THE LAST DEFENSE

Speak your mind. Voice your opinion. Keep your sanity.

[tld2012]

AmeriGEDDON Exclusive Release: Powerful Film Exposes Globalist Takeover Plan Mike Norris, son of Chuck Norris reveals trailer for film the establishment doesn't want you to see Amerigeddon is a dire warning, wake up call of what could be our future.  When a globalist terrorist organization aligned with the United Nations disables the US power grid and institutes Martial Law.  It will take a dedicated family of patriots armed with strong survival skills and the remains of the Second Amendment to save America and reclaim its freedom. Starring: Gary Heaven, Marshal Teague, Deena Meyer, Anna Lynne McCord,  and Diane Ladd Directed By Mike Norris. Message from Mike B: Very excited for this film! We need to spread the word ... very powerful trailer, so psyched! A film like this could spread like wildfire in a way that documentaries really can’t. People have to sit down and focus for a documentary. This movie will just beam the info into freedom hungry Americans. It will make things make sense. Please share on social media now!

[tld2012]

Grandmaster Putin’s Hard Lesson on Emptiness and Fullness

Haneul Na’avi 29 November 2015

The ability to gain victory by changing and adapting according to the opponent is called genius. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War

Russia’s two-month long battle against the Islamic State has proven fruitful and elevated her status as a champion against global terrorism, but while the country has much to celebrate militarily and economically, its successes eventually placed it at cross-purposes with a key strategic ally.

The “stab in the back” heard round the world—Turkey’s surreptitious downing of a Russian SU-24 as it flew in Syria’s northwestern Latakia province—not only cost pilot Sergei Rumyantsev his life and constituted a war crime under Article 51 of the UN Charter, but reveals Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s ambivalent geopolitical ambitions. Turkey has become a servant of too many masters, forcing the ruling AKP in a predicament that it may not be able to control later.

On October 6, Reuters reported that “a MIG-29 fighter jet of unknown nationality and Syria-based missile systems ‘interfered’ with eight Turkish F-16 jets patrolling along the Syrian border”, yet a Middle East Monitor article shifted focus on Ankara’s concerns to a Russian Su-24 by stating that, in a press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, “the military did not specify the type of plane but Turkish presidential sources and the Russian Ministry of Defense identified the aircraft as a Russian SU-24”. This created the perfect conditions for the Nov. 24 takedown of the Su-24, as the Syrian Arab Army commonly uses MIG-29 fighter jets, but Russia’s Sukhoi-24 fighters could come under Ankara’s crosshairs to escalate future provocations. In the article MEMO sources, they do not specify the type of plane which caused the provocation.

The same day, in a London Guardian article, US Secretary of State John Kerry insinuated the possibility, where he “warned that the incident could have led to Turkey shooting down the Russian plane”. Russia’s Defence Ministry had already clarified that “an SU-30 fighter aircraft had entered Turkish airspace ‘for a few seconds’ on Saturday because of bad weather, adding that measures had been taken to prevent a repeat of such incidents”. However, US Senate candidate Mark Dankof explained Kerry’s ulterior motive in an Alwaght article, in which his “concerns about these alleged Russian incursions into Turkish airspace continue to divert public and world attention from what is absolutely obvious and that is that the military interventions of the United States in Syria have produced even worse results than they have in Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan or half a dozen other places where this type of thing has been attempted.”.

After the fiasco, rather than immediately clarifying the TuAF’s actions to Moscow or informing his counterpart, Erdogan called for an ‘extraordinary meeting’ to validate his actions. Additionally, Stoltenberg, not Russian FM Sergey Lavrov, revealed that NATO never made any efforts to contact Lavrov after discovering the event. “There has been contacts between Ankara and Moscow, Turkey and Russia but so far there has been no direct contact between NATO and Russia. But we have been in contact with Turkey, a NATO ally, which has directly been in contact with Russian authorities,” Stoltenberg mentioned. This perplexing protocol gave NATO plenty of time to create its alibi, and Lavrov expressed NATO’s enmity in a recent press conference. "At NATO's meeting yesterday, strange words concerning Russia's Su-24 jet tragedy were said. We received [sic] no condolences from NATO or the European Union,” he said. Russian NATO envoy Alexander Grushko echoed these sentiments in a November 24th press release by stating, “[Stoltenberg] did not make a single hint of condemnation of the attack on our aircraft which did not pose and could not pose any threat to the security of Turkey and was in the airspace of Syria. There were no words of consolation or regret about casualties among the Russian crew who were performing their duties in the fight against terrorism. However, there are references to the implications of the military actions of the Russian Air Forces.”

This ‘betrayal’ plays well into Ankara’s twofold agenda: a pivot towards NATO and to preserve his Caliphate-building project in the MENA region. It serves as a warning to Russia for attacking its terrorist assets in Deir ez-Zor, but moreover, it informs NATO—and most importantly Washington—that it is better to shepherd Islamic State together than harbour bitter rivalries. Furthermore, Turkey’s massacre and subsequent CIA cover-up of US-backed Kurdish PKK and YPG fighters, in addition to his control over the flow of European refugees, is another message to the West that he controls two of the world’s greatest ‘headaches’. Therefore, Turkey can coerce the West to turn a blind eye to his human rights violations and jihadi philanthropy (stealing Iraq oil) in exchange for increased bargaining on Kurdish militias and financial backing for Syrian refugees, as well as keeping tabs on Russia’s anti-ISIS campaign.

Nevertheless, Turkey’s extortionate relationship to both political spheres resembles a love triangle between the Eastern and Western blocs, and it capitalises on this greatly. Where there are disagreements on relations with the European Union, Turkey moves towards China by way of its ties to the Silk Road as it did in 2013. “There has been a structural transformation in Turkey’s engagement with the EU, with the flow of EU investment funds decreasing in recent years and a declining share of EU countries in Turkish trade. In 2003, more than 55 percent of Turkey’s trade was with EU countries; today only 40 percent is with the EU,” a Transatlantic Academy paper mentioned. Although profitable, when Russia no longer supported Turkey’s Ottoman agenda in Syria, it moved closer to NATO by dragging the security bloc into a potential world war. While in a sea of amorous advances between both parties, it cuckolded them both by its a history of state-sponsored terrorism abroad and crackdowns on dissent at home.

