by Stephen Lendman

Too few others in the land of plenty. Democracy in America is pure fantasy.

None whatever exists. Monied interests run things. Ordinary people don't matter.

The late Carroll Quigley wrote in his book titled, "Tragedy and Hope:"

"(T)he powers of financial capitalism had another far-reaching aim, nothing less than to create a world system of financial control in private hands able to dominate the political system of each country and the economy of the world as a whole."

"This system was to be controlled in a feudalist fashion by the central banks of the world acting in concert, by secret agreements arrived at in frequent private meetings and conferences."

Benefitting handsomely at the expense of nations and popular interests. Wall Street crooks top the corporate pecking order.

Transforming America into an unprecedented money-making racket. Facilitated by complicit government officials. Making money the old-fashioned way.

Former Bank of England Director Josiah Stamp said:

"Banking was conceived in iniquity and was born in sin. The bankers own the earth. Take it away from them, but leave them the power to create money, and with the flick of the pen they will create enough deposits to buy it back again."

"However, take it away from them, and all the great fortunes like mine will disappear and they ought to disappear, for this would be a happier and better world to live in. But, if you wish to remain the slaves of bankers and pay the cost of your own slavery, let them continue to create money."

Aesop said "(w)e hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office." Empowered bankers are most pernicious of all.

James Madison said "(h)istory records that the Money Changers have used every form of abuse, intrigue, deceit and violent means possible to maintain their control over governments by controlling money and its issuance."

Thomas Jefferson stressed:

"I sincerely believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies."

"Already they have raised up a money aristocracy that has set the government at defiance."

"The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people to whom it properly belongs."

Andrew Jackson called bankers "vipers and thieves."

During America's Civil War, Lincoln explained two "great enemies. (T)he Southern Army in front of me and the bankers in the rear. Of the two, the one at the rear is my greatest foe."

Over 100 years of Wall Street controlled Fed financial terrorism gave us booms. Busts. Inflation. Deflation.

Economic instability. Growing poverty. Hunger. Homelessness. Systemic unemployment and underemployment.

Permanent wars for profit. Record debt and deficits. Millions of home foreclosures. Record numbers of personal bankruptcies.

Loss of America's manufacturing base. An unprecedented wealth gap. Protracted post-2007 Main Street Depression conditions showing no signs of ending. Growing human misery.

Fed policy was supposed to stabilize economic conditions. Smooth out the business cycle. Maintain healthy sustainable growth.

Create price stability. Control inflation. Work for the betterment of everyone. Things turned out polar opposite.

Worse than ever today. America is being systematically thirdworldized. Strip-mined for profit.

At the expense of ordinary people. Out of luck, hope and resources. One missed pay check away from destitution and homelessness.

Human suffering is real. Pathetically little is done to help.

Neoliberal harshness is official policy. Force-fed austerity reflects it. Social injustice is rife. Inequality is institutionalized.

Washington is Wall Street occupied territory. Profits are privatized. Losses socialized.

Casino capitalism the coin of the realm. Grand Theft Wall Street reflects it. Market manipulation is rife.

Other dirty tactics include front-running them. Pumping and dumping. Short-selling. Scamming investors.

Buying politicians like toothpaste. Bribing them for control. Putting corporate crooks in charge of government policy. Revolving in and out to serve privatized interests.

Getting bailed out at public expense. Other special handouts. At a time ordinary people are being sold out.

Social America disappearing in plain sight. While perpetual wars rage. Without end. At home and abroad.

America's culture is violent. Glorifying wars in the name of peace. With the highest homicide rate among Western nations by far.

Many inner cities virtual war zones. Around 100,000 annual victimized Americans from gun violence. Many at the hands of killer cops.

Licensed to kill with impunity. Taking full advantage. Ferguson, MO a microcosm of what goes on nationwide. Ethnic minorities are targets of choice.

Nothing is done to change things. Federal, state and local officials don't care.

America's resources increasingly used for war-making. Obama the latest in a long line of warrior presidents. Exceeding the worst of his predecessors.

Waging multiple direct and proxy wars. With lots more death and destruction in mind. Raping and pillaging countries.

Stealing their resources. Exploiting their people. Claiming exceptionalism and moral superiority. Forcing America's ways on others.

Proliferating violence and instability. Doing it globally. Spreading Big Lies about America the beautiful. Benefitting America's 1% at the expense of most others.

Pursuing world dominance. Eliminating independent governments. One ravaged country at a time.

Risking war with Russia. Possible global war. Threatening humanity's survival. At the same time, letting popular needs go begging.

Rich folks today never had it better. Most others struggle daily to get by. Harder still on empty stomachs.

Tens of millions go hungry in the world's richest country. A daily reality for 50 million Americans. Around 13 million families. Most hardworking ones.

Living from paycheck to paycheck. Not earning enough to live on. Kids don't get enough to eat. Around 16 million affected.

Food insecurity is higher than any time since the Great Depression. One in six Americans face hunger. So do one in five children.

Missing meals is common practice. Nutritious balanced diets for growing millions don't exist. Belly-fillers substitute.

Protracted Main Street Depression conditions persist. Things go from bad to worse. Food stamps are woefully inadequate. About $1.40 per person per meal.

Food banks supplement recipients when monthly benefits run out. Most often around 10 days or more before month's end.

America is the land of I don't care. Equity and justice aren't in its vocabulary. Official numbers understate reality. Growing millions suffer out of sight and mind.

America's wealth doesn't help. Congress is dismissive. Food stamps were cut when most needed. Greater harshness is planned.

Thanksgiving is supposed to be about giving thanks for the year's blessings and bounty. Hard during harder than ever hard times since Great Depression years

Harder still in a country run by uncaring officials. Handing America's resources to Wall Street, war-profiteers, other corporate favorites.

At a time of growing poverty, unemployment, hunger, homelessness and despair. Millions deprived in the land of plenty. Hard finding reasons to celebrate. Justifiable when:

Social injustice ends. Corporate crooks are punished. Too big-to-fail banks are shuttered. Money power returns to public hands where it belongs.

Real elections end duopoly power. Rule of law principles apply for everyone. Equity and justice replace capital's divine right.

Wealth and opportunities are equitably distributed. Real democracy replaces today's fantasy. We the people has real meaning.

Use Thanksgiving now for reflection. Activism for change. Social justice, peace, and environmental sanity. Government of, by and for everyone.

Instead of feasting, football and other fun and games. Hold off giving thanks. Get active to give it real meaning.

Commit to make it happen. For a nation proud to live it. Polar opposite today's reality. Gorge on a way for real change.

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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks World War III".

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

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