Chalmers Johnson Pt2: Last days of the American Republic?

[bomedley7]

I have farted

[centurion180ad]

OK yes, this is good so far. The opportunity cost for the invasions of Afghanistan & Iraq, has been too high. America is now economically foundering in an untenable situation of the BANKERS creation.

[furyofbongos]

5:30 Johnson says it's the government's place to "put people to work", to "provide health care for all citizens". Um... false.

[SIMKINETICS]

He mentions Hugo Chavez taunting us with impunity. Chavez is popular in Venezuela, and has attempted to disengage his country from the World Bank by paying off national debt that was imposed in similar fashion to creation of banana republics in S.A.  See 'Confessions of an Economic Hitman' on YouTube for some insights. Perhaps the U.S. deserves some of his taunts.

[sysopkc]

This man is an economic "idiot".

[darthvader5300]

As I have said that human resources is the ultimate resource is backed up by real and irrefutable proof and evidence represented by nations that has no natural resources and only human resources and are able to create an economic miracle. Just look at Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan for these countries have invested heavily in their human resources & in their national public infra-technostructures & look at the results. You Americans can do the same thing too & you have natural resources!

[darthvader5300]

Military appropriations out of respect for the U.S Troops? 99% of that money will just go into the pockets of military contractors who are controlling and financing the U.S Congress. Better use that money for a new and real G.I Bill to uplift the educational and skills standards of your military personnel so that they can create the same incalculable positive science-driven and based economic effect that the G.I Bill of the 40s has on the 50s and 60s. Human resources is the Ultimate resource.

[starmanskye]

WTH does Chalmers mean, "Hugo Chavez taunts the US daily"? Chalmers knows damn well about the US's cynical, malicious military-backed neoliberal policies of intimidation, interference & theft around the world & esp. in Latin America, & fomenting dozens of coups, most recently in Haiti, Venezuela & Honduras. He refers to the US's bloated military but doesn't critique the global cartel of banks sabotaging democratic institutions let alone the US's criminal warmongering & defective 'leadership'.

[side1981]

He's one of the most rational and even handed commentators there is.

[allgoo19]

Where's the part3?

[borat443]

This guy is right on point, if every american was this bright we wouldnt be in this mess, Why are there soo many stupid people in this country

[BigNeonGlitterGirl]

@borat443 because sooo many people think what their TV tells them is the truth.......

Occupy media!

[WOLF333999]

Superb interview.

[dtaijo174]

This guy is intersting. He is very good at acknowledging problems, but terrible at the solutions. in my opinion

EX: The draft was hopelessly applied. instead of agreeing with getting rid of it, he says it should have been reformed. Odd that he agrees with slavery over volunteerism.

[NathanZackery]

One good thing about the draft (in theory) was it meant that the army was composed of ordinary people, as opposed to the mercenaries we hire today. It meant that people were perhaps less willing to support wars, because they knew it might mean they themselves would have to fight.

Of course, in practice the rich could escape the draft while poor people and blacks were forced into it.

[RustyShacklefuurd]

There is a newer zeitgeist film out...i suggest everyone watches it, much better than the first

[CaliCal68]

remastered

[borat443]

Alex Jones totally dissed the guy from zietgiest, because he didnt like the film, but im totally onboard with a lot of the concepts from the film, I think Alex Jones is a lil sketchty and he is not intellectually sophisticated to understand what they were getting at.

[axltyler]

Peter Joseph, I am quite sure, is disinfo. He's there to mislead by giving you enough truth to bring you in and then supplying you the rest with bullshit.

[Mahoivlich]

How so? I have to admit his dream of the "star trek" future is a little naive but everyone knows that in order to maintain certain lifestyles there needs to be some co-operation that doesn't exist. People suffer so we can maintain these lifestyles and it won't be long until they take further action against us.

[axltyler]

it takes too long to explain here but if you'd like me to elaborate, I could send you a PM.

[borat443]

I cant say for sure hes disinformation, time will tell

[Mahoivlich]

Jones backs up what he can with proof but the problem with him is too much of his reports are speculation reported as fact. He recently reported that the government is digging mass graves to throw us in when the only proof is he has is construction in a graveyard to amalgamate another no doubt.

[axltyler]

yeah, I don't trust Jones either.

[nekedemus]

Stop paying tax, move into the empty foreclosed houses.

Grow a garden, bay a pig and a cow and some thickens.