Turkey’s placement in the Middle East also seeks to reinvigorate a power sharing agreement with Saudi Arabia, now that both finance Islamic State and are ethnically cleansing Yemenis and Kurds. This Sunni alliance mirrors the transatlantic Western powers of London, Washington, and the Vatican, with Riyadh in charge of religious affairs and oil distribution, the UAE in charge of economics, and Turkey at the helm of political dealings. This cooperative serves to triangulate Sunni and Wahhabi influence over the region, with Islamic State as the “knock-around guys” to any nation that refuses to submit to their agendas.

Nevertheless, Turkey’s recent miscalculations, Saudis entanglements in Yemen, and Islamic State’s wayward behaviour have disintegrated this power sharing agreement, and the Kremlin’s retaliatory measures will certainly impact Turkey’s future influence. Many bilateral agreements have been frozen, including the Turkish Stream pipeline, which was already rerouted after the "Made in the USA" Ukrainian coup, the Akkuyu nuclear power plant (worth 20 bln USD), and numerous construction and energy projects. Visa-free entry has been suspended, and sanctions on Turkey’s tourism sector. “[…] the Turkish Hoteliers Federation (TÜROFED), said last month the Turkish tourism industry is likely to close the year with at least $10 billion in losses,” a Today’s Zaman article highlighted, also mentioning the effects of continued EU sanctions. Further escalations could retract its participation in the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank, where Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Iran are already members. Russia has already mulled the terms of new sanctions, which could severely shrink Turkey’s fragile economy and significance.

Triangles are the way to operate in today’s political world, and Russia has a few potential ones of its own. The growing Shi’a alliance between Iraq, Iran, and Syria is an excellent start, which forms a buffer zone against Islamic State and Saudi Arabia. All three countries have ‘boots on the ground’ and are cleaning up the mess of IS. In addition to Moscow’s alliance with Tehran, Syria and Iraq’s shared resentment towards Washington is perfect motivation to cooperate. This seamlessly fits in with Iran’s near induction into the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and role in combatting terrorism in Afghanistan; the birthplace of the CIA-trained Mujahideen. A Zerohedge article elaborated that, “time will tell if Russia decides to take a more active role in Afghanistan but […] targets in the country are likely well within range of Moscow's Caspian Sea fleet which has launched a number of cruise missile strikes against ISIS positions in Syria”. It continues that Iran “despises the Taliban and would likely be more than happy to assist in an operation to rout the group in Afghanistan just as they assisted [sic] the US in removing Mullah Omar from power.” Economically, the power alliance has already been set into place via the AIIB, bypassing need for USD, which could completely ruin US-Iranian relations. This forms another triangle: the economic, military, and political benefits Tehran could use to elevate its status after neutralising its neighbour’s security threats.

Conversely, Putin could benefit from another profitable alliance, although it is more far-fetched. Ideally, he could attempt to create a Sunni-led alliance between Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Pakistan. All three have overwhelmingly Sunni demographics and share concern over terrorism; yet Tajikistan is the only official SCO member. Through careful coordination, there is a real possibility of sealing off further Takfiri interference, reducing dependency on Washington, and increasing military cooperation amongst both permanent and observatory SCO members. Additionally, due to Pakistan’s pivot to the East after America’s ignominious drone programme, Pakistan should use diplomacy with its Afghan and Indian neighbours to counter terrorism.

To date, Afghanistan has already requested Russia’s assistance against the Taliban, and Pakistan’s recent arms and bilateral agreements with Gazprom could help to secure its energy and security concerns. “There have been reports that Pakistan may purchase Mi-35 combat helicopters apart from directly importing the Klimov RD-93 engines from Russia rather than via China for its JF-17 multi-role fighters […] Russian state-owned firm Rostekh Corporation is planning to build a 680 mile gas pipeline in Pakistan in 2017 at an estimated cost of $2.5 billion”, a Diplomat article states. This would also insure that Islamic State’s growing presence in Jammu and Kashmir does not trouble Mumbai, whom was recently attacked by insurgents in 2008 with implications of GHCQ and NSA opportunism. "The IS is a live threat that cannot be ignored. It is a cause of concern and we are monitoring it," stated Kashmir Lieutenant General Satish Dua.

Turkey’s geopolitical missteps do not have to spell the end of Russo-Turkish relations, but it significantly creates problems for Russia and China in the aftermath. Putin can simply grieve over his favourite O’Jays tune, put on his best suit, and focus on matters close to home. Furthermore, if Putin wants a more effective counterterrorism strategy, he should not overlook strengthening ties within South Asia, whom harbour real possibilities amongst his strongest triangle—the SCO, CSTO, and AIIB—all which are within his diplomatic control. If NATO countries continue to undermine Russia and China’s growing dominance with more reckless actions such as these, they will inherit Turkey’s baggage when it becomes a politically unstable, impoverished nation on its borders. We all know what happens to cheaters in the end. Meanwhile, for Russia, there are bigger fish in the sea; not across the Caspian, but right underneath its nose. In short, “don’t chase her, replace her”.

[tld2012]

Research Paper: ISIS-Turkey List

Is Turkey collaborating with the Islamic State (ISIS)? Allegations range from military cooperation and weapons transfers to logistical support, financial assistance, and the provision of medical services.

Looks like the tail end of the Silk Road has been cut off, and good riddance. Erdogan proves once again that he is not to be trusted; Russia should simply cut its losses with this Caliphate-coddling nation while it still can.

What the country has done is an act of war, and can only be added to its repertoire of duplicitous treachery. When it is not killing members of the PKK and YGP, filling up its tanks at the ISIS Petrol Shoppe, or bromancing with al-Bagdhadi, it's asserting its NATO foothold in Syria as it did when raiding northern Syria and shooting friendly targets (two, in fact). Even the childish and completely incompetent New York Times recognises the belligerence of Erdogan's growing dictatorship:

"NATO countries have been concerned about Mr. Erdogan’s increasingly authoritarian tendencies for some time, and NATO officials acknowledge that Turkey’s agenda in Syria does not always match that of Washington, Britain or France — let alone Russia."

Source: http://nyti.ms/1R6e71O

How does NATO support such a conflicting alliance with Turkey without vindicating everyone's suspicion of its uselessness? Washington should know; it supports most dictatorships around the world and has accumulated a hefty bill in the process. The only purpose that Turkey serves in the NATO alliance is preemptive strike capabilities in future clashes, in addition to being a land bridge for logistics and supplies, remembering what happened when Pakistan closed its borders to Afghanistan after getting bombed by US drones once too often.

