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Monday, June 23, 2014

A Guest Post

Richard Cloward (1926-2001) was a sociologist and political activist who developed the notion that criminal behavior is caused by social factors.  It was a notion that sought to find an explanation for unacceptable behavior by blaming everyone, except, of course, for the criminal himself.  In 1966, Cloward published a paper that he titled “The Weight of the Poor: A strategy to end poverty[1],” and co-founded the National Welfare Rights Organization and advocated federalization of Aid to Families with Dependent Children.  To Cloward, the Constitutional limitation of government didn’t really matter; ardent communists rarely care about Constitutions and such.  In 1992, he and his wife Frances Fox Piven created another organization called “Human SERVE” (Service Employees[2] Registration and Voter Education), which helped to establish the so-called motor-voter programs leading to the Motor Voter Act of 1993[3].


Together, Cloward-Piven developed what has become known as the Cloward-Piven Strategy, outlined in 1966 and calling for the overloading of the U. S. public welfare system in order to precipitate crises that were beyond the ability of government bureaucracies to manage.  It would, in other words, cause the collapse of the U. S. government and lead to the creation of a national welfare state paid for through onerous taxation imposed upon working Americans.  Cloward-Piven supposed that this could be the result of forcing the Democratic Party (which in 1966 controlled both houses of Congress and the presidency) to federalize all poverty based programs.  Now of course, this is very close to what Lyndon Johnson foresaw in his now infamous Great Society scam ... which Americans are still struggling to pay for today.  In The Weight of the Poor, Cloward-Piven wrote, “The ultimate objective of this strategy —to wipe out poverty by establishing a guaranteed annual income—will be questioned by some.  Because the ideal of individual social and economic mobility has deep roots, even activists seem reluctant to call for national programs to eliminate poverty by the outright redistribution of income.”

We do not need to study further Barack Obama’s stated goals toward the redistribution of income —he’s been doing this very thing now since the American people elected him to the presidency in 2008.  Instead, consider the people with whom Obama has surrounded himself, and you come up with a composite of neo-Marxist activism over the past 60 years.  Then add to this mix the strategy, which is to so overwhelm the federal system that it will collapse upon itself and open the way for extraordinary executive action.  Has Barack Obama employed the Cloward-Piven strategy to destroy what is left of the United States of America?  The number of assaults on our social and political culture has been nothing if not overwhelming —it has been a continuous onslaught even to the extent that most people have been unable to keep up with all of Obama’s shenanigans. 
 
·       Mr. Obama and his acolytes have undertaken to rewrite American history, even to include the assertion that Mohammedans participated in the American Revolutionary War.  There is nothing in history even remotely accurate in this, but it serves to demonstrate how Obama seeks to change our history.  If you can change a country’s history—or the people’s perception of it, then you can likewise redefine national character and culture.
 
·       Mr. Obama went on an international apology tour where he visited European and Middle Eastern countries—telling these people that Americans are arrogant and egocentric, that our claim to American Exceptionalism is undeserved.  It was a two-fold mission: Obama also intended to send a strong message to the American people about what he thought of them, and of the United States.
 
·       By asserting federal authority over private corporations, at the taxpayer’s expense, of course, he usurped the Constitutional limits on federal government.  In this, Barack Obama had the willing assistance of every single Democrat in the Congress, and particularly of the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi[4].
 
·       Barack Obama has increased federal spending and increased our national debt to in excess of $17 trillion.  In 2008, our national debt was only $9.8 trillion.  US federal spending increased from $2.8 trillion to $3.5 trillion, which amount to budget deficits of $294 billion and $606 billion, respectively.
 
·       Since taking office, Barack Obama has signed 180 executive orders, thereby bypassing the legislative process and pushing forward the notion that he is creating an imperial presidency.  Arguments abound whether the number of his executive orders are extraordinary, but rather than looking at the number of executive orders, we should consider the topics where he has sought to circumvent Congress[5].
 
·       Under Barack Obama, the government has imposed high taxes on job creators and created huge budget deficits.  Some say this is the worst-case scenario of any administration since Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, whom everyone affectionately called Caligula; it is a paradox that forces one to wonder if Obama looks upon deficits as a mechanism to increase taxes.
 