[Ahmedo1984]

...8:38 Say to the Unbelievers, if (now) they desist (from Unbelief), their past would be forgiven them; but if they persist, the punishment of those before them is already (a matter of warning for them).

[Ahmedo1984]

8:36 The Unbelievers spend their wealth to hinder (man) from the path of Allah(GOD), and so will they continue to spend; but in the end they will have (only) regrets and sighs; at length they will be overcome: and the Unbelievers will be gathered together to Hell;-

37 In order that Allah may separate the impure from the pure, put the impure, one on another, heap them together, and cast them into Hell. They will be the ones to have lost.

[wiskawind]

Do you really believe that a god, who had the ability to create planets and solar systems, would be so insecure as to create a race of humans just to worship him? And just incase they pissed him off; he created a hell to burn the little people in? LOL

Gods dont fair well when humans load them up with human frailties; you should step into the light of reason. (smile)

[Ahmedo1984]

First of all why insicure? All the acts of worship performed benefit the human being. Is it too less for you in youre vieuw that God who has created everything wants recognition for His power? When a parent takes care of his/her children and expects them to obey them is it because they are insecure or is it because they care of them and want to protect them from harm? Believe what ever makes you happy but remember even in the hospital they will not take care of you without insurance.

[wiskawind]

Give me a break, I have read that bible from cover to cover and I can honestly say, if that book is the word of your god; I would rather burn in hell than worship your heartless, bloodthirsty god!

[Ahmedo1984]

hmmm very interesting. I have been a Moslim all my live and can't relate to youre accusations. Whould you like to give me a verse where you base youre accusations upon?

[samudra8O]

America will come even stronger after this trial.

[navtel]

tell it like it is chalmers, you the man.

[ManufacturedThoughts]

Great ready for the Second Great Depression which was designed by the US Federal Reserve Bank to steal all the savings and retirement pensions from the Baby Boomer Generation. This was planned years ago to steal the wealth from the Baby Boomers.

[lordblazer]

well served those boomers right. But guess what. It fucks over us gen yers. Trust me you will see young adults start to leave the USA for better jobs especially the educated ones. I plan on working in Singapore as soon as I get my degree in economics next December.

[wiskawind]

"well served those boomers right"

A person can't pick when they are born! In fact, I have always liked being a boomer; we had the sixties! LOL

[thereallurker]

We really need to get the Chinese currency de-pegged from the US greenback. That and energy prices are destablizing the economy.

[lenaw70]

Zeitgeist Addendum! Go see it on google now!!

[studio7manga]

Let me guess, the addendum goes something like this... "sorry everyone, we were full of shit on the last two parts, sorry about that!"

[neolestat13]

Sorry man I didn't mean to put thumbs down. I was going to ask "Oh shit, part 2 is already out?" thumbs up. If I could I'd put back two thumbs up to make it one vote from me. Hey someone help put two thumbs up on Lenaw70 comment. Alright man peace out.

[lenaw70]

No worries neolestat13  :)

[CNN911Fakes]

Keep up the good work.

Outlaw bush.

[goomba008]

putting modesty back into America !

[Poetivity]

Crazy talk. The US survived the Great Depression, we will get through this also.

[QbanNewWave]

during the Great Depression, the US had significant savings. today, there is NEGATIVE savings. big difference. this is a REAL crisis.

[Poetivity]

I still believe we can do it....Once we rid ourselves of the Horrid Administration right now.

[QbanNewWave]

if you only knew. the administration is the least of our problems. we need to OUT the people behind the curtain, as they say, that are pulling these politicians' strings. start with MAJOR campaign finance reform. no more bribes. next, reform legislation formation laws: no more pork-barrel spending and let's start passing ONE-ISSUE bills. this bailout was a perfect example of Washington corruption and bribery. we're screwed until people understand complex problems.

[lordblazer]

I think poetivity means. We cang et thorugh this hardship. Doesn't mean hard times aren't coming. Oh they are about to hit us fucking hard. Just that we may be able to get through this. HArd times come and go man. The problem would be is this. How many people can handle such hardship? Trust me the American poor and lower middle class can deal with poverty. Can the upper middle class, and the upper class deal with it?

[wiskawind]

"Can the upper middle class, and the upper class deal with it? "

Not many! Most girls these days, don't know how to sew, or bake a pie, or even how to make pancakes without a mix;leave alone have a baby at home.

They haven't learned what it is like to go without, nor do they know the difference between a need and a want.

