What are your thoughts about what this man says?

[skiptown]

I hope you find the time to read this with an open mind. It's interesting.  Please read it with the open mind rather than immediately breaking it down into left or right, but rather look at it from the neutral viewpoint of right or wrong.  It's like the line below says, "what if he is right?"
 
 
Take the three minutes to read this.
Maybe he is wrong.
What if he is right?
 
David Kaiser is a respected historian whose published works have covered a broad range of topics, from European Warfare to American League Baseball. Born in 1947, the son of a diplomat, Kaiser spent his childhood in three capital cities: Washington D.C. , Albany , New York , and Dakar , Senegal .. He attended Harvard University , graduating there in 1969 with a B.A. In history. He then spent several years more at Harvard, gaining a PhD in history, which he obtained in 1976. He served in the Army Reserve from 1970 to 1976.

He is a professor in the Strategy and Policy Department of the United States Naval War College . He has previously taught at Carnegie Mellon, Williams College and Harvard University . Kaiser's latest book, The Road to Dallas, about the Kennedy assassination, was just published by Harvard University Press.


Dr. David Kaiser


History Unfolding

I am a student of history. Professionally, I have written 15 books on history that have been published in six languages, and I have studied history all my life. I have come to think there is something monumentally large afoot, and I do not believe it is simply a banking crisis, or a mortgage crisis, or a credit crisis. Yes these exist, but they are merely single facets on a very large gemstone that is only now coming into a sharper focus.

Something of historic proportions is happening. I can sense it because I know how it feels, smells, what it looks like, and how people react to it. Yes, a perfect storm may be brewing, but there is something happening within our country that has been evolving for about ten to fifteen years. The pace has dramatically quickened in the past two.

We demand and then codify into law the requirement that our banks make massive loans to people we know they can never pay back? Why?

We learned just days ago that the Federal Reserve, which has little or no real oversight by anyone, has "loaned" two trillion dollars (that is $2,000,000,000,000) over the past few months, but will not tell us to whom or why or disclose the terms. That is our money. Yours and mine. And that is three times the $700 billion we all argued about so strenuously just this past September. Who has this money? Why do they have it? Why are the terms unavailable to us? Who asked for it? Who authorized it? I thought this was a government of "we the people," who loaned our powers to our elected leaders. Apparently not.

We have spent two or more decades intentionally de-industrializing our economy.. Why?

We have intentionally dumbed down our schools, ignored our history, and no longer teach our founding documents, why we are exceptional, and why we are worth preserving. Students by and large cannot write, think critically, read, or articulate. Parents are not revolting, teachers are not picketing, school boards continue to back mediocrity. Why?

We have now established the precedent of protesting every close election (violently in California over a proposition that is so controversial that it simply wants marriage to remain defined as between one man and one woman. Did you ever think such a thing possible just a decade ago?) We have corrupted our sacred political process by allowing unelected judges to write laws that radically change our way of life, and then mainstream Marxist groups like ACORN and others to turn our voting system into a banana republic. To what purpose?

Now our mortgage industry is collapsing, housing prices are in free fall, major industries are failing, our banking system is on the verge of collapse, social security is nearly bankrupt, as is Medicare and our entire government. Our education system is worse than a joke (I teach college and I know precisely what I am talking about) - the list is staggering in its length, breadth, and depth.. It is potentially 1929 x  ten...And we are at war with an enemy we cannot even name for fear of offending people of the same religion, who, in turn, cannot wait to slit the throats of your children if they have the opportunity to do so.

And finally, we have elected a man that no one really knows anything about, who has never run so much as a Dairy Queen, let alone a town as big as Wasilla , Alaska .. All of his associations and alliances are with real radicals in their chosen fields of employment, and everything we learn about him, drip by drip, is unsettling if not downright scary (Surely you have heard him speak about his idea to create and fund a mandatory civilian defense force stronger than our military for use inside our borders? No? Oh, of course. The media would never play that for you over and over and then demand he answer it. Sarah Palin's pregnant daughter and $150,000 wardrobe are more important.)

Mr. Obama's winning platform can be boiled down to one word: Change. Why?

I have never been so afraid for my country and for my children as I am now.

