There have been a lot of respectful, round-about comments on the blog over the years implying that my politics are from the left wing. The comments are sometimes overtly and sometimes covertly made by proud conservatives and proud liberals.
I think folks from both sides of the right/left spectrum misunderstand me. I am going to make a political (or apolitical) statement so that there isn’t any mystery about where I stand on the subject of politricks.
While I believe America has become a corporatocracy (that has sometimes verged on fascism) I also believe it has socialized so much as to have created an incentive toward ‘entitlement’ that has become degenerative. I believe that those who capitalize (and many do as politicians and media) on these obvious problems and make a name for themselves by cleverly arguing that total elimination of either side of those competing evils is the only solution are perpetuating the problem. I don’t waive any flag, right or left.
I think we continue to evolve and survive as a species because of the unsung heroes in the middle who get it hard from both sides while trying to push things ahead a little bit for everybody. And I think those on either side of the spectrum who earnestly push for reforms (as opposed to those capitalizing on making people anti-this or anti-that) are a lot of times, when they are focused, worthy of support.
A line by Spencer Tracy from an old classic we recently watched, A Bad Day at Black Rock, resonated with me. His character answered about his political affiliation to a threatening, inquiring redneck (in the stereotypical sense – I have nothing against rednecks and have many times been called one myself):
I’m a rock ribbed Republican who believes Franklin Delano Roosevelt was a great man.
From 06 through 08 I worked for two papers in the Corpus Christi Bay region:
a) We The People, the voice of working men and women. A newspaper whose sponsors considered Barack Obama was too conservative to be elected President.
b) Coastal Bend Herald, The Conscience of the Coastal Bend. A newspaper so conservative it runs a column by Ron Paul in every edition.
The publishers of both papers – on either extreme of the political spectrum – never once attempted to edit a single word in the hundreds of articles I produced.
Both publishers considered me an asset because of my investigative and writing skills, but more so because I wasn’t backed off from dealing with corruption – whether the perps were Democrats or Republicans.
My politics are that I don’t cotton to corruption and greed, and bullying and injustice to perpetuate corruption and greed. My philosophy is that if enough people could be brought around to that way of thinking to the point of doing something about it, politics would be a rather pleasant subject and the world would be a far more fair and enjoyable place to live.
Isms don’t pull a lot of weight with me.
After living in this region for more than six years my two most trusted friends and allies are:
a) The head of the local branch of the Tea Party.
b) The head of the Corpus Christi Populist Progressive Coalition.
Go figure.
I have. I reckon they both are trying to achieve the same thing, only via different routes. Both of them have hearts of gold. Both of them do what they do because they detest injustice. Neither of them are making any money for their efforts. Both of them would, and have, dropped everything to come to the aid of a fellow citizen in need.
I think the old man had it right when he declared Scientology to be apolitical.
Politics will sort itself out when enough good folks transcend politics.
Moving On Up a Little Higher 
Is politics relevent to religion? If anything they’re competitors. Both seek to control the masses.
In the case of scientology, do the beliefs dictate a left or right leaning?
Or perhaps provide some social order?
For someone shoddily informed it contains many arguments that can be used either way.
I don’t understand the point about being ‘socialized.’ What in the US is socialized?
Amen brother. ‘Nuff said.
I identify with the Democratic party, but rarely involve myself with elections that are partisian. I grew up in a family deeply involved in the Civil Rights movement and this has formed the basis of my political leanings. I have friends and family with all sorts of political affiliations. I draw the line with religious leaders efforts to politicize their religious beliefs. I voted for Obama and will do so again this upcoming election. I was forced to accept medi-Cal for the birth of my children when I was a staffmember and had no money, but other than that I have paid my way in life. I pay my fair share of taxes and expect others to do the same. I find Republican-leaning political pundits sounding a little crazy and, at least in California, out of touch.
Good question. About one out of every three dollars I make goes to funding it.
“transcend politics” Key – good on you Marty!
Love this article Marty. Perhaps my favorite.
Politics is not something I even remotely follow. I’ve voted twice in my life. Once when I was in the SO and I voted for Gerald Ford — BECAUSE he looked like my father, not because of his politics. I didn’t even know he was a republican.
And then 32 years later I voted for Barack – because I liked his speech at the democratic convention several years earlier.
Politics, just like government is neither good nor bad PER SE – as far as I can tell. It’s just what both have become — substitutes for relationship, for care, for management.
In any case, what is key is the inner basic goodness core we each are — and then expanding that core into relationship, which is any relationship with another … and expanding that and that and that.
IF we take care that our relationships are always from the core of basic goodness … an enlightened earth will prevail.
WH
“Politics will sort itself out when enough good folks transcend politics.” – Marty
🙂
Amen.
If we stick with the Constitution, we can’t go wrong. Right on, Marty! Right on!
I have no idea what factors launched you into this thread at this time, but would have to agree with what I interpreted as a main theme in what you wrote: That simply having 2 “buckets”- right & left, under whatever names- and blindly subscribing to either 1 because of what that designation is supposed to mean, is short sighted at best, and may go to the point of being completely irresponsible. My personal solution has been to try evaluating whatever political and legislative choices that are presented to me by leaning towards those that promote and encourage personal responsibility vs collective care taking. Not because the first is necessarily more “fair” or kind, but because the latter never seems to really work out as advertised in life, often creating or worsening the social ills that were promised to be solved, and thus creating the ultimate unfairness and betrayal.
Dear Marty,
I have admired your words and viewpoints from the git go. Not concerned what your politics are or friends are. They seem decent and upstat, all for your credit. Your history with Scientology is priceless in as much Corporate
Scientology is experiencing its most gravest crisis scince LRH practically died aboard the Appollo. The Sea Org then made plans to carry on with out Ron had the unthinkable occur.
Now mankind has another crisis of equal magnitude, his name is
David Miscavige. I cannot draw on anything more overwhelming than this.
Perhaps on a day in June 1944 when Radios announced that the invasion of Europe had begun. In NewYork at noon all traffic stopped and people got out of cars and prayed in the streets as church bells rang.
I have had friends make the utimate sacrife for others they did not know
in places called Calmura and Mannerplaw. A lot more is on the table here now. Texas is good defensible ground and you have friends. I dont who said it but there is no politics in Foxholes, religion either when you are in the fire fight of unimaginable proportions.
Lets win this war Marty, OK
Thank you, Marty. As my 2 cents, I want to pint out that LRH believed that the best political system was Benign Monarchy. I believe that it is not simply the best system, it is a point of natural equilibrium for a society. A brutal dictatorship is fought by the Left, the ensuing revolution instills a radical system, which is fought from the Right, a new leader emerges who is trying to rule towards the right. The next leader will try his bast to consolidate power toward the left and so it goes. The tendency over the long run seems to be toward the middle. The words “tyrannic,” “brutal,” “fair,” “unfair.” all reflect subjective views either from the right or from the left. In order to achieve “benign” monarchy, the ruler has to be in the middle.
We had Bush, who halved the taxes for the rich, removed government oversight from the banking industry to please his pals, set off a global economic disaster, started 2 super-expensive wars that took lives of a total of close to a million human beings and violated a total of 12 points of the Constitution of the United States and could be charged for over 60 crimes in that regard. How is he not a tyrant from the right? So he is replaced by Obama as a counter-balance, although Obama is not really far enough to the left to balance anything. In any case, the next leader should be more toward the middle which is a bit to the right of Obama. If Obama stays, per my prognosis, he would tend to move toward the right a bit.
25% is just not that much. Hardly matching the 50% rate of true socialized countries.
Ryan,
You wrote: “I pay my fair share of taxes and expect others to do the same.”
Ah, there’s the rub. However there is an illogic regarding this subject at play in the United States of America. The Private sector literally supports the public sector., while the public sector can to a large degree influence and dictate the terms of that support.
Taxpayer based public sector support would not be a problem if the public sector had neither a voice nor a vote while in government office or holding a public sector job and merely carried out the will of the people.
If this seems like a simplistic solution to our problems, it’s because it is.
Thanks for clarifying your views on politics, Marty. Much appreciated.
For myself, I’m in agreement with America’s Founding Documents, and the goals and purposes of the Founding Generation. A close study of the genesis of those documents will reveal that the postulates and considerations that birthed this nation, are neither left nor right – but instead, thrust in the direction of maximum freedom and liberty for the individual, and for groups of individuals, while simultaneously setting forth a system of government which is strong, but limited in scope and power.
My personal observation is that the nation has come to a point where one side would like to adopt a new, or amended social system, for the professed cause of righting perceived wrongs and injustices. In my view, that side is mistaken in their belief that our Founding Principles are the source of such injustices, when they are not. Those principles, put into practice, enabled the people of this continent to achieve unprecedented material wealth and a level of productive output and innovation that is unparalleled in the history of the world. If we’re to judge men and groups by their stats, then I would urge everyone to examine those of the American people over the last two hundred-odd years.
Now, the opposing side looks at the state of the nation, and concludes that it’s the violation and abandonment of our Founding Principles which is the root cause of the inequities and injustices the other side seeks to address. They insist that the Framers got it right, and that getting our government back ‘on policy’ will accomplish the survival goals of all.
I tend to agree with the latter group.