Erdogan is a demagogue and is spreading his nation around the Middle East like old peanut butter with his schizophrenic geopolitical ambitions. Goodbye Russian tourism. Goodbye Silk Road. Goodbye AIIB. Goodbye Gazpom gas and petrol. Hello S-400 Triumfs on your borders. Better not shoot down your wind turbines, too. You'll need them.

#IStandWithRussia #SyrianArmy #ErdoganSupportsISIS

[tld2012]

An Open Letter to Cuba

Haneul Na’avi An Open Letter to Cuba 21 Nov. 2015

Old flags are flying and embassies have reopened since August 14th. On the surface, it seems as if US President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro’s nascent motions for diplomacy were a step in the right direction to reconcile the two countries’ tattered past. To date, a new commission has opened as a platform to discuss key, strategic plans for cooperation and increase dialogue. A third round of negotiations have also begun, with Cuba firmly resolute to uphold its end of the talks after releasing 53 political prisoners, former American spy Alan Gross, and 3,522 political prisoners prior Pope Francis’s visit. However, in order to make further concessions, Obama must in turn resolve the following grievances: to “leave Guantanamo detention camp; end the blockade; end the “wet-foot-dry-foot” law encouraging Cubans to pursue residency in the U.S.; and end anti-government radio and television transmissions into the island”. Further memorandums of understanding were signed for the preservation of wildlife and marine biodiversity as a measure of good faith. The Kennedy era was a combative time for the two, as the Western hemisphere’s first Socialist democracy took shape right under the nose of a global superpower. Almost 60 years later, after the fallout of Operation Mongoose, Bay of Pigs fiasco, and the Cuban Missile Crisis, President Obama became one of the first presidents to address the crippling economic, commercial, and financial blockade on Cuba—a unilaterally imposed motion by the US, and where the US is the only enforcer thereof. Obama’s legacy of bridge building is once again being put to the test, as it had been during the landmark Iran Deal, which sharply contrasts with his failures in Syria, Iraq, Ukraine, Venezuela, and the Balkans. On October 27th, Cuban FM Bruno Rodriguez publically addressed the US blockade by mentioning that minimal concessions have been made on America’s part to end it, directly impacting Cuba’s food, medical, and banking sectors. “Barely a week ago, a 1.116 billion dollar fine was imposed on the French bank Credit Agricole, which adds up to the 1.710 billion dollar fine imposed on the German bank Commerzbank in March this year for doing transactions with Cuba and other States,” he explained.

“It will not be able to supply to the National Institute of Oncology and Radiobiology or any other hospital in Cuba the radioactive isotope Iridium-192, […] because its purveyor, the US company Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, refused to sell it to Cuba,” he continued. Commenting on the extensive and painful losses that the blockade has caused, Rodriguez also highlighted that based on “rigorous and conservative calculations, the economic damages it has caused after more than half a century amount to 833.755 billion dollars, based on the price of gold.  At current prices, it amounts to 121.192 billion dollars, a figure of enormous proportions for a small economy like ours”. I had the luxury of witnessing these “damages” that Rodriguez spoke of first-hand. On my recent tour of eight Cuban cities, I saw the effects of the blockade: while some dire renovations of the Old Town of Havana continued, including the restoration of the Capitol building by MD Projektmanagement, there were large swaths along the Malecon and other regions that remained in disrepair due. Cuba’s reliance on tourism and foreign investment has contributed to its 7.5% growth (2001 - 2007). Nevertheless, due to the Wall Street-inspired global economic crisis and tanking commodity prices, Cuba’s growth rate has flatlined at 2.1% (2006-present). Cuba’s also exudes pride over its excellent medical services, which are first-rate but still inaccessible to USD transactions for some traveller insurance programmes. “Residents in the United States traveling to Cuba will have to take out their insurance policy at their home country of departure from Cuban insurance companies. […] US insurance companies do not provide coverage in the Cuban national territory,” World Nomad states. Cuba suffers from a lack of international goods and internal food supplies have been rationed for the last 50 years. Furthermore, the transport system was limited to its ageing Viazul and recently installed Transtour intercity bus systems. There was only the Ferrocarilles de Cuba railway, acquired from second-hand purchases from countries not affected by the embargo. There was also the Hershey Electric railway, spanning from Matanzas to Havana, which a local passerby explained that it suffered power shortages from time to time. A slow, but promising upgrade from Venezuelan and Iran was initiated in 2007, but Venezuela’s own struggle with American colour revolutions threatens these bilateral relations. Nevertheless, Cuba has continued to uphold its commitment to medical internationalism and ecotourism, even in the face of US-imposed sanctions, until new solutions are introduced, either through negotiations on the embargo, or through alternate economic opportunities. However, one opportunity Cuba has completely overlooked is its eligibility in the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank; BRICS’ new multipolar solution and a viable option for a diverse collection of 50 countries dedicated to revitilising their infrastructure. “The AIIB […] will focus on the development of infrastructure and other productive sectors in Asia, including energy and power, transportation and telecommunications, rural infrastructure and agriculture development, water supply and sanitation, environmental protection, urban development and logistics, etc,” the organisation mentions. Countries as poor as Myanmar and as rich as Germany are now shareholders, which rivals the Washington-led World Bank and dwarfs the Japanese ADB, yet Cuba’s absentee membership in the Silk Road belies its desperate need for progress. Under the AIIB, all financial transactions occur under the Yuan (while China continues to sell off USD), and are backed by 100 billion USD in capital and assets. For the first time, countries will have the option to bypass purchases in USD, offering prospective bargaining power. Furthermore, China’s advantage lies in both its assured entrance into the IMF as a global reserve currency and its inauguration of the China International Payment System—offering an alternative to American SWIFT transactions. Recent sanctions on the Russian economy have made the Ruble more volatile, but nevertheless it remains at all-time highs after lessoning reliance on fossil fuels and diversifying its purchaser base. In turn, China has long established itself as an economic hegemon by surpassing America in terms of purchasing power parity. Next month, the AIIB’s inauguration will certainly shake the foundations of America’s death grip over international markets, and again, Cuba will no longer need USD for direct purchases. This offers a long-term solution by reestablishing the global order, giving Cuba the advantage of investment and sovereignty; China’s commitment to the 5 Principles of Peaceful Coexistence ensures that any investments Cuba makes within the AIIB will not infringe its right to self-determination. Additionally, Russia’s generous write-off of Cuba’s post-Soviet debt falls squarely in alignment with President Vladimir Putin’s solidarity tour of Latin America. More importantly, historical synergy between the three countries should also prove fruitful than ever, now that the Eastern bloc is on one accord via a 400 billion USD bilateral agreement; the world’s largest. This allows greater autonomy on an unprecedented scale, in the form of military cooperation, raw materials, infrastructure projects, and energy; a necessary contingency in the event America retaliates while losing its hegemony, as well as hedging risk in the fallout for any AIIB shareholders. Therefore, it confounds me why Cuba is not among those in the AIIB, and although I am a proponent of diplomacy, I find it tantamount to failure for the island nation to not capitalise on it. It is not entirely clear whether or not they are on the waiting list or refusing to join due to hidden preconditions with America. Nevertheless, even without AIIB membership, Cuba should at least consider making purchases using via CIPS. It has a real chance to experience growth without preconditions from Washington or reliance on the dollar, and could break free from the embargo without a need for negotiations. Even European AIIB members understand the need to diversify dollar holdings as sanctions on Russia and Cuba continue. This is critical as it finally gives Cuba the chance to step back onto the global stage as an investor and not as a victim of exploitation; a sentiment experienced under occupation by the Spanish and US-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista. A more mature strategy President Castro could implement is a multilateral one that recognises the efforts of Washington to normalise relations, but incentivises fairness in the terms of negotiations while finally making progress through the AIIB. It would also be a huge geopolitical advantage for China, Russia, and India to incorporate Cuba into the bank’s framework. In the past, Fidel Castro nationalised exploitative American companies before; now it is time for his brother Raul to internationalise its economic policies. Once the doors open to the bank, I hope that new doors open for Cuba, as well as its citizens, in the near future. I would love to walk through the beautiful streets of Havana and Santa Clara once again; this time with an even more prosperous Cuba on the horizon.

