Category Political Corruption

Dec 28 2022

Understanding the Neocons


Armstrong Economics Blog/Uncategorized Re-Posted Dec 28, 2022 by Martin Armstrong

QUESTION: I saw you on TV here in Russia. I think you are more respected in Russia than in the United States. You are the only person ever to say that war is created by politicians and not the people. Do you see any hope of avoiding war?

VR

ANSWER: Unfortunately, no! The only real question is how bad does it get?

As I said at our World Economic Conference, nobody has tried to defeat this model more than me. I have come to see that you really cannot change the long-term because nobody will act for the future. They only react to immediate news and propaganda. Congressman Adam Kinzinger said that NATO could take out Russia in only three days. Kinzinger is the new John McCain. He always advocates war and is clueless. His statement that NATO could take out Russia in 3 days is the most absurd statement I have ever heard.

Kinzinger acts as if NATO could completely destroy Russia in 3 days and they never get a shot off? It is beyond me why these people always preach war and have ZERO regards for the consequences. These people should be barred from ever holding office even for a dog catcher. They live in a delusional world. They also hate China. So they are supposed to wait until NATO destroys Russia in 3 days and then we turn to destroy them in 5 days? Then we also ask North Korea and Iran to please wait their turn for destruction.

The US, Europe, Russia, China, and even Iran all have their Neocons. We should gather them all up, throw then in Madison Square Garden, sell tickets and bet on who is the last one standing. Anyone else who wants to be a Neocon should just be put in the line for the next match.

Dec 14 2022

Real Estate


Armstrong Economics Blog/Real Estate Re-Posted Dec 13, 2022 by Martin Armstrong

COMMENT: Mr. Armstrong, I just want to congratulate you on creating Socrates. I am a real estate aficionado and Socrates has beaten the Case-Shiller Index which peaked in June of 2022 and even the Redfin Index which peaked in May 2022. Socrates peaked at a high in December 2021 ahead of everyone. Your model has shown a 34% drop into October where everyone is saying a 20% drop by the end of next year is likely. I just wanted to write because you and Socrates have beaten everyone in the real estate forecasting business and you do not even make that a big deal. Socrates is amazing.

I just wanted to share that because you do not even bother pounding your chest about real estate.

Thank you so much

LR

REPLY: Socrates is forecasting so many aspects of the world economy I do not have the time to pound my chest and if I did, I would probably end up in the hospital for it gets so many things right. It covers a fair sampling of real estate around the world and I do know we have many major real estate companies tuning in. Thank you for your comment. I have not had the time to look at either of those two indices as of yet.

Dec 9 2022

That’s Unfortunate – NBC Reported White House Had to Choose Between Brittany Griner or Paul Whelan, Biden Chose Griner – Then NBC Changed Report


Posted originally on the CTH on December 8, 2022 | Sundance 

Just an ancillary side note to the U.S-Russia prisoner exchange.

According to an original article from NBC, the negotiations for the prisoner swap included an exchange for either LGBTQ+ hero Brittany Griner or U.S. former marine Paul Whelan.

The Russians would swap either U.S. citizen for the return of arms dealer Viktor Bout; however, the White House would have to decide which American they wanted in return.  The White House decided there was greater benefit to getting LGBTQ+ hero Brittany Griner returned, and left Paul Whelan in a Russian prison.

[ NBC Report – Archived Version LINK ]

Obviously, this context of the NBC report makes the Biden administration look bad.

A political and ideological decision within the selection of the Biden administration preference.   Realizing this, perhaps after contact from the White House, NBC stealth edited their story after publication in order to eliminate the political problem.

[ Current NBC Version ]

In the original version: “the Kremlin gave the White House the choice of either Griner or Whelan — or none.”

In the stealth revised version: “the Kremlin ultimately gave the White House the choice of either Griner or no one after different options were proposed.”

Even with the modified and carefully worded changes, it looks like Joe Biden chose the trans basketball player over the former U.S. marine, which, given the arc of history, does seem to make sense.

Dec 7 2022

Supreme Court delves into North Carolina redistricting case with significant election implications


https://justthenews.com/nation/states/center-square/supreme-court-hear-arguments-wednesday-north-carolina-redistricting

Case focuses on how much authority state legislatures have on elections and whether courts can intervene.

The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments in a North Carolina redistricting case on Wednesday that could have broad implications for both the state and the nation.

Justices will hear Moore v. Harper on Wednesday to determine whether state courts can override lawmakers in the redistricting process.

North Carolina Republicans argue in a brief “the text of the Elections Clause provides the answer: it assigns state legislatures the federal function of regulating congressional elections.”

Justices on the Democrat-controlled state Supreme Court cited state constitutional provisions for blocking congressional districts created by the General Assembly last year to impose a different map devised by a court-appointed “special master.”

But Republicans argue that because the Constitution’s Election Clause “is supreme over state law, the States may not limit the legislature’s discretion.”

The outcome of the case will impact redistricting efforts in states across the country, and in the process could shift the balance of political power. But critics contend the case could also reverberate into other decisions, as well.

A brief submitted by the League of Women Voters argues a ruling in support of North Carolina Republicans’ independent state legislature theory “would not be confined to redistricting plans, applicable to only particular offices or legislative bodies.”

“Adopting the petitioners’ theory would open the door to the retroactive abrogation of all state court rulings that have invoked state constitutional grounds to strike down state statutes – but only as to federal elections,” the brief read.

In North Carolina, the 2022 congressional map adopted by the state Supreme Court resulted in a congressional delegation split 7-7 between Republicans and Democrats in the November election. Critics of the 2022 map approved by the General Assembly contend it would have produced 10 Republican seats in Congress. Republicans in the General Assembly plan to redraw the map in 2023, and the case will weigh on that process.

Republicans argue state courts have no role in policing federal elections.

“The Framers (of the U.S. Constitution) could have assigned the power over federal elections in the first instance to states, without specifying which entity of state government would have primary responsibility,” the brief argues. “But recognizing that prescribing the times, places, and manner of federal elections is fundamentally a legislative role, the Framers specified that this delegated power would be exercised by ‘the Legislature thereof.'”

The November election shifted control of the North Carolina Supreme Court from a 4-3 Democrat majority to a 5-2 Republican majority, suggesting that regardless of the outcome of Moore v. Harper, the state’s high court may be more likely to uphold a map from the Republican-controlled General Assembly.

The case will have an impact on the General Assembly’s ability to impose rules for free and fair federal elections, such as voter identification laws opposed by Democrats, mail voting and voter registration rules, among others.

Common Cause North Carolina contends a positive outcome for Republicans would “overturn our historic victory against gerrymandering from earlier this year and unleash voter suppression against the people of North Carolina.”

“It would make it harder to turn public demands into public policy that reflects the needs and values of our communities,” according to an announcement urging followers to “stop the North Carolina’s most brazen power grab yet.”

Nov 27 2022

Iowa GOP Chair Proclaims Support for Ronna McDaniel – Everyone in the RNC Business Wants McDaniel, Except the Voters


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on November 26, 2022 | Sundance 

U.S. political parties operate as a business.  Both wings of the business are private corporations.  The professionals inside the industry have a vested financial interest in retaining the business model.  The needs of the corporation are the priority, voters are annoying.

Having spent his career inside the industry, the Iowa GOP Chairman puts it this way:

‘Imperative’ Ronna made lots of money for the business.  Consultants, advisors, offices, polling groups, analysts, data, technicians, meetings, catering and more, take lots of money.  The corporations of the RNC and DNC exist to serve their own interests.  Politics is the RNC and DNC business; however, the income stream -the financial aspects to the business- is what holds influence over the corporate priority.

Ideology is part of the equation, but control of the business and generating revenue is the main function of the corporation. Unfortunately, in the reality of the business model, election outcomes are downstream from those two priorities.

There are two private corporations representing Republicans and Democrats; they are most commonly referred to as political parties. There is no basis for the existence of private political parties in the United States constitution.  Both parties’ function from a position as private interests outside the framework of government.

What we commonly refer to as ‘politicians’ are selected representatives to the government from each of the corporations.  What we commonly refer to as ‘primary elections’ are suggestions to each of the corporations from citizens expressing their preference for the representative.   The corporation can individually choose to accept or decline the suggestion from the voters, and the only thing that binds the corporation to follow the suggestion are the corporate rules.

Without money, the corporate mission doesn’t operate.  Without money the RNC members -essentially board members- do not function, hold meetings, assemble, or participate in the organization.

Therefore, from the standpoint of the corporation, the business of politics (inputs) drives the activity, not election results (outputs).

This facet to U.S. politics is rarely discussed because the corporations and the people who run them do not want this process emphasized.  However, if voters do not comprehend this dynamic, they can fall victim to the fallacy of false representative choice.

The corporation is made up of members.  The members make the rules.  The members have preferences and ideological outlooks about the objective of the corporation as part of their position within it.  Inside this dynamic is where you see the changing of rules to benefit the preferences of the members; ultimately influencing outcomes.

It is easier to just sit back and discuss the consequences than it is to watch the officials inside the club make rule changes proactively.  However, it is by watching the rule changes that we can see the roadmaps of influence within game as played by both RNC and DNC corporations.

Any political commentary that does not take this private club dynamic into consideration, and/or explain the consequences from decisions within the club, is not serving the interests of the American electorate.

The winter meeting of the RNC is taking place January 25-27th, in Dana Point California at the Waldorf Astoria – Monarch Beach Resort.  There are 168 members who will be in attendance (3 from every state) along with various RNC officials and national republican leadership.

Some RNC members support MAGA, some do not.  Some RNC members support the Wall Street alignment, some do not.  Some members support the populist movement, others do not.  Some RNC members support a big tent approach to a working-class coalition, other RNC members regard the working-class as beneath their representative interests.

The key point is that it’s a private club making these decisions.

A private club that may or may not care about your opinion.

Insert vote, pull lever, get pellet and pat on head.  Next?!

Nov 8 2022

Election Week Ground Reports – What’s Going on in Your Town, Neighborhood and Precinct?


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on November 7, 2022 | Sundance 

Through the years one of the things CTH has always emphasized is the accuracy of your election ‘sense’ ground reports when contrast against the national media narrative.

So, this thread is for you to share what the sense is around your community.  How motivated are the people in your neighborhood? What is the sense of this election cycle? If you have voted already, how was the turnout for early voting in/around your area?

Use this thread to share your own sense of how things look from your perspective.  If comfortable include the general region you are describing so that others can get a feel for your impression of the midterm election this year.

CTH will host several election day update and ground reports tomorrow as election day voting gets underway.  However, in the interim, what do you see and hear in the conversations around your town, hamlet, community or precinct?

Historically the sense of the election you share has been remarkably consistent with the outcome.  Are the people in your circle enthusiastic about removing Democrats from their seats?