I hate labels, because they tend to set us up into warring camps, but I won’t argue with anyone who wants to call me a conservative, because I completely agree with those who wish to see us conserve the fundamental basics that have made this nation great.
Not sure why you feel the need or reason to broach this subject. Whatever.
One of my favorite Marty posts EVER. I lean right, but at the same time, cannot find one word in your post that I disagree with. It makes complete sense. I only wish many more people looked at politics this way. Thank you for putting your thoughts on this subject out there for us to read and ponder.
It’s your blog, Marty. You have a right to your political opinion, left, right or otherwise. As to Spencer Tracy, unless they used the same line in “Bad Day at Black Rock”, wasn’t that actually from “Judgment at Nuremberg”, when Tracy explains his political background to a fellow judge? The judge smiled and replied, “Oh, one of those…”. Don’t remember any threatening rednecks present, but another great role for Tracy.
I’m a Tea Party member and a Conservative. My political leanings are derived from what I have learned in Scientology about exchange, finance, ethics etc. I’ve recently voted Republican as a defensive measure although both parties have gone off the rails at this time in our history.
This is the Scale of Politics [1969] from Scientology 0-8.
Tone Scale
3.0 Republic
2.5 Democracy
2.0 Social Democracy
1.5 Fascism
1.1 Communism
0.0 Anarchism
“Note there are no major governments at this writing above Social Democracy”. LRH
The Democrat Party, of which I was at one time a member, has gone so far
left that it is pushing the U.S. down the tone scale. Republicans seem also to have discovered that “the people” want to be cared for, cradle to grave, and so are following close behind the Democrats lead now.
As a Tea Party member, I would support a new, 3rd party that follows the
Constitution as intended by the Founders and practices good, sound financial policy, equal opportunity and justice for all.
I reckon 3rd Dynamic admiration has inverted on this planet. Corruption & greed dominate upon a broad spectrum of man’s activities. Without a workable technology of life applied to relieve and stop the downward spiral ones affiliation with left or right is relatively meaningless if the both systems can be so easily influenced by money, corruption or just plain laziness. I happen to agree with LRH that a new civilization needs to be put here rather urgently, planets and cultures are frail things they do not endure. IMHO every being who knows they are capable of making a difference knows what to do… actually doing it is the tough bit.
I’ve never really met anyone who doesn’t have a solution of some kind or another. Greatest good for the greatest amount is another matter entirely on this mudball.
Politricks and parlor tricks! Enjoy.
Democratic, representative Republic: 4.0 imho.
May have been, saw that recently too.
Ryan, any party has good and bad issues, but you saying that “I was forced to accept medi-Cal” I don’t understand why madi-Cal took responsibility for your own children when you don’t want their help? if was no money, I’m sure family and friend will help us when we need them, right?
I agree, mostly. The issues with which this blog is primarily concerned (a totally inoffensive and well-intentioned belief-system, unhappily subverted by an amoral little sh*tstick for his own personal glorification and gain, who has gone far, far, FAR beyond every common moral and human decency (torture, murder, coercion, blackmail, etc….) to secure his own worthless position) transcend politics. DM-based ideals are in no way democratic. They are fascist.
I don’t affiliate myself here in England with any particular political party – I vote for whoever does a good job.
Barack Obama (from my outside-America, 100% neutral, viewpoint) is one of the greatest Presidents I have witnessed in my, albeit short, lifetime. He is respectable, witty, charismatic, intelligent – with a beautiful and equally-intelligent wife, delightful children – and with many good ideas. I am sorry that his plans to implement a National Health Service, such as we have over here, came to nothing (probably swayed, alas, by the many “insurance” and “healthcare providers” who charge extortionate fees/cover for benefits we all receive as a basic right for a minimal NI charge, or 100% FREE if one cannot afford it, over here). Obama is the best US President of my generation, I believe. Reagan – okay but weak. I LIKED Clinton, his foreign policies were insightful and well-judged – but he was an adulterer. And as for G. Dubya Bush – SERIOUSLY, why???!! Bl**dy h*ll…!
After an immoral perv. and a strategically-shaved and suited gibbon ANYONE would have seemed wonderful 😀 ! But, personally, I think Obama is AMAZING. Whatever US opinion of him may be, he has a great deal of (deserved) respect outside of the States.
But away with this academic speak! DM is nothing short (forgive the pun) of an apolitical, amoral and, most likely, asexual eunuch. Please don’t sully the ideal of democracy by bringing HIS name into this argument.
Keep smiling…
IEG xxxx
The Sea Org system is a communism system fallen south into anarchism.
Ha ha ha. Ha ha ha ha. Ha ha ha. That blew some charge!
Remember, at the time of the writing of the Constitution, men owned slaves, women did not have the vote and could not own property, Puritans were torturing people…
It is idealism to believe that we need to return to that. I would ask Tea Party members to answer a few questions – Did you go to College? If so, how much did it cost and who paid for it? Have you voted in every election you had an opportunity to? Have you ever received Public benefits exceeding your ability to pay? Have you engaged in discrimination?
25% is just not that much. Hardly matching the 50% rate of true socialized countries.
A limited government which operates within the prescriptions of the US Constitution doesn’t need to confiscate a full 25% of YOUR personal property to fund its operations.
A Socialist welfare state, on the other hand, needs to confiscate as much of the productive class’ property as possible to buy the votes of the unproductive class.
If you don’t think you’re not already paying close to half of what you make in taxes, take a closer look at what really goes out of your pocket to local, state, and federal taxes.
There is a strange bedfellow story here: The Democratic Party (sometimes called the party of special interests) has arguably paid more attention to the Church’s special interests over the years. On the other hand, the Republican Party or the Libertarian Party or the no Party are the favored political parties of most entrepreneurs in the US and most/many Church parishioners are entrepreneurs, if only because they needed to be in order to be able to afford services.
Anyway, nice post Marty. I leave politics to other people and I just get on with life.
A really nice statement, Marty, and noble sentiments too. If just advocating one political position or another could have solved everything, everything would have been solved long ago. Left and right are ambiguous political categories with hardly any real meaning at all. The terms seem to be used by the media and the government to maintain a GPM-like polarity that divides the people and wastes their energies fighting each other.
There is far more meanness and corruption in this country than hardly anyone is willing to realize, I think. This is shown in William F. Pepper’s book, An Act of State, concerning the clear conspiracies involved in the murder of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the ruthless and cruel suppression of all efforts to make the truth concerning it a matter of broad public knowledge. The “powers that be” certainly did not care that an innocent man was framed for the murder and did all that they could to see that he died in prison, which he ultimately did. I found the facts in Pepper’s book to be unbelievably detailed, thorough, and convincing.
Hear, hear, Max. You said it far better, and more directly than I did. Thanks also for posting LRH’s Scale of Politics. America was constituted as a representative republic, and it’s my observation that that system has enabled more freedom and liberty (hence, the greatest level of survival across the dynamics) than any other.
I’m in foursquare agreement with sticking with it, and oppose any movement leftward, which is, in my opinion, a move in the direction of Communism, which is far down the scale.
Ah ha. Friends on the “left”. Friends on the “right”. You are “guilty” of walking your talking in and of the “Great Middle Path”. That makes you too left of the “right” for their consensus and too right of “left” for theirs.
My kind of travels, balanced, seeking betterment for all, not any particular interest group except those interested in true betterment.
“Note there are no major governments at this writing above Social Democracy”. LRH [actual citation omitted, why?]
Well that was Ron Hubbard’s *opinion*. I don’t get my opinions from him, though.
Michael A. Hobson
Independent Scientologist
Marty has at least scratched the surface by stating that we are both a Corporatocracy and have an entitlement mentality, which may seem to some to be mutually contradictory. In fact, they are not.
There is no understanding the political system without understanding the monetary system. In his novel 1984, George Orwell offered three slogans that his dystopic society was based on … war is peace, freedom is slavery, and ignorance is strength. I will add to those 3 the ultimate Orwellism, the one that George Orwell never stated that is nevertheless at root cause, underlying the other three … DEBT IS MONEY.
Planet wide, there is nothing in circulation as money except monetized debt, created via bond issuance and bond acceptance by central banks. The central banks were the means for governments around the world to spend beyond their means, until their gold ran out, and then the spending continued, but the terms changed. Every country on the planet today is, in essence, a large municipal corporate entity that is bankrupt and in receivership to the central banks, with the creditors dictating terms. And part of the terms are these … anyone who’s birth has been registered (totally voluntary) and/or has an SSN (which I call a socialist slavestate number, also totally voluntary as far as the law goes) is considered to be a human resource asset of a bankrupt and in receivership corporate entity, with your labor hypothecated or pledged against the national debt.
Now what I just stated above is true, but this is a truth that neither political party will address. Ron Paul will kinda sorta circle around this issue but never addresses it squarely, and his is about as close as anyone comes to dealing with certain unpleasant truths.
Anyways, on to certain bottom lines … there is no such thing as putting a benign dictator in power without getting a tyrant down the road, because all the power would have been centralized. Political power must be DE centralized. Second … terms like left and right, socialism, fascism, liberal, conservative, etc. are largely meaningless when it comes to dealing with real issues as opposed to the choices of false alternatives that the main stream media and both political parties feed us in a huge, all you can eat Bull$#!+ Buffet. What there IS … you have a personal choice to take back your life from “the system” and learn how to live free in an unfree world. Along those lines, google “Bursting Bubbles of Government Deception” and view that video in its entirety on youtube, it is a good place to start, a great wakeup call.