This man campaigned on bringing people together, something he has never, ever done in his professional life. In my assessment, Obama will divide us along philosophical lines, push us apart, and then try to realign the pieces into a new and different power structure. Change is indeed coming. And when it comes, you will never see the same nation again.

And that is only the beginning..

As a serious student of history, I thought I would never come to experience what the ordinary, moral German must have felt in the mid-1930s In those times, the "savior" was a former smooth-talking rabble-rouser from the streets, about whom the average German knew next to nothing. What they should have known was that he was associated with groups that shouted, shoved, and pushed around people with whom they disagreed; he edged his way onto the political stage through great oratory. Conservative "losers" read it right now.

And there were the promises. Economic times were tough, people were losing jobs, and he was a great speaker. And he smiled and frowned and waved a lot. And people, even newspapers, were afraid to speak out for fear that his "brown shirts" would bully and beat them into submission. Which they did - regularly. And then, he was duly elected to office, while a full-throttled economic crisis bloomed at hand - the Great Depression. Slowly, but surely he seized the controls of government power, person by person, department by department, bureaucracy by bureaucracy. The children of German citizens were at first, encouraged to join a Youth Movement in his name where they were taught exactly what to think. Later, they were required to do so. No Jews of course, 

How did he get people on his side? He did it by promising jobs to the jobless, money to the money-less, and rewards for the military-industrial complex. He did it by indoctrinating the children, advocating gun control, health care for all, better wages, better jobs, and promising to re-instill pride once again in the country, across Europe , and across the world. He did it with a compliant media - did you know that? And he did this all in the name of justice and .... . .. change. And the people surely got what they voted for.

If you think I am exaggerating, look it up. It's all there in the history books.

So read your history books. Many people of conscience objected in 1933 and were shouted down, called names, laughed at, and ridiculed. When Winston Churchill pointed out the obvious in the late 1930s while seated in the House of Lords in England (he was not yet Prime Minister), he was booed into his seat and called a crazy troublemaker. He was right, though. And the world came to regret that he was not listened to.

Do not forget that Germany was the most educated, the most cultured country in Europe. It was full of music, art, museums, hospitals, laboratories, and universities. And yet, in less than six years (a shorter time span than just two terms of the U. S. presidency) it was rounding up its own citizens, killing others, abrogating its laws, turning children against parents, and neighbors against neighbors.. All with the best of intentions, of course. The road to Hell is paved with them.

As a practical thinker, one not overly prone to emotional decisions, I have a choice: I can either believe what the objective pieces of evidence tell me (even if they make me cringe with disgust); I can believe what history is shouting to me from across the chasm of seven decades; or I can hope I am wrong by closing my eyes, having another latte, and ignoring what is transpiring around me..

I choose to believe the evidence. No doubt some people will scoff at me, others laugh, or think I am foolish, naive, or both.. To some degree, perhaps I am. But I have never been afraid to look people in the eye and tell them exactly what I believe-and why I believe it.

I pray I am wrong. I do not think I am. Perhaps the only hope is our vote in the next elections.

David Kaiser   
Jamestown , Rhode Island
United States     
 
 
 
 
   
 


 

[DejaVu]

I hope you find the time to read this with an open mind. It's interesting.  Please read it with the open mind rather than immediately breaking it down into left or right, but rather look at it from the neutral viewpoint of right or wrong.  It's like the line below says, "what if he is right?"
 
 
Take the three minutes to read this.
Maybe he is wrong.
What if he is right?

I read it with an opened mind and then I did what I usually do. I checked out who David Kaiser is. Indeed he appears to be a respected historian. The problem is he never wrote this stupid email. I would imagine some staff member from FOX news or some right-wing front group used this mans name to give believability to their evil corporate agenda. Propaganda...the email going around is propaganda!

Dr. David Kaiser wrote on his blog:

Foreign policy wisdom

The fraudulent email attributing to me an article that compares President Obama to Adolf Hitler continues to circulate, and during the last week it generated more than 2000 hits on this blog, a record. To those new visitors (and there seem to be many every day) who have reached this spot because of it, let me say at once that I did not write it, do not agree with it, and would appreciate you hitting "reply all" to the email that you received and letting everyone know this. But please do read the post that follows, which will give you the blog's true flavor, and please return.

This is the link: http://historyunfolding.blogspot.com/2009/05/foreign-policy-wisdom.html
 

[Guardian Angel]

DJ you beat me to it......I was out searching for the truth too...................

