Everyone in DC had their panties in a bunch this week because for the first time EVER, the “president” vetoed the annual re-installment of the NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act).

In a show of incredible bi-partisanship considering the divisive state of Umerkin politics, the Senate overwhelmingly over-ride Trump’s veto over 2 minor provisions of the NDAA: the removal of Confederate traitors’ names from military bases, and provision 230; a leftover from the vile 1996 Communications Decency Act which states that companies operating online forums (Facebook Instagram, etc,.) can’t be considered the publisher of posts that subscribers put on their sites – therefore the forum operators can’t be held liable for what others choose to share on their sites, even if they violate laws.

Normally the NDAA is passed unanimously with little fanfare. This year at least there was an effort led by Bernie Sanders to re-appropriate some of the funding from the severely bloated NDAA to actually help people during the global pandemic. But of course the proposal was shot down by republicans and democrats alike.

More than 60 progressive advocacy groups joined Senator Bernie Sanders back in July to try and pass an Amendment which would have cut the Pentagon budget by 10 to 14%. It would have redirected the approximately $74 billion in savings toward funding healthcare, education, jobs, and housing in the hardest hit communities.

The aptly named “Reduction in Amount Authorized to be Appropriated for Fiscal Year 2021 by this Act” Act would have prompted spending cuts across all DoD agencies, excluding costs related to personnel, research, and healthcare.

Democratic Representatives Barbara Lee from California and Mark Pocan from Wisconsin went even further. They introduced a resolution proposing up to $350 billion in cuts to the Pentagon budget! The resolution would have required closing American military bases overseas, ending funding for the endless, illegal wars, and best of all, it would have severely cut back on the use of private contractors like Academi, formerly known asXe, formerly known as Blackwater USA (whose mercenaries were recently pardoned by Trump).

Needless to say, Sanders’ amendment was soundly defeated on the floor, with only 23 legislators voting in favor. As far as I can tell, Lee’s Amendment was never even brought to a vote. But at least it goes to show that there are still A FEW good politicians left in this godforsaken country…

But let’s face it: leaders from both branches of The War Party know the real score. That much is clear: the WAR MACHINE must be fed!

The political class is all for giving the Military Industrial Complex (MIC) every goddam penny they’re entitled to – and more – while hundreds of thousands of Umerkins needlessly die, small businesses go bankrupt, millions of families go hungry, jobs evaporate, unemployment benefits dry up and society crumbles.

600 bucks is an insult to human decency and a slap in the face to all Americans. Even if by some miracle the amount is raised to $2,000, it’s still nowhere near enough. In the civilized world (France, for instance) citizens take to the streets in protest over such blatant disregard for the common good. Here, we just sit on our asses and take it because we’re too fat, dumb, lazy and demoralized to do anything except complain.

Fuck, most Americans will be downright HAPPY to get another one-time payment of two thousand stinking dollars…while the rest of the world has been paying their citizens up to 80% of their pre-pandemic income to do the right thing and STAY HOME.

Unlike America, The EU was compelled to introduce expensive economic stimulus packages which have so far provided more than $389 billion of relief to help small businesses negatively impacted by the pandemic. France also worked with Germany to make sure the European Union provided a further $608.2 billion to businesses, workers and government institutions that were financially struggling as a result of the global pandemic.

Germany gave around $26 billion of relief to small businesses and self-employed individuals between January and June 2021. In November the country paid more than $17 billion to help businesses negatively impacted by the lock-down.

Faced with the prospect of mass layoffs coinciding with a second wave of COVID-19 cases and new lock-downs, European leaders are extending their commitment to generous, budget-busting efforts to keep workers paid and employed. Britain follows Spain, France, Italy and others that have continued expensive furlough programs far beyond the few months initially planned and budgeted for earlier this year.

In Germany, where the model originated, policymakers have extended their version all the way to the end of 2021.

Civilized nations passed stimulus measures which almost completely prevented pandemic-related unemployment. They bit the bullet and took decisive action to ease the pain of most citizens by simply paying them to stay at home. But shhhh! We’re not supposed to know about that!

Another thing they don’t bring up in the MSM: since 2011, the NDAA has included a provision which allows for indefinite detention of American citizens without a right to trial. The bill was signed into law by Obama, and the indefinite detention provision is still contained in the NDAA, having been approved by Congress every year since it first passed.

Oops. Can’t really talk about that, either!

It is worth restating that Umerka has been ruled by a corporate/military junta – commonly referred to as the Military Industrial Complex (MIC) – since the 1963 JFK assassination.

After all these years, we can’t expect the fucking coup leaders to give a shit what anybody thinks – least of all Americans. They own the country, and they’re pretty sure they’ve got this whole ‘minority rule’ thing worked out. It doesn’t matter who the puppet “president” is…

After all, the president is a temporary employee. It makes no difference which branch of the War Party is in charge.

The bloated US National Security State has resoundingly failed to protect us from any number of crises, whether it be the pandemic, natural disasters, social unrest, gun violence, growing poverty or the coming climate catastrophe. Based on all the data, America is one of the most dangerous places in the world to live!

Yet with each new disaster the MIC is further fortified and bolstered, no matter how great its repeated failures. The WAR MACHINE sucks up more that 60% of all discretionary funding in the USA. It’s time we stop and consider exactly what Umerkins are getting for the NDAA.

Not that there’s a damn thing we can do about it.

Happy stinking New Year.