Pete
“My personal solution has been to try evaluating whatever political and legislative choices that are presented to me by leaning towards those that promote and encourage personal responsibility vs collective care taking.”
You know, JW, this sounds very right and seemingly exactly per everything we learned in Scientology. I would agree with you wholeheartedly if it were 2006. However, now for me that viewpoint is not optimal in that personal responsibility on all dynamics includes collective care taking — very much so since most of your dynamics deal with others, not yourself. Additionally, something may hit closer to home than you ever expect. For example, when I blew from the RPF in 2005 I was very sick after being overrun on FPRD for 800-900 hours (remember the altered definition of F/N?). I had a heart attack shortly after. After the heart attack I realized that there was no way in the known universe for me to get a health insurance, none whatsoever, for any money, with any deductible, ever. That got me thinking. Now that I flourish and prosper and pay taxes, I want some of them to be used to help others I welcome the legislation that MANDATES having a health insurance and provides the way to do it.
Regarding health care. My husband lived with cancer for 5 years in the USA with available medical and alternative treatments. His brother in England with similar cancer lived almost 5 months. Delay and more delay from that system! Just sayin’
25 replies and already I want to start disagreeing and pointing out several uninformed opines. But I’m not going there herein, I’ve witnessed too many political threads on other forums destroy friendships or otherwise come to no good end, and hardly a person who changed their mind.
Politics is a subject of as much passion as perhaps the dollar itself.
Thanks Ronnie, I think you did a damn good job of it yourself 🙂
Windhorse,
I agree wholeheartedly.
By the way, to answer your earlier question, I live in a northern suburb within the city of Cincinnati and it’s actually the house my parents bought and moved into a month before I was born, December, 1954.
That said, I’m involved in a relocalization effort in my community. Specifically my intention is to help to those who are in need during the imminent monetary dislocation and reset. As well people need to learn to garden, again.
My dream, however, and intention is to purchase a bungalow in the town of Port Clyde, Maine. Something tells me that it’ll happen soon than I think.
I hope to meet up with you someday. I recall you live in the upper northeast. Perhaps we’ll be neighbors!
Marty,
Even though I am the same age as George Bush, I don’t consider
him to be part of my generation. After an honorable discharge from
the US Army in 1971 with service in Korea, I exercised my right as
a citizen and protested the war in Viet Nam. It was very obvious to all
of us in the streets that ‘war is not the answer’. As a matter of fact,
I spent 2 ½ months in 1970 traveling in the Soviet Union from Vladivostok
to St Petersburg. The trip convinced me that socialism and communism
were not the answer either.. However, since I spoke Russian at the time, I
found hundreds of Soviet citizens who knew that the politicians
created these wars. These people wanted peace, and Vodka parties.
It is a great tragedy that Bush invaded Iraq and as a Buddhist I cannot
accept this. On the other hand, the Buddha actually praised military
men because he knew that just defense was necessary especially in 500B.C.
Thus, in my opinion, Bush simply did not know the ‘middle way’ and he
let himself be convinced to invade. I don’t think it really was his decision.
His father played a part in it and that is a different story.
Personally, I lean far to the left, not out of sloth, but from the point
of view of compassion. My pet peeve is Wall Street Capitalism which
I hold responsible for the degradation in society. The ‘free market’
has become the ‘slave market’ of materialism.
May all capitalists be well and happy!
George M. White
Ralph Nadar said America does not have a 2 party system, but one party with 2 personalities, and both controlled by money. Perhaps thats the corporatocracy you refer to, Marty. In any case, MONEY needs to be minimalized in our system for it to regain some true popularism based on real needs and ideals. And we seem to be going in the opposite direction with the latest supreme court ruling allowing Interest groups limitless funding of political campaigns. God save the republic.
You’re concept of 25% is nice. I wish the people of the US had it that easy.
Marty, you must have known in posting this that you would get back political comments from all points of the spectrum. So, although I agree pretty much with what you’ve said, I would like to add my own perspective to the mix.
It’s an observable fact of human nature that those with the most wealth and power will usually use it to increase their wealth and power, or at the very least to maintain the status quo. Those not so empowered will agitate for change. Throughout history, as the wealth and power becomes more concentrated and the agitation increases, this has sooner or later led to bloodshed. Things get shaken up, the wealth redistributed and the slow buildup begins again. Or more likely, in the chaos a small group of players becomes the new holders of concentrated wealth and power.
Our founding fathers did a rather amazing job of creating a system where mobility of wealth and change of power could take place without bloodshed, but I don’t think they anticipated the rise of corporations, which is mostly how wealth and power is now wielded in our society. Earlier systems such as royalty had some built-in instability because people died, but a successful corporation never dies. And recently, we’ve seen political and judicial action giving corporations many of the same constitutional rights as people. It’s a perfect example of concentrated wealth and power being used to increase wealth and power.
As corporations increase their political stranglehold, I believe Occupy Wall Street is the faintest shadow of the agitation that is coming. Now, we can frame the debate as “merit vs. entitlement” or “equality vs. repression” depending on which side of the isle we are on, but either way, the dance is likely to continue.
Port Clyde is definitely closer than Cincinnati and a hell of a lot more beautiful, I’m sure.
I hope your dream comes true sooner rather than later.
WH
Michael, It was cited as Scientology 0-8, Scale of Politics
Awesome and spot on!!! Well said.
Yes! Hurrah! Well put!
Marty,
‘Politics’, as we currently know it, at it’s highest levels is solely about the control of and profit from the issuance of ‘money’. The question is, “What’s real and universally recognized money?’ Is it a keystroke on a computer? Or is it physically backed? Silver has been the common man’s currency forever. Is there something else? Star Trek credits, perhaps?
Seems to me that things are coming to a head. Never-the-less, may the White Hats prevail.
Look at your pay check. The majority is for social security. Local property taxes are voted on. In CA prop 13 has limited our taxes and has enabled people to buy, the only solution is to cut services. No parks and rec without fees, no street repairs without fees, charges to cover fire response, higher fines to fund police. You get the picture.
Let me add, screw the too big to bail banks. They’re not my master and I refuse to be their slave. As an adjunct, it’s always seemed to me that POB marches to the the drum beat of his masters. They’re gong to to be going ‘bye- bye’ together.
Sayonara to these mutually suppressive assholes.
Miscavige’s new shanghai is Camp FEMA.
I don’t care what your politics are Marty. Although I understand your post and the rationale behind it.
Republican vs Democrat: Apparent opposite sides of the same GPM being played out at the expense of the people caught up in its wake.
Before social services, in the early 1900s, people joined Fraternal organizations to have a source of help when they fell ill or died. Millions of Americans were members of the Odd Fellows, the Masons, etc. Everyone paid into the system as a sort of insurance against tragedy leaving them poor and destitute. It wasn’t rosy, the past. People suffered.
Now there’s something outside the box. I like where you coming from…
Bah! If anyone can accept that someone else might have a different point of view, it is the folks here on this blog. Of course, if you disagree with me, it is obviously proof positive that you are a tube steak.
Pete
Thanks Marty for sharing this.
I would like to add that I hate hypocrisy on both sides left and right. I can’t stand policitications who way one thing and do anothter or say something they are going to do and end up doing the status quo.
I am conservative fiscally, but socially I am more liberal. I don’t care what people do in their own lives as long as they are not hurting anyone and are striving for happiness.
I wish someone in the media would truly show both sides and not just give lip service to it. I love political talk shows, but can’t stand it when the host isn’t asking a question but is instead voicing his own views and then not listening to what the guest is even saying and cuts him off.
I love it when the host of a show puts both sides in the frying pan equally and doesn’t let them get away with just their talking points.
Most of all, I can’t stand “haters” of political figures as if they are “evil”. I think that politicians, especially those who have been President are all good men who believe that what they are doing is right for the country. They may be going about it in a different way, but they all want the same objective – a free country where people can live their lives in happiness.
I therefore can’t stand it when people make personal attacks against people like George W Bush, Barak Obama and Bill Clinton. At least they all had the guts to jump in the ocean and try as best they could.
I think both sides have good ideas and huge flaws. What I don’t see is people looking at politics scientifically, based on results, but mainly on philosophical ideas (opinions).
Take Rewards and Penalties for example. Scientific studies show it doesn’t work beyond mechanical tasks. The carrot and stick dull thinking and creativity. Reference: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/dan_pink_on_motivation.html
Two more of my favorite references are these:
The differences between the thinking of liberals vs. conservatives: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/jonathan_haidt_on_the_moral_mind.html
The hard data on income inequality on quality of life, whether by taxing the rich and benefits for the poor or by paying more equally to begin with: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/richard_wilkinson.html.
As I recall, LRH didn’t say a benign monarchy was the “best” form of government. It’s great when it exists, but the problem of succession has not been solved.
Hey JF,
This is a bankers planet. As of 2012 there are only three countries left that do not have a Rothschild owned central bank – Cuba, North Korea and Iran.
What do you make of that?
Ronnie,
I listen to everyone who speaks on this subject and no one has said better.