·       Do near-zero interest rates act as a stimulus for a moribund economy, or does it act as a mechanism for demanding even more public funded welfare assistance and public sector hiring?  This we know for certain: low interest rates have sharpened the distinction between the haves and the have-nots.  Wealthy persons have benefitted, and the very poor don’t care because they are already getting something for nothing.
 
·       In the Time Before Obama, the production of natural gas and nuclear power were viewed as preferable alternatives to oil and coal, but since Obama —even in spite of his destruction of coal as an industry, what we now must contend with is enormously expensive electricity bills on the backs of those who can least afford it.  There will be no relief under Obama and one must wonder why he has undertaken these destructive policies.  Well, actually, we do know why.
 
·       Race relations in this country would not be worse today had either Condoleezza Rice or Colin Powell become our president —but under Barack Obama, racial polarization is at its highest levels since Reconstruction.  We have heard Eric Holder speak of “my people,” and we all heard him say that America is a nation of cowards ... but should anyone endeavor to have a discussion on race, they are immediately classified as racists and right-wing extremists.
 
·       In 2007, there were essentially two views about immigration policy.  Liberalists argued for relaxing immigration rules (in order to increase their voter base), while realists favored border sovereignty and reinforcing that America is a nation of laws.  No one can embark upon a path to citizenship that is willing to break our immigration laws on their first day.  Today, under Obama, illegal immigrants are streaming across our borders in droves.  The debate has become both racial and political.  Recently, suddenly, and quite inexplicably, tens of thousands of children have arrived at our border and these have somehow managed to end up in Arizona, whose sovereign is Governor Jan Brewer, a hated enemy of the Obama camp.
 
·       A little over one year ago, we learned the extent to which the NSA is spying on the American people; two years ago we learned that Obama’s IRS was being used as a political vendetta mechanism against conservatives; three years ago we learned that the Social Security Administration and IRS paid out multiple millions of dollars rewarding democratic employees for their loyalty.  It is no wonder then, that Obama and his henchmen don’t actually care what we think about Benghazi or the Taliban Five.
 
·       Obama also announced a preference for the Mohammedan Brotherhood operating inside the United States, and specifically within American prisons, and in this process of ingratiating himself to this foreign ideology, Obama gave us the Arab Spring, which is nothing but an unmitigated disaster for US foreign policy and American credibility abroad.  Now, many Americans go to bed at night asking for an American Spring —whereby we may somehow rid ourselves of this pathetic excuse for a president.

·       Finally, we have noted one continuous assault upon our Second Amendment rights, and at the same time we learn that the Obama administration is providing military- style arms and equipment to local police agencies.  The likely purpose for this is enough to send chills up our spines.  What is Obama planning for us next?

Who is helping Obama to manage the never-ending stream of crises?  Why, John Podesta, of course —and Valerie Jarrett, both of whom are vapid Marxists; red-diaper babies and adherents to the view that they can destroy America, they can demoralize the American people, by overwhelming them and their institutions —Cloward-Piven.

At this stage, of course ... there is nothing anyone can do about this.  Obama has a free reign for another 3 years.  It may even be true that we haven’t seen anything yet...



[1] Advocating the defeat of poverty by causing the collapse of Republican democracy
[2] Any similarity between this and the Service Employees International Union is more than coincidental
[3] Which explains how illegal aliens are able to vote, along with citizens long deceased
[4] Remember this the next time you hear a Democratic politician tell you how much he loves the American way of life...

32 comments:

  1. Perhaps Barack Obama is a psychopath? Psychopaths often act audaciously, without regard for those affected. They get away with actions that others in their positions haven’t, because of their ability to remain calm even when committing atrocities, and their ability to manipulate whole groups of people.

    Obama has taken more luxury vacations than any other president, and he has done so as the American economy was in collapse for his policies. He has taken his entire family and spent tens of millions of dollars in exotic, luxe locations like Hawaii, Vail, Europe and Africa. His predecessors made Americans increasingly familiar with places like Camp David and Martha’s Vineyard or their own vacation homes such as the Bushes’ Kennebunkport, the Kennedys’ Cape Cod, the Reagans’ Rancho Del Cielo in California or George W’s exotic locale, Crawford, Texas. Other presidents were exceptionally sensitive to the state of the American people, foregoing vacations when the American people were mourning or hurting economically – not the Obamas. When the economy was at its worst, gas prices were at record highs, and Americans were going without vacations and other needs, Obama extended his wife and daughters’ vacation in Spain.

    But luxe vacations are just the beginning. Obama has golfed more than any other president. On days when America has been under attack, on days when military heroes have died, on days when the nation is mourning – still Obama finds time for a game of hoops with a hip-hop star or a round of golf with a key contributor. His advisers had to pull him off the golf course to talk him into taking out Osama bin Laden.

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  2. Excellent comment Rottweiler !

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  4. Mr. Obama, what are you going to do now ? Are you going to let Baghdad fall in Taliban/Sunni hands? Make an alliance with Iran, or Syria for one stronghold in the middle East?
    Or are you going to go out and play a round of Golf, or shoot some Hoops with Jay Z?

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  5. No one is in a better position to overload government and the American people than the chief executive. It is hard to imagine that our citizens could settle for this.

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  6. Like I said at montepelier,
    I can only disagree with one point.
    You say: “Why, John Podesta, of course —and Valerie Jarrett, both of whom are vapid Marxists”.
    They are not vapid, they are rabid. And should be put down as such.

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  7. Rather bizarre article.
    It leads with Cloward's position on income distribution and degenerates into standard Obama bashing without mentioning the established topic.

    Most of the "criticism" has nothing to do with downward income distribution except the outright lie that Obma has increased taxes on the "job creators" (LMAO).

    Then there is an implied, I believe, reference to General Motors and asserting federal authority over private corporations as if this is something new. Hint: It gets done in bankruptcy court all the time.

    We have the mandatory reference to the Muslim Brotherhood and the defense of the gun loon interpretation of the 2nd which is very recent.

    All in all, very poorly organized.



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  9. I thank Mustang and AOW for the credit but I only edited a few lines; This was Mustang's and we wanted so badly for more and more people to be informed that a few of us blogged it.
    This information should be sent to people you know and digested. Do not let the naysayers pick ridiculous strawmen and negate the value in knowing about CP...it's VERY important.
    Ed and Sam are right, too.
    Mustang; excellent. keep up these pieces.
    'Obama bashing' these days is a not-so-clever euphemism for 'the truth', sadly.

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  10. What will Obama do? Hopefully not a damn thing, as usual!.

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  11. Wise readers will verify the veracity of that which is contained in this opinion and anti Obama article. Extreme partisanship is very evident.

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  12. Rational Nation....looks like you need to bone up on Cloward Piven, huh?
    or maybe you can link where Mustang's wrong? That would be appreciated. We all need the truth. I mean, DID Muslims participate in the Revolutionary War? Is the deficit more than all previous presidents put together? Was the NSA spying on us? Is Obama working against the Second Amendment?
    Let's hear your problems with Mustang's facts which you consider 'extreme partisanship'. Thanks!

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  13. Let me point out a few utter absurdities, z:

    1. The Muslim Brotherhood has infiltrated the White House.
    Yeah, that's why Kerry was in Egypt agreeing to military aid the day before Sisi cracked down on the press in a show trial.
    Also, what does the MB have to do with Cloward-Piven?

    2. Is Obama working against the 2nd amendment?
    Not that I can see. If you've been paying attention (read, z, read) you would know that the possibility of additional Federal firearm regulation is dead.
    The meaning of the 2nd until roughly the 1970's never involved the kind of lunacy it does now and the rush to arm is absolutely connected with a fear of minorities.
    Again, what does the 2nd have to do with Cloward-Piven.

    3. @mustang -- This we know for certain: low interest rates have sharpened the distinction between the haves and the have-nots.
    --
    This is really too brilliant. Mustang presents an point demonstrating that Obama is working Against the Cloward-Pliven program.

