Tuesday, January 03, 2012

Iowa

The furor over the Iowa caucuses tonight is an illustration of the sad state of democracy in America. The mainstream media have done their best to create an atmosphere in which the whole process will be dismissed as a fluke if a particular candidate wins. Especially since that candidate is a man they have first ignored, then laughed at, then demonized... And yes, the quote attributed to Gandhi does come to mind here.

Much as it was decided in 2008 that the best heir to Bush the Lesser would be Barack the Blessed of Hopechange, the establishment has decided that the Republican candidate in November shall be Mitt Romney. Just look at the pattern in the GOP race so far: Romney gets treated as the front-runner, while every other candidate is built up and then torn down - a phenomenon Vox Day dubbed the "Romney-alternative-who-is-not-Ron-Paul wheel."

Trouble is, Paul isn't going away. He's a clear alternative to the establishment (as Vox puts it, to "Newt Romney O'Bama"), or to borrow what Phyllis Schlafly said about Barry Goldwater, "a choice, not an echo."

Predictably, the "smearbund" (Murray Rothbard's expression) tried hard to paint Paul as a racist. Unfortunately for them, that accusation has been the first resort of political scoundrels for so long, people have grown tired of it. It doesn't quite work anymore. It also happens to be a lie. So they accused Paul of being an anti-Semite instead. That, too, is untrue.

Today, Richard Cohen of the Washington Post almost called Paul a Nazi, while praising all the Imperial interventions that Paul has opposed. Cohen, by the way, argued passionately back in 2003 that "bagging Karadzic" would show the Muslim world all the white-knighting virtue and love of the United States, and win its never-ending gratitude. Well, Karadzic was "bagged" in 2008, Ratko Mladic last year, the US has created not one but two Islamic states in the Balkans (per Tom Lantos)... where's all the gratitude? Oh wait.

Daniel Greenfield really dislikes Ron Paul. He's convinced Paul's policy of dismantling the Empire is bad for the Jews and bad for Israel, suspects him of Islamophilia, even argues that Paul is working with George Soros. But it is Greenfield that wrote the best rebuttal of Cohen's idiotic rant, by pointing out that the U.S. never actually intervened to stop genocide. Not today, not in WW2, not ever.

Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I like Ron Paul. Back in 2004, I interviewed him for NIN - then a premier Serbian news magazine, later sold to a German consortium and thoroughly ruined - mostly about his principled opposition to America's illegal foreign wars. To prep for the interview, I did a fair bit of research on his voting record and where he stood on issues. And I have to say, even when I disagree with him (on immigration, for example), I respect him and his integrity. Assuming there is a way to save the United States of America from the consequences of imperialism - and forgive me if I'm not entirely convinced at this point that there is - Paul is the man who might be able to pull it off.

But even if I thought otherwise, even if I disliked the man and his ideas entirely, I'd still be objecting to the obvious problem of his treatment at the hands of the mainstream media and the political establishment. As should we all. Because what we're seeing here is what Philip Cunliffe noted about the 2008 Serbian elections: that democracy means whatever the Empire says it means.

So the Iowa caucuses will be declared legitimate, meaningful and proper only if the establishment's preferred candidate (i.e. Romney) wins. If Paul carries Iowa, it will be dismissed as a fluke, the whole caucus system will be derided as stupid and obsolete, and a host of other excuses will be enlisted to tell the general populace why what just happened didn't matter at all. Nothing to see here, move along, vote Romney O'Bama and the Bank Party in November, thankyouverymuch.

That sounds very much like a diabetic being forced to make a "choice" between Coca-Cola and Pepsi. It's not just that he doesn't get to choose water, it's that either of those will kill him.

8 comments:

kapetan Mile said...

I can tell you that canadian media, not they it really matters what canada thinks, act pretty much the same. barely any mention of Dr. Paul. it's all about Romney and Santorum. I think they use Santorum just to trow people off of Dr Paul. they often refer to him as a libertarian as if it's criminal to be one. In one newscast they talked about Romney and Santorum and only towards the end about Paul. never mind that he his right there on top with everybody else. it just goes to show that western media are all connected to one main source.

Teddy said...

Victory in Iowa was stolen by the war party. Ron Paul wins the entrance polls yet finishes 3rd??? Stalin was right. All that matters is who counts the votes & how.

Anonymous said...

@kapetan Mile

That’s because Jewish influence and media control is as powerful in Canada as it is in the US.

In some regards Canada is worse than the US with the Mosque in Toronto I think being one of the major jihadist recruitment groups for Muslims to fight in Bosnia, Kosovo and Chechnya essentially making it the North American equivalent of the Finsbury Park mosque with one of the worst state who sponsor anti-Serb and Russian policies supporting promoting fake Holomodor, Srebrenica and now Circassian genocides in the lead up to the 150 year old anniversary in Sochi Olympics in 2014.

@Gray Falcon

The American people get what they deserve.

Witch-king of Angmar said...

A most unlikely personality said that the GOP can no longer afford to ignore Ron Paul and hi supporters. You'll never guess which one!

Tell me you didn't fall of your chair after having clicked on the link! :-)

CubuCoko said...

Not quite, but I was plenty shocked all right. Just when one thinks things can't get any more weird...

Jack, I almost censored you over the "Jewish media" thing. You can do better than that. The reason I didn't is that you have a point about Canada being more repressive than the US in the name of "diversity" and "non-discrimination."

I don't think Americans deserve their present predicament. But they do need to get off their butts and earn something better.

Anonymous said...

@Gray Falcon

I was just stating a fact. Remember the Israel (Izzy) Asper CanWest media controversy a couple of years ago regarding coverage of Israel?

"I don't think Americans deserve their present predicament. But they do need to get off their butts and earn something better."

They get what they vote for it is not like they don't have alternatives including third parties like Money Masters Bill Still running as the Libertarian candidate or available information on the internet.

http://www.still2012.com/

Anonymous said...

Kosovo terrorism comes to America.

"The aftermath of America’s involvement in the Kosovo conflict is felt a decade later, but it isn’t only in war-torn Serbia where the fruits of NATO’s labors are displayed.
Radical Islamists from Kosovo who blame America for the deaths of thousands of Muslims worldwide now are plotting terrorist attacks on US soil.

A 25-year-old naturalized US citizen from Kosovo is in police custody after federal agents thwarted a terrorism plot in Florida that the would-be culprit wanted to be “terrifying.” Sami Osmakac from Pinellas Park, FL was arrested Saturday night after authorities intercepted his attempt at a massive attack on US soil. According to a taped statement from Osmakac, the planned events would serve as “payback” for wrongdoings to Muslims carried out at the hands of America.


http://rt.com/usa/news/kosovo-america-osmakac-serbia-415/

The plot like every other alleged terrorist plot in the US was to come to fruition with the aid of an FBI informant supplying the material so it is questionable if there was ever a serious threat without the assistance of the FBI informant.

“In the case of Osmakac, the Florida resident has continuously been in contact with an FBI informant working under the guise as an intermediary capable of supplying weapons to the terrorist. In December, the undercover agent agreed to equip the man with an AK-47 assault rifle, Uzi submachine guns and enough explosives to arm three car bombs.”

1389 said...

Who stole the Iowa Caucus? Romney's henchmen or Obama's?

Just askin'.