Bad decisions by the leaders of a strong nation weaken it massively, leading to a future downfall. History of great nations of the past shows this.
Read the history of the East Roman Empire, aka Byzantium. That nation had two falls. The first occurred circa the years 560-630 after Justinian bankrupted the Empire with endless wars. The East Roman empire was weakened by the debts, had a short reprieve but was further weakened in another war, then proceeded to lose huge swaths of territory to the Arab invaders in the east and Slav invaders in the west as its poor leaders and weakened army lost battle after battle against enemies it could have easily crushed in its heydays.
The second occurred in circa 1025-1072. The successors of Basil II reversed his decisions that aided the common farmer and small landholders. The aristocracy was permitted to gobble up huge swathes of land and reduced the people to serfdom. Thus the backbone of a loyal army was gutted. The army then was forced to rely on mercenaries who were unreliable in key battles, including the disaster of Manzikert in 1072. Further civil strife led the Seljuk Turks to occupy the crucial territory of central Anatolia. After that, the Byzantine Empire was trying to survive with one arm - its Balkan territory. Without the diversity of two economic bases, the Byzantine Empire, which at the time was far advanced technologically and economically over any empire or nation within thousands of miles, was mortally weakened.
Third, consider the great nation of Poland. In the 17th century, Poland was one of the largest and most powerful nations in Europe. Its aristocracy destroyed its unity in their greed for more power and land. Poland began a one way path to oblivion and partition.
What about America?
We have a huge debt still increasing; the money is being wasted and not spent on national improvements. We are being weakened by endless wars in parts of the world mostly irrelevant to American interests. The billionaires, CEOs and government bureacrats and thier allies grab more and more while the living standards of the common people are stagnant, National "leaders" bicker and fight for their own power while ignoring the needs of the common people.
Our only hope: the people will choose wisely ... soon. We need true leadership, a 21st century Teddy Roosevelt who will give the common man and woman a square deal, beat back the power of the Ruling Classes and their Pharisee allies, and stop fighting pointless wars that only enrich the military-industrial complex.
Showing posts with label leaders. Show all posts
Showing posts with label leaders. Show all posts
Monday, March 5, 2012
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Washington's Birthday
Today IS the birthday of George Washington, born 279 years ago.
Tolstoy and Marxist philosophers believed that classes and masses of people determine the path of changes of a society, not people. George Washington is a counterexample.
Without this singular man, the American colonies would likely have lost their War of Independence.
Without this singular man, the independent American States would likely have split into a cacophonous mess after winning the war.
Without this singular man, the new American republic would likely have failed in its first decade of existence.
After the end of the war, even his "opposing number", King George III of England, recognized his greatness.
George Washington changed history. Without his existence, the world would be very different now. Would the United States even exist? Without the United States, would Europe be a German Empire? A Nazi Empire? A Communist Empire? Likely something of that sort would indeed exist.
The unwavering moral compass that George Washington possessed guided him. Perhaps it was connected to his dignitas - his drive to be a good, respected person. The man himself, however, gave full credit to "Providence" and / or the "Creator" and / or "Almighty God" in many letter and speeches and words in both his private and public life. His faith both motivated him, helped him endure adversity and hardship and kept him from the clutches of hubris.
Let's celebrate this great man, not by worshipping or adulating him, but by learning about him. That's how we can honor him, by learning about his values and virtues and beliefs, to use them as a model in conduct of our lives.
One wishes that the current nest of knaves in the Dark City in the Swamp (aka DC) would do this. But I suppose they will not even recognize this day for what is actually is. We need new leaders who measure up to George Washington to lead this nation into the 21st century. Just a few, maybe one, will do.
Books
Washington's God, by Michael and Jana Novak, researches many original sources to examine the nature of Washington's God. To quote a review, "This important book brings to light sorely neglected dimensions of George Washington's life and thought. Readers will better understand our country by understanding the deepest convictions of its founding father." I'll second that.
The answer: George Washington was not a deist. He was a practicing Anglican (aka Episcopalian) in the common 18th century latitudinarian manner, without any particular doctrine or needs for the surface practices of any sect beyond belief, prayer and faith. Washington's God was the God of the Hebrew, Christian and Muslim faiths. He saw the hand of Providence actively as guiding and helping him, his men in the army and the nation to become what it has become. He prayed often to Almighty God.
But read the book and form your own opinion. The book contains the facts from letters, speeches, and from his stepgrandchildren who knew him from family life.