[tld2012]

Mr. Huntington Goes to Pretoria | News | The Harvard Crimson

Perhaps it is an occupational hazard: political scientists, even more than academics in other fields, seem to want to see

Sorry that this post is too long, but I felt that it was of utter importance to share with you. I'll keep my part brief.

Those that allow their emotions to overshadow events that have taken place in both the Charlie Hebdo and Paris massacres, in addition to the 9/11 attacks, fail to understand the scientific nature of politics. In order to put the current global conundrum into context, all scholars of geopolitics should recognise the the Occult, in all of its forms, is the sole medium of creating political reform and change. These are the initiatives and strategies that Western leaders have taken in order to enact their own legislative control over their respective countries supposed transformations. This is all outlined in his book, "The Clash of Civilisations" and was a pretext for the invasions of Iraq, Libya, and Syria. Refer to this excerpt from the Harvard Crimson; an article published in 1987 on the 'reforms' that Huntington advised the Apartheid South African government to take:

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"But since neither of these preconditions--cooperation or control--existed in South Africa in 1981, most of Huntington's paper focused on the process through which the basis for such an 'elite conspiracy' could be laid, a process he chose to call "reform." Based on the model of Brazilian President Geisel's "decompression", or "liberalization", Huntington recommended that the South African government pay attention to six factors. In order to wage a "two-front war against both stand-patters and revolutionaries" (p. 16), he said, reformers require:

[...] a skilled political leader, able to inspire confidence and trusts, but also able to "shift allies and enemies from one issue to the next, to convey different messages to different audiences, to sense...public opinion and time his actions accordingly, and to hide his ultimate purpose behind his immediate rhetoric." (p. 17)

[...] a step-by-step approach, letting neither conservatives or radicals know what changes lie ahead; and "blitzkrieg" tactics to get individual reforms through. "The proposed reform is drafted in relative secrecy; ....and then, at the appropriate moment, it is dramatically unveiled...and the reform enacted quickly before its opponents can effectively mobilize." (p. 17)

[...] careful timing of reform, so that the government seems to make changes from a position of strength, rather than in response to demands from below. "Reforms which appear to be granted under pressure from events and the demands of more radical groups can only weaken the regime, strengthen the radicals, lead to more extreme demands from more groups, and provoke a counter-revolutionary backlash." (p. 19)

[...] centralization of power, to "maintain the control over violence that is essential to carry through major reforms." (p. 20) Huntington argued that some form of "enlightened despotism" might help reduce white opposition to change in South Africa, but even more firmly, he suggested the government should repress three types of violence: revolutionary, spontaneous and backlash. "No reform occurs without violence...Within limits reform and repression may proceed hand-in hand...The government that is too weak to monopolize counter-revolutionary repression is also too weak to inaugurate counter-revolutionary reform." (p. 20)

[...] cautious selection of reforms, and deception to avoid mobilizing opposition. The process may require "substantial elements of duplicity, deceit, faulty assumptions, and purposeful blindness." (p. 21) As an example, Huntington suggested that the government of South Africa would find it easier to grant political representation to "Coloreds" and "Asians" if it continued to restrict Black political rights to the bantustans, to reassure conservatives who would otherwise fear that expanding political participation to some people of colour might mean ultimately giving "Africans" the vote.

[...] the creation of a coalition ready to support consociational reform, probably composed of elements from the Nationalist Party, Afrikaans and English business, the civil service, the military, "Colored" and "Asian" leaders, "urban middle-class Blacks, traditional Black leaders, and externally, the governments of the United States and the United Kingdom." (p. 23) The government, Huntington wrote, may want to "divide and rule" Black groups, using "fragmentation among Black groups and the rivalry among Black leaders...to enlist some measure of Black support for the reform process." (p. 24)

Altogether, Huntington concluded, by "conducting the proper mixture of reform, reassurance and repression, sliding two steps forward and dodging one step backward, where necessary playing on fear and employing deception," would-be South African reformers could eventually bring "into existence a new system of political institutions and thus give renewed life to their country." (p. 24)

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These are the changes underway for the Western world. Multiethnic conflict is a programme 20 years in the making. You will never need conspiracy theories with so many white papers lying around.

