and more from Ike's 1961 speech

Subject: and more from Ike's 1961 speech

Did this man have a crystal ball? 

 

Carl Jarvis

*******

"...

Another factor in maintaining balance involves the element of time. As we peer into society's future, we -- you and I, and our government -- must avoid the impulse to live only for today, plundering, for our own ease and convenience, the precious resources of tomorrow. We cannot mortgage the material assets of our grandchildren without risking the loss also of their political and spiritual heritage. We want democracy to survive for all generations to come, not to become the insolvent phantom of tomorrow..."

 

and still more of Ike's words we should have listened to

 

Who was this profit? 

 

Curious Carl

********

From Eisenhower's 1961 farewell speech

 

"...Down the long lane of the history yet to be written America knows that this world of ours, ever growing smaller, must avoid becoming a community of dreadful fear and hate, and be instead, a proud confederation of mutual trust and respect.

Such a confederation must be one of equals. The weakest must come to the conference table with the same confidence as do we, protected as we are by our moral, economic, and military strength. That table, though scarred by many past frustrations, cannot be abandoned for the certain agony of the battlefield.

Disarmament, with mutual honor and confidence, is a continuing imperative. Together we must learn how to compose differences, not with arms, but with intellect and decent purpose. Because this need is so sharp and apparent I confess that I lay down my official responsibilities in this field with a definite sense of disappointment. As one who has witnessed the horror and the lingering sadness of war -- as one who knows that another war could utterly destroy this civilization which has been so slowly and painfully built over thousands of years -- I wish I could say tonight that a lasting peace is in sight..."

 

 

Ike's prayer which we have turned our backs upon

Oh Mister Obama, man of Peace.  Listen to the words of a past warrior turned statesman, and wonder where we have gone so wrong. 

 

Curious Carl

*****

From Eisenhower's farewell address, 1961

 

"...To all the peoples of the world, I once more give expression to America's prayerful and continuing aspiration:

We pray that peoples of all faiths, all races, all nations, may have their great human needs satisfied; that those now denied opportunity shall come to enjoy it to the full; that all who yearn for freedom may experience its spiritual blessings; that those who have freedom will understand, also, its heavy responsibilities; that all who are insensitive to the needs of others will learn charity; that the scourges of poverty, disease and ignorance will be made to disappear from the earth, and that, in the goodness of time, all peoples will come to live together in a peace guaranteed by the binding force of mutual respect and love..."

 

Reagan Screwed the Country -- That's the "Legacy" Conservatives AreCelebrating

Subject: Re: Reagan Screwed the Country -- That's the "Legacy" Conservatives AreCelebrating

In posting excerpts from Ike's farewell address in 1961, I never meant to suggest that he was a great president or even a leader.  Ike was a ho hum general with good political connections.  World War II was not won through his clever, inspired leadership.  Our Golden Age during his years as president had more to do with the post war boom than with his dynamic leadership. 

But I've always believed Ike to be a decent man who believed he was doing the right thing.  The "right thing", just as long as we keep in mind who Ike was serving. 

But Ronald Reagan was a man without virtue or morals.  He was, in Spirit at least, a member of the, "I'm For Me First Party". 

Ronald Reagan dreamed of being so much more than a Grade B actor, a level he barely reached.  Someone mentioned that he turned to politics because his acting career was in decline.  Please!  The man's acting career declined long before it ever got started. 

His most memorable role was sitting in front of the camera and saying, "At General Electric, Progress is our most Important Product".  And once he'd sold out to GE, he found it easy to sell out to the rest of the Ruling Class.  Indeed, Ronald Reagan became the Poster Boy for the Empire Builders, just as he had for GE.  Just a pretty face uttering meaningless platitudes. 

Ike believed that what he did was in the best interest of America.  But Ronald Reagan did not care for America.  In his 8 years as president, Reagan undermined our American Way of Life to a far greater degree than any of the so called Terrorists we are supposedly defending our nation against. 

 

But if you have your doubts, watch over the next days as the mass media fawns over our fallen hero and raises him to the lofty heights as a Great American Patriot. 