Actions
This morning's action will definitely cause Krypto to give stronger sell signal for gold and silver. I'll sell some (about 10% of holdings) at the open, via GLD and SLV to re-balance the Krypto Fund. Proceeds to cash for now.
Word of the Day
"Intercalcate" - verb, intransitive [$10] and "intercalcating" - participle.
Intercalcate means 1. insert (an intercalary day or month); 2. interpose (something out of the ordinary course); 3. (as 'intercalcated' adjective) (of strata, etc.) interposed.
Sentence: On the day that George Washington was born, the date was February 11, 1732, but since 11 days were intercalcated in 1752 (see below), the date in our modern calendar is February 22, 1732.
From the Internet [ http://www.polysyllabic.com/?q=calhistory/gregorian ]: "Although Queen Elizabeth I initially expressed some interest in changing the calendar in 1582, the Church of England effectively tabled the idea, which was not taken up again for nearly 170 years. By that time, passions had sufficiently cooled that when the idea was introduced as an act of Parliament in 1752, it passed with hardly a murmur. The English colonies in America changed at the same time. By that time, 11 days now had to be added, which the English did by skipping from September 2 to September 14, 1752."
Tolstoy and Marxist philosophers believed that classes and masses of people determine the path of changes of a society, not people. George Washington is a counterexample.
Without this singular man, the American colonies would likely have lost their War of Independence.
Without this singular man, the independent American States would likely have split into a cacophonous mess after winning the war.
Without this singular man, the new American republic would likely have failed in its first decade of existence.
After the end of the war, even his "opposing number", King George III of England, recognized his greatness.
George Washington changed history. Without his existence, the world would be very different now. Would the United States even exist? Without the United States, would Europe be a German Empire? A Nazi Empire? A Communist Empire? Likely something of that sort would indeed exist.
The unwavering moral compass that George Washington possessed guided him. Perhaps it was connected to his dignitas - his drive to be a good, respected person. The man himself, however, gave full credit to "Providence" and / or the "Creator" and / or "Almighty God" in many letter and speeches and words in both his private and public life. His faith both motivated him, helped him endure adversity and hardship and kept him from the clutches of hubris.
Let's celebrate this great man, not by worshipping or adulating him, but by learning about him. That's how we can honor him, by learning about his values and virtues and beliefs, to use them as a model in conduct of our lives.
One wishes that the current nest of knaves in the Dark City in the Swamp (aka DC) would do this. But I suppose they will not even recognize this day for what is actually is. We need new leaders who measure up to George Washington to lead this nation into the 21st century. Just a few, maybe one, will do.
Books
Washington's God, by Michael and Jana Novak, researches many original sources to examine the nature of Washington's God. To quote a review, "This important book brings to light sorely neglected dimensions of George Washington's life and thought. Readers will better understand our country by understanding the deepest convictions of its founding father." I'll second that.
The answer: George Washington was not a deist. He was a practicing Anglican (aka Episcopalian) in the common 18th century latitudinarian manner, without any particular doctrine or needs for the surface practices of any sect beyond belief, prayer and faith. Washington's God was the God of the Hebrew, Christian and Muslim faiths. He saw the hand of Providence actively as guiding and helping him, his men in the army and the nation to become what it has become. He prayed often to Almighty God.
But read the book and form your own opinion. The book contains the facts from letters, speeches, and from his stepgrandchildren who knew him from family life.
Actions
This morning's action will definitely cause Krypto to give stronger sell signal for gold and silver. I'll sell some (about 10% of holdings) at the open, via GLD and SLV to re-balance the Krypto Fund. Proceeds to cash for now.
Word of the Day
"Intercalcate" - verb, intransitive [$10] and "intercalcating" - participle.
Intercalcate means 1. insert (an intercalary day or month); 2. interpose (something out of the ordinary course); 3. (as 'intercalcated' adjective) (of strata, etc.) interposed.
Sentence: On the day that George Washington was born, the date was February 11, 1732, but since 11 days were intercalcated in 1752 (see below), the date in our modern calendar is February 22, 1732.
From the Internet [ http://www.polysyllabic.com/?q=calhistory/gregorian ]: "Although Queen Elizabeth I initially expressed some interest in changing the calendar in 1582, the Church of England effectively tabled the idea, which was not taken up again for nearly 170 years. By that time, passions had sufficiently cooled that when the idea was introduced as an act of Parliament in 1752, it passed with hardly a murmur. The English colonies in America changed at the same time. By that time, 11 days now had to be added, which the English did by skipping from September 2 to September 14, 1752."
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