It will be difficult, for sure, but hard times build character! (smile)

[jcfan42]

...and most, if not all, of congress...

[originaldna]

Good riddance. maybe the next 500 years will be better off.

[ShiekYerbooty]

Did he say a run on banks, is it true everyone's taking their money out of the bank tommorrow ?

[CO2Junkie]

ShiekYerbooty: I don't think he said 'everyone'. He said there is a run on banks. To some degree it seems true, I know of people who have moved money around to minimize their losses if the worst case scenarios take place.

[waveoflight]

Where is Mike Gravel?

Put him back on the Ballot.

Obama wants to increase the defense budget, MORE than $600,000,000.00 (thats billion). He has no plan to get out of Iraq. He is a corporate paun.

[waveoflight]

$600,000,000,000.00. Correction, sorry too many zeros. I got dizzy and droped a few.

[jcfan42]

We need better options for political office - and fast!!

[WOLF333999]

Gravel, yeah. He was the second best Democratic candidate, after Kucinich. Naturally, he didn't stand a chance. He is one of those illuminated minds that perceive the utter stupidity of the War on Drugs.

[SIMKINETICS]

@waveoflight You forgot three zeros. Perhaps you got carpal-tunnel! The military expenditure was $600,000,000,000.00! Think of it like nearly 2/3 of a trillion! Or $10,000.00 for every typical family of five in America, $2,000.00 each for every man, woman & child. We should have gategories with boxes on our tax forms where we can write in percentages of our tax money to dedicate per category of gov't expense.

[StRabBleD]

@waveoflight That's 600 MILLION. Good try though.

[deliciousmorton]

fuck wall street. i want to see these wall street people drunk, shirtless, and jumping from tall buildings.

[WOLF333999]

A couple more planes will do, methinks. (That was sarcasm. Sorry if I have offended anyone.)

[abarzilai664]

What caused the Japanese fianceal crisis in the 90's.

[hasankhalid]

there were some americans in asia that hedged or somthing similar to that. there is a book on this which i havent read yet.

in amazon type this author name and that might help: Ben Mezrich

[QbanNewWave]

crazy deficit spending the way we're doing now and a housing crisis, like ours.

[sicDJ88]

Americans are too stupid and lazy to stop these morons... come to iran!.. we are waiting for you... with one shot we kill you and these backward Mullahs together... and we will be free...

[carlfinkle]

The Roman empire lasted for 8 centuries and fell because they over extended themselves and were eventually sacked by the Goths using swords and shields.

America is falling after less than 8 decades, and is being looted as we speak using banks and brokers.

[Etimos]

but WHY did the roman empire collapse? It wasnt because they overextended themselves.

The Mongolian empire was bigger, and collapsed for entirely different reasons.

Rome was built on conquest and tribute, the tribute being the important thing. Every territory they conquered yielded new treasures to fill the coffers of Rome, but as they polished off Gaul and ran out of empires to the west, and civil war and disunity cut them off from the wealth of the east, their economy collapsed.

[Etimos]

Their entire economy was built up on the understanding that Rome would continue to receive tribute from its territories and from its conquering armies. Hyper-extension was part of the problem, because armies could only march so far, and a march across the roman empire could take months, every single day draining tens of thousands thousands of cisterci from the treasury.

Rome was a super-consumer, but produced very little to trade. Once the tribute stopped coming, their economy ground to a halt.

[Etimos]

This is pertinent because the US has grown fat off the 'tribute' from US Oil Dollars and military power brokering. But the oil market is busting, and nations are no longer looking to the US for power and security, because they can see it starting to falter, while other nations are on the rise. The US has been running at a severe and growing trade deficit for half a century, and now the tribute is starting to trickle to a halt, and without production to even that out, the economy is dying.

[lives2live]

Thank you for explaining all this Etimos.

I think the more Americans understand history, the better off we will be.

[carlfinkle]

Thanks for the details

By over extending I mean it cost them more to hold the territory they had than they could obtain by holding it.

Another way of putting they ran out of stuff to steal and began fighting amongst them selves.

[Etimos]

The military spending bill actually makes some sense, since it was all the public works and job creation from the second world war that rejuvinated the economy after the crash in the late 1920s.

Unfortunately the dynamics which made it work then no longer exist now. Back then, anyone without a job could come apply to a tank or ammunition factory and do their part. Technology is such now that this will only benefit technicians, because the weapons we use now are so specialized and high tech.

