We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Sunday, March 22, 2020

Posts that I especially recommend today: Sunday, March 22, 2020

My commentary: Notice that the Newsweek article uses variations on the word "secret" government legislation dating back to the Eisenhower administration. This process was accelerated during both natural and man-made threats to the US government, but expecially the latter after 9/11. We've witnessed this phenomenon grow ever since; and now with the coronvirus and the government negligence to establish an effective public healthcare system, a military junta takeover is becoming a realistic probability.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff codified these rules in October 2018, reminding commanders that they could decide, on their own authority, to "engage temporarily" in military control in circumstances "where prior authorization by the President is impossible" or where local authorities "are unable to control the situation." A new Trump-era Pentagon directive calls it "extreme situations." In all cases, even where a military commander declares martial law, the directives say that civil rule has to be restored as soon as possible. [My emphasis.] 
Now that it is likely too late, will people take Peter Koenig's warning in 2016 seriously? Do you actuallly believe that the present anemic capitalist version of "democracy" will ever be restored? If so, I have a fine bridge to sell you.
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