the sake of security and as Ben Franklin said, those who would do so? Deserve neither! They do not because that attitude is not the American way. It can be argued some of these laws make common sense but I believe this is a slippery slope which in the long run, leads to oppression. Freedom is neither safe nor easy but it is worth the risk. The Tea Party and others like it hold the promise of change. A promise made often during the last election. We long for it but for different reasons. Most selfishly relate change to their passions like gay rights, economics or gun control but these and issues like them are used by politicians to distract us from the hijacking of America.
We must keep our eyes, ears and minds open. Question the motives behind everything said from atop a soap box. Popular phrases and playing to passions are tools of the career politicians trade. Look at this supposed health care plan. A perfect example of politicians using our fears and concerns to further benefit themselves and the insurance corporations. Heavily lobbied by the insurance and pharmaceutical industries, it subsidizes them and ensures these corporations will have an endless pool of money and indentured "customers" with which to grow even stronger. How is it a citizen of Taiwan can walk into a medical office and get a C.A.T. scan in half an hour without paying a dime through a health system which amounts to less than 2 percent of that country's GNP? The term Pre-Existing Condition does not apply there. Prescriptions, doctor visits, prenatal care etc. These are all free of cost! How can they do that when we cannot even come close? Simple. Because their policy decisions were not made by the highest bidder.
We must understand, not only is the system we have not working in our best interests but those who control it will never change it. The Tea Party can. IF enough of us work together for real change. We must all shout it from the rooftops for history has shown us every civilization has come and gone for the same reasons. People have gone from bondage to liberty. From liberty to complacency. From complacency to apathy and from apathy back to bondage. America seems to be in the last stages of this. We must learn from history or we shall be destined to repeat it. We as Americans seem to feel we are owed our lifestyle and standard of living but we do not. It is such as it is through the sacrifice, hard work and innovation of previous generations. They earned it, we did not. If we hope to keep it, we must earn it as well so you do your part, I'll do mine and together perhaps we can convince enough Americans to do theirs as well.
Thank you.
History tells of how the ancient Romans devised a plan in 140 B.C. to win the votes of the poor; by giving out cheap food and entertaintainment, as a way to gain popularity and thereby buy their votes in elections, Spanish intellectuals between the 19th and 20th centuries complained about the similar pan y toros ("bread and bullfights"). It appears similarly in Russian as хлеба и зрелищ ("bread and spectacle").. The Roman poet Juvenal called this phenomenon "bread and circuses," meaning that as long as the senators provided the mass with the essentials (bread) for human survival and gave them entertainment (circuses) to distract them from more important things in life, the clever leaders in power could manipulate and use the people for their own selfish ends, without no one ever noticing it.
This was a clever tactic pulled by the senators, but most of all, it's an interesting study of the human nature and the relation between the people and the State. Even though modern democracy says we're all capable of making decisions for a country, reality tells us a different story. As long as people have a work and a family, are able to pay their bills and watch TV, the rest of the outside world matters little. Their concerns are always primarily those that relate to their own immediate existence, and that is also how they vote in elections.
When the Romans manipulated people with "bread and circuses," they tried to pacify the people with things they knew would satisfy their basic urges. Much like our people in power today use TV and social acceptance to keep us in check and make sure no one tries to find out the truth about what is going on, the Romans realized that people essentially aren't interested in actual politics. For the mass, it's all just a soap opera and a struggle for how much land or money they will end up with, regardless of how the system operates internally. Therefore we hear people today vote on who they think will lower the taxes and offer them a higher standard of living, discussing Bush and Kerry much like discussing the love affair in their favourite TV show. Politics today isn't about finding the right idea, but finding the most popular one, and advertising that to people whom only grasp the symbolic process.
So why did Juvenal attack his contemporaries like he did? Partly we understand that corrupt senators were able to get away with selfishness, as they had efficiently silenced the people and made politics uninteresting. But what Juvenal most likely saw as most threatening, was the declining spirit and awareness of the people. Contrary to popular belief, fascism and fascist States are not systems that want to pacify people into numb robots - they actively force their citizens to engage in culture and activism, based on their individual capability. Rome managed to build an unbelievably vast empire simply because it had such a strong consensus that made each Roman citizen feeling as if being a vital part of the Roman Empire as a whole. Without the people, Rome was nothing, as seen with the numerous revolts that occurred now and then when the people felt betrayed or treated unjust by the senators.
When consensus and spirit broke down, the senators realized that the only way to keep the power together was to oppress people at their own conditions. Similarly, our modern societies today lack any form of consensus or motivational force, outside producing and consuming products and services, hence why our leaders constantly have to repeat political slogans and dogmatic messages via TV, radio and newspapers. Bread and circuses replace consensus, and like all short term fixes, it lasts as long as convenient and then collapse completely. Without the external control, and without the opium of the masses in the form of entertainment and selfish pleasures, people will run amok and revolt against the corrupt leadership.
More than two thousand years later, and nothing has essentially changed. Most people still don't know nor care, about what is really going on behind the smokescreen of all good-sounding profit making in the name of freedom and democracy. Do we believe them? Not necessarily, but as the Romans knew, it doesn't ultimately matter. As long as people are able to feed and enjoy themselves, they request no more, no matter how corrupt the current system is. Partly they're afraid of what they'll find, partly they feel attached to a system that satisfies their basic urges.
Beyond that lies idealism, or the motivation to find and aspire towards higher ideals, even if it means criticizing the system you currently live in. Not all people can do this. But those who can, those few and brave, are always out there and giving voice to their ideas. That is why we the people of the Tea Party Movements are so important right now, it's our calling to change history.