Annuit Coeptis,

-H.N.-

[tld2012]

Fight Over Mary Jane In Vermont

Image courtesy of gyzym.tumblr.com

A version of this story appeared in the Hardwick Gazette by Michael Bielawski

HARDWICK –State representative Joseph Troiano, D-Caledonia will moderate a public forum on marijuana legalization for Nov. 10 at 6 p.m. at the Town House. Four states, which are Colorado, Washington, Oregon, and Alaska have already legalized via public referendum. Vermont is attempting to become the first state to do it by legislation.

“Well I organized it, and I guess I will be the moderator,” said Troiano. “I’ve heard from senator Joe Benning (R-Caledonia) and he said he plans to attend. I invited senator David Zuckerman (P-Chittenden). He was the sponsor in the Senate of the legalization bill. He replied that he put it on his calendar so I hope we’ll see him.”

Others yet to confirm include rep. Chris Pearson, P-Burlington, who is the sponsor of the House Bill H277, of which Trioano is a co-signer. He also intends to invite Sen. Jane Kitchel D-Caledonia.

“First of all I think it’s important to have community input of issues such as this,” said Troiano. “I think we need to know who’s for it and why and who’s against it and why. I think our citizens will bring good experience and information to the table.

“My position is that criminalizing and prohibition has not worked. My position and I think the position of the legislature is let’s take a look at how we can deal with this.”

He wants people to know there will be protections in H277.

“Some people may be able to weigh their concerns like safety of the product regarding pesticides and other dangerous chemicals,” he said. “There are some advertising prohibitions in the bill and other aspects which address the concerns of the people.”

Debbie Haskins of Safe Approach to Marijuana Vermont has been an adamant opponent to marijuana legalization. Two weeks ago she suggested to Seven Days that legalization is not inevitable. Her website sam-vt.org cites studies alleging persistent marijuana use can lower IQ up to eight points. Troiano is familiar with her.

“I’ve been to two events that she’s been at,” he said. “She’s a very devout opponent of this bill, of any bill. I don’t know how to reach her so I don’t know if she will appear. We debated at Lyndon State a few weeks ago at a forum there and we just see it very differently.”

Haskins could not be reached for comment. Local lawmakers Benning and Kitchel were also requested for comment without response before deadline.

Troiano says some argue to him there is no need for legalization because having up to an ounce is already decriminalized and there is medical marijuana. Trioano noted cultivation is still a problem.

“What we continue to see is people almost exclusively without criminal records who are getting busted for several plants and facing felony charges,” he said.

A new development regarding medical use is in late August this year the National Cancer Institute acknowledged the main ingredient, THC, “may be able to kill cancer cells while protecting normal cells.” This claim had been repeated over the years by Harvard University, Madrid University, and others going back to at least 1974 at the Medical College of Virginia.

Marijuana proponents argue legalization gets it off the black market. According to a 2010 Bloomberg News report, the US black market for street drugs is deeply entrenched in large US financial institutions. The report states from 2004 to 2008 Wachovia bank, today a part of Wells Fargo, laundered $420 billion in drug money, for which they were fined $160 million or about .04 percent of the haul.

How much of that money was for marijuana vs. cocaine and other drugs is vague at best. The estimates of the size of the US marijuana black market range anywhere from $10 to $120 billion according to the Washington Post.

Other cons about the black market, according to the aforementioned Bloomberg report from 2006 to 2010 around 22,000 people were killed in drug cartel related violence near the US/Mexican border. According to Center for Economic and Policy Research, roughly 60 percent all federal inmates are nonviolent drug offenders accounting for about $17 billion in annual costs.

One observation by a task force sent last year from Vermont to Colorado was the state failed to get it off the black market because the taxes were too high to wipe it out. They tax the grower, the seller and the buyer and the state collected $70 million in revenue, easily topping alcohol’s $40 million haul.

Some have pointed out to Troiano that marijuana related car accidents have risen. He responded was there is no definitive connection at this point that the THC in the driver’s blood is causing the accidents. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, marijuana can stay in someone’s blood up to 27 hours after use.

Another wrinkle in marijuana regulation is there was never a Constitutional amendment for marijuana prohibition when it started in 1937. When alcohol was made illegal during the Prohibition, there were Constitutional amendments both at its start in 1920 and again at the finish in 1933.

At the federal level, Troiano said there are two bills in the US Congress, one in each house to take marijuana off the US schedule 1 list. Progressive presidential candidate Bernie Sanders on Oct. 28 stated he supports the move. President Obama has advised his attorney general Loretta Lynch not to bother states that have moved forward with legalization.

[tld2012]

We haven’t done a TLD show in a while, but in the meantime you can hear my appearance on Bellyfeel Radio hosted by David Parvey here in Hardwick VT.

-Mike B Check out more of his show at here.

“Free Speech is in danger. College students want protection from ideas. Media have been neutered. The Marketplace of Ideas is hijacked by the PC movement. But is suppression of speech new to this country? “We talk to highly acclaimed author Charles Slack about his new book, Liberty's First Crisis, The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education's Samantha Harris, John Marshall Law scholar Matthew Harding, and the Hardwick Gazette's Michael Bielawski.” -David Parvey

[tld2012]

Big Brother Attacks UFAA, TLD!

Photo courtesy of mhm.hud.ac.uk

by Michael Bielawski

I always used to make fun of it.

“They are watching you, your every move you make! Those pesky men in black, better look over your shoulder and get a remote car starter!”

Well it’s not so funny anymore. They are indeed watching, and they got me good. To properly explain what happened, I should start from the beginning.

So over the years I’ve had a sort of mentor to my career. A journalist who not only helped open my eyes to the scope and depth of all the corruption and media manipulation, but someone who believed in me and drove me to become the journalist I am today.

His name is Webster G. Tarpley. His specialty is geopolitics and economics. Regarding geopolitics, he literally wrote the book on False Flag terrorism. It’s called 911 Synthetic Terrorism and it covers false flag events in painstaking detail with back stories from the infamous British Gun Powder plot of centuries ago to the granddaddy of them all, 9/11.

Regarding economics, he’s all about nationalizing the Federal Reserve, and using Wall Street sales tax to take the air out of their derivatives ponzi trading scheme. He’s all about Medicare for all, and using that aforementioned nationalized Fed to invest in tangible aspects of the economy such as hospitals, schools, infrastructure and such. In other words, he’s a real economist that doesn’t just talk about bailing out big corrupt banks.