Hmmm, many articulate statements of opinion here, which won’t make one whit of difference in the present and future condition of this nation or the fourth dynamic we share. Looking at history and seeing the ever repeating cycles of suppression and revolution mankind dramatizes, one could either apathetically or relaxedly shrug one’s shoulders and assume “It’s all happened before and will all happen again, I am an immortal spiritual being so will survive and be back in the game again.” The dramatization is exactly that – a dramatization – the individuals who make the decsions and wield the power are not even aware they are alive, their actions are dictated by the R6 bank, and the conditions of this planet are a testament to that. The real problem is that history isn’t going to repeat itelf as it has before, there won’t be a French Revolution, an American Revolution, any sort of revolution by those oppressed. Those who have the power now are educated in history and understand the cycle of revolution and have effective tools to prevent any such that no tyranny or elitest autocracy have ever had before. Drugs and mass media control. The earlier references to “1984” by George Orwell and Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World” are sobering but factually real predictions of what is coming.
So now what? I suggest doing what Ron says, go Clear, get trained, go up the Bridge, help others to do the same, causatively step out of the whole track cycle of birth and death and influence society for good in ways you may not be aware of right now.
” When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace.”
–Jimi Hendrix
I’m from a “truly socialized country”. The average tax % is 31%. Not too far above the stated 25% for the US. The 6% difference doesn’t explain to me why in my truly socialized country basic healthcare is free for all, valid for your entire lifetime; public transportation is way subsidized and general maintenance and care-taking of towns, cities, parks, streets, etc are pretty good, but this is not the case in the US. These statements are made when comparing to the US. People from my country would probably argue differently, but regardless this brings up the question, “Where does the tax payer money go in the US?” The percentages are almost as high as a “truly socialized” county, but the return to the tax payers cannot be demonstrated in the same way. Food for thought…
Let me say this about politics:
Like my husband (Paul, also commenting on this blog) I am a conservative.
I grew up in and lived in a socialistic country (Denmark) until the age of 33 and have for the last 25 years lived in the US. In Denmark there’s a widespread sentiment that the “society” will take care of you if you get incapacitated in any way. This serves in many ways as a false peace of mind. Then when you have something happen in your life where you need the services of your “society” you find a lot of incredibly well-intentioned people THAT CANNOT HELP YOU BECAUSE THEY ARE COMPLETELY IMPEDED BY THE GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRACY THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO BREAK TROUGH. My mom died at 77 because of the “wonderful” health care. They put her on a waiting list for months on end, and that pretty much caused her premature death. Had she lived in the US she would have received immediate treatment and maybe still be alive now, 11 years later.
I love the idea that we’re in it together as a society but let’s not confuse that we the idea that “society” are government workers, that might be supposed to care about us as a whole, but in reality they care most about doing what it takes to maintain their jobs so they can get their pensions when that time comes.
My lesson in life is that there is no substitute for you and me, whoever we are, doing our share in caring for our loved ones, doing whatever we can do to help, encourage, enlighten anything we can possibly do, caring for our neighborhood, our country, our mankind, our planet. That sentiment is better supported in the US than in socialistic Europe where the individual thinks that his paying taxes makes “society” (government) take care of these issues.
The above to a large degree summarizes what 30 years of studying Scientology taught me.
Marty,
I have thought about leadership and I have concluded that it’s not about compromise, but about using good and sometimes brilliant PR to get people to do what’s right. Like it or not you are the leader of the independent movement. I spent years sitting on the side lines while my wife was investigating various websites. She was furious that I wouldn’t look at what she had found and I told her that if the accusations were true, ex Scientology executives would come forward and corroborate the accusations. This went on for some time until she showed me your website. It took about 5 minutes for me to be convinced. I can’t begin to tell you what your unyielding commitment to this cause has meant to me. You have showed great leadership and I hope you never compromise.
One more comment on Politricks. As usual, LRH said it best when he said that Scientology should be apolitical.
Marty says “I don’t waive any flag, right or left.”
My flag is self determinism. How’s that for ism.
I was a junior in high school when JFK was assassinated. Lived through it all, the tv clips, the assassination of the assassinator, etc. Prior to all that, rather rebellious myself and loved the fact that JFK was elected. Heavily Republican household and most certainly not Catholic favorable. To me, JFK was a young president, had a young wife and children, and lots of life force. Very exciting until November 22, 1963. Disaster! Never wanted to vote for a president after all that happened and shunned all the voter registration tables set up when any election was coming up. Somewhere along the line read, as Marty also refers to, “I think the old man had it right when he declared Scientology to be apolitical.” What a relief to me. I’d rather view from an apolitical viewpoint, which means study the issues, learn about the candidates, and vote accordingly. To conclude, amen to Marty’s final statement, “Politics will sort itself out when enough good folks transcend politics.” For now, we do our best.
The Left Right Argument
I believe the liberal/conservative argument is a good one. The problem lies is the demonization of natural human traits that each party claims for it’s own.
For instance the left has dibs on compassion and the right has dibs on self reliance.
The unreasonable left considers conservative self reliance as selfish white dolphin eating male minority hating earth polluting greed profit monsters who love Jesus.
The unreasonable right considers the compassion of the left as commie, socialist, anarchist wolf in sheeps clothing totalitarianism with a touch of give me my stuff you bad prosperous people cause I get your votes when I promise to help you with your challenges. (easy sell for people needing stuff)
Both of these principles: 1) compassion and intervention in the suffering of others through a centralized government and 2) keeping the playing field safe for job creators, entrepreneurs, inventors to make the next best mouse trap, supply a material need and create prosperity for millions are important.
The question of when to apply help and when to allow others to do it on their own requires wisdom and judgment. Something politicians are not known for having.
Compassion and free market politics ends up being an ugly war between politically driven true believing vote whores.
Human beings have both sides of these traits, help others and pull up by own boot straps.
The politicization and demonization of these two traits is American politics.
We try to destroy each others reputation in American politics, but hey, whenever I think our politics is bad I just read world news. It beats being put into the wood chipper feet first for thinking and expressing views against the man.
I’d rather have my feelings hurt and reputation damaged than beheaded or secretly feed radioactive material.
The left right argument is a good thing and alive and well in America.
Oh to have a truly wise man or women in the White House!
These parties we call Republic and Democratic have somewhere between very little and absolutely nothing to do with the definition of a Republic or a Democracy you learned in civics. Politics is like a burning bag of poop placed on you porch. You see it there and think you have to do something, so you stomp it out only to find yourself covered in the most vile of human excrement.
So when I think of politics I don’t think of civics. I see a great philosophy gone wrong through the failures of men to police themselves. Not police each other as that in the end runs into more politics.
Men who reach for power or request it at the expense of others I ignore. Men who do what they must for the good of all men I assist (and they have been few and far between in politics).
I don’t discuss politics but I do enjoy civics. There have been many great philosophies but few men great enough (as in What Is Greatness) to bring them to fruition.
John Aaron
Only stepping in here because anarchy is a much misunderstood and maligned idealogy.
Anarchy is the ideology of devolving all power and with it responsibility to the individual, effectively removing the state.
Anarcy would be great in a world where everyone treated each other as they would want to be treated and everyone practised altruistic co-operation. In other words as an idealogy it’s a long way from being practical.
When most people think of anarchy they’re really thinking of an ochlocracy, which is survival of the fittest mob rule where many groups duke it out until one gets overall power and the system becomes a dictatorship.
Personally I subscribe to the Orwellian Animal Farm view that at the extreme both left and right are essentially the same.
I dislike party politics because individual say is restricted to a vote every few years where the choices all carry baggage and ultimate power rests in the special interest lobbies.
I’d prefer the people vote on actual policies rather than Congress and Senate (Commons and Lords in UK), the technology exists to enable this.
The whole thing would likely be a mess until the advocates of the policy choices and the people learn the actual cause and effects of their decisions but could it be worse?
Would the US have invaded Iraq if the choice had been the people’s choice, perhaps they would have in a fit of nationalistic pride, convinced by Fox News that Iraq was somehow to blame for 9/11 and Saddam was all but ready to launch a salvo of nukes or bio-chem weapons on the West. But at least then the people would have to face the fact they chose to do it, they couldn’t turn around later and say it was some Neo-con plot for oil (which it probably was btw). They’d also have to figure out what to do about it.
Studies suggest large groups of people are more intellegent in concessus than individuals. There would be teething troubles but would a concessus system be that bad? The parties of old would become advocates for policy packages, packaged such that if you want this (road repairs say) it will cost this much and deliver this and this is how it we believe it should be funded (tax, toll, slave labor, what ever).
I am with you. The problem is that some people just don’t get swayed by facts. There is a whole string of academic papers and books that came out recently on this subject. Here is the link to one that explains it wit what else then the Reatctive Mind. Of course they talk about a certain part of the brain.
http://www.alternet.org/media/155210/Why_Is_the_Conservative_Brain_More_Fearful%3F_The_Alternate_Reality_Right-Wingers_Inhabit_Is_Terrifying/
Got to comment on this. Ronnie, you express your views extremely well. I agree with everything you articulate here. It is so important that people understand the Constitution of this country, especially how it was designed to limit the power of government and why.
Ryan commented about slaves, women not voting etc back at that time. But those wrongs were corrected per that document’s own procedures – Amendments. That is how it should be. Advocating that we follow the Constitution is not the same thing as advocating a return to the 18th Century.
