Wake-up America!

The Corporate Capitalist System doesn't give a flying fuck about you.

When a country works reasonably well - when the schools teach reading, writing, arithmetic and not "political correctness", when the police are few and far between and courteous, when government is remote and minds its business and works more for the benefit of the people than for crooks and special interests, then pledging to it a degree of allegiance isn't foolish. Years ago, America was such a country, imperfect as all nations are, but good enough to cherish.

As decline begins, and government becomes oppressive, self-righteous, and ruthless yet incompetent, as official spying flourishes, as corruption sets in hard, and institutions rot, it is time to disengage. Loyalty to a country is a choice, not an obligation. In other times people have loved family, friends, common decency, tribe, regiment, or church instead of country. In an age of national collapse, this is wise.

A fruitful field of disengagement might be called domestic expatriation - the recognition that living in a country makes you a resident, not a subscriber. It is one thing to be loyal to a government that is loyal to you, another thing entirely to continue that loyalty when the black uniformed security forces of Corporate Capitalism deprive citizens of their rights and the government rejects everything that you believe in. While the phrase has become unbearably pretentious, it is possible to regard oneself as a citizen of the world rather than of the Empire.

Disengagement from the consumerist zeitgeist is essential. Yes, I know. Distaste for a life dedicated to buying the unnecessary can seem a pose: “I am of such lofty character that I do not dirty my philosophical hands with mere... things.”

No. It is not a pose. In a time of economic retrogression, rejection of consumerism is utterly practical. And almost treasonous.

One might ask oneself, “What do I really need, and what things really matter to me? How much money do I really need, and how much am I willing to pay to get it?” Remember, you pay more for money than for anything else...

Here is where the seven points of our American Socialist economic policy come into play:

1.- Tax heavily and hold profits down.

2.- Fix ceilings on prices and rents.

3.- Stabilize wages.

4.- Stabilize farm prices.

5.- Save more; buy less.

6.- Ration all essential commodities that are scarce.

7.- Discourage installment buying, and encourage paying off debts.

The Median Household Income in the United States is $50,221. So, let's say any income over $1,000,000 should be taxed at the rate of 90.5 percent. There should also be a tax on capital gains of 10%. Society at large should profit and not the individual investor.

Prices and rents should be fixed. The average house payment should be around $1154, and the average apartment $575 per month.

The average wage should be $20 per hour.

The farmer should be paid a fair price for his produce, and food from abroad should be taxed heavily. It is the height of stupidity to ship a can of green beans all the way from China and sell it cheaper than green beans grown and packaged here in the United States...

Advertising amounts to 'brainwashing'. It should be banned from the media. Instead, saving money and buying less should be promoted.

Luxury items should be heavily taxed. Essential commodities that are scarce should be rationed. There is too much waste in our society. Everyday three billion dollars worth of food is thrown away. All those frozen foods you leave around Walmart are tossed in the trash!

Credit cards are the scourge of modern society. The consumer debt is burying us. Therefore, we must discourage installment buying and promote paying off debts. You don't need all that shit, and when you buy food on credit you are already bankrupt.

If you can’t pay for it, don’t buy it; and if you don’t need it, don’t buy it. Therein lie the seeds of the utter destruction of Corporate America, but I’m not Wall Street’s mother.

Another step toward independence is to disengage to the extent possible from the maintenance cycle. You are much better off in bad times if you can do the kind of plumbing, wiring, and auto maintenance that used to be commonly understood.

Again, circumstances differ and details vary. The principle remains: Disengage, cut your expenses, seek the interstices, and don’t believe in anything unless you are sure it was your idea to believe in it. What is coming looks to be ugly. If so, it will be every man for himself, his family, his friends, and what principles he believes. 

American Socialism or bust!

And, that's the Truth!