Anyway enough of that, so he’s a real guy, a real journalist, the real deal. And then he formed this group called UFAA, United Front Against Austerity. This group is essentially followers of his economic and geopolitical ideas put into motion as an effective political movement.

UFAA can presumably at least in part be credited with getting presidential candidates such as Bernie Sanders to endorse a .01 Wall Street Sales tax and to endorse the Glass Steagall Act. The GSA essentially separates commercial and investment banks, in short like you can’t own your race horse and bet on it too. UFAA was also largely involved in the effort to expose the recently disgraced and resigned Obama ISIS adviser John Allen, for essentially aiding and protecting the terror group while posing as its foe.

Which finally several paragraphs in, that gets me to the whole point of this article or rant. Cointelpro, the declassified 1980s era secretive FBI-led effort to use fake undercover activists to instigate and propagate all sorts of drama and destruction among activists and journalists, is apparently alive and well. Whether it’s still called Cointelpro and whether it’s still the FBI at the helm is up for debate, but the practice in principal seems to continue on.

So here they come, with relatively legit looking fake Facebook profiles to boot. They are even mocking us as they get us to say things we shouldn’t. What they do is they come on posing as disgruntled associates, and they try to get you to gossip. They try to get you to throw friends under the bus so to speak in candid conversation taken out of context. This particular snitch even said “thank you for your comments” apparently mockingly at the end of our brief exchange.

In the particular conversation in question, this person got me to complain a bit about Tarpley’s apparent dislike for those of the libertarian sect. This was highlighted despite that I went on to compliment and accredit Tarpley for influencing my own career’s success. We don’t all agree on everything, anyone who’s been in any political group knows that.

Tarpley, UFAA and co. now know all the details of the incident. That doesn’t change the damage done. Especially in social media, we don’t really know who people are. Even the best of us can’t always see the tells, the red flags that someone isn’t who they say they are. So while we may all make jokes that big brother is listening, among us and plotting to sabotage our every turn … as funny as it may be to make jokes, it’s probably true.

-Mike B

[tld2012]

My Thoughts on Right-Wing Disinfo and the European Refugee Crisis:

I've watched some propaganda coming from both mainstream media as well as purported "independent" sources, but I can say that, as a human being, I'm sickened to death by what I've witnessed coming from Paul Joseph Watson of InfoWars. I was once a supporter of the broadcast, but I've given up on it as I've found a lot of right-wing vitriol coming from it. The following is a montage of supposedly interconnected events revolving around the migrant crises in Europe, which, does warrant concern. Nevertheless, they all have a backstory to them that Watson has refused to acknowledge and more notably, use to his own gain. I wanted to pick apart some of the most pressing mentions of this propaganda: 1. In Hungary, as well as in the French city of Calais, many different nationalities of people steal and argue over limited resources because there are several competing groups of people. This means that, Syrian refugees have been coming into Europe with Ethiopians, Sudanese, Pakistani, Iraqi, Afghani and Yemeni groups. In desperate times, they want the food for their own people. Russia Today mentions that they have already fought over things such as bikes and other rare commodities their groups can't afford. 2. In many of the border skirmishes (ungrateful migrants throwing away precious European Perrier), the migrant groups banded together in protest. They initiated a hunger strike so that the countries would open their borders and refused to eat or drink anything until the governments complied. This had nothing to do with being ungrateful, and furthermore, very few of them will stay in Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, or any of the Balkans countries. To portray this as an "uncivilised migrant crisis" does no justice to their right to peaceful protest. 3. Again, the French charities that had food stolen were dealing with many of the migrants in Calais, whom have the most difficult instances of intercultural clashes. The men stealing the food are doing so for their own nationalities, and although I don't condone it, they're not simply "throwing good food away". 4. France was DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE for destroying the Tureag populations of Mali, hence the "screaming heathen African" part of the montage. They are one of many cultures in the migrant crisis, and yes, they speak French, so they're going to Calais. They are still suffering from their losses.

Let me dissect this for a moment. There is no way that propaganda like this can convince me that France and UK, who were instrumental in the destructions of Iraq, Mali, Syria, Afghanistan, along with their US overlords, didn't expect a migrant crises to happen. They published reports acknowledging that trying to isolate Bashar al-Assad would only lead to the rise of the Islamic State. http://levantreport.com/2015/05/19/2012-defense-intelligence-agency-document-west-will-facilitate-rise-of-islamic-state-in-order-to-isolate-the-syrian-regime/ Yet, this has become an immigration issue for the European Union. Let's look at some peculiarities about this: 1. This is nothing more than Operation Gladio resurrected in order to force the EU to comply with NATO military agendas. Do not forget: the EU contemplated making its own European military in response to the divisions over policies towards Russian sanctions. We should also note that Russia and China have become powerful new markets for European businesspersons. Even Germany has resorted to a Euro-Chinese currency trade agreement, and Italy has hosted the Milan Expo to support businesses in the country; many of them from developing countries. This is to keep Europe distracted with a crisis, holding it at hostage, while the US and elite members of the EU struggle to remove Assad and continue their war contagion across the MENA region and the Caucuses. 2. The migrants crises show the failures in European decision making when choosing to go to war. UK and France were predominantly responsible for the Syrian, Libyan, and Malian influxes of migrants, yet Italy, Germany, Hungary, the Balkans, and an already impoverished Greece have to foot the bill. Had there been control over NATO's decisions to bomb Iraq, Syria, or Mali, individual member-states would not have chosen this course of action. 3. While British people pine over their "White Christian Nation", Britain is actually the country doing the least about the migrant crisis. Federica Mogherini became emotional during a European Commission debate over the situation, in which she demonstrated that Germany contributed 5 million euros and Italy, whom is deeply affected by the economic crisis, pledged 3 million euros. No one else is contributing, and the UK has taken in approximately 300 of the 1 MILLION refugees in Europe. 4. Keep in mind that Russia is STILL accommodating over 1 million Ukrainian refugees and is giving them shelter, without complaining, and with sanctions. To gripe about money and contributions is completely baseless, as the EU together is supposed to be the largest economy in the world. It's time that we start critically dissecting these fallacious arguments that do nothing to stir up nationalist sentiment. People like Alex Jones and Paul Joseph Watson have done some fine contributions to independent journalism, but the current trajectory over the migrant crisis falls on borderline right-wing sycophancy. War, imperialism, and economic despair is the leading cause of migration in the world. We, as Western citizens and residents, should consider that when looking to point fingers.