If you can still find it today, Michael, check out 3DXX, or any of the early goals processes- JW
Awesome post Marty.
I agree that the old man had it right that Scn should be apolitical.
And I also agree that I have it right when I say you are one of the most clear and understandable writers — whether the subject be science, history, the destruction of Scn under the Reich of Miscavige, or politics —- I have ever read.
I have put in a plug for your book many times before, and I am doing it again.
Trust me when I say, you have an art for writing in a manner that can be understood.
Not many have this.
This post is an example and I was going to quot a line, and then another and then another….which makes my point, once again.
🙂
SK
Oops, so it was. Sorry.
And my dad was cured of his cancer, still her 15 years after it was detected and removed and still has annual checks to see if it’s come back. He also survived his heart attack 10 years ago and is actually fitter than before having regular cholestoral checks and managing his diet. Best of all no financial worries or increased insurance premiums.
My USA friend had a knee operation and required a 2nd one which the insurance refused to pay for because it was a “repeat” and he’s still paying for it 10 years later; you’d have thought he could sue or something but apparently not, no lawyer was interested because no negligence and he got caught in the middle.
Just sayin’
Regardless of motive, good or bad, the desire is to control.
One of every three is 33% (not 25%). One out of four would 25%, one out of five would be 20%, and 5% would be acceptable.
Marty, I was always confused at school/uni by the politcal spectrum. I even studied revolutionary history for three terms. The existing left/right didn’t work as such! Far left were as fascistic as the far right, etc. etc.! Then, a year ago I discovered a site called: politicalcompass.org – it literally gives another dimension to the political spectrum. It goes from left to right on the economic scale and from top to bottom on the authoritarian /libertarian scale. You can do a simple list of questions and find were you fit on this scale and it also plots famous figures on the scale. I found my own results very interesting and a relief. It blew a lot of confusion, as I was really unable to locate my own viewpoint on the existing model, at all. I can thoroughly recommend a five mintue look at the data on the website, in fact it opens the door to as to whether there are even more scales to plot political viewpoint?
What I make of that is that it is almost certainly disinformation.
Michael A. Hobson
Independent Scientologist
Well, Ronnie, then you’ll have the foot the bill for police, fire, sanitation, roads, bridges, tunnels, teachers, the army, navy air force, marines, coastguard, And the Right and most of the Left (except Sen Bernie Sanders who happens to be a Socialist) don’t seem to mind socialism when it comes to the oil and gas industries, farm subsidies and the nuclear power industries. Sure privatize everything. Screw the poor, the needy they don’t have the where-with-all to pull them selves up by their own bootstraps, so they aren’t worth a crap. Remember the Conservative audience at one of what was laughing called a “primary debate” -about I guy that couln’t afford heath care? Their sentiment was, “Let em die!”
That’s where a lot of the reactionary Right is these days. Any movement in the country that helped the great majority of people was by the left. the right has pretty much always been reactionary. Name one thing the Right has done for the general welfare in the last 60 years. Sure bust the unions. Give the corporations absolute and total control. Return women to the status of chattel. That’s the Right’s wet dream. You’re afraid of moving to the left? We’re so far in the direction of fascism — well see for yourself Google “The 14 Defining Characteristics of Facism” by Dr. Lawrence Britt. That where the right has wanted us to go since FDR ruffled their feathers. Let’s turn the clock back to the 50’s and 60’s. Let’s all vote on civil right for minorities, Put it on the ballot in all 50 states. Good luck and God speed.
Entitlements, a devisive term for the programs wage-earners pay into and are not entitlements at all, are a thing of the third and sixth decades of the last century — a thing of the past! The present century has seen the rise of the 2nd Incarnation of the the John Birch Society with the unlikely name thr Tea Party, or did they mean the Tory Party. The new Welfare State benefits the corporations and those the produce nothing, they, as the guy in the film said, OWN. This isn’t Marxist babble, it’s fact. And were it not for the Left, Dr. King would more likely than not never crossed the bridge at Selma, or told a crowd in our nation’s capital, the size of which rivaled the Bonus Army, about his dream. The so-called Left cares about people, individuals, others around them. The Right cares about themselves their immediate 2D nucleus, and money.
Exactly, Ulf. It is a matter of what you get in return for your tax dollar, or here in the Workers Paradise, your tax krona. Parents get a total of 480 paid days off maternity leave between them for each child. There is also a monthly stipend for each child. Your health care can cost you no more than 150 bucks a year (for administrative costs only). Your schooling from pre-school through university–totally free. These three things alone take how much out of the average American’s paycheck? College students in the U.S. graduate with diminished prospects for jobs and hundreds of Gs of student loan debt. How many Americans lose their homes to foreclosure due to an unexpected health crisis in the family? If one is going to be part of a society there has to be some give and take but taxes are really a smokescreen issue being used to divide people and keep them at each others’ throats, much as has been done in America (and other places) for centuries over race. An issue far more fundamental is MONEY and how it is generated and who controls it. If conservatives and liberals took their torches and pitchforks down to their nearest financial institution, things would begin to improve over night.
And I recommend Ellen Brown’s book The Web of Debt for an explanation of how the world really goes around (or aground, as the case may be).
Misha, like every other industrialized country in the world has except the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.
What is a tube steak?
I must be politics-desensitized, Marty, because I never even considered that anything you put on this blog deserved a politically-oriented response.
“Clowns to the left of me, jokers to my right, here I am…stuck in the middle with you.” — Steelers Wheel
+1 Has teeth, LOL.
The move towards more ballot propositions is interesting. I’m waiting for published information on judges.
I’m glad social services didn’t forced you.
I am pretty apolitical. I do remember, years ago, coming across something Ron wrote or said, which was that ultimately in a very ideal state of people being extremely sane that anarchy is the best-Anyone know the reference on this? it does follow what he discusses in the subject of freedom and barriers: basically the saner the the individual is the more freedom he gets and the less sane, the more barriers are needed- ie:a criminal who kills has to be put in jail.Most governments are not geared this way.
+1
Thanks for the better education. I was more or less joking. The Sea Org is not a communism as the distribution only flows up to David Miscavige.
The anarchy within the group is against Hubbard. In truth the Sea Org is way below anarchy. It is a totalitarianism:
Totalitarianism (or totalitarian rule) is a political system where the state recognizes no limits to its authority and strives to regulate every aspect of public and private life wherever feasible. Totalitarian regimes stay in political power through an all-encompassing propaganda campaign, which is disseminated through the state-controlled mass media, a single party that is often marked by political repression, personality cultism, control over the economy, regulation and restriction of speech, mass surveillance, and widespread use of terror.
If I may…
Clooney’s “Ides of March”, though fictional, is a very poignant take on today’s political system and it’s players. Many lessons in there for the western world. My favourite being the old but always relevant zen master story “We’ll see…”
x
In our truly socialized country we pay 19% sales tax, 30% social security and 25-50% on profit but unemployment and inflation are lowest of Europe. Nobody has to sleep on the streets and sometimes those that want to are urged to go inside as it gets too cold. Nobody is hungry and everybody gets healthcare. Our crime rates are one third or less than in America and our prisons run empty so that we have to import inmates to keep the warden jobs. Our roads are well maintained, safe and upgraded.
I can’t see any great difference in tax rates with America but our taxes are spend on the population and not on the military industrial complex and don’t fully disappear in the off shore banking system where it sits to extract even more currency from the real economy. It’s not used to buy politicians from both sides to play a razzle dazzle show of left-right population control.
We don’t ship millions of jobs over to China that gets us an import/export rate of 4/1 which will inevitable lead to parasitic taxes that can’t be spend on the population. Every sector of our industry is geared towards sustainability and we fight back at the economic onslaught that the banks have tried to level at us.
I totally agree with Marty’s observation about “Liberals” and “Conservatives” and “Republicans” and “Democrats”. In 1828 Noah Webster defined a Republic as: “…a state in which the exercise of the sovereign power is lodged in representatives ‘elected’ by the people.”
Notice the word “elected” there. That infers that there is supposed to some Democracy going on in a true Republic. Democracies and Republics are not necessarily mutually opposed. I suppose it might be possible to have something similar to a Republic where representatives were chosen by those who control major corporations……but oh yeah, that’s right, that would be called a Corporatocracy! Sounds familiar.
It’s interesting that our two major opposition terminals (uh, I mean political parties) have co-opted the terms “Democracy” and “Republic” into their names. And yet they are both controlled by the same big money.
By the way, from where I see it, the main problem with a “benevolent” dictatorship, other than the general squashing of self-determinism and and personal responsibility for government that can result, is the benevolent dictator’s crazy underling who takes over after him. …….Now that situation sounds really familiar, too.
Nice sentiment, but, do you use an SSN? Do you pay into socialistic insecurity and/or federal/state/local income tax? If so, you are indeed being used by the banksters. Income taxes and socialistic insecurity go hand in glove with a fiat, debt based money system. Read the Beardsley Ruml essay … he was chairman of the NY branch of the Federal Reserve, same position that Tim Geitner held. Ruml was the author/main proponent of income tax withholding during the WWII years. After the war, his essay appeared in the January 1946 issue of American Affairs magazine, the title of which was “Taxes For Revenue Purposes Are Obsolete” and then goes on to describe 4 reasons for taxation in a fiat money system. In essence, the fiat money system is put on the backs of the American worker. Read the article.