    4. @mustang -- Since taking office, Barack Obama has signed 180 executive orders
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    So what? Why not elaborate on the nature of these orders. As head of the executive branch I would expect him to issue executive orders.
    Very poorly done. Are you able to relate any of these orders to the Cloward-Piven agenda?


    Every time (well often, anyway) RN posts, I am reminded that if he represented the nature of today's conservative party, we might be able to get something done.


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  14. Ducky, good try but you never have been great at nuance. Mustang's piece is not only about Cloward Piven but also the lengths to which Obama will go to bring us down. Oh, I KNOW; He's wonderful! He loves the poor and we hate them. He loves the sick and we hate them. I know that's the Leftwinger's dream meme....but, really, we need to get a grip before it gets worse.
    The have/have nots scenario Obama's cementing in heads before the midterms is a perfect example of the fulfilling of the CP dream of income distribution. Think.
    You DO know that the 2nd amendment is guns, yes? Read, Ducky, read. Every chance this president gets he's about taking them from the lawful knowing full and well who'll still have guns when the lawful don't. And that';s not even including his plans for an American civilian police force, right?
    No. Mustang did an excellent job here.... CP is only part of Obama's ridiculous plans and it's important we know them all.

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    1. And yet he's signed a Bill allowing firearms in National Parks. Get a clue.

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  15. Pitch till you win, z.

    Yes, I know the 2nd amendment refers to firearms, don't be an idiot.

    I also know that the interpretation of the 2nd has changed radically in the last 35-40 ears with the ascendance of a radical wing in the NRA.
    Once again, firearm regulation remains with the states and nothing has happened to tighten restrictions. In fact they have been relaxed.

    But here's the deal, z. Both you and mustang are upset by any wealth distribution because some of it will go to minorities. The undeserving.

    If Obama is trying to move away from contemporary conservative doctrine why has he supported reducing Social Security, guaranteeing more privatization of health insurance, public school privatization, the Keystone pipeline etc.

    Tale a look at what is happening and maybe come back when you don't have to talk in cliches.

    By the way, which is more significant, the size of the debt or the cost of debt service? When your hero St. Ronnie Raygun was pumping up the debt at double digit interest rates was that more or less damaging than raising the debt at interest rates lower than inflation.

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    1. "But here's the deal, z. Both you and mustang are upset by any wealth distribution because some of it will go to minorities. The undeserving."

      Oh brother, playing the race card Ducky? Wealth redistribution is just a fancy term for theft. It's how the left buys votes. However, when you "redistribute" wealth, the wealth you stealing starts to shrink. People do not continue to produce at the same level when the fruits of their productivity are confiscated by the state. Therefore, wealth redistribution reduces the amount of wealth, meaning the amount of goods and services available to sell and buy in the economy. That makes everyone poorer. As Churchill said, Socialism is the equal sharing of misery. That's why we are opposed to "wealth redistribution," i.e. THEFT.

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    2. "If Obama is trying to move away from contemporary conservative doctrine why has he supported reducing Social Security, guaranteeing more privatization of health insurance, public school privatization, the Keystone pipeline etc."

      Obama has done none of these things, Ducky. You are making stuff up.

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  16. This post reminded me of the movie The Front. Great movie, but it left you with a queasy feeling. I only got the queasy from this post. Smells like old rotten John Birch to me.

    JMJ

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    1. I once asked mustang if he's John Birch. He replied, no.

      Possibly they are too conservative for him.

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    2. Just curious about the source of a doctrine that extreme.

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    3. Well, Duck, I don't know all that much about the JBS. I know that there used to a strong JBS movement here in Northern Virginia, but that was at least five decades ago. I was too young to be the least bit interested in politics back then.

      I just did a Google search of the JBS and see that the organization has a web site.

      There ends the extent of my knowledge about the JBS.

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  17. Jersey McJones Said
    "This post reminded me of "


    I'd tell you what YOUR comment(s) remind ME of, bu if I did I'd be banned from this site!

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  18. I would just like to add, "Hear, hear!" Well written indeed.

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  19. I would just like to add, "Hear, hear!" Well written indeed.

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