[tld2012]

Turkish TV Interviews Syrian Refugees: We Will Return Home!

These people are beautiful. After escaping the Hell of the "Free Syrian Army", better know as al-Jabrat al-Nursra/ Islamic State/ Fascist-Supported Army (FSA), these people are speaking the truth about what it means to be Syrian. They defend the Syrian Arab Army, their leader Bashar al-Assad, tell the truth about the groups who are fighting on the ground, and defend their homeland with the hopes to return. That says a lot about being a community with one purpose, one destiny, that are willing to overcome the obstacles set on them by external saboteurs. It is of utter importance that people learn to speak to those within the story. To have a lens focusing the light of Truth is the same as obscuring your vision entirely. Blessings to Mimi al-Laham for posting this wonderful video. -H.N.-

[tld2012]

A two-point analysis of Labour MP and Leadership candidate Jeremy Corbyn's revolutionary economic plan

Hey guys, I’ve been working on a project for the amazing team at AllRiot, in which we put together a summary of Labour MP and leadership candidate Jeremy Corbyn’s economic policy. We couldn’t be just all smiles about his agenda, so we gave it a critical analysis in order to determine just how feasible it really is. It details two points of his three-point strategy for reinvigorating the workforce, nationalising the Bank of England, and using “People’s Quantitative Easing” to fund critical infrastructure and social commons’ projects. By doing so, Corbyn aims to break the trend of austerity and zero-growth economics so viciously practiced by both the Tory and centre-right members of Labour (David Cameron, Ed Miliband and George Osborne, especially). By far, we think that he is the essence of Labour. He is a candidate of principle, who is working to create a cogent plan for the future of Britain’s working and middle class. This is what Labour has stood for for generations, and with his leadership, he can help the party return back to its Socialist roots; something that can help the UK become an example to countries worldwide.

In light of our support for Corbyn, we’ve made this revolutionary t-shirt to commemorate his bid for Labour leadership. As the nation goes to the polls today, kindly share this meme, support the campaign, spread the word and get out to the polls. The future of Britain is calling.

Struggle, -H.N.-

[tld2012]

Clerk in Kentucky Chooses Jail Over Deal on Same-Sex Marriage

The clerk, Kim Davis of Rowan County, Ky. (Ty Wright/Getty Images)

By ALAN BLINDER and TAMAR LEWIN SEPT. 3, 2015 (in the NY Times)

ASHLAND, Ky. —  A Kentucky county clerk who has become a symbol of religious opposition to same-sex marriage  was jailed Thursday after defying a federal court order to issue licenses to gay couples.

The clerk, Kim Davis of Rowan County, Ky., was ordered detained for contempt of court and later rejected a proposal to allow her deputies to process same-sex marriage licenses that could have prompted her release.

Instead, on a day when one of Ms. Davis’s lawyers said she would not retreat from or modify her stand despite a Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage, Judge David L. Bunning of United States District Court secured commitments from five of Ms. Davis’s deputies to begin providing the licenses. At least two couples planned to seek marriage licenses Friday.

Continue reading the main story.

Commentary by TLD’s Mike B:

It’s not often I post something on Facebook and get almost an entirely negative response from my Facebook friends, whom for the most part span the political spectrum. But I did when I posted this article with this comment:

“I'm all for equal rights whatever but you can't throw people in jail over religious beliefs! That's insane! If the county chooses to let her go that's their own business but you can't throw people in jail, this is not Nazi Germany! Really fed up with political correctness!” Now some of the responses, which people can see here, rightly point out that technically this lady wasn’t jailed for her religious beliefs. Rather she was jailed for contempt of court. Yes, that is true. My response was essentially, “well okay, but at the end of the day the fact remains ... she is actually going to jail, for all intents and purposes, for her religious beliefs.”

All technicalities and legalese aside, I do see this as someone going to jail for religious beliefs. Fact of the matter is were it not for her conviction on the subject, she would be free right now.

For the record I’m for gay marriage. It’s not something I’m particularly passionate about, I’ve never written on it before in all my years as a journalist. My logic of thinking is sexuality, at least for those of us who aren’t bi-sexual, is not a choice. No amount of fidgeting with laws or religious doctrine is going to change someone’s sexual preference. It’s not the most sympathetic or compassionate line of reasoning, but that’s basically why I support gay marriage.

I also, much more passionately, wish to defend others’ right to disagree. As long as they are not physically hurting or threatening them, I support everyone’s right to say it’s wrong, immoral, or whatever choice of words they choose. That does not mean I agree with them, it’s just the principal of supporting free speech. So there you have it. I think this lady being in jail, even though I disagree with her on the issue at hand, is wrong. I found it interesting, so do the gay couples originally involved in suing her. It’s one thing to demand equality. It’s another thing to demand endorsement. Maybe that sounds cold, but the flip side is the state dictating free speech, a dangerous precedent that should not be crossed. That’s enough ranting for me. Disagree? Agree? Think I’m a commie-Nazi hater without a cause? Sound it out in the comments below.

-Mike B

[tld2012]

The futility of corporatist discourse

The most interesting thing about the corporate elite is that they have something that the 99% do not have: theoretical discourse and the application of theory. Modern imperialist theory has been borrowed from and extrapolated on the trifecta of previous imperialist governments: fascism (Mussolini/ Franco), Nationalist-Socialist (Hitler), and Anglo-American Eugenics (Galton, Sanger, Huxley, Grant). It has and always will be used as a foundation for the modern day 'international community'. Every globalist in this world considers him or herself to be a student in the dark arts of manipulation, chaos, and mind control. They have developed international think-tanks, hoarded immense levels of capital, engaged in discourse with top prodigies within the top universities, and have nestled themselves into government agencies such as the American Medical Association and the Department of Defense; thereby giving them a longstanding advantage into PREDICTING the nature of the proles, rather than finding ways to control them.