Pete
Most recently, it went to Wall Street in the form of TARP money.
Our president of Bavaria told it straight once to the people: „Those that have been elected have nothing to decide and those that decide had not been elected“. He did not point out if it only applies to Bavaria or Germany. It only makes sense to engage in political debate if those debating can decide over the matter they debate.
Here’s what doesn’t make sense to me.
The banks get bailed out by the government(s). This is socialism of a capitalistic institution, and find it bizarre that the banks/financial institutions get to pick and choose which system they want depending on the circumstances. So, in good times, and in profit, oh yes please, we will take that bonus. Effectively, capitalization of profit and socialization of loss.
I may not agree with capitalism, but at least could respect a CEO saying, ‘well, this company had lived by market forces for past 20 years and now the market is telling us to close the shop…’
Emotional conservatives and emotional liberals, being near each other on the tone scale (3.0 and 3.5) can get along and communicate with each other. They might have different priorities, but they can kind of see each other’s points. They will both target conditions, and they both will have an intention to improve conditions and create better survival.
When people go below 2.0 that is where attacking each other begins. The key thing is that people below 2.0 will want to target and attack people more than conditions. And the more polarized they become as they move to the hard left or the hard right, the more they dramatize destructive intentions towards groups or individuals that they consider oppose their goals. These goals came from a long long time ago and are mostly unknown to the person dramatizing them.
This phenomena is just a manifestation of the tendency to dramatize GPMs in the arena of politics. People become highly reactive on the subject, as well as highly irrational. The extremes on either side of the political spectrum become violent.
This is where the insanity lies, at the extremes.
On the tone scale there are harmonics (states that resemble others at other points).
Imho, anarchy is at 0.0 and at 4.0
I’m really sorry to hear about your brother and your husband. However, my mum has had cancer twice and wouldn’t be alive today without the (completely free) treatment she received. My own life has twice been saved by the NHS doctors. But there are good and bad examples in everything.
Tea Partyer answers: Yes, went to college. Still do. I paid my way or had scholarships. I have voted in every election I could. I have never received social benefits from govt. and no, I do not discriminate, or at least I do my best not to. I kinda subscribe to the Chris Rock school of thought when it comes to races: each group has their share of slackers.
I don’t dislike Obama because he’s black, I dislike him because he makes America weak in the attempt to even the playing field. In doing so, he weakened all world politics. That was far from pro-survival.
Brilliant Brian, brilliant!!! Excellent concise explanation. I do think President Obama is a wise man and in the American system of government, it is not a matter of ONE person, but maybe it is a matter of “TRULY” wise. Anyway, nice points you make. I generally concur with what Marty says above.
Ronnie, thanks for expressing yourself with clarity.
For those with iPhones and iPads there is a handy little app I personally refer to all the time in matters of the U.S. It is titled: Manual for the United States of America. It’s Free.
Amen brother!
I took a look on google maps – dude – I bet it is stunningly beautiful up there! Very close to Camden Maine where we spent our honeymoon. Definitely need to stock up on your winter woollies though…
Tube steak is slang for hot dog.
+1
🙂
To be fair anarchy has 2 meanings. One is a state of disorder resulting from a lack of authority. The second is the absence of Government and absolute freedom of the individual as a political ideal. Where one sees disorder I see a poitical ideal I guess, one I admit is not achievable because people aren’t ready for it.
My argument being if the disorder were bad it would become an orchlocracy possibly followed by a dictatorship.
Here’s a little glossary.
Socialism: You have 2 cows. You give one to your neighbor.
Communism: You have 2 cows. The government takes them and gives you some of the milk.
Fascism: You have 2 cows. The government steals them from you and sells you the milk.
Nazism: You have 2 cows. The government grabs them and terminates you.
Bureaucracy: You have 2 cows. The government takes them, kills one, milks the other one and throws the milk out the window.
Capitalism: You have 2 cows. You sell one to buy a bull.
Corporate Scientology: You have 2 cows. You give them to DM. He tells you it’s not enough. You go the bank to get a loan.
You buy 2 more cows. You give them to DM. He tells you it’s not enough. You go back to the bank to mortgage your house.
You buy 2 more cows. You give them to DM. He tells you it’s not enough. You tell him you’re broke. He tells you you’re OT, you can handle it, your immortal soul is at stake. You borrow money from your family, your friends and people you don’t even know, you hock Aunt Lily’s pearl necklace that has been in the family for five generations.
You buy 2 more cows. You give them to DM. He tells you it’s not enough. The future of mankind lies in your hands. You tell him the bank just foreclosed your house, plus you had to go into hiding because the IRS and some nasty loan sharks are after you. He tells you you’re an outstanding, upstat member of the church, you’re OT, you’ll figure it out. You tell him you’re not OT, you’re on Self-Analysis. You never had enough cows to go up the Bridge – you gave them all away to him. He tells you that he is very disappointed in you and that you should report to the MAA – you’re probably PTS or out-ethics, or both.
You begin a doubt condition. You take a good hard look at the “isms” above. And you decide to become a communist because you know that even if they take your cows, you will at least get some milk.
Or you say, to hell with all the darned “isms”, and you become an Independent.
Pete,
Thanks for your posts. I do share your views that we have become slaves to the money masters since the passage of the federal reserve act and the Constitutional amendment permitting income taxes. However, it is getting off topic for Marty’s post, which concerns the fact that Scientology is non-political, a view with which I also agree.
There is no context around this, so it doesn’t really make sense. One of my favorite hobbies is conspiracy theory. Please don’t reduce this wonderful philosophy to a talking point. Conspiracy theories require long explanations and profuse references and footnotes. Oh yes, and don’t forget to watch Deek Jackson at FKN News:
Thanks for this post Marty. Aptly named, though it doesn’t appear everyone appreciated the irony of the title.
I for one get annoyed with the political chatter that enters into here now and then. There are plenty of other blogs for wasting time with that.
Too many of us are expert spectators on world affairs (self included) which makes for an interesting hobby and lively conversation, but doesn’t do (and won’t do) much for changing the course of human affairs. That said, your comments show more wisdom on the subject than one hears in most conversations on the subject which otherwise are rarely stated with such eloquent brevity.
Modern politics is just part of the 4th dynamic engram which, as I think about it, is just getting more and more stirred up with all this “out-of-session” coffee shop auditing. Isn’t it?!!
And the Auditor (CofS) assigned to the case has been getting more and more stirred up (and introverted, subverted and converted) by the Pope on a Box.
Tells you whose side he’s on.
–Which, I believe, is more the point of your blog. IMHO.
I think I love you Michael fairman
Marty,
You have my complete agreement when you say:
“My politics are that I don’t cotton to corruption and greed, and bullying and injustice to perpetuate corruption and greed. My philosophy is that if enough people could be brought around to that way of thinking to the point of doing something about it, politics would be a rather pleasant subject and the world would be a far more fair and enjoyable place to live.”
Fighting greed and corruption in any form, from either side of the political aisle is what we have been doing for many years now as our prime purpose.
One of the most revealing movies that I have seen that attempts to open the door to a handling (for corporate greed & corruption in the U.S.) is a movie called “The Corporation“. If you haven’t already seen it, and you feel strongly about trying to right the wrongs in this country, this film will definitely help you toward a better understanding of what is wrong with this society. Not to ruin the plot for you; it is a careful analysis of the characteristics of a Corporation, how they generally behave (yes – badly), and their “rights” as a corporation in the current “legal” scene in the U.S.
As a tempter, on the website that I have provided a link to above, there are study guides for classes from high school through university levels on critical thinking in the following key categories:
Ethics
Corporate social responsibility
Politics and ideology
Economic and social interdependence among individuals, corporations and nations
Impacts of commercial activity on individuals, communities and the environment
Impacts of globalization
If that ain’t a laundry list of the key factors for society, I don’t know what is !
“My philosophy is that if enough people could be brought around to that way of thinking to the point of doing something about it”
That is wy i am reading your blog and comments almost every day Marty. I’d never had a doubt about your intention and I’m very grateful for what i learn here.
When the first time i decide to sit my but on the chair and read your blog, I’d never return to the idle morgue crap and more then before i want to move up a little higher.
All of you commentators and specially you Marty…THANK YOU 🙂
Eugene
What a total crock.
Sorry but when I read diatribes like this, full of absolute false ignorant nonsense, I can’t hold back. People whose only answer to arguments with which they disagree is to call them “fascists” and other names completely violate the spirit and truth of Marty’s post.
There is no such thing as “free”. All wealth is created by someone. To have “free” health care or anything else, means at rock bottom that someone is entitled to some portion of the labor of another. And that the power of the state is used to compel this wealth transfer. That can only be ethical if those doing the production are in broad agreement that it should be so.
What is happening in this country is that this broad agreement, to the extent it existed in the first place, is breaking down. The main reason for this, IMO, is that more and more people are coming to the conclusion that government is incompetent and inefficient, inept and often corrupt. Just look at how wrong the creators of Social Security and Medicare got their projections about average lifespan. These programs are going broke because the original projections have turned out to be wildly off.
Rational people see this (at least some do), and withdraw their agreement from the proposition that the right solution is to do even more of the same.