[madebutante]

That's one of Chalmers' points here I think: the obscene money spent on the military could be used for true public needs. Our infrastucture, schools, elderly, those in disasters (think Katrina) all suffer because the MICC is using OUR money unwisely.

[Symian27]

The population is waking up and they will make radical changes to the country and to the world. One of the first steps must be to close down 95% of U.S. military bases. America (or rather, the CIA) has been continuously interfering with the affairs of foreign nations and governments for at least 60 years now: this policy has caused untold misery and destruction and made America the most hated country in the world. IT IS FINALLY TIME TO CHANGE and return to the original Founders' values.

[NaturalForces87]

Exactly.

[madebutante]

Nader is creating Congressional Accountability groups - I envision people from ACROSS THE SPECTRUM OF VALUES PARTIES ETC. ETC. coming together to demand from our reps what we want for our communities. It's the ONLY way we'll get back to democracy. AND probably adopt a new Constitution that like Britain at the end of it's imperialism, states that DEMOCRACY will reign over monarchs like George the IV and his cronies who are respons. for deaths and suffering of millions.

[delerium2k]

Zeitgeist Addendum, just released.

Go watch it ASAP.

[WyattHalliwell2009]

Completely agree

[ejbh3160]

The out of control 'consumerism' of endless 'growth' markets is what drives the economy that pays for out of control militarism.

Neither is 'sustainable' nor life enhancing for mankind in the long run (& for many not even in the short run).

Climate change & the challenges facing those who will have to 'clean up' after these children have finished messing & having their tantrums is far more important than the greed of those who desire billions while others starve to death & the planet suffers.

[abilityoflove]

Well said ejbh3160!

[jotunobsidianeyes]

We can keep spending money on training, which has civilian applications too, but spend less on contractors, especially no-bid contracts. Less things like that damn Osprey.

[madebutante]

Listen to the other part of this interview. In it doesn't he say we spent one QUANDRILLION on the military? He says, all we need is 30 bases around the world - not 7,000. 7,000 military bases? How about 7,000 work/medical training facilities? How about 7,000 hospitals. A country at peace with being at war is a country of "Good Germans".

[endoftimeisnear]

WW3 is in formation. Funding was the last phase...ready yourself and keep you loved ones close by...

[GirlyVoice]

I'd love the real news to do a report on the 700 military bases. Where they are, their specific objectives etc

[gemhunter99]

"Why are they spending more, and getting less"

Can you say Devaluation of the Dollar.

[BeondaPale]

America needs to WITHDRAW from the "global economy" grow OUR OWN food, manufacture OUR OWN goods, protect OUR OWN borders, return to OUR OWN constitution, protect OUR OWN borders.

WE MUST become a sleeping giant for a while and live by our own means.

[Etimos]

Unfortunately that is no longer possible. The united states no longer has the resources to care for themselves. Much like Rome and Britain in their primes, and in fact britain to this day, the US cannot survive without imports.

If production methods were heavily modernized, and use of land and resources was made more efficient, the US might become self sufficient, but in the transition they simply cant produce enough to sustain themselves.

[lives2live]

Etimos, I agree that we couldn't immediately transition into being self-sufficient again.

But your comment made it sound like because of how difficult it would be, it wouldn't be worth the effort, and we shouldn't try.

"no longer possible" ? I would suggest that it IS possible and though very difficult, it is our only hope.

Which is why I embrace this recession. It is our chance. We can use this recession (which was 100% inevitable) to get back on the right track.

btw problem = The FED

[BeondaPale]

To say something is impossible is so easy. I defy anyone to name something that we as a nation can't do without, yet can't make ourselves.

And what is the alternative? Allow the dictatorship of China to buy our nation from under the feet of its citizens? Allow our sovereignty to waste away until we are a mere shadow of what our founders envisioned (as we are doing now)?

We have to get our own house in order. Yankee ingenuity used to mean something -- it CAN -- it MUST mean something again.

[neolestat13]

Well it seems that every US state will take independence or the nation will divide into several independent countries. People have been talking about it. So I wouldn't be surprised that the word will pass around and the people will eventually accept that the nation does not get along very well from state to state. It will happen eventually if that is what people prefer. You can't force something into someone anymore.

[lordblazer]

Texas will invade Oklahoma which is kinda scary seeing that I am from Oklahoma XD. Damn good thing I am in Japan. I left for that reason. We aren't investing in the right things and are on the road to self-destruction. ITs so obvious that people just don't notice and continue to chant we're #1 when today this is not the case. I hope people wake up faster than the current rate or the US is doomed.

[truthspeaker969]

"Well it seems that every US state will take independence or the nation will divide into several independent countries. People have been talking about it" :

the future was already written "long time " ago :

en . wikipedia . org/wiki/The_Handmaid's_Tale

[neolestat13]

The book seems interesting, but do you mean that the states would be forced to stay together and not be able to separate?Or does it mention that in the book?I am skeptic about my former question but more optimistic about the latter. The US is doomed because people are naive and gullible but not so stupid as to let themselves be enslaved. Soviet Russia and Nazi Germany are good examples of imperialism but in a fast forward mode. Things will get bettet, then a little bad then even better etc

[truthspeaker969]

I don´t mean it would be exactly like in the book, but if the breakdown is real huge (peak

oil- hyperinflation - martial law/civil war)

everything is possible,

California could separate and stay relatively wealthy, similar as the East coast, they would both economically be orientated towards west europe and east asia, but the majority between ca and ec would become kinda like nowheristan/hillbillystan...

[letherden]

and how will you get your food and energy sources?? where does the curent wealth of california/new york come from?? it strikes me that it is exactly the city regions that are most endangered by a financial collapse

[lordblazer]

China isn't a dictatorship XD. ITs a 1 party gov't. A dictatorship is a country controlled by the military. The military in China really doesn't control the gov't. If that was the case China wouldn't have civil courts XD. But its cool because information about China in the US is very hard to reach man so I understand your stance and the context in which you wanted to use it in.

[SIMKINETICS]

@BeondaPale The New World Order is an insidious plan to enslave 99% of all people at the digressions of the Bankster/Wall Street elite. Tearing down borders & dissolving our sovereignty serves those who want American labor to compete with international slaves for jobs. This plan has been promoted by a continuous chain of presidents. Let's beat back the oligarchs!

[riftshighway]

@BeondaPale You are missing Johnson's point. He isn't against global economics. He is against US hegemony pushing pentagon weapon sales.

[Dedhedted71]

No way! America is making a silent transition back to traditional conservative values. It does'nt look like it right now but believe me, we are returning to a more constitutional government. The Ron Paul army is very hard at work & producing big results. The movement is strong & attracting more people every day. Our Congress & Senate will look very different in the near future. Then the real changes will start to show. Right now the grass roots people have the ball & they are running with it.

[lives2live]

Right on!

There are only a few things for which I would give my life, one of them being the preservation of this Republic and the Constitution which it was founded upon.

I will die before I see my county turned into a socialist police state and its Constitution trampled on.

I couldn't look my kids in the eyes if I stood by and let these scoundrels in Washington strip them of a future of freedom.

"I know not what course others may take but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!"

[klard]

Chalmers Johnson would never be allowed to speak in the main stream media. THe education establishment in this country has started making a big push that children get their information from established sources and to distrust the internet. Why? The establishment does not want people to have access to the truth. Watch the education establishment and you will see the globalist priorities most clearly.

[gmfutube]

The education system is worse than I thought.

I found out recently that my child who graduated with an accounting degree 4 yrs ago never had to take a Money & Banking class! She had never heard of it.

30 yrs ago it was required for ALL business majors.

[klard]

I have discussed the monetary system with a person who had a Masters degree in economics and they had no idea how the Federal Reserve is actually set up. Our education system is controlled to give people the information they need to serve the system. The elite don't want just anybody knowing how it works.

[1014madison77]

What do you mean!!! The federal reserve was set up by the Great ONE'S. People that want to control the world's currency! There doing a real good job at it too. 'N'ow open your eyes & mind about 'W'hat is really going 'O'n. The elite controls world banks,stock markets,and goverments abroad! "Money" Not for legal tender. It's not worth the paper it,s printed on. It an illusion that we can't live without. It is controlled by MUNIPULATION!!!!!!!

[Spade0007]

so true--

[senorfish4]

Nothing will change when McCain is president. How can sustain this madness? How can we even think of taking on Russia? The end is nigh "my friends."

[macflyfilm]

McCain is and will lose, but still not much will change. The only change if McCain won would be more wars.

[abilityoflove]

The republic has become the first American Galactic Empire!

The clone army of consumers are attacking

We need Yoda!

[TheScrewOnHead]

What?