It is possible that the reason why they are behaving so recklessly these days is because they know that humanity is not organised enough to resist them. Many proles do not understand domestic and international law, so the elite circumvent them. The proles chant "Black lives Matter", but continue to receive funding from Soros-backed projects. Many proles cannot separate the difference between self-defence and nonviolent pacifism, making them easy victims to the military industrial complex, let alone control over the weapons that could advance their causes. Many proles do not have a fundamental understanding of history, so the elite arbitrarily rewrite it for them in the form of corporate media. We are not victims to oligarchy, but are victims to our inability to create a concrete course of action and to develop a deep knowledge of class warfare. All of this sounds great until the elite forget one important aspect of the equation--there can be no monopoly over the human heart. It will, now and forever, be the one that the elite will struggle against. In the equations of social sciences, the essence of humanity is not a variable, its a control. Those that possess the will to survive, the freedom to think, and the theory to move forward, will earn their freedom.

[tld2012]

I’ve used this quote more as a journalist than any other quote in all my career, by at least two-fold conservatively. Whether it be eugenics and chemicals in the food, water, and drugs to dumb us down, Common Core brainwashing in the public schools, mainstream media nonsense ... It’s all the same agenda at the end of the day. They want lemmings they can wind up and manipulate, not jackals and hawks who hunt and take initiative. Tonight’s random thought ...

-Mike B

[tld2012]

Let’s be honest. We ignore Congo’s atrocities because it’s in Africa | Owen Jones

For more than 100 years DRC has endured horror upon horror with barely any outcry. It wouldn’t be allowed to continue elsewhere

This author will never, NEVER mention what the Congolese suffered at the hands of the Belgians, the marginalization of their economy, the reason for the M23 movement, and the subsequent destruction of the country so that Western and Chinese multinational corporations can continue to extract rare earth metals. The London Guardian is by far one of the worst publications in Britain, with the journalistic integrity of a tabloid magazine. There's no holistic approach in their papers; just liberal fluff and a complete lack of causality. This will simply be another way for the FUKUS crew to spread their brand of humanitarian intervention, just as they did in Libya, Afghanistan, Syria, Ukraine, Iraq, Yemen, and elsewhere, to occupy the place militarily and extract the resources for themselves.

I remember when they began writing in the usual fashion about the Kony 2012 casus belli so that they could expand the AFRICOM presence in Uganda. Kampala's mayor, as well as many Ugandans, were outraged at the implications that Kony was alive and well 6 years after he had been ousted from the country. It is this type of writing, that excludes important facts and obscures context, that preys upon the conscious of misguided populations of sympathizers. No doubt, these situations are horrible, but they are selectively illuminated so that they serve their purpose to the capitalist elite.

-H.N.-

[allriot-political-tshirts]

Ferguson, MO: A year has passed since Michael Brown’s unjust murder. As a tumultuous year unfolded with protests, revenge killings and riots, the fascist forces of America’s 1033 program murdered unarmed Tyrone Harris in cold blood. These actions have done nothing more than fan the flames on already tense race relations throughout America, and have provoked yet another wave of Bedlam in the streets of Missouri.

Race relations in America are no mystery. They’ve always been a constant battle between Black and White, but nothing is always ‘black and white’. Ferguson will rekindle once again the asinine stupidity from both pigs and provocateurs, but we cannot lose sight that it was Whites helping Blacks (and vice-versa) throughout the US’s short time line in order to help society reach a point of tolerance and acceptance. Civil rights have been set back decades because corporatist cops want to play into the elite’s game, but we cannot lose hope and must band together in the spirit of freedom, justice, and liberty. Support the victims of Ferguson by wearing a simple message. Proceeds from the sale of this t-shirt will be donated to the Ferguson Legal Defense Fund set up by www.organizemo.org. Buy our “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” t-shirt here or get involved directly: https://www.allriot.com/shop/hands-dont-shoot-ferguson-solidarity-t-shirt

This has gone too far. They want a civil war, but all we want are our civil rights. Let’s hope we can get them back peacefully.

[tld2012]

Help Ferguson. Make a statement. Fuck killer cops. -H.N.-

[tld2012]

Is Trump For Real?

Is Trump the real deal? Can he be trusted to back up his own rhetoric? What’s his agenda? Is his agenda really his agenda or a handler’s agenda? I will try to answer some of these questions very candidly. First, no. I don’t think he or any other candidate on TV in either party is “the real deal”. I don’t see that as being negative, rather just acknowledging the media and general establishment’s stranglehold over politics prevent much hope for genuine change at the Federal level. Want real tangible change now? Get to know your local town and school boards, your sheriff, your neighbors.

Can he be trusted to back his own rhetoric? Maybe, he’s certainly been allowed to counter the establishment on political correctness. He’s been stubborn and candid in the face of mass media bullying. The question is, is this a genuine stand against the establishment or just a play to win street cred?

What’s his agenda? Is he controlled? If so, what’s his controller’s agenda? One red flag here ... 9/11, the classic litmus test. A “truther” (aka someone who questions known liars about an event which has a narrative with more holes than Swiss cheese) got into one of Trump’s events and questioned him on the 9/11 narrative.

Trump could have seized the moment to truly stick a dagger in the establishment, to really go for the jugular. Could the media really roll their eyes with a straight face if a current Republican presidential front runner jumped on 9/11 truth? Probably not I would think. One can only dream anyway ... he balked.

Some will say he’s playing it safe to avoid a media shit storm, maybe that’s true. In any case, his tough facade he presents  to the world was given a grand opportunity to go for the ultimate prize, to get the establishment at it’s most sensitive point aka the dubious 9/11 narrative ... he passed on the big opportunity.  To his credit so has every other politician on earth seemingly.

Other red flags, I haven’t seem him really attack the carbon tax scam (well I see it was a scam, that’s another big topic). I haven’t seen him talk about taxing Wall Street derivatives.

I have seen him say some right things here and there, especially about media and political correctness. Dramatically dropping the income tax doesn’t sound so bad either.

Is he just saying what he thinks he’s allowed to say without getting politically or literally assassinated? In any case ... I’ve also heard some truths from Obama pre-2008 ... look how that’s turned out.

There’s conspiracies out there that he’s a door step for the Clinton campaign, a loser by intention. He’s given about 100 Gs to a Clinton Foundation apparently. In the end, this is just a rant. I think he’s a false anti-establishment candidate. We will likely hear more truth from him than any other mainstream candidate. Does that mean we should endorse him just to hear better rhetoric with no bite to back it up? I’m not gonna sign my name to that.

-Mike B