If this country is ever going to go down the road of Sweden, the left (or should I say the advocates) of even greater wealth transfers from net producers to net takers are going to have to start making more effective arguments rather than just calling their opponents names as is currently the case.
Wow, posted by you, a guy who wrote political articles and run a Obama campaign!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I agree with the original thread, until people of a good heart who are not easily bought off start running the show, things will not resolve.
Besides, what’s the point of getting into a right wing-left wing argument? Last time I looked, whoever gets in runs exactly the same policies.
And while we are on the subject of left wing and right wing, the media and politicians would have us believe there is such a thing as left wing and right wing, while the people are bounced like a ping pong ball between these utterly false positions.There is no such thing. It is a scale, at one end there is no government whatsoever — anarchy. At the other there is total government control. And of course, extreme “right wing” and extreme “left wing” are the same thing — total government control or totalitarianism — both say the state is all, the individual nothing.
What a great post – you speak sooth –
1000% agreement.
Another great post, brilliantly argued!
Oh please, you are SO misinformed!
I used to be a liberal until I realized the only new or creative ideas for solutions to economic problems were coming from the conservative movement. Good or bad, they were at least new, and almost always thoughtful, deserving of debate.
The so-called “left” has not had a new constructive idea since Marx – “use the power of government to take from Peter to pay Paul” is the common denominator of every one of their policies.
I realize that is a polarizing comment and I hate to do that on this blog. However, as I said earlier, and as others have noted, at some point those on the left are going to have to come up with some new ideas, and get better at making their arguments. Instead of brushing off the other side as “caring [only} about themselves and money”.
Wow, what an interesting post Trey!
You gave me a nice cog with that one – thanks.
John,
Your comment: “Politics is like a burning bag of poop placed on your porch. You see it there and think you have to do something, so you stomp it out only to find yourself covered in the most vile of human excrement.”
Very well said IMHO. Your definition also applies to organized religion ….some more than others…. .but the one which immediately comes to mind is our old favorite, the super pooper scoopin granddaddy of vile human excrement like no other …… the CO$ as represented by David Miscavige and the Cool Aides!
Don’t mean to make light of your excellent observations as your last paragraph very well sums up our situation.
You’d rather have the medicos and pharmas monopolize health care as they do? Obamacare is not “socialized medicine”. It is an enforced medico/pharma monopoly welfare. Last time their monopoly was nearly perfected, they damn near destroyed L Ron Hubbard and Scientology,not to mention the practice of chiropractors, nutrionalists, and any other spirit or nature base remedies. When you put your energy into either side of the gpm, you can’t help but become more solid and ineffectual.
So do the covert use of labels masquerading as adjectives such as “total”, “absolute”, “false”, and “ignorant” to modify such LABELS as “crock and “nonsense”.
I once wrote a rather lengthy article once – never published – on how corporations were used to usurp the United States Constitution, and even capitalism’s acknowledge father Adam Smith. Hopefully, I’ll find it one day. A fascinating story.
Brilliant.
You are a wonderful being.
Smart to analalyze it against the tone scale. It all falls apart below 2.0 – as LRH noted someone below 2.0 can be counted upon to lie.
It is called corporate welfare. If you study more closely you will see the most of the money poured into creating the impression that we live in a welfare society comes from the biggest recipients of welfare there is: corporations and bankers.
Chris, I agree. I recommend the movie too.
Interesting. I have a friend who has done a remarkable study – not yet published – on native American cultures (not just US, but throughout the Americas) indicating centuries of what we now define as anarchy as a very workable and pro-survival political system. It’s major glitch – and the cause of its demise – inability to contend with the force inflicted and driven by European greed.
True. And if it were not for the right, we’d all be living in the equivalent to the Sea Org, but with no spiritual enhancement. Sorta like communist Russia or communist East Germany. I think we’ve go to transcend or we will descend.
haydn – Great Response!!
There is so little different between the official parties and those voted into office. The following video shows the truth and the fact that the parties are basically just part of the same special interests.
I learned from your great editing back in the day. 🙂
Very well stated Marty. My wife wisely forbids me to discuss politics within the walls of our home/ministry.
So, my only comment on the matter will be this: There is more “solution” to any political situation by honestly doing each step of the bridge, than in all the wise or ignorant words spoken on the subject.
Were we all able to communicate with anyone on any subject, able to recognize the source of problems and make them vanish, cleaned up on our whole track overts and witholds, able to face change with enthusiasm, devoid of service facsimilies, throughly clear, self/pan determined and truly incapable of being implanted ever again, we could develop a wonderful society with just about any political philosophy ever invented which is above 3.0 on the tone scale.
Apolitical or Panpolitical.
I think the spirit and truth of Marty’s blog is the greatest good for the greatest number of people. It just so happened as a result of the careful machinations by the elite few, that the vast majority (like 99%) of people are completely or partially f…ed and getting f..ckter and f..ckter while the elite few are getting crazier and crazier and pushing more and more. What do you have riding on those few? Nothing. So get off the high horse and just start looking around you.
There is a little secret. It is called corporate welfare. I found this link to Ralph Nader’s description. I haven’t read it, but – based on his track record – I bet he nails it.http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Nader/CutCorpWelfare_Nader.html
Ulf, I like your post but with all honesty I have to add that in addition to the 31% income tax in Sweden you have high sales taxes on everything so the actual tax approaches 50% for most people. That data is from Dan Koon who lives there now. At the same time, Sweden is one of the happiest countries in the world, together with Denmark (where people are the happiest in the world), which is also considered Socialist by our standards.
Amen.
+2
You make my point.
Ah, but you do use public services – every time you drive on a street, visit a local park, go to the library, hike in a national park, rely on the Navy, Army, Marines, Coast Guard, report a stolen bike to the police, and on and on. Your college education was heavily subsidized, well beyond the tuition you paid. Even scholarships = financial aid for you and a tax deduction for whoever made it possible – all supported and made possible by the community. You enjoy subsidies for food, oil & gas, etc. If you own a home, you receive tax benefits. I doubt that one man can make America weak, but remember that Obama has been in office for a little over 3 years. Bush’s legacy is what we are dealing with right now – two wars, crashed financial system, historic unemployment, while 1% continue to grow wealthier. I would say that the dysfunctional congress has weakened America by its failure to work collaboratively. Everyone wants the benefits of a society, but no one wants to contribute into it. The perception of dynamics doesn’t reach much beyond the first 3. That is weakening this country. That is out-exchange.
No one pays 33%. The wealthiest 1% pay around 12% and the rest of us pay around 25%.
That’s exactly is the problem, Dan. This is the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave. What’s that tone? 1.5? 2.0? It is not the land of the Community of People Who Like Each Other. The Home is their Castle. Individuation. It was set up that way. Interesting experiment. What does the American Anthem say? Who knows! But definitely not, “Let’s all live together in peace and have each others back.”
More like ‘land of the Greed and home of the Slave?” Sub-title of a book I was working on in 08 before I got interrupted by Scientology.
Publius, how can we believe you? You being a “bitter defrocked” Liberal “apostate. Everyone knows not to trust bitter defrocked apostates. 🙂
Allergy warning: the previous statement was an attempt at satire using the church of scientology (inc) argument that you can’t trust anyone who’s been in and left because they’re “bitter defrocked appostates” like Marty. 😉
I paid 28%. Probably cause I don’t play games with numbers.
This article and the majority of the comments made here, have got to be among the most sane, rational and intelligent discussions of politics I have ever found in one place.
In my past I have gone into strong agreement with both extremes of the political spectrum, and I count it one of my greatest personal spiritual accomplishments to have finally acquired the understanding to pull out of them and stay out of them.
LRH wrote a little-known essay called “SOCIALISM AND SCIENTOLOGY” (Certainty – Nov 64 – Tech Vol VII p532) that challenges common misconceptions from all sides, and I highly encourage you to read it.
Back in October 2004, an extremely divisive e-mail, written up by Class VIII, Daniel Trevor, was widely circulated by SuperPower Exec, Natalie Simms (among others) just before the Kerry-Bush election. It was filled with make-wrong statements like this:
“It is interesting that I frequently hear of Democrats cogniting
and becoming Conservative Republicans, but I NEVER hear of the reverse. That’s because they have recognized certain truths that are simply, well, true.” (direct quote taken from his broadly circulated “write-up”)
Trevor liberally used cherry-picked LRH references and his “Class VIII” status to bolster his assertions. Dennis Clarke (who stood up well to the vicious charges that he was “attacking a Class VIII”) aptly termed this a “right-up” and I credit him with putting things back on the rails, at least in a big part of the field. He also circulated an “alternative opinion” from another field auditor who pointed out the folly of alienating 50% of the human race with politics and introduced us all to the above-mentioned LRH reference. OSA finally stepped in to discourage its further circulation for “endangering tax exemption status.”
As DSA, I fielded a number of complaints from public extremely offended to find church execs and OLs forwarding these thinly disguised attacks on their viewpoint just before the election. I did my part to nix it in the Dallas field (I was in transition at the time, to Costa Rica).
The fact that OSA had to step in on the tax exemption point, just revealed another example of the atmosphere of insanity breeded by David Miscavige’s cultification process. This behavior was quite the opposite of granting beingness to different viewpoints that would otherwise be expected at the top of the tone scale.