[Chazzy]

Well i for one, hope hr is wrong too.......but i dont thinl he is ....thanks ,Shiptown...and i am getting tired of seeing  him on T.V. all the time....doesnt he have a job? and a office..  but he is hardly ever there.. OH , i forgot he"s out BRAINWASHING all the people he can....only thing i can say to the whorshipers...is i hope you are right!!!

[Guardian Angel]

Well I hope Obama continues to be on TV, speaking directly to the people.  I don't think anyone worships him, they respect him and by the way, that is his job, keeping the people he serves informed.  What better way to do that than to speak for himself.  Brainwashing....................the only brainwashing going on is coming from the nut cases from the far right who are still out there pushing lies via Rush and Fox news.

Tell me Nit Wit, did you even bother to read the note in blue posted by DejaVu, saying that the letter posted by Skiptown is fraudulent?

[Chazzy]

I sure did GA,   but dont we ALL have a right to our opinons?  and im not one of obama"s flock.  i relly hope he keeps America fixed. but not turn into Amerika......just because we dont agree on everything..i am not left or right...I stopped voting when the supreme court stole the election from Gore...i just dont see the change..that obama promised.........     Thats what makes America so great...We have the right to disagree......but Rush and the right wing nuts.. i have to agree with ya..

[Guardian Angel]

Well, give it a chance, after all it hasn't even been a year yet...........I'm not givin up!    And.....you sure are entitled to your opinion, I just wanted to make sure you saw the fraud in what was posted.  It's important to get the truth in all situations.

[Chazzy]

I hear ya GA ....but does anyone know the truth ? and i hope im wrong.  but the demOcrats and obama passed that $750  billiom  bailout , without even reading it...didnt have time they just trusted ol paulson...then the great money giveaway began.. and since the repUblicans are  not going to agree with him  anyway, he shud just go for universal healthcare..but then you have the big $ lobbiest, ama, big drug companies, insurance..etc. and most of the politicians are in bed with them.            and thank you for the bread pudding recipe, was good and even i cud make it...That  easy

[DejaVu]

I hear ya GA ....but does anyone know the truth ? and i hope im wrong.  but the demOcrats and obama passed that $750  billiom  bailout , without even reading it...didnt have time they just trusted ol paulson...then the great money giveaway began.. and since the repUblicans are  not going to agree with him  anyway, he shud just go for universal healthcare..but then you have the big $ lobbiest, ama, big drug companies, insurance..etc. and most of the politicians are in bed with them.            and thank you for the bread pudding recipe, was good and even i cud make it...That  easy

Question: You do know that it was the the Bush administration and the current Congress that rammed through the 750B bailout and a planned takeover of a half-trillion dollars or more in worthless mortgages and other bad debt held by international investment banks....no string attached...right?

Yes sir....George Bush stood right there next to Hank Paulson and said, "Every American should know that the federal government continues to enforce laws and regulations protecting your money". Too bad no one bothered to yell out "YOU LIE".

[Guardian Angel]

As long as there are lobbyists in Washington, you know the money is going to win.......I still support the President because I feel he is doing the best he can with what he has (congress) and from where I stand, he hasn't got much....because they've all been bought off!  

[DejaVu]

As long as there are lobbyists in Washington, you know the money is going to win.......I still support the President because I feel he is doing the best he can with what he has (congress) and from where I stand, he hasn't got much....because they've all been bought off!  

I agree GA. I support Obama's Healthcare reform...but not what the Congress is trying to do. You're right about Congress...they're dragging their feet because most (Republicans and Democrats) get huge campaign finance dollars, money and perks from Corporate lobbyists, yes they've been bought off.  So the question is...why isn't it a conflict of interest or ethics issue when their job is supposed to be protecting their constituents at home? How do they get by with it?

[Guardian Angel]

They get by with it by lying.....................they are very good at it.........

[DejaVu]

I guess it's up to us to expose their lies....huh! 

[Guardian Angel]

You got that right.......................

[Chazzy]

Eplore on ladies, we need more of that..and yes GA i know busssssh  and hank started it but did the demOcrats in congress have to just cave in and pass it ....dont get me wrong  . buuuusd and all his cronies shud be in jail, including ROVE