The Observation Deck

JFK warned us of Shadow Governments and Secret Societies.

It is a long speech ... but it is worth watching and listening:

Related (kind of):

http://www.amazon.com/Invisible-Hands-B ... 0393337669

Invisible Hands tells the story of how a small group of American businessmen succeeded in building a political movement. Long before the “culture wars” of the 1960s sparked the Republican backlash against cultural liberalism, these high-powered individuals actively resisted New Deal economics and sought to educate and organize their peers. Kim Phillips-Fein recounts the little-known efforts of men such as W. C. Mullendore, Leonard Read, and Jasper Crane, drawing on meticulous research and narrative gifts to craft a compelling history of the role of big and small business in American politics―and a blueprint for anyone who wants insight into the way that money has been used to create political change. 16 black-and-white photos

A very good read. (thanks to my pal, Nadhal Eadeh, for turning me onto this book).

Lakewood is merely following the national trend.
Money buys elections.
It didn't used to be true....Cain lost in 2003, George lost in 2007 despite heavy business support.

None of this bodes well for the future of democracy.

Thanks for posting this speech. It didn't seem long at all to me.

I find the following quotes particularly salient. The LO still follows this philosophy, which makes it out of place in the Empire I guess. Silencing dissent is so often done voluntarily by those who, for whatever reason, attach themselves to authoritarian power. This has always been true. JFK provided this friendly reminder in 1961 and it bears repeating today. Particularly today.

IMG_7349 by amberol, on Flickr

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Michael Deneen wrote: None of this bodes well for the future of democracy.

I'll bite. What doesn't bode well for the future of democracy? That the candidate/issue one backs doesn't win? Democracy is still alive and well, even if the issue one supports doesn't come out on top. I really am curious how this past election bodes ill for the future of democracy.

Matthew Lee wrote:What doesn't bode well for the future of democracy?

The fact that elections are for sale, even down to the local level.
It only turns people off to politics, which lowers voter turnout and further empowers the wealthy.

The fact that this electorate is very willing to accept lies is also very disturbing.
I'll be curious to see what (if any) impact that today's Ben Carson revelations have on his campaign.
If Lakewood's reaction to Fitz's fake paper is any indication, Carson will be unscathed.