I confess that I was ripe for the fanaticism at the time, convinced by one and all that the “psychs were behind the left”. But within a year of the election came TMAP and the Eli Lily White House for Big Pharma, demonstrating that the “evil psychs” had a foothold in both parties. (As does the banking establishment whose only logical path forward is world slavery.)
Whether you forgive or revile the lead politicians, they are caught up in far greater forces, and their positioning on the artificial political spectrum is usually illusory. Only the assertion of honest principles, dealing in truth, can make any difference, in my opinion.
An even more basic notion, it seems to me, is that political ideology may shape lifestyles and pathways (structure of the game) but has so little bearing on morality as to be revealed as a trap where presented as such (from Maoism to Limbaugh to Miscavology).
Religious fanaticism is not too far afield from political fanaticism. I am late in discovering for myself that tolerance and compassion are the most effective antidotes for either one.
It isn’t for no reason that paths and bridges have edges. Extremism is an invitation to the abyss. As Trey points out above, they dramatizations from GPMs (Goals that acquire Problems and Mass from opposition) that overwhelm self-determinism.
“I hereby declare Scientology to be nonpolitical and nonideological” – LRH – HCO PL 14 JUN 65 – III POLITICS, FREEDOM FROM
I would be very interested to read it.
The premise for the entire film is a legal precedent that was set many years ago that gave the rights of an individual citizen to the identity called a “Corporation”. Then they proceed to dissect what has happened since that day in terms of a gradual creep away from what we all know this society should look like, but certainly doesn’t any more. It is very similar to the gradual change that we have seen happen in Corporate Scientology – headed toward inhumanity and a lack of ARC – the basic building blocks of the individual [spirit] that no corporation can bring to the table.
BTW, the title of the movie above is a clickable link – for some reason the bolding has stopped the normal blue color for the link. I am getting too complicated for my own good…
I will repeat it here without the bold tag:
“The Corporation” – go ahead and beg, borrow, or steal it for a viewing – it is eye-popping information.
+1
Well stated, Bruce. True betterment is the route we can all agree on. “Compassionate conservatives” and “common-sense liberals” are all good with me.
Marty, having actively worked in the political system with both parties for 6 years on federal, state and local levels, I agree with you a gazillion percent.
My point exactly, JW. Personal responsibility my ass. You know that I can’t find 3DXX and yet not telling me what your point is. You are just hiding behind some alleged LRH materials, implying that you are more informed. That shows that personal responsibility level you were rallying for.
Yeah, I saw the movie – it is very good.
Brilliant post – thanks.
I admit to being conflicted on what is the best solution. I agree with you about medicos and pharmas monopolizing health care, every one of your other points as well. My point here was simply, the “social contract” is breaking down, for various reasons, but in large part because of prior government fiascos and misestimations. More and more people are losing faith in the ability of government to solve large scale social problems. If we as a society are going to have any hope of solving these problems, somehow the base of agreement needs to start broadening, and stop constricting. This is not achieved by name calling and misrepresentation of the positions of the other side. That is why I liked your post so much, as it seemed to suggest something similar.
It is all too easy to get sucked into the GPM of politics.
I guess I don’t see the solution to too much corporate power as being even more government power. The alternatives you mentioned, including Scientology, are, it seems to me, best created and maintained in a society that is as free as possible from interference and domination from either or both sources.
Good read, explaining how corporate America got rid of democracy and prepared for the following economic meltdown.
I appreciate the satire, Dean!
The right-left argument keeps the flock in an on going games condition; divide and impera. It serves to deflect attention from the totalitarians behind and in control of the 2 party system. It’s the excuse of why nothing is being done about it and thus protects the legion of rip-off schemes perpetrated on the citizen, keeping them small and obedient.
Point well taken. I withdraw the adjectives and labels, and I trust your point applies to Michael’s use of same.
I do, however, stand by my viewpoint that it is counterproductive to throw labels at the other side(whichever side that is), as opposed to engaging them in honest debate.
Better to avoid GPMs as much as possible – but as long as we occasionally fall into them, it probably makes sense to keep the dialogue between the poles as civilized as possible, with at least some mutual granting of beingness.
YES!!
I would recommend turning off the news, and putting down the political books for a spell, and using the time to study L Ron Hubbard’s Level 4 Academy training material.
My, is your point served hot or cold. I thought I was entitled to have a viewpoint as well as eveyone else, guess not – you’re a funny fellow!
Pull up graph that breaks down what precentages and how much our tax dollars are spent on social programs
Yes, the US spends more on the military than all of its allies and possible adversaries combined.
I think one thing you are not looking at is the relationship of “government” to the powers that be. Take a closer look at what role “government” actually serves in this country. I think you will find that more so than not, government in this country serves as a means to redirect the wealth within our borders from the poorer to the richer. To the degree that wing-nut, far-right wingers vehemently scream to ‘get government out of the road’ they have been successfully distracted by the one’s instilling that vehemence – the very people whom ‘government’ facilities siphoning wealth from the many to the few.
Gee, that’s a nice write up. Thank you.
I don’t have faith that simply getting trained and going up the Bridge will magically solve things. Look at how many Clears and OTs up to VIII are PTS to DM at Int and in Scn at large, and how many still hold extreme viewpoints, or still seem to be not very bright or able.
It’s an old saying that the first casualty of war is Truth.
Thank you for using the term, ‘corporate welfare’ as it reminded me of an article I read ages ago by George Monbiot, who could be described as the British Ralph Nader, but imho, infinitely more readable.
http://www.monbiot.com/2011/11/21/the-corporate-welfare-state/
That’s it in a nutshell. Award for “most succinctly-stated”!
Well stated
George M. White
Can you sue the CofDavie for squirreling and giving you a heart attack?
They are in the Red Vols. It is not confidential materials.
Hope I don’t wear out my welcome, because I love this blog and the dialogue it creates, but:
“wing-nut”
“far-right”
Aren’t these also “labels masquerading as adjectives”, per one of your responses below?
I do understand the relationship between government and the “powers that be” quite clearly, and agree with you on its insidiousness.
IMO, in the not-so-distant past, we had a political scene like this (vastly simplified):
Democrats: representing the working class
Republicans: representing the corporate class
Today we have one like this:
Democrats:
– representing the corporate class
– representing the working class
Republicans:
– representing the corporate class
– representing the entrepreneurial class
What needs to happen, IMO, to break the link between BOTH political parties and the corporate class.
As to the entrepreneurial class and the working class, their interests are a lot more aligned than not. One creates jobs; the other needs jobs.
Uncle. I’ve moved on to the next post and far beyond.
Award for “First to recognize and ack”
Thanks, Bluebonnet, but I am not interested in suing anybody for my personal condition. I would sue Dave for destroying the way up for billions of beings but I don’t think there is any law against it. In fact, the powers that be seem to welcome Dave with open arms. Finally, somebody is putting an end to that pesky Scientology that could set people free!
Dean,
That depends on the type of “control” being used… Good or Bad?
ΘTater/GaryLerner
Politircks! Spot on title. And great quote: “Politics will sort itself out when enough good folks transcend politics.” -Mark Rathbun
Precisely! Thank you.
I said nothing about who pays how much. I just pointed out that some can’t do basic math, yet feel qualified to speak authoritatively on macro numbers, set national policies, and completely misinterpret plain English with the goal of putting down someone else who CAN do basic math.
No, the tube steak line was in there as a bit of sarcastic humor.
Pete
Yes, I agree. 🙂
I think the word “control” tends to make people think of “bad control” as it also implies lack of freedom etc. Between guide and control there might be a word that has the right balance but I can’t think of it.
This is why I try to remember an “allergy warning” 🙂
+10,000 John. I read ya’ !
Absolutely spot-on, Publius, and very well said too.
Oh, yeah. Everybody who ever escaped from the Sea Org RPF took a set of Scientology Technical Volumes with them. Right.
Michael A. Hobson
Independent Scientologist
Wow, Michael, take a deep breath. In fact, I don’t know that you can’t find 3DXX, and, in any case, thought referencing “early goals processes” would give additional conceptual support. (I exited in ’80-’81, after seeing the writing on the wall and turning over my missions. It seems things deteriorated substantially even from what I saw as untenable at that time.) I’m not trying to hide behind any implied “secret” knowledge of LRH materials. My point was that getting wrapped up in the current left/right, Bush/Obama smokescreen was unlikely to produce much insight because it was all distraction similar to what LRH had described as a Goals-Problem-Mass (GPM)- hopefully that information hasn’t been purged from the materials as well; that, FOR ME, the easiest way to wade through these political issues was to focus on those leaning towards personal responsibility vs. those that lean towards collectivism.
European greed, Marty? Is it at all possible that one person’s seeing (rightly or wrongly) what he or she interprets as underused resources which could be transformed into things deemed much more desirable (valuable), might be viewed by another person (and perhaps at a much later time) as thoughtless and self-serving aggrandizement? Does one person’s commitment to assist in whatever ways possible the personal spiritual and emotional enhancement of others mean that any other people who are less educated and/or evolved are somehow more mean-spirited and unethical because of that lack?
Awfully flowery language to excuse the genocide of hundreds of human cultures.
Simply encouraging evaluation by the morals and consciousness that existed at the time, rather than condemnation based upon sets of criteria that rely substantially on hindsight. After all, what is the purpose of assigning any assumed motives at any time?
My 2 cents re Politricks: