Mike, Norwalk: get your facts straight on several counts: Obama has signed 126 executive orders as of June 1, 2012. where GWB - signed 280 executive orders plus an additional 1200 signing statements, in effect executive orders, stating he would not recognize all or part of congressional acts. In fact the Little Fuhrer broke all records, using signing statements to challenge about 1,200 sections of bills over his eight years in office, about twice the number challenged by all previous presidents combined. And for Czars, G W Bush was right there with 36 czars, where to date Obama has appointed 38. Not much of a different to be howling about, then again I don't remember you howling at GWB for his use of czars, which at the time he had appointed more czars than all administrations combined going back to FDR.

E Archer: Good point; although I take exception on three counts: First, I believe you mean "successors" not "predecessors", a point I made at the time of the Bush executive orders mentioned above; second, I believe you have it backwards in regard to " the next guy . . . will seize control of all property and industry", it's the other way around, it's industry (or more expansive, the Transnational Corporate/Financial/military complex) seizing control of the government (especially if a corporate dupe like Romney gets in, supported by the Fascist wing of what use to be the Republican Party); and third, according to the 5 Supreme Corporatist Court Justices money isn't property, it's speech.

Enlistment Poster: Join the army, travel to exotic distant lands, meet exciting and unusual people . . . and kill them

jim k, Austin, Tx writes: "And all the niceties listed above were, and are being done by governments." At the behest of the corporate elite. Marine Corps General Smedley D. Butler (War is A Racket) - "I spent 33 years and four months in active military service and during that period I spent most of my time as a high class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism. I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street. I helped purify Nicaragua for the International Banking House of Brown Brothers in 1902-1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for the American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras right for the American fruit companies in 1903. In China in 1927 I helped see to it that Standard Oil went on its way unmolested. Looking back on it, I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents". Nothing has changed since General Butlers passing 70years ago, in fact, each passing year has seen the ever expanding influence of the Transnational corporate/Financial/Military complex with the US military, as GWBush put it, projecting our corporate trade policies globally.

When the President does it, that means that it is not illegal. ~ Richard Nixon And let's not forget the GW Bush executive order (May '07) that essentially did away with the Federal Posse Comitatus Act, and then followed up in July '07 with an executive order entitled Blocking Property of Certain Persons Who Threaten Stabilization Efforts in Iraq,. The language is so broad that ordinary American Citizens who opposed the Bush administration policies and express their displeasure through their 1st amendment rights could be put on "The List" and suffer the consequences and the full weight of the Federal government. But don't fret my friends, this was merely a continuation of the ever growing power and influence of the Trans-national corporate/financial/ military complex on the road to completing the 12 steps to fascism.

Carlton, thanks, I needed a good laugh heading into the weekend. I started to respond in a serious manner, but when you state that the Interstate Highway system is a commie plot, as opposed to a publicly funded corporate subsidy, allowing for the transportation of private goods for private profit, or public education to supply private corporations with skilled labor, or stating "National Labor Relations Act of 1935, stated purpose to free inter-state commerce from disruptive strikes by eliminating the cause of the strike" - disruptive to who, oh yea corporate profit. ..and on and on. (Wait a minute, hold my beer... corporate need and government action - now what did Mussolini call that?) I realize that even this short analysis, let alone a full discourse would essential fall on deaf ears and generally a waste of my time (note: I've some experience with zealots). And finally, yes I think you have been staring out the front door with such determination looking for the elusive commie you're missing what is really happening in this country:.... "Corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed." - Abraham Lincoln

Communism? Thats soooo mid-20th Century how quaint. Carlton standing vigilant at the front door spying the landscape for the approach of the mythical communist occupation, as the fascist and the corporatists hoards are marching through the backdoor. All the while their enablers cry a Communists Are Coming distraction while they fashion the chains and shackles of the new feudalism. Good work, the corporatist thank you. And to Archer: so many are suffering under the yoke today. Exactly, the yoke placed around our necks by the transnational corporate financial military industrial complex. As for the quote: very interesting coming from one who is considered by most as the leader of the Federalist movement who argued for a strong central government and clashed repeatedly with Richard Henry Lee, a staunch states right advocate. Its interesting to note that for the most part the Federalist won out, and as suggested by the historical records, because the Federalist were much more organized with their organization spanning the various states, while the anti-federalist were disjointed, mired in their state provincialism. The one exception was the Richard Henry Lee drafted 10th Amendment, although, as we have seen, as been thwarted by the expansive Commerce Clause.

In 1935 he wrote the expose "War Is a Racket", a trenchant condemnation of the profit motive behind warfare. His views on the subject are summarized in the following passage from 1935 (copied from Wikipedia):

"I spent 33 years and four months in active military service and during that period I spent most of my time as a high class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism. I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street. I helped purify Nicaragua for the International Banking House of Brown Brothers in 1902-1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for the American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras right for the American fruit companies in 1903. In China in 1927 I helped see to it that Standard Oil went on its way unmolested. Looking back on it, I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents." In regard to warren, olathe comment to Paul, Union, WA: I must agree with Paul, Union, WA. When one considers that 59% of the federal discretionary budget goes into the great maw of the military/industrial complex that is never satisfied it is easy to see the relevance of the biblical passage. And lets not forget President Eisenhowers warning of the ever growing political influence of the military/industrial complex (actually this expression should be modified to The Global corporate military / financial / industrial complex, but thats quite a mouthful). Many on this blog rant their warnings of communism, but while they are guarding the front door against a mythological threat of communism they are missing the fascist marching through the backdoor. War is a racket by Gen. Smedley Butler: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3_EXqJ8f-0

Waffler, you hit the nail right on the head. I rate the Pawlenty quote a thumbs down as well. Keep swinging that hammer and smashing the lies!!!

Gunny, this is a five star statement because it exposes what is wrong with our criminal (in)justice system. further, if this were true, " Today's American citizen is a sorry, unconscious mess who thinks only about what is best for their own selves and could care less about their neighbors," then the American people would not continue to send corporatists to the legislature who continue to act against the citizens' and America's best interest.

From my perspective the War on Drugs is just another aspect of the Military - Industrial Complex and is profit driven. For example, expect increased rates and length of incarceration as privatization of prisons is fully realized. Profits made by the privatizers will be used to lobby legislatures to increase the number of crimes and increase min/max sentencing. Thus, increasing the need for more privatized prisons which the profit will be used to lobby legislatures...and on, and on...more laws - more crimes-more incarceration - more profit.