There are many presidents who might be voted, "Worst of All", Grant, Harding, Hoover, even Nixon could be in the running.  And when you really think about it, there are many more.  What about old huggable Andy Jackson?  But Ronald Reagan has more than earned that Oscar for Worst Performance.  Unless you happen to be in the 1.5% of the wealthiest Americans. 

 

Curious Carl

 

Is there a difference?

Article by,

Alex Seitz-Wald

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) has grudgingly supported the anti-government movement in Egypt and called on President Hosni Mubarak to step down yesterday. But appearing on Fox News host Greta Van Susteren's show last night, McCain suggested he has serious reservations about the larger pro-democracy movement sweeping the Arab World from Tunisia to Jordon. McCain called the populist movement a "virus" that threatens Israel, and warned that we are in "probably the most dangerous period of history" of American involvement in the Middle East:

 ******

 

Style may matter, but often it covers up some real ugliness. 

President Obama is cool, smooth, commanding.  But he's sitting by, while we continue on the same destructive course that Bush set out on.  I couldn't tolerate listening to Bush, but was his war any different than Obama's? 

McCain never fooled me.  An old Hawk.  An old, angry, white Hawk.  Schooled in the Military Mentality.  Of course he hates democracy.  Democracy is very unmilitary.  People need to be organized and controlled. 

There are certainly differences from one individual to the next, but does it really matter if your throat is being cut by someone snarling and spitting in your face, or someone shaking their head sadly and saying, "I'm sorry to have to do this". 

Somehow we need to train ourselves to look past the wrapping and see what's inside the package.  We are all susceptible to being charmed. 

Bush had his people running the government.  We all knew that.  Obama wants to make certain we believe he is running the country.  So he is placed in the awkward position of having to pretend to be a great compromiser in order to cover the fact that he is following his own marching orders.  From the same people who controlled Bush and Clinton, and Bush before him, and most certainly Reagan.  And probably all the way back to Ike.  Eisenhower warned us to look out for the military-Industrial Complex.  Trouble was, his warning was already too late. 

Check the links below for Ike's speech. 

 

Carl Jarvis

Military-Industrial Complex Speech, Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1961  

Military-Industrial Complex Speech, Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1961 ... Like every other citizen, I wish the new President, and all who will labor with him, ...
www.h-net.org/~hst306/documents/indust.html - Cached - Similar

Ike warned of 'military-industrial complex' 50 years ago - The ...  

Jan 17, 2011 ... Ike warned of 'military-industrial complex' 50 years ago - The Oval: Tracking the Obama presidency.
content.usatoday.com/.../01/ike...military-industrial-complex.../1 - Cached

 

Stocks Are Going Up,But the Value of Your House Is Dropping -- The American Economy IsNot Making a Comeback

Subject: Re: Stocks Are Going Up,But the Value of Your House Is Dropping -- The American Economy IsNot Making a Comeback

Yup, President Hoover called it "Trickle Down".  Sniff sniff sniff, what's that strange smell dripping from high on Wall Street? 

 

Curious Carl

 

If Thy Enemy Offends Thee, Rub Him Out!

Subject: Re: If Thy Enemy Offends Thee, Rub Him Out!

How do we make sense out of a mad man's ranting?  The problem is not our Spiritual Nature.  The problem is Religion.  All religion.  Religion is our attempt to make sense out of that which we cannot explain. 

Because we are still mere infants in our ability to understand this vast Universe, we sweep together our fears, our hopes, our over simplifications of all that is around us, and we mix it all together and formalize it into Religion. 

Now we have something on which to shape our life.  Full of "Make Believe", myths, misinformation, unsubstantiated dreams and wishes and all sorts of other gobbldegook, we create our Truths.  And of course our Truth cannot be wrong.  After all, we created it.  And we must defend it against all wrong thinkers. 

Lost is our Spiritual Nature.  Lost is Reality.  If we cannot crawl back up out of the Rabbit Hole, we are most likely doomed. 

"Here lies Mankind, death by denial". 

 

Curious Carl